Series 13: Ties that bind (Continuation of Blood Lines)

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Krystle Carrington just couldn’t shake it, every time she so much as glanced in Blake’s direction she felt sick and it wasn’t just her guilt about keeping Jess’s secret causing her to feel that way…although knowing that right now unknown the everyone else a new Carrington was about to enter the world was probably a contributing factor.

Yet that paled in to insignificance when compared to the evening’s other events…

Even now Krystle still couldn’t believe that Blake had done that, to spring that little announcement on the family with her sitting at the same table? And even if Blake hadn’t actually planned on telling the boys this evening he must have known that they would be suspicious when their mother just turned up for dinner. He must have known they would ask questions and he should have some credible answers.

Alexis had never just come to dinner before.

During their marriage Krystle could count on one hand the number of times Alexis had actually sat down to eat with them, and then it had only been special occasions like wedding rehearsal dinners. In fact Blake had often gone to extremes to keep his ex-wife out from family dinners so was it any wonder this sudden change of heart caused people to wonder…

And Steven…

Krystle’s heart broke a little more when the memories of Steven’s hurt outburst passed through her mind. Hadn’t his parents hurt him enough, first as a child and then playing their perpetual game of tug of war with their children as the rope? Was it any wonder Steven had reached the end of his tether with such treatment? Was it any wonder he wanted to run away to New York and pretend that his life in Denver and all associations were just a bad dream?

Perhaps it was for the best that Blake never learnt the truth about Jessica? At least this way the young woman was free from being pulled into the Carrington family feuding; she could live her life with her child without Alexis looking down her nose at her…to be forever labelled the Carrington bastard line.

And God knows what Alexis would be capable of if she ever found out about Jess?

After all Alexis’s jealousy over Krystle carrying Blake’s child had led to Alexis causing the accident that had robbed Krystle of her first child. If she was capable of something like that how would Alexis react to learn that another woman had carried Blake’s child and that his grandchild now lived under his roof; a grandchild and great grandchild that would be a threat to her children and grandchildren’s inheritance?

“Krystle are you alright you look very pale? Perhaps you should have taken Adam up on his offer to get you something from the coffee shop?”

Shaking her head Krystle shook the cobwebs of her thoughts away…glancing around the waiting room that now contained only herself and Blake and a few nervous pacing fathers…there was now no sign of either Adam or more reassuringly Alexis and her piercing disapproving gaze…just why Alexis had even been here bemused Krystle it wasn’t like she even knew Jess.

Unless she already knew the truth…that thought caused Krystle to shiver with fear. Alexis had always displayed an uncanny ability to discover the skeletons that other people would prefer remained hidden. Plus Jackson lived in Alexis’s house, and he certainly gave the impression that they were friendly…What if Jackson had confided in Alexis?

That idea twisted in her stomach…for some reason the idea of Jackson trusting Alexis with the truth and not her unsettled her far more than it had any good reason too, or any reason Krystle could imagine.

“Sorry I guess I didn’t hear him.” Krystle answered softly turning from Blake’s concerned gaze to turn to squint down the corridor, trying to put thoughts of Alexis and what she might or might not know and what she might or might not be plotting out of her mind.

“God I wish we knew what was going on…If only they let more than one person in with her.”

“Krystle I’m sure Mr Hobbs has it all under control.” Blake began unable to completely contain his disapproval as he mentioned Jackson, as despite Alexis’s assurances Blake couldn’t quite shake the feeling that he was the young man Fallon was involved with.

“He strikes me as a man used to handling himself in difficult situations.”

“Oh I know Jackson will do great.” Krystle muttered scowling slightly at Blake dig towards her friend.

“I just wish someone would come out and tell us something. Jess wasn’t due for another three weeks and the baby hadn’t turned the last time the doctor examined her, what if they have to operate? What if there is something wrong…”

“Krystle stop.” Blake insisted reaching out and catching her hands that Krystle had unconsciously began to wring together. Taking them firmly in his own hands.

“Jess is in the best of hands right now and working yourself into a state won’t help her.”

Sighing Krystle had to admit he was right, closing her eyes she hung her head slightly nodding as she automatically gravitated towards Blake for strength, relieved when he didn’t push her away but drew her into a comforting hug. For a moment Krystle could forget and almost forgive his earlier insensitivity…Blake was here for her now and there was nobody quite like him for making her feel secure and protected.

If only it could always be like this…if Alexis had never come between them. Yet that was the problem with Alexis Colby she was like a bad penny, she always turned up precisely when you didn’t want her too…

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[Corporate Paige]

Alexis and Krystle are actually worried about losing Blake's affections to the other. Old habits sure do die hard. I loved Alexis and Adam's talk. I can't wait until you update again!

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As much as she hated to admit it Marin was having a wonderful time…Ethan had a rather wicked sense of humour that appealed to her own rather caustic wit, plus he seemed to know everything about people around them and had no compunction about keeping such secrets to himself.

So one drink had turned into several and then dinner in a secluded corner of the hotel restaurant which had gradually emptied until now other than the odd waiting staff that came over to check on them it was just the two of them.

“So you’ve told me half of Denver’s dirty secrets.” Marin paused running her fingertips around the edge of her wineglass before gazing up at the handsome puzzle that was this Mr Ethan Hailsworth. “And I’ve talked about my life such as it is, heard me complain about Dexter International but you still haven’t told me anything about yourself. I don’t even know what business you actually consult in?”

“Oh this and that.” Ethan answered cryptically waggling his eyebrows suggestively as he took a deep sip of the excellent burgundy. “I am an expert in many fields.”

“There you go again!” Marin explained in exasperation. “Come on Ethan tell me something real about you…your family for example do you have any siblings.”

Setting down his glass Ethan leaned back in his chair his eyes boring deep into Marin’s and for a moment she shivered at the intimacy and penetration of his gaze, it was like he was stripping her bare and Marin couldn’t contain her blush. “I do and I don’t.” Ethan finally replied reaching for the bottle of wine and topping up both their glasses.

“That is not an answer.” Marin spluttered yet she accepted her glass and took another sip. “You know if you don’t want to answer you could just say so.”

“It is the only answer I can give.” Ethan answered his mischevious expression slipping for a moment. “I grew up in an orphanage, my mother died when I was eight and my father was never part of our lives. He went off and had his own family, so biologically I have siblings…half siblings however we have never met and frankly I have never cared enough to change that…they probably have no idea I even exist.”

“Oh. I’m sorry I didn’t think.” Marin muttered this time flushing with embarrassment. “That’s awful…”

“Why should you?” Ethan countered his dark eyes glinting in the candlelight as his jaw tensed and Marin shivered from a combination of fear and excitement. This man was dangerous, the way he coiled like a predator ready to strike…Marin couldn’t help but find that devilish streak alluring.

“Still I shouldn’t just have assumed…”

“People who grew up with family around them always assume that is the same for everyone else.” Ethan cut in taking another sip of his wine before those devilish glinting eyes were back again and Marin was back to wondering if the flicker of something else she had seen in his eyes had just been her imagination. “Now lets talk about you…and your plans…”

“My plans?” Marin questioned frowning slightly in confusion at the abrupt change of subject. “What plans?”

“For your future…For tonight?” Ethan added with a salacious smile. “It seems a shame to end the evening just because the restaurant staff want to evict us…How about a nightcap?”

“In the bar?”

Leaning forward Ethan plucked the wineglass from Marin’s hand setting it down on the table and reaching across to take her hand in his, rubbing the back of her knuckles with his smooth well manicured hands. “Actually I was thinking my room or yours if you prefer?”

Tempted…Marin couldn’t deny she was sorely tempted. How long had it been since a handsome, educated, wealthy, single man was interested in her? In Wyoming Marin was the Dexter daughter; she either attracted pathetic fortune hunters or deadly dull ranchers out to conclude some sort of dynasty merger of land. In Denver her luck had hardly changed, her initial flirtation with Adam Carrington hadn’t amounted to anything and since then it was either young con artists trying their luck of old married perverts who should know better.

Ethan Hailsworth was definitely neither of those…though what he actually was after other than her warming his bed for the night was yet to be discovered.

It was an adventure of discovery that Marin was eager to begin….and besides even if Ethan didn’t live up to his promising beginnings it would at least mean one nights sleep without being woken by a screaming baby.

Smiling seductively Marin slipped her hand into Ethan’s, tugging him to his feet a frisson of excitement thrumming through her as Ethan moved to press against her his tall frame towering over her his dark eyes twinkling with the thought of the night yet to come.

“Your place.”

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It was to her son’s credit that Adam tried his best to distract her, raising his voice and commenting loudly that at least the coffee across the road tasted a sight better than the swill they had the nerve to call coffee in the hospital and that a good lawyer could probably sue them under trade descriptions and they wouldn’t have a credible defence. Yet he wasn’t quick enough nor it seemed were the people Adam was trying to alert.

Blake and Krystle…for a moment Alexis felt her stomach lurch, was this how it had felt for Krystle finding her and Blake in the stables together?

This sickening moment when the world seemed to slow down and you could feel your blood pounding loudly in your ears and you couldn’t so much as tear your eyes away from them. Blake holding Krystle…her tucked up with her head under his chin…that was Alexis’s place and no damn trailer trash blonde tramp was going to take it away again.

“Well isn’t this touching…Here’s your coffee Blake darling, now would you prefer to drink it or wear it?” Alexis’s less that thrilled voice was like a bucket of cold water and Krystle felt Blake suddenly freeze against her before gently pushing her away and stepping back out of their embrace.

“Alexis it’s not…” Blake began hesitantly raising his arms placatingly as he tried to ward off a worryingly silent and tightly smiling Alexis from following through on her barely concealed threat and the deadly promise glinting in her emerald eyes. “It was nothing...just a friendly hug…”

On your part perhaps Alexis silently mused although that was still to be determined. Oh Blake claimed he no longer had feelings for Krystle but then a few years before he had claimed the same about Alexis herself and look how that had turned out. Perhaps it was time the gloves came off? But not here not now…let Krystle think she had gotten away with it for now.

Swallowing down her anger Alexis chose to refine her fury into a sharply edged blade, smiling tightly despite her real feelings. “Of course darling what else could it be?”

Pausing in stunned surprise Blake could only splutter his flow of eloquent explanations and excuses cut off in dumbfounded surprise as he gaped at Alexis’s unexpected acceptance even as she continued to glare at him. “You….You believe me?”

“If you tell me it was innocent that it meant nothing then of course I believe you Blake, after everything we have been through even you wouldn’t be that stupid as to throw it all away just like that…Of course other people might not be quite so on the ball.” Alexis added her emerald eyes narrowing as she slid across to the other guilty party, and when Krystle flushed under Alexis’s knowing gaze Alexis just knew Krystle had the instigator of that embrace and Blake the unwitting bystander.

“Alexis it wasn’t Kr…”

“Now lets not dwell on the matter. Coffee Blake?” Alexis cut Blake off before he dig himself an even deeper hole. Punctuating her words by thrusting the cardboard coffee cup roughly into Blake’s hands, unable to complete contain a slight evil smirk when a little of the hot liquid slopped over the top and had Blake wincing as if it had stung him.

“Thank you darling.” Blake replied with forced smile of his own even as he resisted the urge to suck on his singed finger. Even he had the sense to know when to shut up as despite Alexis’s words and outward acceptance of his explanation for finding Krystle in his arms no matter how innocent a gesture, Blake knew her well enough to know he would paying for it until Alexis was satisfied her point had been well and truly made…Probably with one of her stiletto’s.

Still that didn’t mean he had to enflame the situation further and shifting his coffee into his unburnt hand Blake took Alexis’s elbow in the other and guided them both over to the chairs…the furthest chairs from Krystle.

“Alexis I…”

“I already said I believe you Blake.” Alexis cut in sipping at the remains of her own coffee as she squinted and watched Krystle pace from across the room. “Let’s drop the matter shall we?”

Wrongfooted and unsure Blake couldn’t just believe it was that simple…Alexis had never backed down this quickly in the past and her jealousy was not a rational creature...Something was up and Blake wasn't going to drop the subject until he had worked out what Alexis was really up to. “I will I just need you to understand she was upset I was just lending a friendly shoulder…”

“How touching… Should I start playing the violin now?” Alexis sarcastically commented taking a sip of her own drink. Damn Blake Carrington he really was like a dog with a bone sometimes and his need to justify his own behaviour and force everyone to accept his point of view had always been one of his least attractive qualities…memories of many similar one sided conversations during their marriage soured her mood further.

“Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Alexis.” Blake countered his instincts right on the money as Alexis’s pretence of civility dropped quicker than a whore’s underwear. “You cannot think there is anything still between Krystle and I, it was an innocent gesture I swear it.”

