Alexis stood with her mouth open at the sight that lay before her. After an intense and drawn out internal struggle she had decided that what Ned and Faith were planning on doing to Sonny was just wrong. She enjoyed revenge as much as the next person, she was a Cassadine after all. However, Ned wanted to completely destroy Sonny on every level. Alexis had finally decided that she could not stand by and watch that happen. She was angry at Sonny over his role in the death of her sister, but he was still the father of her daughter. She could not destroy him and she could not allow Ned to do it either. So, she had gone to the No Name to find Sonny and warn him about the plan. When she had asked for him, the doorman had told her that Sonny was waiting for her, upstairs, in the third room on the right. She expected to find Sonny in some kind of private meeting room. What she did not expect to find was Sonny sprawled out on a bed, completely naked and obviously waiting for someone else. Alexis took a wild guess that the someone else was not his wife Carly.

"I feel a draft. I think you should really close that door Alexis!" He tried to sound causal.

"The doorman said that you should call me Katia?" She raises an eyebrow in mock astonishment.

Sonny stands up, but makes no move to put any clothes on.

"I can call you whatever you like. That suit looks very familiar. When did I last see you wear that pin stripped, wrap around little beauty?"

Alexis blushes.

"Oh, I remember now, April 22, 2002. You wore it for about an hour before I peeled it off of you glorious body!"

He grins at her and walks around her like a predator stalking its prey.

"Actually, I removed it myself if memory serves me correctly." She responds.

"Memories, such wonderful memories!” He licks his lips excitedly.

"This is my favorite suit!" She exclaims.

"It is my favorite suit too, what did you say your name was again. Katia?"

She gives him a death stare, which he ignores.

"I never said that! You are the one that said that or rather the doorman told me that is what you would call me." She blurts out rapidly.

Sonny realizes that she is close to hyperventilating and he has to curb the urge to tell her to breath.

"How come you get to have an alias, but not me?" He pouts.

"The doorman gave me my alias. You could always go ask him for one." She halfway teases, rolling her eyes.

"That would mean I would have to put my pants on! Besides, I want you to make up a name for me."

"You would not like any of the names I would call you!" Alexis sharply informs him.

"Try me!" He counters.

Alexis gives him a perturbed look.

"If I make up a name for you, will you please put your pants on?" She pleads.

Sonny ponders her request for a moment.

"That depends on how good of a name you come up with!" He grins like a rotten school boy.

Alexis sighs.

"Fine! I knight thee Dimitri, now get dressed!" She glares at him.

Sonny shakes his head and does not move to put on his clothes.

"That is not a very good alias. You didn't try very hard."

He reaches up and starts to untie the top to her suit. She gives him a scolding look.

"Do not even think about it! Also, put your pants on this minute!" Alexis demands.

"Why so you can take them off of me again? What a waste of energy, Alexis!" Sonny grins.

"My name is Katia and there will be no removing of pants buster!" She insists.

"Right, because I am not wearing any pants and neither are you!"

He reminds her as he stares at the top of her suit.

"Stop looking at me like that!" She insists.

Sonny reaches over and starts to untie the top.

"Did I tell you how much I love that suit?"

He gives her a sizzling look and unties it enough to see that she is not wearing anything under the top. His breath catches in his throat.

"You are not wearing anything under that are you?" He voice quickens with excitement.

"What I wear or do not wear underneath my clothing is none of you business." She exclaims.

However, she does not try and remove his hand from her top. She is not sure why, but it just seems like it would be too much effort. Besides, Alexis finds that she kind of likes the way he is looking at her. It has been a long time since any man has looked at her with the amount of desire that Sonny is showing in his eyes.

"What happened to the slip?" He asks, licking his lips.

Alexis decides that if she is going to get out of this situation with her dignity intact she is going to have to play it cool.

"What slip?" She innocently asks.

"THE slip!" He answers.

"Oh that old thing? I gave it to charity!" She casually informs him.

"You gave it to Good Will?" He exclaims, his voice rising a notch or two in disbelief.

"What do with my undergarments is really none of your business!" She insists

"That slip meant something to us!" He protests loudly.

"I never remember you wearing it! Besides, it was auctioned off and the money went to a very good cause!"

