Emily stands by the bed, taking her hair out of the clip it had been in.
She looks critically at herself in the mirror, wondering if she�s ready for tonight. She can still hear Nikolas� words in her head.
* * * F L A S H B A C K * * *
Emily: �So, Nikolas, what do you want to do for Valentines Day? I was thinking dinner, maybe a movie or something...�
Nikolas: �Actually, there�s something I�ve been meaning to ask you. I was talking to Ned yesterday, and he told me his plan for Valentines Day with Alexis, and I was thinking that it would be in our best interest to not be home that night. What do you think about staying at the PC hotel? We can get a couple rooms or something...�
Emily: �Yeah... that sounds like a good idea.�
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K * * *
Emily: (to herself) �Am I really ready to go all the way with Nikolas?� she examines herself, dressed in a short black lace gown that clings to her body. �Yes, I am. I love him.�
Just then, there�s a knock at the door.
Emily runs to open it. She throws the door open and poses in the door frame, throwing her arms up in the air like a supermodel.
Standing there is none other than Stefan.
Emily: (mortified) �Stefan! I mean, Mr. Cassadine! What are you doing here?�
Stefan: (shocked) �Uh... actually, I was looking for a friend. I guess she�s not in this room, so I�ll be on my way.�
Just then, Nikolas comes walking up. He�s visibly shocked at the sight of both Emily and his father standing there.
Stefan: �Hello Nikolas. I accidentally knocked on the wrong door. I was looking for someone else.�
Nikolas: (bitterly) �Who? Mackenzie Cisnaros? It makes perfect sense for you to go after the woman who�s out to get Alexis and Ned.� He brushes past Stefan and into the room. �Goodbye, father.�
Emily follows him inside and closes the door.
Nikolas: (turning to her) �Emily, what�s going on here? Why are you wearing that?�
Emily: �I thought you wanted to get a room tonight.�
Nikolas: (figuring out what�s going on) �Oh no. Em, I said rooms. As in two.�
Emily: �Oh my God! I thought you wanted to have sex with me tonight.�
Nikolas: �We agreed that we weren�t ready for that.� He touches her arm. �Em, I hope I didn�t lead you on.�
Emily: (obviously disappointed) �No. It�s fine. I�ll go change.� Before Nikolas can say anything, she disappears into the bathroom.
The Brownstone. Late that night.
Bobbie comes dragging into the house, exhausted from working all night at the hospital.
Just then, the lamp by the couch goes on.
Jerry: �Bobbie, is that you?�
Bobbie: �Oh Jerry, you didn�t have to wait up for me.�
Jerry: �I wanted to. It is Valentines Day after all.�
Bobbie: �I�m sorry I had to work. One of the other nurses called in sick.�
Jerry: �I have something for you.� He goes into the kitchen and returns, holding two boxes, one large and the other slightly smaller. He hands them to Bobbie.
Bobbie opens the first one and pulls out a new tennis racket. She holds it in her left hand, staring at it, a �what the hell is this?� expression on her face.
Jerry: (happily) �Tennis lessons!� Bobbie stares at him. �Open the other one.�
Bobbie opens the other box, almost afraid of what�s inside. She relaxes when she sees a box with the picture of a heart on it. She takes the lid off and finds a three pound smashed chocolate heart.
Jerry: �Oh, I didn�t know that it was broken. How do you like the tennis lessons idea?�
Bobbie: �Thank you, Jerry. I don�t know what to say. Really, I don�t.�
Jerry: �Well, I was in the store and I thought, �what is an interesting gift to get your wife?� and then I saw the tennis racket.�
Bobbie: �Uh, I told Monica I�d call her when I got home.� She walks out of the room.
The Quartermaines� House.
Monica comes in from the same late shift that Bobbie was working.
Alan is sitting on the couch in the living room waiting for her, the lights dimmed and the room bathed in candlelight.
Monica: �What�s all this?�
Alan: �Happy Valentines� Day, Monica.� He gestures to a large box in the center of the room, wrapped in red paper with pink and white hearts on it.
Monica looks surprised and happy as she goes over and unwraps the box.
* * * F L A S H B A C K * * *
Monica is standing outside Alan�s office the week before. The door is slightly ajar.
Alan: (on phone) �Yeah... Aruba would be great... that sounds perfect. She�ll love it...�
Monica grins to herself and walks off down the hall.
