She went for one day

The day she testified against Sonny

That was the only day she went for the trial

Her head was clear, her answers were decisive and to the point

She looked straight ahead, her eyes never leaving Lorenzo’s

Never to Sonny

Never looking in to his eyes to see how life behind bars had taken its toll on him

Never giving him a chance to break her in two

She went for one day

Sonny Corinthos was found guilty on two counts of attempted murder

The day the verdict was announced Lorenzo didn’t call, he waited until he got home to tell her

To tell her Sonny was guilty and would serve time

He didn’t call because he knew that despite everything she would still be upset, she would still take it hard

And she did, she cried

Heartless Natasha Cassadine cried

She was sorry that it had all ended that way

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

She stood in the kitchen

The sun had now set leaving nothing but an endless deep purple sky

“Lex?”

She turned to look at Lorenzo

Her face stained from tears

But she had now composed herself

“Lex” he said sympathetically

She just stared at him

“You ok?”

Nothing, she still said nothing

Lorenzo could easily sense something was wrong and it wasn’t about the verdict

“Talk to me please”

Alexis held out her hand then opened her palm to him

The diamond ring sat dead center in her palm

Her hands were uncontrollably shaking

Lorenzo looked at her confused

He looked at her horrified

“What are you doing?” was the only thing he could manage to say

The way the color had drained from her face it looked as if she would bleed to death

“I can’t do this”

She didn’t breath

Lorenzo shook his head

He, himself began to panic

“No, no what are you doing? What do you mean you can’t do this?”

“I have to protect Kristina” she said blankly

“What do you mean protect Kristina?”

“He’ll get out soon, he’ll come after me, Carly’s angry I’m sure she’s already told him by now…”

“Alexis he’s in jail, and we’ll deal with him. You know I’ll do everything I can to protect you and…”

She shook her head

“I’m sorry. Lorenzo… if you love me you’ll just help me get out of this town, get away from Sonny… you’ll help Kristina and I disappear”

“I’ll go with you. You pick the place and we’ll go. We’ll leave and there will be no trace of us”

“I can’t do that to you”

“Do what? Allow me to disappear with you? I love you, I love Kristina. You two are my life! If you leave me I’ll have nothing”

“You’ll get over us”

“Get over? Get over? ALEXIS!”

She jumped back

He was frustrated; he didn’t mean to raise his voice to her

He reached for her

She took another step back

“I have to start packing… will you help me go?”

“No”

She shook her head understanding

She went to walk past him

To leave him standing there

When she got close enough he grabbed her, taking her into his arms

Holding her, holding her, holding her

“Lorenzo”

“No” was all he said almost as if he were a child holding on to his cherished toy for dear life

She stopped fighting against him

He wasn’t sure if she was just appeasing him or if his attempt had worked

“I just need to get this over with” she said finally

He let go

“Please give me the chance to at least fight for you and Kristina. Please don’t just shut me out, pretend I never existed. Because I know you can. I know you can pretend for your daughter at least until you find a place to hide but I know you’ll regret all of this when you do”

“You really are an expert on me?” she questioned almost coldly

”If you leave, I’ll follow” he said ignoring her question

“Even if I beg you not too”

“You take one step and I’ll follow” he said intensely

“Don’t do this”

“I think that’s my line”

“You’re sure I’m crazy now?”

“No but I am sure of your fear of Corinthos”

She stood looking at him. Even hating him for figuring out the truth

“So do you blame me then for wanting to protect my daughter?”

“No, never… but you don’t have to run from me just because you want Corinthos out of your life”

“So what you’ll just leave everything for us?”

“I’ll leave right now”

Alexis took a deep breath

Impulsiveness wasn’t her strong suit

Self deprecation was

“I feel guilty for asking you to do this”

“So you’re asking?”

She shook her head yes

He held her again tightly and then looked intently in to her eyes

“Paris? You and Kristina love Paris. Or an island somewhere?”

“You make it seem so easy…”

“If you’re ready we’ll fly out tonight. Maybe just to the city or somewhere that will give us time to think. If we decide to not come back for even one day I’ll have Snake take care of everything”

Alexis shook her head ok and tears uncontrollably fell down her face

She looked down at the ring she held in the palm of her hand

“I’m sorry I was about to do that to you”

“I understand”

“I know you do”

Lorenzo took the ring from her and slipped it back on her finger

“Forever Alexis Davis forever”

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

It was forever or it had seemed like forever since the night that conversation took place

Kristina had learned to speak French before her English had even developed

She seemed to take to the French culture as if it were her second nature. Lorenzo would speak to her in French and Kristina would look at him with a blank stare and then giggle incessantly in between bites of her breakfast

“My girl is so smart!” He said laughing himself as her bouts of laughter became louder from the tickles she was receiving

“Kristina!”

“Mama!” Kristina squealed, running in to her mother’s arms

“If you’re through with breakfast Gertrude is waiting for you! She says you two are going swimming today!”

Gertrude had been another constant companion in Kristina’s life for over three years now. She had taken to her on her first trip to Paris and Lorenzo and Alexis both insisted on having Gertrude as Kristina’s permanent nanny

“Yaaay!”

“You better put on your bathing suit! She’s waiting!”

Kristina quickly ran from the room “avoir!” she said running past

Alexis sat down on the couch and Lorenzo sat down beside her

“How are you feeling?” He asked putting his hand to her stomach

“Ok, only a little queasy earlier this morning”

“Anything I can do to make you feel better”

“You can come sit out on the terrace with me for a little while”

“A simple request” Lorenzo said raising his brow to her and securing his coffee in his hand

She led him to the terrace to sit

He sat snuggled beside her his hand again resting on her stomach. From the moment she told him she was pregnant he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of her. Keep his hands from touching skin, caressing her stomach where there a was a baby girl, their baby girl

“Something’s on your mind” he said studying her face

“Just how much I love you at this very second”

“Really? Well in that case…” Lorenzo said kissing her neck

“We’ve come a long way baby”

Her voice was serious

“We have”

“Do you remember our first date?”

“In New York City”

“Eating ice cream from a street vendor…”

“I’ll never forget”

“Do you remember the conversation we had that night about all the things that bound us together. I mean I was giving you all the excuses in the world why we should be there together… I mean our past was…”

“Our past” he said making it clear

“But then, you told me all the things that could bind us like our love of chocolate ice cream and Paris”

He fumbled with the charm bracelet around her wrist

“Chocolate ice cream and Paris was at least a good start don’t you think?” Lorenzo said grinning as she kissed him on the cheek

“Chocolate ice cream, Paris, Kristina and our baby girl… a more than beautiful ending”

“The ties that bind us”

She took her eyes away from the Eiffel Tower in the distance to Lorenzo’s adoring face

“Yeah… those are the ties that bind us”

THE END!