-/-
"Well this is nice." Alexis couldn't help but comment because it was nice being out to lunch with two of her favourite men.
When she had left Adam and Blake to talk she had almost expected the pair to return with bruised knuckles and split lips. She certainly hadn't expected the cautious politeness with which the pair treated each other and for the first time in what felt like ages Alexis allowed herself to hope. Perhaps Blake could swallow his suspicion and Adam his pride long enough for the pair to realise just how similar they were? Perhaps there was a chance for them to rebuild their family as it should have been…perhaps she wouldn't end up having to make the terrible choice between her husband and her firstborn?
When Blake had asked Adam to join them for lunch Alexis could have kissed him right then and there and instead settled for beaming her gratitude at her husband. With her men around her Alexis wasn't afraid of anything and so when Blake revealed he had a table booked at the St Dennis Club for lunch Alexis was delighted with this opportunity to expose their son to more of the Carrington world. Still Alexis was relieved that Blake had procured them a booth at the back of the room and not a table in the middle of the floor, at least that way they had some semblance of privacy.
Besides it was nice to get out of La Mirage and the food and service at the St Dennis had always been excellent, even if conversation was proving a little slower.
"Yes, do you come here often?" Adam couldn't help but question as it was only his own impeccable poker face that had kept him from raising an eyebrow when he had caught sight of the menu; the price of one of the entrée's here would pay for dinner for a family of four back home. He was almost hesitant about what to order and decided to follow his mother's lead when she ordered the salmon.
"Business lunches mainly." Blake replied back neutrally as he placed his order for a green salad and a filet mignon. "We prefer dinner at home and it is a more convivial environment for entertaining."
At that Adam had to raise an eyebrow, just where did his parent's live that they considered this fabulous restaurant to be below par for entertaining evening guests? Did they keep a Michelin star chef locked in the basement and trot him out to cook for them in the evenings?
"It is easier for guests to relax in a more private environment." Alexis added on catching her son's surprised expression. "Besides it is considered an honour to be selected for a Carrington dinner party…or at least it was…" She trailed off unable to completely swallow down the thought that perhaps Denver society would not so easily accept her back into the fold as Mrs Blake Carrington.
"And it will be again!" Blake insisted, sensing the path his wife's thoughts had gone down. Reaching out Blake caught Alexis's hand, squeezing her fingers gently. "You just wait darling they will all be vying for an invitation once the repairs are complete."
"Out of some morbid curiosity no doubt."
"Morbid curiosity or not I have complete faith in my wife's charm and wit which will undoubtedly make up for all of their hosts failings." Blake added raising his wife's hand to his lips to kiss. "We will win them over together."
"Yes because Blake Carrington is so lacking in charm." Alexis drawled sarcastically but there was no hiding her pleased smile at her husband's flattery.
"Perhaps but we both know who is the conversationalist amongst Alexis and I am afraid Darling that is a heavy burden for you to carry." Blake added depreciatively, pleased when Alexis rolled her eyes and smiled wider at his play acting.
"As long as I have you to back me up Blake I think I will manage." Alexis replied teasingly before turning back to their son who had been awkwardly studying the tablecloth.
"I cannot wait to show you the house Adam." Alexis added enthusiastically before taking a sip of her deliciously chilled champagne.
"And I cannot wait to see it." Adam replied smiling, it was impossible not to be buoyed by his mother's enthusiasm and optimism.
"I really think you'll like it and I'm sure you'll be very happy there…" Alexis continued only stopping when Adam himself seemed to choke on his water.
"Happy there?" Adam questioned after he had finished coughing into his napkin.
"Alexis don't you think…" Blake began only to be cut off by his wife.
"Yes it is important to me that you are happy here with us, it's our home and I want it to feel like yours as well. I know it will be difficult at first…"
"Mother." Adam cut in; reaching out for his mother's hand to try and soften the blow of what he was about to say; yet all the while he could feel the scrutinising gaze of Blake Carrington weighing on him, watching his every move.
"I appreciate what you are saying and you cannot understand how much it means to me that you have accepted me the way you have and opened your heart to me; and I am sorry if this hurts you in anyway, but I won't be moving in with you."
"But Adam…" Alexis began to protest.
