The Long Road Home
by Terry

Chapter 9

Visiting hours would soon begin and Johnny wondered if anyone would show up to check on Alexis' progress. This would be the first time anyone on the outside other than Felicia and Sonny would know how deeply involved he now was in Alexis' care. Looking over at her, he smiled at how beautiful she looked today. Joy had outdone herself in preparing Alexis for visitors. Because of the amount of time Johnny was spending with Alexis outside, she was once again beginning to develop a bit of a tan. Other than the vacancy in her eyes, no one would know in looking at her that she was sick.

That morning Alexis was put through numerous types of medical tests for both her and the baby. Kevin ordered additional blood work and another brain scan for Alexis, and the child's growth progress was re-tested as well. Johnny was ecstatic to learn that the baby was progressing normally and all indications pointed toward the baby being healthy. He nervously stood nearby when the ultrasound was done and at the nurse's urging placed his hand upon where the baby was resting. He was immediately rewarded with a tiny movement and felt an awe inspired tear roll down his cheek. He bent low and whispered, 'Hey peanut, I'm your Uncle Johnny. And it's my business to take care of you and your mom for a while. You just let me know whatever you need and I'm there for you. Humbled by the miracle he was allowed to witness he busied himself with covering Alexis with a warm blanket to keep the nurse from seeing just how much it did affect him. He lingered a moment longer, and just before he left to let the nurse redress Alexis, he placed his hand once again on the child and patted very gently, then ran his hand along the cheek of Alexis. 'See you in a bit, girls.'

Settling down on the sofa beside Alexis, Johnny opened one of the law books he brought from her home.

"Hey peanut, how about I read some law stuff to you and your mom? Don't reckon I'll get much out of it, but it sure did seem to be able to get your mom all riled up at times. I can't imagine anyone enjoying reading law books as much as your mom seems to. Oh well, no accounting for taste. Here we go... "

At that moment Johnny heard a knock at the door. Rising to answer it he patted the child a couple of times and spoke to Alexis.

"Well, it seems you do have a visitor this evening. I'll just go see who it is. Be right back."

Opening the door, he encountered Ned Ashton.

Ned was irritated that Alexis had been moved without him being told. Arriving at her new room he knocked and glanced around at the more attractive décor around him. Nodding his approval he turned at the sound of the door opening.

It took a second for it to register just who was answering Alexis' door and when it did he became incensed.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Doing what you suggested I do."

"What? I did not suggest that you take up visiting Alexis."

"I'm not visiting Alexis. I live here now."

Johnny realized he was deliberately baiting Ashton, but he wanted all of the animosity left outside in the hall before Ashton entered Alexis' rooms.

"What do you mean you live here? Get out of my way, and take whatever agenda you and your boss are manipulating here and get out. I will not allow Sonny Corinthos anywhere near Alexis. Do I make myself clear?"

Suddenly a terrifying thought shot through Ned's consciousness. "Wait, is he here?"

Ned attempted to barge past Johnny and found himself thrown up against the opposite wall with Johnny's forearm threatening to cut off his air.

"You listen to me Ashton. You will not come here and upset Alexis in any way. I don't know if she can hear what is going on around her, but I do know that it is my job to see to it that her life is as calm and peaceful as it possibly can be. Not that I owe you an explanation; but I do not work for Mr. Corinthos any longer. I am here strictly to see to the care of Alexis. That's it. If you have a problem with that then I suggest you take it up with Dr. Collins. But be warned, if you come back here with anything less than total and absolute respect and compassion for that lady sitting in there, then I will tear you apart piece by piece. Do you get what I'm telling you?"

Feeling the fight drain from Ned's body, Johnny slowly released him and stepped back. Watching Ned intently for any sign of a repeat performance, Johnny took another step back but stayed alert to any change in Ned’s demeanor.

"If you would like to spend some time with Alexis, you are more than welcome to. She doesn't get many visitors. But, since I have been given the responsibility of being her companion and seeing to her needs, you have to understand that I will not allow you to raise your voice or inflict any of your negative attitudes or words on her. If you can accept that, then you are more than welcome to come in."

Ned straightened his jacket and passed a look of loathing at Johnny.

"I will be talking to Kevin about this, but until then I want to see her. I want to know what it is you're doing here and I want to make sure she is safe. In order to get into that room it looks as though I don't have much choice other than to agree to your terms… for the moment. As soon as I'm done with her, then I'll speak to Kevin. You had best pack your things. You won't be here much longer."

With that, Ned walked past Johnny into Alexis' rooms noting with irritation that Johnny followed close on his heels. He walked over to Alexis and knelt before her taking both of her hands in his.

"Hey, sweetheart. Looks like you've acquired a bodyguard. I might have known Sonny would find a way to get to you even in here."

