Ned wakes up to see Alexis staring at him, a smirk on her face.
Ned: "Good morning, Beautiful. What are you smiling at?"
Alexis: (leaning over and kissing him) "You." She grins. "Did you know that you have a tendency to talk in your sleep?"
Ned: (incredulous) "I do not! I have NEVER talked in my sleep."
Alexis: (whispering) "Than I guess that you were aware of your moaning 'oh, Lex,' at three in the morning, right?"
Ned: (blushing a little) "You're lying."
Alexis: "Oh, you wish I was." She rolls over onto him and lays her head on his chest. "Were you having a dream about me, Ned?"
Ned: (in a low voice) "I always dream about you, Alexis."
Alexis: "What was the dream about?"
Ned: (stroking her hair) "We were making love... on a deserted island... you had flowers in your hair... the sun was beating down on us... it was perfect."
Alexis: (whispering) "Well, I know that this isn't an island, but..." she looks over at the clock. "We still have a half hour until the girls get up... so..."
Ned doesn't say a word. He just pulls Alexis' nightgown over her head, his lips pressing down on hers, and they begin making love.
Forty-five minutes later.
Ned and Alexis come downstairs holding hands. Ned is wearing a suit and Alexis is wearing black linen pants and a white blouse with the bottom buttons undone.
Ned: (walking into the kitchen) "What's going on here?"
Seated at the kitchen table is Avery and Brooke. Emily is standing at the stove, flipping French toast in a pan. She looks up and smiles.
Emily: "I was wondering when you two were going to get up."
Alexis: "I didn't know that you knew how to cook, Em."
Emily: "Yeah. A little here and there. I didn't want these guys to be late for school." She sets two plates down on the table.
Brooke: (taking a bite) "Emily, you're a good cook!"
Emily: "Thanks, Brooke."
Alexis: "So, Em, are you ready to put a hole in your belly button?"
Avery: (her eyes huge) "Why would you want to do that?"
Emily: "It's like getting your ears pierced, Av. Aunt Mackenzie is doing it too."
Ned: (laughing into his coffee cup) "Yeah, right. Mackenzie has a very low pain tolerance. I bet that she won't even do it."
Alexis: "Nah. I think she will. To spite Stefan, if for no other reason." She smiles.
A half hour later.
Mackenzie pulls her black Lexus into the parking lot of Big Mimi's House of Piercings.
Alexis: (pulling her sunglasses down) "You're kidding, right? THIS is it?"
Emily: "This is where my friend Jessica got her navel pierced."
Alexis: "It looks so... tacky... what if it's unsanitary?"
Mackenzie: (getting out of the car) "Then we'll leave. Come on."
She heads towards the building with Alexis and Emily following her and they go inside.
Mackenzie: (to the receptionist) "Hi, we have two navel piercings here. Me and my cousin."
Receptionist: "It will be about a twenty minute wait. Please have a seat."
Mackenzie: (as they sit down) "Lex, who don't you get a navel ring too?"
Alexis: "Ned would kill me. A tattoo is enough, thanks."
Mackenzie: "I guess you're right. I mean, I don't think that pregnant women should..." she looks at Emily and gulps. "Oops. Alexis, I am so sorry."
Emily: "Alexis, you're pregnant?"
Alexis: (nodding) "Yeah. I'm due in September." She smiles. "But you can't tell anyone."
Emily: "I'm assuming that you haven't told the family yet?"
Alexis: "No, and we would prefer not to. Ned is so angry at Edward right now."
Emily: (hugging her) "I think it's wonderful news. Congratulations, my cousin slash honorary mother."
Alexis: (laughing) "I'm too young to have a daughter your age."
Emily: (laughing) "Duh! That's why it's PRETEND."
Receptionist: "Yo! Blondie, you're first!"
Alexis and Mackenzie exchange a look. Emily stifles a laugh.
Mackenzie: "I guess that would be me." she gets up and follows the receptionist.
A few minutes later, Alexis and Emily hear a loud scream coming from the back.
Alexis: "Maybe Ned was right."
Just then, Mackenzie comes out, her face a pasty shade of white.
Emily: "Mackenzie, are you okay?"
Mackenzie: "I'm fine." She's shaking a little. "I just get a little queasy around needles."
Alexis: (relieved) "So you didn't do it?"
Mackenzie: (grinning) "Oh, don't you wish." She lifts up the hem of her lilac silk shirt to reveal a small silver navel ring. "What do you think?"
Emily: "I love it. It looks awesome."
