Chapter 13 Luke: When are you going to give up on her? Sonny: When she stops giving me a reason not to give up on her! When she stops reacted to little moves like that one, then maybe I’ll think about giving up on her, but I’m not making any promises. Luke: You are hopeless! Sonny: How did you get here so fast? Luke: I know a short cut. Partner, you have got a lot of explaining to do! Sonny: I’ll bet you have a lot of questions. Luke: Yeah, for starters, what is going on here? How did Brenda get involved and what are you going to do with her? Sonny: The first question is easy enough to answer. I don’t have a clue on how to answer the questions about Brenda. Sonny found his eyes drifting back to the kitchen door. Brenda ran into the kitchen and rubbed ice on her wrist, desperately trying to stop the burning from his lips. She can’t believe that he still affects her that way, after all this time. Nobody ever has or ever will make her feel the way that he does. He sends sensations through her body just by looking at her, never mind what he does to her when he touches her. Brenda: What am I going to do? How do I stop having these feelings? In the living room, Sonny has just finished telling Luke his story about being set up. Luke: That is sure a complicated story. Do you have any idea who set you up? Sonny: I have a sneaking suspicion that it was John and Jerry Jacks. Luke: Why them? Sonny: They have an old grudge against me that goes back to when I dug up Miranda and embarrassed Jax. Luke: Not to mention the fact that they see you as a threat to Jax’s happiness with Brenda. Sonny: Yeah, they kind of like her. Not that I blame them, she is pretty special. Luke: Can you prove that they had anything to do with this? Sonny: Not without hurting people that I care about. Luke: You mean, not without hurting Brenda? Sonny: Who else would I be talking about. She is the reason that I never pursued Jerry’s involvement in that warehouse fire. Do you realize what Jason lost in that fire? Luke: I don’t even want to imagine what protecting Jax has cost Jason. When are you going to stop giving up your life for her? Sonny: When my heart stops beating. Luke: How can anybody be worth that much sacrifice? She doesn’t even want to be with you! Sonny: I still have an effect on her. Didn’t you see her reaction when I kissed her wrist? Luke: You can still turn her on, so what does that say? Sonny: She’s here right now, that says something. Luke: What is she doing here anyway? Sonny: She’s bored, life with Golden Boy is perfect. He gives her gifts and buys her whatever her little heart desires, but he is as dull as mud. Luke: Well anybody could have told her that. You think that if you pump a little excitement into her life, she’ll come back to you? Sonny: It’s worth a try. I could have Brenda back in a second if I really wanted. I could have her back in my heart, back in my life and back in my bed, all in less than a heart beat. Luke: So what is preventing you from doing just that? I know you want her. Sonny: She has to want me, as much I want her! Luke: You think that the stuff that you asked me to bring in that bag will help your cause? Sonny: It can’t hurt. You were the one that told me, when your on the run you don’t have that many luxuries. Luke: True, you have to live the good life when you can. Sonny: As long as Brenda is along, I want to treat her right whenever I can. That my friend is what that bag is all about. Luke: So what are you going to do? Sonny: I have to clear my name. If I can do it without involving the Jacks family, so much the better. Luke: I meant, what are you going to do about Brenda? Sonny: I told her that she could help me. Luke: You’re asking for trouble, partner. Sonny: You think I should send her back to Port Charles with you? Sonny doesn’t notice that Brenda has just walked in the room and over heard his last remark. She angrily sets down a tray of tea mugs. Brenda: Absolutely not! Sonny: Brenda, you aren’t in this too deep yet. By helping me you could be considered an accessory to murder! If you go back now, chances are you’ll go free. Luke: I’m afraid that your a little late for that. Sonny: What do you mean? Luke pulls out a newspaper from his back pocket and hands it to Sonny. Sonny: I knew that this would happen. Brenda: What, is there something in there about you? Sonny: There is something in here about you and me both. The FBI believes that you’re helping me flee justice. Brenda: They got it right, for once! Sonny: You don’t understand, sweetheart, now they’re after you as well. Brenda: I guess your stuck with me then! Now I have a really big interest in helping you clear your name. Luke: She has a point. The only way to clear her is to clear up the charges against you. Brenda: What else does it say about us? Sonny: Jax thinks that I kidnapped you! Brenda: Jax knows that I’m with you? I never stopped to think about how all of this would affect Jax! Sonny: The FBI have named you as my accomplice, but Jax insists that I had to have taken you against your will. Luke: That’s kangaroo boy for you, he was always as clever as a box of hair! Brenda: Maybe I should call him and let him know that I’m all right? Sonny: If you want to call Jax, I won’t try and stop you. In fact I’ll give you the cell phone, but