Ned comes downstairs in his bathrobe to find Alexis and Emily drinking orange juice.
Ned: (grinning at them) �Well, it�s my favorite cousin and my beautiful wife! Good morning, you two.�
Emily: (to Alexis) �Is he always this big of a flirt at eight in the morning?�
Alexis: (laughing) �Yeah, that�s Don Juan De Ashton.�
Ned: (coming over and kissing Alexis) �Funny. What are you two up to so early?�
Emily: (nervously) �Nothing.� She pauses. �But I was wondering something.�
Ned: �What?� he pours himself a cup of coffee and sits down.
Emily: �I was wondering if I could stay here for a few days?�
Alexis: �Of course. Why?�
Emily: �Well, with the strike at school, I can�t go back until it�s over, and I�m sick of being at the house. Grandfather spends all day yelling about ELQ, AJ and Carly are always all over each other and I swear, Dad just needs to go to Betty Ford for detox.�
Ned: (sighing) �Ah, the Quartermaines. Summed up perfectly.� He grins. �Of course you can stay here.�
Alexis: �How come you didn�t want to stay with your mother?�
Emily: �Seeing as how she, Gregory and Morgan have become a cozy little family, I didn�t want to intrude.� She rolls her eyes. �That kid is so annoying and she acts like Mom is the angel of all.�
Ned: �You�re kidding right? You�re threatened by Morgan? A TWELVE year old?�
Emily: (defensively) �How would you like it if your mother wanted nothing to do with you because she�d found a new family?� she sounds like she�s about to cry.
Ned: �If that happened to me, I would throw a huge party. You know what I think of MY mother. She has frequent flier miles for travelling back and forth to hell.�
Alexis: (hiding a smile) �Ned, you have to understand where Emily is coming from.�
Ned: �I do, Em. But you need to know that your mother loves you a lot. And so do Alexis and I. And so does Nikolas.�
In response to his last remark, Emily blushes. Alexis frowns a little.
Ned: (looking closely at them) �Is something going on here that I should know about?�
Alexis: �It�s nothing. Don�t worry about it.�
Emily: (blurting out) �I think I�m pregnant.�
Alexis raises her eyebrows. Ned looks shocked.
Ned: �Pregnant? YOU? You�re just a little girl! You shouldn�t even be having sex!�
Emily: �I�m nineteen, Ned. That�s above the age of consent.�
Ned: �I assume that the... uh... father... would be Nikolas?�
Emily nods weakly. Ned shakes his head, half amused, half angry.
Ned: �Emily. Protection. Birth control. SAFE sex! Better yet, NO sex!�
Alexis: �Ned, she doesn�t need a lecture. I think she knows what�s going on here and feels bad enough about even maybe being pregnant.� She turns to Emily. �Em, I know that we�re not your parents, and we can�t tell you what to do.�
Emily: (softly) �I wish you were my parents.�
Alexis: �Sweetie, we love you. And we don�t want to run your life. But take this motherly advice. If you are going to engage in sex with Nikolas, or anyone else for that matter, be safe. A condom is not enough. You should get on birth control pills or something if you�re going to keep this up. You don�t want to be pregnant right now. I think that you want to wait until you�re at least old enough to legally drink.�
Emily: (softly) �Ned, are you mad at me?�
Ned: (touching her hand) �No, Emily, I�m not mad at you. And since I�m not your father, I have no right to pass judgement on you, but I am a little disappointed in you.�
Alexis: �Emily, you don�t know this, but I thought I was pregnant when I was at Harvard. I don�t think I have ever been so scared in my life as I was when I was waiting the required five minutes before the test would give me a result. The only thing I could think of was that I may have just ruined my life because I let my hormones rule me and I forgot about birth control.� She pauses. �If I had been pregnant, I would not be a lawyer right now. As a matter of fact, I would have a fifteen year old.�
Emily: (tears falling down her face) �I�m so afraid.�
Ned: �Emily, I think that you need a pregnancy test.�
Emily: (sniffling) �I bought one on the way over here.� She sniffs again. �Alexis, will you help me?�
Alexis: �Of course.�
As they get up and leave the room, Ned buries his head in his hands and shakes his head.
