Title: Stranger Calling
Author: Megs
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of any All My Children characters. I do however stake claim to the story that they are participating in.
Word Count: Aprox. 2,000
Author's Note: This story is connected to The Stranger Series. It takes from the plot of that story where Maggie Stone is actually the biological child of Alexander Cambias Sr. This story is a tale of what could have been if Gwen Bennett had told Alexander about her pregnancy.

Plot: What if Gwen Bennett had gotten up the courage to call Alexander Cambias and tell him he was the father of her unborn children. Would he have left his wife Amelia and returned to her? Or would he have rejected her and left her in the cold?

Alternate Stranger Series

"What if Gwen had contacted Alexander Cambias about her pregnancy with Maggie and Frankie and he returned to help raise them. What if when Alex returned to help Gwen raise Maggie and Frankie his relationship with Michael improved while his relationship with AJ, Alexander Junior (Zach) deteriorate.

When Alex returned and married Gwen what kind of relationship would Maggie and Frankie have with each other and their older half-brothers? When he went back to Gwen would Alex have given up his career to raise Maggie and Frankie with Gwen? Or would he have learned how to balance building a business empire while still being a loving father?

What if Gwen and Alex relocate away from Green Bay. Would Maggie have ever met Billy Allan that day in the park?

If Alex returned and Gwen never started to drink or abuse Maggie and Frankie would Frankie ever travel to Pine Valley to con Erica? If Frankie didn't go to Pine Valley to help Vanessa con Erica and gotten in with her crazy aunt then Maggie never would have gone looking for answers in her murder and neither would have met Bianca Montgomery. Or would they?

Would Michael still attack Erica, Kendall and rape Bianca or would he have never even followed in his father's footsteps because Alexander gave up his career aspirations to raise Maggie and Frankie with Gwen? If Michael didn't follow in his father's footsteps, and tried to destroy the Cambias name, would he have ever met Kendall and returned with her to Pine Valley? If Michael didn't meet Kendall and move to Pine Valley would he ever find his way to Pine Valley?"

Part 1 of 1

-November 10, 1981-
-Green Bay-

Gwen Bennett sat idly on the kitchen stool of her two bedroom apartment. Her phone pressed against her ear as she spun the dial of the last digit of the phone number she had been trying to call for the last two months.

Her finger was wrapped fully by the phone cord. For not the first time she dreaded the long breaks between rings as she pressed the white plastic phone up against her ear. The chill of the plastic a welcome temperature against her heated skin.

Fear encased her heart as another ring echoed through the receiver. With each ring she felt a part of herself give way to the fear mounting inside her chest.

If he doesn't pick up on the next ring then I'll…

"Alexander Cambias…"

Gwen froze in mid thought. The voice of the man that had swept into her life for such a short amount of time before sweeping right out of town after sweeping her off her feet making her pause.

Gwen hated him, had learned to despise him in the last three months. But still there was a part of her, the girlish part that still believed in true love and held hopes that he would come back for her, that loved him.

Except…he hadn't come back.

He hadn't even called or written and really she hadn't expected him too.

Not really.

He was, after all, a married man. A very powerful married man.

Gwen shook her head at her own stupidity. She had easily fallen into the cliques of her society. She had fallen for the unattainable man, the married man.

Except she had the chance to live a fantasy life with her married man and the fantasy they lived together far exceeded any reality she could ever hope to find again.

She'd hoped he would contact her but she'd come to realize that hope was for fools. If she wanted him back she would have to fight for him and stop living in the fairytale universe she was no longer content to remain in.

"Old man…?" The hesitance in her voice angered her.

Damn it, she wasn't this type of woman. She didn't hang around waiting for some guy! Or get nervous around men. She worked at a bar full of men that did nothing but hit on her in every which direction.

Their comments and attitudes didn't deter her in the least. She was working to make it through college.

She had a dream of becoming a high school history teacher.

So if listening to drunkards every other night was how she would see her dreams come true, then she would do it. So the silly butterflies that made her heart race and mouth dry needed to find someone else's stomach to inhabit. She had better things to do than let them dictate her actions.

Especially now…oh yes, especially now that she was expecting twins.