"Who won the auction? Give me their name so I can go and pay them triple to get it back." He whined.

"I am not going to tell you who has the slip. It went to a good home. For goodness sakes, you are acting as if I gave away your first born!" She counters.

He gives her a suspicious look.

"Did you give away my first born too?"

He is half joking, but it is too close to the truth for comfort and it makes Alexis extremely nervous. So she does that the thing she knows best and deflects his attention away from what could end up being a sticky situation.

"Will you act like a man and stop whining about the slip for a moment? We need to get to the reason I am here."

"You do not have to do this." He tells her, simply.

"I have thought about this and as hard as it is for me to do this, it has to be done." She sighs.

Sonny shakes his head in the negative. He came there to pay a woman to have sex with him, but he never imagined that the woman would be Alexis. He blames himself though, because figures he must have ruined her reputation. If she had never taken him on as a client, then she would not have to sell her body to pay her bills now. He is determined to save her from herself and somehow make it right. He takes her hands in his and gives her a serious look.

"

I was teasing you earlier when I was undressing you. I am sorry, I meant no disrespect." He tells her.

Alexis just shrugs.

"It is not the first time you have acted like an oversexed, hormonally, unbalanced teenager in my presence. I did not hold it against you then and I will probably forgive you this time as well."

She gives him a sly smile. Sonny nods his head in agreement and gives her a serious look.

"If you need money that badly, I will take you back on as my lawyer. I will give you a retainer right here and now. You do not have to represent me if it goes against your convictions. Whatever you need so long as you do not have to..".

He stops himself short of saying the words. She says them for him.

"As long as I do not have to sleep with a stranger?" She gives him a sarcastic look.

"Alexis, nothing is worth lowering yourself to such a level." He boldly informs her, but he can hardly look at her.

"Answer me this, do you come here often? Do you think of the women who service you as being beneath you? Is that what this is all about for you, paying a large sum of money to have power over a woman?"

She is giving him one of her disappointed look and there is a great deal of anger in her voice. Yet along with that anger is energy, life, resistance. The kind of tenacity that only she possesses. Alexis had the ability to turn things around on him and make him face his actions head on. It drove him crazy and it excited him at the same time. She was the only person who ever stood up to him and called him on his behavior. She challenged him and he respected when she did. He also could not help but find it very sexy.

"Is that why you are here? Is this some kind of feminist power trip. Save the whores from Sonny Corinthos?"

He was actually amused by her and he could tell from the way she was holding her jaw that it was driving her just as crazy as she was driving him.

"If I wanted to save the whores. I would have started at you penthouse with Carly!" She gave him an angry look.

The instant Alexis said the words her hand shot up over her mouth and she regretted what she had done.

"He is going to go off on me and kill me now!" She thought." I am going to die, my body will never be found. and our child is going to end up an orphan. Either that or she will be raised by Ned or Carly or both. That is just to horrible to imagine."

Lesser men would have run slapped her silly for that comment or run from the challenge. However, Sonny knew she was right about Carly. Since it was just him and Alexis in the room there really was no need for him to defend the tramp. So, he just shrugged in agreement and gave Alexis an enigmatic grin. She looked like she was going to pass out any moment.

"Breath Alexis!" He ordered.

Alexis had failed to realize that she was indeed holding her breath

"Maybe we should just negotiate your fee. How much money do you need?"

Sonny casually reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a wad of money and watched as her mouth dropped open in shock. She quickly composed herself and gave him a determined look.

"For your information, I did not come here tonight to sell my body for money while engaging in some type of illicit behavior! Not to mention illegal behavior! This is terribly wrong Sonny and very much against the law. As an officer of the court, I must report this to the authorities." She gives him an apologetic look.

"Relax, Alexis. The authorities know all about these illicit and illegal activities. The No Name is special, you knew that from the first moment I brought you here for dinner that night. You remember?" He grins.

"Yes I remember." She smiles a fond smile. "This is different though. She corrects. This is..."

"Recreation." Sonny finishes. "The authorities allow it to continue in exchange for certain privileges and perks." He winks at her.

"Men and sex!" She accuses. "What is it about men and sex?" It was a rhetorical question.

