A New Day In Port Charles

"Our appointment's at three, Dr. Meadows is a stickler for promptness."

"I'll be there Alexis."

"Your sure?"

"Are you kidding me?" Sonny shook his head and smiled, " this is our daughter we're talking about Alexis, I'll be there every step of the way."

"Okay…" Alexis looked away and then back, " then I'll see you then… now, I've got to get over to the Quartermaine's."

"You're going through with it?"

"It's my job Sonny, and even if I disagree with Skye's tactics… I think her heart was in the right place."

"If you say so."

"She might even see a little of herself in Zander."

"How's that?" Sonny asked, slanting his eyes in puzzlement.

"Loving someone so much and losing them unexpectedly… it's devastating."

"Like us?"Sonny watched her carefully, " Alexis?"

"What?"

"I asked, is that how you felt when I went back to Carly?"

Alexis reached up and pushed the hair away from her face, " I think I'll leave that one alone, your ego is already at full mast."

Sonny chuckled and leaned in for a kiss, "See you at three?"

Alexis appeared distracted as she searched for her keys, looking up nervously she said, "Oh, yeah, see you at three."

Zander dropped his duffel bag at Jake's feet, " what happened to my room?"

"It's there."

"It's torn apart!"

Jake grinned and rested the sledgehammer against his hip, "Thank Luke for that, he' decided the entire place needed an overhaul."

"Where's my stuff?"

"I put it in the basement."

"I suppose that's where I'm supposed to live too, just me and the mice keeping each other company."

"Hadn't even crossed my mind."

"Yeah well why would it, you don't owe me anything, I'm just the hired help!"

"Check the attitude at the door Zander," Jake warned; "respect goes both ways, you want to be treated like an equal than start by acting like one."

"What do you expect man! I come here and my room is destroyed, where the hell am I supposed to go?"

"You can stay with me."

"Like Hell!"

Brenda twirled around in the mirror, glancing over her shoulder she smiled, " It's a beautiful dress."

"I think it's the person in it that makes it beautiful." Jax grinned, his eyes twinkling.

"I've already forgiven you Jax." Brenda said rolling her eyes, " no need to lay it on so thick."

Jax rolled over on his side, the sheet falling across his waist, " don't consider it a bribe, just a token of my affection."

Smiling seductively she walked toward him and turned so her back was facing him, glancing over her shoulder she asked, "Unzip me?"

"Gladly," Jax reached up, his fingers mere inches from the zipper, " on second thought, why not keep the dress on."

"What exactly do you have in mind?"

"Dinner."

"It's two in the afternoon."

"Not in Paris, come on Brenda, have a late night dinner with me."

"Are you nuts…of course you are, you want to fly across the world to satisfy your appetite!"

"I'll consider that a yes."

Brenda glanced at the clock and then back to Jax, here was a man that loved her, his devotion never faltered even in death, how could she refuse that kind of commitment, " of course I'll go, there's nothing keeping me here." She said lingering toward him, and falling into bed.

Alan and Monica had flown back to Port Charles in silence, which has suited both of them fine, after the altercation they'd had back in Santa Barbara, Emily's last words to them being goodbye.

"I have a life with Daniel now… and to start that life I need a clean slate."

"Aren't you ever coming home Emily."

"My home is wherever my husband is."

They'd begged and pleaded with her to rethink such a drastic action, but she'd thrown back the past in their faces.

"Your acting as if your saying goodbye."

"You should focus on what you have, I'll always be grateful… and I'll always love you."

They'd hesitantly agreed to leave, and it had come to no great surprise to either of them when they'd turned on each other, blaming the other for Emily's obvious breakdown and her decision to isolate herself from the family that loved her.

"This is your fault Alan, your inherent need to control things!"

"My fault, you treated her like she was made of fine china, as if she'd break at any moment!"

"And thanks to Skye she did!"

"Don't blame Skye, this was Emily's choice!"

"But Skye helped her to make it! Your daughter has meddled once again in a situation she knows nothing about!"

"I've got news for you Monica, we meddled too and look how much we knew!"

"She obviously still loves Zander."

"And she's decided to enter a loveless marriage because that's what we wanted… the question is what do we do about it?"

"Nothing."

Nothing had she really said that? Monica thought to herself as she entered the house, Alan had completely shut down after that, they'd flown back to Port Charles in a sea of silence.

Entering the sitting room, Monica sat down and rested her head on the back of the sofa, she had less than two hours before her shift started and she doubted she'd find any rest… she'd been right.

"Back from California so soon?"

Squeezing her eyes shut, Monica muttered, "Edward hasn't thrown you out yet?"

"Ah Monica, You've forgotten who your dealing with, I can be very persuasive."

"Blackmail in other words, what's Edward done this time?"

"How's Emily?"

"Emily's none of your concern."

"Skye manage to ruin the happy occasion? Well, look who I'm talking about, of course she did."

Monica stood up, "You've wormed your way into my family one to many times Carly… get out!"

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"I live here."

Skye headed for the ELQ boardroom, the remnants of last nights conversation with Jake floating through her head.

"Skye, you ever think about letting go of all the self pity and actually doing something constructive with your time?"

"I never…"

"Maybe that's your problem… you've been coddled all your life, you're a fighter I get that, but damn woman if your going to cry over spilled milk for the rest of your life you aren't going to accomplish a damn thing."

"I've never in my life met a man who can outwardly appear so charming, but inwardly is such a toad."

"Compliment's will get you everything."

"You're making me ill."

Jake had laughed, "How about venturing out on your own?"

