Everyone begins to applaud and scream as the curtain goes down and the lights turn on.
Ned: (to Kimberly, as they gather their belongings) �Kim, are you still taking Avery home with you?�
Kimberly: �Sure thing.�
Alexis: �What�s going on here? Why aren�t we taking our child home with us?�
Ned: �You�ll see in a few minutes.�
Avery: (hugging Alexis around the legs) �Bye Mommy! Have fun!�
Alexis: (leaning down and kissing her) �Uh, okay. Goodnight, Sweetie.�
Scott picks Serena up, and Kimberly picks Avery up and they leave. Julia and Jax follow them out.
Soon, everyone is gone except Ned and Alexis.
Alexis: �What�s going on here? We have to get home to Hannah.�
Ned: �Nope. She�s staying with Julia and Jax tonight.�
Alexis: �Ned! What is this?�
Ned: �Come with me.� He takes her hand and leads her out of the Vasarri room and to the elevator.
The elevator stops on the roof, and they get out. There are little twinkling lights everywhere, and an orchestra playing.
Alexis: �Oh my god. It�s like our first dance.�
Ned: �And our first kiss.� In a low voice. �Mrs. Ashton, may I have this dance?�
Alexis: �Of course you may.�
He pulls her into his arms and they begin to dance. Suddenly, the song changes to �Someone to Watch Over Me.�
They twirl around the roof, Ned holding Alexis tightly against his body.
Ned: �I�m sorry about the stage thing.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Don�t be. I�m the one who pushed you up against the door.�
Ned: (laughing) �I can�t believe how uninhibited we�ve become. A few years ago, you would have rather shot yourself in the foot than made love behind stage curtains while a huge charity function was going on.�
Alexis: �You�ve changed me.� She grins. �So, we have the house to ourselves tonight?�
Ned: �Yeah... what do you have in mind?�
Alexis: �I was thinking along the lines of a moonlight dip in the hot tub after this.�
Ned: �I am so there!� He pulls her closer and they become lost in the music.
Three o�clock a.m.
Ned: (calling) �Alexis, what�s taking you so long?� he�s already in the hot tub, bubbles and steam all around him.
Alexis: �I�m right here.�
Ned looks up to see Alexis standing in the doorway. She�s wearing a silk robe, and as she walks out onto the deck, she slowly removes it to reveal her tanned body.
Ned: �You know, after all this time, you still take my breath away.�
Alexis: (blushing) �Thank you. I aim to please.� She goes over to the hot tub and gets in.
As Alexis sits down in the steps across from Ned, he pours her a glass of sparkling cider and hands it to her.
Ned: (raising his own glass) �To the sexiest woman in the world, who I am lucky enough to call my wife, my lawyer and my best friend. Alexis, I love you, and may we always be this happy.�
Alexis: (raising her glass) �To the man who taught me how to love. I can never repay you for our children, our marriage, my job, and the everlasting love you give me. Ned, I will love you for the rest of my life.�
They clink their glasses together and then take a sip.
Ned: �Can you believe how beautiful this is?�
Alexis: (looking up at the stars) �It�s amazing.� She points upward. �There�s our star.� She moves so she is laying against him, his arms around her.
Ned: (kissing her neck) �Do you remember when I deemed that our star?�
Alexis: �How could I forget? That was the first night we ever made love.�
Ned: �I can�t believe that it�s been almost four years since we got married, and Avery is five now! She�s going to be in Kindergarten in a couple months!�
Alexis: �Isn�t our wedding anniversary coming up in two weeks?�
Ned: �It sure is.� He grins boyishly. �I hope you don�t mind, but I made our anniversary plans in advance.�
Alexis: �Ooh! Where are we going?�
Ned: �Gee, how does a week in Bali sound?�
Alexis: �Bali? I am so there! Do you know how beautiful it is there?�
Ned: (happy about her excitement) �So I�ve heard.�
Alexis: (her face falling) �Oh, Ned. We can�t go to Bali. I can�t leave Hannah! I�m still breast-feeding.�
Ned: �But not all the time.� He ponders this. �Can�t you just pump some milk in advance?�
Alexis: �Who�s supposedly taking care of the kids?�
Ned: �Julia and Jax offered to take care of them. They�re going to stay here with them.�
Alexis: �Are you sure that they want to do that for a whole week? They aren�t very experienced with children...�
Ned: �Kimberly and Scott are going to help out. Bobbie and Jerry too.� He smiles. �Please, Lex? Can�t we go to Bali?�
Alexis: �Well... it is our fourth anniversary. One more year, and we�ll be one-twentieth of a century.� She smiles. �As long as the kids are okay, I am more than willing to accompany you to Bali, Mr. Ashton.�
Ned: �Good.� He kisses her neck, and his hands begin to wander.