Meanwhile. Wyndemere.
Nikolas is sitting at the breakfast table, a blank look on his face, his food untouched.
Mackenzie: (joining him) �Nik? You okay?�
Nikolas: �Mackenzie, can we talk? I mean, without you telling my father?�
Mackenzie: (taking a sip of coffee) �Of course. I�m glad that you trust me.�
Nikolas: (in a low voice) �It�s Emily.�
Mackenzie: �What�s wrong with her?�
Nikolas: �She just seems so distant.� He blushes a little. �She never wants to spend the night and she doesn�t even want to talk to me most of the time.�
Mackenzie: (thoughtfully) �Do you love Emily, Nikolas?�
Nikolas: �Yes, I do.�
Mackenzie: �Than you need to talk to her. Tell her how you feel.�
Nikolas: �I don�t even know where she is right now.�
Mackenzie: �She�s at Ned and Alexis� house.�
Nikolas: (standing up) �Okay. Thanks, Mackenzie.�
Mackenzie watches in amusement as he leaves.
Fifteen minutes later. The Ashtons� house.
Alexis: (coming out of the bathroom) �We�re still waiting for the test results.�
Ned: (walking to her) �God, I hope that she�s not pregnant.�
Alexis: �Ned, even if she IS, remember to be supportive. She needs us right now.�
Ned: (kissing her gently) �You have great motherly instincts, Lex.� He smiles. �By the way, where�s Hannah?�
Alexis: �She�s still asleep. I think it�s because she spends the early morning hours sitting in her crib, playing with her toys.�
Ned: (grinning) �Too cute for words.� He kisses her again. �Just like her Mommy.�
Just then, Emily comes out of the bathroom, holding the test. She is very pale.
Alexis: �Sweetie, did you get a result?�
Emily: (beginning to sob) �There was two lines. I�m pregnant.�
Ned looks like he has just been punched in the stomach. Alexis� face turns white.
Ned: (whispering) �Are you sure?�
Emily nods sadly, beginning to cry harder. She is still clutching the test in her hands.
Alexis goes over to Emily and pulls her into her arms. She sobs against her.
Alexis: (soothingly) �It�s going to be okay, Emily. It will be alright.�
Ned watches them sympathetically and then goes into the bathroom to get her some tissue.
He comes out a moment later, carrying tissue and the pregnancy test box.
Ned: (looking at the box) �Em?� she doesn�t respond. �Emily?�
Emily: (sniffing) �Yeah?�
Ned: �You said two lines, right?�
Emily: �Huh?�
Ned: �Em,� he goes over to her. �According to this box, two lines means NOT pregnant.�
Alexis: (annoyed) �Ned, that isn�t funny.�
Ned: �You�re right. It isn�t. but it IS true. Emily, if your test has TWO lines on it, you�re not pregnant.�
Emily: (pulling away from Alexis) �Are you sure?� she looks at her test and then takes the box from Ned. As she looks at it, her eyes grow huge. �Oh my God.�
Ned: (beginning to smile) �Congratulations, Emily. You are NOT pregnant.�
Emily: (throwing her arms around him) �Oh my God. I�m so relieved! And so, so shocked!�
Ned: (hugging her tightly) �And I hope that this little false alarm has taught you a lesson.�
Emily: (in a low voice) �Yes Dad.� Ned looks at her, surprised. �I mean, Ned.�
Alexis: (giving Emily a hug) �I�m so glad for you, Sweetie.�
Emily: �I can�t even imagine what would have happened if I was pregnant.�
Just then, the front door opens and Nikolas walks in, having heard what Emily said.
Nikolas: �Emily, what did you just say?�
Emily: (flustered) �Nikolas. What are you doing here? And don�t you knock?�
Nikolas: �Nice to see you too. In case you want to know, I have a key.� He pauses. �Uh, Emily, why are you holding a pregnancy test in your hands?�
Emily: �Nikolas, I... well....�
Alexis: �Ned, why don�t we go upstairs and get Hannah up? I think that these two need to talk alone.�
Ned: �Good idea.�
Emily looks at Alexis gratefully as she and Ned leave the room and head upstairs.
