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| . Chapter 14 The following day, Alexis had spent most of the day trying to decide what to do next. She couldn�t work up the courage to call Ned�she didn�t know how to tell him she had slept with Sonny and better yet, that she had fallen for him. She didn�t know how she was going to make him understand that it didn�t diminish her feelings for him. She hadn�t seen Sonny all day; she purposely stayed in to avoid any contact with him...she just couldn�t face him after last night�her heart was broken, his heart was broken, and she thought to herself �and soon, Ned�s heart will be broken as well.� Alexis wasn�t accomplishing anything staying home, so she picked up her purse and decided to go by Luke�s to get a drink. She locked the door of her penthouse and went over to talk to Johnny. �Hi Johnny. I�m going to Luke�s for a little while, if anyone comes by would you let them know where I am?� �Sure Ms. Davis, but you call me if you need a ride home or anything.� Alexis stepped onto the elevator and hit the down button as she said �I will.� Johnny let out a sigh as he watched the elevator doors close. �I should have told her Sonny was at Luke�s� he said to himself in disappointment. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Sonny had been at Luke�s for most of the evening, downing drink after drink, hoping that it would make the pain go away. �You always drink alone?� Carly said as she sat down next to him at the bar. �Carly, what brings you here?� he said as he looked down at the glass in front of him. �I�ve just been catching up with Bobbie. I didn�t even know you were here.� �So, how�s Michael and the new place?� �Everything is perfect. Michael loves it and misses you an awful lot.� �Well, you be sure and tell him that Uncle Sonny will be by real soon� he said as he finished the remainder of what was left in his glass. Carly could immediately tell something was bothering him. �Are you okay Sonny?� �I�ll be fine!� �Cause you know you can tell me if something is.� Sonny turned his seat around so he was facing her. �Nothing is wrong�I just� he said as he caught a glimpse of the doorway and couldn�t finish his sentence. Carly saw Sonny�s face go blank and sensed there was something more to it than he was telling her. She turned around to see what had made the sudden hurt appear on his face. She saw Alexis standing in the doorway, looking around the bar. She turned back to Sonny. �Now I know what�s wrong with you�you are in love with Alexis Davis�why didn�t I pick on it before now? I should have known the day you gave me the spill about finding love that you were talking about her.� �It doesn�t matter Carly, she�s in love with Ashton� he said as he told the bartender to get him another drink. �How are you going to compete with a man that's held her heart for years now? I'm sorry, that was insensitive, it's just that everyone knows...never mind, I'm just going to go before I make an ass of myself." She stood up and got ready to walk away "If you ask me, you couldn�t have found a better woman to fall in love with. Hell, if I was a man, Alexis Davis would be at the top of my list! Good luck Sonny� she said as she headed towards Alexis. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Alexis glanced around the room before she began to head for the bar. She stopped when she saw Carly coming. They said hello to each other and continued on their way. Alexis sat down at the end of the bar, looked across to the other side, and spotted Sonny sitting there with his eyes fixated on her. �What can I get for you?� the bartender asked. Alexis didn�t hear him. She couldn�t take her eyes off of Sonny. She could feel the pain she saw in his eyes. Her eyes broke away from his and she looked up at the bartender. �I�ll have a martini.� After the bartender placed the drink in front of her, Alexis grabbed the drink, got up, and walked around to where Sonny was sitting. �Do you mind if I sit down?� she asked. �No, not at all.� He said without looking at her. �Well, it looks like we had the same idea!� Sonny didn�t say anything�he just sat there looking at the drink in his hand. They sat there drinking in silence, until Sonny finally spoke �I don�t want to lose you�even if you can never be more than my friend�I don�t want to lose that.� Alexis turned her head to look at him �Neither do I.� �You drunk yet?� he asked as he put his hand on her thigh. �Put it this way, the pain isn�t half as bad as it was before I got here.� Sonny began to rub her thigh. �I know things aren�t right between us right now, and I don�t know if they ever will be, but would it be too much for me to ask you to dance with me?� he asked as he stood up and took her hand in his. �I�d be honored� she said as she allowed him to direct her to the dance floor. As Sonny and Alexis made their way to the dance floor, Ned walked into Luke�s and looked around. Please don�t let this feeling end It�s everything I am Everything I wanna be Sonny pulled her closer to him, never taking his eyes off of hers. He wrapped his arms around her waist, as she wrapped hers around his neck. Ned looked over at the dance floor and got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as he saw her in Sonny�s arms. His wanted to go over to them and pull her out of his arms, but he didn�t want to over-react. �They are friends� he said to himself. �Nothing more.