Alexis and Ned are laying in each others� arms, wrapped in a heavy blanket. There is a bonfire going in front of them.
They are both still dressed in their clothes from the Fire and Ice Ball.
Ned: (gently kissing her forehead) �Are you cold?�
Alexis: �No.� she smiles. �Remind me to thank Jax and Julia for babysitting.�
Ned: �Well, I thought that since last year, we went for a drive on the beach, this year we should spend the night here.� He smiles. �Besides, I wanted to be alone with you tonight so that we can properly make up from our fight.�
Alexis: (snuggling closer to him) �I love you, Ned Ashton.�
Ned: �I love you too, Lexi.� He smiles. �So, just how long did you know about Mackenzie and Stefan�s marriage?�
Alexis: (her back against Ned�s chest, trying to not laugh) �I just found out tonight.�
Ned: (laughing) �Alexis, please. I know you better than that.�
Alexis: �Meaning?�
Ned: �I was watching you tonight. Mackenzie and Stefan�s marriage was of no surprise to you.� He pokes her in the ribs. �Was it?�
Alexis: (defeatedly) �No. I heard them talking a few weeks ago and I confronted them. They got married right before Thanksgiving.�
Ned: (smiling slightly) �Go figure. Me and my sister are married to you and your brother.�
Alexis: �That�s exactly what Mackenzie said.�
Ned: �You sounded beautiful tonight. Both times you sang.� He smiles. �And you look amazing in that dress.�
Alexis: �I bought it to make you so turned on that you�d be willing to make up with me.�
Ned: (laughing as he kisses her forehead) �Well, you got what you wanted. Do you know hard it was for me to not be speaking to you and then see you come down the stairs in this dress? It took my breath away.�
Alexis: �You look pretty delectable yourself, Mr. Ashton.� She smiles at him.
Ned puts his arms around her and kisses her gently. She kisses him back. It goes no further than kissing, they just make up for lost time with sweet kisses.
Meanwhile, Wyndemere.
Stefan and Mackenzie are laying in their bed, staring at each other.
Mackenzie: �I can�t believe it.�
Stefan: (somewhat amused) �I cringe when I think about us having sex being broadcasted for everyone to hear.�
Mackenzie: �Well, we wanted to tell everyone at once that we�re married.� She smiles. �It�s kind a relief that everyone knows now.�
Stefan: �Nikolas and Christabel looked pretty shocked.� He smiles. �Nikolas told me that he and Christabel have been trying to get us married.�
Mackenzie: (smiling slightly) �When I was putting Christabel to bed, she called me �Mommy Mackenzie.� She said she wants to call me Mommy, but I told her that I would have to talk to you first.� She looks a little perturbed.
Stefan: �What�s the problem?�
Mackenzie: (hesitantly) �Stefan, I�m not her mother. Katherine is. And I don�t want to... how do I put this... overstep my bounds and try to replace her.�
Stefan: (pulling her into his arms) �Mackenzie, I love you, and so does Christabel. She�s just a little girl and she doesn�t fully grasp the concept of step-parents, and the death of a natural parent. She doesn�t really remember Katherine anymore. She told me that. For as long as she can remember, you�ve been her mother figure.�
Mackenzie: �But are you comfortable with her accepting me as her mother?�
Stefan: (assuredly) �Totally. You are a part of this family, Mackenzie Pamela Cisnaros, I mean Cassadine.� He smiles. �Maybe when we go to the courthouse next week to have the papers signed for your legal name to be changed, we should sign some adoption papers too.�
Mackenzie: (shocked) �You want me to adopt Christabel?�
Stefan: (laughing) �Who else would I want you to adopt? Me?� he kisses her forehead. �It�s entirely up to you, but I would love it if you were Christabel�s legal mother. I can�t think of a better time to make our family whole than right before Christmas.�
Mackenzie: (tears in her eyes) �I love you, Stefan.� She smiles. �My Greek God.�
Stefan: �I love you too, my Greek Goddess.�
They both start laughing as they wrap their arms around each other and slowly drift off to sleep.
Two a.m. The Ashtons� house.
Julia and Jax are sound asleep in their bedroom (the guest room that they stay in so much that it has been renamed their room).
Jax�s arm is draped protectively over Julia�s stomach and her head is in the crook of his neck.
Just then, a loud scream tears through the dark house.
Julia: (sitting up) �What was that?�
Jax sits up and turns on the light as another scream comes from down the hall.
Avery: (running into the room, screaming) �Uncle Jax, Uncle Jax! There�s a monster under my bed!�
Jax: (lifting her onto the bed) �Avery, what makes you think that?�
Avery: (about to cry) �Because it�s snowing!�
Julia: �Avery, how did you know it�s snowing? You�re supposed to be asleep!�
Avery: �I had to go to the bathroom, and I saw out the window that it is snowing.� She sniffs. �I don�t want to go back there!�
Just then, they hear Brooke scream. She comes racing into their room, clutching her teddy bear.
