Stefan let out a sigh of relief as he pushed open the door of treatment room four and found Alexis cradling Kristina in her arms. The baby had been changed into a plain white t-shirt and diaper, and she was wrapped in one of the nursery's standard pink blankets. Stefan made an instant mental note to go by Alexis' and get some of the as-yet unused items she had there for Kristina and bring them over.

"How is she?" he asked quietly, drawing his sister's eyes to him. He held back any sign of the fury he felt when what he saw within the brown pools was fear and worry.

"She's okay," Alexis said, her voice low so as not to disturb Kristina, who was beginning to doze off in the warmth of her mother's embrace. "A little bruised, and she has some scrapes, but she's okay. Tony just wants to keep her overnight to be cautious."

"Good. It's about time the staff around here remembered that Kristina isn't just any patient."

His imperious tone earned him a slight smile from his sister. "Stefan, they weren't that bad."

"Excuse me, Alexis," he countered, "I read their 'notes' about you. They were that bad, and it best not happen again."

Alexis was grateful for her brother's protectiveness, but she didn't have the energy to rehash the harsh treatment she had received at the hands of the GH staff during Kristina's fight for survival. All she could think about now was that today she could have lost Kristina forever. Just the thought of it brought back the tears she had managed to stop after her first few minutes of holding her baby girl. As the moisture tipped over her bottom lids and ran down her cheeks, Alexis felt her brother's hands on her shoulders.

"She's all right, Alexis."

"I know... this time. But I'm just... I'm so tired of this." Her voice was filled with sadness, and Stefan let his hands move so that his arms wrapped around both sister and niece.

"They get to decide who sees her, who can hold her. Skye Quartermaine had no business taking my daughter anywhere, but Ned says it's all right and so this stranger gets to be with my baby and I can't. She crashes a car with Kristina in it, but I'm the dangerous one."

The more Alexis spoke, the more upset she became, and when Kristina stirred and rubbed her fists against her eyes, Stefan loosed his hold on the two and offered to take his niece for a moment. Alexis kissed the top of Kristina's head and handed her to her uncle, then swiped at the tears that were still streaming down her face.

"I just want her to be safe. That's all I ever wanted," Alexis said, her arms wrapping around her body.

Stefan cradled his niece close as she relaxed into a deeper sleep, his eyes looking at the woman before him. Again he was reminded of his own foolishness. Of course his sister was mortal, of course she could be hurt... but so often he had let himself lose sight of that because she had survived so much. Now, as concern for her baby and her own pain merged inside of her to torment Alexis, Stefan was reminded not of the strong woman she had grown into but of the lost, scared little girl she had once been.

The door opened, and Tony Jones walked into the room, a slight smile on his face as he looked at his patient peacefully sleeping. A nurse Alexis didn't recognize accompanied him.

"We have a room ready, and Dr. Navarro is going to come by and look at her just to confirm that I'm being overcautious. So why don't we get her moved up?"

Alexis nodded and Stefan laid the infant into the nearby hospital crib. The nurse came around and began to wheel the little bed toward the door, Alexis following closely. Stefan held back, however, and just as Tony was about to exit, he called the doctor back.

"Dr. Jones, I realize that there is a good chance the Quartermaines will be descending any minute to try and push Alexis out of Kristina's room. I would appreciate any efforts you make in not letting that happen."

Tony Jones knew firsthand what it felt like to be cut off from his child, and he unfortunately knew the devastation of losing one. He had been pushed to limits he'd never imagined by his love for his children, by love for a child he had once though to be his... and Alexis had helped him get his life back. He hadn't forgotten that.

"I won't be able to keep Ned out, but I have no problem writing an order barring anyone else from going into the room. Especially since I'm certain I'll have the backing of the hospital chairman."

Stefan smiled ruefully. "That you will, doctor."

"Then consider it done," Tony promised, a sly smile of his own showing as he walked toward the door and hurried off to get Kristina settled into her room.

Satisfied that he'd done something that would at least give Alexis some temporary relief, Stefan walked out into the hall and headed toward the elevators. He was surprised to see that Ric Lansing was still loitering in the ER. Curious, he wandered over to the man.

"Mr. Lansing, I can assure you, Alexis and Kristina are in good hands now."

"Yeah, I'm sure they are, but... " Ric looked back outside through the large windows in the emergency room doors. He could just leave. Alexis had decided not to hire him for good reason. For the moment, Baldwin was in his pocket because of the help promised in bringing Sonny down. He could just leave and not endanger that. He could just leave except for that nagging thing at the back of his head that kept saying he couldn't leave.

