Even before Stefan untied the blindfold from around her eyes Alexis knew exactly where she was. The cool breeze whipping her hair around her face, the salty smell tickling her nose, the rumbling of the crashing waves rumbled musically in her ears, and the warmth of the midday sun on her face told her she was on the shore. This was the only place on the island where she felt safe from the Cassadines. No one ever came out here except for her and Stefan. He knew she loved it here, this was there spot where they confided things to each other. Once the blindfold was completely off, Alexis closed her eyes and took a deep breath and inhaled the sea air. She wrapped her arms around herself, smiled and rocked back and forth on her feet.

"Lexis?" Stefan asked, standing behind her. Alexis turned around at the sound of his voice. The look in her eyes told him that she liked his surprise. He hadn't been sure since she hadn't said anything. He held up the pail and shovel that were in his hand and Alexis started jumping up and down like a puppy and squealed with delight when she saw them.

"Can we put these to good use?" He asked gesturing to the pail and shovel.

"Oh yes! Where did you get them?" Alexis asked as she took them from him.

"Where do you think I got them?" Stefan asked as he sat down to take his shoes off.

Giggling, Alexis sat down to follow Stefan in taking her shoes off. "You stole them from the gardening shed." Alexis accused with a gleam in her eyes.

"Yes, I did." Stefan answered with a gleam in his eyes that matched hers.

"I would have loved to help you."

"I know, but I wanted this to be a surprise. Do you like it?" He asked as he stood up.

"You know I do." She answered as Stefan reached down to take her small hand and help her up to her feet.

"I thought you would after all that's happened with Helena and Stavros lately."

Will he ever know how much he means to me? Alexis wondered. He always knows what I need when I'm down and lonely. God, please don't ever take him from me. She silently pleaded.

"Lexis? You okay?" Stefan asked as Alexis smile drifted from her face and she went into her distant world of thoughts. Sometimes it was hard to get her to come back to reality because she would convince herself that no one cared for her. She'll understand some day just how special is Stefan thought. "Lexis I didn't mean to upset you."

Alexis smiled at his words and looked straight into his eyes. "You'll never upset me Stefan. You'll the only one around this place that doesn't upset me." She hugged him, grabbed the pail and shovel, and took off towards the ocean where the wet sand to build a castle was located. "Race you!" She shouted behind her.

"You will never win!" Stefan shouted as he took after her.

About a half an hour later Stefan and Alexis are sitting in the sand a few feet from where the waves hit the shore. They are both covered in sand. Stefan has his pants rolled up to his thighs and the hem on Alexis dress has been touched by the sea. Alexis stood up and admired her castle. It was a small thing in the shape of the pail. They had dug a tunnel under it and placed shells around the bottom and on the top of it. "It's perfect! It's better than the last one we made." She exclaimed.

Brushing the sand off his hands, Stefan also stood to admire the creation. It was a nice castle, but what he loved most about it was the way Alexis eyes had sparkled the whole time they were making it. She got to make the decisions on what the castle was going to look like. She got so excited about every little detail and was determined to make it the best castle ever. When she was free from the Cassadine hold she could be the most determined person, but around them she held her tongue and took whatever wrath/beating/anger/abuse was given to her. What a shame no one saw the true caring, loving, and determined little girl that just wanted to be loved besides him. "It's wonderful 'Lexis. You do wonderful work."

"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without you. Who else would dig a tunnel for me when my fingers get cold from the wet sand?"

"Anyone in their right mind would."

"I really don't think so, but thanks."

"Lexis I've told you before that…"

"I know, I know. Don't pay any attention to the rest of your family because they don't understand me. Well what if they do and you're the one that doesn't? What if the things they say about me are true? You know the more I hear it, the more I believe that no one wants me around." Alexis said. She had been avoiding Stefan's eyes as she confessed her feelings. When she looked back at him, she knew that she had upset him and he was about to either go into lecture mode or rant and rave about his family. That was not something she wanted to hear right now, especially after she had such a wonderful afternoon. She added, with a shy childish smile, "Except you, "at the end of her statement.

Stefan, sensing that she didn't want him to lecture her about his family reached out for her hand. She wiped the sand off onto her dress before letting him take it. Stefan pointed to the castle, "Do you think that castle is pretty?"

"Yes." She said not quite sure what Stefan was trying to do.

"Do you think Helena would like it?"

Alexis shook her head as she answered with her voice, "No."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Because I made it. She hates everything I make." The last sentence she uttered with disgust.

Stefan knew this was true, but he didn't want to let Alexis know this. "No she would hate it because she can't see the beauty in it. She wouldn't be able to see the beauty in the way it looks or the beauty in all the hard work it took us make it. Just like she can't see the beauty of the princess who built it."

"Thanks you." Alexis whispered as she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Alexis you don't have to keep thanking me. I feel like I need to thank you for all you do for me, and then we would be here all night."

"All night? No Stavros, Helena or Mikkos! I think we could handle that." Alexis answered with the scheming glint back in her eyes.

"Yeah we could, but come morning we would be regretting it."

Thinking of the anger that would ensue in Helena if she found out something like that them staying out all night frightened Alexis. She would take the brunt of Helena's anger and that was not what she wanted. "Yeah we would. Can't we get away from them for a day sometime?"

"I'm not sure." Stefan answered while a plan was already forming in his head on how to grant the wish of his little princess.

"Oh No! Look Stefan!" Alexis shouted. Stefan turned and saw that the tide was coming in. If they didn't move fast, they would be having to explain drenched clothes to Katia and Helena. He was still holding Alexis hands so he tugged at her to run. "No Stefan! The Castle!" Stefan turned to look as the wave crashed around the castle, pulling it into the sea.

"Lexis, I'm sorry, but I don't think we could have saved it in time."

"It's okay, nothing good ever lasts." At least not in my world Alexis thought.