Chapter 1

"How did we get here? We had so much time ahead of us; so much more to share with each other. I finally had someone who loved me unconditionally. Having you with me again somehow became my redemption for not protecting you when momma told me to. For once in my life I was given a second chance to right a wrong. How could I have taken this gift I was given and treated it so carelessly? I did love you. I loved you so much."

Alexis stood beside the golden ornate casket that held her sister's precious body. She had allowed Ned to make all of the arrangements alone. Leaving her sister's side never entered her mind; was not even an option she entertained for a moment. She stayed in the morgue watching over Kristina until her body was taken to be prepared for burial and stood outside the door until they were done. She stayed at the funeral home through the viewing, through the last of the preparations and was now waiting for the service to begin. Ned brought her clean clothes and asked that Felicia stay with her and watch over her. She refused to leave her sister's side.

Alexis was exhausted. But, through it all, the terror, the pain, the tears, the anger, the loss; it was her child that sustained her. She had to remain strong, she had to care for her child. Through some miracle of fate she was given another gift and this time she would not fail. This time she would protect what was hers from any threat or harm... real or perceived. Her child would live a safe and long life.

"Alexis?"

Slowly turning recognizing the voice behind her, Alexis felt her anger rise. How dare he?

"You need to go."

"Please, Alexis."

"Please what? Please forgive you? Please be your friend? Or maybe, please Alexis, I need a favor. I don't have anything to give you, Sonny. You've taken it all. You've taken it all and left me nothing but a future without the one person who loved me without judgement... without condition."

"I'm sorry, Alexis."

"And I don't want to hear it. Just go."

"I can't leave you like this."

"Oh, but you are so mistaken. You've left me like this before. You've left me broken and bleeding before and never looked back. If I had only listened to my real friends; if I had only listened to my sister maybe she would be alive right now and I wouldn't be standing here wishing I had never laid eyes on you."

She watched as each one of her accusations hit their mark. She watched his body jerk in agony at the anger and grief he saw in her, but at that moment she didn't care. She wanted him far away from her. She may not have saved Kristina from his life but, she would see to it that her child would be saved. She would keep her promise to her sister. Her daughter would be born and she would carry her Aunt's name. She noticed Ned enter the chapel and motioned him to join her.

"Ned, would you please see that Sonny is escorted from the chapel. He has no business here. His presence is an insult to my sister's memory."

Ned looked searchingly at Alexis, trying to gauge if she was calm enough for him to quickly see to her request. Watching as she turned her back, he noticed her back straighten with resolve and knew she would be ok for a few moments without him. Turning to Sonny with a cold deadly gaze he addressed the man that had once again destroyed his life.

"Ok, tough guy, time for you to go. You've done enough damage here today. Go home or go find somebody else's life to destroy. I don't think there is enough left here for you to get your kicks out of destroying. You did a bang up job this time. You finally destroyed the one person who actually thought you were worth something. You did yourself proud this time."

"Ned, I asked you to escort him out; not turn my sister's funeral into your own private war zone."

Alexis listened to every word Ned leveled at Sonny and although she knew Ned was suffering and needed to release his own rage against Sonny, somehow his words were piercing her own heart. She needed to get control of the situation and she needed to do it quickly.

"If you can't get him out of here without making a scene then I'll find someone who can."

Sonny took in every word from her, he watched every move of her body; he tried to meet her eyes to see into their depths. He needed to connect with her to let her know... what? What did he want her to know from him in that one moment?

"Alexis, I will respect your wishes. I am leaving, but I am not giving up. I will see you again. When you have calmed down; when you have had a chance to think..."

"SHUT UP. Just shut up. Look at him Ned, he can't see it. He really has no clue. He just simply does not see how totally cruel he can be. SONNY, HEY SONNY," clapping her hands in front of his face in an exaggerated attempt to try to get through to him, Alexis let go of the words she had held so long.

"You are simply clueless. How could you have spent so much time with me, how could we have spent so much time together and you stand here clueless about the one woman who believed in you? I gave you everything. You had all of me. Every tear I shed with you, every painful memory, every secret, my hopes, my dreams, everything that I am I gave to you. I loved you and you turned your back on me. You tore my heart out. What more do you want from me? Haven't you taken enough?"

As the words spilled from her Alexis lost the ability to stand on her own and leaned heavily against Ned. She had held it all so long and when the dam finally broke the flood came and she couldn't stop it. Looking up at Ned she saw the tears on his face and immediately felt ashamed at what her tirade cost him.

"NED, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean...to...I...am so sorry."

Turning her back on both men she stepped closer to the casket that held Kristina. Thinking of how her sister would have reacted to that glimpse of truth caused a brief smile to touch her face. 'What do you think of that, Kristina? Maybe you left me more of you than I thought you did. Maybe it is time for a little truth. But just a little. My secret will remain mine.'

"Alexis, I didn't know."

Whipping around with renewed anger Alexis bore down on Sonny with a vengeance.

"NO, you didn't want to know. It was all there. Just waiting for you to see it. You chose not to. You had your own agenda to attend to and to hell with anyone else. Well thank you very much, your agenda cost me my sister. Now, GET OUT!"

"Alexis, wait..."

"You heard her Corinthos. It's time you left. If you need help we will be more than willingly to oblige you."

Sonny turned at the voice behind him and took a step back at the sight before him. He watched as the procession walked quietly past him and stood behind Alexis. It was quite a sight and any other time he would have found it vaguely amusing, but this time he felt defeated. A wall of hate now stood behind Alexis in the form of Ned, Jax, Stephan, Nicholas, Luke, Lucky, Mac and Taggert. They all stood ready to defend and protect her against him. How did it get so far out of hand? It was no use. This time, looking at Alexis, he knew there was no way to deflect or defend himself. Seeing the pain in her eyes, the dead way she looked at him tore through him like white fire.

Stepping back and turning to go, he looked back once more at her entourage and nodded his understanding that Alexis had enough support to get her through the day. Not willing to leave without trying to leave the door of communication open between them he quietly left her with the only words he could.

"I'm not giving up Alexis, I'm just breathing. Gentlemen, I leave her care to you...for now."

Sonny began the long walk back down the aisle toward the door and didn't look back again.

Hearing his quietly spoken words, Alexis slowly lifted her eyes and watched Sonny walk out of the chapel. Looking over her shoulder to Jax she cautiously and quietly asked...

"Jax? Did you hear him? Did you hear what he said?"