"Have I told you how much I love your home here in Milan?" Ned asked as he stepped into Chloe's bedroom.
"It's good to be here. It's been nice, getting away. Not having to worry about Gertrude has done wonders for my beauty sleep."
Chloe smiled at Ned. He looked down at her appreciating her looks and nodded. "It sure has." He sat down on the edge of her bed and took her hand. "I almost don't want to go back." He felt guilty for saying that. 'What about Alexis?' he thought 'I should miss her more than I do.' "We could almost forget about everything here."
"We could." Chloe knew what he was talking about. Ned and Chloe had noticed Jax and Alexis closeness before they went on the trip. It had been a topic of conversation for them, the first couple of days. They had come to the conclusion that it was just the proximity thing. Chloe took Ned's hand. "Just for tonight."
It meant so much more than what she had said. It meant, 'Let's forget about everything but right now.' It meant 'Just one time let's be truly married.' It meant 'I'm as lonely as you are.' He bent down and took her mouth in a kiss. The fire that burned between them was undeniable. "Do you want to stop?" Ned asked her softly almost to the point where stopping would be impossible. Chloe answered his question by drawing him to her and kissing him more deeply.
They faintly heard the ringing of a phone as their marriage was consummated, neither pulling free to answer. They were in the moment. When they were done a faint shadow of guilt fell over both of their features, but they stayed together clinging to one another, knowing somehow, that this was right.
************************* Jax slipped his phone in his pocket feeling both relief and concern. He wanted to call Ned he did. Ned needed to know. Ned was going to kill him for waiting this long. But this isn't the kind of news you leave on an answering machine besides, he was handling things fine.
"Who were you calling, Son?" John asked looking at Jax with concern in his eyes.
"It was business, Dad." He said forgetting that it was still very early morning.
"Business at this hour. You work too hard, son."
"I was just arranging for our assistants to handle things for us today." He said, proud that he wasn't completely lying. He had already taken care of that.
Sonny had stuck around to give orders to his guards and was doing that as they spoke. "I still don't understand why he's here, Jax." Jane asked concerned.
"She's Sonny's lawyer. He was with me when I found her. He's just trying to help out." Jax was standing there defending his worst enemy's presence to his parents. 'What am I doing?' "He'll be gone soon enough. Now, Dad, Lady Jane you've been up all night traveling and sitting with me. You need to go get a hotel room and sleep."
"And what about you, son? You've been here all night too." John said not budging.
"More reason for you two to just go ahead. I'm too tired to fight you." Lady Jane was not budging. "You know if Alexis was awake, this is what she would want. How'd she do it last time? Something like a pig walks into a bar in Montana..."
They laughed out loud the tension easing, knowing it wasn't going to work to fight with there son. "We'll be back later on this afternoon Jax. You'll take a rest then, right, while we stay with her. You promise you'll do that and we'll leave without one more word."
"I promise." Jax gave them a million-dollar smile. He kept the smile plastered on his face until they entered the elevator. He then looked in on Alexis, just through the door, saw that she was still sleeping and then sat down. He was exhausted. Everything was finally catching up to him. She could have been hurt worse than she was. He knew that. And what if he hadn't caught that lady that tried to poison her. She could be dead right now. He put his face in his hands and took a deep breath trying to pull himself together. 'She's okay,' he repeated in his mind.
Sonny saw Jax's panicked face. He knew Jax was trying to pull himself together and finally letting things hit him. He knew that feeling, delayed reaction, when things were beginning to sink in. What surprised him was that he felt pity for him. 'Why is it that I care? It could be that I know he cares for Alexis and that she's in trouble. That has to be it. Cause I'm still Sonny and he's still Jax.' He noticed Taggert arriving with another officer, knowing that this was a bad time for Jax to be questioned.
Taggert took in the scene very slowly. Sonny's men at her door. Jax visibly upset. 'This had to do with Sonny. One more female victim to add to his list.' His stomach was churning. 'When would this all end?'
"Mr. Jacks, I have a few questions about last night and the lab results on that IV bag." Taggert said
Jax stood up quickly. Taggert's voicing having raised him from a semi-sleep. He felt guilty for drifting off, then he looked to the men standing at Alexis door and knew she was okay. "What was it?"
