Alexis opens the door to their condo and walks in. Sitting on the couches are Mackenzie, Julia, Kimberly and Sierra. They are sipping iced tea and laughing. They stop when they see her.
Alexis: �Okay, go ahead and make me feel self conscious.�
Julia: �Sorry. We didn�t know what state you were going to be in when you came home. You could have been really upset or really happy.�
Alexis: �Let�s go for really shocked.�
Kimberly: �What do you mean?�
Alexis: (sitting down in a chair) �Mikhail isn�t my cousin.� She pauses. �He�s my fraternal twin brother.�
Mackenzie: (shocked) �Are you serious? This isn�t another Arianna-like scheme by Helena?�
Alexis: �Nope. You said it yourself, Mackenzie, that we look like siblings.� She looks shocked. �Born on July 31, 1964, Alexis Brinna and Mikhail Estes Cassadine, to Arianna Davis Cassadine and Mikkos Cassadine.�
Sierra: �Alexis, are you okay? You look a little pale.�
Alexis: �I�m okay. Just a little shocked.�
Julia: �So you have another brother? You and Mikhail are full siblings and Stefan and Stavros are your half siblings, right?�
Mackenzie: �Yeah. Wait until Stefan finds out he has another brother.�
Alexis: (sharply) �Don�t say anything to him yet, Mackenzie! Don�t say anything to anyone yet, especially not Ned.�
Kimberly: (exchanging a look with Mackenzie) �Why don�t you want Ned to know?�
Alexis: �Ned doesn�t know everything about my family. No one does. It took me twenty-nine years to admit that Stavros raped me. There are just logistics in the Cassadine family that I never wanted to share.�
Julia: �Such as?� Alexis looks nervous. �Unless you don�t want to talk about it.�
Alexis: �I always thought we were cousins. Mikhail and I�. well�. We kind of had a little�. fling going on for a while when we were about fifteen.�
Kimberly: (carefully) �Did you and him��
Alexis: �No! But we did kiss.� She shudders. �My first kiss was with my brother!�
Sierra: �Alexis, you don�t need to be worried about what Ned will think of that. You were a kid then. He isn�t going to care.�
Kimberly: �Alexis, is the reason that you don�t want to tell him because when you thought that woman was Arianna, he basically said that you had no common sense when it came to your family and you already know that he is going to be suspicious of Mikhail?�
Alexis: �Kim, you know me way too well.� She sighs. �I don�t want my brother�s first impression of my husband to be that he is totally obnoxious, because he can be when it comes to protecting me from anyone that could be a threat.�
Mackenzie: �Alexis, I understand what you are saying. Maybe you should hold off telling him until you get home because he would be on the first plane out here and drag you back to Port Charles. You guys can sit down when you get home and have a nice long talk.�
Julia: �I agree with Mackenzie.�
Alexis: �I think that you guys are right.�
Kimberly: �Besides, we may be married, but hello, have you SEEN what your brother looks like? He is total Greek eye candy, Lex!�
Alexis: �Leave it to you to touch on the most important issue, Kim.� She grins. �Thank you.� She pauses. �But don�t start hitting on my brother. You have your own eye candy at home.�
They all start laughing.
Meanwhile. Port Charles. The Ashtons� house.
Ned is reading the newspaper on the couch when Brooke comes downstairs.
Ned: �Are you in a better mood now, Brooke?�
Brooke: (grinning) �Yep.�
Ned: �What brought on this good attitude?�
Brooke: �I talked to�. A friend.�
Ned: �A friend? Would that friend be Mommy?�
Brooke: (sheepishly) �How did you know that?�
Ned: �I picked up the phone. I was going to call Uncle Jax but you two were talking.�
Brooke: (in a small voice) �Are you mad?�
Ned: �Not at all. But next time, tell me when you�re using the phone, okay?�
Brooke: �Okay, Daddy.�
Ned: (giving her a hug) �Did you and Mommy have a nice talk?�
Brooke: �Yeah. She said she misses me too.� She pauses. �Do you miss Mommy?�
Ned: �Are you crazy? Of course I miss her.�
Brooke: �When Mommy is gone, is it weird to go to sleep without her?�
Ned: �Yeah. It�s weird being alone in that great big bed.�
Brooke: (softly) �She always gives me a goodnight kiss. But she isn�t here now.�
Ned: (pulling her into his lap) �Well, Brooke, we�ll just have to make due with butterfly kisses.�
Brooke: (enthralled) �What do you mean?�
Ned: �Since Mommy is in Hawaii, she�s going to blow a kiss into the sky and a magical butterfly will carry it all the way to Port Charles and place it on your forehead when you�re sleeping.�
Brooke: �Really?�
Ned: �Yep. And you�ll have your kiss from Mommy.�
Brooke smiles. Ned gives her a kiss on the top of her forehead.
