A Month Later

"Something's wrong with Alexis." Brenda said, as she made her way through the entrance of Kelly's, Jason and Jax following behind her.

Both men instinctively panicked, "is it the baby, what's the matter, what can we do?" Jax asked frantically, clutching his leather gloves tightly in his hand.

"No, No, I don't mean there's anything physically wrong with her… I mean she's acting… well she's acting very distracted… different." Brenda eyed the men, taking a seat at the table.

Jason frowned as he sat down across from her, " Alexis has always been a little high strung, she's probably keeping herself busy while Sonny's away."

"I have to agree with Jason on this one Brenda."

Brenda looked at them disgusted," Men, you don't give women's intuition enough credit, " arching her brow she continued, " don't you think it's odd she hasn't returned any of Sonny's phone calls… and makes sure she's out of reach either by cell or home phone… but when she listens to any of the messages he's left for her, she gets this sad look on her face like she's never going to see him again."

"I think your reading way to much into it, she misses him that's all." Jax said removing his coat, placing it on the back of his chair, and accepting a menu from the approaching waitress.

"Jax knows what he's talking about… stop worrying." Jason added, looking up momentarily from his menu.

Brenda turned red, grabbing the menus out of both their hands and slapping them on the table, "would you quit acting like jerks and actually comprehend what I'm saying to you… call, Sonny!"

"And say what?" Jason smirked," hey Sonny, you need to come home because Alexis is distracted?"

"Ugh, I've got one nerve left and your on it… would you call him…I'll do the talking."

Jason shook his head, and pulled out his phone,normally he would've protested more, but hewas under theimpression his breakfast was being threatenedif he didn't comply and his growling stomach just couldn't handle the thought of that.

"Hey it's me… no everything's going well… yeah, Taggert's been leaving us alone… this isn't a business call… it's about Alexis." Jason held the phone away from his ear as Sonny began letting into him," Calm down… Brenda wants to talk to you."

Brenda swiped the phone out of Jason's hand, "Hey, Son we've got a problem."

Puerto Rico

The sense of dread that had steadily grown since his departure now came to a head, Brenda was confirming his own concerns regarding Alexis' distance. He'd been at this wit's end by the second day and she hadn't returned any of his phone calls, Jason had reassured him that she was so busy defending Luke that she'd had little time for anything else… but now here he was, and his worst nightmares were coming true… Alexis was about to run, but why?

Sonny's heart ached at the thought of losing her again, had be pushed her to hard, to quickly or was she really running from him? Alexis had been adamant that Sonny would be a part of their child's life, she'd made it clear of her regrets for keeping the truth from him for so long, something was terribly wrong.

"Put Jason on." He barked.

"Yeah?"

"What the hell have you been doing?" Sonny shouted, "I asked you to look out for Alexis, and you haven't done squat… she's in trouble and I can't do a damn thing about it from here unless I know what the problem is…"

"Are you finished?" Jason asked, as he stood up and walked outside of Kelly's.

"The hell I'm finished."

Jason kept his tone even, " I've been looking out for her Sonny and I know what's got Alexis shaken up… the question is do you really want to hear it?"

Sonny shut his eyes,"Talk."

"Carly and Ned."

Sonny's grimaced, "I'll be home on the next flight home, and this is between us… and Jason, you better have a damn good excuse for not telling me this until now."

Above Jake's Bar

Zander entered the small room he kept over Jake's, dropping his leather jacket on the desk chair, he moved toward his closet and opened the door, reaching up he pulled out a small shoe box and carried it over to the bed where he sat and fingered the lid, before finally lifting it, reaching in he pulled out the faded and tattered picture from the past. He'd just met a familiar stranger, who obviously had no idea who Zander was to him… gazing at the picture Zander wondered how different his life might've been if he'd been allowed in it… the picture was a secret treasure, one he was never meant to have, but when he'd found it Zander had held onto it greedily along with a few trinkets amongst the ashes of his past, a past his adoptive parents had wanted to erase from his life…his genes consisting of a Father who'd left his Mother alone… and a Mother who'd given him up out of fear of the greed and loathing of her own family and what it would cost her son.

Zander had no idea what to do, should he pretend not to know the truth regarding the man that had disrupted his new life without even knowing it… or reveal his identity.

Late Evening

At any other moment in time, Alexis would've triumphed over managing to outsmart her friends and family, she glanced over to the suitcases near the doorway and sighed heavily, reflecting on her inability to be happy longer than a millisecond before a tornado came in blowing things to smithereens… this time that Tornado had turned into the Hurricane… Hurricane Carly that is, and her merry little thieves Ned and Scott.

Flashback, one month ago in the Quartermaine Study

"Alexis it really is quite simple, you've got two options, marry Ned or lose everything."

"Carly I've never seen you so transparent… or…stupid, why would I agree to an empty threat like that?"

