Sonny & Carly #11  Aug 30 - November 19, 2001 - 8 hrs

Carly goes to Angels house and since no one is there she decides to search the place. Meanwhile Angel and Sonny are at a restaurant/bar where Angel used to go with her father, over drinks Sonny asks her why she always wears white. She tells him that after her husband was murdered she didn't feel very colorful anymore. She also says she didn't want to be like her grandmother who always wore black and seemed so depressed all the time. They go back to her place where Carly is. Carly found a roll of film in Angel's house and quickly pocketed it. Suddenly she heard Sonny and Angel's voices outside. She hid behind a wall and listened as Angel flirted with Sonny asking if he'd like to go for a boat ride on the lake or maybe a swim. Sonny deflected and said that he doesn't like swimming in lakes and maybe another time for a boat ride. Carly smiled when she heard assuming he was turning down Angel's offer because he still loved her. Then she heard Angel ask if he would like to come in for a glass of wine. Sonny accepted the offer and Carly was crushed. Sonny and Angel came inside and Sonny criticized Angel for not locking her doors. She told Sonny her father is dead so who would want to hurt her now. If only she realized. Upon entering, Angel noticed her white jacket lying on the couch. She instantly turned to Sonny and said, "Someone's been here". They both started searching the house and the grounds and couldn't find anything missing. I don't know why she didn't find Carly. Angel suddenly figured it all out and hid the jacket behind a pillow. She told Sonny that maybe she was imagining things and asked if he'd like that glass of wine now. The mood had left him and he said he needed to go. Angel tried to get him to stay knowing Carly was listening. Finally, Sonny left and as Angel closed the door she turned around and yelled, "Ok, Carly. Get your butt out here!" The two of the sparred like wild cats each taunting the other over her relationship with Sonny. Carly accidentally let it spill that Sonny was divorcing her to Angel's excitement. In the end, Carly got the last laugh, as usual, when she told Angel that to her and Sonny, fighting was like making love, full of passion. "You and Sonny never fight, do you?" Angel told her to leave and laughing all the way to the door Carly says, "You may want to lock this door when I leave." Outside, Carly pulls the roll of film from her pocket and says "Don't fail me now."

Zander breaks the news that he is working for Sonny. Alan is very upset over the news and tells Zander that Sonny is a bad influence and an association with him can only lead to bad things. Just then Sonny walks in and overhears their conversation. Alan gives Zander Emily's number at rehab and tells him to call her and discuss it with her. After Alan leaves the room, Sonny sits at Zander's bedside and begins telling Zander about how he got started in the business. He wants Zander to reconsider working for him and makes sure he's aware of the dangers. He tells him that he began running numbers and then worked at a club sweeping up during the "families" meetings. He said one day he wanted his own club but someone gave him a better deal. "Like you're giving me," said Zander. "Yeah" Sonny replied. Zander then asked if Sonny ever got his club. "Paradise" Sonny responded was the name of it but told Zander it was a strip club and that it wasn't a good experience. He paid women to take their clothes off to entertain men. He said it was wrong. Zander seemed surprised at the revelation but told him that he understood and was old enough to make his own decisions. He said it's not about the money and the job, it's about power. The kind of power Sonny has. At the end of the conversation, Zander tells Sonny that he wants to work for him and that anything he wants him to do or needs done, just ask.

Bobbie went to visit Carly at her new home and explains she went out of town in search of Luke when she knew Sorel was dead and that Carly and Michael were safe. Carly then receives a package with Angels developed film inside. While going through them she comes across a picture of Jax and realizes they know each other.

At Sorel’s funeral Angel surprised Sonny by showing up in a fire red dress. She stated that she knew Sonny had hire most of her fathers men so he would now be safe. Then two of Sorel’s men arrived and asked Sonny for a job. Sonny said he would consider it to end the war. Carly arrived and upon seeing them together went across the hall to Chloe’s funeral. She told Jax that Chloe was the only person to ever treat her fairly. When she brought up Angel Jax kept quiet and went into the hallway where he ran into Angel. Suddenly Sonny comes out of Sorel’s funeral room. Jax tells Sonny to leave. Sonny makes a snide comment to Jax: "I guess you forgot to rescue her--that's twice in a row, isn't it?" Jax runs after him to slug him but Ned holds him back. Angel asks Sonny what that was all about. Carly asks Sonny if they can talk, but Sonny says no. AJ goads Carly, saying he will get his son back. Mac & Taggert set up a bug on Sorel's coffin, so they are listening when Carly & Angel are alone in the room talking. Carly tells Angel about Jax & Sonny's past with Brenda, even though Angel said she wasn't interested. Afterwards, the women threaten each other some more and Angel has some cryptic words for Carly, "I know, I saw." Taggert & Mac are listening in, all the while. Taggert stops Carly and tells her she is a suspect and they have a witness. She, of course, thinks the supposed witness is Angel, but when they tell her she is wrong, she realizes it is AJ.

At Sonny's office.. Sonny is getting information about the search for Sorel's killer from one of his men. Angel shows up and says she has something to tell him about Carly. Before she can get it out, Taggert shows up and asks Angel what she knows about Carly. Carly angrily accuses AJ of trying to set her up; she even physically attacks him. After pulling her off, Monica and Edward harass her and encourage her to confess until Alan tells them to stop. He shouts that she didn't kill Sorrel, because he…(Mac listens intently through the bug)…doesn't think this is the proper place. Chloe wouldn't want to remember them like this. Edward turns on the charm and invites Carly back into the Q house. She plays along for a few minutes seeming to agree, then blasts them all for being hypocrites (after accusing Edward of sexually coming on the her the last time). AJ drags her out of the room and demands to see Michael when Carly tells him Michael is now home. AJ makes Carly and offer, if she will agree to joint custody, he will confess to the police he lied about seeing her outside Sorrel's room the night he was murdered. AJ tells her she has a choice between agreeing with him or going to jail or maybe even a mental hospital. Carly tells AJ ". Lets see what Sonny has to say about that". She then heads out to see Sonny.

Taggert questions Angel about what she knows and saw Carly do. Angel and Sonny realize that the funeral parlor was bugged. When Sonny protests that any evidence gathered was illegal, Angel surprises them by saying she will tell them both what Carly did. Angel tells Taggert that Carly hit her car in the parking lot and did $1200 worth of damage. When Taggert asks what the big deal is about that, Angel responds "She was driving without a license, that is illegal". An angry Taggert realizes he is not going to get any answers, at least not the ones he really wants to hear, and storms out slamming the door. Alone again, Sonny asks Angel if she knows something that could hurt Carly and why she didn't tell Taggert. From her comments he realizes that Carly was the person who broke into Angel's house. When he questions her again as to why, after all Carly has done to her, Angel didn't tell the police what she knows, Angel responds that even though Carly might deserve it, it would hurt Sonny too and Angel would never hurt Sonny like that. Angel admits that she did go to the hospital the night her father died. She hated him, Angel tells Sonny, and so can't really blame ANYONE one for what they may have done. (They are standing closely together and appear to be about to embrace, when the door is opened by Carly.)

Taggart reports back to Mac that his questioning of Angel was a bust. He also tells Mac that he wouldn't be surprised to find out ANGEL killed her father. Mac tells Taggart to take another look at the prints on the picture of Michael and compare them to Alan's. He wants to take a closer look at all the medical procedures and medications Sorrel might have had the night he was killed. Maybe, Mac tells Taggart, Sorrel wasn't killed when the plug on the respirator was pulled after all!

