A week later Kristina laid in her bed listening to the sounds of an exciting video game tournament next door. She flicked on her Ipod and chose a song to hopefully fall asleep to. Settling in, she listened as the music filled her room, covering the sounds of the game. She was almost asleep when there was a quiet knock at her door. She crawled out of bed and padded to the door. She nearly gasped when she saw Ethan through the peephole and opened the door.

"Hey." She stood back and let him in.

"Hi." He came in the room and adjusted to the dimmed room. Lights shone through the binds and there was a warm glow from a lamp on the table across the room. She closed the door behind him and crossed the room to lean against the shelves in front of the window. "Sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't. What are you doing here?" Kristina asked.

"I got word from Luke. He needs my help. I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading out of town." Ethan told her. He had debated over telling her but the fact was is that Kristina may have talked a good game but he knew that between Sonny and Michael, she couldn't take another man in her life just disappearing. Surprisingly, he didn't want to just disappear from her life. And he wasn't sure how he felt about that either.

"Bye." Kristina gulped after a pause.

"Not going to ask how long I'm going for?" Ethan asked, bemused.

"It doesn't matter if I do, does it?" Kristina asked sadly.

"It does." Ethan admitted aloud. "It really does." He repeated.

"How long are you going for?" Kristina asked after a minute of wondering what it meant that it mattered to him.

"Only a few weeks I hope, but I'm not sure." Ethan answered, pleased that she asked. "I plan on coming back Krissy."

"Sometimes things don't go as we planned." Kristina sighed.

"Hey, this will because there is no plan." Ethan approached her, deliberately tucking his hands in his pockets. "No travel plans at least. Just a plan on coming home."

"You're calling this home now?" Kristina asked curious.

"I have family here. I have friends here. You're here." He grinned a bit. "I guess I've got some roots. Wasn't looking to put them down and don't know if they'll hold; but they're there for now."

"They'll hold." Kristina reached up and touched his face. "As long as you want them to." When her fingertips brushed his face he looked down at her and she let her hand drop.

"I do." Ethan sighed. "I'm surprised I want them to; but I do."

"I'm glad." She grinned back. "Be safe."

"I am doing that a whole lot more now." Ethan smiled. "You too?"

"I guess I'm doing that a whole lot more too." Kristina grinned, dropping her gaze.

"Can't say I'm not glad about that." Ethan decided. "Stay away from Anthony and if he comes near you, let Johnny know."

"I will." Kristina agreed.

"Promise." Ethan asked her. "This is serious Krissy."

"I promise." She repeated.

"I can't tell you I'll be able to get messages either." Ethan told her worriedly. "But if something isn't going right, you need to tell Michael or Dante."

"I'm going to be fine." Kristina sighed.

"I better go." Ethan decided. His hand reached out and caught in her hair. "I'm going to miss you. I have lately."

"I'll miss you too." She knew she would.

"Come here." He pulled her in for a hug. "I'll see you in a bit." When he released her he headed to the door and winked at Kristina before it closed behind him. She got back in bed and curled up into a ball; letting her tears mix with wonder at what had happened tonight.

Kristina settled into some routines. She enjoyed her classes and the work that they came with. She had always worked hard at school so it wasn't as if it was hard to adjust to the amount of work. She started work at the hotel and was pleased to earn some money and loved her job. She was really good at it too; or so Carly told her. She had dinner at her Moms at least once a week and still spent time with Molly. She had new friends and acquaintances and was working on doing normal things with them. Despite the ending to her first night out with Casey and Amber, they were still around and she really liked them.

"Studying again?" Casey demanded walking into her dorm room. "I thought you were going to quit doing that for a bit."

"I tried, didn't work for me." Kristina grinned. "What's up?"

"We are going to take a kick boxing class." Amber announced, flopping on Kristina's bed.

"You are why?" Kristina asked incredulously. It wasn't as if any of them worked out.

"We are." Amber stressed. "For fun and so we can become bad ass chicks."

"I already am a badass chick." Kristina giggled.

"You can say that again." Carly decided from the doorway.

"Carly." Kristina did a double take at the sight of Carly in her dorm. "What are you doing here?"

"I just stopped by." Carly shrugged, came in and sat in one of the bowl chairs across from the girls. "I'm Carly. I'm Kristina's ex-step-mom."

"This is Casey and Amber." Kristina introduced. "Carly's also a great boss. She owns the hotel."

"Hey, if you ever need anyone else for a sweet job like Krissy's, give me a call." Casey laughed.

