Part 16

GATEHOUSE

"Alright AJ, here's what's going to happen." Joanna looked down at the pathetic man sitting on the couch, drowning in his alcohol. "You are going to sober up, and then we are going to talk." She grabbed his flask and made him stand up. She dragged him in the kitchen and started making coffee, asking him where the ingredients were.

"Why couldn't I do it yesterday Joanna? I need my son! I've been without him for way too long."

"AJ, to be honest with you, I wouldn't let you near my kid either, if you looked like you do now! You've got to slow down on the booze. Don't worry, I'm going to help you get your son back, mainly because, and don't take this personally, I don't like your kid. He's always wining, and he's always reaching for that witch Carly." She reaches up and holds her face again.

"Did Carly do that to you?" AJ laughs, "I told you to look out for her, didn't I? She's a snake in disguise, but does anyone ever listen to AJ, NO!" He is laughing so hard he shakes.

"AJ, I can take care of Carly!"

"Well, I wish you would already!" He screamed at her. "I've been waiting for a long time."

"We're working on it."

"Well, work harder."

Joanna came over and sat the coffee cup in front of him, and leaned down and got in his face. "Listen here A.....J," she poked him on the chest, "You don't make the rules, got it. I told you once before, if you cause me a problem, I will take care of it. Now, drink your coffee." She backed up and watched in excitement as he did as she said with wide eyes. He was too easy.

"Alright, here's the plan: This is all going to go down tomorrow. Listen carefully, cause I want no mistakes. Sonny will more than likely go to the warehouse in the morning. That is when we will make our move. Someone will take down whatever guards are in the hall, then you and I go in. We are going to take Carly and Michael. We will make it look like a burglary or something, although I doubt he'll call the police. We are taking them to an old abandoned warehouse on the edge of town. Carly will stay and be tied up, and yes, I must admit, some torture that I will thoroughly enjoy will come her way, but you can take Michael as soon as we have him. I suggest you go far, far away AJ, cause if something goes wrong and Corinthos finds you, you won't live. I know that for a fact. We will threaten Sonny with Carly and Michael, in exchange for his getting out of the business, and handing over all power to my father. Clear enough for you?" She looked at AJ, he had a smile on his face.

"So, I will get my son tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"I can definitely live with that. What time?"

"Early in the morning, around 7 or 8 we will meet, and you better not be drunk. I mean that." She got up and walked to the door.

"I won't be Joanna, thank you." AJ was smiling when she walked out the door. "Michael, you will be with me tomorrow!"

He got up to get himself sobered up.

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Morning, PH4 HALLWAY

Johnny stood in front of the guards, giving them orders. "Is everyone clear on what to do? They should be here anytime, as soon as they see Mr. Corinthos leave."

The guards all nodded, they were ready. "Okay, go to your posts." They left and Johnny smiled, this was going to be fun. AJ and Joanna were definitely going to get what was coming to them. Good thing they'd bugged AJ's house. He laughed and called his boss to tell him they were ready.

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Inside

"Carly, come and sit down, we have to talk." Sonny said to Carly, he'd put this off for long enough. He had to tell her what was about to happen, and hope she could handle it, although she didn't think she'd have any trouble doing so.

Carly looked at him in puzzlement and went to sit across from him on the couch. She smiled at him, "I love it when we have these talks on the couch, and you sitting on my ottoman."

He looked at her and smiled, she always knew how to catch him off guard. He reached up and touched her face, "Me too."

"What's up?" she asked, a little worried about this.

"Well, Carly, there's some things I have to tell you. I don't want you to get upset, cause nothing bad's going to happen. Remember Victoria? Well, I thought there was something fishy about her, so I had her followed after you knocked her out the other day. Her real name is Joanna. Joanna Sorel." he stopped to guage her reaction.

She yelled, "I knew it! I knew she was a fake. So, what happens now?" He couldn't believe it, she was actually excited. He was amazed at her.

"Well, that's not all. She's working with AJ. They want to make me get out of the business, and get Michael."

"What? Sonny, you can't let that happen! They can't take my baby." She was getting a little upset now, just as he knew she would. He reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Nothing's going to happen, baby, but listen to me. They are going to try something this morning, and I need you to listen to me, so that we can all be ready."

"Okay."

"First, Leticia and Michael will be taken to Jason's Penthouse. There is a secret room in there that no one knows about, and they will be safe there. You will have to stay here though, Carly. It has to look like we didn't know they were coming. I'm going to walk out the front door and pretend like I'm going to work. When I get a little way away from the building, I'm going to come back in through the back. They won't be expecting this. Carly, you're not going to be alone in here, although it will appear that you are. Johnny will be off in a corner somewhere hiding, just in case anything goes wrong." He stopped for a minute, giving her a chance to soak it all in. When he saw that she was okay, he continued. "So, they are going to come bursting through the door, and you need to be here on the couch, reading or something like that. When they come in, just keep them busy talking. Taunt them or whatever you have to do. If they try anything, Johnny will be here to stop them, but I need you to keep them busy. I will be back as soon as I can, and all the other men will be with me. We'll get them."

