Sorry about the lengthy space between posts. I've been pretty flippin' busy!!! Anyways, hopefully it shouldn't happen again. :) Only a few more chaps in this story and then onto the thrilling conclusion! Woot Woot!

PS. I'm not really satisfied with this chapter, but I figured I'd made y'all wait long enough... it was "good enough". :)

ENJOY!

11

Lily chewed her lip as she peeked out of her bedroom door. She'd heard Alexis come home a few minutes ago, but she'd been working up the courage to go grovel and beg forgiveness. She let out a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway, tip toeing her way to her sister's room. She knocked gently before opening the door a crack.

"Al? Are you awake?" She whispered.

There was no answer.

"Alex, I know you're awake." Her tone was less quiet now, with a hint of humor in it.

"Lil, go away." Alexis muttered softly into her pillow.

Lily stepped in her room, closing the door behind her. "Are you… crying?"

Alexis sniffled. "Lily please. Leave me alone. Please…" The tears were very evident in her voice.

Lily frowned and pulled the covers back, crawling into bed next to her big sister and wrapping her arms around her. "Talk to me softly… there's something in your eyes. Don't hang your head in sorrow, and please don't cry."

"I didn't know it would be so hard…" Alex managed to choke out before another wave of sobs took over her.

"I know how you feel inside I… I've been there before. Somethin' is changin' inside you and don't you know?" Lily whispered with a smile. "Don't you cry tonight - I still love you baby. Don't you cry tonight…"

Alex rolled onto her back and sniffled, the tears tracing their way down the sides of her face.

"Don't you cry tonight, there's a heaven above you baby. Don't you cry tonight." Lily finished her voice barely audible between Alex's sniffles.

Lily snuggled her sister closer to her, stroking her hair gently. "

---

Alexis stared at her left hand, admiring the way the giant ring on her finger caught the light and glimmered. She twirled the ring around so it sat in her palm, closing the stone in her fist. She let out a deep breath, and looked at the paperwork on her desk. This was the obvious downside to any kind of social work. All the paperwork. The good part about it was she could bury herself in all the paperwork when life got too hard to face. And right now, life was too hard to face; especially after last night. She spun the ring around again with another deep breath.

Her office door swung open causing her to jump.

"Johnny!?"

He shut the door behind him quietly, pressing his lips together.

"What is it?"

Alexis perked up an eyebrow "I'm sorry… what?"

Johnny crossed his arms impatiently "Alexis, I don't have time for this. Lily told me you asked for me."

She let out a short laugh "She did, did she?"

"She said you had something important to tell me."

"I don't have anything to tell you Johnny." She shook her head, spinning her ring around nervously again. "Lily would say anything to try to get us in the same room."

He narrowed his eyes and inspected the way she fidgeted nervously. "She told me you'd say that." He took a step forward and lowered his voice "And then she told me it had to do with why you left."

Alex instantly shook her head "No. I… I don't know what she's talking about John."

"Well… according to her when you left… you were pregnant." He sat down across from her "Is that true?"

"I told you. She would say anything to get you in here Johnny…" She laughed condescendingly "You should know that by now."

He stared at her. "So it's not."

"John. I'm not having this conversation with you."

"Well… it would explain why you're so bitter towards me." He sat back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"Why I'm bitter towards you?" she shook her head. She spun the ring around again. "It might have something to do with how you were being paid to keep an eye on me. A little fact that you neglected to tell me."

He furrowed his brow. "Alex-"

"No! Derek told me you were instructed to tell me! You lied to me! And like an idiot…" She let out a laugh "I thought you were just being good to me. Then I remembered… this is Johnny Storm we're talking about here…"

"I'm not good to you!?" He pressed his lips shut tightly, silently seething.

"Oh that's right John. You were very good to me when you were fondling my sister when I needed you the most…"

"When you needed me?! You wouldn't even let me near you without freaking out about something! God Alex, if you weren't pregnant you were insane!" He shouted, feeling his heart pick up speed. "And I was instructed to make sure you didn't find out. He told me he didn't want you to worry."

She laughed. "Oh, okay Johnny. So now you're telling me that my fiancée is lying? To both of us, apparently. And what good would come of that hmm?"

They exchanged a hard stare for what seemed like a few minutes before Alex shook her head. "You got your money, so why don't you just go."

"Fine. I'm gone." He stood up and moved for the door. "But just so you're aware… I wasn't good to you?" He let out a laugh. "I would have killed for you. I was in love with you Alex." He stared at her.

"Well, I don't love you." She looked back down at her paperwork. "It's been a long time since I felt anything for you John."

Johnny stood a little straighter. That was all the truth he needed to hear.

More to come soon! Swear to God:D