Luke: �Well, well, Alexis, offering your home to us? What did Count Vlad say?�
Alexis: (frostily) �I make my own decisions, thank you very much.�
Luke: �Ooh, Ned, a feisty little thing, isn�t she?�
Laura: �Luke, shut up.� She looks around. �Where�s Lucky?�
Luke: �He�s went back to college a day early. He says good-bye to you and Lulu and he�ll be down from the city in a few weeks.�
Laura: �Darn. I wanted to say goodbye to him.�
Ned: (opening the front door) �I�ll show you where you�re going to be staying. Lulu can stay in Avery�s room if she wants to. Avery has a guest bed.�
Avery: �Cool! Can she really stay in there?�
Ned: �Yes, if you don�t talk all night. You have school tomorrow.�
Avery: �I promise.� She turns to Lulu. �Lulu, come on. I�ll show you my Spice Girls stuff.� They run upstairs.
Luke: �If anyone had told me a year ago, hell, a day ago, that I would be shacking up with you two, I would have told �em they were a few letters short of an alphabet.�
Alexis: �Do you really find yourself that amusing?�
Luke: �What do you mean, counselor?�
Alexis: �You obviously think that someone finds you funny because you continue to say stupid things, regardless of the fact that no one even laughs.�
Laura: (to Ned) �Maybe this wasn�t such a good idea.�
Ned: �Nah. It�s their bond.�
Alexis and Luke both glare at him.
Later that night.
Avery�s bedroom. The girls are supposed to be asleep.
Avery: (whispering to Lulu) �Why does your daddy make fun of my mommy?�
Lulu: �Because she�s a... she�s a Cussadine.�
Avery: �It�s Cassadine, and no she isn�t. Her last name is Ashton, just like mine.�
Lulu: �But my daddy does like your mommy. He thinks she�s funny.�
Avery: �How do you know that?�
Lulu: �Cause I heard him tell my mommy that �Lexis is the funniest Greek he�s ever met. What did he mean?�
Avery: �My mommy is from Greece. She�s Russian though.�
Lulu: �Cool. My mommy is blonde.�
Avery: �Do you have an aunt or uncle?�
Lulu: �My aunt is Aunt Bobbie. You know her.�
Avery: �Lucas� mom. She�s cool.�
Lulu: �Do you?�
Avery: �My Uncle Stefan is my mommy�s brother and my Aunt Mackenzie is my daddy�s sister. And your brother Nikolas is my cousin.�
Lulu: �So are we �lated too?�
Avery: (thinking about it) �No, I don�t think so.� She grins. �But we can pretend.�
Lulu: �Cool. Night, Avery.�
Avery: �Night.�
Wyndemere.
Stefan and Mackenzie are walking hand in hand along the dark beach, Stefan carrying a flashlight.
Mackenzie: �So, did you have a good birthday, Stefan?�
Stefan: �One of the best.� He kisses her. �Thank you for everything.�
Mackenzie: �You�re welcome.�
Stefan: �You know, that�s the first time you�ve said that you love me in public.�
Mackenzie: (stopping) �I do. Somehow, you stole my heart, and I am completely in love with you, Stefan Cassadine.�
Stefan: �And I love you too.�
Stefan wraps his arms around Mackenzie and they kiss for a long time. The kiss begins to escalate and Mackenzie pulls away.
Stefan: �What�s wrong?�
Mackenzie: �We�d better get back.�
Stefan: �I was thinking that we�d better do something else.� He kisses her again. �It is my birthday, after all.�
Mackenzie: �Right here in the sand? You�re pretty lucky that it�s still warm out.�
They fall into the sand, removing each others� clothes in a frenzy, and begin to make passionate love, the moonlight bathing down on their entwined bodies.
Two hours later.
Ned and Alexis� house.
They are both asleep in bed, Alexis lying on her right side, Ned on his back. While Ned has a peaceful smile on his face, Alexis looks anguished in her sleep.
* * * F L A S H B A C K / D R E A M * * *
The Cassadine Compound, Greece.
