When the door of penthouse four opened mid-morning, Carly didn't bother to look up from the [I]Vogue[/I] that was opened on up on her lap where she sat on the sofa, legs extended out in front of her. She knew who it wasn't simply by the quiet, respectful way the door had opened.

"He's not here," she said, and Jason walked over and sat down in the chair beside her.

"Do you know where he is?"

"Nope."

Carly's tone dripped with irritation, and Jason knew that the impression he'd gotten last night was very accurate. She was at the end of her rope with Sonny... and for the first time, he didn't know how to reassure her that it would be okay, because he wasn't so sure himself.

"He didn't..."

Jason's words were cut off when she leveled a harsh glare at him and answered his aborted question.

"No, he didn't tell me where he was going, he did not tell me what was wrong with him. He never came up to bed last night, and while I was feeding Morgan earlier, I heard him climb in the shower, and when I came out, he was gone. I don't know where, I don't know for how long, and you know what, Jason? I really don't give a damn."

She stood then, throwing the magazine down in her wake. Jason watched as she stomped over to the desk and started thumbing through a stack of mail in an attempt to find some distraction from the tense conversation.

"Did you hear from him at all today?" she asked after a short while.

"Yeah." Jason stood and walked closer to her, his hand touching down on her shoulder softly. "He called to make sure I had the guard in place."

"For Alexis." Carly's words were a statement of fact... she wasn't asking. She didn't need to. Jason nodded and his friend rolled her eyes.

"Maybe Ashton threatened them somehow, Carly. Alexis and her daughter, I mean."

"They have Lorenzo to protect them. He has an army around that bitch and her kid... I mean, what's gonna happen to them?"

Jason's look of shock only served to further Carly's annoyance. She shook her head and walked away from him again, this time crossing to the mantle.

"Look, you and Sonny are gonna think whatever you want to think about Lorenzo, but I got to know him, okay? He's not a monster. He's very gracious, he's very protective. If for some reason he's insane enough to want Alexis in his life, he's not going to let anyone hurt her."

"Carly," Jason said, his words taking on a definite biting tone. "The man helped Ric kidnap you."

"No, he used information he had on Ric against Sonny. Ric's an animal, okay? But Lorenzo treated me... he wasn't like Ric."

Again, all Jason could do was look at her as his mind tried to process what she was saying.

"That's an opinion you might not want to share with anyone else," he finally said. He immediately knew he'd stepped on one of her buttons from the loud sigh of frustration she let out.

"Right, because heaven forbid Sonny have to admit that Alexis doesn't need him, right?"

"Carly," Jason said, stepping closer to her, "You're wrong. You have to be. Sonny doesn't care about Alexis anymore. He's told me as much. Something else is going on."

"No, Jason, you're wrong," Carly stated emphatically. "This is all about Alexis, just like it's always, always been about someone else, something else, all the time. When we got married, I was never gonna be Brenda. Then the next thing I know, Alexis becomes this paragon to him, and I'm never gonna measure up to her. I finally get rid of Alexis, and who's back? Brenda. Get rid of her, and where am I now, Jason? I will not stand by and watch Sonny moon over Alexis again. I did it once, I won't do it again!"

The tirade had started slowly, but by the time Carly finished, she was yelling at the top of her lungs. Jason opened his mouth, ready to defend Sonny against the charges Carly was leveling, but he realized that she had a point. Sonny's heart was always torn between Carly and someone else... hell, it had even been torn at one time between Carly and himself, when Sonny had fought his feelings for her out of respect for Jason. Granted, he didn't see how this present crisis was about him having some secret desire for Alexis, he just didn't. Sonny hadn't mentioned her in months before last night. But Jason couldn't argue that Carly had been fighting for the top spot in her husband's life for years... and she had often failed to win.

"You know what?" she said, her voice far calmer. "I need... I just need a break from all this. I'm gonna, um, I'm gonna take the kids and go out of town for awhile."

"Where would you go?" Jason asked.

"I, uh, I don't know. Maybe Florida. Disney World. Michael's been wanting to go."

"You'll have to have guards," he said, and Carly nodded.

"You can arrange them, can't you?"

"Well, Sonny will do that when..."

"I'm not waiting for Sonny to come home, Jason. Just make the arrangements. I'm going pack."

She didn't wait for him to say anything more, and Jason wasn't honestly sure what he could say. Resigned, he pulled out his cell phone and made arrangements for a protection detail to come to the penthouse and escort Carly and the kids to Florida. When he was finished, he dialed Sonny's number. It went to voicemail after five rings, and Jason snapped the phone shut and shook his head.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Sonny. I hope you know what it's gonna cost you."

*****

The offices of Derek Hampton were exactly what Sonny expected--dark wood, expensive furniture and artwork that proved the man overcharged for his services. Of all the lawyers he'd encountered in his life, 99.9% fit the stereotypes... overpriced jerks or low-cost snakes... and sometimes a combination of both. Only one hadn't.

"Mr. Corinthos," Hampton said as he directed Sonny toward a chair. "What can I do for you?"

"I need a lawyer to handle a personal matter."

The older man moved his burly body behind his desk and sat down. "Excuse me for asking, Mr. Corinthos, but I assumed you had a legal staff on retainer. They can't handle this for you?"

