She stood in front of the mirror, pinching the soft material of her blouse. Alexis brushed her fingers through her hair. "Are you almost ready?" She flinched at the sound of Jax's voice, calling to her from the living room.
Alexis emerged slowly from the bedroom and stood at the top of the stairs, watching his feet ware a streak in the carpet as he paced anxiously. She smoothed her hands down her hips and said, "I don't know. What do you usually wear when you're about to break someone's heart?"
He shrugged and leaned against the door, shutting his eyes. Jax took a deep breath.He lowered his head into his hands. "We've been preparing for this, Alexis." He looked up to see her standing before him, arms outstreched. He thread his fingers through her's and said, "Ever since my parents found out about our marriage, I've known that one day we'd have to tell them it was a lie. And you know something, Alexis?"
"What?"
"Even though these marriages of conveinence were a major disruption to our lives, in a way this past year has been..." Jax's voice faded, his eyes glassy and red.
Alexis nodded. Dropping his hands, she trailed her fingers up his arm. Holding her hand against his neck, she pulled Jax into her arms. She rocked him side to side. A warmth filled Alexis' body as his strong arms tightened around her waist and lifted her feet from the ground. "I know exactly what you mean," she spoke against his skin, brushing her lips across his neck.
He slowly released her from his embrace. Jax drug his fingers through his blond hair before wrapping his hand around the doorknob. He reached for her hand and lead Alexis into the hall. "You do realize that as soon as we come face to face with my parents, everything we rehearsed is going to disappear?"
"Unfortunately I am aware of that," she sighed, tapping her foot on the ground as they waited for the elevator doors to spread open. "I practically wrote a script last night."
Hand in hand, they stepped into the elevator. The grumble of the doors closing matched the nauseous swirl in their stomachs. Jax tightened his grip on her hand and said, "My whole life, I've done a million and one things to upset my parents. But never have I done something that I feared would push them away from me forever... until now."
Alexis reached to her side and pounded her fist against the emergency stop button. The elevator bounced and ceased moving. She caught her balance and gently pushed Jax against the wall, resting her hands at his chest. "Listen to me," she scolded him, "nothing could ever make your parents stop loving you. Nothing. And you're not alone in this. I'm right here. I didn't grow up with them, but I feel like I've loved them my entire life. I feel awful for bringing them here, for what they think is a nice family visit. But don't you think the longer we wait, the harder it will be?"
He nodded slowly, bowing his chin to his chest. He leaned forward until their heads touched, her hands gripping his arms. "I doubt there's another man on this planet who has ever loved the woman he's divorcing as much as I do," Jax admitted, blinking back the tears that threatened to escape from his hooded eyes. "Thank you for being my best friend."
"I was just doing what came naturally."
Jane dashed across the floor as soon as she heard the elevator doors slide open. She flung herself into the hallway as they emerged from the elevator, throwing her arms out to greet them. Jax hesitated and fell into her embrace, his guilt holding him back.
"Hi," Alexis said meekly, stepping into the room without meeting Jane's concerned eyes. She folded her arms across her chest and kept her eyes glued to the carpet.
"Is something wrong, Alexis?" Jane asked, lifting her daughter-in-law's chin. "Did something happen?"
Jax shook his head, forcing a smile to cross his lips. He squeezed his hands over his mother's shoulders. "Alexis and I have something we need to share with you and dad. We're both feeling kind of nervous, so..."
"Oh, Jax," Jane whispered. She clasped a hand over her mouth, open wide in surprise. She leaned closer to Alexis and pressed a hand to her stomach. "Are you pregnant, dear?"
Shaking her head, Alexis recoiled from her touch. "No, nothing like that," she said, her eyes red and moist. "Is John here?"
"Yes. He's just getting out of the shower. He could meet us in the grille?"
Jax took hold of his mother's hands, gently pulling her toward the sofa. He kept his eyes locked with Alexis', murmuring reassurances that only she could understand. "I think it would be best if we just stay here," he prodded, sitting beside Jane. He never let go of her hands, praying it wasn't the last time he would feel her tight, safe grip.
The hands on the clock seemed to cease moving. Walking on shaky legs, Alexis crumbled onto the couch next to Jax. Her hand fell over his thigh, her sweaty palm and trembling fingers latching onto the fabric of his pants. She tapped her foot on the carpet and flinched every time a noise sounded in the room. Alexis glanced over her shoulder, dreading John's appearance. She remembered the love and adoration in their eyes when she became their daughter-in-law; Alexis couldn't imagine what the opposite expression would look like.
