The Road Trip Series
by Cher

Memorial Day - May 26, 2003

"I know the Wedgewood blue was your favorite but I saw these at the nursery and the soft pink seemed just right," Alexis said as she lifted the pot of hydrangeas from the wagon. "See".

She eyed the delicate blooms as she smiled sadly down at the headstone. Her sister's headstone, a final indelible proclamation amid a sea of colorful hydrangeas of who lies there but not what she was - sister, friend, confidante. The one who knew Alexis's soul and her heart better than Alexis herself and paid the terrible price knowledge and the Fate that stalks a Cassadine sometimes exacts. Alexis came here often to talk to her sister, to reflect on her troubled life and to always ask for her forgiveness even though Kristina gave it to her on her deathbed. She inhaled the scent of the flowers and ached for just one more day with her sister, to fill every moment with all the happiness they were denied by circumstance, to introduce her to her namesake promising never to allow her daughter to forget the aunt whose name she bears. The aunt who loved life and was never afraid to live it, who reached out joyfully to grasp singular moments and forge them into living memories, who sang as beautifully as their Mother and whose laughter echoed the music of her soul.

Alexis sighed and knelt down. It was warm for Memorial Day, the long winter having stretched endlessly into mid-May in Port Charles. There were days she longed for Greece and the soft scented breeze of the Mediterranean to ruffle her hair, its warmth to bestow its soft kisses on her skin. Today the sun shone bright as she dug into the earth with her bare hands sifting the loam between her fingers, marveling at the silkiness of the soil and the peaceful sense of purpose it gave her. She leaned forward and dug three deep holes, homes for roots to burrow deep and flourish. She wasn't one to plant or even have plants. They all seemed to wither and die from neglect but she vowed to watch over this small garden so her sister's memory would always be alive.

"You were right about so many things and I never really admitted that to you. I guess I was afraid to face all the messy truths inhabiting my life, so much easier to just file them away in the nice cabinets you always teased were inside my head and turn the key. You forced me to throw open the drawers and look at what I was hiding inside. I should thank you, I guess, but the fact is some of the past has come back to haunt me, Kristina. You were right, though, I need to face life and my decisions whether good or bad. Lately, the bad seems to be winning."

She reached for a hydrangea, her eyes distant as she thought of her daughter.

"I thought I was doing the right thing by faking DID, I thought I could pull it off alone because I'd lost faith that anyone could help me through it," Alexis spoke as she gently nudged the roots of the plant into the soil.

An image of her lighting candles and shifting around bric-a-brac flooded her memory and she laughed out loud.

"I actually think you would have been quite proud of me. I 'feng shui-ed' pretty good for someone who wouldn't know an 'aura' from a 'chai'. But I never did get the hang of your sense of style."

She patted the soil and leaned back with satisfaction, the dusky pink blossoms blending nicely with the blues and violets. She leaned forward again to touch her head to words engraved in marble, embedded letters in script all that remained of a life unlived, a fiery spirit silenced.

"I miss you every day but I'll be fine. I know you are looking down on me and Kristina and watching over us along with Mama and I suspect even our Father, he never was one to approve of being left out of the loop," Alexis whispered as she caressed the cold marble, running her fingers over her sister's name. "And I believe you sent Cameron to us just when we needed him."

She raised her face to bask in the warm sunlight illuminating the azure sky, a few wispy clouds drifting languidly as they played hide-and-seek with the sun. Cameron, the man who walked into her life and raised a storm within her, who saved her and protected her, who argued and fought with her, whose often annoying but reassuring presence was now as much a part of her as breathing. How did that happen? Perhaps some things are best accepted at face value and not analyzed too closely on the chance that Fate is watching, ready to pull the rug out from under you.

She looked at her sister's memorial and whispered, "And do you want to know why I think you sent him? I think I'm beginning to lo…ah…like him and it would be just like you to send him just to complicate my life."

Her cellular phone started chiming a melody she recognized and she reached over into her bag and answered before voice mail picked up.

"Good morning, Mrs. Lansbury. I'm at the cemetery and saw a pot of forget-me-nots at Kristina's memorial - that was very thoughtful of you."

She listened and scrunched her face. "You didn't place the flowers there? Strange, well maybe it was Ned. Is everything ready?"

She listened to Mrs. Lansbury's comments and replied, " Excellent, I knew I could count on you. Shall we say this afternoon around 1:00 pm? Fine, goodbye."

