"I can't believe you did that!"
If looks could kill, Sonny and Alexis would be six feet under. Kristina's scowl cuts through them both as they sit on Alexis's couch, averting their eyes from their daughter.
"We were just looking out for you," Sonny replies, "You deserve to be with your daughter."
"And that's why you showed up at Dex's place yesterday and harassed him to give me an in? Seriously?"
"We didn't harass him. It wasn't like that."
"Then why did he kick you out?"
"Because he wasn't interested in getting a second opinion."
"Oh come on, Dad, you know Dex isn't like that. You guys said or did something that pissed him off."
"We were fighting for you! We want you to have a spot in your daughter's life and he doesn't!"
"Really, he told you that? He specifically said that he doesn't want me in Ciara's life?"
Sonny's mouth closes, his stare firm. She rolls her eyes in response.
"Look," Alexis chimes in, "I will admit that your father and I were a bit too…insistent with Dex. He was very firm in his position," she gestures at the kingpin, "and I…said some things I shouldn't have."
"...What did you say?"
"I…may or may not have insinuated that he could, emotionally, repeat what happened to him as a child with his daughter."
"Mom," Kristina runs her hands down her face, "Why would you say that?!"
"I tried to ease things between Dex and your father and it just…came out. I'm sorry."
"Don't tell me that," Kristina drops onto the adjacent seat, running her fingers through her hair in frustration, "God, you guys have no idea how badly you screwed up."
"We were just trying to help you," Sonny responds.
"If you wanted to help me, you would've stayed out of it."
Alexis dons a look of defeat while Sonny raises an eyebrow. Kristina gives them both a fierce glare.
"Do you really think it was helpful going to the penthouse and getting in his face about the hearing?" she asks, her tone sharp, "You don't think he has enough going on?"
"Kristina, all your m-mother and I wanted to do was help you. You have a right to be in Ciara's life."
"That's not up to me," Kristina shakes her head.
"Why? Because Dex said so? Because the court said so? Who cares?! That little girl is your daughter too!"
"I screwed up, Dad!" Kristina shoots up, "I have to make it right!"
"Let us help you!"
"Okay," Alexis puts both of her hands up, "let's take a breath-"
"I don't need you or Mom fighting my battles for me," Kristina says, prompting Alexis to immediately put her hands down, "I have to fix this by myself."
"And how are you going to do that?" Sonny questions, "You're going to sit and wait for Dex to contact you?"
"Yeah."
Both Sonny and Alexis give Kristina a shared look of confusion. The young woman looks at them with subdued surprise, unsure of their reactions.
"Why?" Alexis asks slowly.
"Because I know Dex. I know him better than the two of you combined. When he's stressed, he walls himself off and tries to figure things out on his own. You guys showing up and demanding that he should take me back messed everything up! And don't tell me that you were just trying to help me: if you really wanted to help, you'd talk to me first!"
"That's not fair, Kristina," Sonny scowls, "We want what's best for you, and what's best for you is being with your daughter!"
"I know, but I want to get there on my own merit, not because my parents ran to my rescue," Kristina argues, taking a seat again, "This is not something I can make happen on my terms; it needs to happen on Dex's."
"Why? Because the court gave him all the power?"
"Because I still love him."
Sonny shakes his head while Alexis softens with sympathy. Kristina mirrors her mother's expression, crossing her arms and settling into the chair.
"I'm not just fighting for Ciara and my place in her life," she explains, "I'm fighting for Dex and the relationship I have with him. I told a major lie and broke his heart, and it hurt me to see him so upset in that courtroom. I know he's mad at me, I know he's avoiding me, and I'm respecting the fact that he wants space to handle everything thrown at him."
"Kristina…" Alexis mumbles sadly as the young woman gets to her feet.
