Georgie let herself inside Maxie and Spinelli's house. She stowed her jacket in the hall closet and set her purse at the bottom of the stairs to be taken up later. Walking into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Maxie already home, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in her hands.

She looked up when Georgie entered the room. "Hi! How was your day?"

Georgie's eyes widened. She wasn't sure how to answer that. "Uh, it was fine. I just toured around town, you know, saw the old stomping grounds. I stopped by the Quartermaine's and saw Dillon." And engaged in gloriously wonderful, mind-boggling, sex with him on the floor of the formal living room.

Maxie nodded knowingly, but said nothing. She could tell that her sister was deliberately withholding something. But decide to simply wait until Georgie made up her mind to tell her. She stood and walked over to the cupboard, retrieving a mug. She put the teabag in the cup and poured in hot water. Handing the cup to her sister, she sat back down and watched her pointedly.

Georgie sat down across the table and took a sip of the tea. "Where is everybody?"

Maxie waved her hand. "Spinelli's still at PCPD working and Fiona's helping Lulu at Kelly's for the dinner rush and Jamie's at a sleepover tonight." She took a sip of the tea, wrapping her hands around the mug.

Georgie nodded. She didn't know what to say. Should she tell Maxie what she'd done that afternoon—all afternoon? "Did you and Spinelli have plans? I can go somewhere else tonight."

"No, no. That's okay. We weren't doing anything in particular. In fact, I think Spinelli is working late. Maybe we can go out to dinner together. Catch up, visit," Maxie replied. She knew that there was something that Georgie wasn't telling her.

"Ugh, sure. That would be nice. Where do you want to go?" She mumbled, glancing at the window for lack of anywhere else. She knew that if she looked at her sister's face, her story would come tumbling out.

"The Metrocourt would be nice, don't you think?"

"I-slept-with-Dillon." The words came tumbling out before she could stop them. Georgie covered her face with her hands in horror.

"What was that?" Maxie asked credulously. She did not believe what she heard.

Georgie pulled her hands away from her face slowly. "I slept with Dillon Quartermaine," she whispered.

"When? Why?"

"Today, and why? I don't know!" Georgie was practically wailing. "I went to talk. Only talk. But then he started kissing me and then we just got into the moment. And we had sex. Spectacular, mind-blowing sex."

"Wow. I don't know what to say."

"It was totally unexpected—and completely wonderful," Georgie replied. "And it changes everything."

"I can see that," Maxie said wryly.

"No, I mean, we talked. We talked about why I did what I did and we agreed that we need to move past it. We want a future and the only way is to face the past. I will have to tell him mine and he will tell me his."

"That's great." Maxie couldn't help but feel giddy. This new development was a sign that things were getting back to normal.

"I can't help but think that this could be wrong," Georgie confided. She knew it sounded ridiculous, but after a life spent in hiding, she was overly cautious.

"It could, but it won't! You have to believe that, Georgie. You got a second chance at being here in Port Charles, and now you have a second chance with the first man you ever fell in love with," Maxie exclaimed. She reached over and gripped her sister's hand. "Run with it! Take the chance. You can't second-guess it."

Georgie nodded this time, taking comfort in her sister's words. "Yes, I will take the chance. I have to."

"Good. Now for dinner," Maxie rose to make a phone call. "Let me make reservations at The Metrocourt."

Georgie rose to meet her sister, put a hand on her arm. "How about we order in? There's something I'd like to talk to you about—tell you about. It's time that all secrets are known. I haven't been able to do it before, but now, I think that I can."

Maxie's breath caught and tears gathered at the edge of her eyes. She nodded and threw her arms around her sister. Georgie's face flooded with emotion and she held on. Then she pulled back, "That'd be nice. I'll call for pizza."

Georgie nodded. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll be right back." Without waiting for an answer, she raced out of the room and headed for the stairs. Within minutes, she was in her bathroom, stripping down and stepping into the shower.

