That night, Katherine drove up at the Cassadine�s retreat, which was about three miles out of Port Charles, and got out of the car. She walked up to the house and opened the door. �Stefan?� she called. Earlier that day, She had received a dozen roses from Stefan accompanied by a note telling her to leave Christabel with her nanny, Tersia, who had come with them from Greece, and meet him at the retreat for the night. �Stefan?� Katherine didn�t see a figure in black come up behind her and stab her in the back with a long dagger. She screamed and fell to the floor as the dagger stabbed her again, this time right in the heart. The killer watched as she bled all over the floor and after checking to make sure she had no pulse, quickly exited the house, got into a black limo and left...
Meanwhile, Stefan pulled up in the driveway of Ned and Alexis� house. After getting a dozen roses and a note from Katherine saying that she would be visiting Felicia and Mac that evening, he decided to go see Nikolas. He got out of the car and went up the driveway and rang the bell. The door swung open and Nikolas, holding Avery, was standing there. �What are you doing here?� he demanded. �I�m here to see you, my son.� Stefan said. �Where is Alexis?� �She�s at a PTA meeting at Avery�s school.� Nikolas replied brusquely. �She�ll be back in about a half hour.� He thought for a moment. �However, I do have something to say to you, so come in.� Stefan stepped into the house as Nikolas headed to the stairs. �I�m taking Avery up to Alexis and Ned�s room to watch TV and I�ll be back in a minute.� �Can I finish the Little Mermaid, Nikolas?� Avery asked. �Sure.� Nikolas said, going to the VCR to get the tape and taking her upstairs. When he returned, he was holding his medallion in his right hand. �Here.� He said, handing it to Stefan. �Why are you giving this to me?� Stefan asked. �It�s yours.� Nikolas shook his head. �Not anymore, Father. I�ve given it a lot of thought and with some advice, I have come to the decision that I do not want to be the head of the family. I want to live a normal life and become a lawyer.� �You are a Cassadine.� Stefan said. �The heir. You can not just decide to not be the head of the family.� �Fine.� Nikolas said. �On my birthday in November, the first thing I will do as head of the Cassadine family will be to remove myself from the position. Father, you may keep the job. You seem to enjoy it.� Stefan was speechless. �Who gave you this advice?� Nikolas smirked. �Alexis. She also told me about you being responsible for Ned going to Seattle. A piece of advice to you- you aren�t playing with some chess board here. This is life. You can�t just control people and make them do what you want. I hope that you are going to �help� Ned return to Port Charles soon, or I may have to enlist in a little help to knock you off your pedestal.� �From who?� Stefan challenged him. Nikolas laughed. �Alexis. Ned. Luke. Edward. Laura. Jason. Sonny. Want me to name some more?� �Luke Spencer?� Stefan said. �I can not believe that you and him are friends now.� �Not really friends.� Nikolas said. �But he�s decided to respect my position as Laura�s son and we can now hold civil conversations. You know, he�s actually quite an interesting guy.� �Interesting?� Stefan snapped. �I suppose that if you find a lying, cheating man who raped his wife interesting, than so be it.� �At least he never lied to his children.� Nikolas yelled. �Luke is sorry for what he did to my mother and she knows it. Besides, you led me to believe that Stavros, who also raped her, was my father. You aren�t exactly a boy scout either.� �Nikolas...� Stefan said in the voice that signaled the beginning of a blowup. �Don�t start.� Nikolas snapped. �I am 20 years old. You can no longer tell me what to do and what to say. Forgive me if I have no intentions on spending any time with you and Katherine or my half sister. I�d prefer to hang out with my mother, Emily, Alexis, Ned and Avery, people who actually care about me.� �I care about you.� Stefan said. �Like hell you do.� Nikolas said. �All you care about is controlling me.� Both men began to yell at each other as Alexis walked in. �What is going on here?� she demanded. �Nikolas, where is Avery?� �In your bedroom.� Nikolas said. �She�s watching a movie. I apologize for the yelling, but I was just making sure that my father knew that I was serious about not being the head of the family.� Stefan glared at his sister. �How dare you tell my son that it�s all right to just quit his birthright.� �Stefan,� Alexis said. �Get out of my house.� �I was just leaving.� He snapped, going to the door and leaving, slamming the door behind him. Alexis watched him leave and then turned to Nikolas. �Tell me what happened.� She said, sitting down on the couch...
