Hi everyone, it has been a while since I wrote a fic. I just wanted to take (aspects of) the current storyline and write it with the 'old' Will in mind. No offense to the 'new' Will, I just think they are two different characters.

Will's POV

"We need you to come with us, honey…?"

I try to fake a smile while avoiding my mother's eyes. She always does this. She always needs to lean on me in times of insecurity, so of course she needs me to come to Hollywood. She keeps talking about how Sonny can open a new club and how Ari will enjoy the parks, and when I don't respond she uses a different tactic. Suddenly she is sitting next to me to squeeze my hand:

"Please honey, I need you, your family needs you."

I suddenly realise I have to get out of here to breathe in some fresh air. I stand up and grab my coat and before I walk out I mumble:

"I'll get back to you."

I am not sure where to go. I need a moment to think, but in Salem there are relatives and friends everywhere. Eventually I go home, hoping Sonny is still at the club so I don't have to face him yet. I push the door open and am immediately welcomed by my little family. Sonny is rummaging around in the kitchen, baking something that smells like chocolate brownies, and Ari is sitting in her high chair watching every move he makes. Sonny looks up with his happy smile and I walk over to kiss him hello.

"Hi babe, I'm making your favourite…"

I smile weakly and lean over my daughter:

"Hey little girl, are you having a good time with Sonny?"

She hums happily and points at Sonny with her pointy little finger. I kiss her temple and hope Sonny won't notice my heavy mood. But off course he does notice and before I can turn around he asks:

"Are you OK?"

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?"

I avoid looking at him and instead dive into the fridge for a drink.

"You seem a bit tense… and sad…"

I turn around and look at him, realising that I have to tell him about the conversation with my mum at some point anyway, so I might as well do it now:

"I spoke to my mum…"

He raises his eyebrows and I continue while sitting down at the kitchen table:

"She is moving…"

"Where to…?"

"Hollywood."

I stare at the bottle of water in my hands while mumbling:

"She is taking the kids…"

The silence that falls between us is uncomfortable and something tells me that he knows that this is not yet the whole story. When I dare to glance at him for a second I see storms in his brown eyes and with a shiver in my voice I say:

"She wants us to come too…"

The heaviness in the air makes me want to scream. Why does my mother always know exactly how to ruin my life? As long as I can remember I have had to look after her, and even now she begs for my help and I don't know how to say no.

"So what did you say?"

His voice is quiet although I can hear its sharp edge:

"I said I would get back to her…"

"You are considering this?"

I shrug, unable to explain that the only reason why I am considering this is the obligation I feel.

"Do I have a say in all this?"

There it is. The edgy tone he was hiding earlier is coming out and it almost physically hurts. I don't answer, wondering whether either of us has a say at all. He must have taken my silence as confirmation because he just mumbles:

"Apparently not…"

I flinch when I suddenly feel how hard I am biting my lip trying to keep from crying and shouting. I stand up in an uncontrolled motion and walk away from the two people I love more than anything, while I hear my mum's voice in my head as always begging for my help. I close my eyes, while standing in front of our TV, praying my voice will remain steady:

"Will you come with us?"

He sighs. I keep sending prayers for him to agree to all this, but I already know he doesn't want to. I remember very vividly the arguments we had when Gabi was planning to go to New York, and the pain we both felt when I wanted to move and he wanted to stay.

"How can I just pack up and leave, Will. My family is here… my club is here… my life is here."

I swallow a lump in my throat and hate myself for what I am going to say:

"I thought Ari and I are your family…"

"Funny you should say that… because I thought so too…"

The sarcasm in his voice hurts.

"Can you at least face me when you are trying to wreck my family life?"

His Kiriakis nature is coming out and I never thought I would be at the receiving end of it. I know I should face him and look in his eyes, but the thought of having to see his anger and pain is just too much. So I turn around slowly and murmur:

"I'm going to take a shower…"

But before I can reach the bathroom he is standing in front of the door.

"Not before we talked about this… You cannot take a shower when you just announced we have to move to Hollywood because of your mother…"

I swallow and look away while saying:

"There are many writing opportunities for me there…"

I don't have to look at him to know he feels defeated, his words are clear enough:

"You obviously thought this through…"

"There are many entrepreneurial opportunities, Sonny…?"

"Why does all this sound familiar… didn't we have this conversation once about New York?"

I look down at my shoes and whisper:

"You did say you would come with me to New York…"

It is quiet for about five seconds and then the bomb bursts. He almost shouts at me:

"Well you obviously have already decided…"

This time I do look at him, shocked by the anger and pain I hear. His brown eyes are watery and his lips are a straight line.

"What I want does not matter at all apparently, so you just go ahead…"

He walks around me and grabs his keys. Before he opens the door he turns to me:

"JUST GO TO FUCKING HOLLYWOOD…"

The door slams shut behind him and Ari starts to cry. I rush over to my daughter and pick her up. She curls herself against my chest and I stroke comforting circles on her back. My phone rings and I reach for it, hoping it is Sonny even though I know it isn't. I look at the screen and reluctantly answer the call:

"Mum?"

