Alex slipped out of his dates bed and dressed as quick as he could. He was an expert by now in the speedy escape. He didn't plan on staying the night with the maid anyway. Jetlag got the best of him, though.

Not bothering to leave a note, Alex waited until out of the girl's apartment before lighting up. At the rate he was going, Alex would need to buy another pack before the day was over.

Dragging a hand through his hair, Alex took a few turns before ending up in the middle of Horton Town Square. The place had improved since Alex lived there before.

Contemplating breakfast, Alex spotted a familiar blond head of hair sitting on an outdoor couch. Alex plopped down next to Will, taking up more room than necessary.

"What are you reading?" Alex asked, stealing the book Will buried his nose in.

Will, looking up in surprise, took a swallow when he saw how close his face was to Alex. "Uh-I-uh-," Will cleared his throat, cheeks rosy. "I'm trying to study for a chemistry test."

"Gross," Alex commented, tossing the book back in Will's lap. "I never liked chemistry. Too much math for my liking."

"I don't mind math," Will said, marking his place in the book and closing it up. "I just can't remember the properties. Or I don't want to. I don't know. It's too early for this."

"Huh," Alex said before taking a drag of his cigarette. He blew the smoke away from Will.

Will, nose wrinkled in disgust, said, "You shouldn't smoke. It's bad for you."

"That so?" Alex asked with a raised brow and a smirk.

"Yeah," Will said. When Alex stared at him instead of putting it out, Will sighed.

Alex chuckled when Will plucked the cigarette from his fingers and put it out on the table.

Will, not sure if his actions were rude or not, started talking. "How was your date last night?"

"Eh," Alex shrugged. "I've had better. Jetlag got the better of me, though. Had to slip out this morning."

Will, blinking several times, sputtered. "Th-that's-uh-um-,"

"Christ, you're adorable," Alex said before wincing. He didn't mean to say that out loud.

Will, wide-eyed, said, "Um, thanks."

"Don't mention it," Alex said, scrubbing a hand over his face. He blamed his lack of sleep on his loose lips. "Ever."

Alex watched as pink blossomed over Will's cheeks. Will's hands flitted from the back of his head to pulling at his shirt collar to rubbing over his thighs. Every time those bright blue eyes looked in Alex's direction, they'd widen and flit away.

Alex shook his head and laughed. "You hungry?"

"For food?" Will wondered.

"Unless you have something else in mind," Alex leered.

"Uh-well-uh-," Will stared at Alex for a moment before tilting his head. "You're making fun of me," Will decided.

Alex shrugged.

"I know where we can get some smoothies," Will said after a few moments. "Then I'm heading to the gym."

"Good," Alex declared, standing up. Without getting asked, Alex helped Will gather his books and papers spread over the area. "I need a good workout."

"Didn't get one last night?" Will snarked.

Alex let out a surprised laugh. "I told you I've had better."

"Well, hurry up," Will said, fighting the smile tugging at his lips. "I have to research ways to get my boss out of jail still."

"Woah, woah, woah," Alex said, "Jail?"

"It's a long story," Will told Alex.

"Then don't bore me," Alex challenged.

An hour later, Will spotted Alex as he lifted weights. Finishing his story, Will said, "So, now my mom and I are trying to prove he's innocent. Three more, you can do it."

Alex took a big deep breath, shoving the weight bar up and down three more times.

"Good, job," Will praised as he grabbed the bar and set it in place.

Alex sat up and shook some feeling back into his arms. "Huh, and here I thought since you're friends with Sonny you were as dull as him."

"Hey," Will laughed.

"I'm just saying," Alex stood up and stretched his arms over his head.

Will, trying not to stare, said, "That's your brother you're talking about."

"Trust me, I know," Alex responded. "What are you doing next?"

Will pointed to a leg press machine. Alex nodded and headed in the other direction to grab a towel. After wiping off his face, Alex leaned against a wall to observe Will. He enjoyed watching the strain in Will's legs as he pushed the weights forward.

"Hey," a deep voice said, walking up to Alex and blocking his view of Will.

"Hey," Alex nodded.

When Will finished his legs, he noticed Alex standing off to the side talking to some guy. From the way the guy was touching Alex's arm and throwing his head back, Will wondered just what was going on. He thought back to his crazy thought the day before.

No, Alex isn't gay. Sonny would have told me. But still, Will watched Alex interact with the stranger, deliberating. Something, he didn't know what, made Will want to break up their little talk.

Instead, Will turned away and headed for a sit-up bench. It wasn't his business who Alex talked to. After he finished his second repetition, Will sat up. He wanted to wipe the sweat off his face but didn't dare walk over to Alex and the stranger.

