They stood a couple feet apart on the corridor of what looked like a galactic space ship with their blasters ready to fire at the enemy aliens. She had snuck on the ship to free him from the powerful queen of the aliens but after springing him from his cell, they had ran into some armed guards and had to fire at them with their blasters to get away. But the space ship had suddenly turned confusing and they couldn't tell one endless corridor from the next, they had kept running and running almost as if they had been on a treadmill. But she had an inspired thought and had grabbed his hand and had pulled him into a recess that looked like a weapon storage unit before some alien guards could see them.

"One wrong move and we might wind up being surrounded," Julian warned, as he looked both ways while she covered him with her weapon.

Alexis thought he might be right but she didn't travel across the vast galaxy in search for him, fighting a half dozen species of alien on about a dozen planets not to mention the evil forces that sought to enslave everyone including them. Julian had once been a general in the rebellion forces but he had fallen prey to temptation to make some extra cash on the side and had smuggled the wrong set of aliens who had betrayed them to their leader. So after she got the emergency distress beacon, she had to charter a spacecraft, get it blown up by enemy fire and then build her own replacement to make it this far.

But it had been worth it because she had harbored special feelings for this particular traitorous general not that she could ever help herself when he was within her vicinity. Certainly not given that she had sacrificed everything else she had held dear to her to come rescue him. But now that they stood side by side hopefully fighting on the same side to get off the alien ship, she wondered about him. Did he feel the same way about her as she did about him or was it all one-sided? She guessed she might be about to find out and she hoped she hadn't cast her loyalties the wrong way once again.

But at that moment, the footsteps in the distance grew even louder which meant the enemy was getting even closer. Julian turned to her and suddenly, he grabbed her around her waist pulling her closer to him and then he kissed her passionately, catching her completely off guard. And even as the alien forces came closer, she surrendered to her own feelings.

Alexis woke up suddenly thinking wait a minute here. That dream just appeared so illogical. Why on earth would she risk the safety of herself and someone else just for a kiss? No matter how steamy or scintillating, she always put the mission first. Certainly when working with a client in the legal arena on one of contract negotiations inside the conference room. She sighed, looking around her in the darkness. Julian had fallen asleep on the couch after they had dined on pizza delivered to their door. All that swimming must have just worn him out, so she had headed off to bed, after tucking a comforter around his sleeping form, trying hard not to look at him too closely. Because she had been entertaining some thoughts lately and she just had to get this mess cleared up in her life first before she could do anything else.

Yes, Shawn had been a creep, but she had to resolve that relationship and put it in its proper perspective before she could move forward with her life. Before she could divorce that part of her life and focus on what would be in store for her next, something hopefully a more positive, maybe a new job or even relocating outside of PC. She felt she was ready for tremendous change in her life, to head out in new directions after this all ended. But would that involve Julian, because the chemistry between them had always been there, both exhilarating and a little bit scary.

No, she couldn't do that. Not after being played the fool. But sometimes she couldn't help herself

Like going sky diving which she had done several times. Jumping out of a plane, and having faith in her ability to handle her chute safely and a chance to see the earth from someplace up high. Suspended with the rush of air next to her and free floating until the hard landing, which she still hadn't mastered, but which left her with a feeling…like well, it was pretty obvious. Then she would look at that boyfriend who usually landed on his feet given his greater experience and his brow would arch at her, asking was it good for you too?

But this was much different from sky diving, this was dangerous in a whole different way. In a way much different than being engaged to a professional hit man or even running around with a sociopathic terrorist. She got up out of bed, to see that the sun had just started to rise and send shafts of golden light into the beach house. She went past the living room where Julian still slept to the kitchen to start up some coffee and some breakfast for the two of them. Spinelli hadn't called them about what the response had been to their interviews but she turned on the TV in the breakfast nook to catch up on the day's events.

"This is Kendra Wilkes and I'm here to report on the latest on the lovers on the lam, no sightings yet of them…but it's only a matter of time."

Then she saw some photos of a man and woman pop up on the screen and her eyes widened. They were of her and Julian and as for her, they had posted a photo from an old mug shot. She couldn't quite remember which one because they weren't in short supply.

"The two lovers apparently planned the bust up at the wedding between her and Shawn that business entrepreneur and are holed up in some love nest between here and New York City.

Ken, the male anchor with the buzz cut just nodded on cue.