do you really want him to know that you voluntarily ran off with me? Brenda: I didn’t run off with you! Sonny: Try convincing him of that fact. He won’t understand that you are helping me because we are friends. Jax could never even come close to understanding the complexities of our relationship. Brenda: I guess your right. Jax would over react and think that I’m leaving him for you. What Jax doesn’t know won’t hurt him, for the time being. Luke: Now that we’ve settled that issue, what do you need from me? Sonny: The usual, fake identification, disguises, and transportation. Luke: Where are you headed? Sonny: The last information that I had indicated the general direction of South America. Luke: Whoa! You’re not making this easy. Sonny: Can you handle it? Brenda: Wait a minute, we’re going to South America? Sonny: Does that change your mind about helping me? It didn’t change her mind at all. In fact, the idea of going on a South America adventure with Sonny thrilled her more than she was willing to admit. Brenda: No, I’m just glade that you feel like you can tell me where we’re going. Luke: Are you just headed in the general direction of South America, or do you have someplace particular in mind? Sonny: Argentina, to be more precise. That is all I know right now. Luke: Okay, this is going to take me a little time. I didn’t know I was going to have to produce international travel papers. How long to you think this South American holiday is going to take? Sonny: I hope it won’t take more than a week or so, why? Luke: I need to know how many disguises I need to prepare. Brenda: Oh, yeah. We want good disguises this time, not like Tiger Key. Sonny: Yeah we don’t want anything to be like Tiger Key! Luke: What was wrong with Vern and Nadine? I thought they were two of my best personas! Brenda: I mean this in the best way, but they were pathetic! Sonny: She’s right. That blond wig that Brenda had to wear was down right cheap! Luke: I’m hurt, do you want my help or not? Those disguises worked just fine for Laura and me! Brenda: The 1980’s are over, Luke! Sonny: Yeah, that stuff might have worked just fine for Lloyd and Lucy, but Sonny and Brenda need something a little more classy. Luke: You think that you’re doing people a favor and they get picky on you! Brenda: Please Luke, no more cheap blond wigs with ponytails? Sonny: Actually, I kind of liked you in pony tails, baby. Brenda: I’m not your baby! In that case, Luke, you had better get Sonny some dark glasses. Sonny: You’re cold, Brenda. You bring me sunglasses, Spencer, and I’ll have to hurt you! Luke: No glasses and no pony tails, okay, I’ll be in touch. Sonny: How long will this take? Luke: With all of these special requests, give me until the end of the day. Sonny: We’ll be here. Luke gathers up some of the stuff that he brought and goes out the back door. Sonny: I think we hurt his feelings. Brenda: Do you think that he’ll get us bad identities? Sonny: No, Luke is a professional, he takes pride in his work. Brenda: Good, for a second I could just see us traveling to Argentina as circus clowns. Sonny: Don’t worry, If we have to join the circus, I’ll try to get you a gig as the girl that rides the elephant. Brenda: That’s something to look forward to. What do we do now? Sonny: We had better hang lose until Luke brings us the papers and stuff. Brenda: Well, what are we supposed to do until Luke gets back? Sonny: I have an idea or two. He reaches his arm over and drapes it around her. He leans in to kiss her, she pulls away. Brenda: I have an even better idea. She smiles and runs her fingers across his shoulders, causing a surge of electricity to run through his body. He has to hold himself back from grabbing her and kissing her like she has never been kissed before in her life. He wants her so badly, he can hardly stand it, Instead he just smiles. Sonny: I’m all ears and all yours He gives her a very hot look. She takes his arm off of her shoulder, and smiles. Brenda: There is plenty of food in the kitchen pantry, you can cook breakfast for me. Sonny: Honey, the sun hasn’t even risen yet. Are you sure you want me to cook? Brenda: The sun rose about an hour ago, I watched the sunrise from the kitchen, now I’m starved! Cook for me! Sonny: Your wish is my command. I’ll cook you the best damn breakfast you’ve ever had! Sonny gives her a dimpled smile and picks up a paper bag that Luke brought in with him. Brenda: What’s in the bag? Sonny: Something special, but it’s a surprise. See, I knew that you would want me to cook for you. So, I had Luke pick up some things. Brenda: Let me see? Sonny: No way, you just sit over there and wait for me, okay? Brenda: Can’t I watch? Sonny: Sure, you can watch, the television, out here while I make breakfast in there! He points to the kitchen Brenda: Sonny! He ignores her and goes to the kitchen to cook, figuring that it is the first step in winning back the heart of the woman that he loves. Chapter 14 Brenda had her eyes closed, as were Sonny’s instructions. He was leading her into the kitchen. Brenda: Sonny, this is ridiculous. Can I please open my eyes now? Sonny: Only if you want to ruin your surprise. She hears the kitchen door close behind them. Sonny: Okay, open your eyes now. She opens her eyes and is blown away by what she