a fanfic by SonnyandAlexisGal
Chapter Two
Sonny looks into her eyes and sees tears glistening in them.
“You cryin’?” he manages.
“Must’ve…gotten something in my eyes,” Alexis manages, knowing that he knows that she’s lying. “Probably some kind of fumes or something…”
“Oh…”
“How…how are you feeling?”
“I’ve been better…”
She smiles.
I’ll bet…”
Sonny looks past her and spots the man standing behind her.
“That you, Pop?” he manages.
Mike laughs – relieved beyond belief that his son is still alive – that he has cheated death one more time.
“Afraid so,” he teases. “It’s good to…see you awake, Michael…”
Sonny’s gaze returns to the sight of Alexis, standing there next to him, still holding his hand.
“You look tired,” he observes.
“I’m fine…”
“The baby okay?”
“The baby’s fine,” Alexis says. “We’re both fine…”
“How long have you been here?”
“A few hours…”
“Yeah, right,” he dismisses. “Mike, how long has she been here?”
“…Since last night…”
“But I’m fine,” Alexis insists. “I’m fine…”
“You need to go home – get some rest…”
“I am not going anywhere right now…”
“Alexis…”
“And don’t ‘Alexis’ me,” she interrupts. “I’m staying. I’m afraid that’s all there is to it…”
Sonny looks into her eyes and smiles, remembering one of the things that he has admired about her from the beginning. Alexis Davis is a strong-willed and capable woman. She’s not afraid of him.
And she's there with him, holding his hand and looking worried - something that means more to him than anything else possibly could.
He hasn't lost her.
“You uh…you’re kinda cute when you’re, you know…bein’ all stubborn and everything…”
Alexis laughs and shakes her head.
“The ‘cute’ comment you’ll pay for later. I’m still staying,” she insists.
“Well,” he begins in a groggy voice, “I don’t really have the energy to argue with you…”
“You don’t really have the energy to argue with anyone so…why don’t you just close your eyes…and go back to sleep?”
“What – you can’t make up your mind?” he teases. “First, you know…you tell me to open my eyes and wake up. Now you’re tellin’ me to go to sleep…”
“Oh, shut up,” she teases, feeling that wonderful ease between them – relieved that he’s still around – that this latest hail of bullets haven’t killed him, either. “Just go to sleep.”
She watches as his eyes slowly close.
“Don’t have to tell me twice…”
Mike gently places a hand on Alexis’ shoulder as she watches Sonny drift back to sleep. She wipes a tear from her eye, still holding onto Sonny’s hand.
“I’m here,” she whispers. “I’m not going anywhere…”
“Alexis,” Mike begins, “you need to take a break…”
“I can’t,” she answers – without facing him. “I don’t want to leave him alone…”
“He won’t be alone. I’ll be here with him. You really need to eat something and to get some rest. You’ve got that baby to think about, too…”
Alexis’ mind reluctantly acknowledges that Mike is right. She can’t keep going around the clock – not if she wants to keep her baby healthy.
“Okay,” she relents. “You’re right. I am kind of hungry…”
“So why don’t you go home for awhile – get something to eat, get some sleep. I’ll call you if there’s any change.”
“I just…”
“You said that you wanted to hang around so that when he woke up, he’d know you were here,” he interrupts. “Well, he knows it now. He knows that you’re here…Now you have to take care of yourself…”
Slowly and reluctantly, Alexis lets go of Sonny’s hand and gazes at him for one long moment before turning around and facing Mike.
“You’re right,” she acknowledges. “But you’ll call if there’s any change, right?”
“I’ll call…”
“And if he wakes up…”
“I’ll tell him that you went home to get some sleep,” Mike says. “Now get out of here. Have Max get one of Sonny’s men up here to drive you…”
“Okay,” she says. She quickly glances back at Sonny. “Take care of him, Mike…”
“I will,” he says.
Alexis forces herself to head for the door. She turns to look once more before walking out of the recovery room.
She makes her way down the corridor, suddenly feeling very tired – as if she might drop off to sleep at any moment. She comes on Max – still standing guard.
“I need a ride home,” she says. “Can someone who’s not you drive me?”