Alan: (continuing) �Yes, my mother was very interested in pledging money to the childrens charities in the Caribbean... I�ll be in contact next week... thank you... goodbye.�
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K * * *
From the box, she pulls a set of luggage.
Monica: (not quite sure what to say) �It�s luggage.�
Alan: (pleased) �I knew you would like it!�
Monica: �It�s luggage.�
Alan: �I thought of you when I saw it.�
Monica: �Luggage.�
Alan: �Yours was getting all frayed.�
Monica: �Luggage. Thank you, Alan.� She yawns. �I�m tired. Can we go to bed now?�
She walks up the stairs, and Alan looks at her in surprise.
Alan: �Don�t you want to take your new luggage upstairs?�
Monica glares at him and continues upstairs. Alan hears their bedroom door slam shut.
Alan: �What? What did I do?� He stands there, surrounded by Monica�s eight piece luggage set. To himself. �I thought she�d like it.�
As soon as Monica slams the door shut, the phone rings.
Monica: �Hello?�
Bobbie: �It�s me. So, did you get your trip to Aruba?�
Monica: �Not exactly. I got luggage.�
Bobbie: �Luggage to take to Aruba?�
Monica: �No, just luggage. Can you believe how un-romantic that is?�
Bobbie: �You�re telling me. I got tennis lessons.� She starts laughing. �And a broken chocolate heart.�
Monica: (laughing) �We�ve been married way too long. Our husbands have lost their romantic spark.�
Bobbie: �I just hope that Ned and Alexis are having a better night.�
Ned and Alexis� house. Their bedroom.
Ned and Alexis are curled up in their bed, Ned stroking Alexis� bare stomach.
Ned: �She just moved.�
Alexis: �I know. For about fifteen minutes, I got some peace and darling little Hannah stopped kicking.�
Ned: �I love you, Alexis Brinna Davis Ashton.�
Alexis: �I love you too, Edward Lawrence Quartermaine Junior.�
Ned leans over and kisses her softly as Hannah continues to kick up a storm.
Outside the firehouse.
Kimberly and Scott lay intertwined on the porch.
Kimberly: �God, that was great.�
Scott: �You�re amazing, Ms. Corday-Baldwin. Absolutely amazing.�
Kimberly: �I could use some more champagne. An entire bottle wasn�t nearly enough.� She waves her wrist in his face. Hanging from it is a diamond tennis bracelet. �By the way, I love my bracelet, Scott.�
Scott: �I�m glad you like your bracelet, Angelface. And I�ll go get us some more bubbly.� He gets up and goes to the door. His face completely falls. �Uh, Kim, the door is locked.�
Kimberly: �That isn�t funny.�
Scott: �It is locked. Kim, we�re locked out of the house.�
Kimberly stands up and goes over to the door. She tries turning the knob.
Kimberly: �Oh my god! We�re locked out and I don�t know where I threw my clothes!�
Scott: �Well, we could always climb over the fence. Or you could and then you could open it for me.�
Kimberly: �Well, okay.� He leads her over to the side of the house and points up at the top of the fence. �You expect me to climb that? How?�
Scott: �I�ll lift you up. Don�t worry. It will be great.� He lifts her up and tries to put her up on the fence, but they�re so drunk, they�re swaying back and forth.
Kimberly is laughing her head off when Scott finally manages to lift her onto the fence.
She balances on two pieces of wood on either side of the fence and begins to sing.
Kimberly: �I believe I can fly... I believe I can touch the sky... I think about it every night and every day, spread my wings and fly away... I believe I can soar...�
Without warning, her footing gives way and she falls head first into a pile of dirt in the backyard.
Scott: �Kim, are you okay? Kim? Kimberly?�
The gate swings open and Kimberly is standing there, her naked body covered in dirt.
Kimberly: �I�m fine.�
The next morning.
Felicia�s car pulls up in the driveway of the firehouse and Serena gets out. She walks up to the door and opens it.
Serena: �Daddy? Mommy?�
Scott: (coming in from the kitchen, a cold compress applied to his head) �Hey there squirt. Did you have fun with Avery, Maxie, and Georgie last night?�
Serena: �It was fun! We played dress-up.�
Just then, Kimberly comes out of the kitchen, wearing her robe.
