Jason Morgan and Alexis Davis, canon

September 2010

Instant Addiction

Part 20

She watched him as she dialed her phone, then turned away to concentrate on her call.

Cell phone in hand, he turned and looked at her, as she made her call while dragging on her boots at the same time.

Jason checked in with Robin, asking about his niece Lucia, who was still in stable and improving condition. Emily was exhausted and asleep in the on call room. Alexis checked on her daughters, promising to bring home ice cream since they had been good for Spinelli, Ric and Nadine. She could tell the kids were doing much better, as they had been getting better each day and now were back to full screaming and running around shape.

When they both hung up, she asked "Do you want a ride back to the hospital?"

"No. I can take my bike."

She nodded and stood up. "Well, this was a good first date. Though I seem to have lost my purse and coat somewhere. A hazard of being too caught up in the moment, I guess."

"They're still on the floor downstairs, by the door."

"Oh, right."

Their eyes met and held. There was something about the way that Jason looked at Alexis now that set her skin on fire with the slightest glance. It was as if he had claimed her body as his playground.

She broke eye contact- knowing she needed to get out of this bedroom or else she wouldn't be leaving at all for days. He said, in a determined voice as if he was forcing himself to say it, "Lets go."

Placing his hand on the small of her back, he led her downstairs. They gathered up her things. He picked up his jeans and t-shirt that he had on earlier and tossed them on the back of the chair, then retrieved his leather jacket from the floor.

Jason asked "What was Maxie saying? Vegas?"

"I think I agreed that we're going there with her next month. But who knows if I have court. I'll have to check my calendar. And it all depends on Sam, too, I suppose. This all...depends on Sam, really."

Jason nodded. "Kids in Vegas? Do people do that?"

"I think they do, actually. Though I don't."

"A vacation with Maxie. I think I have a mafia summit that weekend."

Alexis busted out laughing. She knew Jason had to be in a really good mood to crack a joke. She'd never seen him in such a good mood before....she was seeing a side of him than she never even knew existed. It was like being let into a secret world.

XXXXXXXXXX

Her laugh reminded him of the night on the balcony. He rarely made jokes. Really only Carly heard his sense of humor sneak out from time to time now. Sometimes, in the past, Sam had too. It took a real level of comfort to go there for him. Walls falling, which he rarely let happen with people.

Alexis said "You should joke more often."

Jason just shook his head and pulled open the door. "I'm gonna ask Spinelli what in the hell this vacation is all about. Why Maxie would think it's a good idea."

Alexis pressed the button for the elevator. "Well, I suppose, the object is fun."

He shook his head again, as if the idea was out of the realm of possibility.

"Or," Alexis went on, as the elevator doors opened, "it could be a vacation wedding."

Spinelli gasped and stumbled out of the elevator. "How, if I may inquire, did you deduce the true nature of our trip to celebrate the orgins of Maximista's birth? Did she reveal our hidden agenda?"

Alexis' eyes widen.

Jason asked "You asked her to marry you?"

"The Jackal would have come to you for counsel but it all happened in a whirlwind, without forethought, and then after we had decided we wanted to spare ourselves any drama like the weddings of Mr. Sir and The Fashionita, and just invite our closest love ones to a destination celebration that would be a clandestine affair."

Alexis cried "Spinelli, congratulations! Wow! A husband...and Maxie, your wife...wow." She hugged him.

Jason added "Congratulations, man."

Spinelli asked "So you will both attend my nuptials? Because it would not be the same without either of you there to wish us well in our new endeavor."

"I'll be there," Jason said.

"I'll do my best, Spinelli. I'll let you know. I'm very happy for you and Maxie both, though. Truly happy. I can only imagine how excited she is to look for a dress."

"The Blonde One is already complaining about the blisters on her feet from being dragged from boutique to boutique."

After another hug between Alexis and Spinelli, they all said good bye. Jason and Alexis got on the elevator, the doors closed. They looked at each other.

"Married?" Alexis asked.

"That's what he said."

"Just checking."

"It...it will be fine," Jason said."Right?"

"Right!"

"She makes him happy."

"And just because they are young and involved in drama every other week....well...half of all marriages don't end in divorce. So why can't Spinelli and Maxie be in that half?"

"Right."

"I'll believe it if you do," Alexis said."

"Deal."

XXXXXXXXXX

For Jason it was not real- when he was with another woman- until he faced Carly and let her know about it. He could really put that off for a long time- working excuses and justifications like Carly worked her plans.

For Alexis it was not real with a man until she was looking into nearly black eyes and hearing what he thought about the whole thing. He rarely- okay, never- had thought anything good so far.

She ended up at Greystone on Wednesday for one of her cooking lessons. Sonny had emailed her that Gia was working late at her advertising agency and Gia said it would be a good time for Sonny to teach Alexis how to make the sauce that goes over the al dente noodles she now could pull off.

Gia.

Alexis could hardly still believe that the girl who once crushed on Zander and wanted to marry Nikolas- his Princess Sparky before there was an ex-Princess Emily- was now a grown woman who made Sonny happy, and didn't have fits of rage or tantrums over Alexis, Carly, or Lois coming by.

Gia wasn't much of a fan of Kate's. But most people weren't. And they all universally hated Claudia.

There was a time when Alexis would not have been able to hang out with Sonny like this. She would have wanted more than just friendship and because she felt he wouldn't- or couldn't anymore- give that to her, she would have kept her distance from him. That all changed when they found out Claudia ordered a hit on Sonny and Michael was shot instead.

Suddenly Sonny needed her. And he needed her so much and so desperately that she could no longer let her fear and pain keep her across town. During that time, the year before, they found their way to a new sort of relationship. It wasn't all she ever wanted. But it was all they had now- and it was pretty fabulous on most days.