“Perhaps.” Alexis murmured running her thumb nail along the cardboard ridge of her cup staring into its dark liquid depths that reflected her image back up at her. “On your part at least…” Alexis conceded blowing on her hot drink. “But any fool can see the way she still feels about you and I am no fool Blake, not to mention the fact that you still live with her…”

“In the same house.” Blake corrected Alexis immediately his frown deepening as Alexis scoffed. “That is very different from living with some one.”

“Details Blake.” Alexis shrugged, shrugging off Blake’s hand as he reached out and placed it on her arm.

“Yes a rather important detail Alexis, we have separate rooms and separate lives.”

“So you say.” Alexis replied innocently taking a sip of her own coffee and watching out of the corner of her eye as Blake spluttered into his own drink.

“It happens to be the truth!” Blake blustered hurriedly brushing the split coffee from his beige chinos, yet it still left a damning stain over his crotch that would have Blake blushing. “Please Alexis I love you but what more do you want me to do? Ignore Krystle? Move out of my own home?”

Rolling her eyes Alexis couldn’t contain her sarcastic remark, her control wasn’t that good and since Blake refused to drop the topic… “I suppose the idea of simply asking Krystle to move out has never even occurred to you?”

“And what about Krystina?” Blake interjected barely keeping check on his own temper. He could understand Alexis being upset about walking on him hugging Krystle but she claimed to believe him when he told her it was innocent then the next moment demanded he evicted Krystle. “Hasn’t she had enough upheaval in her life, would you have her separated from her own mother?”

“No because the idea of letting Krystina live with her mother seems perfectly natural to me unlike you Blake who clearly would never even consider it.” Alexis retorted bitterly. “Most children do live with their mothers you know and see their fathers at the weekend, and with your normal work schedule I doubt Krystina would notice any difference.”

For a moment Blake stared at Alexis in stunned surprise, “I can’t believe you just said that.” Then lowering his voice to a dangerous hiss Blake added. “You know me well enough Alexis to know I will never willing give up my children…”

“Oh yes I have more than a little experience with that.” Alexis added cutting Blake off with one look. “A fact that you apologised for as I recall, yet you seem quite happy to make the same mistake again.”

“Yes and I have apologised for that, surely you should appreciate the fact that I am not making the same mistake again?” Blake retorted hotly glancing around the waiting room acutely aware this was hardly the place for this conversation. Yet fortunately there didn’t appear to be anyone close enough to overhear their little spat, even if Adam and occasionally Krystle glanced nervously over at them. The irony of which wasn’t lost on Blake.

“Lucky Krystle…and a convenient excuse for you…” Alexis countered fumbling in her purse for her cigarette case, cursing when it proved illusive.

“Why because I am only supposed to learn from my mistakes when it benefits you?” Blake asked tartly earning himself a blazing glare from Alexis who paused long enough in her search through her handbag to deliver it.

“Well I am sorry Alexis but I am not asking Krystle to leave just because you don’t trust me, and certainly not in her condition she needs the support of the familiar right now. The mansion is big enough for the both of us to live quite separate lives…besides you told me you don’t ever intend to move back into the mansion so how can her staying there hurt you? It is just your jealousy trying to force the issue?”

“My irrational jealousy?” Alexis countered her emerald eyes narrowing as a scowling Blake nodded his dark eyes blazing in turn.

“Yes.”

“Fine then well I will take my irrational jealousy away along with myself and leave you to comfort the oh so sterling and innocent Krystle to your hearts content without me here ruining your evening.” Alexis huffed getting to her feet and snatching up her purse cigarette and Blake Carrington be damned.

“Alexis that is not…” Blake began his own irritation only growing as Alexis changed tactic once again, one moment outwardly accepting, the next accusing and now petulant and demanding. “Dammit woman I won’t be emotionally blackmailed

“Of course not you would have to have real feelings to influence.” Alexis spat back. “And clearly mine mean little to you, or do you think it was easy for me to come here tonight? To sit here surrounded by all these children when I gave up my baby for you…you insensitive bastard!…Dex won’t even let me see Jack not that you give a damn, not as long as you get what you want.”

“Alexis please…” Blake tried to calm her reaching out as Alexis’s raised voice was certainly drawing attention in the waiting room, prospective fathers even momentarily stopping their pacing to stare at the arguing couple in interest.

“No Blake you listen for once. You don’t even need to be here, you barely know the girl and don’t give me any of that you feel you need to be here. You aren’t here for Jess, you’re here because of Krystle.”

“Now you are being ridiculous.” Blake countered unable to keep his own voice down in the face of such accusations. “You are irrational and overwrought and jumping to preposterous conclusions…Now I can understanding that being here has brought back some unpleasant memories but that is hardly my fault. I didn’t force you to come here, I didn’t force you to give up anything Alexis you made that choice all by yourself. If you are regretting it now…well I had hoped you loved me enough that it would be enough for you… Now before you wake up the entire hospital I think I had better take you home.”

“Don’t bother I am not a child Blake I am quite capable of getting myself home and I don’t think I could stand being around you a second longer than necessary let alone trapped in an enclosed space with you.” Alexis retorted the knife of his words twisting in her gut…he was right about one thing she had made the choice herself and she had been a fool to not realise the real price of it.

As she turned on her heel and left a confused and hurt Blake in her wake Alexis couldn’t help but torment herself with that question. Was Blake’s love really enough to overcome all their past hurts and all the barriers that were already in the way of them being together, not just Krystle but Steven’s outraged reaction still hung heavy in her thoughts.

Had she been a fool to think that this time she could have it all? The man Alexis loved and her children’s affection, all of her children, or had she made a terrible mistake, one step too far that would rip their fragile family irrepealably apart?

Hope was that all she had to cling to that it wasn’t too late?

She needed a sign, something to give her strength to cling to that despite how black things seemed right now that there was light at the end of the tunnel…that it was possible to have Blake and her children and be happy. One thing to give her strength to keep fighting for that future…

One last toss of the coin…heads or tails…yes or no…

Reaching the front of the hospital Alexis didn’t pause before hailing a cab, for once relieved that she had sent her driver home, she certainly wouldn’t want loose tongues discussing this particular detour.

“The Carlton hotel.”

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He was tired…no scratch that he was dog tired.

Dex’s nerves were frayed, he hadn’t felt quite this bone tired and on edge since that time he had been captured in Moldavia…although their torture methods were not quite as sophisticated as this, sleep deprivation and the constant low level grizzling which occasionally peaked into full out wailing. This was enough to drive the strongest man to crack.

“Jack please.” Dex begged abandoning his paperwork to move back into his bedroom where his son was supposed to be sleeping.

Yet instead of resting Jack was standing up in his crib, one hand clutching the edge, the other fisted and stuffed into his little mouth as he chewed and sucked on it alternatively, his cheeks a flaming red as his eyes as tears and snot from crying dripped down his face. Jack looked the picture of misery and Dex felt a fraction of his annoyance abate. His son was hardly doing it on purpose, even if he was slowly driving Dex insane.

“Come on Jack it’s alright…” Dex tried to reassure his son, lifting Jack out of his crib when his son lifted his arms to be picked up, grimacing when his son immediately rubbed his sore snotty face against his father’s shoulder.

“Thank you you little germ monster.” Dex sighed rubbing his son’s back yet within minutes Jack was back snivelling.

“Do you want teddy is that it?” Dex tried crouching down to pick up the well chewed toy that had fallen outside the crib. Dancing it in front of his son’s face for a moment Dex held his breath as Jack paused in his crying to grab his favourite toy and pull it close, rubbing his face against it.

Yet that reprieve was short lived as Jack soon began to cry again.

“Come on Jack I am running out of ideas here…you don’t want teddy…how about a bottle hmm?”

Picking up the bottle Jack had half finished a few hours earlier Dex tried to coax his son to drink yet after a few pulls Jack pushed the cold liquid away his cries only increasing as unswallowed cold milk joined his tears in dribbling down his face and on to Dex’s shirt.

Grimacing in disgust Dex dropped the old bottle and reached for a towel to mop up the mess from his son before unbuttoning and shrugging off his own soiled shirt. “Maybe a fresh one then?”

Moving to the nearest phone Dex despaired when he caught sight of the time…after midnight and it didn’t look like he was going to get to sleep any time soon. His son certainly could pick his moments, but why pick tonight when Dex had an important brunch meeting that could directly influence both their futures? If Dex were paranoid he might think Jack really had picked this sixth sense from his second mother, after all Alexis sure as hell could pick her moments.

Punching the buttons for room service Dex had to sigh as the less than enthused voice of the room service clerk. “Suite 22 yeah can I order a warm bottle for my son…as soon as you can manage it please.”

God willing that would be soon and god willing that would work because right now Dex was quickly running out of ideas.

Pacing the room as Jack continued to grizzle Dex patted his back by rote…back and forth…up and down… As he paced Dex couldn’t shake the feeling that this was punishment. Someone somewhere didn’t like he very much right now.

Inwardly Dex couldn’t help turning over in his mind all that had happened that day. His return to Colby Acres to punish Alexis and rub in the fact that Jack was no longer part of her life. Yet his somewhat petty vindictiveness had had unexpected consequences. That strange almost angry kiss with Fallon…

Just the memory of it made Dex flush in shame and something else. It almost frightened Dex to admit but in that moment he would have kissed Fallon…he would have more than kissed her but he wasn’t sure why. Sure she was a beautiful woman on the outside but on the inside she was one mixed up girl and Dex couldn’t explain the pull towards her.

Was it just that right now Dex still felt so angry about everything, Blake and Alexis, his father and grandfather, his whole life had been turned upside down and Dex couldn’t deny the barely contained rage that bubbled just under his skin… just like Fallon seemed to be.

Or perhaps was Alexis right and he was subconsciously seeking out ways to get his own back with whoever would hurt her most. And there was no denying the fact that sleeping with the last of her daughters would do just that. Yet was that a step that Dex could take just for revenge on the woman who had ripped out his heart and stomped all over it? Would it solve anything, would it make him feel better or would it just lower him to the same level?

He didn’t really want Fallon not in that way, once upon a time they had been friends, and Dex would only be using her to assuage his own wounded pride and get a measure of his own back. Some might argue after all that Fallon had done to destroy him and his relationship with Alexis that she had it coming and he didn’t owe her anything.

Yet despite his sleep deprivation and lingering rage Dex wasn’t a bastard, and only scum set out to use a woman like that…and he wouldn’t let Alexis drag him down that low.

The knock on his suite door had Dex sighing in relief as Jack’s cries still hadn’t lessoned despite Dex’s best efforts. It was times like this he really did miss Alexis, even if it was just someone else to turn to for advice, someone who at least had a clue what they were doing. Dex wasn’t exactly surrounded by fellow parents who he could turn to for advice and his own family were less than useless, a childless sister and a spinster aunt were all that were left of the once large Dexter clan.

The knock repeated this time louder and more impatient.

“Hold your horses I am coming.” Dex called out, hurrying towards the door not caring about his shirtless state it was only a bellhop with Jack’s bottle after all.

Yet yanking the door open Dex wished he had taken a moment to redress properly as standing across the threshold was no bellhop but a rather flustered looking Alexis Colby.

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[Corporate Paige]

At least he might be grateful enough for the help to let her spend some time with the baby. It ought to make Blake jealous too. That ought to teach him a good lesson.

[Corporate Paige]

Please update this story soon. I really look forward to reading more!

[Corporate Paige]

I love this story series so much! I hope that you continue writing for it. I hope that an update will be posted soon.

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Series 13: Ties that Bind
Episode 4: The Uninvited Guest

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She was really here…

Dex had half convinced himself he was seeing things that lack of sleep and emotional turmoil meant he was now seeing things. Yet when Alexis pushed passed a mute Dex and stepped into his suite, the scent of her perfume and the brush of her fur against his bare chest was enough to assure Dex that this was no mirage.

Dumbly Dex shut the door, juggling a bawling Jack as Alexis made herself at home. Shrugging off her fur and draping it over the back of the couch Alexis moved over to the decanter and poured herself a brandy.

“Do you want one?”

Shaking his head Dex watched as Alexis poured herself a large brandy and took a savouring sip, her emerald eyes locked on the dark depths of her drink, and not even glancing over at him.

Jack’s growing wails jarred Dex out of his stupor. “What are you doing here Alexis?”

Snorting Alexis still didn’t so much as glance at him, her beautiful face slightly sour as she answered, her lips curling. “I don’t suppose you would believe me if I said I was just in the neighbourhood?”

