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Fighter

Part 4

November 2012

The weeks went on with Johnny teaching Kristina self defense. She felt like she was getting more and more skills. Finally she was starting to feel a little more competent to protect herself.

Which was good, because lately she had the eery feeling that someone was watching her.

She would turn around to see if she could catch anyone spying on her but no one was ever there. It was starting to creep her out and make her think she was imagining things. After what went down with Joe Scully she had nightmares but they had started to fade over the last month. Maybe this feeling was all part of the post traumatic stress she was suffering.

Kristina had never been good in a crisis. When she saw a man shot before her own eyes at age six she had stopped speaking for months afterwards. And when Keifer used to hit her she blamed herself, tried to make excuses for him. Her sister Sam was the fighter who didn't take crap.

But now Kristina was trying to learn to be more like Sam- tough enough to not only fight a man but fight like a man. God help the next guy who came around looking to do her wrong.

XXXXXXXXXX

"We've gotta take a break," Johnny told Kristina, one day after they had been training for hours.

"Getting tired, old man?" she teased him.

He chuckled then quickly reached out and pulled her against his body, spinning her so that her back was to his chest. "Not too tired to take you on."

For a moment their bodies were pressed together before he asked "Not gonna fight back?"

"Oh, was this part of the lesson? I thought you needed a breather?"

Leaving her go, he grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off, before taking a long swig of water out of his water bottle. "When I said break I meant as in 'take a few days off. I'm going out of town for the holiday weekend."

"Visiting your family in Italy for Thanksgiving?"

"Nah. We're not really all that tight."

"Then where? Or shouldn't I ask because it's business?"

"Not business. All pleasure. Mountain climbing."

"I didn't know you did that."

"I haven't before but I figured why not try something new."

"Don't you need training for stuff like that?"

"And gear usually. But I figured I'd just wing it."

"Sounds dangerous. Are you gonna go alone or...?"

"Just me, myself and I."

"Be careful. I don't think I could stand it if something happens to you. I don't have many people in my life that are really there for me when I need them most...just a cherished few...and you are in that group so don't go falling to your death, especially before you teach me how to shoot."

"I wouldn't dare."

She smiled. "Good. So we're on for when you get back?"

"I'm all yours."

"Lucky me," she said, with a smile, before heading off for a shower.

XXXXXXXX

Kristina rolled her eyes when she saw that Trey was at her father's house for Thanksgiving. Sonny used to hate Trey but ever since he had saved Kristina's life, her father had softened up to the young man.

It was ironic that just when her parents started to trust Trey, Kristina realized that he was the last man on earth she'd be trusting any time soon.

"Kristina," Trey greeted her with a longing in his voice.

She walked close to him and hissed. "You shouldn't be here. You're not part of this family."

"I'm still you're husband and I think we can work things out if you just talk to me. Let me try to make it all up to you."

In a way she felt bad for him because he didn't have much of anyone in his life anymore- Starr was his only friend and his mother, who he never had a relationship with, was as crazy as the day was long- but she couldn't open the door for him again. What he had done to her had made her feel like an naive, desperate and pathetic idiot. She wouldn't forgive that nor forget it.

"Everything about us was a lie. If you want me to fight you in court to get this sham marriage annulled then I will. Save us both a lot of time and trouble and accept the truth: I'm over you."

Just then Michael and Starr came in and Michael asked "What the hell are you doing here?"

Trey answered "I was invited by Sonny."

"You better not be bothering Krissy," Michael threatened.

"Micheal," Kristina said, putting her hand on his arm, "I got it handled."

"You really have some damn nerve showing your face here," Michael said to Trey.

Starr said "Hey, lay off him. He just lost his father. It's not Trey's fault what his Dad did." Looking at Trey, she said "Let's get some air and let cooler heads prevail."

They went to the patio together.

Michael said "I can't believe that joker showed up here. What the hell was Dad thinking inviting him?"

"He's grateful that Trey saved my life."

"After helping his father hurt you. I don't trust that guy. I hope you're not gonna fall for his slick lines again."

"Never again."

"Good."

XXXXXXXXX

December 2012

Kristina left her apartment late one evening, in the mood for dessert, and when she got out of her car in the parking lot of the store she noticed a car near the entrance. It was a black SUV with dark windows.

An ominous feeling washed over her. She hurried in the store and when she came back out she was watching for the vehicle again, but it wasn't there.

"You're imagining things," she told herself.

XXXXXXXXXXX

A few days later Kristina left Kelly's Diner and decided to walk down to the docks- trying to prove to herself she wouldn't freak out if she was out there alone after dark.

She stood there, staring at the water, and decided to call Johnny. "Hey, you're weekend away has turned into more like a week. Tell me you're coming back soon. I'm itching to get my hands wrapped around a piece of hard, cold steel."

"Only you could say that without meaning it in a dirty way," Johnny said, with a chuckle.

"Who says I didn't?" she joked.

"I'm not that lucky. So what have you been getting into without me around to keep an eye on you?"

"Ha. You're my trainer, not my bodyguard."

"I like to think of myself as your personal life guru. Teaching you how to successfully survive the mob life."

"Oh, thank you, wise one."

"You're welcome."

"How is the trip going?"

"Good, good-"

Feeling like someone was watching her, Kristina quickly looked over her shoulder and saw someone dart around the corner. "Hey!" she screamed at him.

"What's going on?"

"Call me crazy but I could swear someone has been stalking me lately." Reaching down, she pulled up her pants leg and took a knife, that had been strapped to her leg, out.

"And you just saw him again? What does he look like?"

"I didn't get a good look. Maybe I'm imagining it."

"Where are you?"

"On the docks by Kelly's."

"I'll have a couple of my men come to you. Stay on the line with me. I'll use my other phone to call them."

"Johnny, this is exactly why I don't want to keep happening to me. I'm learning self defense so no big, strong man has to come protect my ass."

"Yeah, well I'd feel better if you had someone there with you, okay? I got guilt over enough people I lost already. I don't need to add you to the list. Just stay where you are until my men get to you."

"All right but I'm probably just still freaked out because of what Joe Scully did to me and no one is even following me."

"Hey, remember what I told you is the most important thing to remember when trying to protect your life?"

"Trust my instincts."

"If your gut is telling you something ain't right, it probably ain't."

"Maybe one of my father's enemies has been following me or else someone who was working with Joe. I really need that annulment so my death won't benefit Trey or else I'm gonna keep worrying that there's millions of reasons someone might kill me." She kept looking around to make sure no one was sneaking up on her.

"I'm not gonna let no one hurt you, Kristina."

"I know but I'm sick of being under someone's protection- yours, my Dad, Jason. If anyone is gonna kick ass in my name, it's gonna be me."