You seem to be quite interested, Kelly.  So here's another one for you.  Hope you get a kick out of it.

  Chapter 73

Watching Carly stomp down the hall toward them, Sonny and Johnny stepped protectively between Alexis and the advancing storm. Lifting his hand to stop his ex-wife, Sonny looked back briefly at Alexis to see how she was dealing with this unexpected turn of events. What he saw, concerned him so much that he quickly prompted Kevin to pay closer attention to her.  He didn't recognize the look in her eyes and it left him unsure. Turning back to Carly, who by this time was being restrained by Johnny, he halted her tirade with a voice filled with scorn and intolerance.

"I told you what would happen if you came near Alexis again. You chose to ignore my warning."

"Look Sonny, I don't know what you find so fascinating about that bitch, but it's time you let go of it."

Sonny's vision tunneled. It didn't register that he was now looking at Carly through a red haze. All he wanted, all he was intent on was getting his hands on her. He started toward Carly as if in slow motion. Nothing mattered to him in that one moment but getting her away from Alexis and out of their life permanently. He heard nothing around him... saw nothing but Carly... he wouldn't be satisfied until she was dealt with. He was totally focused on simply getting rid of a problem in the fastest way possible. Suddenly feeling a gentle, warm, familiar hand fall to rest on his arm he fought the fire within and turned to find Alexis standing beside him. She wasn't looking at him... her eyes were on Carly. Sonny frowned with concern, but knew in that moment that Alexis was ready to stand up for herself. The softness of her hand on his arm did not match the steel in her eyes, nor the power emanating from her as she stood waiting for him to back away.  As she started to pass him on her way to Carly, Sonny reached to stop her.  As much as he figured Alexis wanted to settle the problem, he felt it was his responsibility to rid them of Carly since she was there because of him.

"No, Alexis. Let me handle this. Please go back inside with Johnny."

At his words, Alexis allowed her attention to shift to him. She saw his concern, his fear for her... she squeezed his arm lightly then let go.

"Do you want her here, Sonny?"

"No."

Looking directly into his eyes she paused a moment before continuing. She was doing the best she could to prepare herself for an answer to a question that still held immense power over her.  She again asked the one question she knew could turn her world upside down again.

"Are you still in love with your ex-wife?"

Sonny smiled. This time he was ready... this time he could answer her with the truth and not be afraid of the answer. He reached up and let his finger trail softly down her cheek.

"No, Alexis. I'm not."

As his words washed over her, soothing her raw and battered heart, she drew her head back to remove herself from his touch. Now was not the time to let her guard down.

"Then this is not your fight; it's mine."

Alexis dragged her eyes away from Sonny. Turning back to Carly who was still being held at bay, she quietly spoke to Johnny.

"Let her go, Johnny."

Johnny shook his head no. He couldn't do as she asked. He couldn't let go. He had seen the kind of damage Carly could do to Alexis. He pleaded with Alexis.

"Alexis, don't do this. Let me take her out of here. Let me or Sonny handle this, please."

"Johnny, if I let you do this for me then I won't ever be able to face myself knowing I let her prevail… again. I have allowed too much where she is concerned. Now please, let her go."

Finally understanding her need to stand on her own; Johnny nodded once then looked at Carly.

"I won't hesitate to break you in half if you screw up."

He let go and stepped back… a small step.

As Johnny let go of Carly, she continued toward Alexis until they stood toe to toe with one another.

"Get out of my way, Alexis? As high and mighty as you think you are, I'm not here to see you. I'm here for my husband."

Alexis looked back at Sonny for the sole purpose of inciting Carly into becoming angrier and questioned their marital status.

"Are you still married to her?"

With an evil smirk, Sonny answered no.

Looking back at Carly, Alexis smiled condescendingly.

"It would seem you've come to the wrong place to find your husband. In fact, I would think this would be the last place you would ever want to find yourself given your own history here."

