General Hospital Relationship Timeline: Maxie And Nathan
Maxie Jones and Nathan West were one of the most beloved "General Hospital" couples in the show's recent years. When the two grew close in 2014, Maxie, played by longtime "GH" cast member Kirsten Storms, had just turned her life around and put her notorious scheming ways to rest. Nathan was a police detective with a heart of gold who had come to town to avenge the attempted murder of his sister Nina Reeves (via Soaps in Depth). Their romance was sweet and easy for fans of the show to root for — it's not often a beloved legacy character like Maxie Jones finds a romantic partner who is a genuinely good person with no ulterior motives. Plus, it didn't hurt that actor Ryan Paevey was easy on the eyes.
Though Storms had been portraying Maxie since 2005, Paevey was new to the soap scene. The role of Detective Nathan West was Paevey's first regular TV role and he had little prior experience in acting. Luckily, he thrived during his time at "GH" and since leaving the show in 2018 he has been cast in almost a dozen TV movies for the Hallmark Channel (via IMDb). Storms has remained on the soap that she has devoted most of her career, but her character has certainly suffered in the love department since losing her beloved Nathan. Let's take a look at how this adorable couple came to be — and what ended it all.
Maxie and Nathan grow close while battling evildoers
On New Year's Eve 2013, Maxie left Port Charles to go on a trip of self-discovery after losing custody of her daughter Georgie (via Soaps). She sublet her apartment to one Nathan West, a newbie to Port Charles, and sparks flew immediately. The two didn't actually get a chance to get to know each other until a year later when Maxie returned to town — with a new granola boyfriend named Levi Dunkleman (Zachary Garred) in tow.
There was an immediate animosity between Nathan and Levi as the three tried to settle in as roommates (via Soap Central). Nathan was suspicious of Levi's too-good-to-be-true persona and was there to support Maxie when his instincts proved true. She discovered that Levi was actually conman Peter Harrell Jr. who was after ancient Aztec jewels belonging to her mother Felicia Scorpio (Kristina Wagner). When the truth came out, Levi kidnapped Maxie and her best friend Lulu Falconeri (Emme Rylan). Nathan and Lulu's husband Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna), who happened to be partners on the police force, were able to rescue the two women — but not before Maxie killed Levi in self-defense.
It wouldn't be until later when Maxie and Nathan were kidnapped by Victor Cassadine (then Thaao Penghlis) — whom Nathan believed to be his father at the time — that the two confessed their feelings for one another and became a couple (via SoapHub).
Maxie and Nathan break-up and get back together
In 2015, Nathan and Maxie's relationship hit a rough patch when he found out that she helped her friend, criminal Johnny Zacchara (Brandon Barash), escape from the police (via Soaps in Depth). He felt betrayed by her and ended their relationship. At the same time, Damian Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) returned to Port Charles with his and Maxie's daughter Georgie. He explained to Maxie that his girlfriend Ellie Trout (Emily Wilson) had broken up with him because she thought he still had feelings for Maxie. Both on the outs with their partners and reunited as a family, Maxie and Spinelli decided to give their relationship another try, according to Soap Opera Spy.
Ellie followed Spinelli to town shortly after, realizing that she had made a mistake in sending him away. Similarly, Nathan had realized that he'd been too quick to give up on Maxie. Ellie and Nathan agreed to go to the Nurses Ball together in hopes of making Spinelli and Maxie jealous (via Soap Central). They were successful and that night all four of them realized they should be back with their respective partners.
Maxie and Nathan get engaged and an unexpected surprise
Maxie Jones and Nathan West reconciled after a short break and by 2016 the two were engaged. However, things weren't smooth sailing for long and that summer a woman named Claudette Beaulieu (Bree Williamson) showed up in town and threw a wrench in their plans, per Soaps in Depth. It turned out that Claudette was Nathan's Canadian ex-wife whom he'd married so she could stay in the country. She had cheated on him repeatedly throughout their relationship and he'd had the marriage annulled. When the woman showed up on Port Charles she told Nathan and Maxie that she had a daughter named Charlotte but she didn't know the girl's father was Nathan or her other ex Griffin Munro (Matt Cohen).
