Chapter 14

Eighteen months passed and no more was said between mother and daughter regarding the issues that still played an important part in Kristina's daily life. Kristina spent her days studying and learning all that she could preparing herself for when it came time for her to enter college. Her career choice was decided, but no one knew her choice yet. No one knew that the hours she spent at the library were filled with everything she could find about law. There wasn't a great deal she could understand yet at her age, but just running her hands through the books and over the pages of the books made her feel like she was doing all that she could to help get her closer to what she wanted most. She wanted to be a lawyer like her mom, but more than anything she wanted to be able to help protect all of them in case any anything should happen if Sonny Corinthos did turn out to be her father.

With the exception of her continued role as the leading scorer and best forward of the soccer league, Kristina withdrew her membership in every club except one. She remained in the 'Debate Club' as it was the only one that she thought would help serve her in the future. There was one other reason Kristina spent so much time in the library. It was an on-going project that began in a cave months before. Unbeknownst to anyone, Kristina began to research anything having to do with mobsters, crime lords, and anything related to such in New York and it's surrounding areas. From the copies she acquired from TK, she started with the words she didn't understand and researched them until she knew exactly what they meant and slowly built for herself a picture of who Sonny Corinthos was. The more she learned the more she became afraid of the possibility that he could be her father. And if he was, why did her mom love him enough to have a child by him?

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Cameron Lewis slid his jacket off his shoulders and tossed it over the back of the couch then picked up the mail from his desk and settled down into his recliner letting go of an exhausted sigh. It had been a long tiring day and all he wanted was just to sit for a while. Looking down at the mail in his lap, he grimaced wanting nothing more than to toss it all in the trash without looking at it. If it weren't for the small lingering hope that kept him getting out of bed every morning, he would have. Sighing heavily he picked up the stack and began to sort through it. He frowned when he came upon an envelope with a foreign stamp attached to the corner. He didn't recognize the city of origin, nor did he recognize the handwriting. Tearing it open he looked toward the bottom of the single page letter and his breath exploded from him leaving him lighted headed and gasping for air.

Tearing his eyes from the simple script, he looked back up to the top of the letter and began to read slowly.

"Dear Dr. Lewis,

My name is Kristina Davis and I am writing to you because you have been part of my life since before I can remember. I guess I should probably tell you that you probably know my mother more than you know me. And the only way I know you is because my mom told me what you did for us the day I was born. I must thank you for saving my life. The most important thing I want to thank you for is for giving me the chance to grow up with my mother. I guess if anyone else had been my mom it wouldn't have mattered so much that you saved us both. It's hard to try to explain my mom to people because the world just doesn't have words that can explain how much I love her and what she means to me. So you'll just have to take my word that my mom did her best for me.

But, there are some things that I just can't do for my mom. I would like to make her as happy as she's made me, but I think I need help to do that. You see, there is a picture on my mom's table beside her bed that is so worn and faded it needs to be replaced and I was hoping you would help me replace it. I know you haven't seen her in almost twelve years and you probably don't really want to help me, but that picture means a lot to my mom.

She told me once that you used to love her. Do you still love my mom, Dr. Lewis? Would it help you answer if you know my mom loves you? I want my mom to be happy more than any thing else I've ever wanted and I won't do anything until I know you won't hurt her. You can't find me by trying to find out where this letter came from. It's been all over the place and I'm not sure it will actually get to you with the many places it's been to keep anyone from finding us. I don't want anyone to find us unless they want my mom to be as happy as I want her to be.

I guess I don't have to tell you that she doesn't know about this letter. See, I have to keep her just as safe as she has always kept me. If you want to answer my letter then you can write me at the address below and if I think it's okay, then I will write you back. If you do still love my mom, then please don't try to mess this all up by trying to find us. When I know for sure that you won't hurt us, I'll let you know where we are and you can come see my mom. She still misses you and I hear her call for you sometimes late at night. Don't hurt my mom, Dr. Lewis. She needs someone she can trust. Are you someone she can trust? Can I trust you?

With best regards,

Kristina Davis

Cameron brought the letter up and lay it against his heart as tears slowly slipped down his cheeks. Kristina… old enough to take the step her mother couldn't… wouldn't. Wanting to know if she… if they could trust him. Lifting the letter he read it again savoring every word. Kristina… the child she fought for… month after month… gave up her life for… and finally escaped with. It was the child who would finally lead him to her again. Alexis… when did you know? When did you finally admit what neither of us could face to face?

Cameron stood and walked back to his desk and picked up the phone dialing quickly a number that was burned into his memory; a number that he would never be able to forget. The number of the private investigator he hired the day Alexis walked away. Hearing his contact answer the line, Cameron forced his voice into a defeated weary sound.

"Jack, I have to stop the search. I have to give this… her up. She doesn't want to be found and I have to face it and let it go. I don't have the money to keep look…" allowing his voice to break Cameron paused before finishing the call. "Thank you for indulging me so long. If I decide later to start again… can I call you?"

Ending the call, Cameron sat down and reached for pen and paper. With a smile that had been absent too long, he began to write.

"Dear Kristina,

I cannot tell you how happy you have made me by writing and letting me know that you and your mother are safe. I have been so worried about both of you. After I read your letter I called my private investigator and told him that I would not need him any longer. I made him think that I was giving up searching for you. I have been looking for you and your mother ever since she left Port Charles. I miss her and I miss you. To answer your question… yes Kristina. I love your mother very much. But, you must know that she is not the only Davis woman I love. I love you too, Kristina.

