Me and my big mouth…

Dex's cheeks burn the longer Kristina stares at him, and even then, he's not sure how long it's been since she started to. Her expression morphs from intrigue to a concerned confusion. She rests a hand on his upper back, gently rubbing it.

"Uh," he finally says, "w-what was the question?"

"Oh come on," she playfully pouts, "don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Chicken out. You said my room captures everything about me."

"Compared to my room, it does. My room is nothing but grays and browns; there's no personality."

"You have that big world map across from your bed!"

"Okay, fine, one thing, but compared to you, it's not much."

"What caught your eye?"

Dex looks around, first at the wall behind her, "The tapestry," then the wall on their left, "the posters," and finally the wall behind him, "and the photos and fairy lights."

"Mm," Kristina turns towards the tapestry. Flowers in all kinds of pinks and yellows, with leaves in blue and green, sit against a black backdrop, hanging over a wooden, black TV stand, "I got that in Mexico."

"Why did you go to Mexico?"

"I needed to get away from…everything that was going on. I actually got Michael to go with me."

"Did you?" Dex nods slowly, a bit of sweat on the back of his neck, "When did this happen?"

"We were teenagers, nothing recent," her answer's swift, a bit dismissive as she turns to the posters. Three hang on the wall, side-by-side. Each one's an oil painting of a singular woman, dressed in swaths of clothing, in different positions: standing over a man with a bloodied knife, lying in bed with a different woman, and looking out at a meadow from a balcony, "I got those from my professor as Wesleyan."

"Was this the same professor who showed you Amélie, by chance?"

"Why yes, it is," Kristina makes a playful face as she answers, "Her class was about female power and sexuality. She got them just for me."

"Considering how close you two were, that doesn't surprise me. You seemed like her favorite student."

"It was…more than that."

Dex looks at her curiously, her eyes still on the posters. He glances down for a moment, her focus shifting to him, well, the items behind him.

"And the photos," Kristina says, "are of my family. My parents and siblings, specifically."

Dex scans each and every one: some with Sonny and Alexis, others with Michael and Dante, many with Sam and Molly, and a few with Avery and Donna. There's a lone clip on the wire, devoid of any image, and he's got a hunch on who used to be there.

"So," Dex turns to look at Kristina, her eyebrows raised in slight intrigue, "how does my room capture everything about me?"

His answer exudes a confidence he didn't expect to muster, "I think you know what my answer is."

Kristina stares at him, trying to suppress the smirk forming on her face. A sense of joy creeps into her, spreading from the back of her mind. She looks him over, gently biting her bottom lip before getting to her feet, "We should get a bit more comfortable."

"What do you suggest?"

"A change of clothes, at least for me," she approaches her dresser, digging around the second drawer from the top, "You should do the same."

"I'm not sure I could fit in your clothing, but I'll take something if you have it."

"Shut up," Kristina tries to suppress her giggle as she grabs what she's looking for. Dex chuckles to himself as he unbuttons his gray shirt, hanging it over the nearby desk chair. He then removes his black shoes and socks with ease, placing them neatly by the bed before taking a seat.

"So," he speaks loud enough to be heard through the door, "what do you want to do tonight?"

"Uh," Kristina shouts back, somewhat muffled by the wood, "we could watch a movie. How does A Very Long Engagement sound?"

"Not tonight. How about a board game?"

"I've played all of them a million times."

"Hmm," Dex rubs the underside of his chin just as the door opens, "I mean, unless you want to go out, all we can really do is sit and talk."

"That works for me."

His breath hitches in his throat when he sees her, the light gray sweats on her body both baggy and form-fitting, her ponytail moving back and forth as she approaches him. She feels a bit of pride as she takes her time, reveling in the fact that he's staring at her. Part of her wonders how someone could look so mesmerized by something so casual and mundane, but she shoves the cynicism aside.

"Like what you see?" she asks playfully. Dex doesn't respond. Her eyebrows furrow in confusion and she snaps her fingers in his face, "Hey, Dex, you in there?"

He rapidly blinks the more she does it, shaking his head slightly and taking a few breaths to compose himself.

"You okay?" she asks

"Yes," he answers, "I'm, uh, I just-"

"You were staring."

"I'm sorry."

She gently scoffs as she takes a seat next to him, "You apologize a lot, you know. Way more than you should."

"Better to say it than not," he awkwardly shrugs, turning his head towards her, "The last thing I want to do is upset you."

"Upset me? You're far too nice and good to upset me."

"Mm, I'm not all that nice and good."

"Really," she looks at him, disbelief present on her face, "the guy who saved two lives when a serial killer was running around, the guy who's gone above and beyond to look out for me, isn't all nice and good? There's no way."

"I mean, I work in the mob."

"That's not the evidence you think it is."

"Well, even so, I've…got some baggage."

"And I'm all ears."

Dex tenses up, biting the inside of his bottom lip, "Promise you won't judge?"

Kristina holds up three fingers, "Scout's honor."