“No I wouldn’t.” Dex replied his momentary confusion warping quickly into irritation and anger as he shifted his son onto his shoulder.

“Look Alexis its late, I’m tired and I still have work to do…I don’t have time for whatever this little visit is or you right now, so why don’t you forget what little whim brought you here tonight and leave before I lose my temper?”

“I didn’t come here to fight Dex.” Alexis replied softly, this time lifting her gaze from her glass to meet Dex’s angry scowl before transferring to the wailing Jack.

“I told you I would think about it.” Dex answered hotly. It didn’t take a genius to guess why she was here and Dex would bet his bottom dollar it was really Jack Alexis was here to see.

“Now I think you should leave…I mean you wouldn’t want your precious Blake to wonder where you are…”

“I am my own person Dex and Blake Carrington will just have to learn to accept that.”

Snorting Dex shook his head…the pieces falling into place and the picture forming an all too familiar one. “Trouble in paradise already and its back to good ole Dex…Well you won’t use me to make Carrington jealous Alexis, leave now before I throw you out.”

“That is not why I am here Dex.” Alexis argued her tone unusually soft…

“In fact I don’t even know why I am here…It’s not about Blake…It’s about me and you and Jack and what we are going to do…I just can’t sit around wondering what is going to happen it’s driving me crazy, so if it’s a no then please just tell me straight and don’t string it out any longer.”

“Oh you are a fine one to talk about not stringing people along.” Dex answered bitterly, his angry rant only cut off by the knocking on his suite door.

Yanking the door open Dex’s angry glare all but terrified the bellhop carrying Jack’s fresh bottle. He certainly had too much sense to linger in the hope of a tip all but shoving the bottle into Dex’s hand before beating a hasty retreat. Turning back to face his unwelcome guest Dex tried to calm a wiggling wailing Jack pushing the bottle into his son’s mouth and praying that this at least would go according to plan.

Still it seemed either Jack hadn’t gotten this memo or he was deliberately being difficult.

“Come on Jack please…” Dex muttered testily his patience strained close to breaking. “Cooperate please…”

“Dex…”

“Alexis this is not a good time…”

“Yes I can see that.” Alexis replied and Dex jumped as her voice sounded close to his elbow. For a moment their eyes locked and Dex’s throat closed up…she was so close…too close and the hair on Dex’s forearms stood on end.

“Earth to Dex…come in Dex.”

Jarring back to the present Dex glanced up, meeting his sister’s concerned expression reflected in the full length mirror. Marin’s scowl left him in little doubt just what she was thinking and Dex shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny returning to studying his own reflection and fidgeting with his tie.

“Stop it Marin.” Dex answered gruffly tugging on his cuffs and fiddling with his gold cufflinks.

“Stop what I haven’t said a word and believe me that is more restraint than you deserve right now.” Marin’s words were sharp and to the point and Dex winced as if cut to the quick. “You need to pull yourself together Dex or you will blow everything you’ve worked so hard for.”

“I only came in to remind you should get moving otherwise you’ll be late for your meeting…and don’t worry I’ll watch Jack for you…although I don’t know why you didn’t get a full time nanny in the first place?”

“Because I don’t want my son raised by strangers that’s why.” Dex countered gruffly, scrutinising his own appearance…this was as good as it was going to get…even if nothing could hide the dark circles under his eyes and Dex wasn’t vain enough to start using concealer.

Still it wasn’t all bad news. His suit trousers were a little big but a slim black belt pulled them in at the waist. His reducing waistline was thanks to time spent burning anger and energy in the Carlton’s gym was the only positive fallout from the break up with Alexis. At this rate Dex would soon be back to his former shape which would mean another trip to the tailors but it was a small price to pay to feel more in control of his own life.

Now if he could just gain the same control over his errant feelings. Yet after last night Dex was certain of only one thing and that was he was that he was no longer certain about anything. Marin was right about one thing, he did need to pull himself together; he couldn’t keep going on like this.

But first brunch…it was time to meet his illusive potential buyer and hope that when the problem of his shares in the mining corporation was finally solved everything else would also fall into place.

---

“You know when you invited me to come and see your new house and give you the benefit of my vaunted opinion I was expecting our discussions to be a little more interactive.”

“Hmmmm.” Alexis murmured staring down into the black depths of the coffee that Mark had brought with him stirring it aimlessly with the little wooden stick that had the brand name imprinted along the side.

Frowning Mark watched as Alexis stirred her coffee aimlessly staring down into it rather than the swathes of fabric swatches laid out all over the trestle table, which had been set up in the empty shell that would one day be the largest reception room of the New Colby Acres mansion. It looked like half the fabric shops in Denver had been emptied on Alexis’s whim, it would take most of the day to simply look through them all and that was before they even got onto looking at wallpapers samples.

Not that this room needed any such fripperies…Mark had to credit Alexis…or her architect with that, this room was a stunning centrepiece for the house.

With it’s incredible high ceiling and the far wall made completely of glass, the view overlooking the lake with incredible panoramic views of the distant hills it was already a show stopper but the rest of the décor needed to be chosen with care and this was the reason for his presence. Well that at least was the reason Alexis had given when she had woken up him up at the ungodly hour of seven on a Sunday morning imperiously demanding his presence at her pet building project.

It was a credit to how much Mark had missed her diva-ish attitude at the office that with barely a grumble he had complied to her royal command…even if it meant braving a Sunday morning before ten and leaving his hot ballet boy toy to warm his sheets alone.

“I was thinking we should probably go minimalist in his room, too much décor would just take away from that spectacular view.” Mark tried again…surely a compliment would work, Alexis normally pounced on compliments like a lion on a luckless zebra, along with champagne and couture they were like oxygen to her…expect for today when she seemed oblivious to even Mark’s blatant smoozing.

“If you say so…”

His frown deepening Mark watched Alexis closely for any sign of reaction. “Or of course you could always brick up the window and drape plastic sheeting everywhere.”

“hmmm”

She really wasn’t listening…And after being woken up at seven in the morning just then to be ignored was a little too much for even the most devoted of employees.

“Or perhaps we could just toss paint cans around and make the whole room a piece of expressionist art?” Mark drawled sarcastically and this time his tone if not his words jarred Alexis back to the present and their conversation. “You get the green I’ll find some red lets have ourselves a Jackson Pollock adventure!”

“What?”

“I said you should go for an inlaid marble floor something that would reflect some of that sunlight but would also make a statement for an evening party.” Mark answered not surprised when Alexis nodded cluelessly.

“Yes that does sound like a good idea.” Alexis replied forcing a smile that quickly slipped from her face in the face of Mark’s irritated expression.

“Look if I am boring you Your Highness?”

“No…no Mark it’s not that…it’s not you.” Alexis hurried to clarify, setting down her coffee and tugging her fur closer around her shoulders as a sudden chill made her shiver.

“I really am glad you are here I guess I am just a little…” she trailed off shrugging apologetically and leaving her assistant to fill in the blanks.

“Distracted…depressed…” Mark suggested knowingly and Alexis offered him a wry smile.

“Maybe a little of both.”

“Trouble sleeping?…I mean not that you look anything other than your gorgeous self but even your little Marky can detect slightly darker circles than normal…So either someone forgot the concealer this morning in her beauty regime or Your Majesty had yourself a late night?”

Snorting Alexis narrowed her gaze, glaring at her impudent assistant. “Greater men have been fired for such impudence Mark.”

“Well lucky me that I am such pond scum and beneath Your Majesty’s notice.” Mark cheekily retorted relieved when that at least brought a slight smile to Alexis’s face.

“So tell me was it a late night…or a LATE night?” He added impudently wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“I don’t think that is any of your business.” Alexis haughtily retorted not that it dissuaded her secretary in the slightest, in fact he took her evasion as further proof steamrolling on.

“Cause if a night in bed with Blake Carrington leaves you looking this sour might I suggest lassoing yourself back that studly cowboy of yours….I mean those Abs alone…” Mark added swooning dramatically.

“I’ll pass that along the next time I see Mr Dexter, perhaps he’ll return the favour Mark?”

“Don’t tease.” Mark giggled fanning himself dramatically with a sample book. “Besides I’ve got my own muscular stud right now….a stud I left alone in my bed to come here and freeze my backside off in this draftee shell of yours…You’re a billionaire Alexis would it kill you to put the heating on?”

“It gets fitted Tuesday, underfloor heating so until they you’ll just have to freeze Darling.” Alexis answered with a smirk tugging her own warm fur tighter around her body and picking up her coffee cup to cradle between her gloved hands. “Now you were saying about the floor…”

Tutting Mark let her get away with it, they both recognised the abrupt change of subject but for now he would let it go…Alexis was his employer after all and Mark had survived this record length of time in her employ by being able to know when was the right time to push or joke about and when it was the right time to drop the subject.

Still that didn’t mean he couldn’t do a little digging of his own…After all anything that was upsetting Alexis made itself his business, it was his job to see that she had everything she needed after all and a good administrative assistant knew that role included more than just her professional life.

And if it just happened to sate his own curiosity at the same time…well then so be it!

---

[Corporate Paige]

I've got to find out what Mark digs up. Update soon!

[ss9]

---

Staring down into the sea of cribs and scrunched up little faces Krystle Carrington felt a pang of regret and nostalgia. Once upon a time her Krystina had been equally as tiny and there was just something about a tiny baby that had her gushing and made Krystle hunger for another child of her own.

It was irrational and impossible; women in the forties just didn’t go around falling pregnant and besides the medication she was on would surely make those already distant odds even more remote. Yet even if another baby was a possibility it didn’t change the fact that the only man Krystle would even want another child with couldn’t stand to stay in the same room with her.

Alexis Colby had seen to that.

In fact Alexis didn’t so much as even need to be there to drive a further wedge between Krystle and Blake…

As after Alexis over reacted to finding them innocently exchanging support, and then treated the waiting room to one of her temper tantrums before storming out, Blake had become even more distant. He had remained seated on his own across the waiting room staring down into the coffee that Alexis had actually threatened to throw over them…it was said in jest but honestly Krystle really wouldn’t put such an act past Alexis Colby.

Concerned and yet a little relieved Alexis had finally left Krystle had tried to reach out to Blake yet when she had offered him the usual support and sounding board Blake had closed off even further.

“Blake are you alright?” Krystle asked hesitating from taking the seat beside him…the seat Alexis had recently vacated.

“I’m fine…we’re fine…It’s just been a difficult few days for us all…Alexis is tired so she’s called it a night.” Blake covered his eyes flickering up and Krystle could practically see him withdrawing into himself…shutting down and pulling away from her and Krystle’s aching heart broke a little more.

“Blake you don’t have to make excuses for her…This is me…Krystle…I know Alexis…”

“No…No you don’t.” Blake muttered his dark eyes flickering down to stare at the floor before he took a sip of his now tepid coffee.

“Blake please talk to me…you used to trust me enough to talk to me.”

“This is not about trust.” Blake interjected surprising her and for a moment Krystle fished for a reply

“Then what is it about?…You’ll have to explain it to me because I really want to understand what is happening here.”

“Krystle please I can’t talk about this with you.”

“Why not you said you wanted us to be friends and it’s my understanding that friends talk to one another, they support each other when things get difficult and deny it as much as you want Blake but the man before me doesn’t look happy.”

“Because it just wouldn’t be right.” Blake argued his tone gruff and with a hint of temper. “And I’d thank you to keep assumptions about my feelings to yourself Krystle.”

“I am sorry Blake but I am just saying it like I see it, you look miserable and Alexis is the one making you so.” Krystle retorted hotly her own gaze narrowing defiantly on Blake.

“You may think she loves you Blake but what I just saw earlier wasn’t love it was possession. Alexis has always wanted everything she couldn’t have. She pursued you when she first came back to Denver because you refused to have anything to do with her. Now she has you at her back and call she can treat you like dirt and you are letting her and it is breaking my heart to see you like this.”

“No Krystle you look but you don’t see a damn thing. You’ve never liked Alexis and dammit I am not asking you to but you’ll forgive me when I say your opinion is more than a little biased….”

“Blake!”

“Now I don’t want to talk about this anymore…In fact I would prefer to wait by myself if you don’t mind.”

Of course that request was anything but and Krystle had retreated to the opposite side of the waiting room. It had been a long few hours. First births normally took a while and Krystle had felt every minute of it.

Still it had been worth it…Jess’s baby was gorgeous.

“Hey Krystle still here?”

Startled by the greeting all but whispered in her ear Krystle jolted slightly, her solumn expression replaced by a small smile as an exhausted looking Jackson Hobbs appeared by her side to gaze down into the glass.

“Pretty cute isn’t he.”

