Chapter 25
It had been a few weeks since Faith's disappearance, and Jason was still in jail. People were still out looking for Faith, but there had been no luck. Things had been pretty calm around town. It was Kristina's second birthday, and the children were all in the kitchen having cake. Sonny was holding Megan in one arm and videotaping using the other.
Carly was upstairs in the bedroom. She was pacing the bedroom nervously. She looked in the mirror and she smoothed back her hair. She untucked her shirt because she felt more comfortable that way.
She sat down on the edge of the bed that she shared with Sonny. So much had happened in the last few weeks. Carly and Mark's divorce had been finalized; Sonny was going to marry Carly whenever Father Coates had a chance to get out to the house. Megan was absolutely perfect. She was healthy, happy, and growing. The Corinthos family was on the road to restoration.
Carly walked over to the window and looked out at the first coat of winter snow. She saw the snow man that Sonny had built with Cadence and Michael earlier that afternoon. She looked toward the woods. She wondered where Faith was right now. She knew Faith wasn't dead. She couldn't admit to herself that Faith was dead. She had to hold out hope for Jason's sake. Justus had not been able to get a judge to release Jason from jail. He hadn't gotten to move from his cell except for when Ric grilled him on Faith's location.
The laughter of the children echoed up the stairs and Carly closed her eyes. She remembered holding Megan on the night Brenda gave birth to her. Megan was the only one of her children that she had been able to hold at birth. So many circumstances had prevented her from getting to bond with her biological children at birth. Carly found herself wiping a tear from her eye. She wanted one more chance to get it right.
A knock came to the door and Carly turned to see Sonny standing in the doorway with a video camera. He was still holding little Megan while Michael, Cadence, Morgan, Stone, and Kristina stood in front of their father.
"Can we come in, mommy?" Kristina asked. Carly wiped the tears out of her eyes. She smiled.
"Yeah," Carly replied with a nod. "Come in guys."
"Why are you crying, mommy?" Michael asked.
"I was just thinking . . . that's all."
"Kids, why don't you give mom and dad a minute?" Sonny asked. Michael and Cadence nodded and led Morgan, Stone, and Kristina out of the room. Sonny went to turn off the camera, but Carly stopped him.
"No . . . leave it on."
"Honey? What's the matter?" Sonny asked. No sooner did he ask that question than a ding came from the bathroom.
"I'll be back," Carly whispered. She walked into the bathroom and Sonny walked over and gently put Megan down in a bassinet. A minute later, Carly walked out of the bathroom with something in her hand.
"Carly?" He saw a fresh coat of tears in Carly's eyes. He saw a smile tugging at her lips. He watched Carly look down in her hands and then look back up, closing her eyes. "Baby? You're scaring me. What's going on?"
"Sonny . . . I'm pregnant," she choked out with a smile on her face. Sonny's eyes went wide and he nearly dropped the camera. Carly chuckled a little and Sonny stood there with the wildest expression of shock on his face.
"You're kidding me?" Sonny asked. Carly shook her head.
"No! Look at the test!" Carly exclaimed. Sonny did as Carly told him to do and he saw that it was positive.
"Oh my God."
"Yeah," Carly replied. "This will be one to show the grandkids one day." Sonny chuckled. He turned the camera off and he put it down. He walked over to Carly, took her in his arms, and kissing her lovingly. Carly wrapped her arms around Sonny and he got down on his knees. He put his head on Carly's belly and closed his eyes. Carly began to sob. She was so happy to be able to give Sonny another child. She was quite worried because of the circumstances of Morgan's birth. She was thankful that being pregnant and giving birth was still an option.
"This is so amazing," Sonny whispered. Carly ran her fingers through Sonny's hair.
"Let's not tell the kids yet," Carly replied. Sonny stood. Carly looked down into her hands and fidgeted with her fingers.
"What's wrong?"
"I just don't want to get my hopes up."
"What do you mean?"
"Sonny, I'm just scared, that's all. I mean, I haven't had the best luck with pregnancies. I had Michael early. I lost our first baby together. I nearly got myself and Morgan killed while I was pregnant."
"That wasn't your fault," Sonny reminded her. "Alcazar and Ric are the ones to blame."
"Sonny, let's not talk about it, okay?"
"Carly . . ."
"Sonny, I don't want to get the kids' hopes up."
"Don't you want this baby?" Sonny asked.
"Of course I do!" Carly exclaimed in a whisper. "I just don't want something to go wrong and we'd have to explain to all of the kids why we told them they're getting a new baby and then the baby never comes. Remember trying to explain to Michael that he wasn't getting a baby brother after we lost our first son? Remember? Michael didn't understand so he was confused. I don't want to go through that again. It's too hard." Sonny took Carly's hands in his and he looked into her eyes.