At the end of this episode cast lights a candle symbolizing their grief over the WTC bombings.

After Taggert left Angel told Sonny that she covered for Carly because she knew that he loved Carly's son and for him. Angel moved very close to Sonny and started some cute repartee with him. She told him that she knew him and recognized that he would never get close to someone unless he wanted. Carly walked in the door and told Angel to stay away from Sonny. Carly called Angel the usual names - it is interesting because Sonny did not interfere with them. Sonny did not respond to Carly and would not ask Angel to leave, so Carly pulled out the ace card - Michael. She said I guess you are not interested in how AJ threatened Michael. All of sudden Sonny was paying attention and grabbed Carly's arm. She asked if he really cared. Sonny asked what AJ was trying to do but Carly would not tell him in front of Angel. Sonny asked Angel to leave and she did willingly. Carly immediately divulged that AJ had gone to the police and told them that she had killed Sorel. Carly was panicked because she figured that she had killed Sorel. Carly confessed point blank to Sonny. Again Sonny asked her not to continue, but she said that since they were married they could not testify against one another. Carly kept on saying that she did it to protect Michael and Sonny. She could not let Sorel hurt her family. Sonny finally grabbed her by the arms and said listen Carly, really listen to me because you did not kill Sorel he was already dead when you pulled the plug. What do you mean Sonny, she said. I can't tell you anymore just rest assure that Sorel was already dead when you got there. Sonny poured a tall drink of scotch and asked Adam to get Carly home safely. Who knows what to make of this scene because Sonny was wearing a real poker face? It was hard to tell if he was just fed up with Carly or if he still cared; Sonny was not thrilled with the news. Carly looked at Sonny, in a helpless way, and thanked him before she left. Obviously these two have some more situations to get through. Later at Carly house Michael runs down stairs and told his mom he had a bad dream where a bad man was after him. Carly asked if she was in the dream, he said no just Uncle Sonny. Meanwhile Sonny has AJ brought to him bound and tied.

Carly reiterates (to herself) that she pulled the plug and she'd do it again. Taggert, of course, walks in while the words are still hanging in the air. Anyway, he tries to fluster her and get her to defend herself from Angel's (supposed) accusations. Enter Angel, who saves Carly's butt by announcing that yes, Carly's a lousy driver. The two actually gang up and belittle Taggert's Mayberry-esque interrogation style. Taggert leaves with something tucked between his legs... meanwhile Angel throws Carly a few zingers about using a child to hold onto Sonny.

Sonny's associates present a sulky A.J. to their boss, who's apparently enjoying the fine cuisine available in an abandoned meat packing plant. Tsk, tsk - don't you ever learn A.J., when Michael misbehaves, Carly gives him a time out to think about what he's done. Carly's a bad mother, my attorney's gonna make her pay. Sonny goes over all the mistakes A.J. has made, including the fact that to save his own skin, he sacrificed his rights to be with Michael EVER. Does the word "arsonist" ring a bell? Let's make a deal, you stay out of little Michael's life for good, and I might let you live. In the meantime, why don't I just hang you on a hook? That'll teach you to upset Carly and call my soon-to-be ex-wife Trash.

Mike pops in at Carly's where the girls are still snipping at each other. Angel's got to go - time to bury Pop. "Have fun" says Carly. Jax and Kristina show up at Angel's but she's not back from the burial yet. Jax exits, out pops Mrs. Corinthos, knock knock - "Oh hi, I'm a friend of Angel's - who're you?" Carly bluffs her way into Angel’s house, telling Kristina she and Angel are good friends always dropping by each other’s places. She says she’s dropping off Angel’s photos and shows Kristina the one of Jax. Carly starts jabbering about how Angel and Jax were an item, getting non-committal nods from Kristina.

Alexis asks Sony to loan her a henchman to protect someone. She won’t explain beyond giving Kristina’s first name. Sonny says no problem; she’s his friend and she needs help. He’ll arrange a safe house for Kristina. Alexis says she likes being his friend. Sonny goes on to tease her, asking if that means she won’t make a big fuss the next time he needs her to defend him.

Jax tells Angel he dropped Kristina off at her lake house. He needs to keep her out of sight. Angel agrees to help. She heads home to help Kristina settle in.

Carly arrives at Sonny's office. Sonny tells her he’s taken care of A.J. and she shouldn’t worry. She sees that as proof that he still cares, but he says he did it for Michael. Carly steers the conversation around to Angel, going on and on about how Sonny likes her because she understands him. But your precious Angel withheld information from you, she crows. Sonny doesn’t want to hear it and asks Carly to leave. She shows him the photo of Jax and says she found it in Angel’s house on a roll of undeveloped film. Doesn’t it bother you that Angel is close to the man you hate? She’s playing you for a fool, Carly gloats, and I know how you don’t forgive betrayal. Sonny pretends to not be bothered by this bit of news and instead focuses on the fact that Carly broke into Angel’s house and stole the film, proving that she’s out of control, as usual. Carly can’t keep quiet any longer and spills her juiciest tidbit - Angel and Jax slept together!

Kristina tells Angel how lovely her home is, how quiet the setting. There's a knock at the door, Angel asks Kristina to hide. A surprised Alexis is standing there.

In the background, a storm rages in Port Charles. Through the windows of each building you can see the lightening and hear the thunder. Alexis and Angel greet each other warily. Alexis asks to speak to Angel alone, then demands to know who she really is. Alexis wonders why Angel never mentioned that she finds people for a living. She also wonders if Angel can be trusted to keep Kristina's presence and identity a secret. Angel explains that Kristina come to her for help, and it was sheer chance that Jax got involved when Angel mentioned their mother's name to him. Alexis tells Angel that it's difficult to maintain relationships with both Jax and Sonny simultaneously. Angel tells Alexis to ask Jax if she wants to details about their relationship. Angel also asks if Alexis' concern is because of Kristina or Sonny. Kristina returns and tells Angel about the "friend" who stopped by to return the pictures. After looking at the pictures, Angel asks Kristina for a description of this "friend". "Blonde, confident, very talkative, gestures a lot with her hands," says Kristina. "Carly" say Angel and Alexis in unison. Angel angrily wonders of Carly is crazy or just stupid, then takes off to confront Carly. Alexis gets a call from Stephan, so she has to go bail him out, but assures Kristina that Stephan is not guilty. Before she leaves, Alexis tells Kristina she has hired a bodyguard for her.

Carly warns Sonny that Angel is playing him for a fool, as she is also involved with Jax, has been for a long time. Sonny asks (again) why she is doing all this. Carly answers "Too protect you". Sonny says he knows her better than that, she doesn't do anything unless there is something in it for herself, so she may as well lay her cards on the table and tell him what she wants. Her answer is "you". She pries into his relationship with Angel by asking if he hasn't noticed Angel is trying to seduce him. He agrees with that assessment, but reminds her he doesn't give his trust easily, then rebuffs her by reminding her that when he does trust and that trust is betrayed there is no going back-with anybody! Next Carly tries seduction. She vividly recalls, with words, the times they have made love in the past. "Every way, anytime, anywhere" and tells him he can have her now…here. It doesn't matter if he loves or hates her. It appears to be working as they touch and even kiss, but Sonny pulls away and tells her to leave. Carly claims he is in denial, and wonders how he spends time with Angel. Sonny reminds her she claimed to want to be independent. Then tells her to go off and live her life, take care of Michael, but leave him alone and let him have some peace! She'll go, says Carly, but he'll wish she had stayed because he still loves her and wants her.

