Chapter 8

Alexis knew it was getting close to the time of day for her daily ritual and she needed to be able to see the sunset. Her penthouse room was facing toward the east so she was unable to see the sunset from her room. She opened her suitcase and reached in for a pair of jeans and t-shirt. Once she changed she headed for her door only to find Johnny waiting.

"Uh, Johnny, I need to take a walk. I'll be back in a little while."

"I'm sorry, Miss Davis, but I don't think that is a good idea. I just heard from my contact downstairs that Mrs. Corinthos is on the rampage and it doesn't look good. I don't think it would be a good idea for her to see you again this evening."

Alexis wondered just how much Johnny knew about her business with Sonny. But right now, she didn't care, it was getting later and she needed to get outside. Looking into Johnny's kind eyes again, she took a chance.

"Johnny, I would dearly love to see a sunset tonight. Just chalk it up to the whims of a neurotic attorney. Got any ideas?"

As Johnny gazed into her eyes, he could see that she was just trying to get around him. But, he also saw something else. He couldn't explain it, but he knew it was more important to her than she was letting on. Johnny thought for a minute then with a conspiratorial smile on his face took Alexis by the elbow and very gently led her to the service elevator.

Alexis wondered where Johnny was taking her, but she instinctively knew there was no reason to fear him. She let him guide her to the elevator and noticed that instead of going down to the ground floor. They went up to roof. The door was locked and much to Alexis' surprise Johnny pulled a key out of his pocket and opened it. He led her out onto the roof and she caught her breath with the vision that lay before her.

She was stunned. The first thing she noticed was that she faced the west and the sun was just beginning its final push toward the horizon. It was more beautiful than any sunset she had seen in quite a while. She was vaguely aware of Johnny making himself scarce while she walked forward toward the sun.

All of a sudden Alexis realized that the fragrance that was invading her senses was her mothers. No, it couldn't be. She was so taken by surprise that her knees began to buckle. She did not realize Johnny caught her. Alexis was in a world of her own. She was not aware of her surroundings any longer she was once again being held in the arms of her mother. She began to hum to herself and softly sway back and forth in Johnny's arms.

Johnny watched her every move. She was indeed a beautiful woman, but there was something else. When he looked at her everything in him screamed that no matter what he needed to protect her. So when, he saw her body jerk to some reaction she was having he quickly stepped up behind her and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Miss Davis? Miss Davis. Are you alright?" Johnny didn't know what to do. He was worried. He couldn't get her to respond to him. He wished Sonny was here. He'd know what to do.

Alexis vaguely heard Johnny calling to her. She didn't want to leave her mother, but she heard the concern in Johnny's voice. Concentrating on his voice she began to make her way back to reality. Slowly lifting her eyes to Johnny's, she held his gaze until she was grounded once more and her mother was once more just a tragic memory.

"I'm sorry, Johnny. Thank you for your assistance. I could explain what just happened, but it's too personal and I need to ask you to keep it just between us. Can I ask that of you?"

"No problem, Miss Davis. Are you ok? Do I need to call a doctor?"

Alexis could see that Johnny's concern was genuine and she felt bad that she zoned out on him causing him to worry. She laid her hand on his arm to hold him next to her as she turned to try to identify what caused such a gut wrenching loss of reality for her. Before her lay a garden of gardenias! Everywhere she looked she saw gardenias. This place that Johnny brought her to was so filled with her mothers scent that Alexis had been engulfed with such a longing for her mother that her mind simply retreated to a happier time.

She looked back up at Johnny with such pain in her face that it took his breath away. He didn't know what to do, so he tried to turn her around to take her back to the penthouse. But she stopped him.

"No wait, Johnny. Please. I have something I have to do then we'll leave." As she turned back toward the sun she gently squeezed Johnny's arm to assure him that she was okay then let go.

He watched her straighten her back and lift her head. She walked toward the railing and just as she reached it she stopped and bowed her head. He heard her whispering but couldn't quite hear the words. She only stood there a few moments before turning back to him. She smiled at him and he could see she had regained her composure. She was ready to leave now; at least he thought so.

As Alexis finished her nightly ritual to her mothers memory she felt a sense of peace come over her for the first time since she began her quest so long ago. She looked back at the sun as it slowly disappeared below the horizon and quietly accepted the peace that she knew her mother was trying to impart to her. For this night, Alexis would lay down the torment she lived with daily and accept the peace she knew her mother wanted her to have. Alexis also knew that she would have to return to Port Charles more often now. She had finally connected with her mothers memory as never before and she wasn't willing for it to be a one-time experience.

She turned back to Johnny and wanted this gentle man to know what he had done for her tonight. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew that this secret was safe with Johnny. As she reached him, she reached up to lay a hand on his cheek.

"Johnny, please don't worry about me. I'm fine. But, if you would like to know, I don't mind telling you about the gift you gave me tonight."

Johnny's mouth was dry. He wanted to know what was going on more than anything, but he wouldn't push. He knew what it like to lose someone and somehow he knew that for Alexis, tonight was about honoring someone she had lost.

"Miss Davis, I wouldn't dream of invading your space. As long as you're alright, I'm satisfied."

"It's ok, Johnny. Sit with me here for a while. I'd like to share it with you. I need to thank you for giving me a gift you had no way of knowing I needed."

They sat down across from each other and as Alexis began to tell Johnny about her mother they both knew that after this night they would share a bond of friendship that would last the rest of their lives. Johnny would give his life for her. She had treated him with total acceptance. She never once questioned his choice of career or his lifestyle. And Alexis knew that if Johnny ever needed anything she would be there for him. As the evening closed toward darkness, Johnny walked Alexis back to the penthouse and before she bid him goodnight she placed in his hand a small embossed card with her name and personal number on it. And she explained to Johnny just as she had to Matt two weeks earlier what having that card meant. Johnny pulled out his wallet and placed her card very tenderly behind the photo he carried of his mother.

Alexis never expected Johnny to use her number. He just didn't seem the type to call a woman if he got into trouble. She hoped he would but also understood why he would not. She had no way of knowing that there would come a time when Johnny would pull her card from that special place in his wallet and use it. But, he wouldn't be calling on his own behalf. He would call her in desperation to help someone else he loved.