Lean On Me- the twenty something in Port Charles.

Pairings:

Maxie and Spinelli

Georgie and Logan

Lulu and Milo

Johnny/Serena/Cooper

Additional characters:

Lucas

Dillon

Sam

Max Giambetti

Brooklyn

Warnings: Sad 3M break up.

All characters are likely to kiss or hook up with people who they are not paired with at certain points or have male/female friendships. Not all scenes are couple scenes because this is an ensemble story.

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Premise- starting right after the Black and White Ball except there is no text message killer. Some of the events at the Ball will be changed accordingly, as mentioned in the story. The rest of the history is mainly canon.

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Chapter One

The Day Before Thanksgiving

November 2007

"What in the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, good morning to you too, doll."

Maxie Jones threw a disgusted sigh at Logan Hayes as they stood in the gym at Winston Academy. Georgie, with her big good heart, had somehow talked all of her friends into volunteering to help pack food bags for the poor .

Maxie would rather be getting a mani pedi. Seriously.

Especially after the month she was having. It was just beyond her how Georgie expected her to smile and play nice when Maxie's whole life was circling the bowl at rapid speed. Cooper wouldn't take her back. No matter what she said, no matter how she many times her eyes got teary and she cried for him....hating herself for crying but doing it anyway because she couldn't help it.

She needed him back. Why couldn't he feel her need? Why couldn't he forgive?

Because of Logan. That was the answer. Because she slept with stupid, smirking Logan asshole Hayes and Cooper loved Logan. If it had been anyone else....but that had been the point right? It had to be Logan....to test Coop....to prove he would love her even when she wrecked him.

And he still did love her. He just couldn't kiss her again. Couldn't look at her like the one light in his world. Couldn't be her hero anymore.

But he would do that all again. He would. Give him time. Maxie was not about to give up so easily.

Maxie grabbed a can and violently shoved it in a bag, as she stood behind a very long table where other people Georgie had asked to help- Robin, Patrick, Milo, Spinelli, Lulu,- were all working on filling bags too. "Don't even speak to me, Hayes."

"If I ain't mistaken you spoke to me first there, girl."

"What is your lazy ass doing up so early in the morning anyway?"

He picked up a bag. "Just here to do my part for the less fortunate."

"Like you give a damn about anyone but your own selfish ass!" Her eyes sparked with rage as she glared at him.

"I love it when you get like this."

"Shut your hole."

"All this pent up sexual energy. Hot. Coop just don't know what a firecracker he had in you."

"You keep his name out of your dirty mouth."

"Seems to me that you don't get to tell me what to do about jack shit."

"I hate you."

"You didn't hate me last summer when you were in my bed."

"Die."

"After you."

Georgie walked over to them. "Could you two possibly keep it down?"

"Sorry, darlin. She started it."

"Did not!"

Georgie sighed. "You can both leave if you can't behave."

Milo Giambetti, who held a rather large grudge because Logan dated Lulu and did not treat her right, said "Sounds like a good idea to me. No wants want you around here, Hayes."

Logan stopped packing his bag and walked closer to Milo. The gym was also filled with plenty of strangers, parents of children at the school and other volunteers from the community. But Logan really didn't care if he made a scene. That one comment from Milo had set him off.

And it was not good when this man got set off.

Logan pushed at Milo's chest. "Who the fuck asked you? Did someone ask this guy for an opinion?" Logan shoved at him again. "I know I sure as fuck didn't ask your mouth to get going, Giambetti."

Milo leaned closer to him and said in a very calm tone. "Back off or you're done."

Logan laughed wildly in his face, the sound a dangerous mix of bitterness, recklessness, and a lot of nothing left to live for thrown in.

Putting his hands out to the side, Logan told Milo "You got balls big enough to step to me?

Bring it on!"

Luckily Milo had more restraint that Logan had ever known and didn't punch him.

Logan taunted. "Oh, all talk? I thought so."

Georgie grabbed his arm and hissed "Come with me, now."

XXXXXXXXXX

A different sort of woman would have been intimidated when the limo rolled through the gates of the Quatermaine property. Looking out the tinted window she saw the mansion come into view and her stomach clenched in nervousness.

Not because of the fancy car, or the fancy house, or the well known family she was about to meet. Because she had plenty of experience with that lifestyle.

It wasn't really her thing but it didn't make her feel like the poor peasant girl coming to dinner either.

Instead she was nervous because Dillon hadn't told them about her. He said in his family surprises worked better. That didn't give his relatives time to prepare any ammunition against her.

Her was holding her hand as the limo rolled to a stop. Dillon raised his other hand and brushed a strand of her long blonde hair behind her ear. "You ready?" he whispered.

"You sure you don' t want to split a turkey pot pie back at our place for this holiday?"

He pretended to consider it. "Yeah, now that you mention it..."

"Cool! Lets get out of here."

He chuckled softly. "You know that saying: Their bark is worse then their bite?"

"That's your family?"

"No. They bite....so bite back. They like that."

She sighed. "I must really like you to put up with your family on Thanksgiving when I won't even put up with my own."

His eyes lit up as he murmured "Like me? Its gone beyond that now."

"You sure about that?"

"Ummm...." he pretended again to consider it, then gently pushed her back on the seat, kissing her neck and making her giggle. "yeah...I'm positive. You love me."

The door was pulled open by the limo driver. Right behind him stood Edward, Alice, and Emily, who had come outside to greet Dillon.

Edward titled his head to the side as he took in the woman laying with Dillon on top of her. "Well, who do we have here?"

XXXXXXXXXXX

Cooper Barrett, dressed in his police officer's uniform, walked his beat with his jaw set in a firm line. He had a low throbbing headache, something that seemed to happen more and more often these days.

It had to be stress bringing it on.

He went through each day trying not to think about the woman who broke his heart and went to bed each night feeling twice as broken as he had been that morning. But it didn't matter how much he missed didn't matter that he ached for her. It didn't matter that she kept begging him for a second chance. This woman who would never beg anyone else for anything. All that mattered is when he looked at her he saw her kissing his best friend. Every blink was still Logan's lips on Maxie's behind Cooper's eyes. He told the world he had moved on. But the truth was he didn't know if he ever could.

He was lost in thoughts when he heard a woman scream. Cooper ran down the street, past Kelly's diner, and onto the docks.

Running down the stairs he saw a man and a woman fighting over a purse. He had the purse in his hands but she had him down on the ground, cussing a blue streak and hollering like mad.

The guy could get his ass kicked easily by this little dynamo.

"PCPD! Hands up!"

The man threw up his hands. The woman grabbed her purse and kicked him in the leg. "Ass!"

Then she looked up, caught Cooper's eyes, as he stood there with a gun pointed in her direction she flashed him one of the best smiles he had ever seen in his life.

(She's sun and rain,

she's fire and ice

a little crazy but it's nice.

And when she gets mad you best leave her alone.

Cause she'll rage just like a river

Then she'll beg you to forgive her

She's every woman that I've ever known .

She's so New York

and then L.A. and every town along the way

She's every place that I've never been

She's making love on rainy nights

She's a stroll through Christmas lights

and she's everything I want to do again ) (Garth Brooks)