Alexis: (beginning to slip underwater) �Ned, we�re going to drown if we...�
Ned: �Than turn around.�
Alexis turns around and wraps her legs around Ned�s waist and they begin to make love, as a shooting star goes off across the sky.
Meanwhile, at Jax�s penthouse.
Julia paces the living room floor, a crying Hannah in her arms.
Julia: �Hannah, please stop crying. I don�t want your parents to think that we can�t take care of you and Avery when they go to Bali.�
Hannah continues to cry as Jax, in his robe, comes down the stairs and watches them.
Jax: �Having a little trouble?�
Julia: �Want to try?�
Jax: �Sure.� He takes Hannah from her and cradles her to his chest. �Shh, Hannah. It�s okay, sweetheart... go to sleep...�
Julia: �Do you know how cute you look with her?�
Jax: �Julia Barrett, are you telling me that you want a baby?�
Julia: (defensively) �I never said that. I just think you look cute.�
Jax: �Well, looking cute isn�t going to make her stop crying.� He walks over to the window and begins to sing softly. �Good night, my love... pleasant dreams, sleep tight my love, may tomorrow be sunny and bright...�
As he sings, Hannah begins to calm down and she eventually stops crying and looks up at him, her brown eyes huge. She yawns and quickly goes to sleep.
Julia: (impressed) �Wow! You did it!� she gestures upstairs, where Hannah�s portable crib is set up in one of the guest rooms. �Do you want to put her to in her crib?�
Jax: (whispering) �Nah. I think we�ll just sit on the couch for a while. Would you care to join us, Ms. Barrett?�
Julia: �I would be honored to, Mr. Jacks.�
They go over to the couch and sit down, Julia�s head resting on Jax� shoulder.
Jax: �I love you, Julia.�
Julia: �I love you too.�
Jax: (in a low voice) �Would you ever consider marrying me?�
Julia: �Jax, I love you, but I honestly don�t know. I mean, you... and Brenda... I just don�t know what she would have wanted...�
Jax: (kissing her hand) �I will always love Brenda. No one can ever replace her in my heart, but I have to move on... Julia, I want you to marry me and be the mother of my children... and we�ll live happily ever after... that�s all I want.�
Julia: �I need some time to think.�
Jax: �Would you at least consider moving in with me? It makes no sense for you to be keeping a suite downstairs when you spend almost every night here.�
Julia: �You know, I would love to move in with you, Jasper Jacks. You sure need a woman to clean up after you.�
Jax: �I do not! That�s what the maids are for!� he smiles. �But I�m going to look forward to waking up with you in my arms, and you being here when I get home from work, and seeing all of your clothes hanging in the closet...�
Julia silences him with a kiss.
Julia: (her face next to his) �Can I move in tomorrow?�
Jax: �We�ll get your stuff as soon as Ned picks Hannah up.�
They kiss for a long time, and end up falling asleep on the couch.
The next morning. The Quartermaines� house.
Monica is sitting in the parlor, reading the newspaper and drinking coffee when Alan comes breezing in.
Alan: �Good morning, sunshine!�
Monica gives him a look that could freeze boiling water.
Alan: �What? What did I do?�
Monica: �Your little performance last night was beyond embarrassing.�
Alan: �I just wanted to sing you a little song!�
Monica: �But you turned the lyrics into a sexual innuendo, fell off the stage, and ended up starting a cake fight. Have you seen the cover of the PC Gazette this morning?�
Alan: (shaking his head) �No. Is it that bad?�
Monica holds it up and Alan starts laughing hysterically.
Monica: �Believe me, there are people who aren�t going to find that amusing.�
Alan: �Like who?�
Monica just rolls her eyes.
Ned and Alexis� house.
Alexis comes down the stairs, and after turning the coffee pot on, goes to get the newspaper. She unrolls it and taking a good look at the cover, screams.
Ned: (running down the stairs) �Alexis! What�s wrong?�
Alexis: (throwing the paper at him) �This! This is what�s wrong!�
Ned looks at the cover of the paper. Under the headline, �Nurses Ball Turns into Cake Fight,� is a picture of Ned, Alexis, Kimberly and Scott. They are all covered in cake.
Ned: (laughing) �It�s not that bad.�
Alexis: �Not that bad? I look like a reject from a Betty Crocker bake-off! You can barely see my face I�m so covered in frosting!� she starts laughing. �At least Kim looks as bad.�
A hotel room across town.
