Pausing from writing out her list, Georgie held up her hand so the light would catch the diamond that now had a permanent home on her left hand. It had been a week and it still didn't feel real to her. She was married. The man lying next to her in the bed was her husband. Sighing happily she pulled her knees up closer to her chest, dragging the sheet with them.

The past week had been almost dreamlike. Although she was fairly certain she had went to class, Steven had insisted he was not going to be the reason why she failed her first class ever, Georgie prayed nothing from the past week would actually end up on her upcoming finals. She would never be able to remember it. But now it was time she started to come back to the real world and start facing some realities.

"Alright," she said, clicking her pen against her teeth. "I think I got everything from the room but if I left anything important Ronnie and Linds will stop by with it."

"Sounds good to me." Steven paused in his crossword puzzle pursuit to smile at his wife.

"Linds and Ronnie worked out some story to tell the dorm monitor about why I'm never there any more. So that takes care of that."

"My wife's being sneaky?" Steven teased.

"Would you prefer your father-in-law find out about you from a dorm monitor or his daughter?"

He sobered at the thought. "I was just trying to get a rise out of you."

Smiling at him, Georgie leaned over and kissed his lips. "Silly boy. Didn't you learn how to play nice with others?" she teased him.

"I think some might say I'm perfect at it." He sat up and cradled her face, their kiss falling into a comfortable rhythm.

Letting her list drop to the side of the bed, Georgie wrapped her arms around his neck. "Do you have to work today?"

"I think they'd like it if I showed up." Steven sighed.

"I don't have classes today. I could come with you." Georgie offered.

Steven grinned. "We both know I won't get any work done if you're in the general vicinity."

"And I suppose I should pay attention to the other items on my list." Georgie sighed. "Spoilsport."

"It's why they pay me the big bucks." He chuckled kissing the tip of her nose. "I'm reliable."

"It's certainly why I married you."

"I thought you married me for my talents as a masseuse." Steven pouted.

"That was the second reason."

"Who are you fooling?" He turned his head to the side. "It's the first reason."

"That's just what I let you believe." Georgie teased as she reached for her now remembered list. "I guess if you are all determined to be responsible and earn money, I could spend my time equally productive."

"We've never talked about where we go after the semester's over." Steven pointed out casually.

"I assumed first stop was Port Charles. Your sister will be due around then and we do kinda have to tell my dad about us. It probably will go better in person than across a continent."

"What would you think about moving back there?" Steven wanted to know.

"Moving to Port Charles?" Georgie dropped her list for the second time that morning. "What are you talking about?"

"Well you do have another year of school left." Steven reminded her.

"I know that. But your job is in L.A. I can finish my degree anywhere."

"And what if your credits don't transfer over? You've worked so hard to get to this point. Besides, I know you're homesick." Steven assured her.

"I am a little bit." Georgie wasn't going to deny it. She did miss her dad, Maxie, Alexis, and Kristina. But that didn't mean moving back home was the best solution here. "But you have to work."

"I can work anywhere."

"You have a home there. Friends. Your life is in L.A."

Steven grabbed her hands and tugged her forward so that their faces were only a few inches apart. "My life is with you. I'm not going to drag you across the country and drop you into an unfamiliar place."

"And I would follow you anywhere. You know that."

"But you don't need to."

"Baby." Georgie ran her fingers through his curls before resting her fingers at the nape of his neck. "This isn't about what is good for just me. It's about what is best for us."

"This is what's best for us." Steven gripped her hands in his. "It gives you a chance to see your family and finish your schooling. It gives me a chance to get to know your family and let them get to know me."

"What about your family? Do they not figure into this plan of yours?"

"Um, honey, my family's there too. I'll get to see my new little niece or nephew and, God help me, get to know Lucky."

Georgie giggled. "He's not a bad guy. You'll probably end up being all BFFs with him before long."

"Spare me. I haven't needed therapy yet."

"Honey you married into my family. I think it's a requirement."

"Hmm, say it again." Steven murmured into her hair.

"What, requirement?"

"Say we're married. Say it again."

"We're married." She smiled as she punctuated her words with a kiss. "We're married."

"Again." He slipped his thumb under the strap of her lavender nightgown.

"We're married." She sighed, running her hands up his shoulders and behind his head.

Through some stroke of irony, he managed to glance over at the clock. "I'm late." He groaned kissing her forehead and reaching for his jacket.

"Don't think we're finished discussing this." Georgie warned her voice light.

"Yes, Dear."

