thanks to Cat who let me ramble on with it, and Dena who reassured me with it.

For the ever demanding Cierus. this is what i came up with.

before the fall
by kel

"You can change in here Ms. Davis, and the room is over there. Just get comfortable under the sheet and Sven will be right in."

"Thank you." Alexis released a small sigh. She had come to New York to get away from her life for a few days. Namely a certain someone who lived across the hall. After Valentine's Day and the latest Carly fiasco she'd had it. She was letting herself care too much, and it was starting to show. She couldn't lose control of the situation, so she removed herself from it. All she needed was a few days out of Port Charles to regroup. She undressed herself slowly. A spa day at Elizabeth Arden was just what the doctor ordered. It had been awhile since she'd pampered herself and she was looking forward to the massage she had booked for the afternoon. Just soft music, and deep tissue relaxation.

She settled herself onto the massage table and rested her face on the head rest. She closed her eyes and waited for Sven. She heard the door open and smiled softly. She needed this, the tension in her neck and shoulders had been reaching a breaking point the past few weeks. The top sheet was gently lowered down and her back was exposed. Strong warm hands began to knead her flesh and she lost herself in the sensation. She felt the tension flowing out of her in waves as she relaxed deeper into the table. The assured hands moved up and down her back expertly working out knots and kinks, eventually moving to her legs and feet. It was relaxation bliss, and she prepared to turn over to allow access to her front. When the hands stopped moving along her back she sighed and expertly maneuvered the sheet as she flipped onto her back and opened her eyes to see the bearer of the heavenly hands.

"Sonny!"

"Shhh..."

"Sonny...what are you...how did you?"

"Shh...you're going to tense up."

"I-"

"Let me finish."

She shot him an annoyed glare, but her need for continued release won out and she nodded slightly in agreement.

"Thank you."

Sonny's eyes locked with hers as he slowly placed his hands on her shoulders and gently worked to release the tension from them. Her eyes grew large at the intensity of his stare. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her as he ran his hand down her left arm to knead her palm and fingertips. His fingers traced a line from one arm across her collarbone to her right arm; which was next to him. He gave this arm the same attention. Alexis' eyes grew hazy as she let herself be lulled by his tender touch and attention to detail. Her breathing slowed under his watchful eye and talented ministrations and soon their breathing was perfectly in sync, along with their gazes which never wavered. He worked his hands down her legs gently teasing and slightly tickling her upper thighs and calf muscles. His hands returned to the head of the table where he set about gently massaging the muscles in her face. A caress of her cheekbones and along the line of her jaw. It was then that her eyes fluttered shut and a small moan escaped her throat as his hands went through her hair and administered a brief scalp massage. He smiled at his attorney, his friend, at peace for the moment.

"You're done."

Alexis grasped the sheet tightly around her body and sat up on the table with a small half smile. He grinned back at her as she swung her legs over the side into a sitting position and he took the opportunity to lean back against the edge of the table next to her. For a minute neither could say anything. The sheer eroticness of the situation had made the air in the room thick and heavy.

"Thank you," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"My pleasure."

"However, I'm pissed at you." She hopped off the table and headed for the door.

"Wait!"

"No, I will not wait. Thank you for the massage, but the fact remains that I'm pissed at you, and I don't want to see you right now."

"Alexis..."

She walked out into the hallway and headed for her dressing room.

"Alexis..wait..."

She spun around to face him. "I don't know who you had to bribe to get into that room, or even how you did it, or for how much.. I don't want to see you."

"Alexis..."

"How did you know I was here? Did Kristina..."

"No. Your sister, was surprisingly quiet about the situation. I have my ways."

"Don't tell me Benny tracked me to here."

"Does it matter?"

"It does matter because I'm here to get away from YOU!" She slammed the door to the dressing room in his face, and he hesitated only a moment before opening it and following her in.

"Get out."

"I wanna talk to you."

"I have nothing to say."

"I have to know..."

"You don't get to know...go back to Port Charles. Go home to Carly."

"Carly?"

"I'm not doing this anymore, Sonny. I'm done. I'm done with you."

"I don't understand."

"I'm asking you one last time to leave or I will call security."

