"Can you believe she's a year old already?"

Kristina and Sonny watch in bliss and pride as Ciara wanders around the penthouse living room, going from circling the coffee table to staring out of the glass windows on the balcony doors.

"Honestly, no," Sonny responds, watching his granddaughter observe the clouds, "She's gotten so big."

"Yeah, she has. She can walk on her own, she's learning some more words, she's growing up way too fast," Kristina laughs. Sonny joins her.

"What do you plan to do today?"

"Well, after we get done here, we'll go see Mom, and then I'll take her on a little tour around town. Walking through Rice Park, having some treats from Eckert's: I got it all planned out."

"Mama!" Ciara waves an arm in the air. The young woman walks over, crouching down. The baby points towards the sky.

"You like the clouds?" Kristina asks sweetly.

"C…C…"

"Clouds," she repeats slowly.

"...Cowd."

"Close enough," Sonny chuckles, approaching them to open the balcony doors. Kristina lifts Ciara up, supporting her daughter on her hip as they walk out. The trio watch the white puffs pass them by, soaking in the chilly winter air and Ciara's amazed giggles.

Sonny studies his daughter and granddaughter intently as they continue to cloudgaze. He dons a classic smile as he watches Kristina plant a kiss on the side of Ciara's head, gently bouncing her. The baby responds with a wide grin, and it makes his heart swell with pride.

"I'm proud of you," he speaks up.

Kristina looks his way with a mix of intrigue and pride, "Thank you."

"And I'm proud of you," he coos at Ciara, "Happy birthday, baby girl."

Kristina laughs when Ciara averts her eyes, "She'll get used to you soon. She's still getting used to me."

"Really?"

"Sort of," both adults walk back into the living room, and Ciara resumes roaming the space when Kristina puts her down, "I know she wasn't fully comfortable with Molly and TJ."

"But she's fine w-with Dex."

"Well, yeah. Dex is her biological father, and he's been raising her by himself for a while."

"But now you're back in her life. She'll be attached to you the w-way she's attached to Dex. I…I know that it's only been about a month or so, but things w-will get better."

"I know."

"What do you think, Ciara?" the kingpin asks as his granddaughter approaches him, "Do you think things will get better for Mama?"

"Mama," she repeats, looking at Kristina. She walks towards her, slamming her hands down on the cushion, "Mama!"

"What?" the young woman scoops her up, placing kisses all over her face. Giggles fly out of her mouth to both adults' delight, "What is it, baby?"

"I'm glad D-Dex is letting you spend time with her today," the kingpin remarks.

"It's a holiday that counts in the visitation agreement," she shrugs, "and even if it wasn't, he'd probably let me be with her anyway…so long as I ask."

"I still don't like how you have to ask for permission to see your kid."

"I don't either, but that's my consequence for everything I did. And hey, there's a check-in with the court in a couple of months, so who knows? Maybe Dex will agree to joint custody then."

"H-How is Dex, anyway? I haven't talked with him recently."

"He's doing okay," Kristina shrugs, setting Ciara down. The baby promptly gets to her feet and paces around the coffee table, "I mean, he was a little off this morning-"

"A little off?"

"He looked…distracted. Something was definitely on his mind."

"Did he do anything to you or Ciara?"

"No, not at all! He didn't tell me anything about what might be going on. If it was about me or Ciara, he'd absolutely say something."

"I don't like that he's distracted," Sonny rubs the bottom of his chin.

"I mean, he's allowed to have something going on independent of his family."

"Not if it ends up affecting his family."

"Dad, it's probably nothing-" Kristina frowns when she sees him pull out his phone, dialing Dex's number. It rings a few times before clicking.

"Hey," Dex's voice is hoarse, "what's up, boss?"

"I'm just…checking up on you," Sonny answers, glancing at Kristina, "I was told that something was off."

"Off?"

"I just want to make sure you're not putting anyone in danger because of whatever's going on with you."

"Oh, uh, of course not, boss. I would never."

"Tell me what's going on."

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Tell me, Dex."

"...My father died last night."

"...Really," Sonny looks at Kristina, concern present in his face. She mirrors him while Ciara begins to tug at her pant leg, "I'm…sorry to hear that."

"I'm sorry too."

"How do you feel about it?"

"I mean, I won't miss him, but…it's still shocking, and it just happened. I'm still kind of…processing it."

"I see. From what you've told me about him, I wouldn't shed a tear over the bastard either. But, y'know, that's one less relative in Ciara's life, and…it's still pretty sad."

