Chapter 4:

Somebody Told Me… Waiting is the Hardest Part

On paper, Alexis and Sonny were very different. She was a straight laced lawyer born into royalty. He was a mobster born on the wrong side of the tracks. And yet, they were so much alike. They set the boundaries, they set the bar, they made the rules and they broke the rules. And more importantly, they were both stubborn. I always have fun watching these two duke it out.

As they heard the news, Alexis felt her lungs explode and was gasping for air. Sonny rushed to her with a paper bag, soothing her while she caught her breath. They both sat in the waiting room. They weren't ready to see Kristina yet. Sam and Dante were with her.

Alexis had barely caught her breath when Sonny started, "I am going to find that son of a b- and I am going to-"

"What are you going to do, Sonny? Fit him with cement shoes, beat him to death, kill him. Why don't you yell a little louder too. I don't think they heard you at the PCPD," Alexis replied trying to keep her temper in check.

"I am so angry right now…that guy beat our little girl. She could have been killed! Why aren't you doing anything? Saying anything? Why are you so damn calm?"

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? Yell, scream, make threats. Don't you think I want to beat the living crap out of Keifer? You are not the only one dealing with this and Kristina doesn't need that right now. She needs to wake up. She needs to get better."

"I don't think I can do this again. A few months ago, it was Michael and now Kristina," Sonny whispered, trying to forget the ordeal they went through with Michael.

"But Michael woke up and so will Kristina. She is our daughter and she WILL wake up," Alexis tried to sound hopeful and determined.

"Alexis, she's in a coma. They don't know when she is going to wake up."

"I KNOW ! I KNOW !There is no need to remind me of that,"

"I DON'T CARE! I am going to find him and show him what it feels like to be beaten to death. "The PCPD can't even find him, they can't deal with this," Sonny barked.

"Let the law deal with and justice will be done," Alexis reasoned.

"Enough of the law and justice, Alexis, this is our daughter. They are not good enough."

"And your version of justice is. Kristina is already afraid of you and what you do. She is no longer a child"

"And whose fault is that?" Sonny spat.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I missed out on her childhood. I was never a constant in her life. You chose to bubble wrap her and keep her away from me. I didn't even know she was my daughter for the first few years of her life."

"Your life was DANGEROUS and I chose to PROTECT her from all the flying bullets, the hits, the violence, and the trips to jail. You are in the mob, Sonny. That's not the place for children. No one has come out unscathed by the violence. Why did you think you were untouchable?"

"I love my children and I would have protected them," Sonny pleaded trying to convince Alexis as much as he was trying to convince himself.

"You can't keep saying you love them without doing anything. Sometimes, love isn't enough ! IT'S NOT ENOUGH SONNY! ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS…"

"Dammit, I know that. I know that more than anything. Love isn't enough! You and I both know that," Sonny interrupted her but Alexis ignored him, "You always put your business first above all else including your own children. Don't you dare say it's my fault that you weren't there for Kristina. How were you going to protect them?"

"They have guards. Max, Milo Jason…"

"Yeah, Sonny, Guards ! Alexis snorted, "Because that's normal, isn't it?"

"What about you Alexis? You put the kids in danger when you were sleeping with that sociopath Jerry. What about Helena and your oh so insane family."

"Please don't talk to me about my choices in men after you have slept with every women in Port Charles, Alexis seethed. She wasn't done yet, "Oh ! and Jason. The Prodigal Son. He is a hitman and your kids go to him before they come to you. He does everything. He cleans your messes, business, women, everything. Where are you, Sonny? He even raises your kids."

"That's not fair."

"Fair! Fair! Sonny, life isn't fair. You and I both know that."

"I never had a chance to be with Kristina."

"You should have fought harder."

"I did! Remember Alexis, how we fought? That's all we've done and all we do. Fight! Fight! Fight! All I have wanted was to be in Kristina's life."

"Don't play the martyr, Sonny. It's not a good colour on you. Fight! Of course, we fought. Because it's was either your way or the highway. It doesn't work that way. It's called compromising."

"Damn straight, Alexis. Because of your so called "compromising," Kristina didn't have her guards with her and then bastard beat her to death. And I am going to do the same with him."

"How are you going to face her after you kill Keifer . What do you think she'll do?"

"She'll thank me."

"Will she, Sonny?"

"She knows Sonny… She knows what you do for a living and she's freaked out about it. As much as we wanted to protect her from our lives and our pasts…they are all coming out. Nothing remains a secret and you can't hide it forever."

"What do you want to me to do? Get out the business, get out of my kids' lives, what do you want from me, Alexis? Nothing I ever did was good enough for you," Sonny demanded

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME, " Alexis shouted. Taking breath, she continued, " This is about Kristina. Your children. Yourself."

"So, it's my fault."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

Suddenly, they just felt exhausted and confused. They had said things that needed to be said, but had never been said. They chose to forget the past and have some semblance of a present and now their future was undecided. Their daughter's life was in the balance and they sat there in silence praying for her.

Alexis broke the silence after what like an eternity, "How come she didn't tell any of us what was happening to her. Keifer must have been abusing her for a while now. She defended him, Sonny. She didn't tell anyone anything."

Instead Sonny replied, "He beat her, Alexis, and I couldn't protect her, just like I couldn't protect my mother. I couldn't protect her. I am her father and I couldn't protect her. I am supposed to be this powerful man and I couldn't protect my own daughter."

"Sonny, I couldn't protect her either. I spent my whole life protecting her from everything, even from you. What good did that do? Kristina is in a coma. It wasn't your enemies or Helena. It was her boyfriend. And it's my entire fault."

"It is not your fault."

"And how did we miss it?"

"I don't know."

"Sonny, promise me, you won't do anything foolish. Let Mac handle this."

After a pause, "You know, I can't do that, Alexis." Sonny replied, walking away from a tearful Alexis, to the elevator and out the hospital to …