I decided to start a fun Shawn and Alexis fic. It's call "Beautiful Stranger". Check it out.

Chapter 14

The sun shines on this funeral. The same as on a birth. The way it shines on everything that happens here on earth. It rolls across the western sky. And back into the sea. And spends the day¹s last rays upon this fucked-up family. So long old pal.-James Taylor

The rains poured down on Port Charles as if it was spring. The warmth of the water pierced Alexis' skin while she jogged across the docks without an umbrella. She just wanted to feel the rains beating down on her just to know that she was still alive. She stopped at the bench and remembered Jax admiring her precious little boy. As she wiped the rain from her face and smoothed out her hair before sitting down, she noticed a rainbow appearing in the skies above Wyndemere.

Jax waited on the docks for Alexis to arrive from Spoon Island. He watched her from afar unloading Mikkos' stroller from the ramp of the launch. Finally being a parent, he realized the joy he felt after years of being a jet-setter. Even from a distance, he could tell that Mikkos brought that same joy to Alexis after all she'd gone through in the last couple months. Seeing her, his excitement grew in spades.

Alexis bent over the stroller. "Mikkos, meet your Uncle Jax. Uncle Jax, meet Mikkos."

Jax was a puddle. He reached into the stroller and stroked Mikkos' face still maintain his baby Grecian tan. "I want another one."

"With Carly? Lord knows she doesn't need anymore. Her eldest has Mommy issues, but you didn't hear that from me." Alexis kissed Jax.

"I'm single." Jax nervously slipped his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels. "Want to offer your womb again?"

Alexis touched her face. "Let me think about it. We had a rough patch, Mikkos and I. But I would do it again."

"I heard…about the rough patch. You ok now?"

"I've been better."

"Alexis?"

Alexis looked up at Lorenzo hovering over her. "Yes?"

Lorenzo removed his coat and offered it to her but she waved it away. "You shouldn't be out here in the cold and rain."

"It's actually quite warm." She smiled at him. "But thank you anyway."

"The funeral is soon. Will you be there?"

Alexis slowly nodded.

"I'm glad you returned safely. I was concerned."

"Why?" Alexis looked at him.

"You don't remember anything do you?"

"No. I woke up in my bed at the lake house this morning. Dr. Lee was there as was Kevin. That's all I know."

Sonny stepped outside to Lila's rose garden. The staff was setting up chairs in a circular formation.

Alexis sat down in between Sonny and Jax both begrudgingly quiet. "I refuse to be paraded down the aisle like some matriarch." She grabbed at the pearls on her neck. "I borrowed a pair of Lila's pearls. Remember my anxiety about pearls?" She noticed both of them unresponsive. "Is this how it's gonna be with the two of you today?"

Jax shrugged his shoulders. "I'm here for Sam."

"Likewise." Sonny crossed his leg over his knee and slumped in his chair.

Sonny felt a tap on his shoulder. He quickly turned to Brenda. "You ok?"

Brenda held up her arm free of the cast but covered in a bandage. "It was just a sprain. You staying for the memorial service?"

"No. I think it's best that Molly and Spencer not be here so I'm staying with them. We'll meet everyone at the repast at the Metro Court."

"Is Spencer ok?"

Sonny winced. "He's confused."

Brenda motioned up towards the sky. "The rain subsided. Looks like Jax is going to have a beautiful day."

"Looks like it."

Brenda watched Sonny pick a rose from the garden. "I heard Mikkos is still missing."

"Yea." He handed the rose to Brenda. "Be careful of the thorns. Alexis doesn't remember the trip."

"How?" Worry colored Brenda's face.

"Natasha was triggered. Anna doesn't know what triggered her but she remained most of the trip. Anna convinced Natasha to go to the lake house. Lorenzo called Dr. Collins to meet them there. Somehow Dr. Collins was able to bring Alexis back."

"Well that's good right? Kevin has it under control."

Sonny shook his head.

Brenda's eyes grew wide. "What?"

"As I said, Dr. Collins had to coax Alexis back. I'm losing her Brenda. I'm losing Alexis to Natasha."

Lucy went to the lake house and let herself inside. "Doc?" She rushed inside and found Kevin passed out on the floor next to the couch. "Doc!"