She looked at Sonny, scared, and yet strangely excited. "Sonny, you're going to let me do this, for real?"

"Yeah." He couldn't believe she was so excited. She was unlike any woman he'd ever met. She'd been afraid for Michael, but when she knew he would be okay, she was ready for the action.

"Cool, this will be fun! I get to taunt AJ and Joanna, or whatever her name is, and they can't touch me. Okay, Sonny, I have to go get ready." She jumped up and he stood up with her.

"Carly, look at me. This is still dangerous. I don't want you to take this lightly. Things can always go wrong, but I will do my best to make sure you are safe." He looked her in the eyes.

She looked at him with surprise in her eyes, "Sonny, I know you will protect me! I'm never scared about my safety with you. I trust you and I know that you will do whatever it takes. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." She kissed him on the cheek, and went to get ready. He just stared after her in amazement. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned around, "What are you going to do with them Sonny?"

"Don't worry, they'll be taken care of." He smiled.

"Okay." She turned and ran up the stairs, and Sonny prepared himself for what was about to happen.

Part 17

Okay guys, before I get started, I'd like to take a second to correct an error I made in the last chapter! As much as I would love for little Mikey to be across the hall with Leticia............it is just not possible seeing as how she is dead as a doornail! LOL! How could I forget the horrifying death of Port Charles favorite nanny?? Let's just chalk it up to my anxiousness to go on my trip. I had a wonderful time in Florida, by the way, and I've come back tan and ready to write, so here goes. Instead of being with Leticia across the hall, we're going to change that whole sentence and say that he is across the hall still in the secret room with another of Sonny's guards. His name is Jack, and he is very good with children :)! Sorry for the error and thanks to those who pointed it out. It makes me feel good to know you guys really are reading this story! LOL!! Enjoy!

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STREET OUTSIDE HARBORVIEW TOWERS

Joanna looked up as AJ approached. "Where have you been?"

"Getting sober hon." AJ smiled at her, he was completely sober and ready to get his son.

"Don't call me hon. Are you ready for this?" she asked, pleased that for once he was not drunk out of his mind.

"I'm very ready." He gave her an evil grin, and just then they saw Sonny exit the building and climb into the waiting limo.

"Alright, it's time." Joanna motioned for AJ to follow her. They followed Sorel's men inside, and let them take care of the guards in their way. Finally they reached the door of the penthouse. Joanna looked at AJ and he smiled, and nodded. Joanna kicked the door in, and went inside, cautiously.

Carly had heard them in the hall, and readied herself as she sat on the couch pretending to read a book. When the door burst in, she jumped up, feigning surprise.

"What's going on here?" she asked, trying to sound convincingly scared. "What are you two doing here?"

"Good morning Carly. Surprised to see me again?" Joanna smiled at the blond woman she was pointing a gun at. "AJ, go get your son." She motioned for him to go upstairs. She turned back to Carly. "So, Miss Benson, happy to see me?"

Carly snorted, "Oh yeah, honey, you light up my life. Didn't I throw you out this morning? I hate it when pests keep bothering me."

"Well, this pest is here to do more than bother you sweetheart. Don't you worry, you'll get your payback for this morning."

"Oh, I'll be looking forward to it, Joanna. That's right, Joanna, don't look so shocked. You didn't think we didn't know who you were all along? You underestimate me sweetie, and you certainly underestimate my fiancee'. You won't get away with any of this." Carly smirked at the woman before her, not a bit afraid. She knew Johnny was standing there ready to take care of any problem that might occur.

Joanna was surprised. "Oh well, so you know who I am Carly. Big deal, what good will it do you now. I think I have the upper hand. You see, I'm the one holding the gun. And before this is all over, I will use this gun on you," she inched closer and put the gun in Carly's face, "so you better start praying right now, cause you're gonna need all the prayer you can get."

Carly leaned in closer to the gun, tempting Joanna to pull the trigger. She whispered, "You think you can scare me, little girl? I've lived through worse than this, and I'm a whole lot stronger than your scrawny butt. I think I proved that this morning. Does your cheek hurt? I sincerely hope so. By the time Sonny gets through with you, every part of your body will hurt, and you know what I'll be doing? I'll be standing right there by his side, laughing at you. I've told you once today, and I'll tell you once more, NO ONE messes with my family. You understand that, little mafia princess? NO ONE. Especially not a little twit like you." She spit in Joanna's face, and backed up laughing.