Ten year old Alexis: �Stefan, where are you?�
Fifteen year old Stefan: (jumping out of a closet) �Alexis, I hate playing hide and seek. Why do you insist upon torturing me?�
Alexis: (haughtily) �No one is forcing you to play, so there.� She laughs. �Besides, your jumping out of the closet completely ruins the element of surprise.�
Stefan: (amusedly) �I hate this game, but if I did not consent to playing, you would whine all night.�
Alexis: (grinning) �I love it when you give in.� she laughs. �You never say no to me, Stefan.�
Stefan: �If we are to continue playing this moronic game, I am going to go get something to drink. Maybe a vodka.� He smirks.
Alexis: �You�re too young to drink, Stefan.�
Stefan: �You could drive a two year old to alcoholism.�
Alexis: �What do you mean?�
Stefan: �Never mind. Never mind. I�ll be right back.� He heads downstairs.
Alexis sits down on the hall floor, waiting for him to return.
Just then, someone comes around the corner.
Alexis: (jumping up) �Stefan, you came back!�
Stavros: �I am not Stefan, you little brat.�
Alexis: �Go away, Stavros.�
Stavros: (grabbing her by the arm) �What did you say to me?� he slaps her across the face. �Don�t get smart with me, little girl.�
Alexis: �I�m sorry. Please don�t hit me again.�
Stavros: �I have a better idea. Let�s play the game I played with you on your bed.�
Alexis: (starting to whimper) �I don�t want to do that again. It hurt.�
Stavros: �Too bad. I�m in charge here.� He pins her against the wall and tries to take her dress of, but she squirms away and races off down the hall, screaming for Stefan.
Stavros: �Come back here!� he catches up to her and grabs her. Alexis kicks and screams as Stavros drags her down the hall to Helena�s study, where she is sipping brandy.
Helena: �What is going on here?� she looks at Alexis. �Be quiet, you little urchin.�
Alexis: �I don�t want to play... I want Stefan... let me go!� she claws at him.
Stavros hits Alexis in the stomach, causing her to fall to the floor, sobbing hysterically.
Stavros: �I just want to play with her, Mother.�
Helena: �Alexis, you must do what Stavros says, or I will lock you in the cellar.�
Alexis: (terrified) �Please, don�t make me...�
Stavros leans down and rips Alexis� lightweight dress and underwear off. She lays on the floor, sobbing as Stavros unbuckles his belt.
Helena: �Be a good girl, Alexis. Do what Stavros wants.�
Alexis kicks at Stavros as he lowers himself onto her.
Stavros: �Mother, I can�t deal with this kicking.� Alexis swings her fist out towards his face. �Or the hitting.�
Helena gets out of her chair and kneels behind Alexis� head. She grabs her arms and holds them down as Stavros forces himself into her.
Helena: �Do whatever you wish. She�s a little whore just like her mother.�
Alexis sobs the entire time, and when Stavros is done, Helena sends her to her room, where she curls up on her bed, screaming.
Stefan: (coming in) �Alexis, where did you go?�
Alexis: (sobbing) �He... he did it again.�
Stefan: �That bastard.� He goes to Alexis and cradles her in his arms. �Alexis, I swear, someday, I will save you from this hell.�
* * * E N D O F D R E A M * * *
Alexis wakes up screaming at the top of her lungs.
Ned: (sitting up) �Alexis, what happened?� he turns the light on. �Did you have another dream?�
Alexis: (sobbing) �I don�t know why I keep having them.�
Ned: (pulling her into his arms) �Shh, baby, I�ll make everything better.�
Alexis: �You can�t. Who was I to think that I could just forget about what happened to me. The past haunts you forever.�
Ned: �Concentrate on the present. Forget about it all.� He pauses. �What did you dream about?�
Alexis: �It was a flashback. Helena held me down for Stavros.� She cries into his chest. �I felt so dirty, so worthless.�
Ned: �Alexis, you are neither of those things.� He looks her in the eye. �You are smart, sexy and so, so strong.�
Alexis: �Then why can�t I forget?�
Ned: �You will. The hurt will go away. I promise.�
Alexis: �Can you please hold me? I can�t stop trembling.�
Ned pulls Alexis closer and he softly hums to her until she finally falls asleep.