"She's the runaway bride and originally it appeared to be a kidnapping which turned into some Stockholm Syndrome kind of deal but apparently it was a ruse the two of them planned together so she could get out of her wedding to the noteworthy businessman and former manager of Kelly's Diner in Port Charles."

Kendra sighed.

"What was that girl thinking,. How could anyone not want to marry that hunk of burning love Shawn, and what about the couple's shocking accusations that he's a hired killer?"

"Well no legal action has even been threatened from Team Shawn so maybe he's willing to forgive her and take her back once she comes back down to earth."

Alexis just watched these two talking heads discuss her life in amazement. Really, they had no clue what they were even talking about, if they thought she and Julian…they were…oh my god, she sighed.

She heard Julian enter the kitchen.

"Good morning…"

She grimaced.

"I'm not so sure about that…look."

He looked up at the television in time to catch a photo of his taken from his own appearance at the Medallion Mixer.

"I can see the media's been very busy."

"I'm sorry…"

"What do you have to be sorry about," he asked, "It's obviously a slow news week for the press if we're the number one story on the air right now."

She took the eggs she had been mixing to the stove to pour onto the frying pan.

"This whole lovers on the lam thing is just so far away from the truth," she said, "and they're painting Shawn as the wronged fiancé."

"The truth about him will emerge soon enough," Julian said, "I'm sure the feds are getting ready to indict him and the whole bunch pretty soon."

She sighed.

"I sure hope so…"

He massaged her shoulders from behind and she relaxed against him. How could she not, the man knew what to do with his fingers

"Then we can go back to PC. and figuring out how to navigate through that chaotic mess."

She turned around to face him, not sure of what he was saying.

"You mean back to figuring out how to get your territory back," she said, "and how to be a mobster to the newly revised PC under the feds."

"What about you?"

She shrugged.

"Like I said, I'll see my family, make sure there's no lurking Cassadines hanging around to take full advantage of the situation and then plan what to do next."

Then they both looked back at the television to see Shawn sitting up with Kendra and Ken, dressed in a pinstriped suit. Kendra smiled at him brightly.

"News is you've just landed a contract to sponsor a men's cologne."

Julian and Alexis just looked at each other.

"Yes, that's true," he said, "There's no name for the product yet but I've signed the contract."

"I'm sure it will be quite successful," Kendra said, "You've really attracted a following what with your heart being smashed by the runaway bride and her lover."

Shawn sighed, a little bit too dramatically, Alexis thought.

"Well I really loved her but she clearly was too confused herself to really love anyone," he said, "I don't think she's really with this man of her own free will…I think she's operating under a diminished capacity and is being brainwashed by him."

Kendra nodded, serious now.

"So would you take her back if she returned to you, begging for forgiveness?"

Shawn smiled.

"I might consider it…but I would make sure that she agreed to seek professional help."

Alexis just rolled her eyes at the television.

"I don't need any such help," she said, "He needs to be inside a jail cell."

"He'll be soon," Julian said, "On multiple counts of murder and then he'll probably lose that cologne endorsement contract."

She scooped the scrambled eggs out of the frying pan onto a couple plates and he got some silverware.

"I can't understand why he's getting so much of the positive coverage," she said, "I mean if they could only report the truth about him."

Julian went for some coffee.

"There's no accounting for the media's tastes," he said, "except that they don't appear interested in the whole story."

"It's not finished being written yet."

Alexis knew this and that the sentiment would change…well maybe when the media started showing images of Shawn in handcuffs and leg irons being escorted from jail to his arraignment but then again, maybe not. Maybe that could add to his celebrity and his apparent cult following.

They both dined on their eggs and some toast having had enough of the television. Alexis had decided that she might drive to do some shopping in the village while Julian hit the computer to find out more information that might bring down Shawn a bit faster. Coleman had left a message that he would call him later after hearing from some of his own sources.

Alexis showered and dressed casually in denim shorts and a light jacket to head on to buy some more clothing. She had needed to get away from Julian so she could do some thinking about her future…before she could entertain thoughts about him. She shook her head at the media's depiction of them as being wayward lovers when nothing could be further from the truth. But then again, she knew there were feelings she harbored towards him that she had to face. Especially if it had been true that she had turned to Shawn in such a big way to escape them.

The drive proved scenic and she stopped at a designer boutique. For being a small town, the main thoroughfare boasted some pretty impressive shops. She stopped first at the one where some impressive looking dresses had been displayed in the window and she liked the royal blue strapless in the center. Oh yeah, she had to go try that on, so she went inside, not knowing that someone outside had been on her trail…