Note: I'm not really pleased with how I wrote Helena in this chapter, but my only purpose for her was to come in cause mess and then leave. I'm
working on writing another story where she is more heavily focused and dealt with. And what do you know it's another Sexis story which will be debuting
when I finish this story & epilogue...

As always comments, replies and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Chapter 28

Kelly's

Elizabeth was shocked to see Carly walk into Kelly's. Yes, she had heard all the stories about her miraculous return from the dead but still seeing made gossip a believed reality. She always stopped in to Kelly's before her shift at the hospital and today was no exception. The only difference being, that today she saw Carly back from the dead. Elizabeth nodded at her when Carly made eye contact with her. Carly rolled her eyes as she placed her order at the counter. Elizabeth smiled to herself, same old Carly. Some things never change. After she placed her order, her cell phone rang.

Carly flinched in fear as she looked at the caller ID, "No, Helena. Yes I understand. Fine, I'll be at the dock in fifteen minutes."

Elizabeth froze in shock as she realized that Carly was consorting with the enemy. She had to call Alexis.

Port Charles High Library

Michael was walking towards Alicia at the library when she looked up at him and graced him with a smile. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. She smiled at him as he took a seat

"You are certainly in a better mood, what's going on with you?"

Michael smiled and said, "I just got some great news. I guess it worked, my mom calling Carly's bluff about the divorce. She just told my Dad that she saw Ric this morning and is agreeing to the divorce. She's not contesting it anymore."

Outside of Ric's Office

Alexis had her hand on Ric's door when her cell phone rang. "Alexis?"

She waited for a moment, and then said, "Who is this?"

Alexis waited as the caller identified herself "Alexis its Elizabeth. Look, I know that you and I don't really run in the same circles but when I heard this I knew I needed to tell somebody. I just saw Carly at Kelly's. She received a call on her cell phone and told the caller that she would meet them at the dock in fifteen minutes. Normally, I wouldn't care who she spoke to but when she spoke Helena's name I knew that you needed to be involved."

Sonny and Alexis home

Sonny looked up as his kids came running through the door. He had thought about waiting until Alexis came home but with the stress the family had been under the last couple of weeks, it only made sense that he let everyone know as soon as possible. "Morgan and Kristina please take a seat. I have news."

Morgan sat down while Kristina stood up with her arms crossed "What is it Dad? What did she do now?"

Sonny smiled at her worry and said, "Nothing only grant me the divorce. Ric is working on the papers as we speak."

Kristina looked at her father in shock "Are you serious Dad?" Sonny nodded as the three of them jumped up and down and then fell into a group hug.

Port Charles Library

"Yea Ma, what do you need? What do you mean; she's meeting Helena at the docks? Yea, I'm on my way. Don't worry. I'll be there in 5 minutes."

Michael hung up his cell phone and looked at Alicia in regret "I'm so sorry but I have to go. That was my Mom on the cell phone she told me that Helena Cassadine who I'll tell you about later was meeting Carly on the docks in fifteen minutes. She knows that my dad will kill her if she goes by herself so she called me."

Alicia nodded in understanding and stood up with him and said, "Be careful, call me when you get home."

Michael nodded and gave her another kiss and said, "Will do."

The Docks

Carly came up behind Helena with fear and trembling. She knew she had let Helena down but she hadn't expected Helena to come after her. "What can I do for you Helena?"

Helena turned to her while reviewing her manicure "I gave you a simple assignment. What was that simple assignment Carly?"

Carly flinched under the cold steel she heard in Helena's voice, "I was supposed to ruin Alexis's life and her happiness."

Alexis gasped as the truth of Carly's return washed over her. Michael touched her shoulder gently and said, "I just heard. So that's why she returned. I always wondered."

Helena nodded "That's right. That was the only thing that you had to do. I gave you a home and shelter for more than 5 years and you can't even follow simple instructions. You and that bastard daughter of my husband days are numbered."

Carly shook in fear as she ran away. Michael placed his arms around his mother after hearing Helena threaten both of them.

Chapter 29

Continued At the Docks

"Come on out Natasha. My bodyguard tells me that you have been following me." Alexis stood up even as Michael was pulling her back.

Alexis put her hands on Michael and said, "Don't worry sweetheart."

Helena turned around in laughter "Please do come out with your stepmother Michael. You know it was funny, I never assumed that you would chose this bastard over your own birth mother but that just goes to show the power of the Bergmann women over men."

Alexis walked in front of Helena making sure that Michael was covered behind her at all times.

"So you were behind this whole Carly reappearance from the dead? Pretty proud of yourself aren't you? It's not enough that you slit my mother's throat and try to kill my sister; you have to try to destroy my happiness with the only man that I've ever really loved. What did I ever do to you?"

Helena grinned evilly "You exist."

Sonny and Alexis Home

Sonny smiled as his children helped him in the kitchen to make a celebratory dinner for the divorce when he heard a sound from behind him. "Go get the front door Morgan."

Morgan nodded and said, "I'm on my way Dad."

Morgan opened the door to Ric "Hey Uncle Ric. What are you doing here? We were just making a celebratory dinner in honor of my dad's divorce from Carly."

