The Long Road Home
by Terry

Chapter 88

The morning was bright with fluffy white cheery clouds gracing the sky. On the grounds of Ferncliff there was a host of life going on. Birds singing, squirrels playing, flowers growing and leaves full of the colors of autumn soundlessly finding their way to the ground. It was a beautiful day filled with innumerable possibilities.

And on the porch of a pure white home of restoration stood four souls who had weathered the storm and come out on the other side stronger for having the courage and determination to endure the journey.

She entered this place alone... isolated from the world. The journey was long and hard. But, it was also a journey that needed to be taken… so much was learned... so much more waiting to be learned. The learning would be easier now... more acceptable... often welcomed. Looking over her shoulder at the building behind her, Alexis breathed a sigh of relief... of gratitude... and with a definite sense of freedom. As he took hold of her hand, Alexis brought her eyes to rest on the man that held her heart and was now questioning her.

"Ready?"

Ready. A simple word, unobtrusive, a word that children shouted when playing games of hide and seek... a word which could bring excitement or dread... a word which held so much more when applied to this day... this moment... Looking within, Alexis silently asked herself... are you ready? Are you ready to face the world and all of its chaos... its highs and lows... the mountains and valleys of emotion? Without words... with assurance and conviction she nodded her head. She was ready. And it took the love of the three who stood beside her, and one who had gone on to her resting place to be able to answer that question without a trace of doubt.

The four walked hand in hand down the steps and then hesitantly, one who suddenly felt the need to reflect turned toward the south lawn for a last look. Alexis felt his hand fall to rest on her shoulder and dropping the hand that held her own she reached up and covered Johnny's hand on her shoulder. She didn't have to look to see whose hand had reached to find her. The simple need to rest on the trust and faith of a bond that was forged through the fires of fear, distress and renewal was one she knew well. She knew what he was thinking and she knew what he was feeling. She looked toward Sonny and without words asked him to give her a few minutes alone with Johnny.

Johnny needed time to collect himself, so he took a couple of steps away from the small group. His heart was full of so much emotion... they were going home. He and Alexis were finally going home. He did what he set out to do, but he was also walking away with so much more than he ever could have hoped for. He was a new man and it felt good. He turned to look at Alexis as he felt her join him then silently followed her as she guided him to the place they both would remember for the rest of their lives.

It didn't look like much... it was cold... hard and uncomfortable. But, to Johnny and Alexis... it represented a beginning... a place filled with promise and a future that required nothing more than expectation. One lone wooden bench under a tall aged oak tree. A place of awakening... a place of finding out that friends can be more than you ever imagined they could be.

Sitting down Alexis pulled Johnny down beside her and leaned over to rest against his shoulder. A place of strength... a place of safety... of trust.

"We've both come a long way, haven't we?"

And with a tremor in his voice...

"Yeah, a long way. I know it's going to sound bad... but, I'm glad it was me and you doing this. We needed this. I mean not the time you were out of it, but... boy that does sound bad, doesn't it?"

"I know what you mean, Johnny. And you're right. We did need this to get our lives back on track... to bring us to a place where we were able to start over without all of the baggage."

Johnny laid his arm across her shoulder and pulled her closer.

"Yeah. That's it."

Reaching up she let her hand caress one side of his face then the other and smiled as the frown left his face.

"We both came away from this with more than we ever thought we would. You have a wife, Johnny... a beautiful, compassionate and loving wife. And you have a new relationship with Sonny."

"I have a lot more than that, partner. I found a friend here, someone who looks at me and sees more than the outside. I have a best friend now and that is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. You helped me find my way back to the man that my grandmother taught me to be all those years ago. And I have a godchild to look forward to. I want to some day share with her the woman I met here on this bench not so long ago. Do you have any idea, Alexis just how much you mean to me?"

Alexis felt his arm tighten around her as his other arm came up to complete the circle around her and she felt a tear fall from his face as he leaned his head against hers.

"Yes, Johnny. I do. Because that is how I feel about you. I sat here on this bench and awakened to your eyes begging me to come alive again. I have never in my life felt as safe as I did with you while I was here. Johnny what you did for me here was so much more than I ever thought anyone would ever do for me. You believed in me, you fought as hard as I did to get us through this... In just the small amount of time that we've been here you have become more important to me than any 'friend' I have ever known before. And if you think I am ever going to let you get away from me, you've got another think coming, buddy."

Johnny laughed at her attempt to ease them out of their seriousness.

