Alexis, Brooke and Avery are headed towards Bensonhurst. Brooke is sitting in the front seat with Alexis.
Brooke: �I really, really, really get to stay with you forever?�
Alexis: (smiling) �Yes, Brooke. You told us that you wanted to live with us, and now you are going to. I hope you�re happy.�
Brooke: �I am so happy! I can�t wait to live there and go to school with Avery and Serena!�
Avery: �Mommy, why is Christabel going back to her island?�
Alexis: �She had to, Av. Uncle Stefan and Aunt Mackenzie live there.�
Avery: �At least I will have Brooke to play with. Hannah is too little.�
Alexis: �Christabel will still come over all the time.�
Avery: (laughing) �Everyone comes to our house. Lulu did. Christabel did, and now Brooke is going to.�
Alexis: �I guess we could call our house a hotel.� She smiles. �By the way, Brooke, Daddy and I were wondering if you wanted to change your room again.�
Brooke: �Nah. I like the pink and yellow stars. And I really like my canopy bed. Who did you make that room for?�
Alexis: �You, silly. We made that room for you when we bought the house.�
Brooke: �I like it.� She smiles. �Mommy, I�m glad that I�m going to live with you. My other mommy and Brian were talking about going to South America for some music thing. They wanted to leave me with Brian�s mommy.� She grimaces. �She smells like wine and old perfume.�
Alexis can�t help smiling.
Avery: �Mommy, I kinda like Daddy�s mommy. You know, Grandma Tracy? She�s nice to me and Hannah.�
Alexis: �I�m glad you like her.� She pulls her car into Lois� driveway.
Avery: �This doesn�t look like our house!�
Brooke: �That�s cause this house is bright peach and yours is white.� She smirks. �Wait till you see the inside.�
They get out and head to the door. Lois opens the door upon Brooke�s knock.
Lois: �Brooke! You�re here!�
Alexis hands Lois a piece of paper as they step into the house.
Avery looks shocked as she gets a good look at the bright red walls and zebra print couch.
Lois: �What is this?�
Alexis: (in a neutral voice) �This court document entitles you to one week every three months with Brooke.�
Lois: (enraged) �ONE WEEK?�
Alexis: �That�s more than you ever gave Ned.�
Lois: �So this is some sick form of revenge on me?�
Alexis: (looking meaningfully at Avery and Brooke) �I think it would be better to discuss this later.�
Lois: �Fine.� She turns to Brooke. �Brooke, baby, Brian and I have gotten most of your stuff together. We wanted to know if you want to take all of your Disney movies with you.�
Brooke: �No. Avery has them all.�
Lois sweeps her eyes over Avery and then looks back at Brooke.
Lois: �I guess that we have to get your stuff together, Brooke.�
An hour later.
Alexis and Avery are waiting in the car as Brooke says good-bye to Lois.
Lois: �Brooke, if you would rather stay here...�
Brooke: �Mommy, I love you, but I want to live with Daddy now.�
Lois blinks back tears and gives Brooke a huge hug.
Lois: �Will you call me?�
Brooke: �Okay. You can call me too.�
Lois: �Well, you�d better get out to the car before Alexis thinks I kidnapped you.�
Brooke: �Alexis is nice to me. Don�t worry.�
Lois: �Be good for her and Daddy, okay? And try to ignore the Quartermaines.�
Brooke: �They�re funny! Especially Uncle Alan! He is such a dork!�
Lois opens the front door and picks Brooke up.
Lois: �I don�t know how you�ve managed to grow up so fast.�
She carries Brooke over to the car and after giving her one last hug and kiss, sets her down.
Brooke gets into Alexis� Mercedes and waves as the car pulls out of the driveway.
Lois: (as the car drives away) �I�ll get you for this, Ned.�
That night in Port Charles.
The Ashtons are eating a dinner of fettucinni alfredo.
Avery: �Who invented noodles, Daddy?�
Ned: �I have no idea.�
Avery: �Mommy?�
Alexis: �I don�t know. Sorry, Av.�
Avery: �I�ll ask my teacher tomorrow.� She smiles. �She�s so nice.�
Brooke: (putting her milk glass down) �Avery, are all the teachers nice?�
Avery: �I don�t know any of the second grade teachers.�
Brooke: �I hope I make some friends.�
Avery: �You will! And you have me, Serena, Lulu, Lucas and Georgie.�
Brooke: �That�s good.�
Avery: �Lucas is so cool! He is teaching me to play soccer!� she grins. �It was hard in a dress though.�
Alexis looks horrified. Ned laughs.