I don't think I should send another picture yet. If I did you might have to do some explaining that you're not quite ready for yet. If things work out the way I hope, maybe we'll be able to give your mother the real thing rather than just a picture.

I think it best that we not continue to write to each other. We don't want to leave a paper trail that someone might find. If you are satisfied with my letter, then I will give you a phone number you can call that will not be able to be easily traced. But, we must be very careful. I will also send a cell phone with my letter so that you can use it to call me. That way there won't be a phone bill for you to explain and the address for the phone will read Port Charles. You have my word as a gentleman that I will not try to find you. Knowing your mother as I do, I know I can trust you to do what you think is best. From your letter it sounds like you are very much like your mother. That makes me very happy. I would like to write more but I am so eager to mail this letter that I can't think of anything else to say except I will try to be patient and wait for your call.

I love you both,

Cameron

Refolding the letter, Kristina looked up into the eyes of the man she grew up with. "Thank you, TK. Thank you for bringing this to me. Here would you like to read the letter?"

Thomas Kale Redmond was now 17 years old and in his first year of college at Columbia University in New York. There were many reasons he chose to attend Columbia, but none of them more important than the one standing beside him. The moment he realized the import of all the information he brought back with him to give to her that day in the cave, he swore to himself he would somehow make it up to her… somehow put the light back into her eyes that he took away from her that day. This time when he came home to visit, he brought more news for her. This time he hoped he could give her something that would help her achieve what she most wanted. Taking the letter from her, he quickly read it and handed it back to her.

"What do you think, TK? Do you think it would be okay to call him?"

TK smiled and threw his arm across Kristina's shoulders.

"Well as a personal friend of Dr. Cameron Lewis, I think it would be perfectly fine for you to call him. If fact, I recommend it."

Kristina stepped back and turned to face him with her jaw hanging wide open.

"K, it's not a particularly wise thing to keep your mouth that open in this cave. Bugs or something might fly in."

She slammed her mouth shut simultaneously slapping at him.

"How do you know him, TK? What have you done?" A thought suddenly occurred to her. "You didn't tell him…? TK, please tell me you didn't…"

Instantly understanding her fear he reached toward her and pulled her to him.

"No, K. I didn't. He doesn't know that you and I know each other. I wouldn't do that to you. Why would you even think I would do something like that?"

Wrapping her arms around his waist she breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry, TK. I just panicked a little."

"I'd say you panicked a lot to think I would turn you in to anyone."

Pulling away from him she grinned and began to reel him in like she always did if she thought he was angry with her.

"I know. It was real dumb for me to even think that since you would never do anything to hurt me. You've been taking care of me all my life and I wouldn't know what I would have done without you always around to talk to about everything."

"Yea. Yea. Yea. I know the routine. I'm the great protector… the best friend… the best soccer coach… Yea. Yea. Yea. You can stop now, K. I'm not mad at you."

She smiled sheepishly as she looked up at him, then grew serious again.

"So just how do you know Dr. Lewis then?"

"Columbia has a great psychiatry program, and one of their projects is to send students out to interview psychiatrists on different subjects. I chose Dr. Lewis. When he asked me why I didn't choose anyone in New York, I told him that I was using the project to get outside the chaos of New York for a while. Since I grew up in a small town, it stands to reason that I would miss the small town life. He kind of took me in and I've spent a few weekends with him now."

"He's a psychiatrist? How did you know that?"

"Just a little detective work. Playing all those mystery games with you when we were growing up turned out to be quite helpful. Would you believe he has a picture of you and your mom by his bed?"

Kristina looked up into TK's eyes with surprise and astonishment. "He does?"

"Yeah. You do happen to be a little baby in the picture, but still… at least you know you guys still mean a lot to him. So when are you going to call him, little bit?"

Kristina blushed at the favored nickname and reached down to pick up the cell phone that was still in the box.

"Do you think it would be okay to call him right now?"

Looking at his watch, TK smiled.

"I think it would be fine, it's not too late in Port Charles yet."

"What do I say to him, TK?"

TK watched his friend begin to fidget restlessly. Taking her hand he pulled her down to sit beside him.

"Hey, he's just a regular guy who has spent the last 12 years looking for someone he love's very much. K, he will be happy to hear from you. Just talk to him like you would me or Alice."

"You really think it's a good idea to call him? In his letter, it sounds like he wants to keep our secret as much as we do. Do you trust him, TK? Can we?"

TK lifted his arm and set it down across Kristina's shoulder and pulled her to him. She needed to be reassured and it was the one thing he could do for her and know that everything would still be okay after she made the call.

"Call him, K. I trust him and you can trust him. He wants to talk to you. How would you feel if you spent a major portion of your life searching for someone and then finally have a chance to connect with them again? Don't make him suffer anymore, K. Let him at least go to sleep tonight with your voice in his ear. He's hurting and you can make it stop. Call him."

Hearing the intensity in TK's voice, Kristina looked up quickly and stared into her friends eyes. What she saw settled her apprehension more than any words could have. TK liked Cameron Lewis a great deal but more than that… he respected him.

"Ok, TK. I'll call him."

Lifting the phone she clutched tightly in her hand, Kristina began to dial the number off the letter that TK held up in front of her. When she finished she put the phone to her ear and waited while all the butterflies in the world held court in her stomach. And just as she was about to hang up she heard the sound of a deep resonant voice answer.

"Hello… "