Disclaimer: I do not own General Hospital;, nor do I own any of the characters, minus Pete and Mathew

Notes: First of all, thank you all who have read this story, followed it, and kept hope that I would one day update. I honestly didn't think I'd ever get around to finish this story. And then we all heard the news about Nathan returning (Ironically, it was only days after i was saying to myself that he was never going to return). I took that as a sign this story was something worth finishing and I really really appreciate the people who went out of their way to let me know that they loved this story and wanted more.

Secondly, I think it's pretty self evident that this story from here on out is probably not going to be accurate to the actual show. It's been nine years since the scene aired, and even longer since I've actively watched the show. If I completely F something up, please let me know and I'll try to fix it. Otherwise this story is very loosely based on what actually happened on the show.

Lastly, I apologize if these chapters are not the best, it's been a LONG time since I wrote a chapter fic and I fear my writing has gotten a little rusty. Hopefully you all keep reading and I'm already working on the next chapter! Thank you all!

XOXOX

It was Thanksgiving morning, and Kristina had a feeling something was going on.

For starters, when she woke up at four thirty in the morning to do her run before her meditation, her mother was already up. Never, in the eighteen years that she can remember, has her mother been up this early on her own account. Especially on her day off.

Although, she guesses she can't be too suspicious; after the fiasco that was last year, Alexis took extra precaution when it came to making this year's Thanksgiving feast. She's been watching videos and reading books on how to make the best traditional food and even asking Molly if she would help her. It was just strange. Before last year, her mom was never a big Thanksgiving person. Usually she was in the middle of some case and would be preoccupied so they would just order food from the Metro Court or have a giant breakfast food feast. And that was fine with her and Molly; they loved their little tradition. It was a helluva lot better than the few times they went to the Quartermine mansion. They did nothing but make cruel backhanded comments about how she was nothing but a mobster's bastard; nothing like their "royal" blood. Molly and her flipped out on Edward one year and the girls haven't been back since.

But this year she's been fussing about having Sam and Jason over, maybe even Spinelli and Maxine. She wanted this year's dinner to make up for last year's dinner. Her mother was a competitive person and always had to make the best impression.

After she gave her mom a quick good morning, she opened the front door in relief. The crisp morning air always woke her up much better than any cup of coffee. As she put her hair up, she took a deep breath and could feel her body and mind take comfort in the morning breeze. The sun wasn't even up yet but that was perfect for her.

As she started to run, she couldn't help but remember that Molly has been acting a little odd this week as well. She hasn't seen her too much; between studying for classes and finals and her self defense classes coming to an end she has been too busy to look too deeply on what was going on with her little sister. When she did see Molly, she wouldn't look her in the eye; a clear sign there was something she knew that she didn't want to share.

She sighed. She can't think too much about her sister's antics. Hopefully it was nothing serious and Molly was just thinking about her offer to take classes with Pete and Mathew. Since her classes end in a couple weeks Pete and her have been working on a routine for her to do when he leaves for his next assignment. He wants her to focus more on her mental strength and facing her darker emotional issues in a non physical way. He's been attempting other forms of meditation or even starting a new journal and doing positive writing exercises. However, she wants him to teach her more physical exercises; she can learn the mental stuff later on when she's on her own.

She knows everyone is a little worried about her; she isn't as dumb as many percieve her. After her first class with Pete, and they spoke for hours on everything she's faced in her life she doesn't want to deal with it anymore. It's done. Keifer was dead and buried; she now knows the signs of a toxic relationship and knows how to handle herself if a man gets too aggressive. Hell, if Anthony Zacchara tried anything on her like he threatened to all those months ago, she would be able to handle herself.

And everything else in her life wasn't worth thinking about anymore. She was just done with it all.

When she arrives home an hour later, she sees her mom is intensely reading a cook book and as if she was trying to translate it into a language she can understand.

"Hey sweetie, have a good run? Do you think your sister is up yet?" Her mom asked her in a somewhat panicked voice.

She couldn't help but let out a little chuckle.

"Mom, it's barely five in the morning. I'd give her another hour." She laughs at her and sees her mom's eye widen at the suggestion.

"Oh my, I just want everything to be perfect today." She muttered and she couldn't stop that suspicious feeling coming back.

"Why does everything have to be perfect? It's just us and Sam and Jason. No one is going to judge your cooking skills." She pointed out accusingly and before Alexis could say anything, they both turned to the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.

There was Molly, in her giant fuzzy slippers and crazy hair, rubbing her tired eyes to wake herself up.