*****

The incessant spring rain pounded against the windshield of his silver BMW. Adjusting the wipers yet again so he could see, Ric wondered why the hell he was even going on this fool's errand in the first place. It was his first real day off in weeks. No on call rotation, no appointments, no phone consults with his lawyers. An honest to God free day and he was spending it driving for a dress fitting of all things? He needed to have his head examined pronto.

When the call came in, his first instinct was to refuse. He wasn't a dress designer and his "contributions" to the dress project so far could only generously be classified as minimal. The dress was Maxie's baby, from conception to birth, and his only reason for even being near it had been to be near her. Now, proximity to Maxie was most likely the worst thing he could do for his health and his sanity. Her words and the realization she still didn't see him as anything other than a temporary plaything still rankled him as much as it had the day he walked out of her home. But Ric would be lying to himself if he didn't admit he was tempted to see her, see if she was as happy with her decision as he knew she would tell him she was if he asked her.

Did she think of him as often as he thought of her? Would she admit it if she did? Ric shook his head and tried to concentrate on the slippery, curvy road in front of him. If he wasn't careful he was going to end up in a ditch and then where would he be? The Coe-Collins lived out in a secluded part of town, part to get away from Kevin's more potentially troublesome clients and part, town rumor had it, to give room for Lucy's duck Sigmund to roam.

Along the side of the road, Ric spotted a yellow Mini Cooper in the exact predicament he would find himself in if he didn't stop thinking about a certain blonde. The taillights and still moving wiper blades indicated the car hadn't been there all that long. Carefully pulling off the shoulder, trying his best to avoid a section of mud, Ric killed his engine and pulled out the large black umbrella he had shoved under his seat. Opening his door, he made a mad dash for the other car, knocking on the window. "Are you ok? Do you need any help?"

Maxie's head shot up at the familiar voice and she met his eyes with wide, blurry blue ones. "Ric?" She sniffled. "What are you doing here?" So this was what praying got her, huh? She got help but from the very last person she wanted it from. She couldn't forget their last exchange no matter how much she wanted to.

Ric reared back on his feet, nearly falling in the process. "Blondie?" The nickname slipped before he could stop himself. "Are you ok?"

"I'm stuck." Maxie was trying her best not to cry, but the day was really starting to wear her down.

"That much I gathered." Ric remarked wryly. "You're not hurt are you?"

"No." Maxie assured him, reaching for the handle on the door to pull herself out of the car. Distracted, she didn't realize that directly outside her door waited two feet of slippery mud, and managed to step right into it. That's it, she thought to herself. That's it. The tears flowed freely now and she didn't even care that he saw it.

"Come on." Ric held out his hand to her, noticing her tears but realizing she didn't want him to comment on them right now. "Let's go."

"M-my pants." She gestured toward her new white khakis and had to clamp her teeth down on her lip to keep from losing it.

Shaking his head, Ric tried to hide the smile but couldn't. Holding the umbrella out to her, he felt the rain start to pelt his hair. "Hold this will you?"

"Okay." Maxie couldn't meet his eyes; she just couldn't. He was probably laughing at her.

"Good that will make this easier." Before she could question him or protest, he angled his arms around the back of her knees and shoulders, scooping her up out of the mud and against his chest. "There. That's better." He remarked as he started towards his own car. "Make sure to share the umbrella Blondie."

"S-sorry." Maxie gulped ignoring the urge to bury her face in his gray t-shirt.

Making his way towards the passenger side of his car, he set her down gently, tearing his fingers off her far too soon for his liking. "Door's open," he pointed out to her before making a dash for the other side of the car.

"Wait! Why did you stop?" Maxie asked leaning across the seat.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you stop when you saw the car? You didn't know it was mine." Maxie explained.

"I have a hero complex." He tossed out flippantly.

"Is that right?" Maxie realized a second after responding that she needed to take a step back before she fell into the same old trap.

"Especially when it comes to a beautiful woman."

"Well, it's lucky for me you stopped then."

"Sure is. Who knows when someone else would come along to visit Lucy?" He asked as he turned over the engine and started to make a careful return to the paved road.

"Right." Maxie slumped back into her seat. "I'd show you the final design but who knows what would happen to it on a day like this?" She went on, closing her eyes.

"Your day couldn't have been all that bad. You're about to show off your creative genius remember? Isn't today the day you've been waiting for?"

"That's probably why I'm all up in the air today."

"Explain please." Seeing her about to protest, Ric held up one hand. "We still have a way to go before we get to the Coe-Collins home and we either talk about this or ride in silence."

"They've never called." Maxie whispered eyes still closed.

"Who?"

