A/N: Sorry for no update last week - too much stressful BS and I needed a stopgap. But here's the update now (with a little treat at the end) - I hope you enjoy.
For the first time in a while, Kristina felt like she was walking on air.
The words that left her mouth were full of joy and giddiness as she spoke. She rattled off every idea and thought she had that was tied to The Floating Rib, from its availability to her mother's detraction. Dex sat and listened with intent, raising an intrigued eyebrow at her at different points in the pitch. He felt a smile spread across his face, eyes softening and posture relaxing as he took everything in.
"So," he said, "you're thinking of buying your own bar."
"The Floating Rib has some history and baggage to it," Kristina replied, "and it's on the market. Why not buy it, y'know?"
"Do you feel like you're able to run a business?"
"I can try."
"...Right," Dex sat up, "but owning and running a business doesn't run on attempting to be good. It runs on being good. How long have you been the manager at Charlie's?"
"A few months or so, but I've been working at Charlie's for years."
"And you think that's enough?"
"I mean…" Kristina took a deep breath, "I have the education. I went to the business school at PCU, I ran Perks for a little bit. I can totally do this."
"You went to business school and you're just a bartender?"
"Well, I didn't exactly finish business school…"
"Oh," Dex nodded slowly, "okay. I mean, you did better than me. I didn't even go to college."
"Really?"
"Went straight into the military."
"You're not interested in higher education?"
"It's not that I wasn't interested, it's just…y'know…" Dex spun his wrists 360 degrees. Kristina raised both her eyebrows when it dawned on her.
"Oh, right, right," she nodded, "Do you think you'd want to go?"
"Maybe. I'm fairly content with what I'm doing now, though."
"Mhm, well, you're better than me."
"There's no shame in dropping out. College just…might not be for you."
"That's quite the understatement."
"How so?"
Kristina froze in her spot, processing what she said. She looked at Dex, noticing a raised eyebrow, before quickly glancing away.
"Kristina?" he asked.
"Um…"
"Hey," he gently poked her shoulder, "you can tell me. I won't judge; I've probably done worse."
"...You've done worse than bribing your professor with sex for a better grade?"
"Oh," Dex blinked at her, taking in the question. He stayed in place for a moment before composing himself mentally, "I mean, I didn't do that, but I certainly did things I'm not proud of."
"Like what?"
"I…" he took a deep breath, "I hit a superior officer."
"Oh," Kristina quipped, "that's not that bad. I'm sure he deserved it."
"He did, but it still caused problems."
"What kind of problems?"
"I got kicked out of the military."
"I'm sorry," she frowned, "I'm sure you'd rather be there, huh?"
"Mm, no," Dex shook his head, "I'm happy where I am right now. I'd rather be here than under my superior's thumb, keeping quiet and biting my tongue while he gets to treat us like garbage."
"You stood up for yourself; nothing wrong with that. You didn't try to extort your professor."
"Why did you do that, anyway?"
"Because," Kristina ran a hand through her hair, "I was desperate. I was failing pretty much every class, I needed to get a good grade in this one, so I thought bartering with my professor would get me somewhere."
"And your idea of a barter was…sleeping with him?"
"...It wasn't a 'him.'"
"...Oh," Dex nodded, thinking his words over, "okay, okay, so you're bi. That's cool."
"Thanks," Kristina smiled flatly before dropping her mood, "...Are you still sure about you being worse?"
"...C'mere," Dex leaned over and pulled Kristina in for a one-arm hug, holding her tight, her cheek against his chest and her head under his chin.
"We've all done things we're not proud of: you tried to seduce your professor, I hit my superior officer. It's all…not great."
"Tell me about it," Kristina sighed.
"I'm sure your family got their licks in when it happened-"
"They did."
"And I'm sure they've done worse."
"Way worse."
"Yeah," he rubbed her back, "I'm not going to do that. Who am I to judge, anyway? I hit a guy and upended my life so much that I'm willingly being a criminal. Y'know, as opposed to accidentally being one…w-with the hit and-"
"I got it," Kristina giggled against him.
"Great," Dex beamed. Kristina pulled away a bit, gazing into his eyes.
"So…" she begins, "you're not…appalled or angry or…?"