"Hi sweety… I booked the plane tickets for tomorrow morning…do you need any help with packing?"

I close my eyes, realising that for the umpteenth time my mother is taking over my life. I said I would get back to her and she heard that I was definitely coming along.

"Your brothers and sisters are so happy you are coming too, you are such a good brother, Will…"

"Mum, I have to go…"

"OK honey, speak to you soon."

I hang up and decide to put Ari down for her nap. I immediately see Sonny's sweater hanging over the chair. I smile softly when I remember how he was up overnight to comfort Ari who had been dreaming and woke up crying. Around three I was cold and I missed him so I popped in to find him in the chair reading a story about a bear to a soundly sleeping Ari against his shoulder. Moments later I am wearing his sweater and without a second thought I curl up in the chair, wishing everything that happened today would just go away and I could go back to last night. I clutch the book against my chest and while I close my eyes I can almost imagine Sonny sitting on the armrest, curling himself around me while whispering soft I-love-you's in my ear.

Sonny's POV

Hollywood. Just out of nowhere he wants to go to Hollywood. Just pack up and leave. I love our life here. I love what we build up and I don't know how he can forget about all that and just leave. I stare at the lake in front of me without seeing it, while my brain is going a hundred miles an hour trying to understand what just happened. One moment I was making brownies for the man I love with the little girl I call my daughter and suddenly I am feeling like I am standing on shifting sand.

"Sonny…"

I look up when I recognise Johnny's voice. He comes running towards me, waving and shouting. When he stands in front of me he smiles:

"We are going to Hollywood. And Will is coming too…"

Sami calls Johnny back and when I turn around she waves several bags in the air, showing how busy she is.

"OK bye… see you tomorrow for the trip."

Then Johnny is gone and I slowly realise that he just told me that their leaving tomorrow. I bite my lip as hard as I can, but I can't fight it. I have to cry for just a moment to let go of all the tension and emotions inside me. And while I think about Johnny I suddenly realise what this is all about. I don't love a man who suddenly wants to pack up and leave, I love a man who cares so much about other people being happy that he is willing to risk his own happiness. All his life he looked after his mother and his siblings and this is just another moment where they need him. Even though realising this makes more sense of the situation, I wish Will would see that I need him to stay here with me. I decide to go home and about half an hour later I find him curled up in the chair next to Ari's crib. His eyes are open and he slowly stands up to follow me back into the living room.

"Sonny, I…"

I raise my hand and shake my head:

"I need some answers… explanations…."

He nods and I nervously rub my hands together:

"Why do you want to go?"

He shrugs and bites his bottom lip, and as he doesn't seem willing to say it I do it for him:

"You feel you need to… they need looking after and you are always the one ending up taking care of all of them…"

His puts his hands on his hips as if he doesn't know where to put them. His teeth are still sunk into his bottom lip, but then he does nod almost invisibly:

"You know my mum…"

"They are not your responsibility, Will?"

He looks at me and I see irritation cover his face:

"Of course they are, Sonny. Sami is my mother, and the kids are my family. They need stability…. My mum in Hollywood… do you think that is going to generate a stable home for them?"

I sigh, knowing that he is right about that. While I swallow my tears away I ask softly:

"What about me and Ari…?"

"You can come with me."

I shake my head and then he spreads his hands in a helpless gesture:

"You can visit, and Ari and I will visit you… we can Skype…"

"Are you kidding me? I love you with everything I am and you manage to keep some time free to call me on Skype?"

I feel anger boiling up again and when our eyes meet he almost whispers:

"You are strong Sonny… we both know you can do much better than me… You will be fine…"

I frown and take a step back:

"What are you saying?"

He sighs and it looks as though all his energy and joy slowly leave his body and what is left is the Will I met years ago, unhappy, weighed down with too much responsibility, always putting his life and his needs on hold to help others. He doesn't look at me, but I have to ask him:

"Do you love me?"

When he doesn't answer I try again:

"Have you ever loved me?"

Now he does look up and the pain in his baby blues is almost palpable:

"You know I love you…"

"Then why are you leaving me…?"

I am whispering while blinking tears away. He takes a few steps towards me until he can reach my hand. He lays it on his heart and whispers:

"I'm not leaving you…"

I pull my hand back and frown, having to let two tears go because they seems too heavy to hold in:

"Yes you are…"

I take my coat and make sure the keys are in my pocket. With a small voice I say:

"I can't stay and watch you leave… I know you are leaving tomorrow, so I won't be back here until tomorrow night."

And then the door slams shut behind me.

Will's POV

It is three in the morning and I look at the packed suitcases at the door. Ari is sleeping and I am just waiting. Waiting to leave, but deep in my heart I am waiting for Sonny to come back. I don't want to think about losing him. My brain has no problems remembering Sonny and Brian kissing at the coffee house and I keep hearing myself say that he can do much better than me. I cannot sleep and instead I sit down on the couch, just staring into nothing, seeing every moment Sonny and I had together over the past years. Reliving the happiest time of my life while the clock slowly ticks the hours away.

