A/N: As you can tell you will not see mention of Ric...um, he is gone. As much as I would love to kill him off; I don't want Alexis to have to mourn him. So in this story we say that he was caught doing something illegal and fled the country never to be seen again! Anyway...here is chapter 2...thank you for your wonderful support...it starts moving faster after this chapter...tell me what you think!

He just stood there for a few brief minutes...watching Jax and Alexis together...it was as if everything around him had stopped and they were the only two moving. If anyone would have asked him at that moment why the scene bugged him...he didn't even know if he could tell them...but something about Candyboy's lips being on Alexis made him feel like someone had punched him in the stomach.

"Sonny" he heard a familiar voice call from behind him.

Jason approached his best friend whose eyes were still peeled on the smiling couple across the room. He didn't have any clue as to what was going on, but the way Sonny was staring at them seemed telling. It wasn't until he called his name that he was finally awoken from his trance.

"Hey" Sonny said his eyes still sneaking glances across the room where Jax had pulled away from Alexis and was entertaining the kids.

He finally broke eye contact and turned to his best friend, "glad you can make it...are Liz, Cameron and the baby here.

Jason smiled big at the mention of his daughter...Alana, named after his late father, "yeah she is changing her in the restroom...so where is the birthday girl" he asked hoping that would do the trick.

Sonny smiled, "she is over there riding the pony"

The younger man laughed, "so whose idea was the pony"

The dimples came out and he spoke, "that was all Nikolas; though if the Princess says she wants a pony"

"Than the Princess gets a pony" came from a feminine voice.

Jason got quiet hearing her voice; it was still odd seeing her and not being with her.

She said hi to Jason and hugged Sonny...suddenly they heard a burst of laughter and Sam smiled brightly at Sonny.

"I love hearing her laugh again" she said the tears puddling themselves. She could kick herself for the months leading up to Alexis' cancer...it took almost losing her for Sam to realize what she meant to her...and now she wouldn't trade it for the world.

Sonny looked over at her and for the first time there eyes caught together and she waved and started to walk over. Once again it felt like the room stopped and there was just them. He walked towards her and met her in the middle of the floor.

"Too much?" she asked.

He smiled, "never too much"

Alexis felt the familiar flush that came to her face around him...she would think that after what they had been through, and all these years it would go...but it was still there; the third person in all their meetings.

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Carly finished putting back on her makeup and composed herself...she couldn't be falling to pieces like this. Not now, but she couldn't explain the feeling when Jax kissed Alexis...she wanted to tell her it was because it was Alexis; that it wouldn't have struck her that way if it was any other woman...but the truth was she wouldn't have cared if it was Alexis, Sam, Brenda, or the rest of Port Charles' population...because no matter who it was it would have reminded her of the way his arms felt, the way his lips felt...and she didn't want to remember...she couldn't remember.

As she walked back into the ballroom her eyes scanned to find her boys. Nikolas had set up an array of activities for the kids including a pony, a Velcro wall, a huge race track with remote controlled cars and a rock wall. She smiled when she saw her oldest son hurling his body into the Velcro wall as his little sister clapped and cheered him on. Her eyes scanned the room for Morgan...and where she saw him made her heart swell and burst.

"JAXXXXXXX" he heard someone scream.

Before he could turn around Morgan was jumping at him. He fought back the tears holding the little boy who had become a big part of his life.

"Hey guy, how are you doing" he asked as he put him down.

Morgan nodded, "good" he said babbling.

Carly made her way towards them oblivious to anything else that was going on.

"Hey guys" she said approaching them.

Jax looked up his heart heavy in his chest, "Hi" he said simply.

Carly touched Morgan's head, "what you doing sweetie?"

His little brown head turned up to his mom, "talking to Jax" he said non nonchalantly.

Jax smiled, "he really has started to become more articulate since...you know...the last..."

Carly nodded the tears willing themselves to fall and instead of speaking she nodded.

Morgan had become bored, "Jax, you wanna climb?" he asked pointing to the wall.

That garnered a big grin, "sure buddy"

"Morgan, no, isn't he too small for that?" she asked worried.

He turned to her, "don't worry, I promise I will watch him, k? Trust me" he said taking the boy's hand and walking towards the wall.

"Always" she whispered in the air.

She watched as he put a helmet on and the harness...then take him and show him how to climb. Morgan was slow moving up the wall but Jax was right behind him shadowing every move. When they got to the top; Jax sent Morgan down to the bottom as he turned himself around and started to climb down backwards just to show off to the crowd. Carly smiled and Michael ran past her, "dude, Mom did you see that? Jax is so cool"

Carly bit her bottom lip, "yeah he is"

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"I got you something" he said flashing his dimples and pulling out the blue and white box.