“He’s perfect.” Krystle agreed nudging Jackson with her shoulder her eyes automatically scanning over the so far nameless little boy behind the glass. Unable to stop herself from looking for any similarities. From this distance it was a little difficult; the baby hat even stopped Krystle from getting an idea of his hair colour.

Maybe there was something of Blake about him around the eyes but the could have been from his father or perhaps Krystle was imaging it entirely?

“How’s Jess doing?”

“Tired…the doctors have given her something to help her sleep so it’s probably a good job this little man is in here, he’s got quite the pair of lungs on him.” Jackson added proudly his blue eyes twinkling despite being up for over thirty hours.

“He’s just the tiny little thing and his fingers…Krystle he has fingernails and they are just…well they are perfect…”

“Sounds to me like someone is smitten.” Krystle teased her smile growing in the face Jackson’s genuine delight that brought out his dimples. And he really was that much was obvious Jackson thrummed with excitement and in that moment Krystle knew
what she had to do…she couldn’t keep lying like this…

“I know Jackson…I know who Jess really is…”

---

“Come on…Come on…” Leaning against the phone booth Blake willed someone to pick up the phone, he had been awake for hours, he was tired his patience was shot and he wanted someone to pick up the damn phone now!

“Colby Acres..”

Not even waiting for Lin to finish Blake was speaking. “It’s Blake Carrington I want to speak with Alexis.”

“Apologies Mr Carrington but Mrs Colby isn’t here if you would like me to take a message….”

Which knowing Alexis when she was mad at him she would purposefully ignore…no Blake knew a better way. “No thank you Lin is my daughter at home may I talk with her?”

“One moment Mr Carrington Miss Fallon is having breakfast with the children I will see if she is able to speak with you.”

Resting his head against the cool plastic Blake sighed in relief…Fallon would be able to help him. Relaxing slightly Blake couldn’t help beginning to slowly doze off until…

“Daddy?”

“Huh…Oh sorry Fallon I was miles away.” Blake grunted blinking his tired eyes awake as he ran a hand over his jaw that was covered in rough stubble.

“You sound exhausted.”

Smiling at the sympathy in Fallon’s voice Blake answered his voice gruff from lack of sleep and lack of use. “Jess finally had her baby an hour ago I was just ringing to let your mother know but Lin tells me she isn’t home…”

Blake paused unable to stop the concern from creeping into his voice. “…I was a little surprised with it being so early and your mother has never been an early riser…I thought she might have given him instructions not to put me through…”

“And why would she do that?”

The underlying accusation was hardly hidden and Blake sighed.

“…we might have had a little disagreement last night…”

“You’ve had a fight already!”

Sighing and swallowing guilty Blake twirled the telephone cord around his fingers. “It was a misunderstanding nothing more…You mother saw me giving Krystle a hug and jumped to the wrong conclusion and then a lot of things came out that had been bubbling beneath the surface…Dex…Jack…It needed saying but perhaps last night wasn’t exactly the right moment.”

“So Mother sees you hugging Krystle, you have words and then let me guess Mother stormed out and you stayed at the hospital, with Krystle, instead of going after her.” Fallon added sarcastically and Blake could picture her rolling her eyes down the phone at him.

“It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.” Blake offered weakly. “I thought if I gave her time to calm down…”

“Daddy when has giving Mother space every done anything but give her time to stew on things and get even more wound up?”

On that Fallon might have a point…Blake rubbed his befuddled head…Alexis would have spent the night dissecting everything he had said and probably have warped it into him carrying on with Krystle behind her back or some other such nonsense.

“Of course Mother is going to think you stayed for Krystle I mean what is Jess to you? She’s just a houseguest right? Krystle’s the one who has befriended her and didn’t think you were close to her?”

“I didn’t think of it like that…” Blake trailed off cursing himself. “I just felt I should be here…Jess’s is so young and she doesn’t seem to have any family and there is something about her…Perhaps I am just being crazy, maybe it’s just because she reminded me a little of Amanda when she first turned up in Denver, looking lost and needing a family.”

“Daddy…Jess’s not Amanda, helping her won’t change what happened with Amanda.”

“I know that Fallon.” Blake answered gruffly. “Believe me I am well aware that your sister is beyond helping but maybe it’s not about helping her but helping myself…atoning…I don’t know…I just felt I needed to be here. I know it’s not rational but it is what it is.”

For a long moment there was no answer and Blake panicked….had he ran out of money…had he been talking to himself?

“And did you try telling Mother this?”

For a moment Blake reached for an excuse, there hadn’t been time; Alexis had been on the attack from the moment she had returned with coffee, she wouldn’t have listened in any case…

“No….No I didn’t.” Blake relented, admitting to himself that he hadn’t bothered to explain his real reasoning or feelings to Alexis, for fear of what?

Ridicule? That she wouldn’t understand? Or worse that she would easily find the holes in his reasoning and bring up the real mess behind the whole thing, that he had failed and pushed their daughter away and into the arms of the man responsible for killing her. The man that he as her father had done nothing whatsoever to punish!

“Daddy are you still there?”

“Yes I’m here Fallon.” Blake answered his voice croaking.

“Mother’s up at the new house, she’s spending the day with her decorating team. However if you were to turn up to talk to her I am sure she will take the time. She looked as unsettled as you sound when I bumped into her this morning.”

“Thank you Fallon.”

“Oh but Daddy one last word of advice…”

“Yes?”

“Swing by the mansion and shower and change first. I imagine Mother will be more likely to want to kiss and make up if you don’t look and smell like a homeless person.”

---

[izziewizzie930]

i just cannot get enough of this story thank you ss9!
looking forward to an update soon and any plans you have to continue the stories on FF.net?!
Isabelle xx

[ss9]

I will be continuing them however I have little free time to write at the moment so am dedicating it to this series until things ease off at work. Enjoy ss9

---

“I know Jackson…I know who Jess really is…she’s a Carrington isn’t she?”

For a moment Jackson didn’t believe his own ears. He had been up for hours after all and Krystle couldn’t possibly have said or meant that…It was only when she repeated it adding on the Carrington birthright that it registered. For a moment he even opened his mouth to joke it off but catching Krystle’s cool piercing gaze was like a sudden bucketful of ice cold water tossed over him.

Panic clenched his stomach and Jackson had to fight against the instinct to flee, to bundle up Jess and her little boy and run…run away from the truth that was staring back at him in Krystle Carrington’s sapphire blue eyes.

A Carrington knew the truth…not a blood Carrington and one with a tenuous connection at best to the family he had hid from all these years. Yet it was far closer than any other Carrington had been since the night Jackson had taken Jess’s pregnant mother under his wing and fled Las Vegas leaving Tom Carrington to believe she was dead.

“And what is it you think you know Krystle?” Jackson’s question was hard and his voice was brittle. His usually warm and welcoming cobalt gaze turned icy and guarded and for a moment Krystle felt panicked and intimidated.

Perhaps it had been a mistake telling Jackson first…perhaps she should call for Blake and yet her throat closed up and no words would come…certainly nothing loud enough to bring Blake running back to her side.

“I…I…”

“Well spit it out.” Jackson sneered. “You obviously had something you wanted to say otherwise you wouldn’t have even brought it up Krystle…Personally I am amazed by your restraint. Just how long have you known?”

“Just a few days…after the funeral I overheard the two of you talking…I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but when I heard the Carrington name mentioned…”

“You just couldn’t help yourself.” Jackson finished bitterly unable to contain his disappointment.

Had it all been for nothing?

Arranging the meeting with Alexis, his hard work with the stud, all to position himself close enough to the Carrington family to be around for when Tom made his inevitable entrance. A chance finally to be able to trap and put an end to that slippery bastard who had ruined countless innocent lives including his own less than innocent one…

Unlike the others Jackson had at least realised partly what they were getting into trying to con those Las Vegas casino bosses.

Yet it was irony itself that out of team it was the innocents that suffered the most…That Ethan kid who used to follow Tom around like a lost puppy…The beautiful and vulnerable Valarie…

Jackson kept his life but lost the chance to live it openly and Tom…the bastard mastermind behind it all, got to keep his life and steal other people’s all whilst enjoying the patronage and protection of one of the very men he set out to fleece.

Well Jackson had sworn revenge on the day Valarie lost her life in the shittiest clinic in the back of beyond because that was all the medical care Jackson could afford. He had sworn to avenge them all by serving Tom Carrington with his own brand of justice. He was so close he couldn’t fail now…he had to protect Jess like he promised Valarie; he had to make Tom pay for his crimes…

“Jackson?” Krystle’s tentative voice and touch on his arm Jackson back from his little trip down memory lane and she shrank back in horror and concern when he lifted his eyes to meet her gaze. She had never seen eyes so pained and conflicted. Jackson almost looked like he was being torn in two and despite his hostility Krystle couldn’t help the sympathy and compassion that welled up in her.

“Jackson I don’t understand why you have both kept this a secret but I do…I trust you must have a good reason.” Krystle began gently, hesitantly, watching as the distance in Jackson’s body language seemed to thaw slightly.

“Besides it’s not my secret to tell, it should be Jess’s decision is she wants to tell the family who she is…What I mean…What I am trying to say is that I won’t tell Blake what I’ve learned…”

For a moment Jackson stood there dumb, unable to believe what he was hearing. Krystle would keep their secret, a secret from Blake Carrington, because she trusted him to have a good reason. No one had ever believed in him like that before, no one had ever had faith in him other than Jess and her belief was one born from childhood hero worship.

Reaching silently for Krystle’s hand Jackson gripped it tightly like a lifeline, his voice gruff and his eyes suspiciously shiny as he turned to stare back at the row of cribs and in particular the one filled with the newest member of the illustrious Carrington clan. His reply soft barely audible to Krystle’s own ears, yet she squeezed his hand back just the same.

“Thank you.”

---

“….And then that damn ole fool only went and married the girl….”

Stirring another spoonful of sugar into his coffee Dex Dexter tried to force himself to concentrate on the conversation flowing around the breakfast table, although since it was nearing ten perhaps brunch was the more accurate description. Normally Dex avoided sugar completely preferring to take his coffee as it came hot and fresh out of the pot, yet this morning Dex could use whatever spare energy he could come by…after last night…

“…And then he had the nerve to act surprised when he caught her with the pool boy…I told him Joe old boy you buy a young filly like that you gotta be prepared to spend the time breaking her in properly…”

Pushing thoughts of last night from his mind Dex tried one last time to rejoin the flow of conversation. It was perhaps fortunate that his potential buyer, a loud raucous Texan called Dursley who enjoyed the sound of his own voice so much and so all he required was an audience. An audience that a distracted Dex and the business consultant Dursley had brought along provided.

Yet if Dursley himself seemed oblivious to Dex’s distraction caught up laughing hard at his own anecdotes to notice the same could not be said of his companion…No this Mr Hailsworth was a different fish altogether, and there was something about those dark knowing eyes that said shark to Dex.

It was nothing specific that Dex could put his finger on but from the moment Hailsworth had reached out to shake his hand Dex had felt a shiver of something…it was instinctive like someone had walked over his grave. It was probably nothing just one of those first impressions. A coincidence that was all, the memories of that morning were just hard to shake. After all the man had barely spoken two words to Dex directly and when he had Hailsworth had been the picture of polite disinterest and yet there was something…something off about the man and it made Dex feel uneasy throughout the meal.

Perhaps he was being ridiculous, perhaps the lack of sleep was making him crazy, make him see things that weren’t really there? Why else would he think whenever he turned to give Dursley his full attention he could have sworn he saw Hailsworth smirk out of the corner of his eye?

Or perhaps just perhaps his judgement had become so warped over the years that he had lost the ability to tell friend from foe? How else could you explain the mess he had found himself in last night? After all any sane person would have thrown Alexis out, from self-preservation if nothing else.

A sane person wouldn’t have found themselves being drawn to very person who had not once but countless time taken her heart and ripped it into shreds before stomping all over it in her stilettos. They certainly wouldn’t have felt their pulse quicken with excitement just at the memory…Of course if he had known what was to come later he might have done all manner of things differently…

For a long moment their gaze held and Dex could feel Alexis rapid breaths on his cheek, was Alexis going to kiss him or he could learn forward and kiss her. Then something seemed to change in her expression and for a moment Dex could have sworn he saw something else in her face.

Fortunately or unfortunately Dex wasn’t sure which Jack chose that moment to violently push the bottle out of his mouth and spit out his mouthful of milk all over himself.

“Jesus Jack…” Dex cursed holding his screaming son away from himself his nose wrinkling in disgust as his son managed to sick up yet more curdled regurgitated milk.

“Dex let me help…”

“I can manage…”Dex spat shaking the sick off his hands in disgust.