"I've been sending my résumé and my designs to every designer in the country and they've never called me back. This is a big deal." Maxie went on when he didn't say anything. "I know it's not for you. I don't even know why you're still committed to this."

"I gave my word. I don't back out once I commit to something."

"Oh. I see." Maxie stared out the window at the dreary afternoon. "We don't have to talk anymore."

"Why not?"

"Do you want to say something to me?"

"I don't know. Don't you already know everything I'm going to say and do?"

"That's not fair." Maxie cut her eyes to him.

"Neither is what you said to me." Ric pointed out.

"You act like I've been lying to you all along." Maxie retorted.

"You haven't." Ric allowed. "But you also haven't let yourself consider that maybe things have changed between us."

"What things?"

"Damn it Maxie." Ric swore and pulled the car off to the side of the road. "Do you really think this is all still just about sex to me?"

"That's all you've let me think it is. Did I misinterpret the many dates we've had?"

"What dates? You refuse to be seen with me in public." He countered easily enough.

"You know why." Maxie insisted stubbornly.

"Because of my marriage that is almost over? You've got to do better than that."

"This has nothing to do with your marriage."

"Then what is it?" Ric pressed her. If she was so determined to walk away from him he wanted to know why.

"I don't want to give you a chance to hurt me!" Maxie shrieked, placing her hands over her mouth in shock.

Ric sat back into his seat, stunned. That was her reason? In all his wonderings, this particular line of thought hadn't crossed his mind. "You think I'll hurt you?"

"I don't know." Maxie whispered. "I want to believe you won't."

"But clearly you don't. Why? Am I doing something, saying something?"

"You're doing everything right."

"So why don't you trust whatever this is?" Ric leaned forward and tentatively grabbed her hand with his own. "Look I'm not going to sit here and promise you forever. I've been down that road and it burned me. I'm just trying to understand."

"Why are you getting divorced?"

Ric closed his eyes and blew out a heavy breath. "I suspected she was seeing someone else. And later I found out I was right." He didn't particularly want to rehash the moment he had come home and seen his wife in their bed with another man.

Maxie didn't say she was sorry or that she understood because, one, she didn't want him to think she pitied him, and two, she didn't understand. She didn't understand how someone could do that to Ric. Worried she might start crying again, she said, "His name was Bruce. He worked away at my defenses for about two months so I finally gave in and slept with him. When I woke up, he was gone of course, but he had left me a little present." She took a breath. "He posted a video of us on the Internet."

Ric sucked in a breath as if she had punched him. Well that explained more than a lot, he mused. The little shit probably pursued her hard and had it planned all along. It was clear from the stares he had seen other men give her around town that Maxie Jones was the girl to be wanted in this town. Of course the video more than likely played a part in that as well. His fist clenched as he wished he knew what this Bruce looked like so he could pound him into the ground. "And since then it's only been sex for you?"

"No." Maxie shook her head. At his confused stare, she continued, "I haven't been with anyone since him until you."

"How long?"

"It doesn't matter."

"The hell it doesn't. Tell me. How long was it between us?"

"Two years."

He ran a hand through his dark hair as the admission washed over him. Two years. She hadn't trusted anyone near her for two years. And she had trusted him, at least on some level. She wouldn't have risked sleeping with him if she hadn't. He had a growing suspicion that even though she was loudly proclaiming she wanted nothing but a casual no-strings relationship, she was terrified of what she did want. Words seemed insufficient, and she most likely wouldn't believe any proclamations about this being different if he tried to offer them. "Wow."

"You said things have changed between us? Care to elaborate on that?" She had to get the attention off of her.

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" He chuckled softly to himself. "If we were just casual as you claimed, in the first place you would have never needed to question me like you did in my office. It would have been sex first, questions later."

"That was just common sense." Maxie told him.

"Secondly, we wouldn't continue to seek each other out. Even before we crossed that line, when we needed a distraction we sought each other out. You wouldn't be jealous of my ex-wife being in town doing a story."

"I'm not jealous."

He reached out and tucked a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear. "Keep trying to tell yourself that. And if it really was just casual, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"I suppose that's partially true." Maxie leaned into his hand.

"I bet you even missed me while I was gone." He teased, running his other hand up and down her arm.

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Really?" Ric leaned closer to her. "Why don't I believe you?"

"We're going to be late." Maxie told him, sitting back in her seat.

Ric smiled. She was still fighting him, which he expected. It wouldn't be her if she didn't. Hell it wouldn't be fun if she didn't. Winking at her, he shifted the car into drive. "Can't be late for your date with destiny."

Previews: "Guys...come on. Let's not fight. We've got waffles." Maxie reminded them.