Jax hangs up his phone wondering why no one answered. Carly approaches him and says she wants to talk to him. He brushes her off by telling her he doesn't have time to listen to her now. Carly says "It's about your little pal Angel. Do you know she is involved with Sonny?" Angel angrily storms into Sonny's office looking for Carly, ranting that Carly forced her way into her house again and was poking around for info. She realizes that Sonny is upset, and guesses Carly has just left and told Sonny something about her. Sonny tells Angel that Carly has the idea that Angel had an affair with Jax. Angel answers "I did."

Carly and Angel almost had a cat fight. They threw champagne in each other's faces. In Angel's confrontation with Sonny, She admitted that she had had an affair with Jax in Europe. She says: "I also had a business deal with him". An angry Angel lets Sonny know that" Her World" does not revolve around him. He is still suspicious as to why she helped him to live. Angel tells him that he is much too paranoid and egotistical for her to reason with. So, She leaves to find Carly. An angry, sneering Jax goes to see a still-fuming Sonny.

Carly and Angel were butting heads and words. They could barely control themselves. Angel frustrated, threatened Carly again about being somewhere she was not supposed to be. Then Carly came back and replied if you know so much then how come you did not undo what you think I did? Angel was fed up and shoved Carly then Carly pushed Angel into a waiter with a tray of glass and other items. Taggert looked on for as long as he could before going over to them. He told them that they would have to go down to the station because they were under arrest. Both women were upset that Taggert had overheard their conversation but it was too late now. At the police station Taggert went for Angel first. Angel was tight lipped and told him that she was angry as hell and just making idle threats to Mrs. Corinthos. He had to let her go. Then Carly jumped up ready to leave, however Taggert made a last ditch effort to get some information from her first. Carly just applauded and told him that maybe one day he would catch someone, but not this time.

Jax paid a visit to Sonny. Of course Sonny was expecting him after he realized that he was there to speak about Angel. Sonny told him that he was not interested in Angel. Angel keeps coming back to him. Jax started talking about Lily and Sonny told him to stay away from that topic. Then Sonny brought up the past and Brenda and that Jax was not able to save her. Jax went off then and Sonny interrupted him and told him not to talk about Carly. Sonny said that Carly was not crazy; she was a fighter and is just fighting for what she wants. Sonny also mentioned that Jax played right into Carly's hands. Was he not aware that she was spinning him around like a top? Jax said he knew what he was getting into because Angel is his friend and he cannot stand by and let something happen to her. Sonny told him to talk to Angel. Tell her about me everything all the bad things, but talk to her. You told Brenda the same things and she still loved me and that is really what gets you. At that moment Jax was not prepared for any more discussion he told Sonny that he hoped Carly will win him back because the both of them deserve each other.

Angel returned home from the police station to find Jax at her home. He had dismissed Sonny's guard. He asked Angel if she wanted to play a game of bridge it may be considered old but still worthwhile. She offered him tea and then he countered with champagne from the Cassadine winery that he had just taken over. Angel asked the question, how long are we going to have small talk before we get the to subject of Sonny?

Carly returned home and yelled out Leticia I'm home. It was odd because she did not hear a reply. Carly turned around to go upstairs and saw Sonny walk down the stairs. Carly smiled, but Sonny had this serious poker face look. Sonny and Carly talk about Michael and how the riding of the bike is going. Sonny tells Carly that the training wheels are coming off next week and Carly says that’s too soon, what if he falls? Sonny said you just get back up and ride again. Carly said that that’s good advice to which Sonny says only for riding a bike. Sonny then gives Carly the divorce papers.

At Angel's Lake House: Jax and Angel discuss Sonny more. She tells him of the run in she had with Carly. Jax asks if she is involved with Sonny. She replies it depends on what you mean by involved.

Carly thought Alexis was going to give her the divorce papers, Sonny says he wanted to make sure she got them. She throws the paper down. She goes into why he should stay with her, proved to you Angel with two timing him with Jax. Sonny says he doesn't owe Angel anything, he offered to pay her but she wouldn’t take the money. Carly talks about her competition with Angel. Angel brings up how I treated you, throwing it in my face that she saved you. Sonny says that Angel doesn’t have to do that because he sees it every time he closes his eyes. He tells Carly that they're not getting divorced because of Angel or Jax; there marriage is over because she killed it. Carly tells Sonny that she didn’t want to marry him in the first place and Sonny tells her she was right. She says that she learned a lesson, and he asks if she learned it from Jax. He accuses her of trying to get him to jump on Jax for sleeping with Angel. He tells her that if he wants to trash Angel to go ahead it wont change what’s between them. She tries to touch him and he tells her not to. He told her that she lied to him since the day they took their vows she made promises and had no idea what they meant. He tells her that honor is whatever gives you what you want. He tells her that she’s brave and strong and a fighter but she only fights for herself. Carly tells him that she loves him and Sonny shakes his head. He tells her that he can’t do it because she will just turn her back on him. Carly tells Sonny that he is just trying to convince himself; she can hear it in his voice.

Jax tells Angel that they should have went to Paris that way she would have never met Sonny. He tells her that Sonny gives all women the same story that he’s in pain and they can save them. He goes on to say that he makes the women dependent on him and when they have nothing he leaves them. Angel says that she’s not Brenda to Sonny or Jax. He says that Brenda was the same way before she got involved with Sonny. She tells Jax she’s seen worse than Sonny and that she doesn’t need him to protect me; she understands him, he can’t hurt her. Jax says he’s heard those words before (referring back to Brenda) and tells her that he IS going to protect her.

Sonny tells Carly to sign the papers. Carly tells Sonny that he can’t shut down how he feels about her; let yourself forgive. He then puts the papers in her hand. He bought Michael a toy boat give it to him in the morning. He tells her that everything costs. He asks her where she was when she came to PC, she had a made up name and slept with Tony to get back at Bobbie. He asks her what she has now, a son house and money. He asks her what it cost her, your heart that little part of yourself that you try to keep clean? He tells her that he sold of the honor trust and graces that let him stay with her, he traded it in for power. He tells her that he isn’t in the position to forgive her and never was (he says this with a very shaky voice). Carly tells him not to throw “us” away, to listen to his heart.

Sonny tells Carly that he can stop the divorce but it will cost everything he is. If he takes her back he’s not loyal to his men. He tells her that every thing he has earned he will lose because of her. He says that he would have lied if he snitched to the FBI, his honor cant be questioned it is who he is. Carly tells Sonny that she knows he wants it (it referring to a family) and he tells her that she’s wrong. She tells him that she’ll just sit by the window with nights and days filled with business longing for the family he threw away. She asks him how long he can live in that pain, he says as long as he has to.

Angel’s: Jax tells Angel that he has a yacht and that they could go to the Bahamas. He asks her if she would rather be there then chasing a criminal? She tells him that she’s cruel. He says he’s honest and will do his best not to let her get her. He’s involved even if she doesn’t like it. She tells him to help Kristina. Jax stays the night at Angel’s.

Carly tells Sonny that they were good in bed, and Sonny tells her that they can find other sexual partners. Sonny tells her that he can’t change is mind, cant change him. He told her that he never lied about who he was or the way he lived. He says they don’t work and no amount of love will fix that. Carly asks him how to stop what she feels. She says she should hide like he does with Angel? She says she’ll fight for the both of them. He tells her that he’ll have Alexis pick up the papers after she signs them. He turns and leaves. Carly looks at the papers and rips them up.