Brooke: �There�s a monster in my closet!�
Julia covers her mouth to keep from laughing.
Jax: �Get into bed before you freeze.� He lifts the covers up and Brooke dives under them.
Julia: (rubbing Brooke�s back) �Why is there a monster in your closet?�
Brooke: (in a low voice) �Avery�s screaming woke me up and I looked up and saw that it�s snowing outside!� her lower lip trembles. �I don�t want the monster to get me!�
Jax and Julia exchange a look as they pull the girls closer to them.
Jax: �Why don�t you two start from the beginning? Tell us why you think that a monster shows up when it�s snowing.�
Avery: (sniffling) �Lucas told us that when it snows, a monster comes in your room and bites your toes. He said that his dad told him.�
Brooke: �Yeah. Jerry said that there are abdominal snowmen where you lived in Austria.�
Jax: (laughing) �Brooke, Sweetie, it�s Australia, and they�re called abominable snowmen.� He gives her a hug. �There aren�t any. It�s too hot for snow there. Lucas was just trying to scare you.�
Avery: (her eyes huge) �Are you sure?�
Brooke: �Yeah. I don�t wanna go back in my room.�
Jax: �I�m sure. I�m positive. It�s just a story.� He smiles. �But you two can sleep with us if you want to.�
Avery: (pleased) �Really? Yay!� she snuggles closer to him. �But I wish Mommy and Daddy were here. Daddy tells us stories when we can�t sleep.�
Brooke: �Do you know any stories?� she looks at Jax like he�s the conquering hero. �Please, Uncle Jax? Tell us a story!�
Jax: (clearing his throat) �Okay... once upon a time, there was...�
Avery: (cutting him off) �Aunt Julia, I gotta question I want to ask you.�
Brooke: (mad) �Avery, shut up! I want a story!�
Julia: �Don�t tell people to shut up, Brooke. It�s not nice.�
Brooke: (mumbling) �Sorry.�
Julia: �What�s your question, Avery?�
Avery: �Well, you know how you�re having a baby and another baby?�
Jax: (smiling) �You mean twins.�
Avery: �Oh, it that what it�s called?� Jax nods. �Oh.� She smiles. �Well, you know how you guys are our aunt and uncle but not really?�
Brooke: �Oh yeah, I was wondering if you like us calling you that.�
Julia: (smiling) �We love that you call us Aunt Julia and Uncle Jax. We�re your honorary aunt and uncle and we call you our nieces.�
Avery: �Well, will your... twins... be our cousins? Like Nikolas and Christabel and Emily and AJ and Carly and Michael are?�
Jax: (thinking about it) �Sure, why not? You know what?� he gives her a hug. �Victoria and Tyler will be glad to have two older cousins to show them how to rollerblade and dance and play soccer.�
Brooke: �Is that the babies� names? Victoria and Tyler?�
Julia: �Yeah.� She pats her stomach. �You like them?�
Avery: (her eyes huge) �Victoria is Posh Spice�s name! That�s so cool!�
Jax: (laughing) �I thought that you might approve.�
Brooke: �I like those names too.� She smiles. �I can�t wait to see them.�
Julia: �Neither can we.� She yawns a little. �Now, we�d better go to sleep and in the morning, we�ll go outside and make a snowman, okay?�
Brooke: (snuggling close to Julia) �Okay. Good night.�
Avery: (yawning as she closes her eyes) �Good night.�
Jax: (turning the light off) �Good night, girls.�
Julia and Jax watch as Brooke and Avery fall asleep and then they smile at each other.
Julia: �You�re going to be a wonderful father.�
Jax: (at the same time) �You�re going to be a wonderful mother.�
They both start laughing, and after Jax leans over and kisses Julia�s forehead, they lay back down and fall asleep, as the snow continues to fall outside.
Meanwhile. The beach.
Alexis is awakened to find snow falling on her and Ned. It has put the bonfire out and she is shivering a little. She snuggles closer to him.
