Ally felt as though she had been away for months instead of ten days upon their return from London. She popped the last piece of scone in her mouth as she sorted through all the pictures she had taken. Her three favourites were of Julia, Jax and herself at the National Trust Gala, a picture taken from the deck of Virginia's estate in Scotland and a picture of Virginia and her sitting under a cherry blossom tree in full bloom laughing their heads off. Jax had managed to take it without their knowledge. V had mailed the wedding invitations while they were in London and a neat little stack of thirty five responses sat unopened on the coffee table. Becky was due to arrive in half an hour to help Ally organize her wedding check list since she was the most familiar with the intricate workings of Ally's brain and her unique idea of alphabetic order. Ally spent a few hours at work in the morning and then happily took Grace's suggestion to leave since it was so quiet. Ally had no idea that as she laid on the couch daydreaming a whirlwind of activities and travel arrangements were being completed for her surprise shower that evening.

"Emily you look wonderful now kindly get your butt on the jet before we leave without you. Good bye Nicholas." Alexis said as she pushed Emily away from her cousin towards the tarmac.

The flight into Manhattan only took a mere fifty minutes but Alexis still had errands to run in the city once they arrived. Only Ally could manage to befriend such a diverse group of Port Charlesian's Alexis thought as she surveyed the plane and took a final head count. Monica and Lila were reading while Emily and Liz were trying to decide which of the empty chairs they liked the best. Lucy was having words with her dress designer which prompted Bobbie to place a headset on and drown Lucy out with music.

"Ladies welcome aboard the Ally express. We will be flying as fast as the pilot can at whatever alt@tude he chooses. We will be flying over land for the most part and there is no in-flight service on this flight. If you want a drink Emily is young she can play stewardess. V has arranged for lunch at the Plaza and a few rooms to rest and freshen up before meeting in the lobby at 6 p.m. on the dot to be transported to the shower. I hope you all thought of a few songs and thank you for flying Jacks Airlines." Alexis said before doing the airline point to highlight exits.

"Alexis dear who else has been invited ?"Lila asked.

"Robin had to decline, Ally's Mom is flying in with her author friend Aslynn...."

"Assy is the coolest." Emily remarked.

"I'll take your word for it Em. Her cousin Liz and Aunt arrived this morning. Lady Jane should be helping V pull all the loose ends together as we speak. Becky is going to keep Ally busy all day so she doesn't try to call any of us and the girls she works with are coming."

"What about her friend from Scotland?" Liz asked.

"No it's a little too far for her to fly in twice so Virginia and Julia are getting together for a night on the town and will call Ally at the Bar." She went to tell the pilot he could leave and sunk into a plush leather chair pulling out a legal pad to see what else she had left to do.
"Jasper Jacks!!" V yelled at her boss and slapped his hand away from a chocolate eclair. "If you eat one more I'll kill you."

"All Ally will care about is the Scones and Clotted cream anyway." Jax laughed as he popped one in his mouth.

Lady Jane slapped him in the back of the head. "Jasper stop being a nuisance V has enough to deal with today. She doesn't need to add baby sitting the desserts to the list. Why don't you personally go pick your Mother in Law up?"

"And take your good for nothing brother with you." V mumbled as she pulled the box of apple tartlets away from him.

"Hey I wanted another of those." Jerry cried.

"Too bad! Now kiss me good bye, take Jax with you and scram." V said seriously.

Jerry gave her a long kiss while Jax managed to put one of the boxes of eclairs behind his back and head to the elevator. The door closed and Jax grinned devilishly at his brother. Eclair mate?"

"The Goddess will erupt when she notices." He laughed and helped himself.

"By the time she figures it out we'll be long gone and so will these."

V placed the box of tartlets down and noticed one of the six white boxes of eclairs were missing and grabbed the phone .

"Hello security? Yes this is V from Mr. Jacks' office. Mr. Jacks and his brother have stolen a white box from me . Could you please send down someone to intercept the pastry thieves and return my box back to me in the executive boardroom. Yes you may eat just one."

Lady Jane chuckled, "You should have asked them to haul Jax away for questioning."

"How on earth did you raise those two boys Jane and not murder them?"

"Oh I've devised many plans to get rid of them dear but Jerry would always slink in with a big goofy grin and sad puppy dog eyes blaming me for raising him to be so impulsive and curious. Jasper would crinkle his face all up, give me a big hug, profess his love and remind me Jerry had done worse. My boys are the definition of incorrigible." Jane said shaking her head.

The elevator opened and Jax looked up to see two burly security guards frowning at him.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you should know better than to mess with Miss V., Mr. Jacks. I'm afraid I'll have to confiscate the box."

"Oh Frank can't you just tell her you missed us? I'll give you one."

