CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

It was obvious that she'd been lost inside of her own thoughts and hadn't even heard him step onto the patio. Sonny was relieved to see her smiling to herself; it made him smile a little himself.

While she stood there, silhouetted against the night sky, he took the time to look at her...really look at her, the way he hadn't been able to for a very long time. The last time he'd been able to indulge himself by just looking at her this way had been the night she'd fallen asleep in his bed, after they'd made love. Even now, he could remember how she'd looked, so glowingly beautiful in the candlelight, the light of love on her face, in his bed and how the much the sight of her there had meant to him.

He'd sat by the bed and watched her sleep, watching her with a feeling close to something like awe, realizing that a woman like Alexis could want him. That feeling was dangerously close to coming back again right here, right now.

Unbidden, the memory of how she had pleaded with him for his own life surged into his thoughts – how she had declared herself to him...her voice, ragged and raw with emotion sounded in his head once more.

"I have put everything I am on the line for you – and you can NOT do this to me!"

The truth of those words, that Alexis had put everything she was into being there for him, had become as essential to him as the air that he breathed... those words had been the key that had opened the last locked door of his heart, and had forced him to admit, at last what Alexis had come to mean to him.

And fool that he was, he'd let it slip away. She had saved him from himself then, and not that he ever could repay her for that, but maybe, just maybe, maybe life was offering Sonny the chance to save her this time around.

He'd followed Ric to the patio doors without his brother noticing, had lingered just beyond their sight as Ric and Alexis had had their confrontation. It had taken everything in him not to go slamming through the doors when Ric had grabbed Alexis and forced a kiss on her. But something had frozen him in his tracks. And as Alexis turned and took care of Ric on her own, Sonny was sure he'd done the right thing. He watched the rest of their short face-off with unconcealed pleasure; by the time Alexis was through with him, Ric was so angry he never even noticed Sonny standing there as he stormed back through the doors to disappear into the crowd. Sonny didn't give him a second glance either. In fact, as he made the decision to step out onto the patio, neither Ric nor Reese mattered any more tonight.

In this moment, it was all about Alexis. And in this moment, Sonny found himself content to just look at her, to watch the soft night breezes play with the flowing fabric draping her body and tease at the stray tendrils of her hair; he felt his pulse leap in spite of himself as he watched the soft curve of her lips as she smiled to herself and was surprised at the warm rush of feeling that swept through him, leaving his nerves dancing nervously.

Could it be that she was thinking of him? He found himself daring to hope so. Sonny felt his heart began to beat heavily in his chest as that revelation exploded softly in his mind, touched his heart and echoed into his soul.

And so the next step in their dance began.

"Hey."

She didn't turn around, but Sonny could hear the smile in her voice. "Hey, yourself."

"That was some show, tonight, hm?" he said.

Of course, which show he was talking about was the question wasn't it? Alexis wondered about that for a moment. She didn't quite trust herself to turn around and look at him, not just yet. Instead, she tried to read his tone to see if she could figure out just what it was he was referring to, but she could read nothing in his voice.

And I, of course, had forgotten nothing, including our conversation when I first came in here tonight. From the look in Sonny's eyes, neither had he. Very well then…you want it, Sonny? Come and get it.

Alexis stubbornly refused to turn and face him; she still didn't trust herself. She knew his expression wouldn't give anything away anyway. Sonny had always been a good poker player. But still, she didn't know if it was something in the air, something in his tone of voice or what, but something was telling her he had more on his mind than he was currently letting on...

Sonny smiled to himself. He could tell, just from the way she was holding herself, just the way she was trying not to look at him, that Alexis was trying to figure him out, but she couldn't. How could she know what was inside of him, when he was just figuring it out himself?

This was new to him; Sonny wasn't used to pursuing women, at least not without a concrete goal in mind. And that was usually just to get them into his bed. But this time, why was he feeling like a teenager in high school?

He had to stop and laugh at himself at the thought...he knew that he'd never been like this in high school, although he knew what he was feeling, the sudden nervous twitch in his hands that he managed to hide, the almost unnerving twist in his stomach, was what a wet-behind-the-ears teenager would be feeling. But that wasn't him, was it? No way...that wasn't him, he told himself again. He was out here for her, after all. Right? He'd already admitted it to himself…so why was it so hard to admit to her all of a sudden? Where were all his smooth lines when he needed them?