Nikolas and Emily stare at each other for a long time.
Alexis: (as she and Ned walk into Hannah�s room) �God, I can�t imagine what would have happened if she was pregnant.�
Ned: �I think that Nikolas is in for a great shock.� He walks over to the crib, where Hannah is laying on her stomach, her eyes half closed. �Good morning, Angel.�
At the sound of her father�s voice, Hannah rolls over and smiles up at him.
Alexis: (smiling) �You can�t deny that she�s a Daddy�s girl.
Ned: (picking Hannah up) �So, Beautiful, what do you want to do today?� he pauses. �Nope, you can�t go guy watching. You�re too young.� Alexis laughs. �Nope, hang-gliding is out too. I think that Mommy would kill me.�
Alexis: �If you didn�t kill yourself first.�
Ned: �I know what you want to do today, Hannah Grace! You want to take Mommy shopping for a dress for her dinner tonight! That�s a great idea. Can I come too?�
Alexis: (laughing) �Hey, deranged husband of mine, I don�t need a dress.�
Ned: �Yes you do. I want to take you shopping and so does your daughter.� He holds Hannah out to her. �How can you say no to that face?�
Alexis: (taking Hannah) �Okay, we�ll go shopping.� She grins. �You go take a shower and I�ll get the little Princess dressed.�
Ned gives both of them a kiss and then leaves.
Twenty minutes later. Downstairs. The couch.
Nikolas: �So you�re telling me that you thought that you were pregnant and you never said anything to me about it?�
Emily: (softly) �I was afraid that you would hate me.�
Nikolas: (taking her hands in his) �Emily, I could never hate you. I love you. And if you had been pregnant, we would have dealt with it together.�
Emily: �I love you too, Nikolas, and I�m sorry that I didn�t tell you.�
Nikolas: (blushing) �I hope that this little scare didn�t turn you off to...�
Emily: (laughing) �No. not at all. But Alexis suggested that I get on birth control pills.�
Nikolas: �Speaking of Alexis, why are you here?�
Emily: �I�m living here. I am sick to death of being at home.�
Nikolas: �So if I want to see you in the middle of the night, I should throw rocks at the last window on the right, huh?�
Emily just starts laughing. Nikolas opens his arms and she falls into them. They embrace for a long time and then kiss gently.
Alexis: (coming down the stairs with Hannah) �Hey, hey. Enough with the PDA.�
Emily: (laughing) �Is it okay if I bring my stuff over later today?�
Nikolas: �I�m going to take Emily out to breakfast.�
Alexis: �It�s fine with me.�
Nikolas: (taking Hannah from her) �Don�t you look cute today, Hannah.� He looks closely at her blue denim baby Gap overalls and sky blue shirt with white stars on it. �You�re too cute for words.�
Ned: (coming downstairs in gray slacks and a cr�me shirt) �Lex, you ready to go?�
Alexis: (smoothing out a wrinkle in her black pants and white blouse) �Yeah.�
Nikolas: �See you guys later.�
They watch as Ned and Alexis leave and then leave themselves.
A half hour later. Wyndhams.
Ned and Alexis are facing off in front of a rack. Ned is holding a dress up.
Alexis: �Ned, I hate to tell you this, but if I wear a spandex and mesh black dress to this dinner, they may think that I�m a hooker.�
Ned: (pushing Hannah�s stroller) �What if I buy it for you to wear at home?�
Alexis gives him a look. He sighs. Hannah gurgles.
Ned: �You look sexy in black.�
Alexis: �I want to make a good impression. This is Jillian Garrett, you know.�
Ned: �What about red? You look really sexy in red.�
Alexis: �Sweetie, the object here is not sexy. It is professionalism.�
Ned: (laughing) �See, you just took all the fun out of it for me.�
Alexis: (holding a dress up) �What about this?�
Ned: (looking at the short rayon and silk sheath in a shade of cranberry) �I like it. It�s conservative, but short enough to show off those great legs.�
Alexis: (laughing) �See, here�s the matching jacket.� She thinks about it. �I like it. I�m going to go try it on.�
Ned: �Ooh, may I be of assistance to you in the dressing room?�
Alexis: �What do you think?� she raises her eyebrows in mock disgust.