"Morning guys. Happy Thanksgiving." The youngest Davis girl mumbles when she reaches them.

"What are you doing up so early?" Kristina asked.

More awake now, so she won't accidently say anything to give away her true intentions, Molly smiles at her family with a faux sleepy smile.

"I figured mom would need some help so I set my alarm for five. Heard you come in from your run." She explained still not looking her sister in the eye for more than a moment.

Kristina's eyes move from her sister to her mom, both avoiding her gaze.

"Okay...I'm going to finish my routine then I can help you both. Spend some time together before everyone comes over." She says this in a suspicious and promising tone. She will find out what's going on.

Molly and her mom just smile and thank her before she walks upstairs. She can hear them talking about whether they wanted to stuff the turkey or not before they put it in the oven before she closes her door softly behind her.

She couldn't help but look at the now dried flowers that have been sitting on her dresser for the last month. She never did find out who really did send them; she thought about texting or even calling Ethan so many times to see if it was him making good on what he said to her at the park, but something always stopped her. If they weren't from him, he would probably think she was reading too much into his parting words to her at the park almost two months ago. He probably forgot all about them.

She shook her head almost violently and took a deep breath, forcing herself to rid herself of thoughts of Ethan and flowers and any emotions they bring her. It was easier that way.

She places her yoga mat in the middle of her floor and sits cross legged and breathes. Breathe in, breathe out. Focus on her breaths and the way her body relaxes as her mind fogs into a complete and black silence. She loves when her body is relaxed enough that she stops feeling all together. It's a feeling that's been getting more and more addictive lately.

She knows logically that her doing this is unhealthy. She understands that knowing your emotions and dealing with them is a lot better than burying them. Pete has been reminding her this this past week. However, she doesn't drink, she doesn't smoke, she doesn't take anything after she found out what those pills were. She needs an outlet. She soon won't have her classes and she needs a way to protect herself from the horror that surrounds this town.

She thinks of her brother in law. Jason used to be her "uncle" as her dad's best friend she knew him her whole life. Almost more than her own father. He was always known for being unfeeling and he was not only the strongest man she knew, he was the most feared; even more than her father. She knows he isn't the iceman people think, but why is him burying his emotions not a bad thing, but for her it is? No one messes with Jason and lives to tell the tale.

After almost an hour of meditation, she quickly showers and gets ready.

The kitchen looks a lot better than it did when she first got up, Molly and her mom were talking happily about some documentary that Molly was watching.

"It's crazy though, a lot of kids in my class are now obsessed with serial killer documentaries but I just don't understand the fascination." Molly tells her mom.

"It's because to them, they'll never see anything like that up close. On Tv, it fascinates them, if they saw half the things we've seen they'd never recover." Kristina answers and both of them look at her.

"I don't know about never recover, but your sister is right. People usually don't like what they can't explain and these shows try to explain how a person can do unspeakable things." Alexis answers both her girls. Why they're talking about serial killers on a holiday is beyond her. She just wants to make this day as perfect as possible.

She had a long talk with Sam and Molly about Ethan coming over today and thankfully they're on board with her logic and want everything to work out. She has been in contact with Ethan since he came to the court house and she really hopes this isn't going to end ugly.

"I've actually watched the show Criminal Minds, and it's supposed to explain why people do the bad things they do. I watched it in my psych class. It wasn't bad actually. Profiling is a really cool job." Kristina told them and Molly nodded excitedly.

"Yes! I've watched videos on profilers and read some books on how profiling went from a 'fake' science to what it is today. That's a career path I'd like to look into." She tells her family. It's the longest she's looked her sister in the eyes but she figures this was a safe bet to talk about something she's read than about today.

"It's a nice thought Moll, but I highly doubt high law enforcement would consider anyone in this crazy town with the connections we have." Kristina jokes and Molly smiles sadly.

"Yeah I guess." She says before she starts picking the ends off the string beans.

Alexis looks at her middle daughter with a pointed look. She shouldn't discourage Molly's passions. Kristina nods in acceptance before moving closer to her sister and giving her a small hug.

"I'm sorry Molls. If anyone can get a job like that; I'd bet everything I have that it would be you. You're the smartest person I know." She tells her softly and Molly smiles.

"Thanks Kristina."

"Today's going to be a good day." Kristina says to her and Molly couldn't help but look at her mom wide eyed.

"I sure do hope so."