"Scott Baldwin is planning to let the judge know that Alexis is with the baby. He'll probably be back within the hour to have her taken out of the room."

Stefan's face took on an intimidating scowl. "That man should be grateful he has the job my sister would have had if not for his corrupt tactics and blackmail, and leave bad enough alone."

"I know, I know," Ric said, "but for some reason, he just won't back off. Look, I... I spoke with Alexis and she told me that she needed to withdraw the job offer. I understand, I do. But, Mr. Cassadine, I really think there is a way for me to help here with the Kristina situation."

"How so?" Stefan asked, his arms folding together in front of him.

"Well, I obviously did some checking into your family once the idea of my working for you came up, just as you did with me. Now granted, the Cassadine legend is fairly formidable and filled with dastardly acts but..."

Ric found his audience unreadable, and he wasn't at all certain if he should continue or not. He could be burying himself even more with the Cassadine patriarch by talking about what was a family situation. Yet even as his doubts began to mount, Stefan nodded toward him.

"But what, Mr. Lansing?"

"But," Ric continued, encouraged, "You, Mr. Cassadine, have a fairly good reputation. I mean, yes, there have been suspicions and investigations, but nothing that isn't equaled by or surpassed by what the Quartermaines have had. You raised Nikolas. You are a respected member of the community. I think you could make a good case for taking temporary custody of Kristina until Alexis is given full custody back."

"I suggested as much to Alexis when I returned," Stefan admitted, "but she's afraid of making a move that could alienate this ridiculous Judge Farmer anymore than she is already."

"Understandable, but what if I could get Judge Farmer off the case?"

What he had learned about Ric Lansing told Stefan that this man was more than capable of knowing exactly the sort of information or methodology that could get a new judge assigned to Alexis and Kristina's case. Stefan had hoped to pursue a similar path, but he felt he could not violate Alexis' request that he stay out of the matter. She was simply terrified now of being cut off from her daughter altogether. It made what he had to say to Lansing clear.

"Mr. Lansing, I cannot authorize any action on this without Alexis' consent. It's her decision not mine."

Ric shook his head. It had been worth a shot.

"But," Stefan continued, "if you could convince her that you can make this work... that she has a good chance of winning this round... then I would be eager to support whatever actions you need to take."

The "but" had surprised Ric and though he still couldn't fathom why, it energized him. He could already feel his mind running over options, avenues of information he could access, in order to get things started... that was, after he convinced Alexis to let him help, and Ric knew that was going to be no small task.

*****

Ned's arrival had done little to make Alexis feel more relaxed, but when Stefan came into Kristina's room carrying the diaper bag Alexis had yet to take out into public, it had brightened her mood some. She had joyfully dressed her baby in a soft yellow fleece sleep sack adorned with baby lambs. Then she drew out the hand-knitted white blanket that had been her first baby-related purchase and laid it down in the crib beside Kristina, who had just finished her bottle.

With her brother present and having promised not to leave until she was back, Alexis felt the time had come for what she'd been thinking of doing for hours now. She took purposeful strides toward the elevator and then down to the seventh floor where the nurse had told her to go. No one was outside the room when she got there, and Alexis knocked on the door.

"Yes," the voice called out from inside, and Alexis pushed the door open. The action brought her face-to-face with Skye Quartermaine.

"Alexis... hello," the redhead said, her surprise at seeing this particular visitor evident in her speech. Alexis noticed that there was a large bandage visible across the top of Skye's forehead and a cast on her left wrist.

"How are you?" Alexis asked, her tone neutral.

"I'm okay. Is Kristina really all right?"

"Yes," Alexis answered, her arms crossing in front of her. "She's fine... this time."

"I swear," Skye started, her voice instantly defensive. "I swear on my life I was not drinking."

"Well, since your life isn't worth much to me, Skye... "Alexis bit back, weeks of bitterness breaking through, "that's hardly proof."

"They did a blood alcohol test. It'll prove that I wasn't drinking. I just hit a patch of leaves and the wheel jerked out of my hand."

Alexis took a few steps closer to the foot of the bed and stared intently at Skye.

"I believe you. You see, unlike everyone else you know, Skye, I do give people a little credit from having learned from their past mistakes. Now, while I may not think much of you, I don't think you're careless enough or stupid enough to put my daughter in a car with you if you had been drinking."

Skye sighed with relief and relaxed back against her pillows. "Well... thank you," she said. "I can assure you, right now, you're the only one that thinks that."