Ned: (to Hannah) �Hannah, your mommy is such a tease.�
Alexis starts laughing and flounces off to the dressing room.
That evening. The Ashtons� house.
Alexis comes downstairs and into the kitchen, dressed in the cranberry dress and black heels. Ned looks up from feeding Hannah and whistles.
Alexis: (touching her hair, which hangs loose around her face) �Do I look okay?�
Ned: �You look amazing.�
Brooke: �You look awesome, Mommy!�
Alexis: (going over and giving her a kiss) �Thanks, Sweetie.� She looks over at Avery, who is quietly drinking a glass of milk. �Avery? How do I look?�
Avery: (not looking at her) �Pretty.�
Alexis raises her eyebrows at Ned, who shrugs. She goes over to Avery and gives her a hug and a kiss. Avery doesn�t say anything.
Alexis: �Well, I�d better get going. Call me if you need anything.�
Ned: (getting up and putting his arms around her) �I think we�ll be fine. A little pizza, a little Spice World before bed... it�ll be great.�
Alexis: (in Ned�s ear) �Don�t you dare let them stay up and watch the whole movie no matter how much they beg.�
Ned: (whispering back) �I�ll be waiting up for you.�
Alexis: �I should be home before ten.�
Ned: �That�s not what I meant. I thought that we could...�
Alexis: �Sure.� She grins at him, full dimples showing.
Ned: (kissing her on the lips) �Have fun tonight, Litigating Lexi.�
Alexis: (laughing) �That�s too bad.� She gives him a kiss, leans down to kiss Hannah and then leaves.
Brooke: (as the front door closes) �So, Daddy, can we watch the whole movie?�
Ned: �Mommy said no, Brooke.� Her face falls. �So I�ll think about it.�
Chez Plaisance. Alexis walks in to find Gregory and Mackenzie already at their table.
Mackenzie: (dressed in a navy blue satin dress with spaghetti straps) �Greetings, sis.�
Alexis: (sitting down next to her) �Hello, sis.� She grins at her. �Hi, Greg.�
Gregory: �You look very nice Alexis. Both of you do.�
Just then, Kimberly and Scott come over to the table.
Kimberly: (wearing a sleeveless linen jade green dress) �Hey guys.� She grins. �We must be on the same wavelength since we�re all wearing sleeveless dresses.�
Scott: (as they sit down) �And Greg and I are both wearing gray suits. Go figure.�
Just then, a tall man walks over to the table. Gregory rises and shakes his hand.
Gregory: �Justin, I�m glad you could make it.�
Justin: (played by Matthew Roderick, ex-Cameron, AW) �Hello, Gregory. I�m very excited about working for your law firm.�
Gregory: �Justin Vieira, I�d like you to meet Alexis Ashton, Mackenzie Cassadine, Kimberly Baldwin and Scott Baldwin.�
Justin: (shaking hands with each of them) �It�s nice to meet you all.�
Mackenzie: �It�s nice to meet you too, Justin. Gregory told us that you�re a great lawyer.�
Justin: (as they sit down) �I was wondering where the Cisnaros came from in the ABCA acronym if none of you have that last name.�
Mackenzie: �It�s my maiden name. I recently got married.�
Justin: �Oh, that�s wonderful. Congratulations.� He smiles at her and she smiles back.
Scott: �Justin, if you don�t mind my asking, why did you choose to leave White, Evans and Wardwell? They are one of the biggest law firms in Albany.�
Justin: (taking a sip of water) �To be honest, I felt like I was just one of about a hundred lawyers in the firm. The partners didn�t even know my first name.� He grins. �I like things a little more relaxed and personal.�
Kimberly: �Well, we�re a pretty relaxed law firm.�
Justin: (turning to Alexis) �Alexis, I happened to hear of a case you did about ten years ago in Manhattan? Where the eighteen year old sued his parents for incompetent child rearing and won. You were amazing in that case. I followed the whole thing.�
Alexis: (flattered) �Thank you. It�s been so long that I can barely remember it.�
Gregory: (looking at his watch) �I guess that Jillian is late.�
Justin: �I can�t believe that I�m going to be working with Jillian Garrett. She�s amazing.�
Mackenzie: (teasingly) �Ah, you�re a fan of hers?�
Justin: (blushing) �No.�
Alexis, Kimberly and Mackenzie start laughing. Justin does too.
