Chapter 59- New Beginnings

The dreaded Saturday had arrived. Julian hadn't questioned Alexis again and he had stopped trying to persuade the kids to stay. He'd been quiet though, just like Alexis.

"It's not fair!" Leo kicked the coffee table as Julian, Sam, Lucas, and Danny carried out some boxes to the moving truck. Annabelle the second barked at him. "We're a family!"

Alexis knelt a little and squeezed his shoulders. "We'll always be a family no matter what. Whether we're together or not."

"Danny won't be on the top bunk anymore. And I won't have anyone to play with."

"Oh buddy, you're still going to see them lots," Alexis said.

"Yeah," Lucas said, walking back inside. "Maybe we can have weekly dinners or something."

Alexis nodded and smiled awkwardly.

Danny darted down the stairs with a box displaying Danny—Clothes on the side, and Scout trailed behind him carrying Dotty the dalmatian and a transparent pouch containing her sponges. She was pouting with her lower lip sticking out and walked over to Alexis.

"Danny said you're not coming," Scout said.

Alexis frowned and tucked some of Scout's hair behind her ears, then kept running her fingers through it. "No, Cookie. You're going to start a new adventure now with Mommy, Uncle Lucas, Danny, and Wiley."

"But I want you to come too."

"But this is your adventure and sometimes not everyone can go on the same adventure. But you know what?"

"What?" Scout asked.

She tapped her nose. "Grandma will always love you and she will always make sure that you're safe."

Scout set Dotty on the coffee table and unzipped her pouch. She pulled out the purple seahorse sponge and handed it to her. "This is for you, Grandma." Then she handed the green frog sponge to Leo.

"Awe, Cookie," Alexis said. "These are your special sponges. Don't you want to take them with you?"

"But it will make you remember me," Scout said.

"Oh Scout." Alexis wrapped her arms around her and kissed her forehead. "There is nothing that would make me stop remembering you. You and Grandma… we have a special bond, and nothing will break that bond. But Grandma will cherish this sponge."

"Well, I think that's the last of it," Lucas said, holding Wiley in his arms and standing in the doorway with Julian, Sam, and Danny.

Danny walked over to Alexis and hugged her. "Thank you, Grandma. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, sweet boy," Alexis said. "I love you."

He sauntered over to Julian and hugged him too.

Scout walked up to Julian and handed him the red crab sponge. "For you Grandpa. But I wanna keep my pink dolphin. It's my favourite special sponge."

Julian hugged her. "A special sponge from a special princess."

"I truly appreciate everything you've done and still do for me and Wiley." Lucas kissed Alexis' cheek. "You're a second mom to me."

Alexis smiled sadly and placed a hand on Wiley's cheek.

"Hi Gamma," Wiley said smiling.

Danny and Leo did a homey handshake, then hugged each other. "Let's have a sleepover sometime," Danny said. Then he picked up Annabelle the second in his arms.

Julian started crying when Lucas hugged him. They held onto each other for almost a minute. "I love you, son."

"I love you too, Dad."

"I'll help you with your last box to the car," Julian said.

They walked outside and Danny took Scout's hand following behind.

"Can I watch from the porch?" Leo asked.

Alexis nodded and he ran after the others.

Sam smiled slightly. "I guess this is it. Thank you for everything. All your help with the kids and such."

Alexis' eyes welled with tears and she bolted over to Sam and threw her arms around her. Both of them sobbed in each other's arms without uttering a word for a few minutes. Then Alexis finally said, "I don't want you to leave. I want you with me… always. I don't want things to change… but they have to."

"I know. I don't want to leave either, but it has to happen…"

"Carry me in your heart and always feel my arms around you when I'm not with you." She kissed the top of her head several times, then her cheeks, and finally her forehead. "I love you. I never knew that anyone could ever matter so much to me until you were born. You and your sisters are my true loves."

They squeezed each other tightly, then Sam let go, but still clutching hand. "I love you, Mom."

Alexis gave Sam's hand a soft squeeze. "I love you too, sweetie."

Their hands parted and Sam kept looking back as she left. Alexis dropped on the couch and buried her face in her hands, tears spilling from her eyes.

GHGHGH

Monday came quickly, like it always does, which meant Leo would be back with Olivia and their nest would really be empty. But it would also give Alexis the chance to talk to Julian that night… if it was the right thing to do, she wasn't sure. She did know carrying this around with her was eating her up inside and he'd probably know a way to fix this. Besides, she made him promise to always come to her with the big things and she knew she had to return the favour.

She was on her way out of Kelly's and ran smack into Carly spilling her coffee over her shirt.

Carly's mouth grew wide, her lips grey and she looked thin. "Watch where you're going!"

Alexis sighed and handed her a few napkins. "It was an accident, Carly."

"Yes, everything is just an accident with you. Well, by this time tomorrow, Wiley will be mine and Sonny's."

Alexis scrunched her face. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes, I just got the call. Didn't you? They bumped the hearing up to tomorrow."

Alexis pulled her phone out. Missed calls from the Port Charles Courthouse, Lucas, and Diane. She groaned.

"What? Caught you by surprise?" Carly sneered. "I think it's perfect. Diane has built a good case. But then again, she doesn't need to try. She's a way better lawyer than you are." She nudged her shoulder then headed into Kelly's.

GHGHGH

Alexis sat at her desk, staring at her laptop. She'd been going over Lucas' case all day. She couldn't let her sweet grandson be taken from his daddy, especially not by the town jezebel.

Julian finally arrived home and sat on the couch, patting the spot beside her. "Come sit, Lex. We need to talk."

Alexis sighed. "I know, but the case is tomorrow…"

"You'll still have time to work on it, but you need to stop putting off talking to me. Now what is going on?"

Alexis turned her head side to side, as if expecting someone to be standing in the corner listening, then headed over to the couch.

"You said you get why I did what I did…" Julian looked at her intently. "Now why did you think it was best for our kids to leave?"

Alexis cleared her throat, then spoke barely above a whisper. "I am being watched."

"By who?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. But I've been receiving warnings. Nikolas said it's because I know too much."

He scrunched his face. "Nikolas? Know too much about what?"

"Nikolas is alive and is caught up in something. He wouldn't tell me much. But that codicil that was hiding in Helena's portrait wasn't a codicil at all… it was plans to take over Port Charles. I have it in my desk at work. But it mentioned Patients 1-6 and said Ric, Brenda, Courtney, and Lucky failed."

"Who's Courtney and Brenda?"

"Courtney was Sonny's sister and Spencer's mother, but she died. Brenda was an old flame of Sonny and Jax."

He scratched his chin. "So, three of them are connected to Sonny. Why is Lucky mixed in?"

She shrugged. "Helena and most of the Cassadines hated the Spencers. But I don't know why he'd be listed with the others."

"Maybe it'd be best if Leo stays with Olivia until we sort this out."

"I'm just afraid what they'll do to you if they find out you know. But I had to tell you."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm glad you did. You shouldn't be carrying this on your own. I'll look into it but try not to worry."

Try not to worry. Easier said than done.