Alexis is sitting in the rocking chair, feeding Hannah a bottle.
Alexis: �I sure missed you, Hannah Grace.� She kisses the baby�s forehead. �I was so afraid that I would never see you or daddy or Avery ever again.� She smiles. �But daddy saved me. He found me and brought me home.�
In their bedroom, Ned wakes up to hear Alexis talking on the baby monitor. Alexis has forgotten that it is on.
Alexis: �You�re one lucky little girl, Hannah. You have the most amazing daddy in the world. He loves you so much. That�s probably because you�re such a daddy�s girl.� She laughs. �I don�t think I could live without him, you know. Ned Ashton is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I love him more than I thought I was capable of loving anyone. Your daddy and you two girls are my life. I would give up my life to keep you safe.�
Ned sits up in bed and blinks back tears.
Alexis: �When I was on that boat I started thinking, Hannah. I realized that I have changed so much since I married your daddy. I went into our marriage wanting to keep part of myself, and my mother, so I kept the name Davis. But now I realize that I was never a part of the Cassadine family. My parents may have made me, but they didn�t raise me. They didn�t teach me to love. Your daddy did that.� She smiles. �There was a reason why they called me ice princess at Harvard.�
Hannah stares up at Alexis, her eyes huge in wonder.
Alexis: �So, what do you think, Hannah? Should I drop the name Davis and just be Alexis Ashton?� she smiles down at her. �I think that I should. I am one hundred percent an Ashton. The four of us are a family, and I am the only one who doesn�t have the same name.� She laughs. �Besides, Avery is getting sick of explaining that her mommy has two last names because, well, most of the time, she just says it�s because I�m a lawyer. So, should I tell daddy that I want to drop Davis from my name and be Mrs. Ashton instead of Ms. Davis-Ashton?�
Hannah gurgles in agreement and reaches for a lock of Alexis� hair.
Alexis: �I�ll take that as a yes.� She smiles as she stands up and carries Hannah back to her crib. �Thanks for listening, Hannah. You�re a good audience.� She lays her down and kisses her forehead. �I love you.�
When Alexis goes back into her bedroom, Ned is sitting up in bed waiting for her. He is holding the baby monitor.
Ned: �Yes.�
Alexis: �What?� she looks at the baby monitor. �Oops. I didn�t mean to wake you up.�
Ned: �You didn�t. I woke up on my own.�
Alexis: (getting back in bed) �What were you saying yes to?�
Ned: �I heard what you were saying to Hannah. I think you should drop Davis.�
Alexis: (softly) �Ned, I have never felt as close to anyone as I do to you. And I want to share your name with you and our children. I am not a Davis, or a Cassadine, or anything else. I am strictly an Ashton. And that is what I am going to be.� She smiles. �If it is okay with you.�
Ned: �Of course it is.� He leans over and kisses her. �It would be an honor to call you my wife, Mrs. Alexis Ashton.�
Alexis: (softly) �I like the sound of that.�
Ned: �Well than, to you, Alexis Brinna Ashton.�
Alexis leans over and kisses him. Ned kisses her right back.
The next morning. (around six o�clock)
Alexis wakes up to find Avery standing next to the bed.
Alexis: �Hey there, Tigger. You�re up early.�
Avery: �Can I get in bed with you?�
Alexis: �Sure. But we can�t wake up daddy. He didn�t get much sleep last week when I was gone.�
Avery: �I know. He should sleep so he isn�t a grouch.�
Alexis: (as Avery climbs in bed next to her) �So, what�s up?�
Avery: (snuggling close to her) �I missed you, Mommy.�
Alexis: (kissing the top of her head) �I missed you too, Sweetie.�
Avery: �Was that bad man mean to you?�
Alexis: �A little. But it�s okay now because Daddy saved me.�
Ned: (not opening his eyes) �Not true. You saved yourself.�
Alexis smiles at him.
Alexis: �Hey, Avery, guess what? I decided to change my last name to just Ashton. It won�t be Davis anymore.�
Avery: (shocked) �Really? You�re going to be like me, Daddy and Hannah now?�
Alexis: �Yep.�
Avery: �How did you change your mind?�
Alexis: �A late night talk with Hannah.�
Avery: �Hannah? My sister? She stopped drooling long enough to listen to you?�
Alexis and Ned start laughing. Ned grabs Avery and starts tickling her. Avery shrieks with laughter.
