Mackenzie sits in a boardroom with Stefan, half listening to what the man they are doing business with, David Nelson, is saying.
* * * F L A S H B A C K * * *
Wyndemere. Two weeks ago.
Stefan walks out into the rose garden. Mackenzie is sitting on the stone bench, shivering in the cold November air.
Stefan: �Mackenzie, what are you doing out here?� he pulls his coat tightly around him. �It�s freezing out here.�
Mackenzie: (in a monotone) �It may snow.�
Stefan: �Mackenzie?� he looks at her as she stares off into space. �What�s wrong?�
Mackenzie: (in a barely audible voice) �I took a pregnancy test.�
Stefan: �You did? What did it say?�
Mackenzie: (her eyes filling with tears) �It was negative.�
Without a word, Stefan takes his coat off and draping it around Mackenzie�s shoulders, sits down and pulls her into his arms.
Mackenzie doesn�t say anything. She just cries into Stefan�s chest as he gently rubs her back and murmurs words of comfort in her ear.
Mackenzie: (crying) �I started thinking... and I want to have a baby with you.... Stefan, I... I love you so much...� she continues to cry.
Stefan: �Shh, don�t cry, Mackenzie.� He holds her closer. �I love you, too.�
Mackenzie: �I wanted to have a baby with you.�
Stefan: �Who ever said that we couldn�t?� he kisses her forehead. �There�s plenty of time for us to have a baby.�
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K * * *
David: �And I can expect to see the papers drawn up, when, Ms. Cisnaros?�
Mackenzie: (not listening) �What?�
Stefan: (amused) �He asked when you would have the papers drawn up.�
Mackenzie: �Oh. I�ll have them done by next Monday, if that is alright.�
David: �Sure. Take your time. I�m going to be off in Malaysia for the next two weeks on other business anyway.�
Stefan: �Okay.� He rises and so do David and Mackenzie. �I�ll be in touch.�
David shakes hands with both Stefan and Mackenzie before they leave.
Stefan: (as they get into the elevator) �So, Ms. Cisnaros, what do you want to do tonight?�
Mackenzie: (pondering his question) �Ooh, let�s go out to some romantic bistro.�
Stefan: �Okay.�
Port Charles. The ACBA Building. That afternoon.
Alexis is working on a deposition when there is a knock on her office door.
Alexis: �Come in.�
Ned: (coming in with a bouquet of red roses) �Hello, Lady Lawyer.� He closes the door.
Alexis: (looking up and seeing him standing there with the flowers) �Ned! What are you doing here?� she smiles and goes over to him.
Ned: (handing her the roses) �For you, my Princess.� He kisses her softly.
Alexis: (sniffing the roses) �They�re beautiful. What�s the occasion?�
Ned: (softly) �It�s the anniversary of one of the greatest days of my life.�
Alexis: �Oh really? And what would that be?�
Ned: �The day that I asked you to marry me.�
Alexis: (clapping a hand over her mouth) �Oh my God! Ned, I can�t believe...�
Ned: (kissing her again) �It�s okay if you forgot.� He takes the roses from her and setting them down on the desk, pulls her into his arms.
They look into each other�s eyes, remembering that day.
* * * F L A S H B A C K * * *
Breakfast at the Quartermaine mansion. November 22, 1997.
Edward: �So, Alexis, I have a question for you.�
Alexis: �What?�
Edward: (snootily) �What are you after?�
Alexis: �I beg your pardon? I don�t understand the question.�
Edward: �I mean, exactly what information do you think you�re going to gain about our family by dating Ned?�
Ned: (standing up) �Leave her alone!�
Alexis: (standing up next to him) �What am I trying to gain?� she thinks about it. �Nothing. I am with Ned for one reason. I happen to like him a lot.� Her voice wavers. �As a matter of fact, I love him.� She runs out of the room and out of the house.