Just then, a stunning woman in a black mesh and lycra dress comes hurrying over to the table, flipping her deep chestnut hair out of her face.
Woman: �Sorry I�m late.�
Gregory: (standing up) �Jillian, it�s nice to see you.�
Jillian: (played by Lisa Guerrero-Coles, ex-Francessa, SB) �Gregory. Nice to see you too.�
Gregory: �Jillian, meet the lawyers of ACBA, Alexis Ashton, Mackenzie Cassadine, Justin Vieira, Kimberly Baldwin and Scott Baldwin.�
Jillian: (nodding) �It�s nice to meet you all.� She shakes hands with each person before sitting down. �Sorry for being late. Traffic was a major pain.�
Kimberly: �Rush hour. It often happens downtown.�
Jillian: (flipping her hair) �That�s funny since this is such a small town.�
Kimberly and Mackenzie exchange a look.
Jillian: (tapping her fingers on the table) �Alexis... hmm... Did you used to have a different last name? I remember you from something.�
Alexis: �My maiden name is Davis.�
Jillian: �That�s it! Alexis Davis. Didn�t you totally blow a high profile case here about five years ago? Some doctor sleeping with a younger co-worker and when she called it off he sued for sexual harassment? Hmm... it was like Dorville versus Quartering.�
Alexis: (coolly) �Dorman versus Quartermaine. That was a very complicated case.�
Jillian: �What was that stupid woman thinking? She must be a real piece of work.�
Gregory: (clearing his throat) �She�s my girlfriend.�
Jillian: (blushing) �Oh. Sorry. I didn�t know.� She looks chagrined. �I really am sorry. I hope that you aren�t offended.�
Gregory: �No, it was a simple mistake.�
Waiter: (approaching) �May I take your drink orders?�
Gregory: �This is a special occasion, so we�ll have a bottle of your best champagne.�
Alexis: (shooting Mackenzie a panicked look) �And one club soda too.�
Jillian: �That�s a good girl drink if I�ve ever heard one.� She smiles slightly.
Alexis: �I�m on prescription drugs that prevent me from drinking alcohol.�
Mackenzie hides a smile. Everyone else nods understandingly.
An hour later.
Jillian: (friendly) �So, Greg, can I call you Greg?� he nods. �Okay, Greg, I was wondering about this office situation. Do we each get our own office or do we have to share?"
Kimberly: �We rented out a very large building. There are large offices for each lawyer.�
Jillian: (smiling falsely at Kimberly) �That�s great. When can I move my stuff in?�
Scott: �Well, we were thinking that both you and Justin can begin work next Wednesday after the painters finish your offices. Is that okay with you two?�
Justin: �It sounds great. I�m raring to go.�
Jillian: �I suppose. Do you mind if I bring in my decorator?�
Scott: �Go ahead.� He laughs. �As long as they don�t try to take any walls out.�
Justin: (raising his champagne glass) �Well, I would like to thank you all for this opportunity, and propose a toast to the new and improved Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates.�
Everyone: (raising their glasses) �To ACBA.�
Alexis: (to Justin) �So, where are you living, or have you found a place yet?�
Justin: (staring at Jillian, who is tossing her hair) �Huh? Oh, sorry, Alexis. Actually, I�m still looking. I am currently staying at the Port Charles Hotel. Do you know of it?�
Alexis: (smiling) �My husband owns it.�
Justin: �That must be nice.� He smiles. �How long have you been married?�
Alexis: �Almost five years.� She smiles. �He�s a wonderful man.�
Justin: �Any kids?�
Alexis: �Avery is almost six, Hannah is almost one, and we have custody of Ned�s daughter from his previous marriage. Brooke is eight.�
Justin: �How cute. I�ve always loved kids.�
Alexis: �When you get settled in, you should come have dinner with us. I�m bet that Ned and you would get along great.� She grins. �And my kids love having a new person to terrorize with their Spice Girls knowledge.�
Justin: �That would be wonderful. Thank you, Alexis.�
Mackenzie: (to Alexis) �Hey, sis, Stefan told me to remind you about next Tuesday.� She winks.