"The lawyers I have, they're for business. This is personal, and I need the best."

Hampton smiled. "I'm flattered. Why don't you tell me what the matter involves, and I'll tell you if I can help?"

"You specialize in family law, right?" Sonny asked. The attorney nodded. "Well, I have a... I found out that I have a daughter, and I need to do something about that."

"You weren't aware previously that you had fathered the child?"

Sonny shook his head. "No. Well, I thought I had, but apparently someone rigged the first set of DNA tests. So then I thought she wasn't mine, but, um, she is."

"You're certain?"

"Yeah," Sonny confirmed. "Her mother admitted it to me last night."

Hampton nodded and pulled a yellow legal pad out of his top drawer and picked up a pen. "How old is the child?"

"She turned one in November."

"And the mother has custody right now?"

"Yeah, she does."

"The mother's name?"

Hampton expected a quick response, but when he didn't get one, he looked up and saw a concerned and distrusting face staring back at him.

"Mr. Corinthos, if you want my help, I need to know what we're dealing with."

When he'd called around his courthouse contacts this morning to ask who the best lawyer in town was for a case like this, the universal response Sonny had gotten was Derek Hampton. When he had picked up the phone to make the appointment, Sonny had been at the end of a sleepless night spent pacing around his living room as his mind tortured him with thoughts of Alexis and Kristina, and the both of them in Lorenzo's arms. The idea of it made him sick with rage. The angrier Sonny got, the more reality sank in, driving home the fact that his enemy had stolen his family, the more determined Sonny had become to get them back. His mind kept telling him this was the first step, get a legal hold on them, and then he'd work from there. His heart was arguing, but as his would-be lawyer sat waiting for an answer, Sonny ignored it and forged ahead.

"We need to make this more formal before I tell you anything else. So whatever your retainer is, tell me and let's get started."

Hampton did just that, and no sooner had Sonny handed over the large sum of cash than he sat back and looked his lawyer in the eye.

"My daughter's name is Kristina, Kristina Davis. Her mother is Alexis Davis. And the first thing I want is to find a way to get them away from Lorenzo Alcazar."

Derek Hampton wasn't easily thrown, but he took a moment to digest what Corinthos was telling him. Alexis Davis might not be practicing law any more, but he knew her, and he knew he'd just decided to wage war with a more than worthy opponent. He hoped his client knew what he was getting into.

"She works for Mr. Alcazar, no?"

Sonny nodded. "She runs his company, but they're also sleeping together and she lives in his house. I want my daughter out of there."

"Well, first things first. We need to establish paternity, and your word won't be enough. So we'll file a petition requesting Ms. Davis be compelled to submit the child for a paternity test."

"And then?"

Hampton leaned back and looked Sonny directly in the eye. "And then we get ready to go to war, Mr. Corinthos... because I know Alexis Davis' reputation, and if you think she's just going to roll over for you, I think you're sadly mistaken."

A small, wry grin emerged on his client's face, but there was no humor in it. It was obviously, to a man trained to read people, a mask for the anger that Hampton could feel pulsating off of Corinthos even from the other side of the desk.

"Just get it started. Oh, and Alcazar could easily get them out of the country, so..."

"We'll get a restraining order preventing her from taking the child out of town without court notification."

Sonny stood and extended his hand toward his lawyer. Derek Hampton took the offered hand and shook it firmly.

"I'll expect to hear from you soon," he said, then he turned and walked out of the office. Hampton watched him go, then he rested his elbows on his desk, hands folded and shook his head.

"What the hell did I just get in the middle of?" he asked himself.

*****

For years, his place had been known as "the shop." It was where people came to get the weapons they needed to face moments of immense danger. He was the best at knowing what suited what situation. He was the best, period. One of his associates had dubbed him "The Shopkeeper" one day, and the moniker had since stuck. It was the name he was known by in the trade.

At present The Shopkeeper was filing down the sights on a Smith & Wesson 9mm. The factory sights were good... but his were better. He looked up from his work when a figure appeared on the security monitor that showed the back door. Rolling his eyes, the shopkeeper lifted his right hand and pressed the buzzer that would allow his guest entry. Two minutes and 45 stairs later, Richard Trent walked into the room.

"Surprised to see you here," The Shopkeeper said, by way of a greeting. Richard tossed a file folder down on the desk, covering the handgun his host had been working on, and then wandered over to the collection of antique weapons that hung on the far wall, beginning his usual slow perusal of them.

"Have you seen that?"

The shopkeeper opened the file and scanned the pages. He was aware of everything that was inside.

"There's no harm in it."

"He's building himself one hell of an empire," Richard observed as he fingered an ancient Colt.

"He's earned it," The Shopkeeper said in reply. "It's not interfering with the work we expect from him."

Trent nodded. "And Alexis Davis? Is she interfering with his work?"

The Shopkeeper looked at his visitor's back, rolling his eyes. Trent was overbearing and poked around in people's lives too much. But he was a necessity.

"She's solidifying his position. Lorenzo's profile is more noticeable than ever thanks to her business moves. I'm certain that's what helped secure the meeting with Renata."

