"What did you just say?" Sonny stared at the frantic woman who was loaded
down with a sleeping redheaded toddler and several packed bags.
Carly pushed a lock of hair out of her face and repeated. "A.J. is trying
to kill me, I'm pregnant with your child, and I need to get out of the
country."
Sonny folded his arms and smirked at Carly. "Right. What are you trying to
pull now, Carly? You really expect me to believe all that? I'm not Jason.
It's not my job to bail you out every time some cockamamie scheme of yours
backfires."
"Damn it, Sonny! Just listen to me. I'm not lying here. I *am* pregnant
with *your* child. A.J. *is* trying to kill me. I wouldn't lie about this."
Sonny shook his head in disbelief. "Why don't you sit down and I'll call
you a cab to take you back to the Qs."
Sonny started to reach for the phone but Carly slammed her hand down over
his. "No! I'm not going back there." Her voice trembled but was determined
at the same time.
Sonny looked into her eyes. She actually looks scared, he thought to
himself. Could she actually be telling the truth? About it all? He asked
softly. "*Are* you pregnant?"
"Yes." She admitted.
"With my child?" Sonny's voice rose slightly.
"Yes." She glanced down at the floor.
"When were you going to tell me?" Sonny raged at her. He couldn't believe
she would do this again. "After it was born? Graduated college? When?"
"I don't know. I wasn't even sure I was going to keep it but…" Carly wrung
her hands together. "I needed more time."
"Looks like your time ran out." Sonny sneered. "So were you going to pass
it off as A.J.'s? Jason's?"
"I was going to tell you." Carly swore. Then she groaned and ran her hands
through her hair. "I can't do this right now. I have to get out of the
country or A.J. will kill me."
"I wouldn't mind being next in line for that." Sonny glared at her. He had
to force himself to walk a few feet away. He couldn't be near at the moment
or he'd give into his urge to wrap his hands around her neck and squeeze.
But he couldn't do that because of the baby.
Carly followed him. "I'm not joking here. A.J. is really trying to kill me.
Actually at first he was just trying to send me back to Ferncliff. I can't
go back to Ferncliff. Nobody knows what's it like in there. If anyone
knew…"
"You're babbling." Sonny snapped.
"He would do little things like change my appointments around behind my
back so that it would look like I was forgetting things. Then he'd make
appointments for me to meet with Dr. Evans and when his secretary would
call to confirm I'd have no idea what she was talking about. It was like I
was slowly losing my mind. Then he hid Michael from me. I would be playing
with him then one of the maids would come for saying there's a call for me
or something. I'd run out in the hall to get the phone. When I'd return
Michael would be gone and I can't find him. I look all over the place,
asking everyone if they'd seen him and nobody knows. I go back to where
Michael and I were and there he is playing happily with A.J. who then
starts blasting me for leaving Michael alone all that time. Only I know
that he set me up."
"So he's messing with your head." Sonny shrugged. "*That's* not my
problem."
"It's *your* problem when he ends up killing me. I know what he's planning.
I saw the pills!"
"Pills?" Sonny raised an eyebrow.
"Sleeping pills in *my* name." She said. "Prescribed by Dr. Evans. I called
the pharmacy and they said a blond woman came in to fill the prescription.
Sonny, he hired someone to play me. He's out of his mind! I think he's
going to try to get me to overdose or worse. He constantly picks at me,
messing with my head. You know using those little terms of endearment that
you love to use for me. But coming from him, it's…it's scary. He gets this
look in his eye and starts in on how worthless I am. How I should be
ecstatic that he *allows* me to remain as Michael's mother, that he could
ship me back to Ferncliff in a minute, that no one would care if he did,
everyone would be happy. Then he left the pills waiting for me in my room
like he was waiting for me to do myself in."
"Just yesterday I was standing at the top of the stairs and felt a bump
from behind. If I hadn't been holding onto the banister I would have fell
down them. When I looked behind me, no one was there. I didn't say anything
because I knew they would say it was all in my head."
"You really think he's trying to harm you." Sonny asked. She seemed so sure
of it. He narrowed his eyes at her trying to figure out if she was once
again lying. This time, for once, it looked like she wasn't.
