The Long Road Home
by Terry

Chapter 42

Looking at his monitor when he awoke the next morning Johnny saw Alexis sitting on the side of her bed starring at the board in front of her. Late the previous evening she had asked him to go to the nearest office products store for a few items. She requested note cards, pens, pencils, hi-liters, legal pads and the enormous bulletin board she now sat in front of. Getting up he dressed, then went to make a pot of coffee before ending up at her door curious as to what she was up to.

"Alexis? You look like you're involved in some legal case or something."

"Or something is right. Come on in, Johnny and look at this. Sit here beside me."

As Johnny settled down beside her, she starred at him until she drew his gaze then smiled widely.

"Johnny O'Brien, bodyguard to one Sonny Corinthos."

To say that he was stunned would be a vast understatement. His jaw dropped at her revelation.

"Close your mouth, Johnny. I haven't remembered a whole lot yet. In fact, look at the board. Other than just snatches here and there, that's about all I can fuse together at this point."

Johnny looked at the board and began reading the numbered items.

1. I don't trust you... but I don't like to see people who are trying to change...

if they're trying to change... get railroaded.

2. ... I will not represent someone who murders for a living... If there is any

evidence of murder or assault - you find yourself another lawyer.

3. I'm crying on the shoulder of my new best friend... a mob boss.

4. He's getting better, he didn't call me your mouthpiece this time.

5. Sonny, I don't even want to be your attorney. Being your neighbor doesn't

seem like the next logical step.

6. The FBI, DA's office, the Port Charles police department all want to put you

away

"I see you've been busy. Any problems come up from all this?"

"Well, that's a loaded question."

Alexis stood and walked closer to the board, staring at it and concentrating on the feelings it invoked in her. Turning back to Johnny she tried to answer him in the best way she could.

"So far, this is all that I remember of Sonny. He is not the sort of client I would normally associate myself with. But, in saying that, I have to tell you that there are feelings lying just under the surface that in no way support what's on that board. They are all in disarray and chaotic. I can't seem to separate them into any form of order. It's like... a volcano ready to erupt should the wrong thing land on that board. Does that make sense?"

"I'm not sure I'm following you, Alexis."

Returning to sit beside him, she let her gaze fall back on the board. It drew her like a magnet. The board had become a link... a portal to her past.

"There's an undercurrent that puzzles me where that man is concerned. Those last two notes clearly suggest that I somehow got involved with the mob through its boss. But, I don't remember it and as for remembering Sonny... the reality of him is vague and blurred but I do know for certain that he was in my life for a while. How long and in how many capacities... well, I'm still working on that. What scares me, is that my involvement with him may have landed me here. He knows me. He knows a lot about me. We were friends. There are images of the two of us together that don't make a lot of sense, but they confirm we were friends. But, when I remember my conversation with him yesterday afternoon and try to measure it against what is on that board... it just doesn't fit. The man I sat and talked with yesterday is not the man on that board."

"Remember what I told you Alexis. You are safe here. I do know Sonny and I know that he does not want to hurt you."

"You say that and from what little time I have spent with him, it feels like he's trying to help. But, you have to admit from what you see on that board... I willingly put myself into a very compromising situation."

As another thought stopped her she picked up a note card and wrote the thought down then attached it to the board.

7. I'm sure this happens all the time. The law abiding come to you for favors.

Stepping back from the board she glanced at Johnny.

"It's beginning to make a little sense now. Somehow... something happened and I owed him."

Johnny stood beside her and pulled her around to stand in front of him in order to get her full attention.

"No. You did not owe, Sonny. Sonny owed you. That board, however you may view it right now, has gaps in it as wide as the Grand Canyon. You keep writing those note cards and putting them up there. I don't know where you got the idea, but I think it's a good one. But, just don't start jumping to conclusions before you have all the facts. Use those skills you've got for building law cases. 'Cause that's what you're doing. You’re building a case. The facts will come, we just need to make sure they come in the right order so you don't get more confused."

"But how do I know if what I see there is in the right order?"

"Well, that's just something we're going to have to work out. But, I can tell you right now that number 4 is out of sequence. It needs to be in the number 1 spot. It happened before all the others."

"I knew you first?"

"Actually no. But, we all learned pretty quickly that in calling you anybody's mouthpiece we were putting our lives in danger."

Seeing the twinkle in his eye made her laugh as she changed the order of the cards.

"Being called a mouthpiece would definitely have gotten my dander up. Thanks Johnny. With you hanging around I may beat this thing yet. Care to join me in a cup of coffee? Suddenly I feel the need to take a break."

Walking with her toward the door, he frowned slightly. There were dark circles under her eyes this morning that had not been there last night. Halting inside the door he lay his hand on her arm and turned her toward him.

"Alexis, how long have you been at it? The board, I mean."

"Not long."

"Alexis? You wouldn't offend me by not telling me the truth, would you?"

"Not on purpose. So, if you must know... most of the night. I wasn't sleeping very well, so I decided to pass the time a little more constructively."

"Why didn't you wake me? I would have come talk to you for awhile until you could go back to sleep."