� I can see what�s mine now Finding out what�s true Since I found you Looking through the eyes of love Alexis put her head on Sonny�s shoulder as their bodies swayed to the music. Ned continued to stand in the doorway of the bar watching the woman he loved melting in the arms of another man. He couldn�t believe what he was witnessing�the enjoyment he saw in her face as her body moved against his. And now I can take the time I can see my life As it comes up shining now Reaching out to touch you I can feel so much Since I found you Looking through the eyes of love Sonny caressed her back as he held her in his arms. He didn�t want to let go of her�he wanted to remember the feel of having her rock in his arms. And now I do believe That even in the storm we�ll find some light Knowing you�re beside me I�m alright Ned started to walk towards them when he saw Alexis pull away from him, putting distance between their bodies. Sonny placed his hands on her waist and watched her as she placed her hands on his face and looked at him with pain in her eyes. She slowly pulled his head toward hers and kissed him gently on the mouth. Ned continued to watch and his heart nearly stopped when he saw the way Alexis looked at him�the way she held his face�the way she seemed to enjoy his hands on her body�and mostly, the way she kissed him. Tears filled up in his eyes as he realized there was something going on between them�something that they obviously weren�t going to deny or hadn�t denied. He couldn�t take it anymore�seeing them together was more than he could stand, so he turned around and left. Please don�t let this feeling end It might not come again And I want to remember How it feels to touch you How I feel so much Since I found you Looking through the eyes of love Alexis� couldn�t shake thoughts of Ned out her mind. Even though her body was moving with Sonny�s, her mind and soul were focused on another man. ***FLASHBACK*** Ned: I'm going to have to kiss you. (she looks at him very surprised) You could probably stop me. Alexis makes no move to stop him and he kisses her. She responds, slipping her arms around his neck. Alexis' shoes are off and they're dancing very close, her head resting on his chest, her eyes closed. Ned: You ought to be kissed more often. Alexis: (smiles, her eyes still closed) Mmm. Why is that? Ned: Makes your hair smell so good. Alexis: (smiles then raises her head to look at him) Will we be odd with each other the next time I see you? Ned: Odder than we are right now? Alexis: Let's not, okay? Let's not wonder about each other or whether we mean what we're saying. Let's not wonder if this will ever happen again or if it even should have. Would that be okay? ***END FLASHBACK*** �This was a mistake� she said as grabbed his hands and took them off of her body. �Tell me what�s wrong Alexis.� He said as he grabbed her hands and held them in his. And now I do believe That even in the storm we�ll find some light Knowing you�re beside me I�m alright �I just can�t do this Sonny. It isn�t fair to you or me and it certainly isn�t fair to Ned.� �Alexis, I don�t understand what�s wrong with following your heart?� Now, I can take the time I can see my life as it comes up shining now Reaching out to touch you I can feel so much Since I found you, looking through the eyes of love. �That�s just it...I'm not.� She said as she turned and walked away�leaving him alone on the dance floor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 15 Alexis walked off the elevator and was headed for her door when she heard Johnny say �Ms. Davis?� �Yes, Johnny� �I just wanted you to know that Mr. Ashton stopped by looking for you. I told him you went to Luke�s and he left and returned about 30 minutes later and begged me to let him in your penthouse.� �Where is he now?� �He�s in your penthouse. I�m sorry�I could tell something was bothering him, and I really didn�t think you would mind�I saw him here just the other day.� Alexis cut Johnny off �It�s okay Johnny, I�m not mad. Thank you for warning me though.� �Anytime, Ms. Davis� Alexis opened the door and looked around the living room, but there was no sign of Ned. �Ned? Ned?� she shouted as she began to search the penthouse for him. Alexis got ready to go up the stairs until she looked up and saw him standing at the top of them. �Ned, what are you doing here. It�s 1:00 in the morning?� She turned and walked back into the living room as she saw him headed down the stairs. �No, the question is Alexis, what are you doing getting home at 1:00 in the morning?� �I went to Luke�s� she said as she turned her back and walked away from him. �You mind telling me what or who at Luke�s entertained you until all hours of the morning?� he said in a raised voice. �Alexis, you don�t even like Luke�s.� �I had to get away from here and I don�t know, Luke�s was the first place that came to mind.� �You didn�t answer my question Alexis.� �Ned, I�m really not in the mood for this right now!� she said as she sat down on the couch and leaned her head against the pillow. Ned walked over to the front of the couch. �Well, you better get in the mood because I want answers and I want them NOW Alexis.� �Ned, would you mind explaining to me just what the hell you are talking about�I went to Luke�s, so what�what difference does it make who was there?� she said as she looked up at him. �What did you do while I was gone Alexis? Where did you spend all your time and with whom?� �Ok, if that�s what you want to know, here are the answers: I spent my time here working, and as far as who I spent most of my time with, I spent most of it with Sonny. Now, is there anything else you want to know?