Shadow- The Zuniga family still has a very big part to play in the overall plot of this story. It's almost always a running theme in my characters that they love their grandmother/nana. The other parents and grandparents might not get it so lucky, but the grandmother always gets the love. Doing otherwise would be blasphemy. I'm glad I kept you on your toes with Sonny's impromptu arrival. Most of what I do, I think, is kind of predictable, but I do enjoy throwing curve-balls every chance I get. You'll see as the story progresses, I've still got a couple. Yeah, I understand what you're saying perfectly, the people do think of him as his friend, but Damian himself is insecure and doubting it. Something like that, right? If not then I guess I don't understand.

Story-

Lorenzo Alcazar's Home-

One of Lorenzo's many bodyguards opened the door, "Mr. Alcazar, Faith Rosco is here to see you."

Lorenzo shuffled through some of the memos that he had received overnight, "I did not request Ms. Rosco's presence."

"No one requests me, Lorenzo," Faith pushed past the guard, "I just show up."

Lorenzo chuckled, "You are quite similar to certain aftereffects of an activity that you enjoy engaging in, you know that?"

"I didn't come here to trade insults with you," Faith sat on the arm of Lorenzo's couch, "Not today."

"Enlighten me, Ms. Rosco," Lorenzo poured a glass of liquor, he'd need it to cure the head ache that Faith would more than likely leave in her wake, "What are you doing here then?"

"I've got a bit of news for you," Faith made sure that she sounded like she was going to hold something back from him. "If you're a good boy, I'll give it to you."

"And how does one act like a 'good boy' in your standards?" Lorenzo did not even turn to face her. She was already wearing thin on him with her ways.

"If you have to ask, you'll never know," Faith replied sarcastically.

"It is much too early to play these games, Faith. Just get to the point."

"What could possibly be more important than what I have to tell you?" Faith asked, "You already spend too much time fawning over Carly, who you can never have. I'm sure that anything else takes a huge hit on your daily schedule of childlike daydreaming!"

"For your information I have a global organization that needs to be run by myself and myself alone," Lorenzo pointed out, "That takes much of my time, not Carly."

Faith brushed it off, "Whatever you need to believe in order to function correctly, who am I to judge?"

"Faith," Lorenzo started with a heavy tone of anger in his voice, "I am going to ask you this one last time, and if you do not give me an actual answer I will see to it that your voice box is ripped out. Why are you here?"

"You don't have to get all violent on me," Faith ribbed, knowing that she could do it to Lorenzo and get away with it. "But, since you've insisted, rather forcefully I might add, I'll tell you. It looks like we've another Corinthos on our hands."

Lorenzo downed a shot, "If you are speaking of Damian Zuniga I have been aware of him since shortly after his arrival."

"And you didn't even tell me?" Faith pouted.

"You did not need to know."

"That's not for you to decide," Faith stated defiantly.

Lorenzo laughed, "Oh, but it is, Faith. You seem to forget in your often overestimation of yourself that I am the one with the power in this room, not you. You can back yourself up with the fact that you slaughtered the Five Families without any opposition till the day you finally do die, but that doesn't mean that you are somehow invulnerable. I've allowed you a certain degree of slack that I probably should not have granted you in hindsight, but it is too late to fix that. However, it is never too late to warn you that my patience with you is wearing ever thin."

"Well, damn," Faith uttered, "It looks like I broke a nail on my way over here."

Lorenzo turned his head over his shoulder, "Did you even hear a word I just said?"

"You're getting mad at me, you're in control, I'm a weak woman, blah blah blah. You've had your monologue." Faith wasn't quite done with Alcazar yet, "So, tell me, what do you intend on doing with the new kid?"

"I've done everything I can to this point. I have sought him out, offered him a job in the organization-"

Faith grinned, "You offered Sonny Corinthos's oldest son a job in your organization? Are you crazy?"

"Of all the people in this town that should be questioning my sanity, you are at the very bottom of that list," Lorenzo spat out, "I know what I'm doing."

"What if Sonny already knows that you went and offered junior a place in Alcazar International?"

"He doesn't. I have my sources."

"Another mole like Johnny?" Faith asked, "Didn't you learn your lesson the first time? Sonny can weed out double agents with ease."

"The procedures that I take in my operations are for my own knowledge and no one else's," Lorenzo poured another shot, "Zuniga should not be your concern."

"I never said I was concerned."

"It shows on your face."

"That's just a makeup smudge, I was in a hurry."

Lorenzo laughed once more, "Don't attempt to hide your insecurities from me, Faith. I can read you like an open book. You did something to that boy, or at least tried to, and now you're afraid that Sonny will retaliate for attempting to harm a hair on his precious child's face."

