Being grounded for a month was cruel and unusual punishment for a ten year old. Alexis had been serious about her threat and had indeed grounded Sam for a month for sneaking out to Carly's in the early morning. With the exception of Saturday morning brunch with Bobbie and Carly and Sunday evenings at Windermere Sam hadn't been allowed out of the penthouse, she'd barely been allowed out of her room. The only upside to being on house arrest was that Sam had been able to get to know more about her new family. She and Kristina discovered that not only did they like old black and white movies, but they also had similar tastes in music, and to her surprise her aunt could sing. As for Alexis, she and Sam spent a lot of nights simply talking. Alexis was never pushy about asking about Sam's past, but there had been a time or two when Sam opened up and told her about Danny and even a little about Cody and Evelyn. Sam had been relived when Alexis didn't look at her with any kind of disappointment or disgust when she talked about helping Cody con people. Sam had never felt good about what they'd done, she'd known it was wrong, but she had no choice. She did wish that Alexis wouldn't look so sad, hurt, and angry when she talked about Evelyn. It was like a knife to Alexis' heart to hear what that woman had done to her child.

Sam liked it better when Alexis opened up a bit about herself instead of Sam doing all the talking. She told Sam that until she was Sam's age she lived in Stockholm Sweden with her mother and baby Kristina, and she promised that some day she would take Sam there. She showed Sam a picture of her grandmother, who Sam thought was absolutely beautiful, and even played an old recording that Luke had found for her. Alexis didn't explain how her mother had died, only that she had, and that after that she lived on an island in Greece with Stefan and their father. And despite her own discomfort, she told Sam the basics regarding Stavros, and warned her about Helena. Alexis was worried that Sam's adventurous nature would make a person like Helena seem intriguing, and she wanted, needed, Sam to know she was someone to be leery of.

Her daughter's favorite stories were about Alexis and Jax; she particularly loved the story of crash landing Jax's helicopter in the Sahara and then spending days surviving in the desert until they were rescued by Jax's brother. Jerry was another concern for Alexis. Jax had his adventurous side, but nothing compared to Jerry, and Alexis was worried about his influence on Sam. She was kind of hoping her best friend's brother would steer clear of Port Charles for a long, long time.

It was the first day of Sam's freedom and she, Kristina, Carly, and Nikolas had gone to Kelly's for breakfast. Carly, who had just finished her own sentence a week prier, was just as thrilled as Sam to be out of the house and away from her mother. Carly was slowly accepting the fact that Bobbie was a fixture in her life, and in truth she was finding some comfort in that, but if Tony tried one more time to tell her what to do she was going to go off on him and she knew that would just land her and Bobbie back on square one. Sam was thrilled that Carly and Kristina seemed to hit it off. She knew that she would always be number one in Carly's heart, but her friend needed someone her own age to talk about stupid teenage stuff with. And hopefully if her best friend and aunt became best friends, Kristina would stop trying to take her shopping.

After breakfast the kids headed to the park where they'd run into Lucky and some of his friends. Lucky asked if Sam and Nikolas wanted to play a game of touch football. Sam was all for it but Nikolas was less then receptive to the idea. "Come on Niky! You promised that when I got off punishment we'd do whatever I wanted!"

"Yes, but, Sammie, I don't play…" Nikolas began but was cut off.

"Yeah I know!" Sam said with a huff. "You don't play at all Niky. That's your problem! Dude, seriously, you're freaking twelve! Act like it!" When her response only got a glare from her cousin, Sam decided to turn on the puppy dog look. "Please Niky? I really want to play football with them. Alexis has had be locked up like a bird in cage for like forever! Please?"

Nikolas couldn't resist his cousin's big brown pleading eyes. "Alright, fine, Sammie, we can play."

Sam lit up like a Christmas tree. "I knew you weren't a complete stick in the mud!" She gave her cousin a dazzling smile and then started pulling him towards Lucky and his friends. Then she stopped, turned, and looked him over. "That won't do." She told him as she walked up to him and without a word pulled his sweater vest off, which was rather funny to watch seeing as there was a noticeable size difference. "Take your shirt off."

Eyes just as dark as Sam's went nearly as huge as Sam's as Nikolas looked at the girl in shock. "Excuse me?"

"You can't play football in that shirt, Niky." Sam explained. "You have a t-shirt on under it right? Take off the dress shirt."