Avery: �Save me, Mommy!�
Alexis tries to pull Ned off of Avery, but he turns around grabs her instead. Much to Alexis� amusement, he starts tickling her.
Alexis: (laughing so hard she is about to cry) �Ned, stop!�
Ned: (mocking her) �Ned, stop!�
Alexis: (gasping for breath) �Ned!�
Ned: �What do you say, Alexis?�
Alexis: �Uh... stop? Stop now? Stop before I kill you?�
Ned: �Wrong, wrong and wrong.� He continues to tickle her. �Would you like to take another shot, Mrs. Ashton?�
Alexis: (as he bends down towards her) �If you stop, I�ll make it worth your while later.�
Ned: �Okay, that�s an acceptable answer.� He lets go of her.
Avery: �What was the answer?�
Ned: (trying to not laugh) �Uh, the answer was, stop please.�
Avery: �Oh. Okay.� She jumps off the bed. �I�m going to go get dressed for school.�
Alexis starts laughing as she runs out of the room.
Ned: �So when are you going to make it worth my while?�
Alexis: �Later.� She climbs off of the bed. �I promise.�
Later that morning.
Ned walks into the house after dropping Avery off at school.
Ned: �Alexis?�
Alexis: (from upstairs) �I�m in our room. What are you doing back here?�
Ned: (coming up the stairs and into their room) �I forgot one of the files that is on my desk downstairs.�
Alexis: �Oh.� She finishes buttoning her white blouse (that goes with black and white pinstripe pants and a black blazer) and walks over to him. �You look very nice today, Mr. Ashton.�
Ned: (giving her a kiss) �Likewise.� He smiles. �Do you want to have a cup of coffee before we go to work?�
Alexis: �Sure. Hannah is in her playpen downstairs.�
The head down the stairs and into the kitchen. As Alexis reaches into the cabinet for two coffee cups, Ned comes up behind her.
He softly kisses her neck, causing her to start laughing.
Alexis: �What happened to the coffee?�
Ned: �I can think of better things to do.� He turns her around and lifts her into his arms.
Alexis wraps her legs around Ned�s legs as he carries her over to the kitchen table and lays her down on it.
Alexis: �Ned, no way! This is a table. We eat here.�
Ned: (smiling evilly at her) �And? This would sure be a memorable lovemaking session.�
Alexis doesn�t say anything. She just reaches up and winds her arms around Ned�s neck, pulling him down on top of her.
They hastily shed their clothes and begin making love, laughing the whole time.
That afternoon. The Outback.
Kimberly, Scott, Alexis and Ned are seated around a table, sipping wine.
Scott: �So, Ned, we need to discuss your case. The hearing is tomorrow.�
Alexis: �There is nothing to say. Ned didn�t kill Stavros!�
Scott: �Did you see who did?�
Alexis: �Well... no, but I know that Ned would never kill anyone.�
Kimberly: (softly) �We know that, but the judge may not.�
Alexis: �Well, you have to prove that Ned would never commit murder.� She glares at Kimberly and Scott as she slams her wine glass down. �That is what you�re being paid to do! Got it?�
Ned: �Alexis, calm down.� He smiles sadly. �I know you want to defend me, but...�
Alexis: (getting mad) �There is no but! You didn�t kill Stavros and that�s final!� she pushes back her chair and stands up. �I need some air.�
Ned, Kimberly and Scott watch as she marches out onto the Outback�s patio.
Ned: �She�s just worried that I may be prosecuted.�
Scott: �I understand completely. You are all she really has.�
Ned: �Exactly. And on that note, I am going to go talk to my wife, and you two can maybe discuss some strategies for nailing Helena for starting this?�
Kimberly: �No problem. Helena won�t know what hit her.�
Ned smiles as he stands up and heads outside.
Alexis is standing at the edge of the patio, staring off into space.
