Author's Notes: First, let me say thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews, you guys are awesome and those reviews feed my muses ;) Now I wasn't going to post chapter 8 until tomorrow, but a reviewer was asking about the Carly/Claudia/Morgan scene. Well just so you guys get a better understanding of how this story will progress and how I will write it, it is foremost a Clonny fic. Claudia and Sonny will alway be the central characters. All other characters I bring into the mix will just be tools an means to an end to progress the story along, but I won't delve too much into them *well maybe Carly because I'm liking the dynamics between her and Claudia*. So the scene with Carly and Claudia searching the house for the DVDs happened, just off camera :) Anyway I hope this chapter clears things up for you. Never worry there is a method to my madness :)

Pari

Chapter Eight

She had found him exactly where she had expected him to go. He was in Morgan's room seated in a chair by the bed, watching him sleep. She leaned in the doorway silently watching and waiting for him to react to her presence. "I love my children," He finally spoke in a hushed tone as so to not wake the sleeping child.

"I know you do, I discovered that about you very early on." She replied also in a hushed tone.

"Am I being selfish to want to be a part of their lives? I grew up without a father, you know, Mike and I didn't really have a relationship until a few years ago. He left me and my mom when I was just a little kid. I hated him for it. I figured that if he hadn't left my mom she wouldn't have hooked up with Deke, hell she wouldn't have hooked up with Trevor Lansing and I wouldn't have his demon spawn for a brother." Claudia couldn't help but to silently chuckle at that. "But Mike says he left because of his gambling problem, it got him into some trouble with some heavy hitters, so to keep us safe he left. I get that now. I can even appreciate the irony of it all. I just don't want my kids to ever know that feeling of abandonment, regardless if it's for their own good. I just don't want them to hate me or think I didn't love them."

"I don't think Carly or Alexis would fill their heads with bad things about you, they'll tell your children the truth. And who's to say that there won't come a time when it will be safe for them in our world, some day. Just look in that bed right now, there's Morgan. That would never have happened two months ago. Carly's willing to let you see Morgan now and that's a good thing, right?" She said and Sonny lifted his hand to his face and rubbed under his chin as he nodded his head, looking from Morgan's sleeping body up to her face, which was partially hidden in the shadows. "I can only compare what you must feel for your children to what I feel for my brother. I love him more than anything else in this world, including my own life. I would do anything to protect him; lie, cheat, kill, even walking away from him if it meant keeping him safe." Again he nodded and then pointed at her and waggled his finger a bit.

"This is why I think our union will work because you get it. I don't have to shelter you from this life. What I do doesn't scare to the point you want to run away from me or try to change me."

"Well this is the only life I've ever known, and as far a changing you I like you fine just the way you are." She stated and caused a smile to illuminate his face.

"So you admit you like me." Sonny said teasing and Claudia smirked at him and then chuckled as she rolled her eyes a bit.

"Yeah well you're alright when you're not being an overbearing, pompous, chauvinistic bastard." She threw out casually and it was Sonny's turn to chuckle.

"And you're ok when you're not being a loud mouth, back stabbing, and conniving bitch." He tossed back at her.

"Touché, so you like me a little bit and I like you a little bit, now let's go to bed and I'll show you what I like most about you." Sonny threw her a toothy smile and then stood from the chair. He briefly leaned over and kissed the top of Morgan's head before following Claudia out of the room, shutting the door behind them.


"Hey," A voice called out and startled Claudia causing her to choke a little bit on the juice she was drinking. "Sorry," Carly apologized as she giggled and walked further into the room. "Where's Sonny?"

"He's upstairs helping Morgan pack up his things. He really enjoyed having Morgan here, so thanks again for that and for helping me with that other thing." Claudia said as she moved to Carly holding out a fresh glass of Juice she had just poured for her. Carly took the glass as they both sat on the sofa.

"You're welcome, a lot of good it did, we tore this place apart last night and didn't find one DVD. If there are still DVDs in this house than Jerry hid then well," Carly said in a lowered tone as she watched the stairs for Sonny. "How the hell did he get in here to even hide them to begin with?"

"I don't know how half the people who come in this house get in, case in point, Kate what the hell are you do here, AGAIN?" Claudia spoke out over Carly's shoulder and Carly turned to face the woman behind them, to whom she quickly roiled her eyes at.

"I came to speak to Sonny, don't worry I called first so he's expecting me. What I want to know is what you two are huddled up chatting about." Kate asked as she crossed her arms across her chest and smiled at the two seated women.

"Uhm, none of your damn business." Carly quickly replied.

"Oh my God you're helping her," Kate accused as Carly sat her glass of juice on the coffee table and then stood with Claudia to face her. "What, you're helping her find Jerry's DVDs and dispose of them before Sonny finds out what she did?"

"I don't know what you're babbling about Kate, Claudia didn't do anything that Sonny himself hasn't done repeatedly. The only person in this room guilty of anything, as far as I'm concerned is you."

"I think I've just lost what little respect I have for you Carly." Kate said with a frown.

"Frankly I don't give a damn Kate."

"Do you really want to be on Claudia's side when the truth comes out about her involvement in Michael's shooting?" Kate asked.

"You know what I'm sick of all your threats, Kate," Claudia said spitting out her name. "You have no proof I did anything, that's why you haven't said anything to Sonny, because you know if you did he'd see you for the crazed bitter ex that you really are."

