After The Fall

Chapter One: Beginnings

________________________________________

the Grille
"Right here," Alexis paused, her finger indicating a dotted line. She flipped
several pages, then pointed again. "And, here again." She watched as Sonny signed
his name, quickly, grimly, then gathered up the sheaf of papers, slipping them in
her briefcase, and looked at the man sitting across from her. "That's it, Sonny;
it's done. You are now officially divorced from Ms. Caroline Benson neé
Corinthos." Sonny made no response, and Alexis sighed, then leaned across the
table. "Sonny, it might not seem like it now, but it really will get better. I
know this."
Sonny returned her gaze, expressionless. "You don't know a damn thing, Counselor,"
he said finally. "Not about me, and not about how I'm feeling right now. And, the
last thing I need is your pity."
"Good," Alexis retorted, sharply. "Because I wasn't offering it. There is such a
thing as empathy, Sonny, and it doesn't have a thing to do with pity, just knowing
where someone's been and offering to share the pain. Shared pain is halved, ever
heard the expression?" She shook her head, exasperated. "Of course not; you don't
believe in sharing, do you? Or empathy."
Sonny blew out an explosive breath threw his teeth, looking past Alexis for a long
moment, before turning back to her. "Thank you," he said, finally, much more
quietly. "For handling this so quickly and for just now. I took out how I'm
feeling on you, and you deserve better from me. It's been -- a hell of a day." Of
a week. Of a month. Of a year. His whatever-it-was with Carly this past year had
been a roller coaster ride. The highs had been so high, but the lows had been too
damn low. And, in the end, the lows had been all there'd been. Sonny sighed. At
least they had their baby, their beautiful daughter, Virginia Esperanza Corinthos.
The light of his life and the only reason he still held on to what little bit of
faith he had left. He looked back at Alexis. "Ginia's always gonna be taken care
of; that's clear, right?"
Alexis nodded. "Yes. The amount of child support you stipulated is more than
generous, Sonny. Your daughter will never want for anything. And, the custody
agreement is iron-clad; you and Carly share custody pretty much 50/50. As long as
you stay clean, at least on paper, Carly can never deny you access to your child."

Sonny shook his head. "That's the one thing I'm not worried about. Carly won't
stop me from seeing Virginia; we may not agree on anything else, but we both know
our daughter needs both her parents. She may rip out my heart," his eyes flashed
darkly, "but she won't do the same to our kid." He lifted his scotch glass to his
mouth, draining it in one smooth motion, placing the glass back on the table with
a bang.
Alexis gazed across the table at her client. She reached across the table, placing
her fingers lightly over his. "Sonny," Alexis said softly, "you're right, you
know; I can't know exactly how you feel. I wouldn't presume to know that. But, I
do know how it feels when a relationship ends, when love isn't enough to make
things work," she couldn't hide the sadness in her eyes as she gazed at him. "You
go on, Sonny, because you have to. Because there are people depending on you to do
so -- like your daughter. At first it's just going through the motions, yes, but
sooner or later, before you realize it, it's not just the motions, it's your life,
and you're living it. It's hard, and it hurts, but it gets better, I promise you."
She squeezed his hand gently, aware that somewhere along the line she'd crossed
the line between a mere lawyer/client relationship and something more. But, then
with this particular client, that line had always been a tenuous one, drawn in the
sand.
Sonny caught Alexis' gaze with his, something in his eyes making her catch her
breath in her throat. He lifted her hand to his lips, opening it and placing a
kiss in the center of her palm. "Come home with me, Alexis," Sonny said, his eyes
very dark and his voice very smooth. "Shared pain, halved pain, like you said.
And, if we bring ghosts in the bedroom with us," he shrugged, sinuously, "it won't
be the first time in the history of men and women."
Alexis' mouth tightened, and she snatched her hand away from his. "I think not,"
she said, briskly, not meeting his eyes as she gathered up her papers, putting
them into her briefcase and closing it with a sharp snap. Alexis stood up, picking
up her purse. She looked at Sonny, then placed her palms on the table and leaned
over it, facing him. "As 'tempting' as your offer is, I have a party to go to, one
you're expected at as well." She shook her head once. "You may not have a very
high opinion of women, Sonny, and after seeing the women you've chosen to spend
time with, frankly, I can see why. However, here's a tip -- just because a woman
extends a hand to you, it doesn't mean she wants to share your bed. And, if you
ever speak to me like that again, no matter how much pain you're in," Alexis
leaned down to him, her words clear and distinct, "not only will our
attorney/client relationship be severed, I'll be in the Police Commissioner’s
office so fast offering to join the other team that your head will spin." Alexis
straightened up, composing her face with an effort. "I'll bill you for my time;
the advice is free." She pushed in her chair, and stalked away.
Sonny gazed after her, signaling the waiter over. He was about to order another
scotch, then surprised himself by deciding against it. "The check," he said, his
eyes still on the doorway Alexis had just stormed out of. Sonny further surprised
himself as he started to chuckle, long and low, the first time he'd laughed since
Carly had walked out the penthouse door.
________________________________________
Sonny paused as he walked over the threshold, the music and throng of people being
easier to absorb than the fact the he could almost physically feel Carly's
presence in this place. Normally, he'd find this type of party, on the edge of
being raucous, not to his taste; tonight he welcomed the noise and the masses. It
helped decrease the chances that he'd be near his ex-wife. He had just turned his
head, trying to figure the quickest way to find Lucky, welcome him home and get
the hell out of Dodge, when a ten-year old barrel of energy burst out of the crowd
and careened into him.
"Sonny!" Lucas Jones shouted, running up and slapping Sonny's hand hard in a high-
five, beaming up at the older man. One of the unlooked for bonuses to Sonny's
marriage to Carly had been his relationship with her little brother, Lucas. Lucas
had a serious case of hero-worship, and Sonny treated the boy like the little
brother he'd never had. Tony hated it, and it didn't thrill Bobbie, either, but
despite his parents' objections, nothing and no one was able to keep Lucas away
from Sonny. "I got a new video game; you gotta come play it with me!" Lucas
exclaimed, tugging on Sonny's sleeve.
Sonny grinned, the kid's infectious excitement making him smile, despite himself.
"Maybe later, kiddo," he said, ruffling Lucas' hair. "When there's a few dozen
less people around, huh?"
Lucas scowled. "But, I never see you anymore since stupid Carly made you go away,"
he moved away from Sonny's hand, the beginnings of a pout starting on his face.
"Hey, Lucas, my man," Sonny crouched down, until he could face Lucas, "that's not
fair to your sister, buddy. Carly didn't 'make' me go away; I just--" He sighed,
running his hand over his chin. How could he explain what he still couldn't
understand to a ten year old kid? "Grown-ups are complicated sometimes. Carly and
I, we just couldn't live together anymore. Not her fault, not mine. Just the way
it is. But, just because Carly and I can't be together anymore doesn't mean you're
not my favorite ten-year old, kiddo."
Lucas studied the older man's face, trying to gauge his sincerity -- it wasn't
like he hadn't heard this speech before from the other men in his life who he'd
loved and who'd left him; he was about to say something, when his attention was
caught by something over Sonny's head. "If you and Carly don't like each other
anymore, how come she's staring at you right now?" Lucas asked Sonny.
Sonny wheeled around to catch Carly's eyes burning holes in his back from the
drinks table in the corner. She started when he caught her eye, and then gathered
her composure, raising her champagne glass in a silent, ironic toast to him. Sonny
rose slowly, his hand dropping from Lucas' head as his eyes locked with Carly's.
He tore his gaze away from hers briefly, to look at Lucas. "How 'bout you come
over to the penthouse tomorrow when I pick up Gina? Sound good?" Lucas nodded, and
Sonny looked back at Carly. She hadn't moved, and he started to walk over to her
side.
She lifted her glass again as he reached her, saying with deliberate nonchalance.
"Sonny." Carly took a long, slow sip of champagne, needing something to wet her
throat desperately, and needing equally desperately for him not to know that.
"Didn't think you'd show up tonight."
Sonny shrugged, his eyes slipping away from hers, then meeting them again, almost
challengingly. After all, if she could handle this, so could he. "Yeah, well, Luke
called, you know?" He lifted up a small, flat box. "Brought him these. And, I
wanted to see Lucky like," he gestured, a small smile appearing, "half the town, I
guess."
Carly relaxed minutely, nodding. "Everyone loves Lucky," she said. She hesitated a
moment, then sighed. "Can I get you a drink?" she asked. Sonny nodded, and Carly
picked up a scotch glass, placing three ice cubes in it, and reached across Sonny
for the bottle of scotch. She froze as she got near him, then pulled back
abruptly, her eyes narrowing. "Then again, smells like you've already had a
couple, Sonny. Better hold off; the rest of us need some time to catch up," she
snapped scornfully. "That's really sick, Sonny, to come to my cousin's homecoming
party drunk."
Sonny's eyes flashed angrily; the last thing he needed tonight was a lecture from
Carly. "What I did and did not have to drink had nothing to do with Lucky, little
girl," Sonny retorted, his own tone vicious. "I was celebrating the end of our
marriage, Carly, toasting the divorce papers. And," he leaned towards her, "since
we're no longer married as of today, I can't think of a single reason I've gotta
stand here and listen to a damn thing you have to say."
Carly looked at him, her eyes glittering with angry tears. "Boy do I know how to
pick 'em, huh?" she shook her head, her voice bitter, and louder than she
intended. Several people around them stopped their conversations, turning to watch
Carly and Sonny, who were totally oblivious to everyone but each other. "Two ex-
husbands, two drunks," she shook her head. "You're startin' to give AJ a run for
his money, sweetheart," Carly used Sonny's favorite term of endearment
deliberately, her tone giving the word a nasty edge. "And, when it comes to down-
right cruelty, you've got him beat."
