Without Hate - Chapter 10

Though Sonny had watched the words come from Alexis's mouth, he couldn't believe his ears. "Candyboy got you pregnant?"

Eyes nearly at the ground from embarrassment, Alexis nodded once.

Sonny hated the idea of Jax putting his hands on Alexis; particularly when he had not done so himself. And while it was true that she had been Jax's wife, Sonny had grown comfortable with the idea that theirs was only a marriage of convenience. "How did this happen?"

Sonny's voice rose higher than Alexis expected and caused a smirk to form on her mouth. "Sonny, you and I are both adult enough to know how this happened."

He took a deep breath and allowed his body to relax. "Yes, I know how this happened. I guess I want to know why. Did he take advantage of you?"

"No, no, of course he didn't. We were living in close quarters and we were having problems with our significant others. One thing simply led to another."

Sonny's hand formed into a fist before he released it and stretched his fingers through his hair. "He made the first move, didn't he?"

"Sonny...." Alexis couldn't tell whether he was behaving like a jealous boyfriend or an overprotective older brother. Speaking of older brothers, she released a breath as she thought about the reaction of her own older brother, Stefan.

"He did, didn't he?" Sonny forced a fake smile. "I'm just curious. You can tell me. It's no big deal. See." He pushed his two index fingers into his dimples to punctuate how cheery he was.

"Fine. He kissed me first. Are you happy?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"No." Nothing could have made him less happy. With a tensed jaw, he leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. "I knew he took advantage of you. I just wanted you to admit it."

"I didn't admit anything of the sort."

Sonny breathed loudly. "What is it about that guy that makes women want to protect him?"

Alexis began to laugh. "He always asks the same thing about you." After a few moments, she became more serious. "Do you see why you and I can only be friends? In addition to certain ethical differences you and I have, you and Jax hate each other and now I'm carrying his child..." Her voice trailed off.

"Hey, hey..." his voice was calming. "Jax is your baby's father. Your baby is not Jax. He is just an innocent little person who will want to be loved."

"He, huh?" Alexis smiled. She hadn't yet thought of her baby as much more than something ambiguous that was threatening to change her life.

"Yeah, I just got a feeling." Words could not express how much he envied Jax at that moment. Alexis was carrying his boy. "Are you guys going to give it a try for the baby's sake?"

Alexis shook her head, "no." She hadn't even considered that Jax might want to. "I hadn't gotten that far, but no. Jax and I love each other, but we're not in love."

Sonny couldn't help smiling. Alexis said the words he'd longed to hear. He could even afford to throw the man a bone. "Jax must have been really excited when you told him." He watched as Alexis seemed to be searching for the right words to say. She was taking too long. "He doesn't want the baby? That son of a..."

"Sonny!" she snapped him from his mounting rage. "I haven't told him, yet." Once again, she dropped her head. "I just couldn't. I found out two hours before he jumped on a plane to save the day."

"Do you know where he went?"

"Yes."

"And wherever it is, he can't get a signal on his cell phone?" Sonny may not have liked the guy, but even still he should know. "He'd probably like to know he's gonna be a father."

Meeting him eye to eye, Alexis spoke softly. "I can't exactly call Jax up and tell him the joyous news. This baby certainly wasn't planned and neither of us was expecting this."

Something about her eyes screamed sadness. Sonny hoped he hadn't presumed incorrectly that she planned to keep the baby. "Are you...Have you made any plans about what you're going to do?"

Uncertain initially of what Sonny was asking, Alexis paused for a moment. Then it hit her. "Oh you want to know if...Yes, I'm going to have the baby. I won't know what I'm doing, of course. And knowing my track record with babies, my own child will probably crawl away from home before she can run."

"She?" Sonny raised his eyebrows.

"Gut feeling." Alexis shrugged.

He took her hand in his own. "I have another gut feeling. I think you are going to be a great mother, Alexis. Michael already loves you and the two of you haven't been hanging out that long. Besides, I'll be around to help you."

"You'll help me?" She watched as he nodded. "Even though nothing romantic can happen between us?"

"Absolutely." Sonny hated the sound of that, but he would respect her wishes. Of course, should she change her mind..."Anything you need."

She squeezed his hand. "Thanks."

Morning slipped into Penthouse two before either of them knew it. Both remained on the sofa. Some time during the night, Alexis finally relaxed enough to rest her head on his shoulder.