"You tell me." He shrugs, eyeing her like a kitten eying a bowl of cream.

"I told you, I did not come here for That! I came her to give you information!"

Sonny gave her a mocking look of surprise.

"You came here to give me information?" He looked disappointed.

"I have no intention of trading certain illicit activates for money, but I have some very valuable information."

She was trying to get the image of him lying naked on the bed out of her head, but she could not shake the picture.

"Does that mean we will not be engaging in certain recreational activities tonight?"

He seemed genuinely disappointed, but he managed to give her a passionate look just the same. A look that was playing havoc with her post pregnancy hormones. She was starting to feel like a woman again. Not a mother, not an incubator for mob off spring. She was starting to feel like a sexy, desirable woman and yet there was no one around to share those feelings with. Alexis just rolled her eyes and tried to cover up what her body was going through.

"Sonny and Alexis will not be involved in any such activities, recreational or illicit, tonight or any other night in the near or far future!"

This really seemed to disappoint him immensely.

"Then I suppose you had better just give me the information and leave." He shrugged.

"I never said the information would be free." She scolded.

"You want to trade me the information for money?"

He was completely confused now and Alexis could not help but laugh.

"I have all the money I could possibly need in one life time. I want to trade the information I have for one round of earth shattering sex with you!"

Sonny nearly fell to the floor in shock. Alexis rarely got straight to the point, but when she did it could be amazing. He was left speechless for several minutes.

"How is that not like that illicit and illegal profession you claim to abhor?" He finally muttered.

"Oh it is in a way I suppose. Only you are the one servicing me in exchanging for my information." She grinned.

"You hate me, why would you even want me to touch you?" Sonny whined.

"Hate is a rather large word. I have had a lot going on in my life recently. I am in desperate need of , how did you put it? Recreation! Sonny, you give the word Recreation a whole new meaning. I have yet to find another man that was as good at Recreation as you are." She gives him a passionate look.

He was curious about the information that she held and the terms of her offer were intriguing as well.

"Is this information really worth it to me?" He asked.

Alexis gives him a disappointed look.

"The information is important, but if you would rather die than sleep with me we can forget the whole thing!"

She gives him a sarcastic look and stands up to leave. He puts a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Wait, I would rather you stay."

He gives her a pleading look. She gives him a triumphant smile and takes the barrette out of her hair, letting it cascade around her shoulders. The sight of her take his breath away. They start to kiss, but then Sonny pulls away.

"What will you tell Ned?" He asks.

Alexis sighed, she had forgotten, that to the outside world, her and Ned were still viewed as some sort of couple. Despite the fact that the mere mention of his name made her want to vomit up her very expensive, six course meal. Maybe that was why she was able to stop hating Sonny. In Ned she had finally found a man more self centered, controlling and vile than Sonny. Alexis just smiled.

"Why should I tell him anything? Last time I checked we were not married. What will you tell Carly?"

Sonny grins.

"Why should I tell her anything either? Last time, I checked I did not respect her or anything."

Alexis allows him to kiss away her shock and her doubts. She gets lost in his touch, his kiss, his body. She stops worrying about whether what they are doing is right or wrong. She justifies it as being something she wants and needs at the moment and is not likely to get from anyone else, but especially not from Ned.

Sonny is amazed at her energy. For a woman who gave birth and nursed a premature infant to health , she gives him a real workout. Sometime later, they were wrapped in each others arms, basking in the afterglow of there love making. Neither of them said a word, yet somehow they were able to communicate more than words through touch alone. Sonny looked at the clock and realized that they only had the room for another thirty minutes.

He strokes her hair gently and whispers.

"Was it worth it?"

Alexis looks up and smiles at him.

"I should be asking you that same question, but I suppose I should honor my end of the bargain first."

He rolls over on top of her and kisses her with enthusiasm.

"We did have a bargain! I gave you earth shattering sex now you are supposed to tell me something!"

"No one shatters my world like you." She teases and bites his lower lip playfully.

"Nice, but that is not what you promised to tell me. So spill it!"

Alexis thinks for a moment.

"Someone is out to get you!" She states simply in a teasing manner.

Sonny rolls his eyes.