Joanna looked at Carly with hatred in her eyes. Yes, Miss Benson would get what was coming to her. She would make sure of that. Just as she was about to speak, AJ came running back down the stairs.

"Joanna, he's not there!" He looked upset, and he turned to Carly. "Where is my son, Carly?"

"What makes you think I'd tell you? You're not his father, honey, you're just a sperm donor."

"Carly, Michael is my son. I came here to get him, so you better tell me where he went, or something bad is going to happen here." He stalked over and grabbed her arms, and started to shake her. "Where is he, Carly? Where is Michael?"

Carly started to lose it then. She started to remember the day on the stairs, and she could almost feel herself falling backwards. She started screaming, "LET ME GO AJ! Let me go!" She kicked him hard, and pulled herself free of his grasp. He was doubled over in pain, and she felt the tears running down her face. "You will never get your hands on Michael again, do you hear me? You killed my baby, and you will not take another one from me! You're nothing but a drunk AJ, a spineless drunk who wouldn't know how to be a father to save your life. I wish I could just kill you. You deserve to die for everything you did to me."

AJ got angry at her words, and came at her again. She tried to fight back, but he grabbed her again. She screamed and twisted, her arms flailing wildly, and when she wouldn't calm down, AJ slapped her across the face. "Shutup Carly," he yelled when he hit her. But just then he felt something barrelling at him from behind. Johnny had decided it was time to take over. No one hit the boss' lady. He pummeled AJ and when he was finished, the jerk was laying on the floor, only half-concious and groaning.

Joanna had just been staring the whole time at this display. She could really care less about AJ, but now Johnny was here, and she had a score to settle with him, too. "Johnny, how nice of you to join our little party," she said with a sneer. "Put your hands up." He did as he was told, but shot a glance at Carly, who was still trembling with anger and fear from AJ. She was looking at Joanna now, and he saw the pure fear in her eyes. She hadn't been scared when she knew he was in the corner waiting to help her, but now he was in the same position as she was. She looked at him, and he tried his best to reassure her with his eyes. Sonny would be here soon, so he decided to just stall Joanna with a little banter.

"Miss Sorel. How are you this evening? I thought I told you earlier when I was throwing you out that you weren't welcome here. Did I imagine that?" Johnny was trying to think of anything he could to make her angry, so her defenses would be down.

"Johnny, Johnny. If I were you, I wouldn't talk like that. You see, I have use for Carly, but you, you're totally expendable. No real purpose at all. You've already ticked me off enough, don't you think?"

"Well, I just was a little confused as to what you are doing here? I thought the garbage truck came by this morning, and yet here you are, still here. Still causing trouble for my boss and his lovely family. What is it going to take for you to realize you can't beat Mr. Corinthos?" He heard the movement in the hall, and knew they were almost there. "You saw what I did to Mr. Quartermaine here, you want the same for yourself? Can I tell you a secret, just between you and me? I'm a bodyguard, babe. I get paid to protect, and I can get that gun away from you so easily, but even if I couldn't, I'd take a bullet for Carly, or Mr. Corinthos for that matter, so why don't you go ahead and try it." He saw Mr. Corinthos come through the broken door, and walk quietly up behind Joanna.

Joanna raised her eyebrows and was about to pull the trigger, when she felt a gun at the side of her head. She closed her eyes, and knew that it was over. Sonny leaned close to her ear, and said, "It's over Joanna. Drop the gun." She did so, and hung her head down. No one noticed she still had a smile on her face. She knew something they didn't. Francis came up from behind and grabbed her. Then two other guards came in, and grabbed AJ off the floor.

Sonny looked at Carly, still trembling, tears running down her face. She looked up at him, and met his eyes. They looked for a moment, and he opened up his arms. That's all it took for Carly, and she all but ran into them. He held her close, breathing in her scent, and she doing the same with him. Their hearts pressed together, and it seemed as if they almost melded into one. "Carly......." Sonny whispered against her hair, "I........." Just then, Sonny saw over her head through the open doors that led to the balcony, a man on the balcony across the street in the other building. He had a gun, and before he even had time to react, the man fired. He pushed Carly out of the way screaming, "NO!" Carly screamed his name, and that was the last thing he heard, before he collapsed to the floor and went unconscious.

Part 18

They wheeled Sonny quickly through the hall of General Hospital. The ambulance had just arrived, and an almost hysterical Carly was walking beside Sonny, holding on to his hand for dear life. She couldn't believe this was happening. She thought she heard someone talking to her, but she didn't want to listen. Just then, she felt someone pull her away from Sonny. She screamed out, and reached for him with all her might. The person just held her back even harder. She finally just sunk to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, and watched them take Sonny into a room, and away from her. She didn't know if he'd ever come back.