After snarling at his family, Ned bolts out the door after her and catches up to her halfway across the lawn. There are tearstains on Alexis� cheeks.
Ned: �Stop. Don�t leave.�
Alexis: (sobbing as she throws herself into his arms) �I�m so sorry... I didn�t mean to say that.�
Ned: (holding her close) �It�s okay. I love you too.� He drops down on one knee. �Alexis, I love you so much that when I�m not with you, I hurt.� He gazes into her eyes. �I want to spend my life with you, Alexis Brinna. Will you marry me?�
Alexis: (her mouth dropping open, in a whisper) �Yes.� Her eyes fill with tears.
Ned: (kissing her) �Thank you.� He smiles. �Alexis, I am going to make you so happy.�
Alexis: (softly) �You already have.�
She raises her lips to his and they stand locked in a passionate embrace as the cold November wind blows around them and tiny snowflakes begin to fall.
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K * * *
Ned: �I will never forget that moment as long as I live.�
Alexis: �Neither will I.� She smiles. �I didn�t think that I could love you any more than I did at that moment, but I was wrong. I love you more and more every day.�
Ned: �You saved my life that Christmas eve when you walked into the PC Grill.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Partners in martinis from that moment on.�
Ned: �I didn�t trust you.�
Alexis: �I didn�t trust you either.�
Ned: �But I sure was attracted to you.�
Alexis: (at the same time) �But I sure was attracted to you.�
Ned: �I�ve spent every day since I met you being torn between admiring your incredible mind and being totally enamored by your body.� He laughs as she blushes.
Alexis: �I could say the same for you.�
Ned: �Well, Mrs. Ashton,� he pulls away from her and takes her hands. �What do you say to dinner tonight? Just the two of us.�
Alexis: �I�d love to...� she frowns. �But Brooke has a soccer game tonight.�
Ned: (sighing) �And we promised to come watch her.�
Alexis: �I could go for lunch though.�
Ned: �How about we do something else instead?� he begins unbuttoning her blazer as she unknots his tie.
Alexis: �I could go for a little �dessert� instead of lunch.�
Ned: (as she steps out of her skirt) �You are so sexy.�
When they are both undressed, Ned lowers her down onto the plush cr�me carpet and he uses one of the roses to stroke her body with the petals.
Alexis: (as he runs the rose over her stomach) �Oh, Ned... Ned...�
Ned: (in a sexy whisper) �Yes?�
Alexis: �You�re driving me crazy.�
Ned: (teasingly) �I know.� He puts the rose down on the carpet and climbing on top of her, begins making love to her.
Venice. That night.
Stefan: (standing by the door of their hotel suite) �Mackenzie, we�re going to be late.�
Mackenzie: (from the bathroom) �Just a second.� She laughs. �Believe me, it�s worth the wait.�
Stefan: (interested) �Really?�
Mackenzie: �Here comes nothing.� She walks out of the bathroom. Stefan�s jaw drops. �Like it?�
Stefan is speechless at the sight of Mackenzie in a long velvet maroon dress with spaghetti straps and matching three inch heels. Her long blonde hair is in a mass of blonde hair and loose around her face. A gold necklace with a solitaire diamond and matching earrings complete the ensemble.
Stefan: �Wow.� He smiles. �You look amazing.�
Mackenzie: (going to him and giving him a kiss) �I�m glad you like it.� She smiles at him, dressed in a black formal suit. �You look pretty ravishing yourself.�
Stefan: �Shall we go?� he extends an arm.
Mackenzie: (taking his arm) �Let�s.�
They head out the door, Stefan staring at Mackenzie as she gives him a dazzling smile.
Port Charles. The Community Center.
Alexis, Ned, Avery and Hannah sit in the bleachers, watching Brooke�s soccer game.
Avery: (standing up on the bench) �GO BROOKE!�
Brooke looks up from where she is running after a group of kids and smiles at her sister.
