Chapter 2

Jason knocked on their door as the thoughts ran through his head. He had begged no pleaded and then threatened Carly with a thing worse than death if she stormed Sonny's house demanding entry. The thoughts racing through his head weren't pretty ones. The door opened to a radiant Alexis helping the kids into their coats while handing them Sonny prepared lunches.

She kissed each one on the cheek as she let Jason in the door. "Jase, what a surprise! Are you here to see me? If so, give me 5 minutes."

Jason shook his head and said, "No actually I'm here to see my ex-business partner. I need some advice."

Alexis looked at him scrutinizing and said, "He's out of the business Jason. What do you need him for?"

Sonny stuck his head out of the kitchen door and said, "Down girl. Jason is still my friend. He can always come and ask advice."

Alexis shook her head in disbelief and said, "I'm out of here. Kids go to the car; I need to talk to your father for a moment."

Michael rolled his eyes and herded his brother and sister out of the room "Come on you guys they are going to kiss."

Sonny felt the beginnings of a smirk come over him as Alexis walked towards him and pulled his face into hers and kissed him senseless. Pulling away from her dazed he pulled her into his arms as she tried to pull away and said, "What was that for?"

Alexis smiled softly and laid another sweet kiss on her husband and said, "Thanks for understanding that Michael wants to be alone with me. It's probably about a girl or something but I would still feel more comfortable if I gave him what he wanted."

Sonny nodded and said "Thank you for giving him your love and time."

Damn. Why did he have to be the bearer of bad news? Watching Alexis and Sonny together made him happy and terrified. They were each other's soul mates but if Carly had anything to say about it, they wouldn't be together for long.

Sonny looked at his longtime friend and said "Hey man, what's going on? You aren't upset about Alexis are you? You know her bark is worse than her bite."

Jason shook his head and said "Of course not, I know Alexis only has this family's best interest at heart which is why what I'm about to say comes so hard." Sonny looked at him and said, "Sit down, I'll make you a cup of coffee and we can discuss this leisurely over breakfast."

Jason shook his head and said "Sonny, this is hard but what I'm about to say is going to change your life."

Gripping the back of the table Sonny prepared himself. "What is it? Do I have another sister running around out there? Another brother who will come out of the woodworks trying to destroy me? What?"

Jason looked at his best friend, his brother and opened his mouth to speak "I've been having you followed. Ever since you got out of the business I promised myself that your family would not come to harm."

Sonny smiled "I appreciate what you've done for me and my family man. We wouldn't be here today if it wasn't in big part to your help."

Jason smiled briefly at the compliment relishing the happy smile on his friends face and said the words that would bring his world crashing down around his ears "Carly is alive."

"Michael Corinthos, will you just admit to me what is going on with you? I know you too well to believe that you just wanted to accompany your step mom to her doctor's appointment."

Michael looked at her blushing to the tips of his red hair "God Mom, you know that I think of you as my mother and not my stepmother. Stepmother has such a negative connotation to it."

Alexis laughed softly and said "That's the last time I let you help me with a deposition. Pretty soon, you are going to be speaking in all big words." Michael smiled at her and said, "I met a girl at school."

Alexis nodded knowingly "What's her name?"

Michael looked anywhere but at his mother and said "She's in my Computer Technology class. Her name is Alicia and the best part is her parents are still alive and together."

Alexis looked at Michael strangely and said, "Why is that the best part?" The nurse took that moment to call Alexis in the back room.

As Michael helped her rise he said "Come on Mom, her birth parents are still married and both alive. No revivals from the dead, jail etc, love/hate relationship. She's normal Mom!" The giggling between the two could be heard down the hall.

Morgan tapped his sister on the shoulder and said, "I'm sorry about last night."

Kristina turned around as she closed her locker and stared at her brother "Morgan, of course you are forgiven but the question is why? I feel like you and I are growing apart and I always imagined it would be you and I against the world. After all, Michael is a momma's boy and you and I are more like Daddy. Michael is going to be leaving soon anyway so I thought we would be sticking together."

Morgan nodded "I know sis, it's just hard sometimes. I get scared. Michael used to tell me how life used to be. Us always around with bodyguards, our real mom switching men like she switched tops and Michael said that at one time he had possibly 5 different people claiming him as a son. I just don't want anything to happen to us so I pull back sometimes so that my emotions aren't involved."

Kristina rolled her eyes as she hugged her brother "Dang, you are really like Dad. Nothing is going to happen to break us apart. Mom loves Dad, and she loves us. Dad's the same way. What could possibly tear us apart?"

"Twins? Damn Dad doesn't play does he?"

Alexis playfully swiped her hand at Michael as they walked out of the doctor's office hand in hand and said "Respect Michael. Respect. Damn, your dad doesn't play does he?"