"I love him, okay? I love his big toothy smiles, his calm demeanor, how giving and considerate he is. I love the way he hugs, where he just completely wraps you up in his warmth, and I love that he can carry himself in a conversation and not be super arrogant or super shy. I love his taste for Spanish food and how he's willing to try things like French films and teen dramedies."
Kristina walks to the fireplace, propping her elbows on the shelf and looking at her phone. She swipes through a collection of photos with her and Dex in them, "Things were so stress-free and comfortable with Dex. I didn't have to constantly try and impress him so he'd fall for me, and I didn't have to hide our connection to ease any shame he had. He loved me openly and easily, and I couldn't be more grateful for that. And now," she turns to face her parents, "I don't have it. I want it back, I want him back, and I'm going to meet him where he's at to get him back."
"For what it's worth," Alexis replies, "when he asked if you told us to talk to him, and we said no, he believed us."
"I'm glad," the young woman dons a sad smile.
"I'm sorry we messed things up for you," Sonny says, "but you're sure about what you're doing to get your family back?"
"I am. When the time is right, hopefully before the hearing, he and I will finally get a chance to talk and find a way forward, not just for our sake, but for Ciara's too. It'll all work out, I promise. Trust me."
Ciara's steps are shaky as she walks towards her father, her eyes laser-focused on him all the while.
"Come on," Dex beckons her with his hands as she approaches. TJ watches the scene from behind her, smiling and laughing, "just a little more. You got this."
Ciara keeps a hand on the side of the sofa, her steps heavy and unstable as she continues. She stands still when she reaches the back corner, assessing her next move as best she can. Dex squats just in front of the dining table, eagerly waiting for her. In a split second, Ciara takes off towards him, tripping over her own two feet a couple of steps in. Dex rushes in as she falls, catching her in his arms and pulling her onto his torso when he lands on his back.
"Nice save," TJ chuckles, Ciara's loud bursts of giggles nearly drowning him out, "She's come a long way from learning to stand."
"That she has," Dex sits up, settling his daughter in his lap, "I'm surprised she tried to run to me, but hey, she's got guts. She gets that from her mom-"
TJ frowns when he sees Dex's mouth immediately clamp shut. The men sit in a somber silence, the sound of Ciara's coos and claps cutting into it.
"I'm sorry," Dex says.
TJ shakes his head in response, "Don't be. It's been a crazy time for everyone," his voice then grows quiet, "Has Kristina stopped by or anything?"
"No. She hasn't called or texted either. Sonny and Alexis came by and tried to…advocate for her, though."
"And she asked them to do that?"
"No."
"Really. That doesn't seem like her."
"No, it does not, but I appreciate that she's not forcing anything," Dex gives a meek smile, "How are things with you and Molly?"
"She's…pretty upset. All she talks about is Kristina and what she did and how awful she is. I kind of just let her vent because trying to talk her down causes her to yell at me, and trust me, it's not a fun time."
"Yikes, I'm sorry," Dex frowns.
"And it's not just me she's been ranting to. Her colleagues get an earful, and she's been badmouthing the judge so much that she's been taken off the cases they're both in. She's always on the phone with Alexis, and I think this is the most I've seen her call her father since we got together."
"Who's her dad?"
"Ric Lansing. He's Sonny's brother. He used to be an attorney here, but now he works in LA. He's an…interesting guy, to say the least. They don't talk much, but recently, she's talked to him almost every other day."
"Why?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if she's trying to find a way to overturn Judge Lopez's ruling."
Dex immediately rolls his eyes, "Of course she is."
"I mean, it's not all that surprising-"
"No, it's not, but it's still concerning. After what she did in court, I'm sure I'm just another extension of Kristina to her, so she'll do anything to prove that I'm a violent thug who will hurt his own kid."
"You know as well as I do that she doesn't actually believe that. She was just trying-"
"Trying to fight for the baby, I get that," Dex holds up a hand, "but she certainly acted like she believed it. Molly and I aren't super close or anything, and maybe I was too naive to think she wouldn't try and go after me to keep Ciara, but it just…it bothered me that she could look at me and what I've done and still say the things she did."