"I mean, I don't love it," Dex replied, "but it doesn't make me not love you-"
He bit his lip immediately, shredding himself mentally over the words that left his lips. He felt Kristina tense against him and tried to correct course, "I mean, like, it doesn't make me hate you or anything. I know you're not a bad person."
"...Right," Kristina nodded slowly, "Thanks. I appreciate it."
"We're…" Dex gulped, "We're friends, aren't we?"
"Yeah, yeah…we are."
"Cool, cool," Dex untangled himself and sat up, his voice dropping to a mutter, "great."
"Great," Kristina echoed him, a hint of sadness in her tone. She gently patted his chest before shifting around, "I should, um, I should get going."
"Yeah, yeah," Dex got up, pulling Kristina to her feet. He stared at her as they held onto one another, "you…I…"
"What?" her voice was soft. He felt himself lean closer to her, a warmth growing between them, before she slowly pulled away. She looked him over before making her way out of the apartment. Frustrated, he dropped back onto his couch, his face in his hands. He groaned when he heard his phone buzz.
Kristina's cheeks burned as she marched out of the apartment building. Her heart swelled, pushing against her chest as she got into her car and drove off. Her driving was reckless, her speed quite fast as she headed towards her mother's house, buildings morphing into trees as she entered the forest. She thanked her lucky stars that Molly and Sam's cars were parked in the driveway. She pulled up behind Molly's vehicle, racing up the steps and knocking on the door.
"Hey-" Molly greeted her as she brushed by, walking into the cabin living room. Molly stood still for a moment before closing the door, "Well, that was rude."
"Sorry," Kristina replied hastily.
"What's up?" Sam asked, standing by the fireplace.
"Is Mom here?"
"No. She's got a late-night shift for The Invader."
"Good."
"Good?"
"I need to talk to you guys."
"...Okay," Molly stepped down and stood by Sam. Kristina, in turn, stood alone by the fireplace, "What about?"
"How did you guys know you fell for your partners?"
Sam and Molly exchanged looks with one another before turning back to Kristina. Kristina glanced between them, waiting for an answer.
"...What?" Molly finally asked.
"How did we know we fell for Dante and TJ?" Sam gestured between herself and her youngest sister.
"Why are you asking?" Molly questioned before gasping, "Did you meet someone?!"
"Well-"
"Oh, Krissy, this is great!" Molly hugged her elder sister, "I'm so glad you found your someone. So much for Dex, huh?"
Kristina bit her bottom lip, her eyes bright. Molly's elation morphed into intrigue.
"...You like Dex."
"Or you think you do."
"You guys know me so well," Kristina sighed, sitting down on her mother's sofa. Sam and Molly joined her, the latter to her left and the former to her right.
"Why do you think you like him?" Sam asked, her elbow propped up on the back of the sofa.
"Well, he's cute, for one."
"We assumed that already," Molly laughed, "What do you like about him?"
"He's very much a gentleman, pretty understanding of the things I've done, and not afraid of vulnerability. I feel so comfortable and safe around him, and I like that he's just…not afraid to be himself around me. He doesn't need to put on a front for who he is."
"Well, that's good," Sam nodded slowly, "He sounds better than the people you used to have feelings for."
"Yeah," Molly said, "He's not a liar or giving you mixed signals or someone in a position of power or-"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Kristina rolled her eyes.
"I'm glad you found someone."
"Hold on," Sam held a hand up, "She hasn't 'found' anyone. I mean, you two aren't a thing, are you?"
"Well…no-"
"When did you start liking him?"
"I didn't not like him-"
"You know what I'm asking, Kristina."
The young woman stood firm, her nostrils flared at her older sister. She looked between Sam and Molly, the answer sitting at the forefront of her mind, ready for deployment.
"I realized my feelings when he showed me who he really was. He didn't hide away or clam up, he was open about his faults. He was okay with being flawed and vulnerable and it…it got me. He felt okay enough to confide in me, to tell me things with so much ease that it'd be like pulling teeth to anyone else. How could I not like that?"
Sam crossed her arms, a studious look on her face, "Does Dex know how you feel?"
"No."
"...Well," Molly looked between her sisters, "do you know how he feels?"
A warmth rapidly spread throughout Kristina's body as each near-kiss flashed in her mind, her eyes closed as she saw them. The phantom-touch of his nose made the nerves in hers spark. She felt a sense of peace, a confidence in her answer to their question as she opened her eyes.
