Alexis wakes up to see Ned staring at her. Hannah is pulling on his lower lip.
Ned: (softly) �Good morning, beautiful.�
Alexis: �Good morning.� She leans over and strokes Hannah�s soft hair. �You look happy, husband of mine.� She sits up and looks closely at him.
Ned: (leaning over to kiss his wife) �Alexis, I am on cloud nine.� He gently strokes her stomach. �I can�t believe that we�re having another baby.�
Alexis: (smiling) �I�m glad that you�re happy.� She gently touches his face. �And I am too.� She smiles happily. �But can this be our secret for a while?�
Ned: �Of course.� He bounces Hannah a little. �Can you keep a secret, Hannah Grace?�
Hannah gurgles happily and reaches for her mother.
Alexis: (pulling her into her arms) �Good morning, Angel.� She bounces her a little. �So, what do you think of the idea of a little brother?�
Just then, there is a slight knock on the door.
Mrs. Lansbury: (outside) �Mr. and Mrs. Ashton, breakfast will be served in a half hour.�
Alexis: (calling) �Thank you, Mrs. Lansbury.�
Ned: (picking up her wrist and kissing it) �So, Mrs. Ashton, how do you feel about taking a shower together?� he smiles. �We could save time getting ready for breakfast.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Ned, you�re incorrigible!�
Ned: (crestfallen) �So I take that as a no?�
Alexis doesn�t say anything. She gets out of bed, and after setting Hannah back in her crib, goes over to the bathroom door. She holds her hand out to Ned.
Ned: (smiling) �I guess that sometimes Christmas presents come late.� He gets out of bed and goes over to her.
They head into the bathroom, and shedding their clothes, climb into the shower.
Alexis: (as Ned slips his arms around her) �Mr. Ashton, I thought we were showering.�
Ned: (laughing) �We are.� He nuzzles her neck. �We�re just taking a slight detour.�
Alexis: �Detour?� she smiles. �And what detour would that be?�
Ned: (running his hands down her back) �This one.�
Laughing, Ned and Alexis begin making love standing up in the shower as hot water pours down on them.
Alexis: (moaning) �Ned... oh, God, Ned...�
Ned: (sucking on her earlobe) �That�s my name.�
Alexis: (kissing Ned�s eyelids) �Ned... oh... oh... that feels... good...�
Ned laughs, loving that he is pleasuring his wife, and begins stroking her breasts.
Ned: (in a low voice) �How does that feel?�
Alexis: (moaning) �Oh God.� She smiles. �Want me to show you?�
Ned: (barely audible) �Show me.�
Alexis smiles and leaning down, begins running her tongue over his chest.
Ned moans in pleasure, running his hands through her wet auburn hair.
Alexis: �Like it?� she runs her tongue slowly over his nipples.
Ned: (moaning) �Oh God, Alexis... that... wow... oh... oh...� he moans again.
Alexis: (laughing) �I never thought that this house could be THIS much fun.�
They both start snickering as they continue to make love.
A half hour later, they come walking down the stairs, holding hands. Ned is carrying Hannah in his free arm. They come into the dining room.
Mackenzie: (looking up from her latte) �Took you long enough.�
Alexis: (not really listening) �What did?�
Mackenzie: (laughing) �Breakfast started about a half hour ago.�
Ned: (unaffected) �Sorry. We were...�
Alexis: �Really tired... we had a little trouble waking up.�
Ned: (as they sit down) �Really. We did.� He looks at Jax, who is snickering. �What�s your problem?�
Jax: �Nothing. I was just wondering why the shower was running for almost forty five minutes without stopping.� He smiles. �That is, if you just got up.�
Alexis: �We...uh... both took showers.� She avoids eye contact with Ned. �Uh, where�s the girls?� she looks around. �And Nikolas and Emily?�
Stefan: �Nikolas and Emily are asleep and the girls are eating breakfast in Christabel�s playroom.� He smiles. �They requested chocolate chip pancakes.�
Just then, Nikolas and Emily walk into the kitchen. They take seats across the table from each other and don�t make eye contact.
Alexis looks over at Nikolas, concerned, but he doesn�t show any emotion.
Emily stares at the cup of coffee that Mrs. Lansbury pours her, but makes no attempt to drink it.
* * * F L A S H B A C K * * *
The night before.
Nikolas and Emily are kissing passionately in Nikolas� bedroom.
Emily leans back onto the bed, pulling Nikolas on top of her.
Nikolas: (kissing Emily�s neck) �Em, we don�t have to do this.�
Emily: (breathless) �I want to.� She pulls away from him and looks into his eyes. �I�m ready for you to make love to me.�
Nikolas: �I love you, Emily Quartermaine.�
Emily: �I love you too, Nikolas Cassadine.� She leans forward and pulls his sweater over his head, revealing his bare chest.