Jane's forehead scrunched together as she tried to decipher the sadness in her son's eyes. "Did someone die?" She asked bluntly, unable to stand the suspense Jax and Alexis were creating.
Unable to supress a giggle, Jax squeezed his mother's hand. "No. No one died." His voice broke slightly and he leaned against Alexis, their shoulders pressing together.
"Why so quiet? Did someone die?" John bellowed, walking into the room with a bounce in his step. He kissed Jane and sat in the chair across from them, folding his hands over his lap. "Well?"
"Why do you both think someone died? Isn't that kind of morbid?" Jax asked, shaking his head.
John shrugged a shoulder. "The two of you look like you just lost your best friend," he pointed out, the irony of his statement stinging Alexis' eyes with a fresh batch of tears. She looked down at the ground, sucking in a deep breath. Jax slipped his arm around her waist and tugged Alexis even closer to his side.
"I'm sorry, but I wish that whatever it is you need to tell us, you'd just do it. I'm really starting to worry," Jane told them, patting her son's hand.
"Okay," Jax sighed. He drew a breath between his clenched teeth, turning to smile at Alexis. Her bottom lip was quivering, a tear wading in the corner of her eye. "I love Alexis very much. I never imagined having such an amazing friend grace my life and touch my heart the way she has. We probably spend more time together than most real married couples."
Jane cleared her throat. Jax felt her hand slipping away from his. "Real married couples?"
He nodded. "Alexis and I are getting a divorce."
"That's insane!" John shouted, rising from his chair. He began to circle the room.
Alexis sniffled and rubbed her eyes. Her throat seemed to cave in. A sharp pain shot through her chest, causing her to gasp for breath. She finally looked up to meet John and Jane's concerned eyes and said, "I know it's a shock. A sudden shock."
"Very sudden," Jane pointed out.
"But it's amazing that.... that we stayed together this long."
Jane squared her eyes at Alexis. She shook her head, her lips moving as she searched for the right words. "What?" She finally mumbled.
"I do love Jax, very much. But we're not in love with each other. We never were." Alexis sobbed, the words slurring in her throat. "We never meant to hurt you and Jax never wanted to betray your trust, but things got out of hand."
Jane roughly pulled her hand away from Jax's grip. She stood up, threading her fingers through John's. "Do you understand what they are saying, John?"
He nodded. "I'm afraid so. You're marriage was fake? How? Why? For money?"
"No!" Jax shook his head. His voice grew louder with every word. "Not exactly. It's complicated."
"Enlighten us," they sneered in unison.
Jax raked his fingers through his hair. He stood up, pacing the floor. He moved his eyes from his parents to Alexis, her shoulders slumped and shaking. "We were trying to help a friend. We had to-"
"Pull a scheme?" John shouted. "If you and Alexis did marry for conveinence, why couldn't you be honest with us? Since when have we not been trustworthy, Jasper?"
He flinched. They never referred to him as Jasper unless they were angry. "I can explain everything."
John felt his wife's body tense. She pressed her face to his chest, warm tears soaking through his shirt. "I don't want to hear your excuses. Marriage is a sacred bond, Jax. It's not for making deals and fooling your family! Get out!"
"But, dad, please-"
"I said leave! I don't want to look at you right now."
Jax grabbed Alexis' hand, helping her to her feet. They walked to the door and stopped. Alexis met their betrayed eyes and said, "I know you don't want to hear my voice saying anything right now. But just know that even if my marriage to Jax was fake, the love and appreciation I had for the two of you was always real."
For a second, Alexis thought she saw a smile playing on John's lips. But when he opened his mouth, his voice was a low and angry growl. "Leave."
She rubbed her hand in circles over the mirror, smearing a clear spot through the moisture. Alexis dried her hair with a towel and tossed it over her shoulder. Exchanging the towel around her body for a robe, she moved with heavy steps into living room.
Alexis flung herself onto the couch and curled her legs beneath her body. She shut her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She shuddered. Alexis couldn't escape the image of John and Jane, huddled together and staring at her with tear stained eyes.
Caught up in her thoughts and guilt, Alexis didn't hear the door open. She absently tugged a brush through her hair and reclined against the back of the couch. She jumped when a strong pair of hands clamped around her shoulders. "Hi," she whispered, laying her hand over Jax's.