Mackenzie: "I can't wait to cut my hair to go along with it. You guys game?"
Emily: "Yeah. I want to get my highlights touched up."
Mackenzie: "Alexis? You haven't said anything."
Alexis: "Your navel ring, I must say, is cute. And I'm willing to go to the hair place."
Receptionist: "Hey! Little girl! You're up!"
Emily rolls her eyes and follows the receptionist back to the piercing room.
Mackenzie: "Alexis, have you ever considered highlighting your hair?"
Alexis: "Nope. It never crossed my mind."
Mackenzie: (laughing) "I bet that Ned would like it if you did."
Alexis: "Ned would like a lot of things that I refuse to do."
An hour later. Brassfields' Hair Salon.
Mackenzie is sitting in a chair, a stylist cutting her long blonde locks. In the next chair, Emily is having highlights put in her chestnut hair.
Emily: "I love my navel ring, you guys! It is so cool!"
Mackenzie: "I wonder what Nikolas is going to say. I think that you and I are going to throw the Cassadine men for a major loop."
Alexis: "You're right about that." She grins at them. "Can I be there when you show Stefan?"
Emily: "Actually, Nikolas, Jax and Julia are coming over to our house tonight. Ned told me to tell you. Stefan is coming too with Christabel. It's going to be dinner."
Alexis: (panicked) "And who is supposed to cook this dinner?"
Mackenzie: "Relax, Alexis. We're having pizza."
Stylist: "You know, m�am, you would look great with blond hair."
Alexis: "Me? How much did my sister pay you to say that?"
Stylist: "No, I'm serious. You have great hair. You should play it up and make your eyes stand out more."
Alexis: "But blonde? I have auburn hair. It may look a little odd, won't it?" she looks at Mackenzie, who shrugs as more of her hair falls to the ground.
Stylist: "I was thinking of a dark blonde, bordering on gold. It would look very nice."
Alexis: "Em? Mackenzie? What do you guys think?"
Mackenzie: "You should do it. It would be awesome."
Emily: "Alexis, you should totally do it! Ned would go crazy!"
Mackenzie: �Besides, blondes have more fun!�
Alexis: (thinking about it for a minute) "Okay, what the hell. Let's do it."
Mackenzie: "Oh, you go girl!"
Alexis starts laughing as the stylist leads her to a chair.
That night. Mackenzie pulls her Lexus into the Ashtons' driveway and the three women get out, carrying shopping bags from Wyndhams.
Alexis: "Ned is going to kill me. I didn't need to go shopping."
Mackenzie: "Alexis, it is worse to not look at a sale than it is to buy a million things. Besides, you looked too cute in that silver satin skirt. Ned will love it."
Emily: "Ned loves you in anything, Alexis. You two are so cute." She heads up the driveway. "And I love your hair."
Alexis: (tossing her now dark blonde hair) "Who knew that I would end up trimming and coloring my hair today? I�ve never been a blonde. And I am liking it so far. Thanks for talking me into it." she pushes the front door open and walks in.
Sitting on the couch is Ned, Nikolas, Jax, Julia and Stefan. Ned's mouth drops open when he sees his wife. Stefan looks shocked.
Stefan: "Oh my God. You cut your hair, Mackenzie."
Mackenzie: (spinning around to show off her short hair cut in a feathery, layered style) "And that's not all." She lifts up her shirt. "What do you think?"
Seeing her navel ring, Stefan looks like he is about to pass out. Mackenzie looks worried.
Mackenzie: "Stefan?"
Stefan: (regaining his voice) "You look incredible, Mackenzie."
Mackenzie smiles at him. He smiles back.
Meanwhile, Ned gets out of his chair and walks over to Alexis. He just stares at her.
Alexis: "Ned? What do you think?"
Ned: "I am at a loss for words." He smiles at her. "You look amazing." He kisses her gently and then whispers "You didn't pierce your navel too, did you?"
Alexis: (in his ear) "No. We decided that a tattoo is enough."
Ned: (hugging her tightly) "You look so sexy, Alexis." He raises his eyebrows. "And I've always had a weakness for blondes."
Julia: (from the couch) "You can say that again!" she grins.
Alexis: (to Julia) "Hey, hey, you're married now. Leave Ned's blonde infatuation to me."
Julia: (grinning at Jax) "Be my guest." She grins. "So, Emily, I see that you have highlights." Anything else?"
Emily: (looking nervously at Nikolas) "Actually, yes." She lifts her shirt up a little, showing a navel ring identical to Mackenzie's. "Mackenzie inspired me."