He wasn't exaggerating. Renata had been doing business with the Alcazars for years, but always through intermediaries. This was the first time he'd agreed to meet Lorenzo face-to-face. It was a huge step, and a mark of the respect Lorenzo had earned in running his organization and in the way he'd begun restructuring his legitimate businesses. Under Alexis Davis' direction, Lorenzo had sold his cattle ranch and the high profile restaurant he owned in Manhattan. He'd then purchased four established resort properties at various points throughout the world. Added to the Mediterranean resort, the five deluxe vacation spots were packed under the new umbrella Asilo Adventures, and each gave guests a different experience--extensive horse riding in Montana, extreme sports outings in Fiji. Along with the different activities, the resorts all had incredible spas and five-star restaurants that were among some of the best out there to be found. Travel magazines were heralding the enterprise as one that provided "the ultimate escapes for 'adults who want to play and still bask in luxury.'"

She had also apparently started an expansion program at Lorenzo's medical research company. The facility would soon be working on grant projects for the American Heart Association and the March of Dimes, and they had started a program with several elite California universities to bring the best and brightest researchers into their fold early on in their careers. On top of that, Asilo was in negotiations to buy one of the most established of the wineries in Northern California. It would supply house wines to all the corporation's resorts.

There was no doubt Alexis Davis had been good for Lorenzo Alcazar's business... and The Shopkeeper was certain that Renata had grown impressed by these latest ventures. He had a healthy respect for brilliant business minds. It could just be coincidence that a face to face meeting was finally being scheduled now... but it was doubtful.

"It's important that nothing interfere with this," Trent said as he strolled back toward the desk. The Shopkeeper smiled reassuringly.

"It won't. But if it will make you feel better, I can pay him a visit to make that clear."

Trent nodded. "It would. You'll leave today?"

The Shopkeeper pushed back his chair and stood. "I'll be on the next plane."

*****

Alexis looked at her daughter and chuckled as she squatted down and extended her arms toward Kristina, who was standing on two firm legs a few feet away.

"Come on, Sweetheart. You can do it. Come on to mama."

The little girl's smile faded away as she considered what her mother was asking. She gave it serious thought for about two minutes, Alexis coaxing her off and on throughout. Finally, Kristina's smile returned, but instead of taking a step forward, the baby dropped to her diapered bottom and then crawled excitedly across the room.

"See mama," she said as she reached her destination, her arms reaching out to Alexis, who laughed and picked her daughter up.

"Oh, that's cheating, you! But you're too smart for mama, I guess."

"Dance, Mama," Kristina ordered, her big grin so endearing, Alexis didn't have a hope of refusing her. She began to hum and bop around the living room with her little girl in her arms, her heart momentarily light and full of the happiness that came from being a mother and from watching her baby thrive and grow.

A few months ago, she'd been in a near panic about Kristina and her development. She'd been told all along that her daughter might be a bit behind with things because of how premature she'd been, but the delays usually had seemed minimal. Then just before Kristina's first birthday, the two of them had been playing in the park when Skye and Ned happened by. Alexis was in the middle of doing a fabulous job of ignoring them, cheering on Kristina's championship crawling, when Skye raised her voice just to be sure her bitchy comment reached Alexis' ears.

"She'd be walking by now if she lived with us."

It was just another of a thousand vicious barbs the two had thrown her way since Kristina had been returned to her custody, but it was enough to plant a seed of doubt in Alexis' mind. For days it had simmered, pulling at her, making her watch her baby with eyes looking for faults and problems instead of just taking in her perfection. Finally, two weeks before her little one turned one, Alexis' defenses had crumbled. She was on the patio, tears streaming down her face, when she heard a by then very familiar voice behind her.

[/I]"So did you make a decision yet?"

Alexis swiped at her tears and turned so more of her back was all Lorenzo could see. "About?"

"Why, the princess' birthday, of course. I did tell you that you could have free run of the house for it."

She cleared her throat to try and hide a sniffle as she fought to get her crying under control. Lorenzo had been gracious when she'd asked about having Kristina's party at the house, and in the ensuing days, he seemed almost as excited about it as she was. But Alexis was stinging too badly, her worries too intense, to focus on the happy event just now.

"Oh, I, uh, I'm not sure," she said, her voice trembling. She should have known that would be enough to alert him to her upset. Since he had given her the pilfered test results Luis had hidden away to use against Sonny, a new ease had started to creep into their relationship. Alexis no longer felt an implied threat from Lorenzo, and he seemed less nervous around her now that her manner had taken a turn for the better. Still, she started a bit when she felt him sit close behind her, his hand coming to rest on her back in a comforting gesture.

"Alexis, what is it? What's wrong?"

Her first instinct was to say, "nothing," and excuse herself to go cry in peace, but Alexis fought it. Lorenzo was genuinely concerned, and though she had become unaccustomed to being cared for over the last year, she had promised herself it was something she would try to be more accepting of... especially when it came from this man and added another layer to their burgeoning friendship.

"Well, I..." Alexis turned to face him, her nerves making her throw her hair back, her hands gesturing a little wildly. "I think, I mean, I'm worried that... do you think that maybe something is wrong with Kristina and I'm... I'm just not willing to see it?"

Lorenzo narrowed his eyes at her a moment, then he reached out and placed his right hand atop hers. "What would make you ask that?"

