Alexis woke up and realised at once that Kristina was not in her crib. Before she could panic Luke entered the room carrying the little girl.
"What are you doing?" She demanded, reaching for her daughter.
"She woke up, she needed to be changed. You're welcome."
"Sorry, I just... I woke up and she wasn't here..." Alexis faltered, realising she had over reacted.
"Relax, nobody's going to take her from you I promise." He assured her as he placed her daughter in her arms.
Meanwhile across town Ned stormed into the Quartermain living room.
"What the hell is going on?" He demanded.
"Would you like some coffee Ned?" Monica asked calmly as she handed a cup to Alan before pouring one for herself.
"What I would like," Ned began yelling at his grandfather, "is to know why you called and demanded I come over here as though I were some sort of lackey."
"This is what's going on." Edward yelled back as he tossed a newspaper to Ned. "Once again you've managed to completely mess up your life, along with your child's."
Ned looked at the newspaper which featured a photo of Alexis and Luke under the headline announcing their marriage.
"Alexis and Luke got married? That's not possible."
"I find it interesting that Alexis seems willing and able to marry any man in town who isn't you." AJ observed smiling.
"Shut up AJ."
"You know, I always thought Alexis and dear Mr Corinthos would end up together."
"Grandmother!"
"I'm sorry Ned but the man obviously adores her and what woman could resist those dimples?" She mused with a smile.
"I have dimples." Ned whined petulantly.
"It's just not the same dear."
"Would you two please stop discussing Sonny Corinthos' dimples!" Edward demanded. "Ned you need to figure out a way to get that little girl back into this house where she belongs."
"Wait just a minute Edward. That child is where she belongs, with her mother. I will not stand by and watch you kidnap yet another child. Ned if you take Kristina away from Alexis I will never forgive you."
"But Grandmother..."
"I mean it Ned. Besides which I think we both know Alexis could insure that you never saw her child again if she wanted to."
"You mean our child, don't you Grandmother?"
"Of course dear." Lila agreed with an indulgent smile.
Alexis held Kristina in one arm and began to sort through the boxes Luke had brought over from her place. She had been so exhausted the night before the hadn't bothered to go any further than locating a pair of pyjamas. Luke had pointed out several empty drawers earlier where she could put her things. She knew they had been Laura's and for some reason the idea made Alexis feel incredibly guilty. However as she continued to look through the boxes Luke had packed feelings of guilt were replaced by feelings of rage.
"I'm going to kill him." She told her daughter before heading downstairs in search of her husband.
Alexis walked into the kitchen intending to go ballistic on Luke but when she entered the room she saw Lulu was there too.
Luke smiled at Alexis and knew at once from the look on her face that she had found his surprise.
"Muffin, muffin?" He offered holding out a tray of blueberry muffins.
"They're really good." Lulu told her, Grama and I made them yesterday.
"Luke can I speak to you in private for a minute?"
"Actually we're in the middle of something..." Luke tried to stall.
"That's okay, I should get ready for school anyway." Lulu said as she exited the room.
"You bastard!" Alexis fumed as soon as Lulu was upstairs.
"Something wrong sweetheart?" Luke asked as he stuffed another muffin into his mouth.
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response, but know this, I will get you back. You won't know when, you won't know where but I will get my revenge."
"Careful, your Cassadines showing." She chose to glare rather than respond to his teasing. "Come on Natasha, lighten up." Luke suggested as he took a giggling Kristina from her mother's arms. "You thought it was funny didn't you chipmunk?" He asked. Alexis looked at her daughter who appeared quite content in Luke's company.
"Traitor." She muttered before turning around and leaving the kitchen.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"To try to find something to wear." She yelled back climbing the stairs.
"I highly recommend the black lace thing with the..."
The sound of a door slamming cut off the end of his sentence. Luke looked at Kristina and laughed, given her genes he couldn't wait to see her hit the terrible two's, now that's entertainment.
Half an hour later Alexis came back downstairs with Lulu following close behind.
"I'll take Lulu to school, thanks to you I need to run by my place and pick up a few things anyway." Alexis told him as she took Kristina from him and grabbed both their jackets.
Soon after Alexis, Kristina and Lulu left someone knocked on the door. Remembering what happened the last time this happened Luke opened the door and stepped quickly out of the way. Ned seemed to take the gesture as an invitation, storming into the house and demanding to see "his daughter."
"She's not here Ashton."
"Where is she?"
"Last I heard she was in Brooklyn, coincidentally the same place for which she was named."
"Don't get cute with me Luke, you know damn well I meant Kristina."
Luke took a breath and prepared himself for the joy of the moment. He knew all that Ned had done to Alexis over the past several months, it was time to put a stop to it.
"Oh you mean Alexis and Sonny's daughter, she's out with her mother." He commented casually.
"Alexis told you?" Ned demanded, clearly upset that Luke knew he had no real claim on Kristina.
"No, I looked at the kid. She's like a Cuban mini Alexis, it wasn't that difficult to figure out."
"Well, Alexis better hope no one else figures it out or I'll be the least of her worries."
"I think you already are."
"I mean that Sonny will be over here in five seconds should someone tell him the truth about Kristina. Therefore I think it's in everyone's best interest to keep quiet."
"I really don't think you should threaten my wife leather boy."
"You don't scare me Spencer."
Luke grinned at that.
"I'm not the one who should, though I admit I can hold my own. The thing you have to realise is that Alexis is a Cassadine, I am a Spencer, our families have spent the last several decades trying to wipe each other out. I want you to imagine for a second what would happen if we teamed up and decided to focus all that negative energy on you."
"Why are you suddenly so interested in Alexis?
"Have you seen her legs?"
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
"Alexis can't stand you. There's no way she wanted to marry you."
"You and I both know Alexis makes her own decisions. If she didn't want to marry me she would have... oh I don't know... hitched a semi or something." Luke grinned at the look on Neds face. "I realise Natasha is a hard lady to get over but its time for you to get a life buddy."
"I moved on from Alexis a long time ago."
"Yeah, with her little sister. That's now exactly a clean slate. Now you spend your days trying to gain custody of a kid whose not remotely related to you because she is Alexis' child. And your nights sleeping with a woman, who is for lack of a better term a female version of Sonny, the real father of Alexis' child. Not to mention your whole plot to take Sonny down which is as much about his relationship with Alexis as it is Kristina. Every move you've made since Natasha had the good sense to dump your ass at the altar has been about her. And people accuse me of being obsessed."
"Want me to go in with you?" Alexis asked but Lulu quickly shook her head.
"See you later."
"Bye." Lulu waved before heading into the building. Alexis smiled, perhaps she would get the hang of this Mom thing after all. Just then Kristina, who was unhappy with being left alone in the back seat let out an ear piercing scream. Stuck in a wave of traffic Alexis had no choice but to continue driving. Suddenly Alexis realised she was only five minutes from Kelly's and a much needed cup of coffee. Before long she parked the mini-van and took Kristina out of her car seat. The moment she was in her mother's arms she stopped crying and grinned, displaying her perfect dimples.
Several minutes later Alexis was gratefully enjoying her coffee, Kristina sitting happily in her lap, when a familiar voice called her name.
"What on earth possessed you to marry Luke Spencer?" He demanded.