Dianne came into courtroom dressed to kill and Alexis knew she'd hit the shops that weekend, rocking the room in a new suit and damn those shoes! During the break she'd have to ask opposing counsel where she found them.

Alexis had gotten up, put on her warrior outfit for the day and grabbed some of Molly's scrambled egg whites and hummus on whole wheat toast before heading to her car. She'd promised Sonny yesterday that she'd finish up the merger contracts but with the custody hearing in full swing, she didn't know when she'd cram that in her busy schedule.

He might have to wait another day for the finished contracts. She hoped he didn't throw one of his tantrums over it. Not that it mattered because included in the paperwork would be her resignation letter.

It'd been a tough day for her clients because the judge seemed intent on ruling in Dianne's failure to allow some less than flattering elements of Maxie's history out of the court's record. Alexis hadn't liked going after the stepdaughter of one of her closest friends in that manner but she always fought vigorously for her clients.

She was getting more and more concerned about Lulu. None of her family members besides Dante of course had shown up during any of the hearing dates to support her. Luke and Tracy had flown off on some holiday god knows where…Laura was off getting some medical tests done somewhere in Europe and Nikolas had taken off on some business according to a voice message he'd left for her.

Lulu had grown more and more agitated with each passing day even when things had gone well for them. Sometimes even when Alexis ran strategy past her Lulu seemed to be slipping further and further away someplace else.

She'd fallen in love with the baby and Alexis knew what that was like. When her first daughter had been born, she'd spent so little time with her…a handful of minutes…that had stretched out in her mind over the years. Oh none of those memories she created for herself had been real but whatever it took to get through the days and nights when she'd flash back to when her newborn girl was taken away from her forever. A lot of thing could set the process in motion. A baby held by its mother, the laughter or crying of a child or the way a baby's skin smelled, in a split second she'd be 16 all over again, with her heart broken trying to find a way to keep living her life without a big piece of herself.

Lulu put her on edge. The furtive glances, the tightness of her mouth and the tension in her body even while sitting in court. How she paced when court wasn't in session, Dante had told Alexis she barely ate or slept…and rarely left Connie out of sight.

She remembered how desperate Lulu had been the day she'd bumped into her at GH. Even thinking about having to hand Connie back to Maxie and Spinelli...she just couldn't do it. She told Alexis she'd do whatever it took to keep her baby even trash her best friend's reputation.

Would she really take Connie and run away with her, to disappear into the crowd of some larger city where they couldn't be found? She'd of course advised her client to not even think about doing that…but then some memory popped into her mind from years ago when she'd thought about running away while pregnant with Sam and just disappearing. She'd have to pick her spot carefully to avoid the far reach of the Cassadines as their tendrils seemed to stretch across the entire globe.

Of course it never happened though inside her mind sometimes it did, she'd gone to some large city and just blended in and raised her daughter. Not realistic…what would an overly sheltered 16 year old do in that type of setting…but it got her through some pretty difficult nights when she hadn't been able to sleep without tears drying on her pillow.

"Alexis…"

She looked up to see Dante approach her. Concern etched on his face and she smiled at him.

"Dante…"

He cut to the chase. She liked that about him.

"It's Lulu…I'm worried about her."

Alexis sighed.

"You and me both…but this has got to be very difficult for her…you both. I can only imagine…but then I've had my own experience with custody battles."

She'd had to fight for both of her younger daughters against people trying to take them away from her for one reason or another. If it made up a little bit for not being able to fight harder to keep her eldest…she couldn't answer that.

Dante sighed and when he did that he reminded Alexis of his father. It's not like the young detective's parents had been in court either. Sonny of course was too busy imagining his next great mob war where he of course would prevail against a faceless enemy. Olivia his first baby mama and latest moll was probably off having a vision somewhere hopefully in a soundproofed room.

"I just…we haven't been able to talk about anything but the custody battle," he said, "Any time I try to ease her into the reality that we could lose Connie…she just shuts down and pretends not to hear what I'm telling her."

He looked pretty distraught himself and she knew the ordeal had exacted its own toll from him. She knew by watching the expressions on his face that he'd bonded with Connie too.

Alexis hadn't known men who bonded with the daughters she bore…except maybe her sleazy ex, Ric who she knew despite his flaws deeply cared for Molly in his own way…which meant seeing her only several weeks a year out in L.A. Sonny? Well he hadn't known Kristina was his child until she got sick and needed a transplant and then he'd treated her like the rest of his children who weren't Michael. Meaning he barely thought of her at all…which probably had been a blessing.

As for Sam…her father had been nowhere nearby when she'd been born…and most likely was dead and buried somewhere if he turned out to be the notorious mobster Julian Jerome.

"Alexis…what if she does something crazy?"

She looked up into Dante's face which was creased with concern for his wife. Lulu hadn't had the most emotional stable history having been institutionalized.

"Dante…I'm sure Lulu will be okay…"

Only she wasn't so sure of that herself. For a second when Lulu had contemplated fleeing with Connie and she and Dante living like fugitives…she'd been worried and had talked her out of it. She was an officer of the court and it was her duty…but she'd so been there. She couldn't tell Lulu that…or Dante because she had to keep that secret herself.

She'd kept so many secrets in her life beginning with her birth name. But she had to put all that aside and give them the best, the most responsible legal advice.

