Game Day
by Cowgirl

chapter 35 - Finale

Sonny sat on the couch, his feet propped on the coffee table, the remote in his hands. He turned it over a couple of times and shook his head as he thought that the little electronic item he was holding was partly responsible for his marital bliss. Had he not been so adamant about watching that damn football game six months earlier, he and Alexis wouldn't have started sleeping together, he and Alexis wouldn't be married. He rethought the situation and decided that was wrong. It wasn't a football game or any sport that brought them together. They had been headed down this long pathway before Sonny started teaching Alexis the finer points of sports. If he hadn't attacked her that day in his penthouse over a sporting event, he would have found some other excuse. Early on, shortly after she became his lawyer he had entertained thoughts of what it would be like to be with Alexis sexually, but he never dreamed that she would be the woman he would fall madly in love with. He rubbed the stubble on his chin and smiled.

"That's a million watt smile if ever I saw one," Alexis' voice sounded from behind him.

He turned and smiled even wider at the sight of his wife standing on the stairs, wearing nothing but one of his silk dress shirts, her long legs peeking out from under the hem. "Good morning beautiful."

"Good morning yourself," she said as she moved to him and plopped herself down across his lap. "Did you sleep well?"

Sonny tickled her stomach. "After you let me get some sleep, yeah."

She squirmed beneath his touch. "Are you implying that I somehow kept you up, Mr. Corinthos?"

Sonny cocked his head to the side. "Yeah, and you wouldn't let me get any sleep either."

She smiled seductively. "Isn't that what newlyweds are supposed to do ... not sleep?"

Sonny snaked his arms around her and pulled her tightly to him. "That is exactly what newlyweds are supposed to do." He moved his mouth to hers and captured it, taking his time kissing this perfect woman that was finally his to have and to hold forever. He pulled back and chuckled.

"What's funny?" Alexis asked settling her head against his chest.

Sonny reached up and stroked her hair lovingly. "Nothing. I was just thinking how nice it is."

"How nice what is?"

Turning his face to meet hers, he kissed her again. "That ... I can do that whenever I want. I can touch you, I can kiss you and not worry about if you'll run the other way because I know you love me ... I can tell you I love you ... anytime I want to." He smiled. "I love that."

Alexis flashed her own dimples and sat up straight, running her fingers through his curls. "I love that too." They stared into one another's eyes for several minutes before both of them burst into laughter. Sonny hugged Alexis to him. "How many people do you think Ned and Kristina told?"

Alexis thought for a moment. "I'm pretty sure the entire town knows by now ... this is my sister we're talking about."

She shook her head and looked at Sonny, her eyes twinkling. "Who cares?" She rubbed his nose with her own. "I'm deliriously happy and that's what matters right?"

Sonny nodded and moved in slowly, pressing his lips to hers, his hand wandering to the top button of the shirt she was wearing. Alexis arched her back and grasped Sonny's face with both hands, pulling him as close to her as possible ... both of them so engrossed in one another that they didn't notice the door fly open until it was too late.

"What the hell ... I knew it Sonny," came Carly's shrill pitch.

Sonny and Alexis separated but made no move to put any more space between them than necessary. "Carly, I thought we talked about you not barging in here whenever you feel like it," Sonny said calmly, his arms still around his wife.

Carly shook with fury at the sight of Alexis clad in only a shirt, sitting atop Sonny's lap. "Now I know why you don't want me barging in ... I might catch you with your ... your ... "

"My wife," Sonny stated as he looked into Alexis' eyes.

"Your wife," Carly uttered, unaware of what she said. "Your what?"

Alexis prepared for the worst as she slid off of Sonny's lap and stood up, moving toward the stairs. "I'm going to get dressed and go across the hall to talk to my sister."

Sonny blew out a gust of air and stood up, his hands in a defensive position in front of him. "Now Carly, don't blow a gasket."

"Did you just say Alexis is your wife?"

Sonny nodded. "We were married yesterday morning."

Carly shakily made her way to the couch and sat down. "Why on earth would you marry the stiff?"

Sonny rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Because I love her."

Carly looked at him incredulously. "You love her? How the hell can you love her ... the two of you are complete opposites."

They paused as Alexis carefully descended the stairs. Sonny almost involuntarily moved so that he was between the two women. Alexis moved to him and leaned in close to his ear. "I'll be next door," she lowered her voice even more.

"Get rid of her soon ... I'm still feeling newlywedish," she said and placed a kiss on his ear.

Sonny tried to suppress the smile that threatened his face and cleared his voice. "I'll be over when I'm done here."

Alexis cast a glance at Carly. "Take your time," she said and moved to the door. "Carly," she acknowledged and hurried out the door.

Sonny waited until he heard the door to Alexis' penthouse close before he turned back to Carly. "Mine and Alexis' differences are what make our relationship great. We learn from one another."

Carly shook her head in disgust. "She judges you Sonny."

