The Doll
by SexisFan

Part 1 -- The Doll

Alexis hurried to the front at the sound of the knocking. Hoping that she could cover her nerves, she opted to greet her visitor with humor.

"You're late!" she called, reaching for the doorknob. "I know I should have expected as much from someone as..."

The door swung open to a pair of intense dark eyes. "Someone as, what?"

"Sonny!" she breathed, surprised beyond words to find him at her door. "I wasn't...I thought it was someone...What are you doing here?" She stumbled over her words, finally settling into a defensive stance.

Sonny steadily met her anxious gaze. "I have something to give you. It's..."

"You've given me quite enough, already, thank you," Alexis cut him off. "Nothing you have for me now would be of any interest. I think it's been made clear that our - association - is finished." Alexis moved to close him out, only to be stopped as Sonny's foot shot out to block the door from shutting in his face.

"It's for the baby," he pressed on, pulling something out from under the woolen winter coat he wore.

"For..." Alexis' eyes widened at the sight of the object cradled gently in his hand.

"It's not new or anything, but I thought she'd like it. Babies are supposed to like bright colors." He held the gift out to Alexis, his eyes urging her to accept it.

Alexis looked down at the beautifully crafted rag doll that rested in Sonny's outstretched hand. She was definitely not new. This was no mass produced toy, but a cherished friend who had been lovingly created, and just as lovingly appreciated. She was softly worn from the tender care given at the hand of some little girl had smoothed her long black hair and primped her colorful, almost gypsy-like, costume.

Alexis raised her eyes to Sonny's, noting just how vulnerable he seemed in that moment. He stood before her, his eyes beseeching, as he held his simple gift out to her, waiting for her to either accept or reject it. Suddenly, in that moment, she saw again a glimpse of the man who had given her daughter to her, the man she had loved when Tina was conceived.

"Sonny, it's beautiful. But why would you even think to..."

Sony shrugged. "Peace offering," he cut in, his eyes dropping in shame.

Alexis felt her defenses rise a bit. "And again I might ask, why?"

Sonny looked back up into her eyes, his gaze unwavering. "Because we meant something to each other once, and I haven't forgotten that."

Alexis swallowed hard as her eyes continued to search his. He seemed so sincere. The problem was, Sonny was never more of a danger for her than when he seemed sincere. If she let her guard down, it could be her daughter who might pay for the lapse. Still, it was just a doll...

"Look, it's no big deal," he said, the doll falling to his side as his head dipped down self-consciously. "It was a bad idea, I guess. I'll go..."

"No!" Alexis' hand shot out reflexively to take his arm and halt his retreat. "I mean...Thank you. It's a lovely gift. Tina will like it very much." She reached for the doll, her fingertips accidentally brushing the back of his hand as she took the toy from him.

"Alexis! You've not given away my invitation to dinner, have you?" Cameron's rich, smooth voice reached her ears just as her body was registering the jolt of electricity arcing between Sonny's hand and her fingertips. The combination of stimuli assaulting her senses in tandem set her on edge. A flush rose on her skin as she drew the doll close to her chest, her eyes darting nervously between Sonny's questioning expression and Cameron's amused grin.

"Cameron. Hi. Of course not. Come on in." Alexis stepped back, opening the door in welcome. An indecipherable expression passed briefly across Sonny's face as Alexis offered entry to the bearded man.

Cameron held his ground in the hallway, eying the dark, intense man whose gaze was fixed on Alexis. "I appear to be interrupting..."

"No, not at all," replied Alexis. "Sonny is...was...a client of mine. He was just dropping off a gift for Tina."

Cameron smiled brightly and nodded. "Ahhh, paying tribute to the little princess. She's hard to resist, isn't she?"

Sonny's face clouded at the familiarity in Cameron's words and tone, a reaction that did not go unnoticed by the psychiatrist trained in the astute observation of people and their responses.

Alexis felt an uncomfortable tension rise between the two men. Searching for an appropriate response, she was saved by the squawk of the baby monitor as Kristina's cries brought the device to life. "I'll be back," she breathed with relief, thrusting the rag doll into Cameron's hands just before she turned on her heel and sprinted for the safety of the nursery.

Sonny glowered as Cameron sauntered past him, doll in hand, into Alexis' apartment. "You may want to come on in," the bearded man grinned back at Sonny over his shoulder. "This will take a while."

Conflicting emotions warred in Sonny's heart. He didn't want to take suggestions from this man who moved around Alexis' space as if he belonged there. On the other hand, Alexis likely wouldn't have invited Sonny in at all, so this was his opportunity to gain a little ground - and to find out something about this Cameron. In the end, it was the baby monitor that persuaded Sonny to set aside his pride and follow Cameron into Alexis' living room.

The sounds of infant mewlings, answered by the sing-song patter of Alexis' maternal rap, was like a siren's song to Sonny, leading him across the threshold an into Alexis' apartment.

Cameron struck a territorial pose in front of the bar. "Dinnertime for the princess will keep Alexis occupied for a bit. Can I get you something to drink while you wait?"

The bearded man posed his question with a Cheshire Cat-like grin that made Sonny itch to smack the self-satisfied smugness from the stranger's face. "No thanks. I'm fine," Sonny replied icily, reaching out to take his gift back from the other man's grasp.

"Suit yourself." Cameron let the doll go without hesitation, then turned toward the bar to hide the smile he knew he couldn't suppress. Getting under the dark man's skin was such an easy thing to do. It was obvious that the man was off his guard at the moment. Which made it an ideal time to press him a bit.