The two cousins locked eyes for several seconds but in the end Sam won out and Nikolas unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, which caused Sam to light up and cheer again. She left Nikolas' shirt and sweater vest on the bench where Kristina and Carly were and then drug him off to the slightly muddy; it had rained over night, grassy playing field.

"We're in." Sam announced.

Lucky was in complete shock as he watched his formal and uptight brother being drug by the small dark haired girl he'd recently learned was Nikolas' cousin. He couldn't believe that his brother was standing there in his over priced dark slack shorts and undershirt. He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled awkwardly. Maybe this girl would be good for his brother? "Ok." He said after Emily poked him in the side. "Um, Sam, Nikolas and Emily can be on one team. Me, Sly, and Elizabeth on the other."

"Hi!" Emily said cheerfully as she came to stand with Sam and Nikolas. "I'm Emily."

"Sam." Sam replied with a nod of greeting.

"You're Alexis' daughter?" Emily asked. "I heard my cousin Ned talking about you."

Sam blinked. "Why would your cousin Ned be talking about me?"

Emily smiled sweetly. "Alexis was almost my cousin too. She and Ned nearly got married."

That was news to Sam and it made her eyes widen a little. "What do you mean nearly got married?" Sam didn't like the idea of her mother being with anyone but Jax.

"They were at the alter." Emily explained. "Well, Ned was, Alexis only made it half way down the aisle before she turned around and bolted from the church in her wedding dressing."

Sam's mouth was hanging open. "Why did she run?"

Nikolas and Emily looked at each other and then in unison said, "Jax."

"So she left your cousin at the alter because she was in love with Jax?" Sam asked, with a slight sigh of relief.

Emily nodded. "It was kind of mean to Ned, but totally romantic. Alexis and Jax are totally meant to be."

Sam shook her head as she let the new information settle in her mind. "My mother's life is a soap opera."

Nikolas politely hid a chuckle while Emily laughed. "Are you guys ready?" Lucky called out.

"Yeah!" Sam yelled back. He tossed her the ball to go first, because according to him it was only fair since they had two girls and one boy and his team had two boys and one girl, that of course made Sam determined to show him what a girl could do.

They played for about ten minutes before the first of them ended up sliding across the wet and muddy grass. To Sam's delight it had been her. To Nikolas' horror it had been her.

"Samantha!" Nikolas called out when he saw his cousin belly slide across the grass clutching the football to her chest. "Are you alright?"

Sam was laughing so hard she couldn't get up. "I'm fine!" When she finally did it was more then evident that her shirt was ruined. She could also feel the telltale signs of a bruise forming from hitting the ground while holding the ball, but she didn't care.

"Samantha, your shirt!" Nikolas protested.

"It's fine, Nikolas." Sam said, still laughing, and shaking her head. "Getting dirty is part of the fun, Niky, loosen up." Then she walked off. "Our point!"

The next time Sam's team had the ball Sam threw a pass to Nikolas who was running backwards to catch it. He jumped up, caught it, landed and slipped. He ended up flat on his back in the mud. Sam ran over to him to see if he'd have some kind of spasm, and for a moment it seemed he might, but then he jumped up. "Goal!"

"Touchdown." Sam laughed and put her arm around her cousin's shoulder.

Back at the bench Kristina and Carly had been chatting. They'd talked about Sam and how she was fairing, and Kristina asked how Carly was doing. They talked about finding themselves in new homes with a new parent. Then they shifted to talking about the up coming school year and how they were both scared and nervous. The conversation was easy between them and shifted back and forth seamlessly. "What's a Nurses' Ball?" Carly asked.

"It's this huge benefit that the hospital does every year." Kristina explained. "Its some kind of variety show. Jax and Stefan have both bought tables and Jax is trying to convince Alexis to be in it."

"I heard Bobbie talking to someone on the phone." Carly said. "I guess she's in it every year but she hasn't come up with an idea yet and the lady on the phone was getting loud."

"So you're going?" Kristina asked.

Carly shrugged.

"Oh!" Kristina said in delight. "We have to go shopping! It's a formal thing, guys in tuxes and girls in evening gowns."

Carly frowned. "Doesn't sound like my thing."

"Alexis says it's a lot of fun." Kristina encouraged.