"The other day, Skye made a comment about Kristina not walking, and I looked it up in those books, and she should at least be showing interest by now, but she's not. And she only has one or two words down... I mean, that could mean something is wrong, don't you think?"

With anyone else, the silence that fell might have begun to make Alexis uncomfortable, but she had noticed that whenever she posed a serious matter to Lorenzo, be it a business question or something that came up as one of them discussed a problem in their lives, he always truly thought before he spoke to her. She had come to see that he shared her healthy respect for language and the good it could craft as well as the damage it could do. This time, he weighed his answer to her rather loaded question, and then he smiled at her, his blue eyes sparkling.

"I think, Alexis, that I'm no expert on children, but I can tell you that I have never once found myself thinking 'Kristina should be doing this by now, shouldn't she?' and just held back that observation from you out of politeness or political correctness."

There was no need to doubt the honesty or the sincerity of what he was saying. Trust between them had been hard fought, but it was there now... and growing daily.

"I will say this," Lorenzo continued. "If you are at all worried there might be a problem, then I think you should call her doctor, ask him to run whatever tests would need to be run, and find out. If somehow they do find something, then we'll make arrangements to get her whatever help she needs."

Alexis chuckled despite the heavy concern she still felt, not to mention her slight feelings of embarrassment at having fallen apart so completely only to be discovered by him. "That's such a calm, rational solution. Useful... though not nearly as dramatic as a nervous breakdown on the patio."

His laughter boomed out of him and drew hers out as well. Alexis wiped away the last few drops of moisture that dotted her cheeks, and Lorenzo squeezed her hand once more, very gently, then released his hold, though his fingers were still lightly touching hers.

"Is this why you haven't made a decision about Kristina's birthday?"

She nodded.

"Well, then I suggest you get moving on it right away. The sooner we find out, the sooner we can get to planning."

Alexis started to stand, but his hand grazed against her thigh as he drew it back, and she paused, her eyes darting downward. Her mind tried to instantly clamp down on the chill... the altogether not unpleasant chill... that had run through her at his light touch. When he quickly pulled his hand away, she looked up at him, and found that he looked as nervous as she felt.

"I, uh... I just wanted to... You and Kristina have been through a great deal. I'd wager that she's just trying to get her legs under her. She's learning to trust that you'll never be taken away again. That'll take time. But I really think everything's going to be all right."[/I]

A few phone calls to Dr. Navarro, three specialists and a $25,000 bill later, Alexis received the same advice from the child development expert Gail Baldwin had recommended that she had gotten from Lorenzo for free.

[I]"Kristina's never gotten to set down roots. She's obviously happy and she adores you, but she's afraid of losing you again. Let her settle in, get more secure. I guarantee you, once Kristina accepts that she's home for good, all of this will right itself."[/I]

With a sound medical opinion or two to now back up her friend's advice, Alexis let herself relax again. She mulled over a variety of ways to celebrate her daughter's birthday-everything from clowns to a mini-circus to a princess theme. Ultimately, though, she let Kristina's love of one very special toy direct her plans. Lorenzo had teared up laughing at the idea of Jax, Nikolas and Stefan in a barnyard... but that was, in fact, what she decided on. A baby animal barnyard, complete with a fake grass, mini "stalls" to house the stuffed animals they used to create the scene, and a cake that Lorenzo's cook insisted on baking personally, a hand-drawn icing Lamby Pie on the top beside the words "Happy First Birthday, Kristina."

The day had been magical for Alexis, so much so, that she'd ignored the worried looks she knew were passing between her best friend and her brother, the strain that arced between Nikolas and Zander or the clear tension between Lorenzo and Lucky, who had escorted Lulu to the festivities. Dillon was the only Quartermaine invited, and he and Georgie seemed delighted with creating the appropriate sounds for the pretend barnyard creatures, which kept Kristina very entertained.

The group had been enjoying Cook's astounding cake when Alexis felt a hand against her back. She turned to find Cameron looking at her with an actual, genuine smile on his face.

[I]"I stand corrected."

Alexis furrowed her brow and looked at him suspiciously. "About what? I thought you were never wrong."

"It seems in this case I might have been a bit hasty to judge. Though, in my defense, I was working with the facts in evidence."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"You kept telling me that I had yet to meet the real Alexis Davis, the one not struggling with grief or fear for her daughter or an onslaught of outside and self-imposed trials."

Alexis smirked and nodded her head slightly. "Yes, I do seem to recall telling you that a few hundred times."

"Well, if the Alexis Davis I've been watching all afternoon is the real deal, then you're right... I hadn't met her before now. But it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She was mystified. She was just being herself today in her thinking. No different than she ever was on any other day. What was he trying to get at? Sensing her confusion, Cameron gave her one of his classic enigmatic looks.

"I'm trying to say that you seem happy, Alexis. And that I'm glad to see it."

Still bemused, she shook her head and shrugged. "Of course I'm happy. I have my daughter back, she's wonderful, I have a job I love, a safe place to call home..."

"And a handsome man to share all of that with?"