Stavros and Carly bumped in to each other and fireworks flew all over the place. They were so obvious (in front of poor Gia!) that she got a major attitude and left! Stavros enjoys Carly's feisty attitude. Carly enjoys his wealth and power. The scene went something like this: Carly walks in on Stavros warning Gia not to tell about Nik's plan to murder Liz. He warns her that she would be putting her life and those around her in jeopardy if she does. Carly walks in on the two and warns Gia to stay away from the dirty, rotten, low life scoundrel. Gia comes to his defense but a clearly amused Stavros says that Carly is right. He apologizes to her for his groping her during their initial contact. He says he was recovering from a heartbreak and to please accept his deepest apologies. Upon learning that Stavros is an international financier, she asks him what he knows about corporate takeovers. He advises her to destroy what she wants (Deception), then she can get it cheap. She admires his coldness and asks how can she get in touch with him again. He says, "I will get in touch with you....and very soon!" Alexis tells Sonny that Kristina is her sister. He promises to protect her.

Mike goes to visit Sonny, Mike can’t sleep; maybe his conscience is bothering him. Sonny says he can sleep fine. Skye's in the process of ripping into Sonny when in march Alan and Ned. They tell her that A.J.’s turned up, kind of. He fell off the wagon again, you can visibly see Skye deflate over that disappointing tidbit. Alan apologizes to Sonny for intruding. No Prob – Mike witnesses the whole thing then rather wryly asks his kid, “so where is A.J.?” Of course the "bartender" stops by Sonny's to get paid for his acting services - A.J. manages to get himself off the hook –literally. He uses some other meat packing equipment to pry open the door. Goon #2 is right outside. He tells A.J. that if he’s willing to sign away his rights to Michael’s custody then he’s free to leave.

Michael had a bad dream and was inconsolable. Carly called Sonny for his help. Sonny came over directly and comforted Michael. Michael told Sonny how much he loved him and Sonny confirmed his love too. He told Michael he would always be there for him. Leticia came down stairs and asked Michael if he was ready for bed now. Michael was better and gave his mom a hug good night. Sonny talked to Carly about her actions early and told her he did not approve. Even with that he would never let their problems interfere with Michael. Sonny promised that he would always be there for Michael. Carly told him it was more than just that. They were a real family that always come together when times are hard or when they need each other. Carly said, Sonny I love you and I know you still love me too. Sonny had his famous reply that does not matter I still want a divorce. Carly moved closer to Sonny and she kissed him. Sonny kissed Carly back! But only for a few moments, then he pulled away and left. It is so obvious that Sonny still loves Carly a great deal.

Carly came home to find Lucien Cane waiting in her living room. Initially irritated, Carly was pleased when he told her that he had thought of a way to help her take back Deception. Sonny showed up to discuss the terms of their divorce, and was surprised to find another man there. When Sonny demanded Lucien leave, he casually sat down on the couch and told Sonny, “I don’t like your attitude.” Carly was obviously pleased that Lucien and Sonny was sparring over her. Lucien continued outrageously flirting with Carly, telling her how beautiful she was and generally pissing Sonny off.

Later, after Carly asks Lucien to leave, Sonny interrogates her about his background and tells her she is too smart to trust a stranger. Carly tells him that he doesn’t get to divorce her AND decide who she dates “or sleeps with”.

Jax is upset that Alexis and Sonny ganged up on him to make him let Stefan escape, but he gets really concerned when he finds out Sonny knows about Kristina. He tells Alexis he’s worried about her; how can she trust Sonny? “You’ll live to regret this, Alexis,” Jax says, “if you’re lucky.” Then he leaves. Alexis laments that she may have just lost her greatest friend. Sonny compliments her for standing up for what she believes in. He wants to know if she’ll take his assistance if he offers it. Alexis tells him other people are involved who don’t trust him. Sonny doesn’t care, he just wants to protect her. After all, it’s in his best interest to keep his lawyer safe. Alexis says he’s not as self-centered as he pretends to be. Sonny points out that she can’t stop him from putting guards on her. They share another moment of their unique camaraderie. Sonny says he doesn’t need to know everything; “as long as you don’t lie to me, we’ll be okay.” “I’m the one with ethics here,” Alexis returns. “You’re the one who’s morally challenged.” “Yeah, but I pay well,” Sonny responds. “True, good point,” Alexis says, then adds, “You’re also an excellent friend.” Sonny again urges Alexis to accept his help; he can keep Stefan safe. Alexis says that no one can keep Stefan safe, given what he has to do. She can’t tell Sonny what’s going on; she’ll only say that some people who you dislike never go away. Sonny promises that he won’t let “whoever” get to her.

Sonny visited Carly. She was dressed in a huge rob and hair pulled back. Once Carly realized it was Sonny she changed her clothes and put on this super sexy black nightgown and robe. He questioned her about it but she did not answer about the lingerie. Sonny gave Carly the papers that AJ had signed relinquishing all rights to Michael and saying that he will not try to take Michael away. Carly was so blown away she gave Sonny a great big hug. Sonny hugged back. Carly sincerely thanked Sonny and appreciated that in the midst of all their problems and issues Sonny did not waiver regarding Michael. Sonny told Carly that AJ had already cost them a child and he needs to stay away from Michael. Sonny then stated that he had another serious matter to discuss. Sonny wanted to adopt Michael. Carly was floored. She did not know how to take this. Carly told Sonny that she wanted Michael to have a mother and father who lived under the same roof and be a family. Sonny told her that they both could love Michael and not be together. Carly was not comfortable with Sonny's proposal and told him that he can't just have Michael without her. She told him she was trying to be honest. Sonny said that he could not have Michael unless they stayed married. Carly confirmed that was her point. She told Sonny that he could see Michael anytime and was always going to be in Michael's life. Sonny wanted to make it legal, but Carly was not ready. She told him that she would think about it and get back to him. Gia asks Carly for help locating "Lucien" but gets turned down flat. Mike advises Carly to consider Sonny's request an encouraging sign.

Sonny goes to check up on Alexis and notices how scared and nervous she is and asks what she is not telling him. Sonny offers to spend the night guarding a grateful Alexis. She is nervous with Stavros on the loose. Sonny offers to order take out from the No Name. Carly shows up at the door and asks Sonny to with her across the hall so that they can talk. He turns her down saying he is staying the night with Alexis - the look on Carly's face! Carly blows up about Sonny spending the night with Alexis. Sonny says it has nothing to do with their divorce. He’s there to protect Alexis; Carly doesn’t believe him. Carly says she will always be grateful to him for getting A.J. to sign away his parental rights, but she doesn’t want him to adopt her son. Alexis accuses her of using her child. Sonny says he needs it to be legal so Michael can know he can always count on him. We’re both selfish, he tells Carly, but we can’t be selfish about him. Carly instantly goes against that bit of advice by saying, “You can have what you want if I can have what I want.” Sonny says his mind is made up about the divorce. Carly asks Alexis for a new set of papers (she tore up the others). While she’s out of the room, she and Sonny talk more. Sonny explains that it would not be good for Michael to grow up in a house of tension between his parents. He says he’ll put a guard on her and Michael. Carly says, “Alexis gets you, and I’m stuck with Adam or Johnny?” She storms out. An awkward moment passes when Alexis wonders aloud how Carly could think there’s anything between them. She tells Sonny that Carly actually has a point about the divorce; wouldn’t it be easier if they reconcile? Sonny says that Carly can’t accept the secrets in his life, and it wouldn’t be fair of him to ask her to. He’d kill the “Carly-ness” in her. With them apart, his life is under control. Alexis says she understands keeping everything in nice compartments; sometimes you end up alone in one of those compartments. Alexis gives Sonny sheets, a blanket and a pillow for the couch and goes upstairs to bed. Later, a restless Sonny stares out the window and groans Carly’s name. Upstairs, Alexis tosses and turns. She goes downstairs to give Sonny an extra pillow. He gets up from the couch and kisses her. Their passion builds, his p.j. shirt is off, things are getting hot and heavy and . . . Alexis sits bolt upright in bed, saying “Oh, my God!” to find Sonny in her doorway staring at her and wondering just what kind of dream she had. Boy, is she embarrassed.

