Jax hesitated, looked at Kristina and then looked back at Alexis.
"I don't think now is the time to talk about this."
"I need to know." She told him, her eyes pleading. Looking at her daughter she wanted, needed to know who her father was. She needed to know the man that was a part of her daughter and therefore a part of herself.
"He was your friend, you two weren't seeing each other but then it just sort of happened." Jax began awkwardly. "Alexis, Kristina wasn't planned but she was loved, right from the moment you found out you were pregnant."
"Where is he now? Has he seen Kristina yet?"
"Alexis it's complicated."
"He doesn't want her does he?" She asked, her eyes filled with hurt. She couldn't imagine someone not wanting to know their own child, not wanting to be a part of their life.
"It's not that." Again Jax hesitated.
"What is it, what aren't you telling me?"
"Kristina's father was a man named Ned Ashton, he was in the car with you the night of the accident... I'm sorry Alexis, he didn't make it."
"He died?" It was so odd, she knew she should be upset, her daughter had lost her father and yet it didn't seem real. The name Ned Ashton meant nothing to her, she closed her eyes and tried to picture his face, hear his voice, nothing came.
"Were we... I mean you said we were friends?"
"You and Ned had been a couple years ago but later decided to just be friends. Then last year you went through some hard times and he was there for you. After you found out about Kristina you guys talked about marriage but it wasn't right for either of you. The two of you were planning to raise Kristina as friends only."
It was a disconcerting experience to have past events of your own life told to you and not remember any of it. Why had she and Ned broken up? Why had they both decided against marriage? Was she involved with Ned before or after her marriage to Jax? There were so many questions in her head and yet the only answer that seemed truly important was sleeping in her arms. Regardless of the circumstances she was the mother of this precious little girl, everything else was secondary.
"Alexis?"
"I just need a few minutes to process this." She told him, not ready to voice her thoughts yet.
"Sure, do you want me to give you and Kristina a little time alone?"
"You don't mind?"
"Of course not, I will see you ladies in a bit." He told her reaching down to caress Kristina's hair. Alexis took his hand in hers.
"Jax?" She waited for him to look her in the eye before continuing. "I'm glad you told me, thank you."
He gave her a smile and a quick kiss on the forehead then left.
Alexis looked down at her daughter.
"I'm sorry I can't remember your Daddy sweetheart. I guess it's just you and me. I don't know what's going to happen but I promise you we're going to be okay. You are the most important thing in the world to me, and that's not just because you, Jax and Zander are the only people I know by name."
Before she could say anything else there was a knock at her door. Seconds later a huge bouquet of flowers appeared.
"Flowers for Natasha." A voice called from somewhere behind the bouquet.
"I'm sorry you must have the wrong room." Alexis told the voice, but the flowers continued to move towards her. At last they were placed on the table by her bed and she saw the man behind the voice.
"Come on now Tasha," he began taking a seat in Jax's chair, "you know you're glad to see me. I sure am happy to see you, all bright eyed and bushy tailed, you look good kid. Speaking of kid, she's a cutie," he told her glancing down at Kristina. "She looks just like her mother."
Okay now what was she supposed to do? This man clearly believed she was someone named Natasha which meant one of two things; either this man was crazy, or Jax had lied to her about who she was. Based on her limited knowledge of both men she was leaning towards the former.
Jax was on his way outside to get some fresh air when he heard his cell phone ring. Rushing to get outside before answering he finally put it to his ear just outside the door.
"Hello?"
"Jax, it's me."
"Skye what's up?"
>"I missed you last night." She sounded angry.
"I'm sorry, I know I promised I would come home but..."
"But you couldn't leave Alexis, do you realise I haven't seen you for more than a few hours total in the last two weeks?"
"Skye, Alexis woke up last night."
"She did? Oh, well that's good. I guess that means I might actually get to spend some time with my husband."
"Skye..."
"Are you coming home tonight?"
"I'm sorry Skye, I can't leave her yet. She's having some..."
"Fine, don't leave her, in fact don't bother coming home at all. I'll have your stuff sent to the hospital, you practically live there anyway."
"Skye..."
"No, that way you won't have to be bothered seeing me at all, you can focus all your attention on Alexis."
"Alexis needs me right now, and if you can't understand that maybe it is better that I leave for a while. I'll pick up some clothes later and get a room at the hotel."
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else."
"All right fine, I get it, you're mad at me. Fine you want me to call you Alexis, I'll call you Alexis."
"What do you mean you'll call me Alexis, isn't that my name?" She finally asked, confused by the man's behaviour.
Finally the little light bulb went on above his head.
"Don't you remember?"
"Actually no I don't." She answered defensively. "I seem to have lost my memory in the accident."
"You don't remember anything?"
"Not a thing." She confirmed.
"Oh man. This is crazy Nat... Alexis."
"Why do you keep calling me Natasha?" She asked wondering who this man was and what her connection to him was.
"It's a nickname."
"Natasha is a nickname for Alexis?" She asked sceptically.
"Well, not so much a nickname as a term of endearment." He told her with a grin.
"Whatever." She dismissed, obviously he wasn't going to give her a straight answer. "Who are you, by the way?"
"Luke, Luke Spencer, your friend and former partner."
"Partner? Are you a lawyer?" She asked not believing for a second that it was a possibility.
"Hardly, our partnership had nothing to do with the law sweetheart."
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing, so how are you feeling, apart from the memory loss I mean."
"Um fine, I guess." She replied still wondering who he was. Luke Spencer did not seem like the type of man the district attorney would team up with.
"You know I can always tell when you're lying, you do this thing with your eyes."
"I do not." She denied though in reality she had no idea whether she did or not.
"Whatever you say. So has someone given you the low-down on who you are."
"Yeah Jax has been answering my questions." She told him assuming that he probably knew Jax.
"Really, and has he told you about your family?"
"Well, he told me I have a brother and a nephew."
Luke couldn't help laughing.
"You gotta love Jax's kinder gentler view of the world."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Luke what are you doing here?" Jax asked from the doorway, looking upset to see him in Alexis' room.
"Just came by to visit. She is my friend after all." Luke replied standing up to face Jax.
Yeah, your so called friendship consists of you screwing up and Alexis bailing you out."
Alexis and I go way back, further than you know Jasper, I suggest you stay out of things you don't understand. After all the lady has the right to decide who she wants to see."
"I know that, it's just that she's been though a lot and I don't want anyone upsetting her."
"So that's why you've been feeding her the edited for TV version of her life, no violence, swears or sex? By the time you get through with her there won't be an ounce of Natasha left." Luke began to storm out of the room but was halted by Alexis' voice.
"Wait a minute, please. Luke it was nice to meet you, you're welcome to come back and visit again." He turned around and gave her a grin, promising to return soon, then he left. Luke Spencer appeared to know a lot about her, things Jax was either hiding or didn't know. Either way she definitely wanted to speak with him again.