Alexis wakes up in Ned�s arms on their living room floor.
Alexis: (sleepily) �Good morning, Baby.�
Ned: �Good morning, Lexi Brinna.� He kisses her gently. �Last night was amazing.�
Alexis: �Our lovemaking was out of this world.� She stretches a little, but stays in his arms. �You never cease to amaze me, Ned.�
Ned: (kissing her neck) �Want to head out of this galaxy again?�
Alexis: (grinning) �Sure.� She rolls over and winds her arms around Ned�s neck.
Just then, the phone rings.
Alexis and Ned look at each other and sigh simultaneously.
Alexis: (grabbing the phone from the table) �Hello, Ashton residence.�
Mackenzie: (her voice chipper) �Good morning, Sis!�
Alexis: (sitting up) �Tell me that this is a joke.�
Mackenzie: �What, you aren�t up yet?� she laughs. �I guess that you and Ned had a pretty wild night.�
Alexis: (laughing) �You�re the only person that I know who spends at least thirty percent of her waking time thinking about her brother�s sex life.�
Mackenzie: (snickering into the phone) �Well, I didn�t call to talk about that... however, did you and Ned end up in bed?�
Alexis: (grinning at Ned) �No, not a bed.� She starts laughing. �Mackenzie, what did you call for?�
Mackenzie: �Gregory called. He called a staff meeting for ten thirty.�
Alexis: (yawning) �What time is it?�
Mackenzie: (amused) �Nine forty five. You have exactly forty five minutes to get to the boardroom at work. Got it?�
Alexis: (as Ned sits up behind her and starts kissing her neck) �Okay... I guess...� she starts laughing as Ned sucks on her earlobe. �I�ll be there.�
Mackenzie: �Good.� She starts laughing. �And tell Ned that it�s not politically correct to try to seduce his wife while she�s on the phone.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Goodbye, Mackenzie.�
Ned: (grabbing her as she hangs up) �Now, where were we?�
Alexis: �I�m sorry, Baby, but I have to go to work.�
Ned: (whining) �Why? Can�t you call in sick?�
Alexis: (standing up) �No, and I�m going to go take a shower.� She heads up the stairs.
A few minutes later, Ned opens the shower door and steps in behind Alexis. She is putting shampoo in her hair.
Ned: (putting his arms around her from behind) �Mind if I join you?�
Alexis: (turning around) �Of course not.� She flicks some shampoo foam at him. �Provided that you don�t make me late for work.�
Ned: (smiling at her, full dimples) �I would NEVER make you late, Lex.�
Alexis: �Sure.� She smiles at him and gives him a hug. �I love you, you know.�
Ned: (holding her close) �Alexis Ashton, you make me feel like misbehaving.�
Alexis: (rinsing her hair out) �Well, can it wait until after work? Because I...�
Ned cuts her off by kissing her hard. She responds eagerly, kissing him back.
Ned: (in a low voice) �How do you feel about shower sex?�
Alexis: �I�ll tell you when we�re done.� She grins at him.
Ned instantly picks Alexis up and she wraps her legs around his waist. He enters her quickly, causing both of them to moan.
Alexis: (as he kisses her neck) �You are SUCH a bad influence on me!�
Twenty minutes later. Their bedroom.
Alexis is looking through her closet, wearing a lilac silk bra and matching panties. She sighs in frustration.
Ned: (sitting on their bed in hunter green silk boxers) �Maybe you should just wear that.�
Alexis: (sighing again) �I�m going to be late and I�m getting fat.�
Ned: �You are not.� He motions to her. �Come here.� Alexis walks over to him and he places his hands on her hipbones. �Alexis Brinna Ashton, you are the most ravishing and desirable woman in the world and everytime I look at you, I mentally undress you.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Is that so?� she grins. �I�ll take that as a compliment.�
Ned: (pulling her into his lap) �You take my breath away, you know.�
Alexis: (resting her head against his) �I love you, Ned.�
Ned: (kissing her gently) �I love you too.� He grins at her. �Now, are you SURE that you have to be at this meeting? Because I can think of better things to do.�
Alexis: �I�m sure you can.� She smiles at him. �But I have to go to work, and so do you.�
Ned: (whispering) �I�ll miss you all day.�
Alexis: �I�ll miss you too. I have a feeling that I am going to be so bored during this meeting that I may just have to imagine us making love to keep me awake.�
Ned: (flashing her a dimply smile) �I see that you have stumbled upon MY secret for staying awake during meetings.� He gives her another kiss. �Now go get dressed before I�m forced to ravage you again.�
Giving him a look that clearly gets the message across that she would rather be ravaged than get dressed, Alexis gets up and goes back to her closet. Ned just starts laughing.
