Ned rolls over in bed to see that Alexis is not there.
There is a note on the nightstand. He picks it up.
�Ned,� (it reads) �I went to see Stefan. I�ll see you at work. Love you, Lex.�
Ned sighs and gets out of bed to go wake Avery and Christabel up.
The Port Charles Police Department.
Stefan is making a valiant attempt to sleep on his cot when one of the officers comes in.
Officer: �Cassadine, you have a visitor.�
Stefan sits up, surprised. He goes over to the cell door and is let out and taken to a holding room.
Sitting in a chair is Alexis. She is wearing a black suit and her hair is pulled up in a French twist. Her face is devoid of any emotion.
Officer: �I�ll be right outside, so don�t try anything funny, Cassadine.� He leaves.
Stefan: �Alexis, forgive me for being shocked to see you here.�
Alexis: �Stefan, please sit down. I need to talk to you.�
Stefan: (sitting down) �I thought you weren�t speaking to me.�
Alexis: �Well, I got to thinking about two o�clock this morning, and I realized that I reacted harshly to what happened.� She glares at him. �But Stefan, you have to understand, Ned means more to me than anyone in the world. If he had gone to prison and I had found out that you killed Stavros, I would NEVER had forgiven you.�
Stefan: (softly) �I understand completely. Alexis, I would not have let him go to prison. I was just so scared when I found out that Stavros had kidnapped you. I thought that he was going to kill you.� He takes her hand. �You�re my sister and I have to protect you.�
Alexis: �I love you, Stefan. And I honor the fact that you want to protect me. But letting Ned take the rap for the murder was just plain wrong.�
Stefan: �I realize that.� He looks at her sadly. �Can you ever forgive me?�
Alexis: (smiling) �Hey, I forgave you for stopping my wedding and for bringing Mackenzie to town to torture Ned, so I guess I can forgive you for this.�
Stefan: (relieved) �Thank you. I promise you, my sister, I will not let you down again.�
Alexis: �On that note, we need to think of a way to get you out of here.�
Stefan: �I�m being held without bail.�
Alexis: �It�s too bad that you can�t be released into my custody.�
An hour later.
Ned walks into the ELQ boardroom. Alexis is waiting for him.
Ned: �Lexi, what are you doing here? I didn�t think you were going to make it to the meeting. Did you talk to Stefan?�
Alexis: �Yes. He and I came to a mutual understanding of the situation.� She smiles. �In other words, I forgave him.�
Ned: (walking behind her and putting his arms around her waist) �Good. But why do you still look upset?�
Alexis: �I feel bad that Stefan has to sit in jail. I mean, I know that he did kill Stavros, but it was in defense of me.�
Ned: �They won�t release him?�
Alexis: �I wanted to have him released into our custody, so Kim and Scott are working on it. See, the court docket is so full that he can�t even get a hearing until Friday. That�s four days from now.�
Ned: �I bet Scott and Kim can get him out.�
Alexis: �I sure hope so.� She turns around in his arms and gives him a kiss. �By the way, on a happier note, last night was wonderful.�
Ned: �I was going to go with amazing, but wonderful works too.� He pulls her closer and gently kisses her. �Feel like doing it again tonight?�
Alexis: �Tonight? I don�t know if I can even make it until lunch.� She smiles teasingly at him and then slowly licks her lips.
She laughs as she can feel Ned becoming aroused against her.
Alexis: (laughing) �Ned, I don�t think that now is the best time for this.� She gestures towards the door, where Edward, Alan and Monica are heading.
Ned: (pulling away from her, in a low voice) �Just wait until this meeting is over.�
Alexis smiles indulgently at him as they head to their seats.
Within five minutes, AJ, Jason, Justus, and Jax have arrived.
Ned: (banging the gavel) �This ELQ Board meeting will now come to order.� He quickly goes through the roll call and then looks at his agenda. �The first order of business is the docks project.�
AJ: �Ned, I want to know what in the world is taking so long to get them done!�
Ned: �Well, Junior, they would have been fine two years ago when we did them before, had you hired a decent crew to fix them.�
AJ: �Ned, don�t go there!�
Ned: �I already did.� He smirks. �Just because you�re jealous that I am the CEO, and you are barely fit to work in the mailroom...�
Edward: �Ned! AJ! That will be enough!�
Ned smirks at AJ. AJ glares at him. Alexis covers her mouth to keep from laughing.
