A steady stream of moonlight lit the otherwise darkened bar, tables and chair neatly stacked to the side for the nightly clean-up, only problem was the man who'd been responsible for the job, had bailed out in order to chase after a dream.

Jake sat in the middle of the quiet Bar, elbows on knees, fighting the growing uneasiness that had continued to settle over him, it wasn't that he wasn't used to conflict, or dealing with difficult decisions, it was what's he'd always been best at, but it had been years since he'd felt connected to anyone, he'd surrounded his life with business when he'd left the country all those years ago… when he'd agreed to come back to the states, it had dredged up memories he stillwasn't sure he was ready to deal with… it was Zander's abrupt departure earlier that had flooded his memories with his own past.

"Whoa, whoa where do you think your going?" Jake had asked as Zander came barreling downstairs and out the front door.

"I've got a plane to catch."

"I give you a job and you decide to take a vacation?" Jake asked, "not exactly employee of the month material are we?"

"I don't care… you can fire me for all I care," Zander began to leave, then paused, "I'm sorry, but this… this is important, you don't understand… you couldn't."

"I couldn't, could I?"

"I have to go…"

Skye had appeared in the doorway, she glanced briefly at Jake, and then back to Zander, " I'll wait for you in the car… hurry."

Jake had lowered his head, " you coming back?"

Zander hesitated, " Yeah, Port Charles is my home now… but, I won't be able to move on, unless I settle some unfinished business."

Picking up his duffle bag, he swung it over his shoulder, " goodbye Mr. O'Brien."

"Goodbye, Son."

He'd started to leave, but heard his Father's voice calling out to him, he turned to look at him.

"She's gotta be special if your runnin to her."

"She is."

With that Mr. Smith had left Jake without a bartender, which had left him rubbing his chin, he smiled in spite of himself and grabbed the mop, as he cleaned the floors he thought about how familiar the young man was to him, he decided it was how much he reminded him of a young Michael J. Corinthos.

He heard the rustle of footsteps outside and the tap on the door, he'd closed the bar early to take care of some business matters and he was sure it didn't agree with the regular patrons of Jakes… continuing to mop, he ignored the continuous rap on the door, until it got louder.

"We're closed!" he yelled, shaking his head, it was nearing 1am, it surprised him that anyone would be crazy enough to be out looking for a drink, let alone walking the streets of Port Charles.

The rapping became a pounding that began to irritate Jake, leaning the mop against the bar, he approached the door and swung it open, " what part of closed do you not get?" Jake's irritation soon dissipated, stepping back he grinned," Luke!"

Taking a Gamble

Alexis stood in her bare feet, Sonny's jacket set across her shoulders, to block the chill of the early morning hours, everything was quiet and peaceful and it all seemed so new, the view from the terrace was a beautiful one, the darkened sky scattered with stars over the darkly lit town, only streetlights lit the roads, streets desolate, and life seemed perfect.

Sonny came to stand beside her, handing her a champagne glass filled with milk, she crinkled her nose in disapproval, but took it from him as he chuckled.

"It's sweetened, I knew that's the only way you'd tolerate it."

Taking a sip she smiled, "that's good…thank you." She took another sip and waved a hand around the terrace, " you know I was thinking, this place needs a special name… something that will remind us of that night."

"I remember by just looking at you, " he swept the hair away from the nape of her neck and placed a kiss, " come on, Alexis admit it, you'd been to a Casino before."

Alexis smiled slyly, " maybe."

"You conned me."

"No I just didn't want to steal your thunder… I know how much you love whisking your women away to tropical locales."

"I feel gypped."

"Why, I played the naive damsel in distress quite well."

"We had some great times."

"Yeah, when you weren't acting like a complete jerk."

Sonny grinned, reaching around Alexis' waist and resting his chin on her shoulder, " have I told you I'm going to love being the father of your child?"

"You say that now, but what happens when I yell at you for taking her out for ice cream before she's had dinner."

"I'd never do that… this kid will be fed right, I've already started planning the menu's."

"Oh, brother."

"Maybe, we can try for a little brother next." Sonny teased, brushing his lips against her bare shoulder.

Alexis stepped out of his embrace and approached the hibiscus, she pulled the blossom to her nose and closed her eyes, "lets concentrate on our daughter."

"Did I say something?"

Alexis turned to face him, " No… no of course not, but you've got to admit, me as a Mother is like… it's like… it's just weird okay."

