Building New Bridges - V - The Invisible Line

The next week went slowly for Sonny. More meetings, more contracts, and less Carly. He almost laughed aloud at that. Less Carly. As if that was a bad thing. He should have been thanking his lucky stars that she had stayed out of contact for the past couple of days, but instead felt an apprehensive sense of loss. Though he always kept a guard on her and Leticia was usually with Michael, he didn't feel as much a part of her life as he had when they had been living together.

All fault ending on him. Sonny hated to admit it, but the stunt with Alexis had worked against him rather than for him. If he had resigned himself to the fact that Carly would live across from him in Jason's abandoned apartment, it would have been a lot easier to persuade her into moving back in with him. With her having been gone for weeks now, there seemed no end to their stalemate. One of them would obviously have to break first. The only problem was, neither were willing to do it.

Sighing, Sonny looked to the elevator doors, willing them to open onto his floor. Moments later they did, only to greet him with the last person he needed to see right now.

Jax stepped back, allowing Sonny and his guard to step off the elevator. With a simple nod, he moved to board the vessel, only to be stopped by Corinthos' steely voice.

"We need to talk."

Holding the elevator doors open with his arms, Jax looked over his shoulder throwing out, "Maybe some other time."

"No. Now."

Shaking his head, Jax backed off the elevator, watching as the doors closed to keep it in operation. Turning, he faced Sonny. "Well," he asked, throwing one hand up in the air.

"Inside my apartment."

"No," Jax said, shaking his head in the negative. "I'd much rather stay out here where there are witnesses, though I don't think your employee will give much credit to my side of any story."

"What? You're afraid? Of me," Sonny ended, his hands folded angelically over his heart.

"Not afraid, Corinthos. Just smart."

"You had no problems coming into my home when you needed something," Sonny threw out, getting angry that this had become an issue. As if they already didn't have enough of those.

"Well, that was different. Yes, I needed something from you. Now, it seems the tables have turned. If you want to talk, we do it on my terms. Not yours." Jax turned, moving towards the elevators again.

"Fine."

Holding back his smirk of satisfaction, Jax faced one of his many enemies head on. "So, what is this about? You need money for some shady investment? Information on a hostile take-over? What?"

"You're the last person I would ever go to for help in any business venture, Jax. This is about Carly." Sonny noted the instant softening of his features, the gesture making him more sure of the need for what he had to say. "I don't want you hanging around her."

I don't want you hanging around her. Jax through the sentence around in his head. He guessed it was fair for Corinthos to want to protect his own. He would do the same. But the more sinister side of Jax couldn't help but make the other man a little uncomfortable. Sonny Corinthos had done nothing but make Brenda's life a living hell. He deserved no favors from him; not yesterday, today, or tomorrow.

"Did you hear me," Sonny asked, his gaze slicing through Jax as if he could see through the man.

"I'm not sure," Jax said, bringing his right forefinger to rest on the bridge of his nose while his other arm rested below, looking as if in deep thought. "It actually sounded like you were asking a favor of me. But that can't be right, can it," Jax said, extending his palm in the air. "I mean, we both hate each other. We wouldn't ask favors unless they were extremely important, like the situation with Jerry. Which would then leave me to believe that you were not asking a favor, but rather placing a threat. Am I right?"

Sonny shifted, not liking the game that was being played. "Call it what you want, pretty boy. Either way, you are not to involve yourself with her anymore." Turning, Sonny headed for his door. His hand was turning the knob, pushing the door open when Jax's words now managed to stop him.

"Or what?"

Pulling the door shut, Sonny turned around. "Excuse me?"

Arms folded, Jax stepped forward. "Or. What," he said again, cocking his head slightly.

"You don't want to know." Delivered with a coldness he usually reserved for dealing with his enemies in the association, Sonny  hoped it would convey to Jax exactly what he meant.

The other man seemed to be thinking it over. Finally, Jax dropped his hands and turned towards the elevator for the third time. "I'll get back to you on that one, Corinthos," were his words as he pushed the down button.

Sonny was about to go on the attack when the elevator doors opened, out stepping a harried looking Carly, laden down with her son as well as many of the young child's accessories.

"Oh," was Carly's greeting upon seeing Jax when the doors opened. She noted that the swelling on his face had gone down considerably and his once black eye was now a mixture of purple and red. Chewing on her lip, she hefted her sliding son higher in her arms while trying to keep his diaper bag, car seat, and toys all from falling out of her other.

"Here, let me help you," Jax said after a few seconds of watching. Almost reaching for her son, Jax thought better of the movement and rather removed the miscellaneous items from her other arm.

"T-thanks," Carly breathed, using her now free arm to support Michael better. "You're eye looks better." Geez, she thought to herself. Her face probably mirrored her thoughts as Jax gave a small smile.

"It feels better, too."

Sonny watched the interaction silently. Obviously, his warning would not be heeded. "What do you want Carly," he asked, interrupting their conversation, for lack of a better word.