Ric nodded and looked up as his brother came out of the kitchen and said, "I'm just dropping off the unsigned decree. I had the same judge that Carly bribed to annul your marriage to Alexis, run this divorce through. As soon as we receive the signed copy from Carly we can process the divorce."

Sonny smiled in gratitude "Thanks Ric. So where's Alexis, I thought she would come home with you."

Ric looked at his brother concerned "She never came to our appointment. I thought you intercepted her with the news and she was headed home to you."

Sonny looked to the front door in concern "I haven't heard from her all morning not after her leaving after breakfast. I wonder where she is."

Jason's Penthouse

Carly came running into the penthouse heaving heavily. "Jason, I'm in trouble."

Jason looked up at her and said, "What's going on now? Did you go to Ric's and do like I instructed?"

Carly nodded throwing her purse on the couch and said, "Of course I did. That's not what has me so scared. Look you were right okay. I was in cahoots with Helena to make sure that Alexis's happiness wouldn't last. Anyway when I left the island, she told me to follow a set of instructions to ensure that Alexis would be left in the dust. Well you know how I am! I'm emotional Jason and when I got here all of Helena's instructions went out the window and I just reacted and I didn't follow what she wanted."

Jason looked at her in shock and said, "What were you instructions exactly?

Carly looked away in shame and said, "Alexis was supposed to be despised by her children and Sonny if I had followed Helena's rules. She wanted me to come home and tell the story of how I had been violently kidnapped and that the whole setup was orchestrated by Alexis. Proof was supposed to start appearing making her look guilty. This was supposed to spiral her out of control until she ended up in jail which would finally look like she had been forced to commit suicide when it actuality it had been Helena who had committed and orchestrated the murder. I wasn't too thrilled with the murder part but I just wanted back into Sonny and my children's life. The only problem was when I went to the park, I saw how close Sonny and my children were to Alexis. I knew that it wouldn't be as easy to get her out of my family's life, false evidence or not. So I called Helena and let her know that the game plan had changed and she was supposed to follow my lead."

Jason rolled his eyes in disgust at the monstrosity both of them had been prepared to commit, "What happened then?"

Carly looked up at Jason with fear in his eyes, " Helena is back, and she's pissed that my plan didn't work as well as I had hoped for. She told me my days are numbered and Alexis's too."

Sonny and Alexis Home

Sonny hung up the cell phone and turned to his children "I don't know where your Mom or Michael is. Their cell phones are off. I'm worried."

The knock on the front door came as a shock and Sonny felt a smile, as the relief was evident in his face. "That must be them now."

He flung open the door and his smile dropped "Alicia."

Alicia had always been scared of Sonny Corinthos. Her parents had told her stories about what Sonny Corinthos used to be like before Alexis had married and changed him. "I'm sorry to bother your Mr. Corinthos I was just wondering if you had heard from Michael yet."

Sonny smiled softly and said, "I'm sorry Alicia. Please come in, I'm just a little worried about Michael and Alexis. I haven't heard from either one of them and it's getting pretty late."

Alicia looked at him in fear and said, "They haven't come back from Helena yet?"

Sonny looked at her in shock and barked out, "What the hell do you know about her?"

Alicia flinched at the anger in his voice and said, "Michael and I were at the library when he got a call from his mom. She told him that someone had called her and stated that Carly was going to be meeting with Helena at the dock in fifteen minutes. She called Michael for backup."

Sonny felt his heart drop to his feet as he turned to Alicia and said, "I'm on my way to the docks. Please watch Morgan and Kristina until I get back."

Morgan, Kristina, and Alicia exchanged a look in fear.

The Docks Again

Helena stood in front of Alexis who was pregnant but still a formidable opponent. "You know when I slit your mother's throat Alexis I always knew that I should've killed you with her but something stopped me. Do you want to know what that something is?"

Alexis shrugged her shoulders and said, "No I don't know but, of course we can discuss this after Michael has gone home."

Michael tightened his arms around Alexis's shoulder as they faced down Helena "I'm not going anywhere without you."

Helena grinned manically "You are really brave Michael do you know that?"

Michael refused to rise to her barbs "You are really a coward you know that? You picked on my mother just because she was able to survive everything your crazy family put her through."

Alexis put a calming hand on his shoulder "Don't let her get to you. Letting her get to you, gives her power."

Helena nodded "That's right listen to the bastard. She can tell you better than I ever could."

Michael watched in horror as Helena pulled a gun and trained it on him. Alexis stood in front of Michael even while he was trying to push her out of the way.

Alexis turned to her son, "She's not worth it. I want you out of here Michael. Listen to me I'm ordering you to go."

Michael shook his head in protest, "I love you mom but that is an order I can't obey. We will handle this bitch together."

Helena smiled coldly and said, "Very moving Michael. I sheltered the bitch that was your mother for five years but I didn't count on how much Alexis would suck up to you. Now I only have one more bastard daughter of Kristen Bergmann to deal with. Goodbye Natasha." Grinning once more evilly she pulled the trigger as Alexis fell back into Michael's arms.