She looked down at the phone clutched in her very dirty hand, black earth embedded under her cuticles and laughed. She could use a manicure but a shower was a necessity before she put her day into motion. She rose, brushed off her jeans and gazed down at the headstone now surrounded by even more beauty, a fitting memorial to her sister.

"I have to go. I'm planning to surprise Cameron today and I'm not sure how he's going to feel about it. When I brought up the idea of celebrating Memorial Day, he told me it only reminded him of what he's lost so he was devoting his day to working at the homeless shelter. He's given me so much in so many ways, Kristina, that I want to do something for him. We're both walking wounded and maybe that is one of the reasons you sent him to me, so we can help each other. So, whether it blows up in my face or not, I've determined he's not spending his day at the shelter."

She put her tools into the wagon and pulled it back to her car. She left the cemetery feeling oddly renewed, a feeling she always had after spending time talking with her sister. Now, if she could only get Cameron to feel the same way.

* * *

"Good morning, Dr. Lewis, the usual?" Liz asked as Cameron strolled into Kelly's.

"Yes, coffee and a muffin, blueberry if you have it," Cameron replied cheerfully as he looked around the diner. He'd hoped to see Alexis since she was usually here at this time of day having her extra strong coffee and bagel, her nose buried in the newspaper or a law journal. Once he found out that fact, he took to just 'dropping in' almost every day and soon they were enjoying breakfast together as well as other things. He smiled wickedly remembering their Easter chocolate 'art lesson' and the weekend they spent in New York for Mother's Day when he tried so hard to make up for her year of hell and to show her how much she means to him. Mother's Day was special as they shared it with her daughter and he felt more connected to her and Kristina than ever. He wished he could feel the same about Alexander but some days he thought they would never reconcile Peter's death and their past.

"It'll be just a minute, Dr. Lewis, the muffins are ready to come out of the oven," Liz said as she poured him a cup of coffee.

He nodded as his thoughts drifted back to Peter and the loss that destroyed his life. His son, brilliant and caring, athletic and charming, the son in whose hands rested all his hopes. He never understood what was going on inside Peter, certainly never saw the signs, and that made him realize what a terrible father he'd been. Peter had been easy to love, Alexander so very hard. He knew that Alexander was more like him than he wanted to ever admit and he shouldn't have been surprised at his rebellion, he did the same to his own Father. He tried to change him but you can't change Fate or one's true nature and they now were strangers to each other. Their one connection was Alexis and even she was not enough to reconcile what they had done to each other. Alexis had wanted to have a picnic to celebrate the holiday but this day was nothing but a reminder of the pain of his past and all that he had lost. Better to spend it in what some would call penance - volunteering at the shelter, the place where he could help others and maybe find the peace he longed for every day since Peter committed suicide and he lost his other son.

"Here you go, hot from the oven," Liz caroled as she placed a steaming muffin in front of him.

He suddenly needed to get out of there and be on his way. "Can I have that and another coffee to go, Elizabeth? I just realized I'm running late for the shelter."

"Sure. Can I get you anything else?"

He shook his head and smiled sadly, "I don't think Kelly's has on the menu what I need today. Say, has Alexis been in this morning?"

"She was in early this morning, said she had a busy day planned."

He wondered what that was all about as he headed to the shelter.

* * *

Alexis changed into pale blue capris and a white lightweight sweater. She was excited about her plans and hoped Cameron wasn't going to prove too stubborn. It wasn't just about him and wanting to help him navigate a day when memorials were bitter reminders of what we have lost. They could also be celebrations of the joy of what once was and she found she wanted to help him unearth the good memories and perhaps share some of her past with him too.

She crossed the threshold of the homeless shelter and immediately recalled the first time she came here in search of a psychiatrist to help Luke. She ran smack into what she assumed was a very unkempt shelter resident but was in fact the very psychiatrist she was seeking. He was everything he wasn't supposed to be and the easiest person to talk to she'd ever met. He seemed to inspire one to share whatever baggage they were carrying, all the while gazing at you with empathy and just a hint of the devil in his eye - a fascinating combination. From that night forward, they slowly walked a journey of friendship together and he became more important to her than she ever thought another person outside of her family could be and she still didn't know how she truly felt about that. They'd become very close, very intimate and she blushed at how far that intimacy had come. She'd vowed never to open herself to heartbreak again after Sonny but Cameron slipped inside her heart when she wasn't looking and slowly chipped away at her fears replacing them with hopes.

