The next morning, Ned was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast with Kristen. She had been in bed, asleep, when he got home and he hadn't had a chance to tell her about the news he and Alexis had to share with her. He knew that she would be excited about her brother, he just wasn't sure how to explain this to her in a way she could understand. As they sat and ate, she eventually picked up on the fact that Alexis wasn't there and thus began her onslaught of questions.

"Daddy, where's mommy?"

"She stayed at General Hospital last night. We're going to go see her as soon as you finish your breakfast." He kept it simple, following his daughter's lead.

"Why is she sick?"

"No, princess, mommy's not sick." He assured her and ran his hand over the top of her head.

"Then why is she at the hospital?"

"Krissy, we need to talk about that," he began.

"Ok."

"Do you remember when mommy and I told you that your baby brother was with the angels?"

"Yes."

"Well it turns out that someone was playing a mean trick on mommy and daddy and your baby brother…he isn't with the angels in heaven." He chose his words carefully, "and right now he's at General Hospital and mommy stayed there with him so he wasn't alone. Do you understand?"

"I think so, but why would someone play a trick on you?"

"I know this is confusing, and there's a lot of adult stuff that I think you're still too young to grasp, baby. What's most important in all of this is that you are going to get to meet your baby brother today. We're going to bring him home."

"What if the angels want him back before we get there, daddy?"

"That's not going to happen, princess. He was never in heaven. That was the mean trick. But mommy and I, and the police, we all figured it out and now your brother gets to come home with us where he belongs."

"Did the person who did this get in trouble?"

"Yes, baby, the lady who did this got in trouble and she isn't going to bother us anymore."

"That's good. And you and mommy aren't sad anymore?"

"That's right. How are you feeling about this, Krissy?"

"I'm happy I get to meet him and he gets to come live with us."

"Me too." He agreed and smiled at his little girl. "Finish up and we can go see mommy and your brother."

As they drove to GH, Kristen's excitement was palpable and it was amazing to him how she seemed to accept everything that had happened, and mentally adjusted to their new reality. Their daughter was a caring and resilient little girl and it filled his heart to see how excited she was to get to meet Owen.

They walked into the hospital room and he smiled at the sight of Alexis seated, holding Owen, completely enthralled with their son kissing his tiny fingers. "Good Morning," she said as she looked up and noticed him standing in the doorway.

"Good Morning to you, too. I have his release papers and I brought a special visitor."

"A special visitor? Who could it be, Owen?" She asked, playing along, engaging her son.

"It's me mommy!" Kristen said as she came through the doorway when Ned fully entered the room.

"Hi sweetheart; I'm so glad you're here. There's someone who really wants to meet his big sister."

"Is that my baby brother?" She said curiously walking closer to Alexis, who extended an arm and reached for her daughter who walked to stand next to her mother.

"It is. Krissy, meet your brother, Owen."

"He's so tiny."

"You were that small once, princess," Ned added.

"But you watch, he's going to get bigger and bigger everyday, just like you," Alexis continued.

"I'm happy he's not with the angels, mommy."

"We are too, bug, we are too." She said as she kissed her daughter's forehead and looked at her husband. "You said you had his release papers?"

"I do." He asked, reaching for his son and Alexis passed him the infant as she stood. "You ready, buddy?" He asked, kissing Owen's forehead.

"Let's go home." She said, taking Kristen's hand and smiling at the sight of father and son.

They arrived home and started to settle into their new life as a family of four. Visitors trickled in all afternoon, wanting to show their support and meet Owen, who was remarkably calm for all the change he had experienced in the last 24 hours. It was as if he knew he was finally where and with who he belonged.

Ned walked upstairs to the nursery and found Alexis standing over Owen's crib, mesmerized as she watched him sleep. "You're going to have to leave him alone eventually."

"I know." She said simply as Ned placed his hand on her back and he stood there for a moment taking in how peaceful their son looked.