Twenty minutes later. The ACBA boardroom.
Alexis comes running in eight minutes later. Scott, Kimberly, Mackenzie and Gregory are waiting for her.
Alexis: (sitting down) �I�m sorry I�m late. I... lost track of time.�
Kimberly: �I�m sure you did.� She grins.
Alexis: (blushing a little) �Anyway? Greg, why did you call this meeting?�
Gregory: �I have some very interesting news.� He smiles. �How do you guys feel about adding a new lawyer or two?�
Scott: �It depends on who the lawyers are and how good they are.�
Gregory: �What do you think of Jillian Garrett?�
Mackenzie: �You�re kidding, right?� she looks shocked. �She�s one of the hottest lawyers in the country! She never loses her cases!�
Kimberly: �She graduated summa cum lade from Yale, is 32 years old and drop dead gorgeous. I read an article about her in Law Today.�
Alexis: �Gregory, how did you manage to land her for ACBA?�
Gregory: �We met at a party in New York a few months ago. She is looking to change firms, and wants to go somewhere less big and rowdy than Green, McNeil and Brenner.�
Scott: �So, is she interested in coming here?�
Gregory: �It�s pretty much a done deal, provided that you guys are okay with it.�
Alexis: �Totally. It would boost the image of ACBA big time if Jillian Garrett worked here. Not to say that we aren�t great lawyers, but she�s...�
Mackenzie: �I agree with Alexis.�
Gregory: �All in favor?�
Everyone: �Aye.�
Kimberly: �Hey, Greg, who�s the other lawyer?�
Gregory: �He�s from Columbia University, 32 years old, very smart. His name is Vieira. Justin Vieira.�
Scott: �Never heard of him.�
Gregory: �He�s not too well known, but he is one hell of a lawyer. He wins ninety-two percent of his cases.�
Mackenzie: �Hmm... not bad. Is he nice?�
Gregory: �Very nice. Not bad looking either, I suppose. He�s young, but he has experience.�
Kimberly: �Well, it sounds like we�ve just landed two very prominent attorneys for OUR law firm.� She smiles. �Way to go, Greg!�
Gregory: �On the idea to motion to hire Justin Vieira, all in favor?�
Everyone: �Aye.�
Alexis: �When do we meet them?�
Gregory: (looking through his datebook) �How about dinner with them on Thursday?� he grins. �That gives you girls three days to buy new dresses.� He and Scott start laughing.
Kimberly: �Oh shut up, Greg.�
Alexis: �Thursday sounds fine.�
They talk for a little while longer and then head to their respective offices to start working.
An hour later. Alexis� office.
Alexis is working on her computer when her AOL IM button starts to flash. She clicks on it, smiling amusedly.
CEO4Ever: Hey gorgeous. Miss me?
IcePrincess731: More than you know. I wish you were here with me.
CEO4Ever: How was your meeting?
IcePrincess731: Interesting. We�ve just decided to hire two new lawyers. Justin Vieira, a 32 year old from Columbia Law School, and Jillian Garrett, a 32 year old from Yale.
CEO4Ever: THE Jillian Garrett? As in �Super-lawyer?� Are you serious?
IcePrincess731: Yep. Isn�t that great? Greg arranged it. BTW, Mackenzie and Stefan want to have dinner with us tonight.
CEO4Ever: Sounds fun. Where?
IcePrincess731: The Outback. Seven o�clock. You game? Mackenzie said that Diana would come with Christabel to our house and watch the girls.
CEO4Ever: Sounds great. I got to go- a meeting with some clients, but I�ll see you when I get home at five thirty. I love you, Lexi Brinna.
IcePrincess731: I love you too, Baby. See you tonight.
That evening. The Outback.
