CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
         conversations and confrontations

 Ned looked around himself with distaste. His eyes came to rest on Johnny, whose features remained carefully neutral. "I need to talk to you; I think you know about what."

Inexplicably, Alexis was unwilling to let him into her apartment. She remained in the doorway, not letting him pass. Ned stiffened as she realized Alexis' intentions. "Then can we at least speak in private?"

         Alexis flicked her glance at the bodyguard. "Johnny, can you give us a few minutes alone?"

Johnny nodded once briefly, then stepped into the elevator. As the doors slid shut on him, Ned turned back to Alexis. "As I said, you know why I'm here. It's about my cousin. AJ's disappeared. I've tracked him down to a villa on an island called St. Sophia, registered under the name of Mr. & Mrs. Quartermaine and I'm willing to bet the farm that Courtney is there with him."

         "Why are you telling me this, Ned.?"

"I want you to come with me. Courtney knows you; maybe she'll listen to you while I try and talk some sense into AJ."

"Why would she listen to me? She knows I'm Sonny's…attorney. And she has no great love for him at the moment."

"Can you blame her? AJ is no saint, but he's no Sonny Corinthos either."

And he's not quite the Sonny Corinthos you think he is…Alexis wished she could explain Sonny to Ned; but never in a million years would Ned be able to understand him, she knew that. It was more than their past history at work here. Sonny truly cared so deeply for his sister, much more than she realized, much more than anyone could realize. Family was a very important cornerstone of Sonny's life. If only she could find the words to make  Ned understand.

Ned misread her hesitation. Or maybe he had it right. "Don't try to explain that miniature megalomaniac to me, Alexis! You can't tell him what I've told you either."

"He'll find out anyway," Alexis answered. "Don't you think he won't?"

"But we can be gone before he discovers where they are." Ned was insistent. "I have no great love for AJ, but I don't want to see him dead. If we can get to them first, we could prevent a tragedy from happening."

Alexis hesitated. Maybe she could circumvent and short-circuit this whole situation if she did go with Ned. But something in her wouldn't let her commit to what would be, essentially, a betrayal of Sonny. Ned continued to press her, but that thought stayed uppermost in her mind

            The elevator doors opened, and Sonny stepped out, Johnny a step behind. His eyes went directly to Ned; his entire being freezing at the sight of seeing Ned Ashton standing in front of Alexis' door. Instinctively, his body reacted at the sight of a rival. Ex-lover meant nothing…he had meant something to Alexis at one time, and that fact alone caused his hackles to rise.  His eyes narrowed.

            There was only one thing that would bring Ned there. This had to be about AJ. He looks at Alexis. Sonny knows what Ned once was to Alexis. He knows what high regard she has for the law and how far she was willing to go to keep him within its boundaries when she can. But Sonny knows that Alexis also knows what he's capable of when he's enraged.

            But did she also knows how powerful the urge to protect his sister was? Sonny said nothing, but only continued to look at Alexis, his eyes giving nothing away. But deep inside, he wondered, who would she choose…what would she choose? This seemingly simple choice could tear the newly born connection between them into irreparable shreds.

            Alexis looked from Ned to Sonny. Two men she cared about…and somehow, impossibly they were here and it was in her worse case scenario…one against the other…what could she do? The battle of loyalties was hard fought in her heart and she struggled with the decision. It showed in her eyes.

            "Alexis, you can't..." Ned said, but for a moment, he might as well not have existed. Alexis' eyes met Sonny's.

            "Is there something you need to tell me, Alexis?" Sonny's voice was quiet.

            "Alexis was on her way with me to L.A. to help with a contract dispute." Ned tried desperately to catch her eye, hoping she would back up his lie. But it was useless, Sonny heard the lie in his voice. He ignored Ashton and kept his gaze on Alexis.

            But Ned wasn't willing to give up just yet. "Contrary to what you may think, you don't own Alexis, ok? She makes her own decisions."

            Sonny spoke to Alexis. "You were here. You saw the pictures A.J. sent of Courtney. You know she's young, inexperienced. She doesn't know what kind of trouble she's in, so I got -- I got to get to her before A.J. does any permanent damage. You know all that. So if you know something, I'm asking you to tell me."

            "Alexis, we've got to go.." Desperation edged Ashton's voice and Sonny noted that. "We've got to go …now."

