A preview. This story is not only about Sonny and Brenda. Its about my three fav. couples in the world, S&B, Joe and Karen on Port Charles and Kevin and Lucy. Granted, I *am* a Ned and Alexis fan, but these two won't be together *together* in my story because, by the title, I found it easier to work from a Ned and Lois point of view. Do NOT get used to it!*vbg*

~**Chapter One~A Phone Call **~

The sea was beautiful from his mountainside villa. Nestled deep on the side of one of Italy's largest peaks, the house overlooked the Mediterranian Sea, which lapped up against the mountainside cliffs like a child ready to pounce on sweet candy. It was angelic, that fateful day in Positanno, Italy, the hide out (for a few weeks atleast) for Sonny Corinthos. HE, of course, couldn'tgo by that name. His name was Alexandro Particelli, here. A lone Sicilian man who had lost the woman he loved to an explosion on a boat off the coast of Sicily.
He chuckled everytime he thought about it. Irnonic, wasn't it. Yeah, it sure as hell was.
His head whipped around when the cell phone rang. He waited for it to ring twice, than stop, then ring two more times before he picked it up. "Yeah?"
"Sonny."
"Jason, whats up?"
"Its Brenda."
"Brenda?" Sonny asked anxiously. "Whats the matter with Brenda?"
"She, uh, had a nervous breakdown."
"What? How, what the hell happened?"
Jason sighed. "She caught me talking on the phone a while ago and thought it was you, I guess, but it was Emily. She grabbed it from me and got really embarressed when she realized it wasn't you and the same thing happened today, only this time, she got so freaked out that she started hyperventillating and gasping for breath and then she just...fainted."
Sonny nodded. "Well, is she okay?"
Jason shook his head as he whispered, "She's not doing so well, Sonny. Alan, he talked to me and Jax about it, I figured the honorable thing to do was to stay there with her. I know its what you and Robin would want me to do. Jax wasn't happy about it, but Alan said that she's been really depressed lately, and it all just blew up in her face. I thought, I mean, I know the rules, I know I shouldn't e asking you this, because of the danger but-"
"You know I can't do that, Jason." Sonny said, pacing the house, his hand on his hip and his eyes closed in concentration (ya'll know the look:).
"Yeah, I do, but I also know that part of the plan was if you needed to come back to Port Charles, you would."
"I won't. She hates me, remember?"
"No, Sonny, she hates what you did." Jason contradicted sternly. "She loves you. Otherwise she wouldn't be so hurt or so angry. And I think this is one of those times...she needs you."
"What the hell am I supposed to do, Jason?" Sonny yelled. "She doesn't know why I left, and even if she knew, it wouldn't make a difference because I still hurt her and humilliated her!"
"Please, Sonny." Jason whispered. "You know I wouldn't be asking you this unless I thought it was important. Have I ever steered you wrong?"
"But *I* have steered everyone *I* loved wrong, Jason!" Sonny yelled back. "Stone, Robin, Brenda, Lily, you...I'm a disease, remember? Everything I touch turns to stone, turns bad. The last thing Brenda-"
"Take her away. Thats all you need to do, is take her away."
"Take her away?"
"Sonny, come on, dammit! At least give it some thought."
That was all he had to do. He sighed softly. "Fine, but I want you to book me good, secure flights, a safe phone, and a safe hideout. I'm not staying, Jason, I'm not staying.

~**Chapter Two~Return to Port Charles**~

"Jason, why did he leave?" Robin asked softly to her boyfriend from the couch. "Was there trouble, is that-is that why he left Brenda?"
Jason shook his head. "I can't discuss that."
"But he's coming back..? To what, win her back? You and I and he knows that isn't going to happen."
Jason sighed and sat down on the couch across from her, bridging his knees. "We don't know that."
"Jax won't let Sonny within twelve hundred miles of Brenda, not after what he did."
"Sonny did what was best!" Jason yelled suddenly. "Brendais the love of his life and he knew the only way that she could live was-"
"THATs why he left?" Robin asked icreduously. "To *protect* Brenda?"
Jason sighed and sat back. "Could be. But that wasn't the only reason, Robin. And I know I can trust you not to tell anyone, but Sonny would kill me if..."
"Jason you know that you can trust me." She whispered tightly.
Jason sighed. "Somethings were going down around the time of the wedding and threats were made on his and Brenda's life. But I figured that by the time they made good on their threats he and Brenda would be off on their honeymoon somewhere...but Sonny didn't. He kept having these flashbacks and these dreams and he loved Brenda too much to want her to live in that kind of fear. The kind of fear that he felt everyday he woke up and thought of losing her. So, he left her. He lost her, but at least it wasn't to death. Damn, Robin, you know if Brenda was killed it would kill him."
She nodded. "It was a no win situation, I guess. But it still doesn't make it right."
He nodded. "How are things going with the..."
Robin got up and picked up her coat. "Don't change the subject, Jason. I'm going to see her now."
"Robin, don't tell her about..."
She shook her head. "She lost the man she loves, she lost a future she would of had and she lost her unborn baby. And we both know that you could've never told Sonny something like that over the phone. But, Brenda is my friend, Jason. My BEST friend. And she would hate me for the rest of my life if she knew I was keeping this secret from her."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lois Cerullo started at her husband, er, her ex-husband as he stared back at her over the threshold of the door at the gatehouse.
Ned had ditched his usual business suit and was wearing a gray wool sweater and black pants. He had a cracker raised to his mouth as if he was about to eat. Their eyes were drawn to each other for a few seconds before Ned turned his back on her, popping the cracker in his mouth.
"You didn't bring Brooke." was the first thing he said.
Lois sighed with relief. He could have said worse. "No, uh, Lila wouldn't take her out of her arms when I arrived at the big house. And I thought it was best to come alone..in case we started yelling again and Brooke got scared and I never got to say what I came here....to say."
Ned looked back at her. "And that would be?"
She sighed again as she walked into the room and closed the door. She looked around. "It looks nice in here. You've certainitly kept the place up since I left..." Her voice trailed off.
"I've been away on business for the past month." He quickly looked her up and down. She looked good, he'd give her that. But he still couldn't look at her without a knife plunging deep in his heart when he thought of the last time he had seen her.

