Note: I received a reply in regards to ages and I felt compelled to answer. The truth of the matter is that in my mind all the characters on this show underwent that disease RACS (Rapidly Aging Children Syndrome) Morgan/Kristina are close together in age, I'm thinking 14-15. Michael is on his way out of high school so I'm thinking 17 on the brink of 18. Carly has been gone from the story for 5 years. As always, I'm loving your replies so please let me know if you have any comments suggestions etc.

Chapter 6

Jason walked into the safe house and looked at Carly in antipathy. "So you decided to ignore my instructions after all."

Carly rolled her eyes and said "Jase, she's been taking my place for far too long. Do you know how rude Michael was to me? And what, all on account of that bitch being allowed to take my place with my children? But no, Carly has to be the one who is patient. Let Sonny come to her. I haven't even seen Morgan yet."

Jason laughed to himself. "Same old Carly, you don't change do you? You and you first is the way it has to be! Well Morgan is safe and sound at my penthouse."

Carly smiled and said, "Well good then let's go."

Jason shook his head and said "You've done enough damage for one day. Don't you think you should have given Sonny and Alexis, time to prepare Michael and Morgan? No, you just wanted what you wanted and that was entry back into the lives of your children. Not even giving a second thought to how they would feel."

Carly screamed in rage, "They are my children. Not Alexis, hell not even Sonny's. They are my children. I've been separated from them for 5 years. No one has even asked me where I've been all you want to do is protect poor, precious Alexis. Well I'm tired of it. I'm Sonny's wife; I'm the mother of my children. I've been playing nice but starting tomorrow, the gloves come off."

"So, do you want to talk about it?"

Michael wiped the last vestiges of tears from his eyes and laughed shortly. "Do you know what I did today?"

Alicia shook her head and said "Tell me about it."

Michael smiled to himself, even in times of stress his mother always thought about him. He made a mental note to bring home flowers for her in a way of thanks. "I went with my mother to her doctor's appointment. She's pregnant with my brother or sister and I wanted to talk to her about something. She's always been there for me."

Alicia nodded and said, "Most parents are. Mine are." Michael stood up and said "But that's just it. She's not my mother. She's my stepmother but I can't even say that word around her because it's like being disrespectful. She's never treated me any different than Kristina who is her real child. I always came first in her life. Even her calling you, she put me first."

Alicia stood up next to him and put a hand on his shoulder and said, "It sounds like she's a pretty amazing lady."

Michael nodded too choked up to speak "She is, and now I have to be there for her. My mother, my birth mother is back in the picture and she's not going anywhere anytime soon. She's on the warpath and the woman who raised me like her own is her target."

As she dried the last of her sniffles she looked up at Sonny "Where's Michael? Has he come home yet?"

Sonny shook his head and said, "He's probably just needs some time to clear his head."

Alexis nodded noncommittally hoping that Alicia had gotten her message and had done what she asked. "I don't know what to say Sonny. Have you seen her?"

Looking into her eyes Sonny felt the love grow. She was worried about him, she was worried about Michael and Morgan and she once again was putting herself at the bottom of the list. "I haven't seen her. I don't need to see her. There's nothing that we need to discuss."

Alexis put a soothing hand on his cheek "She was your wife once. She's alive and you're telling me that there is nothing you want to say to her?"

Sonny pulled Alexis in his arms and kissed the top of her head "You are the love of my life. You are my wife. You are the mother of my children. I could talk and talk to Carly all I wanted but it won't change anything. You are everything to me."

Michael closed the door behind him and looked at the couch where Uncle Zander held a sleeping Aunt Kristina in his arms.

Michael walked over to the couch and took the chair next to him "What's going on Uncle?"

Zander shrugged his shoulders and said, "Why don't you tell me? Kristina gets a call from your Uncle Jason saying that your mom needs her sister and to come over immediately. I hear that Carly is alive, and you took her away from the house. What happened?"

