Alexis, Sierra and Mackenzie are sitting at the table, drinking coffee before the meeting.
Mackenzie: "So, how was your date, Sierra?"
Sierra: (laughing) "I already told you. It was wonderful."
Mackenzie: "Wonderful doesn't cut it, girlfriend. I want details."
Alexis: (laughing) "Sierra, don't listen to her. You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to." She smiles. "But I'm all for details too."
Sierra: "Okay, just to appease you two, dinner was wonderful. We both like the same foods, same types of wine, and we can just talk and talk for hours. He's an incredible man. We talked about everything from high school to our families. He's incredible."
Mackenzie: "Okay, we've established that Justin is a incredible man. Now, to the real issue here. Is a he an incredible kisser?"
Sierra: (blushing) "Incredible doesn't even begin to describe it." She smiles.
Alexis: "Sierra, I'm so happy for you. You two are adorable."
Sierra: "I'm really happy that I've become such good friends with you two so quickly. It's nice to have girl talk, you know?"
Mackenzie: (laughing) "Totally. Alexis, Kim and I sit around at least once a week and talk when we're supposed to be working.�
Kimberly: (coming in, hearing Mackenzie's comment) "And the guys think that we're working on some group project." She grins. "So, Sierra, how was your date?"
Sierra: (grinning) "Wonderful."
Kimberly: "I won't ask you anything more because the grin on your face says it all."
Mackenzie: (hissing) "Sierra, you didn't..."
Sierra: (cutting her off) "No! It was our FIRST date, Mackenzie! We barely know each other."
Alexis: "So are you and Justin officially dating now?"
Sierra: "That's up to Justin."
Justin: (from the doorway, at the same time) "That's up to Sierra."
Sierra: (turning around to face him) "Good morning." She smiles at him.
Justin walks over to Sierra and lightly kisses her lips. She kisses him back. Her friends smile as Justin sits down next to her and leans back in his chair.
Justin: "So, I imagine that you four are talking about our date last night, huh? Have I missed any important revelations?"
Gregory: (sticking his head in) "Sierra, there's a delivery man here for you."
Sierra: (getting up, confused) "I wonder what for? My furniture arrived last week." she leaves the room.
Alexis, Mackenzie and Kimberly look at Justin knowingly.
Kimberly: "You bought her flowers, didn't you?"
Justin: (nonchalantly) "She happened to have mentioned that she likes pink roses."
Mackenzie: "So how do you think that your date went?"
Justin: (smiling) "It was wonderful." He smiles. "Incredible."
Mackenzie starts laughing under her breath. Alexis covers her mouth to avoid laughing.
Justin: (confused) "What? Why are you two looking at me like that?"
Sierra: (coming back in with a bouquet of twelve pink roses) "Justin, I love them!"
Justin: (grinning) "I thought you would."
Sierra: "And responding to the card... I'd love to." She leans over and kisses him as she sits down.
Just then, Jillian walks in and looks at them.
Jillian: "Gag me. Why don't you get a room?"
Mackenzie: "Good morning to you too, Jillian."
Jillian: (dropping into her chair) "So you two really are dating? It'll never last."
Sierra: (dryly) "Thank you for your editorial comments, Jillian. They're so appreciated."
Scott: (coming in with Gregory) "You guys, Greg and I have wonderful news!"
Gregory: (sitting down) "We've been doing very well in the last few weeks. Kim, you won the Torres case, and Alexis got the Williamses to settle. However, we all have Jillian to thank for what we're about to say."
Scott: "Jillian, your winning that Roberts fraud case has gotten us some major publicity. We were even mentioned in the New York Times. Earlier this morning, I got a very interesting phone call from Blake Deshazer at Newsweek Magazine. They want to do a cover story on Ashton, Cisnaros and Baldwin Associates."
Alexis: (shocked) "You're kidding, right?"
Gregory: "Nope. They're planning to call the article 'Hottest Law Firm in the Country!" and want to fly out here for a photo spread next week. I said we had to talk to you guys before we came to a definite decision."
Jillian: "Why did you even bother to wait? Hell yes!"
Justin: "So they're going to interview us too?"
Scott: "They said that we're the closest thing to a real life Ally McBeal law firm. They're interested in not only our professional credentials, but how we get along as a group and the personal relationships."
Gregory: "They were quite intrigued when I told them that in our little law firm, we have a married couple, sister-in-laws, me and my two former girlfriends, one of whom is the mother of my teenage daughter, and two new lawyers who are dating each other."
Kimberly: "When you sum it up like that, we sound like a badly rated soap opera."
Mackenzie: (to Alexis) "Hey, he neglected to mention to super-bitch."
Alexis: (stifling a laugh) "He's trying so hard to be politically correct."
They look at each other and then at Jillian and both fight to keep from laughing.
That night. Around nine thirty.