Sonny had made his way over to hear what it was. "Could we talk privately?" Taggert asked looking at Sonny with disdain.
Jax was impatient to find out what it was and didn't much care if Sonny was there. "What was in the bag, Lieutenant?"
"It was 40% Dextrose and 60% Heparin, a blood thinner that would have made her bleed internally. The lab technicians consulted with a doctor. He says that she would have hemorrhaged internally and possibly externally. The doctors here would have thought they had missed an internal injury of some kind. They would have increased the flow of that same IV not knowing what it was, until blood was given and she'd bleed more. If they went into surgery she would have died from surgical site bleeding. Basically, whoever did this to her, was out to kill her. There is no other possible outcome. You saved your wife's life by making sure it wasn't hung."
Jax was stunned. He hadn't been expecting that it would be such a blatant attempt to kill her. He knew she was in danger, but this just made it hit home. He sat back down, his knees no longer holding him up. Sonny felt sickened by the thought, that she could very well be dead this very minute.
"I have a few questions." Taggert said continuing, he felt bad for Jax, but he had to get to the bottom of this.
Before Sonny knew what he was doing his mouth came open and words flew out. "You just told him someone wants his wife dead and almost succeeded, can you give him a little room."
"The way I see it, he's had all night to come to terms with the fact that his wife is in danger. It's time for the police to see what they can do.
"I'll answer any questions you have, but I'd like to see my wife first." Jax said with a lot of conviction. "I need to see my wife."
Taggert was impatient but didn't hold him back, besides he had questions for Corinthos. Jax headed towards Alexis' room hearing Taggert start in on Sonny. "Why are your men here? Did this hit have something to do with the fact that she's working for you?"
"I don't have to answer these questions, but I will, I don't know exactly what's going on. I haven't asked. The only reason my men are here is to guard her. She is my attorney and she has had 2 attempts on her life in the last," Sonny paused too look at his watch. "10 hours. I'm just making sure it doesn't happen again."
************************************************* Jax entered Alexis room and looked at her as she lay sleeping. He talked aloud to her knowing he was safe, that she couldn't hear him. His reserve vanished and he said everything that had been on his mind.
"I almost lost you. They are trying to take you away from me, but they aren't going to. We are going to stop them. Taggert had some questions for me, right now, but I couldn't concentrate. I had to see you first. I had to know that you are alive and that everything I'm doing to protect you, even letting Sonny put his goons outside is for the best. I spend most of my time confused wondering in my head why I feel so close to you, so connected, wondering if I should be feeling this way, if I have the right. Looking at you now, I know exactly how I feel, I love you, I don't know exactly when it happened but it did. Don't worry, I know you are in love with Ned, that's why I'm telling you this now while you can't hear me. I will never force you to choose. I just want you to always somehow know that I would do anything for you. I don't know what I'd do without you in my life, but I'd live the rest of my life not giving into my feelings for you, if that would keep you safe. You are truly my better half. Please don't let them win."
"I won't Jax. I won't let them win." Alexis said strongly, opening her eyes, tears shimmering in their corners.
'Had she heard everything?' Jax was flustered. He didn't know how much she had heard and was too embarrassed to ask.
Alexis was confused as well, having heard every word and knowing how much that admission of love had cost him. She wasn't ready to make the same admission. She was scared to be feeling what she was feeling. She knew that if she admitted that she was starting to have feelings for Jax, she would not only hurt Ned, she could possibly hurt Jax as well. She decided to act as if she hadn't hear everything. "Still here, husband?" She took his hand feeling the strength of his touch and feeling at home. One thing she did know is that she had never been as happy as she had been these last 6 months.
Jax filled her in on his parent's arrival and how he had used her charm on them to get them to go to the hotel. He assured her that they'd be back later delighted to see her awake. He then made sure she was feeling okay. She said she was feeling much better this morning. He told her about the second attempt on her life and she was visibly shaken, but other than that she handled it well.
She wondered if that attempt on her life was what had prompted Jax's admission of love. She wondered if it was love or desperation over loosing another person that had been behind the words he had spoken, but she was still too embarrassed to let him know what she had heard.
