CHAPTER SIXTY ONE
Safe From The Storm

Their breakfast together was a happy time. Sonny, of course, had gone into the kitchen and worked his own particular brand of magic. After a short time, he'd emerged, bearing a tray loaded with a mouth-tempting array. Croissants with butter, fresh ground coffee brewed from Sonny's own private stock, "Just think of it as more magic." was all Alexis would answer to his query as to how she'd gotten it. The coffee was perfection itself, hot, rich and aromatic, laced with heavy sweet cream for Alexis, and black for himself. And there was more cream, whipped into stiff peaks and dusted with thin-shaven chocolate curls to accompany the strawberries and sliced peaches, nestling plump and juicy and rich in fragrance in their china dishes. Sonny and Alexis took turns feeding each other, in between kisses and laughter and utter sense of joy and contentment.

"Not another bite." Alexis finally declared, after Sonny tried to tempt her into "just one more" strawberry.

"But you know how I feel about you and strawberries," Sonny reminded her. "It's a work of art to watch you eat one."

"Why do you think I had them in the fridge?" Alexis answered with a laugh. "No, Sonny," she said as he waved it temptingly in front of her face. "You'll have to roll me off the island." she groaned.

Her words evoked a sudden silence, reminding them both that they would indeed, have to leave the island eventually. The world, even though it had disappeared last night, was waiting for them today.

"Maybe I should check in with Jason.." Sonny began.

"No," Alexis said. "Jason knows where you are and that you're with me. I made it clear that of course if there was any emergency that he was to contact you immediately, but..." She stopped and blushed again.

"But."

"I told him that we'd be back today, but that in the meanwhile he wasn't to allow any emergencies to happen until we returned to Port Charles."

"He wasn't to allow...." Sonny repeated her words slowly. He blinked in surprise. "You gave Jason orders?"

"Johnny, too. But they weren't orders...they were more like requests..." Alexis bit her lower lip, suddenly feeling more than a little embarrassed. "You don't mind, do you? Did I overstep my bounds?"

Sonny reached out and took her hand. "I don't mind at all. I'm just surprised, is all." A realization came to him. "You told Jason I was here with you?" It was the first time she'd publicly acknowledged them being together. It had just been Jason, but still....

"And Johnny." Alexis admitted. "How do you think I got ahold of your favorite coffee and your favorite grinder and your favorite robe? Johnny was guessing on that last choice, though."

"He guessed good. So just how quick did you whip all of this together?"

"It started from the time you walked off in front of the restaurant. And by the way, you should thank Kristina very prettily the next time you see her for giving up what was supposed to be dessert for her and I and ended up being our midnight brunch."

"I'll make it up to her." Sonny promised with a grin. "In the meanwhile, I've got better things to occupy my mind. We may have to get back to PC today, but it's early still. Nobody has called you, and nobody has called me. I say we make the most of it."

"How so?" Alexis tilted her head in a way that made Sonny smile again. He reached out and brushed her hair away from her face, unable to resist any excuse to touch her.

"Let me get the remains of our breakfast cleared out of the way, and then maybe we can think about dessert."

"Dessert? After breakfast? But we ate most of it last night...didn't we..." Realization came into her eyes as they locked with his in sudden understanding. "Oh. Dessert."

Sonny smiled.

------

Dessert had actually come sooner than either of them had planned. Sonny had had every intention of tackling the kitchen immediately, but Alexis had mentioned something about a shower... and what had started out as a shower for one quickly turned into a shower for two, which had taken them from the shower to the bed and back again, so it wasn't until much later in the morning that Sonny had found himself in the kitchen.

Barefoot and clad in a pair of old, familiar and faded denim jeans, with nothing more than a blue apron declaring "Kiss The Cook", Sonny hummed happily as he washed and then dried the kitchenware and then proceeded to wipe the counters down. Always at home in a kitchen, he was feeling particularly domestic today. Whoever had stocked this kitchen - and he was sure it had not been Alexis, really knew their stuff. He could create one great meal in here. He wondered how long it would be before they'd be able to escape back to this place.

He'd been awed to see what lengths Alexis had gone through to recreate their island night. He'd joked about it being magic, but it really had been. Somehow, Alexis had been able to break through to him, in spite of all his earlier resolutions. He'd been wrong, Alexis had known it, believed it, believed in him, in spite of all he had said and done, and had fought for him. even if it had meant fighting him. Sonny was really glad she'd been the winner. Because of her, they both were.