Bobbie comes by and agrees with Carly that Sonny adopting Michael is maybe not the best way to show his love. Carly says she just left him at Alexis' penthouse. She says maybe she should just divorce him and searches for a pen. Bobbie warns her not to do it out of spite. Carly finds a pen and sits down to sign the papers .

At Carly's house she appears to be trying to get Bobbie to convince her to change her mind about signing the divorce papers. Bobbie advises her to 'be objective'. Carly protests that she can't because she hates the thought of Sonny with anyone else. Bobbie wonders why Carly thinks Sonny is suddenly interested in Alexis, then asks Carly what she has done to earn Sonny's trust lately? Carly insists that she will make Sonny choose; either Michael and her, or a divorce! Bobbie tells Carly to think about what is the most important thing in all this. "Hint: It's not You and it's not Sonny" says Bobbie. Bobbie asks Carly why she wants someone who doesn't want her? Carly explains that she is not an immature person who can't let go when a relationship is over but she know that they still love each other, why should she let someone take him? Bobbie warns her daughter that love without trust goes no where. Carly swears she will get Sonny to trust her again somehow. Bobbie gives Carly some insight; "You don't trust Sonny! If you did you wouldn't worry about who he's with, when he's not with you". As Carly sits and ponders this bit of info, the doorbell rings; it a cop!

Alexis and Sonny are conversing we keep hearing Lexi's thoughts. In Alexis' bedroom Sonny asks if she is okay (OK I just dreamt you kissed me! Why don't you button your shirt?) I'm fine says Alexis. Sonny sits on the bed and puts a hand to Alexis' forehead, saying she looks flushed. (He's sitting on the bed! Don't sit on the bed; go stand in the corner!) I just had a nightmare she replies. They go downstairs and continue a discussion on the symbolic meaning of dreams. Alexis babbles, and says "dreaming you kissed someone, means you forgot to brush your teeth" (Oh god, did I just say that?). Sonny says he knows she's worried about Stefan and Kristina, but assures her he's got his best people on Kristina. Alexis tells him she doesn't know how she'll ever thank him for what he's doing, Sonny replies that he'll think of something, as he reaches into her popcorn bowl and their hands touch. Alexis manages to squeak out "what do you mean". As Sonny tells Alexis to go back to bed, there is a knock on the door. It's the PCPD. The cop tells Sonny that Mac wants his co-operation in the Sorrel investigation. Sonny replies for the Commish to call and make an appointment during regular business hours. The cop informs Sonny that Mac said to tell him, if he refused to come, Carly would be questioned alone.

Sonny and Alexis are the first to arrive at Mac's get together, closely followed by Carly and Bobbie. Carly wants to know what they are doing there. Sonny tells Carly, "Ask her" and points to Angel, who just entered. Sonny asks Angel himself; when Angel denies any knowledge, Carly (as usual) accuses her of lying. Sonny comments that if Angel doesn't know, then it must be Mac's doing and asks the Commish what they are waiting for. Zander is the next to appear. When he starts reeling of the reasons the police would like to pin the murder on him, Alexis shushes him and points out Zander is not the only one there. Sonny comments to Mike that he appears to be very nervous. He then comments to Angel that this place must bring back bad memories. (I would guess they are at her father's house). She answers that it brings back the good memories, but they still hurt. Carly tells Bobbie that she can leave, but Bobbie says they asked for her to be there also. In the background Mac asks Felicia for her impressions. She replies that everybody is just (understandably) nervous, but comments that she doesn't understand why Bobbie was included in the group. Mac admits Bobbie is a longshot, but thinks she could have been pushed to murder, after all the times Sorrel threaten Carly's and Michael's lives. The Q family arrives and demands to know what is going on. Roy and Melissa enter, feel the bad vibes and promise each other that what ever happens, it won't take away from what they said to each other earlier.

Mac takes center stage and thanks everyone for coming. He tells them he wants them to know it's a strictly voluntary and informal gathering, but threatens to make it mandatory, when some say they are leaving. He points out some charges against several attendees. Carly for perjury in her claim that Angel had her kidnapped; Zander for packing a bag even though he was told not to leave town ; Alan and Monica for large amounts of parking tickets; Roy and Melissa for all they evidence found fingering them in the Sorrel murder. Sonny points out that all this has nothing to do with him, so he is leaving. Alexis will stay and make sure that Carly's, Mike's and Zander's rights are observed. AJ steps in his way and says it's not fair for "the criminal" in the group to get leave and tells Mac he has some charges against the mobster. Sonny forced him to sign away the rights to his son. AJ tells the whole story right down to the bottles of booze Sonny supplied him with. Alan warns Sonny that if it is true, he'll make Sonny pay. Sonny calmly points out that alcoholics never take responsibility for their actions once the binge is over, they always find someone to place the blame on. AJ says he wasn't drinking and he has proof. He calls on Zander to back up his story, but Zander says he doesn't know what AJ is talking about. AJ threatens Zander with telling Emily if Zander doesn't tell the truth, but Zander still denies knowledge. Mac finally steps in and tells AJ he can file charges at the station later, IF he has proof. But tonight is about the Sorrel case. Mac admits that the pieces of the puzzle didn't fit together, as they pointed in several directions; until NOW! As he uncovers a portrait of Sorrel, he says that new evidence will point to the guilty party!

Mac’s got everybody confessing to something, probably even stuff not related to the Sorrel murder investigation. Basically we find out that Melissa was not as capable of murder as she thought, that Roy would do anything to cover up for their lover if they thought they were the killer, that Carly & Mike could cold-bloodedly kill someone threatening their family or said family’s happiness. Throw in Zander for swiping meds, Alan for cutting meds and Angel for not giving a damn about Daddy and the question still remains – who really was responsible for Sorrel’s death? Sonny, Bobbie, Monica and AJ better come up with some snappy answers for our intrepid police commish – pronto. The murder suspects bicker amongst themselves with Alexis repeatedly saying that they shouldn’t answer any more questions without benefit of counsel. Mac explains what exactly happened the night Sorel died, amid the typical arguing, bickering, complaining and legalese from Alexis. Among those yelling at each other were: Alan to Zander, Melissa to Sonny, Carly to Melissa, Roy to Carly, AJ to Sonny, Carly to Mac...you get the idea. Here is what happened as deduced by master detective Mac: Zander took his sleeping pills and laced the coffee outside ICU with them, in an attempt to put the guard outside Sorel's room to sleep. Zander, however, was too weak and collapsed on the floor of his room. Alan came in and turned off the meds being fed to Sorel. Melissa came in, removed Sorel's leads and attached them to the EKG simulator. Also, she rigged the alarm with the tongue depressor. The murderer came in and turned off the respirator, officially killing Sorel. Mike came in and smothered the already dead Sorel with a pillow. Roy came in and switched the respirator back on, presumably thinking Melissa had been the one to turn it off. Sorel remained dead. Carly came in and unplugged the respirator. Again, Sorel remained dead. Angel witnesses Carly's act.