"Me and the baby." She touched her stomach.
"Does he know about the baby?"
Carly shook her head. "No, I don't think so. It's only a couple of months
along and A.J. and I haven't shared a bed in months. But I think he
suspects."
"And he probably thinks it's Jason's." Sonny thought aloud.
"Yes. I don't know if that means he'll hurt the baby to hurt Jason or raise
it himself to spite Jason. But I'm not going to let him."
"Even though he thinks you might be pregnant…" Sonny said slowly. "He's
still trying to kill you and the baby, *my* baby?"
"That's why I have to go. You have to get Michael and me out of here. I
can't let him keep Michael."
"You stay here. I'll…I'll take care of everything." Sonny said distracted.
His stomach was churning at the thought of that little punk attempting to
kill *his* baby. He paced back and forth.
"No! You won't take care of everything. Just get me out of the country."
Carly pleaded.
"I'm not taking you to Jason." Sonny whirled around.
"Did I ask you to? He ran out on me. He doesn't want to get caught? Fine,
I'm through with chasing him. Right now, my mind is on getting the hell out
of here."
"What about Bobbie?"
"Bobbie will understand. But I can't stay here waiting for the day that
A.J. sends me to Ferncliff or kills me."
"Carly, I will fix everything." Sonny said. He wasn't about to let her
leave the country with his child.
"Fine, get me out and then fix everything." Carly said angrily.
Sonny sighed. Though what he wanted to do was lock her up until the child
was born he couldn't. The Quartermaines were slick. Before he could arrange
things they would have Carly and Michael back in that house and God only
knows what would happen to them. Jason wouldn't forgive him if he let
anything happen. Sonny shoved his hand through his hair.
"Okay, fine, I'll send you and Michael down to the casino." He frowned at
Carly, who started shaking her head. "What now?"
"I can't go there. Too many people know about it, like your slutty FBI ex.
She opens her mouth to the wrong people and I'm caught." Carly crossed her
arms and tapped her foot angrily.
Sonny scowled. He hated to admit it but she was right. Ever since he found
out about Hannah he was hesitant about going to the casino. "Alright,
there's another island place that I can send you then."
"What, you have an island monopoly or something?" She ignored his look and
said. "I'll need some guards."
"What?"
"I'm not going anywhere unless I'm protected. I need guards, Sonny…Can I
take Johnny with me?"
"Johnny? Are you crazy? I'm letting you have Johnny."
"I trust him and I know him." Carly said firmly. For the first time since
coming into the penthouse she was finally feeling like herself again. She
didn't have to look over her shoulder in fear of A.J.
"And he has a crush on you." Sonny smirked. He wasn't blind.
"That means he cares and he won't let anything happen to me."
Sonny threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, you can have Johnny." He
stalked over to the door. "How's your Spanish?"
"I get by." Carly blinked. "Where are you sending me?"
'What about you?" he asked Johnny.
"Passable." Johnny nodded.
"Good. I need you and three others that you trust to get some stuff
together for at least a month. I'm sending you down to Isla de Vieques. I
need you to take care of Carly. *No* one gets near her. Be ready in a
half-hour." He shut the door, ignoring the wide smile on Johnny's face. He
was obviously pleased about the prospect of going to some tropical island
with Carly.
"Where is that?"
" A little island off of Puerto Rico. A.J. won't find you there." He looked
over the bags that Carly had packed for her and Michael. "Do you have
anything for warm weather?"
"We'll manage."
"You don't want anything from the mansion?"
"No, I'm not going back there." Carly said harshly.
"I can just send someone to the house—"
"No!" Carly shouted, waking up Michael who began to cry. She rushed over
to where he was sleeping the stroller. "Mommy's sorry, baby. Shush…
shush…go back to sleep."
Once Michael had calmed down, she looked up at Sonny and said calmly. "If
you send someone they might get caught and A.J. will figure out where I am.
Actually we shouldn't stay here for too long. He'll figure it out soon
enough once he realizes Michael's missing…I'm not even supposed to take
Michael off the grounds."
"What about Leticia? You want me to send for her?"
