She began to tremble despite the warmth of the room or the heat emanating from the body of the man standing beside her.

[I]"Yes, Alexis, I do. I know that Sonny is Kristina's father."[/I]

Ric's voice played in her head again, and her knees buckled as she realized she hadn't imagined it... he knew. He was telling her that he knew the truth.

His hands had already been on her, and when she began to fall, Ric grabbed hold of her firmly, his arm slipping from where he'd supported her lower back to around her waist. Eyes scanning the room, he locked onto the ornately carved wood chair near what he assumed was Stefan's desk, and he guided Alexis toward it, then carefully lowered her down into the seat.

"Alexis? Hey, talk to me, okay?" Ric could hear a pleading quality when he spoke and he realized how instantly worried he'd become. Alexis was ghostly pale and her limbs were shaking. Ric debated about whether or not he should call out for one of her family members, but he quickly realized he had no idea whether Nikolas or Stefan knew about Kristina's true paternity. How was he to explain her present state or the reasons for it? Instead, he searched around the room again and spied the pitcher of water and glasses set on the bar top. He moved quickly, securing a glass of water, and then he returned, taking Alexis' hands and carefully wrapping them around the crystal, his own hands helping her keep hold of it.

"Just take a sip, okay? Alexis... just have some water and try to relax."

Her eyes spoke volumes about the maelstrom going on inside of her, and a wave of guilt passed over Ric. He'd ambushed her with his truth... and even though he still felt telling her was the right thing to do, he had underestimated the how palpable her fear of discovery really was.

When she began to lift the glass, Ric let his hands start to release from atop hers, but when the water began to slosh inside of it, his hands returned and helped Alexis guide the cool liquid to her lips. She took a sip and then closed her eyes. Slowly, she drew in a deep breath that she let out in such a measured way, Ric imagined Alexis was counting as she did it to help her try and regain some composure. She moved the glass toward him slightly, her eyes still shut tightly, and he took the cue, taking it and placing it aside. His gaze returned just in time to see her lids separate.

"Please... please, don't tell him."

Ric's jaw dropped, and he scooted closer to her. "No... Alexis, I'm not going to tell him. I swear it. I... I just wanted you to know, you know, to be honest with you... but I promise you, I'm not going to tell him. Never."

He sat in silence as she evaluated his vow, weighed it for how much stock she could put into it and examined the little she knew about him to try and figure out why she should trust him. He wished he could give her a good reason, but the truth was, he didn't have one. Most of Ric's adult life had been spent filled with hatred and a need for revenge, and the few good things he'd done had been to gain some advantage. He couldn't offer any evidence of his sincerity... but he could offer the truth.

"I thought about it. Of course I did." Ric stood and stepped away from her, needing somehow to be standing up on his own two feet to complete his confession. "All I've wanted for so long was to inflict real pain on Sonny, and I've found a lot of good weapons to use, but this... God, this would have killed him... figuratively anyway."

His eyes flashed toward hers, and he just caught sight of her teeth sinking into her lower lip, plundering the tender skin there. A knot formed in Ric's stomach as a few drops of moisture slipped down her cheek. The tears made him want to turn away from her, but he felt like he owed her his face, everything visible there for her to make her decision about him.

"It was tempting, Alexis. And I'd love to say that I had this burst of munificent feeling and that I just knew right from wrong, but the truth is, I wasn't sure what I was gonna do until... well, until I took a look at all the reasons why I hate Sonny so much."

She was standing in front of him before he even had time to register her rising from the chair, desperation emblazoned across her features.

"Ric, you can't put Kristina in the middle of this, please. She's just... she's just a baby. She's innocent."

It was a natural and urgent instinct that told him to reach out for her. Ric's hands came to rest on her upper arms as he shook his head from side to side.

"I'm not going to tell him. I swear to you, I'm not going to tell Sonny about Kristina. But I didn't... I didn't want it to come out later that I knew and you think I was just laying in wait to use it against you. I'm not going to tell him, Alexis."

The need he felt to convince her of his true intentions startled Ric. Few emotions had struck him on such a primal level in his lifetime... hate for Sonny, anguish over his mother, love for Elizabeth... and this need that seemed to be consuming him right now... the need to be believed.