Lois shook her head, frowning. "Dammit, Ned, when are we ever going to be able to stand in the same visinity with each other without tearing the other apart? I'm Lois, remember? And you're Ned. And we, as twisted as it may seem now, have a daughter and *she* is the reason why I am here."
Ned nodded. "If this is about Brooke, then I want to know what you have to say."
Lois nodded her head. "Good." She said softly, sternly. "Now sit down."
Ned sat. Lois started to pace, and gestured, as her voice took on a confused, yet positive tone: "I've been thinking about this for God knows HOW long. I mean, every day, when I wake up and look at Brooke, I feel so guilty for all of the things I've done...to you and to her. I mean, we both hurt each other, but we can't keep bridging our differences about the other because thats not healthy for Brooke and one day when she all grown up and *incredibly* beautiful she's going to wonder, you know, why do my parents have to communicate through glass to talk to each other? Why do they live practically 200 miles away? Why don't they love each other and live together like everyone else's parents? And, I'm *not* saying that we get back together for her, Ned, because in the next few months, we'd be livng apart, just like we are now...but. But what I'm saying is that I don't want to keep your little girl away from you anymore because thats not right and its not fair and I can't live with myself...knowing that I've hurt you the way I have. So...I'm moving back to Port Charles. This way, you can spend more time with Brooke and I can keep a good eye on Brenda and this end of L&B and... I love this town! Thats one of the reasons why I moved back."
She sighed and looked down at him. "What do you think?"
Ned laughed. "Well one thing hasn't changed. You still talk a lot."
They smiled tenderly at each other for a moment.
"But, uh, I think, if this means I get to see more of Brooke, than we can definitly do that."
Lois nodded. "Good. Oh! I know about you and...Alexis. I talked to her the last time I was here. And, she's incredible with Brooke, so I don't care about...you know, if whenever she's over and you have Brooke..."
"Good, because even if you HAD cared, it wouldn't've made a difference."
Lois smiled again as she walked back toward the door. "Ciao, Ashton. I'll call you."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Brenda Barrett stood by the window in her bedroom and stared out at the city of Port Charles. She didn't know why she was there, it was the last place she wanted to be. Evey square inch, every corner, reminded her exactly of what she was trying to forget. Sonny.
The docks reminded her of the place they had met, where they had continued to meet throughout their relationship, and the place where they had reunited. Luke's reminded her of the apartment above in which they had lived, fell in love and of the times they stole hot glances across the club even when he had his wife, Lily, at his side. Harborview was where they had lived together, for the few weeks before they were to be joined as husband and wife. The hospital was the source of life. Almost everything that had gone down in their relationship had something to do w/ General Hospital. Kelly's was where Lily had lived, and where he had dumped her in the rain. And St. Timothy's...well, she didn't even have to go THERE!
She sniffed and wiped again at her tears. There were just so many memories in this small little town. She wasn't sure if she could handle them.
"Bren?"
Her head snapped toward the door. Robin stood on the threshold tentatively.
"Oh, hi, Robin." Brenda whispered, sniffling.
"How are you holding up?" She asked. "I'm surprised Dr. Quartermaine let you go home."
"I'm fine, what about you?"
Robin sighed. "I was justv over at Jason's..."
"You know i don't feel like discussing this. Why where you even there, its not like the two of you are *together*."
Robin tried not to get angry, she knew Brenda was in a fragile state. "We talked about things...Sonny. Brenda, I know why he left. And its not for the selfish reasons that you and everyone thinks."
"I *said* that I don't want to TALK ABOUT IT!" Brenda yelled, her face fierce. Suddenly, she collapsed on the bed beside Robin. "Because if I do, it'll hurt so much that I'll die of a broken heart. God, Robin, don't you see what he's doing to me?"
She nodded. "I do. But, Brenda, he did it for a good reason. Because he loves you."
"Did he tell you this himself?"
"Not exactly, but-"
"Good, because its pure shit, thats what! If he loved me he wouldn't've bailed on me! On our wedding day! After he *knew*, he KNEW, Robin! He knew that I would leave my-my friends, my job, the only home I've ever known, to make him MY family! I would leave that all for him and instead he repays me by humiliating and hurting me in the worst possible way! Why the hell should I believe a damn thing he says anymore?"
"He left to protect you Brenda...."
She laughed. "To 'protect' me? PROTECTION? Thats what he thought he was doing? Well, what the hell is that? Every single person on this damn planet is cursed to die the second they wake up every morning, how they hell was he supposed to *protect* me? And from what? The Tin Man is dead, Rivera is dead, and Sonny told me that...Oh! Another lie, right? Dammit, does he even know the MEANING of *truth*? If he did, he wouldn't of lied to me and told me he loved me all the while he was planning to leave me at the alter!"
"He came back!" Robin hissed. "Because he heard what had happened to you and he is on his way back to Port Charles to see you."
"Does he think I *wan't* to see him? Becuase I don't!"
Robin nodded. "I know thats what you think, Brenda. But, you can put that act on for everyone else in this world, but I can see right through you. You love Sonny, you miss him, and you and I BOTH know that if he came back, all he'd need to do was a little appologizing and payback and you'd be right back in his arms. And, quite frankly, thats the way I think it should be. But it doesn't matter what *I* think. I know that I couldn't live with Jason's lifestyle, but you were willing to leave everyone for Sonny. And that couldn't've just disappeared overnight. Is that what YOU want?"
"I lost my baby because of him!" Brenda sobbed. "His baby! I knew all along! But I was going to wait until our honeymoon to tell him. You see, because I got smart." She pointed a finger at Robin. "I got smart, Robin. I realized that if I announced it to anyone that I was pregnant, it would leak outside and some of Sonny's enemies might hear and try to go after us. Kill Corinthos' wife and baby, a second time. So I was going to wait! But I never got to tell him that a little baby that we created grew inside of me, that I was going to love and nurture it and that I was going to make him so happy and so free and so full of love, he'd want to jump off the face of the Earth in happiness. Becuase thats what being with him made me want to do...but not anymore."