Alexis: (laughing) �Very funny. Tell him that he�s a terrible brother.�
Justin: �Are you two sisters?�
Mackenzie: �Sisters in law. It�s kind of funny. I�m Alexis� husband, Ned�s sister and I�m married to Alexis� older brother Stefan. But we prefer to call ourselves just plain sisters.�
Justin: �That�s great that you guys have family around. I�m an only child.�
Jillian: (interrupting them) �So, new guy, where�d you go to school? I�ve never heard of you.�
Justin: �I went to Columbia.� He smiles at her. �And even though you haven�t heard of me, I certainly have heard of you.�
Jillian: (sipping her champagne) �Darling, everyone has heard of me.�
Mackenzie: �If you all will excuse me, I�m going to go freshen up.�
Alexis: �I�ll join you.�
They get up and walk to the bathroom without saying a word.
Mackenzie: (as the bathroom door shuts) �What a bitch!�
Alexis: (laughing) �You mean, Ms. �I�m so perfect and everyone should bow down before me� Jillian Garrett?�
Mackenzie: �Basically.�
Alexis: �You�re right. She is a bitch. I can�t believe how stuck-up she is!�
Mackenzie: �I bet that even Kim on a bad day is better than Jillian is on a good one!� she smirks. �She should write Glen Close a thank you note because she is all over that Cruella deVille thing.�
Alexis: (laughing harder) �Mackenzie, you�re terrible!�
Mackenzie: (putting lipstick on) �But on a better note, Justin sure is nice. And cute too.�
Alexis: �He really is nice. Very polite and very eager.�
Mackenzie: �And if we�re lucky, he will make up for the ice queen. I don�t care if she is the best lawyer in the world. She has a HUGE attitude problem.�
Alexis: �Her attitude kind of reminds me of someone else when they first arrived in Port Charles. You may have heard of her. She helped Helena kidnap me.�
Mackenzie: �Very funny.� She pauses. �Was I really THAT bad?�
Alexis: �Well, you didn�t win any points when you punched me in the PC Grill, and when you kidnapped me and left me to die in an explosion, gee, Sis, I can�t imagine why we weren�t the best of friends then.� She grins.
Mackenzie: �In that case, I sincerely apologize for acting anything remotely close to Jillian to you, Lex.�
Alexis: �Mackenzie, we should at least give her a fair shot.�
Mackenzie: �Hey, I went into this with an open mind. And I made my mind up the second that she insulted you about Monica�s case.�
Alexis: �You want to know something really funny?�
Mackenzie: �What?�
Alexis: �The dress she�s wearing? Ned tried to talk me into buying the same dress earlier today and I told him that anyone who would wear that to a business dinner is a slut.�
Mackenzie: (laughing hysterically) �You�re a very smart woman, Alexis Ashton.�
Alexis: �Didn�t Harper�s Bazzar do a spread on her a few months ago? She may have an attitude problem, but she is incredibly gorgeous.�
Mackenzie: �Well, my best friend in college always said that if you didn�t have anything else going for you, looks were a decent fallback.�
Alexis: �You are so bad.� She grins. �How can I become more like you?� she looks at her watch. �How long do we have left?�
Mackenzie: �Why? Do you have hot plans for the rest of the evening?�
Alexis: �No, not really. Ned and I just wanted to spend a little time alone. We�ve been pretty busy lately.�
Mackenzie: �A kid free evening? Sounds wonderful.�
Alexis: (as they leave the bathroom) �What do you mean?�
Mackenzie: �Christabel�s been sleeping with us lately. She thinks that there is a monster in her closet so she comes and asks if she can sleep with us.� She grins. �She�s too cute to say no to, even though it often puts a damper on me and Stefan�s plans.�
Alexis: �That�s life as a parent for you. At least Christabel isn�t going through an �I hate my parents� phase. Avery is the queen of resentment lately.�
Mackenzie: (as they reach the table) �What is she resentful about?�
Alexis: �I�ve been spending a lot of time with Brooke lately.�
Jillian: �Who�s Brooke?�
Alexis: �My oldest daughter.�
Jillian: �How many kids do you have?�
Alexis: �Three daughters.�
Jillian: �Do you ALL have kids?�
Kimberly: �Scott and I have two daughters, and I have a twelve year old daughter with Gregory, and Mackenzie and her husband have a daughter... and a son.�
Jillian: �Wow. You must all feel really tied down.�
Mackenzie looks like she is going to scream. Alexis hides a smile behind her water glass.
