Scott: (taking a sip of his vodka) �So, you two think that the four of us would make a good law team?�
Alexis: (swallowing a bite of Caesar salad) �Well, Ned and Stefan have been talking to us about how we should start a law firm together. We started talking about it, and decided that they had a good idea going.�
Kimberly: �But what about our jobs now? We can�t just abandon Jax, Ned and Stefan. They hired us!�
Mackenzie: �Relax, Kim. We were thinking that we could take on ELQ, J&J Jacks of Alaska and Cassadine Industries on as clients of ACBA.�
Scott: �ACBA?� (he pronounces it as a word) �What is that?�
Alexis: �Mackenzie, go ahead and tell them.�
Mackenzie: �Alexis and I were thinking that a good name would be Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.�
Kimberly: �Why is Baldwin last? Cisnaros comes last in the alphabet.�
Mackenzie: �Well, there are two of you. We�re going in numerical order backwards.�
Scott: (smiling) �I kind of like it.�
Alexis: �Like what?�
Scott: �The name. The idea. The entire concept.�
Kimberly: �I do too. I think that the four of us would make one hell of a law team.�
Scott: �Three women and me? I like it.�
Mackenzie: �Actually, Stefan suggested that we ask Gregory to join us. He is a very good lawyer.� She looks at Alexis.
Alexis: �I have no problem with it. I can have a professional relationship with my ex-boyfriend.�
Kimberly: �Me too.� She smiles. �I think that we should give Greg a call.�
Scott: (raising his glass) �To the future law firm of Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.�
Alexis, Mackenzie and Kimberly raise their glasses to his and they toast to their future.
One month later.
Downtown Port Charles at the law offices of Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.
Alexis and Mackenzie managed to find a great building a few blocks from ELQ, where they started their firm. Each lawyer has a huge office, there is a large conference room and a state of the art communications room with faxes and phones.
The night of the opening party.
Alexis, Gregory, Mackenzie, Kimberly and Scott are the center of attention at their party.
Ned, Stefan, Monica, Alan, Jax, Julia, Jerry, Bobbie, Felicia, Mac, Luke, Laura, Nikolas, Emily, Tracy, Edward, AJ, Carly, and other PC socialites are milling around, drinking champagne and eating canap�s.
A string quartet is playing soft music in one corner.
Ned: (coming up behind Alexis) �Hello there, Mrs. Ashton.�
Alexis: What do you think?�
Ned: �For five people who started this firm on October second, and this being November third, I am very impressed. I guess you can get things done with money.�
Alexis smiles amusedly.
Ned: (taking her hand and looking at her) �Alexis, may I say that you look dazzling tonight.�
Alexis is wearing a long satin black gown with spaghetti straps with a gauze overlayer. Her hair is pulled up with silver clips.
Scott and Gregory are wearing dark suits. Mackenzie is wearing a long lavender dress and Kimberly is wearing a long maroon dress.
Ned: (in a low voice) �So, Mrs. Ashton, what do you say you give me a tour of your office?�
Alexis: (smiling) �You�ve seen my office.�
Ned: �Not completely done.� He smiles suggestively. �Don�t you want to, uh, christen it or something?�
Alexis: �Why don�t I go show you my office, and we can take it from there.�
She take him by the hand and leads him out of the main lobby and to the elevators.
The offices are on the second floor, and the boardroom and fax room are on the third.
Alexis leads Ned into her huge office. The walls are white and there are framed pictures of Avery, Brooke and Hannah on the walls. There is a large natty pine desk with a huge swivel chair and an adjoining computer table. There is a slate blue and yellow Ralph Lauren sofa and a framed picture of Ned on the desk.
Ned: �This is an amazing office.�
Alexis: �You approve?� she smiles as she closes and locks the door. �I spent a lot of time deliberating.�
Ned: �I know. It�s about a million times better than your office at ELQ.�
Alexis: (softly) �So you don�t mind that I won�t be only two floors away from you at ELQ now?�
Ned: �I don�t mind.� He takes her hands and holds them. �Alexis, I can see that this makes you happy, and I want you to be happy.� He smiles. �But are we still going to have lunch together every Thursday?�
Alexis: �Count on it. I am still technically employed by ELQ.� She smiles. �That is, if you want me as your lawyer. There are four other lawyers in this firm.�
Ned: �I think I�ll stick with you.� He leans over and kisses her.