"Where's a paper bag when you need one?" she asked lightly.

"Any reason why you need one at the moment?" With his insides feeling the way that they did, he wondered, suddenly, if she wasn't the only one who needed help breathing. Two bags, he wanted to say to the next waiter that happened by. Although if anyone dared to interrupt them just now, they might not make it back into the ballroom alive.

"No, not now." She said. He had tried to hide it, but Alexis sensed the unspoken question in his voice. Sonny must have picked up on the friction between her and Ric this evening and no doubt saw him leaving her out here alone.

Alexis knew she'd always hated lying to Sonny, but she paused for a moment, and decided that she wouldn't be lying to him if she told him that she was all right now. She wouldn't tell him that it had been thoughts of Sonny that had straightened everything out for her inside, but that wasn't exactly a straight out lie...more like a simple omission, if anything. And what he didn't know, couldn't hurt him – or blow up his ego any more than it already was. That thought made her smile again and she took a moment to try and rein that in before she answered him. "I needed one when Jax led me out on that stage tonight."

"No way." Sonny shook his head and laughed. "You're tougher than that. You looked good up there. Like the top prize you are. You know, blue ribbon, gold star, crème de la crème, toast of the town, top of the line, prime rib..." he went on and on, being purposely ridiculous. Anything to keep the laughter in her eyes.

He succeeded, because after a moment, her laughter joined with his.

"I'll let you tell that lie." she told him. "I don't think I was ever so terrified in my life. And you didn't help, you know."

Sonny took the opportunity to cross the small space separating them to walk to a spot next to her. Her hands were resting on the railing. Not thinking, Sonny did the same. His eyes glanced down just about the same time that Alexis' did. For a moment the two of them fell silent, because as one, they remembered the last time they had stood side by side at a railing, their hands almost touching. They hadn't realized that it had been one of the last moments where they would so close and alone together; that it had been a kind of goodbye.

But now, here they were, alone in the night again, their hands a breath apart. Neither one of them dared to move, but both seeing the same thing..that night when Alexis had stood by him and then her hand had reached out to cover his. Unknowingly, they were thinking the same thought...was this the end of that long goodbye? That thought caused them both to fall silent for a moment. Sonny was the first to break it, intentionally trying to lighten the mood between them.

"Me?" he asked in a deliberately innocent voice. "What did I do?"

What didn't you do? I asked myself. In front of Ric and half of Port Charles, he had stood up... for me... and even if no one else knew it, he'd stood up for us... For a moment, I could feel that magic again, when his eyes had held my own captive. When Sonny had stood before the world, our world, and told them that I mattered to him.

"One hundred thousand dollars, Sonny? What will people think?" Alexis let herself fall into their old banter, matching his teasing with her own, deliberately trying for pretended outrage and just as happily failing miserably as her smile flashed into view giving him a glimpse of her dimples.

"I can remember a time when you didn't care what other people thought." Sonny said. "Besides, it's for a good cause, isn't it?" He grinned openly now and his dimples flashed themselves right back at hers. Their eyes met and held, the very best cause of all, Sonny's eyes said, and the thought was very clear to the both of them. All thoughts of the remainder of their conversation fell away and they spent the next few moments first smiling and then grinning foolishly at each other, neither one of them able to turn away.

Caught in his gaze, it felt like it took an eternity of time, but Alexis finally managed to tear her gaze from his. Once she'd caught her breath again, then she managed to speak. "Yes," she said, "The charity board will be most appreciative."

"That wasn't exactly the good cause I had in mind – or the appreciation I was looking for." Sonny said. He tried not to let it, didn't want to push it, or give Alexis a chance to guess at the dance his insides were doing, but in spite of all of that, another grin spread across his face.

She felt herself blush as his meaning became clear, and her heart melted a little inside of her as his dimples deepened again. "There was another good cause you had in mind?" she asked, even as she knew the answer. There was a much better cause he had in mind and the smile on his face told Alexis exactly what it was. The reason was ...her. And that realization made a little weak in the knees. In a good way. The rest she deliberately didn't answer. It wasn't time for her to go there – she just wasn't ready - not yet.