Will grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it off. After wiping his face and neck, Will got back in position. He tucked his feet under a protruding bar and lay flat on his back. He started up more sit-ups, ignoring the burn in his abdominals.

Alex, less interested in the guy in front of him the more he talked, looked out of the corner of his eye. He stood in perfect view of the sit-up bench and a shirtless, sweaty Will Horton.

"As I was saying," the guy in front of Alex said, tugging on Alex's arm.

"Yeah, uh-huh, don't care," Alex dismissed the man and walked off without another word. He stood to the side of Will, following the path a bead of sweat made from Will's neck, over the curve of his collarbone, between his pecs, and down his defined abs.

Licking his lips, Alex cleared his throat.

Will saw Alex staring at him. Or, to be specific, at his exposed torso.

"Hi," Will said, out of breath but trying not to smile.

"Hi, yourself," Alex crooned, eyeing Will up and down.

Finished, Will flopped on the bench, catching his breath. His muscles twitched and chest heaved. "God," Will let out a small chuckle, "I love working out."

"I can see that," Alex commented.

"It clears my head," Will said, closing his eyes.

"I can think of something else that does that too," Alex mumbled under his breath. "So, you done for the day?"

"I think so," Will decided. He swung his legs over the bench and stood up. "I need to shower. I stink."

Alex let Will walk in front of him to the locker room, taking advantage of the view.

"Where you headed now?" Alex asked Will as they walked out of the gym. He dealt with a lingering disappointment that the showers had separate stalls. He also didn't want to let Will go just yet. So far, Will Horton was the only interesting thing he'd seen in Salem.

"I've gotta turn in a paper online and visit EJ," Will answered. "You?"

"Nothing," Alex shrugged. "I'm supposed to meet my dad for dinner but that's it for plans."

"You could come with me if you want," Will offered. "Ever seen the inside of Salem's police department?"

"No, but I spent the night in juvie once in Dallas," Alex said.

"For what?" Will asked, half-concerned and half-incredulous.

"Pot," Alex answered. "It's not that exciting. Sonny got me busted and Adrienne thought I needed to atone for my grievous mistake."

"Adrienne sent you to jail?" Will wondered. "That's crazy!"

"Tell me about it," Alex huffed.

Will got the distinct feeling Adrienne was a touchy subject. He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "You know, you never said why you were here. In Salem, I mean."

"Graduated," Alex said. "Figured I'd come visit since I had some free time."

"You did? Congratulations," Will offered with a bright smile. "What did you major in?"

"Photography," Alex answered. His fingers itched to grab his camera and capture Will's expression. With the summer sun high in the air, Will's smile glittered.

"That's awesome," Will said. "My uncle was a photographer. Well, he still is, but now he's a priest. So, I don't know if they get to overlap or not. There must be a sin somewhere in there."

"A priest?" Alex said with disgust. "What a waste."

"My grandma's super proud," Will said with a one-shouldered shrug. "What kind of pictures do you take?"

"I'd doubt you'd appreciate them," Alex said. "Might be too racy for your innocent eyes."

"Hey," Will pouted.

"Maybe when you're older, kiddo," Alex suggested. He smiled when Will sputtered.

Will's arguments didn't persuade Alex any. They walked in companionable silence until Will realized something.

"Hey," Will smacked Alex's arm to get his attention, "If you graduated, why didn't anyone go?"

Alex, messing with his phone, said, "Beats me. My mom went."

"Sonny didn't say Adrienne went out of town," Will remarked.

"Adrienne is not my mother," Alex said leaving no room for argument.

"Oh," Will didn't know how to respond. "okay. So, your mom went, at least?"

"Yeah," Alex nodded but didn't say anything else.

"Huh," Will said after a few moments. "I always thought Sonny had the perfect family growing up."

Alex snorted, "Yeah, right."

"Adrienne's been on my mom's case about it too," Will frowned. "Talking about how my mom's kids have different dads and all the drama she's been through."

"Adrienne ignores everything that doesn't fit into her picture perfect view of a family," Alex informed Will. "I only exist because my dad cheated on her. I don't know what kind of Stepford Wife act she's been playing but it's bullshit. No matter what she or Sonny say."

"Sounds like it, yeah," Will said. He had no idea. Sonny always made it seem like he had the perfect childhood. "Well, that'll thrill my mom."

Will and Alex spent a half hour visiting with EJ. They couldn't talk freely since there were too many police officers around. For some reason, EJ seemed amused by Alex's presence. Something about Alex being a Kiriakis made EJ throw his head back and laugh.

Will didn't get the joke but then again he often didn't with EJ. Alex, though, didn't seem to like EJ all that much.