"Get out of my way, Alexis. This does not concern you. I'm not surprised you finally took the easy way out and ended up here. You never were too bright when it came to knowing your place. You finally found the only way possible to take my husband away from me. He evidently now feels some sort of insane responsibility for you because you couldn't control your own sister."

Sonny jumped forward so quickly; Alexis had to move fast to stop him from getting to Carly. Maintaining a firm grip on his arm she addressed him never taking her eyes off Carly.

"Sonny, I told you I would handle this. If you cannot respect my wishes then pick up your 'chair' and go home."

Sonny stopped, knowing instantly what she was telling him. The reference to the chair was her way of telling him that his sitting outside her door didn't mean as much to her as being allowed to handle this situation with Carly. Alexis needed to stand up for herself; needed to take a final stand with Carly. With every ounce of determination he owned... Sonny relented. He couldn't resist however sending one of his 'dead man walking' looks at Carly. He felt somewhat placated as a look of fear passed across her face as she took a slight step backwards away from Alexis. He smiled inwardly as Alexis continued what she started with her.

"I would not advise you to continue with how bright you think I am, Carly. Given your penchant for being unable to learn from your mistakes... entering into a conversation of any kind where you have to use your brain would not be the most intelligent use of your time. Now, as your name is not one that would ever find its way onto a visitor list where I am the patient, then it stands to reason that you are indeed trespassing. In other words, you are not welcome here, Carly. And if that is still not clear enough for you, let me put it on a 2nd grade reading level. We do not want you here."

Alexis watched warily as Carly stepped closer knowing she hit the mark she intended. Carly's attention was solely on Alexis now.

"You know what, you have spent the better part of two years trying to get your hands on my husband. But, he always seems to come back to me, doesn't he? And that just makes you look so desperate. What's wrong, Alexis?  Can't you find your own man? You best listen up real good this time if you know what's good for you... you are not going to take my husband away from me. If you even try, I'll make sure you regret it. He belongs to me."

Sonny watched in awe as Alexis, cool as ever, looked over her shoulder at him and lifted her eyebrows as if to ask, 'Now do you understand?' And finally he did. He couldn't imagine feeling more insulted by being referred to in such a disrespectful manner. He didn't belong to anyone but himself. He now understood what Alexis and Joy both previously tried to explain to him about owning people. No one had the right to lay claim to anyone else no matter what the circumstance.  He was his own man and it was a privilege he fought for and enjoyed. He nodded once to let her know he understood as she turned her focus back to Carly.

Taking a step closer, Alexis came within inches of Carly.

"Are you threatening me again, Carly? Be careful... be very careful. I've let you treat me like your own personal doormat for the last time. Until now I have refused to allow you to bring me down to your level with all of your filthy remarks and degrading innuendoes. But it looks like I'm going to have to join you in the gutter just this once in order for you to fully understand where I'm coming from. I would suggest you listen wisely if possible, because I'm only going to say this once. It stops here and it stops now. Don't ever find your way back to my doorstep!"

Alexis continued to watch Carly very closely, knowing the woman hadn't yet reached the point where Alexis wanted her so she continued.

"Do you know what I find so amazing about you, Carly? There was so much potential in you to achieve anything you could have ever wanted, but you made your life all about what you could manipulate or steal from someone else... never working to earn the rights you were entitled to as an individual... You never once gave any consideration to the idea that you just may have attained any goal you set your mind to if you had only treated people with the same respect that you demanded they show you. I'm through being nice, Carly. Pick up your toys and get out of my life. Consider yourself lucky that you're being allowed to walk away so easily."

She knew it was coming and was prepared. Lifting her hand quickly she stopped Carly's hand mid-air as it came flying toward her. She raised her other hand to stop the advance of Sonny and Johnny. Twisting her hold on Carly's hand just a little she bent it back just enough to cause the pain to send Carly to her knees to keep from having her wrist broken. Alexis bent over just enough to look Carly directly in the eye.

"Never again, Carly. You will never raise a hand to me or to anyone I love ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

When Carly didn't answer, Alexis applied more pressure to her hold on Carly.

