CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR
Intentions
Sonny sat at his desk in the penthouse, double checking the latest coffee contracts due to go out. The rains had started again, but it was a steady gentling murmur outside the windows, not the wild torrents of the night before. Balancing out the last set of figures, he sat back in his chair with a conteneted sigh. .
Content. When was the last time he'd felt this way? His life was usually filled with shadows and storms and he was used to that. But last night's storm had dawned into a beautiful day. Despite the grey skies still overhead. Sonny smiled. Who said that something about every dark cloud having silver linings? Well, his very own personal silver lining had come looking for him. And for that he thanked the heavens, stormy or no.
For forever long it lasted, today - now - he was content.
A knock came at the door, and Sonny swiveled in his chair towards it. "Come." he called out and was welcomed by the sight of his son bursting through the door and running straight into his arms.
"Hi Dad! Surprise!!"
"Whoa!" Sonny said with a laugh as he swept Michael into a great hug. "What a great surprise!" His gaze went up from his son to see Carly coming in the door. Without even trying, he could see the calcuation in her smile. Unconsciously, Sonny compared it to the last smile Alexis had given him before they parted today, an open-hearted smile full of genuine happiness and wondered how many times he'd never noticed the difference before.
Michael hugged him back. "You're not busy are you?"
"I'm never too busy for you, Michael." Sonny looked at Carly again. "Hello, Carly."
"Hello, Sonny." Carly said. She didn't stop at the door, but walked inside and made herself at home on the couch. "Michael and I were out on a walk and we thought it might be a nice idea to drop in and say hi. Especially since it was dinner time and all. I thought Michael might miss a little bit of your home cooking."
Michael twisted around in Sonny's arms to look at his mother, then back to Sonny. "But what about Grandma Bobbie? She said she fixed a special dinner for Mom, with all of her favorites tonight." Micahel rambled on. "It was Mommy's idea - we were way across town. It was raining, so Mommy wanted to go shopping instead but when she looked at the time, then she wanted to come here."
Just as he had thought; another plan of Carly's. Her intentions wer transparently clear...if that wasn't enough, she used their son and his love for his father to do it. Sonny didn't let his irritation show. "I have a great idea, Michael. Since Grandma Bobbie went through all the trouble of fixing Mommy a special meal, just for her...how about you stay and have dinner with me? We can make meatballs - your favorite - and Mommy can go have dinner with your grandmother. You and me son , we can have a mano-y-mano evening."
Sonny looked up at Carly. Purposely, he kept the smile on his face from reaching his eyes. "I'll have him home before bedtime."
Michael was clearly excited by the idea and unfortunately for her, Carly could not find a way quick enough to talk herself back into the invitation for dinner. Sonny called out and Johnny opened the door. He gave orders for him to see that Carly was taken home to the brownstone.
Johnny himself volunteered.
----
After her meeting with Jax, Alexis returned to her office, but not necessarily to work. Unfortunately for her and her fellow occupants, the storm had managed to do some damage via water leakage. Her very competent secretary had organized the transfer of the majority of their paper files to a safer location, while the electronic files had been messngered to her penthouse. However, there had been a few things Alexis had known she'd left on her desk that she'd wanted to get. It was late enough in the afternoon, that Alexis decided that after she'd gotten her research folders, she'd call it a day. She was still deliciously sore from her previous evening's activities, and she could go home curl up on a couch with her favorite socks and sweats and get the same work done.
She busied herself at her desk, collating papers into a few folders before slipping them into her briefcase. But before she could make her escape, her secretary announced a late visitor. Alexis sighed inwardly as Stefan entered the office directly behind her.
He looked around at the boxes and packing materials scattered about before taking a seat in one of the pair of soft leather seats facing her desk. "It seems your refuge isn't much of one." Stefan remarked with a wry sense of humor. "Much less comfortable than your last, I'm sure." A sure referral to their last encounter.
Having made his point, Stefan immediately switched about and came at the same subject from another angle. "I called Kristina; she was the one who told me more than likely that you were here. However when I called, your secretary assured me that you were out of the office. Did you really go through the trouble of relying on her to keep my presence at bay?"
"I really was out of the office, I've only just returned from a meeting with a client.. And I was on my way home." Alexis said pointedly.