"I don't think it's weird, you were made for this Alexis, you've been more of a Mother to Zander than he's ever had in his life, okay? Your just not used to the idea yet."

"When I found out I was pregnant… after the initial shock wore off as A.) I was pregnant and B.) I was pregnant with a mob bosses kid, well it was surreal… I loved her from the very first moment and I promised to protect her no matter what it cost."

"It's cost you a lot."

Alexis looked away, " but we're here now, we're in a different place and you helped me to finally see that… I can't run from trouble, I have to face it… I have my friend back, you don't know how much I missed talking to you."

"About as much as I missed talking to you."

Alexis smiled, pulling the jacket tighter, "hey, Kelly's will be open soon, how about we go for an early morning Breakfast?"

Sonny gave her an amused smile, "Alexis, it's the middle of the night, Kelly's won't be open for hours and you need your sleep… besides your having breakfast with Zander."

"I called my service earlier, when you were in the kitchen, he's gone to see Emily."

Sonny narrowed his eyes, " you checked your service? We're in the middle of a romantic evening and your calling to check messages?"

"It's the attorney in me… and don't give me the innocent act, you know good and well you called up on security or enforcers or whatever mob bosses do… and by no means do I want to know."

Sonny gave her a look, "Whatever."

Alexis smile turned to worry, " I am worried about Zander though, did he say anything to you about Emily when you talked to him?"

Sonny shook his head, " No, nothing… but if I had to guess, I'd say he found out about Emily's engagement."

"Emily's engaged?" Alexis exclaimed."

Sonny nodded, rubbing a finger against his lip, " took Jason by surprise too, Emily only told the family yesterday."

"Well Zander's got to be devastated… he's never gotten over her."

"I just hope he doesn't do anything rash." Sonny added.

Sonny and Alexis looked at one another and said in unison, " let's go."

Leaving on a Jet Plane

"Listen to me… listen to me, the second Sorel is captured, I will be there, no matter what it takes, I promise…"

"Listen to me Zander, I have a bad feeling about this, we need to stay together please."

(Fade out)

"Do you have everything, listen, what I said about this heart, don't forget it okay? I love you."

"Don't forget… don't forget."

"Zander?" Skye called out, gently shaking the younger mans shoulder until he woke, " you seemed like you were having a nightmare."

Zander remained silent, and sat up, raking a hand through his hair, he hesitated before speaking, "Skye can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why now… after everything that's happened."

Skye smiled tiredly, " maybe I've decided to change my stripes."

Zander's suspicious expression was expected, she couldn't help but laugh, " If I wasn't so tired, I might be insulted… to be honest Zander, I like you despite some of your enormous screw-ups and the fact you ever associated yourself with Carly… but you do have some endearing qualities that for the life of me I can't figure out."

"And none of this would have to do with getting back at your family?"

"My dear boy, what I have in store for my family is ten times more lethal than you crashing Emily's engagement party, while it does have it's perks… it's not nearly as damaging as what I have in mind."

"Wow, they must've really hurt you."

"It's not what they've done yet… it's what they're about to do, and I won't let them win."

"Well, you know I've never been a big fan of the Q's, but will it hurt Emily?"

"All you need to know is I have my targets pinpointed Zander, Emily isn't one of them."

Zander was unsure, this was Emily the fierce protector of her family, he didn't want to see her hurt by Skye's actions, but on the other hand he wanted to see Ned pay for what he'd done to Alexis.

"Oh, I took it upon myself to get you an tuxedo for the party."

"Skye, I'm not going as a guest… I'm going there to talk Emily out of marrying someone else."

"You might as well do it in style."

"I don't know…"

"Trust me Zander, a woman wants to be dazzled, romanced… not treated to motorcycle rides and beer nuts."

"Jake doesn't seem like the tuxedo wearing type."

"Lucky for us he's not here."

"You guys seemed to be getting along alright."

"He's a jerk!"

Zander shook his head, " What happened?"

Skye stuck her nose up in the air, " I don't want to talk about it."

"Fine, but if you ever do." Zander offered.

"Well, I won't!"

"Okay, Okay. " Zander said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Did you know he's working for Jax?"

Zander's eyes widened in surprise and then he began to laugh, " You think Jake's working for Jax?"

Skye was irritated and it showed, " as a matter of fact I do, I happened to witness an argument between them."

"Skye rested assured, Jake doesn't work for Jax."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because he works with Sonny."