"Mother I already have a home and life of my own, I have friends, my own business, my career is very important to me." Adam added, trying to explain away the heartbroken expression on his mother's face. "It is hard enough to establish a new law firm and mine is just starting to go places."
"But that's in Montana!" Alexis exclaimed in horror, this wasn't happening, she had only just gotten her baby back and now he was talking about leaving all over again. "You could have a new life here in Denver with us, with your family! Blake tell him, make him understand what he is turning down…"
"Darling." Blake began softly. "It is his decision to make…"
"Oh you are no help!" Alexis spat angrily. "No doubt you are delighted that Adam will be leaving that way it saves you having to make any sort of effort. Was this your doing did you threaten him into leaving?"
"That is not true!" Blake replied calmly. "Besides it is not like we are talking the other side of the world, Montana is little over an hour away in the jet."
Parking the knowledge that his parents owned a jet for another time Adam could only agree with his father. "You can come and visit me, I can come and stay with you for the weekend and we can speak on the phone..."
"It is not the same thing and you both know it." Alexis countered petulantly, refusing to look at either of them. "How can we become a family again if we aren't together?"
This was not what Alexis had envisioned whenever she had dreamed of her son returning, he was her baby he wasn't supposed to want to leave again! He was supposed to stay and help her heal this terrible gaping hole that his kidnapping and disappearance from her life had created.
"It's not like I have to leave tomorrow." Adam added trying to appease his hurt mother, and hating himself that he was the cause of that look on her face; it almost made him want to take it back and agree to stay after all. "I have at least another week before I need to go back to Billings for my next court date."
"Oh another week I suppose I should be grateful for that." Alexis drawled sarcastically, her enthusiasm for everything including her champagne vanishing into thin air. In fact her enthusiasm seemed to have taken her appetite with it. "Excuse me I am suddenly not very hungry."
Slamming down her napkin Alexis stood up from her seat, ignoring Adam and Blake's pleas for her to sit down. She just couldn't look at either of them right now, Adam for abandoning her and Blake for doing nothing to stop him. How could the pair of them be so damn selfish?
Storming across the restaurant before either of them could stop her Alexis practically bowled Cecil and Jeff over as they appeared in the entrance blocking her exit.
"Alexis how delight…" Jeff began only to have his mother-in-law push right past him without pausing to exchange pleasantries. "Well that was odd?" He remarked to his uncle.
Nodding Cecil watched Alexis leave, his handsome face creased with a frown as if deep in thought. "Yes it was…I wonder what might have caused…" Yet turning his head it didn't take Cecil long to identify the likely cause…of course it had to be Carrington…well it seemed things were looking up after all.
Perhaps when Jeff and Fallon moved in with their son he might gain an additional house guest after all?
-/-
"So are you and Daddy fighting again? Is it because Adam or whatever he is called? Because honestly mother you have to admit the timing for this sudden reappearance is more than a little suspect. What real proof do we have he is who he says he is?"
"I don't need any further proof Fallon, a mother knows her own child as I would expect you of all people to realise." Alexis spat back, scowling at the romper suit in her hands like it had personally offended her, and Alexis quickly placed it back on the clothing rail before turning her attention back to her daughter.
She had thought Fallon's timing had been a little perfect when she had arrived back at the hotel only for her daughter to swing by on the off chance that her mother might want to join her in buying some things for LB.
"Did Blake send you Fallon? Is that what this sudden desire to spend time together is all about? To have you try and convince me that my son is an imposter because you can tell your father from me…"
Holding up her hands in surrender Fallon was surprised by the sudden attack. "Whoa way to jump to conclusions Mother. If you must know Daddy did phone me this morning and asked me to ask you if you wanted to join us at the hospital later this afternoon when they discharge LB. He was worried that you didn't seem to want to leave the hotel. He only mentioned that this young man had appeared saying he was Adam."
"And can you blame me for not wanting to swan about Denver when everywhere else I go I seem to be stalked by those damn hacks? They would have followed us in here if the manager hadn't had the foresight to close the department for us" Alexis scoffed before turning her attention to the soft baby blankets, running her fingers over the soft luxurious fabric.
"So if Blake didn't ask you to discredit your brother then why…"
"Is it too far outside the realms of possibility that I might actually want to spend time of my own volition with you? You are my mother too." Fallon retorted, realising before the words were even out of her mouth that that was exactly what it was.