Ned: (to Alexis) "You let her pierce her navel?"
Alexis: "Hey, she's not a minor. It wasn't up to me."
Jax: "I think that all three of you look great."
Mackenzie: "Why thank you, bro."
Alexis, Mackenzie and Emily go over to hug Jax and Julia.
Alexis: "Well, how was the Bahamas, you guys?"
Jax: (looking at Julia) "Wonderful. It was so perfect."
Ned: "No interesting adventures?"
Julia: "None."
Jax: (at the same time) "None." They look at each other and start laughing.
Fifteen minutes later.
The pizza has arrived and everyone is on their way into the dining room.
Nikolas grabs Emily by the hand and pulls her back for a moment.
Emily: "What's up?"
Nikolas: "I never voiced my opinion on your navel ring."
Emily: "Well, what do you think?"
Nikolas grabs her and kisses her passionately. She responds eagerly.
Nikolas: (pulling away) "Does that answer your question?"
Emily: "I'd say yes." She smiles. "I wish we could spend the night together."
Nikolas: "Me too." He smiles. "Do you want to get at room at the PC Hotel?"
Emily: (kissing him again) "I would love to." Her voice drops. "I started my prescription for birth control pills today."
Nikolas: "Even better. And we don't necessarily have to tell our parental figures where we're going."
Emily: "Oh, I think that Alexis will figure it out. She and I are pretty close." She smiles. "She's like a mother to me."
Nikolas: "She was always the closest thing I had to a mother when I was little."
Emily: (kissing him) "Well, we'd better get in there before Ned thinks that we're having couch sex."
Nikolas: "Forget about that. I just hope that the pepperoni pizza isn't all gone!"
Emily rolls her eyes and they both start laughing again as they head into the dining room.
During dinner.
Mackenzie: "Well, Jax and Julia, if you wish to reach Ned and Lex for the next two days, they'll be at our house."
Jax: "And why would that be?"
Stefan: (simply) "They're our slaves."
Julia: "Excuse me?"
Mackenzie: "They lost a bet and now they have to wait on us."
Jax: "Oh, this I would like to see."
Ned: (annoyed) "Too bad. You can't."
Stefan: "Oh, but you CAN. We were thinking of having a little dinner party on Thursday night with all of you. Our darling maid and butler can serve you."
Ned: "Like hell we will."
Mackenzie: "A bet's a bet, brother dearest. Or should we call Edward and have him refresh your memory as to WHY you lost?"
Ned: (mumbling) "That won't be necessary."
Jax: "Hey, Ned? I like my salad composed of squares of lettuce, torn up into triangles that are a forth of an inch in diameter. If it is not correct, you'll have to do it over again."
Ned: "Bite me, Jax."
Jax: "No thanks. I leave that up to Alexis."
Alexis: (blushing) "Shut up, Jax!"
Avery: "Mommy, why do you bite Daddy? Doesn't that hurt him?"
Christabel: "Mommy, do you do that to Daddy too?"
Alexis: (glaring at Jax, who along with everyone else, is in hysterics) "Girls, Uncle Jax was just being SILLY. It's just a phrase that grown-ups say. RIGHT, Uncle Jax?"
Jax: "Right." He smiles sheepishly. "I was just being silly, girls."
Ned, Stefan, Mackenzie and Julia continue to laugh. Alexis glares at them. They laugh harder. She sighs.
Later that night.
Alexis is sitting on the couch reading to Hannah when Emily comes downstairs, carrying her purse and a small black Prada backpack. She freezes when she sees Alexis.
Alexis: (not looking up from Goodnight Moon) "Going somewhere, Emily?"
Emily: "Well, I thought I'd go for a walk."
Alexis: "Maybe to the Port Charles Hotel, where Nikolas is waiting for you?"
Emily: (deflated) "How did you know that?"
Alexis: "He called to speak to you while you were in the shower. It showed up on the caller ID." She looks at her cousin's panicked face. "Emily, come sit down here. I think that we need to have a little talk."
Emily walks over to the couch and sits down without a word. She looks nervous.
Alexis: (laughing) "Now don't think that this is an interrogation, Em. I just want you to know that you don't have to sneak around like an undercover FBI agent."
Emily: (relieved) "I just don't want you to be mad at me."
Alexis: "Emily, I'm not mad at you." She thinks for a moment. "I know that you and Nikolas love each other. And I totally value the concept of love." She shrugs. "And you know what? I really do feel like you're my daughter. I wish you were. And I want you to find a love as great as mine and Ned's, and I don't want to be the person who stands in your way with Nikolas because he may be THE ONE. Do you know what I mean?"