Sierra is working on her laptop when the phone rings.
Sierra: "Hello?"
Justin: "Hi. It's Justin. I hope I'm not interrupting you or anything."
Sierra: (laughing) "Not at all. I was just typing up a memo to fax." She grins to herself. "I'm really glad you called. My roses are on my dresser."
Justin: "I'm glad that you like them."
Sierra: "So, what are you up to?"
Justin: "Just watching a little TV. There are Law and Order reruns on cable. I was thinking about maybe ordering some ice cream and pigging out."
Sierra: "That sounds wonderful. Would you like company?"
Justin: "Sure. Why don't I come down there? My room is a total disaster."
Sierra: "Sure. But I must warn you, I'm wearing pajamas."
Justin: "Is flannel pajama pants and an American Eagle shirt acceptable attire for me?"
Sierra: (laughing) "Come right down."
Justin: "I'll see you in a few."
Sierra: (hanging up the phone) "He is the sweetest guy."
Justin: (hanging up the phone) "She is such a sweetie."
Meanwhile. The Ashtons' house.
Alexis is wrapping some of Avery's birthday presents on the living room rug when Ned comes downstairs to join her.
Ned: (sitting down) "All three of them are sound asleep."
Alexis: "Good." She puts some ribbon on a box. "I don't want Avery to wake up and come down here while I'm wrapping her presents."
Ned: (resting his head on her shoulder) "You're such a wonderful mother. I can't believe that our baby is going to be six tomorrow. It seems like just yesterday that we were in your hospital room, watching her sleep."
* * * F L A S H B A C K * * *
Six years ago. Alexis' room at General Hospital. Three a.m.
Alexis is sitting up in her hospital bed, nursing Avery when the door opens. She grins when she sees Ned enter with a huge teddy bear in his arms.
Ned: (whispering) "How are my two princesses?" he sets down the bear and comes over to kiss both of them.
Alexis: "I can't believe that this little angel has only been alive for sixteen hours." She gently kisses Avery's head. "She's so beautiful." She looks up at Ned. "Aren't visiting hours over, Mr. Ashton?"
Ned: (kissing her forehead) "I can't sleep without my wife next to me."
Alexis: "And I can't sleep without your breathing steady in my ears."
Ned: (whispering) "I love you, Alexis. Thank you for making me a daddy."
Alexis: "I didn't do it alone, Sweetheart." She looks up at him, tears in her eyes. "Thank you for making me a Mommy, Ned. You have no idea how I feel right now. I'm joyous, overwhelmed and a little scared... This is the greatest blessing that could ever be bestowed upon me."
Ned: (kissing her gently) "You deserve everything the world has to offer you, Alexis."
Alexis: (whispering) "I'm glad you came to see me. It's awfully lonely without anyone to talk to. These last few months, our midnight talks when I couldn't sleep... when you would rub my stomach and tell me that I was beautiful when I felt like a giant cow.... I've never felt closer to you."
Ned: (putting his arms around her) "I feel closer to you than I have ever been to anyone."
Alexis: (softly) "Will you stay with me tonight?"
Ned: (holding her close) "Of course I will." Avery pulls away from Alexis and looks up at her. "Every time I look at her, I can't believe how perfect she is." He smiles at his daughter. "And being here for her birth was one of the greatest moments of my life."
Alexis: (handing Avery to him) "I know that you missed all of this when Brooke was born. I want you to know that I would never deprive you of anything with our children."
Ned: "I love you, Alexis Brinna." He leans down and kisses Avery. "And I will always love and protect you, Avery Madelynn. You two mean everything to me."
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K * * *
Alexis: (snickering) "Remember how Monica found us the next morning curled up in my bed and she accused you of endangering my health?"
Ned: (laughing) "The nerve!"
Alexis: "I can't believe that we're going to go through this again in a few months."
Ned: (laying down so that his head is in her lap and he is looking up at her) "Having children was always a dream of mine. I wanted to be able to give a child the life that I never had. The happiness and the laughter."
Alexis: (stroking his hair) "And you have. With Brooke, Hannah and Avery. And you will with Christian. I think that having a son will be good for you."
Ned: (looking at her seriously) "No matter what happens when we have a boy, I want you to know that being the only guy in a house full of beautiful women, I have felt like a king. I have an amazing family."
Alexis: (leaning down and kissing him) "I love you, Ned Ashton. You'll always be the king of my heart."
Ned sits up and putting his arms around Alexis, kisses her passionately.
A half hour later. The Port Charles Hotel. Sierra's room.
Justin and Sierra are sprawled on their stomachs on her bed, watching TV and eating ice cream.
Sierra: "I feel like I'm back in high school."
Justin: "The innocent years."
Sierra: (laughing) "Not exactly. When I had a big test to study for, my friends would come over with intentions on studying all night... but we would end up doing what you and I are doing right now."