As the water beat down on her, she leaned against the wall for support. Tears threatened and this time, she didn't will them back, but let them fall. The sound of the water muffled the sound of her sobs. She knew that the playing field would change when she told her sister about Dante and Amelia. Everything would be different, but in light of all that had happened that day between her and Dillon, she knew that she had no choice.

She dropped to the floor of the shower and hugged her legs to her body. Closing her eyes and letting the steamy water sluice off her, she pictured her beautiful little girl.

Eight years earlier:

Georgie sat in a chair at the edge of the dance floor. A glance at her watch told her that she should have been at headquarters twenty minutes earlier, but she just couldn't make herself get up and leave.

She watched as a young girl moved gracefully across the room, on her toes, up in the air, as if nothing weighted her down. She was tall and willowy, built like the true dancer she was. Her long brown hair was tied back into a simple bun at the nape of her neck, but tendrils had managed to escape and were plastered to her head by sweat and tears. They made her look more real than the china doll she appeared to be.

Georgie was so proud of her. So proud of the way she asserted herself into life, of the way she never second-guessed herself, and of the way she loved fully and completely. Amelia Maximilliana Falconeri was no pushover.

And, Georgie thought, she was exactly like her mother.

Georgie reached down into the big bag that sat at her feet. She dug around in it finally retrieving her camera as the music swelled and the dancer leaped high into the air. She saw Amelia land against the barre and snapped the photo. It was the perfect pose. Smiling now, she dropped the camera back into the bag and rose, moving quietly toward the door. Stepping outside, she turned back briefly.

The dance was over and the studio was filled with chattering voices. Amelia's teacher was congratulating her. But Georgie caught her breath when she saw Amelia move off to the side and meet a man.

As the two embraced, Georgie couldn't help but smile. Her little girl's first love was a patient and kind-hearted young man of seventeen. Barely six months older than Amelia herself and they were so good for each other.

Briefly, Georgie's mind wandered back to a time where she'd been sixteen and in love. Shaking it off, she watched as Amelia lifted herself up on her toes and kissed him fully on the lips. Even as she was a little sad to see that her baby was no longer a baby, she was happy to see what a wonderful young woman she was becoming.

End Flashback…

Georgie was knocked back into the present by the water gone cold. She managed to get to her feet and using the soap, washed her body, letting the scent waft over her. She bit her lip and shut the water off, reaching for a big towel which she wrapped around herself as she stepped onto the bathroom floor.

She secured the towel and walked to the counter to look into the mirror. She didn't look too worse for wear. After all, she'd discovered that crying jags in the shower left little sign afterwards.

She'd discovered that little fact after her family was gone.

Shaking her head, she tried to focus on the fact that she would give her sister the facts. Maxie needed to know who she'd been married to and about her life eight years earlier.

She owned that to her in any case.

Drying her hair, she walked into the bedroom and pulled on fresh underwear and a bra. This made her think of the ruined pair she'd discarded at Dillon's. And it made her smile despite her tears.

Choosing a velour sweat suit, she quickly changed and finished her hair by tying it back into a loose tail at the nape of her neck. Then she felt strong enough to go downstairs and face Maxie. But before she did, she dug through her drawer for the box that held too many memories.

By the time she got downstairs, Maxie was sitting in the living room with a glass of wine and the pizza box. "It arrived while you were in the shower," she explained, handing Georgie a glass.

Georgie took a sip and sat down on the couch next to her sister. Placing the glass gently on the coffee table, she turned to face Maxie. She opened the box and took out the top picture. It was taken in Central Park two weeks before the ordeal.

Maxie took the photo and studied it. "Is this your family?"

Georgie could only nod. When she found her voice, she spoke in a whisper. "Yes, my husband Dante and my daughter Amelia. This picture was taken just before they died."

"You want to tell me how you lost both of them?"

Georgie took a deep breath. "You already know that I was an undercover operative for the WSB. I met Dante while I was working in New York City. He was a cop. We were married twenty-five years ago last April. Amelia was sixteen in this picture."

"I saw the picture of her on your nightstand. I wasn't trying to pry or anything. I was simply cleaning your room. She was very beautiful," Maxie replied.

