This is an epic story of 88 chapters chronicling one woman's journey to regain her life, her love and a future she could only imagine in her dreams. The majority of the characters are not mine, but belong to ABC and General Hospital. I am only borrowing them to tell a story. A story that I hope you enjoy as much as I enjoyed writing it. Your responses are most welcome and do enlighten the writer as to how well the story is being received. Thank you for your interest.

The Long Road Home

Chapter 1

Early morning light streamed through the window softly caressing a lone woman's beautiful face as she sat staring without focus at the wall before her. The few golden highlights that laced her brunette hair caught the sun's rays causing them to glisten and dance in sharp contrast to the dullness infusing her chocolate brown eyes. The small room she occupied contained a single twin bed, one desk and the one chair she rested on. It was a simple metal chair of the type usually found around cheap card tables marred by time and abuse. It's inflexibility and coldness escaped her notice, as did the bars on the window that interrupted the beautiful view that lay just outside her window. A simple hesitant knock went unnoticed, as did the door opening to allow her most frequent visitor to enter the room. It was left to the walls alone to hear his quiet hopeful voice.

"Hey, it's me. I just came by to check on you again. Just wanted to see how you're doing and if you need anything."

Stepping closer he leaned around her still form to catch sight of her face hoping beyond hope that she would finally recognize him. His face fell momentarily as he realized today would not be any different than any of the other days over the past few weeks. Forcing a smile onto his face and into his voice he continued to talk quietly to her.

"It looks like your nurse has already been here today. I mean you look great. You've already had your hair washed and I see a little make-up today. You look beautiful as always."

Shifting a bit uncomfortably he gingerly sat down on the bed beside her chair and leaned forward so that he could continue to watch her... just in case by some miracle she decided to rejoin the world.

"You know it would be so much easier if you would talk to me. Hell, I'd be glad if you would just talk... to anybody. It doesn't have to be me. I'll bring anybody you want here, but you really need to come out of this. You've already been here a month and there's a lot of people missing you out there."

Sighing in resignation his head fell forward as his eyes closed in defeat once more. Resting there a moment, a host of questions raced through his head as he pondered what he could do to help this woman who should never have had a reason to find herself in this barren room. Finally letting go of the problem for the moment he stood up and hesitantly reached out to softly touch the still hands that lay motionless in her lap.

"Well, I guess you'll come around when it's time. I'll come back tomorrow and see how you're doing, ok? Maybe you'll feel like talking then."

Taking one last look at her before he left, Johnny O'Brien prayed that this self-imposed exile would somehow end soon. This was wrong. It never should have happened. Why her? Why this woman? Why Alexis?

Alexis Davis retreated from life the day she buried her sister among a host of angel white and purple hydrangeas. And as always, she didn't make a fuss, didn't tell anyone she was in trouble; she simply left the memorial service, went home alone and removed herself from the grief and guilt that consumed her for her part in her sister's death. Ned Ashton found her the next morning sitting on her sofa still wearing the color of her anger and staring straight ahead, unfocused and unaware of anything or anyone around her.

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Moments later entering the administrator's office, Johnny sat down and waited for Dr. Collins to arrive for their appointment. He felt more than a little apprehensive at being called in to talk to Alexis' doctor, but he was willing to do anything he could if it would help her somehow get away from this place. Looking down at his watch he realized he was a few minutes early, so he settled back into one of the waiting room chairs leaning his head back to rest against the wall. As his eyes closed his mind began to wander retracing the events of just how it came about that 'he' was the one who came here to Ferncliff Sanitarium every day to visit Alexis Davis.

From the moment she began to work for his former boss Sonny Corinthos as his attorney, Johnny found that he liked and respected Alexis. She always treated him kinder; showed him more respect than anyone else he had ever come in contact with during the time he was employed by Sonny. She made it her business when walking into a room to acknowledge him and on occasion lightly touched his arm in greeting. She let him know that he mattered; he wasn't just another bodyguard on a payroll.

