Alexis wakes up to see Avery sitting at the end of Ned and Alexis� bed.
Alexis: �Good morning, Tigger.�
Avery: �Can I get in bed with you?�
Alexis: �Sure.� She pulls back the covers and Avery slides in beside her.
Avery: �Can I ask you something, Mommy?�
Alexis: �Sure.�
Avery: �How come Daddy never talks about his mommy and daddy?�
Alexis: �Well... Daddy has a strange relationship with his parents. They sent him away to go to school and they aren�t close.�
Avery: �Oh. So is Aunt Mackenzie and Aunt Monica and Emily his family?�
Alexis: �Yes, and grandfather and grandmother, and Uncle Alan.�
Ned: (not opening his eyes) �You guys are my family.�
Avery: �Daddy! You�re awake!� she jumps on top of Ned, causing him to groan.
Ned: �Avery Madelynn, you�re turning into a giant!�
Avery: �No I�m not! I�m still short!�
Ned: �Good point.� He gives her a kiss on the top of the head and then leans over and kisses Alexis. �Good morning, beautiful ladies.�
Just then, there is a knock at the door.
Alexis: �Who is it?�
Christabel: �It�s Christabel. May I come in?�
Ned: �Sure.�
Christabel: (coming into the room) �I was looking for Avery. I wanted to borrow her butterfly barrettes.�
Avery: �You can borrow them when I get out of bed.�
Christabel: �Okay. I�ll come back.� She looks sad.
Alexis: �You can join us if you�d like.� She smiles. �I�m sure that Uncle Ned would be willing to make us breakfast in bed.�
Christabel: (her eyes lighting up) �I can come in bed too? Father never lets me do that.�
Ned: �Come on before the bedbugs get you.�
Christabel comes over and gets onto the bed. She sits at Alexis� feet.
Avery: �Have you ever jumped on a bed before?�
Christabel: �No. Is it fun?�
Avery stands up and pulls Christabel with her. They start jumping up and down on the bed as Alexis and Ned watch in amusement.
Just then, Stefan walks into the room.
Stefan: �Christabel Jade, what in God�s name are you doing?�
Christabel: �Jumping on the bed.� She continues to jump, and then plops down on the bed next to Avery.
Stefan: �I�m sorry, Alexis. I�ll take her downstairs.�
Alexis: �It�s no problem. Avery uses our bed as a trampoline on a regular basis. Go ahead and get dressed and call Mackenzie.�
Stefan: �Okay, if it is okay with you.� He heads down the hall.
Alexis: �I�m going to go get Hannah up.� She heads down the hall to the nursery.
Christabel and Avery stare at Ned as he watches Alexis leave.
Christabel: (seriously) �Uncle Ned, do you think that my daddy is going to marry Mackenzie?�
Ned: �Do you want him to?�
Christabel: �Yes. I want a new mommy. I want a mommy who loves me like Aunt �Lexis loves Avery and Hannah.�
Ned: �Well, I know that your daddy and Mackenzie love each other. But it is really up to them if they get married.�
Christabel and Avery exchange a look.
Alexis: (from the nursery) �Ned! Come here!�
Ned gets out of bed and races down the hall to the nursery. Alexis is standing over Hannah�s crib.
Ned: �What�s wrong?�
Alexis: �Look at her!� she beams proudly.
Ned looks down at Hannah who is on all fours and for the first time, is creeping across the crib.
Alexis: �She�s crawling! I can�t believe this!�
Ned: �Well, look at you, Hannah Grace!� he leans down and pats her back. �Do you want to try it on the floor?�
He lifts Hannah out of the crib and sets her down on the floor. For a minute, Hannah just lays on the rug. But she eventually pulls herself up and slowly begins crawling across the floor.
Alexis: �She�s amazing! Only five and a half months!�
Ned: �Technically, that is creeping.�
Alexis: �Don�t cheapen it.� She smiles as Ned puts his arms around her.
Ned: �Have I ever told you that I love you?�
Alexis: �I love you too.� They kiss each other passionately.
Standing just outside of the doorway, Avery and Christabel watch Ned and Alexis.