Alexis: (between kisses) �I...I... what were you saying about christening my office?�
Ned: �We should definitely christen this office tonight.� He pushes her back on her desk, unzipping her dress.
They make love on Alexis� new desk, laughing as they realize that there is a party going on downstairs in honor of Alexis and her friends.
Twenty minutes later.
Alexis stands in front of the mirror in her coat closet, pinning her hair back up. Ned walks up behind her and begins kissing her neck.
Alexis: �Don�t start.� She laughs as he pulls her back against him. �Ned! We have to get back downstairs before our smart little friends figure out what we�re doing.�
Ned: �Can I help you with your hair?� he gently strokes the back of her neck. �Or help you back out of your dress?�
Alexis: �Ned Ashton! You are terrible!� she quickly reapplies her lipstick, and then they head back downstairs.
Mackenzie: (coming up to Alexis as Ned hands her a glass of champagne) �I can not believe how good the office turned out!�
Ned: �You guys did an awesome job.�
Stefan: �I must say though, Mackenzie, I am going to miss having you around at Cassadine Industries.�
Mackenzie and Alexis exchange a look and then start laughing.
Jax: (tapping his wine glass) �May I have your attention, please?� Everyone turns to look at him. �Could the five lawyers please come here?�
Alexis, Kimberly, Mackenzie, Scott and Gregory walk to the front of the room, each holding a wine glass.
Jax: �I would like to propose a toast to Alexis, Mackenzie, Gregory, Kimberly and Scott, the lawyers of the newest law firm in Port Charles. May your firm be a success, and may you win all your cases. To Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.�
Everyone: �To Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.�
The five lawyers clink their glasses together as everyone applauds.
Alexis: (giving Jax a hug) �Thank you for the toast. I wasn�t expecting it at all.�
Jax: �You�re more than welcome.�
Julia: �This is a great party, Lex. Very Manhattan.� She smiles. �Speaking of parties, isn�t your birthday coming up, Ned?�
Ned: �Yeah, November thirteenth.�
Jax: �We should go back to Berg�s House of Tequila.� He laughs. �Just kidding.�
Julia: �No really, we should do something. What do you want to do for your birthday, Ned?�
Ned: �Sit at home and mope about the fact that I�m getting old.�
Alexis: (smiling at him) �I think I can come up with something better.� She grins. �Julia, Jax, I�m sorry, but we will not be home on Ned�s birthday.�
Ned: (surprised) �We won�t? Why not?�
Alexis: �Because we�re going to go somewhere out of town.� She smiles amusedly. �You can�t make me tell you, Ned.�
Ned: �Alexis! Why not?�
Alexis: �Because you know how much I love torturing you with secrets.�
Julia and Jax laugh as Ned glares at Alexis.
Ned: �Okay, than when are you going to tell me?�
Alexis: �On the plane.�
Ned: �Aha! We�re going somewhere that requires a plane.� He smiles. �I am so good!�
Alexis: �Whatever you say, Ned. Whatever you say.�
Meanwhile, across the room.
Monica is sipping a glass of white wine when Gregory comes up behind her.
Gregory: (in a low voice) �You look beautiful tonight.�
Monica: (dressed nicely in a cr�me camisole and jacket with matching pants) �Thanks,
Greg.� She leans close to him. �You look nice too.�
Gregory: (businesslike) �So, Dr. Quartermaine, what do you think of our law firm?�
Monica: �I like it, but I�m going to miss having you within close proximity.� She looks
upset. �How are we going to see each other?�
Gregory: (in a low, sexy whisper) �Long lunches, private meetings... It may be fun.�
Monica: (turned on) �It�s too bad that we can�t have a private meeting now.�
Gregory: �I�ll say.� He gently touches her hair. �I just want to be with you, Monica.�
Monica: �Every night, it gets harder and harder for me to have to face Alan, to have to sleep in the same bedroom as him.�
Gregory: �Are you sure that he doesn�t know about us?�
Monica: �I�m positive.�
Across the room, Alan watches Monica and Gregory with thinly veiled hate.
Alan: �Let�s see what I can do with this little information.� He heads across the room to where they are standing.