"What?"

"Why not say to hell with the family, and start something of your own?"

"I couldn't…"

"You could… You've got the smarts, you've got the competitive streak, and you've got the charm when you want to use it."

"I have run a company before… I actually ran ELQ for a time…"

"There ya go!"

"But what if…"

"No what ifs, just do it."

"I think I just might…"

Skye had decided at that moment if her family wanted a fight she'd be more than happy to give them one. Adam Chandler might not have been her biological father, but she had inherited his steely presence when it suited her agenda. Nobody would push her into a corner again.

Skye steppedinside the ELQ boardroom, and pondered the fact thatit would be the last time she'd walk into this room a shareholder… not that she'd held all that much power when she had, her Grandfather had seen to that, he'd limited her access but still she'd had fun reveling in the Quartermaine fortune, once a blueblood always a blueblood.

Alexis would be meeting her here any moment to tie up the loose ends and so she took the opportunity to sit at the helm, spreading her hands out across the marble tableas sheclosed her eyes and fantasized one last time about being in charge.

"Am I interrupting?"

Skye opened her eyes and smiled, " not at all… I was just reflecting."

"Oh, you should never do that, trust me on this." Alexis teased sitting her briefcase down on the table and sliding on her glasses.

"Alexis why are you being so nice to me?"

She was met with a curious frown, "you think I'm being nice?"

Skye stood up and leaned over the table, " I know what your after so quit pretending to be a friend."

Alexis sat down, leaning back in the swivel chair, "I'm your attorney, am I not?"

"For the moment."

Alexis nodded placing her index finger to her chin, " you asked me here to go over the final papers right?"

"Correct."

"So exactly how am I coming off as your friend Skye, quite frankly you annoy me… true you have your moment's of conscientious, and then you do something to perturb me all over again… take the situation with Emily for instance."

"BINGO!"

"Now isn't the time for games Skye."

"Then stop playing them Alexis."

"I don't play games, nor do I have any interest in starting to, I already asked you what you knew about Emily and you told me there was nothing."

"And I stand by that."

"Skye, as someone who lived with a family of pathological liars I have the ability to see through lies… and you've just told me one."

"Well aren't you a smart one Alexis Davis, always a step ahead of everyone else except when it comes to your own life."

Alexis stood up and smoothed her skirt, " I think I can finish these papers back at the office."

"Not before I have my say."

"As far as I'm concerned you've said just about a enough."

Skye rounded the desk; " I have another job for you."

"My rates just tripled, you can't afford me."

"Oh yes I can."

"What are you up to?"

"I just bought Deception."

"It's his birthday."

"I know…he was a beautiful boy."

"How do we go on… how do we possibly say goodbye?"

"We'll go on, but we'llnever forget and we'll never say goodbye."

Jake stood at the marker, kneeling down he swiped away the leaves away and triedto grasp the realization he was home again, " Happy Birthday Son."

"We're going to be okay, you trust me right?"

"Always."

"I let you both down, I'm sorry for that." Jake said, placing a hibiscus next to the marker.

"This kid is going to be as strong willed as you."

"And as stubborn as his Father."

"Yeah, well my stubborness came in handy when it came to fighting for you."

"We loved you from the moment you were conceived... we would've done anything for you."

"I think your coat is ruined." She asked as she heldtheir newborn son in her arms for the first time.

"That coat just became a national treasure."

"So what do you suppose we should name this treasure?"

"I've never forgotten you...I never will."

"Do you hear that Alexis?" Sonny smiled widely, "that's our daughter's heart… she's going to be strong just like her Mama."

Alexis smiled, "I never doubted it for a second, with our genes she's going to be a spitfire."

Dr. Meadows smiled, " are you ready to meet your daughter Mr. Corinthos?"

Sonny nodded and eyed the monitor, when the baby was recognizable Sonny stared in awe, "she's beautiful."

Alexis smiled thoughtfully, "your not just a tad biased?"

"No way Alexis, this girl is heartbreaker."

Dr. Meadows smiled, "well, we'll send you home with a picture for the baby album…am I safe to assume Mr. Corinthos will be in charge of that duty?"

Alexis hid a smile as Sonny gazed at the monitor, as Dr. Meadow's handed him the sonogramand turned her focus on Alexis, " One word of advice Alexis, stay out of trouble… if I hear of another stunt like you pulled with Mr. Corinthos' rescue attempt I will put you on permanent bed rest."

Alexis rolled her eyes and Dr. Meadow's pointed her out, "Don't mess with me Davis, you might be in control of the courtroom, but I'm in charge here and don't you forget it."

Alexis nodded and watched her Doctor leave, " I wonder if it's to late to change doctors?"

Sonny looked up, " Why?"

"She's telling me what to do, and you know how much I hate that."

"Come on Alexis, you can follow the rules for a couple more months can't you… for our daughter?"

Alexis looked down at the sonogram and smiled, " I think she's got your mouth."

"She's got your ears."

"You really did enjoy this didn't you?"

"Of course, this goes in the baby book." Sonny said pointing out the sonogram.

"These are the times when I love you the most," Alexis said gently, "just being you."

"Well, we'll have plenty more of these moment's when she's born… the first time we hold her, the first time she grasps our finger with her tiny little hand… this is a first for both of us Alexis, we've got some many things to look forward too."

Alexis looked down at the sonogram and began to cry, touching the tiny figure of her daughter she shut her eyes and tried to block out the torrent of emotions moving through her.

"I love you my angel, I promise I'll never forget…"

Sonny looked at her oddly, " you'll never forget what?"