Looking into her eyes, Sonny could tell that Alexis had realized exactly what – no, who - he was talking about - he could tell by the amused twinkle in her eye. She knew, in that old familiar way the way she'd once known so much about him, what was in his head. And he couldn't explain to himself how good it felt, to know that without a single word being spoken between them, that old connection had revived itself. And he found he didn't mind at all because what mattered most was that Alexis was smiling…whatever Ric had done, Sonny had managed to help her put it from her mind.

And he intended to keep it that way. Right now, all Sonny knew that he would do whatever he could to keep that smile on Alexis' face. And he said so.

"That.." and he pointed at her smile. "That is the reason right there. That's the money shot. And speaking of money..." he let his voice trail off for a second. "You know, I don't have nothin' to show for that hundred grand."

"Nothin' to show?" she mimicked him. "You want a receipt? Go see Jax."

"Not what I had in mind."

"And just what did you have in mind?" Alexis countered. "You bid on my services...legal services, Sonny." She lifted an eyebrow. "Were you expecting for something more?"

"I don't know, you offering something more?"

I so don't think so, Mr. Corinthos. At least, not tonight. I told myself firmly. We were not going to let those dimples, or that million-dollar smile, or that look in his eyes, or the way that he looked, or the way he smelled...or the way he anything ... get to us to do anything foolish tonight. However, if you'd like to place an opening bid on the table, I'm certainly open to any – almost any – suggestions. "Why don't you just say what's on your mind, Sonny," she said aloud. "... and I'll let you know if you've crossed the line or not."

"It's not like you've never done that before..." Sonny said. He cocked his head in an old familiar way that almost broke her heart, because it was so familiar and unseen for so long all at the same time; silly her, she scolded herself mentally, it just an intimate little gesture that she hadn't even realized she had missed so much.

"I was thinking about a down payment..." he paused as the music changed and the pure liquid notes of a guitar shivered through the air. The song wasn't fast and wasn't slow. It was... safe enough, he thought to himself. "...maybe a dance?"

The silence hung between them. The music played. Eyes met, locked and held.

Never taking his eyes from hers, Sonny stepped back. As if on cue, the moon came out from behind a bank of clouds, pouring its light down on the open space between them, turning the night into a private world of pale soft blue-white starlight draped around its edges with midnight blue shadows. And just that quick, suddenly the world beyond the patio doors no longer existed.

He held out his hand, a curious little smile on his face. "C'mon, live dangerously." he said as his fingers curved and beckoned to her.

She could hear the intro to the song that was starting up from inside; the tempo was cool, jazzy and mellow. Okay, it had a touch of Latin flavor to it, but it wasn't like a love song or anything to purposefully trip her or her heart up. It was...safe enough, she decided.

Alexis looked at him for another long moment before speaking. "Why Mr. Corinthos, was that a dare?"

That little smile didn't leave his face, but his dimples deepened. "That depends. Are you taking it?"

The way he was looking at Alexis, eyes deep and dark and ready to draw her gaze deep into his own, would have once upon a time sent Alexis into a nervous ramble. But not tonight. No, I was glad to see, not tonight for either of us.

Alexis returned his gaze unflinchingly, suddenly very much aware of the spark of warmth igniting in his and feeling the effect of that gaze ripple through her.

Not surprisingly, his spark was met by an answering one inside of me. One that ignited a soft eruption of molten heat. Inside I purred like a kitten snuggling by a fire. And feeling kittenish, I decided to show Sonny a flash of my claws.

"You do know the definition of a dare, don't you?" Alexis' chin raised almost imperceptibly as an answering fire sprang up in her eyes; she had no way of knowing about the answering rush of heat that shot through Sonny as a result. The challenge flashing into her eyes brought back a million memories...Sonny's insides responded to the unspoken but answering dare in her own voice. "...It implies a search for courage, which further implies a lack of...said courage. And that's something Cassadines do not lack." she informed him.

"Is that a fact?" Sonny answered, his voice dropping unconsciously to a husky half-whisper. "You taking me to school, Councilor?"

The change in his voice sent flip-flops through Alexis' insides, and her voice caught in her throat for a moment. The only reaction she showed was a slight pause, one that she didn't realize, but one that Sonny instantly picked up on.

And inside, he smiled.

"You might need a lesson or two..." she murmured. But even while she was answering him, she was stepping forward to join Sonny for a dance under the moonlight; her hand slipping into his. Beyond the patio doors, the song playing ended and another one began. A lone guitar began to play a second song.