"Maybe you'll do me the favor and remember that the next time I'm late for a visit or I want to spend five extra minutes with my daughter, hmm? Maybe you can reflect back on the compassion I'm showing you right now the next time our situations are reversed."

Alexis knew she had struck the nerve she wanted to when Skye's mouth fell open. Her defenses immediately rose again, and she lashed out just as Alexis knew she would.

"You know, I admit, I have made some mistakes, Alexis, but you murdered a man, and for you to act so high and mighty about... "

"Shut up, Skye," Alexis yelled, and the stunned former Quartermaine fell silent. "Yes, I killed Luis Alcazar, and you know what, Skye? YOU tried to make sure that Brenda and Jason went to prison for it even though you had no idea whether they were guilty or not because you were too drunk to remember who killed the man you had just slept with, you know, the one who shot the man you supposedly love? So how about you step off your high horse about that, okay?"

Skye had no defense against Alexis' carefully chosen accusations. She had done all of those things... no matter how much she wanted to forget them.

"Now you and I have never been friendly, Skye, but I do believe that you have some genuine feeling for my daughter. That being said, you remember this and don't forget it. Kristina is MY daughter. I carried her, I gave birth to her, and I nursed her back from the brink of death, and I did NOT do it so that she could be destroyed by the Quartermaines. And frankly, I would think that a woman who was stolen from her own mother would realize that stealing another woman's baby is not the way to fix a lonely, miserable life."

Alexis turned and threw the door to the hospital room open. She left with her raw sense of betrayal and anger hanging in the air, and she had left before she saw that Skye had not only heard her words, but that she had felt them. Thoughts of her mother suddenly filled Skye's imagination, and she could hear Rae's anguished description of the years she had spent trying to find her.

The abject evil of what she'd been thinking of doing crashed down on Skye's head, and she dissolved into a mass of guilty tears as she thought about Kristina and Alexis and the sin she had almost repeated.

*****

By the time Alexis returned to pediatrics, a full-scale Quartermaine scene was taking place. Edward was bellowing about it being "his right" to see Kristina and Alan and Monica were yelling at him about needing to go home and Emily and Ned were trying to do something to bring about some peace. Alexis ducked around the corner and headed straight for Kristina's room, hoping to avoid being drawn into the fray. She stopped short, though, when she saw Ric Lansing waiting for her outside.

"Ric... I'm sorry, I forgot you were here. Oh," she said, feeling embarrassed, "and that sounds terrible, doesn't it? I am sorry."

"It's all right," he assured her, smiling. "You had more important things to think about."

Alexis nodded and glanced toward the door that stood between her and her daughter. It was at that point that she heard Scott Baldwin's voice suddenly rising above the fray of Quartermaine battling.

"You can't hide in there all day, Alexis!" Scott yelled, and Alexis looked back over her shoulder confused. From where she was, she could hear what was going on, but not see it.

"Stefan has put a standing order down that Baldwin isn't allowed in the pediatrics unit without a court order or Mac Scorpio to accompany him."

"I'm surprised he didn't get his friend Judge Farmer to give him a court order," Alexis quipped and Ric shrugged.

"You know, a funny thing may have happened on his way to Judge Farmer's office."

Curious, Alexis arched her eyebrow. "Such as?"

"It seems the judge owns a vacation home in Cape Code, and unfortunately, the pipes exploded. Nasty flood. 100-year-old hardwood floors. Very bad. Needed immediate attention."

Ric's feigned concern overrode Alexis' impulse to admonish him and instead made her chuckle slightly. She was instantly ashamed, but somehow it seemed like a little piece of karmic justice laid down up on the judge's head.

"I see," Alexis said, "And what about Mac? I mean, Scott could have just dragged him down here to force me out of the room because of the existing visitation agreement."

"True," Ric agreed, "but it seems that Commissioner Scorpio has a soft spot for mothers unfairly separated from their babies. He's made himself, um, unavailable for the night."

Alexis couldn't help but be impressed. Still, she hadn't asked for his help, and she felt a bit uncomfortable that he was just giving it.

"And to what do I owe these miraculous occurrences?"

Ric had known that despite the relief she would feel, Alexis would question his motives. How could she not? He was about to answer when she ran her right hand through her hair and sighed.

"I'm sorry, that sounded ungrateful. It's just that lately whenever someone 'helps' me, the price tag is usually more than I can afford, unless, of course, you consider giving up your free will and your independence inexpensive."