"No, she doesn't. She wants me to be the best person that I'm capable of being ... there's nothing wrong with that."

Carly threw up her arms. "What am I supposed to tell Michael? He always talks about when daddy is back with us and we can be a family again."

Sonny lowered his head and sucked in a breath. "Carly, you and me and Michael will always be a family. I will always love both of you and look out for you, but my life is with Alexis. It has been for some time now ... I just never realized it." He moved around the room. "I'll explain it to Michael."

"How could you not realize it when she was constantly throwing herself at you."

"She didn't."

"Oh no?"

"Carly."

"It's the truth."

"It's not the truth Carly." Sonny said as he stood with his hands on his hips. He shook his head and smiled. "I pursued her. I never let her get too far away from me and one day I realized why ... because I fell in love with her."

He looked back up at Carly. "I know that the two of you will never be friends, but you are both important to me and you both will be in my life for a very long time. I don't want it to always be ... you know ... unpleasant."

"Tell that to her," Carly muttered.

Sonny spread his hands. "I don't know what else to tell you Carly. I love her, she loves me and we're married." He ran his hand across his mouth. "Don't you want me to be happy, Carly?"

Carly breathed in and out several times, tears threatening her eyes. "Why do you have to be happy with her?"

Sonny shook his head. "I don't get what it is about Alexis that makes you so mad? She's never done anything but help us ... help you."

Carly's hands flew to her hips. "That's right ... I forgot. Saint Alexis can do no wrong. She just sweeps in and steals the only man I've ever loved away from me and I'm supposed to just take it."

"Carly," Sonny said exasperated. "I know you love me ... I love you too, but we are just not meant to be together."

"Oh, and you and Alexis are?"

"Yeah. I really believe that."

"So I wasn't good enough for you," Carly spat out angrily.

"Is that what this is all about? You think that I'm with Alexis because I think she's better than you?"

"Come on Sonny. She's always acted like she's better than me."

Sonny squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. "Carly I get it ... you and Alexis will never see eye to eye on ... " he waved his hand. "On anything, the two of you are oil and water." He dropped his hands to his sides and looked at Carly earnestly. "But I love her and she's my wife now. She's been the brightest spot in my life for the last two years. I want to spend the rest of my life with her and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"There was a time when you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me," Carly retorted.

Sonny nodded his head and ran a hand across his mouth. His intention was not to hurt Carly, but he didn't seem to be getting through to her. "This is different."

"Is that so, until when Sonny? Until you change your mind and are hopelessly in love with me again? You think you can ping-pong between me and Alexis until the end of time?"

Sonny shook his head. "No. No I don't Carly. There's only one woman who completes me in every way possible ... and that was never you. It was always Alexis."

"How can you say that?" Carly shrieked, tears streaming down her face.

"Because I've tried to say it to you in the nicest way possible ... I don't want to hurt you and I don't want you to think that the time that we were together meant nothing to me, but you just don't seem to understand. This isn't some game I'm playing here!" he shouted and stopped a moment to compose himself. "Over the last two years I've spent a lot of time getting to know that woman across the hall, she and I have become about as close as two human beings can get. I can trust her with the most intricate, personal details of my life and she feels the same way. She makes me feel worth something and I never had that. I never had someone make me feel like I am something special ... not just some street thug or a way to wield power at other people ... or a possession." He stopped and pointed to the door. "I look at her ... I even think about her and the rush that I feel is like nothing on earth. Do you understand that Carly? Do you get that at all? For the first time in my life someone means more to me than even my own life and I can't ... won't let that go." He stopped, hands on his hips, tears brimming in his eyes. "I don't want things to be difficult between us Carly ... don't make them that way. Go and live your life ... in a while you'll see that you're better off without me."

They stood silently for what seemed an eternity the only sound in the room was the hiccup of sobs that would escape Carly from time to time. Finally, she breathed deeply and nodded. "Okay," she said quietly and forced a weak smile. "Be happy Sonny," she walked to the door and opened it, turning back to him. "I mean that."

Sonny nodded back. "I know you do Carly." He smiled. "I'll be by to see Michael tomorrow.

She smiled once more before exiting the penthouse.

Alexis paced like a nervous cat across the hall waiting for Sonny to come over and get her.

"Alexis, you're going to wear out that stretch of floor between the balcony and the door," Kristina said, looking up from the magazine she was reading.

Alexis snapped out of her trance. "What?" She said turning a furrowed brow to her sister.

Kristina dropped her magazine and sat upright. "He'll be here ... you two are married now remember? I think your days of wondering if Sonny will show up are over. He has to come and get you eventually."

Alexis cast a dumbfounded look at her sister. "You think that I'm worried?"

"Yes."

"I'm not."

"Okay," she said, picking up her magazine.