~**Chapter Three~A Visit From Her Past**~

Karen Wexler sat in her bridal chamber and assessed her beautiful blue satin wedding gown. She and Joe had decided to make their wedding simple, yet elegant. They had only invited their closest friends. And for the first time in a long time, her life felt complete and she was happy. Bubbly-bursting happy. Lucy was her maid of honor, she HAD asked Julie but she had left town on a family emergency three days before the wedding. Although Karen hadn't liked Eve at first, they had reconciled once Eve explained (and Karen would listen)her relationship with Devlin. Scott was giving her away, of course, and Serena was the flower girl. Frank was Joe's best man, and the only other guests in attendance were Eve, Mary, Mike, Rhonda, Kevin, Lee and Gail.
Lucy frowned at Karen, but not a sad frown, a happy one. She was studying the blushing bride as she stood in front of the full length mirror and looked herself over. She looked down at her engagement ring and sighed.
"Hit me, Lucy. Is this real?"
Lucy smiled. "It sure is and-Oh!"
There was aknock at the door. "Lucy, Lucy, its Scott. i thought it was time that I came and took my blushing bride and give her away before I change my mind."
Lucy frowned in concentration as she looked at the clock. "Is it time, oh! Oh boy, Karen, you, you have to get downstairs! NOW! Where's Serena? SEREEEEEEENA?"
"Right here, Luc! Chill out!" Serena appeared in the doorway to the adjoining bedroom suite. She had on a pink dress, satin, which made her look adorable. A basket of peach roses was clutched in her hand.
Lucy sighed and grabbed Karen in one arm and Serena in the other. "Okay, this is everyone, lets get going!"
"Come down Lucy, this is my wedding day, not the championship track meet. the santuary is ONLY down stairs and only in a few minutes...Joe and I will be married and for the first time in my entire life, everything will be perfect...complete. I won't ever have to feel the way I've felt in my marriage to Jagger because this is right. Being with Joe, being his wife, is like a dream come ture."
Lucy was cupping her hand as if it was a mouth and pressing the tips of her fingers together rapidly, as to indicate Karen's babbling. "Yak yak yak. Come on Serena, its time to get your big sister married before she starts reciting Shakespeare!"
Serena giggled as Lucy pulled open the double swinging doors of the bridal suite, her hands placed firmly on Karen's shoulder blade. She quickly steered her back into the room when she looked over the balcony and saw Joe in his tux talking to Scott.
"Okay." Lucy said breathlessly. "Hold on. I just have to go converse with the groom for a moment."
"Joe?" Karen asked, her ears perking up. "Joe? Where is he? Can I-can I see him?"
"NO!" Lucy looked down at Serena. "Little trooper? Keep an eye on Juliet here, we can't afford for her entire wedding day to be ruined because she has to get a glimpse of her groom."
And with that, Lucy rushed out the wooden doors and leaned over the balcony, speaking loudly and waving her hand crazily, trying to get their attention. "Uh, EXCUSE ME? Hello? The bride was trying to make her way DOWN the stairs to YOUR side" she pointed to Joe "But unfortunately, there is this silly stuperstition about weddings! The bride and groom CAN NOT, under ANY circumstances, see each other the day of the ceremony, unless they want their wedding to be jinxed! NOR can the groom see the dress. That *does* include seeing the bride IN her dress, ON the wedding day! So" Lucy said breathlessly to a stunned Joe and Scott, standing up straight "what have we learned from this lesson? Well, maybe I'm losing my touch but I *hope* you two fine gentlemen enterpreted that as 'GET YOUR BUTTS IN THE SANCTUARY *NOW* BEFORE I HAVE TO SICK SIGMOND ON YOU! GO!' See ya'll in a few."