Carly and Jason tip-toed into the Penthouse; both were careful not to wake Sonny or Alexis. As Carly observed the two, she gushed. Pictures began to flash through her mind: Sonny and Alexis kissing; she and Jason marrying; Sonny and Alexis marrying; Michael playing with Alexis's little one. She hoped the duo were on their way to coupledom. If not, she'd be happy to help them get there.

Jason knew the expression Carly wore. "Carly, whatever it is you're thinking, don't."

"He's right." Sonny surprised him. He hadn't been asleep. Sleep was simply something he didn't do well. "Alexis and I are friends; you should leave it alone."

"She will." Jason promised despite Carly's silent objection.

Something about Sonny's visit seemed to change Alexis, in Carly's estimation. Alexis, who had once been freaked-out at the idea of becoming a mother, now seemed to be warming to it. She even caught her reading Parents magazine, once or twice.

A week or so later, Carly decided to find out what else Alexis was warming to. "So, you seem better. Seems as though talking to Sonny helped."

"It did." Alexis smiled before returning her focus back to her laptop.

"I bet he'd be a great dad."

Alexis allowed her pen to drop against the desk. "Carly, this baby has a father, remember. I don't know how he's going to take the news, but I do know Jax will be a wonderful father."

Carly rolled her eyes at the thought of Jax interfering with her plans of best pals and babies.

Alexis sighed. "It's too early to think about any of that. Right now, I have to focus on keeping Jason out of prison. A.J. refuses to drop the charges and he's alleging that Jason kidnapped Michael with your assistance. So far, we're okay because A.J. served you with notice that he was seeking custody after Jason was out of town. He's got to prove Jason knew about the order and he conspired with you to keep Michael out of the country."

"So why not come after me instead?"

"Because he's so jealous of Jason he can't see straight. If he insists on pursuing this, you and Jason may have to get married to keep from testifying against each other."

For a minute, Carly believed she could hear an Angelic choir. Jason might have to marry her. She loved this woman. If Carly weren't straight and madly in love with Jason, she'd have begun to think she had a crush on Alexis, mostly because it seemed Alexis had the power to make her dreams come true. "You are the best lawyer ever. Me and Jase getting married? You can be my maid of honor."

Alexis pushed back her chair and watched Carly. She was in complete shock at her roommate's new found glee. "Carly, you'd actually be okay with Jason marrying you, not because he wanted to, but because he had to?"

"I'll take him any way I can get him." Carly did a twirl before landing on the sofa. "A.J.'s like a dog with a bone. He'll never drop this. I'm going to be Jason Morgan's bride."

Alexis couldn't stifle the laugh that had been fighting to get out. "You are amazing." She checked her watch. "Hey, I'm late for an appointment with Dr. Meadows. Maybe we can order in when I get back." Alexis was out of the door like lightening.

Carly was still daydreaming when she heard a knock on the door twenty minutes later. It was Sonny, who was clearly disappointed when she answered the door. He perked up when Carly fed him a fictitious story about Alexis needing some very important information on a notebook she left behind. Chivalrous to a fault, volunteered to deliver the notebook to her.

Sonny arrived at the front desk and asked for directions to Dr. Meadow's office, before he saw his business partner, Luke Spencer, standing nearby. Intrigued by Sonny's inquiry, Luke left his argument with none other than Stefan Cassadine and decided to give him a hard time. "Corinthos, you asking for Dr. Meadows? Who'd you get knocked up?"

"Funny Spencer."

With timing more perfect than she could have known, Alexis approached Sonny. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Well..."

Dr. Meadows approached, oblivious to the land mine she was igniting. She attempted to speak softly. "Alexis, here are the vitamins we spoke about. Take one every morning."

Alexis nodded, secretly hoping no one other than Sonny knew what Dr. Meadows placed in her hand.

No sooner than she had gone, Luke's smile broadened as wide as Montana. "Natasha, are you carrying the Don's successor? Say it ain't so."

Stefan froze. For a full a minute, he was unable to blink. Perhaps this was one of those American trick-playing days, like on the first of April; except according to Stefan's calculations, it was now the middle of September. He stared at Alexis intently before he spoke. "For the first time in my life, I have to agree with Spencer: Please tell me he's wrong."