God…wouldn't Nessa have a good laugh at her expense if her older sister knew.

"Gwen…?" The hesitance in his voice calmed her, if only slightly. "…Gwen are you still there?"

The panic in his voice left Gwen with a feeling of relief. He wanted her to call. He wanted to talk to her. He didn't want to throw her away, she hoped.

It was all so very clear just by the sound of his voice and god…what a relief it was. What a wonderful relief if was to know that he wanted her still and…

"Alex?" Gwen asked afraid that she had waited too long to reply and he'd hung up.

"Oh Gwen…it is you." Gwen felt the smile tugging at her lips but refrained from letting it shine across her face. Not yet. She needed to remain strong because this wasn't just about her anymore. "I…I've missed you." Alex whispered into the phone.

Gwen, despite her best efforts, shivered in recollection of other times when Alex whispered into her ear or against her skin.

"I…I've missed you too, Old Man."

The sound of his laughter made Gwen smile despite herself.

It was just so good to hear his voice and laughter and be talking with him again. How she missed him. She wondered how she could last the rest of her life without him when it had only been three months since she had last seen him and her whole world seemed to be falling apart.

"Gwen, darling, I…how did you get this number?"

Gwen felt a sudden shift in the conversation and felt a sense of dread begin to fill her.

Oh please…

"I needed to talk to you. It's important. So I, I asked for a favor. I have my ways, as I'm sure you well know."

"Yes…yes I do know. If only your heart wasn't set on being a teacher. Your easy people skills could be put to good use in my business."

His wistful sigh left Gwen with a small seedling of hope that he wasn't as angry for her calling him as she imagined he might be. In all honesty she imagined this conversation having ended already. With him threatening her with his power and money.

But it hadn't. He was still on the line and she was grateful that he was.

Maybe, just maybe if he talked to her for a few more moments she could finally muster up the courage to tell him why she had called.

"What it is dearest…" He wondered what could be so important that she would contact him. He hoped she was well. "You aren't sick, are you love?"

The fact that these terms of endearment easily slipped forth from his mouth once would have astounded him. Now, after loving the woman on the other end of the phone for only five months he was well used to the easy declarations that left him feeling light enough that he could almost fly away with the slightest gust of wind.

He hoped that she would ask him to return. Give him a reason to return to her and the life he dreamed for the two of them. He dreamed of a life in a small house in the heart of Green Bay where he could watch her age and mature beyond him slowly but surely.

A future together where he could hold her in his arms and keep her warm even in the dead of winter and make love with her till the dawn of day for the rest of his life.

Being with her in the three months of his trip had been some of the best times of his life and he wished to spend every day with her making more memories to brighten even the darkest recesses of his soul.

Though, no one could say that Alexander Cambias was a fool. He was not delusional. He understood that she was merely a twenty year old young woman that only saw a suit and money.

Except, he knew deep within himself that Gwen was not after his money, that she was interested in him—Alexander Michael Cambias—the man. Not the name.

It thrilled him to know that he had found her and been with her if only for a short time. It was a time that he would let live in his heart for the rest of his years…however many those years might be.

"I'm not sick." Gwen insisted and took a deep breath. Now or never Gwenny… With a deep breath she told Alex her secret. "I'm pregnant."

The silence on the line was deafening and Gwen felt tears prick at the back of her eyes. Damn hormones were all out of whack!

"Please say something…" Gwen begged.

She never begged! Yet here she was nearly half a country away from the man of her dreams, the love of her life, the father of her children, and she was begging him to talk to her. To say anything…to release her from the pain that was becoming nearly unbearable.

"I…" Alex looked about his office as he ran his hand through his salt and peppered hair. She was pregnant. Alex for a moment wondered if the child was his but swatted the idea away, of course the child was his. She wouldn't have called him otherwise.

"I'll be there in the morning." Alex informed and went to hang up the phone but stopped the phone a hairsbreadth away from the cradle. He brought it back up to his ear and heard Gwen's sobs. "I love you. I'll be there soon. Wait for me."

Gwen gently put the phone back onto its cradle and felt the pressure that had been building in her release. Wait for me…

"Forever…" Gwen whispered into her bare apartment. "Forever…"

The End