Monica: (a little too loud) �Alan!�
Alan: �Hello, there, my beautiful wife.� He kisses her cheek and watches for her reaction.
Monica doesn�t even flinch. Gregory fights back a laugh.
Alan: �And how are you, Gregory?�
Gregory: �Just fine. I am really happy that the firm is opening tonight.�
Alan: �It looks very nice. It�s just too bad that you won�t be at the hospital all day. Isn�t is, Monica?�
Monica: (staring at Gregory) �What? Oh, yes, it will be.�
Alan: (satisfied) �If you will excuse me, I am going to go speak with my father. It was nice seeing you, Gregory.�
As he walks away, Monica and Gregory exchange a look.
Gregory: �Are you SURE that he doesn�t know?�
Monica: �I don�t know, and I really don�t care.� She brushes against him a little. �Greg, I just want to be with you.�
Gregory: �How about a little lunch tomorrow? You can stop by here and we�ll go out.�
Monica: �Sounds good.� She smiles.
Gregory: �I�ll miss you tonight.�
Monica: (in a barely audible voice) �In my mind all night, you�ll be making love to me.�
Gregory watches with desire as she walks away.
Later that night, on the way home from the party.
Ned: �So, you won�t tell me what we�re doing for MY birthday? That�s harsh.�
Alexis: �Ned Ashton, you�re just going to have to grow up.�
Ned: (whining) �This is as bad as my piano.�
Alexis: �Speaking of your piano, when are you going to play another song for me?�
Ned: �I would when we get home if it weren�t for the girls being asleep.�
Alexis: �Ned, I swear to you that you will enjoy your birthday.�
Ned: �I don�t doubt it. However, I like to know what I need to pack.�
Alexis: �I�ll pack for you.�
Ned: �You�re really determined, aren�t you?�
Alexis: (kissing him) �Always.�
The next morning.
Alexis is sitting at her desk, working on a file when her computer�s AOL instant messenger button starts flashing.
She goes over to click on it.
CEO4Ever: �Hey there, beautiful.�
Alexis: �Oh, brother.� She smiles as she replies.
IcePrincess731: �Ned Ashton, don�t you have work to be doing right now?�
CEO4Ever: �I miss you, Brinna.�
IcePrincess731: �I miss you too. How about lunch?�
CEO4Ever: �How about you tell me where we�re going for my birthday?�
IcePrincess731: �Fat chance. You really need to give it up.�
CEO4Ever: �I�ll never give up, but I am willing to have lunch with you, regardless of the fact that you refuse to tell me anything.�
IcePrincess731: �How benevolent of you. * g * You�re such a baby.�
CEO4Ever: �Yeah, well I�m YOUR baby. And you�re my brat.�
IcePrincess731: �LOL. How about you pick your brat up at noon at her office?�
CEO4Ever: �Okay. Till then, I am sending you kisses all over your body.�
IcePrincess731: �And I�m removing your clothes.�
CEO4Ever: �And I�m laying you down on your desk and you�re...�
IcePrincess731: �And I�m getting back to work before you have me so distracted that I can�t function for the rest of the day.�
CEO4Ever: �I�m sure that you can function in SOME WAY. LOL.�
IcePrincess731: �ROTFLMAO. Have I ever told you that I love you?�
CEO4Ever: �I love you too. I�ll see you at noon.�
Alexis logs off of her computer and goes back to work, a smile on her face.
Noon. The main lobby of Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.
Ned is waiting for the elevator when Monica walks up beside him.
Ned: (testing her) �Mon, what are you doing here?�
Monica: �Uh, well, I, uh...�
Ned: �Save it. I know about you and Gregory.�
Monica: (terrified) �You do? How?�
Ned: �We saw you get out of the elevator that day at the hospital.�
Monica: (as they get into the elevator) �We who?�
Ned: �Me and Julia.�
Monica: �Oh, God. Who else knows?�
Ned: �Alexis and Bobbie.� He pauses when he sees the horrified look on her face. �Don�t worry. We haven�t said anything to anyone.�
Monica: �What about Alan? Does he know?�
Ned: �Of course not. We would never tell him.� He pats her arm. �I can see why you would fall for Gregory though. Alan has been a little...�
Monica: �Manic? Moronic? Insane?�
Ned: �All of the above. But Mon, this is considered adultery.�
Monica: (about to cry) �I can�t help it. I�m in love with him.�
Ned: (giving her a hug) �You have to tell Alan.�
The elevator stops on the second floor and they get out.
