The first thing Kristina heard was the sound of the air conditioner.

She stirred, her eyes slowly opening and adjusting to the morning. She was on her back, almost completely underneath the bedroom window, the light shooting out onto the beige comforter.

"Mm…" she grunted, rubbing her eyes. She turned her head to her right, following the light to its destination. The sight made her heart skip a beat.

Dex's face was half-buried in his pillow as he laid on his stomach. One arm was across her torso, his hand somewhat balled into a fist at the end. She laid a hand on his arm, using the other to run her fingers through his hair. A grin formed on her face the more she took in his peaceful expression.

A sharp intake of air stopped her cold.

Dex shifted in his spot, burying his face in his pillow before opening his eyes.

"Hey," he whispered dreamily.

"Hi," Kristina replied, "Sleep well?"

"Mhm. Did you?"

"I did."

"Good," Dex leaned up, "I'm glad."

"Well, you definitely wore me out."

"Oh yeah? Did I? Does that mean a round two is out of the question?"

Kristina giggled as they leaned in. He laid a hand on her cheek the more his lips moved against hers, eventually pulling her to rest on top of him. She broke the kiss with a sharp gasp.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"No, no," she shook her head, "it's fine. I was just…caught off-guard."

Her toes ran up and down his leg, her chin on top of her hands as she laid on his chest. He brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, a bright pink blush on his cheeks.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Kristina asked cheekily.

His words came out in breathless awe, "Something beautiful."

Kristina glanced between his bright blue eyes and moving lips, grabbing his face to pull him in. Dex adjusted to the kiss by sitting up more, with Kristina falling into his lap. Her lips crashed with his perfectly, moving against his a few times before she moved back. As she retreated, she caught a bruise on his shoulder, flinching at the sight.

"Oof," she huffed, running a finger over the bright red, "I bit you pretty hard."

"Hm?" Dex looked down at his shoulder, "Oh…uh…"

"Sorry."

"Don't be," he ran his finger across the teeth marks, "It doesn't even hurt."

"At least you have shirts to cover it up whenever my dad calls you in for work."

"Yeah, I'm thankful for that."

Kristina sighed through her nose as she rolled off of him, landing in the crook of his arm. Dex hugged her against him, gently planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's just…" she took a deep breath, "I don't want to get up."

"Neither do I."

They relaxed in the silence, staring up at the black ceiling light. Dex gently rubbed Kristina's arm as she snuggled deeper into him, her cheek against his chest.

"Thanks for last night," she sighed dreamily.

"I should be thanking you. You gave me one of the best nights I've had in years, and not for the reason you think."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"Before I came here, my nights were just…empty. No friends, no fun, nothing. I woke up, went to work, and went home."

"And now?"

"Well, now, I have you. I wake up, go to work, and I end the day with you. At least, I get to do that. I know, I know, it's a bit premature to say but-"

"No, it's fine," Kristina's gaze was soft, "we're seeing each other. I want to end my days with you too; better than going back to my place."

"Why do you say that?"

"My roommate."

"What's wrong with your roommate?"

"She's just…a lot. And she's a chatterbox."

"Say no more," Dex laughed, "I get it."

"But yeah, I wouldn't mind you popping into Charlie's every now and then…or maybe every day."

"Ooh," Dex raised both eyebrows, "I like the 'every day' idea. Let's go with that."

"Sounds good," Kristina giggled, planting a kiss on his lips. She relaxed into him again, "What time is it, anyway?"

Dex turned to look at the digital clock on the nightstand to his left, "9:15."

"Ugh," she groaned, rolling away, "My shift starts at 10:30."

"I mean, you've got some time."

"Not enough."

"Well, if you need to use my shower, you're more than welcome to."

"That sounds great," Kristina lifted her arms up, jutting her back forward to stretch, "You know what else sounds great?"

"Breakfast?" Dex furrowed his brow, a large smirk on his face. Kristina's eyes darkened as a smirk broke out on her own, a hand on his non-bitten shoulder.

"You read my mind," she replied. Dex got out of bed the next second and opened the door to the left of the bed, a foot away from the window. Moments later, Kristina could hear the shower running, and she got to her feet to look for herself. Dex stood in the doorway, holding his hand out for her.

"Ready?"

"Thank you for doing this."

Sasha and Sonny stood by with smiles on their faces as Diane set her briefcase down.

"I really appreciate it," Sasha continued, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"I'm happy to help," Diane smirked, looking between them, "No Gladys?"

"She didn't want to come. Being in this building would just…break her."

"Gladys has her reasons for not coming," Sonny remarked, "just as Sasha has her reasons for being here."

"I truly am sorry for your loss," Diane reached to grab her shoulder, "Brando was a wonderful man and didn't deserve to go out the way he did."

