I wanted to start writing some Sexis shorts. Episode add-ons. Scenes I thought they should've been in together. This one is set during Mike's Alzheimer's storyline. For the purposes of this story, there was never an Avery or a Donna. Fanfiction has always been my comfort thing. I've needed it a bit more lately. Enjoy!
It Could Be Any Day Now
Mike's room at Turning Woods was lit only by a small lamp and the illumination from the moon sneaking through the window. Sonny sighed. He'd spent the last few hours staring at his Dad's chest, making sure it was moving up and down. He'd been unconscious for 3 days, and the doctor had told him yesterday that they could be nearing the end. He'd been losing Mike, daily, to this unforgiving disease, but he just couldn't accept that he might not be able to speak to him before he was gone. That he would be gone forever … Sonny ran his hands through his hair. The beeping of the machines beside Mike's bed were like nails on a chalkboard to his ears. He stood up to stretch, checking the time on his watch - it was close to midnight.
"Dad," he whispered, "I need to hear your voice."
Sonny pulled back the curtain. He glanced out the window at the serenity of the lake behind the facility. It was in direct opposition to the chaos inside him. It was like he was running from something that was behind him and still in front of him. He heard someone softly knocking against the door.
"Yeah," he said, too tired to walk the few steps it took to let whoever it was in.
"Alexis." He whispered, as the door slowly opened.
She dropped her purse on the couch and walked over to him, cupping his cheeks gently with her hands. He nodded slightly, and she pulled him into a comforting hug. Sonny fell into her warmth, letting his head briefly rest against her shoulder. She smelled like cookie dough and peanut butter.
When she pulled back she gave him a slight smile, "When is the last time you slept?"
Sonny rubbed at his eyes. "I - I really don't remember."
As she glanced over to where Mike was laying, he took her in. The blue cashmere sweater, falling over the edge of her jeans. Her hair pulled into a loose ponytail pieces falling down in the front. He resisted the urge to push those errant pieces of soft hair behind her ears. She was wearing a pair of pearl, diamond stud earrings he had given her for Kristina's high school graduation, and a floor length black dress coat with a satin collar. God, she'd had that thing for almost as long as he'd known her. He'd helped her into it more times than he could count.
Sonny put a hand on her arm and pulled her attention back to him.
"Hey, what are you doing out at this hour?"
"Kristina, came over for dinner. She was feeling guilty about not coming over to see her Grandpa Mike, but she just … Well, she wants to remember him how he was … and the thought of him being like this or waking up and not remembering her … I think she was also a tiny bit scared that you might be mad at her for not being here for him and for you."
"I would never. Why would she think that?"
"Well, as much as the two of you have butted heads in the past over your business. She's a daddy's girl at heart. She thinks the world of you, Sonny. And Mike - Mike used to spoil her like a princess when she was little. She would beg to go to Kelly's for dinner or a sundae on the weekends just to see him."
She wiped at her eyes, trying to stop the watering that had started there.
"I told her that if anyone would understand what it was like to be with someone you love and feel the pain of them not recognizing you … Well, I knew you would understand. Anyway, we spent the evening talking about our memories of Mike, and we baked her favorite cookies - the ones he'd make for her after school visits."
Sonny tried to stifle a laugh, but in the end it left his mouth full and foreign to his ears. He couldn't remember the last time in the past few weeks he'd laughed.
"You didn't burn down the kitchen did you?"
She rolled her eyes.
"I mean, you didn't cook them in the microwave did you?"
"Are you finished?" She asked, feigning hurt, but finally giving him a smile that revealed that one dimple on her left cheek that he loved so much.
"I brought a couple for Mike just out of sentiment. Would you like one? I know you probably haven't eaten."
He shook his head as she knew he would.
"Alexis, I appreciate you coming, but I really don't like that you are out alone this late at night."
"I'm a grown woman, Sonny. Besides I saw one of your goons following me as soon as I pulled out of the driveway." She said, patting his arm. "I just kept tossing and turning. I kept thinking about you. I knew you would be here with your Dad, and I thought you could use a friend. And - and well, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't get to see him before …"
He nodded.
"Thank you."
"What are the doctors saying?"
She watched him as he looked over at his Dad, the anguish evident on his face.
"It could be any day now. He's just been sleeping, and when he is awake, he'sjust staring and unresponsive. He's stopped speaking."
He heard her sniffle and brought his gaze back to her.
"Do you mind if I? Could I sit with him for a bit?"
"Yeah, of course."
He guided her to the chair he'd been sitting in before and sat down in the empty chair one the other side of the bed.
He watched as she took his hand into his, kissing him on his knuckles and putting her other hand softly on his chest.
"Mike," she said quietly, "It's Alexis."
Sonny had been looking at Alexis' face and almost jumped when he turned back and saw his Dad's eyes open.
And then, he spoke.
"Alexis, you came."
"Did you think I wouldn't? I've missed seeing you." Alexis glanced at Sonny who had a tear falling down his face. He was holding his Dad's other hand.