They smiled at one another; the fact that they both recognized the song flared into their eyes at the same time, but even so, neither one of them backed away. The truth was, it only added flavor to the dare.

Sonny's response was to take her hand in his; he startled her as he guided her into a sudden twist and half-turn that spun her away from him for a moment but then brought her body close up against his. His hand tightened his hold on hers, while his other slid around her waist. And all the while, his eyes never left hers.

I moved into his arms easily, as if I'd done it a million times before...and so I had... in Alexis' dreams.

Alexis' answer was to let one hand come up to rest on his shoulder and lean her body into his. And all the while, her eyes never left his.

Sonny smiled again as he allowed his arm to tighten around her for a moment longer; then he purposefully loosened the hold on her waist, releasing her so that there was little more than a breath of air between his body and hers as he led her into the dance. Close enough so that they could feel the heat from one another, but not touching – yet.

He looked into her eyes, and saw that she was giving back as good as he was giving. The dare was very much in the air between them, making them both a little reckless. So, she wasn't going to run away this time; that was fine with him, but Sonny was determined to do this – whatever this was - at his own pace.

They started off slowly, almost hesitantly, unsure of themselves, but that changed as the two of them found themselves slipping easily into the dance. Their bodies relaxed as they let the music take them.

And then the singer's voice began to interweave itself with the rest. As the lyrics began to play themselves out, they dared a smile at one another; the challenge was still very much alive in the air between them, sharpening their senses...adding a spice to the dance that neither of them would dare admit aloud, but even so, it caught at both of them, spun itself into the web of sensation that was wrapping itself around them, tempting them, teasing them…. And then, what had been a challenge, a dare...that awareness took a hold of the two of them...it shifted, deepened... in another moment of perfect understanding, any words they might have said became superfluous, meaningless and totally unnecessary... not when the song was saying it all...

You feel so good
You smell so good
You feel so warm
Just like I knew you would
I can't let you go

Slowly, Sonny's arm circled her waist, his hand sliding up her back to draw her closer; as he drew her slowly, closer to his own, the once-familiar sweet scent of gardenias, mingled with the sweet secret womanly scent that he remembered as belonging to Alexis alone drifted around him. Close as they were, she couldn't see the suddenly tender expression on his face as unconsciously, Sonny's eyes drifted shut.

I can't let you go

I can't let you go

It wasn't the time to tell Alexis what he thought he was starting to feel, not when he was just starting to figure it out himself. And he was still trying to figure out where Alexis' head was at too. He wondered suddenly…did she even know what she wanted herself? One moment she'd been cool and distant towards him, the next she was in his face challenging him...daring him – to what?

And then there was still the matter of that kiss. That was still something they hadn't talked about yet. It had come out of nowhere and had rocked him. Rocked them. He'd seen that truth in her eyes before she'd told him to go. And with her body close to his like it was right now, he could do nothing else; think of nothing else... all he could do was remember the soul-shaking sensation of her lips suddenly on his…. And suddenly he was very conscious of just how close her lips were to his right now...and how the feel of her body was so warm and sweet against his own...It took a real effort on his part not to...Sonny took a deep breath…it would be so easy just to move his head just that littlest bit...and bring his lips down to hers

Could it be that easy? Sonny mentally shook himself as he brought himself back under control. No, he thought to himself with an inwardly wicked smile. Alexis had made it very clear that if he wanted her, she wasn't going to make it easy. Well, that went both ways, so neither would he. If she wanted to play, well, he'd bring the game to her. And he'd do it all without saying a word.

You were late to school
I'm gonna have to see you after class
You've been a bad girl
Someone's gonna have to teach you a lesson

Sonny pulled back to look in Alexis' eyes. Inside he laughed as she looked back at him, her eyes danced with a mischievous sparkle but nothing more than a hint of a smile still danced at the corner of her lips. He smiled back at her, his own eyes mirroring the laughter in hers, knowing they were both hearing the words to the song, no – feeling - the words to the song - knowing that the both of them were taking the lyrics to heart whether they wanted to or not. It only added an unspoken spice to the unspoken chalenge hanging in the air between them – and if anyone was going to teach Alexis a lesson, it would be him.

You've been a bad girl
Someone's gonna have to straighten you right out
You've been a bad girl
Someone's gonna have to teach you...