Ned: (touching her shoulder) �Alexis?�
Alexis: (turning around) �I�m sorry.� There are tears in her eyes. �I can�t lose you. Helena can not win. She has won too many times. I won�t let her destroy my family.�
Ned: (pulling her into his arms) �Destroy your family? What are you talking about?�
Alexis: (softly) �Ned, you don�t understand. Helena wants you in prison and she will do whatever it takes to get you there, at all costs. She doesn�t care who she hurts.�
Ned: �Alexis, I�m not going anywhere. We have two of the greatest attorneys in the country working on this for us, who happen to be our best friends. Helena�s lawyers are in for a huge surprise.�
Alexis: (in a barely audible voice) �You, Avery and Hannah mean everything to me.�
Ned: �I know. And nothing is going to ruin this for us. I promise.�
Two days later.
Ned is awoken to the sound of the phone ringing.
Ned: (yawning) �Hello?�
Lois: �Ned? It�s Lois.�
Ned: �Aren�t you supposed to be headed down here?�
Lois: �Actually, that�s why I�m calling.� She pauses. �With the murder charges that have been brought against you, I don�t think it is such a good idea to have Brooke down there this weekend.�
Ned: �What are you talking about? You know I would never kill anyone!�
Lois: �All I know is that your little hearing is now going to trial.�
Ned: (pain in his voice) �That is only because Helena�s lawyers schmoozed the judge into granting a trial.� He pauses. �Lois, we had a deal.�
At that moment, Alexis opens her eyes and sits up in bed next to him.
Lois: �But Ned...�
Ned: (angry) �There is no but, Lois! If Brooke isn�t down here by noon, I am calling my lawyer.�
Lois: (snippily) �Isn�t she in bed with you?�
Ned: �Lois, I am warning you...�
Lois: �The answer is no, Ned. I refuse to subject Brooke to this soap opera that you call your life. You can see her some other time.�
Ned: �LOIS!!!�
There is no answer. Lois has hung up the phone.
Alexis: (in a low voice) �I take it that Brooke isn�t coming down this weekend?�
Ned: (sadly) �Lois thinks that I am a bad influence on my daughter.�
Alexis: �We can get a custody hearing over this.�
Ned: �Not any time soon. We have to get through my murder trial first, remember?�
Alexis glares at him.
Monday morning.
Ned and Alexis have spent the entire weekend worrying about the trial and talking strategy with Kimberly and Scott.
Now the trial is about to begin.
Ned and Alexis walk hand in hand up the stairs of the Port Charles courthouse and into the courtroom. Kimberly and Scott are waiting for them.
Kimberly: �Are you ready for this, Ned? Helena�s lawyers are going to be out for blood.�
Ned: �I will do and say whatever it takes to get out of this mess.�
Alexis: �Me too.�
Scott: �I�m going to hold you to that. Both of you.�
Ned and Alexis look nervously at each other.
An hour later.
Ned sits nervously on the witness stand as Helena�s lawyer, Steven Hall, paces back and forth in front of him.
Sitting in the audience is Stefan, Julia, Jax, Monica, Emily, Nikolas and Jerry.
Steven: �Mr. Ashton, where were you on the night of September 13, 1999 at nine o�clock pm, eastern standard time?�
Ned: �I was in my car headed for the Port Charles Marina.�
Steven: �And why is that?� he looks at the jury. �It is highly irregular for anyone with two young children to be out driving around in the middle of the night.�
Ned: �My wife, Alexis, had been kidnapped by Stavros Cassadine, and we had seen Stavros on a boat leaving the marina that morning, so I went down there to see if the boat was back. I had a feeling that Alexis was being held on that boat.�
Steven: �Back up, please? Who saw Mr. Cassadine on a boat that morning? How did you know who he was? You had never met him.�
Ned: �His brother, Stefan Cassadine, was with me, as well as Jasper Jacks.�
Steven: �And what were you doing at the marina?�
Ned: �Looking for Alexis. She had been missing for five days.�
Steven: �How do you know that Alexis didn�t go with Mr. Cassadine on the basis of her own free will?"�
Scott: �Objection! He�s leading the witness!�
Judge: �Overruled. Continue, Mr. Hall.�
Steven: (grinning smugly) �There is no proof that Ms. Davis-Ashton was being held against her will.�
Ned: (trying to remain in control) �My wife would NEVER have gone with Stavros Cassadine. She hated him, and has her entire life.�
Steven: �So could your wife have arranged the murder of Mr. Cassadine? You waiting at the docks for her to give you a signal...� he trails off.
