Kristen follows him to the door, pleased when he opens it for her, stepping back for her to go in first. She lets her body brush up against his, only slightly suggesting, then walks into the sitting room, letting out a gasp.

Her shock doesn't even have to be fake, nor her wonder as she gazes around the grand room. She'd been in here before. Chad and Sonny weren't the first ones to get drunk and break into the DiMera mansion.

Despite her namesake, she'd never liked it much. The whole place creeped her out, with the shadows and dust, cobwebs and fading glamor.

But now it's full of light and polish. Shiny floors and walls. She doesn't really care for the old furniture, not for appearances, anyway. But she has no doubt they all cost a pretty penny.

Old money buys and keeps old stuff. A concept that baffles her when there's so many new and shiny things.

"My god, hon, this is a masterpiece. Just a complete masterpiece." she repeats, wandering into the smoking room.

She may be a city girl at heart, where all the action is, but she can see how a woman can live like a princess in a place like this. And bring in all the action, at her every beck and call.

"Did I seriously just say you're clever? Forget that, you're a straight up genius. Everything's so beautiful and fresh." She turns back to him. "You must be so proud."

"It's getting there. Kitchen's this way. We can get you that lemonade."

"That would be wonderful, but there's no need to rush me." She slides a single hand onto his arm, clinging to him as she walks down the hall. "I'm just so fascinated by what you've done here. Marlena says you only started a few months ago."

"You'd be surprised by what you can get done if you stick to a schedule."

And since he's currently stuck with her, at least for now, he shoves away the need to throw her out again. Instead, as she goes for the library, making purring noises, he takes the opportunity to study her.

There's no Will in her. But, he supposes, there's still some similarities. Where Will's body is hot and lanky, Kristen's has clearly wasted away from time and abuse, to near emaciation.

Showing it off in revealing clothing only serves to make her look even more cheap and pathetic--like a well used marionette only freshly painted for just one final performance. He feels a pang of sympathy for a woman that looks for approval and attention by showing off a sexuality that's not even there.

She'd overdone it with the makeup, and the heat has not been kind. Her face looks almost jaundiced and fake under all the fake colors. Her hair's a mess, with gray roots poking out from underneath.

By the time he gets her into the kitchen, he's too busy feeling sorry for her to resent her.

"Take a seat." he tells her. "I'll grab the lemonade."

Of course, she mistakes the politeness in his voice for flirting.

"With this kitchen…" She slides into a chair. It's cold in here, so she tips back her head to let the air catch her throat--while also watching him. "Please tell me you're not a cook too. If that's the case, honey, I'm just gonna have to take Will out of the picture altogether and have you all to myself."

"Sorry." Just the mention of Will's name makes him go tense all over again. But he still has his back to her, so she can't see his face. "I am not a cook."

"Don't have anything stronger than lemonade, do you?"

"You want a beer instead?"

She'd rather have a scotch, but she just nods. "That'll do. Care to join me?"

"I'll stick with lemonade. I still have a lot of work to do."

"In this heat?" She stretches back, looking at him from under her eyelashes. "When it's like this, you just wanna soak in the tub, then lie down in a dark room with a fan cooling you off."

She accepts the beer bottle he hands her, and sips. "So what do you do to beat the heat?"

"Splash cold water over my head. How's Marlena?"

Kristen purses her lips. "She's just fine. Apartment's hotter than a sauna because she's baking. I've been trying to help as best I can, but things are still pretty tight. Sonny…"

She runs a finger down the sweat on her beer bottle, drinking some more. "I want to apologize for that little incident over there the other day. Will and I, we just don't see eye-to-eye on things. I guess I didn't make much of an effort to be his mom when I married his dad. But I'm still trying to make it up to him."

She widens her eyes until they sting and water simultaneously. "I'm different. I'm at a point in my life where I finally understand what's really important, and it's family. You understand that, right? You have family."

"Yes, I do."

"And now you're all the way here, you have to be missing them, and them you. Whatever fights you get into, you'd let them go to be there for one another. No matter what, right?'

"Yes."

She daintily dabs at her tears. "I just need Will to see that's all I'm after. He still doesn't trust me, and I don't blame him. I was hoping I could talk you into convincing him to give me another chance."

She slides her hand across the table, skimming it over the back of his. "I'd be very appreciative if you did. I'm so lonely. Women like me, we need a friend. Big strong guy in our corner. If I knew you were on my side, it would go a long way towards helping me."

"If I absolutely have to pick sides, I'm on Will's. And regardless, I'm not getting in the middle of family--if I was dumb enough to even try, it's not like Will would listen anyway."

"Guess you're not as close as I assumed."

"All that does is make an ass out of you and me." Sonny returns.

Kristen takes another swallow. "You're fucking him, aren't you?"

"That's none of your damn business."

"Why not?" Kristen runs the chilled bottle over her breasts, then gets up, laughing. "You shy? No need to be shy with me. We could be very good friends, you and I." She skirts the table, leaning in behind him. "Very, very good friends." she adds as she wraps her arms around him, nipping his ear.

"Ms. DiMera, you're giving me no choice but to awkwardly ask you to get the hell off of me."

"So you are shy." With a chuckle that blows a warm breath and beer over Sonny's cheek, she trails a hand towards his lap.

Sonny grabs her wrists tightly with one hand, forcing them back up. "You're just embarrassing yourself." He twists so he can get himself out of the chair, onto his feet so he can look right at her. "That has nothing to do with me. But the fact that you're trying to use me to get back at Will? That does."

Anger blushes her cheeks. "What, you think you're too good for me?"

"I don't think anything. Get the hell out, and we can pretend you were never here."

She wants to scream at him, to hit him. But she still has her pride. She's nowhere near drunk enough to not care about that, and the bump of coke she's snorted before coming over here had been pitiful.

Playing it up, she sinks into a chair, dropping her head on her folded arms and sobbing.

"I don't know what else to do. I'm all by myself, and I'm scared. I need help. I thought--I thought if you slept with me, you'd be more willing to help me. I don't know what else to do!"

She lifts her head, and the tears she'd managed to force out run right through her makeup. "I'm in really big trouble."

Sonny goes to the sink, turning the water on cold, before grabbing a glass. "What kind of trouble?"

"I owe money. That's why I left Topeka, and I'm scared they're gonna find me. Hurt me. Will, too. I don't want them to hurt my boy."