"What?" she said, the feeling of her jaw literally dropping accompanying her exclamation. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"Just what I see," Cameron answered. "Look, don't get all paranoid now and overanalyze things. I'm just glad that you're feeling more secure and you can enjoy your life a bit more. Let's leave it at that, okay?"[/I]

Of course, Alexis was the queen of over analysis, and for days following that joyous November afternoon, she had started to wonder about how much of her contentment was due to the list she'd given Cameron, and how much was due to the man she was in fact working with and living with and sharing her daughter with.

"Well, we know now, don't we, Sweet Pea?" Alexis whispered, her soft breath tickling Kristina's cheek. The baby giggled and curled into her mother's body more as they continued their dance. Only the closing of a car door outside interrupted them.

"Zo?" Kristina asked, her head popping up and looking toward the door.

"I bet it is. Should we go get him?"

"Get Zo!"

A happy series of claps followed Kristina's definitive answer, and the two walked toward the entryway, the baby still in mother's arms. When they got closer, Alexis set the little girl down on the ground, her small hands clasped above her head in Alexis' own.

"Okay, when he comes in, we'll go get him, okay?"

The door opened and Lorenzo walked in to the delighted sound of Kristina's laughter. He caught Alexis' slight nod, indicating he should stay where he was, and so he tossed the packet of papers he'd brought in with him onto the entry table and waited as Kristina practiced walking, her body moving toward him with her mother's assistance.

"Who is that beautiful girl?" he asked as he crouched down and waited for her arrival. Kristina picked up her pace and Lorenzo could see she was unbelievably close to doing this on her own, no hands needed to guide her. But not today... not just yet. Arms outstretched, he took Kristina into his arms and swept her up, kissing her cheek as Alexis moved closer to them both.

"Oh, it's Kristina Davis! Well, hello there, Miss Kristina. Did you take good care of your mama while I was out?"

"Mm-hmm!" she replied, a strong nod of her head giving affirmation to her verbal response.

"Well, thank you very much." He kissed her again, then shifted her slightly in his arms so he could look over at Alexis. Her sleepless night was showing a bit, and a small rush of concern flooded through him.

"And how are you, Ms. Davis?"

Alexis stepped into his body, her arms wrapping around his waist.

"I'm okay."

He didn't believe she was, but he let it pass for now. A slight touch of his lips to the top of her head brought her eyes up to his, and they kissed for real before the small group headed into the living room together.

"So did you two eat without me?"

"What, and miss a chance to see Kristina smear carrots on your tie?" Alexis teased. "The hell you say."

He chuckled at her joke, but Alexis could feel just how worried about her he was. She offered him another smile to try and alleviate some of that, and then she took his hand and led him off to the sun porch for lunch. They chatted easily throughout the meal, Lorenzo keeping close watch to make sure that Alexis was really eating, and they played with Kristina, who, as usual, managed to get food on Lorenzo's expensive silk tie. Alexis was sure he let her do it on purpose now... a joke the two shared at the cost of $130 a laugh.

Post lunch, Lorenzo cuddled a very sleepy Kristina to his shoulder and carried her upstairs to Alice and naptime. When he returned to the living room, he found Alexis sitting on the couch, the file from Dara open on her lap, her glasses perched on the end of her nose.

"I think she's going to walk on her own soon," he said before sitting down beside her. Alexis pulled her glasses off and looked toward him.

"Any day. I almost think she's not doing it now just to be stubborn."

"Stubborn? Where on earth would she get that from?" Lorenzo teased.

"Oh, very funny." Alexis mock slapped his arm, then repositioned herself so she was angled toward him on the sofa. She glanced back down at the papers again, and a sick feeling wormed its way into Lorenzo's stomach. He knew that Dara hadn't meant to do that... to leave him with that lingering worry... because she didn't know, of course, the step he and Alexis had taken together in the past two days. She knew something was there between them, of course, but she didn't know the whole story. And Lorenzo knew only concern for Alexis and Kristina had driven her to say anything at all.

[I]"You do realize that you're going to be exhibit A for Sonny?"

"What do you mean?" Lorenzo asked.

"Well... " Dara sighed uncomfortably, then continued. "Look, Mr. Alcazar, I don't know you very well, but if Alexis has made you a part of her life, I have to assume there's a reason why. So my assumptions about how you make your living notwithstanding, you have a reputation, one not altogether different from Sonny's. And that could help him establish doubt as to Alexis' claims that he is a danger to Kristina if we end up in court."[/I]

The comment had floored him emotionally, not because what Dara was saying was out of line but because of how true it was. He lived in an armed fortress with guards at every entrance and though there wasn't a single criminal conviction on his record, the world knew who Lorenzo Alcazar was. No documents produced in court to show him as an upstanding, law-abiding legitimate businessman would erase those perceptions.

"Alexis."

His voice was so low and soft, she almost missed him saying her name. Alexis looked up from the rough agreement in front of her and found eyes filled with worry staring back. She quickly dropped the folder onto the coffee table and moved closer to him.

"Enzo, what... what is it?"

"I know that you love me. I just... I wanted you to know that." The knot in his stomach tightened as he realized he had to do this or he'd regret it forever. "And you don't have to prove anything to me."

Alexis' eyes narrowed as she took his hands in hers, holding them tightly. "What would I be doing to prove something to you?"