He looked at her. Her eyes blazing with hurt and anger. Exactly what he hadn't wanted to cause with his visit.

"I'll go..but...I need..."

"It's not what you need, Sonny. It's what I need."

"'Lexis..."

"Go. Please."

He blinked sadly at her before turning and heading out the door. Alexis released the breath she'd been holding and sank to the overstuffed chair. This was not supposed to happen. Her mind flashed to the memory of his hands on her body, and she flushed at the thought and the rememberance of the intensity of his stare. She tried to push the thought from her mind as she began to dress. It would be fine. He would go back to Port Charles, and she would continue with her vacation.

********

Hours later she stood in her suite at the Marriott Marquis putting the finishing touches on her outfit for dinner. She was meeting up with an old friend from law school, and was looking forward to a couple hours of mindless chatter and catching up. She took one final glance at the simple black sheath and knee length jacket she'd decided on and pronounced herself ready to go. She grabbed her purse and headed for the door. Upon opening it she was surprised and not so surprised to find Sonny poised to knock on the other side.

"You."

"Me."

"I'm pissed at you."

"I know."

"You don't get to be standing there."

"And yet, here I am."

"And yet, here I go."

"Stop."

"I have plans."

"With who?"

"That's none of your business."

"I'm going with you."

"The hell you are."

"Why not?"

"You really want me to list why not? You're not supposed to be here. I'm taking time for me. Without you. You can't keep invading every part of my life, Sonny."

"I don't do that."

She shot him a glare that would freeze ice.

"I'm leaving. Do NOT follow me. I'm serious."

Her look was deadly serious as she brushed by him. His eyes followed her down the hall and he shook his head. Time for plan C.

********

He refused to give up on getting her to talk to him. He couldn't remember the last time he went to such extremes for someone as he waited on the sidewalk outside the swanky restaurant he'd followed her to. He shifted back and forth almost nervously, trying to convince himself it was just the cold. This was the longest he could remember her refusing to speak to him. It had been two hours already and he caught sight of her through the glass doors getting her coat from the coat check. She was chatting with the woman he'd seen her sit down with. Alexis looked relaxed and was smiling. The women exited the restaurant and exchanged kisses and hugs before her friend headed off up the block and Alexis stepped to the curb to hail a taxi. Sonny stepped out from his perch.

"Alexis..."

She turned at the sound of his voice and her smile disappeared. "Can you not take a hint?"

"You can't stay mad at me forever."

"Let's try."

"I just..."

"What are you even doing here? Go home. Go back to Port Charles. Go back to your WIFE." She spit out the last word venomously.

"You don't understand..."

"I understand plenty. And I'm done, Sonny. I am. I'm not going to be this person."

"'Lexis..."

"I am not a doormat, Sonny. I am a successful career woman who is trying to have it all and you are messing up my plan!"

"I never thought you were a doormat."

"Then stop treating me like one!"

He realized he was getting nowhere fast with this line of conversation. He raised his eyes to her angry face.

"I wanna take you out. Can I take you out?"

"I've already been out."

"It's early."

She looked at his face and saw what she thought was desperation in his eyes. Desperation and sadness.

"Please...I just...please."

She sighed. "I have given you so many second chances."

"Then make this one the last."

She releases a breath. "Where are we going?"

********

Twenty minutes later they were standing at the entrance to Central Park West.

"A carriage ride?" she asked incredulous.

"A New York specialty."

"A New York tourist trap."

"So you're saying no?"

She eyed him curiously. "Besides my obvious objection to the horses on the concrete, I suppose it would be nice."

He smiled at her, and went to speak to one of the carriage drivers. In no time he was helping her into the back of the carriage and spreading the blanket over her legs. He slipped in next to her and off they went. Minutes went by in silence as each of them snuck glances at each other. Fifteen minutes in she began to speak softly.

"Why are you doing this?"

"What?"

"This. Why are you here?"

"You."

"I don't understand."

"You. Me. Us."

"There is no us, Sonny. There is you, and there is me. And then there is Carly."

"You know, for someone who doesn't like Carly, you certainly bring her name up quite a bit."

"She's always there."

"She's not here right now."

"Isn't she?"

"What about Ashton?"