"I would advise you to answer me. As much as I absolutely loathe violence of any kind... I will not hesitate to protect myself and my child from any threat I may see; whether it be real or imagined. I'm through hiding from my Cassadine heritage. If you so much as step within 50ft of me, my child or anyone else I hold close... I promise that you will regret it for the rest of your life. And lest you forget, I would remind you that you are in more danger right now from the father of my child than you could ever imagine."

Alexis lowered her voice to a whisper.

"If he knew half of what you've put me through, I know without a doubt that I would not be able to save you from him. Do I make myself clear, Carly?"

Carly's eyes locked with Alexis' as her last threat sank in.

"I get it."

"Good."

Alexis let go of Carly and stepped away from her. Turning to Kevin, whose jaw was hanging wide open, she motioned him toward Carly.

"Would you please see that Carly finds her way out?"

Then with a voice ragged and full of weariness Alexis addressed the remaining occupants in the hall.

"I'll be in my room until dinnertime taking a nap. I do not wish to be disturbed."

With that, Alexis turned and entered her suite closing the door quietly behind her.

Sonny took hold of Johnny's arm and shoved him gently toward the door.

"Get in there. Make sure she's ok. That must have taken a lot out of her. Go."

Sonny stayed just long enough to see Johnny enter the suite then took off after Kevin and Carly. Reaching them just as they got to the nurse's station, Sonny stopped them. Taking hold of Carly's arm so tightly that he cut off her blood circulation he calmly addressed Kevin.

"I'll see that she leaves, Kevin. You go on about your business. Sorry you had to see that."

"Sonny, don't do anything you're going to regret."

Sonny didn't answer, he simply proceeded to escort Carly outside. Once they were outside he turned her to face him.

"I warned you, but you evidently didn't think I meant what I said."

Carly cringed at the look in Sonny's eyes and finally realized what kind of position she put herself in by not believing Sonny's earlier threat.

"But Sonny, you and I belong together. I love you. And... and... I want to see my son."
 
"You don't have a son anymore. He stays with me and I will take every precaution available to protect him from you. Now, because Alexis has requested it I am allowing you to leave unharmed... I am giving you one last chance to disappear on your own. If you don't, then you leave me no choice but to handle the situation myself. You've done enough damage to me, my son, 'my daughter' and to the mother of my daughter. You Carly, more than anyone, should understand what lengths I will go to in order to protect my family. If I ever see you again, as sure as I'm standing here it will be the last time."

As Carly opened her mouth to argue, Sonny took her by the arm and shoved her toward the parking lot.

"Don't push me, Carly."

Sonny watched with disgust as Carly finally walked away. Wiping his hands down the sides of his shirt, he suddenly felt dirty.  He jumped slightly as he felt someone walk up beside him. He didn't even have to turn around to know who it was.

"Spying on me, Kev? Did you think I was going to prove how delinquent I could be by hitting a woman? Believe me, it took every bit of self restraint I had not to."

"I'm actually quite impressed. I didn't think you had it in you. But, you came mighty close to hitting me a few minutes ago. If Alexis hadn't shown up, I believe you would have."

"You're probably right. I can't figure her sometimes. She stands there and takes up for me, but looks right through me as if I'm a stranger to her."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better... she doesn't like me much right now either. But, at least she's fighting again. Now come on you and I have something we need to finish."

"Not yet, I want to go check on Alexis. Dealing with Carly must have been pretty tough on her."

"It was, but I can guarantee you that right now is not the time for you to go barging into her room. Give her some time to settle herself around what she just did. Alexis fought for herself today in a way she never has before. Let her come to terms with it before you waltz in there and remind her of just how much more she has to deal with."

Sonny looked around the grounds slowly as he let Kevin's words sink in. He was proud of Alexis for standing up for herself and he wanted her to know it, but Kevin was right. Alexis needed some time and rest he figured. Looking back at Kevin he grinned.

"So, where would you like to continue your assault on me?"