Kristina rests a hand on Ciara's back as she continues pulling, a number of thoughts going through her head.

"I know, but the less of my family, the better," Dex forces a laugh, "but, uh, yeah, that's been on my mind. Tell Kristina I'm sorry if I came off as standoffish or anything like that."

"T-Take it easy, okay? And I'm sorry for your loss."

"I will. Thank you, boss."

The kingpin hangs up, turning to Kristina. Ciara hugs her leg, gently whining to get her attention.

"It's bad, isn't it?" she sighs in disappointment.

"His father's dead," Sonny ducks his head down.

"Oh no," a lump begins to form in her throat, "that's awful news. When did this happen? When did he find out?"

"Last night. That's why he was…off. And he's sorry about that."

"His dad just died; he has no reason to be sorry!"

"Mama…!" Ciara whines, begging in her eyes as she continues to tug on Kristina's pant leg.

Kristina bends down to her level, holding her hands, "I'm so sorry for ignoring you, baby girl. Dada just got some bad news."

"Dada…?" the baby looks around, fixating on the front door.

"I think," Sonny steps closer to them, taking a seat on the couch. Ciara meets his eyes, "having Dada tag along on your trip is a good idea."

"Dada!" Ciara bounces in place, turning to her mother, "Dada! Dada!"

"He could really use a pick-me-up right now," Sonny then looks at Kristina, "He's shaken up; I could hear it over the phone."

"I did want to ask him before I came over here…" she half-heartedly admits, "You're right. He needs some joy right now."

The elder man nods, scooting closer to Ciara. He opens his arms for a hug, and Ciara reluctantly falls into him. Sonny rocks her back and forth, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Happy birthday, Ciara," he says sweetly, "Grandpa Sonny loves you. Always."

Kristina gets to her feet, pulling Ciara into her arms when the kingpin lets her go. She gives her father a warm hug before exiting his penthouse. She goes across the hall, standing in front of Dex's front door. She takes a deep breath, soaking in the silence before knocking. The young man opens the door almost immediately.

"Hey," he says, his eyes slightly red, "is, uh, everything okay with Ciara? Did something happen?"

"Everything's fine," she responds, "I…was just wondering if you wanted to join us for the day."

The drive to the park is mostly quiet, Ciara's noises of curiosity filling the space. Kristina looks between the rear view mirror and the side of Dex's face, locking onto the red rings around his eyes. He eventually pulls into the parking lot, choosing a spot somewhat close to the grassy fields. They both take a seat on a bench under a tree in the corner as Ciara walks around an open patch of grass, her boots crushing the remnants of snow on the ground. Minutes pass by as they watch her, the cold air nipping their cheeks as they sit in silence. She looks at Dex again, the red in his face more faint.

"It's pretty cold out here," he remarks, his breath visible.

"Yeah," she adjusts her jacket, "definitely colder than yesterday."

"Seems like it. It definitely feels like there's a…shift in the air today."

"Yeah, it does, doesn't it? I've felt that way before when I've lost someone too."

Dex doesn't respond, keeping his eyes on his daughter.

"What happened?" Kristina rests a hand on his upper thigh.

"My…" he takes a deep breath, "mom called me last night, when I went to bed. She told me that he died a couple hours before calling me."

"How?"

"...He killed himself."

"Holy crap," Kristina's mouth hangs open, "that's horrible!"

"It's…sudden, that's for sure," Dex scratches the side of his face.

"How…How did he do it?"

"I don't know; I didn't ask."

"I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," Dex leans back against the wood, "but, y'know, it happened and I don't need to dwell on it."

"Even though it's bothering you. A lot."

His voice drops to a hoarse whisper, "...I'd be lying if I said it didn't."

Kristina scoots closer to him, rubbing his upper thigh as she rests her chin on his shoulder.

"I just…I don't know what to say," Dex begins, his voice cracking, "I shouldn't be upset over this. He didn't give a damn that my brothers were beating me up. He barely even interacted with me at all! I should be relieved, even happy that he's gone, and yet…"

"It's okay that you're not," Kristina says gently, stroking the hair on the side of his head, "He's still your dad."

"That doesn't matter. That shouldn't matter."

"I know, but it always does in the end. And I'm not saying that you love your dad deep down or anything, but you're still family. The connection between you guys is always going to be there, and like you said, it's shocking and new and probably unexpected."

"I mean, I moved out after graduating high school. Maybe something happened between then and now that led him to this, I don't know."

