Authors Note: Sorry it's been so long again, I'm trying to figure out this plot line. Some of it got too complicated so I'm weeding it down with out completely ruining things. Let me know what you think of this chapter! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 18: Haunting

Thump, Thud, Thump, Thud…

Johnny's heart hammered against his chest as he entered the cool, dusty garage. Not only was Ric Lansing being set free today, but he and Maxie would finally have some time to themselves. And despite the fact that Johnny should be trying to distance himself from the blonde spit fire, the idea of her close proximity brought an undeniable smile to his face.

"Maxie?" He called out. With in seconds a very perky looking Maxie Jones popped out of nowhere with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Hey Johnny!" She exclaimed. He looked at her curiously for a long moment, pausing to detect any changes in the surrounding air.

"What kind of trouble are you up to?" He enquired. She feigned shock.

"Trouble? I'm not causing any trouble. I was just trying to talk a little sense into Ric. You know… take advantage of the situation a little." She smiled innocently.

"She's trying to blackmail me." Ric shouted from behind the curtain.

"Maxie, we're already blackmailing him. Remember? He feeds everyone some story about a business trip and we don't give his lawyer ex wife a bunch of incriminating evidence that proves he's been blackmailing Claudia, and doing so using a mess of illegal tricks." Johnny explained. Maxie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms below her chest.

"I know that." She sounded exasperated. "But I just thought that since he's blackmailing Claudia and we're blackmailing him to stop blackmailing Claudia… one teeny tiny more blackmail wouldn't hurt." She smiled at her brilliance.

"And what exactly were you trying to blackmail him for?" Johnny asked, fighting to keep the amused smirk off of his face.

"She wanted me to trump up some bogus charges against Crimson's competitors. That's fraud you know! We could all get put away for a long time if someone found out!" Ric protested in outrage.

"Fine, fine… it was just a suggestion. Jeez, don't pop a stitch." She muttered, shooting him a glare.

"Alright, now that we've settled that, it's time to get down to business." Johnny steered the conversation back on track.

"Am I free to go master?" Ric replied flatly.

"Wait just a minute. We need to iron out the terms of our agreement." He responded.

"What's there to iron out. I'll leave Claudia alone and I'll pretend that your thug didn't try and off me. Remember? I was away on a business trip." He replied anxiously. It seemed as though Ric were suffering from a case of cabin fever.

"Okay, good. And I will make sure Claudia backs off of you." Johnny added.

"And the files you stole?"

"They won't make it into the police department's hands as long as you stick to your part of the deal." He assured Ric.

"Good."

"Well… it's been a pleasure keeping you hostage Lansing." Johnny smirked.

"Oh please, he was a terrible prisoner. I've been held hostage like a zillion times and I can tell you from experience, it doesn't all have to be a big pity party. But all Richard here could do was wine." Maxie interrupted.

"My mistake Ms. Jones, I'll try and work on my captive conduct." He sarcastically replied.

"You should seriously consider that." She fired back. He rolled his eyes and stood up to stretch his muscles.

"So, Hunter gave you the okay?" Johnny questioned.

"He did indeed." Ric answered.

"I guess you can go then."

"Thank god." Ric muttered before walking towards the door. And with out another glance in their direction, Ric was gone.

"Well, now what?" Maxie asked, looking at Johnny. His eyes caught hers and the possibilities were endless.

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"You are, insanely beautiful."

"And you, are just plain insane."

"Well yeah but, my eyes are sharp. I know what I like." Johnny smirked confidently. As he and Maxie picked up their scattered clothes which had littered the garage floor, he took a moment to let her presence wash over him.

"Sweet talker." She smiled coyly. The pair had just given in to over a weeks worth of temptation and they were currently enjoying the afterglow.

"I'm not that sweet Maxie, you know that." He reminded her. She laughed and threw him his shirt. Catching it with on hand, he through her a wide grin in return.

"We suck at staying away from each other." She mentioned casually, looking down to button her blouse.

"Always have." He responded with a shrug. The situation they were in worried Johnny more than he let on.

"I guess. But isn't it like, more important now? You're knee deep in mob crap and I've got Lulu and her lame scheming to deal with." She mentioned.

"Is she still trying to get you fired." He dodged the majority of her previous comment.

"Yes, and don't avoid the subject. Johnny I need to know, how bad are things right now. For you… and for me." She questioned, looking him dead in the eyes.

"You're right, we do suck at staying away from each other." He replied coldly. "We'll have to try harder, much harder." He finished, turning to walk away. Maxie rushed to his side and grabbed his arm.

"Johnny, stop. You know that's not what I meant. I'm not some princess that goes running at the first sign of gunfire." She defended herself.

"Well, maybe you should run. That's the logical thing to do Maxie, that's the right thing to do." He told her sternly.

"Then that alone should tell you I'm not going anywhere. I don't do what's logical or what's right. I do what I want. And what I want, is you. So deal with it." She fired back, never breaking eye contact. Johnny sighed and shook his head.

"Maxie…"

"I told you, I'm not a scared little princess. But I'm also not some idiot who thinks bullets will magically repel off of me. I get that things are dangerous. I only asked you how serious things were because I want to be prepared. I want to be smart about things." She explained.

"Smart about things?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, smart-ish at least. I mean, not so smart that we have to stop having mind blowing sex or anything. You know, smart enough to pass the class but not so smart that I become some sniveling dork with a cowlick and Dorito breath." She explained. Johnny twisted his face into a look of confusion before shaking it off and forging ahead.

"Okay well, we should probably just limit our contact then. You shouldn't seek me out. I'll come to you when I think things are safe." He told her.