"No, it just has to be me and Michael. Besides she and Reginald have a
thing going, I don't want to mess that up because I screwed up my life. So
can we go soon? I don't care if it's just to sit at the airport staring at
the ceiling. I can't stay here, A.J. will be here soon."
"Alright, alright. If you want I'll tell Bobbie—"
"Bobbie has a big mouth. She'll just spill it to the first person she sees
on the street. Tell her *after* it comes out that I'm gone but not before
and please don't tell her where exactly."
He narrowed his eyes at her. She seemed very sure of herself, telling him
what to do, when to do it and how. When this was all over…
Carly walked over to him and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for
doing this. You didn't have to, you could have thrown me right back at A.J.
but you didn't. You helped me."
The sincerity in her eyes threw him off for a second.
"I didn't help *you*. I helped that child and Michael. They don't need to
get caught in the middle of this war between you and A.J."
He broke off. He wanted to talk about the baby and what they were going to
do about it but first he had to get A.J. off her back and out of their
lives for good. Sonny shook his head. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
~*~*~
Sonny walked into Kelly's a week later and smiled at Bobbie who was behind
the counter. She looked very upset and tired. "Something wrong, Bobbie?"
"Carly and Michael are missing." She sighed.
Sonny raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yeah, really." Bobbie was distracted by her thoughts so she didn't notice
how fake the surprise in his voice sounded. "She's been gone for days but
Monica just told me *today*. A.J. is pressing charges for kidnapping."
"Hmm."
"I can't believe that she would keep this from me for a week! She's my
daughter, you would think that someone could have told me." Bobbie
continued.
"I wouldn't be surprised at all at what else they're keeping from you."
Bobbie narrowed her eyes. She finally caught the tone of his voice. He knew
something. "Sonny…did you have a hand in this?"
"Me?" He widened his eyes in faux innocence.
Bobbie leaned over the counter, unaware that her low-cut shirt was giving
Sonny a free show. She hissed. "Look, I have no time for games. My daughter
and grandson are missing. Someone could have them or they could just be on
a trip. I'd feel much knowing that they are okay. So if you know something,
just tell me."
Sonny gently covered her hand with his. He whispered. "Michael and Carly
are safe. Don't worry about it."
Bobbie gaped at him. "Where are they?"
He shook his head. "I can't tell you. I…I promised Carly. But don't worry.
I just have to take care of a few things and then they'll be back."
"A few things? What did Carly put you up to this time?"
"There are things going on here Bobbie, that you wouldn't understand."
"Is it about the pregnancy?" At Sonny's shocked look she said softly. "I
found out when Carly was going to have an abortion."
"An abortion?" Sonny repeated. She was going to abort his child without him
even knowing it? Without him even having a say in the matter? That damn
Carly.
She hurried to add. "But she stopped it herself. She changed her mind."
Sonny nodded. She stopped. Right, she didn't let it happen. But she almost
did. He sat down on the stool for a second and buried his face in his hands
and took a deep breath.
"Sonny?"
Don't deal with this now, he told himself. Take care of the munchkin with
the Napoleon complex and then deal with the idea of yet another of your
children dying. Shake it off, come on, shake it off.
"Sonny?" Bobbie repeated. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell him about the
abortion.
Sonny stood. "Like I said, there are more things going on here, other than
the baby. When everything is cleared up I'll explain." He started to walk
out of Kelly's.
"Sonny!" He looked over his shoulder. "If you see here. Please tell her
that I'm worried but I love her."
He nodded. "Will do."
~*~*~
Sonny knew that he was being followed. No attempt at hiding had been made
so he could assume that either the person wanted him to know he was being
followed or was just really bad at it. Sonny sighed. He didn't have time to
play this game. He wanted to get down to the island to get check on the
child. And Carly.
Knowing exactly where he was he turned a corner and strolled into a dark
alley. He said to his guards in a loud voice over his shoulder. "Stop.
The two suited me paused, reached into their coats and looked around, ready
for anything. Seconds later a disheveled A.J. Quartermaine stumbled into
the alley. In a loud, harsh voice he said, "Where is she? Where are they?"
