Love Endures
by Susanne

Chapter 9 - Ned & Faith

A month later Sonny had arranged a meeting at 'Club 101' with his two bodyguards; Johnny and Max, whom he wanted to take care of Ned and Faith. Alexis was at home with Michael nursing him back to health after the chicken pox, as Kristina had already gotten better.

Sonny: "I want you to make sure that Ashton and Faith Roscoe disappear from Port Charles. I don't want Alexis to ever see either one of them ever again!"

Max: "Understood Boss but…"

Sonny: "But what Max?"

Max: "Everybody in the organization know what Ashton did to Alexis. And since Alexis is your wife it seemed only logical that you'd take care of Ashton like you'd planned to take care of A.J. Quartermaine."

Johnny: "All Max is trying to say is that when it's your family, who hurts you always used to take care of thing yourself, yet this time…"

Sonny: "This time it's a man, who's been married to an old friend of mine; Lois, and he's also the father of their mutual child; Brook Lynn. Now as much as I'd like to hurt Ashton, as much as he hurt my wife that can't be done due to the circumstances. Understood? All I want is to make life better for Alexis, and that can only be possible if Ned and Faith leave town."

Max: "Understood! It might not have to take that long…" He replied, as he saw Ned and Faith enter 'Club 101'.

Sonny: "What are you talking about Max?" He asked before he also saw Ned and Faith enter the nightclub looking all too pleased with themselves, as they took a seat at the bar.

Ned: "Why are people staring so much at us?" He asked, as everyone in the club gave both of them some evil glances, as what Ned had done to Alexis had been all over town for weeks now.

Faith: "I'm only guessing but perhaps it's because they all know about what you did to that Alexis person. I must say Mr. Ashton: you've certainly changed in the time I've known you." She smiled.

Ned: "I only did what I had to do, and I'm sure that Alexis knows that. She knows that neither Kristina or any child Corinthos has helped create can survive in the world of crime."

Faith: "Did you know that she was pregnant when you hit her?"

Ned: "Of course not! But I'll tell you what? I don't even know if it had changed things if I had known about her being pregnant again. Corinthos deserves to be unhappy, as does any woman who wants to be with him."

Faith: "You're so mean…And I like it!" She replied, as they kissed right in front of all the curious eyes.

Max: "Do you want us to handle them Boss?" He asked, as Ned and Faith were busy feeding each other olives.

Sonny: "No, let me talk to them first, OK?" He replied advancing towards Ned and Faith, who didn't even see Sonny coming until he was standing right behind Faith's chair.

Ned: "What the hell do you want Corinthos?" He asked tired.

Sonny: "Tired Ashton? Well…You'd better get prepared to getting tired of hiring my voice, or to see me because I'm personally going to make your life a living hell if you and your 'mob lady' don't leave town as of right now!" He promised going to stand next to Ned.

Faith: "I'm not going anywhere Corinthos, and neither is my man! So why don't you just join your little minions over there, and talk about what stuffed animal little Kristina should have for her upcoming birthday?"

Sonny: "We can do this the hard way or the easy way, but make it easier for yourself!" He replied placing his hand on Ned's shoulder.

Ned: "Don't you touch me!" He yelled standing up from the chair getting in Sonny's face.

Faith: "Ned? Why don't we just go? This place isn't worth anything, and neither is Corinthos! Come on…" She tried to coax Ned into going with her, as a fight at 'Club 101' was the last thing she needed.

Sonny: "Why don't you just pack up, and go somewhere else? I hear that Barbados is good this time of year!" He replied getting even more in Ned's face wanting to provoke him.

Ned: "We're not going anywhere Sonny so you might as well get used to seeing this face every day and everywhere!"

Sonny: "Is that so?"

Ned: "Yeah…That's so…How's Alexis?" He asked spitefully, and that was more than Sonny could handle. Sonny took a hold of Ned's throat, and began squeezing as hard as he humanly could. Max and Johnny got up from their seats, and made their way to the bar just as Ned punched Sonny right in the face after having pried Sonny's hands off of his throat.

Sonny: "Alexis is my wife, and no one get's away with insulting her with spiteful words! You got that Ashton?" He replied punching him multiple times in the face.

Johnny: "Boss…Come on!" He replied prying Sonny off of Ned, as Max took a hold of Ned and Faith followed the two of them out into the alley where Ned got an insurance of what would happen if he didn't pack up and leave town immediately with Faith.