"If you... if you need to move out of the house... in order to make a better case to fight Sonny, I'll understand."

She was against him instantly, her arms wrapped around his neck, her cheek pressed to his. "We are not leaving our home, Lorenzo."

"But he'll use me to hurt you."

He felt her arms squeeze around him, then she sat back and put her hands on his bearded cheeks, lifting his face and forcing his gaze to hers.

"This is our home. It's where we feel safe. I will not let anyone take that from us."

Lorenzo smiled weakly, his fingers touching down atop the delicate skin of her right hand. "It means so much to me that I've given you that, but we both know that all the things you wanted to protect Kristina from... the enemies with guns and bombs, the questionable moral choices... that's all part of my life."

He hadn't expected a smile, but he got one, and then Alexis leaned forward and kissed him softly.

"That's not what I'm protecting her from. Not anymore."

"I don't... I don't understand," he said, genuinely confused by her words.

"I thought about this all night, and I know that I can't argue that keeping Sonny out of Kristina's life is about his life, not anymore, not that part of it. I mean, I can be honest and admit that even if my every intention was protecting my daughter, Enzo, I failed. I failed often."

"Alexis..."

"No," she said, cutting off his defense. "I made mistakes. It's the truth. Hell, if you were a different man and Skye had gotten her way, I wouldn't even be alive right now, and where would that have left my daughter? With that redheaded viper and Ned?"

A visible shudder ran through Alexis at the very idea that Kristina could have been trapped in that hellhole forever. It was bad enough to imagine before, but now that she'd seen the results of Ned's selfishness, now that she'd lived through the fallout of his anger becoming more important than Kristina, it was a nightmare she was glad she would never have to face again.

"Yes, she's home now, and yes, she's thriving," she continued, "but I almost lost her, and that wasn't Sonny's fault, and it had nothing to do with his life."

"So what are you saying? Are you going to let him see her?" Lorenzo asked.

"He's going to be damn impossible to deal with for awhile, so right now, I honestly don't know. And I can't just forget that I've paid personally for Sonny's 'business' problems spilling out to his friends and family. But the fact is, he knows the truth, and fighting him to keep him completely away will only stick Kristina in the middle of another battle, and I won't do that, not after all the time it's taken for her to learn to trust in her world."

Lorenzo sighed and brought her hand to his lips. He placed a kiss on her palm, then closed his hands over hers. "He's not going to accept me."

"He won't have a choice," Alexis said defiantly. "You are part of my life and you are part of Kristina's. He's going to be one now, too, that I won't fight him on, provided he can be reasonable. But one thing is non-negotiable, and that is you. We stay here. We stay with you."

'We stay with you.' It amazed him that for all the vocabulary his love had command of-- and it was quite an impressive litany of words--the simple statements he heard her utter were always the one he treasured most.

"The world and Sonny Corinthos be damned, huh?" Lorenzo teased, and as an easy grin curled his lips, he saw that Alexis' new smile had made it all the way to her eyes.

"Exactly."

Lorenzo pulled her to him and leaned back on the sofa. Alexis followed his lead and stretched out, her head resting on his chest. Kristina was napping, Dara had sent her a preliminary custody offer she would retool and give to Sonny, and for the time being, the worried mother had done all she could do. Her eyes grew heavy, and she gave in to her need to rest there, wrapped in the warmth and comfort Lorenzo offered. She was nearly asleep when Nano walked into the room and cleared his throat.

"Um, Ms. Davis?"

Alexis heard Lorenzo curse softly as she jerked out of near sleep and sat up. It took her a moment to get her bearings, and she saw the apologetic look on the bodyguard's face.

"It's okay, Nano. What is it?"

"There's a man here with an envelope for you. He says he has to give it to you personally."

She felt Lorenzo mounting a protest, but Alexis knew in her gut why the man was there, and she waved off his argument and stood, walking toward the door. Nano rushed ahead, opening the closed front door and revealing the rather frazzled looking process server who had other Alcazar guards stationed on either side of him.

"M-Ms. Davis?"

"Yes," Alexis answered, and she took the envelope the man handed to her. The guards quickly ushered the man away as Lorenzo came to her side. She slowly pulled out the document the envelope held. As she read it, even though she'd expected the paper to say exactly what it said, her hands began to shake, and Lorenzo moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her body.

"It's a court order for me to bring Kristina in for a paternity test."

"Not wasting any time, is he?" Lorenzo asked, his tone laced with bitterness. Alexis turned in his arms and leaned into his shoulder.

"I guess he thinks he's lost enough."

He wanted to hate that Alexis could still feel some sort of understanding for Corinthos despite the way he'd attacked her last night, in spite of the upheaval he was trying to bring into Kristina's life, but he couldn't. Part of why Lorenzo had fallen in love with this woman, part of what had made it possible, was her capacity for forgiveness. But God, how he wished...

"I'm going to fall down if I don't lay down," Alexis said. "I'll call Dara later."

"Okay, get some rest."

She kissed him quickly on the cheek and then headed for the stairs. He waited until she was out of view before he called Nano to him.

"You spoke with her about the security?"

The guard nodded. "She wants us to keep things as they are, and if Mr. Corinthos shows up, she said to let her know and she'll meet him outside before deciding whether or not he's allowed inside. But, sir, we've picked up a detail of Corinthos' men. They've kept their distance so far. I've told the men to let me know immediately if that changes."