Serena: �Mommy!� she runs over and hugs Kimberly.
Kimberly: (in a low voice) �Did you have fun last night?�
Serena: �Yeah.� She looks closely at Kimberly. �Mommy, you look funny. Tired.�
Kimberly: �You could say that.� She winces in pain from her hangover-induced headache.
She throws herself down on the couch and Scott joins her.
Serena: �Daddy? What�s wrong?�
Scott: (groaning) �Serena, baby, don�t talk so loud please. I have a headache.�
Serena: �Why?�
Scott and Kimberly look at each other and start laughing.
Meanwhile, at the Ashtons� house.
Avery comes bounding into the house after Felicia drops her off.
Avery: �Mommy? Daddy? Are you home?�
Upstairs, Ned and Alexis open their eyes and look at each other, panicked. Their clothes are thrown all over the floor and they aren�t wearing anything under the sheets.
Ned jumps out of bed and after throwing his robe on, races downstairs to meet Avery.
Ned: �Avery, you�re home early! Very early.�
Avery: �Felicia had to go to work. She�s so nice. She made us pancakes!�
Ned: �That�s great. I hope you had fun last night.�
Avery: �I did. Did you and Mommy have fun?�
Ned: �We had a lot of fun.�
Avery: �Where is she?�
Ned: �In bed still. She�s tired. Hannah was kicking last night.�
Avery: (under her breath) �Stupid Hannah.�
Ned: �What was that?�
Avery: �I said, poor Mommy.�
Noon. The Port Charles Grill.
Alexis walks in to find that her lunch companions are already there. Seated at a round table in the corner is Kimberly, Emily, Bobbie, Julia and Monica.
Bobbie: (teasingly) �Geez, what took so long?�
Alexis: �Don�t mess with me. I�m pregnant.� She turns to Kimberly, who is wearing black sunglasses. �What�s wrong with you?�
Kimberly: (lowering the glasses so they can see her bloodshot eyes) �I never, ever want to see champagne again.�
Emily: �How much did you drink?�
Kimberly: �A bottle.� She looks at Alexis. �Don�t start.�
Julia: �An entire bottle? I�m surprised you�re up at all.�
Kimberly: �I had to finish washing the dirt out of my hair before Serena got home.�
Monica: �Dirt? What, were you and Scott getting kinky on a farm?�
Kimberly sighs and quickly explains what happened with the porch, champagne and fence. Everyone starts laughing hysterically.
Kimberly: �It isn�t funny. Like you had great nights either.�
Alexis: �I did.� She holds up her hand to show off her ring. �Ned gave me this. The diamond is Hannah�s birthstone and the amethyst is Avery�s.�
Monica: �So there is still such a thing as a romantic man. I�ll drink to that.� She and Bobbie take long drinks from their martini glasses. �Alan gave me luggage. Not for a trip or anything. Just a stupid eight piece luggage set that he thought I would love.�
Bobbie: �Jerry was very proud of the tennis racket and lessons he gave me. Oh, and a broken three pound chocolate heart.�
Alexis, Kimberly and Julia laugh. Emily looks upset.
Emily: �Before I tell you about my night from hell, I want to say to my mother, please don�t flip out.�
Kimberly: �Ooh, this ought to be good.�
Emily: �Well, Nikolas suggested that we not be home last night so Ned and Alexis could have privacy. I took it the wrong way, and answered the knock at the hotel room in a black lace nightgown, posing in the doorway.� She sighs. �Stefan was standing there.�
Alexis almost spits out her club soda.
Emily: �He was looking for Mackenzie. They must have had some t�te-�-t�te last night. Anyway, Nikolas showed up and explained that he meant two rooms, not one. He ended up sleeping on the floor.�
Kimberly starts laughing.
Bobbie: �That sounds pretty bad too, Emily. If you were of legal age, I�d order you a vodka.�
Alexis: �Well, what about you Julia? Was your night perfect or was it hell?�
Julia: �Jax and I went out for dinner. That�s all.�
Monica: �Yeah, and I like my luggage . What really happened, Julia?�
Julia: �I refuse to go into specifics, but I will say that Jax left his tie in my hotel room.�
Everyone hoots and laughs as Julia blushes a deep red.
Just then, Mackenzie walks in. She looks at the group of women laughing together and a sad expression crosses her face.
