Ned wakes up to find Alexis sitting in the window seat of their bedroom.
Ned: (getting up to join her) �What�s going on, Princess?�
Alexis: (in a low voice) �Nothing.�
Ned: (sitting down beside her) �Don�t give me that, Alexis. Are you okay?�
Alexis looks at him. Her eyes are red and there are tearstains on her cheeks.
Ned: �Alexis...?�
Alexis collapses into his arms, sobbing into his chest.
Ned gently strokes her hair and holds her against him as she cries like a little girl.
Alexis: (finally) �Stefan and I were talking this morning about how it used to be just the two of us... and it was... Stavros... he didn�t like us... he... he...� she keeps crying.
Ned: (softly) �Stavros was a bastard. Luke did the world a huge favor by killing him.�
Alexis: (still crying) �Ned, you don�t know.�
Ned: �Know what?�
Alexis: (pulling away) �I can�t tell you.�
Ned: �Why not? You know that I�d never tell a soul.�
Alexis: �I can�t tell you... I don�t remember... I don�t want to remember...�
Ned: (kissing the top of her head) �It�s going to be alright, baby.�
Alexis: (getting up and going back over to the bed) �No it won�t. I keep remembering things. I want to make them stop.�
Ned: (sitting down on the bed with her) �Make what stop?� he pauses. �Alexis, I don�t want to push you, or make you tell me something you don�t want to tell me, but remember that you can tell me anything.�
Alexis: (in the softest voice he�s ever heard) �I was nine. Stefan and I were reading together in my room and he decided to go to his room to get another book.� She pauses. �Stavros came into the room. He was seventeen, and the biggest jerk you�d ever met. He locked the door and came over to me.� She begins to sob.
Ned: (pulling her into his arms) �Oh, Alexis.�
Alexis: �He started touching me. I tried to make him stop. He kept hitting me as I screamed for Stefan, but Stefan couldn�t get in. Stavros threw me down on the bed, and then... then...� she says the words for the first time in 27 years. �He raped me.�
Ned: (crying) �Alexis, oh, baby, if I could turn back time for you...�
Alexis: �Stefan came busting through the secret passageway and he pushed Stavros off of me, but it was too late. The damage was already done... When Greg and I got together, I was so scared to sleep with him. He thought I was just nervous about losing my virginity. But, I wasn�t a...�
Ned: (softly but firmly) �Yes you were. The first man you ever had sex with was Gregory. You can�t even compare him to Stavros.� His face turns into a mask of rage. �How could he have done that to you?�
Alexis: �Now you know why Stefan and I have always been so close. After Stavros left, Stefan held me as I cried, and he told me that he would never let anything hurt me again. And he protected me the best he could from that moment on.�
Ned: (holding her) �Thank you for telling me. I can�t imagine how you�ve kept this inside for twenty seven years.�
Alexis: �I tried to push it out of my mind. I didn�t want to tell anyone.� She looks up at him. �Do you still love me, or do you find me revolting now?�
Ned: �Alexis, I will never stop loving you. You mean everything to me.� He gently kisses her lips. �Never doubt that.�
He lays down with Alexis in his arms, and he holds her tight until dawn breaks, and they both fall into a deep and dreamless sleep.
The next morning. The Port Charles Harbor.
Helena comes sweeping into the living room of her yacht, clad in a black silk robe. As she picks up her glass of brandy and raises it to her lips.
Just then, a figure steps into the room.
Voice: �Hello, Mother.�
The glass slips out of Helena�s hands and shatters into a million pieces as it hits the floor. Helena�s face goes completely ashen.