"You wanna know what's the matter with the men who made the mistake of loving
you?" Sonny shot back, leaning in for the kill, wanting to hurt him as much as
she'd hurt him. "Baby, you don't have too far to look. Maybe, you know, Junior and
I could start a support group, invite Tony Jones to come along -- How to Survive
Hurricane Carly. We could even get Jason to come in as a guest speaker. I can see
it now," he gestured, as if pointing out words on a marquee, "'The Smart Thing to
Do when Carly Tells You She Loves You -- Run Like Hell."
Carly let out a small noise, halfway between a gasp and a cry, as her hand flew up
in the air. She reached out before Sonny could lift his hand to stop her and
slapped him, her palm cracking loud against his cheek. The noise reverberated in
the small silence that had formed around them, as their argument had attracted
more and more spectators. Sonny's head flew back, and Carly started, her hand
flying to her mouth. Carly stared at him for a long, wordless moment, then mumbled
something no one could hear, and brushed past Sonny, running through the crowd and
towards the front door.
After a moment, the crowd that had gathered stepped away, politely turning their
backs on Sonny, giving him some time and some space. Sonny turned to the table,
leaning hard against it, his knuckles white, his breathing quick. He bent his
head, closing his eyes and trying to get his temper under control, only opening
them again when he heard the sound of clapping behind him. Sonny stood up, turning
quickly to see Alexis Davis standing behind him, ironically clapping her hands
together.
"Nice, Sonny, very nice. I can see you really took my advice about moving on to
heart. You know, it's really a waste of your money and my time if this is how you
interpret my words of warning," Alexis said, sharply. "I don't just talk to hear
myself speak, Sonny."
"Could've fooled me," Sonny mumbled, then looked at her, wearily. "Last thing I
need right now, Alexis, is a lecture."
"Good," Alexis hesitated, then plunged ahead. For whatever reason, she was
starting to think that someone somewhere had decided it was her mission in life to
pick up this man and put him back on his feet. And, truth be told, she was moved,
despite what had occurred between them earlier, by his eyes; they were just so --
tired. Tired of everything. She knew that feeling, more than knew it, had lived
it. Alexis sighed, then took Sonny's arm. "Because I'm done lecturing; I'm taking
you home, Sonny."
Sonny lifted his head and looked at her, long and searchingly. "Why?" he asked
finally, his voice rough. "How the hell can you even stand to look at me, Alexis?"

Alexis bit her bottom lip briefly, then moved forward, linking her arm through his
and starting to maneuver through the crowds to the back door, deliberately
choosing the door Carly had not run out of. "Oh, please," she said lightly, "you
think you're hard to take? I'm a Cassadine, Sonny; you're a lightweight when it
comes to difficult." He paused, and she tugged lightly at his arm, looking him in
the eyes. "C'mon Sonny," she said softly, "time to go." After a moment, he nodded,
following her out the door.
________________________________________
Sonny's penthouse
Alexis Davis walked into the penthouse, setting down the two cups and the brown
paper bag on the kitchen table. "Sonny," she called, upstairs, noting that at
least this morning, he had opened the drapes. Or at least, not closed them when
Graziella had opened them. "Breakfast!"
He came padding down the stairs a moment later, pausing to stare at her, and shake
his head once. "How you can call a cup of bad coffee and a bag full of too sweet
Danishes breakfast is beyond me," Sonny said, shaking his head with a quick grin.
"And you're usually such an intelligent woman."
Alexis stared back at him, her jaw almost dropping. This was not the same man
she'd been bringing coffee and donuts to the past few mornings, just to make sure
he was actually putting something other than alcohol in his stomach. No, this
Sonny was shaved, he was smiling, and he actually seemed to comprehend that the
world hadn't stopped. Alexis lifted an eyebrow, trying to mimic his light tone.
"Better than those liquid breakfasts you've been existing on," she said tartly,
handing him his coffee. "And, Sonny," she cocked her head to the side, "I'm always
an intelligent woman; you'd do best to not forget that one."
He grinned, putting the coffee firmly back down on the table. "I never do, Alexis,
don't worry." Sonny took her by the arm, sitting her down at the table; Alexis was
too stunned by this even more baffling turn around to protest. Usually he was
urging her out the door from the instant she got there. "Sit down," he said
patiently, "this time, it's my turn. I'm making you breakfast. And," he picked up
the paper cup with a look of disgust, "a real cup of coffee. Once you've tried my
cappuccino, Miz Davis, believe me, you will never go back."
In what seemed like only moments, there was a dazzling array of food on the table.
Melon wrapped in prosciutto, an omelet with cheese and chives, and what looked
like freshly baked croissants greeted Alexis, and she turned to Sonny with a look
of amazement on her face. He grinned and placed a freshly brewed cappuccino at her
plate, sitting down beside her. "Who are you?" she shook her head, still staring
at him. "And what did you do with Sonny Corinthos?" she asked.
Sonny laughed, sitting back in his chair. "This is me, Alexis, finally. I just
woke up this morning, and, I don't know, I -- woke up. Somethin' you said, the
other day at the Grille, about goin' through the motions, until they stop being
motions and start being your life," he shrugged, with a half-grin. "I'm slow,
sometimes, but I do listen. Sometimes." He leaned across the table towards her,
catching her eye. "You comin' by these past few mornings, it meant a lot, Alexis.
Reminded me that there was a world outside this empty penthouse. Thank you," he
said softly, his voice slightly raspy. She started to say something, and he lifted
a hand. "And, don't tell me you were just doin' it for the money, Alexis. I don't
pay you enough for that. This," he gestured at the breakfast in front of him,
"doesn't come close to repaying what I owe you, but it's a start."
She was silent a moment; she wasn't good with 'thank-yous'. Alexis lifted her eyes
to Sonny. "An hour every morning wasn't a big deal, Sonny," she said. "I've been
where you are, that's all; I know what it is to forget how to live when your life
comes crashing down around you," she shook her head, then flashed a smile of her
own back at him. "You're right though; you don't pay me enough."
Sonny laughed. "Well, Counselor, you'll have to let me take you out to lunch later
today to start makin' up for that. Just a friendly lunch," he forestalled Alexis'
protest. "I'm a man who always pays his debts, Alexis," he said, leaning towards
her.
Alexis caught his gaze a moment longer than was comfortable, before she glanced
down and away. "You don't have to repay me, Sonny," she said, quickly. "I was just
-- being a friend. But," Alexis looked back at him, "if it makes you feel better,
I will let you take me to lunch, anyway. On one condition," she warned. Sonny
lifted his chin, looking at her questioningly. "That if we're going out to lunch,
you don't get mad if I don't eat this incredible breakfast!"
________________________________________
"You know, Sonny, when you owe somebody something, you really pay it back," Alexis
pronounced, gesturing at the restaurant they were standing in front of. "I mean,
when you said you were going to take me out to lunch, I thought maybe the Grille
or Café Matisse, but Kelly's?" She shook her head, suppressing a grin. "Mr.
Corinthos, you really take my breath away."
Sonny leaned against one of the tables, and smirked at her. "Yeah, well, what can
I say?" He grinned, his dimples deepening. "When I'm good, you know, I'm good." He
became slightly more serious for a moment. "I figured it was a nice day; we'd eat
outside, relax. But, if you wanna go to the Grille--"
Alexis held her hand up shaking her head. "Kelly's is perfect, Sonny," she said,
sitting down at the table. "Like you said, it's a nice day, and -- it'll be
refreshing. I've had too many dinners at the Grille lately. Truth be told," she
leaned across the table as he sat down, and lowered her voice as if expressing a
confidence of the highest nature, "I've never really liked the Grille. Too
stuffy."
Sonny tilted his chair back, and laughed. "And here I pictured the Grille as your
kind of place, Counselor. Stuffy and all." He shook his head, resting his chin on
his fingertips, and looking at Alexis. "The more time I spend with you, Alexis,
the more I learn. I like it."
Alexis smiled back, aware that she was enjoying their repartee more than she
should. And, for more reasons than she should. "You don't know the half of it,
Sonny," she said, her voice lightly teasing. "I'm just full of surprises."
"Tell me about it," Sonny responded, his voice low, leaning forward and locking
his eyes with hers. He cleared his throat, then reached out deliberately, almost
hesitantly, to cover her hand with his. Alexis tensed slightly, but she didn't
pull away. Sonny opened his mouth, about to say something, when a beeping from his
pocket called his attention to his cell phone. His jaw clenched, and Sonny let out
an exasperated sigh, dropping her hand and pulling out the phone. "What?" he
snapped. He listened for a second. "Yeah, I'm on the cell," Sonny glanced at
Alexis, then down. "I'll call you back." He snapped the phone closed, then looked
over at Alexis. "I have to take this," he said, semi-apologetically.
Alexis half-shrugged, half-nodded, sitting up straight in her chair as he stood
up. "Don't do anything stupid," she called out, and Sonny paused, his hand on the
door to Kelly's and turned to grin at her.
"Me? Do anything stupid?" He shook his head, his dimples prominent. "Nah; it'll
never happen." Sonny was still grinning as he walked in, and with Tammy's
permission, used her phone to call Benny back. "Yeah, alright," he was saying a
moment later. "I'll take care of it." Sonny hung up, turning around to head back
outside to Alexis, and barely stopped himself from running into Carly, returning
from the ladies' room. They both froze for a moment; Sonny spoke first. "Hey," he
said, softly, his voice low.