The next morning, Nikolas and Emily left for New York City to spend the night with some friends from school who were having a party, Alexis went to work and Avery went to school. At ten o�clock on the dot, a black limo pulled up in the driveway and a tall man climbed from it and went up to the house. He quickly jimmied the lock, went into the Gatehouse and into the study. A few minutes later, the man got back into the limo and it pulled away. �I�m sorry, Principessa.� He mumbled...
�Katherine, it�s me.� Stefan said into the phone. �Where are you? I�ve been worried because you didn�t return home last night. Call me when you get this. I�ll be in Manhattan until tomorrow, okay?� At the same time, a call was made to the Port Charles Police Station. Detective Taggert picked up the phone. �Good morning, PCPD.� �Katherine Cassadine is dead.� Said a voice. �Her body is at the Cassadine family retreat.� �Who is this?� Taggert demanded, but the person had hung up. �Garcia!� he called. �We�ve got to get out to the Cassadine retreat...�
�Avery, time for dinner.� Alexis called up the stairs to her daughter that night. �I�m coming, Mommy!� Avery called. �I�m turning off my lights.� Alexis set a plate of spaghetti down at Avery�s place as she came running into the kitchen. �Yum, sketti.� She said, sitting down and waiting for Alexis. �Where�s Nikolas?� Alexis came over to the table with her plate and sat down. �He and Emily went up to the city to see some friends. They�ll be back tomorrow.� They began to eat and between bites, Avery told her mother what they did at school that day. �...and, we had goldfish crackers for snack time.� She finished. �That�s great, Avery.� Alexis said, taking a bite of her salad. She smiled, proud of herself for being able to cook edible food because before Avery was born, she had been completely inept when it came to cooking. Ned, who had learned to cook at boarding school, took pity on his wife and decided to teach her how to cook. More than once, their cooking lessons had turned into the two of them on the kitchen floor ripping off each others� flour covered clothes as one year old Avery slept upstairs. Six months later, Alexis could cook decently and she was very proud of her skill. �You look pretty today, Mommy.� Avery said. Alexis looked down at herself and smiled. She knew from experience that when she cooked, her clothes got covered in whatever she was making. Shortly before starting to cook, Alexis had changed from her maroon suit into a white baby-tee and Gap overalls, which Emily had talked her into buying the last time they had gone shopping. She had also pulled her hair up into a ponytail. �Thank you, Avery.� She said. �See, I have overalls just like yours.� Just then, the doorbell rang. �I�ll get it. Avery, you keep eating your dinner, okay?� �Okay, Mommy.� Avery said as Alexis left the kitchen. She went to the front door and unlocking it, pulled it open. Standing on the doorstep was Ned. �Ned!� she cried. �You�re home!� �I sure am.� Ned said, stepping into the house and grabbing her. They kissed for a long time and then pulled away. �I wanted to surprise you.� He explained. �You sure did.� Alexis said with a laugh. She put her arms around him and they held each other for a long moment. As they broke apart, Ned reached behind Alexis� head and pulled her ponytail. He grinned and then yelled, �Avery! Where are you?� �Daddy?� Avery cried as she raced at top speed into the living room. She looked at Ned and hurled herself into his arms. �Daddy! You�re home!� �I missed you.� Ned told her as he stood up, holding her in his arms. �I missed you more!� Avery exclaimed. �Don�t ever leave again!� �Did you take good care of Mommy while I was gone?� Ned asked her. When Avery nodded solemnly, he went on. �I have a present for you.� �You do?� Avery asked. �Of course.� Ned said. �Would I ever go away and not buy my Tigger a present?� He set her down and opening his suitcase, pulled out a large box wrapped in Tigger paper. Avery carefully undid the paper as her parents watched, Ned standing behind Alexis with his arms around her. �God, you look good.� He whispered in her ear. �I recall you telling me that when I got home, you were going to show me just how much you missed me?� Alexis smiled. �Just wait until Avery goes to bed.� They watched as Avery pulled from the box six doll dresses. �Wow!� Avery exclaimed. �Are these for Victoria?� �Yep.� Ned said. �Do you think she�ll like them?� Avery nodded eagerly. �Thank you, Daddy! Mommy, can I go try them on her? I ate most of my sketti.� �Okay.� Alexis relented. �Have fun.� Avery raced up the stairs and to her bedroom. �I got you something, too.� Ned told Alexis, pulling another box from his suitcase. �When did you have time to go shopping?� Alexis demanded, taking the box. �I found something for you when I went shopping for Avery.� Ned replied. �Open it.� Alexis quickly slid the ribbon off and opened the Nordstroms box to find an ice blue nightgown with spaghetti straps. She took it out of the box and looked closely at it. �Oh, Ned. I love it.� �I was hoping that you�d wear it tonight.� He said, running a hand down her back. �I will.� She said, giving him a seductive smile. �But I won�t be in it for long.� Ned put his arms around her again and she melted into his embrace...