A desk reveals the picture of the Ashtons and Baldwins from the paper, cut out, a large red circle drawn around Alexis� face.
June 21, 1999.
The Ashtons� house.
Julia and Jax have just arrived for their week of baby-sitting Avery and Hannah.
Alexis and Ned are finishing saying good-bye to their kids.
Julia: �Don�t you look like the picture of summer, Alexis.�
Alexis: (spinning around, modeling her short black and white flowered skirt, white sleeveless blouse, ponytail and black sunglasses) �Thank you. Thank you very much.� She grins like a little kid. �I�ve never been to Bali.�
Julia: �You haven�t?�
Ned: (coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist) �No, Lex prefers the Czech Republic.�
Alexis: �Shut up!� she laughs. �And so what if I did go there? It was Kim�s fault!�
Ned: (pulling her ponytail) �I think we have to get going.�
Alexis: �Okay.� She goes over to Hannah, who is in her baby gym, and picks her up. �Goodbye, sweet angel. We�ll see you in a week.� She gives her a kiss.
She looks over at Avery, who is sulking on the couch.
Alexis: �Avery, aren�t you going to say goodbye to me?�
Avery: �Why do you have to leave me here? With Hannah?�
Ned: �Avery, you have to help Julia and Jax take care of her.�
Avery: (sighing) �Fine. Will you bring me something?�
Ned: �Of course we will.� He gives her a kiss, and then Alexis hugs her good-bye.
Before Avery can start crying, they slip out the door and get into Alexis� Mercedes. They head for the Port Charles Airport.
Aboard the ELQ jet, headed for Bali.
Alexis: �Just think, in a few hours, we�ll be alone on a beach...�
Ned: �A few hours? Try twelve.�
Alexis: (suggestively) �I can think of a few things to do to pass the time.�
Ned: (teasingly) �Oh, did you buy a new crossword puzzle book?�
Alexis: �ha ha. If you have your heart set on crossword puzzles, than I hope you won�t be too disappointed when I do this.� She grabs him and pushes him onto the couch.
Ned: �Far from disappointed. Believe me.�
Alexis leans down and begins to unbutton his shirt and pants, and then begins to slowly remove her clothes, moving around seductively. Ned watches in amusement.
When all of her clothes are shed, she climbs on top of Ned and begins to make love to him.
Port Charles. That night (PC time.)
Avery: �Please, Julia? It�s on cable!�
Jax: (teasingly) �Yeah, Julia, why can�t we watch Spice World?�
Julia: �Avery, I know for a fact that you�ve seen this movie at least fifteen times, and you�re supposed to be in bed at eight. It gets over at nine.�
Avery: (sticking her lower lip out) �Please? Pretty please?�
Julia looks helplessly at Jax, who grins.
Jax: �I wouldn�t mind seeing it.� He grins. �Avery, can I watch it with you?�
Julia: �Jax! Alexis said she has to go to bed at eight.�
Jax: (picking Avery up) �But Alexis is in Bali.�
Avery: �Yeah, mommy and daddy are in Bali!�
Julia: (throwing up her arms) �Fine. But Jax, I hold you responsible for this.�
Jax: (ignoring her) �Avery, do you want some popcorn?�
Julia sighs, hiding a smile, and then walks out of the room, hoping Ned and Alexis won�t be mad.
Meanwhile. Bali.
Ned and Alexis have just finished getting ready to go get a bite to eat.
They walk out of their condo and onto the sand. Ned is wearing khaki pants and a white shirt and Alexis is dressed in a dark red sundress with beaded spaghetti straps and matching sandals.
Alexis: �It�s so beautiful!� She looks around at the blue sky and clear water and tips her face up to feel the blazing sun against her skin. �Totally beautiful.�
Ned: (looking at her) �You�re right, it is.�
Alexis: �Ned, I was talking about the scenery.� She laughs.
Ned: (suggestively) �So was I.� He sighs. �I guess we can�t go back inside and make love?�
Alexis: �I never said that we couldn�t.�
Ned: �Nah.� He grins. �I have something else in mind.�
Before Alexis can say anything, Ned picks her up and begins running towards the water.
Alexis: (kicking and screaming) �Ned! Ned Ashton, put me down right now!� she kicks at him. �Put me down!�
Ned: �What was that? I didn�t hear you.�
Alexis: �Ned, this is not funny!�
Ned ignores her and races into the water, far enough out so his knees are covered by the water, and throws Alexis as far as he can.
