Disclaimer: I do not own General Hospital I wasn't even a thought in the wind when this show was created. I do not own Ethan or Kristina or any of the other characters in this.

Summery: Takes place after the scene in 9/1/11 when Kristina overhears Ethan tell Skye all about her and how she's a messed up kid and feels sorry for her. Kristina decides enough is enough. If that is how he really feels about her, then she is done being the victim.

Author's Notes: AHHH I have readers! I'm so happy! Thank you all that read and bellagh6969 and MoneyPenny for reviewing I really appreciate it and just for the record what is going on with her and Ethan did bring up a lot of unresolved issues Kristina had with Keifer but Elizabeth won't be in this story most likely. I don't know much of her character but I probably will have her talk about it with Sam or even her mom, I'm not sure yet. Anyway I hope you all like this chapter! Enjoy!

XOXOXO

Sam and Jason's wedding comes and goes, Kristina was a little upset that she had no date, because at the time she was hoping she could get Ethan to go with her like she did for her dad's wedding, but she still had an okay time. Her and Molly danced the night away and was happy to see their sister so happy with Jason. He would be a good uncle to them and definitely be a great husband.

After her talk with her father, Kristina made more of an effort to spend time with her sisters. Sam and her might never have the bond that her and Molly have, but she knows deep down both her sisters love her. She tried to keep in touch with Sam but she also didn't want to interrupt her honeymoon phase so she would just send her a message every once and awhile.

Once Kristina started her self defense classes at the end of September with her approved trainer Pete, she has been busier than ever. She picked up the classes quickly but was constantly learning new ways to defend herself and strengthen her body as well as her mind.

Pete was actually an unofficial trainer for people that had difficult and dangerous jobs. Parents who are DAs, FBI or CIA agents, mobsters, drug dealers, or whatever. He was a nonjudgmental employee that had so much to teach and was constantly being called on for giving privet lessons for their children; just in case they were targeted one day. He told her about how he was almost always training the children of parents with dangerous positions of power; that he feels better giving the children the power to defend themselves because they didn't ask to be in these positions. That they should never have to feel powerless.

On their first day of training, he asked her some very personal questions about her past. If she was ever targeted, if she was ever hurt physically or emotionally, if she wanted to be trained with weapons or she was planing on getting a weapon registered or non-registered in her name. They talked for hours about Keifer, her dad's enemies, her dad's constant need for control, even her emotional issues with Ethan how she thought the world of him only to find out he didn't have any genuine feelings for her. Pete was a great person to talk to, he listened to everything she said without judgment or comments but used all that information to create a training program that would be best for her.

He made up scenarios where he was an abusive boyfriend and she needed to knock him out or harm him long enough for her to call for help. He made up scenarios of her dad's enemies coming at her from behind trying to drag her into the trunk of a car, and so many more. She was even going to be starting lessons where weapons were involved next week. Sometimes his son, that was a little older than her would assist them.

Pete has been so great to her. He started her on yoga and a meditation program as well so she can calm her mind and try and let out some of her deep seeded rage and it was starting to help. She gave up taking yoga at PCU and chose to stick with her solo lessons. She still had to write down her feelings but the meditation was calming her down a lot.

Between school and her classes, for the past month she really hasn't had time to dwell on her friendship ending with Ethan. It hurt her more than she was willing to admit to anyone. She was still constantly writing in her journal about the good, the bad, and the worst things he's ever done or said to her. He sent her some more messages, asking her to meet him so they could talk; he even stopped by the Lake House when she was at school, but she hasn't seen him since she told him off at the docks.

She wasn't sure how to feel when she heard from her mom that he stopped by to see her, but she just pushed her feelings aside and chose to work on her school and her classes. So far, it's been helping her a great deal; she was starting to feel okay again.

She felt like she can handle herself better. That she didn't have to run to anyone if something or someone was bothering her. However, she hasn't had much time for fun recently so she wasn't surprised when Pete instructed her to have a day off to just relax.

Which is why she woke up at six in the morning, making a note to her mom that she was going for a run and would be home later.

What she didn't say was that her run was a 5 mile run and then she was planning on running towards the park to relax.

She's pretty sure this wasn't what he had in mind when he told her to go out and have some fun, but she's always loved this park. She had some good memories here. Most recent of them with Ethan but she wouldn't let him ruin this spot for her. After putting down her water jug, she sits on the swing and starts swinging her legs till she felt like she was falling.

This, to her, was freedom. Not having to think, not feeling any pain; just the cold blow of the wind through her slightly sweaty hair and watch the blurs of color as the world kept going on. She felt numb and she absolutely loved it. By the time she slowed down, she was breathing heavily in happiness. She missed this place a lot. She leaned her head on the metal strap and closed her eyes in peace.

Ethan, who saw her swinging, stopped by the side and just watched her. She looked so peaceful right now. She looked so beautiful, so free. He hasn't seen her in so long and he felt the familiar pang in his chest just thinking of how much he's missed her. He tried to see her, called her a couple times, even stopped at her house but nothing. It was like she couldn't care less about him anymore. All over something that was just a misunderstanding. He hated this.