"Fine, why don't we find out, where is Sonny? I told you all I have to do is plant that little seed of doubt."

"Go ahead, plant a whole orchard," Carly said with a smile as she copied Kate's stance, crossing her arms across her chest. "I'll just plant my own little seed about you. You see whatever clout you 'think' you have with Sonny it's nothing compared to the clout I 'know' I have with him. Then I'll just get Jason to back me up, you know to nurture that seed of doubt and then Sonny wouldn't believe anything that came out of your mouth." Claudia stood back watching the encounter enjoying how Kate was squirming and also taking notes on Carly's tactics, looking for ways to build a defense against any clout she has with Sonny that she might use in the future against her. At that moment Sonny and Morgan came down the stairs.

"Mommy, mommy!" Morgan exclaimed excitedly as he pulled from his father's hands and ran to his mother, who scooped him up into her arms. Sonny paused for a moment as he took in the scene before him. He closed his eyes, shook his head and then took a deep breath before he continued down the stairs and made his way to the bar, where Claudia had moved to. She quickly handed him a tall glass of orange juice she had fixed him and then leaned in for a quick kiss in greeting, which he reciprocated much to Kate's disgust and Carly's amusement.

"So did you have fun with Claudia and Daddy?" Carly asked Morgan who nodded his head vigourously.

"Yes, we watched movies and ate popcorn, and I helped Claudia cook Spascetty, and we baked brownies. It was good." He answered excitedly.

"There's plenty more if you want to take some brownies home with you, if it's ok with your mom," Claudia said.

"Sure, why don't you go help Claudia pack them up for you?" Carly said as she sat him back on the floor. He instantly ran to Claudia grasping her hand as she led them to the kitchen.

"Wow, she cooks and bakes, does she do windows too?" Kate said sarcastically and Sonny rolled his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. When he heard Carly chuckling he eyed her and started shaking his head.

"Please don't you start too." He said.

"Hey what can I say, I burn water. I think it's great you finally have a woman in your life who can actually cook." Carly said as she turned and flashed a smile at Kate.

"Just be careful she doesn't poison you," Kate threw out.

"Kate I already told you, you can't keep coming here disrespecting my wife like that." Sonny said as he placed the glass of juice on the bar top and began to pour himself a stiffer drink.

"Yeah he really doesn't like that, he gets all possessive and territorial when it comes to his wife, I used to love that. But I guess you'll never know that feeling,"

"Carly, don't… don't aggravate things." Sonny said shaking his head a bit.

"Sorry," She said insincerely with a smile as she moved to the sofa and flopped back down.

"You said you needed to speak to me about something?" Sonny asked bringing the discussion back under control. Kate turned and shot Carly a look.

"Oh don't mind me, just act like I'm not even here."

"If I only could, " Kate replied with a sigh. "Yeah I wanted to speak with you about the guards you have posted on me." Kate said and Carly's attention focused onto Sonny who was now looking at her. Carly stood from the sofa and moved back to where they stood.

"You have guards on Kate," Carly said and Sonny didn't reply. "That means that you apparently have better ones on me, they have to be because I didn't notice anyone following me."

"The guards know to be more discreet with you." Sonny replied as he quickly drank down his whiskey and then poured himself another glass.

"Why do you have guards on us who's coming after you now, Sonny?" Carly asked her voice rising a bit in anger.

"It's Anthony Zacchara, he's not dead."

"What, he got of the fire at GH?" Carly asked and Sonny nodded.

"Well they say cockroaches will survive a nuclear holocaust." Kate added. "That doesn't explain why there are guards on me."

"He's already come after you once to get to me, and now that I've cut him out of his organization completely, and denied him access to his offshore bank accounts, he's desperate."

"God it never ends does it?" Carly said more as a statement than a question that she expected an answer to.

"Ok Morgan's stocked up on enough sugar to last him a week." Claudia said as she and Morgan entered the room. She instantly could feel the tension. Carly quickly rushed to Morgan and gently grasped his hand.

"Come on baby lets go home," She said as she tugged him to the stairs to pick up his things.

"Carly," Sonny called out to her before she stormed from the room. She turned to face him with angry, wet eyes. "Thank you for letting me spend time with Morgan, I really appreciate it. Morgan you be a good boy ok?" Sonny spoke to his son knowing it would probably be a long time before he got to see him again, and Morgan simply nodded his head and then walked out with Carly.

"I think it's pretty safe to say that's the last time she'll bring Morgan here so long as the Zacchara's are around." Kate said.

"You know what Kate shut the hell up." Claudia exclaimed as she took a step in between Kate and Sonny who stood silently near the bar with his head bowed. "Milo!" Claudia called out.

"Yes Mrs. C." Milo replied as he appeared at the door.

"Ms. Howard was just leaving, please show her out." Claudia commanded and Milo moved to stand behind Kate, who stood watching Sonny, waiting for him to step in but he remained silent. Kate shook her head in disbelief and then turned in a huff and stormed from the room. "Could you lock and close that door behind you Milo, thanks." With a nod Milo did as instructed and once the door was closed Claudia focused on Sonny. "Are you ok?" Sonny lifted his tear filled eyes to her and shook his head. "I'm sorry." She said as she moved to him. She reached out to embrace him fully expecting him to rebuff her advances. She was surprised when Sonny pulled her into a tight hold and clung to her in desperation, as if she were his lifeline.