"Hi," he smiled, kicking his shoes into a pile on the floor. "Can I join you?"
She nodded, patting the cushion beside her. Alexis took hold of his shirt collar as he sat down, popping the first button open. She loosened his tie, encouraging him to relax. "How did it go?"
Jax sighed, rolling his eyes. He took the brush from her hands and sat up on his knees. He turned Alexis to face the other direction. Jax ran the brush through her wet hair, the water splashing and dampening his pale blue shirt. He closed his eyes, the scent of her shampoo filling his senses and calming him. "When we left their room earlier, I was betting it would be five years before they'd talk to me again. Now I'm gonna go with four and a half."
"Is that good?" Alexis asked, turning her neck to face him.
He shrugged. "I told them the whole story, from our wedding day to our one year anniversary. They know all about Chloe's company and Gertrude. They cried, I cried. I know they don't want to be mad at us, Alexis, but how can we blame them?"
She turned around, taking hold of his hands. "We can't. But I promise you, Jax. They can't hate you. They'll come around. I just hope it's sooner than later."
"Me too."
"I was going to try and talk to them in the morning. Do you think that would be a good idea?"
The corners of Jax's lips lifted into a smile. He tucked a strand of hair behind Alexis' ear and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead. "They love you," he said firmly. "My parents have never let anger rule their emotions. They might be upset that we lied, but they will never forget how happy you made them. If you want to talk to them, go ahead. But should we get divorced first?"
"That might be a good idea. We can go to the courthouse first thing in the morning."
"After I make my wife breakfast," he winked.
Alexis looked down at her hands, twisting her wedding band around her finger. "Soon to be ex-wife," she reminded him, the words sounding more bitter than she had expected.
The reminder stung Jax. He blinked, his eyes raw from shedding so many tears. "Yeah. Just when I was getting used to having a Mrs. Jacks." He threw his legs over the side of the couch and moved to the desk. Slipping his hand into the top drawer, he removed a packet of papers and placed them on Alexis' lap. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "Good night."
She smiled and watched him disappear into his bedroom. Alexis clutched the papers to her chest, suddenly reluctant to scratch her name across the bottom. It was too simple; a signature and a visit to the courthouse. For all the turmoil and all the unexpected joy her marriage to Jax produced, the procedure of divorce was too simple.
Alexis' hand trembled as she flipped the pages. Jax had already signed the papers. She couldn't help but notice the sloppiness of his signature and wondered if he had hesitated. She loved Ned, and Jax was with Chloe. He was leaving Port Charles to travel and build back to the financial state he had been in before giving everything up to help Jerry. But the thought of no longer sleeping in the room next door didn't settle well with Alexis. She bit down on her lip and took a pen between her fingers, her eyes shut as she scribbled her name at the bottom of the page. The pen scratching across the paper was magnified in the silence of the room.
The heavy doors slammed behind them. As a reflex, Jax grabbed her hand. Their feet were planted to the floor and eyes locked on the wall in front of them. The chaos of the courthouse seemed to vanish from around them. A stream of reporters stormed through the room, stampeding a young man as his lawyers shielded him from the flashing camera bulbs. Neither Jax or Alexis seemed to notice.
She squeezed his hand. Alexis broke the silence, her voice quiet and broken. "So, that's it."
Jax cleared his throat, nodding slowly. The realism of what they had done and how different his life would be finally sank in. He was looking forward to travelling and striking expensive deals, but mornings wouldn't be the same without Alexis condoning him for drinking power shakes and starting a food fight. "That's it," he clarified, turning to face her.
Alexis forced a smile across her lips and extended her hand. "Congratulations, Mr. Jacks," she said, her tone bitter and fake. "You're a free man."
He sucked in a quick breath and wrapped his fingers around Alexis' hand. He drew her hand towards his mouth, pressing his lips to the soft flesh. Her breathing hitched at the contact. Jax massaged his lips over her skin, pressing her hand to his cheek. He met her heavy, glassy eyes and said, "No, I'm not. I am not happy about this, Alexis. One year ago, I would have been. But a lot has happened. I'm going to miss you."
She choked back a sob and streched her arm, cupping his cheek in her palm. She lowered her voice to a whisper and said, "We better get going or Gertude's spies might accuse us of not wanting to divorce."