"He grows on you," Will told Alex as they left. "I hated him the first time I met him too."

"Sure," Alex responded. "I can see why you like your job, though." At Will's inquisitive expression, Alex said, "Handsome boss, dangerous lifestyle. I think you have a type."

Will's jaw dropped. "I do not!"

"Hey, I'm not judging," Alex teased. "For a few minutes there I thought you might have liked someone lame like Sonny. At least EJ is interesting."

"You-you-shut up!" Will yelled. He shoved Alex out of the way to walk ahead of him.

"Ah, did I hurt your feewings?" Alex cooed.

Will shot him a nasty glare over his shoulder. Instead of deterring Alex, it goaded him on.

"Because, I gotta tell you," Alex laughed, "now, I'm entertained."

"Stop talking," Will urged. "I'm not-that-I'm not."

It took Alex a few minutes to realize Will was serious.

"If you say so," Alex gave Will a sidelong glance. "I'm just saying it'd be pretty hot. But if you don't want me to talk about it, whatever."

Changing the subject, Alex said, "How are you gonna prove EJ's innocent, though?"

"I'll think of something," Will answered, slowing down his pace. "Somehow."

As they continued walking, Alex couldn't stop from thinking about Will. He assumed Will was out. That's what he heard anyway. There was an article and everything. It didn't seem like Will was all too secure in it.

Pity, Alex thought. With Will's head bowed to the pavement, Alex's fingers itched for his camera again.

Alex held the door open for Will to walk into Common Grounds. He let it swing shut behind him in the faces of two teenage girls.

"Wait, that's the story?" Will turned around and walked backward to stare at Alex. "She told them to take you downtown? You!"

"Yep," Alex nodded. "Mother of the year. Wonder if everyone in Salem knows her little step-son had a brush with the law. Might knock her off that high horse she strides around on."

"That's messed up," Will found a table in the back to sit.

"Tell me about it," Alex huffed. "Two hundred hours of community service for one measly batch of pot too. I didn't even get a good buzz off it either."

"How tragic," Will teased.

"Speaking of buzzes," Alex said, "know where I can get any?"

"Why would I know that?" Will looked around the coffee shop, concerned someone could hear them.

"Oh, I know you, Horton," Alex slid closer across the table. "You're trouble."

"No, I'm not," Will bit the bottom of his lip to stop his smile from spreading.

"Oh, you are," Alex insisted with a grin. "That's why I'm keeping you around."

Sonny, coming out of the back room with a box of stirrers in his arms, stopped dead. Will and Alex were sitting too close to each other, way too close. Will's cheeks were too pink and Alex's smile was too big.

Ripping open the boxes and shoving the stirrers in their holder, Sonny almost ran over to the back table. "Hey, hi, what's up?"

Will and Alex both gave Sonny matching looks.

Ignoring both their stares, Sonny smiled, "What are you two doing here, together?"

"Horton, here's been my little tour guide," Alex said, leaning back in his seat.

"Oh?" Sonny tried not to let it show how much that annoyed him.

"Yeah, we met in the square this morning," Will said. "We went to the gym and to see EJ."

"Will, I thought I told you working for EJ is dangerous," Sonny said with narrowed eyes.

"And I told you that wasn't a problem," Will reminded Sonny. "I'm not gonna abandon him now. He needs me."

"I'm sorry," Alex interjected, hand held out in front of Will but looking at Sonny. "Are you trying to tell him what to do?"

"You don't understand," Sonny argued. "EJ is going to get Will hurt."

"I'm pretty sure Will can decide that for himself," Alex pointed out. "You're not his keeper."

"I happen to be his friend," Sonny insisted. "And I know what's best for him."

Will, a frown on his face, didn't know what to say. He wasn't even sure if they were talking about him at all.

Alex snored a few times. "Boring Sonny strikes again."

"Would you stop it?" Sonny hissed, glaring at Alex.

Alex held Sonny's stare with an aggravating smirk until Sonny turned away. "Be a dear and bring us some coffee."

Sonny narrowed his eyes and said in a tight voice, "Be right back."

"Well," Will exhaled while chuckling, "that was interesting."

"Yeah, well," Alex shrugged, "I get under his skin. He gets under mine. It's been like that forever. Get used to it."

"No, no, I don't mind," Will remarked. "I've just never seen Sonny like that. Usually, he's so put together, you know?"

"I'll take your word for it," Alex said.

Will looked at Alex for a few moments. "You have three younger brothers, right?"

Alex nodded, "Mmm hmm."

"I have three younger siblings too," Will revealed. "But they're a lot younger than me. Still, though, being the oldest is hard. A lot of work the younger one's don't appreciate."