"How's my granddaughter?" He asked, smiling, with that familiar twinkle in his eye. There was no doubt where Sonny got his charm.
"Beautiful - stubborn as ever."
"I think she might get that naturally - from both her parents."
"Now why would you say that?" She said, squeezing his hand.
"Thank you, for her." He said. "She's been such a blessing. Even before I knew she was my granddaughter … Such a joy, bouncing into Kelly's with those big brown eyes and that long dark hair. She loved those cookies I used to make all the time - the peanut butter chocolate chip."
"Those were the ones," Alexis agreed, her mind swirling. She was trying to remain calm. He was lucid. He was speaking. She didn't know how long this magic spell would last.
"You'll tell her, her Grandpa Mike loves her?"
"Of course, Mike. She loves you so much."
"Kelly's. Seems like forever ago. Remember that time . . . You were worried about Sonny."
"I was worried about Sonny a lot, Mike. You'll have to be more specific." She told him with a gentle laugh.
"Why was Alexis worried about me, Dad?" His heart was beating fast. He couldn't believe his Dad was talking, coherent.
"You were in hiding. You were nursing a stab wound. Sorel, I think. Joseph Sorel."
"I remember." Sonny said, nodding his head.
"No one would tell Alexis anything, and I ran into her at Kelly's. She was getting coffee, but she certainly didn't need it."
"She did tend to be tightly wound back then," Sonny smiled as she raised an eyebrow at him.
"It was the first time I thought she might care for you as more than a friend."
Alexis looked down, hiding her face that she knew would show more than she wanted it to. She remembered that day.
I care about him. I want to help. Will you let me?
You know I gotta tell you something. You sound like much more than just his attorney.
Sonny seemed surprised as he thought back. That was before Puerto Rico.
"She was wearing this tan suit with a blue shirt. She was trying to use those expert legal skills to get me to spill something on your whereabouts. Trust me, Mike. She told me, Sonny does."
Sonny looked over at her. He could see the conflicting emotions in her eyes. It was achingly painful how much he missed the connection they shared back when they lived across from each other at Harborview Towers.
She knew him better than anyone. He remembered the first time he saw her after he came back from his time with Angel. She'd reprimanded him for scaring her.
"Thank you for always protecting my son. He was always the best of himself with you, Alexis."
She nodded, knowing that her voice would be too shaky to speak.
"There was a time I hoped you too might, ya' know, make things more permanent."
Sonny's voice was thick as he tried to make light of his father's words.
"Come on, Dad. You know how Alexis feels about commitment. Did you forget the semi she hopped to get away from marrying Ashton?"
Alexis felt Mike tugging on her sleeve. She gave him her full attention.
"I want to tell you something. I just needed to wait until you were here together."
"Anything." She said, interlacing her fingers in his.
"I wanted to say this to both of you."
"Go ahead, Dad." Sonny said, curious to what words he might have been saving for them.
"Stop … Stop fighting how you feel about each other. It's been long enough."
Sonny and Alexis locked eyes when they turned back, Mike was once again sleeping.
"Dad! Dad," Sonny called out, shaking his arm, but it was two late he was unconscious again.
They both sat there. Floored by what just happened.
The room was charged with the feelings they had gotten so used to suppressing.
Stop … Stop fighting how you feel about each other. It's been long enough.
The words echoed in the silence.
Sonny thought about the truth in them. He'd been such a coward. They'd gotten so much closer when Alexis had fought through the cancer, and he'd wanted more than anything to be with her again. He'd come so close to losing her forever. As always, he'd given into his own fears of not being good enough for her. He'd told her that he was trying to win Carly back from Jax when the truth was all he'd wanted to do was pull her to him and stay with her forever. Here he was sitting across from the women he had been in love with for close to twenty years. Here he was married to Carly again. Carly. They'd been running through the motions since she'd miscarried the baby.
"Alexis, I -" She saw the tears slowly running down his cheeks as she wiped at the ones on her own.
"I know."
Sonny got up, walking over, and bending down next to her.
"I wish you could have more time with him." She told him, knowing how long they'd been estranged and then at odds. It seemed unfair that he would be taken now that he and Sonny had finally healed their relationship.
Sonny took both of her hands in his.
"Thank you. Thank you so much for this."
"Sonny," she said, looking away from the intensity of his eyes. "I didn't do anything, but come by to check on an old friend."
Sonny gently placed a hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him.
"I love you, Alexis. I always have."
He wiped away the tears that continued to fall down her face.
"Please believe that. Please."
"I do." She said, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead.
When he stood, he pulled her up with him.
"You'll - you'll keep me updated."
"Of course." He told her, walking over to pick up her coat from the couch where she'd dropped it earlier. He held it out for, and she slipped her arms inside. Sonny ran his hands soothingly up and down her arms.
"Can you let me know when you get home?"
She nodded as she picked up her purse, moving toward the door.
He walked up behind her, pulling her into a tight embrace. He felt her body release the tension it was holding, shuddering against him.
"Someday," he whispered into her ear, leaving a long kiss on her cheek as if to seal the promise.
"Someday," she repeated as she softly closed the door.