"We're going to sign us up for those kickboxing classes." Amber reminded. "Monday nights in the student gym."

"Sure." Kristina sighed. "Add my name to the list."

"I was going to anyways." Amber grinned. "We'll be back before dinner."

"Nice to meet you Carly." Casey waved, following Amber out the door.

"So, what's really up?" Kristina turned to Carly. "It must be serious or you would have asked me at work."

"No, if I had of asked you at work you would have felt like you had to do what I'm going to ask you to do and I really, really want you to want to." Carly told her.

"What if I don't want to do it?" Kristina had been prepared for this as the date she knew so well was drawing near.

"I think that you know as well as I do that Michael is absolutely miserable without his best friend in his life." Carly told her honestly. "And it's his birthday. The whole family is coming and it wouldn't be the same without you."

"Carly, a lot of time has gone by." Kristina told her.

"Right. Enough for you to know that Michael knows he was wrong to do what he did. And enough for you to know that you need him to be your superman and that you miss him. You can't tell me that you don't." Carly decided.

"You're right." Kristina was almost embarrassed at the way she acted. "Can you tell me why I keep making these stupid mistakes and then can't get out of them?"

"Nope." Carly laughed. "I made so many myself that I lost track. But I know that Jason was there every single time to dig me out and have my back. That's why you need Michael."

"I've missed him." Kristina told her honestly. "But I don't know if he'll forgive me."

"Honey, he wouldn't even think twice. The surprise is at six o'clock sharp at Kelly's; don't be late." Carly stood up.

Kristina was the last to arrive to the party before Michael did. She greeted her family and looked around in wonder that while it was extremely dysfunctional; it worked. Her mother and Carly chatted in the corner while Sam and Jason played with Josslyn. Molly and Morgan were listening to Max and Milo. Mike was talking to Dante and Lulu over the counter. Monica and Edward sat watching stiffly at a table in the corner while Abby tried to charm them. Balloons floated in the air and streamers hung from the ceilings.

"OK guys, get ready: he is on his way." Carly said excitedly. They all stood up and grouped themselves together and when Michael opened the door they all yelled 'SURPRISE'. To his credit, he did truely look surprised. But it was more to see Kristina there. He walked towards her and stood there awkwardly; wondering if she was there because she wanted to be or because someone had made her be.

"Happy birthday big brother." Kristina smiled tentatively; wondering if he would be mad at her for being there.

"It is now." Michael grinned and picked her up in a big bear hug. He nearly crushed her ribs as his hold just tightened. "I love you, you know that?"

"I know. And I love you too." Kristina whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be. I am enough for the both of us." Michael wouldn't let her go.

"Well, since you two are now talking again, can we please celebrate?" Carly demanded.

"We definitely need to start eating because I've got enough food back there to feed an army." Mike called out.

"Then let's eat!" Michael called out happily.

He watched as they all interacted inside with pride. His children loved each other; you could see it. When they surrounded a huge cake and began to sing he hesitated until Michael blew the candles out and then while the cake was cut he decided he wanted into this world again. He quickly ducked into the diner and looked around while everything in the place stopped to stare at him.

"Dad." Michael said dumbfounded. "You're back."

Kristina was as shocked as anyone to see Sonny standing in that doorway and certainly wasn't prepared for it.

"I wouldn't ever miss your birthday Michael." Sonny declared. It was at that minute that Kristina's heart broke into a million little pieces. Molly, Morgan and Michael threw themselves into Sonny's arms. Sonny turned to her and reached for her. In the split second that followed she doubted what she should do but decided she was tired of publically breaking down. She leaned in and hugged her Dad.

"Glad you're home Dad."

"It's good to be home." Sonny acknowledged; surprised she would even speak to him. "We need to talk."

"Not during Michael's party." Kristina shook her head.

"Welcome home." Mike pulled his son in for a hug and Jason pounded on his back; giving Kristina a chance to break away. She managed to get through the rest of the night without being close to Sonny again. She evaded her mother's looks and Michael's gazes. When Sonny was in the kitchen she saw her chance and announced she had to get back to get some studying done and listened to Carly comment on how she must be studying much more than Michael does because he never leaves a party to study. She grinned and kissed her family goodbye. She grabbed her coat and her purse and stepped out into the cooling October air. She watched inside as her father came out of the kitchen and talked with the rest of them; not noticing that she had left. Tears flowed freely down her face and she felt feelings rage inside her; battling her common senses and her heart's words.