Chapter Two - New Players In Town
Sonny was the first to wake up and looked over at Carly. She was sleeping so peacefully he did not want to disturb her. He quietly got out of bed and put on his robe. He made his way downstairs and began to cook breakfast. Making mushroom omelets and bacon since he knew there would be comments about the healthy omelet. Just as he was about to bring breakfast up stairs his phone rang. He picked it up quickly and hoped it didn't wake Carly.
Sonny: Hello
Benny: Good Morning Sir, I wanted to let you know that Jason and Ric are on their way back.
Sonny: When will they be here?
Benny: They should be arriving later this morning.
Sonny: Have them meet with you when they get back to make sure everything is taken care of financially. Then I want you to begin showing Ric the insides of our operation. Send Jason to the warehouse to meet with me.
Benny: Ok. Bye.
Sonny: Bye.
(Sonny hung up the phone and picked up the tray of food. He walked upstairs and when he entered the bedroom Carly was just waking up. She looked over at him and smiled.)
Carly: Morning.
Sonny: Morning.
(He brought the food to the bed and sat down with her. She looked at the omelet and then looked back at him. He knew she would say something.)
Carly: I guess I will have to get used to healthy again.
Sonny (with a laugh): You never did before.
Carly: At least I get bacon too. Who called?
Sonny: Benny, he was letting me know that Jason and Ric are on their way back.
Carly:
About Ric.
Sonny: Yeah.
Carly: Are you sure about him?
Sonny: I don't trust him yet if that's what you mean. On the surface he looks squeaky clean. I still have Benny digging.
Carly: Do you think he could be behind…?
Sonny: I have thought about it. I don't think so though. So what are you doing today?
Carly: Well, I have to go to the club to start meeting with contractors.
Sonny: How about we use Leon?
Carly: Leon?
Sonny: Leon Summers, he was my contractor when I owned my night club. He still works for me once and awhile on warehouses. He can be trusted and we wouldn't have to go through the trouble of checking out everyone who is hired.
Carly: That sounds fine. Can you set up a meeting?
Sonny: Of course. Is one ok?
Carly: Yeah, after that I am going to go to the Brownstone to spend sometime with Michael.
Sonny: How is he after all the A.J. stuff and you disappearing?
Carly: I think he's ok. He is a strong boy just like his father.
Sonny: More like his mother.
(Carly smiled at him and began to eat breakfast.)
Carly: Does Leon do any kind of contracting?
Sonny: Yeah, why?
Carly: Well the Cottage has to be redone as well and I hired someone but I just figure why not have this guy do both.
Sonny: Sounds fine.
(Once they were done Carly took a shower and got dressed. As she was showering Sonny made the call to Leon to set up the meeting. Then he showered as well. They kissed good-bye and Carly stopped at the Brownstone to change before heading to the club. When she got there a tall man with blond hair and a brownish suit was waiting for her outside.)
Carly: Leon?
Leon: Ms. Corinthos.
Carly: Please call me Carly.
Leon: Ok.
Carly: Well follow me and we can get started.
(She brought him back to her office and they both sat down. Leon was the first to speak.)
Leon: Mr. Corinthos said you were looking to remodel.
Carly: Yes. I also own the second floor of this building and I would like to expand as well.
Leon: That should be no problem. Any specific time frame?
Carly: I would like to reopen in three or four months.
Leon: That might be possible but it could take closer to five because Sonny had mentioned you want me to do your cottage that was damaged by a fire as well.
Carly: Yes, then five months is fine. When can you start?
Leon: I am just finishing up a job for the hospital. I could start next week.
Carly: Great. I will be around most of the time working with decorators as well.
Leon: I am sure it will be a pleasure working with you.
Carly: Likewise.
(They continued to talk and Carly showed him around the club and what her new vision for it was. She wanted a thirties modern look to the club. With a bigger bar and dance floor. She was also inquiring about the attached building and thinking of building a small restaurant off that but that was quite a ways off. As Carly was meeting with Leon, Sonny was at his office waiting for Jason. Who arrived about fifteen minutes after he did.)
