Losing Balance
by Lionel

chapter 4

Alexis spent most of the morning on the phone in her hospital room, returning calls, rescheduling court dates and directing her assistant on how to handle the most urgent crises that had arisen. She had just slammed the phone down on Ric Lansing when she heard a knock on the door and Jax's head poked around the corner.

"Delivery for Alexis Davis," he announced with a twinkle.

"Oh, come in, come in."

Jax's left hand appeared from behind the door, revealing a handful of violets and a plastic take-out bag hanging from his wrist. "I've brought lunch and spring and . . ." Jax emerged the rest of the way. ". . . The most enchanting little girl in the world." Kristina was perched happily in Jax's right arm, arms wrapped around his neck.

"Angel!" Alexis cried happily.

When Kristina saw her mother a grin spread over her face and she lurched away from Jax, reaching her arms toward the bed. "Mama home," she gurgled. Jax deposited her on Alexis's lap, and the little girl wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. "Big hug," Kristina declared. After a moment Kristina released Alexis and pointed to her face. "Nose."

"Did you have lots of fun at the park with Uncle Jax?" Alexis kissed the top of Kristina's head, reveling in the softness of her fine baby hair.

"Swing." Kristina nodded, grabbing a handful of Alexis's hair.

"Kristina and I had a lovely time at the park," Jax chimed in. "We met some nice doggies and we rolled down the hill and she went down every one of the slides."

Alexis's eyes grew wide. "Even the big twisty one?"

"Of course," Jax smiled. "She liked the big twisty slide best of all, didn't you, Kristina?"

"Big slide," Kristina gurgled enthusiastically. She picked up a file folder Alexis had left on the bed and settled comfortably into Alexis's lap. "Mama read-a," she instructed.

"Mama will read, Kristina, but let's see if Alice packed some of your books." Jax handed Alexis the diaper bag he'd been carrying over his shoulder, and she pulled out a well-worn copy of Corduroy.

Jax sat contentedly watching the pair as Alexis read and Kristina pointed eagerly to each teddy bear and rabbit and doll. Kristina absentmindedly snuggled with Alexis's bare arms, smushing her face tight against the cool skin. When the book was finished and Corduroy was safe in his new home, Kristina slid off her mother's lap onto the floor and began to explore the hospital room.

"Ready for lunch?" Jax asked.

"Oh, yes. I'm famished. They came around with one of those hospital trays a little while ago but I wouldn't let them in. What did you bring?"

"Just sandwiches from the new Grill. And popcorn," Jax grinned. "You need your fiber."

"You are an angel, Jasper Jax. Why did I ever divorce you?"

"Because I was sleeping around," Jax quipped.

"Oh, right. But then again, so was I." A shadow crossed Jax's eyes at the reminder of Chloe, and Alexis smiled at him sadly in understanding. "Shall we dig in?"

Alexis and Jax chatted amiably as they ate their lunch and watched Kristina frolic about the room. She opened and closed every cabinet and drawer, played peekaboo with the curtains and pulled every tissue out of all of the tissue boxes in the room. Periodically Kristina paused long enough to pick up a morsel of food from her plate. Jax was pleased to see that she favored the chicken salad and carrot sticks over the popcorn.

As Jax was throwing away the remains of their lunch, Lorenzo appeared in the doorway. The smile abruptly faded from Alexis's face and her heart skipped. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Alexis," he offered apologetically. "But something has happened that you need to be aware of." He caught sight of Kristina, who was spinning herself around in the middle of the room as best she could on her chubby toddler legs, giggling hysterically, and he smiled in delight. "This must be Kristina." He knelt down in front of Kristina. "Hello, Kristina. I'm Lorenzo."

Kristina looked at him for a long moment, then giggled again. "Dizzy," she declared, staggering slightly. Then she bent straight down at the waist, her diapered bottom up in the air and the top of her head resting on the ground, on the verge of an inadvertent somersault. "Upside down," she told Lorenzo giddily.

Lorenzo burst out laughing, and Alexis couldn't help but join in. She was always a bit in awe of Kristina's antics, amazed that her daughter could be so unselfconscious and comfortable as the center of attention. "She's showing off for you," she explained to Lorenzo.

"She's remarkable. And beautiful." Lorenzo looked pointedly at Alexis. "Like her mother."

Alexis's smile faded to a grimace. She fidgeted awkwardly and narrowed her eyes at Lorenzo. "Why are you here, Lorenzo?"

"Yes, why are you here, Mr. Alcazar?" Jax had re-entered the room.

Lorenzo took in Jax's presence and adopted a more formal manner. "There is something Alexis needs to know, Mr. Jacks. I was returning her car to her apartment this afternoon - as she had requested -- and the brakes failed. Fortunately I was on a flat stretch of Prospect Avenue, and I was able to run the car into some bushes without much damage. But I thought it was very suspicious. My mechanics are checking the car out now, and I would imagine that they'll find that someone tampered with it. In my experience the brakes on expensive Swedish cars don't just fail. I'm concerned that someone may have been trying to hurt Alexis," he concluded, looking to Alexis to gauge her reaction.

