Alexis comes into the living room from doing the dinner dishes to see Brooke sitting at the bottom of the stairs, her chin dejectedly propped up in her hands.
Alexis: �What�s wrong, Brooke?�
Brooke: �Mommy, I have a problem. Are you busy?�
Alexis: �Not too busy for you, Sweetie.� She sits down next to her. �What�s up?�
Brooke: (sadly) �Soccer.�
Alexis: �What about soccer?�
Brooke: �My best friend Samantha is on a soccer team outside school. I want to be on it too.� She sighs. �But I�m not very good.�
Alexis: �Don�t you play soccer at recess? With the boys? I bet you�re really good.�
Brooke: �There�s this boy named David Fish and he always steals the ball from me.� She frowns. �But I call him David the goldfish.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Could that be why he steals the ball from you?�
Brooke: �No, in soccer you�re supposed to steal the ball.� She half-smiles. �But I�m better at making goals than Samantha and most of the boys.�
Alexis: �I bet you are.�
Brooke: �Mommy, can I join Samantha�s team?�
Alexis doesn�t know what to say. She abhors the idea of Brooke rolling around in mud and getting kicked at by boys.
Alexis: �Well, we�ll have to talk to Daddy.�
Just then, the front door opens and Ned walks in carrying his briefcase.
Ned: �Well, if it isn�t two of my favorite girls.� He walks over to the stairs and kisses Brooke and Alexis. �Where�s my other two?�
Alexis: �Avery is drawing a picture for school and Hannah is asleep.�
Ned: �So what are you two talking about?� he sits down on the steps and pulls Brooke into his lap.
Brooke: �I was asking Mommy if I can join the soccer team that Samantha is on.�
Ned: (testing her) �What did Mommy say?�
Brooke: �Said that we�d have to talk to you.� She gives him an imploring smile. �Please, Daddy, can I?�
Ned: �What team is this that we�re talking about?�
Brooke: �They play at the PC Recreational Center. The team is for people ages six to nine, and they are called the Lancers.�
Alexis: �And you really want to do this, Brooke?�
Brooke: �Yes, yes, yes! I love soccer! Please?�
Ned: �Brooke, why don�t you go upstairs and get your homework done, and Mommy and I will discuss it.�
As Brooke runs up the stairs, Ned leans over and gives Alexis another kiss.
Ned: �Sorry I missed dinner. I was knee-deep in work.�
Alexis: �I suppose that you�re forgiven. We just had pizza.�
Ned: �Save any for me?�
Alexis: �Yeah. It�s in the fridge.�
Ned: �Aw, you�re too good to me.� He kisses her forehead. �So, what do you think of Brooke playing soccer?�
Alexis: �Well...� she shrugs. �I don�t know if I want my oldest daughter getting trampled to death on a muddy field.�
Ned: �What do you mean?�
Alexis: �Co-ed soccer.� She smiles. �There�s a boy named David who has made it a hobby to steal the ball from Brooke.�
Ned: �Alexis, you�re too funny.� He laughs. �In soccer, the point is to get the ball away from the other team.�
Alexis: �I know that. I�m not stupid. I�ve just never played soccer.� She pauses. �What do you think of this idea?�
Ned: �I�m all for it. Avery has ballet lessons, so Brooke should have some kind of activity too.� He smiles. �But it�s your decision too.�
Alexis: �If it makes her happy, than it�s okay with me.�
Ned: �I knew you�d give in.� he kisses her wrist. �You always do.�
Alexis: �Brooke, come down here, please!�
Brooke: (running down the stairs) �Well?�
Ned: �You can join the team.�
Brooke: (throwing her arms around them) �Thank you!� she beams. �Will you come to my games?�
Alexis: �Of course we will, Sweetie. We�ll be in the stands at every game.�
Ned: �And I would be more than willing to practice with you.�
Brooke: �Cool!� she pauses. �I need to buy those shoes they use...�
Ned: �Cleats.� He smiles. �I�ll take you tomorrow.�
Brooke: �Can I go call Samantha?�
Alexis: �Go ahead, but make it quick. You have to get to bed soon.�
Brooke: �Thank you so much, Mommy! Thank you too, Daddy!� she runs off.