Carly stared at him without comment, folding her arms tightly across her chest.
Finally she sighed. "I should probably apologize for hitting you the other night,"
Carly said.
"Yeah, probably. And, I should probably apologize for the things I said," Sonny
answered, both of them aware that their words were not an apology. Suddenly,
Sonny's expression softened, and Carly broke into quiet laughter. "Damn," said
Sonny quietly, a half-smile on his lips, "the two most stubborn people in this
town, huh? Neither one of us gonna admit we were wrong."
Carly's laughter quieted, but her face remained soft. She shook her head. "How
'bout we were both wrong? Can you live with that?" Sonny pretended to think for a
moment, then nodded, ruefully. Carly's face stilled even more, and she looked at
her ex-husband. "This is really hard, Sonny," she admitted, her voice a whisper.
Sonny nodded, once, his eyes darkening. "It's a small town, Carly," he said, his
voice low. "We've got to run into each other. And -- there's Gina."
"Gina," Carly echoed softly. She looked down, then lifted her eyes to meet his.
"It's just -- I don't know how to do this. How to get from what we were to what we
are."
"What are we, Carly?" Sonny asked, his eyes very dark, and locked on hers.
She lifted her shoulders once, tears suddenly pooling in her eyes despite the fact
that she'd sworn to herself she wasn't going to shed any more tears over Sonny
Corinthos. "Parents," Carly said. "People who used to love each other, I guess."
"Used to?" Sonny asked, his voice barely audible. His hand started to rise to
touch her cheek when Carly's eyes flicked once over his shoulder and then back.
Sonny turned, to see Marcus Taggert watching them from a table for two, with
Carly's purse slung over the back of the empty chair. His face hardened, and he
snatched his hand back, quicker than pulling it away from a hot stove. "Well, you
always did move fast, sweetheart; we both know that. But, Taggert? C'mon, Carly, I
thought you had better taste than that."
Carly shook her head, her whole body tensing. "I'm not gonna do this, Sonny," she
said, her voice sharp. Carly looked at him a moment longer, then brushed past him,
walking back to her table. She froze as she heard Sonny's voice behind her.
"Go ahead, walk away, Carly," he said, his voice biting. "You always do."
~*~ The glass shattered against the wall, and Sonny turned from his desk, his eyes
dark, to face his wife. Carly stood in front of the couch, hand on her hips, her
own eyes flashing. "Gonna look at me now?" she snapped.
"It depends," Sonny drawled, deliberately speaking slowly despite his anger
because he knew it infuriated Carly. "Gonna say anything worth listenin' to?"
"God," Carly exploded, "that is exactly what the whole problem is! You shut me
out; you don't listen to me. You make these decisions, and I-- I'm not doin' this
anymore."
Sonny looked at her, standing up slowly. "Why do I feel like I'm comin' in in the
middle of a conversation, and I never got the memo on what the hell we're supposed
to be talking about?" he demanded, his voice edged with sarcasm.
"Why did I have to find out from my mother that you're goin' out of town next
week?" Carly burst out, her words following quick on his, her breath coming fast.
Sonny stopped for a moment, shaking his head once, a crease in his forehead.
"Bobbie? How did she--"
"Roy," Carly interrupted. "He happened to mention that he was gonna have to work
extra hours at the warehouse next week 'cause his boss was going to be out of
town. See, unlike you," Carly bit out, taking a step nearer to her husband, "Roy
actually informs people he cares about what's going on in his life. Unlike you,
Roy likes bein' upfront about his life. Unlike you, Roy doesn't lie to the people
he loves!"
"I'm not the only one who lies, little girl," Sonny snapped, his voice dangerously
low as he took a step towards Carly. "Better watch it before you start throwin'
stones that get thrown right back."
"Oh," Carly said, her voice very small, and her eyes very big, "so that's what
this is about. You're still mad at me because I lied to you when Jason came back.
You're never gonna forgive me for that, are you?" Sonny shrugged and looked away,
and Carly nodded, slowly. "Yeah, well, at least the cards are out on the table,
huh? You don't trust me, and I lied to you." She gathered herself almost visibly,
and Sonny tensed. He knew what was coming next, had seen it coming for weeks.
Carly shook her head, all her anger draining out replaced by weariness. "I'm not
gonna do this anymore, Sonny; I can't."
"Don't do this," Sonny said, his voice low and rough, the words almost ripped out
of his throat. "Don't leave, Carly. Don't go to him."
Carly stared at him incredulously. "Is that where you think I--" She broke off,
lifting her hand to her mouth for a long moment. "Tell me that you need me," Carly
whispered finally, every emotion that ever was quivering in her voice. "Tell me
that you need me, that you can't live without me, and there's nothing on this
earth that can make me walk out of that door." There was a long silence that
seemed to stretch onto forever, as their eyes held. But, nothing was said. No one
spoke. Finally, Carly turned, gathering her purse and her jacket. She spoke
without looking at Sonny. "Gina and Michael and I'll be at the Brownstone. Come by
and see your daughter whenever you want." She lifted her eyes to his, a thousand
years older than they were a moment ago. For a moment, Sonny thought she was going
to say something else, but she dropped his gaze and walked out of the penthouse
without looking back.
"I need you, querida," Sonny whispered as the door closed softly behind her.
"Don't go." ~*~
Sonny's eyes bore into the back of her head; he knew she was remembering the same
thing he was. Truth was, that was why he'd said it. But, just like then, she
didn't turn around; after a moment, Carly just kept walking, sitting down across
from Taggert, ignoring him fully. He turned on his heel, determined not to look at
his ex-wife a moment longer, and walked out the door. It was with momentary shock
that he found Alexis watching him from the table where he'd left her; he'd totally
forgotten she was waiting for him. He walked over to her table, and started to sit
down, then stopped. He couldn't do this. "Alexis, I'm sorry, but I've gotta go.
Business," Sonny said, his voice more abrupt than he wanted it to be.
Alexis looked at him with a lifted eyebrow; even if she hadn't heard what had just
happened, she'd seen him with Carly Benson neé Corinthos; she wasn't an idiot.
"Okay," was all she said, her voice light, "another time, then. You can owe me."
Sonny nodded, paused a moment as if to say something more, then walked away.
Alexis watched him go, then sat back hard in her chair. She was a fool; she was
such a fool. But, even knowing that, she knew that there was going to be a next
time. And, even as he walked away, his mind totally caught up in his ex-wife, she
was already looking forward to it.
________________________________________
Chapter Five: All In A Day's...Work?
________________________________________
Alexis' office
"Come in," Alexis called, looking up enthusiastically at the knock at the door.
She had been buried in legal briefs for hours; any interruption was welcome. Her
face brightened as Lucky Spencer stepped tentatively through the door, his hands
in his pockets. "Lucky!" Alexis exclaimed, standing up and walking around her
desk. "It is so unbelievably good to see you! You know, I'm sorry I had to leave
the party the other day before talking to you. I wanted to welcome you home,
personally."
"Thanks," he said, softly. "That's really what I came by to say, Alexis. You know
I never got a chance to thank you last year when you helped me to come home."
Lucky ran a hand through his hair. "I was kinda mixed up there for a while, but
once I figured out what went down, I realized I owed you a lot. Sorry it took me
so long to tell you that."
Alexis shook her head, moved. "Lucky, you don't owe me anything. What I did was
minor compared to everyone else. And, it was no more than what anyone would have
done, in the same situation."
Lucky shrugged, looking at her. "Yeah, well, my Dad says that you put a lot on the
line to help me, when you didn't have to. And, from where I'm standin', it's more
than a lot of people were willing to do. You turned your back on people you loved
to get me out of a really dark place, and from what I'm told, you're still payin'
for it. I think," he paused, then went on, "I think maybe I owe you a whole lot
more than just a 'thank you'."
Alexis was silent a long moment, and when she spoke, it was barely audible.
"Cassadine and Spencer, Spencer and Cassadine. More pain has been done in the name
of our two families than should exist in this world. If I could take my
birthright, the name I was born to wear and use it to right some of that," she
smiled at him, tremulously, "then the gain far outweighs whatever loss there is.
Trust me on this one, Lucky," her smile widened marginally. "This is what I do for
a living, weigh gains and losses on the proverbial balance sheet. Your life and
your freedom -- that's worth a lot."
Lucky looked at her. "Just the same, thanks, Alexis. I have a feeling that if it
weren't for you, I'd still be stuck in a hole somewhere." His eyes met hers,
clearly and simply. "So, thank you for my life. That's all I really came to say."
Alexis hesitated, then leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Anytime,"
she whispered softly, ruffling the young man's hair, as he turned to go. Lucky
smiled once at her, sweetly, and left. Alexis sat perched on the corner of her
desk, staring at the door Lucky Spencer had just walked out of, a single tear
trickling down her cheek. She wiped it away hastily as another knock sounded at
the door. Alexis stood up, walking over to the door, smiling brightly as she
opened it. "Back so--" She broke off as she saw that the man standing in her
doorway was very much not the man she'd expected to see.
"I came by to see if you were free for that dinner I keep promising you," Sonny
smiled, then paused, looking at her carefully. "Alexis, you been cryin'?" he asked
softly, slowly reaching out to touch her cheek softly with his thumb.
Alexis closed her eyes, taking a long, shuddering breath. After a moment, she
expelled it, softly, then opened her eyes, looking at him. "Sonny, I can't do
this," she said, taking a single step away from him. "I can be -- I can be your
lawyer. I can even be a casual friend, someone you say hello to on the street.
