CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

CARLY LAID BACK and sighed. “That was incredible.“ She looked over at Sonny and smiled. “Now this is what I wanted to feel like when we went through the mortal marriage ceremony.” She placed a hand to her heart then her other hand to his.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

She took one of his hands and held it to her heart, then held his other hand to his heart. “Do you feel it?” She asked.

“They’re beating in unison.” He smiled.

“Like they’re the same heart.” She laid herself across him and looked up at him. “Just like we’re breathing in unison like we share the same lungs. It’s incredible. It’s like we’re the same person in two different bodies.” She gave him a little nip with her teeth in the neck. “Aren’t you sorry we didn’t do this sooner.”

“I think I’m glad we waited.” he told her as her ran his hands down her body. “I think it was better to wait until we got to this point in our relationship.”

“I think you’re...ooooow!” Carly grabbed her stomach as she suddenly felt a sharp pain. Then she felt a hot liquid oozing down her legs. “Oh, my god!”

“Carly, what’s wrong?” Sonny asked in a panic. “What is it?”

“I think I just went into labor!” She shrieked.

“What!” Sonny shrieked back. “I’d better get the doctor.”

“NO!” She grabbed his arm as he was about to get out of bed. “I don’t want the doctor to deliver our baby. I want you to do it!”

“What!” his voiced raised an octave. “I don’t know anything about birthing a baby. Let me get the doctor who knows what he’s doing.”

“No.” She was adamant. “Sonny, we made this baby together, and that’s how we’re going to bring him into this world. Together. Just you and me. Just us and nobody else.”

“Carly!” He said in a warning tone.

“Sonny, as soon as our baby is born.” She reminded him. “Helena Cassadine is going to take him away from us. This could be the only time we can have with our child before he’s taken from us.”

“Carly, she’s going to hear you.” Sonny tried to reason with her. “When the labor starts she’s going to hear you screaming.”

“I won’t make a sound.” She promised. “No matter how much it hurts, I’ll keep it all inside so we can have this time with our baby before he’s taken away from us.” She begged. “Please say you’ll help me deliver our baby so we can have this precious little time with him before they take him from us.”

What could Sonny say when she put it like that. “Okay, Carly, you win.” He sighed already regretting his decision. “I’ll help you deliver our baby.”

“SO, WHAT’S THE last thing you remember, Barbara?” Stefan asked as he and Bobbie were sitting in the living room sipping a brandy.

“Everything since I was kidnapped is pretty vague.” Bobbie replied. “I remember bits a pieces. You telling me you were Carly’s father and that you’re a warlock. Being horrible to Carly when I saw her.” She sighed. “Maybe it’s for the best I can’t remember these past weeks very well. That way I can try to convince myself it was all a dream.”

“Then you don’t remember what Sorel and I were doing before I found you.” He asked.

“No, why?” She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

“I think it’s best you don’t know.” He told her. “I was just curious if you did.”

Just then Mrs. Lansbury entered, followed by Leticia and Baby Michael. “Thank God Michael and I made it here safely.”

“Ms. Juarez?” Stefan stood. “What are you doing here.”

“Sonny and Carly sent me here.” She revealed.

“What happened?” Stefan inquired. “Are Sonny and Carly all right?”

“I don’t know.” Leticia explained. “Your sister, Alexis tracked us down where we were staying and told us we were all in danger. Sonny and Carly told me to bring Michael to you so he’d be safe. Before Michael and I made our getaway, I saw your mother and Ned Ashton enter the place we’d all been staying. A short while later they took Sonny and Carly away from them.” She added. “I tried to follow them to see where they were taking Sonny and Carly, but I lost them.”

“Stefan, what are we going to do?” Bobbie asked in worry.

“Find them.” Stefan replied. “But first I’m going to have a long talk with my sister. She has a lot of explaining to do.”

MINDFUL OF EVERY sound they were making, Sonny and Carly went through the birth process in total silence, afraid that any sound they made would alert Helena to what was going on. But because of the psychic link that their minds shared, Sonny could hear Carly’s silent screams inside his head and could feel the pain she was enduring to bring their child into the world. After what seemed like hours, Sonny placed their child in a weary Carly’s arms. “We’ve got a girl.”

“A daughter?” She smiled, then asked anxiously. “Is she normal?”

“I checked her over.” He tenderly wiped the perspiration off of Carly’s forehead. “She’s perfect. She has all her fingers and toes. She’s absolutely normal.”

“Then I worried for nothing.” She placed a finger in the baby’s mouth so she could nibble on her finger.

“So, what would you like to name her.” Sonny asked as he caressed his daughter’s cheek and she instinctively grabbed on to his finger and wouldn’t let go.