Johnny just sat there and held Carly. He'd had to pull her back. She didn't seem to hear the doctors tell her she couldn't go with them. She'd been in a daze ever since the shooting had happened. He saw Bobbie coming toward them, and breathed a sigh of relief. Bobbie could take care of Carly better than he could.

Bobbie ran over to Carly. ''Carly, are you okay?'' She grabbed onto her daughter and led her over to a chair. She pulled her into an embrace, and Carly just held on.

''Oh Mama, it's Sonny.........'' She broke down again. How could this be happening to her?

''What is it baby?'' Bobbie ran her hand over Carly's hair, and tried to calm her down.

''He.......he........was shot, oh God. There was so........so much blood................Mama...........I can't lose him....'' Carly could barely talk she was sobbing so hard.

''Carly, I'm sure he'll be fine. You know Sonny, he's a fighter. Just hold on to that. You hear me?'' She pulled her daughter's head back to look in her face. Her heart broke for what she saw there. ''You love him, don't you?''

Carly let out a sob, and looked at her mother. ''Yes.......I never told him, Mama! What will I do without him?''

Bobbie just pulled her daughter close, and let her cry. She knew what it was like to watch the man you love get shot. Please God, let Sonny live, these two need each other. She silently sent the prayer up, hoping and trying to believe that it would be answered. Johnny looked on as Mother comforted daughter and knew he was leaving Carly in capable hands. He turned and walked out. He sent another guard in, and set off to make this right. He had a lot to do, and at the top of his list? Finding a shooter, and turning the tables on him.

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Carly looked through the glass as the doctors worked on the man she loved. Why? That was the only thought that kept running through her brain. Why did this happen to Sonny, the only man who'd ever made her feel whole? Why had she never told him she loved him? Why did everything bad always happen to them? Why couldn't she ever find happiness? Just then Tony walked out the door, and turned to her.

''How is he Tony?'' she asked anxious, her voice pleading with him to tell her he would be okay.

''Carly, he's lost a lot of blood. We managed to get the bullet out, though, and it looks as though he's going to pull through. It'll be touch and go for a while probably, but I'm hopeful that he will make it. If he can make it through the night, he should be fine.''

''He will make it Tony, he has to. Can I see him?'' she asked, allowing herself to hope for the first time that night.

''Yes, we will have to come back later and run some tests. You can sit with him until then.''

Carly doesn't even wait to give him a response. She practically runs through the door, and runs to his bedside. She looks at his body laying on the bed. There are so many machines hooked up to him. He was laying so still, she'd never seen Sonny look so lifeless. He was always brimming with passion and she loved that about him, because he'd given her her life back. She reached out and grabbed his hand, and the second she touched him, she felt better. When she'd been ripped away form him earlier, she'd felt a loss. Now with his hand firmly in place in hers, she felt the connection again. Tears streamed down her face, and she sat down in the chair beside his bed.

''Oh Sonny,'' she said, through her tears, ''Please just be strong for me. I need you so much. Me and Michael. He loves you so much Sonny. You are just like a father to him, and I'm so proud of that. You are such a good Dad. Michael needs a man like you in his life. I need a man like you in my life. When our baby died, Sonny, I was empty inside. I felt like my life was over, but that night you took me in your arms, and comforted me, you gave me a piece of myself back. Everyday since then, you've given me a little more. How could I survive without you?'' She leaned close to him and kissed his cheek. Then she reached up to whisper in his ear, ''I love you Sonny, please don't leave us.'' She didn't want to hurt him, but she just couldn't bear to be away from him any longer. She carefully climbed into the bed, and lay beside him. She fit her body into his side, just like she had many times before. She breathed in the scent of him, masculine, and strong, and promised herself that as long as she lived she would never take moments like these for granted again. She pressed her hand over his wound, as if her touch could heal him, and put her head on his shoulder. She lay there a long time thinking, remembering all he'd done for her, and vowing to herself that she would make everything up to him somehow. He would know how much she loved him, no matter if he loved her back. Finally, she fell asleep in his arms, her hand still over the place he was hurting.

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The man was on the docks, sitting on the bench, looking out across the water. He couldn't believe what he'd just done. He'd actually shot Sonny Corinthos. He never thought in a million years he could've done it. He had to, though. It was his job, and strangely he detached himself from it. He had done what he was told to do, and there was no going back. He'd chosen this line of work, and sometimes that meant doing things he didn't want to do. He got up, and walked off. He had a meeting to go to, and he didn't want to keep Sorel waiting. He wouldn't appreciate that.