April 22, 2002 Transcript
"I Chose You"

(Sonny and Alexis are in his apartment)

Sonny: (on the phone) All right, bye. hangs up I thought you were going to try to get some sleep.

Alexis: Is this your polite way of asking me to leave? Believe me, Sonny, I’ll be gone if I don’t get some answers. What was in the briefcase that you handed to Benny?

Sonny: Money.

Alexis: For services rendered? (pause) Did you order a hit on A.J. Quartermaine?

Sonny: You like working for me, Alexis. It’s a challenge, it pays well, and I’m a lot more interesting than a bunch of stuffy executives. I wanted the best legal representative, and you agreed to do that with certain conditions. One was that you wouldn’t defend me against any kind of violent crime, and the other one was that you wouldn’t be party to anything illegal. If I were you, I would stop asking questions that you don’t want the answers to.

Alexis: Do you think a smug, arrogant answer like that will make me behave like the rest of your minions? Unlike your minions, I have a bottom line, and what you say right now could be a deal breaker. It’s your choice. Answer my question. Did you order a hit on A.J. Quartermaine?

(Sonny turns, walks to the bar, and pours himself a drink)

Alexis: I’d like to think that I know you, Sonny. That I know your faults and your limits. I know you’re ambitious. I know you’re calculating, and I know that you have a self-indulgent temper. (voice breaking) But until now, I never thought that you were capable of taking someone’s life.

Sonny: Then you’re wrong. I’ve killed before. I shot Joe Scully, the man who got rid of my stepfather for me.

Alexis: That was self-defense.

Sonny: Oh, so you’ve been doing your research ?

Alexis: I pulled your police file when I agreed to represent you the first time.

Sonny: Then you know Luke was the only witness. We were partners at the time, and he hates cops. He lies to them as a matter of principal.

Alexis: So you’re saying that you are a murderer?

Sonny: What I’m saying is I used to sell papers on the street corner, and now I own 10 casinos in three different countries. Nobody gave me anything. I took it all. And what’s mine, I keep, and that includes my family.

Alexis: Forget about your family and your self-serving excuses. There is no justification for murder.

Sonny: But self-defense is all right, though, if you’re trying to save your own life --

Alexis: Courtney’s life isn’t at stake.

Sonny: (yelling) But you’ve got to admit Courtney would be so much better off if A.J. disappeared.

Alexis: Is that some sort of a euphemism? Murder by any name is unacceptable. I’m not going to sit in judgement about what you’ve done because there are things in my past that I really wouldn’t want examined too closely. But if A.J. Quartermaine dies, I’m done. I’m not your lawyer, and I’m sure as hell not your friend. I will see you the way the rest of the world sees you -- as a cold-hearted, conscienceless killer. (whispers) Call of the hit, Sonny, or you're no better than your stepfather.

Sonny: I gave Benny a briefcase of money. It could have been for a bank deposit. It could have been to buy Courtney a wedding present.

Alexis: Her husband’s death.

Sonny: Well, everybody dies eventually. If A.J. gets in an accident or takes off to parts unknown, how is that my fault?

Alexis: Look, you’re not going to answer me, are you?

Sonny: I told you what I could. Alexis, I’m sorry if it’s not what you want to hear, but there are -- there are certain things I don’t discuss for my protection and yours.

Alexis: (now with tears in her eyes) That’s worked very well for us. No self-incrimination, every remark left open to interpretation, pithy conversations about friendship and trust that never go any further. (looks him straight in the eye) What do I mean to you, Sonny? What does it mean that I’m asking you to stop this and that I will be out of your life forever if you don’t? Everybody -- everybody has warned me about you, that you are not who you pretend to be, that you use friendship and you use compassion as tricks to manipulate people. Are you manipulating me? Because I find it so hard to believe that I could be so wrong about you. That when you told me all the ways that you’ve been hurt and got me to tell you all the things that I’ve never said to another living soul -- (long pause -- shrugs her shoulders) I’m just the best attorney that a lot of money and a few lies can buy.

Sonny: I value you, Alexis. I’ve told you how much. But there are things that you don’t get to know. Choices that I make that have nothing to do with you.

Alexis: If A.J. dies, you’ve made me a party to murder. I heard you. I know that you have intent. I know I should have gone straight to the police, but instead I tried to stop you myself because I trusted our friendship! (yelling) I have put everything that I am on the line for you, and you cannot do this to me!

Sonny: I said nothing that could be used against me in court. If you see me as a threat to A.J., then that’s in your head, and I can’t be held responsible.

Alexis: That’s very, very impressive. Very good. If I didn’t know that you had never graduated high school, I’d think that you were a lawyer. Is that all I am to you? A lawyer?

Sonny: You defend me, Alexis. You keep my secrets. You understand the things that I can’t say. I started out admiring you, and then I liked you, and now I need you. It’s plain and simple. I hate needing anything or anyone, but (pause) I need you.

Alexis: (tears are running down her face) Then stop this. For yourself. For me.

Sonny: You got to understand, I’ve been disrespected. If I don’t remedy that, then I’ll be seen as vulnerable, open to attack. I won’t show weakness, Alexis. Not even for you.

Alexis: And I won’t stand by a murderer.

Sonny: (on the phone) That’s right. Plans have changed. I – don’t ask me. Just – they have their money. I don’t want to hear from these people. (sighs) Aren’t you going to thank me?

Alexis: Thank you? Ahem. You should be on your hands and knees thanking me, because not only did I save you from first-degree murder, I risked my career, my principles, and everything I value for you.

Sonny: Why? (Sexis theme music starts)

Alexis: I don’t know.

Sonny: I think you do.

Sonny: You know what you are to me now? Someone who matters, someone I need too much to push away. What am I to you? I mean, what are we to each other? You’re like a dance, Alexis, and I’m not talking about drunk on rum in Puerto Rico. You – you – you like to dance around me. And that’s fine because I – I like to dance with you, too. (Sexis theme music starts) But not tonight. You forced me to choose, and I – I chose you. I wonder, if the positions were reversed, would you choose me?

Sonny: You’re a great lawyer and a great friend. We can keep it that way, or we can just keep dancing indefinitely. All you gotta do is walk out. (Sexis theme music starts)

(Alexis, with tears in her eyes, looks for a split second at the door and then again at Sonny. Sonny walks towards her and puts his arms around her. She cries in his arms. He pulls away, looks her in the eyes, and kisses her deeply)