Avery: (heading into Avery�s room) �Christabel, if you want your daddy to marry Mackenzie, you have to have a plan.�
Christabel: �Do you want to help me?�
Avery: �Sure! Like a Spice Girls� plan.�
Christabel: (looking at her expectantly) �Well, do you have a plan?�
Avery: (sitting down on the bed next to Christabel) �Well, if Mackenzie was going to have a baby, then they could get married.�
Christabel: �But I can�t do anything about that.�
Avery: �I have to get ready for school and you do too. So I�ll think about it, and talk to Serena, and we�ll all talk later.�
Christabel: �Okay.�
Avery: �I�ll ask Mommy and Daddy if I can have a sleepover with me, you, Serena and Lulu on Friday.�
Christabel: �Cool! I�ve never been to a real sleepover.�
That evening. 7:00 pm.
Ned, Alexis, Stefan, Mackenzie, Avery, Christabel and Hannah are sitting at the table in the dining room eating two extra large pizzas, which was Mackenzie�s choice.
Stefan: (glaring at her) �You just got out of the hospital and this is what you wanted for dinner?�
Mackenzie: �Pizza happens to be my favorite food, Stefan. What�s yours?�
Stefan: (amused) �Musaka.�
Alexis: (feeding Hannah a spoonful of strained pears) �Yuck. The only Greek food I like is Baklava.�
Avery: �What�s that?�
Stefan: �Baklava is a Greek pastry. It is very sweet. I think you would like it, so how about if I ask Mrs. Lansbury to make us some tomorrow?�
Avery: �Yeah! Thanks, Uncle Stefan!�
Ned: �So, Stefan, how was your meeting with Kim and Scott today?�
Stefan: �Well, Scott told me that we are having the same judge as last time, and then Kim pointed out that if this goes to trial, we�re going to need witnesses. That�s about it.�
Alexis: �I would be willing to testify again.� She sets down Hannah�s spoon.
Ned: (looking at her) �Are you sure about that? After last time...� he stops as Hannah picks up her own spoon. �Well, look at that.�
Alexis: �Hannah Grace, you are too smart for words!�
Hannah gurgles in agreement and throws a spoonful of pears at Alexis. They hit her directly in the face and shirt.
Alexis stares at Hannah in shock.
Ned starts laughing first, followed by Mackenzie, Stefan and the two girls.
Ned: �Way to go, Hannah!�
Alexis: (wiping her face off) �Ned!�
Ned: �Sorry.� He grins. �Well, not really.�
Alexis: �I�m going to go upstairs and change.� She gets up and leaves.
A few seconds later, Ned stands up.
Avery: �Where are you going, Daddy?�
Ned: �I have to go tell Mommy something.� He leaves and goes upstairs to their bedroom.
Alexis, in her white lace bra, is rooting around in her closet for another shirt.
Ned: (closing the door) �I think you should leave the shirt off.� He comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist.
Alexis smiles and leans back into him, the quest for a shirt forgotten.
Alexis: �What are you doing up here?�
Ned: �I�m supposed to be telling you something.�
Alexis: �What do you want to tell me?�
Ned: (laughing) �That I want to molest you right now.�
Alexis turns around in his arms and kisses him passionately. His hands begins to wander from her hair down to her back and then back up. He reaches around and unhooks her bra, tossing it to the floor.
Alexis eagerly reciprocates, unzipping his pants and pushing them to the floor. Ned lifts her up and she wraps her legs around his waist as Ned backs against the wall.
They make love against the wall, both fighting to keep from moaning.
Ten minutes later, they come back downstairs, Alexis dressed in a ice blue baby-tee that goes with her black pants.
Avery: �Mommy, that shirt is cool! You should wear it to work.�
Ned: (smiling smugly) �Yeah, Lex, you should.�
Alexis looks at him and starts laughing.
Avery: �Mommy, Daddy, I was wondering if I could have a party on Friday.�
Ned: (looking at Alexis) �I didn�t think that the party throwing would start for at least another ten years.�
Alexis: �A party with whom, Avery?�
Avery: �Me, Christabel, Serena, and Lesley Lu. We have very important stuff to talk about. Very, very important.�
Ned: �In that case, sure you can.�
Avery: (giving Christabel a look) �Goody.�
Christabel: �Cool! I�ve never been to a sleepover before.�
Stefan gives Alexis a pained look.
