Chapter 11

The night was laborious for some and fruitful for others. As morning started to break, Lorenzo walked up and down the halls of the maternity ward of GH with pride for finally doing something right. He grabbed the back of his tired neck and realizing he hadn't slept since he got back to Port Charles. He went back into the waiting room and noticed Kristina bunched up on the sofa asleep. When he wasn't digging a hole in the floor the night before, he was sitting with Kristina in painful silence as she played on her cell phone.

Jason walked into the waiting room. "They're going to finally induce Sam. Thanks for getting her here. I was pretty occupied."

"I heard. Is it too soon for the baby?"

Jason shook his head. "No. I trust Dr. Lee's judgment."

Lorenzo stretched. "Well…I guess my job here is done. Any word from Alexis?"

"No. I tried calling her. No answer."

"So has Kristina." Lorenzo pointed in her direction. "As you can see she gave up."

"Sam asked about you." Jason hated to say it. "You're welcome to stay. I think she'd really want you to stay. As long as Kristina is cool with it."

Nikolas walked into his office and looked over at Max and Milo sitting around as if they'd been there all night.

"Is there a reason you two are in my office?" Nikolas asked.

"We're waiting for the boss." Max said.

"Ms. Landsbury told us we could wait. She said the couch is comfy in here. I don't know that I want to end up dead in one of those bedrooms. This place is haunted." Milo stood up and adjusted his jacket.

Max stared at his brother and shook his head.

Nikolas went from perplexed to disgust. "What am I supposed to do with that?"

Max struggled to stand up. "Milo is just trying to be discreet."

"Discreet about what?" Nikolas threw his hands on his face. "Please don't tell me…"

Max crossed his arms and tried to keep a straight face. "The boss and Ms. Davis weren't exactly playing Camicia up there."

"It's none of my business." Nikolas threw up hands and sat down at his desk. "Why is she allowed to be irresponsible and I'm not?"

Both Max and Milo shrugged their shoulders.

"We like Ms. Davis." Milo blurted out. "She's good people. She's beautiful. And she's smart. Mr. C hasn't had smart in a while."

Max punched Milo in the arm. "Ms. Barrett was smart. You just couldn't get past undressing her with your eyes."

Milo objected. "Yea but Ms. Davis uses those big words…"

Nikolas banged on his desk for attention. "Shut up. Please." He picked up his cell phone. Missed call from Lorenzo he thought to himself. A devious idea popped into his head as he dialed.

Lorenzo answered Nikolas' call. "I called earlier to let you know that Sam's labor is being induced. Also, I'm hearing rumblings that the antidote injection is going down soon."

"I'm sure I'll make it to the hospital. Have you seen Alexis?"

"I've been trying to call her and she hasn't taken my calls. Should I worry?" Lorenzo asked.

"Max and Milo are here at Wyndemere. They've been here all night…in case you were looking for them." Nikolas smiled at Max and Milo still standing before him at attention and clueless.

Lorenzo loosened his tie and swallowed hard. "I guess that answers the silence she and I shared on the plane here. I know she's angry with me, but Sonny's not the answer."

"You give up way too easily."

"Alexis doesn't give me much to hold on to. She never has." He looked over at Kristina waking up. "Except for my daughter. I'm grateful for Sam and her patience. I guess I'll let sleeping dogs lie. And thank you for the warning."

"Don't think I won't need a favor in return. This is just beginning." Nikolas hung up the call.

It was bound to happen again or am I dreaming, Alexis thought, as she burrowed her freezing, naked body under the covers in the darkness of the bedroom. She took the pillow and pulled it over her head. I'm surprised this didn't happen when we lived together. But he was still hung up on Brenda soo…

Just as Alexis was settling back into sleep thinking it was all in her head, she felt Sonny's kiss graze her neck. She cringed as she gradually pulled the pillow from her head to look at him hovering over her.

"Morning Sunshine." His dimples pierced his sly grin. He figured her jitters were merely a game of cat and mouse.

His smile was irresistible and warm. She thought, maybe it was the cold that made me jump from my skin. He rested his head on her pillow.

"Why is it always like 20 degrees colder on this damn island?" He asked.

Alexis settled back down and caressed his face. "I was told that if you can survive this island in the winter, you're fit to be with a Cassadine."

Sonny pulled her closer to him. "I can survive anything. That vodka did not stop me. It was like drinking water."

Alexis smiled. "Either you're a drunk or your head is pounding. My brother only buys the most potent Russian vodka that can be found in the villages of St. Petersburg. I'm certain it's illegal in the states."

Sonny chuckled. "You're right. I feel like I'm on that Wonder Wheel ride at Coney Island. And sitting next to me is a really pretty girl that I wanna impress. And I'm trying not to hurl my devoured Nathan's hotdog all over her new dress."

"So was this drunken sex or is there actually something here?"

"Are you ever not an attorney?"

"I'm guarded." Alexis rested on her back not wanting to leave their lovers haven despite all of the demands lingering out the double doors of her master bedroom suite. She realized she still hadn't spoken to Molly.

"You are. That's been your intrigue." Sonny laid his head on his heads and stared at her in wonder.

Alexis looked at him. "I don't understand why everyone thinks I'm so complicated."

"You're a chameleon."

"That's not a compliment. That's a reptile."

"There's never a dull moment with you. I don't like my women predictable."

Alexis turned back to him. "Your women? Is that what I am to you?"

Sonny took a moment to think wisely about his answer. He knew he couldn't fool her. "You might think you need a paper bag to breathe, but I'm the one running out of breath. Every time I reach for you, you slip through my fingertips and send me running again."