Michael grinned at Alexis and pulled her into a hug "You heard the doctor though… No stress! That means I threaten my sister and brother within an inch of their lives if they stress you out. You have to take it easy."

Alexis smiled at him and said, "Honey, I'm grateful for the concern but it's unnecessary. I promised your father I would lighten my workload with this pregnancy. He didn't have as much luck getting me to cut back when I was pregnant with Kristina."

Michael smiled and said "Dad, doesn't make it easy on us does he?"

Alexis shook her head and then wrapped her arms around Michael and whispered softly in his ear "We have the rest of the afternoon, why don't we go shopping and you can tell me some more about Alicia."

Chapter 3

"She's alive?"

Those were the only words that Sonny had spoken after Jason had dropped the bomb on him an hour ago. He took turns between pacing and drinking without speaking. "Where was she?"

Jason shrugged his shoulders "I haven't questioned her. When I saw her watching you and I recognized her, I took her to a safe house until you were prepared to see her. Whenever you want to see her let me know and I'll arrange it."

Sonny looked at the clock and said "Morgan and Kristina will be coming home from school any minute now. I can't let them see me like this; I need you to do me a favor."

Jason nodded and said "Sure whatever you need."

Sonny closed his eyes and said, "I need you to stay here while I figure out what the hell I'm going to do."

"Uncle Jason, what are you doing here?"

Jason kissed his niece and nephew and said "And hello to you guys too. Happy to see me are you?"

Morgan and Kristina had the grace to look sheepish as they backpedaled their words "Sorry Uncle Jase. It's just we are used to seeing Dad when we get home from school. He always has some snacks ready for us and we start on our homework together until Mom gets home and can help us with it."

Jason smiled at the picture they painted, the two of them made quite a team. "Don't worry your father left me some snacks that I'm supposed to give you upon your arrival. He had a matter that he had to attend to but he should be back shortly."

"So she's in your Computer Technology class hmmm? Tell me about her, blonde or brunette? Stay away from the redheads!"

Michael laughed out loud and said "Mom, you do know that I have red hair don't you?"

Alexis giggled, "I was actually talking about watching out for people like your Aunt Kristina but you'll do as an example."

Michael picked up an outfit and showed it to Alexis "Mom this is cute don't you think?"

Alexis smiled at him and said, "Have you decided your major yet? I think you would make an excellent lawyer. You definitely have away of evading questions."

Michael put the outfit back on the rack and turned to Alexis with a sly smile and said "With Dad out of the business and Uncle Jason on his way out who would I defend?"

The laughs threatened to overtake Alexis at the idea. "You do know that you and I would have to take out flyers looking for business with your dad and uncle clean."

"This feels weird. Your body isn't here but it feels like I can still talk to you. It may seem odd that I would chose to come to your grave instead of Lily's but there was always something about the way that you and I talked in comparison to Lily. Brenda, I'm confused. I've loved, only loved two women in my life. Two women who were my counterpart, two women who I thought completed me. That was you and Alexis. With you, I always felt like I was coming in second best to you because of your background. I loved you but not enough to fight for you. I don't know maybe I felt inferior maybe I wanted something more. All I know is that you were my first love, my first childish love. I'm in love now, soul mate love. Counterpart love and it scares the hell out of me that Carly's back. I can't even say the words aloud, for fear in doing so I'm making this nightmare a reality. I married Alexis, and we formed a family. She's helping me raise our children together, and she's about to give me another child. What will this do to her? Finding out that she's alive. I can't lose her. I won't lose her. With every breath of my body, I want this to be a nightmare. I don't want my children to suffer anymore than they have already. Knowing that she's alive will open up a abyss that I'm not ready to face." Sonny stood up and dried his eyes. He had poured out his heart to the only other woman who knew him inside and out. Maybe not as well as Alexis but close. Alexis, god! She was the epitome of his being. He couldn't fail her now, not again.

As they stepped on the steps leading to their house, Alexis pulled back on Michael's arm. "Let's make a deal. I won't tell Dad about Alicia if you let me be the one to tell him about the twins."

Michael grinned conspiratorially "You know Mom…. I'm holding all the cards here. I don't care if you tell Dad about Alicia."

Alexis grinned and said "Oh yea? Well fine, I'll just tell your Dad about Alicia so he can contact Jason. Jason will run a security check on her and her family to ensure that she has no mob ties…."

Michael held up his hands in surrender "Mom, I give up. You win."

Alexis put her key in the lock to open the door when a voice spoke up from behind her snidely "You lose this time Alexis." Alexis turned around and came face to face with her past and the face she never thought she saw again, Carly Corinthos.