Mac continued to interrogated, questioned, and named four major suspects: AJ, Monica, Bobbie, and Sonny. Naturally, Carly insisted on his innocence all the way. Alexis told her to get another life because Carly told Angel and Alexis that Sonny is hers. Carly is determined to have him back in her arms no matter what. As Felicia and Mac discuss the case, Felicia tells Mac that someone who is cold bloodied had to have slain Sorel - not a nurse or doctor.

Sonny follows Angel home. He asks her if she needs protection. She asks him why? He lets her know that he knows that she unplugged the respirator. She said: "I thought of my pearls that he had given me when I was 16, and I knew that as long as he lived that he would hurt others like you, Sonny. At that time, Carly and Jax entered. By this time, Felicia and Mac realize that Angel is the killer.

While the police sit in their squad car outside Angel's house waiting for the warrant to come through, the foursome inside try to figure out what to do. Carly is yelling at Angel, while Jax and Sonny are offering their help in getting her out of the country. Angel says she doesn’t want their help. Out in the police car, Mac and Taggert are impatiently waiting for a warrant to enter the premises. Mac insists they do it “by the book” . Taggert points out they can get them for being accessories after the fact, but Mac says they have to get Angel for murder. Inside the house, the men insist they want to help Angel get away; they owe her for getting rid of her scum father. Angel admits she would like to go to the Greek island she told Sonny about earlier. After establishing that Angel won’t be able to come back into the country after leaving because there’ll be a warrant out for her arrest, Carly offers her help in the escape. Next thing we see is Carly and Sonny screaming at each other out on the deck. They’re putting on a good show for the police, with Carly wailing that she loves Sonny and Sonny yelling at her to leave him and Angel alone. Jax comes out and tries to calm things down. Sonny and Angel go back inside, with Carly and Jax following. In the police car, Taggert wants to know if they can now go in because of this domestic disturbance. Mac says no, it wouldn’t stick. We wait five more minutes for the warrant, he decides. Next we see Jax carrying “Carly” (Angel in a blonde wig) out over his shoulder. Inside the house, Sonny and “Angel” (Carly positioning themselves by the window so the cops will have a clear view. Let’s make it good, Sonny says. No problem, a gleeful Carly responds. They start making out.

Jax tells Angel that he is grateful to her; she came along at a point in his life when he needed her. She tells him that “every ending is a new beginning.” I need to figure out who I really am, Angel says. She leaves on Jax’ private jet.

Carly & Sonny continue the masquerade as their passion and Carly's words pushes them beyond Sonny's restraint. They make it to the sofa, but alas for Carly it is not to be, as Mac and Taggert burst in to arrest Angel. Stunned to find they've been tricked, Mac tells Sonny and Carly someone will pay as Tags searches the house for Angel. Sonny and Carly play dumb when Mac questions them about Angel's whereabouts, Carly even goes as far as to poke fun of the Commish, "I didn't know wearing a wig was illegal!". Tags reports Angel isn't there but all her clothes are. Mac leaves Taggert to question the Corinthos after receiving a call that Jax was found at the airport. Tags as usual gets in Sonny's face and throws around words like aiding and abetting, conspiracy, obstruction. Sonny counters with harassment, severe emotional damage-after all they were interrupted in a very private moment while enjoying reconciliation thanks to Angel's generous offer of the lake house. Frustrated, Taggert warns the duo not to leave town with out permission then slams out of the house. Carly expresses sympathy for the cop, "he has nothing, we have the house all to our selves, now where were we?" Sonny burst her bubble, when he tells her it isn't going to work. They would still be in the same situation after the lovemaking was over, "You can't live in my world, I can't live any other way". They argue some more over the proposed adoption. Sonny tells her they should hold on to the best and let the rest go. Carly tells him that what she is trying to do and if he can't see it then she wasting her time. She storms out also.

Carly arrives home and is so upset after her fight with Sonny that it takes her a few minutes to realize she has an uninvited guest… Lucien Cain. Lucien asks to take her to breakfast, but she explains she has plans to take her son to the park. Lucien tells her about how he lost his son; they sort of bond over their perceived similarities. They also find out that they agree about doing whatever it takes in the name of love. When Lucien asks if he can hang out with them, Michael says yes and he takes them to the arcade.

Alexis is furious at Sonny for what he did to AJ. He, of course, says all he did was protect Carly & Michael. He does apologize for doing something against her principles and she tells him there had better not be any proof. Then, he gives her the lowdown on what happened with Angel, at Angel's house. He also mentions he is reconsidering getting back together with Carly. He wants her advice, her impartial advice. Alexis spouts various reasons why she is certainly not impartial. In fact, she almost tells Sonny that she is attracted to him!! Basically, though, she suggests three choices to him: go back to Carly, dump Carly or find someone new. Sonny leaves to go find Carly.

Lucien has managed to shut down the arcade so they are the only ones there. He compliments Michael and Carly and tells her how great his son is. He wants to get him back. Then, Sonny shows up, wanting to know who is there with Carly & Michael.

Carly icily informs Sonny that she and Michael are going to spend the day with "Lucien". Following "Lucien's" departure, Carly accuses Sonny of playing the jealous husband in front of her business associate. Carly finally agrees to a quickie island divorce. They arrive at the hotel in Martinique, Carly is surprised that Sonny has booked the same room that they spent their honeymoon in. He points out that it has a good view of the beach. She thanks him for the dress he had sent up. He tells her that she looks beautiful. They reminisce about their wedding in Martinique. Carly tells him she is tired of him being mad at her all the time. He says he expects her to try to seduce him, to pull one of her games to try to win him back. They both agree they don't want to go on like this. Sonny expects her to try to get him back, to push him into renewing their vows while they are there. She says no she isn't going to do that. He is surprised when she says she isn't intending to push him to come back to her. She tells him that everytime she looks at him she falls in love all over again, that she will always love him. But she has been asking herself if she ever truly had him since she has had to fight so hard to try to win him back. Sonny again seems surprised that she would question what they had. She tells him he is so afraid to lose what he loves that he would rather push it away. He tells her he wants her to be safe. She tells him she needs to be wanted, not tolerated. She goes to walk away and tells him she is going towards a new life (one seemingly without him). He pulls her back and says wait, what if I don't want to let you go? He asks her to stay with him and tells her she is more than just Michael's mother to him, that she is a beautiful woman. She responds that they both need to let go. He tells her that isn't what he wants, that he wants to remember what they had. He tells her that on the night they married here she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He tells her he is trying to get where she is, but he still hates what she did that it tore him apart but that she matters to him. He thinks maybe he just needs to bend a bit. Carly says she would have given anything to have heard those words a few weeks ago. She says now she knows that he can't forgive that it just isn't in him that she knows that no matter how she pushes, how long she sticks it out that he won't forgive her. He tells her that it doesn't mean he has stopped loving her but he just doesn't want to hurt. She says if that is true to stop saying these things to her that it hurts her to hear him say that he loves her when she knows it won't make a difference. That she is a person who needs to be forgiven that she makes mistakes, that she flies off the handle and does crazy things, and it'll happen again. He points out that he lived with it before. She says yes and it made you crazy. She goes on to tell him that something's different now, that they have lost something, and they can't get it back. That if he took her back now, it would be without forgiveness and they both deserve better than that.