Clearly Alexis realised that herself, her mother was no fool, and it stung Fallon a little that it was so obvious. They had really seemed to be getting close through all the ordeal of LB's kidnapping and then Sammy-Jo had to go open her mouth and now Fallon couldn't get her words out of her head.
What if the little tramp hadn't been lying like Blake insisted she was? Fallon trusted her father but part of her couldn't help the nagging suspicion that had she confronted her mother she might have gotten a different response. Yet now Sammy-Jo and her lies were dead and buried what was to be gained by bringing it all back up again?
"Fine if you must know Jeff called, he said you looked upset when he and Cecil bumped into you at the St Dennis but the idea to invite you shopping was all mine. I thought you might actually want to help me get a few things for your only grandchild. I mean heaven forbid you might want to spend time with either or me or Steven." Fallon insisted, the hurt feeling inside growing when Alexis seemed to be unaffected by her revelation.
Had she pushed Alexis away too many times that her mother no longer cared; that Alexis no longer wanted to repair their relationship? Did her mother no longer care about her or Steven now that her missing big brother was suddenly and miraculously back in the picture?
"You should get him one of these." Alexis replied neutrally handing her daughter one of the cashmere mix blankets. "You all had them as babies…I used to sit up with you when you wouldn't sleep and wrap you up in one. I'd sit there for hours rocking and singing to you when you were teething and snuggled up in one of those."
Nodding Fallon accepted the blanket peace offering and turned her attention back to the tiny outfits on display. There was just so much to choose from and she was feeling more than a little overwhelmed. Just how many outfits should she get? Did LB need all of these things right away?
"Pick seven outfits that you like and buy two sets of them." Alexis suggested watching as her daughter stare at the array of designer children's wear. "He is going to spit up over everything and it is always best to have a spare packed with you. Then you need the same amount of the singlet vests and the rompers. Even though we have staff to do the laundry for us that sort of cleaning will bleach the colour out of any clothing so unless you want to be shopping for him every week or so…"
Nodding Fallon followed her mother's lead, watching as Alexis quickly selected and set aside the things she would need with a surprisingly cool detachment.
"And what about these mitt things they don't look thick enough to keep him warm outside?"
"They're for when he's sleeping." Alexis explained. "He's skin is so delicate when he's this little and so he can scratch himself very easily so you need to keep his nails cut and put these little mitts on when he is in his cot…of course that's when you can get them to keep them on. Adam was the worst for it, no matter what I tried he would always get them off, I even tried tucking them inside his romper…Your father used to call him a little Houdini. And he was always scratching himself I was worried they would get infected…"
"Mother?" Fallon asked tentatively. "If there was something wrong you would tell me right? Daddy sounded really worried when I talked to him earlier, even if you can't talk to me you are talking to him aren't you?"
"I'm alright…It is just a little overwhelming sometimes." Alexis admitted folding the baby clothes, trying not to let her mind wander and wonder…had it been a little boy or little girl…would it have had blue eyes like her other children or perhaps Blake's dark eyes or her own green?
"You mean about losing the…"
"Everything, that, the explosion and Adam returning." Alexis replied trying to ignore the way her throat closed up. "We just don't seem to get a moment to catch our breath."
"You should go away." Fallon suggested. "You and Daddy, just the two of you." She added warming to her own idea. "Just get away from everything and everybody else."
"And that will make everything miraculously all better?"
"No but you've only just gotten married…"
"I am not exactly in the mood for a honeymoon Fallon." Alexis insisted and yet there was something in her daughter's suggestion that struck a chord.
Especially with Fallon, Jeff and the baby moving in with Cecil and Adam returning to Montana. "Perhaps…I'll mention it to Blake…maybe it would do us some good to get out of Denver for a while."
-/-
He was cutting it a little close. Blake cast his eyes down to his watch, the gold rolex glinting in the bright autumn sunshine. It had already been an eventful day and the emotional roller coaster was still far from over. Still at least it should be ending on a positive note and Blake could only hope and afternoon spent with Fallon and the prospect of spending time with their precious grandchild had managed to counter Alexis's earlier bad mood.
Although Blake was certain his temperamental wife could probably find something else to try and blame him for. At the moment Blake really couldn't do anything right, all he could do was bite his lip, keep trying to reassure Alexis that he really did love her and hope that the storm was over sooner rather than later.