"I know that, it is the 5 Families."

This causes Alexis to roll her eyes.

"Think smaller and closer to home." She says under her breath

Sonny was still stumped.

"You are so cute when you miss the obvious." She winks at him

"Is that all you are going to tell me?" He whines

As much as Alexis wanted to see him beg her for the information, there was something that she wanted from him even more. She wanted no strings attached, almost strangers, wild passion that somehow touched her soul and made her feel whole. She wanted more of what they had shared over the last few hours. She could never get any of it from Ned, but as long as Sonny was willing to go along with her requests, she was going to slowly let him know what Ned and Faith were planning. Let the information trickle out over the course of days and months of intense love making.

"You want more information?" She pulled him to her and kisses him intensely.

"Yes please!"

She could hear his voice crack and she had to wonder if it was because of what she was doing to him or because he really wanted to hear what she knew. After Kristina had died, Alexis had dreams about extracting revenge on Sonny. She would lie in bed at night and entertain thoughts of destroying him on every level. Then she would realize how lonely those thoughts made her feel. She wanted to hate Sonny, but she found it impossible. The man had broken her heart and his lifestyle had gotten her sister killed. However, with each passing day her hate for him had become less and less tangible. Instead, she found herself missing him as a friend and especially as a lover. She had a chance to get some of that back now and it would not cost her anything. Neither of them would have to give up the comfortable lives they lead and commit to a relationship. It was the perfect relationship and she was going to do everything to prolong it for as long as possible.

"We will see what can of mood I am in when we meet back here tomorrow."

She gave him a coy smile and climbed over him to get out of bed and started to put on her clothes. Sonny sat on the edge of the bed stunned. He started to put his pants on. In that moment he would have done anything to deny that something profound had just happened between the two of them, but it had happened none the less. He would have also given a every once of blood that flowed through his veins to make sure that what they had started would continue. He was afraid he was going to have to make some kind of move. Claim her as his in some way, but she had made the move instead. She was not only suggesting that they continue their affair. She was demanding that they continue it, and in exchange she would continue to provide him with information on some still secret subject.

"Are you asking me to be your love slave, Katia?" He teased her.

"Slave is such an unattractive word. How about if we call my love captive?" She teases back.

She smiles at him and puts a leg up on the bed and pulls up one of her thigh high hose. Then she pulls the other one up and glances into the mirror to watch Sonny’s reaction. He looks like a condemned man who is watching as his last chance at freedom slips through his fingers. He was also drooling a whole lot. Alexis made a mental note that thigh highs were one of the things that turned Sonny on.Alexis bites her lip.

"Dimitri, does your wife ever wear thigh highs?" She innocently asks while staying in character.

"Why would she bother, she doesn't have thighs." He gives her a dimpled smile.

Alexis tries not to grin, but she fails miserably and laughs hysterically.

"That is not the only female attributes she is lacking."

She whispers this under her breath, then she quickly looks in the mirror to see if he heard her. She can tell by the expression on his face that he did and he agrees. I look passes between them and in a split moment everything is understood. Why he goes to the No Name, why he was willing to keep this up with her. He steps behind her as she struggles to pull her hair back into its pre lovemaking look. He takes the barrette from her hand and gently fixes her hair. There eyes lock in the mirror once more and she sees something in his that she has not seen for some time. She sees tenderness and she sees respect. Alexis turns to face him and the look is gone. All she sees is indifference.

"Do I look presentable?"

She asks. Sonny smiles.

"You always look presentable. You always look put together, even when your world is falling apart."

She hits him playfully on the side of the arm.

"How would you know Dimitri? After all, we just met."

She was challenging him to keep up the ruse and his eyes widen in surprise. If this was her game, he was more than up to the challenge of playing.

"You just have this look about you that tells me you always look put together. It is funny that you mentioned that we just met, because I feel like I have known you forever."

He rubs his thumb across her cheek and Alexis swallows tears. That was too soft and sentimental for liking. It was almost loving and it was defiantly romantic. That was not what this was about. It was not about hearts and flowers and versus that belonged on Hallmark Cards. She had information that he needed and he was providing a service for her hormone driven body. She quickly pulls away and gathers up the rest of her belongings.

