General Hospital : Changes

"What the ….", a loud clanking sound startled Kristina out of her great dream. She rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on the clock that sat precariously at the edge of her nightstand. The bright red digital numbers read 5:56 am. A tired hand pushed the clock back to a safer position next to the lamp. Slowly rising to a sitting position, the young woman began to adjust to being roused at such an early hour. Two sets of pink toenails swung over the edge of the bed and slid into a pair of bunny slippers. She stood up, stretching her long limbs as if trying to coax them awake, and trudged out into the hallway. Another clang rang out as she reached the bottom of the staircase. "What kind of nut gets up this early on a Saturday morning?" she asked no one in particular while walking towards the kitchen. There the annoyed teenager found the source of her unwanted wake - up call. ' That answers that question ', she thought to herself as the tall red - head turned around to face her.

"Morning sister dear", a bright smile greeted her accompanied by the smell of a sizzling western omelet. The cheerful chef took in the appearance of his sister with one sweeping glance. Her long dark hair was gathered in a loose ponytail with several strands sticking out in odd ways. One of the seven dwarfs stared back at him from her nightshirt, the caption above read, ' I'm Grumpy when I'm Sleepy '. At the end of their journey his eyes landed on two rather pitiful looking bunnies, one of which had a button where a googly eye should be. By the time his eyes met with hers again, they found a look that said, ' Are you crazy? '. "My, don't we look fetching this morning", he said in a very bad imitation of a British accent.

"Mike, do you know what time it is? Do you know what day it is? All of the normal people, here on planet earth, sleep in on a Saturday morning. Especially those of us who navigate the Twilight Zone known as high school during the week ", she said. After a quick roll of his eyes, Mike returned his attention to the omelet. "I've learned a lot about time management at school and discovered that the earlier you get started, the more you can get done", he stated over his shoulder. "What has that college done to you? I didn't believe the talk about how Ivy League air affects your brain and turns you into a loser. But ladies and gentleman, here is the scientific proof", she said while pointing to him in a Vanna White - type gesture. "Ha, ha", was his only reply as he slid a perfect omelet onto a waiting plate.

Kristina felt completely comfortable teasing her brother about his school. He knew the entire family was very proud when he went off to Yale, especially his mother Carly. Though Carly was far from being Kristina's favorite person, she did love her son and made sure he had the best of everything. Mike had been there for almost four years and would be graduating soon. However, no matter how busy he got going for his business degree, he always made time to come home and visit.

"If you stop drooling, I might be persuaded to make you one too", he said, noticing that she was staring at his meal. "Well, since you did wake me at this ungodly hour, it's the least you can do", she replied smiling, with her dimples going full power.

' She definitely learned that from Dad ' he thought, knowing that they both got whatever they wanted when that smile was flashed. "I'm going to take a quick shower, I'll be right back", she said. She started to leave and noticed the state of the kitchen. "When you finish you'd better get this kitchen back the way it was. If Dad wakes up and finds it like this he'll go into orbit", she warned her brother. He was aware of what a fanatic their father was when it came to his kitchen, but wasn't worried. "Dad hates it when people make a mess in here. When Mom or I even look in the general direction of the stove he starts to twitch", she added, trying not to laugh. Mike was also stifling a grin, considering how true the statement was. "He only chases you and Alexis out because your cooking skills … well, let's face it. … they suck." Kristina opened her mouth wide and gasped in fake horror at her brother's words. "If that weren't true I would be sooo insulted", she stated with her chin in the air. As she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, they both began to laugh. "Since I successfully graduated from the Sonny Corinthos School of Culinary Arts, I have received full kitchen privileges", he said proudly brandishing a spatula around the kitchen. "If you say so. But if I hear an explosion, I'll try to put you back together again Humpty Dumpty", she said as she began to head up to her room.

After a nice hot shower, Kristina put on some comfortable gray sweat pants and a light blue tank top. She slid back into her bunny slippers and looked at them thoughtfully. They had seen better days, and they did seem rather childish for a sixteen year old, but she just couldn't bring herself to part with them. Thinking back to the day her Dad gave them to her made her smile.

"The sales lady said they are what all the girls like", he said as his daughter opened the wrapped box. Looking down at the fluffy pink bunny slippers with the googly eyes, the girl wanted to laugh. As she turned to her father she had the distinct feeling he had been scammed by some sales lady who had a shipment that she had to unload. He looked so proud that he had picked them out all alone, that she didn't have it in her to break his heart. She turned to her mother who gave her a sympathetic look, and then put on the slippers. "They're perfect Dad", was all she said as her Dad wrapped her in a hug.

In truth they were her favorite gift. Though they weren't much to look at, they were actually very comfortable. Until the day they no longer fit her she would wear them, and even after that she would keep them. Because they always reminded her of how much her father loved her. She didn't need a physical reminder, but she loved those ratty old bunnies just the same.

"Kris, come and get it!!" her brother's yell broke her out of her reverie, and her rumbling stomach demanded she get down to that omelet. Pronto!