"Dada!" Ciara stumbles as she runs over to him, piles of snow in her mittens. Kristina pulls back as Dex accepts the gift.

"Aw, for me? You shouldn't have!" his voice pitches up, a wide smile on his face. He briefly glances at Kristina before smashing the piles into a ball, "Watch this."

"What are you…hey!" Kristina flinches as the snowball hits her. Dex jumps up in response, pulling Ciara with him as they run into the snowy field. Kristina chases after them, grabbing piles of snow and pelting Dex with them. They trade blows back and forth as Ciara watches, her giggles cheering them on. Dex scoops her up into his arms as Kristina launches another assault, his back taking the hits. She charges at him, playfully knocking him down, and the trio gracefully falls into the snow, laughing all the while. Ciara lays in between Dex and Kristina as they relax themselves, lovingly gazing into each other's eyes. He eventually sits up and helps his daughter do the same.

"I think a trip to Eckert's sounds pretty good right now," he says, looking down at the young woman, "What do you think?"

Much like the drive before, they ride in silence as they pull up to the bakery, parking just outside of the entrance. They settle into a corner table by the window, hot chocolate and an assortment of pastries, from muffins to chocolate-glazed donuts to a tiny fruit crumble.

"Someone's liking her meal," Kristina laughs as Ciara stuffs her face with the crumble. The young woman eats a bite of the donut in turn while Dex sips on his cup of hot chocolate.

"She's a sucker for fruit," he remarks, grabbing a napkin and wiping her face. She squirms and tries to resist the paper cloth.

"Is she that much of a messy eater?"

"If it's a meal that's messy-by-design, yes. But she's a baby: she can't help it."

"Right," the young woman beams at Ciara, who mirrors her. She runs a hand through the baby's short blonde hair, "She's our baby, and she's beautiful."

"She really is," Dex sighs, biting his muffin, "God, one year old already. Time flies."

"Yeah. Soon she'll be potty-trained, she'll lose her first tooth, it'll be her first day of school-"

"One thing at a time, please!" Dex jokes half-heartedly. Kristina chuckles in response before she finishes her pastry. Dex follows her soon after, and he wipes Ciara's face clean again when she finishes the rest of the crumble. A waitress places a lone cupcake with sprinkles, pink frosting, and a lone lit candle. Ciara stares down the flame, and she does her best to put it out as she blows puffs of air at it.

"Happy birthday," Dex and Kristina say sweetly in unison before leaning in and planting a kiss on the cheek closest to them. The baby coos in delight, causing their hearts to flutter. The young woman removes the candle and passes the cupcake to the young man, who carefully gives Ciara a piece to easily consume until all that remains on the plate are crumbs.

"Thanks for inviting me," Dex says, cleaning up everyone's trash, "I really appreciate it."

"It's our baby's first birthday. You have every right to be part of the festivities," Kristina replies, rubbing his arm, "and I'm glad it helped you feel better."

He gives her a small smile before disposing of the crumbs and plates, pulling Ciara out of the high chair when he returns. They drive back to the Harborview Towers, the sun beginning to set in the sky. Dex bounces Ciara against him when they step off of the elevator.

"I'm sorry about your dad," Kristina says gently. Dex stays quiet for a beat.

"...Me too," he mutters, glancing at Kristina. She leaves first, pulling out her key to Sonny's penthouse and disappearing around the corner. Dex nods at the guard stationed in front of his penthouse before entering it. He heads upstairs and walks into his room, taking a seat on the bed.

"Grandpa Heller is gone," he tells Ciara, who simply stares at him as she rests against his shoulder, "You never met him, and I didn't want you to meet him anyway, but…he's gone. It still doesn't feel real. It's barely been a day since I found out, so it'll feel that way for a little while, but…yeah."

He slides down to lay on the comforter, pulling the baby down with him, "I'm not going anywhere, little one. I said it in Greenland, and I'm saying it again now. You are the most important person in my life, and I'll do everything I can to be there for you."

"Dada…" Ciara babbles, gently slapping his nose with her palm. Dex furrows his nose the more she does it, eliciting a laugh. She rolls onto her back, relaxing as she stares at the ceiling. Dex copies her, falling into a tired daze the longer he stares at the ceiling light. He's not sure how much time passes, but he eventually snaps back into reality. Ciara remains on her back, fast asleep. The young man rubs his eyes and face before sitting up, gently cradling his daughter as he lifts her into his arms and gently lays her down in her crib. Just as he pulls his hands away, he jumps at the sound of something slamming downstairs.