Sonny: Anything new?
Jason: Both warehouse explosions were made to look like a freak accident, nothing concrete. I met with Juan while I was down there and he said there is talk of a new boss moving up this way.
Sonny: Who?
Jason: I am looking into it but no one knows his name.
Sonny: Think he could be the one?
Jason: I think so. From what I have found out it is a man and a woman. They have been buying up some of the abandoned piers in Florida but always have a middle man. They never meet face to face.
Sonny: They are going to a lot of trouble to stay hidden. What about Ric?
Jason: What about him?
Sonny: You think he is involved.
Jason: There is something about him that doesn't add up but I don't think he is the one blowing up the warehouses,
Sonny: What is it about him?
Jason: He seems to know more about you and your organization then he lets on? Before I left I heard Benny beginning to explain how things worked around here and nothing sounded new to him.
Sonny: Keep an eye on him. You better stick around here from now on in case anything else happens. I have a feeling I am going to need you.
Jason: Ok.
Sonny: You have a place to stay?
Jason: I'll find a place.
Sonny: Why don't you take the penthouse below mine?
Jason: Ok. Have you decided what to do with Alexis's yet?
Sonny: Not yet. She and Jax left town though.
Jason: When?
Sonny: Yesterday I guess. Jax wanted to meet with Carly so that he could give her full ownership of the club. Carly is meeting with Leon Summers right now so he can do the remodeling.
Jason: I bet she's excited.
Sonny: Can't sit down.
(Sonny and Jason continue to talk and set up new security measures to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. Sonny thinks about what Jason said to Ric and decided to have him watched a bit more closely. Ric would be working close with him and didn't want anyone getting close enough to hurt his family. Carly had ended her meeting with Leon and made her way back to the brownstone. Bobbie was home having a late lunch with Michael.)
Michael: Hi mommy.
Carly: Hi Mr. Man. How was school?
Michael: Good. Where have you been?
Carly: I was at daddy's and then at work.
Michael: Cool. Are you and daddy back together?
(Carly looked from Michael to Bobbie. She was expecting this question but not yet. She really didn't know where she and Sonny were. They loved each other but still had a long way to go. Bobbie smiled and quietly left the room giving her a daughter a we'll talk later look.)
Carly: Michael how about you come and sit with me.
Michael: Ok.
(Michael goes and sits on the couch with Carly.)
Carly: Your dad and I are back together.
Michael: Yay. Can we move in with him again? Am I going to get to see him everyday? Can…
Carly: Hold on Michael. Sonny and I are back together but we are not going to be living with him.
Michael: Why not?
Carly: Because your dad and I need to move slow and maybe someday we will live together again but not right now.
Michael: I don't understand.
Carly: I know honey. All you need to worry about is school and you're friends. Your daddy and I both love you and we will work it out. Now did you do your homework?
Michael: Not yet. Will you help me?
Carly: Of course. How about you go get it out and start I will be up after I talk to grandma.
Michael: Ok. Mom?
Carly: Yeah.
Michael: Are you going to be here when I wake up?
Carly: Of course I will. In fact we will have a special breakfast tomorrow just you and me.
Michael: Cool.
(Michael kisses Carly on the cheek and runs upstairs. Carly goes into the kitchen to talk to Bobbie while she is doing dishes.)
Bobbie: So.
Carly: So what?
Bobbie: Are you and Sonny on the fast track again?
Carly: I don't know. I love him but I can't put Michael through a move and thinking he has his family back just to have it ripped apart again. I love Sonny so much but we still things to work through and trust to rebuild.
Bobbie: Have you talked to him about this?
Carly: No.
Bobbie: Well he can't read your mind. He could be five steps ahead of you and he should know where you are.
Carly: You're right. I have to go help Michael with his homework.
Bobbie: Ok. I will be at the hospital after I finish up in here.