Helena: �What... how... why...�
Voice: �I was getting lonely in Brazil. I wanted to see my mother.�
Helena: �Stavros, were you released by your guards?�
Stavros: �I am fine. I have told you that a million times. When you slipped me that drug in the hospital after Luke Spencer shot me, it looked like I was dead.�
Helena: �And it�s too bad about that man who died and who�s body was switched with yours. Taking you to that private retreat in Brazil was a stroke of genius.�
Stavros: �And I am now ready to exact my revenge against everyone who ever hurt me. Is that Spencer still in town?�
Helena: �Yes, Luke and Laura are still in town. As well as your brother.�
Stavros: �Stefan is here? Where?�
Helena: �He is living on Spoon Island with Nikolas.�
Stavros: �My son. My dear, dear son.�
Helena doesn�t say anything about Nikolas being Stefan�s son.
Helena: �Alexis is also here.�
Stavros: �Ah, my little cousin. I rather enjoyed torturing her.�
Helena: �She�s not your cousin. She�s your sister.�
Stavros: �Excuse me?�
Helena: �It seems that your father slept with Arianna. Alexis is the result.�
Stavros: (amused) �Is that so? So, when do I get to see Nikolas?�
Helena: �You must not show your face around here until the time is right.�
Stavros: �Where am I supposed to reside?�
Helena: �You can stay here.� She goes to him and embraces him. �My son. I am so glad that you are here.�
Stavros: �It promises to be an interesting ride.�
One week later. The night before Stefan�s birthday.
The Ashtons� house.
Alexis: (getting into bed) �So, what exactly did you buy my brother?�
Ned: (grinning) �I can�t tell you.�
Alexis: �Ned! Don�t start this again!� she smiles. �Please?�
Ned: �You�ll see tomorrow night when everyone else does.�
Alexis: �This is going to be a fun party. Avery is really excited. She sure is happy lately.� She looks pleased. �She really seems to like kindergarten.�
Ned: �I can�t believe that her best friend in her class is Lulu Spencer.�
Alexis: �She�s a sweet kid.� She pauses. �Did you know that Laura and Lulu are coming to the party tomorrow night?�
Ned: �You�re kidding. Luke is allowing that?�
Alexis: �Luckily for everyone, Stefan got over his Laura obsession. Your sister helped him with that. I mean, they will always love each other in a sense, but they know that they can�t be together. But they are friends, and maybe even soul mates.�
Ned: �Soul mates is exactly how I would describe us.� He leans over and kisses her. �And best friends.� He kisses her again. �And spouses.� He kisses her again. �And a bunch of other things I can�t think of right now.� He kisses her again.
Alexis: �I second that. When you kiss me, I can�t put together a coherent sentence if my life depends on it.�
Ned: (softly) �Are you okay? Have you been having anymore memories?�
Alexis: �I try to not think about them. I have a good life now. Stavros can�t hurt me.�
Ned: �As long as I am here, no one will ever lay a hand on you.�
Alexis: �It�s nice to be protected.�
Ned: �It�s an honor for me to do so.� He smiles. �Did I tell you that Avery talked me into buying Christabel the Spice Girls CD?�
Alexis: (smiling evilly) �Ooh, Stefan�s going to have a fit!�
Ned: �Exactly.� They both start laughing.
The next afternoon.
Wyndemere�s kitchen.
Mackenzie: �Christabel, are you sure you want to do this? Mrs. Lansbury offered to make a cake.�
Christabel: �NO! I want to make my daddy a cake! Are you going to help me or not?�
Mackenzie: �Alright, alright. Let�s do it.� She pauses. �What flavor?�
Christabel: �White with white frosting and sprinkles.�
Mackenzie: �Doable. Do you know where the cake mix is?�
Christabel: �Nope.� She thinks about this, and then goes to the intercom and presses a button. �Mrs. Lansbury, will you come help us? We can�t find the cake.�
Mackenzie starts laughing.
That evening.
Wyndemere is decorated lavishly for Stefan�s birthday, gold lights twinkling in the trees, streamers and balloons all over the house.
Milling around the room is Alexis, Ned, Julia, Jax, Mackenzie, Stefan, Scott, Kimberly, Monica, Alan, Bobbie, Jerry, Laura, Nikolas, Emily, Avery, Serena, Lulu, Lucas and Christabel. Diana is taking care of Hannah and Olivia upstairs.