Obviously Carly had forgotten to mention that A.J. had started drinking
again. Sonny wondered what took A.J. so long. It'd been at least month
since he
shipped Carly off to the island. The Quartermaines must have finally come
up with
nothing on their search and so A.J. was turning to him.
Sonny shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about Quartermaine. Mind
telling me why you're following me?"
"Don't try to play cutesy with me. I know you know where Carly is."
"Can't keep up with your own wife? That's…that's kinda sad." Sonny gave him
a little look of sympathy.
A.J. pointed his finger at him. "I know you took them. You sent them to
Jason didn't you?"
"I can honestly say that I did not send them to Jason." He managed to say
with a straight face.
A.J. frowned. He could tell that there was something wrong with that
statement but he couldn't pick it out. "You're lying, you give them back
right now. They are mine!"
Sonny arched his eyebrow. "They are *yours*? You mean, like that coat is
yours, that car is yours, Carly is yours?"
"I'm going to have you arrested." A.J. swore.
"For what? Maybe I should have you arrested. For, I don't know, stalking
me? Accusing me of 'stealing' your wife and child. Or…attempted murder."
"Murder." A.J. swallowed.
"Oh yes, I have all sorts of evidence. Those sleeping pills in Carly's
name, written statements from the woman you hired to look like Carly and
your old friend Dr. Evans. It's amazing what a man will admit to when
there's a gun pressed between his legs. And let's not forget the warehouse
fire. I never forgot and neither did the man you paid." Sonny's grin was
cold.
A.J. shivered. "I don't believe you. You're talking out of you're a—"
Before he could finish his sentence Francis had grabbed him by his shirt
collar, making him stand on his tiptoes. Sonny walked up to him, his face
close to his.
"Maybe I am and maybe I'm not but here's what we're going to do. We're
going to make ourselves a little deal. Do you understand?" A.J. gulped. He
couldn't say much because Francis was cutting off his air supply. Sonny
repeated himself. "Do you understand?"
A.J. nodded.
"Good." Sonny nodded to himself. "First off, you are going to give Carly
that divorce she wanted. You are also
down with a sleeping redheaded toddler and several packed bags.
Carly pushed a lock of hair out of her face and repeated. "A.J. is trying
to kill me, I'm pregnant with your child, and I need to get out of the
country."
Sonny folded his arms and smirked at Carly. "Right. What are you trying to
pull now, Carly? You really expect me to believe all that? I'm not Jason.
It's not my job to bail you out every time some cockamamie scheme of yours
backfires."
"Damn it, Sonny! Just listen to me. I'm not lying here. I *am* pregnant
with *your* child. A.J. *is* trying to kill me. I wouldn't lie about this."
Sonny shook his head in disbelief. "Why don't you sit down and I'll call
you a cab to take you back to the Qs."
Sonny started to reach for the phone but Carly slammed her hand down over
his. "No! I'm not going back there." Her voice trembled but was determined
at the same time.
Sonny looked into her eyes. She actually looks scared, he thought to
himself. Could she actually be telling the truth? About it all? He asked
softly. "*Are* you pregnant?"
"Yes." She admitted.
"With my child?" Sonny's voice rose slightly.
"Yes." She glanced down at the floor.
"When were you going to tell me?" Sonny raged at her. He couldn't believe
she would do this again. "After it was born? Graduated college? When?"
"I don't know. I wasn't even sure I was going to keep it but…" Carly wrung
her hands together. "I needed more time."
"Looks like your time ran out." Sonny sneered. "So were you going to pass
it off as A.J.'s? Jason's?"
"I was going to tell you." Carly swore. Then she groaned and ran her hands
through her hair. "I can't do this right now. I have to get out of the
country or A.J. will kill me."
"I wouldn't mind being next in line for that." Sonny glared at her. He had
to force himself to walk a few feet away. He couldn't be near at the moment
or he'd give into his urge to wrap his hands around her neck and squeeze.
But he couldn't do that because of the baby.
Carly followed him. "I'm not joking here. A.J. is really trying to kill me.
Actually at first he was just trying to send me back to Ferncliff. I can't
go back to Ferncliff. Nobody knows what's it like in there. If anyone
knew…"
"You're babbling." Sonny snapped.