            Alexis couldn't tear her gaze from Sonny's. What she saw there was what they had always had. Trust; honesty. How could she turn her back on it now?

            "Ok," Sonny asked. "I'm only going to ask you once. If you say no, I'll believe you. Do you know where A.J. took my sister?"

            "Alexis…" She heard the pleading in Ned's voice. But she just couldn't do it; there had never really been a battle.

            She spared him an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry, I can't do this…Courtney is Sonny's sister and he has every right to know where she is." Ned's face paled as she turned to Sonny  "Courtney and A.J. are in a villa on an island called St. Sophia."

            Sonny exhaled silently without realizing he'd been holding his breath. She'd chosen him. "Thank you."

            "How could you!?" Ned shouted in fury. He reached out to grab Alexis by the arm and jerked her roughly around to face him. "You betray my family for…for this!?"

            "Ahh!" Before he could say anymore, Ned found himself slamming against the wall opposite Alexis' door. Then a fist buried itself in his gut doubling him over with a second grunt of pain. A hand twisted itself in his collar, jerking him painfully upright.

            "Don't you EVER raise a hand to Alexis again!." Sonny snarled in his face.

            "Sonny, no!" Alexis cried out. Sonny had moved so fast, she'd been frozen in place. "Please!"

            Sonny hesitated, then tossed Ned in the general direction of the elevator. "Johnny, take the garbage out. And make sure he isn't allowed back here without the express permission of Ms. Davis."

            Johnny moved as though to escort Ned to the elevator, but Ned snarled a curse at him and stumbled in by himself. He turned and faced them.  His eyes fastened onto Alexis. "I won't ever forget this." He said to her.

            "Ned, it will be all right, I pro-"

            "I won't forget it either, Ashton." Sonny said. "And if you ever even think about threatening Alexis again, you won't either." He jerked his head at Johnny. "Escort Mister Ashton from the premises."

            "My pleasure." Johnny said. He punched the button and the doors slid shut.

            Ned leaned against the wall and willed the pain to go away. He noticed Johnny watching him, eyes impassive. "So what now, do I get a work over from one of Sonny's favorite mindless goons?"

            "I was instructed to escort you from the premises. Those were my orders. And for the record, I'm no mindless goon; I'm one of Mr. Corinthos' trusted employees. Some of my duties include seeing to the welfare of those Mr. Corinthos cares about as well." He stepped close to Ned and the neutrality in his eyes was replaced with a glint of steely anger.. "And if I ever see you lay a hand on Ms. Davis again, I won't be waiting for any orders. That's for the record as well."

            They reached the ground floor, and the doors slid open. Johnny put one hand under Ned's arm and propelled him forward into the lobby. "Max, see Mr. Ashton to his car. He was just leaving...and he won't be back."

***

            So angry he didn't trust himself to speak, Sonny walked into his apartment. He went straight for the telephone and made several calls, setting in motion the actions that would verify the information Alexis had given him. He turned to see her standing in the doorway.

            "Don't expect me to apologize." He said roughly before he turned back to his desk. He hoped she didn't ask for that or an explanation either, because he didn't have one… How could he explain it? He knew that Ned would never hurt Alexis on purpose, but once he'd put his hand on her, his own reaction had been purely instinctive. Sonny hadn't even realized that he hit him until he'd become conscious of Alexis' voice pleading with him not to hurt the other man. He could still feel the adrenalin pumping though his body.

            "I wasn't expecting you to." Alexis stepped forward into the room.

            Sonny felt her stop somewhere behind him.

            "I know it's the situation with Courtney and AJ that have you on edge. And Ned was out of line."

            "He thinks you're out of line.. that you betrayed him."

            But I have to be true to myself before anyone else. Alexis thought to herself, even as the pain of what she had done lingered deep in her heart. Her throat tightened in remembered anguish. There was no way she could make Ned understand… there was no way she could have stood and looked Sonny in the eye...and lied.


            Before she could answer, the phone rang. Sonny snatched it up. Obviously, whoever was on the other end had told him what he wanted to hear. Moments after he hung up, he was headed towards the door. He stopped at the threshold. "I'll tell the pilot we'll be ready for take-off within the next thirty minutes."

            "I can be ready in fifteen."