When Sonny saw Will fall, an irrational fear swarmed over him; he feared that Will was leaving him, that he was dying, and that Sonny would be left alone. He felt that he had finally found his soul-mate and fate, God, or something, decided to take Will away from him. And even though he knew that Will had only fainted, that fear was real, and it was strong.

That fear caused Sonny to grab hold of Will, in an irrational attempt to keep Will with him. Then common sense sprang forward and he simply shouted: "Will! Will! Are you okay?" At his words, Will stirred. And Sonny thanked God, the fate or whomever; and he was about to say something to that effect when he felt an arm surround him and lips collide with his own; Will's lips…his luscious beautiful succulent lips. And Sonny felt a million times better.

When Will released him, Sonny felt lighted headed, almost lighted enough to faint. But he didn't. And when Will asked for a hand up so he could talk to Sonny's mother, Sonny thought, yet again, that he might faint.


Will felt himself fall. He knew why. He had gotten up too fast. He was extremely embarrassed. And when Sonny sprang towards him, Will felt an overwhelming sense of being special. And that sense of being special translated to a need to express his feelings towards the person who made him feel special. Will reached up, grabbed Sonny by the neck and pulled him close.

And that is when Will remembered that Sonny and he were not alone. He felt his face blush and looked towards Mr. and Mrs. Kiriakis. In Justin's eyes he saw compassion and worry, and in Adrienne's he saw contempt, and hint of annoyance.

He reassured Sonny and Justin that he was okay and asked for a helping hand to his feet. He needed to address Adrienne. He knew how she felt about him. He knew that she felt that Sonny deserved better. He'd had to deal with this kind of attitude before, in the form of his own mother's attitude towards him; and he also knew he needed to confront her, or at the very least assert himself. It would be the only way to preserve his own self-esteem, something he'd had to work very hard at, for a rather long time.

Will stepped towards Adrienne, leaving behind Sonny and Justin, although Will could still feel Sonny's hand on his shoulder, as he spoke:

"Mrs. Kiriakis, I understand why you dislike my mother. I really do. She isn't exactly the easiest person to get along with…believe me I know; so I understand why you would feel reluctant about your son associating with hers. But, I am not my mother Mrs. Kiriakis."

Will realized that Adrienne was about to interrupt him. He put up a hand and asked her to please allow him to finish. He took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to keep his emotions under control, especially his anger:

"Your son has helped me a lot, Mrs. Kiriakis, and it might seem to you that we are moving too fast….I think we might be moving too fast…but we can't help it…But before we get into that…I need to tell you one thing…Mrs. Kiriakis…"

Again Will stopped, for just a second, to gather his emotions one more time and again he had to stop Adrienne from interrupting by a hand gesture and a plea:

"Mrs. Kiriakis, all my life I have been used as a pawn in one game or another, mostly as a tool for my parents to get back at one another. I've also been told by many, including my own mother that I wouldn't amount to much. In my mother's case I think it was just a self-preservation mechanism to keep herself from feeling disappointment…but it still hurt me nonetheless…So, Mrs. Kiriakis, you aren't the first person, and you probably won't be the last to say how I'll never be good enough for anything. And, Mrs. Kiriakis…If I can handle my mother…I think I can handle you and the game that you are playing."

That little declaration was enough to stop Adrienne from interrupting yet again. She looked shocked. Will used that opportunity to go on to say that he had to fight this negative feedback all his life. He had to work harder to prove to HIMSELF that he was worth something. And he thought that he did. He not only got into college, but Harvard, on scholarship, in Pre-Med. He was used to suffering set-backs. Not everything had gone as planned in life. First he'd dealt, maybe not well, but he did deal with his sexuality, and now he had cancer to deal with, and he would…he would deal with it…on his own if he had to:

"But Mrs. Kiriakis, I found your son…and you may think that I latched on to him because I am too needy, that I am using him. But I don't think so. I started having feelings for your son from the minute I saw him Mrs. Kiriakis. Without knowing his history, without even knowing if he were gay…"

Will was getting tired, and because he had to spend so much energy fending off Adrienne's negative vibes (and her constant attempts at interruptions), his energy wavered just enough to give Adrienne the opening she needed. And she used that opening to full effect.