"I can't be bribed Mr. Jacks just hand over the pastries and no one will get hurt." Frank said trying to keep a straight face.

Jax handed over the box and sighed. "You think owning this building would count for something but apparently V is the Queen of Sheba." He quipped.

"Have a good day Mr. Jacks." Frank replied and stepped on the elevator to return the box.

"Jax you let V run the entire office what do you expect? I think she has her own name for this company myself. It's J&J Jacks International a subsidiary of V Incorporated." Jerry said wryly.
 

"That sounds just about right. Come on we can stop off to eat before going to get Mrs. McComb."

V laughed as Frank recounted the capture of the thieves and didn't bat an eye when Frank mentioned Jax's failed attempt at bribery. "Thanks Frank find something you like and take one."

She rounded up a few interns and had them help her bring all the desserts to her waiting car and drove them over to the bar herself. She went over the order of the evening with the Bar's owner and thanked him for asking his staff to put the decorations up thus saving her an hour. She swung by the Plaza picking Liz up and bringing her back to the command center. Liz, V and Lady Jane started attaching the various photos of Ally they had borrowed and copied off her family and friends.

The concierge buzzed Ally to let her know Becky was on her way up. Ally waited near the door and was surprised to see Tessa with Becky.

"Surprise! We thought after helping you we'd need a few drinks so we are taking you out tonight for dinner." Tessa laughed and hugged her friend.

"Becky you little stinker! I was suppose to have dinner with Jax but I'll cancel it. Tess I'm so glad you came."

"You didn't think we would let you get hitched without celebrating and prying into your s@x life with Jax did you?" Becky laughed.

"A girl can dream can't she?" Ally deadpanned.

"Now I see little white envelopes sitting over there. You really need to open them Ally or have you developed X-ray vision since last time I saw you?" Tessa teased.

"Actually I did after your daughter forced me to eat black Jelly Bellies with Mac and Cheese."
"Very funny, go get your guests a drink and we will get your organized."

Ally made a pitcher of Sea Breeze and brought three glasses out to the living room. Tessa and Becky had already made themselves comfortable on the floor and were almost finished opening the RSVPs..

"I'm impressed. How about I leave you two experts to it and go take a nap?"

"Ally sit your skinny butt down and show me the filing box I told you to get." Becky ordered.

"Oh yeah this will be fun Bride's Boot Camp with drill Sergeants." She muttered.

The girls responded by sticking their tongues out and shoving a check list in her hand. Three hours later Ally was so organized it scared her. Becky and Tessa had pulled together every aspect of the wedding Ally was involved in and filled up her day planner. They set up a filing system so each guest had their own slot to keep track of responses, gifts and the pre-addressed envelopes for Thank You cards. At five thirty as scheduled Jax walked in the door and pretended to be surprised.

"Hi honey, umm honeys I'm home."

"Hey Jax your number one fan said to give you a big hug."

"Ah Tess thanks. You know I think you and Michael could use a year long cruise around the world. I'll be happy to baby-sit."

"Nice try Jax but I'd miss my daughter too much." Tessa got up and hugged Jax.

"I'm kidnapping your fiancé tonight. Want to make something of it?" Becky laughed.

"You can have her. I've found a girl who loves me more than scones and I'm going to marry her instead."

"That's not funny Jasp!" Ally pouted.

Jax got down on his knees and crawled over to her. "I'm sorry Sweetie, you know you are the only wench in the world I want to marry." He left a sizzling kiss on her neck and lips.

"K you're forgiven." Ally said quickly and pulled him down for another kiss.

"So where are you taking my girl?" Jax asked.

"We haven't figured that out yet. Al why don't you go put some Jeans on?" Tessa suggested.

Ally let Jax pull her up and followed him in to the bedroom. She started looking at her closet and Jax pretended to not notice.

"I didn't know Tessa was coming." He lied from the bathroom.

"Me either. Becky said they were talking about getting together to shop for a wedding gift for us and decided to surprise me by taking me out to dinner sooner rather than later."

"I'm surprised you didn't suggest going for High Tea."

"Jax I actually gained ten pounds while we were away. I have to watch what I eat and get my butt back into the rink to work it off. I can't fit into my jeans."

"Why don't you put on your black skirt with the pinky- rosy top you had on the other day.."

"Yeah that will work and the skirt has an elastic waist so I'll be comfortable."

"I want yo to take the limo tonight OK?"

"Yes Jax. I already planned to since I know I'm going to be drinking."

"That's my girl." Jax said as he grabbed her waist and pulled her on his lap for a kiss. His fingers traced the edge of her lacy beige bra and Ally had to pull away before she didn't want to leave his lap.

