" I think you just want me to leave. "" No, I'm trying to get you to do your job!"

" Calm down. I think that you don't want me to see you like this."

" I don't like wasting my money. "

" How does having a panic attack - how does - what does that have to do with your finances?"

" I don't panic!"

" Sorry. I'm sorry. That was a poor choice of words."

" Wrong choice, wrong assumption. I don't - there's nothing wrong with me, Alexis. And I don't need a babysitter. What I need is for my attorney, who I pay a small fortune to keep on retainer, to stop watching me like I'm - like I'm an animal in a cage! I want you to get your condescending, overpriced butt upstairs and do your job!"

" You're claustrophobic, and for some reason - and I don't understand why - you see that as a sign of weakness. It appears that you're distracting yourself by trying to pick a fight with me."

" Shut up!"

" Don't you ever speak to me that way again! I like you, but I have no intention of serving as a target of opportunity for your anger. You hate being in jail, I hate that you are in jail, too. But I've offered my help. If you don't want it, a polite refusal will be sufficient. But I am not going to stand here and fight for the privilege of having you yell at me."

A Few moments Later...

" Alexis?"

" That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Alexis recalled the last time she'd walked this hall, the distinct smell of must and disinfectant clung to her lungs like a lead weight, the only sounds came from the steel doors being slammed shut and the clicking of her heels against the hard concrete.

Why was he here again, why hadn't her prayers been answered? The prayer she'd made the last time he'd been here… no matter what had transpired, she hated the idea of seeing him behind those heavy bars, not only for his sake, but for her own. She's asked that he'd never again have to experience the panic of being confined… Yet, here she was taking the same journey, only this time she hadn't been there to guide him through it, or to set him in the right direction.

His random acts of nobility often contradicted everything he supposedly stood for… In the back of her mind, she chastised herself for caring for being here, that she should run while she could. But deep in here heart she couldn't leave him, and the sudden kick of their child brought a faint smile to her face… where had it all gone so wrong?

The months had passed, the anger had diminished, replaced with a deep ache within herself that she'd refused to deal with, lies had been told, threats had been cast, and friendships had been destroyed… by two people so unwilling to deal with their emotions that they'd forgotten the very connection that had brought them closer together. So many things that could've been resolved that should have, only to instead be left unsaid until it had festered and exploded in their faces.

Slowing her pace, Alexis crept closer to the open doorway that lead to Sonny's cell, peeking around the corner warily, she saw him… there he was in his prison blues, lying on the cot, his gaze cast upward toward the ceiling, he was unaware of her presence, so lost in his quiet agony.

Alexis felt the muscles in her chest tighten, her hands trembled, reaching out she grasped one of the cool bars for leverage.

Sonny… her Sonny, a man that hated her… a man that believed she hated him. The old Alexis, the one who'd always reached out to him, longed to do so now, but it was to late, he believed her friendship was merely a lie… and could she blame him?

"Breathe, Alexis."

She gasped not realizing he was aware of her presence, let alone that she'd been holding her breath for who knows how long, stepping inside now, she noticed him glance at her momentarily before shifting his eyes back toward the ceiling.

"I didn't realize you knew I was here."

"Your hard to forget, " Sonny said raggedly.

Alexis wasn't sure how to take that, she detected gentleness in his voice, but she supposed they were meaningless.

"How are you?" Alexis snapped her eyes shut, the words were out before she could stop them, how was he supposed to answer that?

"Why do you care?" Sonny replied, his voice low and barren of emotion, he wouldn't look at her, for fear she'd recognize the desperation in his eyes, " are you here to gloat… maybe you're here to see me taken away, justice served once and for all…right?"

That did it, he'd officially raised her hackles, " intentionally, picking a fight with me… how very original." She shot back dryly. "Go home Alexis," Sonny ordered, "You came, you saw, and now your done."

"Perhaps you've forgotten, your behind bars Corinthos," Alexis pointed out, " I'll leave when I'm done… you don't have the option of dismissing me like one of your minions."

"ENOUGH!" Sonny shouted, losing control of his emotions, he swung his legs off the cot, resting his elbows on his knees, he patted his cheeks trying to pull in the panic gnawing at him, "why aren't you off planning your wedding?"

Sonny really didn't want to know, the thought that his betrayal had led her back into the arms of Ned Ashton, well,it turned his stomach, but he guessed he deserved it, after all he'd been the one to leave her alone after he'd gone back to a marriage that had never really been anything more than a headache.

"How…how did you know?" Alexis voice was quiet and nervous; they'd only announced their engagement the night before at the Quartermaine's.

"Brenda was here earlier, she mentioned it."

"Oh…oh, Ned must've mentioned it to her."

"I guess," Sonny shrugged, sneaking a glance her way when she wasn't looking, he memorized every detail, she was glowing… how he'd missed those eyes.

"Why are you doing this, Sonny?"The question was quick, to the point, and totally unexpected by either one of them.

"Okay…okay, I get it now," Sonny replied lazily," this isn't enough for you… what will it take Alexis, my actual execution to satisfy you?"

"If you think I have that little compassion, then you never really knew me at all, " Alexis spat out," you seem to be confusing me with your wife."

"Your nothing like Carly!" Sonny voice boomed, jumping off the cot and beginning to pace.

Alexis felt the ire rising in her, how he still had the energy to defend Carly was beyond her," yes, I forgot Carly is the Patron Saint of all that is good in the world."

Sonny stopped and cocked his head," That's not what I meant," he ran a hand carelessly through his hair, "all I meant was you are two entirely different people."

"Thank God for small favors, "Alexis said sarcastically, "listen, I didn't come here to talk about Carly… in fact I'd rather not talk about her at all, she seems to make my blood pressure rise."

"Are you all right?" Sonny's eyes widened, this time he looked directly at her, not even trying to mask the concern, " the baby's okay, she's healthy?"

Alexis hesitated, suspicious over his sudden interest in her health, the momentary flash of a familiar stranger lurked in the depths of Sonny's soul and he grasped onto the heart of the old Alexis.

"I'm fine other than the fact I'm getting bigger by the day, and my angel has taken to tap dancing when Mommy's trying to get her beauty sleep, "she smiled to herself, and looked up noticing the curious smile playing across his face," she likes to kick during the night… my girl doesn't like being alone."

Sonny looked away, blinking back the tears, it didn't matter what the results had revealed, or his initial reaction he'd had… he knew without a doubt Alexis was carrying their baby.

Our daughter Alexis, Our girl, Sonny spoke silently to her… would she ever know how much he loved them both… if he'd been the man she'd once believed he was or could be, they'd be together now, not separated my steel bars, let alone emotional barriers, they'd built out of anger and doubt.

"Who does?"