He told her that Taggert was there and she said she was ready to answer some questions. He was hesitant, but made it out to the hall in time to hear Sonny say, "I'm outta here." Sonny walked towards Jax and said. "If y.., I mean if she needs anything let me know."
Jax watched as he walked straight to the elevator and pushed the down button, leaving Jax standing mystified at the door. Had Sonny almost said what he thought he said. Alexis had heard the exchange from her hospital bed and thought to herself 'I guess Luke was being straight with me for once in my life.' She caught a glimpse of the guys outside her door. Jax motioned Taggert to come inside and Jax made his way to Alexis bedside. "Who's the muscle?" She asked Jax knowing exactly who they were but wanting to goad him.
"Sonny put some men on your door. It's only temporary."
One of them men opened the door for Taggert. She looked at him admiringly. "Sonny's got good taste in guards. Can I have keep one when this is all over? Please, husband dear."
He admired her, he admired that she could make him laugh at a time like this. She was perfect for him. His parents had told him that, Jerry had told him that. Why hadn't he listened?
****************************** Taggert cut to the chase. "Sonny says this wasn't mob related. Is that true?"
"Hello Lieutenant, I'm good, how are you?" Taggert shook his head embarrassed, sometimes he got ahead of himself. He liked a woman that would call him on it.
"Sorry, Mrs. Jacks, How are you doing today?"
"Well, as you can see, I've had better days. Next time, call before you come. I didn't have time to freshen my make-up. I always like to look my best for an interrogation."
"I've noticed." Taggert said smiling. Jax was steaming. Alexis was proud of her ability to make Jax jealous. Now if she could only make Taggert blush, her day would be complete.
"So are you going to answer my question or not?" Taggert asked, smiling now. He liked this woman. She had guts. He just wish she hadn't gotten messed up with Sonny as his attorney. He was still convinced that she was in danger because of Sonny's mob ties.
"I don't have to answer any of your questions. You know that and so do I."
"And I thought we were being so friendly. Can you offer me anything to go on?" Taggert was frustrated. He really wanted to help her. She had been a good opponent before, almost too good, but seeing her there lying in bed with her face bandaged but with the same killer spirit touched him someway and he knew that he'd have to figure out away to make him trust her.
"I can tell you that I'm convinced that this had nothing to do with Sonny. I can tell you that his men are at my door out of the goodness of his heart and nothing else." She watched both men roll there eyes. "That's all you are going to get from me. The men who came to the penthouse were masked they were about the same height as the 2 of you. That's all I know."
Taggert promised himself that he'd get to the bottom of this. He believed that she thought this had nothing to do with Sonny. He decided to keep his eyes open from now on. If she was in danger, he was going to make sure she stayed safe. 'That's my job after all, I'm a cop. I'm not a one-man organized crime busting task force, like I act sometime. I'm gonna prove it somehow.' He knew after watching Mac's obsession with Faison how foolish his obsession with Sonny was becoming and he promised himself he was doing this mostly For Her.
The other guard, the guard that Alexis hadn't seen yet opened the door for Tony. Taggert took that as his cue to leave. Alexis smiled and winked at the other guard. "Hi, Johnny!" Johnny just blushed. "Wow, I feel privileged." Alexis said to Jax "Sonny left me in good hands." Alexis loved the look of jealousy, admiration and bewilderment that Jax gave her. She was just trying to make the best of an uncomfortable situation. She really didn't like being guarded, but if Jax thought she was okay with it, it'd be easier for him.
"So when do I get sprung?" Alexis asked Tony.
"Well, It looks like you are doing better this morning. I'd say we better not rush things. I think you'll be here for a few more days, but the worst is over. You'll get the chest tube out sometime later today. Dr. Lisaq will be in later to instruct you on how to take care of your facial wound. Hey, don't look so sad. You'll be out of here before you know it, besides we love having you around here. You brighten up this room."
Alexis couldn't help but smile. She looked at the pale decor of the room and said, "I try."
Both men smiled and Tony gave Jax a look that said, 'you are a lucky man' as he left.
"Do you know how amazing you are?" Jax asked Alexis before he could stop himself.
"No, tell me." Alexis said flirtatiously, knowing that she was playing with fire. "And don't leave anything out."