sees. He has a small table in the kitchen laid out with fine china and crystal. In the center of the table is a large arrangement of daisies. Brenda: Where did all of this come from? Sonny: Luke brought some of it, mainly the food. The dishes were already here at the safe house. I asked Spencer to bring flowers, are those flowers? He points to the daises. Brenda: They’re daises, Sonny. Sonny: Oh, I guess next time I should be more specific. I had something more exotic in mind. Brenda: I think I heard somewhere that daises are Laura Spencer’s favorite flower, I think it is very sentimental. Sonny: Right sentiment, wrong woman. Brenda: I think that it was sweet of Luke to bring Laura’s favorite flower. There is something simple and beautiful about daises. Sonny: As long as you like them, that’s the important thing. Brenda: I never really thought about liking daises before, but they are uncomplicated. I think I might have just found a new favorite flower. Sonny: Good, because Luke brought a whole refrigerator full of them! Brenda: The refrigerator is full of flowers? Sonny: Yes, he brought so many that there isn’t any room for the food. So we have to eat what I cooked. He pulls out a chair for her and she sits. Then he goes to the oven and takes out 2 plates of food. Brenda: What did you make? Sonny: Only your favorite breakfast dish, next to me that is. He gives her a very hot grin as he places the plate in front of her. Brenda looks at the food and her eyes shine. Brenda: Eggs Benedict? You made me Eggs Benedict, my favorite breakfast food! Sonny: Only the best for my baby! Brenda doesn’t even protest him calling her, "His baby." She starts eating. Sonny: So, how is it? Brenda: It is great, nobody can make breakfast like you do. I’ve tried to explain this dish to so many cooks that Jax has hired. Not one of them can even come close to this. Sonny: I’m glad the you are enjoying it, but that isn’t all. He goes to the counter and picks up a tray and brings it back to the table. Sonny: We also have fresh baked muffins, squeezed orange juice, and strawberries. Brenda: Unbelievable, did you say Strawberries? Sonny: I most certianly did! Sonny takes a seat across from her, but isn’t really interested eating. He just watches her eat, with a big grin on his face. Brenda: Where did all of this stuff come from? I don’t remember there being fine crystal and bone china in this place the last time that we were here. Sonny: It has always been here, I just keep it hidden in a secret panel in the kitchen. Brenda: I’m glade that you had it, because this has got to be the best breakfast I have had in a long time. Sonny: I’m glade that you are enjoying everything. Here have a strawberry. He picks one up and feeds it to her, then he eats one himself. A little bit of juice drips down his chin and Brenda has to fight hard to resist the urge to lean over and kiss his chin. Instead she uses her napkin to wipe the juice off of his face. Sonny place another strawberry in her hand, which she doesn’t pull away from his mouth until he takes a bite of the fruit from her hand. She then eats the rest of the fruit, that he has taken a bite from. They continue this game of mini seduction until all of the fruit is eaten. Then they just sit across from each other and look at each other for a long time. Brenda: Breakfast was good, thank you for making it for me. Sonny: It was my pleasure, Brenda. Another long period of silence develops between them. Before he let Brenda into the kitchen, Sonny had changed out of the suite that he "borrowed" from Ned. He is know wearing a black tee shirt and a pair of black jeans. Brenda: Is that how you dress all the time? Sonny: Is there something wrong with it? Brenda: No, I’m just not used to seeing you dressed down. I always think of you in either Armani suites or silk shirts. Sonny: I seem to get more respect at my casino dressed like this. I guess I intimidate my customers less when I dress down. Brenda: You mean you never get to wear a suit anymore? Sonny: Not very often. If a VIP shows up at the casino, some one I have to take care of personally, then I’ll dress up a little more. Brenda: You are one of the classiest dressers I have ever known. You were the one that always said, "the clothes make the man." How can you stand not wearing your silk shirts and expensive suits? Sonny: It was hard at first, letting go and relaxing my fashion attitude. I still have to nice clothes, I just don’t have much of a chance to wear them. I guess I still believe that, "the clothes make the man." I’m just a different man when I’m running my casino. I’m not the man that I was when I was in Port Charles. Brenda: Are you trying to tell me that your a changed man? Sonny: I’m not sure that I’d go that far. Things are just different there. Brenda: Tell me about your casino? Sonny: What do you want to know? Brenda: Everything, what is it like, who goes there, what do you do? Sonny: Most of my customers are from the cruise ships that dock on the island. I have a few regulars from the island and neighboring islands. It’s just a small place, nothing fancy. Brenda: Just like Casablanca? Sonny: Hardly that romantic. In fact, I really don’t have that much to do with the casino. I have a manger that runs it, I hardly even have to show up