Adam…Blake winced…damn that habit was catching already…Torrance had opted to return to his hotel and get some work done for his next case rather than join the family gathering at the hospital and Blake was grateful for the young man's consideration in that at least. Or perhaps Adam…Torrance was seeking to avoid Alexis's anger? Still whatever the reason Blake was glad that the distraction Adam's presence would cause would be absent
This was supposed to be a happy moment; all attention should be on his little namesake. Blake only wished they could have been welcoming the youngest member of the Carrington Clan back at the mansion like they had when he first been born. Still the moment he left the hospital for the second time would be equally as special, even if they had to bring him back to the hotel instead.
Finally the town car pulled up outside of the hospital and Blake didn't wait for his driver to walk around and open the door. Opening it himself Blake jumped out of the car and strode towards the entrance, a scowl marring his handsome face when he recognised a familiar figure ahead of him just getting into the lift.
Cursing when the lift door closed, Blake was reduced to pushing the button impatiently for the next available car.
Just what the hell was Cecil Colby doing here?
- /-
"He really is a beautiful baby Fallon." Alexis couldn't help but coo over her grandchild.
It didn't take away the pang in her heart but Alexis was no stranger to being heartbroken over one or other of her children and in some way it had a terrible sort of balance. God took one child away from her and then gave her back her lost son.
Perhaps it was karma? Perhaps it was just that you weren't supposed to have your cake and eat it too?
Alexis had Blake back, she had his love and she was Mrs Blake Carrington again. She had three of her children back in her life, something that a year ago she would have given anything she had for. Perhaps it was greedy to hope for more? After all the last time she had been blissfully happy something had come along and destroyed that with devastating consequences. So perhaps it was safer to be mostly happy?
"He really is, isn't he?" Fallon replied, a soft smile playing about her lips as she stroked her son's wispy dark blonde hair, watching as he pursed his little lips in his sleep. "My handsome little man."
"As if any child with a Carrington and a Colby for parents could be anything but handsome." A wry wit commented from the doorway causing both of the ladies to start.
"Cecil." Alexis greeted the new arrival coolly, unable to completely forget Cecil's unpleasant remarks about Blake...in Alexis Carrington's book the only one allowed to bad mouth Blake was her, a wife had to have a few privileges after all.
"Fallon, Alexis you both are looking as beautiful as ever." Cecil it seemed was not so concerned as he greeted Alexis as if there had never been a cross word between them. "And here is my great nephew." Cecil moved to stare down at the baby.
"Yes he is a handsome little man." Cecil commented as he examined the child, relieved that the child clearly favoured the Colby side, the fairer hair and the shape of his face was all Jeff.
"Well then ladies are we ready to leave? Alexis will you be coming with us?" Cecil asked hopefully, thinking that perhaps if Alexis accompanied them to Seven Oaks and saw all of the efforts he had made on her grandson's behalf that she might warm up to him once more.
"Actually we were waiting for Jeff and..." Fallon began only to be cut off by the door opening once again.
"Colby what the devil are you doing here?" Blake spat out, his dark gaze settling on his rival.
"Why shouldn't I be here?" Cecil bristled, his grey eyes narrowing as Blake strode into the room like he owned it.
"This is a Carrington family matter..." Blake began hotly only to be cut off by Cecil.
"A Carrington Colby matter." Cecil corrected Blake. "That child carries the Colby name, in case you had forgotten, and since he is coming to live at Seven Oaks I have every right to be here..."
"What? But that's impossible, my grandson isn't going anywhere with you!" Blake demanded, unable to believe what he was hearing. Turning to his daughter Blake was aghast as Fallon did nothing to deny it.
"Daddy it was Jeff's idea..." Fallon began, trying to explain away the look of horror and betrayal on her father's face.
"And you are going along with this?" Blake spluttered. "Fallon surely you cannot want to..."
"It's what's best for LB daddy." Fallon insisted firmly. "And it's only for a little while, just until the house is..."
"I don't want to hear it." Blake spluttered shaking his head as he groped for the door. "And since I am apparently surplus to requirements here I will be leaving, Alexis..."
Yet it seemed even his own wife was being difficult. "Alexis please." Blake added, swallowing his pride long enough to ask again but there was no way he would stoop to begging his own wife, not in front of Cecil Colby.
