A/N: Months ago, I made this post (burned-lariat/701129803950161920/this-story-should-be-dexkristina-instead). It seemed to take off, and eventually, I made it into a full-fledged canon rewrite. Everything up to 8/8/22 is still canon. *This* couple is the couple we should've gotten in this Sonny/Michael feud, not that other one, and I'm gonna do something about it, damnit! I hope you enjoy. :)

His first impression of her was how pretty she looked.

Dex's day hadn't gone the way he'd hoped: nailing his fake boss for malfeasance via jury tampering wasn't what his real boss was looking for, which made the clandestine meeting he otherwise insisted upon worthless. Michael was specific and demanding, a type of client Dex had dealt with before, and working with his parameters meant playing a long game. Working against a man like Sonny Corinthos wasn't anything new to him, but the obstacles, diverse and plentiful, were.

It didn't get much better when he made a fool of himself in front of Sonny's daughter.

It was as if the world stopped turning on its axis for a second. She came from the left, strolling past the bar counter the moment he entered Charlie's Pub. Her brown beach waves bounced as she moved, swiping across her barren shoulders. She walked with a swift confidence, his breath hitching in his throat as he watched. He hadn't felt such an overwhelming sense of wonder before, and he basked in it until reality crept back in.

She stopped right in her tracks for him, and part of him wished she didn't. A vague question was strike one, a hasty assumption strike two. He didn't want to create a strike three.

Dex felt his spine stiffen while he watched her work. She collected a number of beer-stained glasses for cleaning, placing them in a nearby light gray tray. He fixated on her, a small lump forming in his throat as he tried to find the best words for a formal apology and the best tools to get himself out of his self-dug hole. Comparing a pretty young woman to a big, burly bodyguard? If he could have melted into the floor faster, he would've.

"Like what you see?"

He snapped out of his thoughts, "Hm?"

"You were staring at me," she smirked, "I just thought I'd play along."

"Oh," Dex coughed awkwardly, "Oh, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Make me uncomfortable? Don't worry, you didn't. I'm actually kind of flattered."

"Really," a smirk slowly spread across Dex's face, "Even after I said what I did?"

"When you asked if I was one of my dad's bodyguards?"

"I'm sorry I said it. I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's fine," she said, "You didn't know. Though, if you're going to keep working for my dad, you really can't make that mistake again."

"Got it," Dex chuckled, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Great," she beamed, holding out her hand, "Kristina. Kristina Corinthos-Davis."

"Dex," he took it, "Dex Heller."

"How long have you been working for my dad, Dex?"

"A few months, since early May."

"How are you liking it so far?"

"I didn't expect to enjoy working in the coffee business, certainly not in coffee shipment, but I do."

"Well, Corinthos Coffee is one of the best. Have you had a cup?"

"I've tried some. There's a kiosk somewhere in town, I think."

"Perks," Kristina nodded, "You tried the kiosk in Rice Plaza, didn't you?"

"I think so."

"New to Port Charles?"

"A little bit."

"Mhm," Kristina pursed her lips, "Seems like you have a lot to learn."

"Enlighten me."

"Well, for starters, Perks has both a physical café and a few kiosks. The Rice Plaza one is the most popular by far, but the Waterfront Promenade one brings in some business too."

"Where's the café itself?"

"Also the Waterfront Promenade."

"So they're close to each other?"

"You could say that. Not sure why we decided to set it up that way, but it's worked out, so I can't complain."

"We?" Dex raised an eyebrow.

"I used to be involved with the business."

"How?"

"I was close with the current manager when Perks was just starting out. My dad financially backed him and I helped him run it in its early days."

"Did you," Dex said in amazement, "That's pretty cool. It must be nice to see the business doing so well."

"It is. I mean, the manager and I don't talk as much as we used to, but things are good," Kristina drummed her palms on the counter, "But enough of that. You said you tried the coffee."

"I did."

"It's pretty good, isn't it?"

"Very."