Alexis has just gotten out of her Mercedes and is smoothing a wrinkle out of her ice blue jacket that goes with a matching skirt.
Ned: (behind her) �Hello, gorgeous.�
Alexis: (turning around) �Well, if it isn�t the love of my life.� She smiles at him.
Ned puts his arms around her and gives her a kiss. Alexis eagerly reciprocates.
Alexis: (taking his hand as they pull apart) �How was your day, Baby?�
Ned: �I missed you. But other than that, it was fine.�
They walk into the Outback and are immediately taken to the table where Mackenzie and Stefan are sitting.
Stefan: (standing and kissing Alexis� cheek) �Hello, Sister.�
Ned: (giving Mackenzie a kiss on the cheek) �Hey, Sis.�
Mackenzie: (as they sit down) �I�m glad you guys could make it. We never have dinner together.�
Alexis: �You�re right. We should make this a monthly thing.�
Just then, the waiter comes over, pad and pen in hand.
Waiter: �May I take your drink order?�
Ned: �I�ll have a vodka on the rocks, please.�
Stefan: �I�ll have the same.�
Mackenzie: �A martini. Straight up.�
Alexis: �Uh... club soda, please.�
All eyes swing towards Alexis, who just shrugs. The waiter finishes writing their orders down and leaves.
Mackenzie: (leaning forward towards Alexis) �So, Lex, is there something you�d like to share with us? Like the reason why you never drink alcohol anymore?�
Alexis: �Pills. I�m on these weird pills and...� she avoids looking at Stefan. �That�s all.�
Mackenzie: �Than why can�t you look your brother in the eye? Would that be because he knows when you�re lying?�
Ned: (trying to not laugh) �Mackenzie Pamela Cassadine, don�t interrogate my wife!�
Stefan: �I think, and this is just MY opinion, that Alexis should answer the question.�
The waiter comes back just then and gives them their drinks.
Waiter: �I�ll be back in a few minutes to take your orders for your dinners.� He leaves.
Stefan: (taking a sip of his vodka) �I don�t understand why you won�t tell us what�s going on, Alexis. It�s not like you�re pregnant or anything, right?�
As soon as Stefan finishes his sentence, Alexis spits her club soda out in shock. It lands on the table, on top of her salad plate.
Mackenzie�s mouth drops open. So does Stefan�s. Ned smiles somewhat amusedly.
Mackenzie: (as Alexis opens her mouth to speak) �Save it. That little shower of club soda you just gave us answers my question.� She smiles. �Congratulations.�
Ned and Alexis exchange a look. Neither of them say anything.
Stefan: �What�s going on here?� he smiles after a minute. �Oh, I get it.�
Ned: (whispering in Alexis� ear) �We may as well say it out loud.�
Alexis: (whispering back) �Fine.� She looks at Stefan and Mackenzie. �I assume that by now you know what�s going on here?�
Mackenzie: �Of course not.� She smiles. �So when are you due?�
Alexis: (blushing a little) �September.� She smiles. �You guys are going to have a little nephew.�
Stefan: �That�s wonderful news. Have you chosen a name? Knowing you two, you already did, huh?�
Ned: �Christian Nathaniel Ashton.� He smiles. �We chose Christian because Alexis told me on Christmas night. But you can�t say anything to anyone. No one knows.�
Mackenzie: �That�s so sweet, and we won�t say anything.� Her eyes have a look of love in them. �Stefan and I have decided to start trying.�
Alexis: �That�s great!� she grins. �Wouldn�t it be great if our kids were roughly the same age?�
Mackenzie: �You, me and Julia pregnant at the same time? I don�t think that we�d be best friends anymore at the end. We�d probably kill each other.�
Ned: (laughing) �I bet that too.� He grins. �You three are too much.�
A little while later. They are all eating dinner.
Mackenzie: �Speaking of too much, we know what you two were doing during Jax and Julia�s wedding. I was wrong about the making out. But I was close.�
Ned: (innocently) �I don�t know what you�re referring to, Mackenzie.�
Stefan: �Oh, you don�t remember having sex with Alexis somewhere in Chez Plaisance?�
Alexis: (blushing profusely) �Nope. No recollection whatsoever of that happening.�
Ned: �I�m with Alexis on this one.� He grins at her. �I have no memory of having sex in the bathroom.�
Mackenzie: (chortling) �I knew it! You two are so bad!�
Alexis: (amused) �Why are you two so interested in OUR sex life? Are you looking for pointers or something?�
Stefan and Mackenzie both blush. Ned and Alexis start laughing.