"Kristina?" Sam asked.
"Hold on," the young woman pulled out her phone, scrolling through her text threads as she turned her back.
To: Dex (5:09 PM)
I'm sorry I left so abruptly
Are you home?
I want to talk. It's important.
"Who are you texting?" Molly questioned. Kristina turned to face her.
"You asked if I knew how Dex feels about me," she said.
"Yeah…"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."
"Through text? You don't want to go see him?"
Kristina bit her bottom lip, thinking over her words. Sam and Molly both raised an eyebrow at her demeanor.
"I…plan to," she finally responded, "I was just seeing if he was available. I don't wanna ambush him."
"You're actually going to tell him right now?"
To: Dex (5:12 PM)
Meet me in Rice Plaza in 30 mins
"Now's better than later, and now's way better than never."
Kristina clicked her phone off and strolled by her sisters, rushing out of the cabin's front door. Sam and Molly looked at one another one last time.
"How well do you think it's going to go?" Sam asked.
"Honestly?" Molly replied, "I think she'll come out of it with what she wants."
"What do you want?"
"I'm just checking in," Michael's tone was defensive, "Rumor is that Sonny met with you earlier today?"
Dex sighed, reclining into his couch further. He still felt a stinging sensation in his heart, replaying Kristina pulling away like it was a punishment. His frustration was palpable as he mentally kicked himself, a loop that he had no interest in stopping anytime soon.
"He did," he answered.
"How did it go?"
"It…" Dex took a deep breath, "was okay."
"Okay?"
"I still work for him, so there's that."
"What happened?"
"He found out about my discharge."
"...Damn," Michael hissed, "I'm sorry. I should've done more to cover you-"
"Why didn't you?"
"I was…I was busy-"
"Too busy for a phone call?"
"I'm sorry, didn't you say your meeting with Sonny was okay?"
"Yeah. Doesn't change your inaction-"
"Whatever, Dex. I'll fix it next time. Just tell me how it went."
"He found out about the incident, and he let me explain myself."
"And he just accepted it?"
"Was he not supposed to? It was the truth."
"I just thought he'd be more skeptical. I mean, you defied authority and attacked a man who ranked above you-"
"Yeah, well, you thought wrong."
"What did you tell him, exactly? About the incident?"
"I explained how my superior was abusive and how it cut into me, how the guy attacked first and I hit back-"
"And Sonny admired it."
"...Yeah, he did."
"Well, I expected as much. You stood up for yourself, even though it was against someone who was in charge of you. He likes that kind of stuff."
"...Okay."
"Is that all that happened?"
"Well, no."
"What else was discussed?"
"He told me about his stepfather: a guy named Deke. He talked about how he beat him and his mother up, how ugly and violent it was…"
"...And?"
"And I told him about me," Dex felt himself choke up, going against his internal screaming to relax, "about the things I grew up with-"
"Good."
"...Good?" Dex's voice was instantly sharp, "Did you just say 'good?'"
"You and Sonny connected over your pasts. It's part of why I hired you. Once you have that emotional tether, you're able to go deeper into his organization and fulfill your mission-"
The line went dead as Dex hung up. He was prepared to throw his phone on the coffee table, but stopped when he saw another contact calling him. He sat up immediately, stiffening his spine and clearing his throat before answering.
"Agent Heller speaking," his words were robotic.
"Status check," a man's voice, stiff yet husky, answered his greeting.
"Plan is progressing. Evidence was secured against the target, but disallowed by the client."
"I'll speak with the client on that matter. Have you spoken to the target recently?"
"Earlier today, sir."
"How was the conversation?"
"Tense but successful."
"Elaborate."
Dex paused, taking a deep breath, "...We discussed my military record and upbringing."
"How did the target take the information?"
"It seemed well-received. He was grateful for the context and allowed me to remain employed with his organization."
"Excellent," the man on the other end cleared his throat before static hummed in Dex's ear. The tension in his back and arms began to loosen up, "That's all I need, agent. Thank you."
"You're welcome, sir."
"...Okay, now you can speak to me as a pedestrian."
Dex sighed as he leaned back against the couch again, "Thank you, Mr. Hume."