Lucy watched them try to conceal their laughter.
"Um, Lucy?" Scott asked.
"What?"
"I'm giving the bride away. That means I walk her down the aisle."
Lucy sighed. "I *know* that!" She shook her head and pointed to Joe. "YOU! GO! NOW! And you!" She pointed to Scott. "Up *here* with me! NOW!"
"Bye Joe." Scott whispered as the groom made his way into the church and Scoot pushed his way upstairs. Serena opened the door a crack. "Can we come out now?"
"Yes you may." Lucy said breathlessly.
Karen was giggling. "Good job, Luc. I'm sure you really showed them."
Lucy smiled but didnt say anything else. She was getting a feeling...the same feeling she got at Brenda and Sonny's "wedding that wasn't."
They made their way downstairs and Lucy slowly began walking down the aisle as the sweet wedding melody began to play. As soon as she reached the alter, Serena began her descent. She dug into the basket and dropped the flowers to the ground in no such fashion. When she reached the alter, Lucy pulled her out of the aisle and they both sat. The wedding march began as Karen and Scott walked down the aisle. He kissed her softly on the cheek and looked down at her in her beautiful dress, her cute little bobby hair style and her twinkling eyes. "I love you." He whispered softly in her ear.
"Ditto." Karen smiled back. Scott then placed her hand in Joe's. She was so beautiful, it took his breath away. They both turned to the minister.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered her today in the sight of God and his company to join together in Holy matrimony Joseph and Karen. Marriage is a holy state and one that is not the be entered into lightly." He turned to Joe. "Joseph, do you take Karen to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love her, honor her and keep yourself only unto her for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do." He whispered, never taking his eyes off of Karen. She smiled sweetly at him.
"Karen." She looked briefly at the judge. "Do you take Joseph to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you love him, honor him and keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?"
"I do." Karen whispered, her small voice echoing sweetly to the back of the quiet church.
The minister looks at Joe. "Joseph, repeat after me. I, Joseph Parnell Scanlon (Joe repeats after him), take thee Karen Wexler to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward."
He then turned to Karen. "Karen, repeat ater me. I, Karen Wexler (Karen repeats after him), take them Joseph Parnell Scanlon, yo be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, to love and to chers=ish, from this day forward."
"The rings please."

Frank handed the minister the rings who, in turn, handed Karen's to Joe.
"With this ring(Joe repeated after the minister once again), as a token of my love and affection, I thee wed." Joe slipped Karen's diamond studded wedding band on her finger and brought it to his mouth, kissing it.
Karen did the same and she and Joe clasped hands and turned to the minister.
"For as much as Joseph and Karen had consented together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and his company, and thereto have engaged and pledged their troth, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and recieving a ring and by joining hands, I now pronounce them husband and wife. What God hath joined together; let no man put asunder. You may kiss your bri-"
Just then, a loud noise came from the back of the church. And a big popping sound. Something was interrupting Karen and Joe's wedding...and it sounded like a gunshot!