But they still had their bad moments, too. Their 'how dare you, that's just like you, you always do that' moments.

As she walked into his living room, and he stood up to greet her, she said "Please tell me this sauce you're going to teach me to make does not have more than five steps in the recipe. Because I've decided that five steps is really my culinary limit. They should have a cookbook for people like me. Cook Your Way Gourmet in Five Easy- Fireproof- Steps, don't you think?"

A grin curved his lips. He kissed her cheek. "You're not starting a fire in my kitchen."

"God forbid," she joked. "Would you ever forgive me for destroying all those expensive pots and pans you own? I think that might be your breaking point with me."

His eyes settled into hers and held. A moment passed. "How you doing?"

She knew what that meant: how is Jason treating you? "I'm well. Better then well. Happy. So are you ready to start this cooking tutorial? The girls are thrilled that I may finally be able to make them a meal that didn't start off frozen."

"You want a drink first?"

"Sonny-"

"Have a drink, Alexis." He was already walking away to make it.

She sat down on the couch, crossing her legs, and watched him until he came back. He handed her the drink and sat down on the other end of the couch.

Sonny said "Look, I get you don't want to go there-"

"But we're going there anyway, right?"

"Its like this-"

"We're going there," she said, then sipped her drink.

"Its like this," he repeated "I know Jason better than you. I know how he is."

With a slight edge to her voice she asked "And how is he, Sonny?"

"I know how he thinks. And I get that this isn't a decade back, okay? I got that. But this thing between you and him has got me-"

"I just can't believe you are doing this to me."

"Its got me worried, okay? Concerned."

"Oh, you're concerned," she said in a mocking tone.

He nodded, his eyes widening, as he tried to drive home his point. "Yeah, I'm concerned. Hear me out. Cause you don't want to end up six months in and then look up and see you're second. I just want you to know what you're getting into. I know I should shut up about this-"

"Very astute deduction. Shutting up would work fine right about now."

He just shook his head, in the way that said she understood all he was saying but she wouldn't admit it and that frustrated him. "I want you to be first. Sorry. But I do, okay? Take that however you want. I ain't saying to not do this thing with Jason...that's your business...I'm just saying don't expect to be first with him."

"I expected to be first with you."

There it was. After years, there it was. She was older now and she was stronger and she was ready to face this. Probably because she knew he loved Gia too much to lean over and kiss Alexis. There was so much on the line that she couldn't breath.

Sonny's gaze sharpened. He stared at her for a long moment. "I messed up."

Tears came to her eyes and she looked away. She hated crying. Cassadines shouldn't cry ever, let alone in front of others. "If you know that now, then why are you trying to take this away from me?"

"Look, that's not what I'm doing here-"

Her head snapped back around. "Then what are you doing, Sonny?!"

The gaurd came into the room. His name was Gino, and he was another gaurd-Niko's- little brother. Gino was young, dark haired, and very laid back. But he was raised that nobody- but nobody- hurt a woman. Not even the boss. "Ms. Davis?"

Sonny told him "Get out of here!"

Alexis said "I'm fine, Gino. Thank you."

When the gaurd was gone, and the door was closed, Sonny stood up and shoved his hands in his pocket. "You're pissed. I get that. I had to say it though."

"You had to? You just had to. Of course you did."

"Just be careful with Jason. Be smart. If he's good to you, good. But be cautious, okay?"

She stood up. "Did you ever, for one second, think that bringing up Carly would give me flashbacks to when you did just what you're standing here and swearing on a stack of bibles Jason is bound to do to me? Regardless of the fact that Carly is, in fact, presently happily, or so they tell me, married to my best friend. Did you think that, Sonny, or did you just not care?"

"I can't take you being mad at me."

She sighed. "I'm not angry."

"You're so pissed that steam is coming out of your ears."

"Fine! I'm pissed. I just came here to make sauce. You said nothing in your e-mail about giving me dire warnings of impending doom."

"Believe it or not, I want you and him to work out."

"Not."

"What? I do. I want you happy."

"I know that. But only on your terms. Well, Sonny, the world in general, outside those doors over there, does not run on your terms. I do not run my life or my romantic relationships on your terms. Thank you for caring. But I'm well aware of who Carly is to Jason. Who do you think Jax is to me? But I can love someone else...and I have. You're the one who married her, what was it, twenty nine times? Not Jason. I think he can resist her. And if he can't, well then, I will handle it. Like the big girl I am. Like I handled losing you."

"You won't handle it alone, okay? I got your back."

"You are so maddening."

"Yeah."

She sucked in a shaky breath. "Are we making puttanesca sauce today or not? I came here to make sauce."

He kissed her cheek again. "We're making sauce. Come on, counselor." He headed for the kitchen.

She wondered why he was so good at telling her why Ned, Ric, Jerry and Jason were all wrong for her but he could never tell her why he didn't find a way to keep them together. Then he wouldn't have to worry about her being second to Carly ever again.

But he hadn't. So he worried. And she loved him for worrying- and for many other reasons. One of which was at school that afternoon playing her flute and talking by her locker to her first crush, and doing it all with her Daddy's eyes staring out at the world. Alexis might get ticked at Sonny and think he was way out of line and just plain wrong, but she couldn't hate him and she wouldn't run away again.

He was giving her cooking lessons now. She was invested in learning how to make a whole meal. So she was kinda stuck putting up with him for the time being.

Note- Gino DeMarco is a new original character of mine. He will be in Lean On Me. Look for him in a Spixie scene, if you read that fic.

Gino is twenty three years old in this fic. He has black hair, green eyes and a relaxed personality.