Justin: (teasingly) "And did you graduate with honors, Ms. Hudson?"
Sierra: (proudly) "Valedictorian." She grins. "You?"
Justin: "I had to settle for salutatorian." He takes a spoonful of her ice cream. "The president of the chess team beat me by one point GPA wise."
Sierra: (leaning over to kiss him) "Oh, poor baby."
Justin: (dipping his finger in his ice cream and smearing the chocolate on her face) "Don't mock me or I will cover you with this ice cream!"
Sierra: "Justin!" she smears some of her mint chocolate chip ice cream on his cheek. "That wasn't nice at all!"
Justin: (leaning over and slowly kissing the ice cream off her face) "Was that nicer?"
Sierra: (doing the same thing to him) "Much."
Justin takes the two bowls of ice cream and sets them on the floor. He turns the TV off and then turns to Sierra. She melts into his arms and they begin kissing.
Sierra: (between kisses) "This is ludicrous. We just declared that we're dating this morning."
Justin: "So?" he kisses her neck. "It's been thirteen hours."
Sierra: (kissing him on the lips) "Good point." She moves closer to him. "This feels so right." She moans a little as he sucks on her earlobe. "And so good."
Justin: "I've never seen someone who looked sexier in flannel pajamas."
Sierra: "You look kind of cute yourself, Mr. Vieira." She kisses him again. "Very cute."
Justin: (kissing her gently) "You're an amazing woman, Sierra Hudson." He pauses and pulls away a little. "Sierra what Hudson? What's your middle name?"
Sierra: (resting her head on his chest as they lay down) "Sierra Lynn Hudson." She smiles at him. "What's your middle name?"
Justin: (holding her close) "Guess."
Sierra: "Um... Elmer."
Justin: (laughing hysterically) "Elmer? That's it. We're breaking up."
Sierra: (laughing uncontrollably) "I'm sorry. Let me have one more chance."
Justin: "Okay. But if you're wrong this time, I'm asking Jillian out."
Sierra: (kissing him quickly) "Well, we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we." She thinks about it. "Hmm.... um.... hmm.... your middle name is... um... uh... Michael."
Justin: (surprised) "How did you figure that out?"
Sierra: (happily) "I'm just smart like that."
Justin: (kissing her gently) "You sure are."
Sierra: (softly, as he holds her close) "Why do I like you so much?"
Justin: "Because I like you equally." He kisses her again. "You're an amazing woman."
Sierra looks up at Justin. He smiles at her. She smiles back.
Two thirty a.m. The Ashtons' house.
Alexis sits up in bed, fully awake. Beside her, Ned is sound asleep.
After thinking for a few moments, she gets out of bed and heads down the hall to Avery's bedroom. Entering the dark room, she goes to sit by the bed and watches her daughter sleeping.
Alexis: (softly) "Avery? Avery, baby, wake up."
Avery: (rolling over and opening her eyes halfway) "Mommy? What's going on?"
Alexis: (whispering) "Happy birthday, sweetheart."
Avery: (slightly confused) "Is it morning?"
Alexis: "Kind of. It's really, really early. I just wanted to wish my baby girl happy birthday!" she leans over and kisses her forehead. "You're six now, Avery!"
Avery: (sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes) "You woke up to say happy birthday?" her eyes get large. "Wow, Mommy! That's cool!"
Alexis puts her arms around her daughter and holds her close. Avery willingly melts into the embrace.
Avery: "I love you, Mommy. I'm sorry that I've been mean to you and Brooke and Hannah and Daddy and..."
Alexis: (hugging her and laughing) "It's okay. We forgive you." She smiles. "And I love you too." She looks at the clock. "Hey, do you want to do something really cool?"
Avery: (looking at the clock) "Mommy, it's two o'clock and thirty five. It's sleeping time!" she yawns a little and then grins. "Let's go do something fun!"
Alexis: (pulling her out from under the covers) "Okay, but only since it's your birthday."
Avery: (happily) "Where are we going?"
Alexis: "You'll see. I'm going to go make a phone call and get dressed."
Fifteen minutes later.
Alexis takes Avery by the hand and leads her out to her car. They get in and Alexis backs out of the driveway, heading downtown.
Avery: "Mommy, where are we going?"
Alexis: (grinning) "You'll see, Sweetie."
Avery: (stopping at a red light in front of the PC Hotel) "Look! It's Uncle Jax and Aunt Julia's house!" she thinks for a minute. "And Justin's house!"
Alexis: "And Sierra's house too." She smirks a little. "A lot of people we know live there, huh?"
Avery: "Mommy, are Justin and Sierra boyfriend and girlfriend like Brooke and David?"
Alexis: (smiling a little) "Not just like Brooke and David because Justin and Sierra are adults, but yes, they are boyfriend and girlfriend."
Avery: "Sierra is so pretty! I wonder if they're hanging out right now."