“I know you can manage Dex but still let me help, at least let me hold him whilst you go wash that off.”

It was a reasonable suggestion, and perhaps it was testament to how unsettled Dex really was by their almost kiss, the fearful expression on Alexis’s face or perhaps it was the way the tacky curdled milk felt sliding down his skin that really did it. Either way Dex was only too happy in that moment to hand over the regurgitating monster that was his son.

Still that didn’t mean he had to stare as Alexis’s face lit up like Christmas now that she had Jack in her arms and she barely gave him a second glance…Of course the smattering of baby spit up that now adorned his bare chest might also have been contributing factor, it hardly made Dex feel attractive.

Striding into the bathroom Dex grabbed a washcloth and quickly wiped the mess from his chest, curling his nose at the smell. Hurrying back into the bedroom he grabbed a shirt from the wardrobe and pulled it on buttoning it quickly as he hurried back into the great room.

Pausing in the doorway Dex tried not to watch the way Alexis interacted with Jack, even as his son continued to grizzle Alexis didn’t seem to care cooing over him as if were smiling. It was natural and easy and it unsettled Dex. For a moment it was like nothing had changed and yet everything had…

“Alexis it’s getting late Jack needs to go to bed and you need to leave…”

“I agree.”

Surprised by her easy acquiesce Dex stopped dead, frowning in confusion as Alexis rose from her perch of the arm of the sofa heading towards the open bedroom door.

“Alexis?”

“I am agreeing with you Dex it is time Jack was in bed but he needs a bath first….”

“Alexis.” Dex began yet unsurprisingly Alexis breezed past him ignoring the warning tone in Dex’s voice.

“Look Dex Jack needs bathing, now either you let me do it or you find the time to do it yourself?” Alexis retorted sharply her gaze drawn to the pile of papers scattered across the coffee table. “Providing you can spare it…”

Running his hands through his hair Dex resisted the urge to reach out and shake her and that superior look from Alexis’s face. “I can look after my son just fine without you Alexis…”

“Excuse me I never said you couldn’t.”

“No you didn’t say it….out loud.” Dex spat back his dark eyes narrowing. She didn’t need to say it, not when it was written all over her face. He was one second away from demanding Alexis had Jack over and take whatever problems that had caused her willingly darken his door out of his hotel suite, when Jack began to wail properly once more.

“Alright fine. You bath him, you put him down and then you leave.” Dex spelled it out scowling as Alexis had the nerve to look smug and pleased with herself. He could stay out of the way, finish up with his paperwork and ignore the fact Alexis was even here, he had no interest in finding out why she was really here. Dex Dexter had officially hung up his armour where Alexis Colby was concerned…

“I am boring you Dexter?”

Jarred suddenly by the abrupt interruption Dex started, his coffee sloshing over the edge and into the saucer. One moment he had been back in his hotel suite facing off against Alexis and the next he was staring into Dursley’s frowning face.

“No sorry of course not I was just thinking about what you said.” Dex covered surprised when it was Mr Hailsworth of all people who came to his rescue.

“Perhaps we should get to business gentlemen it is a Sunday after all and I am sure we all have other places to be…. and remember Gerry you are paying me by the hour.”

That seemed to take the irate wind out of Dursely’s sails and Dex watched as the older businessman huffed but dropped the attitude after one warning glance from the dark eyed Ethan Hailsworth. Perhaps Dex had been wrong about the man? It had just been his mind playing tricks on him, a coincidence, after all there was more than one man called Ethan in the world, wasn’t there?

---

[Corporate Paige]

Dex has to remember that Ethan is the guy that was after Alexis. I can't wait to read more! Jess is Ethan's daughter and Jackson wants revenge against Jackson. Please tell me there's hope for Jackson and Krystle as a couple.

[ss9]

---

“Alright so that’s the grand salon, two of the sitting rooms and the library sorted. Just how much overtime am I getting for this?” Mark joked glancing at his watch that confirmed just how long they had been at this already. Right now it was approaching lunchtime and his stomach was starting to grumble loudly. Yet unfortunately for his complaining stomach Alexis showed no sign of stopping soon.

“My everlasting gratitude.” Alexis deadpanned waving the team of decorators and pack mules to follow her up the grand staircase, sweeping up the stairs unencumbered.

The lady was clearly in her element and Mark was relieved that by the time Don Jon’s decorating team had shown up around ten Alexis had been back to her usual demanding self. Being that she ordered him and her decorator around like lackey’s; demanding they bring that fabric swatch over to this window and then held that wallpaper sample up against that wall, changing her mind a dozen times before finally settling on a combination she was happy with.

Still at least Mark got to see Snr Don Jon’s, the self-appointed pretentious cradle snatching leader of Denver’s cultural gay movement, nose put firmly out of joint. Mark still vividly recalled an uncomfortable previous encounter with the ugly little man at a party when he had still been with the ex. Back then Mark had been no one, temping office jobs just happy and in love with his talented artist boyfriend. The same boyfriend that not an hour or so later he found down on his knees worshipping at the Don Jon alter for a meagre foot up on the Denver Society ladder and the chance to place one of his paintings in a upcoming redecorating project.

Back then it had been a dose of harsh reality. Still it was a rather smug Mark that sat back now, the right hand man of the real Queen of Denver, watching as Snr Pompous Boyfriend Stealer had to run around and grovel. Every time Don Jon mopped at his brow Mark gave an internal cheer. Clearly he was not used to having a client interfere quiet so much, or one who was happy to call his pre selections “over done with pretentions of swamping a beautiful building in pointless excessive ugliness” at least not to his face.

Anyone who was intimately familiar with Alexis’s myriad of mood swings would have assumed this morning’s earlier introverted depression was a thing of the past. Still Mark prided himself on knowing his employer a little better than most, by now he liked to think he could spot the small tells of Alexis Colby playing Alexis Colby. When in doubt or feeling vulnerable the “bitch” persona came out. That wasn’t to say Alexis Colby couldn’t genuinely be a bitch some or even most of the time if he was being honest, yet there were a differences and today it was definitely bitch performance time. A double dose in fact.

That Don Jon was the poor sucker receiving the full Alexis Colby treatment was merely the icing on the top of an otherwise perfect cake.

Still that couldn’t distract Mark from knowing that Alexis Colby had something else on her mind other than decorating. Although to be fair Mark himself had something else on his mind too…that young thing assistant Don Jon had brought along with him was one fine piece of… Well Mark could tell young Philip was there as a piece of window dressing himself, after all any serious design student wouldn’t have needed to have been yelled at twice to bring the lilac printed fabric and then returned with a hideous roll of something that was clearly nearer lavender.

So perhaps Philip was Don’s latest conquest given a job to keep him close should his lord and master feel the need for devotee worship at his alter during the course of a busy day. Or perhaps the boy was being set up as the next in what had been a long line of conquests, each younger and prettier than the last. At the first sign of a wrinkle good old Don would trade them in and upgrade to the newer model, like he was merely trading in his car and not playing with people’s lives.

Time at least was catching up on Don Jon, even good expensive tailoring couldn’t hide that growing waistline forever and wearing sunglasses all the time may indeed hide those wrinkles but they were still there when you took them off. The knowledge that back in his own fashionable and tastefully decorated loft apartment, fully paid off due to the high paying salary that was paid to those surviving Alexis Colby on a daily basis, was a gorgeous toned specimen that was the best the Russian ballet school had to offer only made Mark’s smile grow.

Now he could only put a real smile on Alexis’s face it would be a day’s work well done.

Waiting until the rabble had moved on down the hallway Mark popped his head around the vacant space where the door to the master bedroom would eventually go. Although to call it a bedroom was doing it a disservice. This was a Master Suite in every sense of the word, the foot space alone was about the size of his entire apartment and that was just what he could see from the open doorway.

Alexis was leaning against one of the large windows gazing out at the spectacular view of the ornamental lake clearly lost in her own thoughts once more.

“So this is where the magic happens?”

“Very funny Mark.” Alexis retorted yet when she didn’t turn around to glare at him like usual Mark felt confident enough to edge inside.

“So does Carrington get any of this closet space or are you making him keep his clothes in another room down the hall? Hey I know why don’t you knock through into that little room next door and use that as extra closet space, it’s far too small for a proper guest bedroom in any case…”

“I don’t recall when I brought you up to speed even hinting that Blake Carrington would be moving in Mark, where did you get that ridiculous idea from? And as for suggestions for my house limit those to the questions I actually want answering!” Alexis snapped tearing her eyes from the soothing view to scowl at her secretary. Unable to understand why people seemed to be trying to rush things? Couldn’t they see that she was far from ready to make those sorts of decisions?

First Blake with his less than subtle suggestions for their future that Alexis had been forced to put her foot down over. Now Mark leaping to the assumption that Blake would be moving in here. That she should turn the room that would have been Jack’s nursery into closet space for the man who just a few hours ago she had caught hugging his former wife.

Besides the very idea of Blake moving in with her, it was ridiculous… Only if she got a crowbar to lever him out of the Carrington Mansion first. That man was like a limpet and the mansion his shell, Blake would never willingly give it up, certainly not for her…Besides that was jumping to the conclusion that Alexis even wanted to live with him again or with any man…Right now the prospect was less than tempting.

“I just ass…”

“Yes you did just like every other idiot in this town will do, why people think they have the right to make judgements and assumptions about my life then have the nerve to look surprised when I don’t follow their expectations I will never know.” Alexis spat back.

“Ok hold on there I was just joking Alexis I didn’t think…”

“No you didn’t think, you just said the first thing that came into your stupid brain well from now on I don’t care to hear it alright. Do your job and keep your opinions on how I should use my own house to yourself.”

Stepping back as if slapped Mark was stunned to sullen silence and could only nod his assent. The merry-go-round of Alexis Colby mood swings had swung around and bitten him where it hurt and it had been so sudden and come out of nowhere that Mark couldn’t completely squash the hurt that flared up inside him.

“Yes Mrs Colby.” Mark replied polite yet distant as he edged out of the room and away from the ticking time bomb that was his employer. Clearly something wasn’t right and as Mark hurried down the stairs, anxious for some distance both figuratively and emotionally, he realised things were probably about to get a whole lot more explosive. Blake Carrington had just arrived.

---

She shouldn’t have bitten Mark’s head off.

It didn’t take long for Alexis to realise that, he had just been his usual self always teasing her into not taking herself too seriously he couldn’t have known that today and that particular topics were complete no go areas. In order to realise that Alexis would had to have opened up to him and Alexis barely confided the truth in herself let alone other people.

She could have called out to him, swallowed her pride and apologised but that would invariable lead to having to explain things and Alexis was too tired and already ran out of patience with having to explain herself to other people.

Things had just been going so well and then…

Being with Jack was such a blessing, he demanded her complete and total attention and whilst she indulged and played with him Alexis found she could put the rest of the mess of her life aside and ignore it.

Sloshing the warm water and bubbles back towards the baby Alexis couldn’t help but smile as Jack giggled, his whole face lighting up with delight at playing in the bath with Mama. Slapping his pudgy hands down on the water Jack laughed as the water sloshed everywhere and made a wonderful smacking noise like a drum.

“Oh look at you your making such a mess.” Alexis chided Jack as the baby managed even to splash her with water. Yet when he turned those large innocent dark eyes up at her adoringly, his smile so broad it brought out the dimples in his cheeks, Alexis couldn’t find it in her to stop his fun even if it meant getting a bit wet herself.

Reaching for the flannel Alexis ran it under the warm water before lifting it back out of the water and running the wet cloth over Jack’s shoulders. If he was going to have a bath she at least had to make sure he actually got clean otherwise god knows what Dex would think she was doing in here all this time.

He would probably jump to the conclusion, correctly in fact, that Alexis was dragging out bath time to avoid having to put Jack down just yet and as such delaying her departure as long as possible. Yet the longer she spent playing with Jack the more it confirmed in Alexis’s mind that she just couldn’t lose this child to. After losing Amanda the way she did Alexis couldn’t help but think what an idiot she had been giving up her daughter in the first place and for what?

To avoid the social stigma of being a single mother? To give Amanda the sort of stable family environment that she deserved?

Those had been the reasons she had told herself over and over again after she had handed over her own child to Rosalind like she was nothing more than another heirloom passed around the family. They hadn’t been the real reasons, oh Alexis did think Rosalind would be a better mother than Alexis could have been at the time but it had nothing to do with social stigma. It was more that Alexis couldn’t bear to look at let alone hold her own baby.

She had loved Amanda, loved her fiercely from the moment the midwife had placed her on her chest shortly after her delivery. It was the strength of that love that her frightened her. Alexis had felt it three times before and each time it had ended up ripping her heart to shreds.