Alexis: (giving Stefan a hug) �Happy birthday, bro.�
Stefan: �Thank you.� He smiles. �Can you believe these decorations? They were Christabel�s idea.�
Mackenzie: �Her first idea was a Spice Girls theme. I told her no.�
Stefan: �By the way, Ned, thank you oh so much for buying her that CD.�
Ned: (laughing) �It was my pleasure. I think that if we have to put up with it, you should have to too.�
Alexis: �At least it isn�t heavy metal.� She laughs. �Or those chants you made me listen to when we were younger. All I wanted to hear was the Beatles, just once, but would you let me? No. Night and day I was forced to listen to those old guys moaning in a chamber.�
Ned: (laughing) �You listen to classical music.�
Alexis: �That�s a whole different ballpark though. There is no moaning.�
Ned and Alexis look at each other for a moment. There is a spark of desire that passes between them.
Ned: (suddenly) �Oh no. I left part of your present in the car, Stefan. I�m going to go get it.�
Alexis: �I�ll come with you. I�m dying to know what it is.�
They head out of the house in a businesslike manner, and through the rose garden, where Alexis proceeds to pull Ned through the door of one of the secret passageways.
Ned: �You�re kidding, right? They could hear us...�
Alexis: (kissing him) �Not if we�re all the way back here.� She pulls him down a long corridor into a dimly lit room, and grabs him.
Ned: (unzipping Alexis� short black dress) �All that talking you were doing about moaning made me want to rip your clothes off in front of everyone.�
Alexis: �We�re going to have to run across to the car after this.�
Ned: �No we won�t. I have his present in my pocket. Stefan doesn�t need to know that though.�
Alexis starts laughing as she unzips Ned�s pants and hastily pushes them to the ground. She steps out of her dress and into Ned�s arms.
They make love against the wall, moaning softly.
Little do they know is that Stavros is in one of the adjoining corridors, and sees everything.
Fifteen minutes later, Ned and Alexis step back into the house, holding hands and smiling smugly.
Mackenzie: �Did you find it?�
Ned: �Find what? Oh yeah, it was between the seats.�
Christabel: (running up) �Mackenzie, when do we get the cake?�
Mackenzie: �Now, if your father thinks that�s okay.�
Stefan: �Sure. But why is this such a big deal?�
Christabel: �You�ll see.� She runs off into the kitchen.
Mackenzie: (loudly, to everyone) �Will everyone please gather around the table? The presentation of the cake is about to happen.�
Everyone gathers around Stefan, who is standing by a little table.
Just then, Christabel comes into the room, proudly carrying a huge cake with glowing candles on it. Mrs. Lansbury is assisting her with it.
Christabel sets the cake down in front of Stefan. It is white with white frosting and about a pound of rainbow sprinkles and candy confetti.
Stefan looks visibly surprised, but it passes as everyone begins to sing Happy Birthday to him. When they are done, he blows out the candles to much applause.
Stefan: �Christabel, did you make this?�
Christabel: (proudly) �Yep. And Mackenzie helped me.�
Stefan: �It�s beautiful. I�ve never seen anything like it.�
Alexis: (to Ned) �You�ve got that right.�
Mrs. Lansbury cuts the cake into pieces and hands the first piece to Stefan.
Christabel watches in anticipation as Stefan eats the first bite. To his surprise, the cake is actually good. A little heavy on the sprinkles, but good.
Stefan: (giving Christabel a hug) �I love your cake, Sweetie. It tastes great.�
Christabel: (her eyes shining with pride) �Really? I hoped you would like it.�
Stefan: �It�s the best cake I�ve ever had.� He looks at his guests. �Everyone, come have some of this wonderful cake that Christabel made.�
Christabel: �Mackenzie helped too.�
Stefan looks over at Mackenzie and smiles at her. She smiles back.
