"Do you hear that?" Maxie interrupted Hunter's conversation with one of the cute movers to determine the source of the sound. "Is something ringing?" She jogged from box to box until she located the telephone. "Hello?"

"Well it's about time you picked up." Georgie laughed. "I was starting to think you were mad at me."

"Sorry." Maxie blushed. "I had to find the phone."

"Buried under a pile of clothing I presume?"

"You could say that." Maxie hedged.

"So what's going on with you? It's been so long since we've talked."

"Nothing much." Maxie hated to lie, but everything had happened so fast and she was terrified telling a single person besides Hunter—and there hadn't been an alternative there—would jinx it. Ric had dazzled the administrators at Cedars and started immediately. Meanwhile, she and Hunter were doing what they could to send her stuff over to the new apartment. While her old roommate wasn't keen on having Maxie stolen away from him, he hadn't been able to ignore how good the change would be for her.

"Nothing much? You don't impress everyone in sight with your stellar fashion knowledge?"

"Well that's basic stuff." Maxie answered.

"So try me with the non-basic stuff."

Taking a deep breath, Maxie said, "Ric came to L.A. and now we're moving in together. How's the family? Are Lucky and Elizabeth any closer to tying the knot?"

"Hold on. Back up. Ric's in L.A.? You're moving in together?" Georgie repeated breathlessly. "You didn't think I would jump over that did you?"

"I wanted to tell you sooner." Maxie promised.

She wasn't exactly in a position to throw stones about telling important information sooner, Georgie realized. Hopefully her sister would realize that as well a little bit later. "Well you are telling me now. So spill. I want details."

"What do you want to know first?" Maxie asked. There was quite a lot that had happened.

"How hard did you make him grovel?"

"I got him to admit why he did what he did and he practically told me...well he was honest about his feelings for me finally." Maxie wasn't sure why she added "finally" because it wasn't like she had been so forthcoming with her own feelings.

"Good for him. I assume you were actually honest with him as well?" Georgie teased.

"I'm getting there."

"So tell me about the new place. How'd he ask? What's it like?"

"It's right out of a catalog. He had it decorated before he showed it to me and brought me there under the pretense of a date."

"Impressive. I might tell Steven to take notes."

"How is my brother-in-law? Did he take in any stray kangaroos yet?"

"It's hard to take in stray kangaroos in Port Charles." Georgie admitted.

"Port Charles? You told him about school?"

"No. Not until he got here."

"So he came home to surprise you?"

"It was a surprise but I think it had more to do with Dad visiting him."

"I knew Dad had connections, but how exactly did he fit a machine gun on board a plane?"

"He swears he didn't but I'm not so sure." Georgie laughed. "I'm not sure Steven would tell me if weaponry was involved."

"I'm guessing Dad didn't go over to revisit his hometown."

"No." Georgie took a deep breath. "It was more about me not telling Steven I'm pregnant. So is Ric going to work in L.A. now?"

"PREGNANT?" Maxie's shriek caused the mover to drop a box and Hunter's eyes to swing her direction.

"Is that a good scream or a bad scream?"

"I'm going to be an aunt? That's it! I'm going to pitch a maternity line to Feona."

"Maxie." Georgie laughed.

"Boy or girl?"

"It's too soon to tell. And Steven and I haven't decided if we want to know yet."

"What do you want?"

"Honestly? I don't care. I just want a healthy baby."

"You're going to have to move to L.A. It's the only way I can see you and that baby everyday. Maybe the place across the hall..."

"Slow down. Slow down. Steven and I haven't figured out the whole where-we-are-living thing just yet. We're still adjusting to the married and pregnant cards. I'm sure we'll have to spend some time in L.A. for Steven's job, but first things first."

"I'm coming home." Maxie declared, giving Hunter an apologetic look when he dropped one of the boxes on his foot in surprise.

"No you aren't. All you are missing is morning sickness and mood swings. You are not blowing this opportunity."

"I can work from New York." Maxie pouted.

"But what about Ric? He just moved his entire career across the country to be with you. And you want to be with him right?"

"Yes, but I'm going to miss so much."

"You won't miss anything I swear."

"Do you promise to come out here and spend your last trimester in L.A.? I figure if you get out here before the six-month mark, you can still board a plane legally."

"When the time comes I'll allow you to come home and see me. Dad will never let me have this baby away from him."

"I can't believe you're pregnant three thousand miles away from me. This wasn't part of the plan. Ever since we were kids, we promised to be there for each other always." Maxie sniffed.

"But we didn't know about Ric and Steven at that point." Georgie pointed out. "The men in our lives were Bert and Ernie."

"Oh Bert." Maxie sighed.

"If you promise to actually answer the phone when I call you, I'll promise to call you every day."

"I answered!"

"This time. Who's to say you won't ignore my calls if Ric sweeps you off your feet again?"

"I'm going to be an aunt. I will work harder to not be so easily distracted. Did you hear?" she directed her question to Hunter. "I'm going to be an aunt!"

"Maxie, I think everyone in a three-state radius heard you." Georgie laughed.

