Chapter 15
Faith walked into the penthouse she shared with Jason. She had an elated smile on her face as she walked. She saw Jason and Sonny were going over some files.
"Sorry," she started.
"Don't worry about it," Sonny replied. "I was just leaving." Sonny had gotten used to having Faith around. He was finally used to the fact that she wasn't the same person that she used to be. He turned to Jason. "Just keep an eye out on what I said before." Jason nodded.
"I will," he answered. Sonny wheeled himself out of Jason and Faith's home. Jason, who was seated on the couch, looked curiously at Faith as she stood there smiling at him. "Faith?"
"Hmm?" she hummed softly. She walked over and sat down on the couch and propped her feet up on Jason's lap.
"Something on your mind?" he asked, taking off her shoes and massaging her feet. Faith grinned.
"Yeah. A little something is on my mind . . . well, a couple little somethings . . ." Jason furrowed his brows.
"What?" he asked. "I'm confused." Faith grinned.
"Well, you know how you told me, the night we got engaged, that you wanted a family with me?"
"Yeah," Jason replied, a grin creeping up on his lips.
"Well, in six months, you and I are going to have two babies! Twins!" Faith exclaimed happily. Jason's eyes went wide.
"Twins?!" he asked.
"Yeah! Are you not happy?" Faith asked.
"No! No! I'm really happy," he replied with a smile, "because you're the mother of my children." Faith grinned happily as Jason pulled her over to him. "Baby, you have made me happier than I think I can ever be. I can't believe we're going to have twins!" Faith giggled and wrapped her arms around Jason's neck.
"Well, believe it sweetie, because it's happening."
"Did you just find out?"
"Mhm, today," she replied, running her hand over his cheek. "I'm three months along. No wonder I can't fit into any of my clothes."
"Just don't wear any," Jason joked. Faith laughed and Jason pulled her closer. He sighed a little. "You know, we're going to have to be extra careful now."
"I know," Faith replied with a nod.
"I don't want you or the kids to get hurt. I'm worried because of the business . . ." Faith placed a reassuring hand on Jason's chest.
"Don't worry. We'll be fine, okay? We'll be fine." Faith put Jason's hand on her belly and leaned against his chest. "Our babies are in good hands." She kissed his cheek. "Come on, let's go celebrate." She stood up and took his hands. He stood up and they headed upstairs to celebrate their expanding family.
**
Sonny sat in his chair at the penthouse. He was staring at a picture of himself and Morgan at the hospital the day he was born. Morgan was a wonderful little boy. Sonny felt horrible for giving him and Michael up. He kept telling himself that it was for his own good. He had a little photo album full of pictures of his children. He found a picture of himself and Michael playing catch before the divorce. He found a picture of Carly, still pregnant with Morgan, himself, and Michael sitting on the couch the day they told Michael she was pregnant. There was a picture of little Kristina the day she came to live with Sonny and Brenda. Even though Stone wasn't Sonny's real child, he had pictures of him too. Stone was just like a son to him. Then there was the sonogram picture of his and Brenda's baby. Sonny was quite sure that the baby was going to be a girl although Brenda thought it was a boy.
He wondered why God gave him his beautiful children when he felt he didn't deserve them. He knew that the children weren't even supposed to be in his life. He was a dangerous man. He had convinced himself that everything he touched died. That's why he wanted to keep a distance between himself and his family with Carly. He kept Brenda at a distance too because he didn't want her to get too attached to him. Kristina and Stone lived with him but he kept trying to convince Brenda to leave him and take the kids because he felt they were in danger.
There were so many times when Sonny thought about seeking help for what he was thinking. But he realized that if he did snap and end up taking his own life, he really wouldn't give a damn. He had ruined his whole life anyway. Why try to fix it now?
At that moment, Sonny's phone rang. He quickly wheeled over to answer it.
"Corinthos," he said with a cough.
"It's me," Carly replied.
"Carly? What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing. Uh," she started, "I just wanted to tell you that I'm at the park with the children. If you want to come see them, they're here."
"My sons don't need me," Sonny replied angrily
"Sonny, you have to stop doing this," Carly replied. "Michael thinks you hate him! He thinks you'd rather live with your other kids than with him and Morgan. Do you know how much it hurts to see your child think their father hates them?"
"Carly, I'm not good for them."
"Yes you are!" Carly exclaimed.
"Then why did you agree to no visitation? I can't visit them."
"I don't care about the damned papers we signed. What's more important is our children and how they feel."
"Look, I'll only hurt them."