Adrienne watched her son and her husband help this interloping, manipulative son-of-Sami get up, after he obviously fainted for manipulative dramatic purposes (so like his mother). She noticed that he looked at her defiantly and then started in on his manipulative excuses, just like his mother had done countless times. If he cared at all about her son, like he said he did, he would have left him alone. Sonny didn't need distractions, or anything or anyone to take away energy that he needed to fight his cancer; except, of course for her.

Adrienne didn't even want to listen to this Horton boy's excuses. But he didn't let her get a word in. Finally she was able to speak. He finally got tired of hearing his own voice and allowed her time to argue some sense into him and also into Sonny:

"My son is sick…do you not get that? He doesn't need distractions. And, Will Horton, that is all you are. Sonny could have anyone, absolutely anyone he chooses; and, he should have the cream of the crop, not some sick, lonely boy who is trying to better himself and get away from his parents; someone who apparently didn't have the courage to tell them who he really was until he was forced to do so only a few days ago. Do you truly think Sonny deserves someone like that?"

And Adrienne waited for Will to respond.


Justin was watching his wife tear into poor Will, as only she knew how to do. Justin thought that Will had done a rather good job of trying to explain his feelings, at trying to dissuade Adrienne from jumping to conclusions about him, but Justin knew that Will didn't stand a chance. Adrienne did not like Will's mother and he would have an upward battle to dissuade her from her opinion that he was just like her. And the fact that Will had feelings for her son didn't matter. The fact that Will was sick himself didn't matter either. The fact that Will had been trying to better himself, Justin thought was inconsequential for Adrienne and her quest to protect her son.

He could see Will almost wilting; and whether Will was wilting from Adrienne's verbal onslaught or from the fatigue brought on by the chemotherapy treatment he just received, Justin wasn't sure. He was about to try to stop Adrienne from damaging this poor young man any more than she already had when he heard his son speak:
"Mother…enough… How could you do this? Not only are you embarrassing me in front of someone I am starting to really care about…but you insult him to his face…"

Justin heard his son say that Will had helped him in so many ways in the last few days. Will had given him a reason to fight. Will was generous and kind and funny. And the clincher: "And I don't care who his mother is. Were you not listening to him? Bringing him down like you just did, it's no better than anything his mother has done!"

Justin glanced at Adrienne once his son had said that. He could tell that she was grappling with her feelings. He knew that she wanted nothing better than to tear Sami Brady to pieces, but doing it front of Will Horton would only make what her son said just that much more true.

Justin tried not to smirk. He glanced at Sonny, who by this time had stepped closer to his mother, and had brought his hand down to grab Will's. They stood together hand-in-hand. An then Justin heard Sonny say something he was afraid he would say; something that he knew Adrienne's little parental tantrum might provoke. Sonny decided to rebel:

"Mom, I love you, but what you did…what you are doing…to Will and to me…is just not…nice…."

Justin saw his son turn towards him, sigh and then say: "Dad, I'm sorry, but could you drive me back to my apartment? I think it's better if I stay there…at least there I can see who I want. And my boyfriend won't be insulted at every turn…I mean…"

Justin grinned. Earlier Will had almost used the l word, he was sure of it, and then his son just used the b word. Justin hoped his wife was intelligent enough to see the signs and backtrack what she was saying and doing. Those two young men in front of them were in love with each other.


Sonny could not believe what he was hearing his mother say to Will. It was rude. It was uncalled for, and it was untrue. Will was a great guy…a good person. He was sweet and a bit shy. He was generous. He'd seen that. He was also very forgiving.

Sonny could tell that Will had chosen his words very carefully, in order to not upset Sony's mother too much. It didn't work, and it wouldn't have, but Will had tried anyway. Sonny suspected that Will did it not only for her sake or even his own but also for Sonny's.

When Sonny heard his mother insult Will by basically saying that he wasn't good enough, that Sonny deserved more than what Will could give, Sonny lost his temper.