"How are you? I know this mission has been a bit daunting."
"I'm alright. Mr. Corinthos hasn't picked up on the subterfuge. His son is…pretty picky on what he wants."
"Sounds like it. I'll talk to him, though. Our employees aren't here to operate on clients' whims, they're here to follow through on the contracted mission."
"Right."
"Has the client been treating you well?"
"Do you want an honest answer?"
More static filled Dex's ears, "...I'll talk to him about that too. I'm sorry."
"Thank you, Mr. Hume. I appreciate it."
"Certainly. But," the man cleared his throat, "beyond the mission, how have you been? How have you adjusted to your long-term stay in Port Charles, New York?"
"It's been a gradual acclimation; I'm still finding my footing."
"This is your first solo field mission, is it not?"
"Correct."
"I anticipate the desire to form attachments is quite high. Have you made any?"
Dex bit his bottom lip, Kristina surfacing in his mind. His heart skipped a beat at the sight, something he allowed to linger for longer than he was supposed to let it.
"Mr. Heller?"
"...Hmm?"
"I asked you if you've formed any attachments…and based on your silence, it appears the answer is yes."
"I'm sorry, sir."
"Don't be. You're human; it happens to everyone. You have to keep in mind, though, that your presence in town is temporary."
"I'm aware."
"Mind telling me who's caught your eye?"
"...The target's eldest daughter."
"Oh," the reply was curt, "You do understand that you're playing with fire, do you not?"
"Yes."
"Though, if you're getting close to her, that can be advantageous-"
"No-" Dex snapped for a moment, "I mean…I'm sorry. I care about her too much to hurt her. The thought of doing that…absolutely not."
"You're working against her father to put him in prison, agent," the man pointed out, "You're already hurting her, even if she isn't aware of your true allegiance."
Dex sighed, guilt running over him like a tidal wave. His eyes were cast down at the white and gray carpet underneath his feet.
"Listen, agent," the man said, "whatever your relationship is with the daughter is your business. I just hope you're ready to accept its end when she learns the truth and you have to leave town."
Dex remained silent.
"I do have to go. Be careful out there, agent. I'll check in after another 30 days. Roman Hume, signing off."
The line went dead just as Dex's phone buzzed for the third time. To his relief, text messages appeared on his lock screen. A part of him wanted to respond, but he remained still as he tried to calm himself. The effects of Michael's, then Roman's, intensity was still fading away.
Relax… he thought to himself as the minutes ticked by, Relax…it's okay…you're okay…
The other text appeared nearly five minutes after the first. He scanned its contents and slowly got to his feet, grabbing the jacket slung over the head of a nearby chair and leaving his apartment. Rice Plaza was roughly twenty minutes away, and the speed at which he traveled shortened it.
The plaza itself was spacious and empty, lights illuminating his path as he approached the main square. Kristina sat on a bench in the area, a sparkle in her eye as she spotted him.
"Thanks for coming," she greeted as she stood up.
"You said it was important," he responded, "How could I not show up?"
"It is," she cleared her throat, "Listen, um, I've been thinking about some things…with us…"
"Okay…"
"And…well…I cherish our bond," Kristina's words came out in a scattered mess. She felt herself mentally backing away from the meeting, "You're a good friend and I really admire you."
A number of thoughts raced through Dex's mind: the threats from Sonny and Michael, the reality checks from Roman. Each and every word weighed heavy on his shoulders.
"But, recently, we've done or said things that, I think, have kind of…changed that."
Their comments come and go in waves, the sound switching between people with ease:
If you defy my orders, you will pay the consequences.
You'd be doing everyone, especially Kristina, a favor by keeping your distance.
Whatever your relationship is with the daughter is your business. I just hope you're ready to accept its end when she learns the truth and you have to leave town.
…Not like this.
"Dex," his eyes were soft and apprehensive as Kristina gazed into them. The night chills at the end of August began to nip at his cheeks, his heart racing as fast as his mind. A part of him deep down knew that his next move would, potentially, be his undoing, that he should know better than to commit to it. It doesn't stop him from doing it.
"Dex…?" Kristina asked again as his hands cupped her cheeks. He looked down at her face, confused and slightly intrigued, before he leaned in, closing the distance between them with the kiss he's been wanting to give her.