"So, you were a client of Alexis'?" Cameron prompted.

Sonny looked at him with hardened eyes but gave no response.

"Yes, well..." Cameron took the other man's unresponsiveness in stride as he settled comfortably into a chair. He motioned to the sofa to his left. "Have a seat, Mr...?"

"Corinthos," answered Sonny tersely, ignoring the other man's offer of the sofa and settling, instead, in the chair facing the bearded one.

Cameron smiled wickedly. "So you're the infamous Sonny Corinthos."

"Alexis has spoken of me?" Sonny asked, focusing on the doll in his lap as he smoothed her silken black tresses.

"Not one word," Cameron shot back, knowing that he was shooting down Sonny's hopes as well. "I've seen your picture in the newspapers, though I have to say I would have recognized you sooner had you been wearing handcuffs." Cameron took a slow draught of his drink, watching with amused eyes over the rim of his glass as Sonny's face tightened in anger.

"You have me at a disadvantage, then," Sonny answered coldly. "I don't believe I've ever seen your picture or name in the paper."

"No, I don't suppose you would have much time for reading the society pages," Cameron shot back, adding to his mental tally as his volley obviously hit its mark. "The name is Dr. Cameron Lewis, recently on staff of General Hospital."

The expression on Sonny's face changed quickly from one of pique to on of concern. "Doctor?" he repeated. "Is Alexis alright?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm sure she's fine..." Cameron began.

Sonny's eyes widened as he leaned forward in his seat. "The baby?"

"She's fine, too, I assume. I'm not their doctor. I'm a psychiatrist," Cameron explained.

"Reeeeeaaaaalllly?" Sonny drawled. "And what is the nature of your relationship with Alexis? Professional? Or personal?"

Cameron smiled enigmatically. "About 50-50. For the time being." He lifted his glass to his lips again, letting Sonny stew over the response.

Sonny's eyes darted to the said, taking in the dinner table set for two. Nodding his head in the same direction, he asked, "Which half does this dinner fall under?"

"That would be the personal half," the doctor replied smugly.

Sonny glowered silently at the attractive psychiatrist ensconced comfortably in Alexis' apartment and, apparently, in her life. In the quiet of the room, the sounds broadcast from the baby monitor filled the air. Listening to Alexis coo and hum over the gasping breaths of the tiny girl nursing with obvious gusto, Sonny suddenly felt very out of place...and very lonely. Rising from his seat, he settled the rag doll into the chair in his place.

"Let Alexis know I had to leave," he announced, turning for the door.

"I certainly will," Cameron replied. "Thank you for the gift for the princess. I'm sure she'll enjoy it."

Sonny's shoulders straightened as he moved expeditiously toward the front door. His door was on the knob when Cameron spoke again.

"It's not American, is it?" he asked, having risen to retrieve the doll from where Sonny had left it.

"No." Sonny answered simply, swinging the door open for his exit.

"Italian? Spanish?" Cameron asked, curious.

"Cuban." And with that, Sonny was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

"Did Sonny leave?" Alexis' question came from behind Cameron, as she emerged from the back of the apartment carrying a fully satisfied tiny girl wrapped in a soft pink blanket.

"Yeah, he did," Cameron answered absently as he turned over in his hands the doll that Sonny had left behind.

"Good," Alexis replied, though Cameron thought he detected a bit of disappointment mixed with the relief in her tone. "Will you watch Tina while I get some tea?" Alexis asked as she settled her daughter into her infant carrier.

"I have a better idea," Cameron responding, turning to face the two lovely ladies with whom he would be dining. "I'll make your tea. While I'm gone, you can introduce the princess to her new friend, Adella."

Alexis' head snapped up, he widened eyes jumping to meet his gaze. "What did you say?" she asked in near horror.

Her response caught Cameron off-guard, freezing him in mid stride as he'd begun to move toward her with the doll held out in his hand. He didn't know what he'd said to disturb her so. At her request, he repeated his words.

"I said while I make your tea, you can introduce Tina to Adella."

"Where did you hear that name?" Alexis asked, her face paling.

"It's the doll's name, Alexis," Cameron soothed, again moving toward her with the doll in hand.

"Did Sonny tell you that?" she gasped, feeling a knot of anxiety twisting in her stomach.

"No, Alexis. It's right here, on her skirts..."

Alexis snapped the upturned doll from Cameron's grasp before he had a chance to finish his sentence. Her fingers worked frantically through the doll's skirts until she found what Cameron had seen. On the undermost skirt, stitched into the fabric with careful, measured strokes of black thread, was the name 'Adella.' The name was not that of the doll, though, but that of the little girl who had once lovingly cared for her.

Alexis felt her world tip off center. She clutched the doll to her chest as panic rose within her. "He knows."

"Knows what, Alexis?" Cameron moved to grasp her arms in concern, taking in the pallor of her face and fearing that she would faint.

"He knows. Oh my God, he knows."

"Who, Alexis? Sonny? What does Sonny know?" Cameron prodded.

"I have to get out of here. I have to leave. I have to get Tina out of here. Out of Port Charles. Maybe out of the country," she sobbed.

"Alexis, you're not going anywhere in this condition. You have to calm down and tell me what's wrong," Cameron insisted.

Alexis looked up at him with wild, tearful eyes. "He knows," she repeated simply, in a barely audible whisper.

"Knows what?" Cameron whispered in reply.

"That he's my daughter's father."