"I would have given anything," Ric explained, his voice more passionate than it had been in any case he'd ever argued, "if my mother had fought for me the way you have fought for you daughter, if she had tried to protect me the way you have that little girl. And, yes, telling Sonny the truth would make him vulnerable because I have no doubt he'd become obsessed with her and with you, and I could take everything he has, Alexis, everything. But you're right, Kristina is innocent... she's just a beautiful, sweet baby whose mother has been fighting like hell for months to keep her safe... and I won't take that way from her, or from you, not even for the sake of my revenge."

His fingers squeezed against the tense muscles that lay beneath them, and then Ric released her, his arms dropping to his sides. He'd made his argument and thrown himself at on the mercy of the court... and now he had to wait to see what her judgment would be.

Alexis' mind was spinning... her worst fear was staring her in the face... and yet it was nothing like what she had expected. One of Sonny's enemies knew the truth about Kristina, and yet this man in front of her wasn't Joseph Sorel or Luis Alcazar or any of the assorted violent men she'd met over the years due to her association with her former client and lover. Ric was potentially more dangerous than all of them because the bond that had drawn them together and started the war between the two men was deeper than any fight over territory and more potent than a desire to hold onto the love of a woman. Ric felt that every wrong in his life, especially the loss of his mother, was Sonny's fault. He had done despicable things to try and make Sonny pay for that... and because of it, Alexis had no doubt that the elder brother's hatred from his younger sibling was just as powerful and just as deadly.

She'd worried over and over about this moment... when someone would come and say to her, "I know the truth, and if you don't do this or that, I'll hurt Kristina." When Ric had first announced he knew Sonny was Kristina's father, Alexis was certain that's what was about to happen. But her expectations had been cheated, mercifully so, at least temporarily. Ric hadn't threatened her, he wasn't trying to intimidate her. He was being kind and tender and, if she was hearing correctly, understanding of both her actions and the reasons she'd taken them. He was telling her he would help keep the secret, not wield the truth against her as if it were a sword of gleaming steel.

But could she believe him? She had believed Ned, a man she once loved, a man who had sworn to protect her and her daughter. Alexis had thought she knew Ned then... but time had proven her wrong. Ric was a virtual stranger... one who had, a few hours ago, become her hero when he'd helped rescue Kristina from the Quartermaines. Now he was something else, but what? Her ally in protecting Kristina, or a cagey, calculating man who was begging for her trust now in order to betray her later?

"You... you said you knew from a picture?" she asked, trying to buy herself time to further process what was happening. Alexis looked around and found the image in question, retrieving it from the ground where it had fallen. She offered it to him. "This picture?"

Ric nodded and took the photo from her. "Yes. She has Adella's eyes exactly. Sonny's eyes, I guess. But, um... " He shrugged shyly, almost ashamed to make his next admission, yet knowing he had to continue on the path of honesty if he was going to salvage this relationship... and he suddenly realized that's what it was, albeit a new one... a relationship. "I wanted to be sure, so I snuck a peek at your medical files. The history on the father is a dead giveaway to anyone looking."

Alexis folded her arms in front of her, sighing as she shook her head. "I always knew that was going to haunt me."

Turning, she walked toward the chair Ric had placed her in earlier and sank back down into the silk-covered seat. What did she do now, she wondered. What was the right move? Pretend to trust him, but watch him like a hawk or perhaps the most daring move of all... actually trust him?

"You came to Port Charles to ruin Sonny, didn't you?"

She watched as months, maybe years, worth of hard, hateful thoughts ran through Ric like a sudden rush of cold water. She was almost certain she'd actually seen him shiver in response to the clear jolt the remembrances had left behind. Then he shook his head as if trying to clear it and walked toward her, leaning against the desk as he spoke.

"He cost my mother a great deal... he cost me even more. I want him to pay for that, yes."

"You used his wife, you lied, you gained his trust and betrayed it... I'm on track here, right?"

Alexis held any further comment back until Ric nodded, agreeing that, yes, she had her facts straight.

"But yet armed with what you claim is this incredible power you now have to hurt Sonny, you're not going to use it?"

"No," he answered simply.

"Why?" she asked just as plainly.