The day he learned she was admitted to Ferncliff, Johnny went to see Ned Ashton. He didn't tell Sonny or anyone else where he was going. It was no one else's business and it was just something that he knew he needed to do for her simply because of who she was. Everybody wanted something from Alexis... expected her to be right there for them when they called no matter what was going on in her own life. They were always demanding that she attend to their worries, their problems, and their businesses. And she did so without complaint and without asking anything in return. Now she was in trouble and it was time somebody gave something back to her just because she deserved it... she earned it. Someone needed to care for her now... someone needed to put their own life on hold for a while to help her just as she had for them so many times before. And seeing no one else make the effort to do so, Johnny stepped up and made it his business to be that person.

His reception to the Quartermaine gatehouse had been anything but welcome, but he didn't given up until Ned finally relented and allowed him to speak his mind.

"Alright Johnny, you have two minutes. Say what you've come to say and then get out. I don't want you here and the only reason you have made it past the threshold is that I know for a fact Alexis respected you and thought a great deal of you. It totally escapes me as to why she liked you, but she did. So state your case and then go."

Taking a deep breath and choking down the resentment he felt over Ned's superior attitude, Johnny patiently inquired as to how Alexis was doing.

"I just want to know if she is okay. I liked her a great deal and I'd like to help in any way I can. Is there anything I can do to help her?"

Johnny could see the disgust Ned felt in simply being in the same room with him, but his sincerity and care about Alexis seemed to reached Ned on a level he couldn't deny. The answer Johnny received surprised him.

"There is a way you can help her. You can honor her by doing the one thing that would mean the most to her. If she comes out of this, let her come out and find that you are safe from 'his' world. Walk away from Sonny Corinthos. Find something to do that is safe and not related to the mob or the underworld. That is what you can do for her."

Johnny thanked Ned for his reluctant willingness to speak to him and then quietly walked out of the little gatehouse Ned called home. Heading straight to his own home Johnny sat on his couch for hours thinking about what Ned Ashton said. Truth be told, he was tired of the life he had willingly chose so many years ago. He was tired of being a shadow. Sure he owed Sonny. Sonny took him in when he needed a job... took care of him when there was finally no one left to call his own. But the past couple of months found Sonny changing, becoming more difficult and more dangerous to work for. Those changes were now making the job of protecting him an unpleasant chore, which regrettably opened the door for mistakes to be made. And the fact that Johnny was now being asked to baby-sit Sonny's wife, Carly on a more regular basis simply irked him. It infuriated him that Sonny had finally reached the point where he couldn't recognize that his wife was not safe even with his own bodyguards protecting her. It was an undeniable fact that in the world of bodyguards for full and complete protection to be effective a man needed to be able to at least respect the person he was guarding and there was not one single man in Sonny's employ that could actually stand being in the same room with her much less respect her.

That afternoon after taking the time to re-evaluate his life and where it led him, Johnny made the difficult decision to leave Sonny's employ and start over with a clean slate. He knew what he wanted to do now and because of a few private talks he and Alexis shared over the years, he was financially able to walk away from Sonny and finally stand on his own. With that one decision made Johnny was then free to make the decision that would lead him to Ferncliff... to this waiting room... this one purpose. Johnny decided to become a link between Alexis and the outside world until she felt safe enough to return to it. He began by visiting her every day. Sometimes he would sit with her for hours just reading to her and sometimes just long enough to say hi so that if she were by some miracle aware of her surroundings she would know that he hadn't forgotten her.

Standing quickly as the waiting room door opened, Johnny looked up to find Dr. Collins entering the room and at his gesture to accompany him followed a few steps behind until he was standing in front of a desk that was piled high with several stacks of books and manila folders that he figured were probably patient charts. Scanning the room he quickly found that there were only two other places to sit and mentally shaking his head Johnny decided he wasn't about to find himself sitting on the infamous 'psychiatrist's couch'. 'Not on your life.' He muttered to himself. So he sat down in the chair directly in front of the desk and leaned forward anxiously no longer sure if he really wanted to be found in a psychiatrist's office at the local Port Charles, New York 'looney' asylum. Suddenly remembering the beautiful smile that no longer graced the face of his friend, Johnny quickly and adamantly pushed aside any lingering reservations he might have and gave his complete attention to Alexis' doctor.