"I'm glad," Kristina giggled, grabbing a few more glasses. Dex relaxed as he observed her, leaning forward with his elbows against the wooden counter surface. He stared at her for a moment, softening the more he took her in. A laugh cut through the silence, and both Dex and Kristina turned to see Nina gently grabbing Sonny's arm, a wide smile on both their faces.

"They seem happy," Dex noted.

"Yeah," Kristina ducked her head down, running a finger across the rim of a glass.

"You don't like it?"

"I mean, I'm not thrilled that my dad is with Nina after what she did."

"I can imagine. He was away from his family for a while."

"Grieving him was just awful. Nina could've saved us months of heartache by letting us know he was alive…but she didn't."

"I'm sorry you went through that," Dex frowned, "I can't imagine what that must feel like."

"I wouldn't wish it on anyone, not even you."

"...Thanks," a smile spread across Dex's face before the pair broke out into laughter. Kristina was the first to compose herself, locking eyes with Nina for a moment. She gave the woman a half-hearted smile before turning back to Dex.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"On…" Dex glanced at Sonny and Nina, "I mean, if the boss is happy, then that's all that matters to me."

"Me too. Even then, I have no room to judge."

"How so?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Kristina winked, which caused a genuine smile to break out onto Dex's face. She packed the last of the dirty glasses into the bin, "Well, I've got to get back to work, but it was nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you too," Dex slowly got to his feet, watching her exit the way she came in. He stood still for a moment, staring at the door before walking towards the exit. Nina watched in silence as he left, biting the inside corner of her bottom lip.

"They looked friendly," Nina remarked to Sonny, who was finishing the last of his coffee.

"Who?" he asked.

"Kristina and Dex."

"Kristina's always been good to my people and Dex knows not to mess with my family. Them getting along bodes well for him."

"Right," Nina nodded as Kristina returned to the bar, a rag in hand. She stepped away from Sonny for a moment to take a seat at the counter, "Kristina."

"Nina," the young woman replied while cleaning, "Is there something I can do for you?"

"I just…wanted to thank you for not sniping at me over everything that happened with Nixon Falls."

"Don't get me wrong: I'm not happy about what happened. I don't like what you did."

"I know…"

"But I love my dad, and he's pretty happy with you, so if it's you he wants to be with, then I respect it."

"...Thank you," Nina reached her hands out across the counter, palms pressed against the wood, "Thank you, Kristina. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Like you said, you've been catching a lot of heat from people. I'm not going to add on."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Kristina made eye contact with the woman just as Sonny moved in next to her.

"Everything okay over here?"

"Everything's fine, Dad," she smiled.

"Everything okay with you and Dex?"

"Why wouldn't they be?"

"Like I said earlier, he's a new hire. If he crosses a line with you, I need to know."

"He was on his best behavior, I promise," Kristina beamed, "He was very polite."

"Good. Let's hope it stays that way."

"Trust me, if he pulls something, you'll be the first to know."

"That's my girl," Sonny grinned as Kristina walked around the corner of the bar, pulling him into a tight hug, "Nina and I are going to head out."

"It was lovely to see you, Kristina," Nina said gently, taking Sonny's hand in her own. The couple turned and walked away, leaving her in a mostly empty bar. Kristina sighed softly before scrubbing down the counters once more.

The day dragged on, patrons coming in and out while the hours ticked by. Kristina allowed herself to get lost in the workday, serving food and drinks while tending to the custodial matters. She felt an itch at the back of her head, scratching the inside of her skull.

Dex's smile burned an impression in her head, and part of her wasn't sure whether to scrub it clean or leave it be. Her words tickled her ears: That's for me to know and you to find out.

The sound of the back door snapped her back into reality. Phyllis and Johnny walked into the main room, jackets on and bags in hand. Johnny locked the kitchen door as Phyllis looked Kristina over. Her voice was calm and matronly, a smile on her face as Kristina took her purse and allowed the stiffness in her posture to melt away:

"Ready to go home?"