"I'm not going anywhere, partner. Besides my wife would definitely kick up a fuss if anybody tried to stick their two cents in between any of us. Joy loves you just as much as I do and I can't tell you what having you in her life has done for her. Well, would you look at that? Did you ever think you'd see something like that?"

As Johnny was talking about Joy he looked back to find her and the sight that met him stunned him. And by the look on Alexis' face she was having the same reaction.
A group of five was slowly walking toward them, but it was Sonny who was forcing them into their current appearance of shock and unbelief. Joy and Courtney walked beside him with his arms resting comfortably and companionably across their shoulders. His face was awash with contentment and the smile he wore was fuller and brighter than any she and Johnny could ever remember seeing. Joy and Courtney's arms were wrapped around his waist as if it were the most natural thing in the world and they looked to be enjoying being so close to a man who by history was prone to be aloof and unapproachable. If that were not enough, striding behind them were Kevin and Jax with smiles just as big and engaging.

Alexis looked back at Johnny who still held a look of unbelief on his face.

"Wonder what this is all about?"

"I don't know, partner. But, I sure do wish we had a camera right now."

"I couldn't agree more."

As the unorthodox quintet reached Alexis and Johnny, they stood together almost as one while the leader of the unlikely grouping spoke first.

"It seems that a couple of people thought we needed to have an escort back to town, so they decided to make themselves our escort."

Alexis took in the sight of them and smiled delightedly. A movement behind Sonny attracted her gaze. Jax moved out from behind the pack and knelt beside Alexis taking her hands into his.

"I wasn't here for you when you got admitted to this place. But, I'm here to make sure you get home safely. And I'll be there for you from now on... so you just holler if you ever need anything. By the looks of this group you've accumulated though, I have a feeling my name is going to be a little further down the list than it used to be. But, that's okay with me. I deserve it for not being a better friend to you."

As Alexis' hand reached up to cup the side of his face, Jax let his eyes fall on Johnny.

"I apologize for giving you such a hard time. Seeing that look on her face tells me that you did more for her in the last two months than I could have done for her at all. For that, I owe you. And thank you for taking such good care of her."

Jax reached out his hand to Johnny and waited hoping Johnny would accept his apology and grinned when his offer was accepted without hesitation. He shook Johnny's hand a couple of times then looked back at Alexis. Seeing the look in her eyes, he knew what she was thinking and rather than allow her to force the difficult words out into the open, he again took hold of her hands and gave her as honest an answer as he could.

"He's not ready to accept all of the changes. Give him time, Alexis. He'll come around."

As a look of regret crossed her face, Alexis gave voice to the words she knew to be truth in her heart.

"No, Jax. He won't. He will never forgive me for allowing Sonny back into my life. He looks at it as a betrayal not only toward him, but toward my sister as well. I've lost him, but I can't do anything about that. He made his choice just as I've made mine. But, I love you for trying to make me feel better about it."

Taking a moment to look up at the people who stood around her, she smiled at each of them then looked back down at Jax. He was still concerned about how she would handle the loss of Ned in her life.

"Take a look around, Jax. When have you ever known me to have so many willing to put their lives on hold and fight the devil himself for me? I will miss, Ned. But, I have so much more now than when I arrived here and having you here today to support me... I love you for being here, Jax. Thank you for not abandoning me too. Thank you."

"Are you happy, Alexis? Does he make you happy?"

Alexis leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Jax' cheek and whispered her response.

"Happier than I can ever remember being in my life. He loves me, Jax... so much. Can't you tell? Look at him, there are no knives in his eyes stabbing you in the back. He knows you're important to me and he accepts that... just as your presence here tells me that you know how important he is to me and you're willing to accept that now. Please don't worry, Jax."

"Okay. I won't worry."

Standing, Jax turned to Sonny.

"Take care of her Corinthos. You call if she ever gets in trouble again. I'll do whatever I can to help."

Recognizing the reluctant peace offering, Sonny looked down at Alexis with love as he answered Jax.

"You have my word... I'll call you if the need ever arises."

Looking up at Sonny, Alexis smiled and winked at him effectively telling him she would reward him later for his newfound toleration of Jasper Jax. She lifted her fingers to her lips to stifle the chuckle that rose as Sonny correctly read her intentions and sent her a look of unadulterated lust.

"Ok, that's not something I needed to see, so if we're ready to get out of here... "

Joy, upon witnessing the silent exchange between Sonny and Alexis, felt it was time to get this impromptu convoy underway so the two of them could have a little time alone. She smiled as Alexis shot her a look of gratitude and sent her own wink back at Alexis as she reached for Johnny. It was time to go home... for all of them.