Sonny: "I'm fine Johnny. Everything's OK now! I'm going home now!" He replied leaving the club.

Alexis was sitting with Michael in his room watching him sleep, as he'd had the toughest time getting past this illness. Alexis really felt for him because he was missing both football practice, and hanging out with his friends when Kristina didn't really miss anything because she didn't have friends yet.

Alexis: "Sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite…" She replied quietly, before kissing Michael goodnight on the forehead, and going down into the livingroom.

Johnny: "Are you sure you want Alexis to see you like that?" He asked when he and Sonny exited the elevator.

Sonny: "She'll be fine Johnny - don't worry!" He exclaimed opening the door to PH4.

Alexis: "Hey…How was…Oh my God! What happened?" She exclaimed upon seeing Sonny's battered face.

Sonny: "It's fine Lex!" He tried to assure her, as she softly touched the badly beaten parts of his face.

Alexis: "It's fine? Do you even realize how bad this looks?" She asked looking him straight in the eyes.

Sonny: "Could you please just…?"

Alexis: "I'll go get an cold compress now!" She exclaimed going into the kitchen to fetch a tea towel, and a bucket of ice cubes.

A little later Sonny was lying down on the couch in front of the roaring fire with his head placed on a pillow. Alexis entered the room with a tea towel, and a bucket of ice cubes in her hands. She sat down on the edge of the couch and placed some ice cubes in the tea towel, and held it to the worst battered place of his face; the area around his right eye.

Sonny: "Ah…You'd have made a terrific nurse, do you know that?" He replied with a boyish grin showing off his dimples.

Alexis: "Don't even try to coax me into forgetting this! What happened Sonny?" She asked upset.

Sonny: "It doesn't matter, OK?"

Alexis: "The hell it doesn't. I've just been upstairs with Michael trying to explain to him why his father didn't come home at the exact time he'd promised, and then you've been up fighting with some idiot!"

Sonny: "You're right about the last part of your sentence. Sweetheart…I really don't want to get into this right now!" He sighed tired closing his eyes briefly.

Alexis: "Too bad! Is all of this about Ned? Did you go to 'Club 101' in search of him and Faith Roscoe?"

Sonny: "And what if I was?" He asked trying to get up, but Alexis placed her hands on his chest, and pushed him down onto the couch once more.

Alexis: "What were you thinking Sonny? Do you have any idea of how dangerous Ned is right now? The people he's mixed up with aren't fools!"

Sonny: "I'm fine! Johnny and Max were there so I was covered!"

Alexis: "You were covered? Well…That's just great…And did you even think about Michael and Kristina or me? You've got people, who are counting on you coming home. I know that this business isn't safe but I want to be able to trust in you when you say something. What was the point in picking a fight with Ned anyways?"

Sonny: "He needed to know that the best thing for everyone concerned would be for him to leave town immediately. Can't you see that if I let someone like Ashton destroy my life soon more will follow!"

Alexis: "And what if Ned had pulled a gun on you? What would've happened then? You've got to understand that Ned is no longer just a Quartermaine - he's in bed with Faith, which makes him extremely dangerous not only to you but to our family!"

Sonny: "I promise to be more careful the next time, OK? Now…Can I get up now?" He replied, as Alexis removed her hands on his chest, and removed the cold compress so that he could get up on his feet. He immediately flopped back on the couch, as he couldn't keep his balance.

Alexis: "I think I'd better get you upstairs, and into bed!" She exclaimed helping Sonny to his feet, and assisting him upstairs into bed.

Sonny: "I'm very lucky to have you, you know?" He replied, as Alexis unbuttoned his shirt, and got it off of him followed by getting his pants off of him together with his shoes, and socks.

Alexis: "I know! Here…Drink this!" She replied handing him a glass of water accompanied by some painkillers.

Sonny: "Did you make this?" He asked looking at the glass of water.

Alexis: "It's just water wise guy, and the pills are for the obvious pains you're in!" She replied smiling sarcastically.

Sonny: "How is Michael doing?" He asked before drinking the water, and swallowing the pills.

Alexis: "Just fine! Just go to sleep, OK? I'm going to have a shower, and then I'll join you!" She replied, kissing him on the forehead before entering the bathroom.

chapter 10