Chap 14 Alexis had pizza delivered for her and Brooke. They watched several Disney movies. Brooke asked Alexis when her daddy was suppose to be home, but Alexis didn't know so she couldn't tell her. Brooke wanted Ned to read her a bedtime story. Kristen had become very fussy and nothing Alexis seemed to do made her happy. She bathed both girls and got them both ready for bed. Lois had called to ask Ned if it was all right if Brooke-Lynn stayed with him a little while longer. The band had just booked a several month tour so she wouldn't be home and she didn't want to have to keep dropping Brooke off on the weekends or when she had to just pack up and leave, Alexis told her that was fine, but she would talk it over with Ned and have him call her back. Brooke would be starting school this year so Ned would have to get all her medical records, shoot record and stuff to register her a PC Elementary for the fall. Alexis tried Ned's cell phone for the rest of the afternoon and early evening. She called the office a few times and his secretary said that he had left late morning for a business lunch meeting he had scheduled only just that morning. Alexis asked if she knew who the meeting was with, All she said was she cleared his schedule and that he would not be back for the rest of the afternoon, and Ned didn't tell her who his meeting was with. Alexis thanked her and told her to tell Ned to call her once he got back in the office. If he came back. Brooke was playing in her room when Alexis went to tuck her in. "Where's my daddy?" Brooke asked Alexis. "Sweetheart I don't know, but as soon as he gets home I will send him up to read you a story if you haven't already fallen asleep." Alexis said before she kissed the little girl good night and tucked her in. She feed Kristen and tried to lay her down for bed. Kristen became extremely fussy. Alexis tired walking her around and rocking her. Nothing was working. She was used to her daddy singing her to sleep. She was fighting her sleep. Finally a frustrated Alexis put Kristen in her swing and turned on an "Eddie Main" CD and went to her office. Alexis sat at her desk staring at her laptop and tried to go over some notes from some of her previous trails, anything to take her mind off of the vision of Ned and Julia she saw earlier that afternoon. The screen became blurry due to the tears that had formed in Alexis eyes and that began to fall down Alexis face. She couldn't believe that Ned would do this to her or the girls. He had never lied to her before and she trusts him with her whole heart. She gave her heart to him and it seemed like in one afternoon, he had also broke it. After and hour she went back into the living room and took a sleeping Kristen out of her swing and took her to her crib up stairs. She checked on Brooke and went back down stairs and tried to watch TV. It was eleven-thirty and Alexis hadn't heard from Ned all day. Alexis had fallen asleep on the couch. At midnight Ned came quietly walking in the front door. Ned noticed the TV on and then noticed Alexis laying on the couch. He sat his briefcase down and walked over to Alexis he knelt down in front of her. He looked at her and smiled. She was so beautiful when she slept he thought. His heart was filled with so much love for her that it almost scared him. He had never loved anyone as much as he loved her. She made him happy. Lois did for a short while and he also loved her, but there was something about Alexis that no other women had touch inside him before. He knew that he would move heaven and earth for her or to be with her. Ned brushed a few stray hairs off Alexis face. He caressed her cheek causing her to stir slightly. He leaned down and kissed her cheek "Wake up sleepyhead" He said before kissing her softly on the lips. Alexis slowly opened her bloodshot eyes. Ned instantly noticed that something wasn't right about her and that she had been crying. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Why have you been crying?" Ned asked as Alexis slowly sat up not saying a word. Her eyes looked at the coffee table and 'Ned eyes followed her gaze. He noticed the crumpled paper sitting on the table with the mound of waded up tissue and looked back at Alexis. She did not look up at him. Tears began to silently fall down her cheeks. He put his hands over his face and let out a frustrated sigh "Baby,..that's not what it looks like, I swear" Ned said trying to get Alexis to look at him. She pulled away as Ned reached to lift her chin for her to look at him. "Don't touch me" She said as she wiped away a tear falling down her cheek. " I can't believe I didn't see any of the signs. Julia wanted you in Monte Carlo, she wanted you a few months ago and now she' back and she finally got you. Ned sat back sighing " Sweetheart, she hasn't gotten me. Alexis, I love you and nothing is going on between Julia and I. It's all just business.  