And class was already in session. He tightened his hold on her waist and then without taking his eyes from hers, he slowly swung her upper body backwards in a sweeping half-circle. He watched as she reacted, feeling a familiar sense of warmth and pride tumble through him as her eyes drifted shut for a moment in a moment of surrender, as she gave over control of her body into his.

Someone's gonna have to teach you
Teach you teach you teach you...

Instinctively, Alexis allowed her head to fall back as Sonny's movement sent her body leaning back into his strength. Something deep inside her woke at his touch, her eyes shivering close as her body dipped downward. She savored the feel of him; his strength of his arm as he held her so easily, his hand as it clasped her waist, the warmth and feel of his lower body pressing against hers. Slowly, slowly, she felt him drawing her body back upright against his, his movements purposefully unhurried and smooth.

The trust that was implicit in her actions caused Sonny to smile at Alexis, as she slowly opened her eyes to look into his. Her answering smile that sent a unnamable thrill through him...daring himself to move beyond what he knew and towards what he hoped for... Sonny found himself daring to take a chance and took the chance, he caught her body up hard against his in a bold but brief moment, and then, taking her by the hand, spun her out and away from him, at the same time, the hand at her waist guided her around him in a tight circle, the end of which he spun her back into his arms again. His steps led her in a tight spiral across the small expanse of floor and back again. And wonders of wonders, Alexis was right there with him, following his lead as though she had done it all of her life, matching him step for step and turn for turn.

You can call me professor
But baby you broke the rules

You won't get the grade you want

Unless you stay after school...

He could see the challenge, the sweetness of the dare holding steady in her gaze; the almost innocent seductiveness of the moves of her body brushing against his as she answered him very clearly with her moves, underscoring the lyrics with every dip and sway she allowed her body to make against his. Her intent was very much obvious in the gaze she turned on him, her eyes dark, intense, but with a spark of laughter and sultry awareness hiding deep in their depths, daring him to follow her, to join her in a place that was, that could be... theirs alone. If he dared to follow her, her gaze said. And that he definitely did... he answered her sensuous moves with a few of his own.

You can work it off
Baby I can give you extra credit
But there's something else
You were late to school
Teach you teach you teach you

Alexis answered his unspoken dare with moves of her own; if anyone was going to get schooled tonight, it was going to be him.

He wanted to play, did he? She thought to herself, well then, let the games begin…

She shifted slightly so that their bodies were no longer pressed against one another, because Alexis had a different game plan in mind. She let one hand slide smoothly across the strong length of his shoulder, enjoying the play of the smooth yet hard muscles beneath his suit. She spread her palm slowly across his upper chest and then let her hand slide slowly upwards from there, purposefully slow and tantalizing, purposefully provocatively. She lingered along his collar, pausing before allowing soft fingertips to brush gently against his throat, allowed herself to enjoy the sudden rush of pleasure that flowed through her fingertips from the touch of his skin. Alexis couldn't help herself, her fingers lingered there for a moment of their own volition, caressing the vee at the base of his throat and then very, very slowly, began to move, timing her movements to the sultry beat of the song. Her fingers slid upwards, caressing the strong column of his throat, moving around to come to rest on the back of his neck. And once there, she hesitated for a moment, but then found herself unable to resist the temptation to play gently with the hairs at the back of his neck. Sonny wasn't the only one who could teach lessons tonight...

Teach you teach you teach you...

She took delight in his response; even though they weren't touching, she could feel the sharp but silent breath as he reacted to her purposefully deceptively simple touch - just as she meant him to. In silent answer to that, Sonny arms tightened the hold he had on her and drew her body hard against his.

Girl can I frisk you
Search your body for

You look so guilty to me

It was her turn to gasp – just as he meant her to. Sonny let his hands follow the lyrics, let them come to rest on her waist for a moment before beginning a slow slide up the length of her torso. When they reached her shoulders, he let his hands slide swiftly, lightly, downwards again, barely touching her skin but with another goal in mind - to capture both her hands in his.

It was Sonny's turn at seduction; as he deliberately slowed down the tempo of their movements as he lifted his hands above their heads, drawing her hands upwards with his, knowing that this motion would bring her body even closer against his. Sonny allowed himself a small grin, purposefully unleashing his dimples on her, knowing the words that were coming next...