Alexis: (under her breath) "Who knows?"
Meanwhile. Sierra's room.
Justin and Sierra are asleep on her bed, his arms around her and her head on his chest.
Justin stirs a little and then slowly opens his eyes. As he focuses on his surroundings, his eyes grow large and he nudges Sierra gently.
Justin: "Sierra, wake up." He hisses it again. "Wake up."
Sierra: (slowly opening her eyes) "Justin?" she opens her eyes all the way and her mouth forms a little o. "What time is it?"
Justin: (softly) "Almost three." He starts to get up. "I'd better get going."
Sierra: (before she can stop herself) "No, don't." Justin looks at her, slightly surprised. "I mean, it's three o'clock and we've been sleeping peacefully for hours. Just stay here until morning, Justin. It doesn't matter to me if you're in my bed."
Justin: (in a low voice) "Are you sure."
Sierra: "We're fully clothed. I see no harm in my boyfriend staying over."
Justin: (kissing her forehead) "Well, in that case, back to sleep we go." He lays back down on the other side of the bed.
Sierra: (softly, propping herself up on an elbow) "Why are you so far away?"
Justin: "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."
Sierra: "Did I say that I felt uncomfortable, Justin?" she smiles shyly. "I was doing just fine in your arms."
Justin: "Are you sure?"
Sierra: "Well, Mr. Vieira, come over here and find out."
Justin slides over and pulls Sierra into his arms. She smiles at him. He smiles back.
General Hospital's parking garage.
Avery: "Mommy! This is a hospital! Are you sick?" she looks confused. "Am I sick?"
Alexis: (laughing) "No, no, Avery. We're here for something special."
Avery: "No 'fense, Mommy, but a hospital isn't special."
Alexis: "Hey, hey, you can't say that until you see what we're going to do."
Avery: (as they get out of the car) "Have surgery?"
Alexis just shakes her head in amusement.
Ten minutes later.
Monica: (standing by the nurses station, seeing Alexis and Avery getting out of the elevator) "Hey!"
Avery: (running towards Monica) "Aunt Monica! I'm six!"
Monica: (picking her up and hugging her) "I know! Happy birthday, Sweetie!"
Avery: "Mommy brought me here for something special." She looks at Alexis and then back at Monica, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But this is a hospital."
Monica: (laughing) "I know that, Av. And I also know that what your Mommy is going to do with you is very, very cool and very special."
Avery: "Are you sure?"
Monica: "I'm totally sure." Just then, her pager goes off and she sets Avery down. "I have to go and check on a patient, so I'll see you guys later at your party, okay?"
Avery: (happily) "Okay. Bye, Aunt Monica!" she turns to Alexis. "Give me my surprise!"
Alexis: (taking her by the hand) "Okay. We have to go to the eighth floor."
Avery: (pulling her towards the elevator) "Come on! The elevator is this way."
They get into the elevator and head up to the eighth floor. When it stops, they get out.
Avery: (as they step into the hallway) "Hey, isn't this the place where you had Hannah?"
Alexis: "You have a good memory, Avery Madelynn."
Avery: (suspiciously) "You aren't here to have another baby, are you?"
Alexis: (picking her up) "You're just as nosy as your daddy, you know."
She heads down the hall, Avery resting her head on her mother's shoulder.
Alexis: (rounding the corner) "Okay, close your eyes."
When she is sure that Avery's eyes are closed, she heads around the corner and then stops.
Alexis: "Okay. Open your eyes."
Avery: (opening her eyes to see the hospital nursery) "Wow! Look at all the babies!"
Alexis: "You know something cool, Avery?" she points. "See those babies over there? Those three babies? They were all born this morning."
Avery: (her eyes huge) "So they have my birthday too?"
Alexis: "They sure do. Isn't that cool?"
Avery: "Awesome." She looks in at all of the babies. "They're so small! Was I that small?"
Alexis: (tears in her eyes) "Six years ago today, you were as small as all of these babies."
Avery: (amazed) "I really was that small? That's so strange! Was I cute?"
Alexis: "Avery, you were the most beautiful baby I have ever seen." She hugs her tightly. "And now you are the most beautiful six year old I have ever seen."
Avery: "You're a beautiful mommy." She smiles. �The most beautifulest in the world.�
Alexis: (staring at the babies) "Thanks, Sweetie." She smiles a little. "I can still remember when you were this small."
Avery: "You can?"
Alexis: "Avery, you were my first baby. And I will never forget giving birth to you, or every day of your whole life. I promise you that."
Avery: (hugging her mother tightly) "I love you, Mommy. Thank you for bringing me here. You were right. This is special."
Alexis: "Happy birthday, Avery Madelynn."
Avery: (softly) "Thank you for having me."
Alexis: (smiling at her daughter) "No problem. It was one of the greatest joys of my life."