He missed her so much. He never had a friend like her in his life and now to have her gone after relying on her for almost two years was killing him. Johnny was right though, he needed to figure himself out before he crushed whatever Kristina had left. He hurt her and that was something that he needed to fix.

Slowly, he makes his way to the swing next to her and she opens her eyes to see him sitting next to her. Her heart immediately skips a beat but she tries to look like he had no effect on her. His old poker face lessons came in handy. Her thoughts were going wild. From ,"Why was he here?", "Did he come here often and do the exact same thing she was doing now?" To, "How dare he come here, how dare he try and make her love him again!"

They sit in complete silence for a couple minutes while Kristina's mind went crazy with possibilities of him being here and Ethan was just happy to be around her again for the first time in what felt like forever. He felt like for the first time in over a month he could be himself again. With Kristina, he wanted to keep some of his past from her, but she knew most of the person he was and she used to care about him.

However, after almost ten minutes of him not saying anything, Kristina had enough and gets up to leave. She couldn't just sit with him and pretend everything between them was okay when it wasn't!

"No! Please...please just stay and let me explain." He softly begs her looking at her with such a tender look it almost made her want to cry.

Kristina shrugged a little.

"Fine...explain." She whispers and gives him permission and he gets up from the swing and takes a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you Kristina. I'm sorry you overheard what I said to Skye that night at the Haunted Star, because I know that had to have been what made you start drifting away from me but it's not what you think! Ever since I met you, you have become a great friend to me, despite all that happened when you accused me of beating you to your family. Despite our shitty start, you have been there for me in ways no one else has; including my family. You helped me in the Dominican with my divorce with Maya, who you knew I was starting to have feelings for. You were there for me putting your feelings for me on hold which was something I really appreciated. You were there to tell me I wouldn't become a drunk like my father when that is one of my deepest fears. You get me. I told you that right here in this very park and I know you still remember that. You got me from the very beginning."

"What happened at the Haunted Star...I'm just so used to people saying that I'm taking advantage of you that I just get defensive and say things I don't mean! It pisses me off because I know how much you have grown since we met and yet everyone still thinks I'm the type of bloke that would take advantage of your fragile state when in reality I just love spending time with you! I miss our friendship Krissy; I miss you luv." He says to her and she is just staring at him.

After a couple seconds of silence, so she can process all that he just said to her she moves a little closer to him.

"I don't believe you." She tells him honestly and his heart sinks. How could she not believe him?

"I finally heard you loud and clear that night. I finally heard what you have been trying to tell me for over a year. I can't believe it took me so long but better late than never I guess. You kept talking to me because you didn't want to hurt me and my 'fragile state'." She spits his own words back at him making him wince as she continues.

"That day on the docks? The day you were screaming at me how immature I was, how...stupid I was acting; that was probably the first time you were ever real with me and you were so cruel. So thank you...thank you for showing me how weak and pathetic I have been acting because I refuse to be that way anymore." She tells him as a matter of fact, like her words weren't breaking either of their hearts.

She reaches into her fanny pack that held her phone and took out a small bag. Ethan looked at her sadly as she took out a bracelet, the friendship bracelet she wanted to give him that day. The one he told her he didn't want. She doesn't know why she always kept it on her, but she hasn't been able to part with it...not until now. Now, she knew she was ready to rid herself of Ethan and all he represented.

"When I got this for you, I wanted to give you one that was my favorite color. I know most people assume my favorite color is pink or purple but it's always been blue. Blue like the night sky. I thought if I gave this to you, it would make you think of me and know that there was someone in this world that cared for you; the real you." She says to him but not looking him in the eyes, before she throws the bracelet in the nearby trash bin.

As she starts to walk away she stops and looks back at him one last time. His eyes were a little glossy, and he looked upset, but she knew it was all a ruse. It had to be.

"You want to know the worst part of all this? You make me hate myself Ethan. You make me hate myself because despite the fact you only hung out with me because you felt sorry for me, I still love you. I still love you and I know that if I took your words seriously, I would take you back in my life and I don't think I can handle anymore pain or rejection. So congratulations; you conned me so well I can't even hate you for destroying me. I'm not even surprised you pity me; I'd pity me too." She says giving him a sad smile before turning to walk home.

Ethan stands up harshly. He's had enough of this!

"You're wrong! You are so wrong about me about US it's scary Kristina! You think I never cared about you? That I was conning you this whole time? That you're weak!? You are so wrong! You'll see luv, I'll prove it to you. I will prove to you how much I care about you and how much we need each other! I always cared about you Krissy! And I always will! ALWAYS!" He calls out to her but she keeps walking away so he won't see the tears well up in her eyes.

Ethan look a deep breath as he rubbed his face with shaky hands. He can't believe how badly he messed up but he wasn't lying when he said he was going to prove her wrong. She always used to be the one that had such faith in their friendship...well now it was his turn.

He walked over to the trash bin and took out the bracelet. It was a deep midnight blue weaved with a small amount of silver; if he looked in close enough, he could read his name on one side and when he turned it around it read "Love Krissy"

His heart felt like it was breaking as he put the bracelet in his jean pocket.

He had to fix this. He couldn't have you believing for a second that she was weak and he definitely couldn't have her continue to think that he never cared about her.

TBC