Krystal Carey sighed as she waved goodbye to the last member of waitressing staff before locking the door to Krystal's café and turning the closed sign.

It had been a particularly busy day. The press, still camped out at the hospital awaiting news of Erica Kane's recovery, were giving her business an unexpected boost. But that wasn't the reason for the sigh.

"What's up?" asked Opal, she was stacking the last of the menus on the counter and making sure everything was ready for the next day.

Krystal sighed again and took a seat at the bar.

"Am I being silly," she asked, "Worrying about Marissa? I mean what can JR do to her?"

"Apart from suck her back in?" suggested Opal. As much as she wanted to support a man who was a smidgeon away to being her grandson, she didn't like what he'd been doing lately, especially in regards to his son.

"I've spoken to her and I'm sure she's not going to fall for his lines, for her this is all about AJ. I don't think she's can think about anything else."

"But you're not sure of JRs intentions?" asked Opal.

Krystal leant against the counter, as she considered her answer.

"I just don't like the amount of time she is spending with him." she said thoughtfully. "He's asked her out to a play this evening. I think this will be the first time they have actually been alone together since… well before the shooting. I don't like it. I'm getting a pain in my gut just thinking about it."

"Marissa's a big girl."

"Yes but she also have no idea how bad things were with JR."

"You didn't tell her?" asked Opal surprised.

"Sure I did," said Krystal despondently, "But she doesn't want to hear it. She's insistent about this clean slate nonsense; giving everyone a chance to prove themselves."

"Well maybe we need to find other distractions for her, away from JR."

"She won't want to do anything that stops her spending time with AJ."

Opal thought for a moment,

"Not even helping her mom out in the restaurant? You can say you're having trouble keeping up with lunch-time rush, it's not a lie. Besides she can't see AJ when he's at school."

"You think I should offer her a job?" asked Krystal, surprised that she hadn't thought of this idea before.

"Why not? It will get her out of the house and away from JR. She will have the chance to meet new people, earn some money and more importantly she will be somewhere we can both keep an eye in her if JR does decide to show up!"

Krystal smiled at Opal.

"Has anyone told you that you are an absolute genius?"

Opal smiled back.

"I have my moments! - We'll keep her safe from JR, you mark my words!"

…