a fanfic by SonnyandAlexisGal
Chapter Five
“Anything?” Ned asks.
“They found her car at a dump just north of town,” Jax says. “But no sign of her anywhere. It’s almost as if Alexis just disappeared into thin air…”
“I know that this has something to do with Sonny,” Ned seethes. “I can feel it.”
“So can I,” Jax says. “What does he say?”
“Nothing – as usual…So what now?”
“Well, I guess we wait for the Port Charles police to do their job or…we confront Sonny…Find out what he knows…”
“He’ll never admit to anything,” Ned insists. “Alexis will be just one more casualty in the life of Sonny Corinthos…”
“I know how you feel about Sonny but…he really seems to care about Alexis, Ned. Even you ought to be able to see that…”
“Maybe,” Ned reluctantly agrees. “All I know is that Alexis is out there somewhere…and it’s all because of the kind of life that Sonny lives. Somebody is trying to send a message to Sonny…and they’re using Alexis to do it…”
“So we keep on looking,” Jax says. “We’ll offer a reward. Maybe that’ll turn up something…”
Just then, Kristina walks in from the kitchen, carrying two mugs of coffee.
“Jax,” she says before handing a mug to Ned. “I didn’t hear you come in…Anything?”
He shakes his head no.
“Sorry,” he says. “But we’re not giving up. I just wanted to come back to let the two of you know where things stand…Look, I want to get started on this reward idea…”
“I’ll go with you,” Ned says as he puts down his mug.
“I’ll go, too,” Kristina says.
“No,” Ned says. “You stay here – in case the police turn up something or…just in case…”
“But I can’t stand this waiting…”
Ned embraces her.
“I know,” he says softly. “We won’t be gone long.”
“Okay,” Kristina reluctantly agrees. “But you call the minute you find out anything – anything at all…”
He kisses her on the forehead.
“We will,” Ned says.
He opens the front door and Jax follows him through it, closing the door behind him. Kristina wanders over to the terrace doors and stares out.
“Alexis,” she whispers. “Where are you?”
_____________________________________________________
Mike walks into the dining area, holding his cup of coffee. As he rounds the corner, he notices Sonny standing at the terrace doors, staring out and he knows what’s going through his mind.
“Why don’t you get yourself another cup of coffee?” Mike suggests.
Sonny shakes his head no.
“I’ve had too much coffee...”
Mike puts his cup down on the dining table and sits.
“Look, the telephone won’t ring any sooner if you stand at those doors and stare out all day...”
Sonny shrugs.
“Nothin’ else to do,” he says. He turns around, pulls out a chair, and sits. “He’s doin’ this on purpose, you know. He wants me to wait and worry. He thinks that I'll be desperate when he finally does call...”
“I’m sure that Alexis is fine, Michael.”
“She’s fine now but...if I don’t get her back soon...”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Mike says. “Take one step at a time...” He has a sip of coffee. “I know you keep telling me that you and Alexis are best friends...”
“What’s your point, Mike?”
“Just that...well, I’m...sensing something more.”
“Mike...”
“I don’t want to pry, Michael,” Mike interrupts. “It just seems to me that...you’re closer to Alexis than you want to admit.”
Sonny stands and begins to pace.
“She’s somewhere out there -- being held captive...because of me. Roscoe wants to get at me and he’s using Alexis to do it...She doesn’t deserve this...”
“You can’t help it if some lunatic decides to hold Alexis hostage to get back at you...”
“But I should, Mike. I should be able to stop things like this from happening. It’s not bad enough that she was almost shot and killed because of me. Now she’s been kidnapped...I should have protected her, Mike...This should never have happened...”
“You put a bodyguard on her,” Mike says. “What else could you have done?”
“I could’ve pushed her out of my life,” Sonny answers. “After I got shot...I should have fired her as my attorney and made her move…”
“Look,” Mike begins, “I at least know Alexis well enough to know that no one can make her do anything.”
Sonny wanders back over to the chair and sits again.
“I never realized...what the price for this life really was…but it keeps reminding me...Everyone that I care about -- everyone that I love...gets hurt around me...”
“Everyone that you love?” Mike cautiously asks.
Sonny takes a deep breath – knowing exactly what Mike is getting at.
“Everyone that I love, Mike,” he repeats. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“So you...you love Alexis?”
Sonny stands and walks to the terrace doors.
“She’s the best thing that’s happened to me in a long, long time,” he admits. “She has stood by me...and cared about me...and trusted me in a way that no one ever has before...She makes me feel like...like maybe...maybe I can...hold on to somethin’ in my life that’s good – just this once...”
“And she feels the same way, I take it…”
“She’s special, Mike,” Sonny says. “Let that be enough…”
“Whatever you say,” Mike says. “What about Carly?”
“Carly and I are divorced.”