"Sonny, you're a good father. You just need to be there."
"They have your precious Mark now."
"What is the matter with you?" Carly asked with tears in her eyes. "Sonny, our kids need you."
"No. They don't need me," Sonny replied. He hung up and Carly shook her head. Brenda sighed.
"Why does he always have to do that?" Brenda asked with a frown. "He pushes you away until you don't want to come back. Then when he wants you back, you don't want him."
"It's getting that way," Carly replied. "Michael misses him so much. Morgan's too young to understand any of this, but he misses his daddy."
"I think you should take the kids there anyway," Brenda replied. "Seriously, Sonny says he won't ever abandon his kids because he doesn't want to do what Mike did. But that's exactly what he's doing."
"Sometimes I think I just don't get Sonny. Sometimes I wonder if I ever did," Carly replied quietly. Brenda stood and stretched a little.
"I think I should get back to the penthouse and have a talk with Sonny," Brenda began. Carly stood.
"I should be getting home too." She looked around for her kids. "Michael! Cadence!" There was no answer. Carly and Brenda glanced over at the swings. Michael and Cadence weren't there. Carly felt her heart practically go up into her chest. "Oh my God!"
"Michael! Cadence!" Brenda called. The two women hurried along the path of the park with the strollers, looking for the two small children.
"Michael!! Cadence!" Carly screamed.
"Oh my God," Brenda breathed.
"Where the hell are my kids?!"
"Stay calm, Carly. I'm sure they're around here somewhere," Brenda said, starting to panic. Tears flooded Carly's eyes.
"Oh God," she whispered. "Oh God."
"It's gonna be okay, Carly," Brenda assured her. "We're going to find your kids, okay? We're going to find them."
"Oh God, please tell me you're right." Carly grabbed her cell phone and dialed Mark's cell phone.
"Dr. Mark Conrad," he answered.
"Mark! It's Carly!" Carly bawled.
"Baby, what is it?" Mark asked with fear in his voice.
"You've got to meet me at Sonny's penthouse as soon as possible. Michael and Cadence are missing!"
"I'll be right there," Mark replied. He hung up and Max and Tony ran over.
"Where the hell were you two when my kids went missing?!" Carly asked, her voice cracking and shaking. Brenda put her arms around Carly.
"It'll be okay," she soothed. "We'll find them."
**
Brenda pushed Kristina and Morgan into the penthouse. Carly followed right behind her with Morgan in his stroller. Sonny was sitting in his wheel chair.
"What's going on?" Sonny asked. Brenda ignored Sonny and walked over to pour Carly a glass of water. Sonny saw that Carly was shaking. He wanted nothing more than to run over to Carly and take her in his arms. He hated to see her cry. It hurt him so badly when she cried.
Brenda handed Carly the water and Carly nodded in thanks. Brenda just looked at Carly and she sighed.
"We called the police, Carly," she whispered. "They're going to search the park. They're going to search everywhere until they find them." Sonny's eyes went wide. He noticed that Michael wasn't there.
"What's going on?!" Sonny asked immediately.
"Michael and Cadence were playing on the swings," Brenda started.
"They're gone," Carly whispered. "They're gone."
"Sweetie, sit down," Brenda breathed.
"Call Bianca. She'll want to know what's going on," Carly cried.
"I already called her. She's at the house in case something turns up," Brenda replied.
"What if they're cold? What if they're hungry?" Carly asked with a sniffle. "I never should have taken them to the park today. Sonny had been in silent shock for the past minute. His son was missing.
"When did this happen?" Sonny asked.
"About twenty minutes ago," Carly sniffled. Morgan woke from his sleep and Carly picked him up. She was shaking. Brenda took him and took him over to Sonny.
"Go to daddy," Brenda said.
"No, don't . . ." Sonny started. Before he could protest anymore, his sleepy son was in his lap. Sonny held onto his son as Brenda went back to Carly. Mark burst through the door and he ran to Carly.
"Baby, what happened?"
"The kids are missing," Carly whispered. "Cadence and Michael are gone."
"We'll find them."
"What if we don't?!" Carly bawled.
"We will!" Mark exclaimed. "You have to believe that." Jason and Faith walked through the door with smiles on their faces. Their smiles were instantly shattered when they saw a sobbing Carly and a flustered Mark. Sonny was holding Morgan so close and he didn't want to let go.
"What happened?" Jason asked quickly.
"Somebody took Michael and Cadence," Brenda replied quietly.
