Everyone that Jax and Alexis knew was happily gathered at the newly reopened and renamed Metro Court for one of the biggest parties Jax had ever thrown. It was a little over the top, and Jax would be the first to admit it, but it wasn't everyday that he became a father. Sam's adoption had been finalized that morning and now the new family was celebrating with the people they loved and cared about. Sam was on cloud nine as she laughed and talked to her friends, and so were her parents. It was such a special night that the normally very tomboyish Sam was all decked out in a beautiful new dress, her dark hair done up in perfect long ringlets, her nails painted, and she was even wearing training-heels.

"She looks so happy." Bobbie said as she came up to Alexis who was watching her daughter and her new father dance.

Alexis smiled at her friend. When Sam turned up in Port Charles two years go she came as a packaged deal with Bobbie's fifteen year old daughter, Caroline, though the girl preferred to be called Carly. Alexis wasn't much for believing in the divine, but there was no other way to explain Sam and Carly meeting at a group home in Florida, becoming close, and then setting off to find their birth mothers together. Birth mothers who, it just so happened, lived in the same small New York harbor town, and were already oddly connected though family history. It had to be divine intervention because it was truly a miracle and a blessing. "She is. I'm so glad I could give her this; give her a father."

Bobbie's smile turned bittersweet. "I wish I could have done the same for Carly."

"Oh, Bobbie, I'm so sorry." Alexis said with a gentle flinch. She hadn't meant to hurt her friend's feelings, she hadn't thought before speaking. Over the last two years since their daughters came back into their lives the two women had become close, and she would never have said that if she'd taken a moment to think first.

"It's alright Alexis." Bobbie said as she put her hand on the other woman's arm. A lot can happen in a family in two years. For example a man can throw away his family for a cheap affair with his own father's wife. Bobbie should have known that Rita was trouble but she didn't see it until it was too late. While her focus had been on her three children, Tony's had been on Rita Jones, his late father's much younger widow. "I'm really glad you and Jax have worked things out and that you both are able to give that precious little girl everything she needs."

Alexis smiled warmly at Bobbie. "It's the struggles that make everything else worth so much more."

After finishing her dance with Jax Sam made a b-line for Carly who was trying to teach B.J how to do the chicken dance along with B.J's cousin Maxie. Jax had stepped away to speak with his parents, and Kristina was talking to Miguel about her summer plans while watching the room. Much to Alexis' frustration Kristina planned on spending the summer working on a album for L&B Records and doing a handful of shows in New York and California, rather then preparing to start college in the fall. Kristina was still trying to convince her overly educated sister and brother that taking her freshman courses at PCU was not going to lead her to a life of living in a trailer park with sixteen kids and a husband who looked like John Goodman. She wanted to stay in Port Charles so she could be close to her family, and she wanted to give this music thing a real chance. At least she was willing to take college classes; it was a fair compromise as far as Kristina was concerned. Alexis still refused to forgive Ned for bringing up the idea, but at least she'd stop throwing things at him every time she saw him.

The party was a private one so it was more then a little surprising to watch as Brenda Barrett stepped off the elevator. No one had seen her since she left after graduating high school; no one but Jax that is. He'd seen her in Europe and had a brief affair with her. Which is why when Kristina saw her she knew she needed to get her to leave. Everyone in Port Charles knew about her and Jax, including Sam, and she didn't want her niece's night ruined. After excusing herself to Miguel she went over to Carly and pulled her away from the little kids. She whispered in her best friend's ear and they both glared in Brenda's direction.

"Excuse me." Kristina said as she and Carly approached the dark haired young woman. "This is a private party. The restaurant is closed tonight."

Brenda smiled at the girls. "Its alright. I'm looking for Jax and they said he was up here."

"He is." Carly said in a fair less civil tone then Kristina used. "He's celebrating and you're not welcome."

Brenda looked at the seventeen year old as if she were something nasty on the bottom of her shoe. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Carly said bluntly. "He's here celebrating with his fiancée," Jax and Alexis were engaged to someday be engaged so to Carly that wasn't a lie, "And his daughter, you know, his family. So you need to leave, preferably before I have to break a nail throwing you out."

Brenda looked past Carly to see Jax across the room. He was standing with Alexis and her daughter. She watched as he picked the girl up and kissed her cheek before hugging her. She could see Alexis' arm around him, and she watched as he put the girl down and took Alexis' hand, leading her to the dance floor where he held her so lovingly in his arms. He looked so happy.