She slid her top on, found her black mules and grabbed her purse. "Don't wait up for me."

"Have fun and just come home in one piece please."

"Yes Dad." Ally laughed and kissed Jax once more before leaving the bedroom. Tessa and Becky were waiting at the door and waved bye to Jax. The limo driver knew exactly where he was dropping the girls off and Ally was so busy talking that she didn't even notice that he was driving when they hadn't decided where to go yet. Becky suggested a small Deli that she knew was only opened until 5 but was across the street from the Bar.

"Great Beckster, the limo just left and the Deli is closed. I need your cell phone to call him back."

"Hey how about the Indian place down there?" Tessa suggested.

"I'm not in the mood for it. How about that Seafood place?" Becky volunteered.

"Sure whatever." Ally agreed and walked across the street. She noticed the neon sign first and smiled. "Hey how about the Karioke Bar and Grill?"

"Only if you don't laugh at me." Tessa bargained.
"Deal"

Becky walked in first and gave her name to the hostess. She pretended to need the bathroom and followed the host. Tessa kept Ally busy pointing out the sarcastic cartoons that were framed in the waiting area.. Becky returned after giving V the sign and sat down on a bench. Two minutes later the hostess asked the ladies to follow her and lead them in to a darkened room. The lights snapped on and Ally jumped when she heard Surprise. She looked around the room and couldn't believe that almost everyone she cared about was there and she didn't have the tiniest clue something was being planned.

"Oh my God! Oh my God ! I don't believe this. Mom, Lady Jane, Liz, Aunty Julia, Lila, all of you I'm so touched that you not only came but actually traveled here for this." Ally noticed V and Alexis smiling at each other and knew she had found her ring leaders. " Thank you V and Alexis."

"Why us?" V asked.

"Yeah Jax had to blackmail me to come." Alexis quipped.

"I know better than that." Ally laughed," Thanks I love ya both." Ally walked over and gave them both a hug. She noticed Lucy and shrieked. "Lucy! I'm glad you are here."

"Anything for my best spokes model even if she doesn't want to model for me anymore."

"Ally just sit down so we can get this party started I'm starving." Becky laughed.

Once the drinks were served V stood up on stage to begin the evening. "Thank you all once again for coming tonight. Unfortunately a few people couldn't make it tonight Ally. Robin is very sick with the flu. Caroline was sent to Lisbon for business at the last minute. Julia has a meting in the morning and Virginia still hasn't recovered from your visit. Brooklyn was running a fever so Lois thought she better stay home with her. Aslynn said the rest of your Harvard friends never really liked you anyway."

"Thanks a lot Assy." Ally said sarcastically and tossed her napkin at her.

V continued, "You will all notice a little menu card on the table. In a few minutes the wait staff will be coming around to take your order. In the mean time let's start with the shower gifts. Who wants to go first?"

"I will V dear." Lila said. "Ally my dear Edward gave me this on our fifth anniversary. My hair was much longer then and it saw many years of use. I came across it the other day and I thought of you when I saw it. It will always remind you to relish your youth and that true love endures."

Ally walked over to Lila and picked up a small jewelry box which contained two antique sapphire, seed pearl and diamond floral design barrettes. "Oh Lila they are stunning. Thank you so much I will treasure them always and wear them on my wedding day." Ally gave Lila a hug and kiss.

"You're welcome my dear."

"Since you are over here Ally I'll go next. It took a little digging but I was sure I had this picture and it should be yours." Monica gave Ally a box with a silver framed picture of her father with two young medical students.

"Oh Monica this is so cool I didn't even know my Dad taught you. Thank you very much."

"You're welcome. Your Dad taught a month long seminar I attended during my residency."

"Just a little something." Bobbie said as she handed Ally a gift bag.

"Oh Bobbie bless your little heart I've been craving these lately." She said of the three dozen chocolate mint cookies from the PC Grill.

"You're welcome."

"This is from Liz and I Ally." Emily said and handed her a large shirt box.

Ally opened the box and found 6 hand made lace lingerie sachets and a pale periwinkle silk baby doll. "Oh girl thank you I love the sachets and the baby doll is so pretty. I've never seen one quite like it before."

"Liz designed and sewed it for you as well as the sachets." Emily quickly added.

"Elizabeth thank you , you are very talented."

"I agree Elizabeth we have to talk when we get back to PC." Lucy said as an idea for a lingerie line started to form in her mind.

"I'm glad you like them. Emily picked out the colour."

"Thank you both again, Jax will want to kiss you both when I let him see me in it."

"Like Jax needs a reason to have his tongue down your throat." V quipped.