If I make you nervous
It's cause you're hiding WMDs

And I'm gonna sentence you
Baby you can do your time on me

I can't let you go
I can't let you go

Before she could react, he changed his tactics. Sonny brought one arm back around her waist again, while his other hand kept its possessive grip on hers; he swung her body around in a tight circle that let her feel the fullness of his desire for her. He dipped her body once again, even lower than the first, this time his own body bending close to her, moving downwards with her. And then he brought her back up to meet his, even slower this time, taking all the time in the world, wanting her to feel every inch of him against her. It was a game of pure enticement…he knew it, and so did she.

As he lifted her, Alexis answered that by slowly freeing her hand from his. She let her fingers linger deliberately against his and then, still moving slowly, sensuously, she let her hand move caressingly up the length of his arm to find its way around his shoulders. As her body came upright and pressed itself against his, she used that hand to draw him even closer, so that they ended up face to face, their lips a little more than a few breaths apart. Their eyes caught and held and neither one of them could turn away.


You've been a bad girl
I'm gonna have to see you after class
You've been a bad girl
Someone's gonna have to teach you...

With their lips so close - that changed everything. Like a thunderbolt out of the blue, just as sharp and just as sudden, and just as unexpected, something...everything...changed. The game between them shifted out of place and disappeared. Between one heartbeat and the next, the truth of their emotions opened up like a flower between them.

Just for a moment, for a breath of time, it scared the both of them. They both tried to look down, look away, look anywhere but at one another as something in them - be it stubborn pride or fearful hearts - they tried to break the spell and deny what was happening, but it was too late for Sonny and Alexis both. What had started off as a playful dare changed – and even if they didn't know the what or how or why of it, they both knew that it had.

Was it the almost tangible splash of cool pale moonlight that poured down on them, isolating them from the world that existed just beyond the patio doors? Was it that same cool light that made them all too suddenly aware of the heat of one another's bodies? Was it the seductive voice of the guitar that had seduced them unawares? Or was it the words themselves that had tricked them into letting down their guards and wrapped themselves around their hearts? It hardly mattered anymore. Something unexplainable happened, between one breath and the next...

You've been a bad girl
Someone's gonna have to straighten you right out
You've been a bad girl
Someone's gonna have to teach you...

Teach you teach you teach you

Suddenly, their bodies were remembering too much, there was nothing that needed to be taught any longer, not when their bodies were remembering so strongly what they had only imagined they had forgot... and everything they remembered, could no longer be denied...

Their eyes met...the truth was told... and their souls, their hearts, said hello, friend.

Their laughter fell away from them, and the games were put aside, if only for a moment, as their bodies instinctively slowed, drifted into a rhythm that was something sweeter, slower. Unable to resist the urge, or deny the need, Sonny let the hand that was resting on her waist to travel slowly up the length of Alexis' back; he could feel the heat of her body, even through the layers of fabric separating her flesh from his. His other hand, the one that was still holding hers, let his fingers interlace themselves with hers. He drew their clasped hands between them, drew them down so that they rested just over their hearts and they moved closer into the dance.

Soft tendrils of her hair brushed against his cheek again and this time Sonny was suddenly, inexplicably reminded of the heavy silken feel of it when he'd slid his hands into it as he had brought her mouth down to his time after time during that long time ago night when they had made love...one look into her eyes let him know that Alexis was right there with him in that moment, in the memory, just as she was right here with him in this moment...

Just as caught up as Sonny was, Alexis found herself reaching out for him. Her fingers were tracing the strong line of his jaw, her senses slowly reawakening, reconnecting to the feel of his once again, even as his hand swept up from her back to find its way into her hair. Sonny found himself whispering the words...bringing him closer to her with every word until his lips were barely a whisper, a breath, and a kiss away from hers.

Just for the moment
For tonight

Can I make you mine?

The words hovered on his lips like the whisper, the memory, of a kiss. Sonny's voice trailed away to nothingness just before his lips descended gently onto hers. It lasted for what had to be only for a few moments, but felt instead, like an eternity. Alexis' lips were cool and sweet, as soft and elusive like the moonlight pouring down on them, but just like the moonlight, there was magic in it. And he felt the spell being spun around them, a spell woven from the moonlight and their memories, and a promise perhaps, of a future...slender, fragile threads of emotions spinning out of nowhere, everywhere, to catch them up in not only memories, but the here and now.

