AN/ Hello! So if you clicked on this Thank you for giving it a chance! Thought with the drought coming up writing would help my soap needs! A few things to know about this story:

Characters currently planned to be involved are: Ava, Nikolas, Liz, Franco, Hayden, Kevin, Ryan, Laura, Julian, Valentin, Nina, Jax, Lulu and a few others.

The ships will mostly be canon to the show.

This story takes place in end of August, so please forget about anything that has happened on Gh in the last few weeks (the Wyndamere spring fling never happened, spencer never contacted nik, etc.)

This story will go back and forth between people so not every chapter is gonna include every person on story as sub points will begin to grow out later on.

There will possibly be some "flashbacks" later on, i'll say in authors notes that it'll be in italics

Lastly, i am open to any reviews, helpful critiques, ideas, etc. but BE NICE.

Thank you for reading, hoping to update frequently.

-*End of AN*-

"Was that fun?" Ava asked her young daughter as she unzipped Avery's small jacket.

Avery nodded with a smile on her face that was immediately copied by her Mother so happy to see her daughter happy. Ava tucked the child's coat into her arm and placed her hand on the side of Avery's cheek looking at her lovingly.

"Why don't you go to your room and play a bit before your Brother picks you up." She said as she stroked her cheek.

Avery did as told and ran down the long halls to the room Ava had picked for her. The room had originally been Charlotte's room so it was already perfect for a little girl. With a few touches made by Ava the room became perfectly fitting for her young daughter. Art more expensive than most people's homes on the wall Ava had sourced herself to mesh her daughter's youthful eye and her refined eye.

Ava stood up from her knees where she had been helping her daughter and watched her go down the hall almost forgetting about the man behind her. Almost.

"Avery really loves the stables." Ava told Nik although not taking her eye off her daughter until she was out of sight. "I think she also liked that you joined us, your growing on her fast."

"Avery is a great kid." Nik stated.

"She's also pretty shy despite having lots of family." Ava shrugged

"Between you and Sonny I don't know how that happened." Nik laughed.

"Is that an insult?" Ava raised her brow at the prince.

"Would I insult you, Ava?" Nik smirked at her watching as she couldn't help but give a slight smirk back at him.

"Yes." Her smirk becoming a full on smile, a slight airy laugh even making it's way out of her mouth.

Before Nikolas could even respond or playfully protest the statement a knock is heard on the door in front of them. The pair glance to each other at the same time questioningly both asking who could be at the door without even saying a thing.

"Oh my god, it could be someone who's early." Ava stated eyes getting slightly wider. "Who would be this early? The party isn't even for another hour."

Nik just shrugs at his wife. He had no idea why anyone would show up early, frankly he was surprised Ava managed to get as many people to agree to come at all let alone volunteer an extra hour.

"It must be Franco." Ava breathed out in realization. "He must wanna go over some things with the painting reveal before it all happens."

Ava goes to the door hurried as she hears another knock, this one more impatient, and opens the large doors anticipating the familiar face of her friend Franco only to be stunned.

"Hayden?" Ava says shocked.

Nikolas's head whips towards the door so quick his neck hurts. Hayden. She was here? He couldn't believe it but as he saw the brunette step past a stunned Ava into the castle he had no choice but to believe it.

Nikolas had spent so much time trying to fix his mistake. To bring Hayden home to her family, if not for Elizabeth then for his own guilt that only managed to grow. In fact when he got a lead in June he spent no time jumping on it personally. Of course Ava decided to invite herself along, "An excuse to go to Europe in June? I'm coming." While he wasn't surprised his wife would be so pushy he was shocked when Elizabeth demanded an invitation for herself and Franco as well. They ended up spending most of the month in Europe dealing with multiple problems on the quest to find Hayden only to end up empty handed. And now she was here with no effort on his part.

"What are you doing here." Ava spoke up, able to find her voice before Nikolas could obviously feeling awkward and annoyed at the woman's unexpected arrival.

"Oh relax, Ava! I'm not here for you." Hayden said making a quick glance behind her shoulder to the blonde as she turned back to Nikolas. "I'm here for my husband."