A/N: Just to warn you, this chapter is a little on the long side
"You better live," Sonny said, relieved, "And that's an order."
"I won't argue with that one," Kellie said sarcastically, "Did I hear you two right? You called a truce? No making me choose sides?"
"No," Lorenzo said, trying not to laugh, "She just cheated death and she's sarcastic as ever."
"Well, I guess we'll have to put a contract on that mouth of her's," Sonny said, "Shut up it up.."
"Never," Kellie said, interrupting, "I know you would never admit it, but you wouldn't expect any less of me."
"She definitely has your ego, Sonny," Lorenzo said.
"Well, she's definitely all Corinthos," Sonny said.
"More like the deadliest combination of Alcazar and Corinthos," Jason said, "Welcome back to our own special circle of hell."
"I told you never to try your hand at comedy, mob boy," Kellie said, sitting up slowly.
"You need to save your energy," Jason said and then he turned to Lorenzo, "We need to talk. There's a problem with a shipment."
"I'll be back in awhile, Kellie," Lorenzo said, following Jason out of the room.
"How are doing?" Sonny asked, "I mean really doing."
"I'm fine," Kellie said, "Dodging death and ending up in the hospital is in the job description."
"Kellie, you need to stop with the verbal bullets," Sonny said, "Cause you know and I know, you're just trying to avoid dealing with anything serious. After the way I treated you, you have no reason to trust me. I want to change that. I want to be there for you the way I should have been from the beginning. But I can't do that unless you let me."
Kellie didn't answer right away.
"Thank you," Kellie said, "For telling Tyler what…what happened to our child. I don't know if I could have."
Kellie tried to keep the tears from flowing, but they did.
Sonny sat on the edge of Kellie's hospital bed. Kellie leaned against him, not bothering to even try to hold it together.
"Just let it out," Sonny said, holding his daughter.
Out in the hallway
"What's the problem?" Lorenzo asked.
"Your brother," Jason said, "One of my sources says part of an arm was found in the smoldering yacht. The police think it's his. They can't find a body or enough DNA to be sure he died."
"I don't want to hear this," Lorenzo said.
"What do you want to do?" Jason asked.
"We'll keep this between us," Lorenzo said, "Get a few trusted men to look into this further discreetly and make sure Luis isn't problem."
"What about Kellie and Sonny?" Jason asked.
"We'll only tell them if we have to," Lorenzo said, "I want Kellie to have a chance to heal and be less involved in this stuff."
"You know she'll never completely walk away," Jason said, "As much we'd both wish she could."
"I know," Lorenzo said, somberly, "But she still needs time to heal. Now get to work."
Kellie's Hospital Room
When Kellie had quieted, Sonny said, "I know that you should have been the one to tell him, but I figured the least I could do was spare you that pain."
"Where is he?" Kellie asked, "Is he okay?"
"He's fine," Sonny said, "Physically anyway. He's on his way out of town. And no, he doesn't hate you. He has to sort through a lot of things away from this mess. Eventually, you'll probably have to answer his questions. I know that you will answer those questions just like you would have had you told Tyler about your child yourself; with strength, courage, and compassion."
"I don't know if I'll ever be ready to talk about," Kellie said, pausing, "That with him."
"You may think you're ready, but you'll do it because you have to," Sonny said, "It'll probably be awhile before you have to think about that."
"I just wish I could have left Tyler out of this," Kellie said.
"I know," Sonny said, "But you've faced some of your worst fears and you won't have to carry those burdens anymore. I'm just guessing here, but I don't think Tyler got on with his life as well as we'd like to think he had. Maybe he needed this as much as you did."
Kellie didn't answer.
"Tell you what," Sonny said, "When they let you out of the hospital, why don't you come stay with me? Before you argue, I know you're old enough to have your own place. I'm just talking about until you feel better. And maybe when the doctors say you're well enough to travel, you could go to the island for awhile. I know you like it there."
"Maybe," Kellie said, cracking a smile, "only maybe."
"You don't want to go," Sonny said, feigning seriousness.
"Of course, I want to go," Kellie said, "Get away from your god complex. The only thing that would make me happier is to hand the business back over to you."
"You'll have to work with me on that one," Sonny said, "It'll take some time. You think you can handle working with your old man?"
"Considering the fact that my patient cheated death again," Patrick said, "I'm sure she'll put you in your place. Now scram, Mr. Corinthos. I need to check your daughter out now that she's awake."
Sonny got up to let Patrick do his job. Before he left the room, he said, "When I come back, Kellie, I better not find an empty hospital bed like the last time you were here."
"Well, I have one hell of a cut in my leg that makes leaving kind of difficult at the moment," Kellie smirked.
