| Chapter 1 The sunlight danced across the bedroom, giving light to her dark dream. Alexis had been tossing and turning for hours but she couldn't seem to open her eyes to end the nightmare, until she felt the sunlight on her face. She opened one eye and saw that she wasn't in her own room. Alexis quickly sat up in bed, regretting it immediately as pain shot through her body. The pain served as a bitter reminder of what had happened to her. She cried out in pain. Alexis' cry woke Jax, who had been sleeping in a nearby chair. "Alexis.." Jax whispered softly, not wanting to frighten her. Alexis looked in the direction of the voice, still confused about her whereabouts until she saw Jax. He had taken her to the cabin after she refused to be seen at the woman clinic. "Jax?" "How are you feeling?" Jax asked as he stood up and walked slowly to the bed. Jax knew that Alexis was still afraid and uneasy. He could see it in her eyes. It was heartbreaking the amount of pain shining in them. Jax had never seen Alexis look so lost and broken. "I don't know," Alexis whispered, jumping when Jax sat down on the edge of the bed. She cursed herself for being so jumpy, since she knew that Jax would never hurt her. But she could help it. She didn't want him to touch her or even be close to her at the moment. Alexis looked into Jax' eyes, which were full of understanding and she fought the urge to cry. Alexis looked away from him to hide to emotions and her eyes fell on the window. She could tell it was still early and in a few hours Ned would be waiting for her at the church. "Jax, what time is it?" "It's a little after 6." Alexis started to slowly climb out of bed but Jax gently touched her arm to stop her. "Don't. Please don't touch me!" Alexis shouted, surprising them both. Jax dropped his hand to his side and started toward the door. "Jax, I'm sorry!" Alexis said sadly, as she reached out to stop him. But she dropped her hand before she touched him. She just couldn't touch him. "You have nothing to be sorry for," Jax said, turning to face her. "I shouldn't have yelled at you," Alexis said, looking into his eyes and still seeing the understanding shining in them. "You don't have to apologize to me, especially after what you’ve been through," Jax whispered. He didn't want to remind her of last night. Alexis closed her eyes and turned away from him. "Thank you for taking care of me last night. I don't think I would have made it without you!" Alexis said in teary whisper, losing the battle with her emotions. "You would have a survived without me. You’re the strongest person I know but I'm glad I was there to help you." Jax just wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her but he didn't want to frighten her again. He needed to let her come to him. “Jax, I'm not strong. Not after..." Alexis could say anymore. Tears filled her eyes and she choked back a sob. Jax quickly walked to her, but didn't touch her. "Alexis, it’s going to alright." "No Jax, it isn't going be alright! I'm never going to be alright again!!" Alexis sobbed, slowly sitting down on the bed. "What can I do to help?" Jax asked as he moved closer to the bed. He knew what would make him feel better; finding the bastard that did this to her and beat the crap out him. Alexis looked up at Jax and notices the anger in his eyes. "I don't know if you or anyone can help me," Alexis whispered softly. "You know Alexis, I'm a great listener, if...." Jax didn't say anymore. Alexis closed her eyes and got lost in the past. She was about to share something she hadn’t spoken of in over twenty years. "This wasn't the first time of was raped," Alexis whispered. Jax was shocked. He never expected her to say that. "What happened Alexis?" Jax said before he could stop himself. "It happened right after my thirteenth birthday. I loved the water so when everyone was asleep, I would sneak out at night and walk along the beach. Some nights I would even go swimming. The beach was the only place I felt safe and free. And he stole that away from me too." Alexis was looking at Jax, but there was a far away look in her eyes that scared the hell out of him. "Who hurt you Alexis?" "Stavros..." Alexis whispered before burying her face in her hands. "Your own brother raped you!" Jax exclaimed. The violence inside of him was all consuming. He was wanted to hit something, smash something, destroy something. "I didn't know he was my brother then, I was just a distant cousin. A nobody, as far as Stavros was concerned," Alexis said in a child like voice. Jax sat down on the bed but not tod close. Alexis continued to share her most darkest secret. She wasn't sure why she was telling Jax about it but last night had awoken something she thought was buried long ago. "He followed me to the beach one night. When I realized he had followed me, I tried to run, but he grabbed me and pushed me to the ground. I screamed and told him to let me up or I was going to tell his father. That only angered him more. He slapped me and said, ‘You’re not going to tell anyone about this.’” "He ripped open my shirt. I squeezed my eyes shut. He was too strong and I couldn’t push him off of me. He had his hands all over me, pinching and squeezing and pulling at me. It hurt so much." Alexis took a deep breath, trying to find the strength to go on. Jax didn't speak or move. He was so lost in his own rage. He would have killed Stavros Cassadine himself, if Luke Spencer hadn’t done the it already. It was at that moment that Jax realized how deep his feeling ran for his former wife. "It wasn't easy but he got inside of me. He pushed hard and he was hurting me so much. I thought it would go on forever. I screamed but he covered my mouth with his hand. He was tearing me on the inside and making me bleed. I could feel it. I could feel everything that he was doing to me," Alexis cried. "The bastard," Jax whispered, as Alexis surprised him by falling into his arms. Jax held her and listen as she told him about the two men that had raped her the night before. How they had held her down and took turns emptying themselves inside of her. Alexis felt safe in Jax arms for some reason she couldn't explain or didn't want to explain it at the moment. "Jax we need to go," Alexis finally said after a long silence. Jax was surprised, he thought she had fallen asleep. "What?" "I need to see Ned," Alexis whispered, as her eyes filled with tears once more. She knew what she had to do but wasn't sure if she had the courage to do it. "Now?" Jax asked surprised by Alexis’ sudden calmness and determination. "Yes Jax, now. Take me to the gatehouse!" |