Midnight Encounter
by Darlene

Even though it was after midnight, Alexis decided to walk home from the hospital via the docks. She needed to clear her head after yet another confrontation with Ned. She had her head down, bracing herself against the slight wind, when something inside made her raise her head and look up. That's when she saw him, sitting on the bench, his head lowered.

She put her head back down. Keep walking, Alexis. She started to pass him when he said something to her.

"Alexis? What are you doing out here this late? You should be inside, where it's warm, not out here."

She was going to ignore his comments but something in his voice made her respond. "I could say the same thing to you. By the way, that's none of your business." She started to walk again when he reached out his hand and touched her arm.

"Please, don't go, not yet," he said quickly.

Something's wrong. I can tell - I can always tell. Don't ask, Alexis. It's none of your concern. Just keep walking. But for some reason her feet would not move from their spot.

She sighed. "Why not, Sonny? We have nothing to say to one another."

"You're wrong, Alexis. We have lots to say to one another, we're just too chicken to say any of it."

Against her better judgment, she sat down next to him on the bench. She crossed her arms over her chest and said nothing. They sat like that for several minutes before Sonny finally said something.

"Can I ask you a favor? I know I have no right, but …" he pleaded.

She turned her head and looked at him, really looked at him. He seemed to be on the verge of tears. An old feeling she hadn't felt in a long time rushed through her body as she looked at him. She wanted to put her arms around him and hold him until that look in his eyes disappeared. Oh no, Alexis, you're not doing this. You hate him.

"Please, Alexis?"

She shook her head but said "Oh all right. What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "Can you be my friend for the next ten minutes? Can you be the Alexis that you used to be for me? Please? Because I really need her. I miss her more than you would ever believe." His head dropped down again.

Alexis couldn't have been more shocked. Where did that come from? Who are you and what have you done with the Sonny I hate? He needs to come back because I'm about to make a biiiig mistake …

"Sonny, what's wrong?" In that simple question, she answered his. He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over his eyelids.

"Everything," he choked out.

Knowing she was asking for it, Alexis said, "Tell me about it, Sonny."

He looked at her again before standing up. "Let me see … where do I start?"

"The beginning?"

"Yeah," he chuckled. "The beginning. That would be the best and worst day of my life."

"And when was that?"

"My birthday." He heard her gasp when she realized what day that was.

"How so?" she asked him.

"That was the last time I can remember being truly happy. Then my world came crashing down around me."

"Yes. Carly 'died.'" Alexis could not keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

He turned around to face her. "You probably won't believe me, but I wish she'd just stayed dead. Everything would be so different right now."

"How would things be different?"

"Well, for starters, I wouldn't be here on the docks in the middle of winter begging you to be my friend for 10 minutes. We would still be friends. But then again, you wouldn't have that baby of yours, so I guess things are the way they are supposed to be."

You're wrong about that, Sonny. I WOULD still have that baby and you would know you had a daughter. She quickly wiped away a tear, hoping Sonny had not seen.

"Sonny, I don't see the point in this. Things are the way they are - there's no point in wishing they were different. I need to -" she started to get up from the bench to leave.

"Please, Alexis. There are things I need to say to you. Please hear them."

Her mind was elsewhere, thinking about all the times they had shared their thoughts with one another. When he asked her "Do you ever miss our friendship?" she responded from the heart, not thinking about her reply. "Every second of every day." She gasped aloud when she heard her reply and covered her mouth as if to take the words back.

He gave her a sad smile and said, "Me too. You don't know how many times a day I ask myself how we got to this place. How did things go so wrong so fast? I know, it's my fault. I should have never gone back to Carly. I should have had the guts to tell you what I felt instead of letting you send me back to her and -"

"What? Send you back to her? I never -"

'Yes you did, Alexis. I tried to tell you what I was feeling several times but you kept telling me to go back to my wife. Finally, I stopped trying. And I've been miserable ever since."

She laughed at that last statement. "Oh don't give me that, Sonny. I've seen you around town with your family and you don't exactly look miserable to me."

"Alexis, it's all an act I put on for Michael. And Carly. She doesn't even know it. She's so wrapped up in herself she can't tell that I'm unhappy. My life, as it is now, is full of nothing but regret."

She sighed again, knowing she shouldn't ask, but knowing she couldn't help herself. "Ok, Sonny, what do you regret?"

He sat back down next to her on the bench. "Let me see. I regret that we are no longer friends. I regret that I went back to Carly. I regret that your sister died because of me, however indirectly. I regret that I didn't tell you how I felt that night we made love -"

"Sonny -"

"Shhh. And the thing I most regret is that I am not your baby's father."

She sat there, not knowing what to say. He looked at her and said, "I know, you want to know how I felt about you the night we made love. Alexis, I -"

"Stop, Sonny. I don't want to know. That's in the past and we should leave it there. Please -" She stood up to leave again.

"Not so fast, Alexis. I need to say this and you need to hear it. On the night we made love I was head over heels in love with you. I was too chicken to say it and I can't help but think EVERYTHING would be different if I had just told you."