Kevin woke up startled from Lucy shaking him awake. "I'm ok."

"What the hell happened to you?"

Kevin pulled up to his feet. He yanked at his disheveled clothes. "I just wanted to be here when Alexis woke up. I prefer the floor." He grabbed at his aching back.

"I ran into her at Kelly's. She said I could find you here. What happened?"

Kevin rubbed his eyes. "I think we have a bit of a problem."

"What?"

"Natasha is back and she's not planning to go anywhere without a fight."

"How do you know?"

"I had to force Alexis out of Natasha. It was not easy. But it's getting easier for Alexis to channel Natasha. And Natasha fully intends to stick around as long as she can."

Luke swirled his whiskey as he eyed the dart board across the room. He picked up a dart from the counter and aimed it before lunging it into the bull's eye. Ethan ran down the stairs of the Haunted Star and pulled the dart out tossing it back to Luke.

"You going to the funeral?"

"Doubtful." Luke pressed the dart against his eye hoping for another bull's eye. "By the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes. Open locks. Whoever knocks!"

"And thy name is Natasha standing there when you open the door." Ethan grabbed a bowl of nuts on the counter and popped a couple in his mouth.

Luke put down the dart and scrunched up his face. "Natasha? Where you getting your intelligence?"

"I'm on her hit list."

"What hit list?"

"She wants to kill me. I don't want to say more than that."

"Because she found a condom in her kid's room?"

Ethan buried his face in his hands. "I am never living that down am I? Honestly, I wish it was that simple. How did you know about that?"

"Sonny wants your head on a platter."

Luke ran his whiskey glass under his nose and inhaled the potent smell of alcohol. "Something is rising from the ashes of Spoon Island."

Ethan continued to eat the nuts from the bowl. "Natasha. You keep focusing on Stavros. How much you wanna bet he mysteriously goes missing?" He reached for the whiskey bottled and poured himself a drink. He held up the glass to Luke. "Don't let down your guard Mate. I love Kristina, but I don't trust her mother as far as I can throw her. And according to Anna, Natasha gave her a bit of a ride when they went to Switzerland."

Luke tossed back his drink down his throat. "Natasha's my girl. I'm not worried about her."

Alexis stripped all of wet clothes from her body and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel. She found comfort in a corner of Mikkos' nursery where she just wanted to get lost and not have anyone care if she was ever found. She renewed her hope that Mikkos would be found. She even believed she could hear him tossing and turning in his crib from an afternoon nap.

"Alexis!"

Alexis broke from her daydream back to reality. "I'm in the nursery!"

Sonny opened the door. He averted his eyes to the ground where Alexis sat cradled in the corner.

Sonny found Alexis cowered in a corner. "I'm sorry." He said. "He stole my plane. I just wanted to scare him a little."

She rested her pounding head on the side of her bed. "I think I understand how Molly felt after the bus crash."

Sonny sat down on the floor next to her. "You ever think maybe you have post-traumatic stress disorder?"

"Dr. Michael Corinthos on the case." She joked.

"I'll rip up the bill if you come back to Port Charles."

"I'm not leaving." Alexis said.

"The funeral is in like an hour. You're going right?" Sonny stuttered.

"I don't think so. I can't do anymore death."

"I'm with you on that. But I think you'd feel better saying goodbye to Jax. You never got to see his body."

"What does it matter if he's dead? You've seen one dead body, you've seen them all." Alexis sighed and rested her head back against the wall. "I miss my little boy."

Sonny got down on the ground next to her. "Mike was telling me he forgets and makes a tea expecting that you'll walk through the door with Mikkos in your arms. You know what? Brenda gave me the best idea."

"How is she?"

"Good."

"And Nikolas?"

"He was at the Q's when I left. We didn't speak. We're ok. There's no beef or anything."

"Good." Alexis smiled.

"Brenda's idea was maybe I should take you to the ballet in New Hampshire or even the city. I think it's a great idea. Maybe it'll help you remember more pleasant things about your past. You enjoyed the ballet right?"

Alexis nodded. "I did. Which one? The Nutcracker is over."

"Are you opposed to Romeo and Juliet?"