Karen looked up, over Joe's shoulder, with tears smarting in her eyes. She could barely make out a form before another shot was fired and Joe was thrown on top of her, by his own impulse to save her life. Karen screamed in unimaginable horror when she saw her ex-husband, and betrayer, Jagger Cates, standing at the back of the church.
"JAGGER?" She screamed softly. Joe looked up, his head hung down beneath his shoulder. He pushed Karen toward the ground, but she pulled herself up and slightly nodded her head when she saw Kevin and Scott slowly make their way to the back of the church.
"Karen.." Joe reached for her, but she pulled herself out of his arms and stared at her ex-husband. "This isn't like you.." She whispered, eyeing him strangly.
"Just like my affair with Fran?" Jagger snorted. "You actually *believed* her?"
Karen shook her head. "No-no, I believed *you* when you wrote me that LETTER and told me you did. I didn't want to believe that you'd cheat on me, Jagger. Not after EVERYTHING we've been through. But I could give a damn about anything that concerns you...why are you trying to hurt me?"
He waved his gun around the church. "Atleast you didn't pick the church where we got married...at least you're not *that* heartless."
Joe lunged at Jagger, a string of livid words on the tip of his tongue, but Karen pulled him back. "Don't, Joe." She looked at her husband with a smile of tenderness before turning her look of pity and dislike on Jagger. "YOU are calling me heartless? After you slept with your partner, our friend, in OUR apartment. In MY BED, Jagger! And now you're hear calling me heartless!?! How dare you interupt my wedding with those ridiculous accusations! Just get the hell out of here before I make you regret it!"
Jagger shook his head. He aimed the gun at Joe. "He has to die, Karen. He covetted my wife."
Joe shook his head, stepping up. "MY wife, Jagger." He whispered on a strangled breath.
"Karen's my wife now. By her choice. Just leave now, man..."
Jagger nodded. "You love him?" He looked at Karen and pointed to Joe with the gun. Karen didn't hesitate as she looked into Joe's eyes. She nodded. "Yes."
Jagger nodded again. "Then he dies."
"NO! Dammit, Jagger, what the hell have you been smoking?" Karen screamed at the top of her lungs. "If you even love me with an ounce of that cold-blooded heart of yours, you'll turn on your heels and leave this church. If you have any ounce of pride left, you'll go back to that WHORE you call a partner and leave me and my husband-"
Jagger fired a shot in the air. Karen screamed. "STOP IT!! Please!!" She looked at Jagger with pleading eyes. "Jagger, please, please....remember what you told me on our honeymoon night? That you'd do anything for me? You'd kill for me, you'd die for me...and I said I'd do the same for you? If you still believe in anything that happened in our marriage, Jagger, believe that I loved you and that a part of me always will. Because you were my first love. But its over now. And you said you'd do anything for me...do this."
Before Jagger could react, Scott lunged, and Jagger lost his balance. Scott threw a punch and Jagger was knocked off his feet. The gun fell from his hands and Kevin picked it up, throwing it down the aisle. Just then, the church was surrounded by police. Karen went over to Jagger as the officcers cuffed him. She tried her best not to cry as she took his face in her hands and stared hard. "What happened to you?" She whispered on a breath.
Jagger's eyes pooled with tears. "I lost Stone...and I lost my mind."
Karen raised her eyebrows as he was led away. Joe touched her arm softly and went to talk to the police.
In a daze, the bride made her way to the front of the church. When she reached the altar, she fell down on her knees, dropped her head in her hands and cried.

Lois looked around her apartment. It definitly needed some fixing up. But with a little paint, and a little old-fashioned furniture, maybe mahogany or cherry, she'd be set.
It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. A carriage house on the corner lot of a larger house. An older couple lived there their entire marriage, 55 years, had gone through 4 children, 11 grandchildren, and the tragic death of their 20 year old cat, Murphey. All of their children had spread around the counrty doing this and that, and they were sincerly lonely, so they decided to rent their gatehouse and carriage house to anyone who wanted it. Their market had actually been newly married couples, but a single mother and her baby was just as perfect. Lois had decided not to take the gatehouse for, well, for obvious reasons. The other gatehouse she had lived in was with Ned and she wasn't in the gatehouse business anymore.
The house had six rooms. A living room, a kitchen, two bedrooms and laundry room and a studio. She had decided she would use the rather large studio for an office for L&B. She had moved the headquarters from the Quartermaine gatehouse to here so she wouldn't have to run into Ned.

But today she would. Brooke was over there, and because she was too busy moving in, Ned had to drop the kid off when his visit was over.
The cordless rang and Lois leaned down, picking it up. "Lo?" She called into the receiver.
"Its Ned," the caller said.
"I know your voice, Ashton." Lois said, leaning down in the side of the fairly uncomfortable couch. "Whats wrong? Brooke sick?"
"No, but I was just calling for directions."
"Oh." Lois laughed. "Um, ok. Lets see...you know where Charles Street is, right?"
"Lois.." Ned said with a very "DUH" tone in his voice.
She giggled. "Right. Okay, follow it into the goonbonkers of town. Make a right on Apple Grove and its the last house on the right. Well, more like the last estate. The street is lined with huge mansions, and I mean huger than the Q place. But, anyway, there's a long gravel drive past a big iron gate. You drive through the gate past the gatehouse and their the road separates. Take the road on the right and the carriage house is at the end. Got that?"
"No."
"WHAT?" Lois asked.
"Well, you gave me the directions but I never got a pen. You didn't wait for me to get one."
Lois sighed, frustrated. "Ashton, you are one pain in the...now, get a pen and listen carefully because if you don't, I'm going to have to hurt you. Capiche?"