Ned: �I believe that we have made that little girl very, very happy.�
Alexis: �She deserves it.�
Ned: (continuing what he was saying) �And when our kids are happy, I�m happy... so why don�t we put the kids to bed and then go to our room and I�ll... profess my happiness to you?�
Alexis: (laughing) �I�m so there.�
They smile at each other and then start laughing.
One week later.
Alexis is cooking a dinner of stir-fry in the kitchen when she looks out the window.
Brooke, in her soccer uniform, and Ned, in navy blue wind pants and a white shirt, are kicking a soccer ball back and forth.
Ned kicks the ball at Brooke, who lunges for it and falls flat on her face in the muddy grass.
Alexis drops the knife she is cutting vegetables with and races outside.
Alexis: (worried) �Brooke, are you okay?�
Brooke: (getting up) �Mommy, chill. I�m fine.� Her face and clothes are covered in mud. �I�m having a lot of fun.�
Ned: �So am I.� Brooke kicks the ball at him and he kicks it back to her. �Good block, Sweetie.�
Alexis: (smiling at his mud covered outfit) �Ned, you look like you�ve been rolling around in the grass.�
Ned: �I have not.� He smiles. �Our daughter kicks harder than you would think. I made a bad lunge for the ball.�
Brooke: �Daddy is pretty good even though he�s old!�
Ned: �Old? Old?� he picks her up and tickles her. She squeals with laughter.
Alexis smiles amusedly at them as Avery runs outside, wearing a white shirt and blue Gap overalls and a baseball hat.
Avery: �Can I play? I have a hat on.�
Brooke: �Avery, that�s a BASEBALL hat. We�re playing soccer.�
Avery: �I know.� She laughs. �They don�t make soccer hats!�
Ned: �Sure, you can play. How about you two girls against me?�
Brooke: �That�s not fair... to you.�
Ned: �Brooke!� he starts laughing. �Why don�t we get Mommy to play too?�
All three of them look at Alexis, who shakes her head fervently.
Alexis: �No. I do not play soccer.�
Avery: (tugging on her legs) �Mommy, please? I wanna play!�
Ned: �Yeah, Alexis, come play with us!�
Brooke: �Please, please, please?�
Alexis: (throwing her hands up in the air) �Fine.�
Brooke: �Mommy, you can be on my team, and Daddy and Avery.�
Ned: �What�s wrong with me being on your team, Brooke?�
Brooke: �I want to be with Mommy. I want to beat you some more.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Let�s play. I have to get dinner cooked soon.�
Ned sets the ball down in the middle of the grass and they line up on different sides of the yard.
Ned: �Avery, start us.�
Avery: �Ready or not, here we come!�
Ned just stares at her for a moment, but then they take off after the ball.
Brooke gets to the ball first, and begins sweeping it across the lawn. Avery chases after her and their parents chase after them.
Ned runs in front of Brooke and steals the ball from her.
Brooke: �Daddy!�
Ned: �It�s the game rules, Brooke!�
Brooke: (laughing) �I know. I just want to win.�
Ned: �Too bad.� He takes off for the goal. �Avery, here!� he kicks it to her.
Avery takes the ball and begins kicking it towards the goal but Brooke gets it away from her. She kicks it to Alexis.
Brooke: �Run, Mommy, run!�
Alexis stands there for a moment, and then takes off for the goal.
Ned runs up behind her and body checks her. She falls to the ground, landing in a pile of mud.
Ned, Brooke and Avery start laughing hysterically as Alexis stands up, covered in mud.
Alexis: �I DO NOT like this game AT ALL!�
Ned: �Aw, Lexi, you look sexy all covered in mud.�
Alexis: (laughing hysterically) �You jerk!� she runs at him and slams into him, sending both of them to the ground. �How do you like that, Ned?� she picks up a handful of mud and smashes it in his hair. �Huh?�
Ned rolls over and throws a handful of mud at her. It hits her in the face.
They roll around on the ground, throwing mud at each other as Avery and Brooke watch.
Avery: �What is the matter with you two?�
Brooke: �You�re crazy, Mommy!� she laughs as Alexis hits Ned with another fistful of mud. �Really crazy!�
At the exact same moment, Avery and Brooke jump on top of Ned and Alexis. They all start throwing mud at each other, the soccer game forgotten.