Ned: �Never. Alexis would never kill anyone.�
Steven: �And would you?�
Ned: �Never.�
Steven: �But it seems that you have a history of lying, Mr. Ashton. Did you or did you not pretend to be a man named Ward at the Green Meadows Spa back in 1987? Did you or did you not take on another alias, Eddie Maine, in 1993 and marry one Lois Cerullo under that name?�
Ned looks like he is going to throw up.
Scott: �OBJECTION!�
Judge: �Mr. Hall, please stay with facts pertaining to this case.�
Steven: �Sorry, your honor.� He smiles. �I have no further questions for this witness, but the state reserves the right to recall him later.�
Judge: �Motion carried.� He looks at Scott. �Cross, Mr. Baldwin?�
Scott: �Yes.� He looks at Kimberly. �But my co-council is going to perform the cross.�
Kimberly looks momentarily surprised, but gets up and walks to the front of the room. She looks at the jury before turning to look at Ned.
Kimberly: �Mr. Ashton, where was your wife between September eighth and September thirteenth?�
Ned: �She was being held against her will by Stavros Cassadine on a boat at the Port Charles Marina.�
Kimberly: �What motives would Mr. Cassadine have for kidnapping your wife?�
Ned: �Stavros has always had a vendetta against Alexis. Even when she was a little girl, he got some sick pleasure from torturing her.� He looks at Alexis, who has gone pale. �When he came back to Port Charles, he decided to get revenge upon his brother and sister.�
Kimberly: �Revenge in what form?�
Ned: �Stavros Cassadine burned down Laura Spencer�s house when he found out that Nikolas Cassadine, his supposed heir, was really the son of his brother, Stefan. Armed with this information, he bombed Caf� Mattice on the night of Julia Barrett and Jasper Jacks� engagement party, where we all were. Stefan�s girlfriend, Mackenzie Cisnaros was hurt badly in that accident.�
Kimberly: �Isn�t Mackenzie Cisnaros your younger sister?�
Ned: �That is correct.�
Kimberly: �What happened after the bombing?�
Ned: �Everyone was pretty occupied with Mackenzie being in the hospital, and Stavros used that opportunity to kidnap Alexis.�
Steven: �Objection! He�s here to state the facts!�
Judge: �Overruled. Continue, Ms. Corday-Baldwin.�
Kimberly: �On the night of September thirteenth, what did you see when you arrived at the Port Charles Marina?�
Ned: �I saw Alexis on the docks. I had heard her scream when I was parking my car. She was lying on the ground. Stavros was next to her, a knife in his hand. A bullet had gone off somewhere across the marina and it hit Stavros.�
Kimberly: �Mr. Ashton, do you own a gun?�
Ned: �No. I have two small children, and I would never have a gun in the house.�
Kimberly: �Have you ever fired a gun?�
Ned: �No. I have never used a gun for anything.�
Kimberly: (smugly) �The defense rests.�
Judge: �Mr. Ashton, please step down. We will take a ten minute recess before reconvening.� He bangs his gavel.
Ned steps down off the witness stand and gives Kimberly a hug.
Kimberly: �You were great.�
Alexis: (putting her arms around Ned) �You were amazing.�
Ned: (holding her close) �You will be too.�
Alexis: �I hope so. That Hall man is a total jerk.�
Scott: �Don�t worry about it. I�ll be doing your questioning.�
Alexis smiles weakly at him. Ned gently kisses the top of her head.
Ten minutes later.
Bailiff: �Please state your full name for the record.�
Alexis: �Alexis Brinna Ashton.�
Bailiff: �Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?�
Alexis: �I do.�
The bailiff steps away as Scott approaches her.