"Ashton, I'm warning you. You do not have any way of knowing it, but if I decide that your visits are detrimental to Alexis, I have the power to have you removed and banned from her visitor list. Don't push me."

Standing up and moving away from Alexis, Ned strode up to Johnny and pointed his finger in his face.

"You had better back off, buddy. I don't know what it is you think you are going to accomplish here, but it stops right here and right now."

Smiling condescendingly, Johnny pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and hit the speed dial. Hearing an answer on the other end Johnny spoke without mentioning the name of the person he called.

"I need you in Alexis' room. We have a situation that you need to clear up before I do. Thanks."

"What, calling Sonny now? Look at her, can't you see what he has done to her?"

"What I see is a man standing in front of me with a total disregard for someone he claims to care about. If she can hear this conversation, what do you think it's doing to her? Don't you care that she took the only way out that she felt she had left? What is wrong with you?"

Turning at the sound of the door opening he smiled grimly as Kevin Collins walked in. Stepping away from Ned he went to Alexis and pulled her to her feet. Gently coaxing her, he led her out of the room and into her bedroom where he sat her down on the love seat that occupied the space along one wall.

"I think it's time you rested a bit, partner. I'll take care of everything out there and come back for you in a bit."

Stroking her cheek a few times, Johnny laid a calming hand upon the child and returned to the living room where Kevin and Ned were engaged in a heated argument.

Standing in the doorway, so he could keep an eye on Alexis, Johnny listened as Kevin tried to explain the medical program that Alexis was currently undergoing. As he stood there he began to get more irritated with each passing moment. Kevin was not being given the opportunity to complete a sentence without Ashton interrupting him and the more Kevin tried the louder Ashton got. Taking a look back at Alexis to check on her, he walked up behind Ashton and quickly pulled his arm behind his back with one hand and with his other caught Ashton around the throat cutting off his air supply.

"Doc, would you open the door for me please. I need to take out the trash, it's beginning to stink."

Ned watched in horror as Kevin, without comment, walked to the door, opened it, then stepped aside as Johnny pushed him into the hall. Turning to try to get back inside he came face to face with Kevin as the door was closed effectively leaving him outside and Johnny inside... with Alexis.

Feeling a storm of rage fill him, Ned tried to push past Kevin to get back into the room. He wanted Johnny out of there. Finding himself again back up against the wall, he stared into the eyes of a man who had finally and completely lost his patience.

"Ned, you take one more step toward that door and I will call security and have you arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Do I make myself clear? Just one more outburst from you and you are out of here with staff instructions that you are not to be allowed back in. I will not have you tampering with or destroying what little progress we may have made with her because you can't look past your own selfishness to see the bigger picture. Man, you have an ego the likes of which I've never seen before. For once in your life, put somebody else's needs ahead of your own. Matter of fact, you need to leave now. There's nothing you can do here."

Ned could not believe his ears. He was being shut out of Alexis' life while Sonny Corinthos' bodyguard had complete access and possible control over Alexis. Shaking himself out of the hold that held him against the wall, he glared at Kevin.

"I thought when I called you in to be Alexis' doctor that I was calling in the best doctor available. I was wrong. I will have you removed as her doctor as soon as I can possibly make it happen."

"Ned, do you even like Alexis?"

Ned heard Kevin's response just as he turned to walk away. Whipping around again he stood angry and defiant that such a question was being asked of him.

"I not only like Alexis, but I love her. She is my friend and I am only concerned in what is best for her. If that were not true, I would not have claimed her child as mine to protect them both."

Ignoring the remark about the parentage of the child, Kevin walked closer to Ned and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I'd like you to see something, Ned. Would you accompany me to my office for a few minutes? I won't keep you long, but there is something that I think you might find interesting."

"Regarding Alexis?"

"Yes. Please, follow me."

A few moments later, Ned was seated in Kevin's office looking at a series of graphs that to him looked no more interesting than the drawings of a child.

"Ok, what is this?"

"I did a brain scan on Alexis this morning. Here are the results. The red lines you see are Alexis' brain waves; the level of activity that is going on in her mind. Every time you see a major jump in the wave, that is a response from Alexis herself. There were only three times that an outside stimulus was invoked. As you can see, there are only three jumps in the brain waves."

"That means that whatever you did, she responded to it, right?"

"Yes."

"Has this happened before when you stimulated her?"

"No."

"So, what did you use? What is she responding to?"

"The first stimulus provided a 25% increase in brain activity. The stimulus we used was simply allowing Johnny to talk to her. Johnny talking to her also brought about the second jump in activity, but we added the additional stimulus of him holding her hand. The addition of adding his physical touch provided a 50% increase in brain activity. The third jump as you can see, provided the most dramatic increase in activity. There was an 80% increase in activity and Johnny again was the instrument used. But this time while he was talking to her he took hold of her hand and used her hand to caress the child."