(Carly gave Bobbie a kiss and then went upstairs. While she was helping Michael she kept drifty to Sonny and wondered how this conversation would go. After they were finished with his homework, Michael took a bath and they watched cartoons until it was his bedtime. Carly tucked Michael in and went back downstairs. She was about to call Sonny when the phone rang.)
Carly: Hello.
Sonny: Hi.
Carly: Hey you. I was just about to call.
Sonny: How did your meeting go?
Carly: Great he is going to start next week on the club and he is going to hire a second pre Sonny approved crew for the cottage.
Sonny: Wow and you agreed to that?
Carly: I knew with whoever is burning down your warehouses whoever was close to me would have to be checked out.
Sonny: You're right. Are you coming over tonight?
Carly: Actually I was going to see if you could come here. Michael asked me to stay home tonight but I need to talk to you so would you come?
Sonny: Of course. I'll be right over.
(Carly waits on the steps of the brownstone and in no time Sonny's car pulls up. He gets out and walks to her. Without saying a word he wraps his arms around her and pulls into a heart stopping kiss. Once they pull apart they are both breathing hard and smiling.)
Carly: Hello to you too.
(Carly leads him inside and they sit in the living room.)
Carly: Sonny, I don't even know where to begin.
Sonny: Is something wrong?
Carly: No, nothing is wrong. It's just that we are moving really fast and I think we need to slow down a bit. I told Michael about us tonight and he was so excited. He asked if we were moving back into the penthouse and other things. I had to stop him and try to explain but he's too young to really understand.
Sonny: I understand. We still have trust to rebuild.
Carly: Yes and I don't want to move Michael again and have him think he has his family back only for it to be pulled apart.
Sonny: I know. I think we can make this work this time. I do. If moving slow is what you want that is what you will get. I love you and I will wait forever if I have to.
Carly: You won't have to wait that long.
(Carly moved over and cuddled into his chest. They just sat and talked until Carly was falling asleep in his arms. Sonny brought her up to her bed and then went to go say good night to Michael before he went back home. When he was home he looked in his mirror and smiled. He had his family back and this time they were going to get it right. On the other side of town another couple laid in bed together, having just had sex. The woman was covered in shadow but the man could be seen clearly. He was a muscularly built man with dark hair and eyes. His name was Lorenzo Alcazar, the same man that Carly had met in Long Island just a few weeks earlier. He looked at the woman next to him with admiration but not love.)
Woman: Lorenzo. I have been waiting so long.
Lorenzo: Not much longer. Soon the game begins.
Woman: Why buy all that worthless property?
Lorenzo: You have to start building an empire somewhere. My brother told me to start big and that got him killed when he crossed paths with a family in LA. We want Corinthos to be aware of us but not know who we are. He will be expecting a business attack.
Woman: As we prepare for a personal attack.
Lorenzo: Yes. You have never told me why you are so hot for revenge against them?
Woman: I could say the same about you.
Lorenzo: Business and sometimes business has a price. What about you?
Woman: I am here to avenge my brother…A.J.
Lorenzo: Quartermaine?
(The woman moved into the light and she could be seen clearly. It was none other than Skye Quartermaine.)
Skye: Yes. They murdered my brother last year when he was trying to get his child back. He told me that if his son came home and he didn't that he was dead. Well Michael came home and my brother is dead.
Lorenzo: That is why you hate Sonny and Carly so much.
Skye: Yes and it seems that since you met her you have a soft spot for her.
Lorenzo: Not at all. I feel sorry for her because she will have to learn the price of being Mrs. Sonny Corinthos.
(Skye smiles and lays back. For them this was strictly business, a means to an end. Sex was a bonus but there were no feelings. Skye needed a bankroll and front man for her vengeance. Lorenzo had no idea what her real plans for Carly were. Lorenzo needed someone who had some information about Sonny. Skye was more than willing to share what she new. Luckily for him it was a lot. Now they just had to sit back and wait for the games to begin.)