"I told you," Ric explained, "I admire what you've done for the sake of your child. I don't want to undo that."

"You barely know me."

She felt like she was in a courtroom with a true adversary, watching his movements, his eyes, every little aspect of his person in order to gauge what was true and what was for show. She found little to support her more dubious suspicions, but Alexis knew she couldn't afford to be wrong about this. Kristina was the one who would pay if she was wrong.

"I barely know myself, Alexis," Ric finally said, catching her off-guard. "And the truth is... I don't know my brother at all. Of him, but I don't know him. And I know my mother through fragments of stories that my father and... that I've heard over the years."

He stopped and pushed away from the desk, his long stride erasing the miniscule distance between them very quickly. He squatted down so that he could look directly at her, and Alexis stared at him intently in response.

"Finding out that you lied about Kristina will push him over the edge... he will lose all control of himself, I'm certain of that because I've seen it happen over Carly... and if he'd lose it about her, then this... but the truth is, that I claim to be doing all the things I've done partly because of my mother, for my mother. And that little girl of yours is her granddaughter. And someday, I'd like to think I've done at least one thing in this life my mother would be proud of. And I think this is it."

The power of not only the words he was using, but the meaning behind them floored Alexis. Few men were willing to bare themselves so completely to a treasured loved one. That he was doing so now, with her, in this situation could be master manipulation... or it could be the one last attempt of a troubled man to save his own soul by doing something right.

"I-I need some time to think about all this," Alexis said, her voice so soft and gentle, that Ric couldn't resist letting a small smile dawn on his face.

"Of course you do." He unfolded his body, standing to his full height. "Just know that I mean what I say. And I know you told me people have been demanding high payments in exchange for giving their help to you, but truly, Alexis... I just want to have told you the truth and maybe... maybe keep the small bit of respect I think I've earned from you. That's all I'm asking in return for my keeping your secret."

Ric decided to just turn and leave after he finished speaking. If he kept trying, there was the chance she'd read his franticness and overstatement as him being too eager, and it would make her doubt him more than she might already. He'd made that mistake with Sonny already... but of course, he'd been lying then. This time, he hoped that restraint was the better part of valor... and as he wandered out of the monolithic house and out toward the launch dock, Ric turned and stole a last, lingering look back at the window of the room he'd so recently been in. He tried to imagine what Alexis was doing now... probably, from what he'd seen of her, rushing up to Kristina's room to comfort herself with the breathtaking perfection of her daughter.

For that little child, he knew she would turn over every word he'd said a hundred times, analyzing it, dissecting the tone, the phrasing... all in an effort to try and decide if he was worthy of her confidence. All he could do was hope that the answer to her examination would be that yes, she could. Otherwise, he had just made her think of him as a potential enemy, and that was the last thing on Earth that Ric wanted.

The launch captain greeted him with a silent nod, and Ric climbed aboard the vessel and they quickly pulled out into the night to cross the bay. They were halfway through their journey, the sky blazing with stars overhead, before a chuckle escaped him at the absurdity of the situation he had placed himself in.

He had come to town to get revenge on Sonny for costing him his mother. Now Ric was poised to spend the bulk of his time not constructing ways to finish his takedown of his brother, but instead to help become part of what he suspected was a small band of people with one goal... protecting Sonny's child and her mother.

"And people doubt God has a sense of humor," he mumbled to himself.

*****

Faith stormed into her suite, slamming the door behind her. She was damn sick and tired of Ric and his rejections of her offers of affection. Even more so, she was getting very perturbed by the sort of women she was being thrown over for. First Ned and his ridiculous obsession with straight-laced Alexis Davis, then Ric and whiny Elizabeth Webber, and now Ric was going all gooey over that Davis twit, too? Just thinking about it made her blood boil, and all kinds of evil thoughts were playing themselves out in full-color in her mind when the phone rang and spoiled her fun.

"What?"

"Why hasn't Morgan been arrested?"

Sammy Tagliati. Great, Faith thought, just what I need to finish off an already torturous evening.

"Because he hasn't used the evidence yet," she answered, knowing Tagliati wouldn't like what he heard.

"I thought you said this was under control."

"It is under control, Sammy."