But, I can't be any more than that. There's an attraction here, and I'm not -- I'm
not willing to deny it, and I'm not ready to act on it." She tilted her head, and
looked at the man standing in front of her, a man who made her pulse race faster
even though she knew with every instinct she had that what Sonny was, more than
anything, was a man trying to forget another woman. Alexis shook her head once,
decisively. "Gains and losses, Sonny," she smiled slightly, only a touch of irony
in her glance, "I'm very good at calculating them. And, getting involved with you,
in almost any capacity more intimate than that of your lawyer requires potential
losses I'm not willing to take."
"Alexis, all I wanted was a simple dinner," Sonny began, then stopped. She had
just been more than honest with him; he owed her the same in return. He paused a
long moment then spoke, slowly. "I don't know what I'm willin' to lose either,
Alexis, but you," he didn't smile, but the way he looked into her eyes, it was as
if he had, "make me think that it would be worth it. You're good at calculating
balance sheets; I calculate risks. And, this is a good one. You're a risk I'd like
the chance to take. I know I haven't treated you with half the respect you
deserve, but I'd like to make that up to you. If you'll let me."
Alexis couldn't help smiling slightly, but she shook her head, nonetheless. "I'm
sorry, Sonny. I've just -- lost too much lately." She stood up slightly
straighter, and spoke with a little less warmth in her tone. "Thank you for the
dinner invitation, Sonny, but no thanks. It's just not going to happen."
Sonny looked at her a moment longer, then turned to go. Alexis had started to
close the door after him, when he turned swiftly and stepped forward, taking her
shoulders in his hands in one quick motion, pulling her hard against him, and
dropping his lips to cover hers, in a kiss that was demanding and giving, hard and
soft all at once. Without her giving herself permission to move, Alexis' hand
wound around the back of Sonny's neck, twining tentatively in the springy curls
there. A long, breathless moment passed before Sonny lifted his mouth and stepped
away, dropping Alexis' shoulders. He grinned at her. "Just thought maybe we should
sample the payoff before you decided not to take the risk," Sonny murmured, a
single dimple flashing once, before he turned and disappeared out her office door.

Chapter Six: Lines In The Sand

________________________________________
Sonny's penthouse
"Damn!" Sonny threw his pen down impatiently on the desk, striding to the door,
and throwing it open. The anger on his face disappeared in an instant when he saw
the person standing in his doorway was not, as he'd thought, one of his employees.

"Item number one," Alexis began without preamble, staring at Sonny, her eyes very
dark and her face very white, "you work on one side of the law, and I work on the
other. And that is not a thing that is going to change. There's a line I will not
cross, and there's a line you can't go back over, not anymore." Sonny started to
speak, but Alexis continued, overriding him. "Item two: you are still in love with
your ex-wife. And, part of the reason, not all of it, but enough of the reason you
are pursuing me is to drive Carly out of your mind, just like she's out of your
life. I am not willing to--"
"Alexis, what the hell are you doing here?" Sonny cut into her speech, his hand
slicing the air between them. His eyes flashed at her, as all the frustration that
had been building up in him after staring at papers in his very empty penthouse
all evening. "Reciting the reasons you're not goin' to be anything more than my
lawyer? Don't bother," he snapped, shaking his head once sharply. "The reasons
don't matter; all that matters is that you're gonna turn around and walk into that
elevator. And, if that's your choice, then fine. I don't like it, but I can deal
with it. What I can't handle is you beatin' this into the ground with logic and
reasons that I don't give a damn about!"
Alexis gripped the doorframe tightly with her hand, her knuckles whitening,
showing no sign of walking away. "Which brings us to item three," she continued,
her voice lowered almost to a whisper. "Despite everything my head, my 'logic,"
she lifted her eyebrows at him, "says, I can't get your damned eyes out of my
head. Or the way it felt," she swallowed hard, "when you kissed me. And so," she
spread her hands wide, "I'm here. I don't know why; it doesn't make any sense."
Alexis stamped her foot lightly in frustration, and Sonny's dimples flashed into
view, briefly. Alexis looked into his eyes for a long moment, finding what she
needed there, against all reason and all expectation, and she found herself almost
smiling back at him. "So," she let out a long, shuddering breath, biting her
bottom lip, "maybe the solution is to let sense and logic and reasons go. And,
just -- give into whatever this, this thing between us is." Sonny was definitely
smiling now, but he didn't move. This was her move to make.
~If I asked you for this simple thing
would you do it without too much thinking or fuss?
Would you see it for the precious thing
that it would surely be?
Hold on to me.~
Alexis hesitated a long moment, then, her eyes never dropping from Sonny's, she
took a step forward, and then another until she was in his arms. Alexis slowly
slid her arms up his chest, pausing at the open collar of his shirt, her head
tilted towards him, as Sonny's lips lowered until they met hers, her mouth parting
slightly under his, one hand clenching at his collar, the other sliding behind his
neck to pull him harder against her. Sonny lifted his head, breathless moments
later, just long enough to murmur against her mouth, "No going back, Alexis. You
sure?"
Alexis looked at him, and suddenly laughed, her fingers fiddling with the buttons
of his collar. "No," she said, her eyes sparkling. "Not even a little bit." Alexis
ran a single finger down his chest. "So what?" she asked, before pressing up to
meet his lips again, kissing him fiercely, her hand sliding inside his shirt to
press her palm against his bare chest. "I'm taking a risk," she pulled away
briefly to whisper in his ear. "On the off chance that maybe, just maybe, the pay
off will be worth it." She looked into his eyes a long, long moment, then smiled,
as his arms finally lifted to hold her. "I'm betting that it will."
~Hold onto me.
Hold onto me.~
Chapter Seven: Letting Go
________________________________________
the PCPD
Alexis scanned the empty office from the doorway, then strode in, laying a manila
folder on the Commissioner's desk. She was just turning to leave, when the sound
of a voice in the doorway made her jump.
"Can I help you with something, Counselor?" Marcus Taggert entered his office,
eying Alexis Davis curiously.
Alexis faced him, her hand at her throat. "Try attaching a bell and collar to your
throat; you nearly scared me to death," she shook her head with a small smile. "I
was just dropping off the paperwork from the McDougall case on your desk. It's
fairly straightforward, nothing that requires more than a quick glance on your
part."
"Which means, translating from Cassadine-ese into English, I'll be reading these
all night," he said with a quick laugh, moving around her to his desk. He picked
up the folder, flipping through it with a silent groan, then dropped it on top of
the other pile of 'to-do's that came along with the title 'Commissioner'. One of
the papers in the pile caught his eye, and he picked it up, then grinned at
Alexis. "So, Ms. Davis, you're on the list of performers at this year's Nurse's
Ball, huh? How much did Lucy Coe have to pay you to get you do that one?"
"Not enough," Alexis said, dryly. She rolled her eyes, sighing deeply. "As
hospital co-counsel and Lucy's sister-in-law, I couldn't find a way out of this
one, though I notice you did," she shot Marcus a dirty look. "But, Lucy promised
me no singing and a minimum of anything else, so I guess I should count my
blessings."
"Wanna get kicked out of performing in the Ball?" Taggert grinned wickedly at
Alexis. "Try arresting her husband a couple dozen times; it works like a charm."
Alexis laughed, a trifle guiltily. "So that's why you're always dragging my
brother down here," she shook her head. "Ulterior motives, Commissioner; there's
got to be some statute or the other I can throw at you next time you get it in
your head to arrest Stefan for whatever unsolved crime the PCPD turns up next,"
she lifted her eyebrow at him; Alexis liked Taggert as Commissioner, even if he
was a pain in both Stefan's and Sonny's rears. He was a lot more fun to play with
than Mac had ever been.
Marcus Taggert laughed, still grinning as Alexis tipped an imaginary hat towards
him, and headed towards the door. He called out to her, as her hand found the
doorknob, his grin fading as he remembered something Carly had mentioned the other
day. "Ms. Davis," she turned and he paused, not sure how to broach this,
"defending Stefan Cassadine is one thing; at least most of the time, there's some
question as to whether or not he's guilty of whatever he's accused of. But,
defending Sonny Corinthos," he looked at her, his gaze entirely serious, "that's
something else altogether."
Alexis stilled completely, her face frozen. Her eyes flared at Taggert, as her
heart started to beat a little faster. Whatever was going on with her and Sonny
was still so -- new and unnamed by both of them; she wasn't ready to defend it
yet. "That sounds a lot like a warning, Taggert," Alexis said slowly, dropping his
title deliberately. "Is there something you know about my client, Mr. Corinthos,
that I don't? Because if you're withholding information--"
"I'm not withholding anything, Counselor," Taggert said, quietly. "I heard that
your -- relationship with Sonny," his mouth twisted as he said the other man's
name, "was something more than professional. Look, I know that I don't have any
right to give you advice, especially about your personal life," he spread his
hands, feeling acutely uncomfortable under her sharp gaze, but plunging on,
nonetheless. "But, with Corinthos, personal lives have a way of getting real
public, real fast. People die around him, Alexis. His casualty list is longer than
your date book," Taggert said flatly.
Alexis stepped forward, placing both palms on Taggert's desk and leaning forward,
frost and fire in her eyes. "You're right about exactly one thing, Commissioner;
my personal life is none of your business. This conversation, if one can even call
it that," she bit out, "is so beyond inappropriate, I'm tempted to find something
in it I can sue the department for, just on principle."