Alexis: (poking Ned) �Ned, wake up!�
Ned: �What?� he opens his eyes and sees the snow. �Good lord, it�s snowing.�
Alexis: �How observant of you.� She shivers. �I�m freezing.�
Ned: �Come on, we�ll go home.�
Alexis: (looking at him like he has grown a second head) �Home? No way! Hannah is at your secretary�s house, and Julia and Jax are taking care of Avery and Brooke. There is no reason why we can�t have a night alone.�
Ned: (thinking fast) �Okay, why don�t we go to the PC hotel... we can stay in the ELQ suite and drink hot chocolate and eat mint cookies.�
Alexis: (smiling) �Sounds good to me.� she leans closer to him. �And I have an addition to your plan.�
Ned: �What would that be?�
Alexis: (in a sexy whisper) �Making love.�
Ned: �I could definitely be persuaded to do that.� He stands up and holds a hand out to her, holding the blanket. �Come on.�
Alexis stands up, shivering in her sleeveless dress. She looks miserable.
Ned: �You okay?�
Alexis: (her teeth chattering) �I have never been so cold in my life. Helena�s cellar was hell, but at least it was heated.�
Ned: �Say no more.� He leans down and wrapping the blanket around her, sweeps her into his arms, and holds her close.
Alexis: (as he carries her to the car) �I love you, you know.�
Ned: �I love you too.� After giving her a kiss, he puts her down and unlocks the doors to her Mercedes.
Shivering, they slide inside, and after turning the heater on high, Ned starts the car and heads back to Port Charles.
Twenty minutes later.
Ned and Alexis are standing in the lobby of the hotel. Ned is getting the keys. Alexis is looking out the window.
Ned: (coming up behind her) �You ready to go upstairs?�
Alexis: (ignoring him) �The snow is so beautiful. It makes me want to make snow angels.�
Ned: �Okay, a half hour ago, you were about to die of frostbite, and now you want to go outside and play? At three in the morning, no less?�
Alexis: (a pleading smile) �Come on, Ned. It would be an experience we�d never forget.�
Ned: (laughing) �You�ve got that right.� He takes her hand. �Let�s do it.�
They head for the door, and halfway there, Ned stops.
Alexis: �What�s wrong?�
Ned: (removing his tuxedo jacket) �I don�t want you getting cold.� He puts it on her and gently touches her hair. �I don�t want my princess turning into an ice princess.�
Alexis: �What about you? You�re going to freeze!�
Ned: (smiling boyishly) �Nah. Just looking at you makes my body temperature rise.�
They both start laughing hysterically as they walk outside.
The snow is falling heavier than before, and the stars are twinkling in the black sky.
Alexis: (sighing) �This is so beautiful.�
Ned: �So are you.� They walk across the lawn of the hotel and then stop. �Well, Mrs. Ashton, go ahead. Make your snow angel.�
Alexis: (shaking her head) �Nope. This is a joint venture.�
Ned: �It is not! Alexis, I am wearing a tuxedo! An Armani tuxedo!�
Alexis: (mocking voice) �You know, my dress is Versace, but I�m not complaining.� She smiles innocently. �You can send your tux to the cleaners when I send my dress.�
Ned: (sighing) �Fine. The things I do for you.� He shakes his head a little.
Alexis: �You know you love it.� Without warning, she pushes him backwards and he lands in the snow.
Ned: �Alexis Brinna Ashton! That was low! Lower than low!�
Alexis: (not sorry at all) �Sorry.� She lowers herself to the ground and hovers above him. �But I didn�t have a choice.�
Ned: (pulling her on top of him) �No choice? Than I guess that I have no choice but to do this.� He picks up a handful of snow and smashes it in her face. She screams.
Alexis: �You rat!� she picks up some snow and throws it in his face. She then stands up and runs off.
Ned: �Come back here!� he chases after her and catches up to her, knocking her to the ground and pelting her with snow. �Take that, lady lawyer!�
Alexis: (laughing so hard that she�s crying) �Grounds... grounds for a... lawsuit.�
Ned: (throwing more snow at her) �This was your idea!� he laughs as another handful of snow covers her hair.
Alexis: (still laughing) �I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!� she shrieks as he falls to the ground beside her and stuffs a handful of snow down the front of her dress. �AHH! That�s cold!�
Ned: �My, my, aren�t we insightful.� He laughs. �By the way, Mrs. Brainiac...�
Alexis shuts him up by jumping on top of him and beginning to throw snow all over him.
She straddles his body with her legs as she smashes a handful of snow in his face.
Ned: �You�re pretty sexy when you�re aggressive.�
Alexis stops throwing snow at him for a moment. She looks down at him and smiles.
Alexis: (rolling off of him and onto her back) �This has been an amazing night.�
In unison, they begin making snow angels on the lawn.
Ned finishes his first, and leaning over Alexis, gently kisses her lips. She responds eagerly, and they lay in the snow, kissing passionately.
Fifteen minutes later. The ELQ Suite.
Alexis comes out of the bathroom, dressed in a fluffy white bathrobe. Ned, wearing a matching one, has started a fire in the hearth, and is sitting on the couch.
Ned: �Room service arrived.� He gestures over at a silver platter and teapot.