"Oh God," Faith whispered. She looked at Jason. Jason went to Carly.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Yeah. You find my kids and bring them back to me," Carly cried. Mark stood up.
"I'll go find them," Jason promised.
"I'm coming with you," Mark replied.
"Me too," Sonny replied.
"Sonny, don't you think . . ." Mark started.
"Don't start with me!" Sonny snapped. "Just because I'm a cripple doesn't mean I can't go search for my son! He's out there and I'm going to get him back!" Morgan began to cry. Faith rushed over and picked him up. "I'm sorry buddy . . ." Sonny, Jason, and Mark all left the penthouse leaving Carly, Brenda, Faith and the three youngsters alone. Carly was sobbing silently into her hands now.
"Don't worry," Faith said, putting an arm around Carly. "They'll find them. Your kids will be back in your arms in no time."
**
"I want my mommy and daddy!" Michael screamed. He and Cadence clung to each other in a dark, damp old food cellar in the back of an abandoned building in the slums of Port Charles.
"Shut up and you might get to see them again!" came the voice of a very annoyed woman. She slammed the door and locked it behind her. She joined a man in the front of the building.
"Those little brats won't live to see the light of day if I have anything to say in it!" Sam exclaimed angrily, kicking a pebble out of her way.
"Calm down," Lorenzo replied. "Sonny and Carly will do anything for their precious Michael. Carly's also got Cadence. I'm assuming Mark will be helping her. He'd do anything for his little Cadence. They would all die to save their children. They might all end up doing just that."
"I'm hoping those annoying brats will die too," Sam replied. "You should have gotten the squalling baby too."
"Now that I've got my eyesight back, I feel like I can do anything," Lorenzo said with a dry laugh. "But the one thing I couldn't do was steal an infant right out from under his mother's nose. That would have been too obvious. We'll get to Morgan all in good time."
"Just as long as we get rid of Sonny and Carly, I'm happy. I can't move on until they're both dead."
"Patience, Sam," Lorenzo replied.
In the back of the damp cellar, Michael and Cadence were shivering together in a corner.
"Mikey, we've got to get out of here," Cadence cried.
"I know," Michael replied. "We will. You've gotta be brave, okay?"
"Okay," Cadence whispered. "I just want to go home."
"Be brave, Cady," Michael replied. "Somebody will find us. They have to."
Faith walked into the penthouse she shared with Jason. She had an elated smile on her face as she walked. She saw Jason and Sonny were going over some files.
"Sorry," she started.
"Don't worry about it," Sonny replied. "I was just leaving." Sonny had gotten used to having Faith around. He was finally used to the fact that she wasn't the same person that she used to be. He turned to Jason. "Just keep an eye out on what I said before." Jason nodded.
"I will," he answered. Sonny wheeled himself out of Jason and Faith's home. Jason, who was seated on the couch, looked curiously at Faith as she stood there smiling at him. "Faith?"
"Hmm?" she hummed softly. She walked over and sat down on the couch and propped her feet up on Jason's lap.
"Something on your mind?" he asked, taking off her shoes and massaging her feet. Faith grinned.
"Yeah. A little something is on my mind . . . well, a couple little somethings . . ." Jason furrowed his brows.
"What?" he asked. "I'm confused." Faith grinned.
"Well, you know how you told me, the night we got engaged, that you wanted a family with me?"
"Yeah," Jason replied, a grin creeping up on his lips.
"Well, in six months, you and I are going to have two babies! Twins!" Faith exclaimed happily. Jason's eyes went wide.
"Twins?!" he asked.
"Yeah! Are you not happy?" Faith asked.
"No! No! I'm really happy," he replied with a smile, "because you're the mother of my children." Faith grinned happily as Jason pulled her over to him. "Baby, you have made me happier than I think I can ever be. I can't believe we're going to have twins!" Faith giggled and wrapped her arms around Jason's neck.
"Well, believe it sweetie, because it's happening."
"Did you just find out?"
"Mhm, today," she replied, running her hand over his cheek. "I'm three months along. No wonder I can't fit into any of my clothes."
"Just don't wear any," Jason joked. Faith laughed and Jason pulled her closer. He sighed a little. "You know, we're going to have to be extra careful now."
"I know," Faith replied with a nod.
"I don't want you or the kids to get hurt. I'm worried because of the business . . ." Faith placed a reassuring hand on Jason's chest.
"Don't worry. We'll be fine, okay? We'll be fine." Faith put Jason's hand on her belly and leaned against his chest. "Our babies are in good hands." She kissed his cheek. "Come on, let's go celebrate." She stood up and took his hands. He stood up and they headed upstairs to celebrate their expanding family.