Nikolas: �Are you absolutely sure about this, Emily? I don�t want to pressure you into anything you don�t want to do.� He pulls away from her.
Emily: �Nikolas, I�m ready.� She takes his right hand and places it on her breast. �Make love to me.�
Nikolas smiles slightly, and begins unbuttoning her shirt.
They fall backwards onto the bed and begin making love for the very first time.
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K * * *
Stefan: �Nikolas? Nikolas?�
Nikolas: (snapping out of his reverie) �What did you say, Father?�
Stefan: �I asked you what you and Emily are planning on doing today.�
Nikolas: (not looking at Emily) �We were planning on going out with Lucky and Elizabeth. They�re back from college.�
Emily: (looking at the clock) �Wow, Nikolas, we�d better get going if we�re going to meet them for brunch.�
Nikolas and Emily stand up and walk out of the room without looking at each other.
Once in the hallway, Nikolas grabs Emily and pulls her into his arms, kissing her passionately. Emily responds eagerly.
Emily: (kissing him hungrily) �Oh God, that was hard, pretending that nothing happened between us last night.�
Nikolas: (murmuring) �Last night was wonderful.� He kisses her again.
Emily: �Whenever you�re ready for an encore, I�m more than willing.�
Laughing, they head up the stairs together to get ready for the day.
That evening. The Ashtons� house.
Ned and Alexis are cuddling on the couch, a blanket covering them. There is a fire going in the hearth. It is still snowing outside.
Just then, Avery comes running downstairs.
Avery: (interrupting their kiss) �Mommy, Daddy, I need to talk to you.�
Ned: (pulling away from Alexis) �Yeah, Tigger?�
Avery: (sitting down in a chair facing them) �Where do babies come from?�
Alexis and Ned don�t say anything. They just stare at each other in shock.
Alexis: (slowly) �Avery, why do... why do you want to know, Sweetie?�
Avery: �Well, I want to know how Aunt Julia got pregnant.�
Ned: �Well... uh... well, she, uh...�
Avery: �Did Uncle Jax help?�
Alexis: �You could say that.�
Ned: (beginning to stroke Alexis� inner thigh under the blanket) �Well, babies are made when a mommy and a daddy love each other and they do something called making love.�
Avery: �Do you mean like kissing?�
Alexis: (trying to ignore Ned�s wandering hands) �Well, yes.�
Avery: �And yelling?�
Ned: �What do you mean, yelling?�
Avery: �I heard you and Daddy yelling last week... when I went to get a drink...�
Alexis� face turns bright red. Ned�s hand slides up to her breasts.
Avery: (unaware of her parents having foreplay under the blanket) �So if a girl kisses a boy and they yell a lot, you have a baby?�
Alexis: (batting at Ned�s hand to stop) �Well...�
Ned: �Avery, come here.� He withdraws his hands from under the blanket.
Avery comes walking over and stands in front of Ned.
Ned: �Avery Madelynn, you want to know where babies come from?� he gently pokes her stomach. �They come from a mommy�s tummy.� He takes her hands. �And when a mommy and a daddy love each other a whole lot, like me and Mommy do, they make love and have a baby.�
Avery: (nodding her head) �Oh. I understand now.� She smiles. �I�m gonna go draw a picture now... for Tyler and Victoria when they�re born.�
Alexis: �I think that Aunt Julia and Uncle Jax will like that, Sweetie.�
Avery smiles and runs back upstairs.
Ned: (kissing Alexis� forehead) �Well, that was unexpected.�
Alexis: (stroking his hair) �You were great.� She smiles. �Well, except for the fact that you were molesting me under the blanket.�
Ned: �Who, me?� he smiles innocently and pulls her closer. �I love you, Lexi.�
Alexis: �I love you too, my sexy and slightly deranged husband.�
Ned: (laughing) �Deranged? Deranged?� in a flash, he pulls the blanket off and jumps off the couch. �I beg to differ, Mrs. Ashton.� He smiles. �You ain�t seen nothing yet.�
Leaning down, he pulls Alexis off the couch and flings her over his back.
Alexis: (squealing) �Ned! Put me down!� she kicks at him. �Now!�
Ned: �Nope. I�m being DERANGED, Lexi.� He starts walking towards the stairs.
Alexis: (laughing hysterically) �Ned Ashton! You are terrible!� she smacks him on the backside. �What are you doing with me?�
Ned: �We�re going to our bedroom.� He carries her up the stairs, as she screams and kicks at him, laughing the whole time.
Alexis: �Ned! This isn�t fair! You weigh too much for me to pick up!�
Ned: (walking into their bedroom and tossing her on the bed) �Too bad.�
Alexis looks up at Ned as he stands over her. She grins like a little kid.