Alexis: (bouncing Hannah a little) �She�s pretty good.�
Ned: �We Ashtons are born athletes.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Is that so? What did you ever do?�
Ned: �I was on crew in college.� They smile lovingly at each other.
They tear their eyes away from each other in time to see Brooke score a goal.
Ned: �Yeah, Brooke!�
Avery: �THAT�S MY SISTER! YEAH, BROOKE!�
Alexis and Ned look amusedly at their daughter as she jumps up and down on the bench.
Fifteen minutes later.
Ned looks up at the scoreboard as the last fifteen seconds pass tick away. Brooke is chasing after the ball at top speed.
Alexis: �Come on, Brooke! You can do it!�
Stealing the ball, Brooke runs as fast as she can towards the goal and kicks it in.
Announcer: �And the winners are the Port Charles Lancers... with the winning goal made by number nine, Brooke Ashton!�
Alexis, Ned and Avery all scream and clap for Brooke. Hannah gurgles her approval.
Brooke beams up at her parents as the other kids on her team pat her on the back and give her high fives.
Venice. Ten o�clock p.m.
Stefan and Mackenzie are walking on the sidewalks on the way back to their hotel. The moon is glowing and there are millions of stars in the sky.
Mackenzie: �I�m glad that we decided to walk back.�
Stefan: �It�s gorgeous.�
Mackenzie: (after a few minutes) �Stefan, why don�t we just do it?�
Stefan: �Excuse me?�
Mackenzie: �Get married.� They stop walking and face each other. �I want to marry you so much that it�s all I think about. That�s part of the reason why I hoped I was pregnant. I thought that you would ask me to marry you if we were having a baby.� She looks sad. �But I guess that you feel differently.�
Stefan: (taking her hands) �Mackenzie, I feel exactly the same way. I have wanted to ask you to marry me for so long. When you tell me that you love me, my heart skips a beat. When you kiss me, I feel faint. And when you walk into a room... I stop breathing.�
Mackenzie: (touched beyond words) �Stefan...�
Stefan: (dropping down on one knee) �Mackenzie, will you marry me?�
Mackenzie: (tears falling down her face) �Yes, I will marry you, Stefan.�
Stefan: (standing up and kissing her) �I love you so much.�
Mackenzie: �I love you too.� She laughs. �I wish we could get married now.�
Stefan: �Why don�t we?�
Mackenzie: �You�re kidding, right? What about our families?�
Stefan: �Mackenzie, we were brought together in part by our families. I think that we should get married right now, just the two of us, and we can have another wedding with the family later.� He smiles. �Because if I have to wait another day, I am going to go insane.� He laughs. �And we�re dressed for the occasion.�
Mackenzie: �Let�s do it.� She smiles. �Make me your wife tonight, Stefan.�
An hour later.
Mackenzie and Stefan are standing in front of a minister in a small chapel.
Minister: �Do you, Stefan Mikkosovitch Cassadine, take Mackenzie Pamela Cisnaros to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward?�
Stefan: (his voice thick with emotion) �I do.�
Minister: �Do you, Mackenzie Pamela Cisnaros, take Stefan Mikkosovitch Cassadine to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward?�
Mackenzie: (tears falling down her face) �I do.�
Minister: �Is there anything you would like to say to each other?�
Stefan: (clearing his voice) �Mackenzie, I waited so long to ask you to marry me because I was so afraid that you would say no. You started out as my lawyer, grew to be my best friend, and somehow captured my heart. I want to make you happy for the rest of your life, and raise our children, including Christabel, with you.�
Mackenzie: (crying) �Stefan, I have never loved anyone as much as I love you. I can not imagine what my life would be like if you weren�t it. I love you and I will try to be the best wife I can, and a good mother to Christabel. You�ve made my wish come true, Stefan. I�ve always wanted a family that I could call my own, and now I have one.�
Time seems to stop as they exchange a loving look that captures all of their emotions at that moment.