XOXOX

By early afternoon, all the Davis girls were dressed and ready while most of the food was cooking. They prepped everything so that when everyone came, they could just heat everything and have an early dinner and enough time to digest before eating dessert.

"It's crazy that we still celebrate today! I mean the history of this country isn't fully taught in schools. When I spoke to my teacher about the events after Thanksgiving, she tried sending me to the principal." Molly told them as they watched the Thanksgiving parade on TV.

Kristina shrugged. That wasn't surprising that Molly looked deeper into the holiday, she's actually surprised she didn't look sooner.

"What happened? Why didn't I know about this?" Their mom asked somewhat worried. Molly was an intelligent young woman, she doesn't want her teachers to try and punish her curiosity.

"Nothing really. Principal Summers and I know each other well. She lets me rant about the horrors the Native Americans had to endure because of the Pilgrims and she tells me that they aren't allowed to teach about that because we are supposed to live in ignorance that this country was made by other's blood. She always tells me to learn things from different perspectives that way I can try and get the whole story and if I use it in my school work to write my sources and give my opinion." She explains and Alexis nods. She knows the principal is a little more progressive than the rest of the school. They've had more than one meeting about how Molly's papers are more advanced than needed. Yet she didn't want to advance her in school. Molly wanted to stay with Morgan and her other friends.

They sat in silence as the parade finishes up before Kristina speaks.

"So, who else is coming today? Any Quartermine's? Is that why you've been freaked out about everything?"

Molly and Alexis look at each other for a moment before Alexis straightens herself and smiles sheepishly.

"You caught me. Monica may be stopping by at one point. She's at the hospital of course but you know she wouldn't say no to seeing her son today." It wasn't a lie; Monica did want to stop by, however, out of all the Quartermine's, Monica is the only one she doesn't think she needs to go over the top to impress.

Kristina nods. That makes sense. Since Sam and Jason got married, Sam has tried to make sure her husband spends some time with his mom. Monica has always adored Sam and even more now that she's made a connection to the man Jason is now; not the one who lost his memories all those years ago.

"Knock knock!" They all turn to see Sam and Jason opening the door with a giant reusable bag in each hand and a pie in the other.

"Happy Thanksgiving you guys!" Sam exclaimed as she puts down the food and giving them a warm embrace.

Jason stands back and gives them a hesitant smile. He probably won't ever be fully comfortable around his in laws, but he knows how happy Sam is to have finally found her family. She worries about her sisters constantly. It reminds him of how he used to worry about his own little sister Emily. He misses her so much.

As the girls all start chatting, Kristina walks into the kitchen and takes out two bottles of beer and opens them before handing them to her sister and Jason.

"Oh thanks Kristina. I could have gotten it." Sam laughs before taking a small sip. She looks over at Jason who thanked her as well and smiles. She knows her new husband is just doing this for her, but it makes her so happy to see everyone getting along for once.

"Do you watch football Jason? We can put some on if you want?" Alexis offers and Jason just shakes his head.

"Not too much of a sports guy. I only watch it occasionally." He says and his mother in law smiles before putting on the first game that appeared on screen.

"Well it's good background noise if anything. I'm going to take out the vegetable platter and chips, Molly you wanna help me?" Molly nods to her mother and they go to get the platters to snack on.

"So Krissy, tell me how your classes are going? I wanna know everything!" Sam tells and Kristina 's nice to talk to her older sister.

"Well I have to study for finals soon. My Biology and Statistics class are going to be the toughest but English and Psych aren't too bad. I just have to do a research paper on a famous person and if their morals and ethics would have made them famous if they were alive today." She tells them and Sam looks impressed.

"Did you decide who you were going to write about?"

She shakes her head. "Not yet I have some ideas though. I just have to do a little more research."

"How about your other classes?" Jason pipes in and Kristina can't help but be surprised he asked.

This time she hesitates. She doesn't wanna give too much detail but she doesn't wanna just brush it off either. Jason is family now, and he's actually giving a shit about something she is doing.

"Pretty good. We are working on strategies for when my contract is up. He's taught me a lot on how to get out of situations I may one day end up in. Or what I could have done to get out of situations I have been in already." She gives him a vague answer but it seemed to satisfy his curiosity.

"Spinelli said he was the best at what he does so I'm not surprised. I'm glad you got what you wanted out of it." He tells her truthfully and tries to read her. She was a lot more guarded now than he's ever seen her. When she was growing up, she was just a little kid who wanted her dad's affection. At times, she was nothing more than a brat if he's being completely honest, but he can see how much she's changed. She's hardened. Stronger.

