“Park Benches And Penthouse Floors”

She sat on the park bench as if she were completely uncomfortable

As if something at any moment were to reach out and bite her, or at any moment cause her pain

Her legs tightly crossed, so much the one leg almost completely wrapped around the other

She tugged at her sleeves as she fidgeted and relentlessly gripped them in between her fingers and the palms of her hands

Bobby was right she looked thin, tired and yes very sad

He stood there taking in the sight of her though he himself was hidden from her

He was saddened by her obvious tortured state but couldn’t help but wonder as she sat there what she looked like only two weeks before

He was sure she had been happy and healthy. That her life was nothing but fulfilled promises of love and despite the impossibilities he was sure Jax delivered a sort of perfection that he never had the chance to promise her much less try and give her

Sonny took a step forward

But he hesitated

Another second to gather courage

Then he walked up to her and sat right down beside her on the bench

She never acknowledged his presence though she observed from the corner of her eye his appearance and how he had only become more handsome with time.  His hair had more white but his skin still just as dark and smooth. His age agreed with him, he seemed to have aged to perfection

“I wouldn’t think Jax would just let you sit out here alone”

It was an odd statement. Especially to say to someone he hadn’t spoken to in well over a decade

Her head turned quickly to him

“Jax has no say in whether I come or go. Whether I sit on a park bench alone or if I chose to never leave his side”

Sonny raised his brow at the obvious vein he had struck

She turned her attention back away from him as he shifted his weight on the bench

“How are you?”

His voice cracked

She didn’t expect that to be his next question

“I’m not ok” she said without expression

His hands

His hands were fidgeting

“I’m sorry”

“Are you?”

He was stunned she asked him that

“Of course I am”

She said nothing. She got the reaction she wanted

Sonny turned to her still perplexed by her question

His elbows went to his knees

“You still hate me?”

Another unexpected question

She didn’t respond with yes or no but rather…

“I’m not sure”

“You’re unsure?”

“I’m not sure who I love or hate at the moment. I’m indifferent to everyone until I get my daughter back”

“So you’re assuming just because you and I weren’t on the best of terms…”

Her jaw clenched

“I don’t assume! I just ask! Did you take my daughter?”

“I wouldn’t do that to you. I wouldn’t do that to her!”

“How do I know you wouldn’t? Why should I take your word for it?”

“I want to help look for her” he said calming his voice as he nonchalantly changed the subject

She could suddenly feel him under her skin

Simple, caring words that was easily believable from his lips

He made her ache just as he had years ago but this time for a million different reasons

“You’re looking for her”

Alexis knew him well. He had forgotten that she did

“Another assumption”

“You don’t ask permission. If you wanted to look for her you’ve already begun…”

“Was that wrong of me?”

“Why should you care?”

Sonny again shifted his weight on the bench

“Do you really want me to answer that?”

His voice was calm

Alexis’ eyes darted to his

“Why are you here?”

Question out of sequence

“I wanted to see you, to see how you were doing”

“You saw a picture of her”

Back on the subject

“Yes”

“And?”

“She’s beautiful”

Alexis had tears streaming uncontrollably down her face

She didn’t have to try and explain why

Sonny wanted to touch her, he wouldn’t dare

“She is”

“She has your eyes Alexis”

“I know” she said trying to wipe the tears from her face

“Your nose”

Alexis shook her head

“But I think at least from what I can tell she has my features” 

No one took a breath in or out

Not a breath from her

Nor from Sonny

Finally he continued

“You know her skin, her facial expressions”

Alexis’ hands were now shaking uncontrollably

Sonny couldn’t stand it any longer his hand went for hers

Amazingly she let him touch her, console her

“How long…”

A question that didn’t need to be finished

“I adored her the first time I saw her. I found myself wanting to love her and protect her and I couldn’t understand why. At first I thought it was because of my connection with you. Maybe I just understood how much you love her and needed her…”

“You never said anything. You never tried to get custody of her”

“I know why you did what you did”

“You’re being too rational”

“I lost my daughter with Sam. I lost who I thought was my son to my own brother… Kristina survived because you protected her. Something I now realize I never could have done”

“So you didn’t come after me? You never wanted to take her from me?”

“I was angry with you. I even wanted to hate you but I didn’t. I never could. The night I found out. The night Carly and I agreed our marriage was over for good she told me everything. The next thing I know I lost my daughter with Sam and I was again overwhelmed with the feelings that I was doomed to have a child. I wanted Kristina. I wanted her in my life. And I thought of everything from physically punishing you for keeping her from me to taking you to court to try and gain custody…”

“And you didn’t do either because?”

