Returning to a Friend
by Cowgirl

Part 2

Alexis entered the building and stepped into the elevator. The whole way up the sights and sounds of Harborview Towers plagued her senses. She missed it. She missed her penthouse, she missed her view, she missed the elevator and the doorman and she missed... She shook her head as the elevator dinged out her arrival to her old floor. She stepped off and gave a cursory glance to her old penthouse door before turning to her right and stopping in front of Sonny's bodyguard Max.

"Good evening Max. Is he in?" she asked as if no time had gone by at all. She had to remain in control; she had to put up a tough exterior.

He nodded. "Yes, Ms. Davis, but I don't think he'll want to see anyone."

"He'll see me," she remarked curtly.

Max looked at the door and then back to Alexis. "Ms. Davis...," he said taking a step closer to her. "He's not...he's not himself lately."

Alexis nodded, stiffened her lip and looked at the door. "Tell me about it. He hasn't been himself for months. It's time he stopped acting like a horse's ass and get on with it," she said as she stepped around Max. "No need to announce me."

Max nodded and turned his back as if indicating that he had seen nothing.

Alexis turned the knob and opened the door. Once inside, she was shocked. She had expected darkness, she had expected a somber environment, but this was eerie. The only light in the room was a sliver that crept in from between the curtains that were drawn over the balcony windows. The room was almost pitch black, and Alexis detected a faint smell of must in the air. She stood still by the door willing her eyes to focus in the gloom. Finally she could make out the outline of Sonny's desk. She carefully maneuvered to it and felt for the lamp that she knew was there. She found it and flipped it on. It was dim and didn't do much good, but at least she could see where she was walking.

"Turn it off."

Alexis might have thought that she had walked into the wrong apartment. That was not Sonny's voice. This voice was grating and sluggish, like wet sandpaper. She looked around the room until she found the sullen figure slumped on one side of the couch, draped over the arm, one of his own arms dangling over the side of the couch like a discarded rag doll, his head hanging down over his chest. She moved closer.

"I said turn off the damn light...now!" he boomed.

Alexis jumped but then steeled herself. "Is that voice supposed to scare me?" she challenged.

He said nothing, he did nothing. Alexis scanned the penthouse. Broken glass of every make and model from crystal to china littered the floor. Pictures were mercilessly torn off walls and broken around the room. Chairs were over turned and pillows ripped to shreds. Whatever furniture had not been smashed was carelessly lying on end. She carefully sidestepped some debris and made her way to a chair. She picked up the cushion and started to brush away shards of glass when she gave up, dropped the cushion on the floor and sat on the chair without it. "You've been busy. I can't say as I agree with your choice of décor though. Modern caveman doesn't do this place justice."

She waited for some type of response and received none. He didn't budge and inch. "So this is it huh? Brave, tough, worked his way up from nothing Sonny is going to curl up in his cave and die?"

She heard him shift slightly in his seat, but still he remained silent.

She stood up. "Okay. There is a problem with that theory though. See, from the smell in here, I would say you've been using scotch as an aftershave, so..." she spread her hands. "What happens when you run out? You'll certainly have to make your way to the local liquor store." She put her hands on her hips. "Tell me...do you take it in a brown bag now?"

She waited as Sonny's hand slowly came up and scratched at the stubble on his face then dropped back down onto the couch.

She nodded. "Yeah, well I am glad about one thing. I'm glad that I fought so hard for your son. I mean this must rate right up there on his list of shining moments in his life. Daddy's sent me and mommy away again while he has one of his egocentric, self-centered breakdowns."

She waited as attempt after attempt to goad him into conversation failed miserably.

He barely even moved, let alone responded to her barbs. The silence in the room was making her jumpy. She didn't like the silence and she didn't like the darkness. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well this is ridiculous. I'm not going to stand here in the dark talking to someone I can't even see." She made her way to the wall by the door, tripping over various items on her way. Finally she managed to find the light switch and give it a flick.

When she turned around she let out an audible gasp. The man on the couch barely resembled Sonny Corinthos. This man was thinner by at least twenty pounds, his hair was a mass of wild, unruly and matted curls. His eyes were two dark sunken in caverns surrounding a rim of redness. There was almost a full beard on his face and it distorted his features even more. She took a step closer, her heart pounding in her chest. "My God Sonny," she said hoarsely. "What are you doing to yourself?"


~~~~~~~

Alexis wandered into Kelly's and walked briskly up to Elizabeth Webber who was standing behind the counter. The girl greeted her with a warm smile.

"Hi Alexis. What can I get for you today?"

Alexis smiled politely. She felt as if everybody she came in contact lately had the same 'poor crazy Alexis' look on their face. "Just coffee Liz...to go, thanks."

She waited as Elizabeth went to get her order. She leaned her elbows on the counter and massaged her temples.

"Here you go. No charge," Elizabeth smiled.

Alexis pursed her lips and laid two dollars down on the counter. "I'm mentally ill Elizabeth, not broke," she said and turned to leave.

She had gotten only a few steps when she saw Carly jump up from her table and approach her. She took Alexis by the elbow. "Did you talk to him?"

Alexis glanced pointedly at Carly's hand on her arm and then back to Carly.

"Please remove your hand from my arm. Your days of physically manhandling me are over."

Carly dropped her grip. "Sorry," she said half-heartedly. "So did you talk to him?"
Alexis sighed and looked around the crowded diner. "Let's go outside."

When they had reached the exterior of the diner, Alexis took a seat at one of the wrought iron tables and sipped her coffee. Carly stood gazing down at her for a second before rolling her eyes and sitting in the opposite chair. "Well?" she asked, her eyes widening in frustration.

Alexis set her Styrofoam cup on the table and folded her hands in front of her. "I've never seen him this bad," she said matter-of-factly.

Carly let out a puff of air. "That's what I was trying to tell you."

Alexis shook her head. "I don't think I'll be able to talk him out of this," she looked at the other woman. "When was the last time you've seen him?"

Carly thought for a second. "Last week. I've tried to see him since then, but his goons won't let me near him."

Alexis nodded. "He looks like hell. He must have dropped fifteen pounds at least."
She shook her head again. "I don't know what you think I can do for him."

Carly closed her eyes for a second and scratched her forehead. "You used to be able to get through to him."

"When we were friends Carly. We're not friends anymore."

Carly slapped the table with her palm. "Don't you care what happens to him?"

"Of course I do...I went over there didn't I? He wouldn't say a word to me. He wouldn't even look at me. I tried."

"Well, you have to try harder."

Alexis furrowed her brow. "Why are you doing this to me? Am I not suffering enough for you? Why is this my responsibility? Sonny hasn't given me a thought since he...since he found out the results of that highly illegal paternity test. He didn't show much concern for what I've been going through." She stood up and grabbed her coffee cup off of the table. "Of course, I know in your mind I probably deserve everything I get, right? You and Sonny and your little circle of loved ones are the only ones entitled to a happy existence." She shook her head in disgust. "I have to go. Why don't you try something brand new and completely foreign and solve your own problems for once."

She turned and started to walk away when Carly's voice stopped her. "That's great Alexis. Just walk away and let someone you once loved ruin his life."

Alexis froze at her words. She slowly turned and walked back to the table. "Love? What would you know about love? Your idea of love is coming up with completely inane and inexcusable schemes to keep the object of your obsession of the week - no matter who you hurt to achieve that - and then blame the entire world when they blow up in your face." She shrugged. "But that's worked for you so far...and as for how I feel or how I felt about Sonny at one time...well, you fixed that, didn't you?" She righted herself and walked off leaving Carly staring after her.