1989…
"Haven't heard from you in a few days… you okay, lieutenant?" Gina asks after Martin let her into his home.
"A bit… shocked, really. Didn't really expect Sonny and Rico to quit the force, they've become like family. And we've known each other for a long time Gina… it's okay to call me Martin." Martin says, Gina nodding and Martin noticing that her curly black hair was pulled back into a ponytail…
He wouldn't have normally noticed things like that, Gina normally dressed casually when she wasn't at work and today, she was dressed in a white sundress and wearing sandals… but it was that she was more natural looking than the time she spent undercover that made Martin start feeling like this…
Martin leaned in and lightly kissed Gina, who reciprocated the kiss and rested her hands on his shoulders as he held her…
Little did they know then that it was the start of their life together.
Present time…
A low growling noise woke 14 year old Alison Castillo up and she glanced at the alarm clock, seeing it was 4:16 in the morning… before glancing down at Elvis.
"Hey, Elvis… you hungry?" Ali mumbles, reaching down and lightly petting the aging alligator. It all flashed back to her… slapping Jake, ditching the last two classes, hanging out with Ryan, the fight with Miguel…
Ali ended up at the one place she felt safe… and while it wasn't the original St. Vitus Dance, it had basically become a second home to her. Sonny and Julia had bought a bigger yacht when their twins Amber and Brady were born and Elvis had become like a guardian to the kids.
Elvis growled a bit and pointed his head towards the Tv, Ali turning it on and turning the volume up.
"...in a repeat of our earlier broadcast, another woman has been found dead in the Blue Waters hotel, the murder once again mirroring a string of murders committed in 1987 by a killer known as The Savage. Police have no leads as to a suspect yet and are amping up patrols in the Miami-Dade metropolitan area…" The news reporter says, Ali shutting the Tv off and readjusting the nightshirt Amber let her borrow as the oak door to the guest room opened and 53 year old Sonny Crockett walked in.
"Hey, kiddo. Having trouble sleeping?" Sonny says, Elvis responding for Ali by grunting.
"It's on the news again… he killed another one." Ali says, Sonny sitting across from her and pulling her into his arms, the two hugging. Sonny knew that Gina and Martin as well as Rico and Trudy did their best to shield Ali, Miguel and the siblings best friend Veronica 'Roni' Tubbs from the violence that had been a big part of their lives, the kids knew how crazy things got sometimes. Rico and Sonny were no longer cops but Trudy, Gina and Martin still were…
Ali would wait up some nights for one or both of her parents to come home and end up falling asleep on the couch… there were some nights that she was scared she and Miguel would lose their parents.
"They're gonna find him, Ali… it's scary, I know it is but he's not gonna hurt you." Sonny whispers, lightly stroking his goddaughter's slightly messy and recently cut raven curls, Ali having had enough of the summer heat and wanting to change things up a bit before starting high school this year.
At the same time, 16 year old Miguel Castillo was regretting the fight he had with Ali and letting Jake Ballard's taunting get into his head, the angry words still echoing.
"Maybe Jake's right, maybe you are a promiscuous little tramp! What 14 year old girl hangs around a 21 year old man, Alison?!" Miguel yelled, Ali's eyes burning with rage. Ali grabbed her red stiletto heels and her purse and pushed her way past Miguel. "And where the hell do you think you're going?!" He yelled, Ali putting her shoes on.
"Why would you care after what you just called me?! Fuck you, Miguel Christopher Castillo!" Ali yelled before storming off out the door, Miguel following after her.
"Whatever happens, don't come crying to me! You're gonna get what you deserve, Alison Elena!" Miguel yelled as Ali stormed down the street, not even bothering to look back as Miguel slammed and locked the door.
Miguel reached over, turning the white and black lamp on and finding his glasses, putting them on and standing up. He quietly walked across the black carpet and picked up a photo of him and Ali from when he was 15 and she was 13.
Ali's deep brown eyes seemed to sparkle with a childlike innocence then… Miguel found it hard to believe that the picture had been from 8 months ago. What he didn't know back then is that Ali had gotten a fake ID from Noogie Lamont, a former informant for the police department, and started sneaking into bars, dressing up and making herself look much older.
Miguel missed the days when Ali would sneak up behind him and jump on his back, he remembered spinning around and making Ali laugh like crazy… to him, it seemed like his baby sister was growing up too fast.
"You used to climb up next to me and fall asleep when you didn't want to be alone after a nightmare… I really acted like a jerk last night, Ali. I hope you know how sorry I am." Miguel says softly, putting the picture back down and silently praying that Ali would return home unharmed.
But he doubted that she'd forgive him right away for the things he said... and she'd have every right to be angry at him.