Brooke: �So how do you like soccer, Mommy?�
Alexis: (throwing another handful of mud at Ned as Avery throws one at her) �Well, this part is fun. I just don�t know about the kicking the ball back and forth.�
She stops talking as Ned, Brooke and Avery all throw handfuls of mud at her.
Two days later. 4:37 a.m.
Alexis and Ned are woken up to the sound of Hannah screaming.
Ned: (in a low voice) �I feel like crap.� He coughs. �I think I�m sick.�
Alexis: (sneezing twice) �Me too.� She sniffles.
Alexis puts her robe on, shivering in the November air, and runs to the nursery. Hannah is standing in her crib, her face red and her nose running.
Alexis: (her head throbbing) �Hannah, what�s wrong?�
Hannah continues to scream as Alexis feels her forehead.
Alexis: �Hannah Grace, I believe that you have a temperature.� She sighs. �Great. You�re sick, I�m sick and Daddy is too.�
Hannah continues to cry. Alexis begins walking back and forth, holding her tightly against her.
Alexis: �Do you want to sleep with me and Daddy, Angel? I bet you would.� She picks up a pacifier, gives it to Hannah and heads back to their room.
Standing next to the bed, clutching her teddy bear, is Brooke. She�s coughing.
Alexis: �Brooke? Are you okay?�
Brooke: �Mommy, I don�t feel good.� She frowns. �I think I�m going to throw up.� She races into the bathroom and throws up.
Ned: (going into the bathroom) �Are you okay, Sweetie?�
Brooke: (throwing up again) �I feel sick. Can I stay with you?�
Ned picks her up when she is finished vomiting, and carries her back to their bed.
Alexis: �So we�re all sick except for Avery?� Hannah starts crying again. �Poor Hannah. This is her first cold.�
Ned puts his arm around Alexis and they all climb into bed, Alexis coughing, Ned sneezing, Hannah whimpering, and Brooke sniffling.
Somehow, they all manage to get back to sleep for a little while.
Seven o�clock.
Avery: (standing next to the bed) �Mommy? Daddy? MOMMY!�
Alexis: (her eyes opening) �What?�
Avery: �I have to go to school!�
Alexis: �Oh no! I forgot.�
Avery: �How could you forget? I go everyday!� she looks at Ned, Brooke and Hannah, who are still asleep. �Why is Brooke and Hannah sleeping with you and Daddy?�
Alexis: �Avery, we�re all sick. Brooke has the flu and me, Daddy and Hannah have bad colds. How do you feel?�
Avery: (bouncing around) �Good!�
Alexis: �Okay, how about if I call Aunt Kim and have her pick you up?�
Avery: �Okay.�
Alexis: �Go get dressed.� Avery leaves and Alexis picks up the phone and dials the Baldwins� number.
Kimberly: (on the other end) �Hello?�
Alexis: (coughing) �It�s Alexis. We�re all sick.�
Kimberly: �Oh no. All of you?�
Alexis: �Avery isn�t.�
Kimberly: �Say no more. I�ll take her to school and drop her off.�
Alexis: �Thanks, Kim. You�re a lifesaver.�
Kimberly: �By the way, when you�re healthy again, I want you to meet Claire.�
Alexis: �I will.� Just then, Hannah wakes up and begins crying. �Kim, I have to go. Thanks for saying that you�ll take Avery to school.�
Kimberly: �I�ll be there in forty five minutes. Bye.� She hangs up.
Alexis: (getting out of bed with Hannah) �Shh, Hannah.� She leaves the room and walks down the stairs to the kitchen and gets her a bottle. �It�s okay, Sweetie.�
Hannah continues to cry, even as Alexis sticks the bottle in her mouth. As her mouth opens wider, Alexis can see two teeth breaking through her gums.
Alexis: (wincing) �So that�s what�s wrong. You�re getting some more teeth, aren�t you, Angel?� she sits down at the kitchen table, holding Hannah. �I can�t believe how fast you�re growing up, Hannah Grace.� She starts coughing and Hannah looks at her with interest, her crying fit forgotten.
Just then, Avery comes down the stairs, carrying her backpack.