"Because if you don't, you'll watch Sonny lose everything he'd worked for or loved in his life."

" You'd honestly do this to a man you claim to love?" Alexis asked in shock, then clicked her fingers together, "wait sorry, forgot who I was talking too… I'm talking to someone who used her husbands past losses for her personal gain."

"Don't get self righteous Alexis… You berated Sonny in front of half of Port Charles."

"Yeah, faking a death and telling someone off are so on the same track…" Alexis said, shaking her head, "and you think this scheme of yours is really going to work?"

"It will work Alexis, " Carly said confidently, "oh by the way, if you even think about telling the Soprano wannabe's about this… my scheme as you call it, will go into full affect."

"Your Amazing."

"Thank you… with Ned backing me financially and Scott legally, you can't touch me with any of your legal wisdom… I'm one step ahead of you… you don't comply with my wishes, Sonny will lose his money, his power and in the end he'll end up resenting you."

Alexis turned to Ned, the hurt and anger evident in her eyes, " I expect these things from Carly and even Scottie to some extent… but not you Ned, you were my friend."

"Save the friendship speech, if I meant anything to you, you would've never walked away and back to Sonny… but I guess his bed is better than my good old reliable shoulder to cry on."

"Do you mind?" Carly whined, crossing over to the bar to make a drink, "I don't care to hear the details of her delusional relationship with my husband… you do realize he's only with you out of pity, don't you?"

"Carly do me a favor," Alexis said glancing at the blond, "vanish."

"Afraid not… you should vanish though, I know how much you hate weddings," Carly said amusedly, "Think about your career, think of Sonny's assets."

"That's what got her in trouble in the first place." Scott deadpanned, being met with three sets of scowls.

"You should think about what this will do to Jax too."

Alexis flashed back to a conversation she'd had with both Jax and Ned about bankrupting Sonny months ago, her stomach dropped, " you can't be serious?"

"Very."

"Ned, no matter how angry you're at me… Jax is your friend," Alexis felt as if she were losing control, she turned back toward Carly, "What did you do to him, this isn't the same man I knew and loved."

"I could say the same thing about you Alexis, you certainly aren't the woman I fell in love with."

"I never intentionally set out to hurt you Ned, relationships fall apart all the time… I just don't understand."

"There's nothing to understand Alexis, it's simple you have two options…now choose."

"Sonny's always said one of the best qualities about you Carly is your fighter, well let me share something with you… so am I, I will fight you with everything I've got if you try and touch Sonny and Jax financially, when I'm done with you… well, lets put it this way, you'll wish you never took me on."

"But your career will be ruined by then, when it comes to light that you aided and abetted one Luke Spencer out of the country… your very own client."

"Well, that's simply not true."

"When has that ever stopped me from getting what I want… it's your word against the DA Scott Baldwin."

Alexis was reeling, " I know you hate me… but Carly think of Sonny, think of what you'd be doing to him…"

"Did Sonny think about me when he threw me out for you?"

"It wasn't like that Carly, you were…"

"Shut up!" Carly screamed, "I'm so tired of your excuses, both of yours… so you fed a need, big deal I've fed my own needs for years, but don't you dare tell me it's about love… it was sex Alexis, just sex and now he feels obligated because of the baby."

Alexis was shaking, " I've never known anyone quite as conceited Carly, it's always been about you hasn't it?

"It's about Family and you took mine away from me, and sweetie your going to pay for that," Carly hissed, " you continue to play this game with me, you won't be the only one to lose… Sonny will lose big time… and he's going to blame you."

"Blame me for what, you're the one that's taking away his assets not me."

"I'll be taking away more than his money… I'll be taking away his Son."

"Carly… think about what you're doing!"

"Sonny didn't have our divorce revoked… but I'll be damned sure to have his parental rights revoked and stripped away from him."

"I always knew you could be cold… I knew you could be vindictive… but I never knew you could be so evil."

"Do we have a deal or not?" Carly said cutting her off, "the clock is officially ticking."

End of Flashback

Glancing around the apartment, Alexis realized that Harbor View Towers carried most of her memories, she only wished she had time to stop and say good-bye to the place where she'd found love with Sonny, a love that she'd yet to really explore. She chided herself on her weakness, Alexis knew what she was doing, she was running from the pain, she'd never win when it came to being in Sonny's life… there was always someone or something standing in their way, grabbing her coat she took one last look before stepping out, as she turned the lock one last time she paused, dropping the key in her clutch and turning quickly only to run smack dab into Brenda.

"You Ready?"

Alexis gave a puzzled frown, and noticed the suitcase in Brenda's hand, "Wha…what… why are you standing outside with a suitcase?"

Brenda leaned in toward Alexis like she was about to share a secret," I've got an even better question… why are you?"