Mackenzie: �I think I�ll head upstairs and take a nice, hot bath.�
Ned: �Good idea. Take it easy, sis.�
Stefan: �I�ll come up and keep you company in a few moments, if you�d like.�
Mackenzie: �That would be nice. We have a lot to talk about.�
Two hours later. (nine o�clock)
The phone rings.
Ned: �Ashton residence.�
Kimberly: �Ned, it�s Kim. I need to talk to you.�
Ned: �Kim, what�s wrong?�
Kimberly: �I don�t want to talk about this on the phone. Can you meet me somewhere?�
Ned: �Sure. Where?�
Kimberly: �Jake�s in twenty minutes?�
Ned: �Okay. Do you want me to bring Alexis?�
Kimberly: �NO! I need to see you privately.�
Ned: �Okay. I�ll see you then.� He hangs up the phone as Alexis walks down the stairs.
Alexis: �Who was that?�
Ned: �Kim. I have to go out for a little while.�
Alexis: �Oh. Why don�t I go upstairs and tell Stefan to watch the girls and I�ll come with you?�
Ned: (thinking fast) �Actually, this won�t take long. I�ll just go alone.�
Alexis: (slightly surprised) �Well, okay.�
Ned: (getting up and going to get his coat) �I�ll be back soon.� He kisses her on the lips and then leaves.
Twenty minutes later at Jake�s.
Ned walks in to see Kimberly sitting at a small table, sipping a martini.
Kimberly: �Oh good, you�re here. Why don�t you get a drink and then we�ll talk.�
Ned goes up to the bar and orders a vodka on the rocks and then goes back to the table.
Ned: �So, what�s up, Kim?�
Kimberly: �Well, it all started when Scott and I went down to the police station to talk to the judge about bailing Stefan out.�
Ned: �Does this have to do with Stefan?�
Kimberly: �In a way.� She takes a sip of her martini and continues. �I went to talk to the judge, and when I got to the office, he was talking to someone.�
She pauses.
Kimberly: �The judge was in the process of accepting a half of a million dollars to keep Stefan in jail.�
Ned: (shocked) �Are you sure?�
Kimberly: �Totally. The man who was talking to the judge was Ari, Helena�s manservant. So, I went into the office after he left to talk to the judge about arranging bail. He refused so I... well, I....�
Ned: �What did you do?�
Kimberly: �well, I, uh, I, well, I kind of told the judge that if he didn�t release Stefan, I would have him arrested for accepting a bribe.�
Ned: �Kim! You could be disbarred for that!�
Kimberly: (laughing) �Relax. He was so afraid that I would get him arrested that he was more than willing to comply with my demand.�
Ned: �So how does this involve me?�
Kimberly: �Well, I have a feeling, make that a hunch, that Helena is going to try again to get Stefan put away... probably during the hearing... so...�
Ned: �So we need to counter-attack so that Helena won�t win...�
Kimberly: �And do something to keep Stefan out of prison. If we lose this case, Alexis will be so devastated.�
Ned: �And I don�t want her to know about any of this, or she may go after Helena.�
Kimberly: �So that leads us to where we are now.�
Ned: �We need something to make the judge want to side with us, not Helena.� He takes a sip of his vodka. �It�s too bad that blackmail is illegal.�
Kimberly: �Wait a minute! I thought of something. The judge was more than willing to work with Helena because she offered him money. What if we raised the offer and...�
Ned: �Offered him a bigger bribe? But that�s illegal.�
Kimberly: �Since when are you so big on ethics? I thought you would do ANYTHING to keep Alexis from being hurt.�
Ned: �Point well taken.� He pauses. �But if you or I offered the money, it wouldn�t work. He would recognize us.�
Kimberly: �Than who wouldn�t he recognize?�
Ned: �Wait a minute. If I disguised myself, then maybe...�
Kimberly: �It�s a little risky, Ned...�
Ned: �You�re right though. I would do anything for Alexis.�
Kimberly: �Okay then. Let�s discuss money.�
Ned: �Ari offered him a half a million dollars, right?�
Kimberly: �Right.�
Ned: �What if I offered him a million and a half?�
Kimberly: �Do you have that much money available for you to use without Alexis noticing that its gone?�
Ned: �Yeah. I have money in trust from my father.� He thinks about it. �Today is Tuesday so we�re going to have to take care of this by Thursday at the latest.�
Kimberly: (raising her glass) �To us pulling the rug out from under Helena Cassadine.�
They clink their glasses together and then take drinks of their beverages.
