"Alexis?" He couldn't believe it was really her.
"Sonny, is Kasey with you? Is she all right?"
"Yeah she's upstairs taking a nap." He quickly reassured her. "What happened? Where have you been?"
"I can't explain right now. I'm on my way to Port Charles, I'm just waiting for my plane to board."
"Tell me where you are, I'll bring the jet and pick you up." He wanted to see her, to hold her and know that she was really all right.
"No it's better if you don't, I'll be home in a few hours. I'll come to your place."
"Alexis why won't you let me..."
"Is Kasey really okay? I mean did you tell her...?"
"That I'm her father? Yeah. She actually seems to like the idea." He knew she was avoiding the subject at hand but he couldn't resist the opportunity to talk to her about their daughter.
"Sonny I'm sorry..."
"We'll talk about it when you get home," he assured her gently.
"So what do you think of your daughter?" she asked.
"She's amazing Alexis. She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and she's so smart, obviously she got that from you."
"Does her room look like the inside of a toy store yet?" She really did know him too well.
"She needed something to play with." He defended himself. "Besides I've got missed Christmas' and birthday's to make up for."
"Oh Sonny, I..."
"I'm sorry Alexis I didn't mean it that way."
"Um I need to go, my flight is about to board. Give Kasey a kiss and tell her I'll see her soon." She hung up before he could respond.
Sonny hung up the phone and felt like he could really breath for the first time since Jax had told him about Helena. Alexis was okay, she was okay and she was coming home to him. Well not really, he reminded himself. She was coming to Port Charles to get their daughter, and possibly to take her away from him. He couldn't let that happen. He would convince her to give him a chance, somehow he would convince her. "Daddy?" A little voice called from upstairs. Entering her room he found her sitting up in her bed holding onto Popcorn.
"Hi princess, did you have a good nap?"
She shook her head and noticed there were tears in her eyes. "What's the matter baby?" He asked scooping her into his arms.
"I want Mommy." She sobbed resting her head on her chest. He should of known her brave face would only last so long. Thankfully he had good news for her.
"Sweetie, Mommy just called me, she said she's on her way to see us."
"Wealy?" She asked looking up at him with a hopeful expression.
"Yes really." He grinned at her. "I promise."
"Mommy," she squealed excitedly. "Now?"
"No not yet, but she's on her way." He assured her. She suddenly looked dejected. "You know it's good thing she's not here yet we need to get everything ready for her party." He told her in a serious tone.
"Pawty?" She asked curiously.
"Sure, I think we should have a welcome home party for Mommy, with balloons and cake..."
"Cake?" She asked now definitely interested.
"Sure what kind of cake should we get?"
"Pink.'
"How about a white cake with pink icing?" He asked.
"Okay," she agreed eagerly. Then she thought of something else, "with spwinkles?"
"Sure, sprinkles too." He agreed picking up the girl and swinging her around in a circle.
Sonny had opted to buy a cake rather than make one since he wasn't sure when Alexis would be arriving. However he and Johnny did blow up the several dozen balloons, that now covered the penthouse, themselves. "More, more..." Kasey had exclaimed excitedly each time they finished another one. Finally both men her completely out of air and practically collapsed. Sonny did sit down on the floor for a minute to catch his breath. A few minutes later he heard Kasey's voice from behind the sofa.
"Daddy why uncle Johnny sweeping?" Sonny had no idea what she was talking about or why Johnny would be "sweeping". Then he stood up and saw that Johnny was laying flat on his back not sleeping, but passed out. Kasey was sitting on his chest holding Popcorn in one hand and trying to pry his eyes open with the other.
"Sweetie don't do that." Sonny admonished gently, picking her up off Johnny who was now coming to.
"You okay?" Sonny asked not wanting to appear too concerned.
"Yeah sure boss, Johnny said as he stood up, clearly embarrassed. Luckily there was a knock at the door and Johnny quickly moved to answer it.
"Delivery for Mr. Corinthos," the man said. And Sonny signed the paper while Kasey watched in amazement as several deliverymen entered the penthouse repeatedly, each time carrying two huge vases.
"Denias," Kasey shouted excitedly.
"That's right sweetie, Gardenias." Sonny picked her up so that she was not in the way of the ever-increasing flowers. By the time the men left the penthouse looked like a green house.
"Um sir, there are sure a lot of them." Johnny said not wanting to offend his boss but realizing there wasn't even a pathway to get upstairs.
"Too much?" Sonny asked noticing for the first time that they covered every inch of counter, shelf and floor space in the room. There were 45 vases with two dozen gardenias in each and one that held 16 for a total of 1096 flowers, one for each day since the last time he had seen her.
"Maybe you could put a couple vases upstairs. Johnny suggested.
"Great idea, we can put a couple in my bedroom and one in Kasey's, and a couple in the other guest room." Sonny had no idea where Alexis planned to spend the night but he was hoping to convince her to spend it in his guest room since Kasey was already settled. Actually if he were really honest with himself he was hoping to convince he to spend the night in his bedroom. Still at this point he would be satisfied to have her under the same roof.
Several hours later the penthouse had been decorated with balloons and streamers, the gardenias were spread out enough that they did not cover the entire room, though they came close, the cake was waiting in the kitchen and Kasey was dressed in a yellow and blue sundress and matching headband that Sonny had bought her the day before. All they were missing was the guest of honor. Then at last Johnny opened the door not bothering to knock. And there she was standing in the doorway. She was thinner than he remembered, and very pale. There were dark circles under her eyes and a fading bruise on her jaw line. She looked like she had been through hell. Kasey ran towards her practically leaping into her arms.
"Mommy."
"Oh, my baby. I missed you so much Karina, so much." Alexis murmured to her daughter. She held onto her tightly kissing her tiny face repeatedly. She looked over at Sonny standing only two feet away and could barely believe it. She was with them both, they were safe and she had made it back to them. Sonny saw the instant it happened. Suddenly a strange look came over her face and with Kasey still in her arms she began to collapse. Luckily Sonny was close enough to catch them both in his arms before either hit the ground. Johnny quickly took Kasey from him and he carried Alexis to the sofa.
"Alexis? Can you hear me?" He yelled shaking her gently. But it was useless, she was completely unresponsive.