She looked around for him and felt a tug on her sweater. Turning, she smiled brilliantly and then saw the man who touched her. He was obviously one of the residents, poorly clothed, his face care-worn but clean, an old tattered fedora sitting lopsided on his head.

Alexis smiled uncertainly and asked, "Can I help you?"

He took off his hat and bowed slightly as he touched her arm. "I've seen you. You're an angel."

She looked surprised since the look in his watery blue eyes was recognition and she couldn't recall ever seeing him before. Well, she thought, maybe he was a long time resident and he saw her the night she came to see Cameron.

"Well, thank you. I like compliments."

He tugged on her sweater. "You look happy today like before."

She didn't understand so she decided to ask him.

"You speak as if you know me. I'm sorry but I don't remember you."

He looked down at the floor then back up into her eyes. "Oh, you don't know Sam. But I seen you - in Doc's office."

She had no idea if Cameron had an office here but she did know she'd never been in it. Now she was intrigued.

"I've never been in the Doctor's office, Sam."

Sam chuckled as he coughed. "I just saw you in there this morning. You're always there. You can't fool old Sam."

Alexis thought he must have some mental problems and didn't want to argue but she was interested. " Sam, would you like to show me where you saw me this morning?"

Sam smiled, his five remaining teeth as white as snow, and motioned to her to follow him. They walked down a corridor, the paint chipping but brightly colored, and stood in front of a wooden door. He put his fingers to his lips and placed his head on the door, listening for sounds on the other side. He smiled again as his hand moved to the doorknob.

"Doc said his office is pri-vate and Sam isn't to come here when Doc is out. But I like to look at angels."

She shook her head, not understanding his ramblings. She walked in and saw a very small office with furniture that had seen better days a century ago. It was clean and pretty nondescript as Sam led her inside.

He closed the door and pointed to the small oak bookcase hidden behind it and said simply, "Angels."

It was a picture of her and Kristina at the cabin smiling out from a whitewashed frame. She remembered the day he took it, the day he sent for her to come to have a therapy session at the cabin, the same day she made the decision not to run and chose to do the only thing she could - give her daughter back to the Quartermaines until she was able to get her back. She walked into the cabin and Cameron turned around holding her daughter and her heart almost burst. He told her he'd never seen her look happier or more beautiful, she joked it was a Kodak moment and he suddenly pulled out a camera and took this picture. She'd forgotten about it, never asked him again, and now she smiled as she touched the frame. Very sentimental Doctor Lewis, she thought, and as she picked up the picture, she noticed something that leaped from image to her eye. The expression that stared out from the picture was not merely happiness at holding her child, it revealed a hint of love gleaming from her eye. They say that pictures do not lie and this picture captured in silent imagery the beginnings of what neither of them had anticipated. Even then, her heart somehow knew there was something special about him.

She looked at Sam who was smiling as if he'd discovered the Holy Grail. She pointed to Kristina, "You were right, Sam, this is an angel. My angel - my daughter Kristina."

He nodded, "Angels bring good luck. Doc says so."

She thought about Cameron and angels and had to agree. He was hers in so many ways. She didn't want Sam to get in trouble so she decided it was time to leave.

"Sam, we'd best…"

"Vamoose before the Doctor gets back?" Cameron walked in and was staring quizzically at Alexis and Sam.

Alexis swallowed, "Ok, we're busted. You'd better run along, Sam. I'll smooth things over with the Doc."

Cameron touched Sam's shoulder as he tried to walk by. "Remember how we talked about trust and privacy and how important it is? Well, you've taken advantage of my trust by coming into my office uninvited."

Sam looked up into his eyes sadly and nodded. "Sorry I am but I wanted to show her the angels. You call them that."

Cameron looked a bit embarrassed as his eyes quickly darted to Alexis and back to Sam. "Yes, I guess I do. We'll talk more later."

Sam looked hopefully at him. "And play chess?"

Cameron sighed since he could never refuse Sam. "Yes, we'll continue our game."

Sam looked at Alexis and smiled. "Unless you find something better to do." And with that, he winked at Cameron, bowed holding his fedora over his heart to Alexis and walked out.

Alexis thought there was no time like the present. "If you want to take Sam's last statement as a suggestion, I have an idea."

Cameron decided to give it up. All his good intentions to immerse himself in work today had gone right out the window - or up the vent in this case since his office possessed no window - the minute he saw Alexis looking all relaxed and holiday-ish in her sexy form-fitting capris.

