The elevator was moving the remaining distance to the penthouse. Alexis realized they needed to separate. She tried to break contact but Sonny resisted. He did not want to lose her warmth.
"Sonny?" She pulled her head away from his. She tried to take her hands back, but he would not let go. "Sonny, the elevator is moving. You need to be 'Sonny Corinthos' now."
When the elevator doors opened he must be together and in charge. Not only could Alexis not let Sonny appear weak, but she could not let it be known how much she cared for him. It brought additional danger to them both and Sonny must be protected. Sonny looked her in the eye, sighed and broke contact.
Johnny met them as the doors opened. "Sorry it took so long."
"Don't worry about it, Johnny." Alexis touched his shoulder as she and Sonny headed toward penthouse two.
As soon as the penthouse door closed, Alexis reached for Sonny and guided him to her balcony. He would need open space as soon as possible. She felt the heat when they touched. When had that started? Lately every time they made physical contact she felt it. A new kind of connection between them seemed to have been formed. He seemed affected too. His hands lingered when they accidently brushed her skin. Sometimes she thought he was trying to find ways to casually touch her. Mostly she thought her infatuation with him was getting out of hand. She was used to coping with her feelings around him, but everything had become intensified in the last week.
Sonny stepped out on Alexis' balcony and breathed deeply. The sun was setting on the city of Port Charles. It was beautiful, but not as beautiful as the picture Alexis had painted in his mind. He wondered if the view from Greece was that much better or was it her touch that made it so special. He wished he could touch her now. He wished he could hold her, kiss her, but she wouldn't allow it, not yet.
"Are you okay?" She touched his shoulder.
Sonny smiled. "I'm okay, Alexis. Thank you." He noticed music. It was an intricate acoustic guitar instrumental, with slow saxophone accompaniment. "What's with the music? Every time I come over here these days, there's music."
"It's Kristina's idea. She has decided I need music in my life. She says it will heal my soul." Sonny gave her a quizzical look. "She agreed to not talk to me about my feelings if I allow her to surround me with music. So now there's music in the apartment 24/7. She picks it all from my CD collection, so it's all music that I like, and I get the added bonus of no nagging."
"This is from your collection? It's nice. What's it called?"
"This?" She tilted her head and listened. "This is #34."
"#34? Is that the name or the track number?"
She smiled. "Well both actually."
"It's nice." He looked around the balcony then back at her. "This is nice." He held her hand and gazed at the setting sun. Alexis nodded in silent agreement. She seemed content to hold his hand. They both relaxed, listened to the music and watched the sunset.
"Sonny?"
"Yes Alexis."
"What do you know about Christian?"
Sonny sighed and turned to face her. He hadn't meant to reveal any of what he learned the night Alexis slept on his couch, but he wouldn't lie to her. "I know you loved him very much. And I know Helena killed him."
"How?"
"Alexis, you talk in your sleep. That night after I found you on the balcony, when you slept on my couch, you dreamed of him."
Alexis looked away and became lost in her dreams of a week ago. She had dreamed of Christian, her first love, the man she had planned to marry. She had embraced him, felt the electricity that was always there between them. She had dreamed of Sonny that night too, and felt a similar passion. If Sonny had heard her speak to Christian, what else had he heard?
"Alexis, you said he was your husband." Sonny didn't want to push, but he desperately wanted to know about the man Alexis loved so much.
She looked up. "Yes . . . No . . . He died the day before we were to be wed. In my heart we were husband and wife, but we were never married."
"Do you want to talk about him Alexis?"
She looked out at the sun setting on the city below. She never talked of Christian, not with Ned or Jax, not with Chloe, certainly not with Kristina, not even with Stefan.
"Have you ever fallen in love - hard, fast and for forever?"
Sonny took in a quick breath. He displayed an almost imperceptible nod.
"Of course you have, with Brenda!"
He didn't argue, but it wasn't Brenda. His feelings for Brenda were never like this. He had fallen in love with Alexis Davis. He had never experienced this combination of shared laughter and pain, of comfort and trust. He had never had a better or truer friend. And when she had touched him in an unguarded moment, his physical reaction to her was a shock and delight. His body needed hers. There was a primal connection there that couldn't be denied. He didn't want to deny it. Alexis was the whole package, mind, body, soul.
Alexis wrapped her arms around herself as she stared at the setting sun. ""Well I wasn't expecting it, Sonny. To be honest I never thought I could find love, not after my childhood. I was just looking for freedom from Cassadine cruelty."
It broke Sonny's heart to think of Alexis' childhood so devoid of love.
"I just looked up and he was there. He smiled at me. He had the most beautiful smile. It just filled your soul with warmth." Her hand absently traveled to her face. The two diamond rings she always wore caressed her cheek. "Right away I could tell he was a kind man. He had kind eyes." She smiled at the memory of it. That shy smiled Sonny always saw when she was pleased with something but felt she didn't quite deserve it. "My reaction to him came as a total surprise. You know me. I like things rational and this was certainly not rational. And what was more astonishing was the look on his face when he saw me. He loved me right away, Sonny! I don't know why. I certainly didn't deserve it, but he loved me, without question, without reserve. His brother said we were love struck."