At nine thirty, the phone at the PCPD rang. �Garcia.� Said a voice. �How may I help you?� �I know who killed Katherine Cassadine.� Said a voice. �If you�re looking for the murder weapon, try the killer�s house. It�s at 321 Harbor View Road.� �What?� Garcia said as the line went dead. He pushed the trace button on the phone and a moment later, found out that the call had come from a pay phone. �Taggert!� he called. �Get over here quick.� Taggert came rushing over. �What is it?� �We just got an anonymous tip.� He said. �The person told me where the weapon is- at the killer�s house.� �Great.� Taggert said. �A lead. I mean, we can�t get a hold of Stefan, I wonder where he is. Let�s go.� �You don�t understand.� Garcia said. �The house that they said belongs to none other than Quartermaine offspring Ned Ashton and his wife Alexis.� �Alexis Davis?� Taggert said. �As in the Cassadine?� Garcia nodded. �Let�s go...�
Meanwhile, Ned lifted Alexis into his arms and carried her up the stairs. They had just put Avery to bed and now were going to their bedroom. �I love you in those overalls.� Ned said. �You look adorable.� �Thank you.� Alexis replied, leaning over and kissing him. They went into their bedroom and Ned set her down. He began to unbuckle her overalls, slipping his hands underneath her shirt and stroking her soft skin as she unbuttoned his shirt. Just then, the doorbell rang. �Who could that be?� he asked. �I don�t know.� Alexis said. �Nikolas isn�t due back until tomorrow and if it�s Stefan, I�ll kill him.� She quickly readjusted her clothes and ran down the stairs with Ned behind her. She opened the door to see Taggert, Garcia and another police officer. �Yes?� she asked. �Ms. Davis-Ashton, we have a search warrant to go through this house.� Taggert said. �And we have a few questions for you.� �What�s going on here?� Alexis demanded as they came into the house. Garcia and the other officer began to look for the murder weapon as Taggert, Ned and Alexis sat down on the couch. �Ms. Davis-Ashton,� Taggert began, �Are you aware that your sister-in-law, Katherine Cassadine, has been murdered?� �What?� Alexis cried. �Are you serious?� �Very.� Taggert went on. �And we received a tip that the murder weapon was here.� �You�re kidding me!� Alexis exclaimed. �Why would it be here?� �Where were you last night around eleven o�clock?� Taggert asked, ignoring her question. �I was in bed asleep.� Alexis said. �Do you have any witnesses?� Taggert asked. Alexis shrugged. �My four year old daughter.� �What about Nikolas?� Ned asked. Alexis shook her head. �He went out with Emily after I got home from Avery�s PTA meeting. He didn�t come back until late.� Just then, Garcia came out of the study, holding a handkerchief. In it was a bloodstained dagger. �This was in the desk. It�s wiped clean.� He announced as Alexis and Ned stood up. �Whose desk is the oak one?� �Mine.� Alexis said in a small voice. Taggert and Garcia exchanged a look and than Taggert moved behind Alexis and put handcuffs on her. �What�s going on here?� Ned yelled. �My wife would never kill anyone! This is a mistake!� �Mr. Ashton, I�m going to ask you to be quiet.� Garcia said. �We�re taking your wife down to the station for formal questioning, you may follow us there and stay with her, as long as you remain silent.� He turned to Alexis, who looked ready to pass out. �Alexis Davis-Ashton, you are under arrest for the murder of Katherine Cassadine.