"This baby's going to be fine. Do you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because you are an amazing woman. You are a fighter and you'd fight tooth and nail for your children. That's exactly how this baby's going to be." Carly smiled and Sonny hugged her again. "But I understand your concerns. We won't tell the kids just yet."
"Thank you," Carly whispered. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, baby," he replied, caressing her hair. "I love you too."
**
Faith had been moved from the dark, empty room, to a well furnished apartment that locked from the outside. The apartment wasn't in New York, she was sure. She wasn't sure if it was even in the country. There was no phone and no windows. She had no way of escaping. She had a closet full of clothes, and she wore the baggy ones to conceal her pregnancy from Leon Alcazar.
She knew that he wanted her for more reasons that to just be Lars' mother. Lars still came to see Faith, but she won't speak. She decided that he wouldn't believe her anyway, so she let him think whatever he wanted to. Leon once told her that he was going to make her his wife one day. Faith told him that he was crazy and that she'd never marry him. He told her she would if she had nothing else to live for. She would marry him if her family was in danger. Faith had said nothing to him then. The only time she spoke was when she talked to her unborn twins. She was quite certain there were no wires or cameras in the apartment. If there were, she knew that Leon would know about the pregnancy.
Leon came by once a week to stock her fridge and cabinets with groceries. Faith didn't understand why he had to keep her. She just wanted to go home. She would beg and plead with him but he would turn his back and leave.
Faith had been having bouts of morning sickness all day. She was very pale and she was expecting Leon to come through the door at any minute. She figured that being her luck, he'd come through the door while she was throwing up. She started to think about Jason. He was the first thing on her mind in the morning and the last thing on her mind before she fell asleep. Well, that was when she did sleep. She knew she needed to see a doctor, and her worry over her unborn twins kept her awake all night.
Faith heard scuffling outside of the door. Leon came in and shut the door behind him.
"Good morning."
"Is it morning? I've lost track of the days and nights."
"If you would just agree to be my wife . . ."
"I'm already married, asshole!" Faith replied angrily.
"I let you off of the chain."
"Oh, thanks so much, master," Faith said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do."
"Then let me go!"
"I'll make you love me."
"I don't want to love you! Leon, just let me out of here. I want to go. Please just let me go home."
"You'll change your mind."
"God . . ." Faith said. "Why are you doing this?"
"God's not going to help you," Leon replied. He left the apartment after pushing a button on a remote that controlled the door's locks, and Faith angrily collapsed on the couch.
"I'm going to get us out of here," she whispered. "Even if I have to kill him. I'll get us out of here."
It had been a few weeks since Faith's disappearance, and Jason was still in jail. People were still out looking for Faith, but there had been no luck. Things had been pretty calm around town. It was Kristina's second birthday, and the children were all in the kitchen having cake. Sonny was holding Megan in one arm and videotaping using the other.
Carly was upstairs in the bedroom. She was pacing the bedroom nervously. She looked in the mirror and she smoothed back her hair. She untucked her shirt because she felt more comfortable that way.
She sat down on the edge of the bed that she shared with Sonny. So much had happened in the last few weeks. Carly and Mark's divorce had been finalized; Sonny was going to marry Carly whenever Father Coates had a chance to get out to the house. Megan was absolutely perfect. She was healthy, happy, and growing. The Corinthos family was on the road to restoration.
Carly walked over to the window and looked out at the first coat of winter snow. She saw the snow man that Sonny had built with Cadence and Michael earlier that afternoon. She looked toward the woods. She wondered where Faith was right now. She knew Faith wasn't dead. She couldn't admit to herself that Faith was dead. She had to hold out hope for Jason's sake. Justus had not been able to get a judge to release Jason from jail. He hadn't gotten to move from his cell except for when Ric grilled him on Faith's location.
The laughter of the children echoed up the stairs and Carly closed her eyes. She remembered holding Megan on the night Brenda gave birth to her. Megan was the only one of her children that she had been able to hold at birth. So many circumstances had prevented her from getting to bond with her biological children at birth. Carly found herself wiping a tear from her eye. She wanted one more chance to get it right.
A knock came to the door and Carly turned to see Sonny standing in the doorway with a video camera. He was still holding little Megan while Michael, Cadence, Morgan, Stone, and Kristina stood in front of their father.
"Can we come in, mommy?" Kristina asked. Carly wiped the tears out of her eyes. She smiled.
"Yeah," Carly replied with a nod. "Come in guys."
"Why are you crying, mommy?" Michael asked.
"I was just thinking . . . that's all."
"Kids, why don't you give mom and dad a minute?" Sonny asked. Michael and Cadence nodded and led Morgan, Stone, and Kristina out of the room. Sonny went to turn off the camera, but Carly stopped him.
"No . . . leave it on."
"Honey? What's the matter?" Sonny asked. No sooner did he ask that question than a ding came from the bathroom.
"I'll be back," Carly whispered. She walked into the bathroom and Sonny walked over and gently put Megan down in a bassinet. A minute later, Carly walked out of the bathroom with something in her hand.