"Not from where I'm sitting," he snapped back. "Morgan is still walking around, which means Corinthos isn't exposed yet. I want it done, now."

Faith curled her lips into a hateful sneer and made a clawing motion with her left hand to keep from screaming at him the way she wanted to. "You wouldn't even have this shot if it weren't for me, so I suggest you remember that. Now he can't sit on it forever, especially not now. I'll take care of it, all right?"

"What do you mean, 'especially now'?"

"Oh, he's busy trying to worm his way into some uptight rich bitch's good graces, but no worries... Morgan will go down for Fowler's murder. You have my word."

"Soon, Faith," Tagliati admonished. "I'm tired of waiting."

The line went dead, and Faith rolled her eyes as she slammed the receiver down.

"Damn, men. I should just kill you all and be done with you."

Huffing, the angry blonde turned on her heel and headed for the bathroom. A steaming hot bath and perhaps a romp with one of her bodyguards was definitely the order of the night.

*****

Sonny eased his neck from side to side, trying to work out the stiffness left behind by a night of tossing and turning. The espresso in his hands called to him, and he sipped at the steaming hot beverage as he made his way to his desk and sat down, prepared to look over the shipment reports Greg had sent over. He'd barely cracked the file when a soft knock sounded at the door. Standing, Sonny made his way over and found Jason on the other side.

"I wasn't sure who was up yet," he explained as he walked in, the folded morning paper in his hand. He offered the paper to Sonny, who nodded and walked back to the desk and his coffee.

"Carly's sleeping in and Michael spent the night at Bobbie's. What's going on?"

"I still can't find anything to link Faith to Fowler's murder. No one seems to know a damn thing," Jason said, his frustration evident.

"The cops still nosing around you?"

"Of course. You don't expect Taggart to do his job, do you?"

"First time for everything, I suppose." Sonny took a few more sips of espresso and flipped open the paper. His eyes jumped to the headline.

"Cassadine/Quartermaine Heiress' Custody Order Revoked."

Despite Jason's presence, Sonny couldn't help but begin to scan the article. He set his cup down on the desk and picked up the black and white pages, reading quickly to gather the fine points.

"You see this?" he asked, pushing the paper toward Jason.

"What?"

"Stefan got custody of Alexis' little girl. Got her away from the damn Quartermaines."

Jason took the paper and he also did a quick once-over of the story. Things between he, Sonny and the woman they had both once called their attorney were probably irrevocably damaged now, but Jason had never thought it was fair the courts wanted to punish Alexis for taking Alcazar out, and he sure as hell didn't think any kid belonged with the Quartermaines. He wasn't all that sure the Cassadines were better, but at least now Alexis could be with her daughter. He was just about to hand the paper back to Sonny when one quote in particular caught his eye. Rereading it to be sure he wasn't mistaken, Jason looked up and toward his best friend.

"Sonny, did you see who represented Alexis in the case?"

"Dara Jensen's her lawyer."

"Yeah," Jason said, moving closer, his finger already pointing toward a particular area of newsprint, "but she had help."

Sonny targeted his attention to where Jason was indicating and read aloud. "The injustices of Judge Farmer's decisions deserve to be the subject of intense judicial review," said Lansing, co-counsel for Alexis Davis."

Grabbing the paper, Sonny pulled it to him for a second look. Sure enough, Ric Lansing had served as one of Alexis' attorneys at her hearing.

"What the hell is he doing near Alexis?" Sonny asked, his tone full of aggravation.

"I don't know, " Jason replied. "Though we both know there's gotta be some angle to it. Ric doesn't do anything unless he can turn into a way to get at you."

"Well, Alexis can't tell him anything," Sonny said confidently, at least he tried to sound confident. Subconsciously, he was wondering what information Alexis might be able to supply his brother in return for the help he'd given her. "I mean, she's still bound by attorney/client privilege, and she doesn't know anything about the business side of things."

"Unless it's your legitimate businesses he's planning to target next."

It was a real possibility, and Sonny grimaced as that truth sank in for him. Ric was determined to keep coming at him till one of them went down, and if he was considering a raid on his hotels or the coffee business, Alexis was a perfect person to get on his side.