Everyone gets a slice of cake and they begin eating.
Christabel beams with pride as everyone exclaims about how great the cake is.
When they are done, Avery looks at Stefan, her face covered in frosting.
Avery: �Open your presents now, Uncle Stefan. I want to know what my Daddy got you. He was laughing when he was wrapping it.�
Stefan: �Okay.� He goes to the couch and sits down.
Twenty minutes later, he has opened many presents, including a bottle of fine wine from Jax and Julia, a music certificate from Alan and Monica, monogrammed handkerchiefs from Bobbie and Jerry, and a imported Egyptian silk robe from Mackenzie.
Stefan: (opening another gift- a pair of gold and ruby cufflinks) �Alexis, thank you so much. I love them.�
Alexis: �I�m glad.�
Stefan: �Well, I have one present left.� He looks at the tag. �To my favorite brother in law from Ned. You deserve this.� He rips the paper off the box and pulls out a video tape. �What is this?�
At that moment, Mrs. Lansbury wheels in a large TV and VCR on a cart.
Ned: (taking the tape and sticking it into the VCR) �Everyone, you are present to witness a musical legend in the making.� He presses play.
Ned, Stefan and Jax come into view on stage at the Lilac Crest in Los Vegas.
Stefan: (looking at Ned) �No way.�
Alexis: �How did you get this?�
Ned: �I called. It seems that they tape each performance and you can buy them if you desire to. I guess we were just a little drunk to notice that we were being taped.�
Everyone watches in rapt fascination as Ned, Jax and Stefan begin to sing One Week.
Emily: �You guys sound pretty good.�
Julia: �That ends after about ten seconds.�
Sure enough, the guys begin to sing slower and slower, as the alcohol kicks in. After a few minutes, they�re a verse and a half behind the song.
Everyone starts laughing hysterically.
Jax covers his face when they get to the part where they fling their arms around each other and sway back and forth.
Nikolas: �What is that? The ya-ya brotherhood?�
Stefan: �No, it�s a few too many mai tais.�
The song ends and the tape goes blank. Stefan turns around and looks at Ned for a long time. He starts laughing.
Alan: �You were great!�
Monica rolls her eyes.
Ned: �Wait, there�s one other thing.� He hands Stefan a long envelope and gives an identical one to Jax. �I felt that we deserved these.�
They open the envelopes and pull out plastic membership cards. They read �Life-time membership to the Tequila Brothers. Est. 1999. Ashton-Cassadine-Jacks forever.�
Stefan and Jax start laughing hysterically.
Jax: �You need one too, Ned.�
Ned: �I have one.� He smiles. �Be sure to sign on the line at the bottom.�
Stefan: (laughing) �Ned, I will treasure it always. This is the most interesting birthday present I have ever received.�
Alexis: (to Ned as he puts his arms around her waist) �That was sweet of you.�
Ned: �I had no idea how bad we really sounded.�
Christabel: �You guys sounded good. Can we watch it again?�
Stefan: �Later. Much, much later.�
Just then, Mackenzie starts tapping her champagne glass with a fork.
Mackenzie: �I would now like to make a toast to Stefan.� She faces him as she raises her glass. �Stefan, you started out as my boss. Actually, you started out as the man who brought me here to torment my brother.� Everyone laughs. �But our relationship has grown to so much more than that. You�re one of my best friends, my lover and my protector. I love you Stefan, and I wish you the happiest birthday ever.�
Everyone applauds as Mackenzie gives Stefan a kiss.
Then Alexis lifts her glass.
Alexis: �Stefan, you have been my best friend my entire life. And I know that there are some things that we didn�t agree on, like Ned and Katherine, but we moved past that, and I always have, and I always will love you. When we were little, you were more than just my cousin. I always felt that you were my brother, and I am more thrilled than I can say that you are. You have protected me my entire life, and if it wasn�t for you, I wouldn�t be here right now. To you, my brother, one of two people in my life who has made me feel as if I�m worth something.�
She goes over and gives him a hug as everyone claps.
