She made it seem so easy to walk away

Not run away, walk

He begged her to stay

With every box she packed, every suitcase she filled

He begged her to stay

He didnt know what was happening to her, what the truth was

He knew her heart was breaking , he knew she was uneasy and tired

She had looked at him, tears streaming down her beautiful face, her dark brown eyes, stained

And she said....

"Love only breaks your heart"

Her confession played over and over in his head

His last memory of her before she left was of her tear stained face and a confession of a broken heart

And despite his protests to her she was right. Love had broken his heart and hers over and over

If his ex-wife and her ex-husband had anything in common it was that they had no luck at love

For every excuse he tried to give her she had a reason. Some more clearer than others...

She said

"I ran out on a man who was suppose to be the love of my life, I got pregnant, I lost my sister... and God, Sonny..." Alexis paused catching her breathe "Every second of my life and my daughters life I worry. I worry about Helena, I worry about" she caught herself "Jax Im not invincible, Im tired of being scared, Im tired of fighting and protecting..."

"I wish I could make it better, Alexis I hate seeing you like this..."

"You cant be the knight in shining armor every time"

"But can I be just once with you?"

Tears continued to stream down her face and she wouldnt let him hold her. She wouldnt let him convince her to stay

"Theres nothing you can do to change everything thats happened. You cant just save me from... my life"

Jax tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks

"Youve proven time and time again youre stronger than everything thats happen to you. Youre right you dont need me to be your knight and shining armor. You never have needed me that way. But why leave now? Your home is here, your familys here..."

"Kristina and I live in a creepy old mansion thats certainly not a home. And as for family I have Kristina and Nicolas. He understands, he supports my decision. Nicolas knows that if he needs me Ill be there for him"

"And what about Kristina? Youre just taking her away from everything she knows"

It was a cheap shot, but he would risk her being angry

"Jax, shes a baby. Shell be fine. Im doing this for her. I want her to be happy and safe. I want her to live a life and not worry about her mothers past"

"What about Ned?"

"Shes with him now"

"You want to take another daughter from him?"

Alexis looked away

It wasnt easy to lie to someone she loved that much

"He understands"

"You cant be that naive to think this isnt hurting him"

"Jax... please"

Jax took a deep breath and reached his hand out taking hers in to his

"I love you" he said with complete honesty

She smiled yet still not covering her sadness "I love you"

And she kissed a sweet, innocent and familiar kiss on his lips

His last memory of her before she left... was of her tear stained face and a confession of a broken heart

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The way she looked

The sound of her voice

Her touch

Her innocent kiss

He couldnt forget any of it

It had only been a few weeks, he had let her go only after she begged him not to try and stop her

He paced the floor of his penthouse. He had been pacing since 7:30 that morning it was almost 10:00

The woman that was a constant reminder of what was good, of what love really was and meant was gone

Now she had become a constant reminder of all that he was missing in his life

A few more steps to the picture she had framed and given to him after the fire in the Port Charles Hotel

The picture was taken at Ned and Chloes wedding and was in a silver frame engraved... "To my favorite ex-husband"

It made him smile

By the look on her face no one would have ever know her love was marrying her love that day. That she and he werent newlyweds madly in love

Maybe it wasnt a complete facade. Maybe he had fallen in love with the brilliant, beautiful attorney Alexis Davis

"Im going to let Nicolas know where Kristina and I will be. Ill tell him if you ask, to tell you"

A woman that he didnt see every day but was always in the back of his mind was now haunting him

Every ounce of their conversation, every tear that fell down her face was haunting him

He argued for Neds feelings, he didnt think to argue enough for his own

Why was he suddenly missing his best friend so much? Why couldnt he let her go?

He picked up the phone without thinking twice

"Nicolas Cassadine please... Its Jax... Where is she?"

End Ch. 1