"It's Johnny, right? I don't seem to have a last name listed here for you."

"Just call me Johnny. Never cared much for my last name. Never use it."

"Fine, Johnny it is then. I see by Miss Davis' chart that you have been here almost every day since she was admitted. May I ask what your interest is in Miss Davis? I know that you are not a relative of hers, so I need to know what kind of connection you have with her."

Johnny sat back thoughtfully and weighed his answer before speaking.

"My only connection is that I respect her and I want to be a friend to her. I want to do whatever I can to help her get through this. I have no hidden motives. I'm just here for her, plain and simple."

"That's very admirable, but pardon me for having a few reservations about this. She has friends that visit her and her nephew visits regularly. What can you offer her that they can't?"

Watching the doctor and hearing the leading tone of his voice, Johnny suddenly realized that Dr. Collins was testing him. This meeting was more than just a get acquainted with the visitor type of meeting. This doctor was up to something... wanted something specific from him... for Alexis. So Johnny answered as honestly as he could in hopes that it was the answer the doctor was looking for. This could possibly be his chance to do something more for his friend if he didn't blow it.

"I can offer her 'Me'. Her friends, family... they come when they can... when they can fit her into their schedule. I know. I've watched. She is alone most of the time. Alone is not good for anyone especially someone like her... I mean... well, like she is now. I would like to be here... on a regular basis... be with her so she's not alone. You know until she's ready to come back."

Johnny knew he was rambling. He couldn't stop himself. There was too much riding on this meeting. If he were going to be allowed to help Alexis he had to make sure the doctor understood where he was coming from. He just wanted to help her and so... he rambled on.

"You don't have to pay me. I don't need your money. But, I want to be around as much as possible. Spend as much time with her as I can and do whatever I can to help her grab hold again. I know just enough about her to know that this is not what she would want from life. This would be a waste to her; she just needs a little help to come out of it. I want to help."

Holding his hands up in the air to stop the onslaught, Kevin Collins chuckled a moment at the man's enthusiasm over 'helping' his latest and most important patient.

"Stop Johnny. You've made your point. I believe you." Becoming serious again, Kevin sat back in his chair and studied Johnny a few moments. He had been meditating on an idea regarding Alexis for a few days now and couldn't find a way to effectively put it into practice. This guy just might be the answer. Leaning forward and laying his hands on his desk he peered at Johnny.

"Okay. First you need to know that Alexis is very important to me as a patient. Her welfare will always come first whether you agree with my recovery plan or not. Her prognosis right now is not good, but that is due to the fact that I don't believe she has any interest in coming back from where she is right now. I believe that she has allowed herself to retreat into what she feels is a safe place. I don't know the whys and wherefores yet, but what I do know is that it's going to take quite a bit of love, care and work to bring her back. So to that end... I have formulated a plan of care that just might work. I will need help to put it into place and maintain it. Until today I didn't put any great confidence in it working because no one on the outside seemed to be willing to do what needed to be done for this to work. You just might be the one to change my mind... be the answer to what we need to do for Alexis."

Johnny leaned forward eagerly resting his forearms on his thighs never letting his eyes leave the doctors face.

"What do you need? What can I do to help?"

Kevin Collins leaned back satisfied with Johnny's response and began to outline his plan.

"She has not been out of that cold isolated room since she arrived. There is a baby involved here that is in jeopardy. A child, even in the womb, must feel loved and wanted. In her present state of mind, Alexis is unable to provide that. I need someone to take an active interest in not only Alexis, but the child as well. Given what I have laid out so far, are you sure you want to continue with this. I don't want to waste your time nor do I want my time wasted. So what's it going to be? You game?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Johnny took hold of the chair's arms and leaning forward pulled it closer to the desk, then folded his arms on top of it's edge his interest never wavering once.

"I'm in, Doc. Just tell me what I need to do."