Minister: �I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.�
Stefan leans over and kisses Mackenzie on the lips. She responds eagerly.
Minister: �May you always be as happy as you are at this moment.�
Port Charles. The Firehouse.
Kimberly and Claire are sitting at the kitchen table, sipping wine.
Claire: �Now why is it that you couldn�t go out tonight?�
Kimberly: �Scott had a meeting with some clients. He and Gregory are meeting them for drinks.�
Claire: �I still can�t get over the fact that you�re married.�
Kimberly: �How come you never got married?�
Claire: (her face clouding over briefly) �Too many guys, too little time.�
Kimberly: �Same old Claire.� She smiles. �So, how�s the job going?�
Claire: �Pretty good. This isn�t LA, but it�s okay.�
Kimberly: �I thought it was a little slow here at first, but I came to realize that Port Charles is more interesting than any other city.� She smiles. �And my friends are the main reason.�
Claire: �I�m looking forward to meeting your friends. Who are they again?�
Kimberly: �Let�s see. Alexis is my best friend and her husband Ned is Scott�s. My other best friends are Mackenzie Cisnaros, Ned�s sister, and Julia Barrett.�
Claire: �Julia Barrett? Why does that ring a bell?�
Kimberly: �Her father is, or should I say, was Harlan Barrett of Barrett Enterprises.�
Claire: �I know that company from.... uh... somewhere.�
Kimberly: �She�s a great woman. Her fiance, Jax, and Mackenzie�s boyfriend, Stefan, who is also Alexis� brother, are Scott�s other best friends.�
Claire: (amusedly) �It sounds as if you have the perfect circle of friends.�
Kimberly: �Oh, I totally do. Our kids are even friends. Alexis and Ned have three daughters, and Stefan has one.� She smiles. �And Julia is pregnant.�
Claire: (sarcastically) �Maybe I should go out and get pregnant so I can be in your little clique.�
Kimberly: �Nah, you�re going to fit right in.� she smiles.
Claire stares off into space, a memory filling her head.
* * * F L A S H B A C K * * *
Seven years ago.
A high rise apartment in Los Angeles. Claire is standing in the living room, tears running down her face.
A man comes walking into the room, carrying a little girl who is about two years old.
Claire: (sobbing) �No... No, Andrew... she�s my daughter too...�
Andrew: (his voice as cold as ice) �Than you should have thought twice before you decided to work twelve hours a day and neglect Lily. She needs to be raised by people who care about her.�
Claire: (nearly hysterical) �Andrew, no! I love her... and I love you... don�t go.�
Andrew: �You can�t stop me. The divorce is final and we�re leaving for Milan tonight.�
Claire: �She�s my daughter too! You can�t take Lily away from me!�
Andrew: �Goodbye, Claire.� He opens the door of their apartment and walks out.
Lily: (beginning to scream) �MOMMY! NO!�
Claire: (watching in horror as they disappear from sight) �NO! MY BABY!� sobbing, she picks up a crystal vase and throws it at the door.
As the vase shatters, Claire sinks to her knees, sobbing for the loss of her daughter and her marriage.
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K * * *
Kimberly: �Claire? Claire?�
Claire: (snapping out of her reverie) �Huh?�
Kimberly: �Where were you just now?�
Claire: (trying to get her shaking voice under control) �Nowhere special.�
Kimberly looks at her old friend, not sure if she believes her or not. As she looks down at the table, she sees that Claire�s hands are shaking.
A few hours later. The Ashtons� house.
Ned and Alexis are sitting on their bed. Ned is watching Alexis brush her hair.