"Thank you."

"And after everything you've been through," Sonny cut in, "with…with Liam and now this…it takes a lot of strength and courage."

"Time has made things a bit easier on me," Sasha responded sadly, "but it's still hard. It's harder on Gladys. It just breaks my heart to see her so devastated. She may be prickly, but-"

"She has a heart."

"Right," Diane nodded slowly, "and I hope time heals her wounds like it's doing with yours."

"I appreciate that," Sasha beamed. Sonny replicated her smile.

"And I appreciate you agreeing to look over everything with the garage," Sonny said.

"Like I said, I'm happy to help. Where can I find the necessary paperwork?"

"His office is over there," Sonny pointed to the closed door across the way.

"Check the top drawer of the file cabinet against the wall," Sasha followed with. Diane donned a toothless grin, nodding at them before walking off.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sasha's voice was soft.

"It's not that I want to," Sonny shrugged, "it's that I have to. I don't know of anyone who's really able to take the place over. I have Corinthos Coffee, you and Gladys have Deception…the place should go to someone who knows a thing or two about cars."

"I know, but…it's one of the last things we have that keeps us tied to Brando."

"I know, I know, and we're free to take anything we need from here. Plus," Sonny pointed at her, "you know as well as I do that he wouldn't want any of us to dwell on the past or sit in our sadness."

"He'd want us to keep going," Sasha choked up.

"Exactly," Sonny hissed with a smile just as Diane approached them. They turned their focus to her, "Find anything?"

"Only a mountain of legal paperwork," Diane sighed, "Contracts, deeds, pay stubs: I'll be here for hours going through it all."

"Okay. I know that S-Sasha and I have places to be, so I can get one of my guys to…watch over you."

"That would be great," Diane pursed her lips as Sonny took out his phone. He typed in a series of numbers before he pressed the device to his ear. It rang a few times before going to voicemail.

"Damnit," he swore, redialing the number, "Come on, Dex, pick up."

Dex's phone vibrated against the counter in his bathroom. Neither he nor Kristina could hear a thing over the roar of the showerhead, soap tumbling down their skin. Their lips fought against one another, their bodies drenched in water, hot to the touch. Kristina's arms were wrapped around his neck, pulling him down to her level. Dex's hands rested on her hips, his mouth moving to her neck.

"Oh God," Kristina huffed, laying a hand on his neck. He moved his own from her hips to underneath her thighs, lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist on impulse, one arm half-around his neck, a hand in his hair. Her moans were loud and full the more he focused on the crook of her neck.

"God," she sighed when he finally pulled away, "you're kind of driving me crazy."

"Kind of?" Dex made a face, "I should probably fix that."

"Mhm," Kristina hummed just as her ears caught the sound coming from the counter, "or maybe you should check out what's going on."

"Hmm?" Dex stopped and turned towards the sink, hearing the vibration. He gently let Kristina down, helping her stand, before pushing the glass panel of his shower open.

"...Crap," he swore as Kristina turned the water off, "it's Sonny."

"What does he want?" Kristina walked up to him, handing him a towel. He took it as he answered the call.

"Hello?" Dex cleared his throat.

"Dex?" Sonny asked, "Where are you?"

"I'm at home. I saw your calls; I'm sorry I missed them. I was…" he looked back at Kristina, who slightly raised her eyebrows out of concern, "taking a shower."

"How soon are you able to come to Xtreme Motors?"

"I can wrap up my shower now and be there soon."

"Hurry. It's important."

"Got it, boss. See you then," Dex hung up the phone, closing his eyes. He let out a sigh.

"What is it?" Kristina wrapped the towel around her body.

"Sonny needs me to report to Xtreme Motors."

"Brando's garage. Have you been there before?"

"Once, but as Sonny's driver."

"I'll send you the address once I'm dry."

"Thank you," Dex gave her a half-hearted smile. Kristina matched his look before planting a kiss on his cheek, walking out of the bathroom soon after. He looked in the fogged-up mirror and let out a long sigh before drying himself off with the towel that was balled up in his hand.

Hours passed by with the speed of a bullet train. Morning turned into midday and midday turned into evening. The sheer amount of papers Diane dug through took up the better part of her day, and it was just her luck that she remembered to block out the day the moment Sonny asked for her help.

A knock at the door startled her.

"Come in," she said after the shock wore off.

"Ms. Miller," Dex poked his head in.

"Dex," she nodded.

"Just checking in, making sure you're okay."

"You checked an hour ago, and things were fine."

"Yeah…but that was an hour ago."

"I get you're just looking out for me in your own special way, but the bodyguards Sonny usually has on me don't run their mouths nearly as much as you do."