"Ok, you win. What's your idea?"

Alexis gave him a sly smile and murmured, "Up for a road trip?"

Recalling the last two, Cameron smiled wickedly right back at her. "Well, the last two were certainly…eventful."

With that, she grasped his hand and pulled him laughing from the room.

* * *

"So, where exactly are we going?"

Alexis grinned as she drove up the interstate giving nothing up about their destination. They'd stopped by his apartment for a change of clothes, something a bit more weekend casual than his usual shrink-wear. They drove about half an hour until they exited onto one of the county roads and drove for another hour turning onto countless farm roads until Cameron was totally turned around.

He laughed, "Why is it I'm having déjà vu? Is this payback for the Easter road trip when I held you and Kristina hostage as we drove for hours? Because I think we just passed that large white rock you kept pointing out to me."

Alexis scoffed. "Nonsense. I'm merely driving us to our destination and any large white rocks you may see are obviously figments of your fevered imagination. We are almost there."

"And where is there?"

"No so much with the surprises are you Cameron? Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

They pulled up a long drive in front of a large stone house surrounded by trees. It looked old, like it belonged in the wine country of France and he knew without a doubt it belonged to the Cassadines. He wasn't certain how he felt about that because he considered her family a nuisance in her too crowded life.

"Some house… yours?"

Alexis wrinkled her nose. "Not mine, my architectural taste is a bit less gothic but this is our American dacha, our country house. All good Russians have one you know."

Cameron snorted. "Really, I didn't realize you considered yourself a good Russian."

Alexis smiled as her mind journeyed elsewhere. "Well, only half-Russian and not the part that I consider good."

The way she said it Cameron knew she was thinking of her Mother, a terrible loss in her life. Today must be a difficult day for her too and he was somewhat ashamed that he wasn't more understanding of her wanting to spend it in some way other than work. Everyone has the right to grieve in their own way.

She led him into the foyer and stopped to breathe in the scent of the tea roses resting in the crystal vase on the table.

Cameron studied the foyer with appreciation. It wasn't gaudy or ornate like Wyndemere - it was country French and filled with light.

"This is a pleasant surprise."

She laughed, "You mean not all dark and solemn like Wyndemere? If you think Wyndemere is dark, you should see our Greek estate. It is an ugly maze and very easy to imagine that a boogie-man is hiding around every corner. "

He heard the catch in her voice and could imagine a young vulnerable Alexis running from those very monsters.

"Miss Alexis, welcome to Vladya."

Alexis nodded her head and smiled. "Mrs. Lansbury, thank you for opening the house for me. Cameron, you've met Mrs. Lansbury."

"Yes, we have. A pleasure to see you again."

She looked thoughtfully from Alexis to Cameron and smiled to herself as she whispered, "Finally."

Alexis raised an eyebrow. "Did you say something?"

Mrs. Lansbury was embarrassed. She loved this family for better or worse, hated some but adored few especially Miss Alexis. She prayed each night she would get Miss Kristina back and knew this man had been instrumental in saving both of them. He was worthy of her.

"No, Miss Alexis. Everything is set out as you requested. I trust you and the Doctor will have an enjoyable afternoon." She knew that more was planned and hoped that Miss Alexis would be pleasantly surprised.

Cameron watched the housekeeper leave. "The servants are leaving?"

"Yes, just you and me, a country setting and some of Mrs. Lansbury's best cooking."

"But if you wanted to have a picnic, Alexis, you could have twisted my arm and we could be in Port Charles now, at the park or on your terrace. We didn't have to drive this far."

A strange look crossed her face, sadness and determination combined. "Well, I've always come here for the last few years because…" She looked at him looking quizzically back at her, shook her head and took his hand. "Come with me."

They walked into the conservatory, its 15-foot high doors opening out onto a flagstone terrace overlooking an Olympic-sized pool. A glass-topped table was set not with linens and china and crystal but with colorful plates and glasses and what looked like plastic utensils. He imagined the dutiful Mrs. Lansbury shuddering at the setting plastic out thinking that 'Miss Alexis' had truly lost her mind. Bowls of fruit, whipped cream, salads and every condiment he'd ever seen and a few that escaped him were lined up on the sideboard next to bottles of various wines, all very old. He noticed a ice bucket with champagne chilling next to the table. Through the windows he could see a barbeque grill, a cooler at its side which he knew would have hot dogs and hamburgers ready for grilling, all very out of place so he knew it was at Alexis's request. It was simply charming, a country picnic Cassadine style and he felt the weight of the day lifting even more. She was priceless.

