It had been almost two weeks and they were moving the next day. She had a break in her day as cases were wrapping up for the July holiday weekend and so she decided to go see him at L&B. He had seemed off since he returned from London and she worried about the pressure he was putting on himself to not return to ELQ and fall into old patterns. She walked into L&B, as Chloe was leaving. "Hi. You taking off?" She asked her friend as she dropped her briefcase on the closest chair.

"Yeah, I have plans with Jax, but I'll see you this weekend at the picnic?" She asked as she walked towards the door.

"I wouldn't miss it. Have fun." They said goodbye and she walked towards Ned, who hadn't even acknowledged her presence and seemed lost in whatever document he was looking at.

"You ok?" She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

He turned around in the chair at her touch and pulled her onto his lap as they kissed hello. "Tell me I'm crazy for considering going back."

"What did he offer you?"

"To underwrite L&B, which would solve a lot of problems, especially if I wasn't going to be here full time."

"What does Chloe think?" She said as she ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and kissed his temple.

"Chloe's ok with it, as long as I am. She has her design business outside of L&B, it really won't change much for her. " He said, looking at the contract on the table as she got up, took it and went to get her glasses before she sat down in the chair next to him and started scanning the contract.

"And what do you think?" She turned the page and continued to read as she talked it through with him.

"It would create the stability ELQ needs right now, especially if we are going to regain any of the losses we took in the international market due to Junior."

She looked up from the contract, "At first glance this isn't a bad deal. It lets you keep L&B's autonomy, protects Chloe Morgan Designs, there's even a clause here if you ever wanted to pass it down to Brook…He must really want you back."

"It would be crazy right?"

"It's not crazy if it's what you want," she said lovingly and he sighed. "Is it?"

"I honestly think it is." He paused and she touched his hand. "I miss it."

"Then I'm behind you and I'll be there for the vote."

"I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I am so grateful."

"The feeling is mutual." Her cell phone rang and she looked at him regretfully as she let go of his hand and got up to answer. "Ok, thanks for calling me. I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm leaving L&B now." She said as she grabbed her briefcase and walked back over towards Ned.

"Sonny?" He asked almost resigned to the fact that he would endlessly be interrupting his time with his wife. Relieved that in one days time they'd be living on common ground instead of at his beck and call.

"No, actually. It was Stefan. He wants me to meet him at Wyndemere." She was curious.

"Do you know what he wants?" He asked, concerned for her safety.

"No." She said, touching his arm. "I'll see you at home." She leaned down and kissed him goodbye.

"Lex…" He grabbed her hand before she could walk away and she stopped and looked at him, knowing exactly what worst case scenario could be running through his mind.

"I will." She said simply before leaning in and kissing him again.

It was a warm day and despite the pit in her stomach about why Stefan suddenly needed to see her, the sun felt good on her face as she took the launch to Wyndemere. When she arrived she was greeted by Mrs. Landbury, who led her into his office.

"Alexis. Thank you for coming."

"Why don't you tell me why I'm here?" She asked as she went over and poured a glass of water.

"It's about Helena." He walked towards his sister as she froze.

"What about her?" She placed her glass back on the table.

"She recently escaped police custody and her yacht is missing from the island in Greece."

"How recent?" Wanting to know just how long her brother had been holding out on her. Because if she knew Stefan he had been trying to track her down and is now only telling her because he needed her help.

"A few weeks." He replied as he walked back over to his desk.

"Weeks? And I'm just hearing about this now? Do you have any idea where she is headed?"

"My best guess is that she is coming for Nikolas."

"His 25th birthday…," she said, realizing and then added. "Nikolas wants nothing to do with this family and I can't say I blame him."

"It's his birthright and I need your help convincing him that this ridiculous venture of his at L&B is coming to an end and it's time he starts to do what he was raised to do."

"I don't think he's going to be very receptive to that. He's happy, Stefan."

"Well you need to try, we both do because if he refuses to step into his rightful place as head of this family all hell will break loose."

"No, if Nikolas refuses his title, then there is no title. It passes from eldest son to eldest son. Stefan you know this."

"And then every other vulture we have the misfortune of being related to can lay claim to the Cassadine fortune. Including you dear sister and we both know that you've tried."

She glared at him. "I want nothing to do with it and you know that. The only thing I want is to protect my family from Helena. She's a common enemy and because of that I'll talk to him and warn him. But I'm letting you know now that I will support him whatever he decides. You'd do yourself some favors if you did the same."

"That's all I ask of you."

"For now, I'm sure. Good to see you Stefan." She shook her head as she left his office. She watched the sky on the launch ride back to the mainland as she processed the news about Helena. It had been easy to forget about her and live her life when she knew she was behind bars, on another continent. She was able to live without having to fear for Ned or Kristin's safety, let alone her own. She knew she couldn't live in fear, she had learned that lesson a long time ago, but now that she had a child and another on the way the dynamics had shifted. She needed to make sure her children were safe and now she was second guessing recent decisions.

