Chapter 22

Entering the hospital running, Zander and Alexis met Mac Scorpio and Alan Quartermaine coming toward them at a fast pace. Stopping beside Zander, Mac placed his hand on the boys shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

"Thanks for getting her here so fast. Hey, Alexis."

Alexis was panicking… but as usual, her attention to details was kicking in.

"Mac, you need to call his wife."

His answer floored her.

"Alexis, he doesn't have a wife. He sent me these a week and a half ago and told me to make sure you got them if anything happened to him. It is his divorce decree from Carly and his will... naming you his sole beneficiary."

Accepting the documents Mac was handing her she shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs that were preventing Mac's words from sinking in. She looked toward Zander hoping for some kind of confirmation.

Alan remained quiet for as long as he dared and then gently interrupted the conversation.

"Alexis, Mac tells me that you are the only one that Sonny will listen to. He has slipped into a coma and I'm not having any luck with getting a response of any kind out of him. The problem is not his injuries. His body will heal. It will take some time, but it will heal. At the moment he is partially paralyzed, but I honestly believe that it is only temporary. The problem we are facing is that he doesn't seem to have any will to live. If we can't get through to him somehow then he will simply slip away from us. I need you to go talk to him. Say whatever you have to, but he has to want to live or we lose him."

Her mind was racing so fast across everything she learned over the past hour that Alexis was finding it difficult to remain calm. Looking at Alan, then Mac and at last toward Zander, Alexis finally accepted the responsibility they were laying at her feet. It was up to her to bring Sonny back. Returning her eyes to Alan, she nodded once slipping her hand into Zander's.

"Would you take me to him, Alan? Zander, please, come with me. I need you with me."

Alexis stopped just outside of Sonny's hospital room and looked intently into Zander's eyes.

"Help me stay strong, Zander. He doesn't need me falling apart on him."

Tenderly squeezing Alexis' hand within his own, Zander knew for the first time in his life what it felt like to be part of a real family.

"I'm right here, Alexis. I won't leave you unless you ask me to. Whatever you need, I'm here." Leaning down he gently placed a kiss on her cheek and opened the door for her.

Stepping inside the door Alexis gasped and felt herself begin to lose control. Clutching at Zander she steadied herself and moved forward. Gazing at the man who lay in the bed she barely recognized him.

His beautiful face had been beaten so badly it was almost impossible to find an area that was not bloodied or bruised. There was a long jagged scar down the left side of his cheek and his right arm and left leg were in casts. Hearing the door open again behind her, she briefly looked over her shoulder to find Mac entering the room. She questioned him as her eyes returned to Sonny.

"Tell me what happened Mac. I need to know. Does he need a lawyer?"

"Not this time, Alexis. I don't think he will be requiring your particular type of defense ever again."

"What do you mean, Mac? Please tell me what is going on."

Mac stepped closer to her and took both of her hands in his. Leading her away from the bed he sat down on the couch that rested against the wall and pulled her down with him.

"Alexis, Sonny is clean. There is not a complaint file anywhere in the city or the country on him. He's as clean as a newborn baby. I've seen to that."

Alexis was having a hard time following Mac. She let her eyes wander toward Sonny and winced at the sight of him.

"Go on, Mac. Tell me the rest."

"The waterfront is clean. There is no longer an mob-controlled organization in Port Charles. He cleaned it out. And as you can see, he paid a pretty big price for it. That's why he's here. He put his life on the line to clean up Port Charles. He turned state's evidence against the five families. He handed over to the FBI all of his contacts and then he went after them himself. He hasn't had that much sleep in the past two weeks. He was on go non-stop. He hooked up with me by phone every chance he got. And he called to check on you everyday. The man has been through hell. And he did it alone. He refused to let me help. Said he wouldn't put anyone else's life in danger. Too many people had paid the price for his arrogance and pride. It was now his turn to do what had to be done, whatever the cost."

Alexis bowed her head and let the tears fall. He did it for her, for what he had cost her. She knew it. Glancing up at Zander she saw his tears quietly falling as he sat beside Sonny holding his friends hand.

Turning back to Mac, she leaned forward, laid her hand on one cheek and kissed him on the other. Straightening she smiled tenderly at Mac.

"Thank you, Mac. I owe you big time. I guess it's my turn to go to work now. We can't let Port Charles lose such an upright citizen as Sonny Corinthos now, can we?"

Squeezing his hand once more she got up and went to stand by Zander. Placing her hand on top of the one that still held on to Sonny's she brought Zander's face around to her and waited for him to raise his eyes.

"How much of this did you know about, Zander?"

"Enough. This is the first time I have seen or heard from him in two weeks. I knew what he was planning. But, I made a promise to him. I swore I'd keep you safe."

"Tell me, Zander. I need to know what he said and did the last time you saw him. I need to understand what happened that would cause him to take such an action as this."

"It started with the video tape I brought to you. I stole it from the penthouse to bring to you, but I couldn't make myself not tell him what I did. He was trying to trusting me again. I couldn't lie to him, Alexis. So I went to him, told him what I did and why. I… I heard you crying, I heard you talking to Kristina and I heard you screaming because of a nightmare. I told him. I told him you were hurting. He called Mac and told him what he was going to do. After Mac left the penthouse, Sonny asked me to take a walk with him. He took me to Kristina's grave. He… He talked to her and apologized for what he did to her and to you and he promised her he would take care of you, no matter what it took. That last day he set up a checking account for me and left the instructions for how he wanted the park done. Then he turned and walked away. The last thing he said was, 'If everything works according to plan I'll see you in a couple of weeks... If not, then tell her I died loving her.' That was the last time I saw him... until now."

"Oh, Zander." As Alexis listened to Zander relate the events of the last time he saw Sonny her hand had crept over to softly lay upon Sonny's heart.

"Leave me alone with him, Zander. I need to talk to him alone. Do you mind?"

"No, I don't mind. I'll be right outside the door if you need me."

Hearing the door close behind Zander and Mac, Alexis lay her head down on the pillow beside Sonny.

"I'm here, Sonny. I'm here. I need you to wake up. I need you to wake up so I can talk to you. Sonny, please wake up for me."