Taking his hand in her own she led him out of the bedroom to join her on the sofa.

"Johnny, we need to talk."

Settling into the cushions she caught a brief glance at his face before he looked away mumbling.

"I did it again, didn't I? I pushed too hard."

Laying her hand against his cheek she drew his face back to her own.

"Look at me, Johnny. I can't have you second-guessing yourself every time I assert a little independence. You've been a rock for me. I still need you, maybe now more than ever. But, there are times when I just need to be alone. Where I can relax and just be me without having my every move watched and analyzed. I need to have some down time away from caring eyes, where I can figure things out on my own. I'm ok, Johnny. You've helped me reach a place where the 'black hole' is not so much of a threat anymore. You say you know me, well then you should know that I am very independent. I need my own space."

"I know. It's one of those things that Joy finds so interesting about you. But, she hasn't been around as long as I have. I have a good idea what all of this is doing to that independence of yours. I'm kind of surprised you haven't sat me down before now. Ok, partner. You win this one. But, only because you are going to promise me to take a nap later. Please?"

"Johnny. Johnny. Johnny. What am I going to do with you? Alright I'll take a nap after lunch. NOW can I have that cup of coffee that has been calling my name ever since you walked into my room this morning?"

Laughing together they stood hand in hand and headed for the kitchen.

"Where's Joy this morning?"

The two of them were sitting at the kitchen table companionably enjoying their coffee without much conversation. They were just enjoying the friendship between them.

"There were a few errands she needed to run. I think she's got something up her sleeve. She was pretty evasive when I talked to her last night. We might want to get prepared. There's no telling what she could be up to."

"Well knowing Joy, it couldn't be too bad. The girl doesn't have a mean bone in her body."

"Tell me about it."

Alexis watched as the smile that lit his face at the thought of Joy slowly raised a blush that settled across his cheeks. Laughing in good humor she reached across and lay her hand on his.

"Just how long does it take a man of your age to lose the ability to blush so attractively? It is simply the most fascinating thing to me that you blush at the drop of a hat when it comes to women."

"Aw, cut it out. I can't help it. Things just get to me. My grandmother used to tease me about it all the time."

Growing serious at the mention of his grandmother, Alexis squeezed his hand and let go.

"I wish I could have known your grandmother, Johnny. I think I would have loved her. It doesn't make sense but I miss her and I never knew her. I guess what I miss is never having met the woman who loved a child so much that she spent time raising him to be a kind, considerate, gentle and loving man. I would love to have been able to sit with her and just talk about raising children... raising my child."

Johnny's eyes filled at the need he heard in her voice. The tears also a product of the pride he felt that his grandmother still had the ability to affect people so long after she had passed.

"She was one in ten million. I laid her to rest not far from here. Maybe I shouldn't ask, but I was going to go by there today... would you like to go with me? Just you and me."

At his offer, her own tears fell at the graceful and giving heart of the man that sat across from her.

"Yes, Johnny. I would like to very much if you're sure you don't mind."

"I don't mind. In fact, it would be an honor if you would go with me."

"Johnny, you are going to make one fine husband. You and Joy are going to be so happy together."

"Alexis, can I ask you something?"

Alexis saw the uncertainty in his face as he thought of what he wanted to ask her. He had become very serious and there was not a hint of humor or levity of any kind remaining on his face.

"What is it Johnny? What's bothering you?"

"I want my marriage to Joy to be everything that she would want it to be. I know a lot about marriage in general from talking to Nana Rose so much. But now that I've asked Joy to marry me, I'm a bit shaky. I want Joy to always be happy. I don't want to let her down. I don't want her to ever regret marrying me."

Alexis could see he was very agitated at the thought that he could fail Joy and her heart went out to him. He was such a loving man. Men like Johnny were rare indeed. It took a very special woman to raise a man like him and that was why she would have loved to have met his grandmother.

"Johnny, you have it within you to make of this marriage what you want. It is up to you. I have no doubt at all that your marriage will be all that you desire it to be, because I see your heart. What is it that Joy will want? Joy has what she wants. She wants you. She wants the man she fell in love with. Don't lose that man. In the chaos of life, the daily demands it puts on us we tend to get caught up in it all and forget the needs of each other... the pleasures we find in one another. Don't let that happen to you. Your relationship with Joy should be your first priority. Put her first always and you will find that she will do the same. Your days will be rich and full if the two of you spend them catering to each other."

"You sound like my grandmother. I always felt better after I talked to her about what bothered me. Thanks, partner."

"No, Johnny. Thank you. You just gave me a gift in comparing me to your grandmother. You are such a special man."

"Ok, let's not go there again. I'm taking a lesson from you and changing the subject. What do you have planned this morning?"

"Well, I thought I would take a walk and see if I could spot Sonny. I have a few questions I'd like to ask him."

"Fine and I'm not even going to say anything about being careful and not pushing too hard. I think you've got that down now."

"You know you should work on your ability to be subtle. You're not very good at it."

Laughing he stood and placed his cup in the sink before turning patting her on the head and walking out.

"Yeah well. I may not be subtle, but I did make my point counselor."