The Long Road Home
by Terry

Chapter 20

Giving Alexis enough time to change into bedclothes and settle in for the night, Johnny was just returning with a cup of tea when he heard his cell phone ring. Juggling the cup of tea with one hand he pulled his phone out of his pocket with the other.

"Hello."

"Johnny? It's Kevin. How's Alexis?"

"She's on overload, Doc. I'm real worried about her."

"I know, Johnny. Look, all you have to do is see that she gets some sleep. Remember what I told you. Check on her a couple of times during the night. If she seems agitated gently touch her, her mind will recognize your touch and she should settle."

"JOHNNY?"

"COMING. Gotta go, doc. Alexis is calling me?"

"That's fine. Just don't hesitate to call me if you need me tonight. I'll be around early in the morning?"

"Hey doc, you might want to think about what you're going to do about Sonny. He's going to be coming by tomorrow and I don't think she remembers him. And I know she doesn't remember Kristina. You have to be real careful with this stuff, Doc."

"Yeah, I know. This is not going to be easy. See you in the morning, Johnny."

"Bye, Doc."

Entering her bedroom, he saw she had settled into bed and was sitting up against the pillows her eyes big and dark. She looked like a little girl lost among the covers. Stepping up to the bed he handed her the cup of tea.

"What's this?" She asked him skeptically.

"It's just tea, Alexis. Nothing but. Hey, it's not my style to drug people; especially without them knowing it, smartie."

"Ok, Ok, so I'm a little suspicious. Who can blame me? As far as I know, I just met you today and I haven't seen any of my friends since I came back from the abyss. It's just a little… disconcerting."

"Does it help to joke about the... well… you know."

"See, you can't say it either. So don't go trying to analyze me, smartie."

He smiled at her obvious dodge of the subject and lifted her head slightly with his forefinger to catch her eye.

"Tell you what, why don't we say it together on the count of three. Maybe if we both get used to the word, then maybe we both will be able to handle it better. See, the doc has said it and Joy has said it, but I just haven't been able to attach that word to my friend. So, what do you say? On the count of three?"

Taking hold of his hand and looking him straight in the eye, Alexis began counting.

"One... Two... Three... "

"Catatonia."

Johnny laughed outright realizing that she had duped him into saying it alone.

"Ok, Miss Smartie, that just means you have to say it all by yourself now. I tried to make it easier on you, but nooooooooooo... you had to go and make me say it all by myself. Ok... your turn counselor."

Seeing her face become serious, Johnny took both of her hands in his and waited.

"I know I have to say it, Johnny. I know... "

**Alexis, You’re Imploding**

As the words raced through her mind she grabbed her head against the immediate jolt of pain and moaned falling forward toward Johnny.

Fear raced through Johnny as he saw her reaction to something she was experiencing internally. Taking her by the shoulders he held her steadily.

"Alexis, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Someone... talking to me. Saying something. I don't know who it was; couldn't see them. It hurts. Same thing happened once earlier. Just once though."

"It's normal, Alexis. According to the doc, he says that it's just the memories surfacing. Things will get triggered and you'll remember something. You just have to let it come on its own and don't force it. So, we are going to change the subject and talk about something safe and easy. Should I leave it up to you and hope you'll be a good little girl and play nice?"

"I'm too tired to argue at this point."

"Just lay down, Alexis and I'll read to you awhile."

"No Johnny, just talk to me. Tell me about Joy or what you do for a living... whatever. Just talk to me."

Understanding her need to be able to center herself in the present; Johnny began to tell her stories of his childhood. As be started his third story he glanced over at Alexis and saw that she had fallen asleep. Quietly standing he placed one arm around her waist and placed his other hand at the top of her back then with great care eased her down from her sitting position so she was more able to sleep comfortably. Turning off the bedside light he went into the living room to dim the light in there for when he would return to check on Alexis during the night.

Settling into his own bed, he reached over and turned on the monitor so he could see Alexis in her room. Until tonight he had not felt a need to turn up the volume on the monitor, but with the obvious anxiety that she was experiencing he felt better knowing he could now hear as well as see her.