There was a knock on the door and a small glimmer of light from it creeping open. Sonny slipped under the covers while Alexis sat up and grabbed the covers around her as Molly walked in.

"Mom." She approached the bed and observed the movement under the covers. "Am I interrupting something?"

Alexis bit her lip. "No. Not at all."

Sonny grumbled. "I can't stay under here forever."

Molly's eyes grew wide. "Is that Uncle Sonny?"

"He's not decent." Alexis looked down at herself still snugly wrapped in her sheets. "And neither am I. What's up?"

"I keep calling Dad and he's not answering. Should I be worried?"

Sonny groaned. "You didn't tell her Alexis?"

Alexis looked to the side of the bed and found Sonny's slacks jumbled on the floor. She leaned over to grab pants and handed them to him under the covers. "Sweetheart, can we have a minute? I need to talk to you about your father."

Nikolas put his feet on his desk and watched Max and Milo wait in quiet. "You mentioned Brenda earlier. How is she? I'll be seeing her at a fundraiser."

Max chimed in. "Sonny stopped keeping tabs on her. We think Jason sees her on occasion."

Nikolas stood up. "How do you really feel about Jason leaving the organization?"

Milo remained silent and looked to Max for the answer.

"Jason's a good guy. But Sonny's our boss." Max said.

"You pledge blind allegiance to Sonny?"

"It's business." Max said.

Alexis took Molly by the hand and walked with her down the stairs.

Ms. Landsbury stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "Master Nikolas is in his study with the two meat-heads. He wanted to see you right away."

"The meat-heads belong to me." Sonny said from the top of the stairs.

"They're quite polite." Ms. Landsbury added before leaving room.

Alexis took Molly to the study. Max and Milo jumped up from their lounging and waited by the door.

Nikolas paced as Alexis sat down and pulled Molly into her lap. "Alexis, I was hoping I could speak to you without an audience."

Sonny leaned on the door frame. "Can you shut up for like five seconds?"

Nikolas bit his tongue not wanting to put Molly in the crossfire of words.

Alexis cuddled Molly in her arms. "The good news is…" She paused looking for the silver lining.

"I know it's bad Mom." Molly put her arm around Alexis' neck. "Is he in the hospital? Is it something the antidote that Franco is getting can cure?"

Alexis looked up at Nikolas. "You're getting way ahead of me Little Girl." She let out a nervous laugh. "You should stop listening to adult conversations. You'll give yourself nightmares."

"Being here is a nightmare." Milo mumbled.

Alexis continued. "Your father was killed. I don't know how. Everyone is trying their hardest to find answers. I'm going to see his body today just to make sure he's safe. I'm sure he died thinking of you."

Tears filled Molly's eyes. "But he can come back right? Like Uncle Stefan came back. You thought he was gone forever."

Alexis comforted Molly by smoothing her hair. "That's different. I can't explain what happened to Uncle Stefan and how we got him back. I'm glad we did. But every situation is different."

Molly pulled from Alexis' lap. "It's in the books I read. Like the romance novels. The dead always come back to the ones that love them. Did you love him Mom?"

"I can't lie to you. Your father and I had our ups and downs. He was there for me during times that I needed him and there were times that he wasn't. People are fickle that way. It's human nature. But what great love stories aren't about the tag-a-war that two people go through? Your father and I were a marriage of convenience that turned into love and then came you. I couldn't write a better romance novel."

Lorenzo handed Kristina a hot cup of tea. "I found your mother."

Kristina put down her phone and took the steaming cup into her hands. "And? Does she know about Sam? Why do you look like your dog died?"

Lorenzo took a seat. "Because it did."

"Are you like a poet something?"

"I am." Lorenzo leaned over in his chair. "I really am a poet. I haven't written one in a long time. I'm a liar. I have written a little."

"And you paint?" Kristina asked sipping on her tea.

"Yea. I paint. I used to like to walk on the beach and take pictures of nature."

"Sounds kind of boring."

"Have you ever taken a walk on the beach?"

"It's been awhile."

"You should. It would clear your head."

Kristina took a deep breath and looked at her watch. "Oh my God. I have therapy."

"Stay clam." Lorenzo sat up. "It's just a couple floors down. Why are you in therapy? Not because of me I hope."

"You didn't help. No. Partially because of issues with my dad, but mostly because I was abused by my boyfriend, Keifer."

"I'm sorry."

"I just wish Mom would go with us again. She kind of stopped. Dad never misses a session and he hates shrinks."

"If your mother could clone herself, I'm sure she'd go. She can't be everything to everyone all the time."

Kristina was a bit offended. "But I'm her most important. At least I should be."

"I wouldn't deny that you're very important. Ric used to complain that he felt you were Alexis' favorite child. And maybe you were. She'd never say it out loud. Do you feel better knowing that you trump us all in Alexis' heartsphere?"

Kristina shook her head. "No. I don't feel better. You're right." She held up her index finger. "Just this one time. Don't get used to it."

"Parting is such sweet sorrow." Sonny talked with pronounced pauses as he and Alexis wandered down the dark hall to the door.

"Look at you. You're a little Poe."

"I got another one." He said with a coy smile. "I wish I may I wish might take you to bed again tonight."

Alexis poked him in his chest with her finger. "You owe me something."

"It always comes back to him doesn't it?"

"Do you want my services as an attorney?"

Sonny hung his head. "If I can convince Kristina, I'll drop the freakin' kidnapping charges against Alcazar. But he better watch his back." He pounded his fist into the palm of his hand.

Alexis clasped her hand over his mouth. "Don't ruin it. You were doing so well." She flashed him a clever smirk. "I like my men quiet."