"Good morning family", Kristina said as she entered the kitchen. This time she found that her mother and father had joined Mike at the table. They each had an omelet before them and one was waiting for her. "Morning sweetheart", Alexis said to her daughter as she poured orange juice into four glasses. "Morning honey", Sonny added while putting butter on his toast. Kristina kissed them each on the cheek and sat down to dig into her breakfast. "I never thought I'd see my daughter up before seven on a Saturday", her mother said, before taking a bite of her omelet. "Believe me mom, I hadn't planned on it", Kristina said, staring daggers at her brother. He simply shrugged in her direction and continued to eat.

"Well Dad, I see you didn't throttle Mike for ruining your kitchen", she said sounding disappointed. "That's because he knows what he's doing", Sonny replied, "he's the only one other than me who does", he added under his breath. "Hey, I heard that", Alexis retorted, smacking her husband on the arm. "Ouch" he said wincing, trying to hide his grin.

"So, what is everyone doing today?" Kristina asked after they'd all finished eating and the kitchen had been ' carefully ' cleaned. Sonny and Alexis both looked at one another, luckily no one else noticed. "There are some contracts that I have to look over, so I'll be at the office for a few hours", Alexis sat on the edge of the couch in the living room as she spoke. "I have some business at the warehouse, but I should be home for dinner", Sonny sat next to his wife on the couch, trying to sound as normal as possible. "Well, I guess that leaves you and me kid", Mike said to his sister, "we can catch that new movie ' Halloween 17 - Please Kill Me ' ". "You're on. Let's go upstairs and check the listings", she said making her way over to her parents. "Have a great day you guys, I love you", Kristina hugged both of them. "We love you too", they said in unison, and watched the siblings head upstairs. They faintly heard one last exchange before the two were out of earshot. "Do you think Max likes horror movies", Kristina asked. "He's a bodyguard, what do you think?" Mike replied.

Sonny was relieved to hear his daughter mention her bodyguard. It saddened him sometimes that she needed such an imposition, in what should be a carefree life. Unfortunately it was a necessity in his business.

He and Alexis agreed years ago to do everything possible to shelter their children from ' the business '. They'd done a decent job so far, but now it looked like things were heating up. If Sonny had his way, his wife would never have been involved either. He had lost far too many people he loved to the danger in his world. When Alexis lost her sister Kristina (their daughter's namesake) to that same violence, she became consumed with rage. She shut everyone out and became obsessed with finding the person responsible.

At the time Sonny wasn't even aware that the baby she carried was his, most people thought it was her ex - fiancé Ned's. When she began to investigate and pushed Ned away, he had been desperate to keep her safe. Therefore, he told Sonny the truth about the baby, to make sure she was protected. (He also found out about all the lies his then wife Carly had been telling, which eventually led to their divorce.) When he confronted Alexis about the baby, angry words were exchanged and accusations were made, but it was most important to Sonny that his child and its mother were safe. She however would not be dissuaded from her vendetta. That was when a whole new life began for all of them.

Alexis asked Sonny for something he never expected, to be let into his world. He flatly refused at first, but she threatened to do it on her own, which would be even more dangerous. When she was just his lawyer and friend she had wanted no part of it. Now something had changed in her, there was a new determination in her eyes. Kristina Cassadine's death broke something inside her, but it also gave her a strange new strength. She no longer hyperventilated, she was focused and fierce, and demanded respect simply by walking into a room. Really, only one thing changed his mind. That conversation was burned into his memory.

"You owe me this Sonny", she said as tears stained her face. He new it was true. He owed her for more things than he could possibly name, but this was a debt he could never really repay. "You understand what you're asking me to do?" he asked, " you realize this isn't something you can just back out of when you're done, this is for life." As they looked into each other's eyes, an understanding passed between them. He saw the fear in her eyes, but even stronger was the determination. She saw his fear for her and their child, but also the recognition that she had to do this. Jason, who had been invited to this meeting along with Benny, pulled Sonny to the side, "are you sure about this", he asked. "No…. but it's the only way I can protect her", Sonny replied. He stepped back towards Alexis, and held out his hand, "Welcome", he said.

That began more trouble than either of them could have bargained for. However, one good thing came from the bad, they realized how they'd always felt about each other and fell in love. That was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Their wedding two months before their daughter was born was one of the two happiest days of his life. When he held his daughter for the first time, he felt as if he'd been born again. So many of his demons had been lifted from him. His father was even there to help him celebrate. Their joy was short lived though, shortly afterward; everything with Alcazar came to a head.

It turned out he had fallen in love with presumed - dead Brenda Barrett. He had become obsessed with her and tried to destroy the men he thought had destroyed her. Alcazar was eventually killed in a shootout on an island and Brenda returned to the land of the living. It brought up memories for Sonny, and he was glad she was alive, but he was too happy with his new family to let it get in the way. Brenda was happy that Sonny had finally found peace. She had never forgotten her love for Jax, and they soon married. (After he discovered Skye's deal with her grandfather.)

Now Sonny and Alexis could live the life they wanted with their daughter. They both ran the organization together, with Alexis also taking care of the legal end of things. It took time for some of the men to accept Alexis' position, but they began to respect her efficiency and calm manor in a crisis. They also began to value her input on difficult matters that sheer force could not amend. Things had gone relatively smoothly for quite a while, but now a new threat had emerged that could destroy everything. Sonny and Alexis however, were determined that it would not touch their family. Michael and Kristina would be safe. No matter what they had to do.