Everyone started to laugh as Ally turned a deep shade of crimson. They all ordered dinner and Alexis suggested Ally sit on the stage so everyone could see what she was opening. As she opened all the gifts and the lingerie started to pile up she jokingly started to call them gifts for Jax. She was surprised that her mother and Lady Jane both bought her lingerie and longed for a gift of a less personal nature. She got her wish when Alexis handed her a very heavy box that held four mahogany photo albums that came with a matching gift box. Ally opened one of the heavy books pushing the leather loop off the wooden disk and gently fingered the creamy pages inside.

"Alexis I love this so much. I'm going to use the books as my wedding album. All the pictures in one book is boring, this will be unique. Thank you so much Hon."

Alexis hugged Ally tightly and whispered you're welcome in her ear. After dinner V told everyone how difficult it was to keep Jax and Jerry from eating all the desserts on them and handed Ally a medium size pastry box with The Ritz stamped on it's top.

"This is my gift to you Ally."

Ally knew what it was and wiped the tear from the corner of her eye. "V I'm going to weigh a ton and my wedding dress isn't going to fit but I'm going to devour every single fattening bite. Thanks I love ya."

"What is it? "Tessa asked.

"Scones, clotted cream and preserves from the Ritz in London. "

"Oh."

"Your fiancé said once you saw these you wouldn't care about the eclairs so he could eat them all."

"Jax has developed quite the sweet tooth lately. When Julia and I found him at the National Trust Gala he had an eclair in his mouth and he was piling more on his plate. He made some lame joke about chocolate and the two beautiful women."

"Jax never stops eating period." Lady Jane laughed.

After dessert V brought up a large folded project board with all the different pictures of Ally growing up on it and each person stood up to fill in parts of Ally McComb: This is Your Life. Tears of laughter flowed down Ally's face as moments she had long hoped had been forgotten were retold. Becky, Liz and Aslynn made her cringe the most as they had the best material on her. Once the stories were all finished Emily got up on the stage and activated the karioke monitors.

"Well Alexis told us we all had to come up with a song to sing for you Ally and although I wouldn't be caught dead listening to her normally Liz and I thought this would be perfect. So for your listening pleasure Spearing Britney."

Oops! ..she did it again
She played with Jax's heart
Got lost in the game
Oh baby, baby
Oops... he thinks
He's in love
That she's sent from above
Ally's not that innocent

We see the problem is clear
She's dreaming away
Wishing that she was
Actually good
We cry watching the days
Can't he see she's a fool
In so many ways
But making men lose all their senses
That is just so typically Ally.
Baby, oh

Oops! ..she did it again
She played with Jax's heart
Has to win every game
Oh baby, baby
Oops...she thinks
He's in love
That she's sent from above
Ally's not that innocent

Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah

"All Aboard"
"Ally before you go, there's something I want you to have"
"Oh it's beautiful, but wait a minute, Isn't this...?"
"Yeah, yes it is."
"But I thought your Mother always wears her engagement ring?"
"She does but I raided it for you."
"Oh you shouldn' t have."

Oops...she did it again
She won all our hearts
We got lost in her game
Oh baby, baby
Oops...we don't think she's sent
From above
We're not that innocent.

"You little brats I loved it." Ally laughed.

The songs everyone picked kept Ally laughing and her favourites were Alexis and V's perfectly choreographed Going to the Chapel and Becky and Tessa's comical twist of I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No from Oklahoma. When it was Ally's turn she got up and belted out Clarence Clemons "Friend of Mine" and Petula Clarks "Downtown."

By the time the last song was sung it was well past midnight and Ally thanked all her guests and bid them a good night. She sat back down at her table to finish her Cosmopolitan.

"Grace close the office tomorrow, it's Saturday we haven't been busy lately. I'll see you Monday if I'm over this hangover."

"Night Ally. Thanks V this was fun. See you at the Wedding if Ally ever sobers up."

"V this was by far the best shower I've ever been to. Thank you so much for coming up with the idea and for all your hard work. Thanks Alexis for being the travel agent to all. Not always easy is it?"

"No I wanted to shoot your Aunt Julia. There is something incredibly endearing about Julia Capwell but she has this very stubborn streak. She insisted on a 10 am departure from LA when one didn't exist."

"Yeah I never listen to her I just say look I booked it, I can't change it, Just deal with it." Ally laughed.

"Well I'm dead on my feet. I'll see your for a late brunch tomorrow, I mean today."

"Night Alexis."

"Well once again Ally we are left to close down a bar." V laughed.

"Uhuh, are you going to stay with us or go home tonight?"

"Jer is waiting for me at home."

"I suggest we leave then and save our men from their infernal boredom when we aren't around."
"Lead the way Miss McComb."

The limo was waiting for them outside and Ally couldn't resist being a brat. "Home James." She giggled.