"I don't blame you for feeling that way. I didn't like her going after you either."
"It sounds like she still is, or she's planning to, at least."
"Yeah," TJ sighs, "When I told her that I was seeing you. She got excited and wanted to go, but when I said that you probably wouldn't like her being around, she immediately got angry and blew up at me."
"But I'm the one with anger issues, okay," Dex shakes his head, letting out a tired chuckle. He gently bounces Ciara in his lap, smiling as he watches her put a few of her fingers in her mouth.
"Molly's anger isn't exactly healthy…" TJ stops himself, clearing his throat, "but it's not coming from a place of malice."
Dex doesn't respond, eyes immediately focused on the man in front of him.
"Molly misses her. She's still really attached and things have been really hard for her."
"I don't doubt that. It doesn't justify the things she's said-"
"I know, I know, I'm just…I'm trying to give her some grace because of what Kristina did, and she could really benefit from it."
"...But Kristina shouldn't get any?"
TJ sighs through his nostrils, "I'm not saying that, but we both know what she did."
"Yeah, we do, and we both know what Molly did," Dex loosely wraps his arms around Ciara.
"They're not necessarily equal."
"Sure, but that doesn't mean they both didn't do bad things here."
"Dex-" TJ flattens his lips, trying to think of what to say, "I know Molly upset you, and she had no business going after you when you weren't involved, but-"
"But I should let Molly see Ciara."
TJ looks away as Dex stands up, carrying Ciara to her playpen. He sits her down, picking up a couple blocks, a caterpillar plush, and a blanket and placing them by her. TJ approaches him as he slips a pacifier into her mouth.
"I'm not trying to start anything," he says, putting his hands up.
"Neither am I," Dex replies.
"I just think it would be best for everyone to let Molly visit once in a while."
"And I don't think I can do that."
"She's Ciara's aunt-"
"Yes, and Kristina is Ciara's mother, and I still have to figure out whether she gets to be in Ciara's life."
"And that's going to affect Molly too?"
"Well, yeah. I can't give Molly an in and then cut Kristina out. I also can't let Kristina back in and then cut Molly out. Kristina lied to me about my daughter, and Molly claimed that I would abuse my daughter. Both things are cruel and hurtful to me, and I think they go hand-in-hand."
"But they don't have to-"
"Yes, they do," Dex runs his hands down his face, "Look, TJ, I know things are really hard for you because Molly is so angry, and I'm sorry it's causing problems, but I can't let her visit. Yeah, she was just trying to win the case, but she still implied that I'm a violent sociopath who will damage my kid. I can't just let that go, and that's not even getting into what Kristina did."
"Dex-"
"Things have been hard for me too. I have people trying to tell me how I should handle the hearing in a couple of days, and fatherhood is still brand new to me. I really haven't had a chance to breathe, and I just…I need a break, okay?"
"...Okay," TJ nods, his expression firm as he crosses his arms. Dex feels panic suddenly rush into him.
"I'm sorry," the words tumble out of his mouth, "It's not about you. I didn't mean it like that. I was just-"
"No, no, I heard you loud and clear. You want a break from everyone banging down your door, and that includes me."
"TJ, wait, please-"
"I'll see you around, man," TJ sighs, shooting daggers at Dex before leaving. The young man looks on and flinches when the door slams shut. Ciara's coo from behind catches his attention, and he spends most of the day doting on her. Toys end up on the sofa and chairs, a plate of eaten spaghetti and a bowl of half-eaten mushy peas rest in the sink, and Dex reclines on the couch, his eyes glazed over as he watches TV. Ciara stands upright in the playpen, watching along with him. A series of rapid knocks at the door interrupt their peace, Dex cringes when he sees the woman standing in the hallway.
"I need to talk to you," Josslyn says, her hands on her hips.
"Why?" Dex sighs, rubbing his eyes.