Nodding his head in satisfaction, Kevin then began to fully outline his course of treatment.

"Ok, Alexis needs a companion, someone who is ready to invest in her care totally, completely and for the long run. Her mental state is not the only problem we are concerned with. We have to look at her physical well being as well. First, we need to establish a controlled existence for her. From talking to her brother and her nephew the one thing she has always responded favorably to is a sense of being in control. She seems to hold to a rigid stance of everything being in its place, in its own time and in a sequence of priority. You are going to provide that control for her in the beginning. Everything from her meals, to outside walks, to visits from outsiders and even her time with me will be on a schedule. It will be your responsibility to see that the schedule is adhered to without fail. She will have a nurse to care for her personal hygiene, but it will be your responsibility to see that even that part of her care is kept to a strict schedule. Second, we have to take care of the baby for her until she is able to take care of it for herself. When you are with Alexis you must make physical contact with not only her, but the baby as well. Make it a habit that when you go anywhere near her touch her first then caress the baby. The baby must have contact if 'she' is to be born healthy. Ok, you now know that the child is a girl. Give her a pet name; something you are comfortable with. Talk to the baby whenever possible, but always include Alexis in the conversation. You will in effect be the mediator between mother and child. It is a lot that I will require of you, so if you do not feel you can handle any part of this, I need to know now. If you have any hesitation whatsoever; now is the time to speak up. I cannot start this type of program and have you walk out mid-way. It would be devastating to Alexis as well as the child."

As Kevin laid out his plan, Johnny rose and began pacing the short length of the office. His thoughts were not based on whether he would stay with her or not. Johnny was afraid he would fail her. Coming to a standstill in front of the desk he quietly voiced his fears to Kevin.

"I will stay with her night and day if that's what it takes, but what if I fail? What if I fail her? What happens then?"

Every reservation that remained with Kevin regarding Johnny being the right one for the job faded as he listened to Johnny's fears. Standing up and walking around his desk he laid his hand on Johnny's shoulder.

"The only way either one of us can fail her now is if we don't try. If we leave her alone, she will stay as she is right now indefinitely. So, together we begin to stimulate her subconscious. We begin to bring her back to the real world slowly and with a great deal of care. I'm told she had a good life before it was ripped from her. I know she was the best in her career. So tell me Johnny, just how much do you know about what her life was like before she came here?"

Looking up into the doctor's face, Johnny realized for the first time that he held information that could not only help Alexis, but it could very well cost him immeasurably in the telling. He knew a lot about Alexis and the life she led before being admitted to Ferncliff. He was there the last few years watching it all play out from the sidelines. The problem he was faced with was the fact that he had been working for Sonny during that time and it was imperative that he remained silent about Sonny's dealings... personal and professional. It was part of the unspoken code he and his former boss lived by. And the code was never broken... regardless of the circumstances. Regardless of the fact that Alexis held a very distinctive place in Sonny's life for the past few years. Johnny would not compromise their time together in any way if he could help it. He was walking a thin line, but knew without a doubt that he would cross it if it meant the difference between Alexis getting better or remaining at Ferncliff indefinitely.

"Doc, I will tell you what I know of her as long as it does not pertain to my former boss. If you need anything about Mr. Corinthos, then you are just going to have to ask him yourself. Sorry, but for now, that's all I can give you."

Kevin nodded his head as he walked back around his desk to take his seat once more.

"Yes, I've been given quite the earful from her family regarding Sonny Corinthos. I won't be asking you any personal questions regarding him. But, I will need Sonny here and talking in the next couple of days and if there is anything you can do to help facilitate getting him here I would appreciate it. I started a series of anti-depressant meds for Alexis this morning. I can't tell you how much to expect yet, but we are hoping for the best. Your job starts now. And just for future references should the need arise, these meds are designed to stimulate a certain area of the brain. It is the area that contains our emotional responses, how we deal with things around us. We are walking a tight rope here though, because her memories are also involved with that area of the brain. If we stimulate her brain too much we take the chance of causing a loss of memory, but if we don't stimulate it then there will either be no change at all or she may regress even further."