(…)

"Hi Chad… is uhm… is Sonny here?"

"You don't know where Sonny is?"

"Don't ask… please… is he here?"

"No… he texted me he going to be late this morning."

I sit down on one of the bar stools and sigh:

"Where could he be…?"

"Have you checked the mansion?"

I jump up and about half an hour later I push the stroller up the drive way. I ring the doorbell and Henderson opens the door.

"Hello William."

"Hello Mr Henderson… Is Sonny here?"

"He is… please do come in?"

I wait in the hallway and feel myself getting more nervous every second. What if he doesn't want to hear my apologies, what if he doesn't want to see me?

"William…"

I turn around to Henderson and raise my eyebrows:

"Jackson is not able to see you at the moment."

He seems uncomfortable saying that to me and I feel a bit sorry for him being in the middle of our problems. I take a deep breath and ask softly:

"Could you just tell me where he is? I need to see him… it is urgent…"

"William…"

"Please?"

For a moment he looks at me and then he leans forward:

"He is in the dining room with his parents."

For a second I rethink my earlier bravery, but I have to face Adrienne at some point so it might as well be now. It only takes a few minutes and then I push the door open to the dining room, unable to miss Adrienne's sneer:

"I hate to say it Sonny but I always said he was going to break your heart at some point."

Before Sonny can respond I let them know I am here:

"Hi…"

I look at Adrienne and see she is slightly blushing, and then I look at Sonny:

"Can I talk to you?"

Suddenly Ari reaches out to him:

"Sonny…"

He smiles and lifts her up from her stroller:

"Hi sweet pea."

She curls up against his shoulder and I smile fondly. His eyes meet mine and then he asks his parents to give us a moment. Justin softly pushes Adrienne towards the door and then it is just us.

"When are you leaving…?"

His eyes remain fixed on Ari and I can't help but noticing he is holding her as if he never wants to let her go. I clear my throat and answer softly:

"I'm not…"

Now he does look at me.

"You're not?"

"No… I… uhm… I was confused, I guess… I wanted to be there for people who need me and I lost sight of the whole picture… and I…"

I stop there, not sure if I should tell him, but when I meet his intense brown eyes I know I owe him a full explanation:

"You can do better you know… I know you don't want to hear me say that but if I leave you can meet any guy… and I… I cannot stand that… I love you and you and I… you are mine… and then… then I thought how our house is my home…. My first real home… and that is only because you are there and Ari is there…"

He has tears streaming down his face and he tries to hide it in Ari's hair.

"I'll Skype with my mother and with my brothers and sisters… and they can come over for a few days once in a while and we can go over to visit… I just… I'm sorry… I guess I had my priorities mixed up…"

He can't hide the tears anymore because he is now legitimately sniffing. In two steps I am next to him and I wrap both of them in my arms. I kiss his cheek and he rest his head against my shoulder while I whisper a few apologies and any I-love-you's in his ear. We slowly calm down and eventually I ask softly:

"Are you coming home with us?"

He nods:

"Definitely…"

About an hour later we walk into our apartment and I quickly put the suitcases in our bedrooms. He puts Ari in her playpen, but before he can walk away I have him pulled against me. He smiles happily as I cup his face with both my hands:

"Do you remember a long time ago when I was insecure… again… after Brent had been here with folders about hiking…"

He nods, while his arms curl around my waist.

"What you said to me then is what I want to say to you know… Nothing can take me away from you…"

He lets out a deep and shivery sigh. I lean over and very slowly cover his lips with mine. He immediately responds and the softness of his lips against mine takes my breath away. We are startled by some noise and then Ari starts to cry. We both laugh and he mumbles:

"Except that…"

We break apart and kneel next to Ari's playpen, and she soon smiles again. Sonny pulls himself up to go into our bedroom. After a while he walks out and asks:

"Have you seen my blue sweater?"

I cannot help but blush and then I walk into our bedroom with Sonny right behind me. I open my suitcase and pull the sweater out. He raises his eyebrows while I hand the sweater over.

"You stole my sweater?"

I try to look guilty and regretful and then I pull out a white shirt he sleeps in and push it in his hands. He smiles widely now and shakes his head, and I lean down and pull out his mug.

"Are you kidding me…?"

"I'm sorry…"

He puts the stuff on a chair and cups my face:

"Never ever do something like that again… you were about to leave here because others needed you to… but you… you have to do what you need to do…"

I smile a lopsided smile and whisper:

"I know… I guess I was confused for a bit."

His eyes sparkle and he leans in to kiss me firmly on my lips. When he lets go I just whisper with his lips against mine:

"Sonny… I just need to be with you…"

As always I hope you all like it! Let me know what you think, your reviews make my day! Also to all those kind guest reviewers: even though I cannot answer them I do read them, thank you!