Edward: �Ned, move onto the next item of business.�
Alan: (interrupting him) �You know what? I think that we should have a company party!�
Monica: (glaring at him) �What the hell does that have to do with company business?�
Alan: �Hello, Monica! If we have a party, we can all bond with each other.�
Jason: �This is totally off the subject, Ned, but how is your sister doing?�
Ned: (sadly) �There hasn�t been any change. But Mackenzie is strong. I know that she�s going to make it.�
Alexis looks lovingly at him.
Alan: �What�s wrong with Mackenzie?�
Everyone just glares at him.
Later that afternoon.
Monica gets into the elevator at GH and pushes the button for the fifth floor.
The elevator stops on the second floor and Gregory gets in.
Gregory: �Hello, Monica.�
Monica: �Hi, Gregory. How are you?�
Gregory: �Just fine.� He sniffs the air. �That�s a wonderful perfume you�re wearing.�
Monica: (blushing) �Thank you.� She smiles slightly.
Just then, the elevator stops.
Monica: �Uh oh. What happened?�
Gregory: �I�ll call maintenance and find out.� He pulls out his cell phone and dials a number. �Hello, this is Gregory Fortino and I am trapped in the elevator... what do you mean, the circuit is shut down... well, how long... an hour... fine. Just hurry. Goodbye.�
Monica: �An hour?�
Gregory: �Yep. Some circuit broke.�
Just then, Monica�s cell phone rings.
Monica: �Monica Quartermaine... Alan, what is it? No, I don�t feel like a late lunch... What do you mean, why didn�t anyone answer you when you asked what was wrong with Mackenzie? You know what, I don�t have time to deal with you right now. Goodbye.�
Gregory: (as she hangs up the phone) �Are you okay?�
Monica: �My god, that man is just so irritating! I can not believe that he is so dense! He just...� she trails off. �I�m sorry, Gregory. You don�t want to hear about this.�
Gregory: (leaning close to her) �I�m more than willing to listen to you, Monica.�
Monica looks up to see Gregory leaning in towards her.
At that moment, he kisses her. Monica kisses him back.
Monica: (breaking the kiss) �What was that?�
Gregory: (in a husky voice) �I don�t know, but I liked it.�
Monica: �Me too.� She leans forward and kisses him again.
They exchange a long look. A spark of desire passes between them.
Gregory suddenly pushes Monica up against the wall of the elevator. They begin kissing passionately, tearing each others� clothes off.
Monica moans as they fall to the ground, and begin to have hot and steamy sex.
Later that afternoon. Ned�s office at ELQ.
Ned�s cell phone rings and he picks it up.
Ned: �Ned Ashton.�
Eve: �Mr. Ashton, this is Dr. Eve Lambert at General Hospital. I have some good news for you. Your sister, Mackenzie, is awake.�
Ned: �She is? Is she okay?�
Eve: �There seems to be no neurological damage from the injury. She�s going to be just fine. She is asking to see you and her sister.� She pauses. �She also wants to see Stefan, but with him being in jail and all...�
Ned: �I�ll be right there. Thank you, Dr. Lambert.�
He hangs up his phone and races to his car.
Ned: (on his cell phone, headed for GH) �Alexis, it�s me.�
Alexis: �Ned? Where are you?�
Ned: �Mackenzie is awake. I�m on my way to the hospital.�
Alexis: �She is? That�s wonderful.�
Ned: (in a low voice) �She was asking to see Stefan.�
Alexis: �I�ll call Kimberly. Maybe she can get a push on Stefan�s release.�
Ned: �Okay. I�ll call you later.�
Alexis: �I love you.�
Ned: �I love you too. Bye.� He turns his phone off and roars into the parking garage of General Hospital and races inside.
Amy: (walking by as Ned pushes the elevator button) �It isn�t working, Ned. You�ll have to use the stairs.�
Ned: �Fine. Thanks, Amy.� He races towards the stairs.
Huffing and puffing from running up five flights of stairs, Ned enters room 528 and sees Mackenzie sitting up in bed. His eyes fill with tears.