"Love at first site?" Sonny couldn't even imagine an Alexis free enough to experience love at first site. She was so tightly wound. She would fight it fiercely.
"Yeah, but I didn't believe it. How could I believe in something so wonderful? Christian had no doubts, though. He thought it was fate. From the first time we saw each other he knew we belonged together. He was a great believer in fate and he was eternally optimistic. He lived in the shadow of a volcano, and he thought it was a gift. He said it helped him make the most of his life." She tilted her head and caught his eye. "He was a talented chef Sonny. He was going to open a restaurant in Boston. We were going to raise our family there." Her head dropped, weighed down with a sadness born of lost possibilities. Tears filled her eyes.
Sonny put his arm around her shoulder. She never talked of having a family now. She couldn't even contemplate marriage. It was just another thing Helena Cassadine had stolen from her. His hatred for the woman grew.
"You saw it didn't you? You saw him die. That's what you saw on the balcony that night. Your mother's death, my shooting and Christian."
"Helena discovered I was happy. She discovered I was happy and it piqued her curiosity. She had a little mystery to solve, something to relieve her boredom." Alexis' voice was filled with sarcasm. "She learned I was to be married and she decided to test Christian's love for me." Her hands were now balled into white knuckled fists. "Oh Sonny they beat him! His beautiful face was . . . " She let out a soft sob. Her tears were flowing freely now. "Helena wanted him to leave me. First she tried bribing him and then she had her men beat him. When he still refused, she killed him. She had him stabbed. She timed it so I would find him, still alive but too late to save him." She looked up at Sonny. "I tried so hard. I wasn't a child anymore. I knew what to do. I gave first aid. I tried to stop the bleeding. I called for help. I did everything right. He still died."
Sonny pulled her into an embrace and whispered soft words of comfort. She sobbed into his shoulder.
"I'm the reason he's dead Sonny."
"It's not your fault Alexis. You did nothing wrong."
"But if he never knew me, or if I had left him before Helena found out about us . . . "
He took her face in his hands. "Don't think like that. It does no good. And you don't even know if it's true. I left Brenda to protect her. She still died and all I did was lose precious time with her. The future holds no certainties . . . "
"...except one day we will die, so you have to make the most of every day. That's what Christian always told me." She smiled through sniffles.
"Christian was a wise man." He showed his dimples and pulled her close. He gently stroked her back and she drew comfort from him. They watched the sun dip below the horizon.
"Sonny?" She pulled her head away from his. She tried to take her hands back, but he would not let go. "Sonny, the elevator is moving. You need to be 'Sonny Corinthos' now."
When the elevator doors opened he must be together and in charge. Not only could Alexis not let Sonny appear weak, but she could not let it be known how much she cared for him. It brought additional danger to them both and Sonny must be protected. Sonny looked her in the eye, sighed and broke contact.
Johnny met them as the doors opened. "Sorry it took so long."
"Don't worry about it, Johnny." Alexis touched his shoulder as she and Sonny headed toward penthouse two.
As soon as the penthouse door closed, Alexis reached for Sonny and guided him to her balcony. He would need open space as soon as possible. She felt the heat when they touched. When had that started? Lately every time they made physical contact she felt it. A new kind of connection between them seemed to have been formed. He seemed affected too. His hands lingered when they accidently brushed her skin. Sometimes she thought he was trying to find ways to casually touch her. Mostly she thought her infatuation with him was getting out of hand. She was used to coping with her feelings around him, but everything had become intensified in the last week.
Sonny stepped out on Alexis' balcony and breathed deeply. The sun was setting on the city of Port Charles. It was beautiful, but not as beautiful as the picture Alexis had painted in his mind. He wondered if the view from Greece was that much better or was it her touch that made it so special. He wished he could touch her now. He wished he could hold her, kiss her, but she wouldn't allow it, not yet.
"Are you okay?" She touched his shoulder.
Sonny smiled. "I'm okay, Alexis. Thank you." He noticed music. It was an intricate acoustic guitar instrumental, with slow saxophone accompaniment. "What's with the music? Every time I come over here these days, there's music."
"It's Kristina's idea. She has decided I need music in my life. She says it will heal my soul." Sonny gave her a quizzical look. "She agreed to not talk to me about my feelings if I allow her to surround me with music. So now there's music in the apartment 24/7. She picks it all from my CD collection, so it's all music that I like, and I get the added bonus of no nagging."
"This is from your collection? It's nice. What's it called?"
"This?" She tilted her head and listened. "This is #34."
"#34? Is that the name or the track number?"
She smiled. "Well both actually."
"It's nice." He looked around the balcony then back at her. "This is nice." He held her hand and gazed at the setting sun. Alexis nodded in silent agreement. She seemed content to hold his hand. They both relaxed, listened to the music and watched the sunset.
"Sonny?"
"Yes Alexis."