Kristina nods.

"Thanks. I don't know if I got everything I needed from them, but I still have two weeks to get it." she says and gives him a smile.

Sam moves closer to her and gives her a side hug. She may never let go of her demons completely, but she knows she will become stronger because of them.

A couple hours later when the food was ready to be served, Alexis, Kristina, Molly, Sam, Jason, Spinelli, and Monica all sat down around the large dining room table.

"This looks amazing Alexis." Monica compliments her and everyone else gives agreement that everything looks good.

"Thank you. I couldn't have done it without Molly, she was a big help."

As they all made small talk they heard the doorbell ring. It was if the room had gone mute and Kristina got that feeling again.

Molly stood up quickly.

"I'll get it. Maybe it's Maxine." She says and moves.

Spinelli shakes his head. "No Maxie is at her...ow!" He exclaims after Sam not so subtly kicks him under the table. Kristina looks at the empty seat next to her and the pieces start coming together. They wouldn't…

Would they?

Apparently they would. Especially when she hears Molly happily welcome the guest inside. Ethan's dark brown eyes immediately lock with hers as he steps inside.

"Thanks Molly." He says softly, not taking his eyes off her. She looks so beautiful there; angry as she is. She was wearing a dark green shirt and from what he could see, dark skinny jeans. Her light hair was pulled back a little with some fancy clip and he wanted nothing more than to reach out to her. Say everything he's wanted to say since he finally realized his feelings.

"Thanks for bringing the pecan pie! It's mine and Kristina's favorite." Molly says happily before moving to take the dessert to the fridge. She won't look at her sister but she is happy he was here. Operation Ethina was in phase 2 and she prays it will be a success.

"Yeah I know." He says and takes off his coat. He finally breaks eye contact with her and greets everyone.

"Happy Thanksgiving everyone." He gives them all a nod, even Jason who returned it somewhat hesitantly.

Kristina feels like she was frozen. What the fuck was he doing here?!

Before she could ask that exact question, her mom motions for him to sit down in the empty seat beside her and suddenly, she's so close to him she can smell the familiar scent of his aftershave. Memories flood back into her mind and she closes her eyes.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Let the fog take hold of her mind and body as the emotions leave her. When she opens her eyes everyone is looking at her. Except now she doesn't care. She silently takes the mashed potatoes, takes her helping and passes them to him.

He takes the bowl from her silently and she can see him wearing the bracelet she tried giving him. The bracelet she threw out. He must have fetched it when she walked away. Why was he wearing it though?

The emotions came flooding back and she had to stop herself from screaming or crying. She swallowed harshly but said nothing. She would not look at it or him unless absolutely necessary.

"Does anyone want to start and say what they are thankful for?" Spinelli asks not fully understanding the tension in the room but wanting to get rid of it. Tension was dangerous and he was never comfortable with it. He knows The Aussie and the little Corinthos had a love story in the making. He's received Molly and Morgan's updates.

"Sure. I'll start. I'm thankful for this food my mom cooked and the family I'm surrounded with. I'm thankful for knowledge." Molly says softly and Kristina is trying too hard not to yell at her that she was a traitor to smile at her answer.

"I'm thankful for my girls all together and everyone's health." Alexis said.

"I'm thankful for my family and their strength." Sam said staring daggers into the sister so she knows that she is stronger than she thinks she is. She doesn't need Ethan to make her happy. However, she knows what it feels like to have a piece of yourself missing because the man you loved was pushing you away.

"I'm thankful for my family and everyone's safety." Jason mutters. This was not going to end well and he knows it. He should have went to Sonny's. Even his and Carly's drama were easier than this.

"I'm thankful for everyone being here together." Monica has no idea what was going on with Ethan Lovett and Kristina Corenthos-Davis but she was here with her son and she was happy and grateful for it.

"I'm thankful for my computers and my Maximista who I adore." Spinelli says with his usual goofy smile that everyone laughs.

Ethan takes a breath and looks around the table before settling his eyes on the one he was here to see.

"I'm thankful to finally be at a real Thanksgiving surrounded with people I care about" He says softly and Kristina can't help but snort.

"Well that's crap but it's my turn so let's see... I'm thankful I stopped fooling myself in thinking I can rely on anyone but myself." Kristina says bitterly before standing up. She lifts her glass of sparkling grape juice and lifts it as if to toast.

"Happy Thanksgiving." She said taking a swing before leaving the table.

TBC