Joe walked down the aisle, toward his bride. She was crouched over, crying softly. Rhonda was holding her and when she saw Joe, she let go and stood.
"She needs you right now." Rhonda whispered, and left the room.
Joe got down in front of her and bent his head to look into her face. It was red and tear stained. Karen looked into Joe's eyes for another second before she let out a sob and moaned, "Hold me."
He didn't hesitate when he pulled her into his arms. She rested her head over his shoulder and hugged him tight to her, as if he were her last breath, her life-support, And in a funny, strange way, he was.
Joe pulled back after a moment and wiped her tears away. "I told the cops you didn't want to press charges...and to let Jagger go."
Karen nodded, tilting her head lovingly. She caressed the side of Joe's face. "You're incredible." She smiled for a second before turning serious. "I love you so much it scares me."
Joe smiled softly and brushed her hair out of her face. Neither of them knew they were being watched by the police, the priest and their guests. "May I kiss my bride now?"
He asked her quietly, almost shyly.
Karen slid her arms around his neck. "What took you so long?"
He drew her close again and planted a sweet, romantic kiss on her lips. If she hadn't been sitting on the floor, she would have surely collapsed. His kisses made her knees weak. When they pulled back, Karen burried her face in Joe's neck for a second. He leaned over on of the pews and picked up her bouquet and handed it to her. She laughed, thanked him, and stood. Thats when they noticed their audience. Karen and Joe burst into laughs, relieving the room full of all the tension since Jagger's appearance.
Joe leaned down and kissed her, pulling her up. She giggled happily as they made their way out of the church and towards their reception.

Lois stared out the window and sighed when there was sudenly a knock at the door. She stood up and slowly made her way there and pulled it open.

Her heart went knocking in her chest. Her knees went weak. Her voice turned to a low murmur as she hissed crazily, "Corinthos? What the hell are you doing here?"

Sonny pushed past Lois into the room. "Are you alone? I mean, are you really alone?"
"Yes, Ned is on his way with Brooke....answer my question, dammit!" But she was smiling. "I've missed you."
Sonny smiled back at her. "So have I, Cerullo. So have I."

Lucy Coe stood on the steps of the Recovery Room and sighed as she watched Joe and Karen's carriage pull away. The carriage was only taking them as far as Karen's apartment, where they would change and then drive themselves to the airport.
She heard a voice behind her and turned. Kevin was smiling down at her. "Whatcha thinkin?"
"A lot of things." Lucy told him, smiling. "I wanna be married, I wanna have a baby...I want us to be as happy as Joe and Karen were today."

"We are as happy." Kevin protested. Lucy shook her head. "I'm not. I can't have children. We haven't sat down at thought about *our* wedding yet, and I have an antsy, angry model whos supposed to pose for my Christmas shoot. I used to love my life, Doc. But now..."
"Hey!" Kevin whispered softly, "You don't know that we can't have children. I want to get married, Lucy, I do too. We've just been so preoccupied with Scott and Serena that we haven't had the time. But we'll get there."

"So, what are you doing here? Is it for Brenda?" Lois asked Sonny.
Sonny nodded. "Jason told me about her breakdown."
"She's not going to want to see you."
Sonny nodded. "But I want to see her. I have to. So she can know..."
Lois sighed and nodded. "Fine. But, I swear Corinthos, if she hates me...."

*~Chapter Five~A Honeymoon~*

Karen dropped her bags and took a look around the sprawling country inn suite. She and Joe were honeymooning in a country inn in the mountains of Pennsylvania. The inn was especially for honeymooners. With that, the rooms had no phone, no intercom, and no television. Private, romantic dinners of lall kinds were ordered by a little hook on the door. An attendent was going around every hour to make sure the deliveries and requests were being made.

The bedroom in which she and Joe got was amazingly breathtaking. A curtain was drapped over the canopy bed. When Karen fingered it, she gasped to realize that it was clear satin. Another curtain separeted the bedroom from the bathroom. It was a nice lavender, just like the accents of the room. There were three large picture windows lining one side of the room and the sunshine was filtering through.

Karen turned to Joe and whispered happily, "This is so beautiful. We're going to have a good time."
Joe nodded in agreement, smiling, as he bounced down on the bed. "Soft mattress. Think the walls are soundproof?"
Karen slid over to her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck. "They better be."
They laughed in unison even when their lips met. Before it could go any further, Karen pulled back and grabbed her garment bag. "I'll be back. Hold on, cowboy."
She slid through the curtains and opened her bag. Joe sighed and got off the bed, walking toward the mahogany finish entertainment center that was across from the bed.
"The brochure said no televisions in the rooms, so what do you think the entertainment center is for?" He called to her.
Karen shrugged. "I'm not sure...decoration?"
He could hear her getting dressed. Or undressed, he wasn't sure...
Joe pulled open the doors to the center and gasped in surprise. In front of him was a huge stereo system, already on, with shelves next to it lined with CD after CD after CD. Joe read the labels quickly. Each was an album, either jazz or R&B.
"We've got an entire music store here!" He told her.
Karen laughed. "What?" She poked just her head through the curtain and looked over his shoulder. "Put on some music...to set the mood."
Joe laughed again and skimmed the titles quickly before he found one that aquirred to his taste and slid it in. "I'm surprised I know how to work this." He muttured.
"Ready?" Karen whispered sexily. Joe's head whipped around and all the breath whoosed from his body.
There was his wife. In a white satin negligee that hugged her body in all the right places, and complimented it in the places it didn't. Her hair was lose around her face, and, although he couldn't tell from where he was, she had slipped on her favorite vanilla scented perfume. It was, of course, a product of Jacks Cosmetics. Lucy and Kevin's wedding present to them.