Brooke: �I can�t wait until Mommy comes home.�
Ned: �Neither can I, Sweetie. Neither can I.�
Twelve-thirty a.m., Hawaii Time. Alexis is just climbing into her bed when the phone rings.
Alexis: (picking up the phone) �Hello?�
Ned: (softly into the phone) �Hello, beautiful. Miss me?�
Alexis: (smiling) �Very much so.� She looks at the clock. �Ned, it�s five thirty in the morning in New York and you�re up?�
Ned: (softly) �I�ve been up all night missing you and lying awake in our bed wishing that you were in my arms.�
Alexis: (whispering) �I would love to be in your arms right now, here in Maui. We could spend the night on the beach and make love all night.�
Ned: �I wish I could make love to you right now.�
Alexis: �So do I.� she pauses. �You know, we could.�
Ned: �Sorry, Lex, but my Learjet is in the shop so I can�t fly out to Maui in the next five minutes.�
Alexis: (sexily) �I meant on the phone.�
Ned: (surprised) �You mean having phone�. We�. You� never�.�
Alexis: (somewhat amused) �So is that a no?�
Ned: �No, that�s a yes, Baby. A yes with a capital Y.� he grins. �Are you alone in the room though?�
Alexis: �Yeah. Julia, Kim and I got single rooms. Sierra and Mackenzie are sharing.�
Ned: �In that case�� he pauses. �What are you wearing?�
Alexis: (giggling) �Can�t you come up with anything more interesting?�
Ned: �Okay, what are you wearing RIGHT NOW?�
Alexis: (sighing playfully) �Fine.� She grins. �I�m wearing a black silk negligee.� She looks down at her actual floral print satin boxer shorts and white tank top and smiles. �With nothing underneath. What are you wearing?�
Ned: �A smile.� He looks down at his black boxer shorts and tries to not laugh.
Alexis: (grinning) �So what are you doing to me?�
Ned: (laying down in the bed) �I�m taking off your negligee and softly kissing your body. Are you enjoying it?�
Alexis: �I�m trying to not scream.�
Ned: �I�m gently kissing your breasts.�
Alexis: (sliding a hand under the covers) �I�m sliding my hand down your body until it comes to rest on your inner thigh area.�
Ned: (sliding a hand under the covers) �I�m enjoying that very much.�
Alexis: �I�m softly kissing you and you�re moaning.�
Ned: �And you know what I�m doing to you?�
Alexis: (breathing hard) �What?�
Ned begins to whisper into the phone, causing Alexis to moan. She begins to whisper back and their game goes on for another hour or so.
An hour later.
Alexis: (lying on her back, into the phone) �God, Ned.�
Ned: (breathing hard) �Wow.�
Alexis: �That was amazing.�
Ned: �As long as we can do that again, you don�t ever have to come home.�
Alexis: �Gee, thanks.�
Ned: (looking at the clock) �I have to get up in a few minutes to get Avery and Brooke to school.�
Alexis: (laughing) �Sorry I interrupted your sleep.�
Ned: �Hey, I called you.� He grins. �And I am not tired at all.�
Alexis: (whispering) �I wish you were here.�
Ned: �I do too, Lex.�
Alexis: �I�d better let you go. You have to get the kids up.�
Ned: (reluctantly) �Okay. I�ll call you sometime either today or tomorrow.�
Alexis: �I love you, Ned.�
Ned: �I love you too, Alexis. Bye.�
Alexis: (softly) �Bye.�
After hanging up the phone, Alexis closes her eyes and soon falls into a deep sleep.
* * * F L A S H B A C K / D R E A M * * *
Fifteen year old Alexis, dressed in a long white sundress, her long auburn hair streaming down her back, races down a path to meet Mikhail at the beach.
Mikhail: (standing up as he sees her coming) �Ah, Alexis. You made it.�
Alexis: (running into his arms) �I had to sneak out. Helena is off with her servants.� She giggles. �She�s such a slut. It doesn�t take a genius to know that she�s sleeping with all of them. Stefan told me.�
Mikhail: �Forget about Helena. I�m so glad to see you.� He holds her close. �It�s been two weeks since we were last alone together.�
Alexis: �I�ve been missing you.� She raises her lips to his and they kiss gently.