The next morning.
Ned: (taking a sip of coffee) �How did you guys sleep?�
Laura: �Great. You have a very comfortable guest bed.�
Luke: �But I did wake up once.� He looks suspiciously at Ned. �I heard Alexis screaming. Is she okay?�
Ned: �Yeah, for the most part.� He looks angrily at Luke. �Don�t say anything to her. Got it?�
Luke: �I won�t. I gather that this happens to have something to do with Helena?�
Ned: �You could say that. Could you keep an eye on her for me? Make sure she doesn�t try anything funny?�
Luke: �I�m on it.�
Alexis comes downstairs to see them talking.
Ned: �Good morning, beautiful.�
Alexis: (softly) �Hey. You let me oversleep.�
Ned: �I thought you deserved it.�
Luke: �Uh, Alexis, I just wanted you to know that I�ll be keeping an eye on Helena.�
Alexis: �Why?� she looks suspiciously at Ned.
Luke: �No, it has nothing to do with your boy toy. I just don�t want her trying anything with Laura or Lulu while we�re staying here.�
Laura: �Alexis, I�ll pick Avery up today, okay? I was going to take Lulu to the park.�
Alexis: �That would be great.�
Laura: (looking at her watch) �I have to get over to Ruby�s to see Bobbie.� She leaves.
Luke: �And I have to get over to the club.� He finishes his coffee and leaves too.
Ned and Alexis stare at each other from across the table.
Alexis: �Why are you looking at me like that?�
Ned: �Are you okay?�
Alexis: �I�m fine.�
Ned: �You don�t have to hide it from me. I know you�re upset about last night.�
Alexis: �I�m fine, Ned. Please don�t patronize me. It was just a dream.�
Ned: �Just a dream?� he laughs cynically. �Alexis, you woke up screaming at the top of your lungs. I don�t call that just a dream.�
Alexis comes over and sits on his lap.
Ned: �I love you, Princess, and you don�t have to hide your emotions with me.�
Alexis: �I know. I just don�t know what my emotions are right now.�
Just then, Hannah starts crying upstairs and Alexis looks at Ned apologetically.
Ned: �Go ahead. But we will talk about this later.�
Alexis gives him a quick kiss and races upstairs.
Later that morning.
Since Christabel does not have school today, she had talked Mackenzie and Stefan into taking her to the little park by General Hospital.
Christabel: �Father, will you push me on the swings?�
Stefan: �Sure.� He takes her hand and they go over to the swings.
Christabel sits down on one of the swings and Stefan begins to push her. Mackenzie sits down on the swing next to hers and begins pumping her legs in the air.
Christabel: �Wow, you swing good, Mackenzie!�
Mackenzie: �It�s always been one of my favorite things to do.�
Christabel: �Father, can we get a swing at home?�
Stefan: �Where exactly where would we put this swing?�
Christabel: �In a tree. That�s where Avery�s is.�
Stefan: �I�ll think about it.�
Mackenzie: (looking at Stefan) �I bet that you�ve never swung before.�
Stefan: �I have too. There is a rocker swing on Laura�s porch. I sat in it when I went to talk to her once.�
Mackenzie: �That doesn�t count, Stefan!� she gestures to the swing next to hers. �Sit.�
Stefan, sighing, sits down on the swing and begins lamely pumping his legs back and forth.
Mackenzie: �Oh please. Christabel is doing a better job than you are.�
Stefan pumps his legs a little harder.
Stefan: �I bet I can swing higher than you, Mackenzie.�
Mackenzie: �I bet you can�t. I�m an expert.�
Stefan starts laughing and pumps his legs more to get higher than Mackenzie. All three of them are laughing as they swing.
Stavros stands in the trees in front of the swing set. No one sees him.
Stavros: (aloud) �So, you have a little girlfriend, Stefan? And a daughter? I wonder who is the child�s mother.� He laughs. �Probably Laura.�
Christabel: �Go Mackenzie! You have to beat Father!�
Stavros: (to himself) �Father? Stefan, you haven�t changed a bit.� He walks away, laughing to himself. �I think I�ll do a little investigating of the girlfriend.�
Meanwhile, at the Firehouse.