Alexis and Kimberly notice this and look at each other. Alexis speaks first.
Alexis: �Mackenzie, would you like to join us?�
Mackenzie: �Me?�
Kimberly: �Yeah you. You looked like you were alone.�
Mackenzie: �Well, sure.� She comes over to the table and sits down next to Julia.
Alexis: �You know Kimberly and Julia. This is Dr. Monica Quartermaine, her daughter, Emily, and this is Bobbie Jacks.�
Mackenzie: �I remember you all from the ball.� In a low voice. �Alexis, can I talk to you please? Just for a second?�
Alexis: �Sure.� They get up and go out to the lobby. �So, what�s up?�
Mackenzie: �Alexis, why are you being so nice to me? I kidnapped you, remember?�
Alexis: �I�m fully aware of that. I�m also aware that Helena was blackmailing you. Now, I can�t say that I trust you completely, but I do feel bad about everything that has happened. I know what it�s like to grow up without knowing you had siblings.�
Mackenzie: �What are you talking about?�
Alexis: �I didn�t know that Stefan was my brother until I was thirty five.�
Mackenzie: �Are you for real?�
Alexis: �Look, Mackenzie, I�m giving you a second chance, that is, if you want it.�
Mackenzie: �Definitely. Thank you, Alexis.�
Alexis: �But I am going to warn you now, that if you do ANYTHING to mess with Ned, I will see you dead and buried. I will not let you hurt my husband. Got it?�
Mackenzie: �I understand.� She pauses. �You know, I never wanted to trash Ned specifically. I was under the impression that I had this whole family who never even bothered to get to know me. Looks like my mother lied, because Ned knew nothing about me. I just didn�t know that at the time. I will try, Alexis.�
Alexis: �That�s all that I ask.�
They head back to the table and sit down.
Bobbie: �So, Mackenzie, we were talking about what we did for Valentines Day. Do you have a story to share?�
Mackenzie: �Well, Stefan and I had dinner and he gave me an heirloom locket. What did you guys get?�
Alexis: �Ned gave me a ring.� She shows it to her.
Kimberly: �Scott gave me this diamond tennis bracelet.�
Emily: �Nikolas gave me an antique music box.�
Bobbie: �I got tennis lessons from Jerry.�
Julia: �Jax gave me diamond earrings.�
Monica: (sighing) �Alan gave me luggage.�
Mackenzie: �That�s pathetic.�
Monica: �My sentiments exactly.� She snaps her fingers. �Waiter, get this woman a martini. She deserves one.�
Mackenzie smiles the first genuine smile Alexis has seen.
That night. The Ashtons� house.
Ned comes sweeping into the house to find Alexis reading Cosmopolitan on the couch. He goes over and kisses her.
Ned: �Sorry I had to work late.�
Alexis: �It�s okay. Avery and I had a lovely dinner of frozen pizzas, her choice.�
Ned: (sitting down next to her) �So, Beautiful, what did you do today?�
Alexis: �I had lunch with Kim, Emily, Julia, Monica, Mackenzie and Bobbie.�
Ned: �That�s nice. Wait, did you just say Mackenzie? As in my sister?�
Alexis: �Yeah. Why?�
Ned: �You�re friends with her now?�
Alexis: �I wouldn�t exactly say that, but I feel bad for her. She�s been through a lot. She came into the Grill alone, and she looked lonely, so Kim and I invited her to join us.� She shrugs. �It was no big deal.�
Ned: (his voice rising) �No big deal? No big deal? Alexis, for God�s sake, she kidnapped you! She tried to kill you! She�s working with Helena! I�d say it�s a very big deal!�
Alexis: �She was being blackmailed by Helena. Ned, trust me. She�s okay.�
Ned: �I don�t believe anything that comes from that woman�s mouth. Alexis, I forbid you to under any circumstances, have anything to do with Mackenzie Cisnaros.�
Alexis: �You forbid me? What am I, eight years old? Ned, you may be my husband, but you can not tell me who I can and can not spend time with.�
Ned: �I don�t want you getting hurt again.�
Alexis: �I�m a grown woman! I can take care of myself!�
Ned: �A grown woman who happens to be seven months pregnant.�
Alexis: �What does that mean? Do you think that my spending time with your sister is going to cause me to endanger the life of our unborn child?�
Ned: �Forget I even said anything.�
Alexis: �I don�t think so. I refuse to spend one second longer under your scrutiny. I�m going to bed.�
Ned: �We�re not done.�
Alexis: �Oh yes we are.� She tosses her magazine aside and storms upstairs.