“I know but…I also know that you loved her very much at one time…”
“Carly and me…We were no good for each other. I mean I wanted things the way I wanted ‘em. Carly had trouble accepting that so she’d get mad and then I’d get mad and then things would happen…It’s better this way. We care about each other and we look out for each other…But we don’t belong together, Mike…It’s as simple as that…”
Just then, there is a knock at the door.
The door swings open and Kristina marches in past a frustrated-looking Adam.
“Have you heard anything?” Kristina demands.
“It’s okay, Adam,” Sonny says.
Adam shakes his head and closes the door.
“Well?” Kristina says.
“I’m waiting, Kristina,” Sonny answers. “Just like you…Where’s Ned?”
“He and Jax are out looking for my sister. They said something about a reward…Where’s my sister, Sonny?”
Mike picks up his cup of coffee and stands.
“I’ll…I’ll leave you alone,” he says before disappearing into the kitchen.
“We uh…we need to talk, Kristina,” Sonny says.
“You’ve heard something, haven’t you?”
Sonny walks into the living room.
“Come here.”
“Alexis is alright,” she asks as she follows. “Isn’t she?”
“Have a seat.”
“I don’t want to have a seat,” Kristina insists. “What is it?”
“There’s this guy who goes by the name Roscoe – Alexis met him once. Anyway…Roscoe has Alexis…”
Kristina’s heart starts pounding.
“What do you mean ‘has Alexis’?”
“He’s…he’s holding her hostage…”
“Oh, my God,” Kristina cries. “Hostage? But I don’t understand. Why would he – why would anyone…” She stops and stares at Sonny for a moment. “Ned was right, wasn’t he? It’s because of you, isn’t it? Somebody in this vile and disgusting business of yours…has kidnapped my sister…to get back at you, haven't they?”
Sonny says nothing – allowing her to draw her own conclusions. The words to defend himself won’t come to him. He feels too guilty for that. He knows that, if it weren’t for him, Alexis would be at home at that very moment – pacing back and forth across the floor of her apartment working on a case.
Suddenly Kristina slaps his face as hard as she can.
“Ned and Jax were right about you! Everybody around you has to pay for the things you do…and now it’s my sister’s turn!”
Sonny barely feels the sting of Kristina's slap. It feels like nothing at all compared to the pain that he feels inside - the pain of knowing that she's right.
The sound of the telephone ringing pierces the air.
Sonny snaps to attention and quickly moves to the telephone as Mike rushes back into the living room and stands nearby - waiting.
He picks up the receiver and presses it to his ear.
“Yeah?” he says.
“Make it quick,” comes the voice on the other end.
Sonny grows anxious while waiting. He listens for identifying sounds of some kind but he hears nothing – except for the sound of a faint noise in the background.
“Sonny?”
He hears Alexis’ voice.
“You alright?” he asks carefully.
“I’m okay.”
“Listen,” he begins, “you do whatever he says, okay? I’ll bring you home soon…”
“Is that a promise?” Alexis manages.
“It’s a promise,” Sonny answers. “I uh…I love you, Alexis.”
He can hear her laugh softly.
“…Me, too...”
“That's Alexis?” Kristina calls before rushing over to where Sonny is standing. "Where is she? Is she alright?"
“So,” comes Roscoe’s voice once again. “Now you know that I’m a man of my word, Corinthos. Your lady is unharmed – so far…I’ll call back in a couple of hours and let you know what the first stop of your little journey is going to be…”
Before Sonny can say another word, the line goes dead.
“That was Alexis?” Kristina demands. “Where is she? How is she?”
Sonny hangs up the telephone.
“She’s okay,” he answers quietly.
“How did she sound, Michael?” Mike asks.
“Scared…but calm. You know Alexis…”
“So what happens now?” Kristina asks.
“Now,” Sonny begins, “we wait some more until…until he calls back and…we do whatever we have to do to bring Alexis back home…”
“Are you going to be able to do that?”
Sonny looks at her.
“Alexis is coming home, Kristina,” Sonny insists. “Safe and sound…”
_________________________________________________________
“There now,” Roscoe says as he puts his cell phone back into his coat pocket. “That should make him feel better – the sound of your voice…”
“What did you mean by his ‘little journey’?” Alexis asks.
“Just something between Corinthos and me,” Roscoe answers. “You’ll find out about it soon enough…Sorry to have to leave again so quickly but…I’ve got to see to a few preparations for Mr. Corinthos’ arrival…”
“Why don’t you just call this whole thing off?”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Roscoe insists. “We’re almost at the finish line. Can’t quit now…”
He walks to the door, unlocks and opens it, and steps outside.
Alexis hears him locking the door.
As soon as all is quiet, she resumes what she was doing before Roscoe came back.
She twists her arm and, despite a burn or two, manages to slide it against the ropes – just a little.
“Good Alexis,” she whispers. “You’re on the right track!”