At times like this, Alexis really missed her favorite ex-husband.

Not sleazy Ric, but Jax, the man she'd married for convenience sake. Despite that, he'd become her dearest friend. They'd shared so much together since they'd parted ways in their marriage….the one they'd never consummated but she'd loved him like she'd loved no other. She missed him so much right now. He was always the voice of reason…the one person who she confided in who didn't ever judge her.

He'd help her sort out her feelings about the men in her sphere…including both Julian Jerome and Derek Wells. The two were becoming muddled inside her head after all. They'd stay up late at night by her fire place drinking brandy and he'd help her figure it all out.

Yeah he'd been married to Carly and had a daughter with her, the only time Alexis had been hoping that the she-beast wouldn't castrate her best friend. It hadn't happened, much to her relief. He'd gotten away just in time.

She'd called him and gotten him on the phone. He said he'd be flying into town around the Christmas holidays to see Jossie…and spend time with her. He didn't mention Carly but she knew he likely hadn't sorted through all his feelings about his ex…they'd do that when he came for the holidays. She'd listen and give him advice, that's just what they did for each other.

Maybe she'd tell him about her dreams involving Julian Jerome.

They made no sense after all. Just because he'd sired her daughter one night so long ago, why would she be dreaming about a dead mobster? She didn't know the answer to that and she wanted to talk about it to someone she trusted to sort it out.

She sat on the porch outside of her house by the lake, thinking about her conversation with Dianne. The other attorney had remembered some facts about the late mobster which just made Alexis wonder all the more why he preoccupied her dreams.

The man was dead…did that make him more appealing to her because she could control him in a manner of speaking? Maybe that was a question for Kevin…she still hadn't made that appointment to spend time on his couch.

Right now she just didn't have the time, what with the custody battle about to swing into full gear. Not to mention the election night party.

A way for the town to unwind after a rigorous campaign for the DA's spot. The latest poll had Scotty Baldwin a point ahead in a tight race and Alexis just had a tough time believing that. How fickle could the voters in PC be eager to reelect a man who'd turned the office into a joke during his last stint.

Corrupt to the core, Scotty had been lucky enough to escape without being hauled off in chains…and before that, well the locals said that history had just been repeating itself during that most recent scandal. But still…Chase had been aloof and removed from PC society and its political circles while he quietly got the job done. Crime had gone down despite the police department having an oft absent commissioner and a skeleton crew of officers. Surely Chase deserved credit for that.

Then again, the recent explosions of Sonny's shipments and the ruckus at his warehouses, not to mention the ruins of the Jerome gallery. People whispered about how Sonny who was viewed as a somewhat benevolent if ineffectual figure in town had been challenged by a dead man, a ruthless mobster trying to take back his turf.

Derek's newspaper focused its attention mainly on Sonny's misfortunes because besides the latest Q scandals, that passed for news in this town. She'd called him on it more than once…and at Kelly's he'd made that allusion to her.

Still people talked about it…and she didn't know what to make of it. Ava Jerome's gallery had burned to its foundation and Dante and Taggart were both mystified by that development. It didn't appear that it had been done for insurance purposes…

"Mom…"

She looked up from her chair and saw that Molly had joined her on the deck. She smiled at her youngest.

"What is it Molly?"

The young girl bit her lip thoughtfully.

"It's TJ…he's worried about Shawn…the work he does for Sonny."

Alexis frowned.

"He's known about it for months…I never heard him mention it."

Molly's eyes widened.

"Shawn's just Uncle Sonny's bodyguard isn't he?"

Alexis paused, not knowing how to respond to that question. It wasn't that simple, the answer quite loaded with more than must emotions. She'd told her ex after all that the decision he made to embrace the adrenalin, the excitement of working for Sonny could damage his relationship with TJ but naturally Shawn hadn't listened.

He never listened to what she said about much of anything. In that way, he was a lot like Sonny…only they hadn't shared a child. Like it or not, she had tried hard to forge some relationship, some means of integrating her daughters' fathers into her lives. Most often so far, she hadn't liked it much…she had lousy taste in men.

At least she didn't face that same challenge with Sam's father, Julian Jerome since he'd gotten himself killed over 20 years earlier. That had to be for the better, right?

"Mom…he just doesn't know what to do. He tries to talk to Shawn about it…"

Alexis sighed.

"Shawn won't listen? Honey, he didn't listen to me when we…talked about it. But he's made his choices…not that it's easy for TJ."

Molly nodded.

"He's thinking of what might happen…if he gets hurt or…"

Alexis sighed.

"Molly…there's nothing we can do about that. It's Shawn's decision what he does and I…think it's just going to be real tough on TJ."