Ned: �Only you could make personal grooming sexier than hell.�
Alexis: (laughing) �You know what? I�m not tired. How about it we give each other massages? We haven�t done that in a while.�
Ned: �Sure.� He grins. �I love your massages.�
Alexis: (putting her brush on her nightstand and moving behind Ned) �I�m going to eat crow now about not wanting Brooke to play soccer. She seems like she�s having the time of her life.� She begins to knead Ned�s shoulders. �You�re pretty tense.�
Ned: �I have good reason to be.� He smiles amusedly. �Thanksgiving is three days away.�
Alexis: (laughing as she moves her hands down his bare back) �Ah, what would the holidays be without Thanksgiving a la Quartermaines?�
Ned: (moaning as Alexis begins trailing kisses down his back) �Why don�t we have our own Thanksgiving this year? With our kids and maybe some of our friends.�
Alexis: (kissing his neck) �I like that idea.� She thinks about it. �We should invite Jax and Julia.�
Ned: �Yeah. What about Kimberly and Scott?�
Alexis: (resuming his back rub) �They�re having dinner with Scott�s parents.�
Ned: �What about our favorite siblings?�
Alexis: �Oh yeah. We should definitely invite Stefan, Mackenzie and Christabel. Oh, and Nikolas if he isn�t going to your family�s with Emily.�
Ned: �I think he is going to. I mean, they think that we�re coming too.� He moans again as she begins sucking on his right earlobe. �Alexis...�
Alexis: (her mouth next to his ear, in a sexy whisper) �Yes?�
Ned: �You�re driving me crazy.� He grabs her hands and pulls her out from behind him and into his lap so that she is laying in his lap. He leans down and kisses her.
Alexis: (smiling amusedly) �I wasn�t done giving you a massage yet, Mr. Ashton.�
Ned: (beginning to unbutton her pajamas) �I think that I�ll survive.�
They both start laughing as the shed their clothes and begin to make love.
Venice. La Vivra Nostra Hotel. One a.m.
* N O T E * Ignore the time change between Italy and New York and pretend that it is night in both places.
Stefan is pouring champagne into glasses when Mackenzie comes out of the bedroom. He catches sight of her and accidentally continues to pour champagne into one of the glasses. It begins overflowing all over the floor.
Stefan: (breathless) �You look like an Angel...�
Mackenzie: (softly) �You like it?� she is wearing an extremely sheer white chemise that stops a good six inches above her knees. She looks at the spilled champagne on the floor and starts laughing. �I take that as a yes.�
Stefan: �Where did you get that?�
Mackenzie: �Neiman Marcus.�
Stefan: �Wow. I... wow.�
Mackenzie: �I�ve never seen you at a loss for words before.� She goes over to him and puts her arms around him. �I like it.� She reaches up and kisses him.
Stefan: �I can�t believe that you�re my wife now, Mackenzie. Or should I call you Mrs. Cassadine?�
Mackenzie: �You can... when we�re alone.� She smiles. �I can�t believe that we decided to keep it a secret for a while.�
Stefan: �At least until after Christmas. I don�t want anyone to stop speaking to us.�
Mackenzie: (laughing) �I agree with you there.� She gives him another kiss. �I can�t believe that you managed to get a jeweler to open shop at midnight.�
Stefan: �You needed a ring.� He shrugs. �I want to do thing right.�
Mackenzie: �Well, I love my ring, Stefan. It�s beautiful.� She holds up her hand and gazes at the ruby stone on a gold setting with little diamonds around it. �And it�s so me.�
Stefan: �That�s what I thought when I saw it.� He takes her hand and kisses it. �I love you, Mackenzie Cisnaros Cassadine.�
Mackenzie: �I like the way that sounds.� She smiles. �Very, very much. I love you, Stefan Mikkosovitch Cassadine.�
Stefan gently sweeps her into his arms and carries her into the bedroom, where Stefan lays her down on the bed and slowly removes her chemise and his silk pajama pants.
They make love for the first time as husband and wife, feeling their hearts and bodies truly come together.
Stefan: (looking down at Mackenzie, her blonde hair spread out all over the pillow) �To us. Now and forever.�
And with that, they give themselves up to each other and to this night.