There is a large splash as Alexis hits the water.
She comes up to the surface a minute later, glaring at Ned.
Alexis: �Ned! You jerk!�
Ned: �I�ve never seen you looking sexier.�
Alexis picks up the skirt of her dress and wades over to him, looking ready to kill him.
Ned: �Okay, I�m sorry.�
Alexis: �Oh, you�re forgiven.� She marches over to him and gives him a good push, sending him underwater. Ned grabs her as he falls and pulls her down with him.
When Ned comes up, he immediately grabs Alexis and kisses her passionately.
Ned: �There�s something about the beach that turns me on...�
Alexis: (shaking her head adamantly) �No way. There is no way in hell that I am going to make love to you in the Mediterranean Sea!� She heads for the shore.
Ned: (following her) �Aw, Alexis. That�s what you said about the beach on our honeymoon, and back stage at the Nurses Ball, and the ball pit, and the boardroom table...�
Alexis: �What if someone walks by?�
Ned: �We�re on our own stretch of the beach!�
Alexis: �No. I am putting my foot down. I don�t want to be all sandy and gross!�
Ned: �Come on. We can go back to our condo and take a shower a deux.� He grins.
Alexis: �You are relentless.� She smiles. �You never give up, do you?�
Ned: �You should know after four years that I NEVER give up when it comes to you.�
Alexis: �I think you�re doing a little too much talking, Mr. Ashton.�
Ned lays her down in the shallow water, and pulls her dress over her head.
Alexis follows suit, unbuttoning his pants and slipping them off.
Ned: �God, I love you.�
Alexis: �And you definitely love it when you get your way.�
Ned: �Well, that too.� He kisses her. �But you know you love it too.�
Alexis rolls her eyes and kisses him passionately.
Back at the condo, an hour later.
Ned turns off the water in the shower and hands Alexis a fluffy towel. She wraps herself in it and heads for the bedroom. Ned follows her.
Shedding the towels, they climb under the cool sheets and snuggle close together. Alexis puts her head on his chest.
Alexis: �I can�t believe that tomorrow, we�ve been married for four years.�
Ned: (in a soft voice) �Who would have known that Christmas Eve in the Port Charles Grill... we would end up like this?�
Alexis: �Don�t you believe in love at first sight?�
Ned: �With you, I certainly do.� He strokes her hair. �Alexis, do you know what I love the most about you?�
Alexis: �What?�
Ned: �The thing I love the most about you is the Alexis that only I get to see... the sensual, vulnerable, innocent, sexy-as-hell woman that no one else sees.� He smiles. �The Alexis that I see right now, and that I see everytime I�m alone with you. You drop all pretense, and you�re completely yourself.� He kisses her forehead. �And I love you.�
Alexis: (touched) �Do you know what I love the most about you?� she smiles. �Ned, I love the way you protect me.�
Ned: �Protect you from what?�
Alexis: �You protect me from anyone who could or has hurt me. Especially Helena and Stefan. And you were adamant on protecting me from Mackenzie when you found out I was hanging around her. You were wrong that time, but I know that you would take down anyone who ever tried to hurt me.� She smiles. �No one has ever protected me like that. Stefan was always more interested in his own agenda. I am completely secure in knowing that you would never let anyone hurt me.�
Ned: �I would die for you, Alexis. You are my heart and soul.� He leans down and kisses her lips softly. �You mean the world to me.�
Alexis: �These have been the best four years of my life.�
Ned: (pulling her closer) �And here�s to another four. And four more after that, and four hundred after that.�
Alexis: �Four hundred? Can you imagine us at age four hundred and thirty six? That would be too bad.�
Ned: �But you would still be the most beautiful woman in the world.�
Alexis: �You say that now, but wait until I get gray hair and lose my teeth.�
Ned: �Oh please. You�ve had two children and you still look like a supermodel.�
Alexis: (rolling her eyes) �Speaking of children, I wonder how they are.�
Port Charles. The Ashtons� house.
Julia and Jax are lying in bed, Jax holding Julia against him.