"I'll take care of it." Sonny slammed the paper down on the desk as he finished his sentence, which was more of a declaration. He felt tension creep into his shoulders and neck at the very idea of having to go see Alexis and talk to her about this, but he knew he couldn't send anyone else. It would be too big a sign of disrespect to her, and despite everything that had happened between them, he knew he owed her for the times she had kept him out of jail and with his family.

"He might be using something on the kid against her," Jason observed and Sonny turned toward him a bit too quickly, his jaw tight as he glared over at him.

"I said I'd take care of it."

Jason realized the moment Sonny snapped at him that he'd crossed some unseen line, but what he didn't know was if it was about Ric or Alexis. Clearly, his friend's mood had soured, which meant now wasn't the time to ask.

"I'll be next door if you need me," Jason said, then he walked to the door and made his exit. Meanwhile, Sonny seethed. If he found out that his brother was manipulating Alexis with her baby, he was gonna lose it. The bastard had already played games with he and Carly and their baby, leaving them to wonder if the unborn child was his or Ric's. Thankfully, that mystery had been cleared up, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't use another child to get what he wanted. Ric had proven himself to be a ruthless cutthroat with no honor, at least as far as Sonny was concerned.

"Johnny," he called out as he picked up his cup again and downed the rest of the coffee. The bodyguard entered and shut the door behind him.

"Who's on my brother?"

"Sal." Johnny could tell his boss was in a mood. He hoped Sal hadn't screwed up and lost Lansing... not today.

"Find out where he is... and have someone track down Alexis Davis. I assume she's at Wyndemere, but I want to know for sure."

"Yes, sir."

Johnny stepped out into the hall and pulled out his cell phone. Sal, thankfully, knew exactly where Ric was... at Kelly's having breakfast. His next call was to Max, the only person other than himself he'd put on any assignment involving Ms. Davis. He filled Max in on the job and where she might be, then Johnny slipped the phone back into his pocket and stared at the door.

The boss hadn't asked about anything involving Ms. Davis in months. He couldn't imagine what had made it happen today, but he hoped the purpose wasn't to cause her trouble. She'd been through enough. Just in case, Johnny was going to tell Max to stay nearby once he got a location. Chances were the meeting was going to be anything but pleasant, and it couldn't hurt to have a rational party around.

In fact, Johnny thought, maybe I should go myself... just in case.

*****

"Thanks, Penny," Rick said in response to the hot cup of coffee the waitress had placed in front of him.

"No problem. Your food should be up in a minute."

He received a smile from her and then she walked away leaving him to his caffeine and his paper. The front page made him grin. It was nice to see a story that involved Alexis' name that wasn't negative for a change. In fact, the writer had gone out of her way to mention that Judge Samuels' ruling was "a triumph of justice considering how badly the criminal and family cases involving Alexis Davis and her daughter had been handled so far." The swipes at Scott Baldwin were also a treat to read.

He took a swig of his coffee and wondered if Alexis had seen it yet. He also wondered what she was thinking this morning. To say he was anxious to hear from her was an understatement. Ric's desire to work with her had only grown stronger by the sheer fact that she'd given him a chance to explain himself last night, despite her initial panic. The more he thought back over his decision to tell all, the more he realized that what she probably should have done was toss him out on his rear with a threat of death hanging over his head should he use the information he had. It seemed in keeping with what little he knew about the Cassadines, and it probably was what anyone else in town would have advised her to do with him. But she hadn't... and he admired that. She'd been horribly mistreated by people she had believed in, yet she was still willing to at least consider a second chance for him.

But he knew he couldn't push her. She had a lot to think over. So instead of sitting home brooding, Ric had decided to come have breakfast and then he was heading over to say good-bye to the Cerullos before Lois and Gloria left town. If he still hadn't heard from Alexis by then, he'd head to the gym and hit the heavy bag. He'd find something to do to keep himself occupied until she was ready to talk to him.

The front door of Kelly's opened, and Ric's eyes shot up from the paper to the entryway. Elizabeth was standing there, her gaze locked on him, and he nervously cleared his throat when she started to walk toward him.

"Hi."

"Um, hi," he replied, genuinely shocked that she'd approached him. For weeks now, Elizabeth had run every time she'd crossed his path.