Emily: (smiling a little) "Yes. And I love you for understanding."
Alexis: "Emily, I want you to know something. Even though I do approve of your relationship with Nikolas and all, I want you to be careful. Don't go head over feet and do something stupid. I don't want you having another pregnancy scare. Got it?"
Emily: (hugging her) "Yeah. Alexis, I just want you to know that I really do feel like you're my mother. I love you and Ned so much."
Alexis: "We love you too, Sweetie." She smiles at her. "Now get going. Nikolas is waiting for you. Have fun tonight."
Emily: "Are you sure you're okay with this?"
Alexis: "I'm most upset about having to make breakfast for the girls myself tomorrow morning." She grins. "Now get out of here."
Emily smiles at her as she leaves. As the door closes, Alexis just shakes her head.
Just then, Brooke comes down the stairs, carrying her teddy bear.
Brooke: "Hi, Mommy."
Alexis: "Hey, Sweetie. What's up?" she sets Hannah on the floor and pats the couch. "Come talk to me."
Brooke stares at Hannah for a moment, who is walking across the room.
* N O T E * Let's say for the sake of argument that Hannah has been walking for about a month, since she is eleven months old.
Brooke: "She's getting faster."
Alexis: "I know, but somehow I don't think that you're sister's walking progress is the reason you're down here. You look awfully serious."
Brooke: (sitting down, in a very small voice) "Mommy, if you and Daddy had another baby, would you still want me?"
Alexis: (shocked) "Brooke! Of course we would! You're ours forever!"
Brooke: "And you wouldn't send me back to live in Bensonhurst?"
Alexis: "Never." She looks closely at her. "Brooke, what's going on here?"
Brooke: (bursting into tears) "Some people only want three kids."
Alexis: "Brooke, where is this coming from?" she pauses. "Hannah, no, Angel. Leave the remote control alone."
Brooke: (whispering) "I heard you talking to Daddy. You're having a baby, aren't you?"
Alexis: (a little surprised) "Yes. You're going to have a little brother."
Brooke: (sobbing) "See? If you have Avery, Hannah and a new baby, you won't need me anymore. I'm not even your real daughter. You'll be too busy for four kids."
Alexis: (tears in her eyes, as she pulls Brooke into her lap) "Brooke Ashton, I want you to listen good and hard to what I'm about to say.... Hannah, Mommy said no... Brooke, do you remember how we had to go to court TWICE to get custody of you? We love you THAT much, Sweetie. And we would NEVER send you back. Daddy and I wanted you to live with us, and you are going to, unless you don't want to anymore."
Brooke: (clinging to Alexis, crying into her shirt) "I don't want to ever leave."
Alexis: (cradling her against her) "And you don't ever have to. Brooke, I want you to know that even if we have another baby, you will still be welcome here. This is your home. And we need you here to teach your brother how to play soccer when he's older."
Brooke: (sniffling) "You'll still love me, even though I'm not yours?"
Alexis: "Brooke, I may not have given birth to you, but in my heart, you ARE my daughter. And you always will be. And that's what counts."
Brooke: "I love you, Mommy."
Alexis: "I love you too, Brooke." She gives her a huge hug and a kiss. "Always and forever."
Brooke: "What are you going to name the baby?"
Alexis: "Christian. Christian Nathaniel Ashton. Do you like it?"
Brooke: "It's a cool name. It sounds like a soccer player."
Alexis: "Sweetie, can you do us a favor though? Don't tell Avery about Christian. She doesn't know yet. As a matter of fact, don't tell anyone. Can you do that?"
Brooke: "Sure, Mommy. I mean, you kept my secret about David." She smiles. "You know what? It will be cool having a brother. Another sister would make me crazy."
Alexis: (hugging her) "I think it would make Daddy crazy too." She grins. "And speaking of David, how is he?"
Brooke: (seriously) "Still really cute." She smiles. "We played kickball in gym class today and he picked me to be on his team."
Alexis: (teasingly) "Ooh, Brooke. Sounds like true love."
Brooke: "I really like him. But I don't know if I want to marry him. The last name Ashton is so much better than Fish."
Alexis: (laughing) "It's a little early to be thinking about that, Sweetie. But keep in mind that you can always keep your last name when you get married."
Ned: (coming down the stairs) "Brooke, who are you getting married to?"
Alexis: (covering for their blushing daughter) "Brooke was asking me about why I kept my maiden name at first when I married you. I was telling her that it's okay if you do."