**
Sonny sat in his chair at the penthouse. He was staring at a picture of himself and Morgan at the hospital the day he was born. Morgan was a wonderful little boy. Sonny felt horrible for giving him and Michael up. He kept telling himself that it was for his own good. He had a little photo album full of pictures of his children. He found a picture of himself and Michael playing catch before the divorce. He found a picture of Carly, still pregnant with Morgan, himself, and Michael sitting on the couch the day they told Michael she was pregnant. There was a picture of little Kristina the day she came to live with Sonny and Brenda. Even though Stone wasn't Sonny's real child, he had pictures of him too. Stone was just like a son to him. Then there was the sonogram picture of his and Brenda's baby. Sonny was quite sure that the baby was going to be a girl although Brenda thought it was a boy.
He wondered why God gave him his beautiful children when he felt he didn't deserve them. He knew that the children weren't even supposed to be in his life. He was a dangerous man. He had convinced himself that everything he touched died. That's why he wanted to keep a distance between himself and his family with Carly. He kept Brenda at a distance too because he didn't want her to get too attached to him. Kristina and Stone lived with him but he kept trying to convince Brenda to leave him and take the kids because he felt they were in danger.
There were so many times when Sonny thought about seeking help for what he was thinking. But he realized that if he did snap and end up taking his own life, he really wouldn't give a damn. He had ruined his whole life anyway. Why try to fix it now?
At that moment, Sonny's phone rang. He quickly wheeled over to answer it.
"Corinthos," he said with a cough.
"It's me," Carly replied.
"Carly? What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing. Uh," she started, "I just wanted to tell you that I'm at the park with the children. If you want to come see them, they're here."
"My sons don't need me," Sonny replied angrily
"Sonny, you have to stop doing this," Carly replied. "Michael thinks you hate him! He thinks you'd rather live with your other kids than with him and Morgan. Do you know how much it hurts to see your child think their father hates them?"
"Carly, I'm not good for them."
"Yes you are!" Carly exclaimed.
"Then why did you agree to no visitation? I can't visit them."
"I don't care about the damned papers we signed. What's more important is our children and how they feel."
"Look, I'll only hurt them."
"Sonny, you're a good father. You just need to be there."
"They have your precious Mark now."
"What is the matter with you?" Carly asked with tears in her eyes. "Sonny, our kids need you."
"No. They don't need me," Sonny replied. He hung up and Carly shook her head. Brenda sighed.
"Why does he always have to do that?" Brenda asked with a frown. "He pushes you away until you don't want to come back. Then when he wants you back, you don't want him."
"It's getting that way," Carly replied. "Michael misses him so much. Morgan's too young to understand any of this, but he misses his daddy."
"I think you should take the kids there anyway," Brenda replied. "Seriously, Sonny says he won't ever abandon his kids because he doesn't want to do what Mike did. But that's exactly what he's doing."
"Sometimes I think I just don't get Sonny. Sometimes I wonder if I ever did," Carly replied quietly. Brenda stood and stretched a little.
"I think I should get back to the penthouse and have a talk with Sonny," Brenda began. Carly stood.
"I should be getting home too." She looked around for her kids. "Michael! Cadence!" There was no answer. Carly and Brenda glanced over at the swings. Michael and Cadence weren't there. Carly felt her heart practically go up into her chest. "Oh my God!"
"Michael! Cadence!" Brenda called. The two women hurried along the path of the park with the strollers, looking for the two small children.
"Michael!! Cadence!" Carly screamed.
"Oh my God," Brenda breathed.
"Where the hell are my kids?!"
"Stay calm, Carly. I'm sure they're around here somewhere," Brenda said, starting to panic. Tears flooded Carly's eyes.
"Oh God," she whispered. "Oh God."
"It's gonna be okay, Carly," Brenda assured her. "We're going to find your kids, okay? We're going to find them."
"Oh God, please tell me you're right." Carly grabbed her cell phone and dialed Mark's cell phone.
"Dr. Mark Conrad," he answered.
"Mark! It's Carly!" Carly bawled.
"Baby, what is it?" Mark asked with fear in his voice.
"You've got to meet me at Sonny's penthouse as soon as possible. Michael and Cadence are missing!"
"I'll be right there," Mark replied. He hung up and Max and Tony ran over.
"Where the hell were you two when my kids went missing?!" Carly asked, her voice cracking and shaking. Brenda put her arms around Carly.