In the end it wasn't Blake but Cecil that had Alexis moving to her husband's side, there was just something almost gloating in Cecil's expression that Alexis found offensive. Shooting Fallon an apologetic smile Alexis reached down and stroked her grandson's cheek before moving to join her impatient husband. Yet when Blake moved to take her arm Alexis wrenched it free and stalked out of the room ahead of him.
First Adam, now Fallon...Alexis had to wonder was it's Blake's intention to alienate all of their children one by one, because if so right now he was doing a bang up job. And Alexis had to wonder just Blake had up his sleeve to drive Steven away?
-/-
"Are you planning on giving me the cold shoulder for the rest of our lives?"
"I suppose that depends on how long you are planning on living." Alexis mumbled under her breath, glaring at the reflection of her husband in the mirror as she washed her hands. She still hadn't forgiven Blake for earlier; Alexis knew that if he put his mind to it Blake would be able to offer their son opportunities in Denver that would be too good to pass up. But Blake hadn't so much as protested when Adam informed them he would be moving back to Montana.
Reaching for her comb Alexis fussed with her hair, cursing as the long curls seemed to have knotted themselves during the day. Perhaps she should consider having it cut, after all short hair was once more becoming popular and she had the bone structure to carry it off.
Watching as Alexis seemed to lose herself for a moment Blake took advantage of the momentary ceasefire, sliding his hands around his wife's waist, enjoying the feel of her silk nightgown under his hands as he pressed himself against her back. "What has got you thinking so hard?"
"hmm...oh..." Alexis started, surprised by Blake's closeness. "Just thinking about having my hair cut...short."
"You will do no such thing." Blake spluttered, truly horrified by the suggestion. He loved his wife's thick dark curls, loved being able to tangle his fingers in them when he pulled her into a kiss, loved nuzzling his face into her hair after they made love.
"It's my hair Blake I will do whatever I want with it!" Alexis snapped slamming down her comb as she tried to wiggle free of her husband's arms.
"I know it is..." Blake began refusing to let Alexis go even when she glared at him. "It's just I love your hair the way it is and..."
"Oh so you would love me less if I had short hair? I didn't realise you were so fickle Blake."
Scowling himself Blake turned his wife around, pinning her against the basin. "I would love you with no hair Alexis but that is not what this is really about is it? This is about Adam and you being angry at me for not interfering."
"Oh how observant of you Blake." Alexis scoffed her emerald eyes flashing dangerously as she poked her husband hard on the chest. "You didn't so much as try to stop him."
"Alexis he is a grown man I cannot dictate where he lives."
"You didn't so much as try and persuade him." Alexis scoffed back. "Now Fallon..."
"Can you blame me for not wanting her and Jeff to move in with Cecil?" Blake spat back. "He bribed our daughter into marrying Jeff in the first place. A man who is capable of something like that..."
"I thought you liked Jeff?"
"I do like Jeff very much, he is exactly the sort of man I would want our daughter married to." Blake insisted. "But I would have preferred Fallon to marry him because she came to that realisation and not because Cecil pressured her into it. That is not the sort of person I want influencing our grandchild and I am shocked you would think..."
"I haven't so much as said what I think Blake you haven't give me the chance to!" Alexis snapped back, breaking free of Blake's embrace and stalking back into the bedroom.
"I don't want LB and Fallon and Jeff living there either! I would much rather they were safe back in the mansion, that we all were, that none of this mess had ever happened, but that is never going to happen!" Alexis added fighting back the damn tears that were always too close to the surface.
"Darling..."
"No don't you darling me Blake Carrington." Alexis huffed angrily, wiping at the tears that dared to leak out on to her cheeks as she turned to hide her weakness from her husband. "You are just so impossible, you always jump to the worst conclusions and never give anyone else a chance to say their peace. If you did then you would realise that Fallon isn't any happier about this than you are but oh no you had to wade in and expect everyone else to fall in line."
"Then why is she moving into Seven Oaks?" Blake questions, his handsome brow creased in a frown as he followed Alexis doggedly. "She didn't have to, I already had a suite ready for them here..."
"Because this is a hotel." Alexis snapped whirling around to glare at her obtuse husband, her anger abating slightly when Blake appeared genuinely confused.
