Building New Bridges - II - Facing the Truth

"A thousand dollars," Carly echoed what the bail officer had just told her. "Just for a bar fight? Come on, that's ridiculous!"

"There's nothing I can do about it ma'am," the officer said from behind the glass partition. Holding onto the small counter, Carly turned to look around the small, dark, almost empty room. She didn't have much experience with police stations minus Jason and Sonny. And she definitely had never been put into a position where she would have to bail someone out of jail, but that was what she faced now.

Turning back to stare at the officer, she put her arm out for him to see. "The guy deserved what he got," she fumed. "He was hurting me and the other man only stepped in to help." She wondered why she didn't just call him Jax. It wasn't as if she didn't know his name, yet the thought of actually saying only served to make the situation more real than it already was.

"You should get that looked at," the officer told her, leaning towards the glass to get a better look at the purple and blue bruise that had formed pretty quickly.

"I'm fine, really," she waved him off. "So... Couldn't you just let him go on good faith. The guy has money; he could pay that over a million times."

"He'd have to get someone else to post it for him. He can't leave the cell and go to the ATM," the officer told her glibly.

Carly was fed up with the whole thing and about to tell him so when the door to the room opened and in stepped Alexis Davis.

Seeing Carly but choosing to ignore her, for now, Alexis walked up to the counter, sliding papers under the window. "The charges have been dropped and my client's free to go," she told the officer, giving her best professional, steely gaze.

After looking the papers over for a minute, the officer picked up a nearby phone.

"Hey, thanks Alexis..." Carly began, not really knowing what to say to the woman.

Turning to Carly, Alexis looked the other woman up and down. "I didn't do it for you, I did it for Jax. He's my friend, unlike you."

Carly opened her mouth, but never had a chance to defend herself..

"And I don't know why he was at Jake's or even what he was possibly doing there. Of course, you had to be in the vicinity, had to start a fight, had to drag him into it."

Again, Carly tried to set Alexis straight, but the woman was in a rant.

"Jax has been through a lot in the past couple of days Carly. I know to you, it would seem like nothing, compared with your shady affairs and what not. But right now, the last thing he needs is to be brawling in some bar room fight, defending your honor, as if you ever possesed any."

When she had received the call, her and Ned were sitting on his couch, reminising about the days when they had Chloe with them. She'd had to make some inane excuse to leave, bringing up one of her legitimate customers whom Ned wouldn't be worried about her over. She probably should have just told him, but then he only would have wanted to come down with her and she didn't want that. As she saw it, it was partly his fault that Jax had ended up in jail in the first place.

"You don't even know me," Carly bit out, her anger rising for the second time that night. "You don't even know what happened!"

"And what I know is enough to conclude that you have aided in having my friend beaten up and jailed for the night. I hope you are proud of yourself Carly. Another life nearly ruined because you can't handle things on your own. It's a good thing Sonny got out."

Carly stepped up, ready to slap her when the other door in the room, the one leading back to the cells, opened and out stepped Jax.

"God, Jax," Alexis mothered, walking over to look at his bruises.

"I'm fine Alexis," Jax said, pushing her hand away. He looked away and saw Carly standing there, tears in her eyes. He shouldn't have been affected by them, by her. But he was.

"Carly--" he began, but she quickly turned and ran out of the room.

"Jax? Are you listening to me," Alexis asked him.

"What happened," he asked, looking down at her.

"What do you mean," she returned. "Jax, we really should get you seen in the emergency room. Your eye," she trailed off, cupping her hand against the swollen side of his face.

"Fine, whatever," he told her. "But tell me what happened between you and Carly. Tell me everything that was said."

 Carly sat on the bench in the docks. She didn't know what time it was, but figured it had gotten pretty late. After leaving the police station bathroom, she had wandered around downtown for a while before finally ending up here, just staring at the water and the boats out on it.

She didn't know how long she had been doing this, probably for a while. Her only hope was that Bobbie wasn't waiting up for her when she decided to go home. Thinking about her night, it was hard to go over the events that had occurred. First that guy grabbing her, then Jax coming to her defense. She still wondered why he did. For all she knew, he hated her because of the connection she had with Sonny.

Sonny.

Another thorn in her side. It had been almost four weeks. Four weeks and he still hadn't come to her, asked her back. But why would he? To him, she was only an obligation, someone he had promised to take care of.

She didn't here the footsteps approach, only the light touch on her shoulder. She jumped up, afraid she was going to be attacked. Her nerves settled upon seeing Sonny. She blinked her eyes, thinking she was seeing things.

"What are you doing here," he asked her, taking a seat next to her on the bench.

Oh great, she thought to herself. Just what she needed now - more criticism. "Obviously, I'm sitting here," she said coldly.

Taking in her tone, Sonny continued on. "Well, yeah, that's obvious. But why?"

"That's none of your goddamn business, Sonny. I go where I want, do what I want, whenever I want. I don't have to come to you for permission. I don't have run my every move by you before it's done. That only happened when we were together and obviously we're not anymore, so just leave me alone." Feeling better, Carly stood.

"Wait," Sonny said, also standing. "Look Carly, I wasn't trying to...to follow you around or even dictate what you do with your time. I was just concerned, that's all." He looked at his the watch on his wrist. "It's very late, Carly. Almost one o'clock in the morning. Shouldn't you be home or something?" He knew about her job, had even dared her to take it, saying no one would ever hire her and even so, she wouldn't last one day. And as always, she had proven him wrong. Still, he didn't think her job kept her out this late. If so, he would definitely have to chat with Jake about it.

Carly looked over to him. Sometimes, it was just to hard to have these conversations, these chance meetings. After he had given her apartment to Al...to her, she'd had to go back to Bobbie and beg for her to take herself and Michael back in. She didn't like being strong-armed into doing anything and wouldn't let Sonny win this battle...ever. If he wanted her back, he would have to just say the words. Taking a few steps closer, she gave him her darkest look. "Like I just said, my business is no longer any of yours Sonny. Why don't you ask your guards why I'm out here." And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Sonny to stare after her retreating form.