"Don't they kill themselves at the end? Kind of depressing."

"I think we should roll with it. And it's not about the ballet. More than anything it's about that moment in time where we both felt like we belonged to something. Granted I looked across the way and saw that group of rich girls in their uniforms laughing and giggling, but I'm certain I saw one staring at me." Sonny flashed his dimpled smiled.

Alexis grinned. "She was admiring you and your beautiful mother. And I'm betting she missed her own. I loved a boy that loves his mother. I could tell you loved yours very much. I'm sure you could've taken any girl in the booths across the way to the ballet but you chose to take your mother instead."

Stavros locked himself in his room at the Metro Court. The last thing he expected to hear was a knock on his door. He decided he would just sit in a comfortable chair and ponder his next move. For a moment he felt abandoned by his own mother. The knock continued but louder.

"Please answer the door." Helena's voice pleaded on the other side.

Stavros shook off his funk and got up to answer the door. "Mother?"

Helena forced herself in and closed the door. She caressed his face in her hands. "I'm sorry. I've been occupied." She clutched her purse under her arm are she checked out Stavros' room. "You deserve better. You've been faithful to me."

"You make it sound like a marriage, Mother."

Helena went to him again just wanting to shower him with kisses as she did when he was little boy but she realized he was no longer a child. "You're the only one I can trust."

"Faison cannot be trusted. He never could."

"Believe it or not, Faison is not my concern. Your father is."

Stavros raised his brow. "Father is alive. Is he well?"

"Quite…well. You'd think Lorenzo was his son. You should have seen him fawning over him. You have to return to the tunnels. Plead your case to Mikkos and get back in his good graces. He adores Nikolas."

"I imagine that Father hasn't forgotten."

"Forgotten what?"

"The caves?"

Helena looked past Stavros. "What happened in the caves was never confirmed. Luis Alcazar is dead. He was the only witness."

"He was not. Valentin was there."

"Who would believe a man that's lied about his identity all of these years."

"He did it to protect himself from you, Mother. You killed his mother, Alexandra Alcazar. Dose he even know that she was his mother?"

"Alexandra slept with my husband." Helena spoke through her teeth. "She gave Mikkos his firstborn son. What I did was to protect you and eventually Nikolas. Now what? The two bastard children are rising up to claim both the Cassadine name and fortune. It won't happen as long as I'm alive. You are the heir as is Nikolas."

"And how does Brenda Barrett factor into all of this? You wanted so desperately for Nikolas to fall in love with her."

"I'd hate to see Nikolas heartbroken again, but your father will be the reason for Nikolas' undoing if all falls through with Harlan Barrett."

Nikolas stepped outside to the rose garden and noticed Brenda sitting in one of the chairs in meditative silence. He felt around in his pocket as if he had something in there. Brenda looked over at him with a faint smile.

"May I interrupt?" Nikolas went to her. He looked up to the sky with the rainbow catching his eyes.

Brenda looked up as well. "I'm glad the rains stopped. Carly should be here soon. She called me. She's having a really hard time with this."

Nikolas dropped down to one knee.

Brenda was taken aback. "What are you doing? You're gonna get your pants dirty in the mud."

"Always thinking about fashion eh?"

"Those are really nice pants."

Nikolas slipped his hand from his pocket with the golden Faberge egg cradled between his fingers. He held it up to Brenda.

"I remember that egg. You gave it to Lulu when she was a baby. It was a Cassadine family heirloom. And then Lulu gave it to Sam to put it back in the Cassadine family. Does Sam know that you have it?"

"You hate diamonds."

Brenda nodded. "I do. Do you understand why?"

"I know it has something to do with Sonny."

"I never understood why Sonny and I couldn't figure it out. I don't want to say diamonds are to blame but they've never done me any favors."

"Me either. Did you know that eggs symbolize new life and fertility?"

Brenda took the egg from Nikolas' hand. "I do. Are you're giving this me for good luck?"

Alexis stopped her admiration in the mirror and turned to him waiting. "You know how to do this." She grabbed at his tie flattered that he'd ask.

"I want you to do it." He gave her a boyish grin. "I'm glad you're coming to the party tonight. Maybe I won't be so nervous now. Brenda called from the limo. She's on the way here."