A few minutes later, as the progression reached the parking lot, Alexis saw the limousine waiting.

"Do we really need the limo, Sonny?"

"How else did you expect us to get home?"

"Well, I expected you to drive us home."

"Alexis, that would have been pretty hard to do."

"Why?"

"Because driving us anywhere would require my hands to be on the steering wheel and I can pretty much guarantee that wouldn't have happened. The object here is in fact... to get home."

A beautiful blush rose on Alexis' face as she recognized the intent of Sonny's words, then wordlessly walked toward the limo as Sonny followed her chuckling.

Reaching the limo, and waiting for Sonny to open the door for her, her eyes were drawn once more to Johnny who stood waiting for Joy to get into the pickup. His eyes looked up searching for Alexis as well. She could feel a sense of loss settle in her chest and didn't understand where it was coming from or what it meant. In seeing the look on Johnny's face, she knew without asking that he was feeling the same thing. They both recognized simultaneously that what they were feeling was in fact a form of separation anxiety. For all intents and purposes, there never again would be a time when the two of them would be so joined... so connected... so needful of one another and they felt as if something was being taken away from them.

As Alexis stepped away from the limo and walked toward him, Johnny found himself walking toward her as well. She met him halfway. He put his arms around her as he felt hers come to rest around him and in unison they whispered... 'See you later, partner'.

*************

Hearing his cell phone ring, Sonny reached into his pocket for it. Listening a moment, he nodded his head and ended the call. He didn't give Alexis time to consider whether to inquire about the call or not before he explained it.

"That was Jason. He finished up something I had him working on and needs me to stop by the penthouse. It won't take long, then I'll get you home."

Alexis' heart dipped a little, she was so ready to sit down and relax into the comfort of her own sofa. It had been too long. But understanding business sometimes needed to come first she acquiesced.

"Not a problem. I'll wait for you in the limo until you're ready to go."

"Well, I think maybe I want your input on this one. It could get a little hairy."

Alexis looked over at Sonny and figured now was as good a time as any to tell him about a decision she reluctantly made the night before.

"Sonny, I've thought long and hard about this and I've come to a decision. I don't want to step back into the job of being your attorney. We need to keep things as clean and simple as we can given your line of work and our new relationship. I just don't think it's a good idea for me to be as involved with your business as I was before... even if it was the legitimate portion of said business."

Sonny reached for her and drew her into his arms.

"It just so happens, that I agree with you. I don't want you representing my business interests any longer. But, this doesn't have anything to do with business. This is personal... and I need you in on it because it will effect you as well."

"Ok, you can't do that."

"Do what?"

"You're dancing around the issue."

"I know. Amazing how well we mastered that particular art form, isn't it?"

She watched his eyes take on a deeper hue and knew he was remembering the way they once danced around each other... seductively as well as playfully.

"Ok, buster. You need to reign in that libido of yours... at least until we get home. I'm not about to christen this limo with a stranger right behind that thin, not so sound proof barrier."

"It's only Max, Alexis."

"I repeat, not sound proof. My dignity has suffered enough lately, thank you."

"Oh, I see. Alexis needs to begin rebuilding her public face, right?"

"Right."

"Ok, I'll buy that... for now. STEP ON IT, MAX."

************

As the elevator door began to open on the seventeenth floor, Alexis felt a wave of familiarity and loss sweep over her. She missed her home and as much as her new apartment met her needs... it wasn't home. Closing her eyes and vowing not to let her eyes stray toward the left side of the foyer, she stepped off the elevator and started to follow Sonny. What met her eyes caused her to stop. Joy and Johnny stood there arm in arm... waiting. Alexis looked over at Sonny with shock waiting for some kind of explanation.

"Welcome home, Alexis."

"Wh... what do you mean?"

Sonny reached into his pocket and pulled out a single key and placed it in her hand. Reaching behind her he placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward PH2 and gently pushed her forward.

Not understanding what was going on, Alexis placed the key in the lock and opened the door to find everything in place... where it belonged. Her desk, her chair... her yellow sofa... Kristina's picture. It was all there... just as it had been for so long before everything fell apart. She turned back to look at Sonny with confusion... and he answered.

"Alexis you said you wanted to go home... you told Johnny that the apartment never really felt like home, it was just a place to go after your day was complete. This is your home... this is where it all started. But, even as much as I want you here... I want you happy more. So, if this is not where you want to be, you just tell me and I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

Alexis looked past Sonny at Johnny and Joy who stood in the door waiting to see what Alexis would decide.