"There's some things we need to hash out," she walks by him, stopping in her tracks when she sees the baby looking at her. She approaches ever-so-slowly, looking down once she reaches the playpen. Ciara stares up at Josslyn with wonder, and it causes the young woman to do her best to suppress her tears.
"His nose…" she mutters sadly, "Her eyes…oh my God…"
"Joss," Dex says, trying to get her attention. She slowly turns and looks at him.
"This?" she hisses, her voice sharp, "This is why you left me?"
"Watch it," he points a finger, his eyebrows raised.
"Oh, well, if you don't want her to hear exactly what I think of you and her, you should probably take her upstairs."
Dex's glare sticks to Josslyn as he approaches the playpen, pulling Ciara into his arms. He continues looking at the young woman until he reaches the staircase, rushing upwards. He pushes the bedroom door open with his hip, walking to the crib in the corner. He gently kisses Ciara's head before laying her down, nudging her plush bunny into her arms. Her eyes flutter shut as he drapes a blanket over her, giving her a warm smile before closing the bedroom door behind him.
"What do you want, Joss?" he asks, his voice carrying as he treads down the stairs.
"Tell me it's not true," Josslyn's voice immediately cracks, "Tell me that baby I saw in the playpen isn't yours."
Dex doesn't answer, the glint in his eyes confirming what she doesn't want to know.
"You-" the young woman gasps, "You cheated on me? With Kristina?! What is wrong with you?!"
"I'm sorry-"
"Oh, don't, don't you dare! You're not sorry at all!"
"Joss, come on-"
"When, huh? When did you decide I wasn't worth the trouble?"
"Don't phrase it like that. That's not what happened."
"Then what did happen, Dex? And don't say that you don't owe me an explanation."
"She and I got close; that's it. It wasn't anything against you, and before you say it, she didn't make me do anything I didn't want to do."
"How long did this affair last? I mean, Kristina was, what, six or seven months pregnant when we broke up, right?"
Dex doesn't answer, extending his arms and shrugging.
"What about her makes her better than me, huh? What does she have that I don't have? What can she give you that I can't?"
All Dex does is avert his eyes, looking down at the hardwood floor as Josslyn's glare tries to cut him down.
"Oh my God! I can't believe you!" she scrambles her straight blonde hair with her hands, "And to think I was going to ask for you to come back to-"
"Come back to what? To you?"
"To Michael, actually. To the plan you set up with him."
Dex raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms. Josslyn's nostrils flare as she clenches her fists.
"You wanted me to work with Michael again?" he asks incredulously.
"Considering the fact that Kristina lied to you about your baby, according to the news at least, I figured that you'd be angry enough at her to completely cut ties."
"And so you thought I'd want to take Sonny down as a result."
"Yeah," Josslyn looks around, "Is Kristina even here?"
"No."
"Have you talked to her at all since the trial?"
"No."
"Good. I'm glad you hate her-"
"I didn't say that."
"After what she did, you hate her. You have to."
"Why do you care?"
Josslyn purses her lip, her nostrils flaring. Dex looks her up and down before rolling her eyes.
"That's not the point," she answers, "The point is that you're angry at Kristina, and you need to get back at her."
"And I should get back at her by throwing the man I work for in prison?"
"You don't want to?"
"No. Believe it or not, I like my life now."
"You like working for a man who hung you on a meat hook, a man who let you get shot during a prison break?"
"We're not going to rehash that. Yes, I like working for Sonny. I quit on Michael and the agency I worked for to stay with Sonny."
"You did it to stay with Sonny? Or you did it to stay with Kristina?"
Dex shuts his mouth instantly, averting his eyes. Josslyn scowls at him before a realization hits her like a truck.
"You still love her," she says, her voice airy.
"Joss-"
"You still love her. She lied to you and you still love her."
Dex casts his gaze at the floor, wilting. Josslyn turns away, a hand covering her mouth as tears spill down her face. She eventually faces him again, and he looks up enough to see her devastation.