Lorenzo thanked him for the information, and then Nano left to see to his other duties, leaving behind a very frustrated man. Lorenzo wandered to his office and sat down. He was there a full five minutes before he realized that the real estate listings he needed to be looking over were still in the car. His mind had been so on Alexis and on the papers from Dara, he'd forgotten them.

Standing again, Lorenzo began to pace the office floor. He hated feeling helpless, and that was the exact sensation that was overwhelming him. He had never imagined that one person could mean so much to him, let alone that two would. There had to be some way, he thought... some way to make this easier on them.

With the thought that a workout might help him get focused, Lorenzo headed upstairs to change. Concern willed him to Alexis' door, and he pushed it open quietly, just wanting to make sure she was sleeping and not brooding. His heart nearly stopped when he saw her bed empty, not because he honestly thought something had happened to her but because he worried that she had needed him and he hadn't realized it and had left her alone instead.

Moving quickly, Lorenzo headed to Kristina's nursery, assuming he'd find her there. All he discovered, though, was one beautiful little girl sucking on the fingers of her left hand while her right lay cautiously over Lamby Pie's tail so she couldn't get away.

Confused, he closed the nursery door and wondered where Alexis might be. He was about to head back downstairs to see if she'd somehow wandered out to the patio or the gardens while he was in his office when he crossed in front of his own bedroom door. He was two steps past it before something clicked in his head, and he realized perhaps he should check there. Inside, he found what he sought... Alexis, curled up beneath the covers, sound sleep... in his bed.

A smile exploded onto his face while his heart ached at how much it made him feel to see her there. This was what she had meant, not just she and Kristina living here in the house, but this... that their love made her feel safe. The bed they shared was a tangible representation of that love... and it was here she'd come to finally, mercifully, find a few moments of peace and rest.

Lorenzo knew from that moment forward, he'd never think of this room as his again. It was theirs now... and he wasn't about to let anything or anyone change that.

*****

Once again, Sonny found himself wandering around the empty spaces of penthouse four. This time, he hadn't thrown Carly out and no one had taken her. Instead, she had packed up their children and, with his sister Courtney in tow, left town for a vacation... without him.

He wasn't even sure he'd said anything when Jason had told him. Sonny had heard the words, but it hadn't really registered. Nothing could seem to get through the fog he had been in walking in since Ashton had confronted him at Kelly's a day earlier.

[I]"Would you notice if a baby had, say, your eyes?"[/I]

His fury at Alexis for keeping his child from him had yet to lessen, but Sonny's disappointment in himself was just as intense. How the hell had he not known? How had he believed, for even a moment, that Alexis Davis would claim he was her baby's father to Carly of all people without being 100% positive? How had he let himself ignore the obvious for so damn long?

Jason had tried to draw him into conversation earlier, hoping to convince Sonny to get on the jet and follow his family, but Sonny couldn't stop the tape of self-reproaching questions that played in his head. Even in this first 24 hours of thinking back, he could see so many times when he should have known... when the blatant truth had been staring him in the face, and yet he'd hidden from it.

After more than an hour of talking to, basically, himself, Jason had given up and left, and Sonny was alone with his thoughts. They were volatile. For long moments, he just marveled at the idea that Alexis' daughter was his... that they had made a child together. He had a daughter. It was miraculous to him, overwhelming... and in those minutes, he would smile at the thought of seeing Kristina again. Then he would remember the night of their baby's conception, and his blood would race, and then his mind turned traitor and filled his head not with images of he and Alexis making love, but of Alexis giving herself to Lorenzo on that rain-soaked balcony. That would make him begin to rail against her anew... and his disgust with her for keeping their child a secret and for turning her heart to Lorenzo would mingle and drive him into a rage.

He rose and fell over and over again, the dizzying cycle so extreme that he couldn't think to reach for his usual panacea of alcohol, nor could he focus on the very real dilemma of his wife's unhappiness and her leaving with their kids. All he could think about was that Alexis and Kristina were with that bastard Lorenzo... and he wanted them away. He wanted them back.

"Mr. Corinthos?"

Johnny's voice reached him from the hall through the closed door. Sonny had locked it after Jason left, not wanting any more unannounced interruptions.

"Yeah?" he called back.

"Lorenzo Alcazar is here to see you."

Sonny chuckled, incredulous. "Yeah, sure." As he finished speaking, he walked over and twisted the lock. A moment later, he was staring at the man he now hated more than any other person on Earth.

"Well?"

Lorenzo silently stepped past him and entered the penthouse. Sonny waved off Johnny's look of worry and closed the door again.

"Let me guess, is this the part where you come here and threaten me and tell me I better stay away from Alexis and [I]my[/I] daughter, or else?"

Crossing nonchalantly to the bar, Sonny poured himself a glass of water, purposefully neglecting to offer anything to his guest. When no answer to his query came, he turned and found Lorenzo looking at him disdainfully, as if he were a small child who'd said something foolish.

"Why would I need to threaten you?" Alcazar asked. "Alexis is smarter than you. She's stronger than you. She doesn't need me to fight you for her."