"Tonight is about my niece and her new father." Kristina said firmly. When Brenda looked at her she continued. "If you want to see Jax do it another time, not tonight, because I'll be damned if you ruin Sam's party."

"Fine." Brenda said after stealing another glance at Jax. "I know how much Sam means to him. He talked about her all the time. I can't wait to meet her, but your right, not tonight."

Carly snorted rudely as Brenda walked back to the elevator. "If she weren't such a self centered bitch she'd realized she'd met Sam more then once before she left. She should have stayed gone."

Kristina nodded. "I hope she doesn't cause trouble for my sister and Jax."

"Don't worry Kris." Carly said with her best Spencer smile. "We won't let her screw with Alexis and Jax. You have no idea how much I hate a home wrecker."

Kristina knew her friend was still blaming herself for Bobbie's marriage falling apart. Carly thought that her showing up in Bobbie's life again helped to end her mother's marriage, but it had already been unstable. "Come on. Robin and Stone are eating all the shrimp and I'm starved."

The rest of the party went off without a hitch. Which meant no one noticed the extra photographer who was taking pictures of Alexis, Kristina, Sam, Nikolas and Stefan. No one thought twice when he asked the Cassadines to gather for a group picture. Jax had hired people to take pictures and video so no one asked questions that maybe they should have.

By the end of the night Sam was exhausted and was nearly asleep in a corner where some chairs had been lined up, her head in Carly's lap and her feet in Kristina's, both teens had their heads back against the wall and their eyes closed. While Alexis, Bobbie, and Jane gathered around the girls to fawn over how cute they were; Stefan stepped over to Jax. He wanted to have a word with the man.

"Jax." Stefan said coolly.

Jax nodded at Alexis' brother as he replied, "Stefan."

"My niece looks very happy." Stefan said nonchalantly.

Jax knew there was more to what Stefan was saying then just his words. "She is happy. So are Alexis and Kristina, and I plan on keeping it that way."

"You've hurt them in the past." Stefan told the younger man as Jax turned to face him full on.

Jax didn't flinch away from Stefan. The two had ever truly gotten along, they didn't like each other, but for Alexis they put up with each other. "So have you." He said without hesitation. "But unlike you, even when we were having problems, I have never turned my back on Alexis."

"You went off to Rome and had an affair with a woman who was barely of legal age." Stefan said coldly.

Jax was not going to allow the man to gain the upper hand or put him in whatever place he was trying to put him in. "You cast Alexis out of your life, told her that as far as you were concerned she was dead, and then spent years treating her like garbage. You dangled you're love and affection in front of her as a way to control her. You used her when you needed her and then cast her aside like a broken plaything more then once. Yes, I hurt Alexis, we hurt each other; but nothing I could ever do to her could come close to what you've done to her. So if you've come over here to give me some lecture and a warning about hurting them you can shove it up your pompous…"

"Jax." Alexis said firmly as she came up to the two men. Her tone of voice let them know she'd heard them and didn't approve of their pissing contest. "Stefan. Are you two playing nice?"

Jax turned his heated glare into a beaming smile for her. "Of course we are."

"Mmhmm." Alexis replied as she eyed the two men and then shook her head. She looked at Jax as she said, "Sam's out like a light. I'd like to get her home."

"Ready when you are." Jax said as Alexis took his hand. He and Stefan glared at each other as Alexis said goodnight to her brother and the pulled Jax away. "Doesn't he drive you insane with the hot and cold way he treats you?"

Alexis shrugged. "He's my brother, Jax. You of all people know what it's like to love a brother that's…" She paused to think and then continued, "So deeply complex."

"You're right." Jax said as they approached the girls. "But he still bugs me."

Alexis laughed as she watched Jax pick their daughter up in his arms. "That's ok. You bug him too."

Sam slept the entire way back to the lakehouse. She didn't even stir as her mother changed her into her pajamas. She smiled in her sleep when Alexis kissed her forehead, and when Jax leaned in to do the same she wrapped her arms around his neck. Once Sam was tucked in Jax and Alexis stood in her doorway and just watched her sleep. Jax put his arms around Alexis' waist and whispered, "Thank you."

Her reply was to turn in his arms and kiss him. Without breaking the kiss Jax closed Sam's door and lead Alexis down the hall to her room and the bed they so often shared. Even though he didn't spend every night, only most nights, this was Jax's home. Alexis was his home, and he was hers, and the heart of that home was Sam. He would do anything for them and Kristina. He'd take on the world for them and he'd win for them, for his family.