"Alexis, this is amazing."

She smiled bashfully, "I'd hoped you would like it. It gives us the ambiance of a picnic - without the ants."

"It is a beautiful picnic. Hey, where are you going?" he asked as she slipped out the terrace door and skipped down the steps leading to the pool.

She turned and murmured, "I want to show you something."

They walked around the pool perimeter and out into the grounds behind the house. The gardens were magnificent, filled with flowers and blossoming trees, the scent heady and inviting. They walked into a grove of trees packed so tightly together you could not veer from the stone pathway. The trees bent forming an archway and Cameron felt as if he was on the road to a destination that beckoned him. They passed through the final arch into a glade and his eyes feasted on roses, dozens of varieties, every color and shape, their scent overpowering. It clung to him and infused his body with a lightness of being he'd never experienced. His ear caught the sound of splashing and his eyes drank in a waterfall cascading over a rock garden. In the center of the glade rested a tall rectangular monument, as tall as Cameron, cut from pink marble. They walked over quietly as if afraid to disturb the peaceful spirit that resided here. Chiseled into the marble were ten figures, nine along its edges, the tenth and largest in the middle. They appeared to be Greek or Roman figures and he turned to Alexis, his eyebrow raised in question.

She touched the stone, caressing its edges. "The nine Muses of Greek mythology, they are the patronesses of the arts and sciences, the givers of music and poetry and theatre," as she pointed to each. "Calliope, Erato, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, Clio, Thalia, Terpsichore, Melpomene, and Urania. The daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, it is said the world did not know song until they were born."

"And the middle figure?"

Softly tracing the face etched in profile, she whispered. "My Mother."

He studied Alexis for a moment, her vulnerability as deeply etched on her face as the chisel marks on stone. He stepped closer to the monument. The picture he'd seen in Alexis's apartment revealed a stunning woman in sapphire blue, her gaze hypnotic enough to draw you into her world even frozen in time. The chiseled profile before him was that woman, the profile patrician and timeless, her eyes touching something deep inside you even cast in soulless marble. She was alive within the confines of that stone and it was a loving tribute to what she was. Below the portrait in marble was a quotation by William Morris.

"O thrush, your song is passing sweet
But never a song that you have sung,
Is half so sweet as thrushes sang
When my dear Love and I were young."

And below the quotation were inscribed a few words in Russian.

Cameron touched the words with his fingertips. "What does it say?"

Alexis placed her hand on his as they traced it again together. "The translation is 'my beloved, my forever love'"

He was speechless. "Alexis, this is beautiful."

Alexis kept her eyes riveted on her mother's face. "Mikkos erected it in Sweden in the village where my Mother was born. Stefan and I brought here a few years ago and designed this memorial garden in her memory. It was my Father's lasting tribute to her and it was only after I saw it for the first time, knowing I was her daughter and his, that I understood how much he loved her and what it had cost them. But theirs was a love that would transcend time and never die as long as his daughters live. Kristina is with them now but I'm alive and now there is Kristina. As long as one of us lives, the memory of their love and happiness will stand the test of time. I come here to remember them and keep them alive in my heart."

He could not help the tears that formed in his eyes. She touched him with her willingness to accept the pain of her loss but more so to embrace the love and the memories she holds in her heart and not turn away from them. Memory and remembrance is a whole package and he needed to start believing in the worth of his own memories. Without even saying a word, Alexis gave him hope he could face his demons and tame them enough to reach out to his remaining son and maybe they can remember together.

He heard music, soft and tinkling, and looked around.

Alexis smiled up at him. "Wind chimes. When I brought Kristina here she said that music was the language of our parent's love and there should always be song to remind us. She arranged for wind chimes to be hung in every tree so when the wind calls and asks the question, 'And for what has this memory been created', the trees will sigh their song in answer."

He slowly pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her as the song of an endless love surrounded them.

* * *

They walked back to the house in silence until they reached the pool. The water was turquoise blue and lily pads were floating on the surface.

Cameron pointed to them. "And where are the frogs?"

Alexis grinned, "Changed into handsome princes."

"So I have some competition, I see. Not sure how I stack up against royalty but I'm willing to give it a shot - if the price is right, that is."