"It'll be okay," she soothed. "We'll find them."
**
Brenda pushed Kristina and Morgan into the penthouse. Carly followed right behind her with Morgan in his stroller. Sonny was sitting in his wheel chair.
"What's going on?" Sonny asked. Brenda ignored Sonny and walked over to pour Carly a glass of water. Sonny saw that Carly was shaking. He wanted nothing more than to run over to Carly and take her in his arms. He hated to see her cry. It hurt him so badly when she cried.
Brenda handed Carly the water and Carly nodded in thanks. Brenda just looked at Carly and she sighed.
"We called the police, Carly," she whispered. "They're going to search the park. They're going to search everywhere until they find them." Sonny's eyes went wide. He noticed that Michael wasn't there.
"What's going on?!" Sonny asked immediately.
"Michael and Cadence were playing on the swings," Brenda started.
"They're gone," Carly whispered. "They're gone."
"Sweetie, sit down," Brenda breathed.
"Call Bianca. She'll want to know what's going on," Carly cried.
"I already called her. She's at the house in case something turns up," Brenda replied.
"What if they're cold? What if they're hungry?" Carly asked with a sniffle. "I never should have taken them to the park today. Sonny had been in silent shock for the past minute. His son was missing.
"When did this happen?" Sonny asked.
"About twenty minutes ago," Carly sniffled. Morgan woke from his sleep and Carly picked him up. She was shaking. Brenda took him and took him over to Sonny.
"Go to daddy," Brenda said.
"No, don't . . ." Sonny started. Before he could protest anymore, his sleepy son was in his lap. Sonny held onto his son as Brenda went back to Carly. Mark burst through the door and he ran to Carly.
"Baby, what happened?"
"The kids are missing," Carly whispered. "Cadence and Michael are gone."
"We'll find them."
"What if we don't?!" Carly bawled.
"We will!" Mark exclaimed. "You have to believe that." Jason and Faith walked through the door with smiles on their faces. Their smiles were instantly shattered when they saw a sobbing Carly and a flustered Mark. Sonny was holding Morgan so close and he didn't want to let go.
"What happened?" Jason asked quickly.
"Somebody took Michael and Cadence," Brenda replied quietly.
"Oh God," Faith whispered. She looked at Jason. Jason went to Carly.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Yeah. You find my kids and bring them back to me," Carly cried. Mark stood up.
"I'll go find them," Jason promised.
"I'm coming with you," Mark replied.
"Me too," Sonny replied.
"Sonny, don't you think . . ." Mark started.
"Don't start with me!" Sonny snapped. "Just because I'm a cripple doesn't mean I can't go search for my son! He's out there and I'm going to get him back!" Morgan began to cry. Faith rushed over and picked him up. "I'm sorry buddy . . ." Sonny, Jason, and Mark all left the penthouse leaving Carly, Brenda, Faith and the three youngsters alone. Carly was sobbing silently into her hands now.
"Don't worry," Faith said, putting an arm around Carly. "They'll find them. Your kids will be back in your arms in no time."
**
"I want my mommy and daddy!" Michael screamed. He and Cadence clung to each other in a dark, damp old food cellar in the back of an abandoned building in the slums of Port Charles.
"Shut up and you might get to see them again!" came the voice of a very annoyed woman. She slammed the door and locked it behind her. She joined a man in the front of the building.
"Those little brats won't live to see the light of day if I have anything to say in it!" Sam exclaimed angrily, kicking a pebble out of her way.
"Calm down," Lorenzo replied. "Sonny and Carly will do anything for their precious Michael. Carly's also got Cadence. I'm assuming Mark will be helping her. He'd do anything for his little Cadence. They would all die to save their children. They might all end up doing just that."
"I'm hoping those annoying brats will die too," Sam replied. "You should have gotten the squalling baby too."
"Now that I've got my eyesight back, I feel like I can do anything," Lorenzo said with a dry laugh. "But the one thing I couldn't do was steal an infant right out from under his mother's nose. That would have been too obvious. We'll get to Morgan all in good time."
"Just as long as we get rid of Sonny and Carly, I'm happy. I can't move on until they're both dead."
"Patience, Sam," Lorenzo replied.
In the back of the damp cellar, Michael and Cadence were shivering together in a corner.
"Mikey, we've got to get out of here," Cadence cried.
"I know," Michael replied. "We will. You've gotta be brave, okay?"
"Okay," Cadence whispered. "I just want to go home."
"Be brave, Cady," Michael replied. "Somebody will find us. They have to."