Sonny looked out of the kitchen window. The rain had finally stopped and the clouds were beginning to clear from the sky. It still looked raw and chill outside though, and Sonny was in no rush to go out in it. Or return to Port Charles."All we need is another storm." He said aloud.

He and Alexis could curl up in front of the fire and just be together for a few more hours. The world could wait.

------

Alexis, dressed in a blush-colored sweater and a pair of old jeans sat before the mirror, slowly brushing her hair into some semblance of control. She smiled as she listened to the sound of Sonny busy in the kitchen. In mid-stroke, she paused and looked into the mirror, cocking her head first this way then that, trying to see the difference that she felt inside. She felt a completeness, a rightness that she'd never felt before.

She laid her hand over her heart, feeling the strong rhythmic beat of her heart. She stared at herself in the mirror. Who was she now? She felt different and she didn't know why. What you're looking at is a woman in love. The thought came to her without warning. Was that it? This feeling of utter peace and contentment? She'd loved before; Alexis knew she'd loved Ned Ashton. She'd loved him with all of her heart. Or so she had thought. But what then, was this feeling that was so new and different, she had? Alexis was fulfilled in a way that she'd never experienced before.

Shaking her head, Alexis rose from her seat. I'll live in the moment. She decided. I will not question this, I will not overthink it. Whatever it is, it is real and good and fine. "If I love him, then so be it." She murmured aloud. Alexis watched herself as the blush crept into her cheeks at this admission. "I will love him with all that I am, for as long as I can, and it will be enough."

Alexis returned to the main room of the cottage. Sonny was still busy in the kitchen. She could hear him singing softly to himself in Spanish, obviously just as content as she was. Alexis began to pick up the covers and fold them, attempting to put the space in some sort of order. For a moment, she could fantasize that they were two ordinary people and this was just a ordinary moment in an ordinary day. All of her troubles were far away and nonexistent. And right outside the door.

And suddenly. there came a knock; before Alexis could do more than turn, it was opening. "Stefan."

"I see you have taken me up upon my offer." her brother began. A smile was half formed on his face, but fell away as he heard the masculine singing coming from the kitchen. A moment later, Sonny appeared in the doorway. The two men gave each other a long, measuring glance. Stefan looked from Sonny to Alexis. The bare feet, the casual dress, the scattering of the cushions about the floor and the altered landscape of the room told Stefan more than he wished to know.

"I see you've found shelter from the storms." He said to his sister. Stefan's expression didn't change, but by the brief glint in his eye, Alexis knew from years of experience, that his displeasure was very very evident. But he'd never display such emotion in front of a stranger. "I worried about you; I called your apartment and spoke with Kristina. And now I see the reason for her evasiveness that I did not understand before."

Without realizing it, Alexis' chin lifted as though in challenge. "You did say that I was welcome here any time, didn't you?" she asked. "If that has changed...."

"Of course it has not, Natasha." He followed his words up with a quick burst of fluid Russian. "Nor do you need to clear any guests with me. But I will admit to my surprise in your choice of house guest."

Alexis replied in Russian, then repeated herself so that Sonny would understand. "Yes, Stefan, my choice. I am glad to see you understand that."

Stefan inclined his head briefly. "Of course. As for Kristina, when I return to the main house, I will inform her that you are indeed...safe from the storm. And that she should hear from you presently" .Stefan flicked his glance over Sonny once more and then back to Alexis. "She will, won't she?"

"Before the morning is done, Stefan." Alexis answered.

Stefan nodded. "Very well. I won't intrude upon you any longer." At last he acknowledged Sonny's presence. "Good morning, Mr. Corinthos. And good-day." Before Sonny could respond, Stefan was gone, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Alexis was still standing in the same place she'd been when Stefan had let himself in. She sighed aloud. "It wasn't as though I were trying to hide anything from him.. hide you from him," she said as Sonny came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "I just didn't expect for him to know this soon."

"Does it matter?" he said as he nuzzled his face into her hair.

Alexis sighed. "Not really." She turned in his arms. "Not at all. He is right about one thing, though."

"And what would that be?"

"I am, indeed, as he said, safe from the storm. Right here in your arms."