Alexis pulled at his tie to make sure the bow was secure. She remembered the first time Nikolas ever asked her to fix his tie. "You want to talk to me about something don't you?"

"How did you know?" He turned to the mirror. "I wanted to talk to you about surrogacy." He looked back at her. "I think I want to take that step."

"How far in the process are you?"

"Not at all. I discussed some things with Dr. Jackson yesterday. I have no surrogate and I don't have a donor. I have ideas, but they all seem laughable."

"Nikolas, why do you want children? You don't strike me as the type that wants kids."

"Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. But I miss Spencer and Aiden."

"I bet you miss Emily as well."

Nikolas looked at the ground. "Why you have to go and bring her up? Yes. It's true. I'll never find anyone like her. And that's the tragedy of my life. If you went down the list of every woman that I can say I truly loved, something always seemed to come in between us. Does that mean I'm doomed to be just like my father? These are things I worry about."

"I knew your father better than you could ever imagine him. He's a horrible man. He's so horrible I don't even like to discuss his name. I assure you, Nikolas, that you could never be like him. I know you have your moments of guile, but you always manage to come back to us." Alexis smiled.

"I stole Sam's eggs."

"The ones that went missing from GH?"

Nikolas cleared his throat. "With Franco's help, Helena stole them first and gave them to me. From there I went to Dr. Jackson to see if it was possible to look into surrogacy. And I wanted you to be the carrier. I lied about not having a donor. I was hoping to talk myself out of it."

Brenda slowly nodded. "It all makes sense. The conversation that we had at the fundraiser at Gallos'. You had a plan all the time and yet you were angry at me for being suspicious of your family? Why didn't you just tell the truth?"

"I didn't know then if I could trust you."

"Why was it me that needed to prove myself to you? You stole Sam's eggs."

"But if it hadn't happened, we wouldn't have Mikkos." Nikolas looked to the ground. "And I'm not going to apologize for that. With all that being said, Sam and Jason know what I did and they've forgiven me for it. I just needed to come clean to you. We can't move forward with lies."

Brenda clasped the egg tight in her hand. "I agree."

"Will you marry me?" Nikolas looked to her again hoping for her instant approval.

Brenda laughed. "You just told me that you helped sabotage my good friend's pregnancy and now you're asking me to marry you? How does that work? What if things hadn't worked out?"

"I've never been known for my tact." Nikolas rested his hand on Brenda's knee. "You care about me in spite of me. When I couldn't say a word and I was lying in that hospital bed feeling sorry for myself, you said the right words to me. I've kept them close to my heart. I admit that I use my power of influence for evil instead of for good. But I want you to teach me how to be a better person. Show me that it doesn't matter that I'm the son of a despicable man. I can still be a good person. I need to learn quickly because there's a missing little boy that will probably have the same questions about who he is and who he should be. I want to have the answers for him."

"You're that guy that uses their cute dog to pick up women or in your case your grandfather's weather machine to give me a memorable holiday." Brenda laughed.

"I was going to leave you. Sam and I were stuck in the tunnels the night before the Nurses' Ball. I told her I was in love with her." Nikolas wrapped his hands around Brenda's still clutching the golden egg. "I don't know what I was thinking. You just have those moments where you cling to someone who you feel is safe."

"That's Jax for me." Brenda stared out at the podium amongst the array of flowers sent in memory of Jax. "We had sex more than likely at the same time that you were pouring out your heart to Sam. So where does that leave us? Jax is dead and Sam is your happily married cousin. How convenient."

Nikolas focused on Brenda. "I will prove to you that I only have eyes for you. I don't know how but I will."

Johnny threw on an apron at Kelly's and grabbed a towel to wipe down the counters. Morgan walked in.

"Mornin'" Morgan went to the counter. "You stepping in for Grandpa?"

"Yep. He's heading to the memorial service. Told your dad yet?" Johnny poured Morgan a cup of coffee.

"I haven't told my mom or my dad. And Michael isn't saying anything. He's not even speaking to me. But I have to commend him for stepping in with Josselyn. She has no clue that something is wrong and that's what's most important to all of us. Johnny, what would you say to me if I was your son?"