Ned: (following her) �Alexis, come on. We need to discuss this.�
Alexis: �I don�t want to talk to you.�
Ned: �Alexis, you�re being childish.�
Alexis: (over her shoulder) �Bite me.�
Avery: (from her room) �It�s not nice to say that!�
Ned starts laughing. After a minute, Alexis does too.
Ned: �Lex, I don�t want to fight with you. I just want you to be safe.�
Alexis: (sitting down on the stairs) �Ned, your sister is a very complex young woman. She came to Port Charles as the world�s biggest bitch. Now, well, she�s trying to build a life here, and we�re not making it any easier for her.�
Ned: �But look at what she did to you...�
Alexis: �I realize that, but Helena blackmailed her into helping her kidnap me.�
Ned: �That doesn�t justify her punching you in the Grill.�
Alexis: �Look, Ned, apparently, your mother told Mackenzie that you guys, as in the Quartermaines and the Barretts, knew about her, and chose to not have anything to do with her. Can you imagine how that feels? She came here full of hurt at being ignored for the last twenty-six years. She spent her whole life in boarding schools, just like you.�
Ned: (softly) �I never knew that.�
Alexis: �I think there is a lot you and Julia do not know about your sister.� She grins. �Besides, I told her that if she screws with you ever again, I�ll kill her.�
Ned: (laughing) �I love it when you defend me. What did she say?�
Alexis: �She agreed. She wants to make a fresh start here.� She looks him in the eye. �And Ned, I think that you can help her with that. You�re her brother and you should give her a chance.�
Ned: �But, ugh, she�s sleeping with your brother. She�s only five years older than Nikolas!�
Alexis: �We didn�t get around to talking about that. I think I�ll broach the subject after Hannah is born so I can consume a large amount of alcohol while we�re talking. She had lunch with us, and was very polite to everyone. She is so eager for Julia�s acceptance that she was practically bending over backwards to impress us.�
Ned: �And, was she impressive?�
Alexis: �Very. You know, she�s a hellified lawyer. She�s worked on some internationally known cases. She�s a defense attorney too.�
Ned: �Well, if you approve of her, than she must be okay.� He takes her hand. �Alexis, I promise you that I will give her a chance. So, do you want me to invite her for dinner?�
Alexis: �Already taken care of. She�s coming over for dinner tomorrow night.�
Ned: (laughing) �How did you know that I�d say yes?�
Alexis: �Who knows you better than me?�
Ned: �Good point.� He stand up, pulling her with him. �Come on, let�s go take a bath.�
Alexis: �Together? Mr. Ashton, what are you suggesting?�
Ned: �All that I�m suggesting is a nice hot bath. And, whatever follows afterwards.�
Laughing, Alexis allows Ned to drag her into their bedroom and to the bathroom, where after running a bath, slowly undresses her, as she undresses him, and they slide into the bathtub together.
Ned begins to sensually massage Alexis� shoulders as she sits in front of him.
Alexis: �That feels really good.�
Ned lets his hands slide down Alexis� body until they stop on her waist. He gently rubs her ever-growing stomach as Alexis grins. Lifting one hand, he begins to stroke her hair.
Alexis: �Oh Ned, you�re driving me crazy.� She turns around and kisses him softly as he rubs his hands all over her upper body.
They lean in closer so that Alexis� legs are wrapped around Ned�s waist, and they begin kissing passionately. Just then, they begin to slip underwater.
Alexis: (between kisses) �Ned, we�re going to drown.�
Ned: �I refuse to leave this room until I have made love to you.�
Alexis: �Than what are you waiting for? Take me now, Mr. Ashton.�
Ned gently lifts Alexis out of the bathtub and lies her on the bath mat, looking adoringly at her as she reaches up to kiss him.
They slowly and passionately make love on the floor of the bathroom, as suds from the bath drip all over the place.
Ned: �Do you know how beautiful you look at this moment?�
Alexis: �Like a naked pregnant woman?�
Ned: �No, like a princess. You are, and always will be my princess, Mrs. Ashton.�
Alexis: �And you will always be my knight in shining armor. Always and forever.