Ned: (going over to her and hugging her) �I knew you would be okay.�
Mackenzie: �All of a sudden, I felt as if I was walking towards a light, and I woke up.� She looks around. �How long have I been asleep?�
Ned: �Two weeks.�
Mackenzie: �What�s happened since the explosion?�
Ned: �You remember the explosion?�
Mackenzie: �I remember walking towards Stefan and then there was a large boom, and this planter started falling down on me. I couldn�t move.� She shudders. �What happened that night?�
Ned: (looking pained) �Stavros, Stefan�s brother, blew it up. He is also the one who burned down Luke and Laura�s house.�
Mackenzie: �Am I still in my coma? I could have sworn that Stavros was dead.�
Ned: �We thought so too. Apparently, Helena has been keeping him alive all of these years.� He grimaces. �But it gets worse.�
Mackenzie: �How could it get worse?�
Ned: �When we were all preoccupied with you being here, Stavros kidnapped Alexis.�
Mackenzie looks shocked.
Ned: �He held her hostage on a boat at the marina. She got away one night, but he came after her and tried to kill her. And then, a gun went off and killed him.�
Mackenzie: �Who shot him?�
Ned: �Well, I came running in and rescued Alexis, and when the police came...�
Mackenzie: �Let me guess. They arrested you for the murder, right?�
Ned: �Helena swore that she saw me kill Stavros.� He rolls his eyes. �So it went to trial. And obviously, I got off because the real killer was found out.�
Mackenzie: �Who is it?�
Ned: (swallowing hard) �Well...�
Just then, Julia comes breezing into the room, unaware that Mackenzie is awake. She hears Ned�s voice as she comes in.
Julia: �Ned, I hear that they still won�t arrange bail for Stefan.�
Mackenzie: �Bail for what? Stefan is in jail?�
Julia skids to a halt as she sees Mackenzie. She looks shocked.
Julia: �Mackenzie, you�re awake?� she looks at Ned. �Why didn�t anyone call me?�
Mackenzie: �I told them to, but your cell phone wasn�t on.� She smiles. �Did you miss me, sis?�
Julia: (coming over and hugging her) �Did I ever!� she looks closely at her. �Are you okay?�
Mackenzie: �I should be fine in a couple of days.� She frowns. �Ned was just telling me what has been going on since the explosion.� She pauses. �Ned, are you telling me that STEFAN is the person who killed Stavros?�
Ned: (softly) �Yes. He was protecting Alexis.�
Mackenzie: (getting mad) �And he�s in jail now?�
Julia: �Just temporarily.� She pauses. �Mackenzie, don�t get all worked up. It can�t be good for you.�
Mackenzie: �I want to see Stefan.�
Ned: �Unfortunately, he is being held without bail.� He half-smiles. �But he hired Kim and Scott to defend him, and they�re working on getting him out.�
Julia: �When did the doctors say you could be released?�
Mackenzie: �In a day or so. They need to run a cat scan and a few tests, and if everything looks good, I�ll be good to go.�
Ned: �I want you to stay with us.�
Mackenzie: �I can�t. I have to take care of Christabel.�
Ned: �She�s staying with us.�
Mackenzie: �Is Stefan okay?�
Just then, a nurse comes in.
Nurse: �If you all will excuse me, we need to take Ms. Cisnaros down for some tests.�
Julia: �How long will she be?�
Nurse: �Quite a while.�
Mackenzie: �Both of you, go home. You can come back tomorrow.�
Ned: �I�ll call you this evening.� He leans over and kisses her.
Julia: �Me too.� She gives her a hug and then they leave.
As they walk into the hallway, the elevator doors open and Monica steps out. Her face is somewhat flushed and her clothes are haphazardly tucked in. Gregory steps out behind her. They head in opposite directions.
Ned and Julia watch in amusement as Monica passes by them without even seeing them.
Julia: �Kind of makes you wonder what was going on in that elevator, huh?�
Ned: �You could say that.� He laughs. �Not that I could blame Monica though. Alan isn�t exactly a loving husband these days.�
Julia: �More like a complete lunatic.�
They both start laughing as Alan wanders by, humming a tune.
That night. The Ashtons� house.
Alexis is sitting on the couch reading a file when Ned comes downstairs from tucking Avery and Christabel into bed.
She has changed from her gray suit into one of Ned�s white button down workshirts and has pulled her hair up in a ponytail. Her glasses are perched on her nose.
Ned: �Don�t you look sexy, Mrs. Ashton.�
Alexis: (looking up and smiling) �Are the girls asleep?�
Ned: �They are headed off to dreamland as we speak.� He kneels down in front of her, picks one of her feet up and begins to massage it.