Alexis: �Good. I�m starving.� She takes a mint chocolate cookie and eats it hungrily.
Ned: (sipping his cocoa) �So, have you had an enjoyable evening, Mrs. Ashton?�
Alexis: (smiling) �One of the best nights of my life.�
Ned: (reaching over and stroking her damp hair) �You look so beautiful right now.�
Alexis: (sipping her cocoa) �You�re kidding, right? I look like a wet snow-woman.�
Ned: �That�s not what I meant.� He gently kisses her. �You have the most amazing sparkle in your eyes tonight.� He kisses her again. �And your smile...�
Alexis: �I hate to bring this up, but are you and Scott speaking now?�
Ned: �Yeah.� He takes her hands and holds them. �I don�t know if you know this, but he came and talked to me the morning after you ran out.�
Alexis: (surprised) �He did? What about?�
Ned: �He wanted me to know that nothing happened between you and him. He made me really think about our marriage.�
Alexis: (in a low voice) �Think HOW about our marriage?�
Ned: (in a very low voice) �I realized that I can�t live without you, Alexis Brinna.� He gently kisses her. �You�re my wife, my best friend, and the reason that I breathe.�
Alexis: (tears in her eyes) �I feel the exact same way, Ned. If anything were ever to happen to you, I wouldn�t be able to go on.�
Ned: �Yes you would. You�re the strongest person I know.�
Alexis: (whispering) �Only when I have you.�
They lean in towards each other and kiss for a long time.
Alexis: (breaking the kiss) �Make love to me, Ned.�
Ned: (looking deep into her eyes) �I would love to, Alexis.� He stands up and lifts her into his arms.
He carries her into the bedroom, gently laying her down on the bed.
Alexis: (looking up at him) �How did I manage to live without you for so many years?�
Ned: (leaning over her) �You kept telling yourself that someday your prince would come and save you.�
Alexis: �And he did.� She smiles. �You saved me from my life. From the Cassadines.�
Ned: �And you saved me too.� he gently undoes the sash on her robe. �I am more grateful to you than I can ever express.�
Alexis: (reaching up and undoing his robe) �I love you.�
Ned: �I love you too.�
They slip their robes off and Alexis pulls Ned on top of her. They begin making love.
Here we are, in the arms of one another.
And we still go on searching for each other
Knowing that hate is wrong, and love is right, for us tonight.
Ned kisses down Alexis� body. She moans in desire.
When I look into your Spanish eyes,
I know the reason why I am alive.
And the world is so beautiful tonight...
Alexis runs her hands through Ned�s hair as he leans over her.
It�s a place I�ve never been, and it comes from deep within.
And it�s telling me that I�m about to win first prize.
Alexis starts laughing as Ned sucks on her earlobe.
Knowing all I have do, is reach out my hand to you.
Any time I want to look into your Spanish eyes.
Ned winds his arms tightly around Alexis as he kisses her neck.
Let it be, (let it be) if we�re nothing more than dreamers.
Who believe (who believe) that we see no walls between us.
Alexis rolls over on top of Ned and begins kissing his chest.
How could they be in my heart, (in my heart) and in my mind (in my mind)?
When all I can find, I look into your Spanish eyes.
I know the reason why I am alive.
And the world is so beautiful tonight.
Ned and Alexis� hands come together, and their fingers fold down.
It�s a place I�ve never been, and it comes from deep within.
And it�s telling me that I�m about to win first prize.
Ned gently strokes Alexis� hair as she kisses his face.
Knowing all I have do, is reach out my hand to you.
Any time I want to look into your Spanish eyes.
Alexis lays back against the pillows as Ned leans over her, kissing her lips.
I loved you from a distance, thought I couldn�t reach that far.
I can�t believe how close that we are.
Ned pulls away from Alexis and lays back on his side of the bed.
When I look into your Spanish eyes.
And the world is so beautiful tonight.
Alexis rolls over into his arms and he holds her close, kissing her hair.
It�s a place I�ve never been, and it comes from deep within.
And it�s telling me that I�m about to win first prize.
Ned tucks the blankets around Alexis as she falls asleep.
Knowing all I have do, is reach out my hand to you.
Any time I want to look into your Spanish eyes.
Ned and Alexis fall asleep, holding hands, peaceful smiles on their faces.
An hour later, Ned opens his eyes after being shaken. Alexis is staring at him.
Alexis: �I forgot to tell you something.�
Ned: �What?� he yawns.
Alexis: �Thank you for tonight. I�ll never forget it.�
Ned: �You�re welcome.� He gently kisses her forehead. �Good night, Princess.�
He watches her fall back asleep, his heart full of love, and then he goes back to sleep himself.