"I wasn't speaking as the Commissioner, Ms. Davis, and you know it," Taggert shot
back, his own quick temper rising. "Just as a man who hates seeing smart women
make stupid choices around Sonny Corinthos. He's not worth it; he's not worth what
a relationship with him could do to your professional life, and he's no where near
worth dyin' for," Taggert said intently. "And, here's something else for you to
think about -- would you be getting so mad at me right now, if a little part of
you didn't know that what I was saying was true?"
Alexis didn't bother to answer him; she just gathered her briefcase, and her
purse, and stormed out of Taggert's office, almost, but not quite slamming the
door behind her. Once she'd rounded the corner, away from curious eyes, Alexis
closed her eyes, leaning hard against the wall. ..would you be getting so mad at
me right now, if a little part of you didn't know that what I was saying was
true?? After a long moment, she pressed her chilled hand against her hot face,
shook her head once, and pushed away from the wall, walking quickly out of the
station.
________________________________________
Sonny's bedroom
Alexis reached across Sonny, pulling on her blouse and starting to button it. She
leaned down, her body against Sonny's, and kissed him, long and lingeringly. "I
have to go," she murmured regretfully against his mouth.
Sonny's hand slid up her back, pressing her against him for a long moment, before
releasing her. "I know," was all he said; Sonny didn't ask women to stay with him
anymore. He watched her as she dressed, sitting up as Alexis perched on the side
of the bed, drawing one of her legs up underneath her. He reached out, twining one
of his hands in her hair, still loose and tousled on her shoulders. Sonny slid his
thumb over her lips. "It was a good night," he said softly.
Alexis nodded, smiling softly, the moonlight dancing across her face. "That it
was. Even if I still don't know what this," Alexis gestured across the moon-lit
bedroom, "thing between us is." She spoke with a slight questioning note in her
voice, as if she wanted him to define the elephant in the room, the thing they
still hadn't talked about, even though they had been seeing each other for several
weeks now.
Sonny slid forward, looking at her. "You mean, what are we? Where are we going?"
He shook his head. "I don't know the answer to those questions, Alexis. But, I was
thinkin'," he slid his hand down her shoulder to her arm, "maybe we should take
the first step towards figuring that out. The Nurses' Ball is this Friday; would
you like to go with me?" he asked, softly, something almost vulnerable in his
eyes.
Alexis hesitated, then looked down, her fingers splayed across her lap. "Sonny, I
-- I don't know if I'm ready for that. For making this public."
~Not as I planned and not as you see
The things we are, are things we can be
Wavering left, and I'm wavering right
Well I'm losing strength and I don't want to fight~
Sonny's hand dropped off her arm, and his voice lowered, almost dangerously. "What
are you sayin', Alexis? That it's okay to do what we do behind closed doors, long
as no one knows about it? I'm, what, not good for business, is that it?"
Alexis looked at him, her eyes flaring. "That's not fair, Sonny, and you know it.
This is complicated; pretending it's not is just that, pretending." She pulled her
hair into a low knot on the back of her neck, using that as a pretext to give her
fingers something to do. "There are no rules for this; I'm making up what's okay
and what isn't as we go along. Can I just -- think about it? And, let you know in
the morning?"
Sonny shrugged, laying back on the pillows. "Whatever," he said, his voice a study
in unconcern. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, then." He drew his hands up behind his
head, watching her as she stood, gathering her purse and her shoes, sliding them
on her feet.
Alexis looked at him. "Sonny," she started to say, then broke off. She bit her
lower lip, a million thoughts running around in circles in her head, but in the
end, didn't say anything, except, "Good night." She paused again, her hand on the
doorknob, then slipped out of the room silently.
~I try to find you see you in my life
Try to put you in my chair see you in my light
Somehow it fades and it dims in my sight~
Sonny let out the breath he'd been holding in as the door closed behind her, and
threw the pillow under his head violently across the room. He sat a very long time
in the dark, staring at the ceiling, his bed cold and empty. And, the woman
running through his thoughts, the one woman who'd never tried to change him or
make excuses for who he was, was not the woman who'd just left his bedroom.
~Where am I gonna put you in my
Where am I gonna put you in my
Where am I gonna put you in my life~*
*Song Credit* "In My Life" -- Trina Hamlin
Chapter Nine: Baby Steps
Sonny's warehouse
Roy walked around the corner, studying the clipboard in his hand. He looked up in
surprise at the woman standing rather diffidently in the doorway, then glanced at
his watch. He had been just about to head home. "Hey Alexis," he said, walking
over to her. "I was just headin' out; you here to see Sonny?"
Alexis nodded briskly. "I stopped by the penthouse, and Johnny said he might be
here. Is he in his office?"
"I think so; he went in early today and shut the door. I haven't seem him since."
Roy grinned and shook his head. "Sonny must pay you a hell of a lot for you to
come out now; it's near dark."
Alexis cleared her throat, looked down at her shoes, then back at Roy. If she was
going to take this step, better to start now, here. "This isn't business, Roy;
it's personal," she said, her tone of voice indicating that the last thing she
wanted was his comments.
"Oh. Look, Alexis, I'm sorry; I didn't mean--" He broke off as she shook her head
at him, obviously wanting him to stop. "Listen, like I said, he's back in his
office; I'll see you later."
Alexis waited until Roy had walked off, taking a deep breath. Better get used to
this, a small voice in her head said. She drew her spine up straight and turned
and marched towards Sonny's office; Alexis was not accustomed to having her life
dictated by small voices in her head. She knocked once on the office door,
"Sonny?" Before he had a chance to answer, Alexis opened the door, stepping just
inside.
Sonny looked up as she opened the door, his face lightening just for a moment,
then shutting off again. He flipped through several papers, not standing up to
greet her. "Thought I was gonna hear from you this morning," he said, seemingly
engrossed in the coffee report in front of him.
"I'm here now," Alexis offered. She waited, patiently until he looked up at her.
"And, I'd very much like to go the Nurses' Ball with you, if the invitation is
still open."
Sonny held her gaze, expressionlessly for a long moment. "Fine," he said finally,
then turned back to the coffee reports.
Alexis' felt her jaw set and her blood start to rise. "Neither of us are five
years old, Sonny; I don't want to play games. If you have something to say to me,
say it."
This time Sonny did stand up, walking around his desk and looking at her, his eyes
still opaque. "I don't have anything to say, Alexis. I asked you to go the Nurses'
Ball; you accepted. It's what people who are seein' one another do, go out on
dates. Unless, of course, this is just -- I don't know, a fling in the dark. Is
that what you're doin', Alexis? Slumming with the local crime lord, just for
kicks?"
Alexis drew in a sharp breath. "You asked me out, not the other way around. And,
that you could even ask that of me, no matter how much you're hurt, shows how
little you know me. How little you ever did. Forget the Nurses' Ball; forget this
whole thing," she turned sharply on her heel, reaching for the door.
She was half-way out when his voice stopped her in her tracks. "Alexis, please--"
Sonny broke off. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "Don't go."
Alexis turned in the doorway. "Do you understand how difficult this is for me? I'm
a woman who's always lived her life being careful; it's who I am. Being with you,
and yes, being seen with you in any kind of context out of a professional one is a
risk for me. I've worked very, very hard to make my life what it is," she spoke
with intensity. "There are people in this world who would doubt my competence as a
lawyer because of your presence in my life. To you, this is simple; it's an
evening out. To me, this is an enormous risk, Sonny; are you understanding this at
all?"
Sonny took two steps towards her, closing the distance between them. "Too many
people have been ashamed of me, Alexis, of me in their lives. You try to hide us,
what we are, in the dark, you're doin' the same thing they did. I can't do that
anymore; I won't. If you choose not to take this, this risk, fine. But, if you
want to be with me, be with me. I won't be anybody's second choice," he said, his
eyes shuttered, his voice saying plainly 'not again'.
Alexis took a deep, shuddering breath, then another. "Okay,” she said, finally.
"Nurses' Ball, this Friday, you and me. It's a date," her voice quiet, but firm,
and met his eyes, searchingly. After a moment, a small smile appeared on her face,
and she took a step towards him, and into his waiting arms.
Chapter Ten: I Will Never Be The Same
________________________________________
"It's okay, they're gone now. We can actually get out of the car," Alexis said,
looking over Sonny's shoulder and out the window, her face expressionless.
Sonny started to deny that he'd been waiting for Carly and Taggert to turn and
walk away before getting out of the limo, then gave up, knowing Alexis would see
through it anyway. "I want this night to start off on a good note," he said,
meeting her eyes. "Put me and Carly together, that's not what you get."
"It's alright, Sonny; I wasn't asking for explanations," Alexis looked away.
"Let's go in, if you're ready."
Sonny watched Alexis for a silent moment, then nodded at Johnny who promptly
stepped out, opening the door for him. Sonny got out first, then reached back in
the car, helping Alexis. As she emerged from the car, he took in her midnight blue
silk gown that skimmed lightly over her shoulders and fell elegantly to her
ankles, her hair in a soft French knot at the back of her head, the diamond
earrings that sparkled in her ears like stars caught from the night to rest in her
hair. Sonny smiled, slowly, and caught her eye. "You look incredibly beautiful
tonight," he said, tilting his head to brush her lips with his. "This is how I
wanted the evening to begin," Sonny murmured, his lips very close to hers.
Alexis smiled, unwillingly. Sonny got to her, every damn time. She let out a
breath, letting her tension out with it. "That, Mr. Corinthos, is a very good
start indeed," she said, sliding her arm into his. "Let's hope the rest of the
evening lives up to it's beginning."
