Breaking the Lock

Eighteen

She opened her eyes once but the room was dark and the pain was excruciating. Not wanting to face it just yet, she closed her eyes and drifted back into sleep. She dreamed that she was in a garden and heard a child laughing but when she went in search of the child, she found herself in a church instead. Someone had decorated it with flowers from the garden but no one was there. She could hear the laughter again and when she started to look for the source, she saw a tall man duck away through a door. After a time, the dream faded and she found herself coming back to the surface once again. This time, the room was lighter and the pain much less.

Maxie opened her eyes to bright sunlight streaming into the room. It took her a moment to orient herself and remember what had happened. The last thing she remembered was seeing Nathan across the field and running towards him; there was a sharp pain in her hip and she fell to the ground. She remembered Nathan being at her side and telling him that she knew he would find her but then nothing. He had gotten her to a hospital then, she realized turning her head to the chair next to the bed.

Nathan was there, leaning forward in the chair with his head resting on the bed, asleep. Maxie stretched out her hand and touched his hair gently. He startled awake, jerking his head up at her touch. A look of relief flooded his face at the sight of her awake. She gave him a small smile and held her hand out to him. "Hello," she said as he took her hand in his.

"Hi." He lifted her hand and pressed a gentle kiss on her palm. "How are you feeling?"

She turned her attention inwards for a moment, assessing how she felt. Her hip hurt a little but other than that she didn't feel much pain. She smiled again at the worried expression in Nathan's eyes. "I'm okay. Nothing a little time here won't fix. Right?"

"Right." Nathan returned her smile. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead. "A couple of days here and you'll be good as new."

"Speaking of here," she said with a look around the room. "Where are we?"

"We are in the hospital in Geneva."

"And Britt?"

"Recovering in a room down the hall."

Maxie sighed with relief. "Thank god, she made it."

"Thanks to you," Nathan replied with a hint of pride in his voice. "She told me about the bobby pin and how you picked the locks on your handcuffs. You're getting too much experience in that, Jones."

"I had a good teacher."

Nathan shook his head. "You shouldn't need that skill. All of this is my fault Maxie. I'm so sorry."

"How is any of this your fault?"

"Maxie, Byron only came after you and Britt to get to me. I testified against him before I moved to Port Charles. He was crooked and the most violent cop I've ever known. It never occurred to me that he would get out of jail. I knew he was dangerous and that he would come after me if he ever got out. He had a life sentence though. I used to check on him periodically with an old friend still on the force in New York." He shook his head, hanging it in shame. "The last time I checked was last May. There was that mess with Levi and then Nina's mental health but honestly I was so blinded by how happy I've been with you that I never bothered to check."

He looked back up at her, tears dotting his lashes. "I put you in danger and I will never forgive myself for that. I don't expect you to either."

"Nathan, listen to me." She stroked his cheek, wiping away a stray tear. "There's nothing to forgive. None of this is your fault. Don't beat yourself up over his insanity. What matters is that I'm here and you're here. And we're both okay."

"Dante killed him." Nathan's voice was heavy with the strain of the last week. "He shot you and I tried to help but he came out of the woods. We fought and he told me I wouldn't kill him but Maxie, I fired at him with such hate. I'm no better than he was."

"Stop it. I won't hear you talk like that. You are better than him. You're good and honest. And you came for me just like I knew you would. You've never let me down, Nathan." She squeezed his hand tightly. "Nathan, look at me."

He lifted his head and turned a defeated expression on her. She hated seeing that look. No matter what it took, she would make sure that he never looked at her that way again. "Listen to me. You are a good man, Nathan West and I love you."

"I love you too, Maxie Jones." His eyes cleared a little and he managed a smile. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"Well as it so happens, I feel the exact same way." They sat together for a while longer until a nurse interrupted them. She shooed Nathan away so that a doctor could examine Maxie. He paused at the door and looked back at her over his shoulder, giving her a half smile that made Maxie's heart swell with happiness.

"He's quite handsome," the nurse commented after Nathan had left the room. "You're a very lucky woman. He didn't leave your bedside for a minute once you were out of recovery. I'd say he's definitely a keeper."

Maxie sighed happily and closed her eyes. "He is and I'm going to marry him someday," she said as she drifted off into the first peaceful sleep she'd had in days.