"I'm glad. I didn't think Kristina was lying, but I must note that she was more than a bit evasive last night. She's usually such an - exuberant - young woman."
"Totally un-Cassadine, you mean." Alexis commented.
"And I find it refreshing. It's fortuitous that she escaped Helena's influence." Thinking of her own upbringing, Alexis could only agree.
"She's free of the duplicitiousness that the rest of us, even Nikolas, I'm afraid, take for granted. For instance, when I called to check on you last night as the storm worsened, she seemed - uncomfortable - discussing your whereabouts. Therefore I didn't press her. Of course, in the morning, I learned the reason for her discomfort."
Alexis looked across her desk at her brother. "What is it that you want - or expect - me to say, Stefan? I'm not a child to be chastised."
"What I want is an explanation of what's happening between you and this American thug."
"Would you rather he were European? Greek, perhaps? And he's not a thug."
"I would rather he were not a criminal at all."
"Sonny Corinthos could no more avoid his destiny than you could yours. Haven't you said that birth and breeding create the man? I heard you explaining that to Nikolas once, when you were explaining his position. That principle works both ways."
"He lacks in both." Stefan said.
"And that's where you're more wrong than you know. Micahel Corinthos is a man who walks tall and strong in a world of power and influence. His word is respected by all who know him - allies as well as enemies. He excels in his world in spite your definition of birth and of breeding." Alexis smiled and then laughed softly. "If you could only see how very much alike the two of you are."
Stefan's expression said clearly that he was affronted by the comparison. "Are you going to sit there and tell me that his life doesn't expose you to danger? A man like that must have powerful enemies."
"My own life exposes me to enough danger all on its own. May I point out that my being his attorney and living in a penthouse where he owns the building does afford a certain measure of security." Alexis said. "A very high measure of security. I sleep very well at night."
"In his bed?"
"Stefan!"
"As you've stated - you are not a child." Stefan said unapologetically. "It's obvious that you are more than just his attorney, Alexis. Just what are his intentions towards you?"
"Intentions?" she quirked a slim eyebrow upwards at this question.
"Are his intentions towards you honorable?"
"I'd love to see you ask him that." Another smile touched the corners of her mouth as Alexis imagined the scene.
"I'm glad I'm able to amuse you." Stefan answered; his disapproval was written clearly upon his face. "Perhaps I should ask your Mr. Corinthos myself."
"Stefan, Sonny is never anything but honorable."
"Then, if he is, I ask again, what are his intentions towards you? Are you a fringe benefit of his need for your legal expertise? Americans tend to be very - lackadaisical about their - liasions - if one can even call them that. I will not see you used and then tossed aside, Alexis."
"He's not like that." Alexis put away the last of her folders into her briefcase and then stood. "I wish I could explain it to you. Sonny and I are kindred spirits. Even though we grew up in two very different worlds, there is so much about him I understand, and so much he understands about me.
"Sonny has been proper and correct, honorable and respectful towards me from the day we met. I expected no less from the very beginning, and very rarely has Sonny disappointed me on that count. If it eases your mind, this has not been a long term situation - our - relationship - achieved a new level only recently. And it was quite mutual. Beyond that, I apologize, but I refuse to discuss the matter any further."
Stefan stood also, then came around her desk and studied her face closely, looking deeply into her eyes. "I thought I understood you well enough, Natasha."
Alexis thought she detected a rare note of sadness and loneliness in his voice. "You were the first to do so, Stefan. I have never forgotten your championing me against your own mother. You are a part of my earliest memories of the island, the only part that made life there bearable. You were my hero, my golden-haired cousin who could do no wrong. And to discover that you were my brother was a joy that I could never put into words. When we fought after that, it wasn't so much as the Cassadine estate that I was fighting for a share of, but my rightful place beside you, as your sister, your equal. I wanted you to be proud of me."
"I was always proud of you, little sister." Stefan said to her. "You showed your true bloodline. Even as we fought, I was still proud of you. On a certain level, I suppose I knew what you were fighting for.
"As for your American paramour, I can see that further discussion would be fruitless at this point. Perhaps I would find your loyalty heartening at any other time, but I will not lie to you, Natasha, and say that I am neither pleased or satisfied with the situation as it stands." His expression softened. "But this is only becaue I want for him to be worthy of you."
"And he is, Stefan.On that I would stake my life."
