a fanfic by SonnyandAlexisGal
Chapter Four
Besides, a voice tells her, he needs his rest...
She takes a deep breath - filling her lungs to capacity with the steamy vapors still swirling - and exhales very, very slowly as she towels off.
Maybe I'll be able to relax now, she thinks.
Her mind is full and she finds that the relative peace of mind - relative because Alexis Davis is never completely at peace - that she enjoyed the previous morning is nowhere to be found on this one.
The day before began well - not unlike today - waking up in Sonny's arms, cuddling with him, talking to him, and enjoying him before heading off to the showers. And it progressed relatively smoothly from there, a court ruling going in her client's favor in one case and information needed for another case becoming suddenly available. All in all it was a very productive day.
As a matter of fact, it wasn't until Taggart got that call at the PCPD that things flew out of control.
Oh great. I'm tensing up again...
She uses the towel to wipe off the foggy mirror. She looks at her reflection in the mirror.
I look like hell, she tells herself. Of course I look like hell. I hardly slept for keeping my arms around Sonny most of the night - afraid that if I let him go...
And it's not over yet, she reminds herself. As a matter of fact...it's probably only just beginning...
No more of that, Alexis decides. She takes Sonny's shirt off the hook and puts it on. The scent of him that still lingers in his shirt drifts into her nose. It still surprises Alexis how much she has grown to love him - this man that she was never supposed to even like, much less love - and how very much she loves the child - their child - that she carries inside of her.
And what it would do to her if she were ever to lose either of them.
Alexis drapes the towel over the towel rack, opens the bathroom door, and hears Sonny's voice. She steps out into the bedroom and finds a pajama-clad Sonny seated on the edge of the bed, cell phone pressed to his ear, now speaking in one-word answers.
"Yeah?" he says as he reaches out for her hand as she passes.
She takes his hand and he pulls her closer.
"Okay," Sonny says before taking the phone from his ear. He presses the button to disconnect the call and tosses the phone down onto the bed next to him.
He looks up at her as he grabs her free hand and pulls her in front of him.
"Hey?" he asks, quietly. "What's the matter?"
Alexis shakes her head.
"Nothing's wrong," she lies. "I'm fine...Did you sleep okay?"
"Not really..."
"Is your arm bothering you?"
Sonny shrugs.
"I've felt worse...You uh...didn't sleep too good yourself.
"Why do you say that?"
"You were...movin' around a lot..."
"Oh...I was restless, I guess...So the car? That was Lundine, I bet..."
Sonny doesn't answer.
"Sorry," Alexis says. "I know I'm not supposed to ask..."
"Alexis," Sonny begins, "don't worry about me."
"Well, that's easy to say. When I saw you yesterday morning, you were fine. But by the time I saw you yesterday evening..."
"I know, I know...It is pretty easy to say...But...can you just...trust that I'll handle this - that I know my business...and I know what I'm doin'...and I can handle this? Can you just...believe in that?"
"Of course I believe in that," Alexis begins, becoming agitated. "But that doesn't mean that I don't worry. I mean, most people don't have cars that explode. Most people don't have business competitors who hate them enough to want them dead. Most people don't have enemies who are willing to kill..."
"Inhale, Alexis..."
"And don't tell me to inhale!" she insists. "Don't try to deflect what I'm saying to you. Do not minimize what's happened..."
"I'm not minimizing what happened!" he yells as he lets go of her hands and stands. He paces back and forth for a moment while he calms himself. "Look...there's a young man lying in a hospital bed in grave condition and he might not make it...And I know that he's there because...because somebody was after me - the same way you were...I'm not minimizing it, Alexis. But I'm tryin' my best...to handle it so that none of the people I love...get caught in the middle of this thing..."
Alexis takes a deep breath and blows it back out.
"I know you are," she says, quietly. She walks over and puts her arms around him. "I know that you're doing everything you can to keep this from happening again...I'm just...worried about you...and a little scared..."
Sonny holds her in his arms and knows what she's feeling and why.
And knows that he's powerless to do anything about it.
He lets her go.
"Look at me," he says quietly as he takes her face in his hands. "I will protect you and the baby - whatever it takes. I promise..."
Alexis looks into his eyes.
"I know," she says. She puts her arms around him and rests her head on his shoulder.
"I know..."
___________________________________________________________________
Alexis stands at the terrace doors on this bright afternoon, looking out of her apartment at the brightly lit city so many stories below. She had intended to use the day to file a few briefs but she can't get herself to do it. She is far too distracted.
She has spent the better part of the day fighting the overwhelming sense of hopelessness and fear that first surfaced when Taggart told her that Sonny's car had exploded the day before.
She watched Sonny this morning and heard him sounding his customary calm, confident, and in control. After so many years, Alexis knows Sonny so well. She knows what he wasn't saying. She knows that he has the tendency to blame himself for all of the ills of the world. In fact, it's one of the things that they have in common - a habit of taking responsibility for every bad thing that happens around them.