most nights. That’s how I get away with dressing like this. Brenda: What do you do, if you aren’t hands on at the casino. Sonny: I told you, I fish and I still cook. However, most nights I’m in bed well before midnight. Brenda: Sonny, I’ve been thinking about what you said to me about not needing the Pajamas. Sonny: Really, you’ve been thinking about how hot it is there? Brenda: Yeah, I’ve been thinking about you not having to sleep in much of anything. Sonny: Try nothing at all. Brenda: Yeah, it must be pretty hot there. Sonny: The nights are very hot. Brenda: I have a question that I have no right to ask. Sonny: Go ahead, since you have been thinking about me, you might as well ask it. Brenda: When you’re in bed on one of those hot nights? Sonny: Yes Brenda? Brenda: Is there ever anybody in bed with you? Sonny’s face falls, he never expected her to ask such a question. He doesn’t know how to answer it, so he doesn’t. Brenda knows by his silence that there is somebody in his life and in his bed. Sonny always said more with his silence then he could say with words. He can’t look at her, so he looks down at his plate, suddenly unable to eat. He never thought that he would ever have to explain something like this to her. He wants to tell her that the woman in his life doesn’t matter, that Brenda is the only thing that matters. Only he doesn’t know how to explain feelings that he doesn’t even understand, or that his explanation would matter to Brenda. After all, Brenda is with Jax. Maybe it doesn’t even matter to her if Sonny is or isn’t with another woman. Only, he can look into her eyes and see that it does matter. This gives him back something that he hasn’t had in a long time. It gives him hope that he and Brenda can and will be together, the way that they should be. Chapter 15 Brenda feels something rise in her that she hasn’t felt in a long time, jealousy. Here she is trying desperately to convince herself that Sonny is only a friend and that she is in love with Jax. Yet the thought of Sonny with another woman is driving her crazy. It makes no sense to her at all that she would have these feeling towards him. Brenda: I had no right to ask. I’m with Jax and I’m in love with him. Sonny: So you keep saying. Brenda: I should be happy for you. *She finds herself lying* I am happy that you’re not alone. I’m glade that you found someone that means something to you. Sonny: She doesn’t mean anything to me! Brenda: What do you mean? You’re not a womanizer Sonny, she has to mean something to you. Sonny: I don’t even know what I mean. It’s been almost a year since I saw you last. All that time I knew that you were with Jax, and it killed me for a long time. Then I met Maria and she helped a little. Brenda, I didn’t think that I would ever see you again. I didn’t think that I had a chance with the woman that I loved ever again. If I thought that we had a chance I would have never. Brenda: Sonny, it’s okay. You don’t have to explain, I understand. Is she nice? Sonny: Maria is nice and she is beautiful, but she isn’t you. She isn’t you, Brenda. Brenda: Does she have to be me? Sonny: No, but sometimes I can’t get past the fact that she isn’t. I love you, Brenda, with my whole heart. That makes it a little hard for me to let other people into my life. Brenda: I wish that I could find a way to help you. When you came back to Port Charles and I came to you in the penthouse and you told me why you left, I thought that we reached an understanding that night. Sonny: The only thing that night made me understand was how much I love you. how much I will always love you, but I also realized that you moved on. That point really came across after the warehouse fire when you ran right past me into Jax’s arms. It broke my heart to admit it, but I knew that your future was with Jax. Brenda: I can’t tell you how sorry I am about that night. I never meant to hurt you or ignore you that night. I had planed on going over to you after I made sure that Jax was okay, but he grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. It was almost as if he was afraid of my feelings for you, afraid that if I even looked at you I would leave him. Sonny: Do you know why I’ve stayed away from Port Charles for the past year? Brenda: Because it isn’t safe for you to come back? Sonny: No, I could come back at any time. I stayed away because I couldn’t be in the same town with you and not want you. Brenda, I knew that if I came back I wouldn’t be able to stay away from you. I would fight for you and probably win you back because I know you in ways that Jax never will, but getting you back might break you. I couldn’t risk that chance, so I stayed away and let you be with Jax. This leaves Brenda speechless, she can hardly comprehend that any man could love her that much and would be willing to sacrifice everything for her. Brenda: You gave up everything, because you believed me when I said that Jax made me happy? She blinks back tears. Sonny: I think that happiness happens one moment at a time. You said once, Brenda, that we could only bring each other happiness for a little while and then we would always bring each other a lot of pain. I guess I hoped that Jax would help you break that cycle. Can you tell me that Jax has ever made you unhappy? Brenda: No, my