"I just..." Her words trailed off, and Elizabeth sat down in the chair opposite him. He knew she was nervous because she was fidgeting, her fingers playing with the edge of her shirtsleeves.

"I just wanted to tell you that I think what you did for Alexis was really wonderful."

Ric smiled. Those were nice words to hear.

"And I just hope you did it for the right reasons, " Elizabeth continued. "Because Alexis has been really good to me over the years, and she doesn't need to be stuck between you and Sonny, so..."

His smile faded. It shouldn't have surprised him that she would automatically think the worst of him... he'd earned that. But this one time, when he wasn't plotting or scheming or looking to hurt anyone, he wished that she could recognize it. It only showed Ric how completely he had destroyed any chance that she might someday again see him as other than a bad guy.

"You don't have to worry, Elizabeth. I don't have any nefarious plans for Alexis Davis."

Her stare bore into him, and Ric's heart dropped. She didn't believe him. Again, he understood why, but his hopes vanished inside the look in her eyes.

"I have to go," Ric said as he stood quickly, pulling a $20 from his pocket and dropping it on the table. "Take care."

She had no response for him, and Ric rushed from the diner and out into the fresh air. He drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs. Even if they hadn't really said the words, he and Elizabeth had just said their final good-byes. He managed to clear the courtyard and was almost in the parking lot before he felt his chin begin to tremble from the tears he couldn't hold back any longer.

*****

Cameron heard the light knock at his office door and called out for his visitor to come in. The door opened, and Alexis stepped inside. He smiled at her casual appearance--jeans, a t-shirt and a ponytail--but realized quickly that she was anything but casual where her state of mind was concerned.

"Thanks for making some time for me," she said, her body slipping down into one of his office chairs.

"I assumed it was pretty important if you were willing to come here. Frankly, I thought I'd have to storm the gates of the castle to get you away from Kristina and into a session."

She didn't smile at his joke, and Cameron decided to stop trying to make light conversation and get right to business. "So what happened that has you so rattled?"

"Someone... someone besides Ned knows the truth about Kristina... about who her father is."

Her voice trembled as she spoke, and Cameron leaned back in the chair, the seriousness of her worry clear to him without further explanation.

"This 'someone,' he or she told you that they knew or they gave you proof they knew?"

"Both. He gave me both," she answered.

'He,' well, that cleared up some of the mystery, and the doctor guessed that was all he'd get about the person's identity.

"Did he threaten you?"

Cameron waited for her to answer, watching her circle her eyes around the room, at the window, toward the floor... anywhere but at him. She stood then and began to pace behind the chairs.

"No, there was no threat stated. None implied either."

"Then why are you so afraid?"

He had expected her to respond defensively because it was her habit with him. She hated it when he asked her direct questions about her feelings. But she surprised him.

"Because this person says he doesn't want to use the information, that he doesn't want to do anything to hurt me or Kristina."

"But?"

"I... look, I want to believe him, okay?" Alexis ran her hand over her forehead and sighed. "I want to... but, God, Cameron, how am I supposed to trust this? How am I supposed to believe that someone can have that kind of power to use and won't use it?"

Cameron rose from his chair and walked around his desk. He stepped close to her, but stopped short of making physical contact.

"Has anyone in your life ever done that?" he asked. "Have they known something about you that could devastate you, but not used it against you?"

Her eyes closed, but it didn't stop a trail of teardrops from making their way out onto her cheeks.

"No. Well, technically, one person didn't, but only because I didn't give him reason to. But he threatened... he said he'd break me if I tried to make trouble for him."

"Who was that?"

"Kristina's father."

The two words were a choked whisper, and Alexis turned away from him, her arms wrapped tightly around her body. Cameron felt a small surge of guilt rise up as he realized how he had too easily dismissed some of Alexis' fears as paranoia during their earlier discussions. Alexis wasn't just a high-strung woman who overreacted to things. Life had taught her to trust no good intention... and she'd learned the lesson well.

"You said you want to believe this 'him' who knows the truth. Why?"

It took her a few moments to compose herself, but finally, Alexis pivoted around and looked at him.

