Forgive Me
Summary: In the aftermath of getting out of Shiloh's clutches, Kristina is consumed by regret for how she treated Valerie.
Kristina Davis hugged herself, trembling like a leaf as she watched Shiloh be hauled away by the cops. Molly sat beside of her, rubbing soothing circles into her back and hugging her close. On the other side of the room, she could see her older brother's friend, Willow speaking softly to Daisy and placing a paper with a number on it in the girl's trembling hands. It had been a big shock to find out that Willow had once been involved with Shiloh, too. That she had the same tattoo as Daisy and Harmony. The same tattoo he'd wanted her to get. Briefly, she wondered if there were any other women who'd escaped his clutches but then erased that thought from her mind. She didn't want to think about it.
"Are you okay, Kristina?" Molly's voice asked from beside of her and she lifted her head to meet the girl's eyes, nodding.
"Can we get out of here?" She pleaded, voice cracked.
Her younger sister's expression softened and she helped her to her feet, sliding an arm around her waist. "Come on." She whispered, leading her out to the car.
The drive to her mother's house seemed to take forever. Kristina could see her mother staring at them from inside the house, expression worried. Kristina's heart ached at that. Everybody had tried to warn her but she hadn't listened to any of them when they'd told her that Shiloh wasn't to be trusted.
When the door opened and Molly had let go of her, she felt their mother's arms go around her and allowed herself to sink into the familiar embrace as she'd done as a child.
"My poor girl." Alexis murmured, smoothing a hand through the young woman's hair and exchanging a look with her youngest daughter. "How about you go upstairs and rest? You must be exhausted."
Kristina nodded at her mother's suggestion and headed upstairs to her old room and collapsed onto the bed. She chewed her bottom lip as she scrolled through her phone and stopped at a familiar name, one she couldn't bring herself to delete even after she'd so cruelly tossed her to the side. She hesitated with a thumb hovered over Valerie's name, ready to call her before she decided against it and set her phone on her stand, resting her hands on her stomach and squeezing her eyes shut. At last, she fell asleep.
When she woke up the next morning and headed downstairs, she heard whispering from in the kitchen. She knew that they must be discussing her. Immediately, as she entered the room someone hurried toward her and threw their arms around her. Kristina let out a breath as she glimpsed the long, blonde hair of her stepsister, Josslyn.
"I'm glad you're okay." Josslyn sighed into her ear as she pulled away. Michael told me about what happened. "I knew Shiloh seemed suspicious!" She shuddered. She'd only met the man once but that had been more than enough. The hold he'd seemed to have on her boyfriend and stepsister had been more than enough to sufficiently creep her out.
"Is Oscar okay?" The older girl asked worriedly, eyes locking with the blonde's.
Josslyn gave her a reassuring smile. "He's upset about Shiloh, but he wasn't as close to him as you were. It doesn't effect him as much. He'd have been here but he had an appointment. " She went to take a seat between Michael and Molly. "Valerie was worried about you when she heard, though. I told her she could come with Michael and I if she wanted to. She seemed unsure if you'd want her there."
Michael groaned at that and shook his head. He should've urged his sister not to mention that.
Kristina's dark eyes widened as she took a seat between Sam and Michael. "Valerie was worried about me?" She asked, swallowing hard. "After how I've treated her?" Tears burned her eyes at the thought.
Michael squeezed her hand. "I think Valerie realizes that you'd have never have said what you did to her if not for that bastard's influence."
Sam nodded in agreement. "Michael's right, Krissy. Maybe when you're ready, you can talk to Valerie and explain things."
Kristina allowed a shaky breath to escape her lips as she stared around the table at her family, feeling grateful for them being in her life.
Over the next couple of weeks, Kristina assimilated herself back into normal life. She spent time with her family more(she'd just recently helped Josslyn shop for a prom dress), she'd entered therapy at the advice from her mother. She'd even talked to Willow about Shiloh and had found a new friend in her. The one thing she'd yet to do though was speak to Valerie. It hadn't felt like the right time and despite her siblings' insistence that Valerie missed her, she was filled to the brim with self doubt. The fact that she'd brought up the other woman's sexuality as a means of attacking her made her cringe. She'd been so hateful to someone who had been truly concerned for her.
She jumped at the feel of a hand on her shoulder and turned her head to see Willow standing just behind her, worry in her blue eyes.
"Are you okay?" The other woman asked of her.
The other woman nodded. "I was just thinking of how I treated Valerie."
Her friend raised an eyebrow and looped her arm through Kristina's, leading her over to the counter of the local coffee shop to get a coffee. "You still haven't talked to her?"
"No." Kristina said with a groan. "I don't know what to say and as much as Josslyn and Molly and Sam and Michael tell me that Valerie forgives me and misses me, I can't seem to believe it."
After ordering their coffes they sat across from eachother at their table. "You know, Valerie asks about you." Willow said casually, sipping her drink. "She knows you and I are friends so when I come to visit Chase at the station, she and I talk. She really does miss you."
Kristina bit her lip, not saying a word in reply to that.
Kristina steeled herself as she stared at Valerie's apartment door before knocking lightly on it. She could hear movement inside as footsteps got closer to the door and it swung open.
Valerie's eyes widened at the sight of Kristina, obviously not expecting her. "Krissy...it's good to see you." She said as she stepped aside to allow her friend in.
Kristina was frozen in the doorway for a few moments, just gazing at her friend, terrible ache in her heart. Getting ahold of herself, she stepped inside.
"I wondered how you were doing." Valerie told her. "I heard about the entire thing with Shiloh and Dawn of Day. I'm sorry he manipulated you."
Kristina shook her head as she took a seat on the couch next to Valerie. "It's not your fault. Everybody tried to warn me about him. I didn't listen. I got mad at you and Molly for telling me how you felt." She stared down at her hands. "God, Val, I'm sorry for bringing up what happened between us the way that I did. That was a really bitchy move."
The other woman nodded. "It probably was." She agreed carefully. "But I can't say that you didn't bring up a good point. I really didn't react well when you kissed me." She admitted. "I mean...I shut you out for awhile. Even when we made up, i was careful to avoid mention of the kiss."
Kristina looked up at that. "I guess we're both a mess, then." She said with a small quirk of her lips.
Valerie laughed at that, eyes bright and face lit up. "Yeah, I guess we are." Her expression became serious. "I'm glad you're okay, Krissy. I've missed you."
Kristina smiled timidly and reached out to hold her friend's hand, leaning down to rest her head on her shoulder. "I've missed you, too." She answered with a sigh.