"I guaruntee you, Karen." Lucy had said, "It sets the mood. In fact, I was wearing it the night that I conceived. Trust me! It works. Drives them wild! You'll knock him dead, run him over, he'll trip all over himself, jump off a roof, drown in a river, all the good stuff." "Lucy, I want to make love with him, not kill him!" Karen exclaimed.

Karen giggled at the memory and slid across the room into his arms. Joe was instantly intoxicated by her perfume. He smiled and leaned down, kissing her.

Karen kissed him hungrily, before slowly unbuttoning his shirt. The camera pans to see her beautifully manicured hands, her diamond glistening in the sunlight, as they moved in time to the music.

They kissed in the dewy sunlight. Joe nuzzled her neck before making his way up to her lips. They slowly undressed each other, as Joe picked her up and laid her down on the bed.

Joe kissed her neck, her throat, and made his way down slowly. Karen kissed him back, fiercly, finally happy, finally safe, finally free.

They rolled over, until Karen was on top of him. Still they kissed, blocking out the world, the cold, and letting their passion and love keep them warm.

Joe slid the strap of Karen's gown off her shoulder and kissed it softly, loving her scent, loving the feel of her smooth, sweet skin beneath his lips.

Karen felt tears crawl in her eyes as Joe kissed her, repeatedly, with such love and carefulness. His strong arms held her tight, and hard in his embrace, and she couldn't even imagine wanting to be anywhere else.

Joe paused for a moment, looking deep into her eyes. They had tears in them, and they slowly made their way down her cheeks. He took his thumbs and removed them, kissing her sweetly.

Joe pushed the gown off of Karen, and pulled her close. He didn't give a damn about anything else, except her. He had her. She was his. Always and forever. All he wanted to do was hold her, kiss her, and somehow, make her feel safe.

Clasping hands over Karen's head, their hearts, minds and bodies became one. Without regret, sadness, or guilt, they were together. The way it should be.

~**Chapter Six~To Watch and To Wait**~

Lucy Coe stood in one of the waiting rooms of General Hospital, twirling her engagement ring around her finger. Today was the day. Today was the day of her paternity test, when she and Kevin would finally know whether or not they could have children. And she was just so afraid. She wanted to be a mother, she wanted that more than anything and what if she didn't get it? What would she do?
"Ms. Coe?" Lucy looked up. Dr. Newman stood on the threshold of her office. "The reults are in."

Lois smiled at Brenda across the enterior of the car. "Lo, where are you taking me?" Brenda asked her friend softly.
Lois shrugged. "I thought maybe we could have a little picnic. With Robin, Brooke, and, uh, Ned...."
"In the freezing cold?" Brenda exclaimed. "Lo, what have you been smoking?"
Lois laughed. "You know, if you want to insult me fine, but I know that you need to get out of that pigsty of an apartment. I can't believe you'd be so messy!"
Brenda sulked and looked out the window. She was silent for a moment befor she whispered softly, "Lois, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot, girlfriend."
"Robin said something to me the other day. About Sonny. I didn't say anything about it because I was too busy yelling about how much he had hurt me. But, when I think about it, it makes sense, you know?"
"Not until you tell me what it is." Lois told her friend as she pulled off the main road and on to a country road. She quickly looked behind her in the rearview mirror.
"She said that Sonny came back...and that he left me there at the alter to protect me. But why would he want to protect me Lois? Everything that he was trying to overcome he had overcome. He knew that I loved him and that I wanted to be with him. So why the hell would he choose my future for me?"
Lois then pulled into a little orchird and stopped the car. "Listen to me, chica." She told her friend. "Sonny is a powerful man. He lies, he schemes, but thats only part of him. The other part of him is the part of him you see when he's with you. And that I see when he's with Brooke. Or Lily, or Stone or Robin. He's loving, he's loyal, he's protective. And I know that part of the reason why he left you wasn't just for *you*. But for him. He needed to know that you would be safe because if he lost you like he lost Lily, Brenda, he'd die. You know that. You have to understand that. He's *not* the heartless bastard everyone makes them out to be."
Brenda nodded. "I just want to see him, Lois. I want to ask him why, you know? Why he would hurt me like this and then-tne tell Jason to tell me 'It was a nice ride?' What the hell is that?"
Lois shrugged as she and Brenda got out of the car. She and Brenda began to walk towards the field beyond the lot in which she had parked. "Lois, where are we?"
Just then, they heard voices. Brenda turned her head rapidly to Lois. She recognized one of the voices. She knew who it was. "Lois, is that...?"
Lois nodded breathlessly. "I had to Bren."
Tears gathered in her eyes as she and Lois came face to face with Sonny and Jason.
"Brenda." Sonny whispered, his eyes boring into the very depths of her soul.
She nodded.