"Yes, she was. That photo was taken three days before—before their death." She took a breath to steady herself. "It was an operation gone badly wrong. They'd been watching me—my family. They had pictures of Dante and Amelia. Personal pictures. I was so close to closing the case. But then I got the call. It was a ransom call. They wanted ten million dollars for the release of both of them. They wouldn't tell me where they'd taken them, but I could hear Amelia crying in the background. Before I could call for backup, I was grabbed from behind, blind-folded and stuffed into a car. They took me to where my family was being held. We were left into this damp room for hours. Amelia was struggling and crying at first, but then she slowly stopped. It was as if she knew that something was very wrong and—"Georgie stopped, wiped the tears away. She'd cried enough to fill the ocean already.

Maxie had tears running down her cheeks. "Oh sweetie. I'm so sorry."

"There was nothing I could do. WSB was negotiating, and Dante said he could get the money to free us all, but they wouldn't listen. Finally they got tired of all of pleas. They started to fire off shots, for fun. I watched as one of the shots hit the wall and ricocheted back—a-and hit Amelia in the head. It went too fast. All of a sudden, she went limp and fell over. I knew that she was gone. And I couldn't do anything about it. Our captures started laughing and then they shot Dante and point blank range. Again, just for fun. I couldn't cry, even though I wanted nothing more, I wouldn't let myself. Eventually, they left me alone—" Georgie said, but Maxie cut her off.

"You were alone with the bodies of your husband and wife. What kind of cruel men were these monsters?"

Georgie shook her head. "They were getting back at me. I couldn't do anything about it, but I knew that if I cried, I would be seen as weak and worthless. Then I might be dead along with my family. Even though at that point, I would have rather died anyway. But hours past and finally the WSB managed to infiltrate the scheme. Agents stormed in guns blazing. One of the men were shot and killed instantly. The others were taken into custody. They are in the state penitentiary now; one's awaiting the death penalty. But nothing, no amount of torture could make up for the pain they caused me."

"How did you get past it? I mean, they were your family—your entire world," Maxie asked, taking her sister's cold hands. She gripped them, bringing them up to her cheeks in an attempt to warm them.

"I don't know. I didn't have a choice. I went through questioning and then we had a memorial. Truthfully, those first few weeks afterward are still a blur."

Maxie dropped Georgie's hands and reached for the picture, studying it. Then she frowned. "Wait, I've seen this girl before."

Georgie's breath caught. "Yes, I'm sure that you have. Her name is Amelia Maximilliana Falconeri. I believe that her great-aunt is your boss Kate Howard."

"So—you married Olivia Falconeri's son, Dante?"

"Yes."

"And she knew, Olivia, I mean?" Maxie asked credulously. It truly was a small world.

"Yes, she knew and she was sworn to secrecy. Every year when Dante would bring Amelia to visit Olivia, the story was always that I was working. Which was partly true, but there was no way that I could ever come back here. It would cost me everything I have ever worked for as an agent," Georgie replied.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Georgie. I know that it sounds cliché, but I can't think of anything else to say," Maxie replied. She reached over and crushed her sister into a hug.

"Thanks. Believe me, I've heard everything. I have moved on. I had no choice. I choose to remember the good times. Rather than dwell on the fact that they're gone."

"I know, and as horrible as it is to lose two of the most important people in your life, I'm glad that it brought you home to me and your family. You will never be alone as long as you are here," Maxie replied, squeezing her sister again before letting her go. "And I'm glad that you told me. I'm glad that there are no secrets any longer."

For the first time in more than three hours, Georgie smiled. "Me too."

And for the first time since she'd stepped foot back in Port Charles, she truly meant it.

GH*GH*GH*GH*GH

Okay, so I didn't mean for the whole chapter to be about Georgie, but once I began writing it, the characters sort of took over. I needed Georgie to come clean about what happened to her family. Maxie needed to know because she was working so hard to make thing back to the way they had been before Georgie's 'death'. And now that Georgie has rekindled her relationship with Dillon, it was important that her sister knew the truth. What do you think? Good? Bad? Please review. I love hearing from my readers! Keep looking for future updates!