Mikhail: �Alexis, do you know how beautiful you are?� he smiles at her as she blushes. �I just want to hold you and be with you and touch you��
Alexis: (shyly) �Be with and touch me how?�
Mikhail slowly reaches out and strokes her breasts. Alexis looks surprised.
Mikhail: �I want to be your lover, Alexis.�
Alexis: �Mikhail�� she pulls away from him. �This is wrong. You�re my cousin.�
Mikhail: �Not by blood. Your father and my mother are siblings. That doesn�t make us actual cousins.�
Alexis: (rolling her eyes) �Yes it does.� Her voice drops to a whisper. �I can�t be with you anymore, Mikhail. I want you too much and I know that it�s way too wrong.�
Without another word, she races off down the path leaving Mikhail staring at her.
Mikhail: (calling) �Alexis!�
Alexis doesn�t answer him. She runs as fast as she can towards the Cassadine compound.
* * * E N D O F F L A S H B A C K / D R E A M * * *
Alexis wakes up and sits up in bed, sweat on her forehead. She pushes the covers back and gets out of bed.
Racing into the bathroom, she throws up in repulsion.
The next morning. Port Charles.
Ned is sitting in his ELQ office reading a file when there is a knock at the door.
Jax: (poking his head in) �Are you up for a visit from a Tequila Brother?�
Ned: �Sure. Come on in.�
Jax: (shutting the door and flopping into a chair) �I am so lost without Julia.�
Ned: �I can�t sleep without Alexis next to me.�
Jax: �Ned, we should��
Just then, there is another knock at the door.
Ned: �Come in.�
Justin: (walking into the office) �Hey Ned. Hey Jax.� He pauses. �If I�m interrupting something important, I can come back later.�
Ned: �We�re just missing our wives. Feel free to convalesce with us.�
Justin: (sheepishly, as he sits down) �I knew I came to the right place.� He sighs. �I miss Sierra something awful.�
Jax: �I think that love�s got you around the neck, buddy.�
Justin: �I�m just so shocked that she said it back when I said I loved her.�
Ned: (sighing) �Ain�t love grand?�
Jax: (sulkily) �No. Love�s about three thousand miles away and won�t be back until next week.�
Justin: �I wish I could be in Hawaii with Sierra right now.�
Ned: (at the same time) �Maybe we should go visit them.�
Jax: �Are you insane? This is their girl bonding time.�
Ned: �But wouldn�t it be romantic if we just showed up with roses in hand to spend the rest of the week with them? I think that they�d love it.�
Justin: �I think that Ned�s right.�
Jax: (shaking his head) �Are you sure? I don�t want to be sleeping on the couch for a week when they get back.�
Justin: (ignoring him) �Should we ask Scott and Stefan to go with us?�
Ned: �They wouldn�t be able to. Stefan is in Rochester and Scott is tied up in court with Jillian this week.�
Jax: �Ned.�
Ned: (mocking him) �Jax.�
Jax: �Are you sure this is a good idea?�
Ned: �No. It isn�t a good idea.� He grins. �It�s a wonderful idea.�
Jax: �If you two are in, than I am too.�
Ned: �Great. This is going to rock!�
Justin: (grinning) �So when do we leave?�
Ned: �Well, since the ELQ jet is unavailable, ask Jax.�
Jax: �So not only am I being forced into this charade, but we�re using MY plane too?�
Ned: �Basically.�
Jax: (sighing) �How about tomorrow evening?� he pauses. �Can you get someone to watch your kids, Ned?�
Ned: (picking up the phone) �Allow me to see what Nikolas and Emily are up to for a few days.�
Early that evening. The Firehouse.
Serena comes through the door holding her backpack and sees Scott and Jillian working at the table.