Her eyes got wide, "you shouldn't have" she said trying to give it back.

Sonny put his hands in his pocket, "Nope, no refunds, exchanges or returns" he said looking at her with those puppy dog eyes.

Alexis swore those eyes would haunt her for the rest of her life...because those were the same eyes Kristina gave her when she wanted something.

"C'mon Alexis...today is a big day...we should celebrate"

To that she opened the small box...and gasped. The platinum chain shined under the light and the three tear dropped shaped diamonds sparkled.

"Sonny, it's beautiful, but I can't"

It was too late; he had it in his hands and was already bringing it around her neck.

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Lucky Spencer was riding Molly around piggy back as he approached his girlfriend standing staring in the middle of the room.

"Earth to Sam" he said pulling the little girl off and blowing a raspberry on her stomach before putting her down to toddle around and play with the mass of balloons.

"Hey" she said her eyes still scanning the room.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, "what's wrong" he asked.

She looked at him and then looked back out, "does this seem odd to you?"

Lucky looked down to make sure Molly was okay and then out to where Sam was staring. In one corner Jax, Michael and Morgan played with the remote controlled cars. Jax was showing Carly how to use the remote. On the other side Sonny was hooking a chain around Alexis' neck.

After taking in everything he leaned down to her ear, "are we in the twilight zone?"

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Alexis fingered the delicate chain and before she could say anything the lights went out. For a moment she was worried until she saw the monstrosity of a pink cake wheeled in all lit up and the familiar chords started, "Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You" everyone sang. She watched Kristina's eyes dance with the flames as Molly sat perched in Lucky's arms. After the girl's blew out their candles Nikolas came up front as the waitresses started handing out champagne and apple cider.

"This is not only a Happy Birthday for the two cutest cousins I could ask for, but as a celebration for the best woman I know. Alexis Davis, not only an Aunt...but a friend. Today we celebrate that her fight against cancer has gone into remission...She is a pillar of strength and perseverance, and I know that you all love her as much as I do"

Everyone burst into applause as Jax made his way to her, "here, here" he said quickly wrapping her in his arms as she wrapped hers around his neck.

He kissed her nose, "I can't tell you how glad I am we are here right now" he said his accent music to her ears.

The moment was not lost on the other two people who made their ways back to each other, "hey" Carly said trying to sound something more than sad.

"Having fun" he asked smiling.

To that she really smiled, "it is a great party...the boys are having a blast"

"Good"

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As the kids started to leave the lights on the dance floor came on and Kristina ran up to Sonny, "daddy, daddy...I wanna dance" she said her little smile peaking out.

He grinned, "if a girl says dance, you dance" he said as Carly watched them happily.

Lucky and Sam were sitting at the table next to them Molly sprawled out sleeping in Lucky's arms. She saw Nikolas come and take scoop her up in one arm, Spencer sleeping in the other and sit down. Sam and Lucky then made their way to the dance floor.

"Hands full" she asked smiling.

The Prince sat down, "I figure Lucky and Sam would want to dance, and I figured...I have one arm full, might as well make it two" they laughed as Liz dragged Jason up there who had Alana in one arm dancing.

When she spotted them she smiled sadly sipping the last bit of her champagne.

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"Has anyone told you, you are a really great dancer?" Alexis asked smiling.

To that he did a little dip, "maybe once or twice"

She laughed and laid her head on his shoulders...she felt safe.

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Sonny passed his daughter off to her grandfather and started away and then he saw them...dancing. He hadn't seen her dance since Puerto Rico...he had missed it. He made his way back to Carly and sat down. When the party finally died down they said there goodbyes. Kristina had fallen asleep and Sonny scooped her up to carry her to the car . Morgan had also retired and Jax picked him up...Michael and Carly followed Jax to the limo, as Alexis carried Molly. As they got the kids strapped in Carly and Jax stood outside the limo.

"Goodbye" Jax said placing a chaste kiss on her cheek; after she climbed in and he walked away sucking in a deep breath of air.

Carly sat in the limo and watched him go...suddenly feeling alone.

"Thank you Sonny...for everything" she said fingering the chain around her neck.

He smiled as he leaned in to brush his lips feather like upon her cheek.

"Goodnight Alexis" he said as she climbed in the into the limo.

She sat in there and turned around to watch him leave...and then watching Jax come...she felt happy and sad all at the same time.

The men passed each other and nodded.

"Jacks"

"Corinthos"

And somehow as the men climbed in their respective limos it seemed as is somewhere the stars weren't quite aligned.