Jax managed a laugh, grateful to no longer have to dodge Gertrude and her camp. He held his arm out, encouraging Alexis to slip her arm around his. They manuevered through the crowd and held each other tighter with every step. "So, do you have plans with Ned now that you're a single woman?"
"Nah," she shrugged. "My ex-husband is leaving town tomorrow and I'd like to spend some time with him."
The smile on his face widened into a playful grin. He slipped his arm around her waist, tugging Alexis against his side. "I have the best ex-wife," he whispered into her hair, placing a kiss into her soft tresses.
Alexis tapped her nails against the counter, absently staring at the elevator on the other side of the room. She sat up abruptly when the bar tender tapped her shoulder. "Yes?" Alexis sputtered, resting her arms across the marble top.
"The kitchen is almost finished with your order, Mrs. Jacks," the young man smiled.
"Oh, thank you." Alexis rubbed her temples and twisted her neck side to side. She hadn't slept the night before. She knew Jax was up most of the night. She could hear the faint sounds of the television and his closet doors opening and closing, making sure he had packed everything. Alexis had worn herself out after returning from the courthouse, continuously walking to John and Jane's room, only to turn away before her knuckles met the door.
The elevator doors slid open. Alexis' breath caught in her throat as she saw Lady Jane emerge, the bellhop pushing a cart of luggage behind her. Alexis stepped forward hesitantly. She held her arms behind her back, nervously fidgeting with the rings around her fingers. She didn't want Jane to leave without some kind of closure. But Alexis didn't know if she was strong enough to watch Jax leave Port Charles and have the couple she had come to know as parents brush past her as if she were a stranger.
Clearing her throat to make her presence known, Alexis watched as Jane slowly turned around. Her expression was blank, her eyes cast down at the ground. "Yes?" Jane asked formally.
"I won't blame you for walking away. But I have a feeling we'll both feel much better if we talk," Alexis sighed as the words struggled out of her mouth. She bit down on her lip, waiting for a response.
"I don't want to talk, Ms. Davis." Jane felt a tear twitch in her eye as she saw Alexis' face crumble at the sound of her harsh words. She tried to see the face of a liar, but she could only see the daughter she had always wanted. Jane took hold of her hand and whispered, "I'm sorry, Alexis. I still don't understand why Jax couldn't be honest with us. I still don't understand how two intelligent people could allow themselves to enter into a fake marriage, putting their lives on hold and decieving everyone around them. But I know that my son smiled more with you in his life, and for that I am thankful. Even if it wasn't because he is in love with you, I know that you brought him some kind of happiness." She dropped Alexis hand, slowly turning around.
Alexis reached out, her fingers grazing Jane's shoulder. "Wait," she called out, her voice cracking. "I hate myself for lying to you and John. But I am thankful for the time I had with Jax, for the friendship he gave me. And when I can't sleep at night, hating myself for what we did, I just remember that... and I remember that for a little while, I had an incredible mother." She dropped her chin to her chest, covering her face with her hands. Alexis held her breath and stiffened, wishing her shoulders would stop shaking.
Jane folded her hands over Alexis' shoulders. Leaning forward, Jane rest her forehead against Alexis' and said, "And I the daughter I always wanted." She pressed a lingering kiss into her hair, squeezing her shoulders before dashing out of the room.
When Alexis finally lifted her head, through tear stained eyes she saw John standing between the hotel's lobby and the grille. He offered a slight smile and took several steps backwards until she could no longer see him. Alexis sniffled and wiped at her eyes, listening to the bar tender call her name, "Mrs. Jacks." She knew it was probably the last time she would be referred to as a member of the Jacks family. She turned around, a proud smile hiding the pain on her face.
"We shouldn't have eaten so much," Jax moaned, holding his hands over his stomach. He sank down on the couch, stretching his long legs onto the table.
Alexis' head rolled onto his shoulder. She mimicked his groans and bent at the waist, her stomach burning. "I told you it was more than we needed."
He shrugged and stood up, giggling as Alexis fell over without the support of his body. He playfully tossed a pillow at her head. Jax stood in the middle of the room, his eyes relishing the sight of his best friend. He blinked his eyes several times and snapped out of his reverie. "Uh, it's almost time for the movie," he said, walking toward the kitchen.
"Where are you going?" Alexis asked, straining herself to sit up.
He smiled and wagged his eyebrows. "Popcorn!"
She rolled her eyes and keeled over to the side again, clutching a pillow to her midsection. "Jax! Popcorn? I can't eat anything else."