"He would do little things like change my appointments around behind my
back so that it would look like I was forgetting things. Then he'd make
appointments for me to meet with Dr. Evans and when his secretary would
call to confirm I'd have no idea what she was talking about. It was like I
was slowly losing my mind. Then he hid Michael from me. I would be playing
with him then one of the maids would come for saying there's a call for me
or something. I'd run out in the hall to get the phone. When I'd return
Michael would be gone and I can't find him. I look all over the place,
asking everyone if they'd seen him and nobody knows. I go back to where
Michael and I were and there he is playing happily with A.J. who then
starts blasting me for leaving Michael alone all that time. Only I know
that he set me up."
"So he's messing with your head." Sonny shrugged. "*That's* not my
problem."
"It's *your* problem when he ends up killing me. I know what he's planning.
I saw the pills!"
"Pills?" Sonny raised an eyebrow.
"Sleeping pills in *my* name." She said. "Prescribed by Dr. Evans. I called
the pharmacy and they said a blond woman came in to fill the prescription.
Sonny, he hired someone to play me. He's out of his mind! I think he's
going to try to get me to overdose or worse. He constantly picks at me,
messing with my head. You know using those little terms of endearment that
you love to use for me. But coming from him, it's…it's scary. He gets this
look in his eye and starts in on how worthless I am. How I should be
ecstatic that he *allows* me to remain as Michael's mother, that he could
ship me back to Ferncliff in a minute, that no one would care if he did,
everyone would be happy. Then he left the pills waiting for me in my room
like he was waiting for me to do myself in."
"Just yesterday I was standing at the top of the stairs and felt a bump
from behind. If I hadn't been holding onto the banister I would have fell
down them. When I looked behind me, no one was there. I didn't say anything
because I knew they would say it was all in my head."
"You really think he's trying to harm you." Sonny asked. She seemed so sure
of it. He narrowed his eyes at her trying to figure out if she was once
again lying. This time, for once, it looked like she wasn't.
"Me and the baby." She touched her stomach.
"Does he know about the baby?"
Carly shook her head. "No, I don't think so. It's only a couple of months
along and A.J. and I haven't shared a bed in months. But I think he
suspects."
"And he probably thinks it's Jason's." Sonny thought aloud.
"Yes. I don't know if that means he'll hurt the baby to hurt Jason or raise
it himself to spite Jason. But I'm not going to let him."
"Even though he thinks you might be pregnant…" Sonny said slowly. "He's
still trying to kill you and the baby, *my* baby?"
"That's why I have to go. You have to get Michael and me out of here. I
can't let him keep Michael."
"You stay here. I'll…I'll take care of everything." Sonny said distracted.
His stomach was churning at the thought of that little punk attempting to
kill *his* baby. He paced back and forth.
"No! You won't take care of everything. Just get me out of the country."
Carly pleaded.
"I'm not taking you to Jason." Sonny whirled around.
"Did I ask you to? He ran out on me. He doesn't want to get caught? Fine,
I'm through with chasing him. Right now, my mind is on getting the hell out
of here."
"What about Bobbie?"
"Bobbie will understand. But I can't stay here waiting for the day that
A.J. sends me to Ferncliff or kills me."
"Carly, I will fix everything." Sonny said. He wasn't about to let her
leave the country with his child.
"Fine, get me out and then fix everything." Carly said angrily.
Sonny sighed. Though what he wanted to do was lock her up until the child
was born he couldn't. The Quartermaines were slick. Before he could arrange
things they would have Carly and Michael back in that house and God only
knows what would happen to them. Jason wouldn't forgive him if he let
anything happen. Sonny shoved his hand through his hair.
"Okay, fine, I'll send you and Michael down to the casino." He frowned at
Carly, who started shaking her head. "What now?"
"I can't go there. Too many people know about it, like your slutty FBI ex.
She opens her mouth to the wrong people and I'm caught." Carly crossed her
arms and tapped her foot angrily.
Sonny scowled. He hated to admit it but she was right. Ever since he found
out about Hannah he was hesitant about going to the casino. "Alright,
there's another island place that I can send you then."
