This was written for my new Johnny/Kristina site. Link in my profile. It had to be less than 1000 words.

First Ficlet Challenge

Theme: We're having a baby!

Chain Reaction

Johnny and Kristina, revised history (Keifer managed to survive getting ran over).

June 2010

The moment she saw his bruised face she felt horrible for lying. But at the time she said the lie it had felt like the right thing to do.

Kristina Corinthos Davis had once again caused a chain reaction of dangerous, volatile painful situations because of her actions, mistakes and trying to cover it up. Over and over she did this and never seemed to learn that the truth always comes out in the end.

This time she prayed it didn't.

Standing at Johnny's door she asked "Did my father punch you?"

He rubbed his jaw. "Nah."

"Oh, good!"

"Your brother did. Sonny will probably just shoot me in the head and get it over with fast." He moved away from the door. "Go ahead, you might as well come on in. Not like it can get any worse for me if people find out you're here now."

She walked inside. "I'm so sorry! I know I shouldn't have said you're the father of my baby. Did you tell Michael I made it up?"

"I said I had no clue what he was talking about and barely knew you. He didn't take it well. By my face I guess you can see the only thing he hates more than men who mess with his underage sister are liars. I take it he figured I was adding insult to injury at that point so he injured me back."

"You didn't hurt Michael, did you?"

"No, don't worry. Your brother was doing all the fighting. Ethan showed up and tossed him out. Which, I guess, was a good thing since I wasn't talking any sense into him. Lucky for me he don't own a gun."

"Johnny-"

"Why, Kristina? Why did you name me as the father of your baby?"

"I know its was wrong."

"Yeah, pretty much. Wow, I can't believe you're pregnant-"

"I can hardly believe it myself. I was on birth control."

"Yeah, well, its not one hundred percent, you know."

"I do now."

"I'm sorry you're in this tough situation but now you put me in a tough situation. I don't get why either. Why me, out of everyone you know?"

"Simple. My father hates you. He'll go crazy if he thinks you got me pregnant and I want to see that happen because he's never been there for me. He only pretends to love me. I want to use all his fake love against him. And you are the perfect one to help me do that."

"Look, I get hating your father. Believe me, I do. But considering you got a kid on the way this is not the time to play Russian roulette with Sonny."

"Its the perfect time because now I can get him out of my life before my child is born."

"Then throw him out of your life but don't make him think you got knocked up by his enemy. I never asked to be dragged into this mess just cause you're bound and determined to keep going on this collision course with your father and disaster."

"There's another reason I need you to claim by baby. My boyfriend Keifer is the real father but he doesn't want this baby and he says if his parents find out about this he'll hurt me. He could even kill my baby if he attacks me again."

"So finally let the cops do their jobs and arrest that bastard for beating you. Stop protecting him."

"I screwed up their case by lying. Its too late now for that. And if I tell my Dad that Keifer threatened me again then he'll kill him. I don't want that. I couldn't live with myself if I caused another person's death."

"You could cause mine with this scheme."

"I'm sorry. I never meant for you to be hurt. I named you as the father without thinking. I'll fix this." She went to leave.

"Wait, Kristina...I've been working months to make your bastard of a father hurt because he hurt my sister. And then you come along and do it for me. Though I wouldn't have agreed to this if you came to me ahead of time you didn't. The damage is done. So if you want me to say I'm the father then...I will. For you, your baby, and cause it works for my long term plans of driving Sonny to the brink of insanity."

"Really? Are you sure? Cause I never want the truth to come out."

"Then we'll just have to make sure it never does."

After a moment Kristina raced across the apartment and hugged Johnny. "Thank you!"

He stood there feeling stunned. Her arms around him felt right. She trusted him and believed in him. And now he would take care of her and their kid for life.

He only prayed he could manage to stay alive to keep all his promises to her.

THE END