He walked back into the dark penthouse and quietly went up the stairs. It was late and she wasn't expecting him home until tomorrow. He caught an earlier flight. He was glad to be home and even happier to be away from the threat to his marriage. Waking up in bed with Jillian, was not what he expected. The last thing he remembered was telling her to leave. He had no idea how it happened or what or if he could ever tell Alexis. Part of him didn't believe it even did, and now he had to face the consequences regardless.
He walked into Kristin's room to look in on her. He adjusted the covers and kissed her forehead. He had missed his little girl. He walked down the hall to his bedroom, and smiled slightly when he saw sound asleep, surrounded by her work, glasses still on her face. He walked over to her, moved her work to the bedside table and took the glasses off her face. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake. As he got ready for bed he couldn't help but think how lucky he was and that the time they had spent apart made him realize more than ever that he was going to fight to make their marriage work, even if it meant keeping this secret.
He climbed into bed and she woke as she felt his arms around her. She rolled over and brought her hand to his cheek. "I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow," she whispered.
He laughed softly, "look at the clock honey, it is tomorrow."
"Very funny Ashton." She turned serious and said, "I'm glad you're back." then leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. He tensed slightly, she noticed, but pushed it out of her mind she was just glad to have him home.
"Me too," he said as he kissed her. "Go back to sleep. We can talk in the morning."
"Love you."
"Love you too."
The next morning he let her sleep. He was up, his mind had been racing about how to protect her from what had happened and so he went downstairs to make her coffee. Flashes of the scene he had woken up to just a day earlier replayed over and over in his mind. He knew he should tell her but he also didn't want to hurt her. It was strange to him how life had thrown this sudden obstacle. He now understood why she kept the kiss with Sonny a secret for so long. The more he replayed the events, the more certain he was that he hadn't slept with her, but the night's events were still foggy and he had no idea how they had ended up in bed together.
He walked back upstairs into their bedroom, placed her coffee on the bedside table, then leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I smell coffee." She said smiling, kissing him back and wrapping her arms around his neck as he leaned over her. "I think you should come back to bed," She said as she pulled him on top of her.
"I like the way you think." He said, trying to hide his guilt, in between kisses. Things soon escalated and they reconnected after their time apart.
"We should get up, Kristin will be awake soon." She whispered, as they lay on their sides, faces inches apart.
"What do you have planned for today?"
"Nothing that can't be moved. What do you have in mind?"
"Nothing in particular, just wanted us to spend the day together."
"Ok, done." She said, kissing him lightly on the lips before reaching for her robe to get out of bed.
They spent the rest of the morning at home and then headed to the park. They walked hand in hand, both enjoying the feeling of being with the other. Maybe the distance had been good for them after all, she couldn't help but think. It was difficult, but it reminded them yet again how much they meant to each other and they appreciated each and every moment when they were together.
He was happy to be home with his family, but couldn't help the feelings of guilt he had for not telling her what happened between him and Jillian in London. The day was going so well, she had put aside work, they hadn't fought, it was like the time apart had fully changed them. Made them realize what they meant to each other and commit to the promises they had made in the Hamptons, but then a part of him knew he broke those promises as well. Kristin had called her over to the swings and he sat on the bench and watched his wife and daughter. He was brought from his thoughts when he heard his name being called.
"Ned! Fancy meeting you here." She said seductively as she walked over to him and threw her arms around him, just as Alexis looked up and noticed. She froze and watched the scene in front of her. It was clear, Ned was taken off guard, but it was also clear that they were familiar with each other.
"Jillian." He said shocked. He thought she was staying in London and now he feared that she had followed him. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, after you took off without so much as a goodbye, I decided to come to the Port Charles offices for a while. Focus on the new deal we worked out with ELQ. And well, there are other reasons." She winked.
"Mommy, who's that lady with daddy?" Kristin asked, noticing her mother's change in disposition.
"I'm not sure baby, let's go find out." She took Kristin by the hand and they walked over to where Ned was standing with Jillian. She walked over to Ned and immediately put her arm around his waist, it was instinctive and territorial.
"Jillian, this is my wife Alexis."
Alexis shook her hand and said, "Trainor Industries, right? I thought you were based out of London."
"We are, I had just heard so much about Port Charles from Ned during our meetings I had to see it for myself. And you must be the Kristin I've heard so much about."
"Did you meet my daddy when he was on his trip?" She asked curiously.
"I did, but your daddy and I have known each other for years. Right Ned?" Alexis watched their interactions carefully, as she flashed back to the seductive voice she had heard over the phone.
"Well, we have, but we hadn't seen each other in years until this latest ELQ trip. It was good seeing you Jillian, but we need to be going." He said wanting to get he and his family as far away from Jillian as possible, for several reasons.