“I’m afraid I’m all you’ve got,” Max says. “No one else is around and I’m not supposed to turn on my cell…”
“But you have to stay and guard Sonny…”
“Francis is at the other end of the corridor. I’ll go let him know that he needs to take my post and then we’ll go.”
“Alright,” Alexis says. “I’ll be in the waiting room…”
“Yes, Miss Davis.”
Max heads in the opposite direction as Alexis continues down the corridor and over to a chair in the waiting room – where the television is still playing.
She sits slowly, feeling the heaviness of her exhausted body.
“Hey, counselor,” she hears in a familiar masculine voice. She turns to see Luke Spencer coming toward her.
“Hey, yourself,” she manages. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, I just got back in town. It’s all over the radio about Sonny being shot and everything.” He sits down next to her. “You look like hell…”
“Always the gentleman…”
“Not usually,” Luke teases. “How is he?”
“Well, he finally opened his eyes a little while ago – but then he went back to sleep.”
“That sounds good. What’s the prognosis?”
“I don’t’ know. Your sister said earlier that there was no sign of infection so…”
“Well yeah, they guard against stuff like that when somebody’s had major surgery – probably givin’ him all kinds of antibiotics…You look like you’re about to pass out, counselor…”
“I do feel really tired all of a sudden,” Alexis admits. “I’m…waiting for Max to drive me home. He went to let Francis know…”
“I’ll take you home,” Luke offers.
He stands and offers his hand. Alexis takes his hand and accepts his help in getting to her feet as Max comes close.
“Listen man,” Luke begins, “I’ll take the lady home. You guys probably need to stick close to your boss – if you know what I mean…”
“I got standing orders from Mr. Corinthos,” Max argues.
“Yeah and Mr. Corinthos knows that I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“Really,” Alexis interrupts. “It’s alright, Max. I’ll be fine. Go watch out for Sonny.”
“If you’re sure, Miss Davis…”
“I’m sure,” Alexis says. “You just go keep Sonny safe.”
Max reluctantly turns and heads back to his post.
“So,” Luke begins, “where to, lady?”
Alexis hooks her arm in his and they start toward the elevator.
“St John’s Plaza,” she says.
“St John’s Plaza?” Luke questions. “What – not Harborview Towers?”
Alexis shakes her head.
“Believe me,” she begins, “it’s a long story…”
“You can tell me all about it on the way,” Luke says.
The elevator doors slide apart and they step in.
“Do you drive the way you live your life?” Alexis asks.
Luke reaches over and presses the button for the lobby.
“I know a great short-cut across town,” he teases. “No posted speed limit…”
“Why do I think that this is a mistake…” she mutters.
____________________________________________________________
Mike notices Sonny moving around and sits at attention.
"Sonny?" he says.
He watches as Sonny's eyes open slowly. Sonny stares at him for a moment, waiting for his face to come into focus.
"Hey," he manages. "What's up?"
"Not a whole lot," Mike answers. "You've been asleep for awhile…"
“Feels like it,” he says. “…Where’s Alexis?”
“She went home awhile ago…”
Just then, Sonny spots Max standing outside the open door.
“Max!” Sonny calls, winding himself. He struggles to catch his breath afterward.
"Sonny..." Mike begins.
"I know, I know," he dismisses.
Max comes walking into the room and over to the bed.
“Yeah, Boss?”
“Where’s Alexis?” he demands.
“She went home a little while ago…”
“You didn’t take her?” he asks, becoming agitated.
“She left with Luke Spencer.”
“Luke?” Sonny repeats.
“Is that a problem, Boss?” Max asks. “Miss Davis said that she’d be fine and Spencer said that he’d take care of her…”
“Well,” Sonny begins as he calms, “he will take care of her. But either you or one of the other guys get over to her place and keep watch. Nobody you don't know gets near her, you got it?”
“I’ll get right on it,” Max says before turning to leave.
“What was that all about?” Mike asks. “According to the news, the Lundine situation should be taken care of…”
“I’m not takin’ any chances,” Sonny insists. “Not with Alexis and the baby. Not this time…”