Ned: �I used to know how to play soccer, Tigger. Maybe we should play sometime.�
Avery: �I bet I would beat you!�
Ned: �Is that so?� he looks around the table and smiles. �Poor me! I�m the only guy in the house!�
Hannah bangs her fists on her high chair, signaling that she wants more strained plums.
Alexis: (giving Hannah another bite) �I think you�ll survive.� She smiles at him.
Ned: (smiling back) �I think I will.�
That night.
Ned and Alexis are in bed. Alexis is reading Mademoiselle, and Ned is reading Business Week.
Just then, there is a knock at the door.
Ned: �Come in.�
Brooke walks into the room, dragging her ratty stuffed bear.
Ned: �You�re up awfully late, Sweetie.�
Brooke: �May I sit on the bed for a few minutes?�
Ned: �Sure.�
Brooke: (climbing onto the bed) �Daddy, what if they don�t like me?�
Ned: �Who?�
Brooke: �The kids at school.�
Alexis: (setting her magazine down) �Brooke, they are going to like you. I swear.�
Brooke: �But I�m new.�
Ned: (giving her a hug) �Brooke Lynn Ashton, it doesn�t matter if you�ve been going to Port Charles Elementary School for one year, one month, one day or one minute. You will definitely make friends.� He smiles. �If I�m wrong, you can beat Alexis up.�
Alexis: �Ned, what is it with you and kids beating me up?�
Brooke: �Daddy, mommy.�
Ned: �What?�
Brooke: �You said Alexis. I call her Mommy.� She smiles. �If that�s still okay.�
Alexis: �Of course it is.�
Brooke: �You�re a cool mommy, Alexis.� She smiles. �And that is the last time I will call you Alexis. You�re my mommy now.�
Ned: �Brooke, Alexis is only one of your mommies. Remember, you have another mommy in Bensonhurst.�
Brooke: �I know. But I live here now.�
Alexis: �Brooke, we love having you here. And you�re going to like school.�
Brooke: �Okay.� She crawls to the end of the bed and gives both of them a kiss. �Goodnight, Daddy. Goodnight, Mommy.�
As she jumps off the bed and runs back to her room, Alexis smiles at Ned.
Alexis: �She�s an amazing little girl. We made the right choice.�
Ned: �I don�t want to, but I feel slightly sorry for Lois.�
Alexis: (placing her hand on his chest) �Ned, how did you feel for the seven years that Brooke was taken from you?�
Ned: �Good point.� He smiles slightly at her. �You just love making Lois look bad.�
Alexis: �What can I say? People who call me a spiteful bitch bring out the worst in me.�
Ned: �She called you that? When?�
Alexis: �Today. It was no big deal though.� She turns the light off and tosses her magazine to the floor.
Ned laughs as Alexis rolls over on top of him and begins kissing down his chest.
Alexis: �What are you laughing at?�
Ned: �You.� He kisses her forehead. �You work all day, and then you take your husband to bed. I like it.�
Alexis leans down and kisses him. There are no more words spoken in the Ashtons� bedroom for the rest of the night.
The next morning.
Alexis and Mackenzie are having coffee at Kelly�s.
Mackenzie: �So, how did Brooke take to school?�
Alexis: �She seemed to like it. She made friends with a girl named Samantha right away.�
Mackenzie: �That�s good.� She smiles. �Christabel loves pre-school. She and her friend Kate tried to beat up some boy who tried to kiss them.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Stefan must have been thrilled.�
Mackenzie: �Not exactly. When we picked her up from school, there were grass stains all over her khaki pants, and a big streak of dirt on her coat.� She smiles. �You should have seen Stefan�s face.�
Alexis: �He used to have a stroke if I came in the house with wet sand on me from the beach.� She laughs. �But he�s becoming better about his fastidiousness, thanks to you.�
Mackenzie: �You know what he suggested to me? That you, me, Kim and Scott open our own law firm.�
Alexis: �I know. Ned said the same thing to me.� She smiles. �You know, it really isn�t such a bad idea. We would be one hell of a legal team.�
Mackenzie: �But what about our respective clients? I mean, you work for ELQ, me for Cassadine Industries, and Kim for J&J Jacks of Alaska.�
Alexis: (thoughtfully) �We could always put them on the roster for our clients.� She laughs. �What am I talking about? This is such a stupid idea.�
Mackenzie: �Maybe not.� She smiles. �I can see it in big lights. Ashton and Cisnaros Associates.�
Alexis: �Somehow, I don�t think that Kim and Scott would go for that.�
Mackenzie: �Fine than. Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.�
Alexis: �This is actually starting to sound like a real thing.�
Mackenzie: �Lex, this could definitely work! Do you know how awesome it would be for you, me, Kim and Scott to be working together?�
Alexis: (slowly smiling) �We could have our own offices in our own building...�
Mackenzie: (smirking) �Think you can pull yourself away from Ned all day?�
Alexis: �I could say the same for you and Stefan.� She laughs. �We�d have to spend all day keeping Kim and Scott from jumping each other.�
Mackenzie: �We should talk to them about this. They may like it.� She raises her coffee cup to Alexis. �To the future law firm of Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.�
Alexis: �To ACBA.� They clink their cups together and go back to their coffee.