"Judging from what I've seen of those qualities in you, Alexis," Ric said, "I'd say that is far too high a price indeed. And as for my motives, well, let's just say I have a little experience in what it's like to want your mother and not have her. So today let's just credit me with being a nice guy. First time for everything, you know?"

Alexis gave him a small smile and turned, leaning her back against the wall.

"Well, we appreciate it, even if it is only temporary. I mean, none of that will help me when Tony releases her tomorrow and Ned takes her back to that house."

"Who says Kristina's being released tomorrow?" Ric asked, and Alexis' eyes shot toward him.

"What do you mean?"

"Look, Alexis... " Ric suddenly realized that was not the first, but rather one of several times since she'd received the call about Kristina that he had called her by her first name, and his voice grew nervous. "Sorry, you never actually gave me permission to call you that, did you? Ms. Davis, I know that you have no reason to trust me. You know facts about me right now and little else. But those facts told you that I'm a good lawyer and that I do what I have to do to win. That's why you wanted me to help with your family's business before you found out about my connection to Sonny, yes?"

"This isn't business, Ric," Alexis stated pointedly. "This is my daughter."

"Yes, YOUR daughter. Now whatever did or didn't happen in Luis Alcazar's room, the Quartermaines have been dealing from a dirty deck from the moment you were arrested. It's time for you to play their game, and I can help you do that."

Nervously, Alexis let her eyes flit toward the door to Kristina's room. God, she wanted to fight... she was so tired of being told how and when she could love her daughter. But if she lost... what would happen then?

"Ms. Davis," Ric said, drawing her attention back to him. "I can do this. I'll filter everything through Dara Jensen if you like. Her reputation is above reproach. No one will suspect anything that isn't above board is happening. Hell, we don't even need to do much in my opinion; we just need to get your case in front of a fair and impartial judge. If we do that, I really do think we can get custody awarded to your brother, and I know that he's willing to take on that responsibility until we can get Kristina home with you for good."

"I... " Alexis voice trailed off. Her body was trembling now as she waged war with herself, her inner lawyer battling with the scared mother. "What if you can't get a new judge? That woman hates me."

"I will get a new judge," Ric said confidently.

"My doctor, he's... Cameron is a good man, but he's become convinced I'm not listening to him on purpose. If the judge talks to him, I can't guarantee he'll support this."

"Then we find a doctor who will--Gail Baldwin, hell, I'll call Skye's mother if I have to."

Alexis felt her heart pounding even more, the panicked feeling inside of her spurred on not just by what she was contemplating but also by the continued bellowing of Edward, Ned and Scott coming from around the corner.

"If they get her back in that house and we file for custody, they'll cut me off from her completely."

"Which is why we don't let them take her out of this hospital." Ric knew he was getting through. He was tapping into Alexis' fighting spirit, and he was damn close to winning his argument. "These people have endangered her life twice. We'll file for a restraining order barring them from taking her out of the hospital until a review is held on the custody agreement. Judge Samuels is working tonight, I know I can get him to sign it. All I need you to do is tell me to put it in motion."

Alexis glanced back over her shoulder where the idiotic commotion of the Quartermaines continued. She had to get Kristina out of that house. She had to. Ned would be furious and Edward would come after her with everything he had, but Alexis took comfort in the knowledge that this time, her brother was by her side... and this time, she had someone fighting for her that didn't care about who the Quartermaines were or how much power they had.

"All right," Alexis said, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a five-dollar bill and handed it to Ric. "Do it. I'll call Dara and let her know you're working on the case."

It had been a long time since Ric's life hadn't been focused on vengeance, on destroying the mythic Sonny Corinthos. But tonight he knew that he was finally fighting a good fight, and it made him feel... alive. He took the money Alexis offered him and pushed it into his coat pocket.

"I'll be back as soon as I have the restraining order. Don't leave this room again until you see me."

It was the same advice Alexis would have given to her own client. She nodded and put her hand up on the door, preparing to head back into her daughter.

"I'll see you soon, Ms. Davis," Ric said, turning to leave. Somehow, though, the good-bye sounded wrong to Alexis, and she reached out with her other hand, stopping him with a touch on his shoulder.

"Alexis... and I'll see you soon."

Ric nodded, gratefully accepting the gesture of acceptance she had just given him, and then he turned and nearly jogged down the hallway as he pulled his cell phone free and dialed.

"Judge Samuels, Ric Lansing. Of course I'm going. Can't miss a Harvard alum gathering, now can I? Actually, yes, there is something I could use your help on. I want to talk to you about a little girl that I think might be in serious danger... "

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