Returning to a Friend
by Cowgirl

Part 23

"Oh, isn't that sweet ... lunch," Carly's voice came out of nowhere. She stood before them with her hands on her hips, her gaze fixed on Sonny. "I'm glad the two of you are working out your differences," she said snidely. "Maybe then you could see about your wife and son."

"Carly ... "

She shook her head. "I knew that getting you involved would be a mistake." She glared at Alexis. "So now we're right back to you being after my husband."

"I'm not after anything Carly," Alexis said, frustrated. She turned to Sonny. "I'll take a rain check on the lunch ... my appetite suddenly disappeared," she said and walked off down the hallway.

Sonny shook his head. "Do you have to make every situation a bad one?"

"Me?" Carly hissed. "How long before she's back in your bed Sonny?"

Sonny closed his eyes briefly. "We're just trying to work on being civil to one another." He looked down and then back up to her. "Kristina's mine."

Carly rolled her eyes. "Big surprise."

"You knew?"

"She told me when I went to her to help you," she said defensively. "She made me promise not to tell you until she thought it was the right time."

Sonny sniffed and nodded his head. "Look, I don't want to fight. Why don't we go and get Michael and all three of us can go out for lunch."

Carly stood before him for several minutes, her lips curled into a pout. "Fine. At least you acknowledge that we still exist." She took a moment to survey his appearance. "Are you going to shave that?" she asked of his beard.

Sonny brought a hand up and touched it. "I kind of like it," he said with a small grin.

"It makes you look ... not like you."

Sonny let out a chuckle. "Then maybe I'll keep it."

Carly raised an eyebrow. "Does Alexis like it?"

Sonny closed his eyes and sighed. "She hasn't said ... Damn it Carly. Why do you have to do this?"

"Because maybe I'm a little curious as to why my husband has to depend on another woman to help him through his problems. Why he's in therapy with her instead of with his wife."

Sonny craned his neck to one side and looked at her. "Maybe we should rain check on lunch," he said as he stepped past her and exited down the hall.

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

Sonny's heart rate increased with every step closer that he got to Alexis' door. He had only been there once before. The day he found out she was pregnant. He stopped and thought about that day for a minute. He had yelled at her. He screamed at her demanding to know the truth. He should have known better. He knew Alexis better and if he had handled himself differently that day, then maybe a lot of things wouldn't have happened. He knew that day. He saw her eyes and he knew those eyes. She was scared. If Ned hadn't been there that day, she would have told him. He was certain. He knew deep down in his heart that day that the baby Alexis was carrying was his ... he just chose to believe the lie when Alexis had told it.

He took a deep breath and knocked. He heard shuffling inside and footsteps nearing the door. Finally, it opened and Alexis gave him a thin smile. "Hey."

He flicked his head. "Hey."

Alexis stepped aside and waved her arm. "Come on in."

Sonny stepped inside and stopped when he saw his daughter sitting in a swing. He smiled and bent down to her.

"Hey there sweetheart."

"She's been waiting for you," Alexis said as she shut the door.

Sonny reached out and tickled his little girl's chin. "I've been waiting to see her."

"Can I get you something?"

Sonny stood up. "You learn to make coffee yet?"

"No."

"Then I'll have a glass of water."

Alexis chuckled and headed for the kitchen.

Sonny stared at his daughter, studied her little features. "Wow," he said to himself breathlessly and shook his head. Her eyes were exact duplicates of her mothers. She had the dark wavy hair he had as a child and her skin was olive like his. She was his daughter all right. Sonny picked her out of the swing and held her. "You look like your mama, you know that?" He tickled her tummy causing an eruption of raspberries. "Yes you do."

"She looks like both of us. She's got your damn dimples," Alexis said, returning to the room. "She's going to have that con artist smile of yours - I can tell already."

Sonny turned to Alexis. "There's nothing wrong with my smile."

Alexis blushed. "I ... I didn't say there was. I was merely stating that you use your smile to break down defenses ... I think she might have inherited that trait."

Sonny chuckled. "Yeah? Well, I'll teach her to use it for good."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Sonny chuckled. "Your mommy thinks that I'm going to make you into a con artist." He nuzzled her nose with his own. "What do you think of that huh?"

The little girl erupted with a chorus of giggles mixed with raspberries. Alexis smiled and took a deep breath as the sight of Sonny with their daughter brought a warm feeling to her chest. She moved to the couch and sat down letting out an audible sigh.

Sonny turned his head to her. "What's wrong?"

Alexis smiled again and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just relieved ... that's all."

"Relieved at what?" He asked returning his focus to the little bundle of wiggles that squirmed in his arms.

Alexis cocked her head to the side. "I'm just glad this is all over. I'm glad you know." She shook her head again. "It's like a huge weight had been lifted from my chest."

Sonny nodded. "Yeah." He marveled at his daughter. "She's ... she's incredible Lex."

Alexis' heart lurched at the sound of the nickname he used to call her when they had been best friends. She stood up. "I'll give you two a little time alone to get to know each other," she said and headed for her bedroom. She got about five steps before Sonny caught up with her and touched her arm. "Hey."

She turned quickly and smacked into the front of him. His eyes staring straight into hers. "Yes?" she said, averting her gaze.

"You don't have to go."

"I've got work to do, really, I should ... "

Sonny pulled her by the arm back into the living room. "You should stay out here with us."

Alexis looked at him for a moment, ignoring the searing hot feeling that shot through her body at the thought of his hand on her. She nodded. "Okay, for a little while." She moved across the room and picked up a bag containing blocks. "She likes these. Cameron bought them for her and she's enthralled with them."

Sonny sat down on the floor and placed Kristina between his legs. "Cameron huh?" he said with a hint of an edge to his voice. "Is it professional for a shrink to buy the daughter of one of his patients gifts?"

Alexis rolled her eyes. "He was just being nice."

Sonny looked up. "How nice is he to you Lex?"

Alexis' eyes shot open wide. "That's none of your concern."

"A little unethical isn't it?"

"What is unethical? Cameron is my therapist ... end of story."

"I've seen the way he looks at you. Isn't it unethical to want your patient?"

Alexis narrowed her eyes. "Cameron has been a good friend to me. He's been there for me during this whole horrid ordeal when not even my own family could be bothered."

Sonny raised one hand in defense. "I'm just saying."

"Well don't. You, my friend, lost the privilege to advise me on anything."

Sonny rubbed a hand across his mouth and smiled. "Okay ... okay. Let's not start arguing now."

"Fine," Alexis said with mild annoyance.

"Good," Sonny replied as he turned his attention back to Kristina and her blocks. He picked up one of the blocks and inspected it. "Are these safe for a child her age?"

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Of course. I wouldn't let her have them if they weren't ... and besides, Cameron is a pretty smart guy. He wouldn't buy her a dangerous gift."

Sonny snorted. "Of course not," he said, wondering why Cameron and his damn blocks suddenly bothered him.

Alexis bit down on the corner of her lip and watched Sonny's eyes. For the first time in a really long time she could read them ... and she smiled just a bit at the fact that his eyes seemed to say that he was jealous of Cameron Lewis.

part 24