The girls continued to talk while stealing glances at the kids playing not to far from them. When Kristina noticed Nikolas and Sam looking a little flushed from playing so hard she went to get the kids some drinks, leaving Carly sitting on the bench alone. She was sitting there with a smile as she watched Sam playing. The girl was caked with mud and grass and Carly had a feeling Alexis wasn't going to be thrilled, but at least Sam was having a blast.

"Hello."

Carly looked up to see AJ standing there. She hadn't seen him since that night at Jake's. "Hi."

"Haven't seen you around lately." AJ said as he came closer.

Carly stood up. She didn't like when people looked down at her for any reason. "Yeah, Bobbie kind of went parental on me."

AJ smiled. "I was kind of hoping you'd come back to Jake's and we could talk some more. I really liked talking to you."

"Bobbie found my id." Carly replied. "She hasn't really let me out of her sight."

"You free now?" AJ asked. "We could go for a walk or something."

Carly shook her head. "I'm here with Sam."

AJ looked out to where the younger kids were playing. "Looks like she's busy." He moved closer to Carly and reached out as if to pull her close for a kiss.

The smell of vodka and her sudden unease made Carly step back.

"Is there a problem?" Alexis asked as she came up on the two teenagers. She'd seen Carly tense up and move away from AJ as she approached and was all to ready to step in.

AJ shook his head and smiled at Carly. "Well, at least it wasn't your mom this time."

Carly gave him an uneasy smile in return and then looked at Alexis who stepped up behind her.

"Hello AJ." Alexis greeted.

AJ nodded. "Alexis. Good to see you again."

Alexis didn't bother being polite. "In case you missed it, AJ, you were making Carly uncomfortable. I think you should move on."

"I didn't mean too." AJ said as he held up his hands and tried for a disarming smile. "I simply wanted to apologize to Carly for a misunderstanding that took place the last time I saw her."

"Yes, I agree, you should apologize for getting a fifteen year old drunk." Alexis agreed. "You should also be grateful that Bobbie didn't go to the police."

"It was stupid." AJ said. "I just wanted Carly to know I was sorry for my behavior and that it won't happen again."

Yeah, like Alexis believed that. "Well you've told her. Now if you'd excuse us? She's spending the day with me and my kids."

Carly watched as AJ nodded and bid them goodbye. She relaxed when he was gone and then turned to look at Alexis. "I could have handled that myself."

Alexis smiled at the girl. "I know you could have, but I was here so I did it for you, I tend to do things like that. I'm a bit of a control freak. Or at least that's what my girls keep tell me." She sat on the bench and pulled Carly down to sit beside her. "Carly, I know you get enough of being told what to do with Bobbie so I'm just going to offer advice from someone who's personally familiar with the Quartermains. AJ is almost eighteen and bad news. The boy has some serious issues and some serious adult problems. It would be better if you didn't get mixed up with him."

"I'm not mixed up with him." Carly protested. "I've run into him a couple of times, that's all."

"And one of those times ended with you getting drunk." Alexis reminded the girl. "Just take it from someone who's been around AJ, it's best not to be around him. Now Jason, he's a different story. He's very sweet, nice, kind, and funny, and closer to your age."

Carly smirked. "Are you trying to set me up, Alexis?"

Alexis laughed. "Heavens no! Personally I think little girls should be little girls forever. I'm just letting you know the facts as someone who's been around this town for awhile."

"Thanks." Carly said but being a teenager had to add, "But I got this."

"Ok." Alexis said with a knowing smirk.

"Hey Alexis!" Kristina greeted as she came back with drinks. "I thought you would be in the office until later?"

Alexis smiled at her sister. "I finished off early and thought I'd come see what you guys were up too. Where are Sam and Nikolas?"

Kristina bit her lip as she and Carly, who was nervously tucking her hair behind her ears, exchanged a look just as the aforementioned children came running into view. Sam was caked in mud and Nikolas was covered but not nearly as bad as Sam.

"Oh dear lord!" Alexis exclaimed when she saw her daughter and nephew.

"Hi Alexis!" Sam said brightly as she darted towards her mother.

"Samantha!" Alexis warned as the girl came towards her. She held out her hands as if to stop the stampeding ten-year-old. "Don't you dare, Samantha!"

Sam stopped just short of her mother and laughed hysterically at the look on the woman's face.

"What on earth where you two doing?" Alexis asked with a chuckle in her voice.

