CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO

Caretakers

The rest of the night was thankfully quiet. Sonny spent the night in the chair beside the bed, unwilling to take the chance of waking her up. The early morning sun was already peeking through the heavy drapes as Sonny opened his eyes and stretched slowly. He smiled as his gaze fell on Alexis. She had turned towards him during the night and now her expression was peaceful, serene and beautiful. The soft morning light seemed to caress her skin and kiss the highlights in her hair and Sonny was reminded of the morning when she had first woken up in his arms.

He could spend the next little while doing nothing but watch her, Sonny thought to himself, but after glancing at his watch, he reluctantly pulled himself from the chair and stood. The smile on his face deepened as he arranged the things he'd brought over for her in the chair by the bed, where she couldn't fail to see them. Sonny went down the hall to the gust bedroom, where he showered, shaved and changed into fresh clothes, then went downstairs and headed into the kitchen where he prepared a fresh brewing of Alexis' favorite coffee blend.

Sonny walked back into the living room, and heard the shower starting upstairs just as the phone rang. The conversation was acidly brief and sharply to the point. The PCPD, along with the D.A. wanted to see him in connection with Stefan's death. His first response was to tell them collectively to go to hell, but a swift glance upstairs stopped him. He bit back an explosion of rage.

"So even though I have no motive and there's no evidence to link me to Stefan Cassadine's death, you want to question me?" Ironic. "…And I should be grateful for this so-called courtesy call?"

He heard her coming downstairs. "Fine, we can take care of this today….when? When I get there." he snapped into the receiver. Sonny hung up just as Alexis came down the last turn of the stairs.

"Hey." He said. Sonny carefully wiped all the tension from his expression as he turned and came towards her. He gathered Alexis into his arms. She smelled wonderful, a heady mix of his favorite spicy body wash and her own subtle fragrance.

"Hey, yourself." Alexis replied as she wrapped her own arms around him. "When did you find time to do this?" she gestured down at her clothes.

"Never underestimate my abilities." Sonny answered her with a genuine smile this time.

"I never do." Alexis kissed him softly. She allowed Sonny to lead her to the couch and fetch them two cups of coffee before she asked him about the phone call she'd caught the end of. "If that was business that you had to take care of, then take care of it. I don't want you hovering over me unnecessarily."

"I wouldn't call it unnecessary."

"But I would."

"I was wondering what you might want for breakfast."

Alexis frowned a bit. "I don't have much appetite right now."

"You need to eat- making yourself sick isn't going to help anybody."

"And from the sound of that phone call, you have business take care of – or am I wrong?"

He recognized how adroitly Alexis changed the subject from herself, Sonny decided to let her have her way. Not that he was about to tell her abut the PCPD's early morning summons, but he knew that she'd catch a flat-out lie. "There are some matters I need to take care of this morning." He admitted.

Something else was on Sonny's mind, she could tell from the look in his eyes but Alexis couldn't figure out what. She'd always respected the boundaries of his business – with the one exception – but for some reason Alexis found herself wanting to ask the questions she know she had promised herself that she never would.

Sonny caught the look in her eyes and wondered at the questions that lay beneath her gaze. No matter if she didn't speak the words aloud, the questions were there. He remembered another look she had given him, last night. He remembered the fear in her eyes. Did she think that he'd had something to do with Stefan's death?

They looked at each other for another moment in silence, and then spoke at the same time. And the same words came out.

"About Stefan…"

"I need for you to know that nothing should have happened at my warehouse. I had no problems with nobody and as far as I know, nobody had problems with me. Things were calm and it was business as usual. It's been that way for awhile."

Alexis dropped her gaze for a moment. "I don't want you getting embroiled in a war for my sake. It won't bring Stefan back, and – and I can't bear the thought of maybe losing you too." Her eyes came back to meet his, luminous with her emotions.

Without thinking, Sonny leaned forward; Alexis met him halfway and they kissed, each of them suddenly needing assurances, promises and comfort that no amount of words could never explain.

The trust and love implicit in Alexis' touch awed Sonny. He drew her closer, hands first coming up to cup and caress the soft contours of her face, than moving lower to draw her body to his. His mouth moved on hers softly at first, then deepened as he let himself get lost in the feelings only she could evoke.

He drew strength from her, then slowly, reluctantly Sonny ended the kiss. "I don't want you thinking that anything I did led to your brother's death."

"I never thought that, Sonny, not for a moment. You have to know that."