________________________________________
Carly turned from her son, to look at the people surrounding her; Emily's song was
making her really want to know she was loved, tonight. She looked at Luke and
Laura, lost in each other, her mother and Roy, Lucas sitting between them, easy
tears in Bobbie's eyes and Roy's hand loosely draped around both mother and son,
and at the man sitting beside her. She reached out, placing her hand over Marcus',
needing to feel his hand in hers, needing someone to touch her. He responded by
squeezing her hand lightly, and Carly smiled, softly. This was her family, and her
friends; she was loved. Without conscious volition, Carly's eyes drifted across
the room to Sonny's table and the empty chair beside him.
~But I, I will never be the same
Oh I, I will never be the same
Caught in your eyes
Lost in your name
I will never be the same
And you swore that you were bound for glory
And for wanting you had no shame
But I loved you
And then I lost you
And I will never be the same~
Sonny felt his breath catch in his throat; he'd forgotten what this night could do
to him, how it could be a painful reminder of everyone he'd lost. He leaned
forward, his fingers catching on Alexis' empty chair; she was still backstage, not
having come back yet after her number. Sonny looked across the table at Jason, who
had brought Lark over to his table right before Emily had started to sing, because
she had wanted a better view of her roommate. Lark was leaning back in Jason's
arms, languidly, his own strong arms wrapped around her, their fingers twined, the
ring Jason had placed on Lark's finger earlier that night sparkling in the
candlelight. Jason bent his head to press his lips to Lark's head, and Sonny made
a small noise in his throat, standing up abruptly. "I'm sorry," he whispered as
Jason and Benny turned to look at him. "I've gotta get out of here." With that,
Sonny slipped unobtrusively away from the table, and out the doors into the lobby.

Carly, across the room, followed him with her eyes. She leaned over to Taggert,
without thinking of what she was doing, and whispered to him that she had to go
the restroom, and stood up, following Sonny out.
~But I, I will never be the same
Oh I, I will never be the same
Caught in your eyes
Lost in your name
I will never be the same~*
Carly caught up with Sonny in the lobby, his head in his hands as he leaned
against the railing of the stairs. She paused, then walked over to him, laying her
hands gently on his shoulders, wordlessly.
Sonny tensed, then turned abruptly, his face tear stained, and slid into Carly's
waiting arms as if coming home, dropping his head to her shoulder as she held him,
stroking his hair gently. After a long moment, Sonny pulled away, running a hand
over his face. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice raspy. "I didn't mean to--"
"Sonny, it's okay," Carly said quietly. "This is me, remember? I slept beside you
for year," she looked down, then up at him again, "I know your nightmares as well
as I know my own." Carly paused, not thinking about how easy this was, how
familiar, just -- trying to make it better for the man in front of her, because in
spite of herself and in spite of him, that was her first instinct when it came to
Sonny. "Thinkin' about Stone?" she asked, softly, her voice a whisper.
Sonny hesitated, then nodded, once. God, she knew him, just like he knew her. Knew
every dark corner, every nightmare, everything that haunted him in the nights.
Which is why he could do this, talk to her now, like he could with no one else in
this world. "Yeah," he whispered roughly. Sonny rubbed his eyes with his thumb and
forefinger. "He's always with me, you know, but usually, it doesn't -- hit me like
this. It's just tonight, and Emily singing that song--"
Sonny broke off, and Carly stepped into him, her hands rising without conscious
thought to brush the tears from his cheeks with the heels of her palms. She lifted
her head, as his arms slid around her, holding her close, holding her like a
drowning man holds a life jacket. Carly tilted her head, not thinking, not
weighing the consequences, just -- doing. Being. And, she brought her lips to
Sonny's as his mouth dropped down to cover hers in a kiss that was tender and
giving and comfort and home, all at once.
It wasn't until Sonny had lifted his head to look searchingly into her eyes, and
Carly had slid her arms around him, finding the soft curls at the nape of his
neck, that either of them noticed Marcus and Alexis, both standing in the lobby
entrance, both wearing identical expressions on their faces. And, by then, it was
far, far, far too late.
*Song Credit* "I Will Never Be The Same" -- Melissa Etheridge
Chapter Eleven: Afterwards
________________________________________
Marcus opened his eyes, just a slit, and groaned. There was light, and it was
hitting his face, and that was bad. In fact, being awake and aware was bad. He
turned over, grabbing for the pillow beside him, intending to remedy the situation
immediately, when his groping hand encountered something that was very distinctly
not a pillow, but a human being. His eyes snapped open, all the way, and he looked
at the woman lying beside him. And, groaned again, this time loudly.
The woman beside him stirred, her eyes opening and her hand flying to her head
simultaneously. "Where am--" She trailed off as she turned over and met Taggert's
eyes. "Oh God," Alexis Davis whispered. She clutched the sheet that was barely
covering both of their bodies tightly to her chest. "Tell me I'm dreaming. Tell me
this," she gestured with a fist to him and the bed, "didn't happen."
Marcus shook his head, leaning back into the pillows, his arm over his eyes.
"Sorry Counselor, I make it a practice not to lie to pretty ladies, 'specially
when they turn up beside me in the morning." His words were exactly as light-
hearted as his tone was not. "How much do you remember about last night?" he asked
carefully.
Alexis was silent a long moment, and Marcus dropped his arm and turned his head to
look at her, intending to apologize. Before he could speak, she did. "All of it,"
she whispered, softly.
~*~ "A scotch, neat." Marcus held out a hand to stop the bartender before she
turned away. "Actually, make it a double," he added grimly.
"Sure thing, Commish," Jake nodded, then ran her eyes over him. "Is it black tie
night here at Jake's and someone forgot to tell me?" Taggert looked at her,
puzzled, and she jerked her chin towards a woman in evening dress at the end of
the bar, empty vodka shot glasses lined up in front of her. His expression cleared
as he recognized Alexis.
Marcus nodded his thanks to Jake, taking his scotch and walking down to Alexis. He
slid onto the stool beside her. "Should we drink a toast?" he asked, as Alexis
looked up at him. "To--" He looked at his glass, then set it down with a thump. "I
can't think of a damn thing to drink to," Marcus whispered, his voice rough.
"To the end of lies," Alexis lifted her shot glass high, her hand unsteady. "To
soulmates, huh, Taggert?" Her mouth twisted, and Alexis began to laugh bitterly.
"'Cause come hell or high water or you and me," she gestured between the two of
them with her glass, liquid sloshing out of it, "if it's meant to happen, it will.
No matter how many people get run down, run over on the way." She lifted the shot
to her mouth, draining the expensive Russian vodka in a very practiced move.
Marcus started to stop her as she signaled Jake for another, then stopped. Who was
he to stop Alexis from finding oblivion tonight? He drained his own scotch,
quickly, then looked at Alexis. "They're not soul mates, Alexis," he asserted,
setting down his glass, hard. "Sonny's like a drug for her, an addiction, a sick
attraction. If she could just break free--"
Alexis started to laugh. "Delusion-ville. So familiar, Commissioner. I lived there
for a very, very long time. Almost my entire life." She shook her head, and her
laughter died down. "She doesn't want to be free of him, any more than he wants to
be free of her. Wake up, Taggert." She leaned forward, her voice intense, her eyes
very dark. "I saw the way he looked at her," Alexis whispered, her voice cracking.
"Don't you dare try and tell me there's nothing more between them than an
attraction."
Marcus held her gaze for a long beat before dropping his eyes to the bar. He held
up his empty glass, signaling for a refill and drained it in one gulp when Jake
set it down, shaking her head as she looked at the two of them.
"You know, neither one of you should be drivin' tonight," Jake said, lifting an
eyebrow at them. "I can call a cab, or if you need a place to crash, I've got an
empty room upstairs. Normally, I wouldn't offer but," she grinned and shrugged
philosophically, "never hurts to get in good with the police commissioner." She
slid a key across the table towards Marcus. "First door on the right up the
stairs. I figure I can trust you to get the key back to me." Jake refilled his
glass, hesitated, then left the bottle of scotch on the table before walking away.

After a moment, Alexis spoke, pointedly ignoring the key on the table between
them. "Scotch doesn't seem like your kind of drink," she observed.
"It's not," Marcus said, studying his glass. "But tonight didn't seem like a beer
and pretzels kind of night. I saw it, Alexis. I saw the way she looked at him.
And, the way he looked at her." He was silent a long moment before sliding, almost
steadily, off the stool. He held out a hand to Alexis. "Jake was right; neither of
us need to be driving tonight. I'll call you a cab."
"But I'm not ready to leave," Alexis said, pointedly ignoring the hand he was
holding out to her. "I don't want to go home to my empty apartment; I don't want
to hear the message, full of excuses, that I'm sure is waiting on my machine; I
don't want," she lifted her eyes to his, "I don't want to be alone tonight." She
slid off her own barstool, somewhat less steadily, and Taggert reached out his
hand to brace her. Alexis took a step into him, holding up the key she'd snagged
off the bartop. "We don't have to be alone, tonight," she said, her voice low.
"Counselor, Alexis," Marcus's slipped around her waist, as Alexis almost stumbled,
"you're drunk," he said, flatly. "And, so am I. Trust me, this is something we'd
both regret."
"I don't care!" Alexis snapped, her eyes flashing. "Morning's a long way off,
Taggert. And right now, it's night, and it's dark, and I don't want to be alone.
And everyone keeps. Leaving. Me." She closed her eyes, determined not to cry,
knowing that if she did, she'd never stop. "Please," she whispered, as Taggert
lightly touched her cheek, her eyes still closed, "don't make me beg."
