Back inside the house, Kristina found Kellie at the punching bag, drenched in sweat. Kristina noticed that as hard as Kellie was going at the bag, she was starting to run out of steam.
After Kellie made a misstep, Kristina tried to hand Kellie her water bottle.
"Hydrate," Kristina said, "It might be time to take a break. The punching bag at least needs it."
Kellie shook her head and kept punching before taking another misstep.
"Come on," Kristina said, putting her free hand on Kellie's shoulder.
"I can't," Kellie said, "Because if I stop, I'll….."
"Cry," Kristina said as Kellie couldn't keep the tears from falling, "You probably need to."
Kellie half heartedly gave another swing at the bag.
"And we're going to need some ice," Kristina said, realizing Kellie hadn't put any gloves on, "Kitchen now."
Kristina led Kellie to the kitchen and pulled out the bar stool.
"Sit," Kristina said and set down Kellie's water bottle, "Drink."
Kellie buried her face in her hands Kristina opened the freezer looking for an ice pack.
Kellie then removed her hands as she started to feel the pain, groaning.
"Fill a bowl with and ice. I'll soak my hands in that," Kellie said.
"Maybe I should have just let you lay in to Michael," Kristina said, doing as Kellie instructed, "Though in my opinion, he's certainly not worth bruising your knuckles over. You know that he was wrong what he said about Charles."
"Kristina, did he need to tell me it's my fault Charles is dead, no" Kellie said, "however, he's not wrong. Charles was shot and killed by someone going after me."
Kristina placed the bowl of ice water in front of Kellie. Kellie put her hands in the ice.
"Kellie, what happened to Charles was not your fault," Kristina said.
"But I'm the one that chose to get involved in dad's business," Kellie said, "I married Tyler and had a family knowing I was putting him, Charles and the kids at risk because of that and the connections to Dad and the Alcazars."
"Even if you'd never gotten involved in Dad's business," Kristina said, "You still could have been a target because of Dad, because of Lorenzo. They are or were active heads of alleged criminal empires. That's always been my reality. It's Avery and Donna's. Michael, Morgan, and Dante's. Who's to say that you could have had nothing to do with the business and Cyrus Renault wouldn't have targeted you anyway. And Charles would have taken that bullet for you every time."
"It would have been less likely…" Kellie started to say.
"How many times have Dad's enemies broke the rules," Kristina said, "Gone after one of us, me, Michael, Morgan. We've all been subject to being targets. Michael was shot and in a coma. Morgan, well killed in a car bomb. I've been targeted by the Zacharras and the Scully's in the past. I know you think it's somehow worse for you because you ran the business and are positioned to be able to run things if needed. But the truth is we've all been targets. I don't want to minimize the position and your experience, but I think sometimes you take too much responsibility for things that really aren't your fault. I hate seeing you beat yourself up over those things like Charles getting shot instead of you or when Jason took a bullet for you right after you got married or when Tyler got shot trying to play hero on Spoon island."
"Kristina, they were all in those positions because of me," Kellie replied, "Jason was shot by my enemy's snipers, I'm the one that dragged Tyler into that mess with the Helena Cassadine and my crazy uncle Luis."
"Luis Alcazar and Dad were enemies before any one even knew you existed," Kristina said, "I recall hearing that Ethan and Garrett were specifically your enemies, but they both had designs on moving things through Port Charles which would have made them dad's enemies anyway. And Tyler did turn out to be Helena's grandson and Max and Milo's cousin although no one knew that at the time. So maybe the logic is little shakier there, but it's just I've watched you for years try to manage this responsibility you seem to think you have when it comes to the fall out of Dad's business. At the end of the day, you're just trying to do the best you can. No, different than me or Michael or Dante. I just wish you'd cut yourself some slack."
"Easier said than done," Kellie said.
"Then try harder," Kristina said as Francis came back in and noticed Kellie's hands in the ice water.
"I put Kelsey down for a nap. I also asked Monica to come here instead of you going to the Quartermaines after what just happened with Michael," Francis said, "Let me see your hands."
Kellie looked annoyed at Francis.
"We should not have to remind you to wear gloves when you decide to wail on the punching bag," Francis said.
Quartermaine Estate - Gatehouse
"Jason, what are you doing here?" Michael asked when he found Jason sitting on the couch in the living room of the gatehouse."
"We need to talk," Jason said, standing up.
"Now's not a good time," Michael said, "I already tried to reach out to Kellie this morning. She was not receptive to anything I had to say."
"You practically had her arrested. What did you expect?" Jason said, "Now sit down."
"Obviously, we're doing this now," Michael said, refusing to sit.
"Did you really think we wouldn't have a discussion about you not only competing in the coffee industry," Jason said, "But what hell were you thinking having Kellie hauled into the PCPD?"
"That she did something illegal and should have to face the consequences of her actions," Michael said.
"I understand that you're not happy with Sonny and the decisions he's made since he got back from Nixon Falls," Jason said, "But that's personal and between you and him. What you're doing is bringing it into the business."
"An illegal business, Jason," Michael said.
"That you have no business getting involved in," Jason said, "Not when you don't understand the impact of you going after Sonny like you have."