Nikolas was a little nervous that his aunt would scold him but her voice was merry and her eyes bright as she looked them over, so he smiled and proudly declared. "We were playing football, Aunt Alexis, and we won!"

"Yeah!" Sam cheered. "Who knew Niky had talent! And Emily too!"

"Hello Alexis." Emily said with a soft smile as she came up behind her friends. She was nearly as messy as Nikolas. Glancing over to the other children the only one who didn't seem as if they'd wallowed in the mud was Elizabeth Webber.

Alexis looked delighted. "You played football Nikolas?"

Nikolas nodded. "It was quiet enjoyable, Aunt."

Sam groaned. "Niky! Really? Dude, repeat after me, it was fun!"

The boy blinked. "That is what I said, Sammie."

Sam just threw her hands up and then looked at her mother. "Mrs. Spencer offered to take us back to Kelly's and hose us off and she offered to buy us all ice cream. Can we go?"

"May we go?" Alexis corrected. "And that sounds like fun. I haven't had lunch yet so I think we'll all tag along."

From inside Kelly's Alexis watched and laughed as Laura used a garden hose to spray the kids down. Once they were as clean as they were going to get she set them up at a table in the sun while Ruby handed out dishes with a warm brownie and a scoop of homemade ice cream. She had a huge grin on her face when Laura came inside.

"I don't know how your little girl managed to do it, Alexis." Laura said. "But I'm glad she did. You have no idea how good it felt to see Nikolas acting like a happy normal twelve year old boy."

"Believe me Laura, I understand." Alexis replied. "It's the same way I feel watching Sam."

When they got back to Alexis' penthouse Alexis sent Sam and Nikolas off to the showers to get cleaned up while she threw Nikolas' clothes in the wash. Her nephew wasn't thrilled with wearing girl's sweats but he had little choice in the matter. The rest of the afternoon and evening had been spent on the couch watching movies. Alexis had even let the kids have dinner on the couch. She knew she'd hear about this from her brother but she didn't care. Alexis knew that Nikolas could handle being both a boy and the prince, and that it was better for him that way. When she took him back to Windermere he was just as prim and proper as when she'd picked him up.

"I had a very enjoyable time today, Aunt Alexis." The boy said in his formal way. "Thank you."

Alexis smiled and kissed the top of his head. "I'm glad my little prince, and I promise we'll have another soon."

"Bobbie?" Carly said as she came into the living room. Bobbie was sitting on the couch looking a little frustrated. "Everything ok?"

Bobbie smiled at the girl. They'd butted headed a couple of times over the last month but for the most part she and Carly had made some progress. Bobbie had sat down with the girl and laid out how things were going to work, and she made it very clear that she wasn't going anywhere, and that Carly couldn't and wouldn't push her away no matter how hard she tried. "Everything's fine."

"You kinda pissy." Carly said as she sat in the chair near the couch and tucked her legs under her.

Bobbie laughed. "That's my normal look when it comes to Lucy Coe."

"Is that the loud woman who was on the phone this morning?" Carly asked.

"Yes." Bobbie replied. "She and Amy have been calling me all day. Apparently Edward isn't sure he'll be up to performing this year which leaves two open spots in the program."

"The Nurses' Ball?" Carly asked. After Bobbie nodded she said, "Kristina told me about that. She says it sounds like fun."

Bobbie smiled brightly. "It is, you're going to love it."

Carly looked a little surprised. "I'm going?"

"Of course you are honey!" Bobbie replied. "You'll be at the Spencer table with the rest of your family."

That kind of made Carly smile, until she saw Bobbie's expression change and then she looked a little worried. "What?"

"You and Sam should do something." Bobbie said brightly. "I've heard you in the shower. You've a lovely voice. It would be a lot of fun."

Carly blinked with her mouth slightly agape. "Are you serious? No one in town even knows us. They're not going to what to see a couple of strange kids."

"If they don't know you they know of you." Bobbie corrected. "And it would be the perfect night for everyone to finally meet my daughter."

Carly snorted. "You say that like it's something to be proud of."

"It is." Bobbie replied sincerely.

"Oh." Carly said as she blinked in surprise.

Bobbie got up and kissed the top of Carly's head. "Think about it. Talk it over with Sam. Let me know and I'll let Lucy know she has her missing act."