Alexis was thoughtful. "And if I'd gone straight home from the office yesterday they might have succeeded," she said finally. "I usually take Lakeside, up by the bluffs," she explained. "With those curves and hills . . . " She looked at Kristina, and let the words hang in the air. "Lorenzo, thank you for letting me know. I'm very sorry you were caught in this. I'm glad you weren't hurt."

Lorenzo dismissed the apology and gratitude with a scowl and shake of his head. "Why don't you two seem more surprised? Do you know someone who wants to kill you, Alexis?"

"Well, until yesterday, I would have said you." Alexis smiled weakly. "But you told me that you let that go, and I believed you."

"I have let it go, Alexis," he insisted sincerely. "You can believe me. I have never tried to hurt you. I don't have any interest in taking mothers away from little girls."

Jax and Alexis looked at each other knowingly. "But we both know somebody who does," Alexis said finally.

"Helena." Jax looked at Alexis with worry. "Have you heard from her lately?"

"No. She's been quiet. Too quiet. I haven't seen her since just after the fire, after Nikolas came back. I haven't gotten any reports on her, either. I should have known she was up to something when she didn't show up after Nikolas's car accident. It's not like her to miss a chance to lament and threaten." Alexis cursed her own oversight, and scooped Kristina up to sit beside her.

Lorenzo looked from Alexis to Jax and back again. "You're talking about Helena Cassadine? Why does she want Alexis - " He caught himself when he saw Kristina watching him curiously.

"It's a long story. Suffice it to say that the Brothers Grimm never imagined an evil stepmother quite like mine." Alexis rolled her eyes.

"How dangerous is she?" Lorenzo asked firmly.

Alexis just shrugged, but Jax answered. "Very. She's tried to . . . eliminate . . . Alexis several times."

Lorenzo looked at Alexis, his piercing blue eyes asking if this was true. Alexis nodded. "She hates me. My existence offends her. And now with Nikolas missing, I'm all that stands between her and control of the Cassadine Empire . . . or what's left of it. If she can get rid of me, she can resume her reign of terror. I'm Nikolas's executor and therefore interim administrator for all of the Cassadine holdings." She hesitated, anticipating Jax's reaction to the admission she was about to make. "And I've begun laying the groundwork to have the appointment made permanent."

"You've done what, Alexis?" Jax was incredulous. "Why would you want to do that?" He was trying hard to keep his voice down.

"You know why, Jax." Alexis answered firmly.

Jax took her hand. "Honey, I know you feel it's rightfully yours. And I know you feel you were cheated out of everything you should have had. But is it really worth it? It won't bring any of it back. I thought you realized that in the desert."

"You're right, I did," Alexis conceded. "But things are different now, Jax."

"Yeah, they are, Alexis. You're a mother now," he said, intentionally misunderstanding her. "Can't you just focus on protecting what you do have?"

"That's what I'm trying to do, Jax. Things are different now because Stefan and Nikolas and everyone else is gone. When I walked away before to go live my life, I knew I was leaving my birthright in the hands of a thoughtful and humane young man. If I put my head in the sand now, Helena takes over. And I don't know how Kristina and I can ever feel safe if she regains her power."

"She won't bother with you if you're not a threat, Alexis," Jax insisted. "Just stay out of her way. Don't pick this fight."

"Somebody has to, Jax. It's not just me she'll go after. She's a threat to everyone. Someone has to stop her."

"But it doesn't have to be you, Alexis," Jax said firmly. "You're the one I'm concerned about."

Alexis smiled slightly. "Thank you for that. I know you're worried. I am, too. But, look, nothing's definite. I'm just considering this; I haven't made any decisions. Okay?"

Jax looked unconvinced by her conciliatory words, but before he could respond the door to the room opened and an orderly entered pushing a wheelchair.

"It's time for your therapy session, Ms. Davis," the orderly announced briskly.

Alexis looked regretfully down at Kristina, only to find that the little girl had fallen asleep snuggled next to her in the bed. Alexis smiled lovingly. "I guess she won't mind if I slip out for a while. Jax, can you stay with her?"

Jax nodded. "Of course. And I'll make some calls while you're gone to see what I can find out about Helena's whereabouts."

Alexis untangled herself from Kristina and awkwardly maneuvered to the edge of the bed, swinging her cast carefully over the edge. She stood gingerly on one leg, waiting for the inattentive orderly to move the wheelchair into position. The color suddenly drained from her face and she wobbled uncertainly. Lorenzo sprang forward and caught her around the waist as she fell.

Alexis looked up in surprise. She had almost forgotten he was there. Lorenzo held her for a long moment, pulling her waist into his body more firmly than was perhaps necessary, and their eyes met in silence. As she gazed up into his clear, calm blue eyes, Alexis felt that familiar warmth surging through her body. Every part of her tingled.

Finally, Lorenzo lowered her carefully into the wheelchair and stepped back. He cleared his throat. "I have some calls of my own to make, but I'll be back a little later." He had been listening attentively to the discussion between Jax and Alexis, and he had his own thoughts to pursue on the matter. "I hope your therapy session goes well." And with that he left.

Jax watched thoughtfully as Alexis's eyes followed Lorenzo out the door. He felt a familiar sense of foreboding. He thought to say something to Alexis, but stopped himself. No one had ever listened to his warnings before. Instead he just waved as she was wheeled out the door, and then he picked up the phone.

chapter  5