It was then that Carly noticed Sonny there, standing off to her right. "Uh, hi," she greeted, feeling dumb and worse yet feeling dumb for feeling dumb.

Sonny only stood there, his gaze volleying back and forth between her and Jax. "Um, did I interrupt something," she asked, taking a few steps forward.

"No. In fact, Jax was just on his way out." Hopefully, for good, he added only to himself.

"Okay then. I need a favor."

Sonny rolled his eyes. Of course she would need something. She always did.

"Don't give me that, Sonny. I'm in a real bind here. Bobbie's disappeared with Roy again. Leticia called in..."

"She can't do that," Sonny cut in.

"She has a life, too, Sonny. And really, its okay. I understand. But I need someone to watch Michael tonight."

Shaking his head no, Sonny made vocal his reply. "I have a very important meeting tonight."

"But can't..."

"No, I can't cancel, Carly," he told her. "You'll just have to call-in."

"Sonny, I can't. It'll be busy tonight and one of the waitresses won't be there. I have to go. Please, Sonny," Carly begged.

Jax watched silently, the lightbulb lighting in his head.

"That's a short leash of independence you're running on, isn't it? Independent when you want, but willing to grovel when you need something."

"I'm not grovelling," Carly said, taken aback by his words. "I'm in a tight situation here. There's no one to watch Michael and I just thought..."

"Well, you thought wrong Carly," Sonny interrupted. "Its not half-and-half. Either you're independant, or you're not. Either you want my help, or you don't. You can't have both ways." Throwing a last look to Jax, Sonny spun around to go into his apartment. That should leave her thinking about her choices, he thought gleefully to himself.

Carly simply stared at his back as he walked away from her. She supposed on some level, he was right. Maybe she had tried to be too independent. As witnessed by the current situation she faced, she couldn't do it all by herself. She needed the help of people like her mother and Leticia, and yes, maybe even Sonny. But obviously, that was a far ways off. Willing herself not to shed tears, Carly turned around to find Jax still there, holding the things he had freed her arms of minutes before.

"I'm sorry," Carly quickly apologized, walking over to relieve him of Michael's stuff. "You probably have somewhere to be."

"Hey, you aren't crying are you," Jax asked, catching a glimpse of the tears in her eyes before they lowered out of sight.

"No, its just..." Carly stopped. If she noticed the strangled sound of her voice, then he had probably picked up on it too. Taking a deep breath, she tried again. "I guess I'll just have to call in." Without looking up, Carly reached for Michael's bag. When Jax pulled back, she picked her head up to look at him. "Hey..."

"You are crying," he interrupted.

"I'm not crying! You see tears on my face?"

"No, but they're in your eyes."

"Well, it only counts as crying if they're on your face," Carly told him, reaching again for Michael's things.

Shooting a glance to the door Corinthos had disappeared behind, Jax stepped around Carly.

"Where are you..."

"I don't have that much experience, but I'm sure we'll get along great," Jax boomed in a loud voice, hoping to be heard through the door.

"What are..."

"His name is Mitchell, is it," Jax asked loudly, turning to face Carly now.

"Its Michael," Carly said, almost laughing.

"Well, Michael and I will have a great time together. Don't worry, kids love me. Here, give him to me."

Seconds ticked before the penthouse door opened, a fuming Sonny storming out.

"You're letting him take care of your son," Sonny asked her incredulously, shooting a dirty look in Jax's direction before returning his angry gaze to her.

Carly was about to deny when she caught the lift of Jax's eyebrows. "Um..." She shook her head slightly in the no only to receive a mouthed yes from Jax. "Yes," she said glancing quickly at Jax before returning her gaze to Sonny. "Yes," she said again, more soundly. "I mean, if you won't watch him the..."

She didn't even have a chance to finish her sentence as Sonny stepped forward, taking Michael out of his mother's arm. "Johnny, get the stuff," Sonny ordered his gaurd, already walking towards his door.

"I get off really late. He'll probably have to stay the night," Carly warned, chasing after them.

Sonny turned to shoot a horrified glance in Jax's direction before looking at Carly. "That's fine," he simply told her, catching the rest on the tip of his tongue.

"But your meeting..."

"I said, it was fine Carly. You should go before you're late. Johnny, drop her off," Sonny told the gaurd after he had exited from the penthouse.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Carly said after giving Michael a kiss goodbye. "I can get there by myself. Thank you Sonny." Giving her a nod of acknowledgement, Sonny closed the door behind him and Michael. Turning, she saw Jax standing there with a small smile.

"I guess I should thank you too," Carly said sheepishly.

"Hey, you needed the help. Bonus points for the look of horror I got from Sonny and we're even."

Carly gave a small smile as the elevator doors opened again. "After you," Jax said, waving her passage into the vehicle. He couldn't help but add the smile she had given him to the list of benefits of his actions as the doors closed on the penthouse floor.