Michael laughed and said "Same old Carly. She tried to badmouth my mother so I took her away from the house."

Zander looks at him in question, "I'm the first to admit the mothering skills of Alexis show fruitage. Why do you hate Carly so much?"

Michael snorted and said, "It's not hate, its just trepidation." Zander rolled his eyes "She has you working on depositions with her again doesn't she? God, I used to hate that when I lived with her."

Michael smiled for the first time since hearing the news of his mothers rise from the dead and said "We never came first for her Zander. It was always Sonny this, Jason that, AJ is bad. There was never Michael what do you want? How do you feel about me marrying Sonny for the 3rd time? It was just accept it and move on. When Dad married Alexis, it was the first time I ever had a mother who cared about my needs. Morgan and I were bitches to her at first but she didn't give up on us. She tried her best to include us in everything. That was a mother and it is because of her, I just can't be happy that Carly is back. I can't. I know what a mother is supposed to be and it's not her. It's just not."

Alexis walked down the stairs slowly and headed to the kitchen. Yes, the doctor told her to stay away from salt and stress. But right now what she needed more than anything was some popcorn. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness when she noticed the light on in the living room. Curious, she followed her instincts and went into the room and saw Michael sitting on the couch watching an infomercial.

"Come on Mom, the popcorn is done."

Alexis giggled softly and padded over to the couch next to her son and reached for the bag of popcorn with a laugh.

"What are you still doing up honey?"

Michael looked at Alexis and said "Morgan and Kristina are at Uncle Jason's. Zander and Aunt Kristina left hours ago. Dad usually tells us a bedtime story and even though I'm way too old for that kind of thing it always winds me down before bed. Without it I can't go to sleep."

Alexis nodded "I know that feeling, I'm trying to get to sleep but without all of my children under one roof, I'm anxious. How are you doing?"

Michael shook his head, "I refuse to sit here and talk about myself even more than I already have. How are you doing Mom?"

Alexis smiled softly and pulled Michael into her lap and situated him on her stomach, careful of her pregnancy. She took turns kissing his shoulder and stroking his hair "A mother's job is never done. I come last. Tell me how are you doing?"

Sonny looked at his wife holding his son in her arms as he talked about the fears of Carly's return and how it would affect his life and the life of his family. Alexis listened attentively and without reservation offering him a listening ear and a consoling touch. She was it. If he had ever doubted that she was the one for him, watching her with Michael confirmed it. He would do everything within his power to protect his family because they were his whole world.

Chapter 7

Next Morning

The door was banged upon early in the morning as Sonny was getting up to go prepare breakfast. Rushing to the door, he prayed for strength to deal with Carly if she had decided to show her face this morning. He padded down the stairs and rushed to the front door cognizant of the fact that Michael and Alexis were still sleeping as they had talked almost all night long.

He flung open the door to Jason holding his two youngest children by the necks. "I love you man, but your children are holy terrors. They woke up this morning demanding breakfast. I offered Kelly's but they turned their noses up at that. Then I offered No Name and they turned their nose up at that. Then I offered cereal and milk. We are not even going to discuss the words I heard at that one. Something about their Dad making them breakfast every morning and they eating together like a family?"

Sonny laughed aloud and said "Come on in man, I'll make everyone breakfast, how does that sound?" Barely hearing over the cheers of his children he shooed everyone inside and closed the door.

Alexis looked at herself in the mirror. Sonny had come rushing into their bedroom, something about the children and breakfast as she was rolling over. She gently rubbed her hand over her stomach praying for the strength to face what was on the horizon for her and her family.

Michael stuck his head in the door and said "Mom, thanks for last night I needed it."

Alexis nodded and said "Anytime sweetheart."

Michael grinned and said "Also, we need to talk about someone named Alicia who just happened to show up at the dock while I was wallowing in self-pity. She said something about getting a call from a concerned mother of mine?"

Alexis schooled her face "I have no idea what you are talking about son."

"Dad, pass me the eggs please."