"Hunter says congratulations." Maxie went on. "I want pictures of that stomach. I'm sending you maternity clothes. Don't trust anything in Port Charles. How far along are you?"

"Barely three months. There is one important thing we have to discuss you know."

"What's that?"

"How exactly are you going to tell Dad that not only are you moving, but also moving in with Ric? And give me a heads up when you do so I can have General Hospital on alert for him."

"I'm not moving. It's still L.A. As for telling him about Ric...I'm thinking that's what deathbeds are for."

"So if Ric answered your phone...or Dad decided to come out and surprise you?"

"Caller ID and you better tell me before Dad does that."

"If he tells me. He has developed a sudden love of unannounced travel." Georgie pointed out.

"I'll deal with it when it comes. Promise you won't say anything to anyone. I don't want to mess this up."

"I won't say anything to Dad. I can't promise about Steven."

"I'm getting annoyed looks. I should get back to packing."

"Call me later with your new address."

"Congratulations."

"You too sis."

*****

She hadn't felt this exuberant about bringing down the bad guys since Sonny and Jason were put away. She wanted to shout off the rooftops that she'd done it again, that justice would be served! To do so in front of Lulu would mean a lot of explaining so she kept her face passive and her emotions in check. Maybe she would bring Kristina that dog she had been begging for or buy Georgie a crib for the baby. Hell, maybe she would take the entire town out for drinks and buy them a round. "This should do nicely. Thank you for your cooperation."

"You're welcome." Lulu managed, keeping her head down. It had been a long three hours but Dara had insisted it was necessary. Even though she didn't feel her knowledge about how Vermin operated amounted to very much, Alexis and Dara seemed to think her very life depended upon it.

"If I have any further questions, I'll let you know." Alexis stood and moved to the door. She couldn't wait to start celebrating, even if Vermin hadn't been convicted yet. Semantics, she thought gleefully.

"You'll know where to find me." Lulu joked quietly. In a few hours, her family was going to take her to Shadybrook's rehabilitation facility as part of the deal Dara and Alexis had worked out. She'd give a statement and testify; Alexis would recommend rehab.

"I didn't mean to interrupt." Steven apologized, poking his head in the door. "Georgie asked me to drop these by." Careful not to make eye contact with Lulu, he thrust the colorful bouquet of roses in Alexis's direction.

"It's not a problem. Lulu and I were discussing the case. I'll put these in some water." Alexis took the roses and went in search of a vase.

Lulu shifted back and forth on her feet. She had been successful in avoiding Steven and all mentions of Steven since her confession. She had barely managed a brief hello to Elizabeth at the party before running to the corner to hide with the kids. And now here he was, standing in front of her. What was she supposed to say? Was there a Miss Manners' guide to a situation like this?

"Did everything work out okay?" Steven forced himself to ask. He had promised his wife and sister that he would at least try to be civil.

"According to Alexis." Lulu shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think what I knew was all that important."

"She must think otherwise if that smile on her face was anything to go by. I guess truth means something different to everybody." Reel it back, he warned himself. This was not the time. When would be a polite time? Huh? He was constantly performing for his family to make them feel like everything was peachy, but it wasn't. He doubted it ever would be again.

She tried to keep her face from flinching, but she failed. His anger was palpable just below the surface of his words. Not that she blamed him. If she had been going just a little bit faster, she very well could have killed him. And here he was stuck in the middle of an impossible situation. The person he wanted to hate was almost related to his sister. Sometimes this town was just too damn small. "I'm sorry."

"Do you think that makes everything okay? Do you think it changes what you did to me? To my family?"

"No. I know it doesn't do that."

"Then why bother saying it?"

"Because I'm pretty sure it's the only thing I can say. I can't justify what I did. I don't want to. I hate what I did, but that doesn't help you either. It's a no-win situation and I settled for saying sorry."

"Lucky said you don't remember hitting me. Is that true?"

"Yes. I don't remember everything, but what I do remember makes it clear it was me."

"Elizabeth told me you were once a good person." There was no malice in his voice. If not for the words, a stranger might have thought he was asking for the time.

"I tried to be. I think my father would disown me if I was a total good person."

"You have a lot of people pulling for you to complete your rehab and get back to the person you were." Steven reminded her.

"I know. And I want to make sure they aren't betting on the wrong horse."

It's not going to be easy." Steven promised. "And, knowing your family, they'll give you as many chances as you need. I won't. If you're really sorry for what you did, get through this and don't ever go back to drugs. Don't ever be that stupid again because drugs won't stop at hurting just you."

Lulu nodded quickly. "I get that now. And I wished I understood that sooner."

"I don't know if we'll ever be friends, but I don't want anything else to happen to you. I don't know how much more they can take."

"I'm not trying to hurt anyone anymore. And I'll settle for at least being civil at family Christmas parties and the wedding."

"Then there's nothing else to really say. Goodbye Lulu." Steven turned and walked out of the police station.

"Goodbye Steven. And I really am sorry." She called out to his retreating back.