relationship with Jax has always been different than my relationship with you. Tears start to spill out from her eyes and run down her face. Sonny: It’s happened again, I’ve upset you. I never mean to make you unhappy, but I just can’t seem to help myself. He starts to clear away the dishes from the table. They spend the next few minutes in silence. Brenda can’t stop thinking about what he has just told her. She wants to tell him that she was wrong, that the last year with Jax hasn’t made her happy at all. Only she doesn’t know what to say or what she wants the words to mean or even what use saying them would be. Maybe Sonny is right and there is no way that the two of them can be happy for any length of time, together. One thing is for sure though, they can’t be happy when they are apart either. Brenda: No, this is just a little heavy. I’m not used to having such in-depth conversations with anybody outside of my therapy group. Sonny: You and Jax don’t talk? Brenda: Not hardly. He is always too busy and he doesn’t like to share his feelings. He did when we first met, but know it seems when I need to talk he doesn’t want to listen. Sonny: Are you sure that you want to hang around with me? I’m liable to start talking about my feelings at any moment day or night. Brenda: That’s a change, talking about the way that you feel used to be the last thing that you wanted to do. Sonny: I think that I learned not to fear my feelings. Brenda: Where did you pick that up? Sonny: I think that I learned it from Jason. Brenda: Jason Morgan, the rock? Stone Boy, that Jason? Sonny: Most people think that Jason doesn’t have any feelings, that isn’t true. He has some of the most genuine and honest feelings that I’ve ever seen. He believes that there are some people that you respect and love, just because you do. Nothing changes those feelings, even if you don’t see those people everyday. That is how I love Jason and Robin and even Mike. That is especially the way that I love you, Brenda. I may not always understand it, but I can’t escape it. No matter who you or I are with, I will love you with all of my heart until my last breath is drawn. Brenda: I don’t know what to say to that Sonny. I never dreamed that anybody would love me like that. I’m not sure I can love you the same way. Sonny: You don’t have to, it is enough to know that you know how I feel about you. That is why my relationship with Maria could never be complete. I could never surrender my heart to her, because you own my heart. I don’t expect you to say the same to me, but if you ever want to say it, I’ll be happy to listen. Brenda: I’m not saying that it couldn’t happen. There will never be a time in my life when I will truly believe that we have no chance of ending up together, at least I hope that there won’t be a time when I can say that we are really truly over. Sonny: That’s good to hear, because who knows maybe someday in the future I’ll decide to start being selfish again and come after you full force! Brenda: Oh really, what do you think would happen if you did? Sonny: I’d get you back, because we belong together! Brenda: So you think that unless you held back, I would fall helpless to your charms? Sonny: I think that unless we both held back, we couldn’t help but fall helpless to each other! Brenda: I’m afraid that you would have to shave first! She reaches up and touches his bearded face. Sonny: You don’t like it? Brenda: That depends on why you wear it! Does the beard give you respect at your casino?. Sonny: You know, I think that it does. When I first arrived on the island I had a beard from just months of travel and neglect. The natives of the area don’t usually have facial hair. They respected me right away, because I was different. When I came back from Port Charles the last time, I was clean shaven. I could feel a difference in the way that people respected me, so I grew the beard back. You don’t like it? Brenda: I think that it makes your eyes look darker. Sonny: The guys that work in my casino say that I have a dark soul. They don’t mean it negatively though, they just mean that I’m intense. You know, they mean I’m serious. Brenda: You are very intense, but I don’t think that the beard really adds to that intensity. It’s just hard to get used to not seeing your mouth and chin. Sonny: So, do you think that you and I would have a better chance if I shaved? Brenda: *Smiles* Why don’t you try it and see what happens? Sonny: Why don’t you tell me about yourself, Brenda? Brenda: *Taken off guard* What do you mean? Sonny: Well, I’ve told you all about what I’ve been doing and feeling for the past year. I want to hear all about you. Surely you have been doing something besides laying around in my Pajamas waiting for Jax to come back from business trips and bring you presents. I want to know what you have been doing, what you have been thinking and what you have been feeling. Tell me the truth, Brenda, how much have you missed me? He gives her such a hot intense look that it sets Brenda’s heart on fire. She tries to give him an innocent look, but she is scared to death that he can see right through her. The truth is that he can see right through her and he really likes what he sees.
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Gilded Cage Chps 16-18