Any stranger who saw his face light up at the sight of her when she walked in the room would have easily mistaken him for someone who was deeply infatuated. Jax’s blue eyes sparkled as he spotted her stepping off of the elevator to the Metro Court

“Well there she is!” Jax said motioning Alexis over to the bar

“Hi! Sorry I’m late. I went to look at a house on Grand View…” She said giving him a quick kiss

“Any luck?”

“I loved it!”

“Really?”

“Yeah”

Jax looked at the bartender for his attention and then back to Alexis “Glass of wine?”

“Red” Alexis responded

“House?”

“Fine”

“The house Merlot please” Jax said directing his attention back to the bartender

The bartender quickly placed the glass of wine on the bar nearest to them

“Tell me about the house…you said Grand View? Which house is it?”

“The white painted brick…”

“Second to the corner?”

“That’s it!” Alexis said her eyes wide

“I didn’t know it was for sale”

“I didn’t either! I guess it just went on the market in the last week”

“So tell me about it”

“It’s perfect, Jax. Not too big but definitely not small. Kristina and Chloe both would have plenty of room to play and the back yard is great! There’s the perfect place for a swing, I can just see Kristina… she’ll think she has her very own little park!” Alexis said grinning “And the previous owners remodeled it not too long ago… It just felt good… it felt settled and safe, ya know?”

Jax grinned “Did you put an offer on it?”

“I called my agent and she’s suppose to call me back anytime”

“Well let me know when you need help moving in!”

“And what? You’ll call someone to have it done?” Alexis questioned, grinning

“Absolutely!” Jax said letting out a bit of laughter “So how did you find out about the house?”

“Actually, Peter told me about it”

“Peter?”

“Yeah he told me about it the other day and suggested that I go and take a look”

“You two must have had one hell of a conversation at the hospital for you two to be talking real estate”

Alexis hesitated

“He told me about it on Saturday… he came by my apartment to check on me…”

“House calls huh?” Jax questioned intrigued

“He just wanted to make sure I was ok” Alexis defended

“Peter just doesn’t ‘come by’ and check on his patients Alexis” Jax said now amused

Alexis lifted her brow to Jax “Yeah I got that”

“So you must have made quite a first and second impression on him the other day…”

“What can I say he likes women who have just passed out from panic attacks. They’re an easy catch!”

Jax grinned; he got her sense of humor

“Oh I went ahead and ordered lunch for us. There’s something new I was thinking of putting on the menu and I figured you would be a great guinea pig!” Jax interjected

“What are you saying? I’ll eat anything!”

“No I’m just saying you’re quite the connoisseur on dining out and I thought you would be the perfect person to get an opinion. Besides I know you’ll tell me the truth, if you like it or not!”

Alexis grinned taking a sip of her wine

“So back to Peter” Jax said, sure to get to the bottom of what was going on between his friends

“What do you mean back to Peter? We weren’t discussing Peter”

“Oh yes we were!”

“We talked in the hospital the other day. He knew I was stressed out. He came and checked on me…”

“Ok, ok” Jax said pretending to give in

Alexis let out a deep breath “Ok fine!”

Jax looked at Alexis again amused

“Well then tell me about him” she said giving in, but really wanting to know

“I thought we weren’t talking about Peter?”

“Jax!”

Jax grinned

“He’s a good man, the upstanding citizen type. Successful cardiologist that I think really got burned out by his own choice of lifestyle. Lived to work, worked to live… sound familiar?”

Alexis rolled her eyes

“And he just upped and moved to Port Charles?” Alexis asked almost suspiciously

“He and I ran in to each other a little while ago. He was looking for a change. I told him I was in Port Charles… That’s where he got the idea I guess…”

Their stories matched up

“He’s a really nice guy” Alexis said her head seemingly in the clouds

“He is” Jax said studying her face knowing good and well Alexis wasn’t listening “Alexis?”

“Hmm?” she said her eyes snapping back to his

“What are you thinking about in that head of yours?”

Alexis shook her head “Nothing”

“Alexis?”

She let out a nervous laugh

“It’s funny…”

“What’s funny?”

“I don’t know… Peter I guess”

“Peter is funny? Yeah he does have quite a sense of humor…”

“Jax”

“How is it funny?” Jax now asked more seriously

“I’m over thinking”

“Alexis!”

“Just Peter, he’s this charming, and he’s handsome and seemingly a really great, normal guy…”

Alexis paused

She was fidgeting

“And the last time I checked those were good qualities…” Jax said confused as he watched her

“Yeah… they are… its just funny that this guy who’s all of these things comes in to my life and…”

“And?”

“And I’m putting the cart before the horse”

“Alexis, for Peter to make the effort to find your apartment and check on you wasn’t because he’s an upstanding doctor, it’s because he obviously wanted to see you, he wanted to have your attention”

“And I thought it was really sweet. I mean really, it was flattering! And for him to just make me feel that way and so easily, it’s just…

“Just what?”

Alexis looked up at Jax

A familiar look in her eyes screamed his name

“Ric” Jax said

“Yeah”

“That does make the equation a bit more interesting doesn’t it?”