Alexis: �Now what?� she smiles. �Are you going to ravage me?�
Ned: �Not yet.� He picks up a pillow.
Alexis: �You wouldn�t.� she starts to sit up.
Ned: �Oh, but I would.� He swings the pillow and hits her with it.
Alexis reaches behind her and picks up another pillow. She swings it at Ned, hitting him in the stomach with it.
Ned collapses onto the bed beside her, and they roll around, hitting each other with the pillows.
Alexis: (out of breath) �Leave me alone, you bad CEO!�
Ned grabs her as the tries to jump off the bed and holds her back by the back of her black pants.
Ned: �You aren�t going anywhere.�
Alexis: (jumping on top of him) �Is that so?� she leans down and kisses him.
Ned wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her passionately.
Ned: �I love you, Brinna.�
Alexis: �I love you too, Ned.�
Ned rolls Alexis over so that she�s on the bottom. He gently lifts her shirt up and kisses her stomach.
Ned: �How�s our... son?�
Alexis: �You know, every time you say it�s a boy, you�re totally wrong.�
Ned: (trailing kisses down her abdomen) �I KNOW it�s a boy this time. Lexi, I have a feeling. It�s going to be different this time.�
Alexis: (smiling amusedly) �Okay, I�m going to believe you this time.� She strokes his hair. �Maybe the difference is because I usually don�t believe you.�
Ned: �And that, my love, is your greatest flaw.�
Alexis looks at him for a long time and then she starts laughing.
Late that night.
Alexis wakes up in Ned�s arms. His hands are resting protectively on her stomach.
* * * D R E A M * * *
The Ashtons� backyard.
Ned: �Come on, son, you can do it.�
Standing across the yard, holding a football, is a four year old boy. He has dark brown hair and a dimply smile. He looks like a miniature version of Ned.
Boy: �Daddy, I don�t know how.�
Ned: �Than I�ll teach you.� He goes to the little boy and picks him up. �That�s my job.�
Boy: �It is?� he grins at his father.
Ned: �Of course. It�s Mommy�s job to teach Hannah, Brooke and Avery how to put on makeup and get boyfriends. You�re all mine to teach.�
Boy: (as Ned tosses him in the air) �I love you, Daddy.�
Ned: (tears in his eyes) �I love you too, my sweet little boy.�
* * * E N D O F D R E A M * * *
Ned opens his eyes and focuses on Alexis, who is staring at him.
Ned: �You couldn�t sleep?�
Alexis: �I was thinking about the baby.�
Ned: �I had a dream about him.� He smiles. �He was so beautiful.�
Alexis: (snuggling close to him) �I bet he looked like you.� In a soft voice. �I had a name idea.�
Ned: �What?� he looks at her lovingly.
Alexis: �Christian.� She smiles slightly. �Since I told you on Christmas... and all... and I�ve always liked that name.�
Ned: (in a low voice) �I love it.� He thinks. �Christian.... Nathaniel.�
Alexis: �It sounds perfect.�
Ned: �Christian Nathaniel Ashton.� He gently kisses Alexis� forehead. �Perfect.�
Alexis: �A perfect name for our perfect little boy.�
Ned: (in a whisper) �But just in case... if it IS a girl...� he gently kisses her forehead. �I was thinking about the name Arianna.�
Alexis: (tears in her eyes) �After my mother?�
Ned: �Your mother was a wonderful woman.� He looks at her with pure and unadultered love. �Because she gave you to me so that I could love you.�
Alexis: (tears rolling down her face) �I think the same thing everyday.� She smiles. �My mother loved me. I know that she would be happy that I have you and our perfect little girls.� Her expression changes to one of sadness. �My mother and father were with me for four short years of my life... and the following twenty-eight were spent virtually alone.� She strokes his hair. �But you changed that, Ned Ashton, simply by loving me.�
Ned: (tears in his eyes) �What did I ever do to deserve you, Alexis Brinna?� he pulls her closer. �You make me laugh, you hold me when I hurt, you always know what I�m thinking, and most importantly, you love me, Ned Ashton, not Eddie Maine, or Edward Ashton or anyone else. You love me with no pretense, and I know that I am the luckiest man on earth to have you.�
Alexis: (in a whisper) �What did you do to deserve me?� she smiles up at him. �You were born.�
Ned: �Arianna Christine Ashton.� He gently touches her stomach. �What do you think?�
Alexis: �I love it.� She smiles. �But I think you�re right. I think it�s going to be a boy.�
Ned: �I love you.�
Alexis: �I love you too.�
They snuggle closer together and slowly fall asleep, Ned�s arm protectively wrapped around Alexis� waist, and his free hand holding hers.
Wyndemere.
Emily and Nikolas are snuggled together in Nikolas� bed.
