A/N: The End! Hope you enjoy the kool-aid.

The knock on the door didn’t surprise her; she just wondered who it would be first…thankful for the fact that Kristina was at Day Camp and Molly was spending the day with Sam and Lucky. Pinching the bridge of her nose she hoped it wasn’t Jerry…or Ric. Hell it was bad when Sonny was the option she hoped for most.

Looking through the glass she saw someone she never expected…if she thought about it, it made sense. The truth would affect so many of their lives…it had the power to change everything.

“Kate” she said slowly swinging the door open.

She walked in, her heels clicking the granite tile, “Do you love him?”

“What” she asked the question not quite registering.

“Do you love Sonny, are you in love with him?” she asked.

It was the question of a lifetime, one that wasn’t easily answered with a simple yes or no. For so much of her life she had loved Sonny…as a friend, a confidante, the father of her child…and as a lover. Now everything was so tangled in each other it was impossible to sort it out.

“I, what I feel for Sonny is complex” she answered trying to choose her words wisely, unsure of what Kate’s reasons for asking were.

Cassadines watched people, read their body language, knew what they were going to say before they spoke so when Kate responded Alexis had already cushioned the blow, “Complex enough that you just sleep with him on a whim”

“It wasn’t like that” she tried to explained. Explaining her and Sonny was trying to tell someone how the wind feels, or water tastes…it just is. From the first moment he had entered her life he began to make a mess of it.

“So then what was it like, please Alexis, I considered you my friend…explain it to me” Kate asked the emotion seeping through the cracks in her false bravado.

Closing her eyes for a moment she looked for the right words, “It wasn’t something I planned…neither of us did…but we needed each other…you two were broken up, and…I never meant to hurt you”

The whole time she spoke Kate looked at her intently and instead of the tirade she expected a sad smile came to her face, “You love him” she said not as a question.

For a moment she thought of trying to deny it…but she didn’t. In the end she watched Kate Howard walk out of the door without another word.

He woke at dawn, so many questions that needed answers. He didn’t want to push her this time…his first instinct was to go knock the door down, but that never worked in the past…and he had evolved enough to realize that it wouldn’t work now.

A sharp rap on his door jarred him from his thoughts. Before he could make it, the door swung open wildly and Diane waltzed in.

“Max isn’t here” he said pouring himself a glass of water.

Marching up next to him, “I’m not here for Max” she stated.

“Then what are you here for Diane? You gave me your resignation letter weeks ago so it isn’t lawyer business, and Kate is…I don’t know where Kate is” he said exasperated.

To that he got a swift poke in the chest followed by another, “I am here because I want to tell you one thing and one thing only. If you hurt her, I will rip your beating heart out of your chest”

“What are you…”

“Don’t play coy with me Mister, she is the only best friend I’ve ever had…and if you mess this up…I will kill you...and I don’t mean legally” she said before turning on her heel and walking out.

Sonny just shook his head…he wanted a drink.

After Kate left Alexis sat at her desk sorting through paperwork. The day had barely started but she wanted it to end. She had stared at the file for two hours before she decided she was getting nowhere. Part of her wanted to get in the car and drive to Sonny’s and confess everything. The knock on the door told her that the decision was made already.

“Sonny” she said opening it.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

Nodding she beckoned him through the door.

“I know” he said his voice barely above a hoarse whisper.

Nodding she bit back the tears, “I just found out Sonny…I hadn’t even had a chance to process it and Jerry…he thought…he thought I was having his child”

“And it’s mine?”

Smiling sadly she got closer, “Eight weeks…the only time I slept with Jerry was three weeks ago”

Hearing the words from her lips made the blood course through his veins into his rapidly beating heart. She was carrying his child…and it meant the world.

He touched her face gently wiping the lone tear from her eye, “I can’t walk away this time…I can’t walk away knowing like I did last time”

The weight of his words held her heart down…he knew…knew the one secret that haunted her at nights…that was always very much alive in their child’s eyes.

“You knew?” she asked her voice laden with emotion.

A forlorn look came to his face and he did a half shrug, “Women aren’t usually pregnant 11 months” he said trying to bring some humor into the whole thing.

That lost look in his eyes…the little boy locked in the closet…it killed a part of her inside every time he looked at his shoes like that.

“I’m sorry”

Shaking his head he brought his eyes to her, “don’t…Molly was safe, beautiful…I wanted to…I was glad she was mine…but she wasn’t safe with me. It’s different now Alexis, I understand why you kept her away from me back then…but please don’t ask me to do it again” he begged.

“I won’t” she said staring deeply in his eyes.