Please believe that. I would never do that to you or the girls" Alexis ignored him and went on "I mean you have been coming home late for the past few days. Having meetings everyday and When I need to talk to you, you not in your office, I can not even get a hold of you. You don't answer your cell phone. You break a date with our daughters to spend time with that tramp, Julia. I saw you today, Ned at Café Alamar. You seemed to have been enjoying the "business" meeting. You didn't even pick up the phone to call me to tell me you weren't coming to meet us for lunch. It would have only took maybe two minutes to dial the number and tell me. Brooke wanted you there. She even made you a sandwich. It's in the kitchen if you are hungry. She was upset when you didn't show up today. These ladies at the park saw us and gave me a sympathetic look and I had no idea why, then I saw the picture in the paper and knew they pitied me, for having two small children and a cheating husband. I snapped at Brooke and made her cry. Which made me feel like total crap. She waited up all night for you to come home so you could read her a bedtime story, you never showed, so she finally settled for letting me read one to her. Kristen has been fussy all night. I bathed her, feed her and nothing worked she was wanting her daddy to sing to her. Finally I put her in her swing and turned on a "Eddie Main" CD. I put her to bed maybe a hour ago. I tired to work, but couldn't focus on my computer screen. I feel like I am raising these girls by myself lately. Their daddy has been nowhere around. He has been off enjoying life with some blonde." Ned sat there silent not knowing what to say. "So are you going to say anything in your defense?" Alexis asked Ned still not able to look at her. "I have no defense counselor. I did brake a date with you and our daughter's, I was not there for them when they needed me, or when you needed me. I am sorry that I’m making you feel like you are doing this all by yourself. But this is a major account and once it's settled I can spend all my time with you and the girls. I'll make up for lost time and take a long vacation. Ned said trying to take Alexis hand. She yanked her hand away and raised her voice "Is that all you care about, is your stupid deal? Well ya know, I dropped half of my clients because you wanted me too, I work at home so I can be here with our daughter, and be here with you cause you wanted me too. I could still be working for Sonny Corinthos and leaving you home to watch the girls by yourself. You used to not care about work so much. What's changed? Are you enjoying Julia's company? Is that it? Am I not enough for you anymore? I never in a million years would have thought that you would cheat on me, or brake our wedding vows (laughing) well maybe I could, what I was wife number ..five." Ned looked at Alexis "That was uncalled for" "Maybe" was all she said “I am going to bed. Glad to know your safe and not laying up in some hospital lying in a comma. Kristen will probably be up in about another hour, but don't bother she is sleeping with me so I'll get up and take care of her as usual. Nite." She said as she ran up the stairs crying. Ned laid his head back on the couch and let out a heavy sigh. Dragging himself off the couch he walked into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and saw the baggie with his sandwich in it the Brooke had make. He smiled once he saw the little heart shaped sandwich and the little note. "Daddy, I made this just for you! Love, Brookie" It had tiny little lip marks on it. Alexis had let her use her lipstick to kiss the paper. Ned ran his fingers across the kiss. He slowly ate the sandwich and drank a glass of milk before heading up stairs He slowly opened Brooke-Lynn's door. She was sprawled out side ways and had kicked the covers off. He laughed when he saw her. He watched her sleep for a few minutes before he walked over and kissed her on her forehead and brushed her hair out of her face. He turned her back so that she was laying on the bed and covered her back up. She rolled over and flung one arm off the bed. Ned laughed. He quietly walked out of her room closing the door behind him. He walked down the hall peeked in Kristen's room. He walked over to her empty crib and pulled out the blanket that had her initials embroidered on it. He brought it to his face taking in her sweet baby scent. He took the blanket with him. He stopped at their bedroom door and hesitated. He stood there for a few seconds before he slowly opened the door. He walked over to the bed and looked down at Alexis. Her face was tear stained and it pained him. He heard some noises coming from the other side of the bed. He walked around and smiled when he saw Kristen laying on her back sucking on her toe. She noticed him standing there and smiled a big dimpled smile back up at him. "Hey baby girl" Ned said softly. Kristen arched her back wanting him to pick her up. He bent down and picked her up. He kissed her forehead and she rubbed her little face into his shoulder. He grabbed her blanket and pacifier and heading over to his dresser and got his pajama's. As he walked out he said "I love you, Alexis" he quietly said as he shut the door and she rolled over with fresh tears in her eyes and looked at the closed door. "I love you too, Ned" As she laid there and cry herself back to sleep. Ned' walked in Kristen's room and laid Kristen in her bed as he changed clothes. He picked her up and walked downstairs to the couch. He laid down on the couch with Kristen on his chest and rubbed her back as she sucked her pacifier. He began to quietly sing to her as her eyes got heavier and heavier and she finally fell into a peaceful sleep within a few seconds Ned had followed suit.