Joy couldn't take it... she could feel Alexis getting upset and knew exactly why. Stepping forward she gently pushed Sonny to the side and reached to take Alexis' hand in hers and drew her back out into the foyer. Turning to her left she led Alexis down the hall a few steps and stopped in front of a door with the letters PH3 on it. Reaching down she opened the door and gently pushed Alexis over the threshold.

"Now do you understand, girlfriend?"

Alexis looked around at the beautifully decorated room as the realization of what Joy was saying finally sank in. Turning swiftly she grabbed Joy and hugged her tight, let go and ran back to PH2 where she found Sonny sitting on the edge of her sofa... waiting. How many times had she seen him sitting there... Without stopping she flew into his arms with tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you, Sonny. Thank you for doing this for me. You have no idea how much I wanted to be here. In this room, with you... sharing our daughter... with you... I'm finally back where I belong. I'm home, Sonny."

Holding her tight, he let go just long enough to return Johnny's wave as he stepped out the door closing it softly behind him.

"Not for long, Alexis. At least I hope not."

Leaning back just enough to see his face without letting go, Alexis questioned him.

"What do you, mean? I want to be here, Sonny. This is where I belong... where we belong."

She watched as his eyes left her face and settled on something just behind her. Looking around to find what held his attention, she finally noticed her luggage on the floor next to the door. She let go of Sonny and took a couple of steps back forcing him to drop his hands from her waist.

"What's going on, Sonny? Why is my luggage at the door?"

Sonny was beginning to regret handling this the way he did. Her eyes were again filled with apprehension and those damned questions. Two things he never wanted to see in her eyes again. He stood up and reached for her.

"I'm sorry, Alexis. I didn't handle this too well. All I wanted to do was take a trip with you. I just wanted to put a little time and space between you and what you've had to go through lately. And more than that, I just wanted to be with you... like we did the last time. I just got you back and I really didn't want to share you with the rest of Port Charles yet. I... I wanted to take you back to Puerto Rico with me for a week... maybe more and just sit back and relax. I even asked Johnny and Joy to go with us. They need a break too and I kind of like having them around. They're good for both of us."

As Sonny was trying to explain himself his head fell heavily toward his chest. He didn't see her tears, he didn't see her relief, and he didn't see her happiness. All he felt was her arms reaching for him again and holding him tighter than she ever had before. And he heard her voice whisper softly... the only voice that possessed the power to calm him and settle the anxiety within him instantly.

"I love you, Sonny. You make me happy. And yes, I want to go with you. I want to stand in front of that fountain again and tell you what I wanted to tell you that night. I wanted so much to touch you... hold you and tell you what I really felt... but I couldn't. There was just too much... Sonny, take me back to Puerto Rico and be with me in that garden... this time I will tell you and I want to look into your eyes and know that you feel the same way."

Sonny tightened his hold around Alexis and let his head fall to her shoulder. She was home... and he was home.

*************

Four months later...

Sonny quietly crept into the hospital room where Alexis lay resting. Standing there looking at her as she slept... his heart filled with longing as it always did when his arms weren't holding her. It had been a rough night... but together they faced it and welcomed their daughter into the world. Alexis had been so apprehensive about giving birth that Joy finally arranged to be in the room with them and Alexis' fears vanished. She trusted Joy... and the two of them had become almost inseparable over the past few months. Joy became an anchor for Alexis when the worries of becoming a new mother assailed her.

Stepping closer, he watched as the new morning sun found its way to bath the face of the woman he knew held his life in her hands. In that one moment, he accepted his fate… a fate that told him should anything happen to the woman who lay before him, his life would indeed end. There was no life without Alexis. He watched in amusement as her eyes tried to fight the brilliance of the sun and in finally losing the battle opened her eyes to find him leaning on the bed rail... waiting.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"I just went to see her."

"Is she okay?"

"She's beautiful. They're fixing to bring her to you."

"I missed her."

"Well that makes all the sense in the world considering she's been living right under your heart for the past nine months."

Trying not to drop off again from the exhaustion of the night, she mumbled.

"I guess."

"Alexis?"

"Hmmm?"

"Did you know I prayed for my daughter to look like her mother?"

Alexis’ eyes opened wide at Sonny's admission, but she remained quiet as she could see he wasn't finished.

"I wanted her to look just like her mother. You see... her mother is the most beautiful woman I have ever known and I just couldn't imagine my daughter not looking like her. And guess what... "

"What?"