Reliving the events of the day, Johnny couldn’t help but smile. Alexis was back and except for the problem of her memory, she seemed to be handling it all very well considering the extent of the situation she now found herself in. Closing his eyes he drifted off to sleep as he chuckled at one of her attempts at humor earlier in the day.

________________

Sitting up in bed instantly, Johnny couldn't figure out what awakened him. Looking toward the monitor he saw that Alexis was not in her bed. Glancing at his watch he saw that it was just past 4:00am. Only an hour later than the last time he checked on her. Jumping from his bed he raced into the hall and began looking for her.

Coming to a halt just inside the living room entrance he saw her standing at the window, arms crossed staring out into the black of night.

"Alexis?"

Walking toward her carefully so as not to alarm her, he gently reached out and touched her shoulder.

"Alexis, you ok?"

"No. Johnny, someone's trying to kill me and I don't know who it is."

Floored at her revelation, Johnny stepped closer and put his arms around her and tightened his hold as he felt her shudder.

"Alexis, there is no one trying to kill you. I promise you on my life. You are safe here with me and there is no one... no one trying to kill you. Now tell me why you think that."

Stepping outside the confines of Johnny's arms, she looked up at him in disbelief. She could see very clearly that he actually believed what he was saying, so she smiled kindly at him and turned away from him. Somehow she would have to deal with this on her own. Patting him condescendingly on the arm a couple of times she left his side to return to her room.

"Oh no you don't, counselor. I've seen you do that before. You don't believe me and because you have no doubt in your mind about what you think is the truth, you're just gonna wave me off and try to deal with this all alone. I am not going to let you do that, Alexis Davis. Now tell me, why do you think someone is trying to kill you."

Following her he caught her arm and turned her around to face him. At her immediate look of displeasure at being handled so, he released her arm and leveled an intense gaze at her.

"I'm sorry. That was rude. But, just listen to me for a minute. Let's just say hypothetically that what you think you know is the truth. And remember, I said hypothetically, because on my honor it is not true. But, look at the facts. You're here, you're pregnant, and you have no clue what the last year of your life has been about. You believe you have an enemy out there somewhere. How are you going to fight him? I'm sorry, Alexis, but you're not looking at this objectively. I need to know why you think someone is trying to kill you. You have to trust me. You are not in any danger. I swear it."

As he saw the tears of frustration begin to form in her eyes, he slowly lifted his hand, palm up hoping she would take the hint and place hers within it. The indecision in her eyes was very evident, but there was also her appreciation for what he was trying to do for her. As she hesitatingly lifted her hand to his he brought his other hand up to cover hers.

"Come on, partner. Sit down with me on the couch and talk to me."

Alexis followed Johnny to the couch and waited as he sat down, then she sat making sure there was plenty of room between the two of them. Taking a deep breath, she told him about the visions that jarred her from sleep.

"I was shot at once outside the police department and I was the target of two bombings."

His head bowed a bit as he felt the weight of her words settle on him. She was sitting there afraid for her life and trying desperately to hide it behind a façade of steel, ice and resolve. Johnny instinctively knew that this was no time for playing with words. The problem he was faced with however, was that one of the bombings taken her sister, Kristina, and he could not approach that subject yet. But, she needed to know some of the facts and she needed them from him.

"Alexis, those things did happen, but they were not aimed at you. You just got caught in the crossfire."

"How? How Johnny? How did I get caught in the crossfire of such vileness?"

"A client you were representing. The men responsible for those events were after a client of yours."

She stood and walked across the room before turning back to him her voice full of unbelief and barely concealed anger.

"And why would I allow someone who was so susceptible to danger around me? I have enough danger in my life with my own family. It doesn't make sense that I would further endanger my life or the life of my child by getting close to someone who is in constant jeopardy."

This conversation had gone way past what Johnny was comfortable with. It was important that Alexis know she was not a target, but they were getting too close to the man who had been. Alexis was not ready for Sonny Corinthos.