“It was a time in my life where I had lost everything. I couldn’t do that to that little girl and I couldn’t destroy your life and the one who made you lose everything. It hurt too much. I couldn’t make you feel that unbearable…”

“Pardon me for sounding like a broken record but why are you being so rational about all of this… and why care now”

“Just give me the benefit of the doubt about it all. It was a chance for once in my life to do something right. To protect my child even if it was from her father. As for now, she’s still my daughter, she’s missing. And I you’re right I am looking for her but it’s time you know I know the truth… we have to find our daughter”

Alexis found herself unable to catch her breath but she still shook her head in agreement as she struggled to find air

“I have a very good detective who has started to look for her. If you have any other information that may help him I would like you to speak with him. Alexis he’s very good at what he does”

She agreed to meet with Bobby, she was desperate, and she would do anything if it would help get her daughter back

Alexis and Sonny sat beside each other another twenty minutes asking and answering questions… rationally

She explained her life with Jax, even explained why they changed Kristina’s name to Davis…

He explained his life without Carly or his family and his choice to stay in Puerto Rico

“I’m not sure how to end this conversation with you” She said as Sonny could tell she was becoming restless and uneasy

“Just tell me you’ll come and answer any questions Bobby might have…”

“I will”

She stood up from the bench and he followed her

“Awkward isn’t even the word for how I feel right now” She said folding her arms against her chest

“It’s ok” He assured

“Is it?”

He shook his head

“You better go back up before Jax gets too worried”

She turned, heading for the towering building ahead of her. She turned back to look at Sonny watching her walk away

She turned back from him and walked away

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 Her finger pressed the button to the elevator and her eyes watched the numbers fall from the top of the building to the lobby

The doors opened and their eyes met

He was startled to see her standing there

“You were gone for a pretty good while. I got a little worried about you… I’m a little paranoid I guess”

Jax looked her over when she didn’t respond

She looked shaken and unnerved

Jax stepped back in to the elevator and held out his hand for her

She followed holding his hand tightly

The elevator began to rise

“Everything ok? You…”

She interrupted him with a kiss

A slow, detailed kiss

Like water to a man dying of thirst

He hadn’t felt her kiss him that way in weeks

He had barely been able to touch her much less kiss her the way she seemingly wanted to kiss in right then

She pulled away catching her breath

“Alexis what’s wrong?”

“No more questions today ok”

“Questions” Jax said confused

Alexis backed Jax against the elevator wall and began to kiss him again

This time her hands roamed between his t-shirt and his bare chest

Jax grabbed her hands stopping her

She only looked at him

Her wild passionate eyes that he adored were clouded with grief

“Alexis?”

“Make love to me… please”

Jax let go of her hands and placed his to the sides of her face and he held her in a kiss until the sound of the doors opening to the penthouse suit interrupted them

A Police Officer stood by the door of the penthouse

Jax acknowledged him as they past by, Alexis didn’t

The door shut

She immediately tugged at his shirt, trying desperately to pull it over his head

“Alexis you have to tell me you’re ok” Jax pleaded as she kissed him down his chest

“Just make love to me. Relieve the pain for just one second…”

Jax could hardly swallow from the lump in his throat

“Baby please” She begged him once again

He pressed his body against hers and his hands went for her shirt

Another piece of clothing to the floor

Her jeans

His jeans

All lying in puddles on the floor

“The bed…” He questioned

“Right here” She answered

He lowered her to the floor and didn’t stop touching her until she was completely naked

Her heart was pounding.

She was sure her heart was gone from her chest but now it was pounding

For a moment she forgot everything

Pain overcome by pleasure

If not for just a moment

Jax lie there beside her the covering her with the chenille blanket from the back of the couch

She lie there in his arms, staring at the ceiling, feeling his hands touch her, his lips lightly kissing her skin

She could feel him but her mind was a million miles away

Tears fell

They streamed down the sides of her face and Jax tried to catch every one of them

“What is it honey? What happened while you were gone?”

Alexis clenched her eyes shut, making the tears fall more quickly from her eyes

She didn’t answer, Jax didn’t push

He consoled her, he continued to catch the tears falling

Her mind again a million miles away

Suddenly she covered her mouth with the palm of her hand. She was seemingly trying to make herself catch her breath

Breath in and to hopefully breath out

“Alexis”

“He knows, he knows”

Her breathing tactics didn’t work

“He knows?” Jax said confused but caught up in trying to calm her

“Sonny, he was in the park. He knows… He’s known Kristina was his daughter for years…”

“Did he threaten you!”

“No, no he, he’s trying to help look for her”

“How do we know he didn’t take her?”

The look on Sonny’s face was clear in her head

The sadness on his face was a lot like hers

“I believe him Jax”

She was suddenly able to control her tears

“So what now?”

“I told him I would tell the detective he hired everything I know”

He wasn’t angry… he didn’t try and harm you?”

“Jax I questioned several times why he was being so rational about it all?”

“And?”

“And I think life hasn’t been so good for him much less perfect like mine and yours and Davis’ was. And he said he realized I could protect her more than he could”

“It all seems suspicious”

“I questioned the whole conversation… I believe him”

Jax sat up and she followed

He ran his hands through his hair thinking, thinking what seemed like every thought he could

“What do we do now?”

Alexis stood up from the penthouse floor

The sun had set

The day she had dreaded from the moment she had found out she would have a baby was coming to an end

“Honey?”

“Just come to bed with me ok…”

End Ch. 7