Molly still looked troubled.

"He told me Shawn's going to be working for Sonny at that party on Election night."

That didn't surprise Alexis that Sonny might want his second in command around him given the sudden rash of violence against his holdings but did this mean he expected trouble at the party itself? It sounded rather innocuous to her, given a divulged secret or two…and okay maybe a cat fight if Snarly showed up but those mostly served as entertainment for everyone else.

Hopefully the food and drink would be good and the music, lively. Hopefully Sonny wouldn't show up, especially off his meds to shake it up with his own brand of egocentrism and grandstanding. She'd advised him last time as his counsel to refrain from such theatrics lest she give more fodder to Derek's tabloid.

"Well, I promised Sam I'd babysit Danny for her and TJ and I are working on a Lit project together so he'll be dropping by."

Alexis nodded as Molly headed inside to whip them up some dinner, from last night's leftovers. She knew how much her daughter worried about her friend, but really what could be done at this point? Shawn had turned out to be an unapologetic adrenalin junkie who thrived on taking over Jason's old job as Sonny's sidekick. She wondered if he ever gave his ward TJ any thought at all. It's not like Sonny thought of his own kids except once in a while Morgan had only popped up on his radar when he'd rebelled against him.

Kristina had been on his radar when she rebelled against him…Dante…was there a pattern emerging here? She didn't know, she stopped trying to understand the over compensating for some shortcoming style good fella a long time ago.

Carly looked at Derek after she put Jossie to bed still dressed up in the corn costume she'd been wearing the past couple days. Any time she tried to get her youngest to change her clothes, the blonde pixy threw a tantrum. All Jax' fault of course, he'd spoiled their daughter rotten while she'd been in Aussie with him. Her daughter had been so much quieter when she'd flown off to see him and now she was a wild haired unruly brat obsessed with a damn vegetable.

Military school was in her future if she didn't shape up quickly. Still she'd left Jossie in front of the TV with Saw and all its sequels…that'd keep her busy for a while so she could cozy up to Derek.

Only he seemed preoccupied tonight as they left to go eat in the MC restaurant. She'd even tried to get his attention by talking about Franco's art on display at the upcoming party…she knew how to play both men against each other with herself as queen bee in the middle.

"Derek…now that my daughter's off watching movies…"

He sighed.

"I can't stay. I have a meeting with Ava Jerome about the art exhibit."

Carly snarled.

"You and she…why on earth would you want to want to have anything to do with that crazy woman?"

Derek bit back a smile.

"I'm investing in some art because it's a good time to get in it. I can make a good profit."

She wrinkled her face.

"Sounds boring to me…I mean unless you're talking about Franco of course."

He cleared his throat.

"There's a lot of good art that's going to be auctioned off…local talent besides Franco."

She shrugged.

"Whatever…the salmon's good. I'll try that."

Derek looked past her and saw Dianne enter the restaurant with Coleman. She smiled at him and Carly and they headed on over to sit at their table.

"Oh there you are," Dianne said, "Carly…Franco said he's going to be working all night on his art for tomorrow…he's mixing paints now."

Carly smirked.

"He's all yours…I'm with Derek now."

Dianne arched a brow.

"Oh…so that's why you look so distracted Mr. Wells…"

He scrutinized her carefully.

"Call me Derek…My newspaper's been covering that custody hearing since it started."

She pursed her lips, glancing over at Coleman who tucked his napkin in his shirt.

"Yes it's been quite grueling. Alexis's is quite the opponent…."

He smiled, nodding.

"Yes she is…I did see her in action," he said, "She beat you on that motion."

Dianne conceded.

"She did…but she won't win the next round…just don't quote me on that."

He shook his head.

"My money's on her…though she's got the tougher argument to sell to the judge."

Dianne stifled some laughter.

"I see…you're clearly Team Alexis…but I'm still going to beat her."

Carly blurted.

"Dianne don't you have some place you need to be? I'm here with Derek…on a date."

The lawyer looked at the former moll amused.

"Yet he's talking about my colleague," she said, "Why is that?"

Carly blinked her eyes.

"I…Derek we were going to talk about the party."

Dianne nodded.

"Yes… it's supposed to be quite the event of the season," she said, "too bad it couldn't have been held at the Jerome gallery which is of course rubble now."

Carly grew impatient. None of this had anything to do with her after all.

"Not to be connected with Julian Jerome of course," Dianne continued, "I can't believe people buy into the myth of him rising from the ashes like a phoenix…"

Carly frowned.

"He's dead. People are just being silly. If he were alive, Sonny would tell me…he'd ask my advice on it and he'd listen to me…it's just like that between the two of us."

Dianne waved his hand.