He takes a deep breath before shifting around, facing the firm determination in her face head-on. They both sit cross-legged on the bed.

"I told you I left the military, right?" he asks, his voice somewhat quiet. She nods in response, "Well, that's not entirely true."

"What happened?"

"I…attacked my superior officer."

"Why?"

"I got fed up with how he treated people. He was just…awful. He abused the soldiers under him; he even abused his own family. I reached a breaking point and, one day, during a barrack room inspection, I hit him."

"What did he do to provoke you?"

Dex looks at her, an eyebrow raised in surprise, "How do you know he provoked me?"

"I can be perceptive too, you know."

He bashfully smiles before continuing, "He got on my case over something stupid, like the way my pillow sat on the bed, and I just…attacked him," he points to his left eye, "One punch right here."

"And he deserved it," Kristina shrugs, "Did he hit you back?"

"No. He marched off to the higher-ups, and they discharged me for 'personal reasons.' I'm just lucky it wasn't dishonorable."

"There's no reason for you to be dishonorably discharged; you did nothing wrong."

Dex looks at Kristina curiously, "I hit my boss."

"You defended yourself."

"I broke military law."

"You did what you thought was right."

"I let my impulses get the better of me and it upended my life," Dex frowns, "I don't deny that he deserved some consequences for how he acted, but…what I did wasn't right. In the end, I was the one who got screwed over, and I have no one by myself to blame."

"You're being way too hard on yourself…and something tells me that your family caused it," Dex stares at her in wonder, causing her to soften, "Your upbringing wasn't good at all."

He tries to blink away the tears forming at the corner of his eyes. She lays her palms on his knuckles, rubbing the skin. He nervously gulps at the contact.

"I was too small to really fight back," he explains, "but when I tried, I was shut down. My parents did nothing to help me when I asked, and when I begged and begged and begged, they punished me."

"I'm sorry."

"I always knew that what my brothers did was wrong…and then I learned that protecting myself was wrong too. Seems like the world really wanted to reinforce that lesson."

"It's a terrible lesson," Kristina replies, "I'm sorry that you felt like you couldn't defend yourself. Your family sucks for that, big-time, and your superior sucks too," she grabs his face, cupping his cheeks, "but listen to me, okay? There was nothing wrong with what you did; all you did was defend yourself."

"I still could've handled it better," Dex's voice cracks. He then looks down, "I could've done something other than using my…brutish hands."

"I don't know," Kristina lifts his hands up, holding them between her own, "I think these hands are quite loving and gentle."

A bright smile appears on Dex's face, "You think so highly of me."

"I have a lot of reasons to."

Dex opens his mouth to respond, sitting there in amazed silence. His eyes lock onto her face, and then her lips, and he fights the urge to know what they feel like against his own. She stares back in kind, the thought of closing the space in between growing more and more tempting. They both stay put, with Dex ducking his head down instead. Disappointment creeps into Kristina as she observes his posture. She then gets to her feet and meanders around the room.

"You know," she says, "you're kind of the first guy I'm not related to that I've let into my room."

"Well, I'm honored."

"You should be. That means you're important to me. You matter to me."

"You're my friend; you matter to me too."

Kristina licks her lips in disappointment, turning her back on him. Dex casts his eyes towards the carpet, absent-mindedly kicking his feet.

"Hey," she swiftly turns around, "um-"

"Yes?"

"I…I just want to thank you."

"I'm pretty sure you've done that before."

"I know, but…this one's a little different."

"How so?"

"You're…kind of the only person who doesn't give me grief over everything."

Kristina begins to approach him, her steps smooth and purposeful, "My family, as much as I love them, always acts like they know better than I do about my life. I know it sounds silly, but whenever I do something or want to do something, it's always looked down upon. You don't do that."

"I have no reason to do that," Dex replies, "You're an adult. The decisions you make and the life you live are your business. All I can do is support you whenever you need it."

"And that's all I need," she stands between his legs, arms wrapping around his neck, "I couldn't be more grateful for you."

He stays still for a moment before hugging her back. He somewhat buries his face in her shoulder, his skin rubbing against the fabric of her sweatshirt. She pulls back and rests both of her hands on his shoulders, a content smile on her face.

"I'm glad I got to know the caring and trustworthy person that you are," she says sweetly, "There's no one I'd rather have protecting me; I'm really glad you're here."

His senses go into overdrive. His cheeks are bright pink as they burn from her words. He wraps his arms around her lower thighs, as she cups his cheeks, her stubble poking her palms. Her gaze is intense, and he wilts under it. There's a sparkle in his eye that Kristina catches, a silent begging that tugs at her heart. A familiar warmth rushes through Kristina, strong, assured. There's no confusion or dread, no apprehension or fear. Their faces are inches apart as she lifts his head up.

"I'm just doing my job."

"I think we both know it's more than that."

He subconsciously pulls her against him, her body as close as possible to his. The air was still and tense, and he's not sure of what's to come. The silence eggs him on, and he opens his mouth to speak, "Kristina, listen, I-"

Her kiss shuts him up instantly.

