Something About Cupid's Arrow

God, how wonderful it felt to be out of that flight. California was the same as she remembered it. She smiled as reminiscences of her childhood passed her, like the time she dated Michael and sincerely believed that he wasn't oh so gay. Those were the days that helped her grew as an individual.

"I should really call mom and dad. They won't like if their daughter didn't visit them when she's here." She didn't realize that she had said her thought out aloud.

Alex fumbled through her bag, searching for her cell. She really needed to have a better organization strategy, she decided. Finally, she found what she was looking for; her cell was hidden between her makeup kit, and the files. She punched her in her parents' number. The phone rang three times before her mom picked it up.

"Hello. This is the Dunphy's residence. How can I help you?"

"Hi, mom, it's Alex," she said, taking a seat down on the bench.

"Alex, honey, how have you been? Is everything okay?" She heard the concern laced in her mom's voice. "I haven't seen you in ages."

Chuckling, Alex answered back, "Mom, I'm fine, thanks for asking. So how are dad and Luke? And mom, I visited you guys for Christmas, and it's only July."

"I know, honey, but it feels like forever. Your dad is still the same old dad. And Luke – well Luke's still living here. He's in his twenties, you know, and still doesn't want to move out."

She held back a snort. "I'm glad to hear that everything is going great. So how's Haley?"

"Since when did you and Haley get so close?" She heard the wariness in Claire's voice. "Anyway, Haley is doing great. She and Dylan have broken for over a year now. And she's dating this new guy, Joe or something."

"Uh-ha, I see. About Dylan, mom can ...

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...bly hit the gym in the ten years Alex was gone for, his muscles ripping through his shirt proved that. His jean seemed to fit him perfectly in all the right places Alex shivered at the thought, feeling hot flashes in the all so wrong places. Those thoughts were deplorable. Come on, Alex, pull yourself together. Being single for two years, not counting a few flings in between did that to a girl.

Without even thinking, she let out, "Did you really steal the jewels?" She planted a hand over her mouth to shut herself up. She believed that he was innocent, so why was she tossing accusations at him?

Dylan's eyes turned even vicious than they were before. "I didn't steal anything!" He laughed a mysterious hollow laughter. "Of course everyone believed that because of my past. But then, who really give a damn?"

Where was Dylan? Who was this jerk that replaced him?