She tells him that she knows what it feels like to be loved by him. It is beautiful and it is pure and it's worth everything. When he was in the hospital and almost died, when he finally opened his eyes, he said he came back for her that he lived for her. That's how deep his love was and she has felt it and known it and can't settle for less. He tells her he is doing the best he can. She knows that and doesn't fault him for it. She reaches for the divorce papers to sign to end it. She tells him what happens the next time she goes off and does something crazy. He says that it makes life interesting not knowing what she will do next. She points out though that she has lost his trust, that he doesn't believe in her, that her crazy actions will just chip away at their love. She tells him she has made her decision, that she isn't angry and there is a sense of finality in her words as she leaves for her walk.

When she returns she is surprised he hasn't signed the papers. He tells her he doesn't want to. He wants to find a way back to what they had. She tells him she has been begging for months and he can't love her the way she needs to be loved with openness and honesty, with trust and forgiveness. He tells her this was never about not loving her but he questions how can she expect him to trust her. She says he is right, why should he and tells him she doesn't trust him either. He doesn't understand why she feels she can't trust him. She points out that if she truly trusted in him, if she really believed he loved her, that she wouldn't get so jealous over his friendships with Alexis and Angel. That she should have trusted him just like he should have trusted her. He tells her that he tried but she would lie and go behind his back. She again says, "what's going to happen the next time that it happens? Where you get angry and I screw up? I accept you, Sonny, and I accept your life, and I can only say it so many times. I am not ever going to make the same mistake of trying to control you again. But I'm gonna mess up out of love or stubbornness or something. I will."
Sonny: "So wh- wh - what are you asking for? A promise in advance that you can go ahead and do anything you want, and it's gonna be okay with me cuz it won't. What you're doin' is you -- you're warning me that you're gonna mess up, and I'm warning you that I won't like it."
Carly: "I was always on trial with you. It -- it was just as much probably my fault as it was yours. But we were always waiting for the next screw-up, and we knew it was gonna be me because you made the rules. I can't do that I can't. I can't get back together with you so I can be on trial again. Huh. Look, I will love you, Sonny, for the rest of my life, but it's gotta go both ways. Now I cannot be wondering whether or not if it's for better or worse for real or if it's only as long as I do what you tell me to.... I don't want you to love me only when things are good or or when there's a threat and you feel obligated to protect me. I want you to love me always, and I want to love you, good or bad, for the rest of our lives just like we promised. Can you do that?"
Sonny: "You made choices that hurt me, Carly. I gave you my word, and you broke it without caring about the consequences."
Carly: "And you know what? I'll be sorry about that for the rest of my life. But you're my husband, and I apologized and I tried to do everything that I could to make it right, and you still walked out. You were gone without a word for weeks."
Sonny: "I needed time. you gotta tell me, you know, you understand. When Michael was born, you left him not because you didn't love him but because you had to get away you had to get your head straight, to figure out how to go on. I had a wife, I had a family, and a life that I was starting to, you know, trust and you tore it all down. But I still loved you. I couldn't stop so I came back. So what I'm trying to say is all this time, I've been trying to come back."
Carly: "So you think you can make it? How close will you get before you stop? Cuz it's gotta be all the way. Sonny, no qualifications or conditions for either of us. Can you do that? Can it be that way for us?"
Sonny: "Well, I can't snap my fingers and, and, and make the past disappear or pretend that there was never any lies or fights."
Carly: "You don't pretend, Sonny, you accept, and you can't change the past, you change yourself you make a mental switch, and you decide what you want outta life and then you make it happen."
Sonny: " I won't make a promise I can't keep, but I can promise to love you, and I can even promise to try. But I can't change."
Carly: (nods) "Do you have any idea how desperate I felt when you left? I don't ever wanna feel that way again. And so what I'm doing now is I'm trying to make decisions about my life, what I want and a part of that means being able to count on you, no matter what. Can I do that?" (Michael enters after having a bad dream). Sonny gives him a hug and reassures him, they give bednight kisses and Letitica comes in to take him back to bed. Carly admires how wonderful Sonny is with Michael and tells him he can still adopt Michael. She asks him, "Can you accept me, trust me, and forgive me, without blame? Can we really have a marriage again?"
Sonny: "You know what? I did everything I could to shut down on you. I mean, I've done it before with plenty of people. I did it to my own father. I'd look at Mike, and I'd, and there was no hurt. There was no anger. It was s nothing. Like numbers on a balance sheet. And he'd ask for my love, and I'd and I would think, you know, "How do I play this? What's in it for me?" I know how to protect myself, Carly. you can get through anything if you shut down. You can sit in a closet and listen to your mother cry, you can wait for a drunken pig to hit you, you can run a territory and get rich and, and have more power than you ever dreamed of if you stay smart and don't let yourself feel. So when you betrayed me when my wife went to the Feds to set me up, I got angry, and I threw you out, and I waited for that emptiness and that coldness because I waited so I wouldn't feel for you. All my life, it has, that feeling has been like a friend. All my life, it has come to me when I needed it. It's let me do what I had to do to survive. But this time around, it didn't come. Because every time I thought of you or saw you it was like I was losing you all over again. And every time that I was at home, I wanted my house to be full of your junk (laughs) and your noise, ya know? And every time I'd see my bed, I'd be so crazy wanting you that I did everything I could not to just go get you. I love you, ok? And I want you back." Carly tells him he knows what she needs, she needs for him to believe in her that maybe if he does she will believe in herself and not do those crazy things.
Sonny: " I'll love you, okay? And I won't fail you, but I can't promise that if you hurt me again if you lie to my face or betray me in any way that feeling won't come back, the coldness. Because if you hurt me *sniffles* I'm all right. If you hurt me, okay? Then, I'm going to have to protect myself, even if I don't want to, even against you."
Carly: "Can you have faith in me... like you're asking me to have faith in you? Do you trust me right now?"
Sonny: "I trust that you love me, but it's gonna take some time."
Carly: "But what if it never comes, Sonny? You know, I don't wanna spend the rest of my life trying to prove that I'm good enough."
Sonny: "You're good enough. Okay? See, the only little problem that you have is that you lie sometimes and, uh, you know, you wreck the very thing that makes you happy. Ok? Now, I'm gonna try to trust you. And I wanna try, but it's not gonna happen overnight. Okay? It's gonna take some time."

The next morning Sonny wakes up to find Carly and Michael and Letitica gone. She has left him a note. He arrives to the plane and sends Michael off for ice cream with Letitica so he and Carly can talk. He told her he needed time and he meant more than 12 hours. She tells him she doesn't want him to feel pressured. But she can't live in limbo as its tearing her apart. He tells her the penthouse is ready and asks her to move back in with him. She questions him about what does that mean, will they be really back together sleeping together? He says she will sleep in his bed but as she asks for clarification about their relationship he tells her again he is doing the best he can that he is trying. She tells him he can't tear down the wall he has created between them, she knows he wants to but he can't allow himself to. She tells him, " I want you to take me whole. I want you to open your heart and your soul, not just open your home and your bed." Sonny: "You know what, Carly? I - I love you, but i can't snap my fingers and trust every word you say. I can't just let you move back in without a second thought. I'm not built that way. I protect myself even if I don't want to."