Kimberly is sitting on her and Scott�s bed, looking at some pictures when Scott returns from taking Serena to school
Scott: �What are you looking at?�
Kimberly: �Oh, just some pictures.� She pauses. �Of my mother.�
Scott: �May I see them?�
Kimberly: �Sure.� She hands him a few pictures. They show a model-esque woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes.
He holds up one of her mother holding two year old Kimberly on her lap.
Scott: �You were adorable.�
Kimberly: �Thanks.�
Scott: �And your mom was an absolute knockout. What was her name?�
Kimberly: �Peyton Corday. She was the daughter of a very wealthy Boston couple.�
Scott: (gently) �What happened to her? You told me that she died when you were little, but...�
Kimberly: (in a very low voice) �I always thought that she and my father had the perfect relationship. Little did I know that my father, Steven, was having an affair with a younger woman. My mother caught them having sex on his office floor.� Her eyes tear up. �She took an entire bottle of valium. By the time the housekeeper found her, it was too late.� She pauses. �I was five years old.�
Scott: �Oh Kim. I�m so sorry. I can see why you don�t like to talk about it.�
Kimberly: �My father married the tramp. She worked in my fathers� office as an office assistant. She went from Elizabeth the little working girl to Elizabeth Corday, wife of one of the richest men in the country.� She pauses. �I hated her and she hated me. She talked my father into sending me to boarding school in France.�
Scott: �And your father just went along with her?�
Kimberly: �Of course. He was a young father who knew next to nothing about raising a young woman. He took Elizabeth�s word on everything.�
Scott: �How old were you when you went to school?�
* * * F L A S H B A C K * * *
Nine year old Kimberly stands at the top of the stairs in her father�s mansion, glaring at her step-mother.
Kimberly: (demanding) �Why did you tell him to send me to France?�
Elizabeth: (waving a perfectly manicured hand in the air) �I didn�t tell your father anything. I simply made a suggestion that you would be happier there.�
Kimberly: (furious) �I want to be with my friends. I want to stay here.�
Elizabeth: �I�m afraid that isn�t an option, Kimmy.�
Kimberly: �DO NOT call me that! My name is Kimberly!�
Elizabeth: �What ever you say, Kimberly.�
Kimberly: (crossing her arms) �I�m not going. I refuse. And when my father comes back from his business trip, I am going to tell him that.�
Elizabeth: �You are not going to say anything to him. I am your mother, and you will do as I say. Got it?�
Kimberly: (screaming) �You are not my mother! My mother is dead, and you killed her!�
Elizabeth: �I did not kill your mother.�
Kimberly: �Yes you did! You were having an affair with my dad! You�re a slut!�
Elizabeth: �That is it. You are leaving for school tomorrow.�
Kimberly: �I am not. I am not going ANYWHERE!�
Elizabeth: �GET TO YOUR ROOM, YOU BRAT!�
Kimberly: (running up the stairs, sobbing) �I hate you! I hate you, I hate you!�
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K * * *
Scott: �Kim? Kim?�
Kimberly: �I was nine. I didn�t even get to say goodbye to my father. He didn�t seem to care though, he was so wrapped up in his little wife.�
Scott: �Were you and your father close before that?�
Kimberly: �Not really. I was so angry about him cheating on my mother. But he was all I had.�
Scott: �But now you have me, and your daughters.�
Kimberly: �I know.� She leans close to him. �And I know that sometimes I�m a little wacky, and competitive with Alexis, but I... I�ve never been loved like this before.�
Scott: �I understand. And I love you, Kimberly.�
Kimberly: �I love you too. And I always will.�
Scott: (amused) �Even though you married Alan?�
Kimberly: �That was a fluke. You knew I was drunk.�
Scott: �I know. I just like teasing you about it.�
Kimberly: �You punk!�
Scott grabs her and throws her back against the pillows and begins to kiss her.
Kimberly: �But... Olivia...�
Scott: �We�re lucky that she takes long naps.� He begins to unbutton her shirt.
Kimberly: �We definitely are.�
They laugh as they begin to make love, feeling their emotions fuse together as their bodies do.