"What, you have an island monopoly or something?" She ignored his look and
said. "I'll need some guards."
"What?"
"I'm not going anywhere unless I'm protected. I need guards, Sonny…Can I
take Johnny with me?"
"Johnny? Are you crazy? I'm letting you have Johnny."
"I trust him and I know him." Carly said firmly. For the first time since
coming into the penthouse she was finally feeling like herself again. She
didn't have to look over her shoulder in fear of A.J.
"And he has a crush on you." Sonny smirked. He wasn't blind.
"That means he cares and he won't let anything happen to me."
Sonny threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, you can have Johnny." He
stalked over to the door. "How's your Spanish?"
"I get by." Carly blinked. "Where are you sending me?"
'What about you?" he asked Johnny.
"Passable." Johnny nodded.
"Good. I need you and three others that you trust to get some stuff
together for at least a month. I'm sending you down to Isla de Vieques. I
need you to take care of Carly. *No* one gets near her. Be ready in a
half-hour." He shut the door, ignoring the wide smile on Johnny's face. He
was obviously pleased about the prospect of going to some tropical island
with Carly.
"Where is that?"
" A little island off of Puerto Rico. A.J. won't find you there." He looked
over the bags that Carly had packed for her and Michael. "Do you have
anything for warm weather?"
"We'll manage."
"You don't want anything from the mansion?"
"No, I'm not going back there." Carly said harshly.
"I can just send someone to the house—"
"No!" Carly shouted, waking up Michael who began to cry. She rushed over
to where he was sleeping the stroller. "Mommy's sorry, baby. Shush…
shush…go back to sleep."
Once Michael had calmed down, she looked up at Sonny and said calmly. "If
you send someone they might get caught and A.J. will figure out where I am.
Actually we shouldn't stay here for too long. He'll figure it out soon
enough once he realizes Michael's missing…I'm not even supposed to take
Michael off the grounds."
"What about Leticia? You want me to send for her?"
"No, it just has to be me and Michael. Besides she and Reginald have a
thing going, I don't want to mess that up because I screwed up my life. So
can we go soon? I don't care if it's just to sit at the airport staring at
the ceiling. I can't stay here, A.J. will be here soon."
"Alright, alright. If you want I'll tell Bobbie—"
"Bobbie has a big mouth. She'll just spill it to the first person she sees
on the street. Tell her *after* it comes out that I'm gone but not before
and please don't tell her where exactly."
He narrowed his eyes at her. She seemed very sure of herself, telling him
what to do, when to do it and how. When this was all over…
Carly walked over to him and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for
doing this. You didn't have to, you could have thrown me right back at A.J.
but you didn't. You helped me."
The sincerity in her eyes threw him off for a second.
"I didn't help *you*. I helped that child and Michael. They don't need to
get caught in the middle of this war between you and A.J."
He broke off. He wanted to talk about the baby and what they were going to
do about it but first he had to get A.J. off her back and out of their
lives for good. Sonny shook his head. "Come on, let's get you out of here."
~*~*~
Sonny walked into Kelly's a week later and smiled at Bobbie who was behind
the counter. She looked very upset and tired. "Something wrong, Bobbie?"
"Carly and Michael are missing." She sighed.
Sonny raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yeah, really." Bobbie was distracted by her thoughts so she didn't notice
how fake the surprise in his voice sounded. "She's been gone for days but
Monica just told me *today*. A.J. is pressing charges for kidnapping."
"Hmm."
"I can't believe that she would keep this from me for a week! She's my
daughter, you would think that someone could have told me." Bobbie
continued.
"I wouldn't be surprised at all at what else they're keeping from you."
Bobbie narrowed her eyes. She finally caught the tone of his voice. He knew
something. "Sonny…did you have a hand in this?"
"Me?" He widened his eyes in faux innocence.
Bobbie leaned over the counter, unaware that her low-cut shirt was giving
Sonny a free show. She hissed. "Look, I have no time for games. My daughter
and grandson are missing. Someone could have them or they could just be on
a trip. I'd feel much knowing that they are okay. So if you know something,
just tell me."