Ned: (as Hannah throws herself around his legs) "Well, Hannah Grace, you're just turning into a little speed walker, aren't you?" she grins up at him. "And I think it's time to get you in your jammies and into bed, Angel."
Alexis: "Brooke, you need to get your homework finished now, okay? You have to be in bed soon."
Brooke: "Okay." She slides off of Alexis' lap. "Thanks for the talk, Mommy."
Alexis: "Anytime, Sweetheart."
Ned: (as Brooke runs off) "Lex, I'm going to get Hannah into bed and then I'll be back down." He smiles at her. "Unless we can bribe Emily into getting them in bed."
Alexis: "Actually, she's gone for the night. She and Nikolas have plans."
Ned: (raising his eyebrows) "Is that so?"
Alexis: "Ned, don't start. She's an adult. She makes her own choices."
Ned: (amused) "I love it when you get maternal."
Alexis: "Am I good at it?"
Ned: (coming over to kiss her) "Very." He smiles. "And after the girls are in bed, why don't you be maternal to me?"
Alexis: (amused) "Aw, Ned, do you want me to read you a story and put you to bed?"
Ned: "No, I was thinking more along the lines of you TAKE me to bed."
Alexis: "Well, that's doable too." She grins. "I won't complain about a change of plans."
An hour later.
Ned and Alexis walk out of Brooke's bedroom, shutting the door on their way out.
Alexis: (sighing in relief) "Ah, they're in bed. Now we can be alone."
Ned: (teasingly) "Until Avery needs water and Hannah needs to be changed."
Alexis: (kissing him) "Haven't you ever heard of living in the moment?" she takes him by the hand and leads him down the hall to their bedroom.
Ned: (closing and locking the door) "Do you know how much I love you?"
Alexis: (whispering) "How much?"
Ned: "This much." He leans over and kisses her passionately.
Alexis: "Make love to me, Ned."
Ned: "I guess I should, seeing as that tomorrow night, we'll either be dead tired, or in jail for killing Mackenzie and Stefan for making us be their slaves."
Alexis: (unbuttoning his shirt) "It was your idea for the slaves."
Ned: (unzipping her skirt) "And I am truly sorry for that, Alexis. I will make this up to you. I promise."
Alexis: (unzipping his pants) "I will be fun. No one ever said that we had to be cooperative slaves. We can be obnoxious and rude as long as we do what we're told."
Ned: (kissing her collarbone) "So what you're saying is that we won't go down without a fight? Because you know, Ashtons play dirty."
Alexis: (kissing him) "Very dirty, especially when we're playing with Cassadines."
They start laughing as Ned lays Alexis down on the bed and they begin making love.
I am amazed, when I look at you, I see you smiling back at me.
It's like all my dreams come true.
I am afraid if I lost you, girl. I'd fall through the cracks.
And lose my track in this crazy, lonely world.
Alexis and Ned make love as a slow and soulful dance, their eyes locked together.
Sometimes it's hard to believe, when the nights can be so long,
And faith gave me the strength and kept me holding on.
Emily and Nikolas lay in their bed at the hotel, his arms around her.
You are the love of my life, and I'm so glad you found me.
You are the love of my life, baby, put your arms around me.
I guess this is how it feels, when you finally find something real.
My angel in the night, you are my love, the love of my life.
Jax and Julia sit in their kitchen, Jax feeding Julia vanilla ice cream.
Now here you are, with midnight closing in,.
You take my hand as our shadows dance, with moonlight on your skin.
Mackenzie and Stefan stand on their balcony, his arms around her waist.
I look in your eyes, I'm lost in your kiss.
I think if I'd never met you, about all the things I'd missed.
Scott watches Kimberly sleep with Olivia on her chest, a loving smile on his face.
Sometimes it's hard to believe, when a love can be so strong.
And faith gave me the strength and kept me holding on.
Monica and Gregory stand in front of his bed, toasting each other with champagne.
You are the love of my life, and I'm so glad you found me.
You are the love of my life, baby, put your arms around me.
I guess this is how it feels, when you finally find something real.
My angel in the night, you are my love, the love of my life.
Ned and Alexis slowly start to fall asleep, Ned gently stroking Alexis' hair.
Alexis: (whispering) "Ned?"
Ned: "Yeah?"
Alexis: "Thank you for loving me."
Ned: "You're welcome. I could never not love you. You're my soul mate."
Alexis smiles sleepily at him and then closes her eyes once more.