Skye watched the rugged stranger thoroughly, there was more to meet the eye that she was certain of, but something else was pulling her toward him, it was the underlying sadness she recognized behind his laughing eyes… he had his own secrets, and she found herself wanting to know what they were.

"That was nice of you." Skye said, glancing over his shoulder as he locked the front door of the bar.

"What?"

"What you did for Zander, giving him a job…letting him stay here." Skye said, starting to put her coat on, only to have Jake take it and help her into it.

"The way I see it, everyone deserves a second chance," Jake dismissed, catching the odd expression on Skye's face, he asked, " what no one ever gave you one?"

"They gavethem to me…a second, a third…even a fourth." Skye shot back sarcastically, "but, I never really got the concept of forgiveness…I always managed to let them down, aren't you worried that will happen with Zander?"

Jake remained quiet for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders and began to walk toward the alley motioning her to follow, he stopped when he realized she wasn't following," My bike's over here."

"I'm waiting."

Shaking his head, he scratched his chin, "How can he possibly letme down, when I have no expectations?"

"So you just felt sorry for him?

"What is this, the third degree?"

Skye finally registered the connection, "now I get it… Zander mentioned Alexis, she must've put you up to this."

"I don't know anybody by the name of Alexis, but from the sounds of it, I'd like too."

Skye sniffed walking around Jake to his motorcycle,eyeing it apprehensively," Unless you're being booked into the PCPD for racketeering charges or have a connection with that arrogant bastard Sonny Corinthos, she'll have little use for you."

Skye sniffed and walked around Jake to the motorcycle, " I doubt you'll meet her, unless you're booked into the PCPD for racketeering… or having a connectionto that arrogant bastard Sonny Corinthos, she'll have little use for you."

"Sounds like you aren't a fan."

"Perceptive for an out-of-towner… you're not working for Sonny… are you?"

"No"

"Good."

"Would it matter if I was?"

"Not only would it matter, but I wouldn't be associating with you now or ever, " Skye stated walking closer to the motorcycle, noticing his reluctance she paused, " is something the matter."

"Possibly."

Becoming concerned, Skye started walking back toward him, " What is it?"

"There's something you should know." Jake said, sighing heavily, " it's why I came to Port Charles… I'm here because…"

"Skye what are you doing here… and why are you here with Jake?"

Skye and Jake both turned at the same time, visibly surprised by the voice behind them, for one of them it was a face full of suspicion and anger, for the other it was an opponent to a contest that had yet to begin.

Harbor View Towers

"What do you mean you don't live here anymore?" Alexis asked, flustered by Sonny's sudden revelation, " I mean this is your home Sonny…it's… it's…"

"It's being remodeled." Sonny replied, trying to mask the smile tugging at his mouth.

Alexis was ready to burst out with a million reasons why he should keep the penthouse, when she was halted by his statement…"Remodeled?"

"I needed a change."

"You won't get an argument there," Alexis agreed, and slapped his arm, "but that's not funny… don't scare me like that… I mean you know how I feel about you… but… but… moving from the penthouse, well that's a big step and maybe we should just take things slow, you know… not that I don't want to spend time with you… but you know how I am about space… and I know how you are about your space… so maybe moving in together isn't the best thing right now… I mean we've gotten this far, why not hold off…"

"Alexis… Breathe." Sonny whispered, only to be smacked again.

"Your impossible."

"I do have a question though."

"Oh God… Sonny didn't I just tell you… that rushing into something isn't…"

Sonny placed two fingers to her lips," listen, please."

Alexis smiled under his fingers and he winked, " I was wondering, if you'd consider moving into your old place… so we'd be closer to each other."

She remained silent, her eyes glistening, her heart thumping and her voice caught in her throat, when she didn't say anything Sonny pulled her toward him and whispered in her ear, "Just think of all the perks of living across the hall from the man you love."

"I had perks before I loved you."

"You found your voice to tell me that, "Sonny teased, a look of elation on his face, " but think of all the added perks you'll have because you do."