Karen laughed softly as she fed Joe another strawberry.
"This is making a mess." He murmured in between bites.
Karen nodded again, giggling. "Hmm.." She moaned and leaned in, licking the strawberry juice off of his chin.
"But it sure is good." He began as Karen kissed his neck.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"What the hell is that?" Joe muttered. "I thought no interruptions."
Karen nodded and slid out of bed, pulling on a robe.
"Karrennn!!" Joe moaned. She giggled. "Hold on, honey. It must be important."
She knotted her robe and unlocked the door, pulling it open. A maid stood on the other side.
"Mrs. Scanlon?"
"Yes?" Karen asked, eyeing Joe.
She sighed. "We recieved a call at the front desk from a Scott Baldwin. He didn't say much, except that he was very sorry for interuppting you honeymoon, except that it was urgent that you rushed home immedietly."
"Whats this about?" Joe asked, walking up to the door. He had pulled on a pair of boxers. "She says that Scott called and said that it was urgent for us to go home."
Joe furrowed his brow. "Why would he say that?"
Karen nodded to the woman as she walked away toward the grand staircase down the hall. She closed and locked the door again. "I don't know. But something doesn't smell right."

Brenda stared at him for a second as tears puddled in her big eyes and pooled over. Lois looked down nervoulsy, putting a hand on Brenda's shoulder. Brenda knew that Lois wanted her to stay calm, so she took a deep breath before talking.
"You...left me."
Sonny nodded. "I have to tell you why."
Jason took Lois and they made their way down the path and out of sight.
"Why do you need to explain why to me, Sonny?" Brenda whispered, fists clenched, teeth bared. She looked at the ground.
"Because you need to know why I left you. I didn't do it to hurt you, Brenda."
"But you did, Sonny!" She exploded. "You left me at the alter! In my beautiful wedding gown, with YOUR mothers wedding ring, and.." She started to sob. "And our baby, Sonny. How could you do that to me? To us?"
"God, Brenda, you *know* if I had any idea that I was going to be a father I wouldn't have left-"
"I *don't* know that, Sonny!" Brenda sobbed. "I don't even know why you left me! WHY? To protect me? From what? WHAT, Sonny, WHAT? Explain it so that I can understand why you'd hurt me this way!" She screamed shrilly.
Sonny blinked as tears fell down his cheeks rapidly. "There were things-"
"WHAT THINGS?" Brenda screamed. "Sonny, why..."
"I knew what I was doing to you! I knew what I would be doing to our children, because it was the same thing I did to Lily!"
"Lily is DEAD! You didn't kill her! Her father did-"
"I let it happen! And I knew I couldn't prevent that from happening to you, so I had to leave you, baby."
"'It was a nice ride'?" Brenda asked softly. "It was more than that to me, you bastard!" She screamed so loud, it echoed off the field. "You are the love of my life! I was going to make you my family! And now, I don't have a family! You left me, and our baby left me too. Sonny, I needed you so much when it...I still do."
"I'm here." He whispered through his tears.
"How do I know that?"
"By this." Sonny leaned down and took her face into his hands, kissing her passionately in a way that only he could. Brenda didn't pull back. She whimpered and slid her arms around his neck. "Sonny...Sonny...Sonny."
He pulled back, but kept her face in his hands.
"Sonny..?" She whispered wantingly, her eyes bright.
"I'm sorry. I just want you so much, baby. But this isn't right. Because I hurt you and beacuse I'm leaving tomorrow...I have to go back on the run."
Brenda shook her head. "Take me with you, Sonny! I don't care! Please, I want to be with you so much it hurts me! Please, Sonny! Please, oh God, don't leave me again...I want to be your wife, Sonny. I want your children."
He shook his head. "Thats not an option for me."
Brenda pulled his head down and kissed him wetly. He groaned and kissed her back. When he started to pull away, she pulled him back, kissing him until they were both delirious.
"I love you." She whispered softly. God, she ahd told herself she would never....but now that she knew, she couldn't...life was too short.
"Baby, I love you too." He whispered against his lips.
She smiled. "Take me, honey. Port Charles isn't the same without you. I don't want...I can't...be happy without you," she murmured against his neck.
"You have Jax and Lois and Robin and Ned and Lucy and the Qs and Ruby...."
She shook her head. "They don't matter without you."
He sighed, looking down at his hands. "Its the same drill, baby. No questions asked, no phone calls, emails, letters, once we live, thats it, we're never coming back."
Without hesitating, she nodded and said, "I know. I love you with all of my heart and I want this. I do."
He nodded again, kissing her. "Then its done, sweetie."