Title: Love Story

Author: h_weasley/acroley84/carlyquartermaine

Summary: Kristina fights for the right to choose.

Rating:

Warnings:

AN: This chapter feels off to me. I will make this story better. I promise. Forgive my errors. It's late and my eyes hurt and I have no beta

Chapter 2:

Kristina was on her third cup of coffee while reading through her notes at Kelly's. She was successfully ignoring her new friend Tony who was trying to be invisible at the counter but he kept dropping things and knocking things over. It took all her restraint not fall out of her chair laughing.

"Hey," Ethan said as he pulled out a chair and sat across from her.

Kristina jumped a little she hadn't even seen Ethan come in," Hey." She said and started to put her notes away. "You snuck up on me."

"I gotta keep you on your toes," Ethan teased.

Kristina laughed, "You certainly do that." She replied. Her eyes cut to the counter just in time to see Tony making his way to their table. She wanted to warn Ethan, "I am so sorry."

"About what?" Ethan asked looking confused.

"Excuse me," Tony said. "Can I help you?"

Ethan regarded him with a look of amusement," No, I'm good."

"You sure?" Tony asked looking at Ethan menacingly.

"Who is this guy?" Ethan asked Kristina.

"He's my bodyguard apparently." Kristina said.

"Maybe you should go." Tony said.

"Or maybe you should know that my family owns this place and that means you can't ask me to leave." Ethan replied.

"What's going on?" Mike asked coming over to the table.

"I was just explaining to Kristina's bodyguard that he can't make me leave." Ethan told Mike.

"I was hired…" Tony started.

"I know why you were hired." Mike interrupted him. "But you weren't hired to make a scene at my place of business."

Tony crossed his arms and glared at Ethan.

"You know what?" Ethan said. "I think I will leave." He looked at Kristina. "Talk to you later, ok?"

"Ethan, wait…" Kristina called but Ethan was already heading to the door and he didn't stop.

Kristina packed up her books and said goodbye to her grandfather. She needed to talk to her mom. This had to stop.

"You will not believe what just happened to me." Ethan said to Johnny as they were having lunch.

"What?" Johnny asked.

"I walked into Kelly's and saw Kristina sitting there studying. I go up to say hello and I'm accosted by this guy." Ethan told him.

"What guy?" Johnny said.

"Her bodyguard whom I am assuming was hired to keep me away from her." Ethan said.

"Probably." Johnny laughed.

"This isn't funny." Ethan protested.

"Not to you." Johnny said still chuckling. "Man. They really hate you. Wow."

"Yup." Ethan sighed. "I'm not sure what to do anymore. Kristina is one of my closest friends and I really care for her but…"

"This is getting ridiculous?" Johnny suggested.

"Pretty much." Ethan agreed.

"Maybe you should back off." Johnny told him.

"I shouldn't have to do that. We are just friends."Ethan argued.

"Just back off and let Sonny and Alexis cool down." Johnny said.

"No." Ethan said. "I'm not going to run away."

"Most guys would," Johnny commented.

"What are you saying?" Ethan asked.

Johnny smiled, "All I'm saying is that if she was really just a friend you wouldn't be fighting this hard. Maybe you need to think about how you really feel."

"You have to talk to him Michael," Kristina said. "He is out of control."

Michael sighed and shook his head, "He won't listen." Michael told her.

"So you won't even try?" Kristina asked.

Michael shrugged, "I'll try but… I don't want to." He replied.

"Because you agree?" Kristina said starting to get angry with her brother.

"I don't want to fight with you. I don't hate Ethan but I think you could do better." Michael told her. "I'm sorry."

"That sucks Michael." Kristina said. "Your mom thought you could do better than Abby and you fought for it. You knew what you wanted and you fought. You didn't care what your mom or anyone else said. Abby is older and she isn't what anyone thought you would want. But you love her. Can't you understand where I am coming from?"

Michael nodded, "I guess." He said still not sounding convinced. "I know what it's like having your choices made for you and I know what it feels like to be under constant scrutiny. So, I will go and plead your case to dad." He paused. "If I ask you something do you promise not to get mad?"

"No, but ask anyway." Kristina giggled.

"Would you still wan t Ethan if everyone loved him?" Michael asked.

"You think this is some sort of teenage rebellion?"

"The thought crossed my mind." Michael admitted.

"Well, it's not." Kristina told him. "Michael, when Keifer hurt me and I blamed Ethan he would have had every right to hate me even after I told the truth but he didn't. Ethan stood by me and has been a great friend to me. This started out as a crush and I admit the chase made him more appealing. But it's deeper than that now. I miss him when I am away from him. He makes me laugh. I am head over heels."