Nikolas: �And your parents didn�t care about you staying here tonight?�
Emily: �Well, I kind of gave them the impression that Liz and Lucky were going to too.�
Nikolas: �Oh well.� He smiles. �But, Em, keep in mind that soon we�ll be back at school and we won�t have to sneak around all the time.�
Emily: �We made the right decision... and waited until the perfect time.�
Nikolas: �So, Ms. Quartermaine, I meet your approval?�
Emily: �Well, seeing that you�re the first man I have ever slept with, I�d rate you as perfect.� She smiles. �And that you were.�
Nikolas: �I love you, Emily Amber Quartermaine.�
Emily: �I love you too.� She smiles up at him. �And I�m in the mood to...�
Nikolas: �You are amazing.� He smiles. �Aren�t you tired?�
Emily: (mock pouting) �Well, fine then, Mr. I�m-in-such-great-shape, Go off and read a book or something.�
Nikolas: �I�d rather just ravage you.�
Emily: �Well, that works too.�
Nikolas: �But we have to keep it down because my father and Mackenzie are asleep.�
Emily: �Quiet can be... sexy...�
Nikolas cuts her off by kissing her hard. They begin making love again.
The Penthouse.
Julia is standing in front of the mirror, brushing her long blonde hair.
Jax: (walking up behind her) �How�s it going, sexy?�
Julia doesn�t say anything. She just smirks slightly.
Jax: �Julia? I�m talking to you.�
Julia: (laughing) �I know that... But I don�t see any sexy woman here.... just an fat pregnant woman.�
Jax: (hugging her) �Julia Michelle, you are so beautiful... and so sexy... and I will always think of you that way.� He smiles. �And how are Victoria and Tyler tonight?�
Julia: �Just fine and dandy.� She smiles up at him. �I think that they would like it if their daddy would tell them a bedtime story.� She yawns. �And so would their mommy.�
Jax: �Are you tired, Princess?�
Julia: �Yeah.� She glares at him. �Mostly in part because I�m not allowed to have coffee.�
Jax: (snickering) �I don�t want to hear it.� He kisses her gently. �But we can go to bed now if you want.�
Julia: �Oh, you don�t have to go to bed now, Jax. You can get some work done if you want.�
Jax: �Are you saying that you don�t want me in bed with you?� he smiles teasingly.
Julia: �No, no, no. I just don�t want you to have to go to bed on account of me.�
Jax: �It�s midnight. We may as well go to bed.�
Without a word, he picks Julia up and carries her upstairs to their bedroom. They get into bed and turn out the lights.
Jax: (as Julia rests her head on his chest) �Well... okay... once there was a princess named Julia. She lived in a hotel room in a castle.�
Julia starts laughing. She gazes up at Jax.
Jax: �Living in a penthouse across town was a prince named Jasper. He went by the name of Jax though. When he met the princess, he instantly fell in love with her, after he invited her to the Fire and Ice Ball.�
Julia: �Ooh, I think I�ve heard this one. Doesn�t the princess fall in love with the prince at the same time?�
Jax: (kissing her forehead) �You�re right.� He smiles. �And they ended up falling deeply in love and they moved in together.� He pauses. �And then the prince asked the princess to marry him and she said yes.�
Julia: (snickering) �Yeah, but she only agreed because he had a great body.�
Jax: (trying to not laugh) �You know, if you�re going to INSULT my story, I�m not going to be so willing to tell them to you in the future.�
Julia: �I�m sorry, Sweetie. I�ll behave from now on.�
Jax: �Good girl.� He smiles. �Anyway, the prince and princess were living together in almost wedded bliss... and then... they found out that the princess was pregnant.�
At this point, Julia�s eyes begin to droop. Jax pulls her closer to him.
Jax: (in a whisper) �And they decided to name their twins Victoria and Tyler... and they were born in August, after their parents got married in a magnificently lavish wedding.� He pauses as he looks at Julia, who is almost asleep. �And they lived happily ever after.�
Julia: (mumbling) �That�s a wonderful story.�
Jax: �Thank you. I do try.�
Julia: �I love you, Jasper.�
Jax: (laughing) �Did you just call me Jasper? No one calls me that, Jules.�
Julia: (snickering) �I know. So can I call you that?�
Jax: (sighing) �I suppose. If it makes you happy, and if I can come up with some equally obnoxious name for you?�
Julia: �Fine. I only say that because there isn�t anything you can do to the name Julia.�
Jax: �Drools Jules.�
Julia: �Jax! You�re terrible! You can�t call me that!�
Jax: �Fine. I guess I�ll just stay with the name Jules. Okay?�
Julia: �It�s fine with me.� she smiles.
Jax: �Good night, Jules. I love you.�
Julia: �Good night, Jasper. I love you too.�
They snuggle closer together and slowly drift off to sleep, smiles on their faces.