Alexis raised an eyebrow. "Well, Cassadines worship the very ground tradition treads upon so we tend to abide by the ancient customs."

He was confused. "Ancient customs? Dueling at dawn? Human sacrifice?"

Alexis doubled over laughing. "Well, the latter would be the choice of some members of the family but no, nothing that spectacular. Just some Olympic trials to see if you possess the right stuff."

"Olympic? As in The Olympic Games?"

"Yes, all events are open for business but the choice is up to the Cassadine woman in question. So I, therefore, chose water sports."

He gave her a skeptical look. "You want me to swim to prove my prowess?"

"Well, that is rather limited. I was thinking of more creative water sports."

Cameron looked exasperated. "And those would be?"

Alexis unzipped her capris, slipped her sweater over her head and dropped them into Cameron's arms. She stood in front of him in ice blue lace underwear, a sly grin on her face as she studied his shocked face. She turned quickly and dived into the blue water, the back splash hitting Cameron right in the eye.

She surfaced in the middle of the pool and waved. "Come on in, as the saying goes 'the water is fine'".

Cameron was staring at her shaking his head. "Alexis, you want me to dive in the water? It must be freezing in there."

Alexis waved her hand airily. "It's a bit cool but nothing a real MAN couldn't handle."

Then her eyes lit up and she tried unsuccessfully to stifle a grin. "Or is the gentleman worried about 'shrinkage'?"

Cameron blushed red and started to take off his shoes. "Being you've experienced me in the water arena before…" Oh that sounded naughty, he thought. "You already know that shrinkage is not an issue with me."

Alexis was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. "Step it up, buddy. I don't have all day here."

Cameron stopped removing his shirt and khakis and made a face at her. "All good things come to she who waits…patiently."

"Looks like someone needs motivation," Alexis shouted as she removed what remained of her clothes and slung them out of the pool smacking him in the chest.

Cameron shouted as he dove in and pulled her to him. "Did I ever tell you I won 'most agile' three years running in my water aerobics class?"

Alexis felt his hard body surround hers as he brought his face down to kiss her. "Doctor, I am a woman who believes in ACTIONS not words so… show me your definition of 'agile'."

They swam and made love and laughed until they were breathless. Alexis was holding onto Cameron, kissing the drops of water from his beard when she heard footsteps.

She looked up sharply and there stood her brother, the brother who hadn't set foot in the United States in well over a year and a half, the brother she loved and respected, the brother whom she wanted to approve of her choices and her life. There stood Stefan Cassadine, arms crossed in front of him, an expressive mixture of annoyance and embarrassed amusement on his handsome face.

This was not good, she thought, desperately wanting to cover herself but there was nothing to wear except a lily pad or two and that only made her look like a stripper.

"Stefan! What a wonderful…surprise. I wasn't aware you were expected…yet." Alexis rambled.

"Sister, Mrs. Lansbury told me you would be here today so I decided to…" he looked directly at Cameron who was trying to sink deeper into the water, "surprise you. I expected you would come to Kristin's garden as it is your ritual. I realize I have been in Europe for quite some time but isn't it a bit early in the season for…swimming? You really should have the caretaker start the heater. I'm sure the good 'Doctor' wouldn't want to be responsible for you catching your death. "

Alexis was trying to come up with something to say but all she could do manage was her agreement. "Yes, you are right. But the day was nice and I guess we got…"

Stefan finished with a glint in his eye, "Carried away? Yes, that is quite evident. But I have a surprise for you up at the house, a certain little lady who expressed a desire to see her Mother."

Alexis's jaw dropped. "Kristina is here? You brought her here? How?"

Stefan smiled smugly. "I merely pointed out to Ned and Edward the positive aspects of agreeing to my suggestion."

Alexis chuckled, "And the negative ones also?"

Stefan raised to his full height. "Of course. And after they weighed both, they made the correct decision for all involved as I knew they would. Now, I will take a walk to Kristin's garden and pay my respects while you…collect yourself." He turned sharply on his heel and walked toward the glade.

Cameron surfaced and watched Stefan walk down the path. "So, that's your brother?"

Alexis nodded and sighed. "Yes."

Cameron looked at her and made a face. "So, how does he feel about first impressions?"

Alexis reached out and touched his cheek. "Unfortunately, that they are the lasting ones."

Cameron pulled her to him for one last kiss as he locked his gaze into hers.

"I'm screwed."

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