Nikolas: (raising his glass) �I wasn�t planning on giving a speech, but I have something to say, so please bear with me here.� He turns to Stefan. �From my first memory, you were the one person who was there for me. I thought of you as my father instead of my uncle. Back when I removed myself from the title of prince, I said some harsh things to you, but I take them back today, as I stand here with my friends and family. I am happier than you can imagine that you are my father, and I want to wear the Cassadine crest again.�
He hands his champagne glass to Emily, and removes his medallion from his pocket, and puts the chain around his neck. Stefan�s eyes fill with tears.
Nikolas: �Now, I�m not saying that I want to grow up to run Cassadine Industries, because that is the last thing I want to do. But I do want to be your son again, and get to know my little sister. A family like ours carries quite a legacy, and I don�t want to give that up. I love you, Father.� He turns to everyone and raises his glass. �To my father, Stefan Cassadine.�
Everyone: �To Stefan.�
In the secret passageway, Stavros is stunned to hear that Nikolas is Stefan�s son.
Ned: �Now it�s your turn, Stefan.�
Stefan: (going to the center of the room) �I would like to thank everyone for coming tonight, and for making my birthday so joyous. Christabel and Mackenzie, thank you for this wonderful party. Laura, thank you for coming to share this day with me and our son. My sincere thanks goes to my Tequila Brothers, Ned and Jax. But most of all, I would like to thank my sister, Alexis, and my son, Nikolas. For at this moment, the Cassadine family is whole once again. The three of us, along with our heirs, are the make-up of this family, and I never thought we would be back together like this again. I love you both. One last thing, Ned, we have to go back to Vegas because those mai tais were too good!�
Everyone laughs and breaks off into little groups.
In the passageway, Stavros, who saw the entire toasting scene, is seething.
Stavros: �So, Stefan, you slept with my wife in Greece? And you are the father of Nikolas? You bastard. Laura, you will pay for this.� He heads out of the passageway and leaves the island.
A half hour later, everyone is still mingling.
Just then, Laura�s cell phone rings.
Laura: �Hello...? Luke... what happened... is Lucky okay... who... Helena?�
Everyone stops talking and listens to Laura.
Laura: �Where are we going to... but Luke... okay, I�ll be right there.� She hangs up her phone. �Lesley Lu, go get your purse. We have to leave.�
Stefan: �Lasha, are you alright?�
Laura: (trembling) �It seems that someone set our house on fire.�
Everyone gasps as she goes on.
Laura: �There was a card left in one of the trees. It said, �never mess with a Cassadine.�
Alexis: �Oh no. Helena?�
Laura: �Apparently so. I don�t know what we�re going to do.�
Alexis: (exchanging a look with Ned) �You�re welcome to stay with us.�
Laura: �Thank you, Alexis, but I don�t want to impose.�
Alexis: �No really, it�s no problem. You can stay with us for a few days.�
Laura: �Thank you. I�d really appreciate it. I�ll just call Luke.�
Laura: (on her cell phone) �Luke... Alexis and Ned invited us to stay with them until we get our house back together... what do you mean...? I don�t care if only the bottom floor burned... I don�t want to stay there... who cares if she�s a Cassadine...?�
Stefan and Alexis start laughing.
Laura: �She�s technically an Ashton... fine... well, Lesley Lu and I will be there if you want us. We�ll stop at home for clothes... oh, you will come over? I�ll see you there.�
She hangs up.
Laura: �I guess he was a little surprised that you invited us to stay with you.�
Alexis: �It will be great. We have more than enough room.�
Laura: �It will only be for a few days. We just have to get the carpet redone, and the walls scrubbed downstairs.�
Ned: �I wonder why Helena did this? She has no reason to.�
Meanwhile, across the street from the Spencers� house.
Stavros: �Never mess with Stavros Cassadine, or you will get burned.� He laughs. �Burned very, very badly.