"Kristina I just finished eating the breakfast that you insisted I eat, therefore the fact that I haven't called him yet is your fault and you can't yell at me."
"Alexis just call him." Before she could change her mind Alexis began to dial Jax's number but before it could ring there was a knock at the door. Thankful for the interruption she hung up the phone and answered the door.
"Jax! I was just about to call you." Jax looked skeptical, not that she could blame him really.
"Well you two look like you need to talk so I'm gonna go upstairs and... well I'm sure I'll think of something." As soon as Kristina was gone they both began to speak.
"Jax." "Alexis." They did it again, only this time Jax wasn't about to let her go first, not after what had happened the last time.
"I'm sorry Alexis but before you say anything there's something I need to ask you, a favor I need from you."
"Okay what is it?"
"My parents are having a huge anniversary party at the house in Alaska and I need you to come with me. We'd leave tomorrow, spend a couple days and then leave after the party." That had definitely not been what she was expecting him to say. Jax decided to take advantage of her silence by continuing his story before he lost his nerve. "Before you say anything let me explain why I need you. My parents are trying to fix me up."
"What?"
"I suspect its one of the main reasons for the party, to which they've invited every single woman in their acquaintance."
"Why would your parents try to set you up?"
"Grandchildren," he said watching her carefully to note her reaction. "They want grandchildren and since it doesn't look as though Jerry will be settling down anytime soon the burden has fallen to me."
"Do you really feel that having children is a burden?" Alexis asked defensively.
"No of course I don't I would love to have a child, with the right woman of course."
"Of course," Alexis repeated in a whisper, could he possibly think of her as the right woman?
"Why is everyone suddenly so interested in my desire to reproduce?" Jax wondered. He hadn't realized he had said the words aloud until Alexis spoke.
"Everyone?"
"It's nothing, Ned and I were just talking earlier."
"You were discussing children, with Ned?" Alexis couldn't have sounded more horrified and suddenly Jax wondered if Alexis knew about Kristina's pregnancy. Suspected pregnancy he corrected himself. He decided the best thing to do would be to move on and overlook the outburst.
"Anyway back to my plan."
"You want me to come to Alaska and protect you from the hordes of beautiful women your parents are about to unleash upon you." Alexis said fully emphasising the silliness of the situation. "And just how am I supposed to do this?"
"By being my date of course."
Alexis felt like she was in some sort of farce where everything that could go wrong did. The man she loved was offering her everything she wanted but only for pretend, and only for a couple days. "You want us to pretend to be a couple? Jax I can't do that to your parents. Do you remember how hurt they were when they found out our marriage wasn't real? How can you possibly consider doing that to them again?" How can you do it to me? She added silently.
"Alexis calm down; I have no intention of lying to my parents, or anyone else for that matter. Your presence will be enough to keep me safe from, how did you put it? The hordes of beautiful women my parents are trying to unleash upon me."
"And what if one of these women is the right one for you?" She had to ask though she was terrified of his answer.
"Alexis I am not about to fall in love with anyone new, I couldn't." His words, meant to comfort and reassure brought only pain. "Will you do this for me, please?"
"Of course I will what are friends for, besides I'd love to see your parents." She tried desperately not to sound as though her heart was breaking.
"They'll love seeing you too. It's all set then. We'll leave tomorrow morning."
"Oh by the way Jax," Alexis stopped him as he walked towards the door, "how are we getting to Alaska?"
"We're flying." He responded pretending to be unaware of her loathing of small airplanes.
"In what?" She pressed when it became obvious he wasn't going to volunteer more.
"A plane." He replied with a straight face, though the effect took much effort.. "Which plane Jax?"
"Well I know your going to be upset," he began very seriously, "but my plane needs some maintenance so I'm afraid we're going to have to take the jet."
Alexis picked up the pillow and threw it was him, but he was already out the door.
It had worked perfectly so far Jax thought as he drove away from the penthouse. He hated telling her that he only thought of her as a friend but it was what she wanted to hear right now. Once he made her realize how good they could be together he would tell her the truth. Alexis had agreed to come with him and that was the most important thing.
"You can come back downstairs he's gone." Alexis called out. Kristina came down the stairs a couple seconds later.
"So?" she asked anxiously.
"You mean you weren't listening?" Alexis asked them regretted it, after all she wasn;t upset with Kristina.
"Of course not, why would I when I know you're going to tell me everything anyway? So what did he say when you told him." Alexis look down at the ground not sure what to say, probably for the first time in her life.
"You didn't tell him?"
"I didn't get a chance before I could say anything he invited me up to his parents house in Alaska for a party."
"Well that sounds good."
"Kristina, he invited me as a decoy, someone to keep away the women his parents are trying to fix him up with."
"What?" Kristina asked laughingly certain that Alexis was joking. She stopped when she saw the serious look on her sister's face.
"Well maybe this is a good thing, he's obviously not interested in dating any of these women."
"He's not interested in me either, he made it very clear that we're going as friends, just friends."
"What are you going to do?"
Alexis took a moment before answering. She knew that no matter how difficult it would be she needed Jax in her life, even if it was just as a friend. Of course she would have to tell him about the baby eventually but that could wait, it would have to. "I'm going to Alaska."