Ned: �I mean, we�re more than willing to tell you whatever you want to know...�
Alexis: (interrupting him) �Ned!�
Ned: �I find it ironic. I mean, Alexis and I have a perfectly healthy sex life.� He grins. �But I�ve noticed that you never say anything about yours. Do you two even have sex?�
Mackenzie: �Ned! Stefan and I have a great love life.� She blushes. �Believe me, we do... you know... make love...often.�
Stefan: �I was just thinking that you two are more physically attracted to each other than any other couple I have ever seen.� He rolls his eyes. �It�s a wonder you get any work done.�
Ned: (smiling at Alexis) �You can say that again.�
Mackenzie: (defensively) �You know, Stefan and I could give you a run for your money.�
Alexis: �Is that so?� she looks at her brother. �Stefan? You�re quite the Casanova, aren�t you?�
Stefan: (blushing a little) �I never said that.�
Ned: �You know what? We should have a contest.�
Three pairs of eyes turn to stare at him. Mackenzie starts laughing, Stefan looks confused and Alexis looks shocked.
Alexis: �Exactly what kind of contest do you have in mind?�
Ned: �To prove who�s the sexier couple.�
Stefan: �Or more sex crazed, depending on how you look at it.�
Ned: �Alexis, forgive me in advance for saying this.�
Alexis: �Oh God. This had better not land us in jail.�
Ned: �Stefan and Mackenzie, I CHALLENGE you, on behalf of Alexis and I, to see who of the two couples, can have sex in the most PUBLIC places and not get caught in the time span of TWO DAYS.�
Stefan: �You�re joking right?�
Alexis: (at the same time) �You�re kidding, right Ned?�
Mackenzie: �Ooh, sounds like fun.� She grins at Stefan. �Stefan, the more we practice, the better chances of conceiving.�
Stefan: �I was thinking more along the lines of in our bed.�
Ned: �Oh come on Stefan. Have a little fun.�
Alexis: (almost afraid to ask) �What exactly does this contest entail? And how would we know if the other couple isn�t just making it up to win.�
Mackenzie: �Wait a sec. The most important factor here is, what do the winners get?�
Stefan: (thinking fast) �Losers have to be servants for the winners for a week and do WHATEVER they are ordered to do.�
Ned: �Ooh, I like it.�
Alexis: �I�m not completely sold on this idea.�
Mackenzie: �Which part?�
Alexis: �The entire thing.�
Ned: �Alexis, I hate to point this out, but I kind of need you in order to participate.�
Alexis: (laughing) �What if we get caught? Or arrested?�
Ned: �We won�t.� he gives her a flirty smile. �I promise, Lexi.�
Alexis: �Your promises mean nothing. Need I remind you of Mexico?�
Ned starts laughing. Alexis glares at him.
Mackenzie: �What happened in Mexico?�
Sighing, Alexis recounts the tale of the water sex, huge wave and angry Mexican people who chased them.
When she finishes, Mackenzie and Stefan are laughing so hard that they�re crying.
Ned: �Yeah, I�m glad that you�re sympathetic towards what happened to us.�
Mackenzie: (snorting) �Sorry, Ned. But it�s just so... so... YOU!�
Alexis: �However, due to the fact that Ned promised in Mexico that we wouldn�t get arrested, and we didn�t... I am willing to participate in this contest under one condition.�
Ned: �What would that be?�
Alexis: �We don�t tell anyone except in the event of a tie, we ask Jax and Julia to evaluate our overall locations and they choose a winner. Other than that, this goes no further than the four of us. Agreed?�
Ned: �Agreed.�
Mackenzie: �Agreed.�
Stefan: �Agreed.�
Alexis: (smiling) �This is going to be fun.� She leans over and whispers in Ned�s ear. �Remember Discovery Zone?� Ned grins at her. She smiles back.