Marcus made a noise deep in his throat, and pulled Alexis to him, dropping his
lips to hers. His intention was just to make her stop talking, make her stop
giving a voice to his own pain, but when his lips met hers, sweet and soft and
damp with the tears she had tried to keep from shedding, he groaned, sliding one
hand into her hair, as he pulled her closer to him. "Alexis," he moaned lightly,
then lifted his head, looking in her eyes for a long, long moment. "Let's go
upstairs."~*~
"Oh God," Alexis moaned, closing her eyes, her hand to her head. "Marcus," she
didn't look at him, instead turning away, "I'm so-- Embarrassed doesn't even come
close to covering it."
"Alexis," Marcus leaned over, ignoring his own pounding head, and gently turned
her chin towards him, "you don't have anything to be embarrassed about. Last night
was," he sighed, searching for words, "it was the two of us hurt and upset and
drunk, but it wasn't -- it wasn't anything to be ashamed about."
"Maybe not for you," Alexis reached down to the side of the bed, fumbling for her
clothes, "but I don't do this sort of thing. One-night stands, no matter how drunk
the two participants, are not acceptable behavior, not from me." She paused and
turned to him, a look of horror on her face. "Were we-- I mean, did we use--"
Marcus nodded gently. "We were safe. You don't need to worry about that."
Alexis turned to face him, her face softening. "Marcus, I'm sorry. You were, from
what I remember, very kind last night. Before, during," she flushed slightly, "and
now. And no one could accuse you of taking advantage; I practically hit you over
the head and drug you up here. You were a gentleman, and a gentle man. I was," she
shook her head sharply, "the exact opposite."
"Alexis. Don't beat yourself up," Marcus reached out, touching her face gently.
"We're both here, in this bed, and we both chose to be here. Was it a mistake?" he
shrugged. "Yeah, probably. We both have people in our lives who could be hurt by
this. But," he traced her lips with a finger then dropped his hand to her
shoulder, "it could've been a lot worse. No one has to know about this; it doesn't
have to hurt anybody."
Alexis leaned forward, slowly, and deliberately brushed her lips across Marcus'.
"You're a good man, Marcus Taggert," she said softly. "You deserve better than
Carly Benson in your life."
"I could say the same about the company you keep," he responded, turning away from
her, and swinging his legs over the side of the bed, starting to get dressed. He
stood up and looked at her, his shirt in his hand. "You going back to him,
Alexis?"
She met his eyes, then turned away, pulling on her own dress. "I don't know,"
Alexis said, finally. "I need to see Sonny, to talk to him. I certainly can't
judge him, not after last night. That would be rather hypocritical, to say the
least." She stood up and walked over to Marcus. She looked at him a long moment,
then smiled, very slightly. "Would saying 'thank you' be inappropriate?" she
asked.
Marcus looked at her, and shook his head. "You saved my life last night, lady. If
I hadn't run into you, I don't know what I would have done. If there are any
thanks, they're mutual, Alexis."
Alexis' smile became slightly wider, and she stood on her toes to press a gentle
kiss against Marcus' cheek. "Take care," she whispered, then turned quickly, and
left the room, not looking back.
________________________________________
Sonny strode to the door, still wearing the pants and shirt from his tux the night
before, his hair mussed and his eyes bloodshot. After Alexis had run out, he'd
gone to her apartment, to his place, he'd even sent one of his men to Wyndemere.
And, when he hadn't found her at any of those places, he'd found himself heading
over to the Brownstone to see Carly. Of course, he'd stopped himself half-way
there, realizing what a brilliant idea that one wasn't, and had returned to the
penthouse, to contemplate his ruin of a life. He pulled the door open, "Alexis?"
dying on his lips as he saw the woman standing at the door.
Carly stood there in jeans and a simple tank top, her hair pulled back into a low
ponytail, a light fading in her eyes as he called out another woman's eyes. "Nope,
guess again," she said, trying for light irony. "Can I come in?" she asked, her
voice devoid of all inflection. "We need to talk."
Chapter Twelve: After You Fall
Sonny's penthouse
~So now love is gone
I can't t go on, love is gone
I want to say
Now it's just too late
Waited far too long~
"We need to talk," she had said, and he'd stared at her a long, expressionless
moment before standing back and opening the door, if not in invitation, at least
in acquiescence. Carly had walked in slowly; she had made a point of not actually
coming in the penthouse, which had been her home not once, but twice, since she'd
walked out of it and her marriage. Sonny watched her as she moved slowly, her
hands clenched at her side, and finally found refuge at the wetbar, pouring
herself a drink. Without thinking or asking, she poured him a scotch, two ice-
cubes and handed it to him. Force of habit.
Sonny didn't sip at it; he put the drink down, hard, on the desk. "You said you
wanted to talk," he said, more brusquely than he intended. "So, talk."
"You sayin' you don't think we need to?" Carly retorted, incredulously, studying
him with narrowed eyes. She took a long sip of her drink, waited until she
swallowed to speak. "What the hell happened last night?"
Sonny shrugged, moving restlessly across the room. "It was just a kiss, Carly, a
mistake. Nothin' more."
"Just a kiss?" She looked at him, her hip cocked, challenging him not to belittle
this. "That why you stayed up all night?" Carly picked up the discarded tie to his
tuxedo, twirling it on her finger. "'Cause it was just a kiss?"
"I stayed up because my date ran out after our stupid mistake, and I was worried
about her. I stayed up trying to find her and explain to her that what she saw
meant nothing," Sonny made a cutting motion with his hand as Carly's face fell.
"Alexis?" Carly let out a short, brittle laugh. "You were worried about Alexis? Oh
god," she ran her fingers brutally through her hair, setting down her drink and
grabbing her purse, holding it close her to chest. "Guess you were right, Sonny,
as usual. It was a mistake, and we have nothing to talk about." Carly turned,
storming quickly to the penthouse door.
~Should have told you then I knew
Should have told you right
From the start
But the words
Didn't come out right
So I'll tell you
Straight from my heart~
"Why did you leave me?" Carly froze at his words and the sound of his voice, torn,
intense, agonized.
She turned slowly to face her ex-husband. "What?" Carly whispered.
Sonny swallowed, but his eyes didn't drop. This time -- this time he wasn't gonna
back away, back down. "Why did you leave me, Caroline?" he asked, his eyes black
as night, black as his voice.
"Sonny, I--" Carly broke off; this wasn't why she'd come here. She wasn't here to
have this discussion. Or maybe, maybe she was. Maybe this was exactly why she was
here. Carly lifted her eyes to his. "I needed, I needed -- more. More than you
would give me, maybe more than you could, I don't know." She let her purse drop
off her shoulder, and walked over to the couch, gripping the back tightly, her
knuckles whitening. "Every man I've ever been with has wanted me for what I could
give him. Youth, my son, escape, sex -- whatever. I needed, I need you to want me
for who I am, like I told you on our wedding day. Not "cause of our daughter, but
because you can't live without me. Me, Sonny, jealous, and short-tempered, and
impulsive, and selfish, and yeah, maybe even crazy." She turned to face him. "I
needed you to need me, Sonny," Carly whispered. "And, you didn't. And I left." She
took a deep breath. "Why did you leave me?"
~You meant more to me
Than I let you see
You held on somehow
All your tenderness
And your sweet caress
I miss you now~
Sonny shook his head, as if it were too heavy to hold up. "I never walked out,
Carly," he said, his forehead creasing. "I wasn't the one who--"
"You left me long before I left you," Carly interrupted, her voice weary and more
than a little bitter. "Maybe you were still here, physically, but you shut me out,
Sonny, disappeared into yourself -- especially after Jason came back. Don't you
dare tell me you didn't leave, Sonny. There's more than one way of abandoning
someone," she lifted her chin, her eyes flashing.
Sonny bit back whatever he'd been about to say with effort; he could feel his
blood start to boil. Carly -- whatever else Carly made him do, she always made him
feel -- good, bad, didn't matter. She made him alive. "Maybe you're right," he
admitted, noticing her eyes widening, and in the midst of everything, feeling a
quick impulse to grin at the expression on Carly's face. "I wanted -- I wanted to
trust you. I did trust you, I do, but-- damn it, Carly you loved him! More than
you ever--" he broke off. "And, so I did what you said; I left. I hurt you first
so you couldn't hurt me, back. Didn't work, never does. You'd think I'd have
figured that out by now. It doesn't mean," Sonny swallowed hard, and his next
words came out in a harsh whisper, "doesn't mean I stopped loving you. I loved
you, Carly. Carly," he paused, "I love you."
~Can't stop fallin'
Heartaches callin'
Finds you after the fall
Saints or sinners
Take no prisoners
What's left after~
Carly caught her breath, feeling something hard and sharp catch in her throat. She
shook her head once, twice, closing her eyes, then opened them, taking a single
step towards him. "I love you too, Sonny," she whispered, then made herself
continue. "So what? It doesn't -- it doesn't change anything." Carly stood staring
at him for a long moment, days, weeks, then walked not to him, but past him to the
door.
Sonny caught at her arm as she brushed by him, holding her tight, turning her to
face him. "Carly," her name exploded roughly from his lips. " I need you Carly. I
need you same as I need air. Don't leave me." He licked his suddenly dry lips, his
eyes full of banked fire as he stared into hers. "Please," he whispered, his voice
barely audible, even so close to her ears.