Later that night. The Ashtons house.
Ned returns from his meeting with Kimberly and heads up to their bedroom.
Alexis is lying in bed, reading Glamour Magazine.
Alexis: (putting her magazine down) �Oh, you�re home.�
Ned: �Yeah.� He heads over to the closet and begins undressing. When he is stripped down to his boxers, he goes to brush his teeth and then gets into bed.
Alexis: (snuggling close to him) �So where did you go?�
Ned: �Well, Kim and I had some stuff to talk about.�
Alexis: �About what?�
Ned: �Did anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions?�
Alexis just looks at him for a long time.
The next morning.
The Port Charles Police Station.
There is a knock at the conference room door.
Judge: �Come in.�
Ned, dressed in a black suit and sunglasses, walks in carrying a briefcase.
Judge: �Who are you?�
Ned: (in a low voice) �Who I am is not relevant. I am here to make you an offer.� He sets the briefcase down and opens it. There are stacks of hundred dollar bills inside.
The judge�s mouth drops open. He looks interested.
Ned: �I hear that you aren�t too anxious to have Stefan Cassadine freed from the murder charges he is facing.�
Judge: �And your point is?�
Ned: �My point is that the hundred and fifty thousand dollars in this briefcase will be yours provided that you exonerate him at the hearing on Friday.�
Ned and the judge look at each other for a long time.
That afternoon.
Ned walks into his office at ELQ to find Kimberly waiting for him. She is sitting in his desk chair, her feet propped up on the desk.
Kimberly: �Well?�
Ned: (grinning as he sits down in another chair) �He bought it.�
Kimberly: �You didn�t give him the money, did you?�
Ned: �Do you think I�m stupid? Of course not. I told him that he would get his money on Friday if he lets Stefan off.�
Kimberly: �How did he know that you wouldn�t withdraw?�
Ned: �I signed a statement.� He smiles. �Under a false name of course.�
Kimberly: �Should I ask?�
Ned: �Lance deLoch.�
Kimberly: (laughing) �What a dumb name! You should have put Ralph Clinkerton!�
They both start laughing hysterically. As there is a knock at the door. Ned and Kimberly don�t hear it because they are still laughing.
Just then, Alexis pokes her head in the door.
Alexis: (visibly surprised) �Kim! What are you doing here?�
Kimberly: �I needed to speak with Ned regarding some business.�
Alexis: �It sounded like you were doing a little more laughing than talking.�
Kimberly and Ned exchange a look.
Kimberly: �Well, I have to get back to work, so I�ll talk to you later.� She picks up her purse and heads out. �Bye, Ralph.� She leaves.
Ned: (laughing again) �She�s too funny.�
Alexis: (in a tight voice) �Apparently so.�
Ned: �What is that supposed to mean?�
Alexis: (sitting down) �It just seems that you and Kim are suddenly best friends.�
Ned: �What�s wrong with me and Kim being friends?�
Alexis: �Nothing. Forget I ever said anything.�
Ned: �No, I am not going to forget what I know you are saying. Alexis, are you accusing me and Kim of having an affair?�
Alexis: (looking away) �I never said that.�
Ned: �I think you were leading up to that.�
Alexis: �Than what was with the late night conference last night with her?�
Ned: (coming and kneeling next to her) �Alexis, don�t you know that you are the only woman for me?� she looks at him. �Because you are.�
Alexis: �I�m sorry. I am just paranoid lately with Helena and everything.�
Ned takes her hand and kisses it.
Ned: �Don�t worry about it, Lex. Kim and I are just friends.�
Alexis: �Okay.�
Ned leans over and kisses her softly. She kisses him back.
Meanwhile, across town.
Helena�s yacht.
Helena: (staring out at the water) �Don�t try to mess with me, little Alexis. You will go down so fast that you won�t know what hit you.�
She raises her glass of brandy out towards the water.
Helena: �To you, Stavros.