"He seems like he really understands why I did what I did. His life is... it has some similarities to mine--people making decisions for us when we were young that shaped our whole futures. And I think he's someone I'd like to let into my life as a friend. But it isn't just my life... it's Kristina's, too."

Cameron nodded. He still didn't know who Kristina's father was, but he'd realized after his conversation with Stefan that the man must terrify Alexis. She had let the Quartermaines push her to the brink rather than reveal her daughter's real parentage, she'd been that afraid of the truth coming out. So that this 'him' knew the truth gave the man enormous power over Alexis if he chose to use it. But she seemed to be saying she didn't think the man would... and he could only offer her one piece of advice on the situation.

"Alexis, we sometimes trust people and pay for doing it because they let us down or disappoint us. That's clearly happened to you with both Ned and Kristina's father and since you didn't mention him as someone who hadn't betrayed your bond, I'm guessing your brother as well. That being said, you either choose to trust or you don't. I can't give you a magic looking glass to figure out if this man will do as he promises. But if your heart is telling you that he will... more importantly, if your gut is telling you he will... then I suggest you give him the chance."

Twenty minutes later, Alexis was standing in the waiting room of GH's main lobby pacing from end to end. Cameron had been right, of course, he couldn't give her the answer. She was either going to tell Ric that she was going to trust him and offer him the job, thereby bringing him into her and Kristina's life irrevocably or she was going to threaten him within an inch of his life and hope to God it was enough to keep him from going to Sonny, and then watch him like a hawk for the rest of time.

She'd been hurt so badly thanks to her willingness to trust. Thinking back over the recent and not-so-distant past, though, Alexis realized that in every situation but one, there had been signs. Ned had always been quick to condemn her for anything he didn't "approve" of in her demeanor or actions, and Stefan had, despite his love for her, never been shy about using her own weaknesses to get her to do his bidding. But that one... Sonny... even though, yes, he had lied to her about Zander, she had never felt afraid that Sonny would turn on her and use her secrets to wound her... never, until he had threatened to do just that.

But it had been a threat. She hadn't pushed, and he hadn't followed through. Would he have? Her common sense told her that, yes, he would have because he'd have been trying to protect himself. But Alexis' heart was still convinced, even now, that Sonny would have threatened her and possibly bullied her to the edge of a figurative cliff, and then he would have stepped back. Why she believed, she didn't know... but it was what her heart and her gut continued to tell her.

This time, both of those instinctual centers were telling her that Ric wouldn't betray her, either. He had, after all, helped her get Kristina to a safe haven when it would have only served to maximize the damage he could have done to Sonny to reveal the truth while Alexis was legally barred from Kristina and the baby was still in Quartermaine clutches... something she was sure he'd thought about. But he hadn't done that... he'd shown up, done his job, and helped her get her daughter back with people who loved her and wanted what was best for Kristina.

And that, she decided, deserved a chance...

Pulling out her cell phone, Alexis dialed in his number. When he answered, she heard a sadness in his voice, and she silently wondered what had put it there.

"Ric, it's Alexis. I was thinking... I was thinking that we should get together and talk about things... and that job offer, which is still open."

On the other end of the line, Ric covered the receiver with his hand to cover a heaving sigh of relief. He heard Gloria Cerullo's voice admonish him to "focus on the good," and so he pushed the dark thoughts he'd been having about his breakup with Elizabeth away and let himself smile.

"I'd love to do that. I'm sure you don't want to be away from Kristina, so why don't I grab some lunch and I'll meet you out at the house?"

Alexis laughed. Clearly, he had no idea how annoyed Mrs. Landsbury would be about having takeout brought into Wyndemere, but she was willing to deal with the sometimes-testy housekeeper in order to get her favorite meal.

"Make it Chicken Madera from the Grille, and you're on," she said.

"Deal. See you in about an hour."

Turning off the phone and slipping it back into her purse, Alexis realized that her earlier chuckle had left a grin on her face. Yes, she was taking a chance... a huge one. But something about Ric touched her, and she wanted to take the risk. He was ready to start his life over again, she could feel it. And so was she.

"Alexis."

The voice stunned her for a moment, nearly paralyzing her. Alexis recovered and looked over her shoulder to where he stood.

"Look, um, do you have a minute?" Sonny asked. "I need to talk to you. It's important."

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