Sonny gently covered her hand with his. He whispered. "Michael and Carly
are safe. Don't worry about it."
Bobbie gaped at him. "Where are they?"
He shook his head. "I can't tell you. I…I promised Carly. But don't worry.
I just have to take care of a few things and then they'll be back."
"A few things? What did Carly put you up to this time?"
"There are things going on here Bobbie, that you wouldn't understand."
"Is it about the pregnancy?" At Sonny's shocked look she said softly. "I
found out when Carly was going to have an abortion."
"An abortion?" Sonny repeated. She was going to abort his child without him
even knowing it? Without him even having a say in the matter? That damn
Carly.
She hurried to add. "But she stopped it herself. She changed her mind."
Sonny nodded. She stopped. Right, she didn't let it happen. But she almost
did. He sat down on the stool for a second and buried his face in his hands
and took a deep breath.
"Sonny?"
Don't deal with this now, he told himself. Take care of the munchkin with
the Napoleon complex and then deal with the idea of yet another of your
children dying. Shake it off, come on, shake it off.
"Sonny?" Bobbie repeated. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell him about the
abortion.
Sonny stood. "Like I said, there are more things going on here, other than
the baby. When everything is cleared up I'll explain." He started to walk
out of Kelly's.
"Sonny!" He looked over his shoulder. "If you see here. Please tell her
that I'm worried but I love her."
He nodded. "Will do."
~*~*~
Sonny knew that he was being followed. No attempt at hiding had been made
so he could assume that either the person wanted him to know he was being
followed or was just really bad at it. Sonny sighed. He didn't have time to
play this game. He wanted to get down to the island to get check on the
child. And Carly.
Knowing exactly where he was he turned a corner and strolled into a dark
alley. He said to his guards in a loud voice over his shoulder. "Stop.
The two suited me paused, reached into their coats and looked around, ready
for anything. Seconds later a disheveled A.J. Quartermaine stumbled into
the alley. In a loud, harsh voice he said, "Where is she? Where are they?"
Obviously Carly had forgotten to mention that A.J. had started drinking
again. Sonny wondered what took A.J. so long. It'd been at least month
since he
shipped Carly off to the island. The Quartermaines must have finally come
up with
nothing on their search and so A.J. was turning to him.
Sonny shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about Quartermaine. Mind
telling me why you're following me?"
"Don't try to play cutesy with me. I know you know where Carly is."
"Can't keep up with your own wife? That's…that's kinda sad." Sonny gave him
a little look of sympathy.
A.J. pointed his finger at him. "I know you took them. You sent them to
Jason didn't you?"
"I can honestly say that I did not send them to Jason." He managed to say
with a straight face.
A.J. frowned. He could tell that there was something wrong with that
statement but he couldn't pick it out. "You're lying, you give them back
right now. They are mine!"
Sonny arched his eyebrow. "They are *yours*? You mean, like that coat is
yours, that car is yours, Carly is yours?"
"I'm going to have you arrested." A.J. swore.
"For what? Maybe I should have you arrested. For, I don't know, stalking
me? Accusing me of 'stealing' your wife and child. Or…attempted murder."
"Murder." A.J. swallowed.
"Oh yes, I have all sorts of evidence. Those sleeping pills in Carly's
name, written statements from the woman you hired to look like Carly and
your old friend Dr. Evans. It's amazing what a man will admit to when
there's a gun pressed between his legs. And let's not forget the warehouse
fire. I never forgot and neither did the man you paid." Sonny's grin was
cold.
A.J. shivered. "I don't believe you. You're talking out of you're a—"
Before he could finish his sentence Francis had grabbed him by his shirt
collar, making him stand on his tiptoes. Sonny walked up to him, his face
close to his.
"Maybe I am and maybe I'm not but here's what we're going to do. We're
going to make ourselves a little deal. Do you understand?" A.J. gulped. He
couldn't say much because Francis was cutting off his air supply. Sonny
repeated himself. "Do you understand?"
A.J. nodded.
"Good." Sonny nodded to himself. "First off, you are going to give Carly
that divorce she wanted. You are also