Adam she had lost to kidnappers less than a year after her firstborn had entered her life and at the time Alexis had thought she would die from the pain of his lose. She had wanted to die and if it hadn’t been for Tom Carrington watching her like a hawk she might have been tempted to do something stupid.

Then with Fallon and Steven Alexis had been naive enough to think that lightening couldn’t strike twice. Oh she had taken pains to protect her children from anyone that might come to snatch them away but she hadn’t thought to guard herself to threats from within. Blake had known where to strike when he banished her from her children, it was a mortal wound and one that had bled for years.

So when this last child had arrived Alexis refused to give fate the chance to take this child away from her. To let her guard down and make her new baby the centre of her world only for some kidnapper or Blake or one of these terrible childhood diseases to come along out of the blue and steal yet another child from her arms.

It was that fear that kept her from ever having another child, from getting into a relationship that might lead to talks of marriage and a family. Alexis had been vigilant to the point of obsessed with her own contraception, that was one thing she could control so there would be no more surprises.

Was it any wonder when Dex had asked her to mother Jack Alexis’s initial response had been to refuse, or at least to try to, but there was something about being thrown together and before Alexis knew it this child had managed to worm his way around those barriers and into her heart.

She couldn’t give up on him without a fight, even if it meant fighting dirty.

“Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam.” Jack pronounced gleefully splashing another wave of water in Alexis’s direction.

“I think that is quite enough young man.” Alexis playfully scolded reaching for a large fluffy towel and setting it in her lap before reaching into the bath and pulling a protesting Jack out.

“Oh come now Jack any longer and you would have turned into a little fishy.” Alexis cooed when the baby began to grizzle.

Not that Jack was much of a baby any longer in little over six weeks it would be his birthday, the year had passed so quickly. One moment Jack had been this tiny little thing hooked up to monitors and scaring them all with worry about his chances of pulling through. Now he was a healthy if slightly tubby eleven month old, the only sign of his early struggles the thin red scar on his chest from his heart operation that was already starting to fade.

Wrapping him up in the fluffy towel Alexis tickled his sides and under his armpits making the pouting baby squeal and reach up to cover her smiling face with his pudgy hands. Blowing bubbles against his palms Alexis found herself laughing as Jack squirmed away but then immediately raised his hands again and placed them against her lips.

Blowing against his palms, Alexis then tugged the towel open and blew a bubble against his chest and then his stomach all whilst Jack giggled and squealed and tried to squirm away before reaching up to grab her hair and pull her back down to do it again.

Finally even Jack grew tired of this new game, fighting sleep as he rubbed his closing eyes with his fist.

“I think it’s time someone was in bed little man.” Alexis muttered gathering a pouting stubborn Jack up even as he shook his head and used the only other word he seemed to have picked up.

“No…No…No…”

“Alright then how about cuddling with Mummy a little longer then.” Alexis suggested before wrestling the stubborn baby into a new diaper and sleeper suit.

For a while they paced the room, Jack stubbornly fighting sleep as he curled one of his little fists in Alexis’s curls and gnawed on the other drooling like a champion now that all other distractions from his aching teeth were removed. Yet when Alexis was certain he had finally drifted and she went to lay him down in his crib Jack would suddenly wake up and begin to grizzle.

Worn out from her own lack of sleep and all the pacing Alexis settled herself on the edge of the bed, kicking off her shoes so she could curl up and cuddle with the baby. Jack was just so wonderful and warm and he smelt that wonderful baby scent. Leaning back against the headboard Alexis allowed her own eyes to drift closed, lulled by the little breathy huffs as Jack slept nestled against her body. It was just a cat nap…just five minutes to make sure Jack had really drifted off…

It wasn’t like she had meant to fall fast asleep on Dex Dexter’s bed of all places but somehow Alexis couldn’t imagine Blake would see it quite the same way.

---

[Corporate Paige]

Alexis shouldn't feel guilty. She's done nothing wrong. Update soon.

[ss9]

---

Glancing at his watch Jeff Colby watched the time tick away. Well he at least was here where and when he had promised to be it was just typical of Ben Carrington not to keep his word. Blake’s younger brother was notoriously fickle, as despite the pretence at turning his life around to ingratiate himself back into big brother Blake’s good graces Jeff had never completely bought that act.

Leopards very rarely changed their spots and Ben Carrington was a born feckless waster.

How often during the campaign to make Blake Governor had Jeff spent late nights working Ben’s daughter Leslie, who despite loving her father was more aware than most of his terrible qualities. Having endured his own fair share of father issues himself Jeff had been able to sympathise, you could still love your parents despite their faults but that didn’t mean you had to like them very much.

Ben Carrington had never been high on Jeff’s list before this wild goose chase but now imaging the damn man sitting in some bar smirking over duping Jeff Colby, well lets just say Ben had sank even lower in Jeff’s estimation.

“What’s the matter Colby you look like you’ve just swallowed something unpleasant.” A familiar mocking tone drew Jeff out of his own thoughts and he turned to glare at the laidback proverbial black sheep.

“You said noon and it’s nearly twenty past.”

“Oh is that all? What are you Colby the time police? It’s New York there was traffic on the interstate and then a jam backing up 5th” Ben barked laughing running his hands through his mop of dirty blond hair now liberally streaked with silver.

Narrowing his own gaze Jeff took a moment to study the man before him. The years had left their impact on the man before him. Ben’s eyes crinkled with a few more wrinkles than Jeff remembered, his face a little ruddier and broader, his jawline a little looser probably from living a little too well. Probably all thanks to that wealthy widow he had conned into marrying him. What was her name again…

“So how is the family doing? I really have been terrible at keeping in touch. Perhaps I should drop by and say hello to Blake and Krystle whilst I am over here, give the old boy a surprise.”

“They are well.” Jeff replied tersely. “Things have changed though but of course you’d know that if you bothered to keep in touch with your brother yourself. Now since I didn’t come all this way to exchange idle chitchat…”
“So impatient aren’t you Colby so like your old man…Jason never could restrain himself either…but then you’d know all about that wouldn’t you Jeff, you wouldn’t exactly be here if the old man had any form of impulse control or restraint when it comes to his brother’s wife…”

Scrunching his nose slightly in disgust Jeff shook his head. “You are hardly one to proclaim moral judgements on anyone Ben, just how many women did you cheat on your wife, Leslie’s mother with? How many of them were also married and that is before we even mention the name Emily Fallmont…”

“You know nothing about anything Colby.” Ben spat back.

“I know enough of what Leslie told me and I can only imagine what your current wife has to suffer through having you for a husband.”

Huffing Ben’s eyes narrowed his tone clipped as he replied. “Shows what you know Jeff, not that you would give a damn about it but my wife passed away a few months ago, cancer, and I was with her through it to the end so I’d be careful about throwing those accusations about.”

Smarting Jeff could only mumble his apologies backing down to an uneasy truce as Ben turned to glare out of the panoramic window taking in the vast urban jungle that was New York City, allowing the bustle of the living around him to ease some of the sting.

“Look Ben I’m sorry I didn’t know…You have my condolences…”

“There was no reason you should have but at least now you know I had a decent reason for losing touch with the rest of the family.” Ben muttered his blue eyes narrowing as he glanced back over his shoulder at a contrite Jeff Colby.

“Now as touching as your sincere condolences are Colby that was not the reason I called you…Tell me what does the name Ethan Hailsworth mean to you?”

Intrigued Jeff moved to join Ben by the window anxious that their conversation wouldn’t be overheard by the bustle of tourists.

“I met him when I was down in Australia trying to negotiate a settlement. I wasn’t getting anywhere until Hailsworth turned up, I didn’t deal with him directly he preferred to work with Alexis, however strangely for a consultant he didn’t seem anxious to take any of the credit. Of course now I have my own suspicions…” Jeff trailed off unwilling to give voice to the growing idea in his mind that Ethan Hailsworth was the man at the centre of this conspiracy to destroy Denver Carrington…Perhaps he also worked for the Davenports?

“Why what do you know about him?” Jeff asked. This was the whole reason for him dropping everything and flying here in the first place, Ben had claimed to have information for him yet so far the information exchange had been decidedly one sided at best.

“I suspect that the real Ethan Hailsworth is in fact dead and buried.” Ben pronounced gravely watching as that curve ball hit Jeff off balance.

“What? You mean the current one is an imposter?” Jeff spluttered unable to believe what he was hearing, corporate espionage was one thing but this was real cloak and dagger stuff and more than a little far-fetched.

“That is exactly what I mean.” Ben retorted brazenly as if daring Jeff to call him a liar. “The man walking around now cannot in fact be the real Ethan Hailsworth. The real Ethan was adopted by my late wife Camille and her first husband an old army Colonel in the late 50’s from a London orphanage. They then emigrated to Australia to join Colonel Hailsworth’s brother who had started an oil company, Hailsworth Oil. Neither brother had any natural children of their own and so Ethan was poised to inherit everything. From the little Camille would talk about I understand the two much older men were very hard on the boy, they expected a great deal and were rather more heavy on the criticism than praise. Then one day it all exploded in a rather heated argument over a girl, by then the boy was in his late teens cut all ties with his adoptive family and disappeared god knows where.”

Frowning Jeff struggled to understand the leap of logic from a fight decades ago to Ben’s assertion the real Ethan Hailsworth was dead and gone. “I still don’t understand…”

Sighing Ben shook his head returning to gaze out of the window. “Until my wife’s death she had been placed in trust of Hailsworth Oil, upon her passing ownership of the company passed on to the only available heir…”

“Ethan?” Jeff supplied the light bulb finally turning on.

“Indeed.” Ben remarked his tone clipped. “I have had the pleasure of conversing with that gentlemen on numerous occasions. He has a somewhat striking appearance don’t you think? Devilishly handsome I believe it is called.”

“I still don’t see…” Jeff began only to stop as Ben reached into his pocket and withdrew an envelope. Opening it he handed the contents over to Jeff.

“When I was clearing through my wife’s things I found this in the attic. I understand after Ethan ran away the Colonel destroyed most of his possessions and forbid his wife from keeping any photographs of the boy in the house. However it seems Camille wasn’t completely cowed by her husband…”

Glancing down Jeff flipped the photograph over. It was unmistakably a family portrait. A stiff rather sever looking gentleman who screamed army standing behind the seated figure of his much younger and pretty looking wife and by her side a gangly looking teenager scowling slightly as the photograph was taken. It was an old photograph and the boy was hardly fully grown but as Jeff stared into the boy’s face he could immediately see what Ben had seen…That was not the man Jeff now knew as Ethan Hailsworth, the man really was an imposter after all.

---
Blake Carrington had taken his daughter’s advice to heart and had driven home first. He showered, shaved and dressed himself carefully in a casual blue shirt, knowing Alexis preferred that particular colour on him, pairing the shirt with cream linen trousers and a pair of smart dark brown leather brogues. Then caving into his own insecurity not to enter the lion’s den without any form of protection Blake had taken the jaguar and had driven back into Denver so he could visit Jergens and pick up a bouquet of roses, which of course wouldn’t be complete without a stem or several of lavender roses nestled in a lovely collection of white and pink blossoms.

Still Blake had to resist the nervous reaction to crush the delicate stems in his sweating palm as he stepped out of his car in front of the impressive frontage of Alexis’s new house. His nerves were only heightened when the front door opened and out strode Mark Alexis’s assistant, his usually jovial expression missing. Normally Blake found Mark to be a little too much, he found the younger man’s irreverent attitude and the way he was so involved in Alexis’s personal life to be unsettling.

Blake himself preferred to keep a certain distance from his team of secretaries but that was his personal style and considering the fact that Mark had held his post for a record breaking six months Alexis clearly felt differently. Even though he didn’t know the young man that well, having only met him a few times in passing whilst going to and from meetings with his boss, Blake knew him well enough to know that a serious Mark was not a good sign.

“Good Afternoon Mr Carrington.”

“Mark.” Blake returned the greeting briefly his dark eyes taking in the sour expression on Mark’s face as his own spirits sank yet further. Yet gathering his courage Blake deliberately forged ahead.

“Is the lady of the house about?”

“Oh she’s about alright and in a fine mood which I suppose I have you to thank for.” Mark spat back testily.

Wincing at Mark’s tone Blake had to bite his tongue to stop the retort that it was frankly none of the secretary’s damn business what happened between him and Alexis. Yet clearly if Alexis had confided in Mark…perhaps biting the head off of the one person who could help him might not be the smartest move and Blake Carrington liked to think he wasn’t a perpetual fool where Alexis wasn’t concerned, he may be a slow learner but at least he was learning.