Alexis sank back down onto the bench. Her head was swimming.

"Why now? Why tell me this NOW? Now, when it's too late? Why?" She started to cry. "Why, Sonny? What do you want?"

He enfolded her into arms and held her as she cried. After several long moments, he pulled back and said, "You."

She was confused, not remembering her earlier question. "Me? What are you talking about?"

"You asked me what I wanted - I answered. I know it can't be, but I just wanted you to know."

She began to cry again, thinking about all they had lost. He took her in his arms again and rocked her back and forth. Finally she stopped crying.

"Alexis, I need to say a few more things to you. I never said it but I want you to know that I AM sorry about your sister. If I could bring her back, I would. It kills me that she was taken from you because of me. I should have taken care of Alcazar when I first realized he was in town and after me. I'm so sorry. And I'm sorry that I screamed at you in the hospital. I know I scared the hell out of you. My only excuse is that I was sooo ANGRY that I was not your baby's father. I went to the hospital that day so excited to have confirmation that I was going to be a father. Up until that moment, I had felt cursed. I thought I would never get to be a father. Then the DNA tests showed that Ned was the father after all. I knew that I was being punished. So I took it out on you. I was angry that I would never get to experience the joy of fatherhood. Almost more than that, I was disappointed that we wouldn't have a lifelong connection that even Carly couldn't break. I wanted that so much. I knew that even if you hated me, we would still find a way to be good parents. I didn't care that being the baby's father would have made my life even more complicated and messy. In fact, if I was honest with myself, I hoped it would be the thing that drove Carly away for good. But alas, it's not true. Ned is Kristina's father, you hate my guts, and I'm in Carly hell."

Alexis took in everything he said. She was curious about something so she asked him.

"Sonny, what would you have done if those DNA results had said you were the father?"

He wondered why she would ask such a question. He thought about for a minute and said, "Well, first I would have filed for divorce from Carly."

"Why?"

"Because I wouldn't want our child exposed to her wrath. I know that you grew up exposed to Helena's and I wouldn't have wanted that for our baby. Second, I would have tried to get out of the business. I'm not saying I would have succeeded, but I would have certainly tried. I know my life is dangerous, Alexis. And I wouldn't want anything to happen to our baby because of my lifestyle. Ric tells me there's a way I can go legit but so far I haven't looked into it. I don't trust that guy."

Alexis swallowed hard and stood up. "Sonny, I need to see Kristina. Will you walk me back to the hospital?"

He stood up and took her hand in his. "Of course. If it's all right with you, I'd like to see that little bundle of joy up close." She nodded.

Sonny and Alexis walked hand in hand back to the hospital. Before going in, she took her hand from his and said, "I don't think we should …"

"It's OK, Alexis. I understand."

She walked into the hospital first, Sonny following closely behind her. As they stepped into the elevator, Sonny said, "I'm surprised they let you be with her this late."

"Sonny, what family owns the hospital?"

"The Cassadi - Oh. Right."

Her laugh belied how nervous she was. Sonny had no idea what was coming. She hoped she wouldn't regret what she was about to do.

Finally the elevator reached the requested floor. This time, Alexis took Sonny's hand and led him into the NICU.

"Ms. Davis! You're back so soon! Is there something I could do for you?"

"Yes, I'm back. Is it all right if I hold her? I mean, you let me on Christmas Eve … "

"I suppose that would be all right. Would you like me to take her out for you?"

"No, I can do it, thanks Beverly. Could we be alone now?"

"Sure, Ms. Davis. Let me know if you need anything."

"I will, thanks." She turned to look at her daughter. "Hello, my sleeping angel. Mama's back and she brought someone to meet you."

Sonny choked back his tears as he looked at Alexis taking Kristina out. I wish you were mine, baby girl. He turned away briefly.

"Sonny? Turn around and meet Kristina."

He turned around and looked at the sleeping infant in her mother's arms. "She's beautiful, Alexis. Just like her mom. You done good."

"Would you like to hold her?"

"I - yes, I would. Can I?"

"Yeah. Here you go …" she said as she placed Kristina in his arms. "Sonny … I … I'm sorry …"

"What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath and just said it. "Sonny, meet Kristina Adella … your daughter."

Sonny thought he was hearing things. Did Alexis just tell him that he was a father? He sat down in the rocking chair.

"What?"

"Sonny, Kristina is yours. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before now. I -"

"Shh. Alexis, you've just made me the happiest man on Earth," he said as tears fell from his eyes. "Thank you so much." He looked down at their daughter. "Hello, baby girl. Daddy's here. Your mama is afraid I'm angry with her, and I am (a little) but I know why she kept me from you. My life is too dangerous. I understand that. But things are going to change. We're gonna be a family, sweetheart, because I love you and your mama with all my heart. Alexis, come here."

With tears running down her cheeks, she went to him and kneeled down in front of him. "Look at what we did, Alexis. She's perfect."

"Yes, Sonny, she is."

The End