Avery: (hearing Alexis coughing and Hannah sniffling) �Are you okay?�
Alexis: �We all have colds, Av. You�re pretty lucky that you�re healthy.�
Avery: �I have ballet after school. Who�s going to take me?�
Alexis: (sneezing) �I will if I feel better.�
Avery: (giving her a hug) �You�re a good Mommy. Even when you�re sick.�
Alexis: (hugging her back) �Thank you, Sweetie. That makes me feel better.�
Ned: (coming into the kitchen, his robe on) �What makes you feel better?�
Alexis: �You�re up?�
Ned: �I need some tea. My throat is killing me.�
Avery goes over to him and tugs on his pajama legs.
Ned: �What is it, Avery?�
Avery: (hugging him around the legs) �I hope you feel better, Daddy.�
Ned: (softening) �Thanks, Tigger.� He picks her up and gives her a hug.
Just then, Hannah starts crying again.
Ned and Alexis look at each other and simultaneously sigh.
Two hours later.
Ned and Alexis are lying in their bed, looking up at the ceiling. Every few minutes, one of them sneezes, blows their nose or coughs.
Ned: �At least Brooke and Hannah got back to sleep.�
Alexis: �At least Brooke stopped throwing up.� She sighs. �This sucks.�
Ned: �I am in full agreement with you there.� He laughs cynically. �At least it isn�t Christmas when this is happening.�
Alexis: (moaning after having a coughing fit) �I can�t wait for Christmas.�
Ned: �Neither can I. It�s my favorite time of the year.�
Alexis: �Mine too.� She smiles. �And it�s Hannah�s first Christmas.�
Ned: (turning on the baby monitor and hearing Hannah�s congested breathing) �Hopefully, she will be healthy by than.�
Alexis: (thinking hard) �The Fire and Ice Ball is coming up too.�
Ned: �Do you want to perform in it?�
Alexis rolls onto her side so she is looking at him. She gives him a full-fledged glare.
Ned: (he rolls over too) �I take that as a no?�
Alexis: �You got that right!�
Ned: (stroking her hair between sneezes) �Aw, Lexi, we should perform together. We could sing a pretty little Christmas song.�
Alexis: �No, we really and truly should not.�
Ned: �Well... I guess that I could ask Kim or Julia...�
Alexis: �Okay, okay. I�ll think about it.�
Ned: �Why don�t you just skip the thinking and go right to saying yes?�
Alexis: (looking into his eyes) �Ned, I know that I usually say yes to you, but I just don�t know about singing in public.�
Ned: �You don�t have anything to worry about. I have heard you singing in the shower a million times and you have a great voice.�
Alexis: �Ned... you don�t have to flatter me.�
Ned: �I�m not. Believe me, I would be the first to tell you if your voice sounded like a thousand wailing cats.�
Alexis: �You are such a jerk!� she sits up and hits him with a pillow.
Ned grabs the pillow from her and kisses her passionately.
Alexis responds eagerly and they lay back down, kissing each other�s mouths, faces and necks.
Ned: (between kisses) �I�ve never had so much fun being sick.�
Alexis: (kissing his neck) �Me neither.� Just then, she sneezes on him. �Sorry.�
Ned: (laughing) �It�s perfectly okay.� He kisses her eyelids. �You�re sexy, even when you have puffy eyes and a red, runny nose and a froggy throat.�
Alexis: �Gee, thanks.� She pulls away from him. �I�m going to sneeze again.� She does, and then lays back in his arms.
Ned: (holding her close) �Will you really think about singing with me? Lucy asked me to perform last week, and I can�t think of anyone I would rather sing with than you.�
Alexis: (seriously) �Ned, you sing rings around me.�
Ned: �That�s not true, Princess. You sing just as good as me.� He leans down and whispers in her ear. �Besides, I would be more than willing to have private practice sessions.�
Alexis: (smiling) �I bet you would.� She sighs. �I�ll give you an answer when I�ve had more than four hours of sleep.�
Later that afternoon.
Alexis is lying on the living room couch, holding Hannah.