"Just keep supporting her Dante," she advised, "and I'm sure everything will be all right."

If only she felt more sure of that herself.

Alexis sat at the bar as Mac poured her some chardonnay, some of the best he's had on tap in a while. He'd saved it just for her. When it came to her best friends, he and Jax were at the top of the list. She sipped it listening to his latest tales of his trip to Switzerland. He didn't seem to hold her representation of Lulu and Dante in the custody case against her.

The world needed more men like Mac. He was so damn nice which meant all she wanted to do was run away from him.

"Alexis…"

She looked up and saw Derek standing there holding a beer. She smiled at him.

"Derek…"

"Good to see you here….

"Likewise…"

"Heard you were busy in court today."

She chuckled.

"Yeah…always a busy day in court. Now it's time to relax…your reporter took a lot of notes."

"The article's already with the copy editor," he said, "It should be ready by the time the paper gets put to bed."

She sipped her wine.

"Why is this custody trial such news? They happen all the time you know…"

He ordered another beer.

"Because the parties involved are from prominent families in town," he said, "The Spencers…and…"

She finished for him.

"Dante being Sonny's son…you do like publishing articles about him and his family."

He sighed.

"Just running a business…"

"Of course…"

"Just like you're doing your job when you tear down your opposition on the witness stand…"

He had a point there so she bit her tongue, sipping her wine instead. She didn't really want to think about work anyway, just wanted to relax with some wine here and then head on home to the hot tub and her novel.

"We both have jobs to do…"

"I know…and they're not always easy…"

Derek paused.

"No it's not…but I heard you did well today for your clients."

She looked at her wine glass.

"I'm not sure about that…the judge is researching some case law before issuing a ruling. We should know in the morning."

"Must be difficult…the wait."

She shrugged.

"It's more difficult on my clients than it is for me. It's been a very emotional process…involving Connie. Lulu and Dante…they really bonded with her."

She had seen the love affair that happened between the Falconeris and the baby girl…and she knew despite her efforts hearts were going to be broken.

"So if they lose the hearing, they lose Connie?"

Alexis nodded.

"They lose her to her biological parents. The court will step in to issue an order that Connie be turned over to them at a specific date and time."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that…you see in most cases, the rights of the biological parents prevail in the court of law."

Derek fell silent for a moment.

"So what's to stop Lulu and Dante from refusing with the court order if they lose?"

Alexis paused, narrowing her eyes.

"They could wind up in jail on contempt. I'd advise against it like any officer of the court is required to do…"

"But?"

She smiled slightly but inside…well she'd been here in a place where like Lulu she'd thought about it…more than once.

"I know what it's like to face losing a child…and where it takes you inside your head…and I know what it's like to give one up."

"You mean Sam?"

She nodded.

"It's not something you ever get over and it's not something you ever forget."

She sipped her wine.

"But life goes on, it has to and you have to be a part of it again."

She noticed he'd gotten really quiet, though not his eyes. Never a quiet moment with them but she was still learning how to read him.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't be talking about this…so how was your day?"

He sipped his beer studying her face.

"Busy…"

Alexis phone rang and she had to take it.

"Excuse me…"

She left him sitting at the bar and went to an empty table to talk to the lab at GH that was conducting the test using DNA samples from Lucas Jones and Sam.

"Ms Davis…the lab's just calling you to say that the test results will be available first thing in the morning," the woman said, "Feel free to come by and pick them up or we could mail them certified to you."

"No…no I'll pick them up. Thanks…I'll be by in the morning…"

She clicked off her phone and she felt the familiar emotions of both anticipation but also anxiety and fear. Her feelings about Julian Jerome dueled with one another constantly whenever she thought about him…a man who really didn't exist to her a few weeks ago when Shawn dropped the bomb on her that an informant had dropped him that name during an interrogation.

Now he'd become all she could think about when she wasn't caught up in her legal cases or involved with her family…including in her dreams. Obviously she couldn't be too conflicted judging by some of the dreams she'd been having where she…he…they…

Her face grew warm again. Really she had to stop reacting like this…they were just dreams. After putting her phone away, she walked back to the table where Derek sat with his beer, looking at his own phone.

"Sorry about that…"

Derek nodded put his phone away.

"Just some business…"

He looked mildly annoyed but the publishing industry must have its share of hassles and problems like the legal field.

Then they both turned and in walked Carly not looking very happy but she brightened when she saw Derek. She sauntered on over to them.

"Derek…your office told me you might be here…."

"Hi Carly…"

Alexis saw Carly smile at her, but her eyes appeared turbulent.

"I need to talk to you….about the Halloween Party."

"The what?"

She put a hand on her hip.

"At the hospital…"

Alexis smiled at both of them.

"Listen I got to go…nice talking to you…Derek."

He watched her finish her glass of wine and get ready to leave them. He arched a brow.

"What about the interview…Wednesday?"

She shrugged slightly.

"I'll get back to you on that…like I said, I have to check my calendar…"

She left and she sighed inwardly figuring that he'd been less than honest about his relationship with Carly. Just as well, she didn't have any time to think about Derek anyway, now that she was hot on the trail of Julian Jerome.

After walking out of the Floating Rib, she walked to her car. She passed a bush and noticed a man peering into the window of the bar.

"Excuse me…"

He turned around and he glared at her.

Franco.