"I won't keep you. Lovely to meet you, Alexis. Ned I'm sure I'll be seeing you."
Later that day, they were back at the Penthouse. Alexis couldn't stop playing the flirtatious behavior and what she had heard over the phone in her head. She trusted Ned, she did, but there was something about Jillian that she knew was trouble.
"Honey?" Ned asked, concerned, Alexis had been so quiet the rest of the afternoon, she turned to look at him. "Is everything ok?"
She noted the concern on his face, she paused and swallowed before deciding to ask the question that had been plaguing her since Jillian mentioned she had a past relationship with him. "Ned, I-" She was cut off by a knock on the door.
"Alexis?" Sonny asked.
Ned rolled his eyes. "Is he serious?" He asked, exasperated. He hadn't been home 24 hours and they were already being interrupted.
She stood up and looked at Ned sympathetically as she walked to open the door. "Good, you're home. I need to go over.." He said, disregarding the hour and the fact that Ned was in the room.
"We're kind of in the middle of something here." Ned stood, adamant. Alexis just looked at him.
"It's pretty late, Sonny. What's going on?" She asked, turning her attention back to Sonny, who had walked fully into the apartment.
"Alexis." Ned said, frustrated.
"Ned," She said, turning towards him. "Why don't you go check on Kristen and give me 5 minutes. That's all you need. Right Sonny?"
"5 minutes, tops."
"5 Minutes." Ned replied quietly, holding up his hand and heading back upstairs.
"What do you need?" She asked, annoyed. "You can't just keep coming over here, whenever you please."
"I thought we were friends, Alexis."
"We are friends. And as my friend I am asking you to give me the space I need to focus on my family. Now why are you here?"
"Carly tore up the divorce papers. I need another copy."
"Oh. Well I guess that's the least of what you can expect from Carly." She replied as she opened her briefcase and took out a file.
"So you were serious, you and Ned, you're working through what happened?"
Alexis pulled the papers out of the file and turned to hand them to Sonny. "We're trying. And you knocking on my door at all hours, when he just got home is not helping. I told you then and I'm telling you now. I'm not some consolation prize in your latest round of marital drama with Carly." Ned had started to come back downstairs but stopped as he heard the conversation. He knew eavesdropping wasn't wise, but there was a part of him that needed to know where she stood with the criminal across the hall, especially after being away for so long. She had told him repeatedly that it was one sided, but something inside of him didn't trust the situation as much as he wanted to believe her.
"I don't see you that way." He said, stepping closer.
"Regardless, this can't keep happening Sonny. I love my husband and I won't keep putting my personal life second. Now if you can't respect some simple boundaries, you may have to find yourself another attorney."
"You don't mean that. You like the challenge." He said smugly.
"I don't say things I don't mean, Sonny. Now, you have what you came here for. They should match the original. Is there anything else?
"No, this is it. Thanks."
"You're welcome." She said as she stepped around him and opened the door.
"I'll talk to you later." He said as if she didn't just attempt to establish distance in their relationship. He left and she closed the door behind him as Ned came back downstairs.
"I can't wait until we move out of here."
"She still asleep?" Alexis asked, ignoring his comment.
"Out like a light. Now, where were we?" He said as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I think we were about…here." She said as she kissed him, pulling him closer.
He broke the kiss and backed away, taking her hands. "Not that I don't want to spend the next hour or so getting lost in each other, but I know you. Now, what was it, you were about to tell me earlier? You've been a million miles away since we got back from the park earlier today "
"It's nothing, really." She said brushing it off and leaning in to kiss him again.
"Alexis…not talking to each other is how we ended up where we were before I left."
She sighed knowing he was right. "It's just.."
"What?" He asked, squeezing her hands.
"Please don't take this the wrong way. I trust you, I do, it's just…the woman we met in the park today, Jillian? Something about the way she was all over you…I know I'm probably being ridiculous….but…"
"But, you think something happened?" He asked, knowing her instincts were spot on, but also not wanting to hurt her.
"Yes." She said quietly and he got quiet as he walked away from her, towards the fireplace, scanning the photos on the mantle.. "You're not saying anything…"
She followed concerned, waiting for an explanation. He ran his hand through his hair and turned to face her. "We have a past, and she's never really gotten over that it didn't work out. That it was a one night thing back when I was first starting out at ELQ. It's why I avoided going to London in the first place and now..."
"She's followed you here."
"Yes." He walked closer to her and took her hands and sat down on the sofa. "But, I have no intention of letting her latest scheme get in between us. I love you and I've told her that repeatedly."
"I can't lose you." She whispered, inching closer to him.
"You are not going to lose me." He replied seriously as he leaned his forehead against hers. He knew he needed to figure out what Jillian was up to, he just wasn't sure how to do that and keep his distance.