"Carly?" He saw a fresh coat of tears in Carly's eyes. He saw a smile tugging at her lips. He watched Carly look down in her hands and then look back up, closing her eyes. "Baby? You're scaring me. What's going on?"
"Sonny . . . I'm pregnant," she choked out with a smile on her face. Sonny's eyes went wide and he nearly dropped the camera. Carly chuckled a little and Sonny stood there with the wildest expression of shock on his face.
"You're kidding me?" Sonny asked. Carly shook her head.
"No! Look at the test!" Carly exclaimed. Sonny did as Carly told him to do and he saw that it was positive.
"Oh my God."
"Yeah," Carly replied. "This will be one to show the grandkids one day." Sonny chuckled. He turned the camera off and he put it down. He walked over to Carly, took her in his arms, and kissing her lovingly. Carly wrapped her arms around Sonny and he got down on his knees. He put his head on Carly's belly and closed his eyes. Carly began to sob. She was so happy to be able to give Sonny another child. She was quite worried because of the circumstances of Morgan's birth. She was thankful that being pregnant and giving birth was still an option.
"This is so amazing," Sonny whispered. Carly ran her fingers through Sonny's hair.
"Let's not tell the kids yet," Carly replied. Sonny stood. Carly looked down into her hands and fidgeted with her fingers.
"What's wrong?"
"I just don't want to get my hopes up."
"What do you mean?"
"Sonny, I'm just scared, that's all. I mean, I haven't had the best luck with pregnancies. I had Michael early. I lost our first baby together. I nearly got myself and Morgan killed while I was pregnant."
"That wasn't your fault," Sonny reminded her. "Alcazar and Ric are the ones to blame."
"Sonny, let's not talk about it, okay?"
"Carly . . ."
"Sonny, I don't want to get the kids' hopes up."
"Don't you want this baby?" Sonny asked.
"Of course I do!" Carly exclaimed in a whisper. "I just don't want something to go wrong and we'd have to explain to all of the kids why we told them they're getting a new baby and then the baby never comes. Remember trying to explain to Michael that he wasn't getting a baby brother after we lost our first son? Remember? Michael didn't understand so he was confused. I don't want to go through that again. It's too hard." Sonny took Carly's hands in his and he looked into her eyes.
"This baby's going to be fine. Do you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because you are an amazing woman. You are a fighter and you'd fight tooth and nail for your children. That's exactly how this baby's going to be." Carly smiled and Sonny hugged her again. "But I understand your concerns. We won't tell the kids just yet."
"Thank you," Carly whispered. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, baby," he replied, caressing her hair. "I love you too."
**
Faith had been moved from the dark, empty room, to a well furnished apartment that locked from the outside. The apartment wasn't in New York, she was sure. She wasn't sure if it was even in the country. There was no phone and no windows. She had no way of escaping. She had a closet full of clothes, and she wore the baggy ones to conceal her pregnancy from Leon Alcazar.
She knew that he wanted her for more reasons that to just be Lars' mother. Lars still came to see Faith, but she won't speak. She decided that he wouldn't believe her anyway, so she let him think whatever he wanted to. Leon once told her that he was going to make her his wife one day. Faith told him that he was crazy and that she'd never marry him. He told her she would if she had nothing else to live for. She would marry him if her family was in danger. Faith had said nothing to him then. The only time she spoke was when she talked to her unborn twins. She was quite certain there were no wires or cameras in the apartment. If there were, she knew that Leon would know about the pregnancy.
Leon came by once a week to stock her fridge and cabinets with groceries. Faith didn't understand why he had to keep her. She just wanted to go home. She would beg and plead with him but he would turn his back and leave.
Faith had been having bouts of morning sickness all day. She was very pale and she was expecting Leon to come through the door at any minute. She figured that being her luck, he'd come through the door while she was throwing up. She started to think about Jason. He was the first thing on her mind in the morning and the last thing on her mind before she fell asleep. Well, that was when she did sleep. She knew she needed to see a doctor, and her worry over her unborn twins kept her awake all night.
Faith heard scuffling outside of the door. Leon came in and shut the door behind him.
"Good morning."
"Is it morning? I've lost track of the days and nights."
"If you would just agree to be my wife . . ."
"I'm already married, asshole!" Faith replied angrily.
"I let you off of the chain."
"Oh, thanks so much, master," Faith said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do."
"Then let me go!"
"I'll make you love me."
"I don't want to love you! Leon, just let me out of here. I want to go. Please just let me go home."
"You'll change your mind."
"God . . ." Faith said. "Why are you doing this?"
"God's not going to help you," Leon replied. He left the apartment after pushing a button on a remote that controlled the door's locks, and Faith angrily collapsed on the couch.
"I'm going to get us out of here," she whispered. "Even if I have to kill him. I'll get us out of here."