Serena: �Hi, Dad! Hi, Jillian.�
Jillian: �Hi, Serena.�
Scott: (getting up and giving her a hug) �Hey, Sweet pea. Did you have fun at ballet?�
Serena: �Yeah! We worked on the pas de trios for our show next month.� She walks over to stand in front of Jillian. �Are you gonna stay for dinner, Jillian?�
Jillian: (not sure what to say) �Well, I don�t want to impose so no, probably not.�
Scott: �Why don�t you stay, Jillian? Since it�s Monday night, we�re going to have Chinese takeout. We can get you whatever you want.�
Serena: �Yeah! Stay, Jillian! Please?�
Jillian: (trying to not smile) �Okay. I�ll stay.� She pauses. �I like sesame chicken and white rice.�
Scott: �Great.� He looks at his watch. �And since it is almost five thirty, I�m going to run over and pick it up.� He hesitates. �Well, maybe I should wait another half hour since Olivia is still sleeping.�
Serena: (whining) �No, Dad, I�m hungry!�
Jillian: (slowly) �I can stay here with Serena and Olivia if you want to run over and get the food, Scott.�
Scott: (thinking about it) �If it�s alright with you, I�d really appreciate it.�
Jillian: �It�s no problem.� She smiles for the first time. �Serena and I can handle it.�
Scott smiles amusedly as Serena sits down in his now vacant chair and waves at him as he walks out the door.
Serena: (as the front door closes) �So can I ask you something?�
Jillian: (focused on her paperwork) �Sure. Why not?�
Serena: (softly) �Do you like me?�
Jillian: (looking up) �Sure, I do, Serena. Why do you ask?�
Serena: (looking away) �Never mind.�
Jillian: (curious) �No, tell me.�
Serena: �Do you want to come to my ballet? Everyone is gonna come from your work like Aunt Alexis and Aunt Mackenzie and my mom and dad and Greg and Justin and Sierra� Will you come too?�
Jillian: �Um, I�ll see if I can make it. When is it again?�
Serena: �April 13. I�m a princess.�
Jillian: �Huh?�
Serena: �For the ballet. We�re going to do �The Dancing Princesses.� I�m the littlest princess.� She grins. �It�s so cool.�
Jillian: �It sounds cool.�
Serena: �You know, my mom and my aunts always talk about you like you�re mean. I don�t think you�re mean.�
Jillian: (choosing her words carefully) �It�s just that we don�t really get along at work.�
Serena: �Maybe you should hang out when you�re not in work and then you can be friends!�
Jillian: �Um��
Just then, Olivia starts to cry upstairs. Jillian stands up, visibly relieved.
Jillian: �Let�s go get your sister up.�
Serena stands up and heads for the stairs. She holds her hand out to Jillian.
Serena: �Let�s go together.�
Jillian looks at Serena for a minute and then takes her hand.
Jillian: �Thanks, Serena.�
Serena: �For what?�
Jillian: �Being such a cute kid.�
Serena: (grinning) �No problem.�
The next day. Maui. The beach.
Sierra and Mackenzie are lying on their chaise lounges when Julia and Kimberly come to join them.
Mackenzie: �Where�s Alexis?�
Kimberly: �She and Mikhail are off doing a sibling bonding thing down by Black Rock.�
Sierra: (looking down the beach to where Black Rock is) �So she�s over her initial shock about having a twin brother?�
Julia: �It would appear so.� She frowns. �I just hope that she doesn�t try to hide her brother from Ned.�
Kimberly: �That�s how Alexis lands herself in hot water most of the time.�
Sierra: �By doing what?�
Mackenzie: �Alexis has a tendency to keep things from Ned until something bad happens. Like when Stavros, her other half-brother, who raped her as a child, came back from the dead and bombed a restaurant we were all in.�
Sierra: �Oh my God! Were any of you hurt?�
Kimberly and Julia look at Mackenzie. None of them say anything.
Sierra: �Mackenzie?�
Mackenzie: �I got knocked out by a planter that fell on me. I was in a coma for a week.�
Sierra: (shocked) �Wow. Alexis has some family, huh?�
Kimberly: �Mackenzie and Stefan are the only normal ones. But Mikhail appears to only have one head and no fangs so far.�
Julia: �I just hope he�s a lot more honorable than the pseudo Arianna and Helena and Stavros. I don�t think Alexis could handle anything happening to her since she�s pregnant and all.�
Just then, Julia�s cell phone rings.
Mackenzie: �Oh brother. You brought your phone to the beach?�
Julia: (defensively) �Jax told me to keep it with me at all times. He worries about me.� She pushes talk on her phone. �Hello, this is Julia.�
Jax: (on the phone) �You haven�t been eaten by a shark yet?�
Julia: (laughing) �Hey, gorgeous! Miss me?�
Jax: (honestly) �Very much so. I just called to check on you.�
Julia: �Aren�t you sweet. I�m fine and so are the twins.�
Mackenzie: (yelling into the phone) �And we�re fine too. Thanks for asking.�
Jax: �Tell Mackenzie I said for her to bite me.�
Julia: (sexily) �I thought that was my job.�
Jax: �Oh yeah? Wanna tell me how you like to?�
Julia: �Not really, since I�m on a public beach with my friends sitting next to me.�
Mackenzie: (laughing) �Ooh, he must be talking about something kinky.�
Sierra and Kimberly start laughing as Julia�s face turns red.