Sonny felt the arrogant smirk he'd been wearing slip slightly under the power of Lorenzo's statement. He remembered feeling that way about Alexis... hell, he'd even said something similar once to Ned. But it felt damn painful to hear that confidence and faith in her thrown back at him as a weapon.

"You know, I don't need you to tell me anything about Alexis, all right? I've known her a hell of a lot longer than you. She's the mother of my child."

"Kristina isn't your child," Lorenzo said, his voice laced with irritation. "She's your child [I]with[/I] Alexis... she's both of your daughter. I suggest you remember that."

The glass Sonny had been holding slammed down onto the bar, then he took four fast steps toward his visitor, his temper flaring instantly.

"This has nothing to do with you, so just get out!"

Lorenzo didn't rise to the bait. He took two large steps back from Sonny, paused before he spoke, and delivered his next words in a calm, even tone.

"She still cares about you. She still wants what's best for you. Find a way to do this right, and you can have Kristina in your life without hurting her or her mother."

"Oh, yeah," Sonny rolled his eyes. "'Cause you're so concerned about me, right? You're really worried about how I come through all this."

"I don't give a damn about you, and we both know it. But Alexis does. Kristina's going to. And I'm willing to deal with anyone, including you, if it means the two of them come out the better for it."

Sonny was putting up a good front, but inside, he was boiling, his gut churning. Lorenzo was so damn sure of himself... so positive of his position and his right to stand up for Alexis and Kristina. That was his place, Sonny's heart told him, and yet this man had stolen it away from him. His anger caused him to lash out, though he did it with an icy coolness.

"Sounds to me like you lied before," Sonny said. "You're here to fight her battle... you're just using words instead of a gun or a knife. Guess you aren't so sure after all that Alexis can beat me in court."

Lorenzo shook his head. The man was too damn intractable for his own good. Only the thought of the woman and the child he loved was keeping him here, making him try once more.

"You are Kristina's father. Alexis is willing to let you into that amazing, precious child's world because she honestly believes that you might be able to contribute something to her life. Be worthy of that faith, Corinthos. You've lost Alexis. You know how that feels. Spare yourself the pain of losing your daughter someday, too, because she can't forgive you for your anger at her mother or look the other way at how you've treated the woman she worships."

Sonny's hands curled into fists in his pockets as he listened to Lorenzo speak. He hated him for knowing Alexis so well that he could speak for her. He hated him more for being right. Defeated by the passion his enemy had argued with, Sonny stood silently as Alcazar turned and walked out of the apartment, leaving him alone with his thoughts once again.

'You've lost Alexis. You know how that feels.'

Sinking down onto the couch, Sonny felt tears burning at his eyes as his mind and his heart finally hit upon the same truth at the same time. He had lost her. And he had no one to blame for it but himself.

*****

Lorenzo ducked his head as he climbed back into the limousine. The door slammed shut just as he realized he was not alone in the car.

"What are you doing here?"

The Shopkeeper normally tooled around his workspace in worn chinos and linen shirts, but today he was dressed in an expensive, well-tailored suit. Designer sunglasses sat over his eyes.

"Your phone call last night made me curious."

They'd worked together for so long now, that Lorenzo regarded this man as a colleague and as an ally. Friend was stretching it, and he knew some people would be very unhappy about his desire to leave his life as Lorenzo Alcazar, International Arms Dealer behind. He felt his nerves tighten as he wondered if that was the message being delivered.

"I've given you more than enough over the years, don't you think?"

"That you have," The Shopkeeper agreed.

"And," Lorenzo continued, "the Renata meeting is set. I will see that through, you have my word."

"But you want out?"

"Yes."

"Because of Alexis Davis?"

Lorenzo's silence was answer enough. So the mystery was solved. Lorenzo was in love. For the first time in all the years they'd known each other, the notorious Alcazar had let someone into his heart... and she had stolen it completely. The Shopkeeper understood. He'd loved that much. He had also decided the price for it was too high. But this young man's choices were his to make, and despite the mercenary reputation The Shopkeeper had earned over the years, he liked Lorenzo a great deal. He would let him go... however tricky it was going to be.

"Trent's worried that you're distracted."

"You can tell him I'm not," Lorenzo said. "I know that Renata is the goal. I know it has to be finished before I can walk."

"That's what I told him."

Blue eyes blazing, Lorenzo turned and stared at his companion. "You told him I wanted out?"

"Of course not. Trent knows what he needs to know."

"Then, I don't understand," Lorenzo said. "Why are you here, really?"

The Shopkeeper was a man who bore the exterior scars of the last attempt made on his life. He also carried the emotional wounds of having chosen to let the woman he loved believe he was dead and of only catching glimpses of his treasured daughter as he sat in parked cars from blocks away. If he could help another man avoid that existence, he was going to. And so Robert Scorpio pulled off his glasses and winked at his young protégé.

"I'm here to help you get out, mate. You've held up your end of the bargain from day one. Now you help us finally get Renata, and I'll make sure the WSB accepts your resignation. Deal?"

Lorenzo's instinct had always been to trust Robert, and the expression on his mentor's face rang true as usual. He smiled in response to the offer on the table, and then extended his hand to seal their agreement.

"Deal."

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