Sonny watched his family sitting down at breakfast and for a second felt the normalcy of the moment. This was how is life had functioned for the last five years. The happiness shining through in each one of his children's eyes was something he cherished. To have children with the woman who made the happiness in his life possible. At that moment Alexis took the stairs one at a time and breakfast was forgotten as all eyes fell on Mom. His children ran out of their chairs and over to hug their mom.

Morgan made it over first "Mom, you didn't give me a chance to tell you about what happened to me at school yesterday."

Kristina rolled her eyes and pulled Alexis's attention to her, "Mom doesn't want to hear about you almost getting caught for cheating."

Alexis spun back to Morgan in shock as Kristina grabbed on her arm "Mom, I was just kidding. Morgan is just getting an honorable mention or something; you have to hear about how many goals I scored in gym yesterday."

Sonny cleared his throat and said "Remove yourself from your mother as I'm sure she's hungry. Someone said something about eating popcorn all last night."

Alexis had the grace to blush and said "I deny any and all involvement in said popcorn incident of last evening."

Michael chuckled and piped up from the table "Good one Mom. I back you 100."

Jason sat back and watched the family unit function, as all the children got ready for school, oblivious to the other issues that surrounded them.

Michael pulled Jason aside "Uncle Jason, I want to see Carly. I need to understand where she has been for these last 5 years. After school, I'm coming to the penthouse; I'll try to bring Morgan if he's interested."

Jason nodded and said, "Are you okay with seeing her again?"

Michael shrugged and said "Mom and I talked. She thinks it's a good idea I meet with her."

Jason looked shocked and said "Alexis? She helped you decide to see Carly?"

Michael nodded and said "Mom's the best. She's always listens to me and offers me advice whether it's advantageous to her or not. I'm taking her advice for now. She's always been there for me and I trust her judgment."

Alexis came up with the jackets for Kristina and Morgan as she helped them get ready. She kissed Morgan on the cheek and said, "That's congrats for that honorable mention you got. Let me know what you want to do in honor of that recognition." Morgan nodded and ran to grab his backpack.

Alexis smacked Kristina on the wrist. "That's for saying that Morgan got in trouble. You are supposed to be looking out for each other not trying to get each other in trouble. Now, what do you want to do oh athletic daughter of mine in honor of your superb sports skills."

Kristina jumped up and down and said, "We are so having a party!"

Alexis shook her head and turned to Sonny and threw him the keys. "Your turn, I'm going back to bed."

Sonny nodded and said "Don't worry about it sweetheart, I'll handle these two. You go back to bed and get some sleep."

"Dad, everything is okay isn't it?"

Sonny turned his eyes towards his daughter and son who remained wooden in the back seat. "Of course it is why do you ask?"

Kristina leaned forward and said "Dad, Mom's not the same. It's almost like she's shutting down or something. What happened? Does this have something to do with Carly?"

Sonny looked towards his son for the recognition at the name of his birth mother but saw nothing. "Morgan, are you alright?"

Morgan rolled his eyes and said "Dad, can't we just go to school? There is nothing wrong with me. Worry about Mom."

Michael helped Alexis cleaning around the house after he had gotten ready for school. "Mom, did you tell Dad about the twins yet?"

Alexis smiled, "In the middle of all this chaos I didn't have a chance to tell him. I'm sure he'll be ecstatic; your dad has been wonderful throughout this time. I'm just worried about where we go from here."

Michael walked over to his mother "Don't worry so much, mom. Do you have to overanalyze everything?"

Alexis laughed nodding and said, "It's a blessing and a curse." The doorbell chime rung and

Alexis looked at Michael in confusion "Your Dad wouldn't forget his keys would he?"

Michael shrugged his shoulders and walked to the door. He opened the door to Carly and a policeman and sighed heavily, "Carly, what are you doing here?" Carly ignored her son and pointed to Alexis "There she is. I have the marriage license, what more proof do you need? Arrest her!"