“I suppose there might be a slight chance of that.” Blake forced himself to admit shifting between his feet as he nervously clutched the flowers closer to his chest like a shield.

Huffing Mark let out his frustration in one long sigh. In other circumstances he would be milking this situation, it wasn’t every day that Blake Carrington was knocked off of his high horse and normally Mark would have taken full advantage to make the old man squirm uncomfortably. If Carrington thought he had managed to hide his uneasiness around him then he really was delusional and it didn’t take a leap of imagination to understand what made Blake uncomfortable.

This was the man who was convicted of unlawfully killing another man just because said man had once been in a relationship with his son and Carrington had apparently walked in on the two of them embracing. Well Blake Carrington may have come a long way in accepting his son’s sexuality but that didn’t mean underneath that personal growth there still wasn’t a deep seated personal aversion to homosexuals in general, and Mark had never been shy in coming forward. The fact that being around Alexis Colby the unofficial queen of Denver seemed to bring out the queenly behaviour in Mark probably didn’t help matters.

Still Carrington was trying to be civil and keep the peace and Mark could do with a little more peace in the world…in particular around the fuming maelstrom that was his employer and if Carrington could accomplish that miracle…well perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to give the man a little push in the right direction?

“Those for Her Highness?” Mark asked as Carrington moved to walk past him into the house.

“Of course who else….” Blake spluttered his brows drawing together as he came suddenly to a stop.

“I wouldn’t care to even begin to imagine.” Mark drawled a measure of his previous humour returning in the face of Carrington’s delightful uncertainty.

“I wouldn’t lead with the flowers; she’ll just think you’re trying to buy your way out of her bad books…I’d do the grovelling first and then when she is softening bring them in as a last shot… oh and it’s probably best if you avoid mentioning her living arrangements she’s rather sensitive about that for some reason…”

“I…” Blake had been about to say he knew precisely how to handle the situation but then Mark’s advice began to filter through along with the resigned long suffering tone of voice. So perhaps the younger man did have a point, sometimes when they had argued in the past flowers or a piece of jewellery had been enough to bring Alexis out of her mood and yet on other occasions just the presentation of such tokens had driven an already angry Alexis into greater fits of tantrums.

Perhaps this was one of those occasions? In which case Blake needed all the luck he could get, as this time Alexis had her own estate on which to hide from him if she wanted to and didn’t need to kiss and make up for the children not if she didn’t want to.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Blake replied warily his sense of foreboding only increasing as Mark gave him a jaunty little salute before hurrying over to one of the well-built young decorators who had appeared from the front door struggling under the weight of several bolts of heavy fabric.

Taking the steps up to the front door slowly Blake stepped into the large welcoming hall and into a hive of activity, decorators were fluttering everywhere, colour charts and fabric swatches in hand as a short, plump, oddly dressed man wearing sunglasses in doors bossed them all about. Having already had more than enough strangeness for one day Blake made a point of avoiding the odd little man as he waddled towards him, forcing a polite smile as he dashed up the stairs from where he could hear Alexis’s voice barking instructions.

“….And I want large mirrors along the corridor here to reflect the light from the end window…and wall sconces opposite them…something neo classical maybe even art nouveau...The Matisse will go on that stretch of wall there…”

Reaching the top of the stairs Blake followed the sound of Alexis’s voice, pausing when he caught sight of her issuing her instructions to yet another of the army of clipboard holders. For a moment Blake simply stood and watched her work, unwilling to interrupt her mid flow and sour her mood towards him even further.

Yet his presence couldn’t go unnoticed forever and on catching the clipboard owner become distracted Alexis paused momentarily to follow his line of sight. Her lips becoming a tight unforgiving line when she caught sight of Blake standing there eavesdropping. That he had the nerve to simply turn up without an invitation and bearing a bouquet of flowers like her forgiveness could simply be bought…

Although he wasn’t the only one who had acted foolishly last night, Alexis’s conscience couldn’t help but prompt her. Of course the difference being Blake had no idea of her indiscretion whereas she had caught him red handed with his arms around Krystle…

“Can we talk?” Blake asked softly all too aware of their silent audience. “In private?”

Nodding Alexis dismissed her decorator with a regal wave of her hand before striding into the nearest bedroom. It may be lacking a door but it was at least away from prying eyes and the most privacy the two of them could practically attain right now.

Yet before Blake could even open his mouth to speak Alexis was already on the attack. “I suppose you came here to apologise for your behaviour yesterday Blake but right now I don’t care to hear it…I frankly don’t care to see you either…”

“Alexis…”

“And I don’t care for any more of your half-baked attempts to placate me either.” Alexis carried on as if Blake hadn’t even attempted to speak. “You made your feelings perfectly clear last night…”

“I don’t recall making anything clear last night Alexis.” Blake finally managed to cut in, his carefully constructed apology already in tatters. “I understand why you would be upset walking in on that scene but as I have already told you it was perfectly innocent from my perspective and you said you believed me.”

“I said I believed you honestly thought it was innocent not that it was.” Alexis corrected him her emerald eyes narrowing. “And I believe your retort was that I was delusional and jealous and seeing things that weren’t there because your sainted darling Krystle would never stoop so low as to play the vulnerable female card just to get your sympathy and attention.”

“Alexis I know you have never gotten along with Krystle but do you honestly think her capable of feigning concern for Jess just to get my attention?” Blake retorted utterly bemused by Alexis’s accusations. The more he heard the more it was less about trusting him and much more about Alexis’s lingering resentment of Krystle.

“Why not? I would have!” Alexis spat back honestly her eyes flashing. “Not that you would have given me the time of day, even when it was our children we were talking about you preferred to shut me out completely, but not sainted Krystle no you opened up to her...”

Alexis paused, her throat closing down unexpectedly and she turned away from Blake to maintain some of her dignity. “You didn’t want me back then, so what is to stop you from changing your mind again?”

So that was it… Blake felt some of the tension leave him. Setting the flowers down on the floor Blake came up behind her, ignoring Alexis’s initial protest when he wrapped his arms around her middle and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Because I won’t…because I love you Alexis…”

“You said that before…”

“And I meant it before.” Blake insisted pressing a kiss to her neck before continuing in a whisper.

“I made a terrible mistake…no I’ve made several terrible mistakes. When we were first married I loved you so much but I just couldn’t show you, I was frightened by how much you meant to me that I thought it was weakness to be so dependent on another person. But I had to have you in my life; I couldn’t imagine not being with you so I rushed you into marriage before you could come to your senses.”

“I hardly objected Blake.” Alexis scoffed yet there was something soothing about his hushed confession and the warmth and solidity of his chest against her back that she felt the monster in her chest uncoil a little.

“Not then no.” Blake chuckled.

“Yet when I had caught my prize I honestly thought that would be enough. You were my wife, you couldn’t leave me. We had children, we were a family, so I could have both you and my independence. It was selfish of me to want to keep you all to myself and then give you scraps of my love to live off of. I should have included you, confided in you but instead I kept my distance emotionally…I was afraid of losing myself in you, in us, and letting everything else go. I always justified that there would be time later, after the business was established, after the children had left home. When it was just the two of us on that desert island then I could trust all of myself to you.”

“I wish you would have told me this back then…I loved you so much Blake, one moment you were everything, my world, you could make me so happy and the next you shut down, shut me out. There were times in our marriage I felt so alone and I hated you for that.”

“I hated myself for it. I was a coward Alexis.” Blake added covering Alexis’s hands with his own and stroking her fingers.

“Yet I never stopped loving you, even during all those years apart. Oh I pretended I didn’t, I squashed those feelings down until I didn’t even think about them anymore but they were still there I was just deluding myself. I even convinced myself I was finally over you when I found Krystle. Yet I had gone out of my way to pick a woman that was so completely your opposite that that very fact screamed the truth that it was still you. I picked her because I knew this was a relationship that couldn’t break me the way our love had.”

“So what you’re saying is that I shouldn’t be jealous of Krystle because the reason you found it easier to confide in her was because you never loved her the way you loved me?” Alexis question frowning at the convoluted logic as she twisted her head to stare up at Blake.

“I never said it wasn’t twisted.” Blake chuckled at Alexis’s disbelieving expression. “But it is the truth. You get to me on so many levels Alexis, there isn’t a part of my heart you don’t reach and I’ll admit giving somebody else that sort of power over me is somewhat terrifying.”

“So now being with me is terrifying, hardly the most romantic of statements Blake.” Alexis huffed but Blake could tell from the way the corner of her mouth twitched that she wasn’t as offended as she claimed to be.

“Yes well as you told Steven last night you couldn’t lose another day with me just because you were afraid. So just as you have to trust me not to change my mind and go back to Krystle, I have to trust you and let you in on every part of me... the good as well as the bad.”

“Hmmm you’re not doing a marvellous job of selling this deal Blake.” Alexis teased raising an eyebrow, watching as Blake’s face showed all his feelings, fear, love, longing.

“Fortunately for you I am already committed to this joint venture of ours…I wasn’t really considering calling it off you know? I was just mad at you.”

“I had hoped that was the case.” Blake replied yet the relief in his voice was palpable. “I thought if I gave you the space to cool down it would be alright but then all I could think about was what if I was wrong?…What if giving you your space made you think I didn’t love you the way I do?”

“Was that where the flowers come in?” Alexis retorted smugly. “Because it would take more than a bunch of roses to change my mind if I really was mad at you about something.”

“Oh believe me I know that.” Blake chuckled leaning down and pressing his lips to her cheek before breathing in the perfume that clung to her hair. “No the flowers were for after…”

“After?”

“After this.” Blake prompted turning Alexis gently in his arms and pulling her close, leaning down he caught her lips softly with his own, kissing her softly and slowly as his hands rubbed the small of her back.

Pulling apart to catch her breath Alexis ran her hands along the collar of Blake’s shirt tugging the ends and holding him close. “So was that your actual apology Mr Carrington.”

“Just as long as you accept it Miss Morell.” Blake replied his dark eyes boring down into hers. “I love you Alexis, now forever, I want to be with you and as god is my witness I won’t let anything come between us again. I can’t be whole or happy without you and I will do whatever it takes to make you realise the depth of my feelings even if it takes the rest of my life to do so but you have to trust me Darling.”

“I…” The words were on her lips but they stalled on her tongue. The coiled beast that had fuelled her anger now resided in her stomach making it churn in guilt. She had to tell him.

“Alexis?”

“I do trust you Blake and if you trust me then you will understand and not get mad…” Alexis trailed off glancing up at Blake from beneath her lashes biting her lip. “Nothing happened I swear it.”

“Alexis what are you talking about?” Blake questioned forcing down his fear, she was right if he wanted Alexis to trust him then he had to trust her, yet the reality was very different than the theoretical and Blake knew it would take some practice. Yet he couldn’t fail at the first hurdle. “Please just tell me.”

Girding her courage Alexis ignored the little voice that screamed at her that this was a very bad idea, that they could get away with and Blake would never know. Yet part of her was more afraid of what would happen if she didn’t mention it and Blake found out some other way, he really would never trust her again.

“Last night after leaving the hospital I went to see Jack…”

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du du duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu cliffhanger!!!!! find out how Blake reacts to that bombshell in the next episode

[izziewizzie930]

Great update really looking forward to where you take Alexis and Blake's relationship..Thank You ss9 keep up the good work! xx

[Corporate Paige]

Looking forward to the big reveal with details and Blake's reaction! Update soon!

[ss9]

Series 13: Ties that Bind
Episode 5: Forsaking All Others

Warning: Adult subject matter and some swearing, after all it wouldn't be Dynasty if Alexis wasn't calling somebody, normally Blake, a bastard at least once an episode.
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“….I went to see Jack…”

For a few seconds Blake Carrington struggled to believe what he was hearing…Jack who…then the penny dropped…and his whole world inverted…

Pushing Alexis away, unable to bear her touch, Blake shook his head firing the accusation at her like bullets, “You mean you went to see Dexter!”

“NO!” Alexis denial was immediate and insistent and she reached out once more to try and reassure Blake physically as well but he brushed her hand away and backed away to keep the physical space between them.

“Oh but now it makes sense…” Blake muttered shaking his head. “We fight over an innocent misunderstanding with Krystle and to punish me you run off and see that over sexed cowboy…That’s how it used to happen wasn’t it? We’d fight and you’d find a warm bed to sulk in…So tell me Alexis was it just a quick revenge **** or did you spend the whole night with him?”

“I stayed but that was because I was tired and fell asleep with the baby…nothing happened between Dex and I. He was asleep on the couch when I left this morning; we barely even spoke ten words to each other last night.” Alexis argued yet it seemed Blake was a long way from believing her.