Johnny hadn't considered the possibility that Alexis would never come out of the state she was in. Lowering his head he sighed heavily and wished with all his heart that Sonny were there at that moment. Surely their past wouldn't make a difference to him now if he could help her. The friendship between Sonny and Alexis had at one time been so profound for them both that they unconsciously paid special attention to it... keeping it safe from the interference of outsiders... nurturing it to keep it from withering away as all things do when left unattended. And now totally unaware of it, Alexis needed 'her friend' more than ever. Fact of the matter was though; their friendship had deteriorated so badly through misunderstanding, fear and the harsh realities of broken trust that Johnny didn't think Sonny even knew where Alexis was now. Her family made sure her confinement was kept quiet and with Sonny being so completely wrapped up in his own troubles... nothing else seemed to matter to him... least of all the one woman who had made such a profound impact on his life. Resigning himself to the fact that it was up to him to help her, at least for now, Johnny looked back up at Kevin and nodded his understanding.

"When do I start, Doc?"

"I am going to move Alexis to one of the more comfortable suites we have here this evening. It has a large living area with two bedrooms. You will become her live-in companion just as soon as you settle whatever business affairs you have in the outside world and get some clothes here. Ferncliff will become your home for as long as Alexis needs you with her. I would prefer you start first thing in the morning. Her nurse will get her up at 7:00 and dress her. You will take over then with breakfast. I have laid out a daily schedule for her. I want you to look it over and let me know if you feel anything needs to be changed or added. Any questions so far?"

Staring straight ahead in serious thought Johnny let his mind wander back to another woman who had meant a lot to him at one time in his life. What would she want if it were her in this place? What would make her more comfortable?

"Doc, I'd like to bring some of her own clothes here. I think that she will feel better if she doesn't have to wear those hospital gowns all the time. Know what I mean?"

Smiling with satisfaction Kevin thought how remarkably things were working out now. Johnny was going to work out just fine as a companion for Alexis Davis. Remembering his frustration and worry over the past few days on how he was going to initiate a care program for Alexis, he shook his head in wonder as he gazed at the man across from him. A rather humorous thought occurred to him at that moment causing him to chuckle.

"Uh, Johnny... her own clothes are not going to fit her too much longer. What are you going to do about that?"

Johnny joined Kevin's laughter at the thought, although Kevin laughed harder due to the blush that instantly appeared on Johnny's face. Johnny laughed more out of embarrassment than anything else until the perfect answer suddenly presented itself.

"That's not a problem, doc. I know someone who would be more than happy to help me out with that one. I'll call her on my way out and talk to her about it."

Rising from behind his desk signaling a close to the appointment Kevin offered his hand to Johnny.

"Johnny, we are going to work very hard and together we are going to bring Alexis out of this. It is not going to happen overnight. This could take a while, but I am very hopeful that we will be successful. If you have any questions, my secretary will have my number. Call me anytime. Between you and me, I owe her. Got myself into a spot of trouble a while back and she defended me quite tenaciously and saved my butt from a prison term. I want to see that woman back on her feet and back where she belongs. I admire her a great deal. It is up to you and I to see that she walks out of here competent, whole and prepared to face the world again."

Listening to Kevin place his faith in the two of them together to get Alexis back, Johnny knew in that one still moment that he had just begun the fight of his life. There was purpose to his life now and he felt absolutely certain that everything in his life both good and bad had led him to this day... to this one task that now meant the world to him. He would give his all in the pursuit of pulling Alexis back from the darkness she had fallen into. Standing up, Johnny unconsciously straightened his shoulders as a soldier would when being called to attention and looked Kevin straight in the eye.

"Doc, we'll do it and Alexis will help us. She doesn't want to be where she is right now. She just needed a little time to pull herself together again, but like always went a bit overboard. We'll get her back. You wait and see. I'll be back in a few hours to start. I don't want to wait until in the morning. She wouldn't want to wait either. If she had a job to do, she did it. That's what I'm going to do. So I'll see ya later, Doc."