Johnny grunted. "Does it look like I have a problem with you now?"

"But I'm not your son."

"Morgan, there's a strong chance that I'll have to lose my kid simply because the mother doesn't think I'm good enough to be a father to it. I have no room to judge anybody. And my kids will always be important to me no matter what. Give Sonny the benefit of the doubt. He might surprise you."

The front door of Kelly's opened and Zander walked in. Johnny and Morgan both looked in the direction of the cool air flowing in but neither of them recognized his face.

Zander strolled up to the counter and dug in his pockets pulling out his wallet. "I just wanted a cup of coffee. Can you break a hundred dollar bill?"

Johnny found a to-go cup and poured Zander's coffee. "No worries. It's on the house. I can't break a bill that large. Never seen you around before. You from here?"

Zander grabbed the coffee and took a sip. "Uh…kind of. I lived here a couple years ago. Neither of you look familiar to me either. Guess I've been gone longer than I thought. It's kind of dead around here."

"Most of the town is heading to a funeral." Morgan chimed in.

"Sorry about your loss. I gotta go. Thanks for the coffee. I'll have proper change next time." Zander nodded his head before taking off for the door.

Once Zander reached outside he noticed a young dark-haired boy roll up to the door on his bicycle. He watched the boy, Cameron, with wonder as he hopped off his bike for his usual routine of chaining it to the pole before going inside. But Cameron was in such a hurry that he caught his watch on the handle bar and broke the band. His watch fell to the ground.

Zander rushed over and picked up the watch. His memory flashed and he thought maybe he'd seen it before.

"Doggonit!" Cameron snatched the watch from Zander's fingers. "Sorry. I don't mean to be rude but my mom's gonna kill me. She told me that I don't know how to take care of nice things." He stomped his foot as he tried his hardest to piece the band back together.

Zander smiled and he dropped down to Cameron's level. 'It's alright. They just don't make 'em like they used to. You made a mistake. It's fixable. But that's a pretty nice watch. My mother gave me a nice watch once. I took good care of it. Well that was until I lost it. But I doubt she'd stop loving me because I lost it."

"Cam!" Elizabeth's voice called from afar.

"That's my mom. She's on the way to a funeral but promised we could stop for peanut butter cookies." Cameron pulled off his helmet and held it under his arm.

Zander ruffled Cameron's messy hair. "It was nice meeting you. Don't worry. Your mom will gripe but it's not a big deal." He stood up and hurried off down the trail to the docks.

Elizabeth made it to Cameron with Aidan struggling in her arms. "Why did you take off like that? I told you to keep up with me. You could get hit by a car or something."

Cameron sighed. "I'm a big boy. I can ride my bike by myself."

Elizabeth caught the watch dangling from Cameron's hand. "What happened to your watch?"

"I broke it. Don't say I told you so!" Cameron stomped away and into Kelly's before Elizabeth could say another word.

Zander continued on to the docks and found Helena waiting for him. "If it isn't the Queen."

Helena turned to Zander and played with the diamond earring in her ear. "Alexander. Where is the boy?"

"He's back at the cabin. I figured I could sneak and grab a coffee or something. I should get back to him." Zander started to go but Helena put out her arm against his chest.

"You do recall why you're here?"

"Yea. I know."

Lorenzo started around the corner of the warehouse but he stopped seeing Zander and Helena in the distance.

"Protect the Queen, Alexander." Helena spoke slowly.

"Yes Helena. I know. Can I just get adjusted first?" Zander refused to raise his eyes to hers.

Chills went up and down Lorenzo's spine as he watched and listened to the words that haunted his dreams.

"Protect your Queen, Lorenzo."

Little Lorenzo wrapped his arms around himself as he shivered on the cold, marble floor having just slipped into a puddle of his mother's wasted blood. He couldn't speak. He was afraid his screams would lend him to the same fate as well. The sweat of fever poured down his face meeting the tears that ran down his rosy cheeks. The shock forced him still until a blood-curdling scream fell from Helena's deceitful lips in false horror. She waded through the pool of blood with care until she reached the scared little boy. "You didn't protect the Queen, Lorenzo. This is all your fault." She whispered in his ear as she wrapped a blanket around him and gathered him in her arms.