"I had them when I loved you too."

"But this time Alexis… I know what I'm doing." Sonny realized she had no idea what she had just admitted to him, and it was just as he imagined.

Alexis grinned, " you mean you didn't know what you were doing then… and it gets better than that? Well, I guess I have no choice but to say yes."

Sonny hugged her," we're going to start over Alexis… you, me, and our baby… we're going to be a family."

"We already were, Sonny." Alexis replied, placing her hands on either side of his face, and pulling him into a kiss.

"Uh… I'm sorry, I'll come back."

Neither one of them had heard the elevator arrive, the jumped apart momentarily by the surprise, and smiled at the intruder.

"I guess something's never change." Zander joked apologetically, embarrassed by disrupting their private moment.

Alexis and Sonny looked at one another and the back toward Zander, who stood awkwardly looking everywhere but at them.

"So what do you think?" Alexis asked, noticing the blush creeping into Zander's face, she shook her head, " of the night club Zander… what do you think of the night club?

"Oh… yeah, well it turned out even better than I thought."

"You knew about this?"

"Sure, Sonny asked me to help him when he got out of the hospital."

Recognizing the pained expression cross Sonny's face, he quickly tried to cover his tracks, "you know with the plans."

"Just what kind of plans were you helping on?"

"It's legitimate Alexis." Sonny reassured, receiving a notoriously skeptical look.

"Fine… Fine I don't want to know anyway." Alexis spouted, raising her hands in mock disgust.

"Yes you do… but can it wait for another time…I need to talk to Sonny about something."

Sonny was about to protest, only to feel Alexis' hand on his arm, looking up at her he read her expression well, it was of encouragement and he understood it greatly, Zander was reaching out and it was Sonny's responsibility to embrace it.

"How about I go find Brenda and leave you two to talk." Alexis stated, running her hand down the length of Sonny's arm, only to have him catch it in his own.

"Thanks Alexis… and I am Sorry." Zander replied apologetically.

"Never be Sorry Zander," Alexis corrected, " just know we're always here for you."

Alexis smiled and pulled her hand away, she smiled at Sonny and was met with a disappointed frown, walking toward the stairs she felt his dark eyes following her, glancing back she grinned, "as for you Mr. Corinthos…after I get done wringing Ms. Barrett's neck, I expect that dinner you promised me… and it better be worth the wait."

Sonny smiled up at her, watching as she entered the elevator, the doors beginning to close, he called out, " I heard you Alexis loud and clear… and it was worth the wait."

Jake's

"Let me get this straight… you two know each other?" Skye began to seethe, flinching when Jake reached out to touch her shoulder; she steeped away and shook her head, " leave room to trust… you're no different than any of the others, your a snake!"

"Skye, calm down, " Jax soothed, walking toward her, " is Jake giving you a hard time?"

"A hard time? Oh no Jax, you paid him well… he's been laying on the charm all night and like a fool I bought into it… well, not anymore." Skye turned toward Jake, tears gleaming in her eyes; she raised her chin and gave him a defiant smile, " your very good Mr. O'Brien… but I'm not for sale."

Jake shook his head, " I wish I knew what the hell you were talking about… Jax and I are business partners that's all."

"Business partners, in what?"

When neither responded, Skye nodded, " that's what I thought… goodnight gentlemen."

Jake followed her halfway down the block calling out her name, he finally relented when she rounded the corner and headed into the crowd, walking back he promised himself he'd find her and work out their differences… it wasn't because he had to, or even because he wanted to… it was because for the first time in a long time, Jake O'Brien needed too.

"Skye isn't part of the deal O'Brien, leave her be." Jax warned, following the other man back into the bar.

Halting his steps, Jake narrowed his eyes; " You came to me for help Mr. Jax, your not my keeper, I'll talk to anyone I damned well please."

"You realize Skye who she is?"