How dare his mother treat Will that way! How dare she demean him, like he was socially unworthy! What was this the middle-ages? They were supposed to be living in a classless society…not somewhere where one was only supposed to associate with the 'right people'.

Sonny could see that Will was not taking it well. Well, that wasn't true, not exactly. It was obvious that Will had heard all of this before. Sonny could see, as his mother talked down to him, that Will resolved to let it roll off his back, but his energies were such, and the medication he had taken acted upon his psyche and his emotions, in such a way, that his spirits diminished with every one of Adrienne's words.

Sonny grabbed Will's hand with his own, hoping that the physical contact would reassure him, perhaps even give him some strength. When Will's face became severely awash with self-doubt, he decided to defend him against his mother, because she was definitely in the wrong. He then told his mother a little about how Will had helped him in the last few days:

"The fact that I found Will, someone I could help and relate to. Someone who will know exactly what I am going through, someone I can talk to and can help through things…Mom, I can't tell you how it makes me feel. Will understands me, and he listens to me and cares how I feel and what I think about things…unlike some people I could name…"

Sonny could tell that his mother was going to continue. He believed that she figured if she said it enough that he was bound to believe it. He would not do that to Will. he then started thinking that she was not only disrespectful to Will but also to him. She did not respect his decisions. If she did, she would allow him to explore this relationship with Will, on his own terms, without trying to interfere.

Sonny, knowing his mother as he did, knew that she would most likely not relent. She would take every opportunity to berate Will, long after this particular discussion was over, until she got her way. And Sonny wasn't sure if he could tolerate that. Instead of waiting until it bothered him so much, or until it drove Will away, Sonny thought he should distance himself from his mother. He had his own apartment. He could go back there. And that way he would be free to see Will whenever he wanted:

"Mom, I love you, but what you did…what you are doing…to Will and to me…is just not…nice…."

He turned to his father and asked him to take him back home. And a word escaped his lips. A word that he wasn't sure Will was ready to hear, although Sonny already thought of Will in those terms: "And my boyfriend won't be insulted at every turn…I mean…"

Sonny felt his cheeks blush with apprehension as he took his attention away from his parents to concentrate wholeheartedly on Will. Maybe Will didn't hear him say it. Maybe he got away with it, so that he and Will could properly discuss their relationship in private, as normal couples would.

When Sonny saw Will's wide-eyed expression, he became very nervous. He also understood that Will had heard exactly what he said. Sonny was about to plead with Will to forget what he heard when Will spoke:

"Sonny? Did you just call me your boyfriend? Is that how you think of me? Is that what you want?"

Throughout Will's questions, that seemed to zoom past him, Sonny continuously nodded. He then felt Will's lips on his, yet again; they kissed passionately right in front of his mother. Sonny didn't care. In fact, he hoped that Will kissing him would make his mother thoroughly uncomfortable.

When Will released him from the kiss, Sonny felt elated. Even more so because of the large grin and the blazing brightness of Will's eyes. Will was happy and that made Sonny very happy. But then Sonny saw Will's expression change. It became a bit somber. And then Sonny heard Will speak, in almost a whisper, but with a sternness that surprised him:

"Sonny, I would be glad to be your boyfriend. Nothing would make me happier, but I can't allow you to separate yourself from your parents because of me. You need to be around people who love you, that can help you. What if you develop a complication? What if no one can come to your aid in time? You need to stay here Sonny. Please say you'll stay here? And make it right with your mother…you are lucky to have a mother that cares about you like she obviously does…"

Sonny nodded. In this moment he would do almost anything for Will, even forgiving his mother. But then Will turned to his father and asked Justin if he wouldn't mind taking him home. Sonny heard Will say that he felt tired and that he didn't think he could wait for his grandmother to come and pick him up.

Sonny could see that Will, although he wanted Sonny to not be fighting with Sonny's mother, especially not because of him, couldn't stay there. Sonny could see Will's expression turn to sadness. He glanced at his mother and saw a look of triumphant satisfaction on her face and all he could think was: "No effing way!"