"God answered my prayer this time. My daughter looks just like her mother. I can see the woman I fell in love with in my daughter's eyes. She has your smile, your beautiful soft brown hair and eyes that reach so far into my soul that I'm lost every time I look at her. That is a gift that I will treasure the rest of my life. Do you know what you have done for me today, Alexis? I have a daughter... I have a child born of the one woman... the only woman who finally gave me the one desire that I have held onto and hungered for so long. You gave my life back to me, Alexis and I love you more today than the day I brought you back home."

Alexis couldn't contain the tears... they fell with abandon at the love she saw in his eyes. Never before had she witnessed such a complete lack of inhibition in the man who stood before her. He loved her... and he made a spectacle of himself on a few occasions during the past months to prove to her how much. Their lives together had settled into a somewhat normal routine. The only frustration Alexis ever felt was Sonny's inability to grasp the fact that she was indeed capable of handling her pregnancy without his constant hovering. She couldn't help the smile that appeared as she remembered the last time Sonny had tried to manipulate her into an afternoon of 'Alexis and baby care' as he had begun calling it. Joy happened to be present that time to witness it. She also was quite perceptive of Alexis' absolute frustration at being 'handled'. Taking the situation in hand, Joy 'handled' Sonny.

"Sonny Corinthos, for the love of mike, would you back off and give the woman some room to breathe. Don't you know that constant hovering by expectant fathers is bad for a baby's growth? It also tends to make the baby in question less than affectionate toward the mother due to said mother's inability to protect her from too much coddling. Are you sure you want that for them?"

Alexis had picked up a cushion and busied herself with rearranging it to keep from laughing outright at the expression on Sonny's face. He paled visibly never questioning Joy's words. She was a nurse, why would he question her? But, from that moment on, Sonny backed off. Later Alexis and Joy laughed so hard their sides hurt. It was a bit 'way out there', but it had worked and Alexis hugged her friend gratefully.

Lying there in the hospital bed, Alexis was again having trouble controlling her laughter. As was their way together, Alexis teased Sonny. Allowing her face to take on a decidedly worried look she questioned Sonny.

"Do you think she loves me... I mean, because I didn't protect her... you know from... well her expectant daddy?"

Alexis was unprepared for his response.

"You didn't actually believe I bought that stuff did you?"

Alexis looked up dumbfounded. She studied him for a moment until she realized what he had done.

"I see. So, was Dr. Meadows able to alleviate your worries and dispel the 'myths' that Joy and I pushed your way?"

Sonny ducked his head. There was just no way to hide anything from Alexis. He was so worried about any damage he may have done to his child, he had left almost immediately and high-tailed it to the hospital. Once he was reassured that nothing he did previously could actually hurt Alexis or his child he sat for an hour in the waiting room trying to figure out just why Joy and Alexis would put him through that kind of worry. He was still sitting there when Dr. Meadows finished her clinic and passed by him on her way out. She sat down next to him and asked if there was anything still bothering him. He told her that he couldn't figure out why Alexis would have put him through what she did when all he was trying to do was take care of them. The doctor smiled understandably and tried to explain the rampant emotions and wild hormonal reactions pregnant women were prone to versus independent women who had everything under control and over anxious fathers who tended to heighten their anxiousness which was definitely not a good thing. He looked back at Alexis with a sheepish grin.

"She told me that my hovering was not such a good idea since it caused an already raging hormonal mother-to-be to become more hostile and less able to control her out of whack emotional state."

Alexis laughed with abandon. He could definitely give as good as he got.

"Do you know how much I absolutely adore you, Sonny Corinthos?"

"Yeah. I'm kind of carrying a pretty big ego about that."

She laughed again and reached to pull him closer. Just as she was about to kiss him, she heard a voice in the doorway and a groan from the man in her arms as he whispered.

"We have simply got to find a way to let Joy know that there is such a thing as knocking before you enter a room."

Standing up, Sonny turned around to fix Joy with one of 'those looks' and he melted at the sight of the bundle she was carrying. He crept closer being as quiet as possible and gently took his daughter from the arms of one of his best friends. He leaned over as Joy released his daughter and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, buddy."

"Anytime, partner."

Sonny turned back to Alexis with tears running down his face and he looked to the woman who made this day possible for him. He walked slowly and carefully back to her holding his precious baby girl. Her arms came up to beckon him closer and he carefully lay down beside her as her arms closed around him and the little bundle he carried. Within the arms of Alexis Davis, Sonny finally found peace. There were no more demons to fight... he was loved completely and the love of his life had given him a child. Sonny Corinthos was a happy and content 'daddy'. And Kristina Joy Davis-Corinthos slept on... safe and warm within the arms of her mother and father.

The End