Part 2

Sonny watched Alexis shaking as she lay on the floor, her back to the crackling fireplace. She hadn't heard him when he'd called out her name. He gently shut the door behind him. Instead of rushing to her side, he stepped carefully, cautiously, and he listened. The fire lit her face enough for him to see the tear tracks mixed with dripping mascara as she lay on the rug, rocking back and forth. He heard her whispering a quiet mantra that stilled his breath for a moment.

"I want my mother. I want my mother. I want my mother." She repeated between sobs.

"Alexis," he said softly, yet urgently as he knelt down next to her. "I'm here."

Her eyes were squeezed shut, but she slowed in her rocking. She was listening.

"Lex, it's Sonny. I'm here." He reached out and placed his hand on her arm. She pulled back, wiping at her eyes, but she didn't open them.

"I recognize your voice." She said slowly, measured, and more confident that he would have imagined given her current state of distress.

He was quick to keep his balance as she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his chest. He settled himself on the floor. He tightened his hold on her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. He felt her trembling and heard her continuing to cry.

"I don't believe you're here, though." Sonny heard her whisper. He did a quick assessment of the room. Pillows from the couch scattered on the floor near the fireplace. Slightly behind her there was what looked to be a mostly full bottle of expensive vodka and a glass half full of clear liquid. Damn. No, not again. She'd relapsed. While he was away, she needed him. He couldn't remember himself after the accident. Apparently, she'd once again lost who she was as well. He hadn't been here to remind her. Sonny glanced behind him for a moment while he gently rubbed his friend's back. There was a bottle of pills next to a slender box. He pushed her back from him.

"Alexis," he said firmly. "Open your eyes."

"No," she shook her head, but didn't pull away from him completely. "I won't."

"Why? Alexis. I'm right here. Right here." He said, raising his voice. He shook her. "Open those beautiful brown eyes and look at me."

"No!" She shrank back from him and pushed herself into the corner between the fireplace and the stairwell. "If I open my eyes, you'll … you'll disappear. I need you and you're gone and there's no one else that would understand what I've been … what I've been remembering … I can't risk it. If I can just have your voice for a moment … Well, that's better than what I've had while you've been away. Nothing."

Remembering? "Lex, I was in a car accident. I lost … " He saw her feeling around on the floor for something and realized what she was trying to find. In an instant, he grabbed the glass and he threw it. "No! This is not you." That was when Alexis opened her eyes. "This is done, Alexis. It's over!" He took the bottle of vodka and threw it crashing into the fireplace. The flames rose sharply and the heat enveloped them. His eyes were on hers. She was staring at him. She continued to stare in silence until the trembling had stopped. Until she got a handle on the sobs. Until she could breathe again.

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, and when she released it she spoke as if the fire had engulfed her within. She pointed in his direction. "I hate you, Sonny Corinthos."

"You've never hated me forever." He shrugged. "I can work with that."

Alexis didn't look at him, but she was so angry she couldn't keep her hands from trembling as she tried to turn on the lamp beside the couch. The light shone brighter than she expected - in her eyes, in the dark room formerly lit only by the fire, and it reflected in her eyes, but did not seep any deeper. She walked over to the window, pushing back the curtain, and looking at the night sky. The sun must've just gone down. Her stomach rumbled, but she stifled any thought of eating, especially because if he was real, Sonny would insist on cooking for her. She was so mad at him. So mad.

"How could you do this to me again?" Her voice sounded strained, her back to him. "You promised." She heard him step closer, but he honored her distance.

"How could I do what to you, Lex?" He asked her as he leaned against the back of the couch. He thought he was following her. He anticipated a ramble. He thought he knew where it was headed. "I promised you it would be alright. How could I let another car acc -?"

"No. Nooooo. You don't get to speak here mister. You don't get to be concerned or nostalgic or comforting or dimple - y. None of that! I cannot believe you did this to me AGAIN. And not just me, but to our daughter … No more. No more faked deaths. No more funerals where months later you come back from the dead. I don't care anymore if you're trying to go legit. Maybe. Maybe they're pushing the older mobsters to retire. Do you have a union? She shook her head. He didn't try to stop her. Maybe you needed to go underground for a while. Hell, maybe you need a few months break from Carly. God knows that's the only way a marriage with that woman could work - a fake death every few years, but I'm tired of crying over empty caskets, Sonny. Done. But I told you that the last time and here we are again. A car crash? A car crash, Sonny? You can't even make up a new plan? What did Carly help you? Because the story sounds too DAMN familiar. Your car goes into a lake. You disappear for a while. Here you are … Surprise. You lost your memory, too. I bet. She looked down at the watch on her arm. The one that never told time. Well, you're a few hours late to show up at your own funeral. It should be over now, but who knows, maybe you can make the reception. I hate you, Sonny. Have I said that? I needed … I needed … Well, there are a lot of people that miss you and it just so happens that this "near death experience" hit a little too close to another one I remember. I thought you were gone forever … I may be gone -"

"Breathe."

She turned then. He wasn't sure whether she was going to throw something or fall down. Her body was still shaking. He could tell she was a bit light headed as she reached out and grabbed a fistful of heavy curtain for support. He watched as she really looked at him. She took in his clothes, the boots he was wearing, and then her gaze stopped at his face: the gray beard, the gray in his hair. He heard her breathe loudly.

She looked to the floor. Then, straight into his dark eyes. "Why are you dressed like a lumberjack?" Sonny smiled. There she was. His friend. His Alexis.

He smiled. It was time to dance a little with her. "What, you can only accept me as a friend in armani suits and expensive cologne? If I'm resurrected as a blue collar bar maid in a flannel shirt, I'm not allowed to get your coffee or serve you dinner?"

"Come on, Sonny. You know me better than that … I'd let you get me a glass of whatever's on tap." She leaned into her favorite form of self defense - humor. "So you were working in a bar were you?"

He nodded, slowly.

"Learn to line dance?"

"Alexis?" He saw the micro-movements. She wanted to be near him. She could feel it. He needed to be close to her, too. "Come here." She shook her head.

"I can't." He sighed.

"Here's the short of it and we can analyze it all you want later. I promise. My car crashed into the lake. I did not fake my death. I did lose my memory. I met two kind people who owned a bar. They let me stay there and work for them. About a week ago, I began to remember things. I had a vision. There was a woman I thought I recognized, but she faded away because I heard your voice. Then, I remembered who I was. You named me. I'm here."

He opened her arms and he walked into them. "Why aren't you with your family?" He felt her tension against him, but he continued to embrace her.

"You needed me, Alexis. I don't know how I knew, but I did. And if everyone in my world thinks I'm dead. Well, they can think that a little longer." He felt her nuzzle into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Hey, I promised."

"Which time?" She said muffled as he rocked her slightly. He laughed.

"The last time. When I told you I knew you would rise up."

"Sonny," she said, pulling back slightly to look him in the face. "I'm going to jail."

"Like hell, you are …" He began. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll tell you, but once you know … I can't see that you would believe in me anymore. You'll be angry. Just like Olivia was …"

He pulled her back down to him. "Olivia? What about Olivia? You're losing me here, Alexis." He whispered close to her ear.

"That's what I'm afraid of …"