Alexis: (gently rubbing her back) �Are you feeling any better, Angel?� Hannah starts crying loudly. �I guess not.�
Ned: (coming in and flopping down at the other end of the couch) �I am so congested. I can not believe this.� He groans. �I�m going to be so far behind at work. Maybe I can get something done on my laptop...�
Alexis: �Ned, you�re sick. You�re supposed to be resting.� She strokes Hannah�s hair as she continues to cry. �Besides, no one calms Hannah down better than you.�
Ned: (taking Hannah and cradling her against him) �Aw, Hannah, are you feeling bad?� he props her up on his legs and bounces her a little. �How�s that?� Hannah stops crying and reaches for Ned�s nose.
Just then, Brooke comes dragging down the stairs, pale and tired. She is carrying her teddy bear and dragging a ratty blanket behind her.
Brooke: �Mommy, I want some juice.�
Alexis: �Okay, Sweetie. I�ll get you some.� She goes into the kitchen and opens the refrigerator. Inside the refrigerator is olives, a tiny amount of milk, two apples and leftover spaghetti. She goes through the cabinets and freezer to no avail.
Brooke: (as Alexis returns empty handed) �Mommy, don�t we have any juice?�
Alexis: �Apparently, all we have is olives and apples.�
Ned: �You�re kidding, right?�
Alexis: �We don�t have any food.� She sighs. �I was supposed to go grocery shopping today.�
Brooke: �You could call Aunt Julia and Uncle Jax.�
Ned: �Good idea.� He picks up the phone and calls the penthouse.
Jax: �Jax here.�
Ned: �This is your sickly friend.�
Jax: �Ah, I heard that you were a little under the weather. So what�s up?�
Ned: �We seem to have no food in our house. I was wondering...�
Brooke: (grabbing the phone) �Uncle Jax, it�s Brooke.� She sneezes.
Jax: �Hey beautiful. How are you feeling?�
Brooke: �Bad. I have the flu. Can you go buy us some food? I really want juice.�
Jax: �Sure. What kind of juice?�
Brooke: �Orange? And maybe some apple? And some other stuff? Good food?�
Jax: �Got it. Tell your parents that I�ll be over soon.�
Brooke: �Thank you, Uncle Jax.� She hangs up the phone. �Uncle Jax is going to go buy us some food.�
Alexis and Ned start laughing.
The Penthouse.
Julia walks through the door and throws her briefcase on the couch as Jax comes out of the kitchen, his coat and scarf on.
Jax: �Hey, beautiful.� He gives her a kiss.
Julia: �Where are you going?�
Jax: �Food shopping for Ned and Alexis. They�re sick and so are the kids. Want to come?�
Julia: �Sure.� She picks up her purse and takes his hand. They leave and get into the elevator. �So, have you ever been grocery shopping?�
Jax: �A few times. I think that we can handle it.�
An hour later.
There is a knock at the Ashtons� front door and Jax and Julia come in without waiting for someone to answer the door. Both are laden down with paper bags.
Alexis: �What, did you buy out the store?�
Julia: �We got you juice, candy bars, bread, Vanilla ice cream, milk, eggs, frozen pizzas, oranges, coffee, cocoa, paper towels...�
Jax: �Doritos, cheese, bananas, TV dinners, cinnamon rolls and yogurt.�
Ned: (impressed) �How did you know what we needed?�
Julia: �We�ve been here a million times. We�ve even lived here with your kids. We know what you keep in the refrigerator.�
Jax: �Besides, the candy bars are for us too.�
Alexis: (throwing a pillow at him) �I�m not surprised.�
Julia: �Hey, hey. I�m eating for two.�
Ned: �How is the little mother?�
Julia: (grinning) �I�ve never felt better, except I can feel myself gaining weight.�
Jax: �You are not. And even if you are, you�re still the most beautiful woman in the world.� They exchange a loving look.
Just then, Alexis looks at the clock.
Alexis: �Oh no! Who�s picking Avery up from ballet?�
At that moment, Avery walks into the house, followed by Kimberly and Serena.
Avery: �Aunt Kim said she would take me home.�
Ned: �Thanks, Kim.�
Kimberly: �No problem. How are you four feeling?�
Alexis: �Better.�
Brooke: �Much better. Uncle Jax bought me juice.�
Kimberly: (laughing) �You need someone to do grocery shopping for you? You two really are sick.�
Laughing, Alexis and Ned throw the pillows on the couch at her.