"Crap," he hisses, slipping out of the room. He gently shuts the door before rushing downstairs, immediately stopping when he reaches the floor, "What's going…on…?"

His heart drops to his stomach when he takes her in: long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and forced, fake smile.

"Mom," Dex says, breathless.

"Hi, baby," she says, her tone overly saccharine, "It's been a while."

He bypasses her for the guard, "How the hell did she get in?"

"She told me she was here to see you," he answers, his voice deep, "I asked her for her name, she said it was Nikki Heller, and then she told me she was your mom."

"Note to self," Dex mutters under his breath as he turns away, the guard exiting, "make a no-entry list."

"Look at you," Nikki coos, giving him a once-over, "you look great."

"Why are you here?" his voice is sharp.

"I wanted to check on you. With your father's passing, it sounded like you were a bit upset, so I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"I'm fine, now leave."

"Dexter," Nikki sighs, "please, honey, just…please. It's been a rough day for all of us, you included."

"Are Chris and Ty with you?"

"No, it's just me. I didn't want to trigger you with their presence. I'm here for a couple days, just for you."

Dex's blue eyes glow as he looks her way, "...I can help you book a room at the Metro Court hotel or maybe somewhere cheaper-"

"Don't worry about that. I already booked a room at a nearby motel," the woman approaches her son, watching him flinch as she rests her hands on his shoulders, "I'm not here to bother you, Dex. You're my son; I love you. And regardless of how you feel about your father, I know his death hurts."

Dex doesn't say anything, allowing his mother to pull him into a hug. He doesn't hold her back, a lump forming in his throat and tears stinging his eyes.

"I'm sorry, baby," she sighs gently, rubbing his back. He pulls away, taking a seat on the sofa. Nikki joins him, keeping hold of his arm.

"How…" Dex rubs his eyes, "How did he…"

"Overdose," she rubs his arm, "He…developed a heart condition a year after you moved out and had medication for it."

"Was he struggling at all? I just…I don't get it!"

"Outside of his heart, no. He behaved like there was nothing wrong. He went fishing with your brothers all the time, he still worked the usual nine-to-five in his office, everything seemed normal."

"How are Chris and Ty taking this?"

"How do you think they're taking this?" Nikki gives him a sympathetic look. Dex drops his face into his hands, and she responds by hugging his shoulders.

"There really wasn't anything wrong?" he asks, "No note or threats or weird behavior?"

"No," Nikki shakes her head, looking back at the side table by the door, noting a small stack of mail.

"This might be the one time I feel bad for them," Dex remarks, running his thumb along the opposing palm, "They loved him."

"You do too, deep down," Nikki leans in close to her son, "even if you'll never admit it."

He doesn't reply, sniffing as the tears attempt to come back.

"He loved you," she continues, her tone gentle and sweet, "he really did, even though he never showed it off. He was happy to know that you were alive and well, and he was hoping to meet your daughter someday."

She looks around the living room, slowly getting up and walking over to a few framed photos on the wall. She looks at Dex, who lifts his head up, "Is this her?"

"...Yeah," he clears his throat, approaching her, "that's her."

"She's beautiful," Nikki then locks onto a photo of Kristina, "I'm sure this is her mother."

"It is."

"You two look great together," Nikki looks past his shoulder, "Is she here? Can I meet her?"

"No, and no."

Nikki gives Dex a look, cupping his cheek with a lone hand. He turns away and approaches the pile of mail on the table by the door. Her eyebrows shoot up in horror as she watches him flip through each envelope, her anxiety peaking when he singles out an off-white one.

"Ron Jameson," he reads, "Isn't that Dad's lawyer?"

"Y-Yes," she stammers out, rushing over, reaching a hand out, "it's probably just-"

Dex lifts the envelope into the air, cutting her down with his eyes, "What's in the envelope?"

"Nothing!"

"If it's nothing, you wouldn't be trying to take it from me. What's in this thing that you don't want me to read?"

"...I never wanted you to find out," Nikki backs off, "not like this."

"Find out what?"

No reply.

"Figures," Dex scoffs, shaking his head as he sticks his finger under the top flap, proceeding to open the envelope.

"Wait!" his mother exclaims just as he's about to pull the folded document out, "I'll…I'll tell you what's in there."

"Great," Dex keeps his grip tight on the envelope as he takes a seat on the sofa. Nikki slowly sits down next to him, wiping her face clean of tears, "What's in this envelope? What don't you want me to learn? And don't you dare leave anything out."