The moment was broken by the door rustling open, “We’re back” Sam said Molly in her arms.

Watching the tense situation Sam turned to her mother, “Is everything okay?” she asked.

Alexis nodded, “Fine, how are my girl’s?” she asked Molly jumping into her arms.

“Great, we went and fed the ducky’s at the park. Lucky had to go into the station and I promised Maxie that we would do lunch…I can stick around if you need” she asked.

Shaking her head, “No, go, have fun”

“Okay, love you” she said kissing Molly on the forehead and then Alexis on the cheek, “Sonny” she added with a nod.

“You remember Uncle Sonny, don’t you baby?” Alexis asked turning the toddler towards him.

She had his mothers eyes…he had seen her dozens of times but he never took the time to really look at her. It was easier pretending something that wasn’t…easier on his soul. Now he just stared at her, every curve of her face, the color of her skin, the toffee strands in her dark chocolate hair. He loved her instantly. Wanted to take her into his arms and never let her go.

“Hi” she said brightly adding a little wave.

Alexis put her down and Sonny knelt to her height, “Hey pretty girl”

There was a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and she had Alexis’ smile. The little giggle that escaped her throat made his heart swell with pride. His little girl…his baby.

Watching them together made something in her break and she could no longer hold the tears in. She cried silently watching them stare at each other. She knew it was wrong…wrong to keep them from each other…and watching them now…studying each other.

“DADDDDDDDY” came from the doorway as Kristina burst through.

“Princess” he said scooping her in his arms and kissing her cheek.

Molly looked at them, “Molly up too” she announced.

Dimples ablaze he took her in his other arm, “My girls” he thought.

It seemed that peace was never meant to be theirs.

“Oh nice happy family picture” Ric said waltzing in.

“Viola, can you please take the girl’s to the playroom” Alexis yelled knowing that this was going to be the worst of it all.

The younger woman came running at the tone in her voice, “Come on guys, I have crayons and coloring books that are just calling your name”

All of them waited until they heard the door close in the back.

“So this morning my father calls me with some very interesting news. Would you care to explain Alexis” he asked seething.

Sonny stepped between them, “You better back up little brother”

“Oh I see, her big protector, I guess she fools you easy when you are in her bed”

He bit back the urge to slam his fist into his brother’s face. He should have ended Ric’s reign of terror a long time ago…maybe things would have been different.

“If you aren’t going to show respect…you need to leave”

Ric pushed past him to get in Alexis’ face, “You let me believe that she was mine…you let me raise her, love her, and he is protecting you like you are the victim”

“I’m sorry” was all she managed to get out before he continued with his tirade.

“You’re sorry…she calls me Daddy and you are sorry. Oh cry me a river Alexis. If you were able to stop jumping into bed with my brother, maybe then you wouldn’t 

have to be sorry. You like to look down on all the rest of us but you are just as bad…just another common”

Grabbing him by his lapels Sonny pushed him up against the wall, “You shut up” he seethed.

Shaking him off Ric smiled, “You know what, you two deserve each other” he said before waking out and slamming the door.

Watching him walk away wasn’t the relief she had expected. It only made her feel worse…made the pain in her chest start to throb, her breathing becoming shallow.

“Lex, Lex, breathe” he said rushing to her side.

“Breathe honey, just like that” he said rubbing lazy circles against her back.

“God Sonny…what are we going to do?”

Taking her into his arms his chin atop her head, “We’re going to make things right…for our girls”

Seven Months Later

Max pulled up to the hospital as fast as he could. As soon as they stopped arms were un-strapping kids and grabbing bags.

Molly in one arm and Kristina in another and Sonny burst through the doors of the General Hospital ER…his eyes searching for a familiar face when Sam walked out in scrubs.

“Congratulations Daddy” she said smiling.

The words swelled his heart, his two girls in his arms where they belonged. Ric had disappeared a couple weeks after the truth came out…after three attempts to find him, they gave up. Sonny would have never ripped Ric from Molly’s life…but with him gone, he was there to take the place he was meant to have.

Handing the girls to their sister he peaked his head into the room.

“Hey you”

She smiled at him, “Hey yourself…come meet your son”

The words struck his heart with such intensity he was stuck to the ground for a couple of long moments.

“My son?” he asked almost shyly.

Nodding, “And you thought we just made girls”

Coming closer he looked at the tiny thing swaddled in blue, “He is perfect…thank you…thank you for my children”

“It was never a choice Sonny”

“Nah, it was fate”

Handing him their son she smiled, “I would like you to meet Davis Mikhail Corinthos”