"Same time, same place tomorrow?" She asks in a business like tone.

"How about some place a little more classy?" He suggests

Alexis laughs out loud.

"Are you suggesting we book a suit at the Port Charles Hotel?" She rolls her eyes.

"No, I was suggesting penthouse #4 at Harbor View towers." He winks.

"That is not anywhere near funny!" She stammers in complete shock

"It was not a joke!" He gives her a serious look.

"What about your wife Carly? I am not into threesomes!" She points an accusing finger at him.

"Carly will be in New York City with Bobbie and Michael all day. So what do you say?"

She gives him an upset look.

"No! It will not happen ever! That would make it about us and it is about Katia and Dimitri!"

She refuses to look at him. He can see her brain working overtime trying to figure out if the whole set up has been a mistake.

"So, Katia and Dimitri would never sleep together in a penthouse?" He asks, almost angry.

"They probably would, but if you even hint at it ever again. The next time I walk out the door will be the last time you see me ever! Am I making myself clear?"

Sonny swallows hard. To have any part of her, even this small part is more than he stand to loose. She could request that they make love on a bed of lava, high atop a Hawaiian volcano and he would find a way to grant her wish.

"Are you talking about Alexis or Katia?" He asks with a serious look in his eyes.

"Mention penthouse #4 or anything that pertains to the lives we live outside of Katia and Dimitri ever again and this is the last time you will ever see my face!"

She was serious. He knew what she looked like when she was serious and this was the most serious he had ever seen her look.

"I will be waiting for you tomorrow in a suit at the Cosmopolitan Hotel." He assured her.

She relaxed a little.

"Fine, I will be there. Keep your clothes on though, because I want to undress you. What should I wear?"

The thought went through his mind that it hardly mattered what she wore, it was going to be on the floor minutes after she arrived. However, he decided it was probably best not to voice those thoughts though. After all he seemed to be on thin ice as it was.

"Wear something comfortable. Your yellow shirt and low rise jeans will be fine." He grinned.

"I'll see what I can do? You may have to settle for sweats and fuzzy socks."

She replied with a voice full of sarcasm. She was surprised to see his face light up like the Christmas tree in the park the night after Thanksgiving.

"I love it when you wear sweats and fuzzy socks!" He told her with a measure of sincerity in his voice that made her nervous. She started to point out that Dimitri had never seen Katia in sweats and fuzzy socks.

Then she decided it was not worth the effort.

I" have to go now!" She told him. A hint more excitement showing up in her voice than she would have liked.

"Of course, but Katia, I just have one finally request can I have a good bye kiss?"

He gives her a pout. She drapes her arms around his neck and gives him a sultry look.

"You want a goodbye kiss?"

He nods his head. She leans in, focuses her eyes on his lips and licks her own. Then she stands on her toes and kisses him on the forehead. For Sonny, it was the most chaste kiss he has ever received. Yet somehow it was also extremely sexy. Maybe it was the wicked look she had on her face as she walked out the door, stopped on the threshold and blew him a kiss. After she was gone he sat on the bed with a goofy smile on his face for several minutes. The spell was broken when he heard a soft knock on the door. He opens the door and finds a very over made prostitute standing in front of him. She has a bad dark wig covering her obviously bleach blond hair. She is also wearing a very ill fitting, cheap pinstripe suit!

"I am Katia! She explains with a bad, fake Russian accent."

Sonny laughs and shakes his head.

"I can not even begin to explain to you what is wrong with that statement! You have no idea what you would have to measure up to if we were together right now. I have my Katia and she is one of a kind!" He grins.

"Listen mister, I could care less if we sleep together or not. You still have to pay the $500 bucks."

The Russian accent is gone and it is replaced with something vaguely resembling a Jersey accent, with a little bit of Valley Girl and a whole bunch of Montana cowgirl.

Sonny laughs again and hands the woman a wad of cash. He walks off, fingering the barrette he stole from Alexis when he helped her fix her hair. Luckily he had found a bobby pin on the dresser when she had her back turned. He was not sure why he wanted her barrette, but he did. He was not sure why he wanted her, but he did. He was not sure what information she had, but he knew it was going to be a lot of fun finding out.

The End