"Come with me," he whispered, taking her hand and leading her back downstairs and into the living room. "I know it's our first night here with Owen, but is it alright with you if I take off for about an hour?"

"We'll be fine. What's going on?"

"There's just one more thing I need to take care of. I'll bring home dinner."

"Ok. But, if this is about AJ… Just think carefully before you do something you can't take back." She said, knowing her husband.

"I have. Love you."

"Right back at you," she expressed and he kissed her before leaving.

Ned drove to the Quartermaine mansion, playing out his course of action. He had to walk a fine line between wanting to see his cousin pay for what happened and his desire not to upset his grandmother by doing anything unnecessary. He walked into the Quartermaine living room, looking for his cousin. He was thankful Alexis had reluctantly agreed to let him handle this and went as far as to keep AJ out of the statement she gave the PCPD. He had hoped that he would just encounter AJ, but maybe that was asking too much knowing his family.

"Ned, my dear boy, what brings you by?" Edward said, putting down the paper he was reading.

"Yes, shouldn't you be at home with that new baby of yours." Tracy piped in.

"You'll be bringing him by to meet your grandmother, yes?"

"Yes, we're bringing Owen by tomorrow."

"Owen? That's a strong, solid name," Edward continued.

"Yes, Owen Edward Ashton." Ned informed his grandfather, but before he could respond they were interrupted.

"Trying to score points?" AJ said as he walked into the room.

"Junior. Your timing is impeccable, as usual. In fact you're who I'm here to see."

"What could you possibly want with AJ?" Tracy asked.

"Do you want to tell them? Or should I?"

"Should you what, Ned. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You know full well what I'm talking about. The night my wife was held hostage and my son was kidnapped."

"What about it? We know he gave her the cabin in yet another example of his poor judgment," Edward declared.

"Poor judgment is an understatement. Junior was drunk and he was there, at the cabin. He knew Alexis was there. He could have prevented the hell we just went through."

"I was here. I told you about the cabin–"

"Because you knew Alexis was in danger. What was the phone call you got that night? Was it Jillian Trainor? Was she looking for help when Alexis went into labor and then your guilt got the better of you?" Ned interrupted.

"You're just as delusional as Trainor. If you think I'm involved in this kidnapping plot…"

"Alexis saw you. She remembers. But no, I don't think you wanted to kidnap my son. You're too transparent to pull off something that complicated."

"AJ, if this is true…" Edward cautioned.

"It's true." Ned said looking at his grandfather before turning back to AJ, "and you know it's absurd because we could have gone to Mac with this, but I chose not to because of grandmother and it took work to convince Alexis of the same."

"That's good Ned, always looking out for the family."

"So here is what you're going to do. You're going to sign yourself into rehab. Tonight. And you're going to sign over your proxy, to me, before you go."

"And if I don't?"

"Then, we go to Mac and you can face whatever comes your way for your role in this. The choice is up to you."

"There's my son."

"Why, thank you, mother."

"So what will it be, Junior?"

"Blackmail may be a family tradition, but it's not going to work. Under no circumstances am I giving you my proxy."

"Have it your way." Ned said as he started to leave.

"Ned, wait, AJ is going to take this deal."

"I am?"

"You are. If you want any chance of being a part of this company again, you'll do as your cousin says."

He was relieved to have had the support of his grandfather. His mother he never doubted. At the end of the day, she backed him and now with AJs proxy he had the votes he needed to move ELQ towards a sustainable future without interference. He stopped at Kellys and picked up dinner as promised and drove home for the first time in weeks feeling as if life was going to get back to some semblance of normal. Something he craved. Above all else, his own family and the life he had built with Alexis is what kept him sane and grounded; and he was in awe of the fact that they had been able to keep it all together.

She stood at the island in the kitchen, Owen in the baby bouncer sitting on the counter, Kristen at the table coloring, when he arrived home and walked into the room, brown bag of takeout in hand. He placed it on the counter and walked towards his wife, kissing her temple. "Did you have fun yelling at your cousin?" She joked, trying to make light of a situation she knew weighed on him.