Jax: �You�re awfully quiet. What�s up?�
Julia: �I�ve just been thinking.�
Jax: �Can I ask what about?�
Julia: �I was thinking about Hannah, and Avery, and children in general.�
Jax: �You were?�
Julia: �It�s funny.� She smiles. �Five years ago, I abhorred the idea of having a child. I didn�t even like children.�
Jax: �Is there any specific reason why?�
Julia: �It has a lot to do with my own childhood. My father was so busy being Harlan Barrett, businessman, that he forgot that he had two daughters. My mother was supposedly dead, as you know, so I had to raise Brenda and myself. Brenda really resented the fact that I was always watching her, looking out for her, but I know that deep down, she really was touched by the fact that someone cared about her.�
Jax: �She loved you, Julia.�
Julia: �I know.� She smiles wistfully. �I just wish that I had told her more that I loved her. Anyway, I promised myself when I started working for Barrett Industries that if I ever decided to have children, and I wasn�t planning on it anyway, but if I did, I would never neglect them. I would love them fully.�
Jax: �Julia, you have so much love in you. And you aren�t anything like your parents.�
Julia: (looking at him, her eyes full of fear) �But Jax, what if I am? I would never forgive myself if I ended up treating my children like they were subservient to me.� She takes a deep breath. �I guess that the reason why I�m so hesitant to have children is that I don�t know if I�m ready. I want to give my child a family, a home, and most importantly, love.�
Jax: �I would love to help you give that to them.� He smiles. �Julia, I want to marry you and give you children.�
Julia: �But are you sure about that?�
Jax: �What kind of question is that? Julia, I love you.�
Julia: �I love you too, but...�
Jax: �But what?�
Julia: �Nothing.� She slides out of bed. �I�m going to go check on Hannah.�
Jax watches her leave, confused and a little bit hurt.
Julia: (to herself, out in the hall) �Jax, I do love you, but every person who I�ve ever loved left me, or hurt me. Brenda, my mother, my father, Ned, all of my boyfriends. I don�t know if I can handle anymore heartbreak.�
(Scene music)
From the first day, that I saw your smiling face, Honey, I knew that we would be together forever...
Flashback to Julia and Jax walking into the Fire and Ice Ball arm in arm.
Ooh and I asked you out, you said no, but I found out, darling that you�d been hurt, you felt that you�d never love again.
Flashback to the look on Julia�s face while Jax was singing Santa Baby.
I deserve a try, honey, just once. Give me a chance and I�ll prove this all wrong. You walked in, you were so quick to judge, but honey, he�s nothing like me.
Flashback to Jax and Julia eating Christmas dinner in his penthouse.
I�ll never break your heart, I�ll never make you cry, I�d rather die than live without you, I�ll give you all of me, honey that�s no lie.
Flashback to Julia and Jax smiling at each other at Scott and Kimberly�s wedding.
I�ll never break your heart, I�ll never make you cry, I�d rather die than live without you, I�ll give you all of me, honey that�s no lie.
Flashback to Julia and Jax in Julia�s bed on Valentines� Day.
As I hoped, that you would get to know me, a little more that friends, girl, that�s the way love goes.
Flashback to Jax singing Hannah to sleep, Julia watching them.
And I know you�re afraid to show let tour feelings show. And I understand, girl it�s time to let go.
Flashback to Jax singing Kokimo at the Nurses Ball.
I deserve a try, honey, just once. Give me a chance and I�ll prove this all wrong. You walked in, you were so quick to judge, honey he�s nothing like me. Darling why can�t you see...
Flashback to Julia in her Sporty Spice costume singing at the Nurses Ball.
I�ll never break your heart, I�ll never make you cry, I�d rather die than live without you, I�ll give you all of me, honey that�s no lie.
Flashback to Julia and Jax kissing in front of the Eiffel tower on New Years Eve.
I�ll never break your heart, I�ll never make you cry, I�d rather die than live without you, I�ll give you all of me, honey that�s no lie.
I�ll never break your heart. No way, no how. Make you cry. I swear. No way, now how, I say no how.
Scene goes to Jax lying in bed, thinking about why Julia is afraid of love. (Back to the present)
I�ll never break your heart, I�ll never make you cry, I�d rather die than live without you, I�ll give you all of me, honey that�s no lie.
Scene goes to Julia standing outside the guest room, thinking about what Jax said to her.
I�ll never break your heart, I�ll never make you cry, I�d rather die than live without you, I�ll give you all of me, honey that�s no lie.
Julia opens the door and comes back into the room.
Jax looks at her for a long time.
Julia: �I love you, Jasper Jacks. And I can�t keep being afraid of love. I want to be your wife, if you still want me to be.�
Jax: �I do.� He gets out of bed and goes to her, putting his arms around her. �Julia, I swear that I will never hurt you, and I will never leave you.�
She leads him over to the bed, and pushes him onto it before climbing on top of him.
Jax: (as she kisses his neck) �God, what would Ned and Alexis say if they knew we were making love in their guest room?�
Julia: �It�s a good thing that they�re in Bali.�
They both start laughing as they become lost in each other.