Jake rounded the bar, and slammed down to glasses and poured them each a glass scotch, "Antoinette Patterson Chandler Quartermaine… arrived in Port Charles after her Mother Rae Cummings revealed that Alan Quartermaine, son of Edward Quartermaine is in fact her biological father… for years she was under the false pretense that her Father was in fact Adam Chandler the Pine Valley Mogul, sister of Hayley Vaughn Chandler Cooney Santos, she's been married a time or two or three, she's an alcoholic, she's been known to get into trouble, and she's recently been dumped by you… and I don't give a rats ass what your thinking up there in that pretty little head… if I choose to know her I will."

Jax found himself angry and he wasn't sure why, Skye wasn't his responsibility anymore, they'd severed ties, but he wasn't exactly sure he was ready for her to move on, and especially with the likes of Jake O'Brien.

"I don't want to see her hurt."

"Who are you her Father?"

"I'm her friend."

"Could've fooled me." Jake said, taking a swig of his drink, " I think you have a case of the guilt's."

"Watch it."

"You want to tell me the reason you came here, or do I have to keep listening to you bellyaching about your second thoughts of dumping Red."

Jax grimaced, " I heard from Jason tonight, he said you'd taken care of everything, how'd you manage to keep Ned and Scott Baldwin in the dark?"

"Ned got cocky, the problem was he was to sure of himself, " Jake replied nonchalantly, " and as a businessman you know how lethal that can be… he never saw it coming, I simply bought out all your investments opened new accounts… and the money's been placed in dummy accounts."

"I know you've talked to Sonny about this… but, I'm still not sure what you're getting out of this?"

"Sonny's stocks in ELQ."

"I'm surprised that he's willing to give those up, Sonny's always loved having power over the Quartermaine's."

Jake shrugged and took another drink, " are you still up to selling your shares?"

Furrowing his brow, Jax grabbed the bottle of Scotch," maybe Sonny's onto something after all… here's to letting go of the past and embracing the future."

Jake nodded, and watched the other man skeptically… sometimes the past wasn't so easy to shake.

Harbor View Tower

"You met Jake?" Sonny asked waving Zander over to the bar.

"I met him… thanks for putting in a word for me." Zander replied, taking the bottle of water Sonny offered him.

Sonny could've lied, but he opted for a shrug of the shoulders, " least I could do Zander, you've really stuck you neck out for me… again."

"I expected you to deny it…" Zander said, " After everything that went down between us, I didn't expect you to come through for me."

Sonny nodded, lowering his chin to his chest, he raised his eyes to Zander, " I don't expect you to forget… but I hope we can get past it… you're an important person in my life."

"Am I? Zander asked, taking a swig from his water bottle, " I mean to me, you and Alexis were the closest thing I had to parents… you were like father to me Sonny, when you turned your back on me, I wanted to hurt you as much as you hurt me."

"What I did wasn't right Zander… but you've gotta understand, turning on me could've cost me my family and my life."

"And Carly?"

Sonny chuckled and then sobered, "yeah Carly… there were a lot of reasons I got angry… I felt guilty because I'd hurt Carly and I was in denial about Alexis… and you called me on it Zander, you called me on every ugly thing I've ever done and when my backs against the wall I lash out… there's no good excuse… but it's all I have to give you."

"So you didn't care that I thought I was in love with your wife?"

"Ex-wife… and yeah I guess there was some jealousy, but not in the reason you might think… the fact is you and Jason both see Carly differently than I do, you can accept her faults and all… I never could, I always expected her to change to suit my needs and that wasn't fair to do."

"I'm glad you told me… I felt so guilty, all those months my feelings started to grown and I felt so disloyal to you."

"You weren't disloyal Zander, you were my son."

Zander looked at his with surprise and swallowed the lump in his throat, clearing his throat he pulled out his wallet, "that's kind of the reason I came here today."

Sonny nodded, and leaning over the counter of the bar, "What can I do for you Zander?"

"I need you to tell me about my Father."

Sonny frowned in puzzlement, " I don't know anything about your Father."

Pulling the tattered picture from his wallet he paused before handing the photograph to Sonny, "yes you do Sonny… and I need you to tell me just who Jake O'Brien is."