Ned: (thinking) �Okay... what if, in order to make sure that the other couple is legit, we have to call the other couple on our cell phones and tell them where we are. Either before or after.�
Mackenzie: �That would work, provided that we keep our cell phones on us at all times for the two days.�
Stefan: �Okay, Ned has to call me and Alexis, you have to call Mackenzie at the same time. And no lying!�
Alexis: �When do we start?�
Ned: �Two days from now. Thursday.�
Mackenzie: �Wait, we can�t do that. Alexis and I have to meet the new lawyers for ACBA. We�re all having dinner at Chez Plaisance.�
Stefan: �What about next Tuesday?� he grins. �Lots of time to rest up between now and then.�
Ned: �That�s fine with me.�
Alexis: �Fine.�
Mackenzie: �I can�t wait.�
That night, around eleven o�clock.
The Ashtons� house, Ned and Alexis� bedroom.
Ned comes out of the bathroom to find Alexis already in bed, lying on her stomach.
Ned: (getting into bed) �Have I told you lately that I love you, Alexis?�
Alexis: (half asleep) �I love you too, Baby.�
Ned: �Are you tired or something, Lex?�
Alexis: (laughing) �In case you�ve forgotten, I�m pregnant.�
Ned: (sarcastically) �You are? Gee, I had forgotten.�
Alexis: (smiling) �Funny.�
Ned: (softly, playing with her hair) �Are you sure you�re okay with this whole contest thing? I mean, I know that you like to keep our love life just between us.�
Alexis: (dryly) �Yeah, us, everyone who was at the Nurses Ball last year and everyone who happened to be watching the news that day in Mexico and not to mention, my brother and your sister. Yep, I�d say that�s as private as you can get.�
Ned: (gently) �That�s not answering the question, Lex. I hate to think that I bullied you into saying yes.�
Alexis: (rolling over to look at him) �It�s fine with me. Really.� She grins at him, her dimples showing. �What could be more fun that spending two days making love and kicking our siblings� butts at the same time?�
Ned: (leaning over and kissing her) �I�m glad that you feel that way, Brinna.�
Alexis: (in a sexy whisper) �We should have a game plan.� She grins. �Where have you always wanted to make love to me, Ned?�
Ned: (blushing a little) �I don�t think that you want to know.�
Alexis: (whispering) �Oh, but I do.�
Ned: �Well, you know that I, actually, we, have talent for ending up on desks?� she grins at him as he goes on. �Well, I was thinking that the greatest desk to make love on would be... well, it�s at ELQ... but we would be killed if we got caught.�
Alexis: �Why do I have a feeling that you�re talking about Edward�s desk? Ned, you have got to be kidding me.�
Ned: �I think it would be fun. You could drop by to see me, and we could ever so casually take a stroll down the hall to his office and...�
Alexis: �It�s fine with me. Under one condition.�
Ned: �Anything.� He smiles at her, full dimples showing.
Alexis: �I�ve always wanted to make love in a car.�
Ned: �Say no more. Just tell me when and where.� He turns off the light.
Alexis: (snuggling up against him) �I love you, Ned Ashton. You�re everything I�ve ever wanted and never thought I could have.�
Ned: (kissing the top of her forehead) �I want you to know something. This lovemaking is not just for the contest. It�s for us too.�
Alexis: (whispering) �You know what my favorite feeling in the world is?� she looks up at him. �The way I feel after you�ve made love to me and you hold me in your arms and I can feel your warm body against mine and we just lay there.�
Ned: (whispering back) �When I hold you in my arms, I feel complete.�
Alexis: (sleepily, her eyes closing) �Promise me something.�
Ned: (pulling her closer) �Anything.�
Alexis: �Promise me that you will always make me feel this way. That you will always make me feel like I�m worth something and that you love me.�
Ned: �I could never stop loving you with all that is in me.� he whispers. �Alexis, you are the reason that I breathe.� He kisses her gently. �I love you, Sweetheart.�
They hold each other closely and begin to drift off to sleep. Just as Ned is about to fall asleep, Alexis whispers something to him.
Alexis: �What did I ever do to deserve you?�
Ned: �You were born.�
Alexis doesn�t say anything after that. Her breathing becomes lulled quickly and Ned, unable to fall asleep watches her.
The last thing that he notices before he falls asleep is that Alexis has a smile on her face.