~Oh I say love is gone
I can't go on
Now love is gone
I want to say
But It's just too late
Waited far too long~
Carly shook her head, then leaned forward suddenly, touching her forehead gently
to his. She lifted her hands to cover his cheeks, cupping his face lightly,
running her thumbs underneath his eyes, catching the wetness there. Slowly, Carly
tilted her head, bringing her lips to his, kissing him sweetly, gently, her own
tears mingling with his until it was impossible to tell where hers began and his
ended. As Sonny's hand dropped to her waist, and the kiss started to become
something more, Carly pulled away. Moving out of his arms in that moment was the
hardest thing she'd ever done, in her life. She looked at him, her vision blurred
by tears. "I'm sorry," Carly whispered, wiping at her cheeks impatiently with the
heel of her hand. "I'm sorry, Sonny. It's just -- it's too late." She looked at
him a brief moment longer, into his eyes, even though she knew, she knew that
every moment she remained would make it that much harder to walk out the door.
"I'm sorry," her lips formed the words again, but no sound came, and Carly turned,
suddenly moving very quickly, and was out of the penthouse before Sonny could make
a sound, call her back. And, by the time he reached the door, she was gone.
~Can't stop fallin'
Heartaches callin'
Finds you after the fall
Saints or sinners
Take no prisoners
What's left after
No no not much
After the fall
After you fall
After you fall*
________________________________________
*Song Credit* "After The Fall" Journey
Chapter Thirteen: Goodbye
Alexis' office
She felt him before she saw him. A small sound he made, the way his footsteps
sounded, or maybe just an awareness of his presence -- whatever it was, it gave
her enough warning to at least semi-prepare, before turning in her chair to face
him. "Sonny," Alexis turned in her chair behind her desk, not smiling but not
entirely unwelcoming either, "I've been expecting you."
Sonny paused. "I'm sorry; I tried to see you sooner but--" He sighed. "That first
night, I couldn't find you anywhere, and then I figured I'd give you your space,
let you breathe, figure things out."
"Thank you," she said, quietly. "That was thoughtful of you. But," Alexis rose and
walked around her desk, keeping a careful distance, "you've always been that with
me, at least. Or tried to. Which is maybe the same thing."
"I didn't try hard enough," Sonny lifted his eyebrows, rubbing his chin with the
fingers of one hand. "I'm a selfish asshole, Alexis, one thing I know about
myself, it's that." He lifted a hand towards her. "Don't bother to deny it."
Alexis lifted her own eyebrow in turn, her arms crossed across her chest. "I
wasn't planning on denying anything," she said; Sonny half-grinned in response.
"What I was going to say was that I knew that, going in. You didn't paint any
pretty pictures for me, Sonny. The illusions I had I made on my own. You're," she
bit her lip, pausing for a long moment, then lifted her eyes to Sonny, "you're in
love with Carly. I know that. I knew that, the first moment you kissed me."
He shook his head. "I treated you badly, Lexis. You're right; I never -- let go of
my ex-wife. Maybe I never will, I don't know. I tried to, thought I wanted to, but
I was lying. To myself, much as I was to you, maybe, but that doesn't change
anything." Sonny was quiet a long moment. "I do this," he said, his voice low.
"Try to hide from the pain in someone else's arms. I used you, and I--"
"Allowed myself to be used. I'm not a stupid woman, Sonny; I knew what was going
on long before I walked in on you and Carly at the Nurses' Ball." Alexis caught
his eye. "I'm not letting you off the hook. I'm just -- not letting myself off
either. I did this, as much as you did." She hugged herself tightly. "Lucky for
both of us it's over. Before either of us did too much damage."
"I never wanted to do any damage to you," Sonny's voice was raspy. He looked at
her, his eyes full of dark fire. "You are so beautiful, and sexy as hell, and so
damn smart and full of fire. I wanted -- I thought I could lose myself in you." He
took a step towards her, and stopped. "You're worth so much more than what I gave
you."
Alexis shook her head once, her tone acerbic. "I'm not a saint, Sonny," Taggert's
strong arms flashed through her mind, and she shook her head again. "Don't make me
out to be one. We're both adults, and we plunged in too fast and too deep, without
thinking about the consequences." She was silent a long moment, the pattern on her
rug suddenly fascinating. "You have a child together," she said suddenly, her
voice low. "And you love her, and I'm not Carly's biggest fan, but I saw the way
she held you -- she loves you. You're a family, and you owe it to that little girl
of yours to try and make that family work. Take it from someone who knows,"
Alexis' voice throbbed, "just how much family means. I should have told you all
this when you came to me and asked me to handle your divorce. Sometimes I'm slow,"
she attempted a small smile. "It doesn't happen often, but occasionally."
Sonny reached out, tracing the curve of her cheek with a single finger. "Thanks
for the advice, Counselor," he whispered, roughly, his dimples flashing briefly.
"And, Alexis," his hand rested against her cheek, "thank you. For-- Thank you."
Alexis turned her face, leaning it against his palm briefly, her eyes closed, then
stepped away from him, back behind her desk. "You're welcome, Mr. Corinthos," she
said, briskly. "If this concludes our meeting," she glanced at her watch, tapping
it with a finger, "I really have to be going."
Sonny stepped back, grasping his hands behind his back. "Right," he said, picking
up her cue and running with it. "I'll -- I guess I'll see you when I see you,
then."
Alexis nodded. "It'll probably be a while, Sonny," she said quietly. "I think I
need a break from you, in both the personal and professional arenas. Sonny," she
called to him, his hand on the doorknob. As he turned to look at her, she stopped,
not quite sure why she had called him back. "I just wanted to say -- I wish you
happiness. Truly," Alexis said, finally.
Sonny smiled briefly, sweetly. "Thank you," he said again, quietly.
As he turned and walked out of her office and out of her life, Alexis Davis sank
down shuddering in her chair, dropping her head to her hands. She remained frozen
for a long space, not crying, not thinking, not really doing much of "anything,
other than concentrating on breathing. When she finally lifted her head, it was to
reach for the phone. Alexis hesitated a long moment before dialing a number. She
waited, chewing on her lower lip, for the person on the other end to pick up.
"Marcus?" Alexis sighed, deeply, closing her eyes, and making a decision. "It's
Alexis. I'd -- if you're free, I'd really like to see you."
________________________________________
Epilogue: Life After The Fall
Taggert's apartment
Alexis looked up from the candlelit table as laughter echoed from the street
outside. She stood up, walking slowly over to the window and parted the shade, to
see Lucky Spencer and Emily Quartermaine half-walking, half-dancing down the
street hand-in-hand, Lucky's baby sister riding on his back. Alexis smiled softly,
then let the curtain drop, the smile widening on her face as strong arms encircled
her from behind.
Marcus let his fingers drift down her body, resting his cheek against Alexis' hair
as his hands splayed across her stomach. "See anything interesting out there?" he
murmured, the warm candlelight turning his skin to bronze, and making her eyes
shine brightly as she turned her head just enough to look at him.
"What I'm interested in," Alexis answered, one hand sliding up to caress his
cheek, the other covering his on her stomach, "is right here inside these walls."
She lifted her lips to his, in a tender kiss that spoke of familiarity and many
nights inside Taggert's apartment walls. Marcus slid his right hand behind Alexis'
neck, his other hand sliding from her stomach to the small of her back, starting
to deepen the kiss, when she pulled away. "Oof," Alexis grunted, both hands flying
down to press against her stomach.
"What is it?" Marcus asked, concerned. "Alexis, is something wrong with the--"
"No, no," Alexis reassured him with a smile, turning in his arms, reaching down to
take both of his hands in hers and placing them back on the curve of her stomach.
"He's just active tonight; doesn't want Mom and Dad to forget about him."
"Like that would ever be possible," Marcus said softly, bending down to place a
tender kiss against Alexis stomach, then dropping a trail of kisses up her
stomach, across her chest, finally finding and pausing at her lips. His lips were
butterfly soft and achingly gentle against hers, as he lowered her gently into a
waiting chair, sitting beside her. "You shouldn't be on your feet too long, baby,"
he murmured, running his hand over her hair.
If possible, the light in Alexis' eyes got brighter, and it crossed Taggert's mind
that it wasn't just the candlelight that caused it. She smiled, leaning into his
caress. "In case I forgot to mention it today, I am so incredibly lucky to have
found you, Marcus Taggert. You make me feel so -- cherished," she looked at him,
lifting her hand to his cheek, and running her fingers softly over his cheekbones.
"No one's ever done that before, no one. I've been adrift, my whole life, looking
for something that would fill me up, make me whole, complete me. I thought I'd
find that in my work, or in a man, or in finding and claiming my place in my
family. But, as it turns out," her voice dropped to a soft whisper, "it was
finding my own family. You and me and our baby. That's all I've ever wanted in
this world."
Marcus turned his head, pressing his lips against her palm. "Who would have
thought we'd end up here?" he asked softly. "After our, um, inauspicious
beginning, who would have thought we'd end up anywhere? And, then, out of the mess
of our lives, this little one," he caressed her stomach with his free hand,
"appeared, and," Marcus' voice cracked, "you made me happier than I ever knew it
was possible to be on this earth." Alexis leaned forward, kissing away the tear on
his cheek. His hands twined in her hair, and he held her back slightly, just
enough so that he could look Alexis in the face. "Do you know how beautiful you
are, Mrs. Taggert?" Marcus whispered.
Alexis nodded, sliding off her chair and into her husband's lap, needing not to be
separated from him by anything as pithy as distance any more. "As beautiful as you
make me," she answered him, drawing his head down to hers. "I love you, Marcus,"
she whispered into his mouth. "I love our baby; I love our life. Make love to me."
And, it was a long, long time before the candles burned out in the Taggerts'
apartment, that night.

*************THE END**************