Scott: �Mrs. Ashton, would you mind telling us about what happened aboard the Sea Star between September eighth and September thirteenth?�
Alexis: �Stavros Cassadine kidnapped me when I was on my boat, the Brinna, down at the marina. I screamed, but he knocked me out with a chloroformed rag. I woke up in a storage closet aboard the stolen boat, the Sea Star. I was left there for five days.�
Scott: �Did the boat ever leave the marina?�
Alexis: �Yes. My husband, Ned, my brother, Stefan and my friend Jax, were searching for me down at the docks. When they got too close for Stavros� comfort, he started the boat and took off up north. We returned that night.�
Scott: �What happened then?�
Alexis: �Stavros left to go back to his mother�s yacht. After he left, I found a nail file on the floor of the closet where I was being held. I managed to get the door open and escape from the boat. Unfortunately, Stavros saw me escape and he came after me with a knife.�
Scott: �Did he threaten you?�
Alexis: �Yes. He told me that he was going to kill me. He was about to plunge the knife into my chest when a bullet went off from somewhere above me. It hit Stavros and killed him. A few minutes later, Ned came running in and saw me.�
Scott: �So Stavros Cassadine tried to kill you. Was this the first time?�
Alexis: (slightly surprised) �No. Stavros repeatedly beat me and tried to kill me when we were children in Greece.� She shudders. �His mother, Helena Cassadine, permitted him to do those things to me.�
Scott: �Did he ever do anything else to you?�
Alexis gulps nervously. Ned nods lovingly at her from the table.
Alexis: �Well... actually, from age nine to age fifteen, Stavros Cassadine raped me.� He eyes fill with tears. �He did it whenever he wanted to, and if I refused to comply, he beat me. Helena let him.�
Scott: (shocked) �Was your husband aware of this before you were kidnapped?�
Alexis: �Yes. I told him a month or so ago.�
Scott: �Alexis, do you think that your husband would have killed Stavros to get back at him for doing those things to you?�
Alexis: (adamantly) �No. Ned would never kill anyone.� She looks out at him. �He loves his family way too much to risk hurting them.�
Scott: �I have no more questions for this witness. The defense rests.�
Judge: �Mr. Hall, cross?�
Steven: �You bet.� He gets up and heads for Alexis. �Mrs. Ashton, you claim that Stavros Cassadine beat and raped you when you were a child?�
Alexis: �I don�t claim it. I am positive of these things.�
Steven: �Could it be that you made these things up for attention, since you were starved for attention? Isn�t it true that your parents were killed when you were four?�
Alexis: �I DID NOT make those things up. My brother Stefan can vouch for that.� She glares at Helena. �Ask Helena Cassadine. She was there.�
Steven: �Meaning?�
Alexis: (the words tumbling out) �She let him rape me! She held me down when I was nine years old! She held my arms down and let Stavros rape me over and over again.� She begins to sob. �Helena didn�t care if I lived or died! She let him rape me! She let him beat me!�
Scott: �Objection. Council is upsetting the witness.�
No one hears what Scott says as Alexis continues to talk.
Alexis: �And Helena never forgave me for being the bastard daughter of her husband! She wants to hurt me the only way she can! The only way she can hurt me is by taking my husband away! Ned Ashton is the only person who has ever loved me completely. She wants to take that away!�
Ned�s face twists in pain as Alexis stands up.
Alexis: (screaming) �SHE LET STAVROS HURT ME! She wanted me to die! He took away my childhood... she... she...� she breaks down in sobs and crumples back into her seat.
Scott: (standing up) �I demand a recess!�
Judge: (banging his gavel) �Twenty minute recess!�
The courtroom floods with talking and Ned races towards Alexis. He puts his arms around her and holds her close. Kimberly kneels down next to them.
Ned: �Alexis, baby, it�s going to be okay.�
Alexis: (sobbing) �I just ruined your case for you. I�m so sorry, Ned.� She sobs into his chest. �I�m so, so sorry.�
Ned: (cradling her against him) �It�s okay, Lex. You didn�t do anything wrong.�
Alexis: �I... I....�
Ned: �Shh. Don�t talk. It�s going to be okay.�
Just then, Helena walks by and gives them a dirty look.
Helena: �How does it feel knowing you are going to jail, Ned?� she walks away.
Ned stands up to go after Helena, but Kimberly grabs him.
Kimberly: �Let her go, Ned. Just let her go.�
Ned: �She will pay for this.� He looks down at Alexis, who is crying in his arms. �Lexi, she will never hurt you again. I promise you.