That evening.
The Ashtons� house.
Alexis is sitting on the couch, staring into space, when Ned joins her.
Ned: (kissing the top of her head) �You�re awfully quiet, Brinna. Is anything wrong?�
Alexis: �No. I was just thinking about an interesting conversation Mackenzie and I had today.� She pauses. �We started discussing opening our own law firm.�
Ned: �Is that so?� He grabs her around the waist and pulls her into his lap. �No way. No how. Not going to happen.�
Alexis: �Really? Why not?�
Ned: �There is no way in hell that I am losing the best corporate council ELQ has ever had.� He smiles. �Or my wife. I can�t stand the thought of you being so far away.�
Alexis: �Far away? We haven�t even decided if we�re going to do this!� She laughs as she gives him a quick kiss. �Besides, we would each keep our own clients, like ELQ for me, Cassadine Industries for Mackenzie and J&J Jacks of Alaska for Kim.�
Ned: �Speaking of Kim, have you even talked to her about this?�
Alexis: (smiling sheepishly) �No. I don�t want her to say no.�
Ned: �I hate to admit it, but this sounds like a good idea to me. I think that Kim and Scott will agree.� He thinks for a minute. �Are you going to take on general clients?�
Alexis: �Sure, why not?� she smiles. �So, you think that this is a good idea?�
Ned: �I think that it�s a great idea.� He kisses her softly. �I can see it now. Alexis Ashton, lawyer of the year. Did you and my pragmatic little sister come up with a name?�
Alexis: (blushing a little) �Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.�
Ned smiles amusedly.
Alexis: �What? Why are you looking at me like that?�
Ned: �I suppose that Ashton is first because it�s in alphabetical order?�
Alexis: (a little embarrassed) �Mackenzie suggested the name.�
Ned: �Sure.� Without warning, he pushes her back on the couch and begins tickling her.
Alexis: �NED! STOP IT!�
Ned ignores her and continues to tickle her. Alexis shrieks with laughter as she tries to grab his hands.
Just then, Brooke comes running down the stairs, waving a piece of paper.
Brooke: �Daddy! Mommy!�
Alexis and Ned ignore her as they continue wrestling around on the couch.
Brooke watches in frustration as they continue to ignore her. Finally, she runs over and jumps on top of them.
Ned: �Brooke!�
Brooke: �You were ignoring me.� She smiles. �Now are you going to listen to me?�
Alexis: �Okay.�
Ned: (pulling Brooke into his lap) �Okay, let�s do this right. Miss Ashton, what do you need?�
Brooke: (handing him the paper) �Multiplication. I don�t know how to do the fours.�
Alexis: �What fours?�
Brooke: (patiently) �The multiples of four. I can�t remember what four times seven is.�
Ned: �You�re doing multiplication in second grade? You must be pretty smart for an seven year old. Geez, we were learning to add two and two back then.�
Alexis: �Back in the old days?� she starts laughing.
Ned: �Hey! You�re only a year and a half younger than me!�
Brooke: (laughing) �Anyways, back to my homework...�
Alexis: �I�ll help you, Brooke.�
Brooke: �Thank you.� She pauses. �Do you KNOW what four times seven is?�
Ned: �How can you even ask that? Your mom is Einstein in a business suit.�
Alexis: (amused) �Four times seven is twenty eight.�
Brooke: �Thanks.� She runs back upstairs to her room.
Ned pins Alexis down on the couch and begins kissing her.
Just then, Avery comes running down the stairs with her own piece of paper and pencil.