Alexis knows how worried he is about his driver, Ryan. The young man had no more than two weeks on the job when the car that he was riding in just blew apart with him inside. Sonny's telephone rang about three separate times during breakfast that morning and, each time, he jumped up to answer it - anxiously waiting for an update on Ryan's condition. No updates were reported but Alexis could see the concern in Sonny's eyes.
And also the guilt.
He'd handled himself well during Taggart's badgering at the site yesterday, she remembers. Taggart harassed, as usual, and Sonny had no reaction - as usual. He simply answered the questions as honestly as he was able to - the questions that he could answer. Alexis listened and, at times, strained to listen as he described for Taggart what happened.
He, Johnny, and Ryan took the elevator down to the parking garage, on the way to somewhere. Once downstairs, Ryan went to get Sonny's car and bring it around to where Sonny and Johnny were standing. Sonny was saying something to Johnny when there was this huge explosion, sending both men crashing into the wall behind them with its force. When Sonny stood, he saw that the car in flames. Knowing that Ryan was still inside, he and Johnny ran toward the car to try to open it to get Ryan out. Sonny said that he went to touch the car but found that it was too hot. He'd then taken off his suit jacket and used it to grip the door handle and open the car door. He and Johnny pulled a badly injured Ryan out of the car and pulled him away from the burning car in case it exploded again. At that point, several building security personnel found their way onto the scene and, not long after that, they heard sirens blaring from outside.
No, he didn't know why the car exploded, he said. No, he could not provide any names, he said. No, this was not indicative of some kind of a mob war, he said. No, he did not need to call his attorney because he just wanted to cooperate as fully as he could, he said. He just wanted to know how his driver was.
But Alexis knew that Sonny did know a great deal more than he told Taggart. He knew why it was that Alexis never traveled without a bodyguard - on his orders. He knew why the numbers of his men had substantially increased in and throughout their apartment building. He knew why there was always at least one of his bodyguards stationed outside of Alexis' apartment door at all times of the day and night. And the probable reasons must have been as clear to someone like Taggart as they would have been to any other thinking person.
But, of course, a man in Sonny's business isn't able to be as completely forthcoming with the police as others might be. He wouldn't even tell Alexis anything for certain. But she knew anyway.
And it frightened her about as much as anything ever has.
Alexis turns away from the window just as she hears a key turning in the lock of her front door.
She holds her breath and freezes in place until the door opens and Kristina walks in.
Alexis exhales.
"Hi," Kristina says as she closes the door. "I was hoping that you'd be here. Is everything alright?"
"Everything is fine," Alexis answers.
"Good. I was concerned about you last night."
"No need for worry," Alexis says. "I was fine. I just...well, I didn't want to leave Sonny alone last night. I...didn't want...Well, I wanted to be nearby - just in case..."
"I understand," Kristina says. "How is his driver? Any word?"
Alexis shakes her head no.
"Not as far as I've heard so I imagine that he is still in grave condition..."
"I'm so sorry...Alexis? I know that this isn't a good time but...well Ned and I have been worried about something..."
"Oh," Alexis begins as she paces back over to the window. "You and Ned have been worried about something? And whatever could that be?"
"Don't be so glib about this," Kristina insists. "This was obviously another attempt on Sonny's life, Alexis. What if you had been in that car?"
"I wasn't in the car, Kristina."
"I know but you could very well have been. You could have been in that car, Alexis. I mean, Sonny lives in a world where horrific things like this happen. For goodness sake, you yourself were shot and almost killed just months ago. That's the kind of life that he lives. We have to be realistic and face facts..."
"You want me to face facts," Alexis mutters as she turns to face Kristina, her blood beginning a slow but steadily escalating boil. "You don't think that I'm facing facts? How about this? Fact - there was an explosion and Sonny's car was blown up. Fact - a young man who works for Sonny is currently lying in a hospital bed and may not survive. Fact - Sonny could have been in that car, Kristina. Did you and Ned contemplate that one - that I could have kissed Sonny - my baby's father, incidentally - I could have kissed him goodbye when I left for court yesterday morning and...he could have been gone by nightfall. Just like that, my baby's father could have been ripped away from us both...I assure you, Kristina... I am facing facts..."
Kristina watches helplessly as Alexis marches over to the front closet, opens it, and takes out her jacket.
"Alexis," Kristina begins, "I didn't mean to upset you. Ned and I are just worried about you. And you're absolutely right. Sonny could have been killed yesterday. All the more reason..."
"Oh, so you did think about Sonny being killed," Alexis interrupts, pulling on her jacket. "Of course you did. Ned certainly would have. He probably jumped up and down and clicked his heels three times when he heard about the explosion. I can imagine his disappointment when he found out that Sonny was actually still alive..."
"That's not fair," Kristina insists. "Ned is just concerned about you."