She tells him she isn't going to come back and try to prove she is good enough, that she deserves his love, it would be like being on an audition and she refuses to do it. She loves him too much to settle for less, and what she wants he can't give.

At Carly’s place... Sonny drops Carly & Michael off at their home. Michael wants Sonny to stay the night, but Carly doesn’t think it’s a good idea. She sticks to her guns and tells him she doesn’t think they should try to capture what they had. She doesn’t think Sonny can do what she wants and needs him to do. She does tell Sonny she still wants him to adopt Michael, though. Sonny’s guard whispers something in Sonny’s ear and he basically bolts. Mike visits Carly and hears what happened and thinks she’s crazy. She explains that she can’t always be on trial with Sonny; that’s not a marriage. She tells Mike he might be okay with that, but she can’t live her life like that. Mike is vague and starts talking about “things” he’s done that he can’t tell Sonny about, that he doesn’t want to step over Sonny’s boundaries. Carly basically asks why Sonny always gets to draw the lines in the sand?

At the gatehouse, Stefan says Jax should sell back all the Cassidine businesses he bought out from under Helena’s nose. Jax suggests they play a game of cards, each draws a card and the highest card gets the companies. To make it more worth Jax’s while, they throw in Wyndermere should he win. Stefan gets the highest card, after some trickery from Jax. Alexis calls him on it and thanks him yet again. Nikolas & Gia leave to go to the other party. Sonny shows up to check out how Alexis is doing. Kristina introduces herself to Sonny and asks him what he does for a living. He says one thing (coffee importing), but Ned & Jax have more criminal activities in mind. He asks Alexis if she needs a ride home and she takes him up on it. Sonny drops Alexis off and he sticks around, wanting to make sure she is okay. He knows she isn’t, even though she insists she is. Sonny can see that Alexis is still on edge. He suggests that she relax, she says she can't- she hates her surroundings (meaning the penthouse). Clearly she's unnerved by his presence and his unwillingness to leave her alone. "I'm O.K. alone, I do alone very well." He suggests she get rid of those things that she dislikes and encourages her to break a vase, a crystal bowl and various other knick-knacks. At first she's getting a kick out of it, then suddenly collapses on the couch realizing how emotionally upset she was her whole life because of her fear of Helena. Sonny lets her sob against his shoulder. Alexis goes upstairs to bed, but stops midway to turn to Sonny and blurt out "I dreamed about you, I dreamt that you rescued me." Sonny smiles and says " You did? - Wow" Effectively letting her off the hook for her confession - sweet. Later Alexis comes back downstairs to a cleaned up living room and a sleeping dark angel on her sofa this is a musical montage of moments around PC.

It’s the next morning and Sonny is still sleeping on the couch. Alexis tiptoes downstairs and past him to get the paper, all the while telling herself not to look at him. Then she goes to pull the blanket up over him. He wakes up suddenly and grabs her and pulls her close. Then he apologizes, explaining that when he wakes up in a strange place, his fighting instinct kicks in. Alexis just stands there, telling herself to move away from him, but not doing so. She jumps when Sonny touches her shoulder. Then Carly walks in. She calls Alexis a “cheap, two-timing tramp after another woman’s husband because she can’t get one of her own,” grabs her by the ear, threatens to claw her eyes out if she ever looks at Sonny again, and shoves Alexis down into a chair. A contrite Alexis apologizes and says she will quit as Sonny’s attorney. Sonny tells Carly he doesn’t know what he ever saw in Alexis. “Forgive me,” he says and draws Carly into a passionate kiss and we see that this is Carly's fantasy.

In reality, Alexis tells her that nothing happened, she shouldn’t overreact. Carly says it’s none of her business. She informs Alexis that she has signed the divorce papers and is also letting Sonny adopt Michael. She announces she is moving on with her life, and her first order of business is to get Deception back with Lucien Kane’s money. Alexis breaks it to her that Lucien was Stavros, who is now dead. She says Carly is lucky he didn’t kill her. Sonny asks how Carly could have exposed Michael to a killer? Carly tries to cover her feelings; she says she’ll be fine, she knows how to take care of herself, Sonny taught her that. She leaves, almost breaking down in the hall. Sonny calls Johnny and tells him to keep an eye on Carly. Alexis wants to know WHO was that woman? Sonny confesses he asked Carly to move back in with him so they could work on fixing their marriage. He asks Alexis why he can’t understand his wife. Alexis counters with her own question: why don’t you want to sign the divorce papers? Sonny says maybe he didn’t want to just throw away their marriage. He says he’s going after Carly. Alexis stops him.

On the docks, Jax makes a call to someone and tells them to transfer the Cassidine holdings back to Stefan. As he is walking away, a very upset Carly arrives. Muttering to herself, she kicks a potted plant into the river. Jax asks her what is wrong. She says he's just the man she needs to help her get Deception back. There's more to it than that Jax observes. She declares that she is through with the past and Sonny, that she was a fool. She gets hysterical and he comforts her, taking her in his arms. She pushes herself away from Jax and accuses him of having some nefarious reason, since they are hardly friends. Jax tries to explain that he was only trying to help, as she seemed to need it. This of course leads to the subject of Sonny. They argue over whose fault the breakup of her marriage is. Carly defends Sonny and tells Jax that Alexis is attracted to her client and is throwing herself at him at every opportunity. Jax refuses to believe that and they part on less them friendly terms. Carly starts to walk away and comes face to face with AJ who has been eavesdropping. AJ tires the old tactic of saying that they should try to work things out for Michael's sake. When it doesn't work, AJ walks away saying he'll just have to try the next thing on his list. Carly follows him to Kelly's demanding to know what he is up to. A.J. manages to rile Carly by saying that once Sonny adopts Michael, he will get rid of Carly and replace her with someone else. Someone who has class and wouldn't be an embarrassment to him, someone like Alexis. Carly was enraged and flew at AJ. Zander who witnessed the scene attempted to keep Carly from falling into A.J.'s trap. "Calm down, you're doing exactly what he wants!"

Sonny asked Alexis why he should not give Carly another shot. Alexis avoided expressing her true feelings for Sonny and submarines Carly instead. She pointed out that she as (merely) his friend and attorney knew he would never turn states evidence, how could Carly as his wife asked him to? The point becomes moot as Alexis realizes that Sonny has already decided to try again with his (backstabbing) wife. Jax arrives and Alexis feels compelled to try and explain the situation. Sonny encouraged her to keep quiet as he exchanged barbs with Jax. Sonny exited to his newly remodeled and unfamiliar penthouse, where he thought about Carly as he studied his final divorce papers.

Bobbie suggests to Sonny that he keep his distance from her daughter if he no longer wishes to remain married to her. Sonny explains to Bobbie why he's never been able to forgive and forget. Bobbie coaches her son-in-law on forgiveness and trust in relationships. Scott arrives and after the usual exchange of hostilities, Sonny leaves.

At Kelly's, Zander prevents Carly from making a public scene when A.J. tries to goad her. When she tries to go after AJ, Zander holds her back. Zander tells her that is what AJ wants to be able to tell a judge that she publicly attacked him. Zander convinces Carly to leave. Later on the docks, Zander meets up with Carly and tells her that the Q's have moved Em and she asked him to stay away from her.

At Alexis' penthouse, Jax wants to know if Alexis is in love with Sonny. She denies to Jax that she has more than friendly feelings for Sonny. She even brings up Brenda and the past to get Jax off track. He is not convinced. Sonny happens long as Carly is telling Zander that love is acceptance.