“Jax” she said almost frustrated

“Alexis you and Ric go back and forth and back and forth. I’m having a hard time being convinced that he’s good for you”

Alexis ran her hands through her hair, thinking

Jax looked around suddenly noticing everyone that surrounded them

“Come to my office with me. We can talk…” Jax said taking her wine and her hand as she followed him to his private office

Alexis quickly sunk into the tan leather chair as Jax handed her glass of wine as he sat in the chair facing her

“I didn’t mean for our lunch to turn in to my therapy session”

“This isn’t a therapy session… you’re my best friend. I want to hear what’s going on in your life. I want to be here for you and help you if I can”

Alexis shuffled in her chair

“Speaking of you helping… he told me what you said”

Jax looked at Alexis

“Ric told me you said to love me or that he should leave me alone” she continued

“I did tell him that and I meant it” Jax admitted

“And he says that’s just what his intentions are. He says if he can’t love me the way he should then he will get out of my life…my love life that is”

“Good!” Jax said unwavering “Do you believe him?”

Alexis’ eyes darted around the room

“Alexis?”

“I want to… I guess”

“You don’t sound so sure”

“Do you blame me?” she shot back

“I can’t say that I do

“Fool you twice you’re just a fool” Alexis said shaking her head

“But you love him”

“Yeah”

“Are you still in love with him?”

Alexis let out another one of her now infamous nervous laughs

Her hesitation was enough for Jax. Yes she was still in love with him. A thousand times yes

“Yes I am”

“Then what’s the problem? Work it out with Ric, live happily ever after…”

“You know it’s not that simple anymore”

“If you two really love each other why are you doing this to each other? And why have you done it for months on in? I mean you’ve given birth to your daughter in all of this time and you both are still unsure? You’re both still are unable to figure out if you’re supposed to be together or apart?”

“I know it’s completely asinine of us both. We’re two intelligent adults we should be able to make a decision as simple as to, are we together or apart?”

Jax took her hands in to his and then kissed them one by one “I’m sorry”

“For?” she asked suddenly puzzled

“For saying what I just said. For making you feel like it’s an easy decision to choose something that’s obviously tugging you in two opposite directions”

Alexis paused, thinking

“But you are right Jax about a lot of it. Am I with him or not? Am I in love with him or not? Are we apart or are we a picture perfect family? It’s insane that I can’t answer not one those questions without a but or a because…”

“So are you looking for a distraction? Do you want Peter to sweep you off your feet? Ease the pain of what was known as Ric and Alexis?”

“The pain known as Ric and Alexis?” she said repeating his choice of words

“You know what I mean!”

“I don’t know. I really honestly don’t know. I mean maybe I want Ric. Or maybe I do want someone new in my life that I don’t have to question any of his intentions or how I feel about him…Maybe I do wish for simplicity for once in my life!”

Alexis stood up and began to pace the floor in front of Jax

“I shouldn’t even be toying with the idea”

“Why shouldn’t you?”

“I have two daughters to worry about and God; technically I’m still married to Ric!”

“Technically you deserve to have a life that includes a man that doesn’t make you feel the way you do”

Alexis stopped her pacing, she stared at Jax

She took a deep breath in and out

“Alexis” Jax said pulling her to sit back down in the chair “You and Ric have played the game in circles. One of you has to make a move in the right direction, if that really is what both of you want to do. And if you’re really not over Ric, tell Peter you’re still madly in love with him and that he shouldn’t waste his time making googly eyes at you”

“Googly eyes? Really?’

Jax grinned making light of his term

“Alexis… if you see something in Peter, if you really are attracted to him then let yourself have a break. If anything let your heart breathe”

Alexis turned to Jax

“Jax I don’t know life anymore without Ric. Every morning that I wake up and he’s not there, all I have to do is look at my baby girl, Chloe is a constant reminder of how much I love him. Of what good we are. I can’t just let go, though some days I desperately want to”

“I saw you in love with him. I remember the day you told me you two were having Chloe. You were happy. A little scared but happy” Jax said with a smile “I want you to have that not just once in a lifetime but all the time… Alexis I personally gave Ric an ultimatum because I want him to realize what it’s like to have the chance to really lose you. I don’t mean dangle you on a string; I mean cut ties with you. No marriage, no sex, just friendly conversation between parents of a little girl”

“There’s a part of me that’s not ready to have him be just Chloe’s father” Alexis said admittingly

Jax shook his head “I know”

“Is it really so horrible to be unsure?”

“Only if you’re sure that it’s not breaking your heart”

Alexis placed her hand to Jax’s cheek

She leaned in kissing him not once but twice on the lips

“My white knight” she said placing a smile on her face 

Jax grinned “I will always try and be though I wish you didn’t need me”

“You know I would always need you anyway… I’m a basket case!” she joked

Jax laughed

“Shall we go and have lunch? I’m sure you’ve worked up an appetite juggling all of your suitors”

“Funny” Alexis said dryly

Jax stood up heading to hold the door for her. He stopped her before she walked past him

“Can I say just one more thing?”

Alexis nodded

“I know you. I know you sometimes painfully too well. And I say painfully because I see you having to guard yourself over and over… But please will you just do one thing… Will you please just start thinking about what you deserve? All that you’ve been through, you deserve to be happy whether it be with Ric or Peter or whomever. You deserve to be happy Alexis!”

Alexis smiled slightly

But she wanted to cry

She wanted to cry because Jax was right she did have to put up her guard time and time again

She wanted to cry because he wanted her to have what he thought she deserved

“You’re right I do deserve happiness. I mean despite how it seems I do want to be happy…”

“Then just promise me you’ll make decisions that are for you, and for Kristina and Chloe. Because I know that’s what makes you happy”

Alexis palm went to Jax’s cheek

She held her hand resting there for a moment, letting his words of wisdom sink in

She shook her head ok

Jax smiled

“Lunch?”

“Please” she said making her way now out of his office

“Did I tell you Lady Jane’s latest hiking adventure?” Jax said already laughing

“Oh no!” Alexis rolling her eyes

End Ch. 4