SUN N.Y. – Chapter 6

After Todd revealed that Alexis was pregnant, she sat on the floor unable to move. Tears drenched her face. As she wept, Todd became more uncomfortable. "I can't do this," she repeated. "I can't be a mother."

Tentatively, Todd kneeled beside her still holding the pregnancy test. "Hey, what are you freaking out about? Anyone can have a kid; me and Blair proved that." Todd drew his hand inside his sleeve, then used the outside of his sleeve to wipe her face. The result: mascara smeared across Alexis's face and Todd's sleeve. Why was someone like Alexis Davis freaking out about being pregnant? He studied her face, searching for answer.

Alexis surprised herself with her own voice. It was cold and detached. "My mother died when I was 10. I was raised by the woman that slit her throat in front of me. My father, a very powerful man, did not acknowledge me as his own until after his death. Instead, I lived on my family's island, believing that I was an abandoned cousin, until I learned of my heritage as an adult. Now, Mr. Manning do you think I am fit to be a parent?"

"You think that's good. I got one for you. My father knocked up my sister's roommate, my mother,...twice, even though he was still having sex with my sister at the same time. Then, even though he let my mother keep my sister, Tina, he made her give me to her cousin, Peter. "

Todd stood and began to pace. He tossed his head back and laughed awkwardly. "And oh boy was Peter a piece of work. I would try so hard to make him proud and then something would happen and..." Todd's voice trailed off. "Look, even as messed up as I am my kids are great. Jack's just a baby, but Starr's real smart and she's beautiful. He knelt down beside Alexis once more. "My point is. Kids can get through stuff. As bad as you had it or I had it, we survived. Besides, you don't seem like the type to try and kill anyone, in fact, you're kinda nice."

Alexis looked up at Todd, still kneeling before her. A sort of smile registered in her eyes. Then a half-chuckle.

"What?"

Alexis looked at the pregnancy test still in Todd's hand. "I just wonder if you'd be holding onto that test so tightly if you knew what I had to do to get the results."

"Yuuuuuuuuuck," Todd's face contorted into 25 different shapes as he tossed the pregnancy test from his hand. The motion made Alexis laugh even harder. "You know lady you got a sick sense of humor." He plopped down completely on the floor, sliding his back against the door.

She laughed a moment longer, then silence settled. A gentle, comfortable silence. "Hey Todd....do you think you can keep this thing about me being pregnant between you and me?"

"You're pregnant?" Todd feigned shock.

"Thanks." Alexis whispered. And for a moment, she thought everything would be okay.

That was then and this is now. Now, she and Todd stood at what was supposed to be the headquarters for SUN N.Y. After an unusually pleasant lunch, they had stopped by the office to work on the employees' union contracts; they found the place ransacked. Computers had been destroyed, desks overturned, and windows broken. Though neither spoke aloud, both knew who was responsible for the damage: Sonny.

"This is awful." Alexis said stepping over debris. Instinctively, Todd took her arm to ensure she didn't fall. "Todd, the paper is supposed to debut in less than two days. Why are you so calm about this?"

"This is office is a decoy. SunN.Y. is still safe and sound and ready to do damage."

"What else have you been keeping up your sleeve, Todd?"

"Let's see...Bimbo Barbie's whereabouts when she was supposed to be pushing up daisies." Todd opened the desk drawer of an overturned desk, fished out an apple and an orange, and then tossed the apple to Alexis.

"What this for?"

"You're pregnant. You gotta eat for the baby."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "You sound just like...nevermind."

"Hey. Are you going to the launch party with me or not?"

Alexis began to fidget. "I don't think it's such a good idea. I mean you are going after Carly in the first issue. And I used to work for Sonny....and now I work for you...and I don't want to be in the middle of things...."

Todd leaned back and pretended to be mulling over Alexis's words. "That's fine. But if you don't come with me, who knows what Sonny and I might wind up talking about. He may even find out he's going to be a daddy."

She frowned. "What time are you picking me up?"

"Eight."

"Fine." Alexis rolled her eyes and pretended to be angry. She wished she could be, but something about Todd was such a welcome distraction. She grabbed her briefcase and headed for the door.

Seconds later, Todd was on his cell phone, "Yeah Briggs, it's me. I gotta a headline for the second edition of Sunny. 'Corinthos's Kid? No way."