The incriminatory tone in his voice startled her. She looked at him dumbfounded with his accusations. She didn't know where he came up with his conclusions. She stared into his jealous driven eyes, and couldn't help but feel warm inside that Sonny still cared for her.

Her silence urged him to continue. "I saw you with him in the cottage Alexis, so don't deny it or lie to me." Sonny's voice was low and eerily calm. The sudden change in Alexis' face surprised him though. Now the tables were turned and it was Alexis who questioned him with the same incriminatory tone.

"What, your spying on me now?!" she spat out angrily. She stepped away from him and widened the proximity of their bodies. Alexis is a woman with great patience, she understood things and analyzed situations before jumping into conclusions. There are a few things in life that ticked her off --- being handled and watched like a child was one of them. She isn't what you would describe as temperamental, but then again, maybe it's her current physical state that's causing her mood swings.

He was confused with her unexpected outburst. "What, No!" The sudden change in the air traveled quickly and weighed its toll on Sonny. He looked around him, shifted his position and sighed. He looked at her waiting eyes. "I.. when you were missing, that night when the storm hit, I was worried..." Her eyes softened and her composure relaxed. Sonny continued, "Jason found your car, it was broken down so I went to look for you to see if you were ok. I saw a cottage nearby and went to see if maybe you went in for shelter. That's when I saw you wrapped in a blanket sitting by the fire with... Ashton" He spoke Ned's name with a silent ferocity.

"I'm a big girl Sonny, I'm capable. What I do, or who I choose to spend my time with is none of your business." He was shocked with how coldly she spoke the words. She saw that her words hit him hard. He lowered his head and nodded. Alexis continued, "I am not yours to protect nor do I need your care." She didn't mean to sound ungrateful but she didn't know how else to respond. It's either this or pouring her heart out to Sonny. She chose the lesser of the two evils.

"I know your independent and capable and you're one of the few people that I know... that's what I love about you. But as long as I live, I will protect you and will always care about you Alexis." Alexis knew she was in trouble as she listened to Sonny utter the last words. Did Sonny Corinthos just use the word love and Alexis in the same sentence? "... as long as I live, I will protect you and always care about you Alexis..." She feared that he would say something that would make her confess her feelings for him. In her mind she so badly wanted to tell Sonny to dump Carly and choose her instead. She loved him and could provide him everything Carly can and more.

Sonny lifted his face to hers and met her watery eyes. He felt the urge to reach out to her and comfort her. But she tore away from his gaze. She looked at the figure behind him. Sonny followed her eyes and saw Jason standing by the pay phone. He wondered how long he's been standing there. Did he hear everything he told her?

"Um, I have to go. I have an appointment at, well.... I'll leave you two alone." Alexis stammered with her words as Jason walked towards them.

Sonny and Alexis gazed into each other's eyes. There was a long pause and silence ensued. Jason watched in awe as he came to the realization. The two specimens in front of him willingly denied it but it was clear to him that Sonny and Alexis' feelings towards each other dug deeper than a strictly lawyer-client relationship --- the two were in love. He lowered his head to give them some privacy as he pondered what he should do with his new found secret. Should he tell Carly and spare her the heartache of investing her feelings to the man who obviously can't return them? Or does he keep quiet and let the course of events take their toll?

Alexis tore her eyes from Sonny and looked at the lingering body behind him. She turned herself around to leave when a hand grabbed her wrist, "Hey Alexis," She heard Sonny's voice but kept her head turned and stared at the ground. She knew he was waiting for her to look up at him but she was too afraid that he would see how much this was killing her. "I was there when Ashton abandoned you. I saw how much he hurt you. I just don't want to give him another chance to do it again. You deserve better than that..." There was pain and longing in his voice as he spoke. Jason as well as Alexis caught it. Alexis simply nodded and looked at him briefly, but it was long enough to catch in his eyes what she did in his voice.

Jason was surprised to see the tears that rolled down Alexis' cheeks. He'd seen Alexis in different states --- the legal eagle in the courtroom, the mouthpiece down at the PCPD, the sexy and playful Eddies Angel and the fun-loving fiancée of his cousin. But never has he seen her like this --- weak, vulnerable and hopelessly head over heels for her client.

She wiped her face of the tears with her free hand. She looked at her wrist that Sonny held in his hands. His hand held her firm and gently massaged her skin with his thumb. "Sonny, I need to go. Please let me go..." She swallowed the lump in her throat as new tears formed clouding her vision. He reluctantly released her wrist and nodded his head.

"Yeah..." He watched in silence as she walked away from him --- as she walked away from his life.

Her words lingered in his head, "Sonny...please let me go..."

He couldn't believe it was happening. It was happening too fast. In less than a week's time, Alexis will be gone from his life forever. She will be leaving for Manhattan to start over --- to start over without him. "I don't think I can," he whispered to himself.

"Go after her." Jason's voice beamed from behind him.

"Huh?" He looked at Jason confused.