Watching Ned process the information, Kevin hoped he had finally been able to reach him.

"Did anyone else try? I mean did you try to get her to respond to you or maybe a nurse?"

"Yes. There was no change in brain activity."

"So you're telling me that Johnny is the only one she is reacting to right now?"

"Yes"

Staring intently at Ned, he was actually beginning to feel sorry for him. The man was finding himself in the middle of a dilemma that he didn't know quite what to do about.

"Ned, this is a first step. We have never gotten any response from her before... at all. I'm asking you not to interfere. We are finally making progress. I am more hopeful now than I have ever been."

"Would she respond to me like that, given we have a history?"

"Ned, I'm sorry, but I doubt it. Not right now. Johnny has spent quite a bit of time with her. He has put his life on hold until Alexis is released from Ferncliff. He doesn't leave her side unless it is to relinquish her care to her personal nurse. Somewhere in her mind, Alexis knows she can count on Johnny. Just how much she is aware of I have no way of knowing. If and when she becomes lucid, she may know Johnny, but then again she may not. Right now, all Johnny is to her is stability, something that is a constant. You cannot provide that for her Ned."

Getting up with the feeling that he had somehow failed Alexis, Ned reached out to shake Kevin's hand.

"Do what you have to do for her. You'll have no more trouble from me. But, can I at least continue to visit her?"

"That would be fine as long as you agree to the rules that Johnny and I have put into place for her. They are for her protection only, Ned."

"I understand. Like I said, I won't give you any more problems and I'll see that Nicholas and her brother understand as well."

"Thank you, Ned."

Watching Ned leave his office, Kevin shook his head in total unbelief. If Ned were indicative of the type of friends Alexis surrounded herself with, it was no wonder she was in the predicament she was in now. Picking up the folder that contained the results of her morning's brain scan, Kevin left his office. He was on his way home after a long and difficult day, but there was one more stop he needed to make before he could leave.

After Johnny closed the door on Ned, he returned to the bedroom to gently coax Alexis back into the living room. Sitting down beside her, he leaned over to the coffee table and picked up a comic book.

"I think we've had enough seriousness for one day, Ms LawLady. It's time for a little 'Superman' adventure. How do you like my choice of light reading? Little scary, huh? What can I say, all bodyguards have their own little fantasies they like to indulge in."

Laughing at his own humor, Johnny stood again to answer another knock on the door.

"Be right back, partner. Looks like you're a little popular this evening."

Johnny opened the door to find Kevin standing outside.

"You have any problems, doc?"

"No, everything's fine. Ned will probably be returning to visit Alexis, but don't worry; you won't have any more problems out of him. You got a minute? I would like to talk to you about something."

"Sure, doc. Let me check on my lawyer friend and I'll join you at the table."

Walking back over to Alexis, Johnny lifted an afghan off the back of the sofa and covered her legs with it. Reaching out he grasped her hand, squeezed it gently then placed it over the baby. Approaching the table where Kevin sat down, Johnny noticed an array of medical forms and became agitated.

"Doc, is there something wrong with Alexis?"

"No, actually there is something very right with Alexis. Sit down, Johnny. I want to show you something."

Waiting for Johnny to settle himself across from him, Kevin smiled eagerly at being given the chance to share his news with a man he had come to like and highly respect.

"Johnny, do you remember what I asked you to do for Alexis while we were having her scan done this morning?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Look at this."

Sliding the graph that showed Alexis' brain activity over to Johnny he laughed at the total look of confusion that landed on Johnny's face.

"How many spikes do you see, Johnny?"

"Three."

"How many times did I ask you to interact with Alexis this morning while we were doing the test?"

Johnny thought a minute and as the reality of what Kevin was telling him began to slowly sink in he laid his head down on the table and cried in relief. She was coming out of it. Alexis was coming out of it.

"Johnny, I know you get part of what I am telling you here, but just so you get the full picture; Alexis did not respond to me, nor did she respond to the nurse. She responded to you. Johnny you wanted to make a difference... you wanted to help Alexis. This graph proves that you have succeeded."

Raising his head unashamed of the tears on his face, Johnny carefully and tenderly picked up the graph afraid of tearing it.

"Can I keep this, doc?"

"Sure, Johnny. Why don't you get it framed or something? You've earned it."

Standing quietly Johnny laid his hand on Kevin's shoulder. "No, she's earned it. Thanks, doc." Leaving the table he walked back over to the sofa and sat back down beside Alexis putting his arm across her shoulders.

"Hey, partner. It's just me. Thanks for my present. How did you know it was my birthday?"