Kristina wore a path in the carpet of Alexis' living room. She was tense. It had been nearly twelve hours since Sonny Corinthos took Alexis away, twelve hours of waiting and not knowing what was going on. She was worried about her sister. Alexis could have frozen to death last night. And somehow she was to blame. She tried to get Alexis to open up a bit and talk about her feelings. Instead she had triggered a terrible memory. Alexis became lost in some secret terror that gripped her so tight, she lost all touch with reality. She had become almost catatonic out on the balcony. She stared into the blackness of the night, insensitive to the cold that threatened her life. Kristina didn't know how to help her, and she couldn't get her to move out of the cold, so she sought the help of someone Alexis trusted. She went to Sonny Corinthos.

Sonny had helped. He coaxed Alexis off the balcony, but then he had spirited her away to his penthouse. He wasn't allowing Kristina access to her sister. He said Alexis was sleeping and needed to rest. Kristina didn't doubt that, but why couldn't she just see for herself that Alexis was okay. She had tried to check on Alexis early in the evening, but Johnny stopped her at her door. He was very polite, but very firm. Alexis would not be having any visitors.

Maybe if she had been able to see her sister, she could have gotten some sleep. Instead she had spent the night lost in worry. She wasn't worried about Alexis' physical safety. She knew Johnny and Sonny would keep her safe. It was obvious that Johnny had great affection for her sister. It showed in his demeanor when he met her in the hallway, or when he was assigned to guard her. It was the same with Max and Adam. They were all devoted to her. They were professional bodyguards. Kristina knew that. But there was always an extra measure of diligence when they guarded Alexis, which she never saw when they were assigned to Carly. They were paid to kill to protect Carly. They would die to protect Alexis.

And Sonny, he was a revelation last night. He was fiercely protective and possessive of Alexis. He wouldn't let Kristina near her. One look had stopped Kristina in her tracks when she moved to comfort her sister, as Sonny lead her off the balcony. Sonny had shown her the face that controlled the underworld of the city of Port Charles. It was the face of the man that Ned and Jax had warned her about, a powerful man in a violent world. Then he had turned to Alexis and a different man appeared, a gentle man who truly cared for her sister. The sound of his voice when he talked to her, the way he touched her, Alexis wasn't just his attorney. She wasn't just his friend either. Kristina wondered if Sonny knew he was in love with her sister.

.

Alexis found Sonny and Benny in the middle of an intense discussion, as she exited penthouse four. She worked hard not to eavesdrop. It was important that she not hear the discussions that Sonny had with Benny.

"Gentleman the room is yours." She made her presence known.

Sonny turned and saw her. "Alexis!" His features softened at the sight of her. His business face fell away instantly. His hand started to reach for her but he stopped himself. He didn't know if she would be comfortable with his touch in the cold light of day. "How are you doing?"

Alexis looked over at Benny and kept her tone businesslike. "I'm fine Sonny. Thank you for asking." There was an awkward silence, neither of them wanted to reveal too much in the presence of a third party. "I've got to see Kristina." She pointed to penthouse two. "I'll see you later okay?"

"Yeah, okay, see you later." Sonny's eyes followed her as she crossed the hall.

Alexis opened the door to penthouse two. She peered inside. It seemed safe. Maybe she could slip inside and avoid Kristina. It would be nice if she could shower and change, before she dealt with her sister. She started toward the stairs.

"Alexis!" Kristina ran from the living room. She nearly knocked Alexis over as she embraced her sister.

"Oof. Kristina! Kristina, let go. I can't breathe!" Kristina released her and began to babble.

"Alexis, I was so worried. Are you all right? You didn't get sick from the cold did you?"

"Kristina . . . "

"You look okay."

"Kristina . . . "

"Are you? Okay I mean."

"Kristina!"

"What!"

Alexis looked at her sister. "You look terrible. Didn't you sleep last night?"

"No, I didn't get any sleep last night. I was worried about you. How are you? Did you get any sleep last night?"

"I'm fine. I slept fine. Actually I slept great."

"Well that's good. Alexis, I'm so sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm not even sure what happened, but I know something terrible happened to you and I couldn't help so I went to Sonny, because I know you trust him. I didn't know if I could trust him, but you do, so I took a chance and it worked because he helped you. He did help you right?"

"Yes, Sonny was . . . "

"Oh Alexis, I saw a different side of Sonny last night. It's the side he shows you isn't it, that gentle side. I can see why you love him. He cares for you so much, Alexis. I saw it. I think he's in love . . . "

"Kristina!" Alexis grabbed her sister and dragged her to the couch. "Sit!"

Kristina obeyed. Alexis sat next to her.

"We need to talk." Kristina took a deep breath and opened her mouth. Alexis held up her hand in a stopping motion. "No, I need to talk. You need to listen." Kristina closed her mouth.

"First, about last night, I had a flashback." This wasn't going to be easy. Alexis stood up. She needed to move. "I have had experiences in my life that I would rather not remember. To remember them causes pain. To share them causes pain, not just for me Kristina. They are the kind of experiences you shouldn't have to even imagine. They are images you shouldn't have in your head. I don't want to share that kind of pain with you."

"Like when our mother was murdered?"

"Yes, like when our mother was murdered." Alexis took a deep breath and tried to find the correct words to make her sister truly understand. "Kristina there are some things you just can't fix. No amount of self-examination is going to ease the pain. Talking about it isn't going to make me feel better. All you can do is limit the damage and try not to let the scars show too much. Do you understand?"

"I guess. Does that mean we can't discuss your past at all?"

"No we can discuss my past, but understand that I just can't talk about certain things. Please respect my wishes when I ask you to stop."

"Okay."