Maxie was immediately skeptical of Claudette's story, even after she had a paternity test was done that claimed Nathan was Charlotte's father. Nathan immediately wanted to forge a relationship with his daughter but, before he got too attached, Maxie had a second independent paternity test done and proved that Claudette was lying (via Soap Central). It was later revealed that Charlotte was not even Claudette's daughter and her biological parents were Lulu Falconeri and Valentin Cassadine.
Maxie and Nathan are finally married
In January 2017, Maxie Jones and Nathan West were finally married, per Soaps. Their wedding was held at the Metro Court hotel with Lulu and Dante Falconeri standing in as the Matron of Honor and Best Man. Damian Spienlli officiated the ceremony and Maxie's daughter Georgie was the flower girl. The nuptials went off without a hitch — barring a brief interjection from Nathan's mother Liesl Obrecht — which is a rare feat in the soap world. However, the pair didn't get to celebrate their marital bliss for very long as Maxie was sent away to Portland on business soon after.
Nathan wasn't happy to be apart from his new wife, but he soon found other things to fill his time with. During her brief returns to Port Charles, Maxie noticed that Nathan had become rather close to nurse Amy Driscoll (Risa Dorken), according to Soaps in Depth. Fearing that he was having an affair in her absence, she confronted him. Slightly embarrassed, Nathan revealed to Maxie that he had been helping Amy with her advice column "Ask Man Landers" and was absolutely not cheating on her. The two were able to overcome this small speed bump and were as in love as ever.
Maxie gets pregnant and Nathan dies
By the end of 2017, Maxie found out she was pregnant (after throwing up on Olivia Falconeri's Thanksgiving Day dinner table) and she and Nathan were thrilled to start their family, according to SoapHub. Nathan went in search of family medical history and was shocked to learn that his biological father was the evil scientist Cesar Faison (Anders Hove), not Victor Cassadine as he had been told (via Soaps).
Fearing for the safety of his wife and unborn child, Nathan hatched a plan to lure Faison out of hiding so he could arrest him and finally send the man to prison. His plan went awry when Faison showed up in Port Charles and kidnapped a pregnant Maxie (via Soaps in Depth). In Nathan's attempt to rescue the love of his life, an unhinged Faison shot his own son. Luckily, Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) arrived in time to shoot and kill Faison and save Maxie. Nathan was rushed to General Hospital where a successful surgery was performed, but his injuries were too severe to overcome. After a heartbreaking and tearful goodbye with Maxie, Nathan died.
Maxie gives birth to James and Bailey
When it came time for Maxie Jones to have her and Nathan West's son, Peter August (Wes Ramsey) had entered her life (via SoapHub). He helped her give birth on the side of the road when she went into labor and supported her after little James was born. It was later revealed that Peter August was really Henrik Faison and he was Nathan's half-brother (via SoapDirt). Unfortunately for Maxie, Peter was much more like his evil father than his warm-hearted brother and it would take her several years to realize the truth.
By 2021, Maxie was pregnant with Peter's child and preparing to marry him. Luckily, the truth about his past and his character was exposed before they two said their vows. Maxie tried her best to separate herself from Peter but ended up having to temporarily give up their baby to Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) in order to protect the little girl from Peter (via Soap Opera Spy). Eventually, Peter was found and killed by Maxie's mother Felicia Scorpio and Maxie was reunited with her daughter (via Soap Opera Network). After the tumultuous few years she's had, Maxie certainly deserves something good in her life. Presently, she's in a new relationship with Austin Gatlin-Holt (Roger Howarth) and has her children James and Bailey to help her keep Nathan's memory alive.