"I liked his face a little too much to dare hurt it," Faith replied sarcastically. "I'm glad we had this little chat, Lorenzo."

"You know where the door is," Lorenzo stated rather rudely. He wasn't going to hide the fact that he wanted Faith out of his home, the sooner the better.

"If I have anything further to discuss with you I will be in touch."

"I dread the moment."

Faith turned to him as she grabbed the handle, "Maybe you'll eat those words one of these times." She slammed the door as she made her exit.

"I highly doubt that, Faith. Highly."

Corinthos Household-

Carly walked down the stairs of her home. Her life was less than pleasant these days and she couldn't help but feel that a part of that was her own fault. Her son was upset with her, her husband had become distant, and even her best friends were doubting her judgment. With all of these people against her, Carly almost wavered. But she was always a stubborn woman who would stick by her decision until she felt that it should change. Regardless of how many people liked Damian, she wasn't going to conform just on the basis of having a less hectic home life. Still, there were many things that she missed. She missed Michael talking to her about the stupid little things that children would often wonder about. She missed Sonny's warm embrace every time they entered the same room. She missed the past, and she would likely never have it back. There were some sounds coming from the kitchen. Carly picked up the nightgown she was still in and walked over. She saw her husband working hard, "Sonny?"

Sonny looked over his shoulder, "Good morning, Carly."

She felt his cold tone, it covered her heart with a layer of ice, "I," She stopped herself, "You never came to bed last night."

"I know."

She walked closer, "Well, where did you sleep?"

"I didn't sleep. I had some things I needed to take care of."

"Sonny," Carly grabbed his shoulder. She was relieved when he didn't pull away from her, "You know that you can have Jason or Max or anyone else that you employ take care of anything for you."

"This was something I needed to do myself," Sonny said.

"Did you get it done?"

He was quiet as he worked on the meal, "No."

"I'm sorry."

He grabbed some spices from the rack, "Don't be. It had nothing to do with you."

"What are you doing now?" She asked.

'Making Michael's favorite breakfast." Sonny turned up the fire, "Hopefully this will make him feel better and actually start talking to us again."

"You're going to try and bribe our son with food?" Carly was a little shocked.

"It's worked on you plenty of times," Sonny commented, "And if he's anything like his mother, it will work on him as well."

The two shared a brief laugh between themselves before things turned distant once again. Carly moved her eyes away, they were filled with sadness. "Sonny, you may never forgive me for doing whatever it was that I did, but I am sorry. I wish I could feel otherwise, but I can't."

"I wish you could, too," Sonny got the spatula, "I also wish that I didn't mess up so much in the past. One mistake after another, and each time its tore at a portion of my soul. I've been lucky before, able to somehow rebound from whatever it was that I managed to screw up. But maybe this is where my luck runs out. I was able to salvage my relationship with Mike, keep my little sister and Jason, regain your love, but now I might be out of hope."

"Don't think like that," Carly pleaded, "You can't give up. Sonny, if you want something badly enough, I know you can find a way to get it."

"One step at a time," Sonny replied as he grabbed a plate and put all the food on it, "If this doesn't work we're taking a trip to the toy store."

"I can't believe we're forced to bribery for our son's favor."

"Better now then when he's a teenager and wants a new car," Sonny stated calmly as he walked out of the kitchen.

"You'd buy him a new car, too, wouldn't you?"

"Anything for my children, Carly. Anything."

Sonny gently tapped the door leading into Michael's room with his shoulder. The door pushed open and the sleeping figure of Michael was seen. He looked so tranquil, it completely billeted the troubled state he was in. Both parents wished that it could stay like that, but they knew that there was no way that could happen. "Hey, buddy," Sonny called out softly to his son.

Michael woke up and rubbed his eyes. Carly smiled, "Morning, sweetie." Michael turned his eyes over to her but did not speak. Carly was visibly affected, her smile quickly faded.

"Here," Sonny placed the plate out in front of Michael, "Daddy made your favorite breakfast just for you."

Michael gazed at the food, his face showing no emotion. Carly didn't like the attitude, "Michael, daddy spent a lot of time making that for you. The least you can do is say thank you."

Michael stared at Sonny for a long moment before he shook his head. "Come on, buddy," Sonny began, "It's only two words, one if you want to make it 'thanks', what's so hard?" Michael shook his head more rapidly before he grabbed a piece of paper and a crayon, writing on it. He handed the paper over to Carly.

She looked at it and read what it said, "Can't talk." She put the paper down in a split second and saw Sonny staring at her, the feeling was mutual.