"Now as to Sonny . . . "

"Oh Alexis, he loves . . . "

"Kristina! Kristina please listen to me." Alexis sat down and grasped her sister's hands. "This is vitally important, more important than you dredging up my bad memories. This is life and death."

"Life and death? But how . . . "

"Kristina, Jax and Ned have told you about how dangerous Sonny is, right?"

"Yes but . . . "

"Well they're partially right. Sonny's business dealings bring him in contact with ruthless and dangerous people. My business brings me in contact with ruthless and dangerous people. When you practice criminal law, it just goes with the territory. In addition I have Helena's constant threats to deal with. So we both have accepted a certain level of danger in our lives. Do you understand?"

"Okay."

"Now having accepted that level of danger, you don't go out of your way to increase your risks. In fact you take steps to minimize your risks."

"Like having Johnny at the door?"

"Yes, Johnny not only protects us from Sonny's enemies, but from mine too."

"Helena?"

"Yes, and others. As I said, I have business with dangerous people too."

"Yeah but where's the problem in talking about how you and Sonny feel . . . "

"Kristina look at me. I can't control what you feel or what you think you know about Sonny and me, but you can't go around sharing your thoughts with others. It's dangerous. Sonny has enemies who would use that kind of knowledge against him. I have enemies that would use that knowledge against me."

"People would hurt you to get to him?"

"Yes!"

"Helena would harm Sonny to hurt you?"

"And it wouldn't matter, that what you think isn't true. If people just thought it was true, the result would be the same."

"I understand. I don't want you to get hurt, Alexis."

"I don't want anyone to be hurt. Can you do these two things for me Kristina? Can you keep your theories about Sonny and me to yourself? Can you back off when I tell you I can't talk about certain things?"

Kristina was quiet for a moment, then she stood up. "I can and I will, on one condition."

"What condition?"

"On the condition that you let me do something for you."

"Kristina what do you want to do for me?" Alexis looked at her sister with apprehension.

Kristina just smiled. "You'll see."

.

Gentle waves lapped against the hull of the Cassadine yacht.

"I'm bored Andreas." Helena Cassadine walked the deck, on the arm of her attendant. "The game with Nikolas is proceeding quite nicely. He will soon find his true nature and accept his place as Cassadine Prince, heir to the thrown of the Russian Empire."

Andreas said nothing. Madame was in one of her moods. It was best not to contradict her. Her recovery from gall bladder surgery was going slower than she would have liked, and her required daily walks were not improving her mood. It was a beautiful spring day. They were floating on calm seas, in international waters. She was out of jail and on the road to recovery from her illness, yet Andreas knew madame couldn't leave well enough alone. She was about to start some new trouble.

"I think I need to get to know the newest little Cassadine. I haven't been able to spend any quality time with Mikkos' second bastard child. Oh we did have that little chat while I was in jail, but that scarcely counts. I'm not at my best in prison. I couldn't show her the full extent of Cassadine hospitality." She smiled. "Yes Andreas, I must have a talk with Alexis' new found sister."

Andreas just nodded. She was weak right now but she was still very powerful. She frightened him. He was not about to tell her that kidnaping was not a wise idea, when you are already a wanted fugitive. She didn't appreciate opinions that did not match her own. And she punished those that voiced them too strongly, especially on this subject. Soon she would be talking of bloodlines and her sacred duty to restore hers and Mikkos'.

"I will never understand how my Mikkos could betray our sacred mission by producing offspring with that whore. Cassadine blood should have never mingled with that common woman."

Andreas repressed a sigh. This was a sore subject with her. She was fanatical about protecting the family bloodline. Madame was the granddaughter of Olga Romanov. She was a third generation, direct genetic descendant of Nicholas and Alexandra, the last Tsar and Tsarina of the Russian Empire. She was their great-granddaughter. Her ties to the Russian throne were more direct than her husband's. Mikkos heritage traced back only to the Tsar's first cousin. Helena and Mikkos were fourth cousins. The Cassadines were a bit inbred. Andreas thought it explained some of madame's odd behavior. Her grandfather explained most of the rest.

Madame's grandfather wasn't royalty at all. She wasn't recognized as a legitimate heir to the Romanovs, in part because she was female, but mostly because her mother was misbegotten. Olga Romanov had born an illegitimate child of her own. The child, Helena's mother, was the daughter of a commoner, although a most uncommon man. He was powerful. He was charismatic. And he was crazy. Andreas thought madame had inherited all these traits.

"It was bad enough when he had one child with that whore, but how he could have made the same mistake again is beyond me."

Oh boy, she was railing against Kristin Bergman again. Madame killed her more than 25 years ago, yet she still couldn't let go. Though her marriage to Mikkos had started out as more of an alliance than a love affair, she must have grown to love him, to carry such hatred for so long.

Madame's husband had a long running affair with the beautiful opera singer. She had born him two children, both daughters. The oldest, Alexis Davis, was forced to live with madame after her mother was murdered. The second Kristina Cassadine, had been hidden from Madame. She had just recently discovered her existence.

"I will take care of Mikkos' little mistake, just as I took care of that whore. Mikkos made me promise not to kill Alexis, and for the most part I have stayed true to my word, but I made no promises about the second little bastard. I am free to take care of that particular problem as I see fit! But first I'll want to get to know my newly discovered stepdaughter. Yes there will be plenty of time to do everything just right. I can have some sport with Alexis as well, and still keep my word to Mikkos."

"Bring me a phone, Andreas. I must set things into motion." She smiled her grandfather's maniacal smile. "Andreas, I'm feeling better already. Soon you will be able to return to my bed, and every will be as it should."

Andreas gulped and nodded. It was best not to contradict madame.