"You are an amazing woman." said Stefan.
"You bring out the best in me." said Bobbie smiling.
He laughed.
"I haven't heard you laugh in such a long time." she said.
"That's because I wasn't truly happy, but now I am. What's that Americanism that you use?" he asked.
"Laughter is good for the soul." she said.
"Yes, that's it. That's what you do for me. You are my laughter for my soul. You make me happy." he said.
She smiled and he kissed her as they made love again.
~*~*~*~
"Ned, what are doing in Dr. Newman's office?" asked Alexis.
"Remember I told you I scheduled a sonogram?" asked Ned.
"Yes, I remember." she said.
"Well, today is the day." he said smiling.
She smiled and hugged him.
"Thank you." she said.
Dr. Newman walked in.
"Are you reday?" asked Dr. Newman.
They nodded their heads and followed her to a private room. Alexis laid on the examining table.
"This stuff may be a little cold so bare with me." said Dr. Newman.
Then she used something to go across Alexis's abdomen to find the baby.
"There she is." said Dr. Newman.
Alexis looked at the monitor and tears streamed down her face as Ned held her hand.
"She's beautiful. Ned, she's perfect." said Alexis softly as more tears fell.
"Yes, she is perfect." said Ned as tears welled up in his eyes.
"Do you want to listen to her heart beat?" asked Dr. Newman.
"Yes." they said in unison.
Dr. Newman turned the sound up and they listened to the baby's heartbeat. Alexis smiled lovingly at Ned and then at the baby.
"Would you like a picture of her?" asked Dr. Newman.
"Yes." said Ned.
The picture was printed.
"I want to schedule an appointment for next month." said Dr. Newman.
"Will the tenth be okay?" asked Alexis.
"Will nine in the morning be okay?" asked Dr. Newman.
"Sure." said Alexis.
"I'll go schedule your appointment." said Dr. Newman.
She left the room and Ned hugged Alexis. She started crying and he rubbed her back.
"Why are you crying?" asked Ned.
"She's just so perfect, Ned. We made a perfect child." said Alexis sobbing.
"Yes, we made a perfect child." he said softly.
He hugged her and she got up.
"Ready?" he asked.
She nodded her head and put the picture of their baby in her purse. They left the room and he put his arm around her.
~*~*~*~
Lois was putting away the dishes that were in one of the boxes into the cupboard.
"Mommy?" asked Brooke who was watching her mom.
"What, honey?" asked Lois.
"Can daddy, Lexie, and Anastasia live here?" asked Brooke.
"They can't." said Lois.
"Why?" asked Brooke.
"They want to live in their own house and maybe they'll buy the house next door." said Lois.
"That would be great because we could play with each other all day." said Brooke smiling.
Lois smiled and kept putting away the dishes.
"We would be one big happy family." said Brooke.
Lois nearly dropped a dish. That's the only thing she really wanted to give Brooke was a happy family, but her daughter had a different version of a family.
"Yes, sweetie, one big happy family." said Lois smiling.
~*~*~*~
Stefan and Bobbie were dressed and in the dining room eating lunch.
"Lucas should be home soon. He'll be happy to see you." said Bobbie smiling.
"As I will be to see him." said Stefan smiling.
The door slammed.
"Mom, I'm home!" shouted Lucas.
"I'm in the dining room!" shouted Bobbie.
He walked into the room and smiled when he saw Stefan.
"Hi, uncle Stefan." said Lucas smiling.
"Hi, Lucas. Would you like to join us for lunch?" asked Stefan.
"Sure. What ya having?" asked Lucas.
"You can have a pizza lunchable." said Bobbie.
"Alright!!" said Lucas in excitement.
"Wash your hands." said Bobbie.
He ran out of the room to go wash his hands.
"He's a charming young boy." said Stefan smiling.
"I try to teach him to be nice to other people." said Bobbie.
"You're doing a wonderful job." said Stefan smiling.
Lucas ran back into the room and Bobbie gave him his lunchable. They ate their lunch in silence.
~*~*~*~
Nikolas and Emily were laughing at Kristen's story.
"I remember when Stefan was two he was learning to run. I was playing with him at the beach. He was so excited to see the water go in and out that his eyes grew wide. Then he started to chase the water and then he ran away shrieking as the water touched his feet. I laughed as he tried it again and then he sat down near the water getting his legs wet not to mention his diaper. Then he started splashing his face with water that he got wet sand on his face and in his hair. He was so innocent as I watched him there until he came over to put wet sand in my hair." said Kristen smiling.
"Did he succeed?" asked Nikolas smiling.
"Nope, because I picked him up and held him in the water to clean the sand off of him. He was squirming and splashing, but he was happy." said Kristen smiling.
"I bet he was adorable." said Emily smiling.
"Yes, he was. He loved me a lot when he was growing up that sometimes I just wanted to run away with him." said Kristen.
"I know how you feel. Helena was horrible. Now tell us stories about aunt Natasha." said Nikolas smiling.
Kristen smiled as she started her tale about Alexis.
~*~*~*~
Ned and Alexis arrived at the gatehouse. Alexis sat down on the couch as Ned closed the door behind him.
"Do you want to order out?" asked Ned.
"Sure. Can you order some pasta?" asked Alexis.
"Whatever you want." he said.
He went into the kitchen to use the phone as she took out the picture of their baby. She smiled at the baby and put a hand on her stomach.
"I love you, Anastasia. You will be a wonderful child and don't let anybody tell you any less. You're very precious to me and to your father." said Alexis to the baby.
The baby kicked and she smiled as Ned walked in. He noticed her smiling.
"They'll be here in fifteen minutes." he said.
"Okay." she said smiling.
"Did she kick?" he asked.
She nodded her head and he sat down next to her putting his hand on her stomach. The baby kicked again and they smiled.
"I can tell she's going to be wonderful and stubborn like her mother." he said smiling.
"I can tell she's going to be a charmer with dimples like her father. I hope she doesn't start wearing leather pants or leather skirts." she said smiling.
"You're just jealous." he said smiling.
"Of what?" she asked.
"That you didn't think of wearing leather and begin to make albums first." he said smiling.
She smiled and kissed him.