"Does he feel that too?" Michael asked.

"I think so," Kristina told him. "But everyone is making him feel like it would be wrong so he is denying it. I see something in his eyes when we are together. That trip to the Dominican Republic was magic. I had the best time. He did too. If mom and dad hadn't ruined…something would have happened. I know it."

"Something would have happened … like what…I'm not liking where this is going." Michael said his eyes narrowing.

"I don't just mean sex. Ethan's not like that." Kristina said.

"Right." Michael smirked. "Kristina, he is a guy. We are all like that."

"Not true." Kristina said. "Is that all you and Abby are?"

"No, of course not." Michael said. "But I would be lying if I said that sexual chemistry isn't big part of what attracts a guy to a girl…at least initially."

"Whatever. Just help me. Please?" Kristina pleaded.

"I said I would." Michael replied. "But I hope your right about this guy Krissy."

"I am." Kristina said with a smile. "I know it."

Kristina was supposed to be in bed but instead she was trying to pop the screen out of her window. She hated being the stereotypical teenager climbing out of her bedroom window to meet a guy but this was all she could do for now.

She planned this well. She managed to trick Tony into telling her that he would be calling it a night at nine. She told her mom she was going to bed early. She texted Ethan and asked him to meet her at the Haunted Star at agreed.

So, here she was climbing out her bedroom window. She didn't take her car because it would make too much noise. Instead she walked. It was far and her feet hurt but it was worth it in the end. Ethan was sitting at the bar when she walked in.

"Are we alone?" Kristina asked. "Did you tell anyone you were coming here?"

"We are alone" Ethan smiled. "I told no one."

"Good," Kristina sighed. "Hi. How are you?"

Ethan chuckled, "Fine, and you?"

"I'm frustrated." Kristina told him. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"Not your fault." Ethan replied. "I'm sorry I bailed I just didn't want to embarrass you."

"I understand." Kristina told him.

They stood there in silence for a minute. Finally Ethan cleared his throat, "What's up? Why did you want to meet?"

"My mom is siding with my dad. Sam has decided she is Switzerland. Michael said he would try and reason with dad but he didn't seem hopeful. "Kristina shrugged. "What would you do?"

"I'm not sure." Ethan answered. "This is one messed up situation. I would try to stand up for myself without compromising myself."

"Explain." Kristina said.

"You can be completely in the right but you can invalidate your own point with certain behaviors." Ethan said.

"What kind of behaviors?" Kristina asked.

"Like sneaking onto a plane to the Dominican Republic." Ethan offered. "Or sneaking out of your bedroom at 10:00 at night."

"What are you saying?" Kristina asked.

"I'm just saying that if you want to be taken seriously don't give them anymore ammunition or reasons to hate me."

"Work within the system to change the system." Kristina nodded.

"Yes, exactly." Ethan replied.

"You're right." Kristina agreed. "I will try. But can I hang here awhile?"

"Absolutely." Ethan told her.

Ethan and Kristina's conversation was interrupted by footsteps. Instinctively Kristina dove behind the bar. She could hear Ethan greet someone. She recognized the new voices as Dante and Lulu.

"Kristina is missing." Dante said. "Have you heard from her?"

"No mate." Ethan said.

"I told you he was harboring an underage girl here." Lulu said.

"I didn't say she was here I just thought he might have heard from her." Dante replied. "And she's eighteen. She's not under age. I'm not trying to get your brother in trouble. If you hear from her let me or Alexis or Sonny know, ok?"

"Will do."Ethan said.

Before Dante and Lulu could leave Kristina heard another set of footsteps and another voice. "Where is she?" Tony asked.

"Who?"Ethan asked.

"Kristina." Tony said. "I know she is here."

"She's not." Dante said.

"Yes, she is." Tony replied. He walked around the bar and found Kristina on the floor. He grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly to her feet.

"Ow." Kristina shouted. "That hurt."

"Watch it." Dante warned him. He turned to say something to Kristina.

Tony grabbed Kristina around the waist and lifted her off the ground. "Say goodbye Romeo." Tony said.

Kristina felt violated and before she knew it she was having these flashbacks of Keifer and all the times he hurt her. She started to fight Tony but she wasn't really in control of her actions. She must have kicked him really hard because he released her and doubled over. Kristina ran to Ethan and buried her face in his chest. She was shaking violently.

Everyone was yelling at Tony. Dante, Lulu, Ethan… their voices were all blended together. It was like white noise. Her heart was beating out of her chest. She felt like she would pass out.

"Kristina?" Ethan said and that was the last thing she heard.