Alex said, "I didn't picture you as an older brother."

"Why not?" Will wondered.

"So young and innocent," Alex shook his head. "So…corruptible."

Before Will could respond he felt a hand on his shoulder. His mother stood behind him, dragging an extra chair up to the table.

"Will," Sami Brady smiled, "I was looking for you."

Alex, looking between the two blondes, noted the similarities. "Is this your mom?"

"Yeah," Will said, smacking away Sami's hand that messed with the hair curling behind his ear. "This is Sami Brady, my mom."

Sami, taking note of the other guy at the table, stuck out her hand. "Who are you?"

"Mom, this is Alex Kiriakis," Will introduced.

"Another Kiriakis," Sami pulled her hand away as fast as she could. "Great."

"Mom doesn't get along with Adrienne. Or Victor," Will told Alex. "Or anyone really."

"Oh, good," Alex said, "either do I."

"Is that so?" Sami sat up straighter.

"Step-mommy and I don't get on well," Alex revealed. "So, she probably wouldn't want me to tell you this."

Sami stuck her head closer to Alex, ready for some juicy details.

Will laughed.

"Here," Sonny returned with two coffees. "Sami, hi."

Sami waved her hand in Sonny's direction, too enthralled in her conversation with Alex.

"What's that about?" Sonny wondered.

"Oh, nothing," Will said. "Just gossip."

"Right," Sonny said, confused. "I need to work at the counter."

"I'll go with you," Will offered. "I think they're occupied anyway."

"Yeah?" Sonny smiled, eyes crinkled.

It caused Will's stomach to do funny things.

"You didn't have to entertain Alex all day," Sonny said as Will sat at the counter.

"It was no problem," Will said. "I had fun."

"You did?" Sonny frowned, wiping down the counter.

"Yep," Will chuckled, remembering earlier in the day. He looked down at his hands, smiling. "Alex is…interesting."

"Yeah," Sonny threw the rag down and turned around. He took a few deep breaths, trying not to react.

"Hey," Alex said as he walked over and put his hand on Will's lower back again. "I'm heading out, dinner with Dad."

"Oh?" Sonny said. "He didn't invite me."

"Good," Alex smiled. "Now, I'm looking forward to it."

Will snorted as Sonny glared.

"See you around," Alex said.

When Alex turned to leave, Will blurted out, "I had fun today."

Alex stared at Will's sheepish smile and paused. Something wriggled around in his stomach.

Must be hungry, Alex thought, dismissing the strange sensation.

"I didn't hate it," Alex responded. "See you, Horton."

When Sonny saw Will's burning cheeks, he clenched his fists and turned away with a huff.

"I like him," Sami walked up and smacked Will on the arm.

"He's funny," Will agreed. He looked at Sonny and frowned when he saw the expression on his face. "But-uh-you know, sales here at Common Grounds have doubled since last quarter."

"Uh-huh," Sami responded in a dry tone. "So," Sami faced Sonny, "Your mother once faked a pregnancy to keep your father away from Alex? Fascinating."

"Mom," Will warned.

"I'm just saying," Sami smiled and lifted one shoulder, head high in the air.

They all heard a chime when the front door opened. Adrienne walked inside.

"Oh, goodie," Sami clapped her hands and cheered.

Adrienne, eyes on Sonny, didn't notice Will or Sami until she was right next to them. "Sonny! Oh, hello everyone."

"Mother," Will said under his breath, recognizing the glint in her eyes.

"Adrienne," Sami greeted. "I was having a lovely chat about you."

"Is that so?" Adrienne paused.

"Yes, with Alex," Sami revealed. "He has the best stories, doesn't he, Will?"

Adrienne looked like she swallowed a lemon.

"Alex?" Adrienne asked.

"Yep," Sami continued grinning, "such a good chat."

"Don't you have to go see EJ?" Will asked.

"Oh, yeah," Sami realized. "Come on, you can come with me."

"I already saw EJ," Will complained as Sami dragged him out of his seat.

Will gave Sonny an over exaggerated look of despair and waved.

Sonny smiled despite himself.

"How did Alex meet Sami Brady?" Adrienne demanded.

"Will introduced them," Sonny replied.

"Will?" Adrienne's frown became more pronounced.

"They're friends or something," Sonny grumbled.

"Oh, Sweetie," Adrienne gave Sonny a pat on the hand. "Don't worry about it. You know how Alex is. I'm sure he'll get bored of annoying you soon."

"I hope so," Sonny responded, catching one last glimpse of Will.

Author's note:

Thank you for the enthusiastic response to this. I'm hoping to increase my updates to two a week.

Thanks for reading!