"Blake her son was kidnapped and replaced with a dead child, she went through hell not knowing if LB was alive or dead, then when he is found she finds out not only was a man she cared for involved but also her own step-mother. If people she thought she could trust would do something like this to her, you cannot expect her to trust a hotel full of strangers."
"And Seven Oaks is the preferred alternative?" Blake spluttered.
"Cecil has security, his staff has worked for him for years, and as much as you dislike him he has raised Jeff as his own son, he loves him. LB will be as safe at Seven Oaks as we could make him at the mansion and that is far safer than having him here, no matter how much we might want him to be."
"But the danger is over; the people responsible have been dealt with..."
Snorting in derision Alexis shook her curls. "And what about the next set of kidnappers? There are always sick and twisted people out there who are prepared to take rich people's babies, our family will never be safe from that threat, we will always be a target."
"That doesn't mean we should cower away behind electrified fences, the moment we let fear conquer us we stop living and just start existing." Blake argued. "That was why we agreed not to tell Fallon and Steven about Adam when they were small because the last thing we wanted was for them to feel afraid all the time."
"...And so you didn't have to hear his name mentioned." Alexis muttered mutinously
"Alexis we have talked about that, I have apologised and admitted that was a mistake...I thought you were trying to forgive me..."
"I...I..." Alexis stuttered sinking down to sit on the edge of the bed as she raked her hands through her curls mussing them up once more. "I tried to...I thought I had..."
"But you're mad at me anyway so why not bring that up again as well; I mean what's one more thing to bash me over the head with?" Blake muttered bitterly. "I don't seem to be able to do anything right lately. I just wish I knew what I had done to deserve it? You wanted me to hear Adam out, well I heard him out, you asked me to keep an open mind and I..." Blake trailed off, surprised when his wife's head suddenly shot up and she looked at him in astonishment.
"What?"
"You called him Adam." Alexis all but whispered and Blake quickly realised his mistake. He had fallen into the habit of referring to the boy by that name in his head that it was only a matter of time before he slipped up.
"Yes...yes I did." Blake sighed, sinking down to sit next to Alexis on the bed, running his hands through his own silver mane.
"Blake?" Alexis asked tentatively reaching out to touch her husband's arm. It was almost too much to hope for, that her husband had come around all on his own to her way of thinking. "Do you believe?"
"Alexis I am so confused right now I don't know what to believe." Blake replied honestly, massaging his forehead. "I was so certain he was an imposter and now having spent some time with him..." Blake trailed off.
"He is very like you isn't he." Alexis added softly, shifting back so she could rest against the pillows, patting the space beside her she encouraged her husband to join her.
Grateful for the ceasefire and possible thawing of hostile relations Blake took the offer gladly. Moving to lie against his own pillow he opened his arms to his wife, his heart jumping slightly when Alexis moved into his embrace as naturally as breathing and settled her head against his chest.
"He is a very impressive young man." Blake admitted and Alexis smiled up at him.
"Handsome, smart, hard working and independent." Alexis echoed, her fingers tiptoeing up the buttons of Blake's pyjama top with each word before she rested her hand against the bare skin of Blake's collarbone. "Just like his father."
Snorting at the compliments Blake tightened his grip on Alexis's waist, leaning down he pressed a kiss to his wife's forehead. There was so much more he wanted to say, to speak and share his thoughts with his wife and have her help in making some sense of it and yet fear made him hold his tongue. What if Alexis didn't understand? What if she took his doubts badly and pulled away from him once again?
Yet it seemed he didn't need to vocalise those thoughts.
"It's alright Blake I understand. You're just not ready yet." Alexis replied softly, patting her husband's chest. "But you don't know how much it means to me that you are willing to consider the possibility."
Sighing in relief Blake even managed a smile as Alexis snuggled down into his arms, his hand moving of its own volition up along her back to tangle in her dark curls, stroking it gently between his fingers.
Smiling against Blake's chest Alexis made her own plans. Blake was on the point of giving in she just knew it, so perhaps it was time to introduce Adam to the rest of the family? She would call Fallon and Steven in the morning and invite them to join her for lunch so they could finally meet their big brother. Then all she had to do was find what would convince Adam that his life was here in Denver…a difficult task but not impossible, not for Alexis Carrington.
-/-