Now it was Sonny's turn to turn his eyes away from hers. "Last night… you looked at me like- like the world looks at me. There was fear in your eyes. With everything we have been through together, last night was the very first time that you looked at me like that…"

Alexis couldn't see into his eyes just then, but it didn't matter much – she heard the lost little boy in him emerge and even in the midst of her own hurt, her heart broke for him. "That wasn't me, that was my grief, the fear was from my having to face the fact that my life has to go forward without Stefan in it. He was a pillar in my life, in many ways, the foundation and architect of the life I have today."

"You built your own life Alexis. No one can take credit for that."

Alexis shook her head. "I don't expect you to understand it, Sonny. I doubt that anyone else really could, growing up with the family I had. But without Stefan, I wouldn't have lived long enough to know who and what I wanted to become. Stefan guided me, encouraged me, and showed me the first loyalty and love that I had ever known." She reached out took his hand in hers. "Nothing in my life ever matched that – until you came along. I told Stefan once that the two of you were more alike than not."

"And I'm sure that went over real well with him." Sonny said. He could only imagine the reaction Alexis' brother had had.

"It's true. And I told him so. The two of you are men born to power, born to rule, born with a sense of honor that is woven into the very fabric of your being. Nobility isn't just a matter of birth. You are noble, Sonny. You are also loyal, loving and honorable to those you care about. Even if you rarely let others see it; I do. I saw it a long time ago, and that's what drew me to you. And nothing is going to change that. Ever."

"There you go, trying to take care of me again." Sonny said, openly pretending to be exasperated. "Will you let me take care of you for a change, Alexis?"

"Since you're already doing such a good job, I don't see why not." Alexis answered, happy to see him smile again. Relieved, she changed the subject. "I noticed my briefcase and laptop on the desk, by the way."

"We both know that you can't sit still, but I figured that you could occupy your time right here."

"Without my having to go back to my apartment, you mean." They smiled at each other in perfect understanding.

"You didn't take it very well last night, Alexis."

"But today s a new day – and I have a hundred things to do."

Sonny leaned towards her, one hand coming up to touch her face again. He could never get enough of touching her. "And it has to be done now? By you?"

Alexis nodded. "Yes, by me. Stefan left instructions as to what to do in the event of his – passing – and he would expect nothing less of me than to fulfill my - duties." Her voice cracked slightly on that last word.

Sonny looked at her, worried, but at the same time confident that he'd done the right thing by not telling her about the summons downtown. The Cassadine holdings were international in scope, he'd always known that. Which meant that Alexis already had enough on her plate; he wasn't about to add to her worries with the PCPD's idiotic accusations. He knew that he'd had nothing to do with Stefan's death. He'd been telling Alexis the absolute truth when he'd said that there hadn't been any rumble or rumor of trouble in his own business operations in many months. And he would be eternally grateful that Alexis had never accused him in word thought or deed for a single second. But whoever had done this would pay. After he'd taken care of his business with the PCPD, that would be his first priority.

"His memorial, for example." Alexis was saying, as Sonny put his own thoughts away from him. "I have to have the plans for Stefan's memorial in place by the time Nikolas and Kristina get back." She cocked her head and smiled at him. "And not that I was trying to, but I heard enough of your phone call to know that you have business of your own to take care of this morning. So you don't have to baby-sit me. I promise to curl up on the couch with my briefcase, my laptop and my cell phone. I'll be fine. I have to be."

"I already told you, you don't have to do anything." Sonny said.

Alexis reached out and took his hand. "The only thing that is really going to heal me is time, Sonny." She explained. "And if I keep myself busy enough, time will do its work."

At a loss as to what else to say or do, Sonny simply leaned over and kissed Alexis softly, making time stand still for the two of them. Her lips were sweet and trusting under his and Alexis' voice was husky when she spoke next. "And you have duties of your own to take care of.." she reminded him. She refused to entertain the thought of him staying with her. "I'll be right here."

Sonny gave in. Nothing was going to change her adorably stubborn mind, and he'd known that from the start. He did make her promise that if she left the penthouse, she'd let one of the guards accompany her. Before she could argue that point, Sonny found himself telling her about the phone call from Jax.

"Normally, I wouldn't have answered your phone, but he sounded – worried."

"I'm sure he was." Alexis said, surprised in spite of her reluctance to show it. Surprised and pleased all at once. She felt her spirits lift despite her sorrow, seeing in a new way just how much Sonny really cared for her. Under her bright gaze, Sonny shrugged, no doubt somewhat embarrassed by his admission. "Thank you for reassuring him, Sonny."

Sonny smiled at her, an almost boyish grin that sent a second lift through her heart. "When it comes to you, Alexis, don't you know I'd do anything?"