NGBCH2

CHAPTER 2

Two weeks have passed and Alexis has tried her hardest to keep her distance from Ned. But it just seemed the harder she tried to avoid him the more they seem to run into one another, and in the oddest places.

�I�m sorry I didn�t mean to run into you�re cart like that.� Ned stated as he looked up.

�That�s ok I should have been paying more attention as well.� Alexis replied as she too looked up. �Ned, what are you doing here?�

�I decided I was sick of room service and would actually try cooking something.�

Alexis looked into his cart taking in a mental note of what he was buying.
�Ned Ashton making something other then French toast who would have thought?�

�Alexis Davis in a supermarket, who would have though?�

�I had the urge for grapes.� Alexis stated holding them up.

Ned looked down into his cart. �Well again I�m sorry about running into you like that, and I really do have to get going.�

Alexis looked around nervously. �I really have to get going myself.� Ned looked up at her. �I�m do back in court in less then an hour and I�m not even fully prepared.�

�I�m sure you�ll still annihilate them.� He stated as he walked off.

Alexis held back the tears as she watched him walk off.

~*~

Later on that day Alexis is in her Penthouse arguing with Dara on her cell phone over something to do with Sonny. She looks over and notices the picture on the mantle of Ned and Brooke-Lynn. She walks over and picks it up and the look on her face is one of pure heartbreak as she just stands there holding the photo and thinking back to the last time she saw Ned�s precious little girl.

Alexis: Oh, my goodness, Brooke-Lynn, you look like a princess in that dress.

Brooke Lynn: Thank you. Where's your dress?

Alexis: It's coming.

Emily: So, why are you holding your shoes?

Alexis: Because I'm trying to figure out how to walk in them with this in there. That's a beautiful --

Brooke-Lynn: (cutting her off and handing her the bouquet) This is for you.

Alexis: Oh, wow! Thank you very much.

Emily: And we have something else for you.

Brooke Lynn: Something blue. (She holds up a beautifully wrapped box)

Alexis: (she takes it from her and opens it) Something blue? Let me see. Let me see. Oh, this is blue all right (she holds up a blue garter) What do I do with it?

Brooke Lynn: Put it on.

Alexis: Put it on? On my leg?

Brooke-Lynn: Uh-huh.

Alexis: (she puts it on) Kind of like a bracelet for my leg, huh?

Emily: It's for luck.

Alexis: (getting down to eye level with Brooke-Lynn) Ok, I'll take it. I love this. And you know what makes my wedding so perfect? Having you in it. Would it be all right if I gave you a hug? (Brooke-Lynn shakes her head yes and they embrace) Aw, sweetie. Thank you.

Dara� screaming into Alexis ear pulled her back into the present. She puts the picture back down on the mantle and quickly finishes her conversation with Dara before hanging up and running up the stairs.

~*~

Meanwhile Ned�s thoughts about Alexis and their not wedding day still haunt him as he sits in the sound room at L&B and tries to rehearse a new song. He plays a little which helps take his mind of their not so wedding, but instead takes him back to another time and place.

Ned and Alexis are sitting in front of the fireplace; she has her knees pulled tightly to her chest as he sings to her.

A healing rain
Is falling down on me
Deep inside my soul
And I never felt so free

Ned looks deep into her eyes

I'd never change
A single thing that I've been through
'Cause every turn along the road
Led me here to you
I've never been so ready to open my heart
To give all my faith and trust

Alexis watches him, letting the lyrics wash over her.

I've never been so sure of anything before
You're everything I've been dreaming of
No, I've never been so ready for love

Alexis closes her eyes berifly and then reopens them as they look at each other lovingly.

No I've never been so ready for love.

Alexis watches him, enamored, and lowers her head as he plays the final chords. Ned turns to her, she looks up at him and the seriousness and weight of the song lingers between them.

Tears quickly fall down Ned�s face hitting his hand causing him to jump back into reality. He gets up and places the guitar down in the corner before he turns off the light sighs and leaves the room.

~*~

Alexis is upstairs in her bedroom throwing the remainder of her clothes into a suitcase. She looked at the suitcase and couldn�t help but remember her and Ned buying it because he convinced her one-day to just leave the world behind and go away with him for the weekend. Neither one of them packed anything so he took her on a wonderful shopping spree. �What am I going to do with out him?� She stated quietly as the phone rang.

Alexis laid back and reluctantly answered her phone. �Alexis Davis.�

�Well hello Natasha, for a moment there, I wasn�t sure if you were going to answer.�

Alexis sat up and her face became one of outrage. �What do you want Helena?�

�Now now Natasha don�t get testy with me.�

�I don�t have time for this what do you want.� Alexis yelled into the phone.

�I just wanted to let you know how proud I am with you.� Helena said as Alexis closed her eyes. �You made the right choice by not marrying Mr. Ashton.

�I wasn�t given much of a choice!� Alexis stated with tears in her eyes.

Helena laughed her evil laugh. �Oh dear you and I both know that�s not true.

�You would have killed Ned if I married him.�

�Not just him my dear.� Helena said. �Sleep peaceful my dear.......... You never know when it might be your last.�

Alexis couldn't hold back the tears or the frustration any longer as she threw the phone across the room. She got up off her bed and quickly continued to throw stuff in her suitcase, until nothing else would fit. Alexis looked around the room before picking up her suitcases and a picture she kept near her bed of her and Ned taken just earlier that year.

�Johnny!� Alexis yelled as she made her way down the stairs.

Johnny walked into the penthouse and Alexis ordered him to take her bags down to the lobby and haul her a cab.

Johnny asked Alexis where she was going but she never answered him. Alexis looked around the room one last time before walking over and picking up the picture of Ned and Brooke-Lynn. She placed them both in her briefcase as Johnny walked back into the room.

�You�re cab is waiting Ms. Davis.�

She turned and smiled briefly at him before handing him two envelopes.

�I need you to make sure Sonny and Chloe both get these first thing tomorrow morning.�

Johnny took the notes and nodded his head. She informed him that it was important neither one of them got the letter before then. She wanted to make sure she had amply time to leave Port Charles before anyone could try and stop her.

Alexis then handed Johnny the key to her penthouse and also told him to give it to Sonny along with the envelope and to tell him thanks for everything.

Johnny didn�t like the idea of keeping anything from Sonny but yet he still reassured Alexis that he would wait till morning. Alexis turned her back on Johnny and he stepped into the hall. He wasn�t sure what she was planning but he knew she needed to be alone with her thoughts.

~*~

Alexis stepped off the elevator to the 6th floor of the Port Charles hotel and slowly made her way down to Ned�s room. She closed her eyes once she got there and placed her forehead against his door. She took a deep breath and was just about to bend down and slip a note under his door when she felt someone�s hand on her shoulder.

�Alexis.� He said as he pulled his key out of his pocket. �What are you doing here?��

Alexis didn�t want Ned to know the really reason so she pulled out some papers marked L&B and handed them to him.

�I found this among some of my papers and since I have a meeting later in the Grill I thought I�d drop them off.

Ned unlocked the door and opened it before taking the papers from her.

�Would you care to come in?� He asked not really sure way.

Alexis could tell he was still very hurt and she couldn�t very well blame him. She looked down at the floor and shook her head no.

�Suit yourself.� Ned stated as he closed the door.

Alexis looked up and placed her hand on the door. �I love you Ned Ashton and I never meant to hurt you.� She quietly said before wiping her eyes composing herself and walking away.