Monica: (heading towards Gregory�s office) �I can�t, Ned. I just can�t.� she turns around to look at him. �Ned, you have to promise that you won�t say anything.�
Ned: �I promise.�
They stop talking as Scott�s office door opens and he steps out.
Scott: �Hey Ned, hey Monica.�
Ned: �Hi, Scott.�
Monica: �Hi, Scott.� She heads off towards Gregory�s office.
Scott: �So, what are you doing here, Ned?�
Ned: �I�m here to take Alexis out to lunch.� He smiles. �I miss having her at ELQ.�
Scott: �I can understand that. I�m so glad to have Kim here.� He looks at his watch. �Speaking of Kim, I have to go take Serena to the dentist, so I�ll see you later.�
Ned waves at him, and then heads down the hall to Alexis� office. He knocks on the door.
Alexis: �Come in.�
Ned steps inside the office and Alexis looks up and smiles.
Alexis: �Hey, Sweetie.�
Ned: �You ready to go to lunch?�
Alexis: �Yeah, just a sec, though. I have to save this file.� She saves it, and then taking her glasses off, goes over to him.
Ned: (taking her hands) �I�ve missed you.� He gives her a kiss. �I had no idea that it would be this hard having you so far away.�
Alexis: �You�ll get used to it sooner or later.�
Ned: �But in the meantime, how about if you cheer me up by telling me what we�re doing for my birthday?�
Alexis: �How about if I don�t?� she smiles. �Your birthday is only a week away. Can�t you wait for a few more days?�
Ned: �I don�t want to.�
Alexis: (kissing his neck) �Well, you have to.�
Ned: �God, you look good right now.� He reaches for the zipper in the back of her skirt.
Alexis: �What about lunch?�
Ned: �I�ll have you.�
Alexis starts laughing as Ned unzips her skirt and takes off her shirt. She removes his clothes and they fall to the floor, making passionate love.
A half hour later.
Ned and Alexis are lying side by side on the floor.
Ned: (running his index finger down Alexis� stomach) �You are so sexy, Alexis.�
Alexis: �You�re pretty sexy yourself, Ned.� She smiles. �This office sure has seen a lot of action in the last twenty-four hours.�
Ned: �Well, you�re putting your office to good use.�
Alexis: �I�ve been meaning to ask you, is Monica okay? She looked upset last night.�
Ned: �Having your husband and lover in the same room can�t be fun.�
Alexis: �Does she know that we know?�
Ned: �Yeah. I was talking to her on the way up here.�
Alexis: �Is she going to break it off?�
Ned: �I don�t think so. She says that she�s in love with him.�
Alexis: �Uh oh. Gregory can be very, how should I put this, dazzling and sexy, for a while, but he isn�t into permanent commitment. Besides, Alan will flip out.�
Ned: �Is his quote sexiness, what made you fall in love with Gregory?�
Alexis: (thinking about it) �No, what made me fall in love with Greg was the fact that he symbolized everything I always wanted and never had. He had a million friends, a great family... he was just so free, and I wanted to be that.�
Ned: �And were you?�
Alexis: �For a little while. But something always came up with the family, and I would have to retreat back into my little corner.�
Ned: �You don�t have to be like that anymore.�
Alexis: �I�m not.� She kisses him. �You changed me, Ned. You made me the person that I am now.�
Ned: �Tell me something. What made you fall for me?�
Alexis: �I fell in love with you because of your heart. There wasn�t anything that you wouldn�t do for Emily, or for Monica, and I wished to have someone like that love me.� She smiles. �And I am very lucky that I got my wish.�
Ned: �I�m touched.�
Alexis: �What made you fall in love with me?�
Ned: (smiling evilly) �Your body.�
Before Alexis can say anything, Ned pulls her close to him and kisses her soundly on the lips. They roll over and begin making love again.
Ned: �I could get used to this kind of lunch hour.�
Alexis: �I think I could too.�
They both start laughing hysterically as they make love.