A/N: I wrote this before the 8/28/17 episode aired. This is how I was hoping that the interaction at the bar would go. Hope you enjoy!
Parker cautiously took a step into The Floating Rib. She didn't know anyone in town, other than Kristina and her mother, so she had nothing else to do. Parker turned towards the bar and flagged down the bartender only to feel her heart clench. Kristina was here. Kristina was here with someone. There hadn't been a mention of another woman at the park and they had been flirting. Hadn't they? She couldn't have been imagining that.
"What can I get you?"
"Can you send a gin down to the brunette down there? Her name's Kristina."
"I know who you're talking about. Who should I say it's from?"
Parker pulled out a bill and slid it across the counter, "Tell her it's from Bogart."
He looked confused but took the money and went to pour the drink. Shaking her head Parker left the bar. If Kristina was moving on and seeing someone else she wasn't going to sit around to watch.
"Kristina? This is for you."
"Thank you." Kristina blushed lightly at the drink given to her, "Who sent it?"
"Some woman. She said her name was Bogart? Sorry."
Kristina's mouth dropped slightly. It had been Parker. Looking down the bar there was no sign of her former lover. Why had Parker run away?
"Who's Bogart?" Valerie asked looking at her friend in confusion.
"Parker."
"I thought her last name was Forsyth?"
"It is. It's just Casablanca, you know?"
"Never watched it."
"It's one of my favorites and hers. We just talked about it the other day at the park. She quoted it to me."
"Where is she now?"
"She left. I don't know why." Kristina sipped the drink, "Maybe she didn't want to see me."
"Or maybe she didn't want to see you with me? Do you think she could've thought we were together?"
"You think? No. No way she would think that. I haven't exactly been subtle in flirting with her."
"What else could it have been?"
"What should I do?"
"You need to go after her and explain! You want her, right?"
"Wanting Parker has never been the problem. The problem is there's always something in your way."
"Parker may think the only thing in the way is me. And no offense but that couldn't be further from the truth. She deserves to know that."
"She should have come down here and talked to me instead of running out the door. I'm sick of us having issues of miscommunication all the time. It's like one step forward and five back."
Valerie nodded sympathetically, "I totally get that but it's an easy fix this time."
"Maybe you're right."
Parker sat on a park bench and stared up at the stars. It was a beautiful night. She never took advantage of nights like this at Wesleyan. Being in Port Charles made her feel freer. She knew that had more to do with the brunette on her mind than anything else. Why hadn't she walked over to Kristina instead of breaking her neck to run out the door? They had just talked about her being brave around Kristina but she turned into a coward after one sighting.
Parker silently berated herself. She had promised not to get in Kristina's way but the minute she had seen her with someone else she sent a drink to her ensuring Kristina would be alerted to her presence. She wasn't as good at hiding her emotions as she thought.
Kristina walked through the park and pulled her coat tightly around her. The nights were getting cooler. Soon there would be snow on the ground and late night walks would not be as comfortable. Valerie had offered to give her a ride home but she had declined. She needed to clear her head.
She should call Parker or at least send a text. They needed to talk in person. If they didn't start communicating nothing would ever happen for them. She was sick of playing the almost game...the what ifs. Pulling out her phone she headed over to the benches to make her call.
"You read my mind."
Parker turned from the sky and smiled when she was met with Kristina's face, "I did?"
"I was just about to call you."
"Why were you calling?"
"I thought we should talk." Kristina sat down on the bench and faced Parker, "Is that okay?"
"Yes. Let me start, please. Kristina, I owe you an apology."
"An apology?" Kristina's face was full of confusion that she couldn't mask.
"I should never have sent you that drink over. It was obvious you were with someone. I told you I wouldn't interfere and it ended up being the first thing I did." Parker laughed humorlessly, "I just couldn't stand the thought of you on a date with someone else."
"Valerie..."
"Even her name is beautiful. Just perfect." Parker scoffed looking back up at the sky.
"You're beautiful and the only woman I have eyes for."
"You don't have to say that."
"Parker, I'm telling the truth. Valerie is just a friend. A friend that I begged to come out with me tonight so I wouldn't be alone."
"You two didn't look like friends." She shook her head and turned back towards Kristina, "Kris, you don't me an explanation. You're allowed to live your life."
"So, there wasn't a part of you that wanted me to chase after you?"
"I didn't say that. Selfishly I want you all to myself but I know that's too much to ask. Especially after all I've put you through."
"You want me? Like actually want me?"
"Kris, you can't possibly be surprised." Parker laid her arm across the back of the bench and rubbed Kristina's arm, "If I had looked harder I could have found a job at Little Ivy but I didn't want that. I wanted to be near to you even if it was just your hometown. I shouldn't be saying this to you."
"Why? Because you promised not to get in my way? You aren't getting in my way."
"I don't want to stand in your way while you go out and find where you want to be...who you want to be."
"Parker, you could never be in my way. You're the destination. There's no one else. There hasn't been since that night."
"You figured out the Bogart hint pretty quickly."
"I like to think I know you pretty well."
"Better than anyone else."
Kristina turned and leaned into Parker's arm. With her head against the blonde's shoulder she smiled, "Let's make a deal."
"Okay."
"I'll promise not to go to any more bars to flirt with other women."
"Seems like a good deal so far."
"As long as I get to wind up in your arms."
"I think that can be arranged."