They remain in place for a moment, drinking the moment in. The world around them melts away, a heavy haze in their heads the longer it goes on. They both pull away, their foreheads pressed together.

"Mm," Dex's ears perk up at Kristina's hum. Her eyes flutter open and she immediately tries to pull away, "...Crap."

"Um…" he clears his throat as she continues.

"I shouldn't have done that," Kristina backs away, covering her mouth, "I just…I thought that…oh my God. That was inappropriate. Oh God, Dex, I'm so sor-"

She's not sure when Dex got to his feet, the feeling of his lips against hers stopping her cold. He places his hands across her back, pulling her against him. She cups his neck with one of her own hands, obliging him. He pulls away from her, his breathing a bit deep. There's barely any space between them.

Her question is soft, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

He responds in kind, "Are you?"

She closes the gap between them almost instantly. Their lips move in sync as they move towards her bed. Kristina pulls away for a moment to lightly push him down onto the mattress, diving back in soon after. He sits on the edge of the furniture, her legs immediately wrapping around his waist. He slips his hands underneath her sweatshirt, swallowing her moan as he runs them up her back. He removes her top with relative ease, pulling off the scrunchie that tied her hair back, her brown hair tumbling down to her shoulders. Her kisses are hungry, passionate, her lips moving with a quickness and intensity he could only try to keep up with. His back hits the mattress as he pulls her on top of him, his hips between her knees. She plants a kiss on his cheek, creating a trail down past his chin and to his neck, sucking on the pulse point.

"Kris, aah," he moans, "Kristina…"

"Shh," she meets his eyes, and he does what he's told, "just relax."

With his help, she removes his white undershirt and tosses it to the floor, his dog tags going with it. She returns to her spot on his neck, a sharp gasp leaving his mouth. She goes further, kissing down his chest and abdomen until she reaches his waist. She undoes his belt, removing the strip of leather entirely before moving her hand underneath. He rolls his head back against the bed, letting out a loud moan.

"Oh God…" he sighs as she finally pulls her hand out. She pulls the rest of his clothing off before removing her own. He props himself up on his elbows before sitting up and lying her down on her back. She grins from ear to ear as he hovers over her, a sparkle of wonder in his eye.

"What?" she giggles, her voice deep.

He doesn't respond, his body still as he gazes into her eyes. There's a part of him, a clawing at the back of his mind, begging for his attention. He's not sure what it is, or why he suddenly somehow feels a bit of guilt, and he doesn't care to find out. The rest of him is light, a spirited sense of peace swallowing him whole, the heat and excitement of past times and past flings just a memory. He slowly sits up, pulling her into his lap. His hands rest together at the small of her back while hers are on his shoulders, her legs around his waist. There's an anticipation that runs through them both, a nervous excitement for what's meant to come next, and Dex lets it eat him alive.

Right now, it's just them, and he doesn't want to change a single thing about it.

"Last chance to back out," he says, his heartbeat echoing in his ears. Kristina pulls him in for a kiss, heavy and deep, his head spinning. Her abdomen presses against his as she moves closer, swallowing his moan as she settles onto him. Their hips push against one another, their kisses fierce and fast as they stay upright. The room melts into nothing, time falling away. Each and every moan they make is muffled, which only intensifies the experience. Kristina pulls her lips away and returns to the pulse point on the side of his neck, his gasps and moans tickling her ear.

"Lay down," she whispers, her breath hot. He does as he's told. The sight of her writhing on top of him drives him crazy, his hips continuing to meet hers. She bends down slightly, running her hands up his arms, her fingers intertwined with his own. His senses, already in a heated overdrive, end up completely, blissfully overwhelmed, and soon enough, he falls over the edge. Kristina joins him soon after.

They stare at one another the moment it ends, their eyes as bright as can be and a softness in their gaze. Kristina slowly gets off of him, lying down on the free pillow next to him.

"Wow…" Dex sighs, breathless. He turns his head towards her, staring in wonder.

"Yeah…" Kristina replies, matching his expression, "I just…I was…"

"It's okay," he strokes her hair, "You don't need to explain."

She bites her lip, a bit of sadness present in her irises, "This changes things between us."

"I know."

Kristina's question is gentle yet laced with dread, "Do you regret it?"

Dex is silent, biting his lip as he looks her over. He reaches over, holding her cheeks in his hands as he moves on top and kisses her. Kristina lies still for a moment, letting it wash over her before she indulges, one hand in his hair and the other slung around his shoulder.

Her heart soars the second her ears pick up his earnest response: "Not for a second."

A/N: Alright guys, I'm sure you see where things are going after this chapter. You've (kind of) seen this film before, and you didn't like the ending. But bear with me, okay? I swear this won't be a complete retread! I hope you stick around for the ride, and to the Guest reviewer, your comments always make my day. I hope you continue...even if what's to come gives a weird and/or bad sense of deja vu.