"What do you know about Christian?"
Sonny sighed and turned to face her. He hadn't meant to reveal any of what he learned the night Alexis slept on his couch, but he wouldn't lie to her. "I know you loved him very much. And I know Helena killed him."
"How?"
"Alexis, you talk in your sleep. That night after I found you on the balcony, when you slept on my couch, you dreamed of him."
Alexis looked away and became lost in her dreams of a week ago. She had dreamed of Christian, her first love, the man she had planned to marry. She had embraced him, felt the electricity that was always there between them. She had dreamed of Sonny that night too, and felt a similar passion. If Sonny had heard her speak to Christian, what else had he heard?
"Alexis, you said he was your husband." Sonny didn't want to push, but he desperately wanted to know about the man Alexis loved so much.
She looked up. "Yes . . . No . . . He died the day before we were to be wed. In my heart we were husband and wife, but we were never married."
"Do you want to talk about him Alexis?"
She looked out at the sun setting on the city below. She never talked of Christian, not with Ned or Jax, not with Chloe, certainly not with Kristina, not even with Stefan.
"Have you ever fallen in love - hard, fast and for forever?"
Sonny took in a quick breath. He displayed an almost imperceptible nod.
"Of course you have, with Brenda!"
He didn't argue, but it wasn't Brenda. His feelings for Brenda were never like this. He had fallen in love with Alexis Davis. He had never experienced this combination of shared laughter and pain, of comfort and trust. He had never had a better or truer friend. And when she had touched him in an unguarded moment, his physical reaction to her was a shock and delight. His body needed hers. There was a primal connection there that couldn't be denied. He didn't want to deny it. Alexis was the whole package, mind, body, soul.
Alexis wrapped her arms around herself as she stared at the setting sun. ""Well I wasn't expecting it, Sonny. To be honest I never thought I could find love, not after my childhood. I was just looking for freedom from Cassadine cruelty."
It broke Sonny's heart to think of Alexis' childhood so devoid of love.
"I just looked up and he was there. He smiled at me. He had the most beautiful smile. It just filled your soul with warmth." Her hand absently traveled to her face. The two diamond rings she always wore caressed her cheek. "Right away I could tell he was a kind man. He had kind eyes." She smiled at the memory of it. That shy smiled Sonny always saw when she was pleased with something but felt she didn't quite deserve it. "My reaction to him came as a total surprise. You know me. I like things rational and this was certainly not rational. And what was more astonishing was the look on his face when he saw me. He loved me right away, Sonny! I don't know why. I certainly didn't deserve it, but he loved me, without question, without reserve. His brother said we were love struck."
"Love at first site?" Sonny couldn't even imagine an Alexis free enough to experience love at first site. She was so tightly wound. She would fight it fiercely.
"Yeah, but I didn't believe it. How could I believe in something so wonderful? Christian had no doubts, though. He thought it was fate. From the first time we saw each other he knew we belonged together. He was a great believer in fate and he was eternally optimistic. He lived in the shadow of a volcano, and he thought it was a gift. He said it helped him make the most of his life." She tilted her head and caught his eye. "He was a talented chef Sonny. He was going to open a restaurant in Boston. We were going to raise our family there." Her head dropped, weighed down with a sadness born of lost possibilities. Tears filled her eyes.
Sonny put his arm around her shoulder. She never talked of having a family now. She couldn't even contemplate marriage. It was just another thing Helena Cassadine had stolen from her. His hatred for the woman grew.
"You saw it didn't you? You saw him die. That's what you saw on the balcony that night. Your mother's death, my shooting and Christian."
"Helena discovered I was happy. She discovered I was happy and it piqued her curiosity. She had a little mystery to solve, something to relieve her boredom." Alexis' voice was filled with sarcasm. "She learned I was to be married and she decided to test Christian's love for me." Her hands were now balled into white knuckled fists. "Oh Sonny they beat him! His beautiful face was . . . " She let out a soft sob. Her tears were flowing freely now. "Helena wanted him to leave me. First she tried bribing him and then she had her men beat him. When he still refused, she killed him. She had him stabbed. She timed it so I would find him, still alive but too late to save him." She looked up at Sonny. "I tried so hard. I wasn't a child anymore. I knew what to do. I gave first aid. I tried to stop the bleeding. I called for help. I did everything right. He still died."
Sonny pulled her into an embrace and whispered soft words of comfort. She sobbed into his shoulder.
"I'm the reason he's dead Sonny."
"It's not your fault Alexis. You did nothing wrong."
"But if he never knew me, or if I had left him before Helena found out about us . . . "
He took her face in his hands. "Don't think like that. It does no good. And you don't even know if it's true. I left Brenda to protect her. She still died and all I did was lose precious time with her. The future holds no certainties . . . "
"...except one day we will die, so you have to make the most of every day. That's what Christian always told me." She smiled through sniffles.
"Christian was a wise man." He showed his dimples and pulled her close. He gently stroked her back and she drew comfort from him. They watched the sun dip below the horizon.