"I'm sorry-"

"I'm sure you are. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have papers to read. I'd appreciate it if you could do your job and stand outside with your lips zipped, okay? Thank you."

Dex tried his best to hide his scowl as he closed the door behind him. He let out a heavy sigh just as his phone buzzed in his back pocket.

From: Sonny (7:02 PM)
Everything good over there?

He let out a sigh as he responded.

To: Sonny (7:03 PM)
Yes, boss.

From: Sonny (7:05 PM)
How far along is Diane in her work?

To: Sonny (7:07 PM)
Not sure. I would think she's gotten pretty far.

From: Sonny (7:09 PM)
I think so as well. Diane is very thorough and meticulous, but she does good work. I'm lucky to have her representing me and my family.

To: Sonny (7:10 PM)
I'm glad she's been such an asset.

From: Sonny (7:12 PM)
I wouldn't be here without her.
Why weren't you able to answer my calls this morning?

Dex gulped at the message, his thoughts going a mile a minute as he tried to come up with a plausible-enough answer.

To: Sonny (7:14 PM)
I was in the shower.

From: Sonny (7:15 PM)
Your phone wasn't on you?

To: Sonny (7:16 PM)
It was nearby.
I didn't hear it the first few times.

From: Sonny (7:17 PM)
When I call, you answer. Got it?
Try not to make this a habit.

To: Sonny (7:17 PM)
Understood.

"Alright," Dex jumped at the sound of Diane's voice, turning to see her close the office door, "I think my work here is done."

"Did you find what you need?"

"I did," Diane grinned, "though I would've been done sooner had you not popped in so much."

"I was only doing my job-"

"Your job is to stand guard, not play caretaker. I know you're still 'new,' Dex, so maybe you don't know better, but that's what he wants from you. It's certainly what I want from you."

Dex looked away, trying to conceal his annoyance.

"And now," Diane cleared her throat, "you're going to get your car. I, unfortunately, took a rideshare here, and I'm not taking one back to my firm."

She watched Dex, silent yet slightly fuming, make his way out of the garage. She huffed at what transpired before turning back towards the office. Minutes passed as she cleaned up the desk and grabbed her purse, making her way back onto the main floor. She stopped for a moment as she noted how dark it was, walking ever-so-slowly in search of light. Moonlight poured in from the open door, but the path between it and the office was all she had to see.

"Slow…" Diane said softly, "Don't trip over anything…You have a client meeting at 9 AM tomorrow…"

She sighed in relief as she laid her hands on a wooden structure across the way in the darkness, and she began to feel around for a flashlight, her body stiffening as she stood straight up.

The sharp sensation in her stomach came out of nowhere, her scream in response ear-piercing.

Diane fell to the floor in an instant, eyes tightly shut and her hands drenched with the blood pooling from her injury. She could faintly hear the feet shuffling away from her, moving from concrete to gravel. The world around her began to blur, growing darker and darker until it stayed that way.

"Okay, Ms. Miller," Dex finally returned to the front of the garage. He flipped the switch to his right, light filling the room, "my car's ready out…front…"

He raced to her side instantly, taking everything in. Towels rested on the wooden workplace in front of them. He grabbed the ones that looked clean before moving Diane's hands aside to apply pressure to her wound.

"Come on…" he muttered, the pressure growing stronger, "Come on…"

Dex wasn't sure how much time had passed between him finding Diane and the police's arrival. He was grateful that somehow, someway, a 911 call was placed, and relief painted his features when he heard the sirens grow closer to the building.

"Freeze!"

Dex did as he was told. His hands stayed firmly in place, his body rigid as he heard footsteps slowly come from behind.

"Put your hands up," a deep voice commanded. Dex's thoughts were hasty as he pondered each and every argument against moving his hands away from Diane's wound.

"Move. Your hands. Now," the voice bellowed. Dex flinched at the click of a gun being cocked, and after another pause, he slowly moved his hands off of Diane and up in the air. The voice spoke again, "Stand up and turn around."

Dex got to his feet, his arms stuck in their position. He slowly turned around and gulped at the sight of the officer's gun aimed at his chest. His eyes scanned the man before him: silver-gray hair and beard, light gray suit, black glasses.

"You," he remarked, lowering his weapon. Paramedics ran into the room and dropped down to take care of Diane, "You're Dex Heller, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir," Dex nodded.

"You're the one who found Ava Cassadine at the Quartermaine picnic, who identified her attacker as a woman. And now you're here with Diane Miller," the men watched as she was carted out on the gurney, "...who's visibly injured."

"I can explain-"

"Yes, you will," the man grabbed Dex's arm. His glare cut through Dex with relative ease, and the young man felt panic bubble up within him as he was led to the door, "You'll do just that down at the station, and for your sake, I hope what you'll say to me is what really happened here tonight."