"It's a tradition," he stated firmly. "We decided that for my last night in Port Charles, we would spend an evening doing all of our favorite things. We already had an expensive dinner. I already beat you at Battleship. Now it's time for an old movie and burnt popcorn. No subsistutes accepted!" He stomped off to the kitchen, ignoring her protests.
The picture on the screen faded to black. The only light cast on their bodies, resting peacefully on the couch, was the moon streaming in through the window. Jax yawned and lifted his arm from around her shoulder. As he stood up, the blanket draped over their laps fell to the floor. Alexis rubbed her eyes with closed fists, prepared to deny that she fell asleep at any time during the movie.
Jax turned the telelvision off. He crouched on the floor beside her, taking hold of Alexis' hands. "My last night here and you fall alseep," he scolded her.
"Did not!" Alexis defended herself, her words slurred as she yawned. Their shared laughter slowly faded as their eyes adjusted to the darkness and focused on each other.
"Thank you for tonight," he smiled, lightly kissing her hand.
Alexis shrugged. "No problem. It was my pleasure."
"You know," he said, slowly rising to his feet. "There is still one thing I never got to do with my wife." Alexis squared her eyes, afraid to hear his suggestion. "I never danced with her."
She felt her hear sink deep into her chest. Alexis' lips moved but no words emerged. She felt limp as he lifted her away from the couch, resting his hand against the small of her back. "There's no music," she whispered as Jax guided her to the middle of the floor.
"We don't need music." He thread his fingers through her's, wrapping his other arm around her waist and tugging Alexis unutil her body was shaped against his. She circled her arms around her neck, tightening her embrace with every passing second. They created a slowly rhythm, moving their feet in circles across the carpet. She rest her head against the hollow of his shoulder, sighing as he pressed his forehead into her hair.
"I never imagined it would so hard to leave," Jax admitted, drawing lazy circles on her back.
She pressed herself against him, eliminating any space between their bodies. Alexis nodded against his chest. "I did."
He tensed at her words. Jax closed his eyes and felt nothing but her breath on his neck as she slowly looked up. "This just might be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," he whispered, his lips barely touching her ear.
Alexis moved her head from his shoulder. She revealed the tears streaming down her cheeks and covered his mouth with her hands. A silent thought passed between them and Jax slid his fingers into her soft locks. He gently pushed her head back to his shoulder, enveloping her in his arms.
The penthouse had never been so quiet in the morning. No noise could ever stir Alexis from her sleep, but the blaring silence forced her eyes open. She squinted as the sunglight slipped between the blinds, drawing the covers over her face.
Alexis lifted a corner of the blanket to see the clock. She wondered if Jax and Chloe were still in the lobby, waiting to be driven to the airport. She wondered if Ned was going to let himself into the penthouse, trying to cheer her up with champagne and strawberries. At the thought of food, Alexis had a sudden craving for popcorn.
Part of her wished Jax had woken her to say goodbye, yet part of her knew nothing could top the evening they had shared. The thought of a real marriage frightened Alexis to death, and she wondered if it would ever be as romantic and comfortable as her fake matrimony had been with Jax.
Rolling onto her side, she trailed her fingers through her mussed up hair. Alexis felt a sudden nakedness on her finger. She looked down and yelped slightly, realizing her wedding band was gone. She sat up suddenly and threw the blankets to the floor. Through the corner of her eye, she saw a band of gold shimmering beneath the sun, resting on her nightstand. She smiled and took the ring into her hand, slipping it over her finger to realize it was Jax's. The thought that he had exchanged their rings sent a warmth through her body, and stung her eyes with tears.
Alexis' hand trembled as she took a small envelope between her fingers. Carelessly ripping through the paper, she opened the letter with her name scratched across the front. As her moist eyes scanned the letter, she heard his voice in her head. "Dear Alexis... I've lost a lot of friends and lovers in my time. The pain had a way of making me blind to what I did have. I always thought I had good friends, but now that you've come into my life, I realize I was wrong. You are beyond a good friend, Alexis. My life will truly never be the same because of you, and without you, I would be lost. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for the beautiful goodbye."
She clutched the letter to her chest, her heart pounding rapidly beneath her skin. She fell down onto the bed, crumbling against the comfort of the mattress. Her sobs became louder, wracking her body. Alexis felt a trembling ache in her chest, knowing that for all the pain the past year brought to the people in her lives, she was better for the time spent as Alexis Jacks.