"Mikey, Mikey" he hears a youg out-of-breath girl call out to him. Sonny turns around in his chair to see behind him. He is taken back 6 yrs. Sonny relives that day and tells her "What tiana, I'm running late" in a voice full of anger.

"Late??, Late for what?? I thought we were spendng the afternoon together" she placed her hands on her hips feeling a little angry herself.

"Yeah, Well I've made other plans" he told her matter of factly.

"but you promised" she said as she dropped her arms and her eyes filled with tears. He had been doing this lately breaking plans and bieng mean to her, but she thought he would surely not break today's plans.

"Yeah well I'm unpromising. Grow up Tiana!!" he began to walk away. He felt bad for the way he had been treating her. But he had to, Frank said that if his enemies ever got word of thier relationship they would go after her. He couldn't have that. "I don't have time for your childish games anymore" he called out to her not wanting to see the pain in her face.

"but mikey, its my birthday" she called out to him softly as she sat down on the bench behind her "we always do something for my birthday"

Micheal thought he heard her say something and turned around just in time to see her pull her knees up to her chest and begin to cry. He watched as the sobs caused her body to shake. Tears filled his eys "Its better this way, Tiana, its just better this way.

Micheal walks off. Sonny turns around in his chair, it was better that way Tiana, it was just better that way he says out loud to no one.

Back at the office

"Hey guys" Tiana said as she walked into the office with Johnny trailing behind her. "Am I interrupting?"

"no sweetie" Laura told her "carly and I just finished telling your sister that she got the job"

"I'm so proud of you Giana, I knew you'd get it" she hugged her sister "I'm sorry you didn't Liz. I'm sure your pictures were beautiful.

"Thanks" Liz told her

"So what are you going to do now??"Tatiana asked Liz

"I dunno, why?"

"Your an artist right??"

"Yeah how did you know??" Liz asked looking at her and then Lucky.

"I told her" Gia told her. Liz didn't say anything she just looked shocked.

"Well anyway now that Gia has this job, I get her job with the Cougars. And the first item of business is to decorate the office. Because I convinced Hannah to convince AJ to buy it, that way I wouldn't have to work in thier living room anymore..ok like you cared about all that" Johnny smiled at her as she rambled on, you wouldn't know it by looking at her that she was devasted and crying a little while ago. "Anyway Gia said that your really good, so i was wondering if you'd help me and then be our resident artist" Tatiana let out a big sigh after she was finished.

"I didn't say that" Gia shot back

"Okay Gia" Liz told her at the same time Nikolas walked in "What didn't Gia say?? he asked.

Liz looked at Tatiana, " I'd love to, thanks"

"Nothing nosey" Gia told him as she went and stood next to him. Tatiana kept stealing glances at Carly who seemed awfully quiet.

"Gia thinks I'm a good artist" Liz told him.

"Really??" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She looked behind her and told him "yes really" The group started laughing who would have ever thought that Gia would compliment Liz.

"I think we should go out and celebrate" Nikolas suggested.

"Sounds good to me" Tatiana said "Johnny will you be able to join us or do you have to go back to work."

"I can meet ya'll there, my shift ends in 45 minutes"

"Cool, meet us at the grille" Nikolas said as he helped Gia into her coat "Mom you wanna go??"

"No thanks sweetie, I'm gonna go home to LuLu, you guys have fun though"

"How about you Carly??" Liz asked she figured if Gia could be nice to her, she could be nice to Carly.

Carly watched as Johnny whispered something into Tatiana's ear and she began to giggle, it made her sick. She knew that her husband was back at the penthouse feeling sorry for whatever he supposedly did to her "No thank you, i'm going to go check on MY HUSBAND" she emphasized that for Tatiana's sake " to make sure he is okay"

Tatiana and Gia rolled thier eyes at the statement that was obviously said for thier benefit. Tatiana just looked at Johnnny "Hurry up and go back to work so you can meet us at the grille, I have an idea. Since he only has 45 more minutes why don't we go hang out at my room at the hotel and then we can all eat together."

"Works for me" Gia said

"I'm game" Lucky said

The group started putting on thier jackets and they headed towards the elevator. Gia smiled as her sister began kissing Johnny on the elevator. Maybe this is the beginning of a whole new life for her Gia thought to herself. The rest of the groupd couldn't help but smile either at the sight of Sonny's guard kissing his girlfriend on the elevator.

They get off the elevator and head to the garage. Johnny gives Tatiana a quick kiss as he helps her into her rental car. Lucky and Liz rode with Tatiana and Nikolas & Gia rode together in his Jag. Johnny drove Carly home in the limo, the entire ride home Johnny would sneak a peek into the back. He could see that she was bracing herself for the worst.

Back at the Penthouse

Sonny sits there and decides he needs to get rid of Carly. He's poison to women he decides, first his mom, then Tatiana, Lily, Brenda and now Carly. He doesn't want to he loves Carly more than he thought possible, but he decides its the right thing to do.

He's brought from his thoughts by the door opening. He watches as Carly steps in and surveys the room. And then watches as she walks past him and up the stairs. Maybe she finally realized she deserves better than me he thinks to himself. the silence of the PH is broken by the sound of water coming from the bathroom.

About 45 minutes later Carly comes walking down the stairs in a tshirt and pair of boxers that clearly belong to him. During her shower she thought about how she was going to deal with what was waiting for her downstairs. She decided that for one she wasn't cleaning up the mess and for once she wasn't going to bug him. Out of habit she sat down next to him on the couch. She leaned forward and grabbed the magazine that she had thrown on the ottoman earlier that day, leaned back and began to read.

When Sonny saw her coming he had sat up ready to argue, he knew she wouldn't leave well enough alone and wouldn't leave without a fight. But instead she sat there and became engrossed in an article about spring fashion. After awhile Sonny sat back on the couch, Carly couldn't help but smile. She saw Sonny go into attack mode when he saw her, he was waiting for an arguement she thought to herself fooled him

Sonny sat there waiting for her to say something to begin the arguement that he couldn't bring himself to start. But she didn't she didn't say anything just sat there and read. Sonny felt the anger drain from his body put the pain was still there, and so was an overwhelming sense of fatigue. He laid his head in her lap and fell asleep. Carly smiled down at him, but she knew it wasn't over, not by a long shot. The worst was still yet to come.