"What about Ned?"

"Is he always with you?"

"It's different."

"How?"

"For one, I'm not married to Ned."

"But you love him."

"Love him? I'll always love him. But I'm not in love with him anymore."

"How is that different from me and Carly?"

"You're still in love with her."

"And if I told you I wasn't?"

"I'd say you were lying."

They lapsed into silence for a few moments, lost in thought.

"When you...ended things with Ashton...how did you feel?"

"That's a personal question."

"Since when don't we share that?"

"I felt," she paused. "I felt how you feel when you let go of something dear. Bittersweet."

"Was if difficult?"

"Is it ever easy?"

His eyes caught hers. "No. It's not."

His statement carried so much more that the simple words it consisted of. And they held each others gaze for minutes before she dropped her eyes to her hands, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence.

*********

He helped her climb down from the back of the carriage and his hand lingered on hers.

"Thank you for the ride." She said quietly.

"You're welcome."

"I'm not going to apologize."

"I'm not asking you to."

"Because I didn't do anything wrong."

"I know."

"Ok."

"Nightcap?"

"I don't..."

"'Lexis, I'm staying across the street, we can go in and go to the lounge."

"The Plaza?" Her eyebrow raised.

"It's the best."

She managed a small smile. "Of course."

"Come on, we'll go in, we'll have a drink, and then..."

"Then I will go back to my hotel."

"Whatever. You coming?" He offered his arm and they set off across the street to the warmth of the inside of the expensive hotel.

**********

They settled down into leather armchairs in the darkened wood paneled lounge. The waitress brought his scotch and her martini and they sat studying each other.

"You still haven't told me why you're here."

"I told you. You."

"That's not an answer, Sonny."

"You know how it's like...you get used to having something around..."

"I'm going to ask you to stop right there."

"What?"

"Because this is why I'm mad at you."

"You lost me."

"You take me for granted. That I'll always be there. Good old Alexis, across the hall. That's what got me into this mess in the first place."

"I don't..."

"Sonny?"

He knew she was right and let out a resigned sigh. "Maybe I do."

"I don't want to be taken for granted. Not by you. Not by anyone."

"I can respect that."

"Well I'm glad because you really don't have a choice."

"Why'd you run?"

"I didn't run."

"One minute you there, and we're in the hall, and you're thanking me for flowers...the next minute you're gone and your sister is the quietest I've ever seen her."

"I needed some time."

"Time for what?"

"You really are clueless aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I needed some time away from you. You and your dimples and your code and your 'let's go to Puerto Rico' and 'how do you feel about me?' and our 'relationship'."

She took a long drink from her martini and refused to meet his eyes. He rubbed his hand along his lower jaw and nodded.

"I had to leave before I fell," she said quietly. Her words fraught with meaning.

It is the closest to an admission she has ever let herself come with him. She stood.

"And now I have to go. Thank you for the ride, and the drink."

She gathered her coat and made her way out of the lounge. He watched her, a hint of sadness in her eyes. He knew it was not the time to protest, not when her emotions were at their barest.

**********

The next morning she was tired. Her emotions had yet to settle from last night's admission to Sonny, and she was certain he would be back today wanting to talk more about a topic she'd do anything to not discuss. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she figured she had a fifty fifty chance of it being room service or Sonny. She tightened her robe around her and opened the door to find her breakfast tray waiting for her. The waiter wheeled it in and she signed the bill leaving a generous tip. When the waiter had left she noticed something that had been missing from her tray the previous morning. A small bowl of gardenias, with an envelope propped up against it. Her hands trembled ever so slightly as she opened the note and she recognized his familiar scrawl.

Dear Alexis,
I know what it took for you to share what you did last night with me. And you're right. You're always right. I do take you for granted. I'm used to having you there. To help me, to be my lawyer, to be my friend. To be there. There are few friendships in my life I've held onto. If I lost yours it would be irreplaceable. You said you needed some time. I'm going to try and follow that lesson you tried to teach me about waiting. Some things are worth waiting for. And if you fell, I'd catch you.
Sonny

She gently wiped away the tear that had escaped the corner of her eye. In typical fashion he had made her care all over again.

*finis*

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