His lips left hers for just a moment as Sonny felt a sudden desire to look into her eyes. For a moment, her eyes stayed closed; Sonny watched her, unable to speak, and as his hands cupped her face, her eyes slowly opened, heavy-lidded with a growing passion. He could see the hint of desire in their depths, he could feel the suddenly heavy beating of her heart and hear the sigh that escaped from her lips, still moist and full from his kiss.. That sound ignited a sudden urgency in him; as an unconscious groan of his own escaped him, Sonny drew Alexis back to him...it wasn't seduction anymore, just a sweet sweet wanting and needing all tangled up together with feelings they had both thought had died long ago and all of it was born between one breath and the next.


Is it me? Is it us?
Can I love you all my life?

His lips were no longer gentle on hers, but deepened minute by minute with intensity; fueled by the emotion Alexis could feel coming from him. She found herself almost drowning beneath the urgency she could feel in him. Sonny was letting his mouth do the talking – without his speaking a single word. It was though she were a spring, and he was a thirsty man, knowing not to drown himself, but to pace himself with small sips at a time…oh so slowly he let himself drink of her, tasting her, rediscover the taste of her as if it were their very first kiss and sweeping her along into the fantasy… Reality was nothing but a distant shore that was fading away with every moment that passed, with every crashing wave of emotion washing over them. His kiss flooded over her common sense, tumbled down every dam and every wall she'd put up since the day they'd walked away from each other, washing away all the reasons why she shouldn't be in his arms, why she shouldn't be kissing him the way that she was.

The applause from the crowd inside announced the ending of the song, caught up in their own moment; it was something they hadn't even noticed. As the sound of the audience came to them, they slowly broke apart, staring at each other in stunned disbelief. Their bodies remembered so much...too much… this was unexpected, more than unexpected, it was crazy, insane – but when had they ever done anything – been anything – that had been expected. The last words of the song hung in the air as tangible, as real as if they had been written there.

Can I love you all my life?

Alexis' hand rose unconsciously to her chest; she could feel her heart beating wildly beneath her fingertips. Her eyes dropped, suddenly shy, suddenly unsure of what she should do now. Sonny's eyes never left her face.

She could feel the intensity of his eyes on her; she forced her gaze back to his. Looking at him, Alexis could sense his next move, and before he could speak, Alexis reached up and laid gentle fingers against his lips. "Don't ask." Don't ask the question that neither one of us were ready to answer...

"Why not?" Sonny's voice held more than a hint of frustration. She couldn't know the battle that was raging inside him at this very moment. A part of him didn't like this, didn't want to admit how out of control this second kiss had made him...just like the first... Sonny hated losing control, letting alone admitting it – even to himself. He needed answers...even if he didn't know all the questions just yet.

"Because it isn't time yet."

Her answer didn't help at all. It wasn't time yet? Then what was that that had just happened? Sonny choked back the words of argument that rose to his lips. It was hard not to say what was in his heart, harder still not to pull her back into his arms and dare her to tell him no. But he remembered the promise he'd made to himself... to be whatever it was that Alexis needed him to be.

And so, he said nothing. But as Alexis turned away from him, back towards the skyline, he couldn't help but reach out to stop her from walking away from him. "No." He said quietly, his hand reached out and took a hold of her wrist, closing firmly on her skin; he pulled at her, gently but firmly. He didn't know what he wanted, except he knew he didn't want her to leave him...not yet.

He didn't expect her reaction – a sudden sound of pain escaped from between her lips.

"What the...?" he started to ask, and then he drew in a sharp breath of his own. The answer came to him before he could finish asking the question and it filled him with a sudden rage between one breath and the next as he saw in his mind's eye Ric grabbing at Alexis' arm. Ric had done this. His anger blazed white hot.

He spun away from Alexis, towards the doors leading back into the ballroom. He barely heard Alexis behind him, barely registered the touch of her hand as she reached out for him just as he had done a moment earlier. But she caught up him before he'd taken more than two steps.

"No, Sonny...don't."

He spun around to face her. Nothing Alexis could say in that moment was going to change his mind and he figured she needed to see the truth of that in his eyes. "He needs to learn that he can't put his hands on you. Not now, not ever...He needs to..."

It was her quiet answer that froze him in his tracks. "What if I need you more?"