"Oh but Carly, I think he's got that new…old flame Olivia by his side now. God the man has his positive traits but he can only focus on one woman at a time."

Carly bit her lip. Derek didn't feel surprised by that, as he knew that she defined herself by the men in her bed at any given time or whether she even had one.

"Julian Jerome used to be like that too…though from what the history indicates…"

Coleman shook his head.

"My dad thought he was a bit less crazy than his daddy who…"

Derek cleared his throat.

"This is all interesting but if the man's dead, he's not coming back. If someone's going after Sonny…"

Dianne sighed.

"Someone's always going after Sonny. This too will pass. At any rate, I'll be taking Franco to the party but it's not a date...it's business."

Carly looked at her nails.

"Like I care what Franco does or who he does it with…I'm going with Derek…"

Coleman snickered. Carly gave him a sharp look.

"What's your problem?"

The bartender looked amused.

"Got no problem…with you taking pretty boy here."

Derek arched his brow at his choice of words. Carly just huffed.

"Pretty boy? He's all man. Have you seen him in the boxing ring? He and Franco were fighting over me."

That put Carly in seventh heaven and everyone knew it…including Coleman who snickered again. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Who are you taking? Some lowlife bottom feeder I'm sure?"

He paused.

"Since Dianne's got that covered taking that artist freak, I'm thinking of asking Alexis to go with me."

Derek just stared at him. Carly just dropped her jaw.

"Alexis really? Isn't she a bit…highbrow for you?"

Coleman chuckled.

"She's all woman and shoots a mean game of pool…"

Dianne smiled.

"I thought she was going with Taggart…"

Coleman sighed, his hand on his chest.

"I'm sure I can convince her I'm the better date," he said, "stir up some old memories…"

Carly twisted her mouth.

"Excuse me?"

He winked at Dianne.

"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell…"

Carly sniffed.

"So you say…but you're no gentleman."

Dianne just laughed. Derek watched the three of them paying close attention to the conversation. Carly looked offended that Coleman's attention wasn't centered on her. Dianne winked at him and he narrowed his eyes back at her but she'd turned her attention back to picking up the menu.

At least Alexis wasn't attending with Chase, the DA they were monitoring…still without any clues about why he was interested in Alexis. Coleman…not nearly good enough for her but seemed harmless enough.

Dianne smiled at all of them.

"The duck looks tasty…maybe I'll actually be able to eat it this time."

Alexis got off the phone with Taggart. He'd called to tell her that he had to work the night of the party.

"With all this crime at the waterfront," he said, "We're working double, triple shifts."

She figured as much and well, she'd loved spending time with the cop but she knew he had his job to do.

"It's all right…"

"You still going?"

She sipped her wine next to her.

"Of course I'm going," she said, "I'll tell you what you missed afterward."

He chuckled.

"These fancy soirees aren't my thing," he said, "but if anything major gets spilled…it'll probably make that guy's newspaper."

She heard the disapproval in his voice and knew he didn't like the smooth talking publisher.

"I imagine it will…he's pretty determined to get his circulation numbers up."

"Sure is…he's actually trying to find out why the commish took her leave," Taggart said, "As if any of us know where Anna is and why she's been gone so long."

"Slow news day maybe…"

Taggart still seemed suspicious.

"Maybe…"

Alexis clicked off her phone and thought she might just go stag to the party. Her phone rang again and she heard background noise.

"Coleman is that you?"

"Yes sir is darling…damn fine to hear your voice…"

Suspicion filled her.

"Okay Coleman what do you want?"

His voice softened.

"Why do you think I always want something?"

She didn't miss a beat.

"Because that's how you work…long as I've known you."

"Ah come on Alexis…I just thought you…me we might head off to that shindig on Election Night…"

She pulled the phone away from her momentarily. Had she heard him right?

"Coleman…you feeling okay…"

"Sure am…I'm here at the MC eating with some…friends. Dianne, and Carly with that pretty boy she's been dating…now Carly don't look at me like that…"

Alexis sighed, not wanting to hear any more about Carly and Derek. She wasn't jealous…she just didn't choose to get a blow by blow account of Carly's love life.

"I'm hanging up now…"

"Not until you decide to go with me…"

She hedged.

"I'll think about it…and get back to you in the morning…"

"Okay darling…maybe we can play ourselves some pool afterward…?"

She sighed, shaking her head.

"Goodnight Coleman…"

She clicked off her phone and reached for her wine.

Coleman clicked off his own phone and looked at the others, with a smile.

"That's Alexis…I know she'll go with me as my date to the party."

Dianne looked doubtful, Carly looked petulant.

Derek just stared at him not liking that latest development at all.