“Michelle.” She laid back into Sonny’s arms. “For her daddy.” She smiled down at their daughter. “Look at the way she’s hanging on to your finger like she’ll never let it go. She’s already daddy’s little girl.” She turned somber. “What sort of life do you think she’ll have, Sonny, after we‘re gone?”

“I don’t know.” Sonny was filled with sadness as he looked down at the child he’d wanted for so long. “This isn’t fair. This just isn’t fair.”

“I know.” She agreed. “But there’s nothing we can do about it. We just have to enjoy the time we have with our daughter and protect her for as long as we’re able.”

As Sonny once again looked down at his daughter, he could hear Helena’s offer whispering insidiously inside his head. If he took her up on her offer, he could protect their daughter. But how could he make a deal to save his life while he just say by and watched Carly die. Could he really do that even for the sake of their daughter?

“I TRIED TO get Helena to tell me what she has planned for Sonny and Carly.” Ned told Alexis. “But she wouldn’t say. Apparently, she hasn’t made up her mind, yet. She said something about some offer she made Sonny and how he and Carly die will depend upon the choice Sonny makes.”

“Knowing Helena like I do.” Alexis replied. “I can just guess what sort of offer she made to Sonny.” She added. “If Sonny agrees to it he’s a fool.”

“Well, until the baby is born we’ve still got time.” Ned offered. “After its been born things will start moving fast and we’ll need to have all our plans in order if we have any hope of stopping Helena’s plans for Sonny and Carly.”

“Ned.” Alexis looked at him. “If we don’t stop Helena from killing Sonny and Carly, then we’re not better than her or your grandfather.”

“I couldn’t have said it better myself.” Stefan announced from behind them. Instead of arriving the mortal way, he’d gone the witch route and just materialized behind Ned and Alexis. “You know, I can understand Ashton teaming up with Helena, but you Alexis.”

“Stefan, we did what we had to do.” Alexis defended her and Ned. “We’re fighting for the future of our child.”

“I’m glad you said that, Alexis.” Stefan smiled nastily. “Since that’s exactly what I’m doing. Carly is my daughter, and like you, I’ll do whatever I must to save her, her husband and their child. Even if it means at the cost of you, your husband and your child.”

“Back off, Cassadine.” Ned stepped in between them. “If you want to blame anyone, blame me. This way my plan. I’m the one who convinced Alexis to go along with it, but she was against it from the start.”

“No, Ned.” Alexis arose to his defense. “It was just as much as my plan as it was yours.”

“As touching as this display of mutual affection is.” Stefan sneered. “I haven’t got time for this. All I want to know is where my daughter is.”

“Helena is keeping Sonny and Carly on her yacht for the time being.” Ned revealed. “But if you go to the yacht, there’s no telling what might happen. Just give me and my plan a chance to work.”

“Just what is this plan of yours?” Stefan asked.

“Alexis can fill you in on it.” Ned told him. “I’m going to get back to Helena’s yacht and try to work on her some more.”

As Ned walked out the door, Stefan turned to Alexis. “All right, Alexis.” He ordered. “Start talking. And this had better be good.”

HELENA WATCHED THE monitor in growing suspicion. “What could that be doing in there for all this time?” Sonny and Carly had been closed up behind the canopy drapes of their bed for over twelve hours. “They can’t be having sex all this time.”

“Madame.” Andreas replied. “You know the sexual stamina of a vampire in incredible. Besides, part of the time they must have been slumbering.”

Helena looked towards the porthole. “Well, it’s no longer daylight.” Helena retorted. “They should have come out of there, by now. I want you to go in there and open those curtains. I want to see what they’re doing together in that bed.”

“Madame!” Andreas objected.

“Just do it! Helena ordered. “Oh, forget it, I’ll do it myself.” She stormed out of the room.

SONNY AND CARLY had drifted off for a little while, and now they were wide awake playing with their baby. “For a second when I woke up.” Carly confessed. “I thought the baby would be gone.”

“So did I.” Sonny admitted. “It can only be a matter of time. We can stay closed in her forever. Pretty soon they’re going to get suspicious and come to see what we’re doing and for the baby’s sake when they do we can’t put up a fight when they come to take the baby away from us.”

“I know.” She caressed the baby’s head. “We’re not going to get out of this, are we? It really is over?”

“Yeah, it is.” Sonny admitted. “If we try and make a break for it, the baby could be hurt. And after they take the baby, there’s no way either of us could escape and leave her here with them.”

Just then the curtains were pulled back. “Just what is going on in here.” Helena demanded. Then her eyes fell on the baby. “You’ve given birth! Give me the baby! Give her to me at once!”