Later that night. The Ashtons� house.
Alexis walks into the house and slams the front door shut.
Ned is sitting on the couch, watching Spice World with Brooke and Avery. Hannah is sound asleep in his arms.
Alexis: (smiling dispite her mood) �What are you two doing up?�
Brooke: �Waiting for you.�
Alexis: (giving Ned a look) �Is that so? Why?�
Brooke: �Cause we can�t go to sleep without a kiss from you, Mommy!�
Alexis: (softening) �In that case, come and give me kisses, Brooke.�
Brooke runs over and throws herself into Alexis� arms.
Alexis: (giving her a kiss) �Good night, Sweetie. I love you.�
Brooke: �I love you too, Mommy.� She runs up the stairs.
Alexis: �Avery Madelynn, don�t I get a kiss?�
Avery: (beaming) �Sure, Mommy.� She runs over to Alexis and gives her a kiss. �Good night, Mommy. I love you.�
Alexis: �I love you too, Sweetie. Have sweet dreams.�
Avery runs upstairs and Alexis turns to snarl at Ned.
Ned: (standing up and shifting Hannah) �I�m going to go get them in bed, and put Hannah in her crib. Don�t go anywhere.� He heads up the stairs.
When he returns, Alexis is still standing by the door. He gives her a guilty smile.
Ned: �Sorry about the girls not bring in bed, Lexi.�
Alexis: �That�s not what I�m mad about.�
Ned: �How was dinner?� he sits down on the couch.
Alexis: �It sucked. It worse than sucked.�
Ned: �Come over here, Princess.�
Alexis walks over to him and he pulls her into his lap and kisses her gently.
Ned: �What happened?�
Alexis: �It wasn�t that bad, I guess. I mean, Justin is really sweet. I think you�ll like him. However, JILLIAN is another story. She is the biggest bitch I have ever met, not counting your mother and Helena.�
Ned: �Why? Did she say something to you?�
Alexis: �Well, her first comment was that PC is a tiny town. From there, she went on to say that she knows me from hearing about the Dorman case that I so called �blew� five years ago and she just HAD to say that the woman involved must be a total slut, unaware that her boyfriend was sitting across the table.� She glowers. �Then she made fun of me for drinking club soda, said to all of us that we must be tied down since we have kids and then asked if she can bring her decorator to the office.�
Ned: �Sounds like an interesting woman.�
Alexis: �And to top it off, she was wearing the dress that you tried to make me buy today. You know, the mesh and spandex one?�
Ned: �You�re kidding me.� he starts laughing. �That�s too funny.�
Alexis: �And she�s so gorgeous that it makes me sick.� She sighs. �It�s been a long day.�
Ned: (kissing her gently) �Nah, no one is as gorgeous as you, Lex.� He grins. �And you know what? Beauty shines from within, and that, coupled with your physical beauty, makes you the most amazing and captivating woman in the world.�
Alexis: (snuggling into his arms) �You always know what to say. I love you, Ned.�
Ned: (holding her close) �You know what, Alexis?�
Alexis: �What?�
Ned: (smiling, full dimples showing) �I love you too.�
They both start laughing and Ned leans over to kiss Alexis. He kisses her tenderly, and then pulls away.
Alexis: �Ned? Will you hold me until the tension drains from my body?�
Ned: �Anything for you.�
They lay down on the couch and Ned puts his arms around Alexis. He kisses her and plays with her hair, as they talk softly to each other until she falls asleep.
Ned: (watching Alexis sleep) �I love you, Alexis.� His voice drops to a whisper. �You�re the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.