"Well then, please give Ned a message for me. Tell him to be a little less concerned about my relationship with Sonny and a little more concerned about being a good father to Brooke-Lynn." She pulls open the front door. "She is, after all, Ned's daughter. I'm not!"
She walks out of the apartment and slams the door.
___________________________________________________________________
Mike dries his hands on a dishtowel and hurries to answer the doorbell.
"Who is it?" he asks from the safety of his apartment.
"Alexis," comes the answer.
He unlocks the door, pulls it open, and sees Alexis standing there, with Adam standing behind her -- not far from the guard that Sonny sent to protect Mike.
"Hi," he says, questioningly. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Alexis answers. "May I come in?"
"Of course," Mike says as he opens the door wider. "Come in."
"Thank you,"," she says as she steps in. "This way your bodyguard and my bodyguard can keep each other company. I imagine that it must be a terribly lonely job..."
Mike laughs.
"Probably," he says as he closes the door. "Can I...get you anything?"
"No, thank you..." She looks around the apartment and takes one or two tentative steps. "I'm not even sure what I'm doing here...I was just driving around or, more to the point, being driven around..."
"I see...Has uh...there been any word about Sonny's driver?"
"None yet..."
"I know that Sonny must be feeling responsible..."
"Of course," Alexis answers. "He hasn't said as much but...I know what he's thinking...Am I the only one who's afraid?"
Mike shakes his head no.
"No, you're not," he answers. "Believe me..."
"Mike," Alexis begins - almost afraid to say the words, "...Sonny could have been killed..."
"I know..."
"How would I ever explain that to this baby?"
"It won't come to that, Alexis," Mike insists. "Now, Sonny knows his business. He knows what to do to protect himself. He'll be fine. You have to believe that. We both do..."
"But we both know that it won't end with a car bomb. Lundine will keep coming and keep coming...until someone stops him..."
"Alexis," Mike begins, "you need to stop thinking like that. Sonny will get through this - the same way he's gotten through other threats..."
"Forgive me, Mike but I was there when he was shot. I was the one who had his blood all over my hands and my suit...I was so afraid that he would die then...I feel as if I've come full circle..."
"He won't die, Alexis."
"But how do you know?" she asks. "I mean, if they could get close enough to plant a bomb in his car...who's to say what's next?"
___________________________________________________________________
Sonny steps out of the elevator as Renaldo holds the doors open. When he reaches his apartment, he sees the door open and Max coming across the living room toward him.
"It's clean, Boss," Max says.
Sonny walks into the apartment.
"Where did you say Miss Davis was?" he asks.
"Adam says he drove her around and that she wanted to go to your father's apartment...They're on their way back. As a matter of fact, they should be back here any time now..."
"And Brody's with my father, right?"
"Yeah Boss - just like you ordered."
"Good," he says, wearily. "Close the door, will you?"
"Sure," Max says as he steps out of the apartment and closes the door.
Sonny walks over to the bar, rights a glass, and pours himself a large drink of scotch. He picks up the glass and has a healthy swig as he goes to the sofa and sits. He leans his head back and closes his eyes.
I have to stay on top of this, he tells himself. One slip up and...
He doesn't finish the thought. He doesn't have to. He knows how high the stakes are.
But nobody else that I love is gonna get hurt...
He stands and takes another gulp of his drink and drifts over to the terrace. It's dark outside. It was just a little over twenty-four hours ago that the bomb in his car went off. He'd gotten that call from Benny who told him that one of the people that they had in Lundine's organization had called in, saying that Lundine was planning on making some kind of a move. He didn't know what that move was but he dutifully reported it just the same. If he hadn't, who knows what would have happened.
Lundine is a threat, Sonny reminds himself. He's a threat to everyone who matters to me.
And I'll kill him myself before I let him hurt anybody else...
There's a quick knock at the door.
Sonny's head whips around to see Alexis walking into the apartment.
"Hi," she says.
"Hi, yourself. How are you doin'?"
"I'm good," she answers. "You don't look so great, though..."
Sonny shrugs.
"I'm tired, that's all..."
Just then, the telephone rings.
Sonny quickly walks to the telephone on the desk and picks up the receiver.
"Yeah?" he says.
Alexis watches intently his affect as he listens. She sees him inhale and watches his body seems to implode as he exhales. His head lowers and he stares at the floor in front of him, putting the glass in his hand down on the desk.
"Thanks," Sonny says quietly.
As he puts the receiver back down on the telephone cradle, Alexis moves closer.
"Sonny?"
He takes a deep breath and blows it back out.
"What is it?" Alexis asks.
"That was uh...one of my guys. I had him stationed at the hospital..."
Oh no...
"Ryan didn't make it..."
"Oh, my God..."
Alexis walks to where Sonny is standing. She steps behind him, puts her arms around his waist, and holds him close.
She rests her head on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry," she whispers.
"Yeah," Sonny says quietly. "Me, too..."