� Ned began to pace around the room. His mind was spinning in a million directions. He wasn�t sure he wanted to know the answers to the questions he wanted so desperately to ask her. Alexis got up from the couch and walked over to where he was standing. She placed her hands on his back, and as she did he walked away from her. �Don�t touch me Alexis�not now.� �Ned, what is wrong? Please, tell me what�s wrong?� �How close did you and that thug across the hall get while I was gone?� he asked as he looked her square in the eyes to see her reaction to the question. �Honestly? Very close. You were gone�when you didn�t call, I thought you had fallen out of love with me�he was there when you weren�t!� she said as she turned away from him. Ned began yelling at her �I didn�t leave you Alexis�you pushed me away�I left for you! You said you needed time�the reason I left was to give you what you needed�I would have never left you!� Tears started falling out of her eyes and she turned to look at him. �So much happened while you were gone, I�.I don�t even know how to make you understand.� �You are in love with him aren�t you Alexis? � he said as he watched the tears fall down her face. Alexis didn�t say anything�she didn�t know how to tell him, so she looked away. �Alexis, I saw you with him tonight at Luke�s. You can�t lie to me Alexis�I saw the way you were holding him, the way you looked at him�and I saw you kiss him. Do you have any idea what it felt like for me to see you in THAT man�s arms? WHY Alexis? Just answer me that.� �I don�t know Ned�so much happened�the day I moved in here, you stormed out and I was angry�very angry and I got drunk and Sonny came over and one thing led to another and the next thing I knew it was morning and I woke up naked and he was here.� she said as she began to sob. �You slept with him Alexis?� he yelled back at her in complete shock. �Ned, please, I didn�t even remember it�I was drunk Ned.� Ned dropped onto the couch and put his face in his hands. �So, you are telling me you have feelings for a man you don�t even remember going to bed with?� �I need to be honest with you Ned.� �I want to know everything Alexis so you better start explaining it to me. I�m dying to see how you are going to explain this one!� �I slept with Sonny and I didn�t remember it. Then we got into that whole argument at L&B and I wanted to tell you but I didn�t want to hurt you anymore than I already had. Then you left town and weeks went by and I didn�t hear from you and I thought maybe you had moved on. During those weeks, Sonny and I grew closer�we became friends and we spent a lot of time together. I didn�t want to fall in love with him Ned, honestly I didn�t, but when I made love to him it felt right and I thought you might have been out of my life forever. I never stopped loving you Ned�never�He was there and I feel in love with him somewhere along the way.� She said as she paced back and forth around the room avoiding making contact with his eyes. Ned jumped up off the couch and stormed toward the door. �I thought you just told me you didn�t remember sleeping with him Alexis.� �I didn�t remember Ned�the first time Sonny and I slept together I didn�t remember it�it was sex Ned, it wasn�t love.� �You are telling me you sleep with the man twice and once while you were dead sober?� he yelled back at her. �Yes� she said almost in a whisper. �I hate you Alexis. You make me sick and the fact that you made love to him makes me even sicker!� he said as he reached for the knob on the door. �Ned please, let me explain.� �You just did Alexis� he said as he reached in his pocket and pulled out her engagement ring. He gave it one last look. �I won�t be needing this anymore�you know Alexis, I planned on putting this ring back on your finger�I really thought after the day I came home and we made love that things would work out between us, but I never want to see you or this ring again.� He said as he threw the ring at her. Alexis couldn�t say anything. She saw the pain in his eyes�she didn�t prepare for this day but she knew one day it would come. She watched him and saw the anger in his eyes as he stood in the doorway. �And to think I had put you on a pedestal� he said before he closed the door and walked away and out of her life. Alexis picked the ring up off the sofa and held in her hand. �I hope one day you will be able to forgive me and understand me. I�m so sorry Ned.� She said as she removed the gold chain hanging around her neck, placed the ring on it, and held it close to her heart. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Several hours later Ned walked through the doors of the Gatehouse and picked up a bottle of vodka. He looked at the bottle for a while before throwing it across the room. He ran up to his room and pulled out the several love letters he had written her since he left. He walked back downstairs and started a fire. He stood their watching the fire burn before he picked up one of the letters and began reading it. MY Dearest Alexis; I don't know where things went so wrong and I don't know how one difference of opinion could have affected us so. You are the light of my life and I will always love you. Tears began to form in his eyes as he continued to read... I hope somehow we can work this out, because I don't want to lose you. I can't live without you in my life. Without you I am just a shell of who I once was. I don't want to be that person anymore........... Ned's tears were too much and he couldn't continue to read it anymore as his heart was breaking. He picked up the rest of the letters and held them over the fireplace. He so wanted to just drop them and forget about her. He closed his eyes and began to let them fall as Alexis grabbed his hand stopping him. Their eyes caught the others� and they just stood there speechless. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 16 �Alexis what are you doing here?� Ned asked with an angry tone. �I couldn�t just let you leave with you hating me.� She replied as he dropped the letters to the floor and walked away. �Ned I love you and I never meant to hurt you.� �You can�t be hurt by something that means nothing to you.� Alexis� heart was breaking as she knelt down and picked up the letters. �Why didn�t you ever send them?� �Would it have made a difference?� Alexis walked closer to him. �It would have made all the difference in the world.� Ned couldn�t bear to look at her knowing that she had betrayed him with Sonny of all people. �Please don�t walk away from me.� Ned turned around to face her but refuse to look her in the eyes. �I guess I should have known something was different when I first came home.� �I should have told you right there and then but I just couldn�t.� She places her hand on the side of his face. �Ned please don�t hate me?� He takes her hand off his face but doesn�t let go of it. He slowly looks her in the eyes. �Why?� �Because I love you and.....� �No, why did you sleep with Sonny?� Alexis looked away and Ned picked her face back up to meet his. �Because I wanted to be.......heck I needed to feel love.� �Oh so if Sonny wasn�t around you would have slept with Luke?� �That�s not fair and that�s not true!� �What�s not fair ......what�s not true.......explain it to me Alexis because I really don�t know.� He angrily took her face in his hands and made her look deep into his eyes. �Make me understand why you thought so little of what we had that you would jump into bed with Sonny Corinthos.� �I slept with Sonny because I wanted to sleep with him.� She yelled as he let go off her face and turned his back on her. �You didn�t call you didn�t write......hell you didn�t even send me e-mails.� He turned around to face her. �If I didn�t write then what the hell is that you�re holding in your hands.� �These?� Alexis asked as she held them in the air. �These are the reason I slept with Sonny. These are the reason I didn�t think you wanted to be with me anymore.� She threw them at him. �Why the hell didn�t you send them to me?� �That works both ways Alexis you could have written or called me?� He shot back. �I did call you.� Alexis yelled. �I spoke to........god I can�t even remember his name.� �You called, when?� �The night before you came home.� Ned ran his fingers through his hair and laughed. �That night........I turned down a very attractive woman who wanted nothing more then to spend the night with me.� Alexis walked over and sat on the couch feeling even worse then she did before. �Do you want to know why I turned her down?� He asked calmly before blowing up at her. �Because I loved you and I couldn�t do that to you.� She began to speak but he stopped her. �Do you have any idea how many times I get propositioned? How many times I could have thrown away what we had for a one night stand? How many times I drank myself to sleep because I couldn�t get you off my mind?� �I�m sorry ......I know sleeping with Sonny was wrong........but I honestly thought things between us were over.� Ned was about to say something when he noticed the chain around her neck. �Let me guess, a present from Sonny?� He asked as he sat down next to her and pulled the chain out from under her blouse. �No Jax actually, he gave it to me before leaving for Milan.� Ned held the engagement ring tight in his hand. �It�s the only chain I have long enough to....� �Hide the ring.� He coldly said cutting her off. �To keep it close to my heart.� Ned let go of the ring and looked her in the eyes. �Where do we go from here Alexis?� �That all depends.� �On what?� �On whether or not you can forgive me.� Ned threw his head back against the couch. �Do you plan on seeing him anymore?� �I�m moving out of the Penthouse.� Ned looked at her. �You�ll be safer at least..........but that�s not what I asked.� �If there�s a chance we can work things out I�ll keep my distance from Sonny.� �Both personal and professional?� �If that�s what it takes to get you to let me back into you�re life.......Yes.� Ned got off the couch and walked over to the fireplace. �Are you sure that�s what you want Alexis?� Alexis walked over to him. She placed her hands around his waist and rested her head on his back. �More than anything.� Ned stared into the fireplace and quietly said. �I don�t hate you.� �It�s a start.� Ned turned to face her. �I love you.� �And I love you.� �But is love really enough to pull us through this time?� �It�s more then we had the last two times we broke up.� �I wouldn�t say that........Jakarta maybe.........Dr Jones� trial .......I already knew I loved you and there was no looking back.� ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ A couple days have passed and Alexis and Ned decided that their relationship and love was too strong to deny. He agreed to take her out to dinner and try to recapture what they both knew they never lost. Alexis still hadn�t told Sonny she could no longer represent him and she knew that it wasn�t going to be easy. She tried to avoid him as much as possible because she knew her feelings for him were still strong. She even went as far as to hire a moving company to help her move her things into Jax� Penthouse because she couldn�t face him. The last thing in the world she wanted to do was hurt Sonny and yet she knew telling him she could no longer be his lawyer was going to do just that. Alexis paced back in forth in her old room as she got ready for her date with Ned. It seemed so awkward and she didn�t even remember being this apprehensive when they first started dating. She placed her earrings in her ears and checked her makeup one last time before walking downstairs. Her hands were shaking and her palms were sweaty as she placed a bottle of champagne into a bucket of ice. Her heart nearly jumped out of her body as she heard a knock at the door. She took a deep breath and wiped her hands on her low cut black dress before answering the door. Ned� jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide as she stood there in front of him, more breathtaking then ever. �These are for you.� He said as he handed her some flowers. �Thank you, they�re beautiful.� �They don�t even being to compare to how beautiful you are.� He replied as he took her hand and kissed it lightly. �Ned Ashton always the sweet talker.� She stated as she walked away and grabbed the bottle of Champagne. �Would you care for some?� Ned took the bottle from her. �Allow me.� He poured them both a glass and took a seat on the couch. �A toast.� Alexis smiled at him. �And just what are we toasting to?� �To new beginnings.� �I�ll drink to that.� �So where are we going tonight?� Alexis asked. �There�s this new little place that just opened up outside of town and I thought we could go there.� �Well then what are we waiting for?� ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ned and Alexis were just finishing dinner and everything was going great. It was almost like it used to be, but there was still something missing and both of them knew exactly what that was. �Would you care to dance?� Ned asked as he rose to his feet and held out his hand. �I�d be honored to dance with you.� Ned placed his arms around her and they slowly danced to the beat of the music. Alexis placed her head against him and he slightly tensed. She thought about taking it off of him but she so wanted to feel his body against hers. �Ned thank you for dinner.� She quietly said. Ned didn�t say anything, instead he pushed her away. �I think we should get going?� �Okay.� Alexis sadly stated. �Would you like to join me for a walk in the moonlight?� Ned didn�t want the evening to end but every time she got close to him he couldn�t help but think about her and Sonny. �Maybe another night.� Alexis sadly looked up into his eyes as he escorted her off the dance floor. �Will there be another night?� They stopped walking as they approached the table. He held her face in the palm of his hands and simply replied, �As long as I love you......and I do.......there will always be another night.� Alexis placed her hands on his waist. �Would a good night kiss be too much to hope for?� Ned looked deep into her eyes and could see his soul along with hers. All he wanted was to make the last few months disappear, but he knew he couldn�t. He slowly leaned forward and kissed her. Her heart and body melted at his tender touch and she wanted more than anything to just go home and make love to him. He broke the kiss and put his arm around her as they walked out of the restaurant. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ �Again thank you for dinner.� Alexis exclaimed as they sat on the couch talking. �It was my pleasure.� The moment was awkward and they both knew it. �I have tickets for a Broadway play this Saturday, would you care to escort me?� �I was planning on going to see Brooke-Lynn this weekend.� �Well maybe another time.� Ned could see how much his rejecting hurt her. �But I�m sure she wouldn�t mind if I dropped her off a little earlier than planned.� Alexis� eyes lit up. �Then you�ll take me.� �Why not I haven�t been to a Broadway play in ages.� He replied as he stood up. �Well it�s late, and I really should be going.� Alexis stood as well. �I�ll call you tomorrow and we can set up the details for Saturday.� �Sounds good.� He replied as he walked over to the door. Alexis stood just inches away from him. �Well goodnight.� Ned opened the door and headed out. �Goodnight.� He replied as he shut the door behind him. Alexis leaned against the desk and her heart was about to break as he opened the door grabbed her and pulled her into a deep meaningful kiss. The kiss quickly escalated and things began to heat up. She started pulling at his tie and he unzipped the back of her dress pushing it off her shoulder. He placed tiny little kisses on her newly revealed skin as she ran her fingers through his hair. �Make love to me Ned?� Ned�s mouth crashed down upon hers as he carried her over to the couch, gently laying her back so that their mouths wouldn�t lose contact with one another�s. She moaned as she felt his body come down on top of hers. Breathlessly and reluctantly he broke the kiss and stood up. �I�m sorry Alexis I can�t.� He quickly said as he turned and once again left the Penthouse. Alexis� heart was now indeed broken as she laid there and silently cried herself to sleep. |
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