“It’s not what you talked about that bothers me it’s that you ran to him in the first place!” Blake hit back, his mind whirling unable to determine the truth among her excuses…Alexis always sounded so sincere but her track record….

“I am sure Dexter was only too happy to provide you a strong shoulder to cry on, was that before or after he took you to bed?”

Unable to believe what she was hearing when only a few moments before Blake had been asking her to trust him…

“It wasn’t like that Blake, and you of all people should know the last thing I want right now is sex!”

“With me yes, I got that message loud and clear, but maybe Dexter is a different case altogether…I mean how do I know you haven’t made the whole rape thing up just avoid sleeping with me?”

Blake should have seen it coming, even as he cursed the cruel words that fell from his tongue, cursed his own lack of control of thinking before he spoke. First it was a choked cry, a scream of rage, then Alexis was picking up the flowers he had set down. Wielding the bouquet like a weapon she charged at him, lifting her hand up she brought the roses down hard.

First they bounced off his shoulder, petals scattering everywhere, Alexis’s face a storming rage as she lifted the bouquet for another attack. This time she hit him several times in quick succession, on the chest, the face….fragrant white, pink and lavender blossom scattering like rainfall around him. Even when most of the blooms had fallen Alexis didn’t let up, hitting Blake with the dead heads and even scratching his cheek as several of the thorns caught him.

“You…selfish…bastard…I….I….” Alexis gasped for breath her rage filling her and yet leaving her empty at the same time. “How could you….even think….”

Did he honestly think she would lie about something like this?

God knows yes she had lied a lot in her life, could have even been tried for perjury on occasion, but to lie about this….why would she?

Did Blake honestly think she wanted an excuse to avoid sleeping with him? It was so ridiculous that it hurt he could even consider it.

Grabbing her wrists as he saw Alexis falter for a moment, Blake wrestled the remains of the bouquet from her hands. Then even as she continued to fight him he pulled her closer wrapping one arm around her waist as her rage gave way to deep body wracking sobs.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean…I didn’t think…I don’t think you made it up…” Blake pleaded as Alexis continued to struggle against him. “I believe you…I don’t know why I said that…I was just angry I said the first thing…”

“You think… I’m a liar and… a whore.” Alexis choked out in between sobs. “You think I made it up…”

“No…No!” Blake added for emphasis. “I don’t.”

“Now who’s lying Blake?”

“I was an idiot.” Blake tried to explain. “I was just so jealous I couldn’t think straight, I didn’t know what I was saying.”

“Funny from my perspective you seemed damn certain of everything. I made up being raped to avoid sleeping with you and all along I’ve been fucking Dex instead….and what else?” Alexis retorted bitterly wishing she could find the strength to push him away, to silence the part of herself that needed him.

“Oh yes and you don’t believe a word I say…so much for trust Blake!”

“I do believe you…”

“You didn’t a moment ago…” Alexis began her eyes flashing. “How am I supposed to know that wasn’t the real you and this is the lie?”

“I was out of my mind a moment ago. I was so jealous of you turning to Dexter…” Blake cut in, cupping her jaw and forcing her meet his gaze. Reaching down he wiped the mascara stains from her cheeks. “I love you and I’m sorry.”

“Do you honestly think that can make it all better again? Its ok I called you a whore and liar but I still love you? Well it doesn’t work that way Blake, you’ve really hurt me…. You called me a whore and a liar to my face and all after asking me to believe and trust you when you say nothing is going on between you and Krystle. You expect me to simply accept the fact that you live in the same house as her and don’t give into temptation even though we aren’t sleeping together, and I’m to take your word for it but you won’t accept mine!”

“Because nothing is going on Alexis I swear it.” Blake answered patiently. “And I do believe you.”

“Now you say you do but do you really? Well I swear nothing happened with Dex, I went to see Jack not Dex. I spent most of last night in a maternity ward surrounded by babies, and whilst I was there all I could think of was Amanda and then Jack. How I had missed my chance to raise our last baby because I just didn’t fight hard enough to make it happen, because I was too stupid and selfish to realise what I was giving up. Well I have decided not to let that happen with Jack. I love him like my own and I will do whatever it takes to keep my place in his life! So yes I went to see Dex but not to have sex with him, but to show him that Jack still needs me.”

Sighing Blake’s eyes drifted closed. God what an idiot he had been. All this time they had both been feeling this way and searching for their own way to deal with it…Blake with this sudden protective instinct towards Jess simply because she reminded him of Amanda the way she was when she first arrived in Denver and Alexis with Jack because he was her last chance to really be a mother.

“We are both complete fools.” Blake muttered opening his eyes to stare down at the reluctant woman in his arms, her beautiful emerald eyes hardening.

“Speak for yourself Blake.”

“Believe me I was…” Blake answered his throat closing. “I insisted on staying at the hospital because of Jess…I can’t really explain it…”

“Try.” Alexis all but growled. “Explain how any of this makes any sense Blake Carrington or I swear this time…”

“She reminded me of Amanda.” Blake cut in before Alexis could finish that sentence, Blake could imagine what she was going to say he didn’t need to hear it said aloud.

“Jess turned up in Denver so lost and alone and I don’t know why but the moment I first lay my eyes on her I felt a pull…like I knew her from somewhere but couldn’t quite remember where from.” Blake stumbled over his explanation his brow furrowed as he tried to find the words, or any way to explain this inexplicable pull towards this virtual stranger.

“The only other time I have felt anything like that was the first time I laid eyes on Amanda…at the restaurant at La Mirage, remember?”

“I remember.” Alexis replied her voice raspy and hollow. “I tried to get her to leave because I didn’t want the two of you to meet but Amanda was so headstrong even then, she just marched right across the room and introduced herself…I thought I was going to have a heart attack my heart was pounding so much.”

“You hid it well but even I could tell you were uncomfortable.” Blake replied stroking the damp curls away from Alexis’s cheek. “It made me curious why…”

“And Blake Carrington cannot resist a mystery.”

“Yes but even without that I would have sought her out again…it was like dejavu…I knew her or I knew I was supposed to know her. I know it doesn’t make sense but I always explained it away to myself later that some part of me knew she was mine….”

“That doesn’t explain Jess…” Alexis paused lifting an eyebrow to narrow her gaze at Blake. “Unless of course you have more illegitimate children running around the place you haven’t told me about?” Alexis paused the mere illusion to Tom Carrington making her blood run cold…Not that Ethan really was Blake’s son…no that boy had died years ago, Blake had visited his grave, so whatever sick little game Ethan was playing it was all about messing with her head.

“What is Jess twenty one, twenty two?”

“Twenty five I think…” Blake replied his heart sinking.

“The same age as Amanda…She looks younger.” Alexis retorted the pieces starting to come together along with one other worrying thought. “You’re certain she couldn’t be yours? I mean you can’t have lived like a monk after our divorce Blake.”

“There were a few other women yes.” Blake answered honestly. “I am not built to be a saint Alexis but they were just passing flings and we remained friends, I would have known if there had been a child.”

It was stupid and irrational. Krystle Alexis had grudgingly come to accept as the other woman in Blake’s life, that they must have had sex because of Krystina was a reality she couldn’t ignore but the thought of Blake with other women. Now that brought out the jealous shrew in her, and the idea that he had remained friends with them…

God just how many of Blake’s past conquests had she been in soirees with completely unaware? Had he danced with them and shared a joke about the old days? Did he still find any of his former bed partners attractive…where any of them better in bed than her?

Perhaps it wasn’t just Krystle she needed to keep an eye on?

And Blake had the nerve to interrogate her….

“So you’re just as flawed as the rest of us you just act like you’re above us….saintly Blake Carrington, who never make mistakes unlike the rest of us mere mortals.” Alexis spit bitterly.

“Alexis please…”

“No! You don’t get to ask any favours of me Blake Carrington. Not after the vile unfounded accusations you just came out with…How I can love you at all astonishes me you’re such a bastard at times!” Alexis hissed this time finding the strength to push Blake and his comfort away and put some much needed space between them.

“But you do love me and I love you and I am sorry, I overreacted.” Blake tried to placate her but he could tell something had changed, something had shifted in Alexis’s mind and he was left floundering to keep up.

“That is the understatement of the century if ever I heard one.” Alexis bit back sarcastically resisting the urge to glance back over her shoulder at Blake, instead drawing strength from the beautiful view before her.

As far as she could see this was all hers, her land, her kingdom, and she had done this all by herself. She didn’t Blake Carrington in her life to accomplish things and he certainly wasn’t the centre of the universe, despite what Blake himself thought.

Yet just because she didn’t need him it didn’t mean she didn’t want him…God things would be so much simpler if she didn’t…

Despite all the bad blood and harsh words that had passed between them over the decades they had known each other Blake’s arms had always been the place she felt at home. When something terrible happened it was him she had clung to, even if at times she had practically thrown herself into his less than welcoming embrace…she hadn’t cared whether he resented holding her or not she had needed him…

Eventually Alexis knew she would forgive him for the vile things he had said earlier…

Just how had they gotten here from where they had started, Blake promising to love her no matter the obstacle one moment the next accusing her of cheating?

“Darling?” Blake’s voice was low and tentative, his breath soft against her cheek as he came close enough to touch her but held himself back from doing so.

“We need to talk about this properly…you and me…Amanda…we need to talk about what happened to you, we can’t keep ignoring the elephant in the room when it’s the real reason we keep fighting like this…You wouldn’t even worry about Krystle or me about Dexter if we were really together.”

“Not now Blake…please…I just can’t…” Alexis gasped. “Can’t you understand I just can’t…Besides sex won’t solve our problems.”

“No but real intimacy might…” Blake added insistently trying to find the words to say this and not have Alexis accuse him of thinking solely with his second brain.

“It’s not about sex Alexis, I need you to let me in and you need to really feel it when I tell you it’s only you for me, and although sex doesn’t solve anything on its own it does help achieve that…and more than anything I miss you Alexis.”

“Funny you didn’t seem to miss me when you through me over to rush to Krystle’s side, you didn’t miss me all those years when we were apart since you obviously had adequate alternatives…I mean who could miss a whore and a liar?”

Gritting his teeth Blake had to resist the urge to shake some sense into her. It was almost ironic, over the years it had been Alexis or Krystle urging him to open up and talk to them about his feelings and now he was finally ready to talk, to let someone in, Alexis was the one slamming the door shut.

“I made a terrible mistake but this…” Blake paused turning Alexis to face him, unable to continue trying to connect with her cold shoulder. “This is not about anyone else but the two of us…”

Rolling her eyes as Blake once more succeeded in stating the bloody obvious Alexis refused to meet his pleading gaze. “Congratulations on finally catching up Blake would you like a prize?”

“Hide in sarcasm all you want Alexis I at least want to try and get past this. I miss holding you in my arms after we’ve made love; I miss the way in that moment there is nobody else in the world but us. I miss sleeping next to you and being able to protect you from harm. I miss sharing my life with you. I miss you so badly that it makes me angry and I lash at you because I am so afraid you don’t feel the same way. And right now I am more afraid than anything that you would rather walk away than face what is really happening here. Just so you can go on pretending you are coping when it is becoming increasingly clear to me that you aren’t.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Alexis spat whirling on Blake her eyes misting with angry tears. “You think I like feeling like this that I want to feel afraid anytime I feel out of control? That I don’t miss being with you and sharing that joy, that feeling of fitting perfectly with someone?...with you? Of just being happy without this thing hanging over me just waiting to ruin the moment…”

“Then stop shutting me out, tell me something, anything….” Blake demanded grasping her shoulders. “Alexis I am begging you please.”

“What you want to know all the gory details?” Alexis hissed poking Blake hard in the chest, pushing him harder and harder but still Blake didn’t let go.

“Is that it? You want to know how it felt being drugged and pushed into a situation I couldn’t control, I couldn’t stop, and he made me enjoy it…That bastard used me and then tried to make out I had wanted it…And it makes me sick Blake that every time you touch me all I can think of his him and how deep inside part of me was aware and screaming for it all to stop but I couldn’t stop…I couldn’t make him stop, I couldn’t do anything…”

Pulling Alexis close for a moment Blake felt her struggle in his arms before the battle between her anger and her pain was over with no clear victor. Instead Alexis clung to him like a lifeline and Blake held her just as tightly, running his hands soothingly up and down her back, whispering reassuring nonsense in her ear. About how nobody would hurt her again, he had her, it was going to be alright, somehow he was going to make it alright.

However as Blake cradled the body of his broken lover tenderly in his arms he couldn’t help but wonder how the hell he was going to accomplish that?

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