"So, what…? I'm supposed to sit around and wait until you get your ass into gear and decide I'm worth a visit." She cried in out rage. He closed his eyes, knowing he had worded things wrong. This was Maxie after all.

"Maxie…" He sighed.

"Just kidding." She beamed, causing him to look up in surprise. "I know what you meant. Come on Johnny, I'm totally hot. Way too hot to be some guy's booty call. You know that. I know that. And when all this is over, you'll make it up to me." As she said the last part of her sentiment, Johnny has an inkling that her kind smile was simply the veil of a threat. He would make this up to her. And then some.

"You know it." He remarked, grabbing her chin and leaning down for a soft kiss. She let herself melt into his arms. The world around them disappeared. And for just a moment, they believed that every promise they had ever made just might hold a little magic. Enough magic to get them both through this alive. Because that would be enough for them. Maybe not for other people, but for them it would be enough.

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It had been days, weeks really, since Lulu had set her mind on destroying Maxie Jones and everything she held dear. But with each passing day, Lulu only felt that she was getting farther and farther from her goal. Eventually she was struck by a frightening realization; she didn't even know what her goal was anymore. It had been so clear at one point. But now things were getting messy. Too messy. And with out her clear cut goal to guide her through the day, Lulu wasn't sure what she was doing anymore.

"Do you even know what you're doing anymore?" Ethan asked her, with startling insight.

"Excuse me?" She snapped, with less fire than she had intended.

"The plan. Do you even know what the plan is? Because a week ago you were all gung ho about vengeance and what not. But now… you've lost your edge." He explained patiently.

"I have not!" She argued in a child like manor, causing Ethan to smile.

"Have to." He quipped softly. Lulu sighed and sunk deeper into her chair. Ethan had stopped by Crimson to confer with Lulu. Maxie was out on an assignment and Kate was no where to be found. The two schemers had the place to themselves.

"I just… I don't know." She responded lamely.

"Are you having second thoughts?" He asked gently.

"No!" She replied immediately. But then her face changed and she looked away. "Maybe… I guess I am. A little. Maybe, well maybe we need to tone it down a little." She suggested.

"How so?" He asked, looking intrigued.

"Well, getting Maxie fired and trying to keep her away from Johnny, it's too much." She explained.

"So we pick one to focus on." He guessed. She nodded. "The job would probably hit her harder, yeah?" He asked. Lulu hesitated. A week ago she would have agreed. But after talking to Johnny, seeing him react, she couldn't help but think that things with him and Maxie were more serious that they let on.

"I think Maxie could use a dose of her own medicine. And the pill she's always prescribed is a healthy serving of heartbreak." Lulu smiled, knowing that it didn't reach her eyes.

"Alright, so let's break those two love birds up." Ethan grinned.

"Let's." She replied. It wasn't the same anymore. She had moved past hurt, straight to anger, and now the sizzling embers of her sorrow had only left room for one thing; loneliness. She was completely and utterly lonely. She missed being held and loved. She missed joking with friends and smiling wildly. She missed Johnny. And worst of all… she missed Maxie.

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Sometimes at night, when the darkness would caress her skin, Maxie would lie awake. She would indulge in the twisted memories of her past, she would let herself drown in each sorrow. Some nights it was the echo of gunshots amongst the tantalizing taste of cotton candy. Other nights she would let herself imagine the outline of a body, fragile and cover by cloth, unmoving with a stillness that only death could bring. Flashing through her mind at rapid speed, she would memorize each image, each moment. She held on to the sounds and the smells, even the erratic beating of her heart as it sunk to her feet. She would hold on to it all. She would be haunted by it all. She was alive and they were dead. So, she would be haunted. Always haunted. Because it was what she deserved.

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As Maxie made her way to her car, parked outside of Johnny's garage, she swallowed hard. Tonight would be a restless night, she could feel it. The twang of the air and the whistle of the breeze carried her to her car. She didn't dare look back to see Johnny's dark eyes watching her from the garage window. She wasn't the kind of girl who looked back.

She unlocked her car swiftly and made a move to climb in. But the sight of something on the seat stopped her cold. She reacted immediately, reaching out with a shaking hand. The smooth touch of paper slid underneath her hand as she grasped the note that had sent a shiver through her entire body.

You look lovely beneath the starlight. Your boyfriend will look lovely beneath the ground.

Maxie shut her eyes and reopened them, hoping something had changed. It hadn't. The sound of the garage door startled her to life.

"Are you okay?" Johnny asked, walking towards her with concern etched across his face. She swallowed hard and prepared herself. The panic she felt, the terror, it had to be concealed. Johnny couldn't know how scared she was. He had to know that she could handle this. Handle him.

"Maxie, what is that?" He asked, standing in front of her.

"A note." She said stupidly, handing him the paper. She watched as his face turned from concerned, to shocked, to angry, and finally settling on a blanck look. A look that she knew all too well.

"This was in your car?" He asked in a clipped tone. A business like tone.

"Yes." She answered shortly. Now was not the time for her to reassure him or feed him falsities. Now was the time to step up and be the woman that she knew she could be. She would stay calm. She would not make things worst. And she would stand by him.

"Was your car locked?"

"No."

"Did you see anyone or anything out here?"

"No, nothing."

"Are you sure it wasn't there before you went inside."

"I'm sure."

"Did you notice anyone following you here?"

"No." She answered with certainty. Johnny sighed and looked away.

"You know what this means don't you?" He asked, looking towards her again. She remained silent. Unwilling to say the words. "You and I…" he began to speak again, but she cut him off.

"Don't. Don't say it." She interrupted firmly.

"We have to end things Maxie." And those were the words that would haunt her tonight.