Lorenzo fell back against the concrete warehouse wall still paralyzed by the memories. Who is that young man? And what is Helena doing to him? He looked out again at Helena and Zander. She finally released Zander to go on his way. Lorenzo made sure to keep an eye on Zander as he faded into the distance through the woods.

Carly gathered a bouquet of golden wattles in her hand and placed them in front of Jax' s portrait of him cradling their newborn baby, Josselyn. "Your smile was just as golden as these flowers." She kissed her fingers and touched Jax's face in the photo. "We had our ups and downs. But I know all you wanted was for me to live. Zander taught me to drive but you taught me to sail on even the roughest waters." She felt a soft hand on her shoulder. Looking up she came face to face with Lois.

"You ok?" Lois squatted down next to Carly. "We're ready to take Jax to the cemetery.

"Where is Alexis?" Tears flowed from Carly's eyes. "How could she not be here?"

The rains started to pour down again and what little bit of the sun hid behind the clouds. Alexis took her time to put on her jogging clothes again. She decided to take a casual run by the cemetery. She took the path where Natasha nabbed a frightened Franco from his tumble down the hill. None of it jogged her memory. Alexis was numb to it all. Even the rain hitting her face didn't cause her to flinch.

Alexis finally made it to the cemetery. Her first stop was the grave of Ric Lansing. "We weren't perfect but you didn't deserve to die. I miss your jokes. I miss your ambition. And yea I'm marrying your brother. I'd like to see you turn in your grave over that one." She continued her tour until she stopped at the headstone that read Baby Lila Corinthos. She placed her hand over her heart and said a silent prayer. "I hope you'll forgive me. You live in Kristina. I tell her every chance that I get that her life is precious and she shouldn't take it for granted. She shouldn't take you for granted."

Alexis strolled down the line until she stopped at B.J.'s grave. "Tony never truly recovered from losing you. No one understands what it's like to lose child until you do. It's heartbreak where the broken heart is irreplaceable. But you did your mother and father proud with giving yours to a sick little girl."

Alexis continued to Stone's grave. She looked up to the heavens as the rains fell heavily upon her. "I know I owe Robin an apology. What I said to her was unforgivable. But you know Robin better than I do. I hope you know what my intentions were as far as shielding my son from the disaster that was her brother, Franco. But he's gone and I have to come to grips with my fears. I will apologize to her."

She bent over and dug up some of the dirt around Alec's grave. "May the force continue to be with you Jedi Youngling. I know your mommy misses you. I hope you're taking care of my porcelain baby. That doll was all I had during my darkest hours. She remained by my side most of my life until I gave her to Nikolas and then laid her to rest with you."

Alexis noticed the limo with Jax's body arrive. Her eyes shifted to the plot of dirt stacked to the side and the six feet deep of earth ready to receive Jax. She found a purple flower blossoming at the base of a tree. She picked it up and went to Jax's plot. "I'm sorry that I can't stay. I'm not ready to stay goodbye to my best friend." Tears muddled her voice. "You were more than my best friend. I don't know how to describe you. You were my husband. You were a devoted husband. Why did we never stay together? Don't answer that. Your destiny was someone else as was mine. Don't you wish you were still alive? You could finally have Brenda." She laughed through her tears. "But I know you'd be vehemently opposed to my marriage to Sonny. Because you were the White Knight—to all of us. You gave me the will that stated that I was actually recognized as my father's daughter. You gave me back my mother's necklace. You gave me back my sister until I lost her again. If my mother was alive, she'd never forgive me for losing my sister twice. My father shouldn't either. I guess I hate him before he can hate me."

Alexis decided to sneak out quickly before the crowd started to form at Jax's grave. She ducked into the woods and as she made her way down a dirt path she noticed a young man walking in the distance. She could only see him from behind but her senses were heightened. His hair and his body shape struck her memory but Alexis didn't trust her memories much anymore. She wanted to follow the young man through the woods but thought it silly to put herself and her baby in danger. Though she couldn't take her eyes off of Zander journeying back to his cabin home, she decided against her motherly instincts and went on her way back to the lake house.