"He's on his way to rehab."

"Good."

"And I have his proxy." He flashed his dimples and she shook her head, smiling at him.

"Everything seems to have fallen into place. We can breathe again, Alexis."

"I'll breathe when there's a conviction." He reached for her and she hugged him tightly. They didn't need words to express what she was feeling, a feeling that he also echoed, so they sought refuge in each other.

Three months later, they sat in the courtroom as the verdict came in. Helena was found guilty, remanded to Pentonville, whereas Jillian had been sentenced to Ferncliff Asylum, pleading insanity, her history working to her advantage in the justice system. As Helena was cuffed and walked out of the courtroom she made eye contact with Alexis and shook her head, a look that vowed vengeance. Ned held his wife close, "You ok?"

"I'm fine. She can't hurt us and I have you." She leaned into him and allowed her lips to meet his before they left the courthouse themselves, ready to finally put the entire ordeal behind them. She knew that Helena would always be a threat, but for now she was behind bars. For now, she was able to live again without having to think about her and so she took her husband's hand and vowed to put the past behind her and focus on her family's future.

Early spring turned to early summer and she sat on their back porch, holding Owen, as she looked up at the sky. The last of the sunset fading into the horizon. Ned came out and sat next to her at the small round table that adorned their porch. "He looks like he's ready to go down." He said, smiling warmly at the sight of his wife and son.

"He is. Selfishly, I just wanted a few more minutes." She said as she ran her hand lovingly down his cheek.

"Why don't I take him upstairs and then we can, well, do whatever comes to mind." He said, standing, flashing his dimples.

"You're incorrigible," She said laughing slightly, his dimpled smile leaving its effect on her.

"But you love me for it."

"I do." She smiled at her husband and then kissed Owen's head as she passed him to Ned. "I'll pour us some wine." She stood, taking the empty baby bottle off the table and followed him inside. She put the bottle in the sink and opened the cabinet. She took out two wine glasses and then grabbed a bottle of Chardonnay from the wine rack. She opened the bottle and then took it and the glasses back outside. She poured herself a glass and sat on the steps, reflecting on all they'd been through in the last year.

He walked back outside, placing the baby monitor on the table and went to sit on the steps with his wife. She leaned against him, as he sat one step above her and wrapped her in his arms. She linked her arm through his leg and let her fingers graze up and down his calf as he kissed the top of her head.

"It's hard to believe that a year ago, we were in such a different place. We've overcome so much since moving in here." She said, looking up at the pale moon making its appearance in the sky.

"We have." He quietly agreed. "This is it, right here. You and our two beautiful kids sleeping peacefully upstairs; This is all I'll ever need."

"Oh I don't know. I thought maybe we'd have one more." She added, optimistic, hopeful.

"I can see that." He said as she tilted her head back and he leaned in and kissed her. She looked back up at the sky and took a sip of wine, relaxing back into him. "What are you thinking about?" He asked as she grew quiet.

"Just something you said to me years ago. That's all."

"And what's that?" He asked as she put her glass down, pulled away from him and stood, taking his hand. He rose to his feet as she led him up the steps and towards the door.

She turned and looked at him as he pulled her close, his hands at her waist, and they stopped just outside the backdoor, "That everything I ever wanted was all here for the taking. All I had to do was hold on tight and don't let go."

"I remember." He smiled, remembering their reunion after her ELQ Jakarta trip all those years ago.

"This is what I want. It's the only thing I will ever want." she was certain and serious, as she looked into his eyes.

"I know," he matched her tone.

"And I'm never letting go." She whispered, her face inches from his.

"And neither will I." He agreed as their lips met. A kiss that started out soft, slowly turning more urgent as she led him back inside where they blocked out the world and focused only on what their hearts wanted, each other, their home.