Part Three

Rays of sunlight invaded Alexis' room. The warmth that lingered was welcoming. She'd spent all of last night crying and thinking. Thinking she did enough of, but crying was new to her. She cried herself to sleep thinking about the man who once comforted her and made all her problems disappear. She thought it ironic how the shoulder she many times leaned on belonged to the same man who had her crying throughout the night. She thought of him... of what he said to her last night...

"Alexis, I meant what I said out there. I respect your decision and will support you no matter what. But I don't want you to go. Aside from the fact that your the best attorney I've ever had, you are also my friend. I don't have very many, you know, and I don't want to lose another one --- I don't want to lose you..."

She didn't know why or how it started. Perhaps it was his persistence that got to her. The first time she saw him, she thought him smug and arrogant. A male chauvanist who prostituted his charms and good looks to manipulate others --- a dangerous criminal who could not be trusted. Boy, was she wrong. She's been wrong about a lot of things lately. Her instincts, a thing she'd lived by all her life, has proven wrong. She couldn't trust her instincts anymore. If she followed her mind instead of her instincts and what her body and heart urged her to do, she wouldn't be in this mess right now. She could've prevented herself from crossing the blurred line. She shouldn't have gotten as close as she did with Sonny. And more importantly --- she shouldn't have allowed herself to fall in love.

He stood outside on the balcony with his arms stretched out holding onto the railing. His exposed tanned-skin was revitalized by the warmth of the morning sun. He picked up his cel phone and pressed on speed dial, "Hey, it's Sonny, your probably still sleeping, but, um... I need to talk to you. Can u meet me by the docks at ten? Well, uh, I guess I'll see you then." He hung up the phone and resumed to his first position. He breathe in the fresh air and sighed heavily. He caught a glimpse of a little girl, twirling down below. A smile spread across his face as his thoughts brought an image of Alexis twirling in the fountain in Puerto Rico. She was drunk then, the first time he'd ever seen her in that state. So carefree, lose and happy. The sound of her laugh rang in his head. He remembered her as she walked on the edge of the fountain, losing her balance and landing perfectly in his arms. The instant his hand made contact with her creamy skin, he lost himself. He held her close and didn't want to let her go. He lost himself in her hypnotic smile, deep, brown, expressive eyes, her silky hair draped along her exquisite shoulders, her lithe frame and the smell of her --- gardenias. The memory of that night made him light-headed. He grabbed onto the railing for support. He closed his eyes, picturing Alexis in her dress, a gardenia in her hair, her left arm wrapped around his neck as they danced the night away. He felt a pair of hands sneak up on his back, slowly making their way to his shoulder blades and back down to his waist. He remembered that night when he called off the hit on A.J. --- the night where he showed his weakness --- that memorable night with Alexis

"Good morning Mr. Corinthos."

Carly's voice brought him back to reality. For a moment, he had drifted back to a forbidden place. He was happily married now to Carly, and Alexis has moved on with Ned. Everything happened for a reason, and it all turned out for the best, as so he thought. He gave Carly a weak smile, "Good morning. Are you hungry? Breakfast is on the table."

"Actually I'm starved. Well, aren't you going to join me?"

"Um, yeah, I actually have some business to take care of."

"What, so early in the morning? Can't it wait?"

"Actually, it can't. It's urgent, you know."

The green-eyed monster captured the best of Carly once again. Somehow she knew that this urgent 'business meeting' has something to do with the pest across the hall. But after her own meeting with Alexis' old lawfirm later on this morning, the problem will soon disappear. "Well, ok, I got to do some stuff too later on today anyways. So I guess I'll see you tonight, when I can be Mrs. Corinthos once again." She pulled Sonny in for a kiss. She pulled away and looked him in the eye, "I can't believe this is really happening."

"Neither can I." Carly hugged Sonny and missed the confusion, regret and longing in his eyes. He was to renew his vows with Carly tonight. A woman he's loved and the mother of an amazing boy. But all the while, he can't seem to clear his thoughts of his lady lawyer and friend that occupied the room across the hall.