DREAMCH8

The doctor�s office. Alexis is on the table hooked up to the machine. Ned is holding her hand and balancing Brooke with his other hand.

�Okay, Alexis the baby looks fine. Would you like to know the sex of it?� Dr. Meadows asked.

Alexis glanced at Ned and they both smiled.

�Yes.� Alexis said turning back to Dr. Meadows.

�Okay. I�ll be right back.� Dr. Meadows said laughing a little bit and she disappeared through the door.

�Well Brooke, what do you think of the baby?� Ned asked the little girl.

�I want a girl.� Brooke said matter-of-factly.

�Me too, sweetheart, me too.� Alexis said looking up at Ned.

�Okay, Alexis, here we go.� Dr. Meadow said coming back into the room and closing the door behind her. She unhooked the machine and gave Alexis a towel to wipe the gel off after she was done, Dr. Meadows continued.

�Alexis, Ned it looks as if you are going to have a girl.� Dr. Meadows said smiling.

�Yeah!� Brooke said throwing her hands in the air. Everyone laughed.

~*~

Kelly�s Diner. Ned, Alexis and Brooke are having lunch when V and Simon come in.

�Hey guys!� V said going over to their table, dragging Simon along with her.

�Hi.� Ned said.

�Join us.� Alexis said gesturing to the two other chairs avaliable at their table.

�Don�t mind if we do.� Simon said sitting down.

V laughed and sat down next to him.

�Alexis, we just came from the doctor�s!� V told her friend excitedly.

�Hey, us too.� Ned told her.

�Do you know the sex?� Alexis asked smiling at V.

�Yes, we�re having a girl.� V said adoringly.

�Oh my gosh, us too.� Alexis told her excitedly.

�Okay, this sounds like girl talk. Come on Simon.� Ned said getting up and Simon followed in suit.

�I�ll see you later.� Ned said giving Alexis a quick kiss on the lips and then he bent down and kissed Brooke on the cheek.

�Bye sweetheart.� Ned told his daughter.

�V, I have a great idea.� Alexis said after the boys were gone. She pulled Brooke onto her lap.

�What?� V inquired.

�Let�s go baby shopping tomorrow.� She said.

�Yeah.� V agreed.

�Why don�t I ask Bobbie to come with us? She has experience with this kind of stuff.� Alexis told V.

�Okay. I�ll see you tomorrow say ten o�clock at the Gatehouse?� V said.

�Sure. That�s fine.� Alexis said.

�Bye.� Brooke waved.

�Bye-bye Brooke Lynn.� V told the little girl and walked out the door.

Alexis picked Brooke up and walked up to the counter. Kelly�s was nearly empty.

�Hey Bobbie.� Alexis greeted her.

�Hi.� Bobbie said turning around.

�I have a favor to ask you but I don�t want you to relive any bad memories.� Alexis said to her.

�Okay.� Bobbie said. �Go ahead. I�ll be fine.�

�I just found out that I�m having a girl. And so is V. Tomorrow we are going baby shopping and we thought that since you�ve had experience with little girls, you could maybe help us out?� Alexis asked in a pleading tone.

�Alexis, I would love to go!� Bobbie told her. �What time?�

�10 o�clock. Are you sure? Because I didn�t know because of B.J�.� Alexis trailed off.

�Alexis, B.J. is one of my favorite memories.� Bobbie said smiling with tears in her eyes.

�Okay. Thank you.� Alexis said.

�Hi Brooke.� Bobbie said.

�Hi.� Brooke said shyly hiding her face in Alexis� hair. Brooke had become very attached to Alexis.

�I�ll see you tomorrow Bobbie.� Alexis said waving bye behind her shoulder and she walked out of Kelly�s.

~*~

The Gatehouse. V and Alexis are playing with Brooke while waiting for Bobbie to get there.

Brooke is on Alexis� lap and Alexis is holding a picture book in front of her.

�Okay, and what is this word?� Alexis said pointing.

�Baby.� Brooke said pronoucing the word correctly.

�That�s great. Very good.� Alexis encouraged her closing the book. Brooke got off Alexis lap onto the floor to play with her dolls.

�Have you thought of any names?� Alexis asked V.

�Yeah. I thought maybe Claudia or Nadine or Mary Beth.� V said. �What about you?� She asked.

Alexis looked down a little teary-eyed. �I would really like to name her Kristen. After my Mother.� She said on the verge of crying.

�Oh. That would be so sweet.� V said hugging Alexis.

�Oh gosh. I swear, these hormones-� Alexis started to say.

�I know. I know.� V said laughing.

Ned enters the living room.

�Why are you-� Ned started to say before seeing Alexis� tear stained face.

�What�s wrong?� He said rushing to her side.

�Hormones, honey.� Alexis told him.

�Alex-is�tell him.� V warned.

Alexis sent a glare in her direction.

�Okay, okay.� She said surrendering.

�Have you thought of any names for our daughter?� she asked Ned.

�Not really. Have you?� he asked.

�Yes. And I would really like to name her Kristen. After my-� Alexis started.

�After your mother.� Ned said finishing her. �That�s fine sweet heart. I like that.� He told her.

�Really? Oh thank you, thank you!� she said kissing him on the cheek.

�No problem. Now what about a middle name?� he asked her.

�How about Lila?� she suggested.

�Oh honey. I love it. Kristen Lila Ashton.� He said in awe.

Just then they heard the door open. Jerry and Bobbie entered holding hands.

�Hi! Sorry I�m late.� Bobbie appologized.

�It�s okay.� Alexis said wiping the tears off her face.

�Here.� Bobbie said handing her a tissue. Alexis gratefully accepted it.

�Hormones?� Bobbie asked.

�Yeah.� Alexis told her.

�Come on, Let�s go.� Alexis said handing Brooke to Ned.

�Lexis!� Brooke cried.

�Oh sweetie, I�m going to go out for a little bit but then I�ll be back. Soon. I promise.� She said leaning down to Brooke�s level and kissing her on the cheek.

�Ok.� Brooke agreed.

Alexis, V and Bobbie went out the door closing it behind them.

�Well, Jerry you up for some baby sitting?� Ned asked him.

�In your dreams Ashton.� Jerry said with a thick accent.

�Okay, well how about some poker?� he asked.

�Now your talking.� Jerry commented.