Alexis: (smiling amusedly) �That feels good.�
Ned: (in a businesslike manner) �So, how is the bail issue on Stefan coming? Mackenzie was so adamant on seeing him that Julia and I almost had to tie her to the bed.�
Alexis: �Well, Kimberly talked to the judge, but he said that he wouldn�t have an answer until tomorrow after ten a.m.� she moans slightly. �Why haven�t you ever massaged my feet before?�
Ned: (kissing her toes) �You never asked.�
Alexis: �Stupid me.� She moans again. �You have no idea how good that feels.�
Ned: (trading feet) �I told Mackenzie that when she is released, we want her to come stay here until Stefan gets out.�
Alexis: (trying to ignore the pleasure that her foot if feeling) �That�d good, because Scott is petitioning for Stefan to be released into my custody.�
Ned: (teasingly) �That doesn�t mean that you will have to spend every waking minute making sure that Stefan is staying out of trouble, does it?�
Alexis: (taking her glasses off) �Of course not.� She slides off of the couch and wraps her legs around his waist. �ELQ policy states that I must spend at least two hours a day alone with my boss.�
Ned: (moaning as Alexis sucks on his earlobe) �Which policy is that? I don�t recall ever reading that.�
Alexis: (in a sexy whisper) �That�s because the corporate council came up with it on her own. Do you disapprove?�
Ned: (moaning) �Do you hear me disapproving in any way, shape or form?�
Alexis: (unknotting his tie and taking his shirt off) �Well, I don�t want to get fired, so shouldn�t we get this private board meeting underway?�
Ned: (in a husky whisper as Alexis unzips his pants) �I second the motion.�
Alexis pushes Ned back onto the floor and wrapping her legs around him, begins making love to him.
Jax and Julia�s penthouse.
Julia: (getting into bed beside Jax) �I was so happy when I walked into Mackenzie�s hospital room and saw that she was awake.�
Jax: (pulling her into his arms) �I knew that you were really scared about her.�
Julia: �I have lost way too much to lose her too.�
Jax: �So, now that we are all a happy family again, don�t we have a wedding to plan?�
Julia: �Mackenzie and I are going to get right on it when she is released. She told me when I called her that she is very eager to help.�
Jax: �Well, she does have to deal with Stefan being in jail.�
Julia: �Ned said that Kim and Scott are working on his bail. I bet he�ll be out before Wednesday.�
Jax: �So, Ms. Barrett soon to be Mrs. Jax, have you given any thought to our wedding?�
Julia: �I want a custom made long white dress.�
Jax: (teasingly) �White? You want a white dress? Than you�d better get out of this bed before I ravage you in what could be considered pre-marital sex.�
Julia: (laughing as she hits him playfully) �Shut up, Jax!� she smiles. �But I did do a little thinking about our honeymoon.�
Jax: (sexily) �I�m listening.�
Julia: �I was thinking about the beach. Bali or Hawaii or something.�
Jax: �What about the Bahamas?�
Julia: �Ooh. I haven�t ever been there. You?�
Jax: �Once on a business trip. It�s beautiful and I think that you would like it.�
Julia: �Then it�s settled. We will spend our honeymoon in the Bahamas.�
Jax: (picking up her hand and kissing it) �I can�t wait until we�re married.�
Julia: �Me too.� She grins. �I�ll know then that I am legally required to be in your bed every night.�
Jax: (kissing her) �I�m going to warn you now. I am about to do things to you that may keep you from wearing your white dress.�
Julia: �I think I can live with it.� She wraps her arms around his neck. �I love you, Jax.�
Jax: �I love you too, Julia. Always and forever.�
The Quartermaines� house.
Monica: (on the phone, in a whisper) �Yes, Gregory, I miss you too.�
Gregory: (at his house) �I wish you were here.�
Monica: �I wish I was too. Alan just asked me if I want to go play miniature golf in the backyard.� She sighs.
Gregory: �What�s the problem with that?�
Monica: �We don�t have a miniature golf course.�
Gregory: (laughing) �Really, Monica, I don�t see why you�ve put up with him all these years.�
Monica: �I think the same thing at least once a day.�
Gregory: �I have to go, but I just wanted to say that I had fun this afternoon.�
Monica: �You mean our little elevator adventure?� she laughs. �Me too.�
Gregory: �Sweet dreams, Dr. Quartermaine.�
Monica: �Sweet dreams to you too, Greg.�
She hangs up the phone and prances into the bathroom.
Downstairs, Alan hangs up the extension and frowns.
Alan: �They will pay for this.� He sneers. �Mark my words, they will pay.