Alexis couldn't believe her ears. An APB had been put out for her by the Department of Justice and the FBI's task force against mobsters in PC. It's not like she'd never had APBs, warrants or whatever. She really should have expected it.

She had no intention of turning herself in or even being found by anyone looking for her. The whole situation had become a circus in PC and she planned to stay away for now. She jogged back to the beach house and no one seemed to look at her let alone recognize her on the fairly deserted beach so she felt better.

Until she approached the beach house because you know who was waiting there. God, she'd woken up this morning with dry mouth and nursing a bit of a hangover. What had Dianne put in the damn margaritas anyway?

She knew what Dianne had been trying to do…to get information out of her as though she had rekindled her friendship with Dianne, she didn't entirely trust her.

Any more than the man inside the house.

She bumped into Dianne at the courthouse hallway, while sipping her coffee and trying to get her game face on…which was difficult because she had mixed feelings about taking this case. She couldn't say no to family and though Lulu wasn't related to her she was Nikolas' half-sister. Then with Dante being Sonny's son, she said fine as long as his mother Olivia kept any sudden psychic visions to herself.

The one about Connie's murder had been unnerving enough.

Anyway she thought she was prepared. She knew she had a much tougher legal battle to fight than Dianne. She also knew how much the Press loved writing her rival up well.

"Hi Alexis…"

She smiled at the other attorney.

"Hello Dianne…"

Neither giving anything away to give the other person any edge. Politeness and small talk would be the order before the gloves came off inside that courtroom.

"How are things going with Danny?"

Alexis smiled.

"Great…he's home with Sam now and doing very well."

Dianne nodded then made a face.

"I had the date from Hell the other night…god…sometimes I think I'd want to give up on men entirely and then I see the next good looking guy…"

Alexis could relate sometimes.

"Anyone I know?"

Dianne made a face.

"Franco…but it's not like it sounds really. I was doing him a favor…see I was helping him make another woman jealous. One he fancies but I made sure before I agreed to it I'd be paid handsomely for my services."

Alexis looked puzzled.

"Make someone jealous? Why would such an odious creature like Franco…"

"Hey, he had that brain tumor."

Alexis sighed.

"Dianne, been there done that so…."

"I know but anyway apparently he's got a thing for Carly Jax. God knows why…I never got how she attracted men to here like honey to flies…"

"More like carrion to flies…"

Dianne smiled.

"Oh Alexis I love this side of you…"

"Carly's not my favorite person in the world."

"Yeah well, she was dating some guy that's new in town…."

Alexis had to snicker.

"Figures…who's the unsuspecting mark?"

"He's a publisher named Derek Wells…"

Alexis reached the porch of the house and walked inside. She saw Julian by the computer. He glanced at her.

"Alexis…you're back."

She nodded.

"Yeah I heard on the radio there's an APB out on me. I'm going to be subpoenaed for the grand jury on Sonny's case."

"It appears…just reading the latest headlines from my…newspaper."

"Oh what do they say?"

"They have an old courtroom photo from you and it's about you being sought by authorities."

She glanced over his shoulder at it.

"That's my photo from that custody case with baby Connie…not too long ago."

He smiled.

"No…I sat in and watched part of it."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You did?"

He nodded, turning to face her.

"Yeah I wanted to see if you lived up to all the hype," he said, "Heard you had one hell of a reputation."

She almost smiled.

"You did? What'd you think?"

He paused.

"If I told you I might wound up sitting outside a locked door before I could finish."

She just looked at him, hand on a hip.

"Okay…Julian Jerome playing it safe…then tell me the rest."

He took a deep breath.

"You're one hell of an attorney."

"I know…Dianne…"

"She had the easier battle to fight. It was all uphill for you."

She nodded.

"Well the Press…your press..."

"I didn't write the article and if I did, some of it wouldn't have been fit to print."

Oh that made her heart quicken in a familiar way but damn if he'd see her falling into an old trap.

"What does that mean anyway? I mean you were involved in that whole…Carly…Franco…whatever you'd call it with a straight face at the time?"

'Oh that…"

"Yeah that…I don't get it. But when I realized that you and Carly…were seeing each other. It didn't surprise me because that's what always happens. I hate to tell you this but you're not exactly a novelty."

"Alexis…"

"Hey I'm not being judgmental. I'm just saying that I'm not surprised. You just were doing what every other man does with her."

"It was quid pro quo…part of getting my objective…"

"Oh yeah right. The mobster war….the one that the feds just ended…the one I fed you info for without realizing it. Seems to me you didn't get much out of it after all that planning certainly not what you wanted."

He sighed.

"Seems to me that I did though it wasn't what I'd been looking for…"

She softened.

"You did get two children. Even though one of them wishes no contact with you."

"Lucas…"

The emotion in his voice, a lifetime of regret like there'd been about Sam. For all his faults, the man loved his children.

"That might change with time…giving him space was a wise decision even if it wasn't an easy one."

He digested that.

"Yeah not much choice there. At least Sam's reaching out to him."

She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sam and I…when I found out she was my daughter we weren't friends. But it doesn't mean it'll stay that way forever. It takes work and time but also patience."

"Thanks…"

She sighed.

"But this thing with you and Carly on the other hand? Franco? I guess I'm glad I missed most of that but I was pretty busy at the time."

"Yes you were...but we've had her moments."

"Yes we have…I'm getting something to eat," she said, "Don't we have to talk to Coleman later and Sam's coming tomorrow with Danny."

He smiled at that as she walked into the kitchen.

She turned on the TV while making up some salad from greens and some baked chicken to eat. That and an iced tea would suit her just fine.

"This is Dawson Fuller of PC Live," the man said, "and here's Shawn Butler and his friend…Carly Jax here to put up a reward on the recovery of runaway bride Alexis Davis…"

She looked straight at the TV. Good God, what was Shawn up to now?

"I'm just hoping that someone, anyone's seen her some place. Ever since…my wedding date, I've been worried about her safety…and her emotional wellbeing…I think she's suffering a mental lapse and no doubt Mr. Jerome a wanted mobster kingpin is exploiting her for his own gain."

Dawson sighed.

"Fascinating…what about you Mr. Butler? Is it true that you've just been subpoenaed to appear before the grand jury in association with Sonny Corinthos' operation?"

Shawn frowned.

"I'm not a mobster. I'm a businessman now. This is merely because of information I might possess from that past chapter in my life when I was horribly misguided into a life of crime. I will be vindicated but in the meantime I need to find my bride to be…"

Carly spoke up.

"She's not much but since Shawn seems to care about her, I'm helping him find her…"

Alexis raised a brow. Since when had Carly ever given a damn about her? She shut off the television wondering what to do next