"How the hell can you keep defending him?" Michael asked, "Does it not bother you that he basically took advantage of the brain damage and memory loss you sustained after the car accident? That he molded you into his perfect enforcer."
"Michael," Jason barked, "I made my own decisions. That's not on your dad. That's on me. If you want to disagree with the choices Sonny, your sister, and I have made, that's fine. But you do not get to actively manipulate and interfere in the business."
"The business has been bringing danger to our family for years," Michael said, "Why should I stand back and do nothing?"
"What you're doing is going to get us killed," Jason said, "It already helped get Charles killed."
"You're out of line, Jason," Michael replied.
"Your stunt with the coffee business helped weaken Sonny's position," Jason said, "making it more likely they'd try take one of us out. And they did, they went after Kellie and Charles got caught in the crossfire."
"Kellie says it herself she knew the risk to Charles," Michael said, "That decisions she's made."
"It doesn't mean she needed you making it worse," Jason said, "You're crossing lines, Michael. Lines that look an awful lot like the ones you've been criticizing Sonny and myself for crossing."
"I'm trying to do the right thing, Jason," Michael said.
"So the ends justify the means," Jason said, "It's okay for you give an elected official money to have Nina brought up on charges. You can throw your weight around and manipulate the PCPD into having Kellie brought down the station because you're upset that Valentin and Ned caught on to your coffee scheme. A scheme they still would have put a stop to when you found out."
"I don't have anything to apologize for if that's what you're expecting," Michael said.
"I'm not the one you owe the apology to," Jason said, "I really wasn't expecting one with the attitude you've been throwing around lately. I'm just here to tell you that your interference related to the business stops now."
"Or else what?" Michael replied.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Michael?" Jason said, "You are building this incredible family with Willow and Wiley. You've been running Aurora and some ELQ divisions. Yet what you choose to focus on getting at back your father because you didn't like a decision he made. I was hoping to have a logical, reasonable conversation with you, but you're unwilling. So here's the deal; your personal business with Sonny is your business. But as soon your actions impact the business and Kellie's safety, the safety of the rest of our family, it becomes my business. If you continue to pull stunts like you have, I won't have any choice but to bring my personal business with that into your businesses. If think the delays with Kellie's shipping company were bad, they'll look mild by the time I'm done. I can't imagine Drew, Ned, or even Valentin would be happy with you and the repercussions of that."
"You wouldn't really go after ELQ to make a point," Michael said.
"Try me," Jason replied when the door to the gate house opened.
"What in God's name is going on in here?" Olivia asked, "I can hear both of you outside."
"Nothing you need to worry about," Michael said, "Jason was just leaving."
"Nice try, mister," Olivia said, "I heard enough to know you two are having a serious disagreement that might affect ELQ and Kellie's safety. What's going on?"
"Jason and I are just having a difference of opinion," Michael said, "That's all."
"About what exactly?" Olivia asked.
"How I'm choosing to deal with the risk Sonny's business bring to us all," Michael said.
"You're not seriously still trying to compete with Sonny and Jason at the coffee business," Olivia replied, "I could have told you that was a bad idea. What did you do now, Michael?"
"What makes you think I did something else?" Michael said.
"It's the only reason I can see Jason ripping a you new one," Olivia said, "Kellie, Valentin, and Ned already laid into you one way or another. Jason wouldn't have any reason to at this point unless you'd done something."
"I have some place I need to be," Michael said, as Olivia grabbed him to stop him.
"You're not getting off easy," Olivia said as Jason looked away hoping Olivia would stay occupied with Michael and likely evaluating an exit strategy.
"Don't even think about trying to sneak out, Jason," Olivia said.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Jason said.
"Now you're both family, you're going to work this out," Olivia said, "Now Michael…"
Jason shook his head and looked at Michael.
"You might as well tell her," Jason said, "She will find out sooner or later."
Michael sighed and then said, "Kellie was brought into the PCPD for questioning."
"About what?" Olivia asked.
"The shipping delays," Michael said.
"Why would the PCPD be questioning Kellie about the delayed shipments?" Olivia said, "From what I understand Ned and Valentin resolved that with her."
Michael looked sheepishly away.
"Tell me you didn't have the cops bring Kellie because you were upset you're little side operation was discovered," Olivia said.
Michael didn't answer. Olivia looked at Jason whose face gave it away.
"The first thing you are going to do is apologize to your sister," Olivia said, "She's home this morning isn't she?"
"About that," Michael said, "Kellie had me banned from the property after I was there this morning."
"You really dug your heels in didn't you," Olivia said, "Jason, you're free to go. I'll deal with Michael. I'm sure we're all in agreement that Michael will no longer be interfering in your business. Right, Michael?"
Michael mumbled.
"Right, Michael," Olivia said, more sternly.
"Yes," Michael replied as Jason made his way to the door.
"Jason, tell Kellie I will be having a word with her about her recent shenanigans," Olivia said, "She can't avoid me forever. And as for you, you better fix it so that Kellie doesn't need to engage in any more shenanigans like she has been recently.
"That's the plan," Jason said and escaped out the door.