She walked back into their apartment and looked around at all the boxes, ready to go and the boxes still open half packed. The door to the balcony was open and he stepped inside when he heard her drop her keys on the desk. He could tell by her demeanor, quietly closing the door and kicking off her heels that something was weighing on her. "Honey, what is it?" He started to walk across the room to meet her and take her in his arms.

Before she could respond, Kristin bounded down the stairs. "Mommy!" She jumped into her mothers arms.

Alexis held her tight. "Hi cuddlebug." Savoring the moment with her little girl.

"Is it time for the fireworks, yet?!" Her excitement was infectious and it brought a smile to her mother's face.

"It's not even dark out yet, it will be a few more hours."

"Did daddy tell you the surprise? Did he?"

"Krissy, then it wouldn't be a surprise." He laughed.

"A surprise, really? What do you two have cooked up?" She looked between them.

She couldn't contain herself. "You don't cook it mommy! It's frozen. Daddy said we could have ice cream for dinner when we watch the fireworks."

"He did? Well, I'm glad I made it in time." She said as she put Kristin down and kissed Ned quickly hello.

"Will we be able to see the fireworks at the new house, too?"

"Probably not, princess. But there are fireworks every night all weekend for the holiday, maybe we can go to the park to see them again."

"Why don't I go change and then I can put on a movie for you while we wait?" Alexis suggested. Kristin agreed and raced up the stairs. "I won't be long." She leaned in and kissed him again.

As he waited he took the rest of the photos off the mantel, wrapping them in paper before placing them carefully in the closest box and taping it up. She came back downstairs in jeans and his navy crewneck sweatshirt, sleeves just a bit too long and the ends of which were clasped in her hands. "I'm never getting that back am I?" He joked. She shrugged and smiled as she walked towards him and went to pick up and move the box he had just finished. "Hey, hey, you shouldn't be lifting that." He took the box, put it down and then took her hands. "Now, how are you?" His concern was visible.

"I don't think we should move." She blurted out and let go of his hands walking away from him.

"Where is this coming from?" He questioned, knowing there was more on her mind.

"There's no fireworks at the new house?" She said sheepishly as he walked towards her.

"You're going to have to do better than that."

"I just mean, maybe we rushed this. This place has a lot to offer, the view, it's spacious… well it's workable. You know Brook can share a room with Kristin when she comes to visit, plenty of families have kids who share rooms and it's convenient…close to the courthouse and Kelley's. And this is still one of the safest buildings in the city for its security, this …" She said rambling everything she could think of without really hitting home why she suddenly got spooked.

"For the criminal you represent." He cut her off.

"This isn't about Sonny."

"Who said anything about Sonny?"

"You did." She stopped and froze, realizing things were starting to escalate into a fight. He ran his hands through his hair, knowing her too well to let them fall into a pattern they'd worked hard to try and break. "Alexis, what's this really about?"

Caught. Her eyes pleaded with him to drop it, but he stood there expectantly waiting and she walked over and took his hand. "Helena escaped custody," she whispered.

He pulled her into his arms and she gratefully clung to him. "She is not going to hurt you, or Kristin."

"You can't make that promise." She said backing away. "At least here, Sonny's people…"

His eyes grew wider as he tried not to take offense to her implying that he couldn't protect her, but it gutted him. "We both know that if you stay clear of her, she won't even think about you. And we can hire security if it comes to that, but I want to get you and our family out of here. Sonny's a threat, too Alexis or do I have to remind you about–"

"You don't need to remind me." She walked away from him and ran her hand along a stack of boxes. He watched her carefully, weighing what she knew was right with what was an impulsive reaction to news she got this afternoon.

"We agreed this is what we need to do. Living your life, that's the best way to show her that she can't control you, honey, you know that."

She nodded and he quietly approached her from behind and placed his hands on her shoulders. She leaned into him as she twisted the rings on her finger and as he ran his hands down her arms. "We just went so long without having to consciously even think about her, I guess I got used to thinking she wasn't that great a threat any longer. Foolish I know."

"No. You are the bravest person I have ever met and I love you." She turned to face him and let him take her in his arms. He let a moment pass and she backed away slightly and he brought a hand under her chin to try and get her to look at him. "You're safe. Our kids will be safe." He whispered and she nodded as he leaned in and kissed her softly.

"Pass me a box," was her only reply and he exhaled relieved.

They spent the next few hours packing and then when it finally grew dark they went outside and stood on the balcony and took in the vivid bursts of comets, pearls, and crossettes lighting up the sky.