Alexis watched her sister for a moment before walking over and sitting next to her on the couch. "I'm not worried that he's going to be so enamored with Carly that he'll forget that his wife is across the hall if that's what you're thinking." She sat forward and placed her elbows on her knees, her head resting in her hands. "It's just that Sonny and I have been through so much since we first met. Bombings, shootings, explosions, knife wounds, gunshot wounds, kidnappings ... " She held up her hands. "The list goes on ... but the point is we have spent a lot of time and energy building and protecting this fragile thing that was our friendship, then our growing romance and now our marriage. If Carly reacts the wrong way and does something stupid to herself or threatens Sonny with Michael ... then I don't know if he could handle it. How can I ask him to spend the rest of his life being torn in two like that?"

Kristina scooted forward on the couch and wrapped an arm around her sister. "I may be annoying sometimes, pushy, forcing my opinions on people ... but I think that I can safely boast that when it has come to your relationship with Sonny ... I've been pretty much dead on. Carly is a grown woman who makes her own decisions and I think that Sonny has finally realized that he is not accountable for everything she does. Alexis he is mad about you ... he married you and as odd as a pair that the two of you are ... you're perfect together. The two of you compliment one another in everyway. Look, is Sonny the ideal man I would have picked out for you?" She shook her head no. "No, he's not. But he makes you so incredibly happy ... he gives you a security that no one else does." She rolled her eyes. "And yes, there is part of me that actually thinks he can be a good person ... when he wants to be. My point here is you can't afford to let this kind of happiness pass you by."

"I haven't let it pass me by ... I married him for goodness sake."

"So stop all the needless worry. He is not going to let you go. Any fool can watch the two of you and know that. If Carly reacts badly then that's her problem and I really think that if she tries to use Michael to guilt him into submission that he'll take care of that too."

Alexis stared at her little sister, this beacon of truth and light that came into her life so suddenly and stole part of her heart like it had always belonged to her. She wrapped her arms around her and squeezed tightly. "I'm glad you're annoying and pushy and that you force your opinions on other people," she said releasing her from the hug and standing up. "And you know what? I'm tired of sitting over here like a scared cat waiting for Carly to leave. I'm going to go home to my husband."

"That's my girl," Kristina beamed up at her from the couch. "I'm going to be lonely over here you know."

Alexis smiled. "I'll just be across the hall ... and besides, you have Ned."

Kristina rolled her eyes. "Good day ... Mrs. Corinthos."

Alexis shuddered at the thought of being called Mrs. anything and smiled. "I will never ever get used to that."

She stepped out into the hall closing the door behind her and found Carly waiting for the elevator. She took a deep breath and started across the hall. She stopped at Sonny's, well, hers and Sonny's door and turned her head to Carly. "Goodbye Carly."

Carly turned around. "Goodbye. Congratulations on winning Sonny's affections."

Alexis sighed. "Carly, he's not a prize to be had." She took her hand off the doorknob and turned her body toward Carly. "Carly, whatever it is you think of me ... I wish that you would understand that nothing that has happened between Sonny and me has been to hurt you. He loves you and Michael, he always will and he'll always look out for the both of you and be a father to that little boy ... and I would never do or say anything to try and deter him from that."

The elevator light popped on as the bell signaled the car's arrival. Carly took a step into the elevator and stopped, placing her hand on the door, preventing it from closing. She looked at Alexis with a defeated expression. "You just make him happy Alexis. He deserves that," she said quietly and let go of the door.

Alexis nodded as she watched the doors come together.

She shook her head and walked into the penthouse to find Sonny sitting on the edge of the couch, his elbows resting on his knees. He looked up at her and flicked his head. "Hey."

Alexis tilted her head to the side; she could see his red eyes. "Hey," she replied. "You okay?"

Sonny nodded, taking a deep breath and standing up. He held his arms open and Alexis walked into them gratefully. They embraced and Alexis could feel the tension in Sonny's body.

"I didn't want to hurt her Lex," came his muffled voice from over her shoulder.

"I know you didn't."

"She just wouldn't get it. you know?"

"She will. It will hurt for a while, but she'll eventually realize that she needs to let you go."

Sonny pulled back from her and nodded. "I love you Alexis Davis-Corinthos."

Alexis smiled and brought her hand to his face, wiping a stray tear off of his cheek. "I love you too Mr. Corinthos ... more than I could possibly say."

Sonny captured Alexis' hand and intertwined their fingers. He led her to the stairs. "You know, the Olympics are starting in a couple of weeks. Two weeks of uninterrupted sporting events." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Alexis stopped moving up the stairs and wrapped her arms around Sonny's neck. "Sonny, now that we're married ... I feel I can tell you something."

Sonny tilted his head. "What's that?"

Alexis took a deep breath and let it out. "I absolutely hate sports."

Sonny laughed and picked her up in his arms. "That's okay, we'll just stick to sex then."

"I can live with that," she said as her mouth came crashing down upon his.

THE END