CHAPTER  TWELVE

 
         Carly was like a little girl with a new toy. In a way, Sonny guessed that the club was a new toy for her. Anything that kept her occupied and out of trouble was a good thing, he supposed. And Carly with to much time on her hands was always trouble.

         She'd spotted him as soon as he'd come into the room and had rushed forward to greet him …it  was an easy thing to let her take him by the hand, chattering excitedly as she showed him all the club had to offer. The dining area off the lounge on one end, and the glassed in sunroom lounge on the other. All her clumsy attempts at double entendres and suggestive remarks he let go, deliberately pretending not to understand the meaning behind her suggestions and ever increasingly obvious offers.

         He thought he'd saw a glimpse of Alexis as they moved around the edges of the crowds, but he couldn't be sure, and Carly made a point of her determination to keep his attention on her. The tour ended at the far end of the bar, where Carly ordered two glasses of champagne. Sonny accepted it and made a toast. "To a job well done, Carly." They touched glasses.

         "When I put my mind to something, I make it work." Carly said. She moved closer to him, close enough so that he could smell her perfume. It was one he'd bought for her the second time he'd married her. He'd liked it well enough at the time...it was expensive, and Sonny had known the price and fancy brand name alone would appeal to Carly, never mind the scent. But she'd laid it on a little too thick tonight and the scent was overpowering. "Just like you Sonny, I make it work, and I make it mine." She paused and then leaned up against him boldly. "Sometimes it takes a little time, but one of the things you taught me was to have patience. 'All good things comes to those who wait.'" she quoted one of his own favorite sayings at him.
 

Sonny looked at her, unsure how to react. What was she thinking? What was he doing here? Maybe it was the fact that they still had their son to consider. Sonny would never walk away from Michael. His son would never know the pain of losing him. There was a part of him that still longed for the family they once were. There were still nights when he'd awaken, thinking he heard the sound of his son's laughter. The happy sounds of their family at meals or on trips to the park. They echoed through the now-lonely spaces of his penthouse, mocking him with all that he once had.

         But Carly was volatile, and while he was doing his best to wean her away from him, the cost of making a clean break might be his son. That's why he'd encouraged her in the idea of the club, even if Jasper Jax  was her financial backer. It kept Carly occupied, and in Port Charles. Without it, without him, she might decide in a fit of spite to take Michael and disappear. And he wasn't going to allow that to happen.

But he'd had enough of Carly's ramblings for the moment. There had to be a way to get her off of him, if only for a little while. He needed a break…the combination of her going on and on about everything and anything, the effort of disregarding her unsubtle remarks, and the overpowering aroma of her over-utilized perfume had produced the shadow of a headache somewhere at the edges of his mind, waiting to be born.

         The angels smiled on him. Jax was looking around the club, obviously searching for something, and as his eyes fell upon Carly, he began gesturing, trying to get her attention. He deliberately ignored Sonny, which was fine with him. Sonny touched Carly's arm, trying to keep a grimace from his face as she grabbed hold of his hand, showing no inclination of letting go. "Your partner looks like he needs you for something, Carly." Sonny said, untangling himself from her grip.

         Carly pouted, something she thought was charming. Her red red lips smiled up at him. "Well, I just take care of him, then I'll come back and take care of you." She blew him a kiss before moving away. "And that's a promise."

         "And that's a relief." Sonny murmured quietly as she disappeared into the crowd. He set the champagne flute down on the bar counter and gestured to the bartender. "Get me brandy. Neat – and make it a double."

***
         A flicker of movement from the corner of her eye, a flash of black hair…. There were other men there, Alexis thought to herself, with the same coloring that Sonny had. Other men in sleek dark suits….she was not going to spend half the evening looking to see just when Sonny made an entrance. She forced her gaze onto the dance floor, turning her eyes determinedly away from the entrance. In the mass of people on the dance floor, she picked out a long silky fall of bright auburn. As she watched, the song ended and Kristina and Ned began to make their way through the crowd back to their table.

         Whatever qualms she might have had regarding her newfound sister and her ex-fiancée, she had to admit that the two of them looked very happy together. As improbable as it was, she was happy for the both of them.  Kristina was laughing as Ned handed her into her chair. She reached for her champagne flute and drained its contents.

 "I give up…no mas!" She said, laughing at Ned's outstretched hand and shaking her head. "I need a moment to just breathe."

Ned smiled down at her. "I thought your intentions were…and I quote: "To dance the night away?"

 "I did…but I never said it would be non-stop."

Ned turned to Alexis. "While your beautiful sister catches her breath, perhaps you'd care to hit the floor?"

Alexis hesitated, but Kristina urged her on. "You're not going to sit here all night. Go on…Go!" She shooed them towards the dance floors, her eyes alight with laughter.

 Half reluctantly, she took Ned's hand. He drew her to her feet and they moved off into the crowd. Finding a clear spot, they began to dance. The crowd on the dance floor forced them together, but after an awkward few moments, Alexis was happy – and more to the point – relieved --  to find that she felt nothing more than an old comfortableness dancing with Ned. She dared a look up at him to see the same relief in his eyes. They both smiled.

 "I'm glad we can be friends too." Ned said.

 "Me too, especially since it's obvious that you can still read me all too well." Alexis dared a full grin this time and was rewarded by one of his own. Her hand came up to rest easily on his shoulder, while his hand came up and rested lightly on her waist.

 "As a friend, I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you?" Ned said, after a moment. Alexis hesitated, then nodded.

 Ned came straight to the point. "Do you know anything about Sonny's plans as far as AJ and Courtney are concerned? For whatever reason, and I'm not going to ask, you're the only person that has any influence on Sonny these days.

         "Before you answer, I want you to know, that I want to find AJ as badly as you want to find Courtney. I don't have much use for him most of the time, but he's my cousin. I don't want him hurt… or worse…No Alexis…" Ned said as she opened her mouth to speak. He cut her off before she could say a word. "I know you're first instinct is to protect Sonny. I got that. But the truth of it is, you can't guarantee AJ's safety. This is his sister we're talking about. I remember how Sonny was back when Carly was carrying his child. Sonny is a fanatic about family. And now AJ is using his baby sister and Sonny knows it."

 Alexis saw her chance. "AJ is not only using her, he's rubbing Sonny's nose in the fact."

 "Exactly. And it's not the brightest or most subtle thing that my cousin has ever done. No one can predict Sonny's actions, especially if he finds them first, and in a worse case scenario."

Alexis didn't want to think about worse case scenarios…. And she couldn't argue with Ned's logic, either.

 "I've got men looking for them." Ned said. "We both know that Sonny does too. I'm not asking you to betray any confidences… but I am asking you that you please help me. If I find AJ and Courtney first, will you come with me while I try to talk some sense into AJ? Maybe you can talk to Courtney at the same time…make her see what her actions are going to push Sonny to."

The music had changed while they were talking. Over Ned's shoulder, Alexis saw her nephew now dancing with Kristina. Catching her eye, he smiled at her and the couple began to make their way over to them. Ned caught her glance and turned to see Nikolas and Kristina headed in their direction. "Looks like my date is about to reclaim me." He said lightly.

"And high time she did." Alexis said. Her expression sobered. "I meant what I said, Ned. I am happy for the two of you. As strange as that may sound."

 "It's not strange at all.. It's who you are and one of things I loved…love about you. But about what we were talking about…I am sorry to press but…." Ned's voice trailed off.

 "I understand perfectly… one gatekeeper to another." Alexis sighed. "It never seems to get easier, does it? I'll do what I can."