Kimberly: �Oh, look at how her face is all red.�
Julia: (hissing) �It�s the sun.�
Sierra: �Yeah, right.�
Julia: (ignoring them, to Jax) �So are your parents still coming to visit next week?�
Jax: �Yeah. They can�t wait to see you.� He pauses. �Hey, Julia, Justin�s here and he wants to talk to Sierra for a minute, so I have to get off.�
Julia: �Okay. I�ll give her the phone.� She pauses. �I love you, Jax.�
Jax: �I love you too, Julia. I�ll talk to you soon.� He hands the phone to Justin.
Julia: (handing the phone to Sierra) �Here, lover girl, talk to your boyfriend.�
Sierra: �Hello?�
Justin: �Hey, beautiful.�
Sierra: (sighing) �Oh, Justin, I wish you were here. This beach is so beautiful.�
Justin: �I wish I could be there too.� He winks at Jax, who is standing next to him.
Sierra: (sighing again) �That would be so wonderful.�
Justin: �Hey, Sierra, I�ve got to go. Ned wants to talk to Alexis. I love you.�
Sierra: �I love you too. But Justin, Alexis isn�t��
Justin: (to Ned) �Here you go, talk to your wooommmaaannn.�
Ned: �Bite me.�
Sierra: (thrusting the phone at Mackenzie, in a whisper) �Ned wants to talk to Alexis.�
Ned: (into the phone) �Hello?�
Mackenzie: �Hey, bro!�
Ned: �Unless Alexis has started calling me brother, I�m going to assume that this is my darling little sister.�
Mackenzie: �You�re sooooo smart, Ned.� She laughs. �Do you miss me?�
Ned: �I miss Alexis.�
Mackenzie: �Do you miss anyone else?�
Ned: �Yeah. Kimberly, Julia and Sierra.�
Mackenzie: �You�re so nice. What�s your name again?�
Ned: �Touch�. Now where�s my gorgeous wife?�
Mackenzie: (giving her friends a look) �Well, she�s not here right now.�
Ned: �And where is she?�
Mackenzie: �She�s�. not here.�
Ned: �Mackenzie, stop being so blonde and tell me where Alexis is.�
Alexis: (walking up to her friends) �Hey guys, Mikhail had to go to a meeting, so I�m free to spend the rest of the day with you!�
Ned: �Mackenzie, is that Alexis?�
Mackenzie: (weakly) �Yeah.�
Ned: �Who�s Mikhail?�
Mackenzie: �Here�s Alexis.� She holds the phone out to Alexis. �Lex, Ned�s on the phone.�
Alexis: (taking it) �Hey, Sweetie. Miss me?�
Ned: �Mackenzie said you weren�t with them. Where were you?�
Alexis: (giving Mackenzie a look) �I was up at the caf� getting some iced tea.�
Ned: �Did you run into someone you know? Someone named Mikhail?�
Alexis: (forcing a laugh) �Actually, I did. One of the guys who Kim and I went to law school with is here.�
Kimberly: (to Julia) �Oh great, let her drag me into this too.�
Julia: �What are friends for?�
Ned: �Oh, well, that�s nice.� He frowns. �Well, I�ve got to get off the phone now because Jax, Justin and I are headed off on a little adventure of our own.�
Alexis: �Going off in search of strippers?�
Ned: �Not exactly.� He laughs. �Bye, Alexis.�
Alexis: �I love you.�
Ned: �Me too. Bye.� He turns the phone off and hands it back to Jax, frowning.
Jax: �What�s wrong?�
Ned: �I can tell when Alexis is hiding something from me. And she is right now.�
Justin: �Than we�d better get to Maui fast.� He grins. �So you can save her from the evil clutches of the pineapples and palm trees.�
Ned: �Very funny.� He looks at his watch. �We�d better get going. It�s time for Aloha.�
Jax: �That�s the spirit.�
Ned: (to himself) �And it�s time to find out what Alexis isn�t telling me.