Avery: �MOMMY! I need help with my homework!�
Ned: (crawling off of Alexis) �Yes, Avery?�
Avery: �I am supposed to write a sentence about what I like to do during the winter and I am supposed to have one of my parents help me.�
Alexis: �Yeah...�
Avery: �And I need help. I don�t know how to spell snowman or skating.�
Ned: �Snowman: S-N-O-W-M-A-N.� He pauses as she writes down what he is saying. �Skating: S-K-A-T-I-N-G.�
Avery: �Thanks.� She runs off.
Alexis: (putting her arms around Ned�s neck) �Now where were we?�
Ned: (kissing her) �Right about here.�
Alexis: (in a low voice as he kisses her neck) �How long until the kids go to bed?�
Ned: �Too long.� He looks at the clock. �Forty-five minutes.�
Alexis: (playing with his tie as he kisses her wrist) �Too long.�
Ned: �What would you like to do about it until then?�
Alexis leans towards Ned, her hands on his chest. Ned looks at her with desire.
Just then, Hannah starts crying.
Alexis: �Ned, please tell me that this is a bad dream and when I wake up, all people in this house under the age of ten will be asleep?�
Ned: �I�ll go put her back to sleep.�
Alexis sinks back into the couch as Ned runs up the stairs to Hannah�s nursery.
Just then, the phone rings.
Alexis: (half amused, half mad) �Hello, Ashton residence.�
Mackenzie: �It�s me. I was thinking about what we discussed this morning.�
Alexis: �Me too. I think that we should talk to Kimberly and Scott tomorrow.�
Mackenzie: �Done. We�re going to do lunch at the Outback at noon.�
Alexis: �I�m impressed. An efficient, model-like lawyer who just so happens to be my sister-in-law.�
Mackenzie: �Sister, sister-in-law, there is no difference.�
Alexis: �I refer to you as my sister. I just thought I would be technical right now.� She starts laughing. �You know, if you marry Stefan, you�ll be even more my sister.�
Mackenzie: �Hey, Lex, no one said anything about marriage.�
Alexis: �Oh please. Do you see the way he looks at you? I know my brother well enough to know that this is love. Love with a capital L.�
Mackenzie: �You think so?�
Alexis: �I know so.�
Mackenzie: (smiling) �Well, that�s food for thought. What are you up to this evening?�
Alexis: �Between helping the kids with their homework, Ned and I were talking about the law firm idea.�
Mackenzie: (her phone beeping) �Oh, I have to go. There�s a call on the other line.�
Alexis: �I�ll see you at noon. Bye.�
Mackenzie: �Bye.�
Later that night.
Mackenzie is laying in bed.
* * * D A Y D R E A M * * *
The beach on Spoon Island. The middle of the night.
Stefan: �Mackenzie, I love you. Will you marry me?� he pulls out a huge diamond ring.
Mackenzie: �Of course I will marry you, Stefan.�
Stefan: (slipping the ring onto her finger) �I love you more than I have ever loved any other person. I want to grow old with you, and have children with you.�
Mackenzie: �I would love to have a baby with you, Stefan.�
Stefan: �Than let�s get started.�
He gently lowers her onto the sand and they begin making love.
* * * E N D O F D A Y D R E A M * * *
Stefan: �Mackenzie? Mackenzie?�
Mackenzie: �What?�
Stefan: (getting into bed beside her) �What were you thinking about just now? You looked like you were on some other planet.�
Mackenzie: �Oh just a work thing.� In the darkness, she blushes.
Stefan: �I think that the idea of you and Alexis opening a law firm together is a wonderful idea. You two, Kim and Scott would work good together.�
Mackenzie: �I think it will be a lot of fun, provided that Scott and Kim say yes.�
Stefan: �You know who would be a good candidate for your firm? Gregory Fortino.�
Mackenzie: �Alexis and Kim�s ex? I don�t think so. There�s a lot of bad blood there.�
Stefan: �I thought that Alexis and Gregory had mended fences.�
Mackenzie: �They had until Alexis found out that Gregory cheated on her with Kim.�
Stefan: �Oh well. It was just a thought.�
Mackenzie: �You may be on to something though. He is a very good attorney. I�ll talk to Alexis and Kim about it.�
Stefan: �And on that note, I am going to go to sleep. I have a big meeting in the morning.� He gives her a kiss. �Goodnight, Mackenzie.�
Mackenzie: �Goodnight, Stefan.�
They turn out the lamps on their nightstands and burrow under the covers.
Mackenzie: (silently, to herself) �I would love it if you would propose to me, Stefan.�
She thinks back to what Tracy said about her proposing to him. �Maybe I should ask you instead of waiting for you to ask me.�
Sighing, she rolls over onto her side and goes to sleep.