"You and I…" she begins, "We could've had it so good. We clicked, we had each other's backs. There was…something there that neither of us were used to, and you know it. This," she gestures around the living room, "could've been us right about now, but you threw that away for her, and I will never, ever understand that."
Dex stays silent, watching her take a step towards him.
"You…are awful," she hisses, "You decided to work for a heartless criminal, you betrayed me, who deeply cared about you, you're still in love with the lying bitch that broke your heart, and now you're stuck raising the mistake you both made. What kind of spineless, empty person looks at that and thinks they're any good?"
"My daughter is not a mistake," he snaps coldly, "and to claim that she is, you're disgusting for that. How dare you?"
She shakes her head, breaking down further. Her voice cracks as she speaks: "How dare you cheat on me?"
"How dare you cheat on Cameron?"
"Don't do that-"
"Fair is fair, Joss. We didn't just randomly hook up. You were unhappy with him, and you felt it was better to sneak around and cheat than be honest with him. And I admit, I made the exact same mistake with you, but at least I'm owning it. You're acting like what you did was noble and necessary."
"It was!"
"No, it wasn't, and nothing will change that, so don't you dare stand there and act like you're some heroine for betraying your supposed best friend. You are not a good person. In fact, you're just as much of a traitor and liar as I am."
"I HATE YOU!" Josslyn screams, "Oh God! It's bad enough that you cheated, it's worse that you did it with Kristina, but the worst part is that you got her pregnant!"
"Why is her getting pregnant the worst part of this?"
The question shoots straight through Josslyn, her expression defeated as she fully processes the words that left her mouth. Dex waits for her answer all the while, unsure of what to conclude.
"I'm out of here," she snaps, pushing by him, opening the front door. She looks back at him one last time, "and if I see you again, it'll be too soon. You're going to regret what you did to me, I promise you that."
Dex watches on as she slams the door, standing firm as it echoes. He goes to lock it for the night: "I saw that coming."
The faint sound of crying coming from the baby monitor swiftly catches his attention, "I saw that coming too."
Loud mixtures of noises jolt Nina awake from the penthouse bedroom. She turns to her left, noting the time on her alarm clock as 12:41 AM. She rolls to her right, watching Sonny's chest rise and fall with relative ease.
"Sonny," she tries to shake him awake, "hey."
"What?" he grumbles.
She jumps when she hears a man yell out, unable to decipher his exact words, "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"The yelling," she jumps again when she hears a smashing sound, "and the…the banging-"
"It's probably the guards. Someone must be trespassing."
"I don't know-"
"They're handling it, Nina," Sonny's tone is harsh, "Go back to sleep."
While the kingpin falls into a deep slumber, Nina lies awake, taking in each and every noise she can. Her ears twitch at every scream and thump, and the longer the sounds go on, the more restless she gets over it.
"What is going on…?" she asks herself just before she hears the sound of something heavy hitting the ground down the hall. Her stomach sinking, she gets to her feet, donning a pair of slippers and grabbing her cellphone before she quietly exits the bedroom. She shuts the penthouse door behind her, tiptoeing to the source of the ruckus. She creeps around the corner near the penthouse where Dex presently resides, nervously anticipating what she might see. The hallways remain the same all the while, but her heart skips a beat when she reaches the end.
"Oh my God-" she gasps when she sees a few of Sonny's men unconscious. One lies flat on his stomach while the other two rest against the wall. She rushes to them, checking each of their necks for a pulse. Her head snaps to the open front door, noticing the boot prints and wood splinters on the wooden lining. Her body shaking with nerves, she walks into the penthouse and stops dead in her tracks at the sight before her.
The living room rests in complete disarray: the living and dining room chairs upside down, the sofa leaving diagonal skid marks on the hardwood floor, trinkets broken and scattered in a number of areas, and worst of all, a moderately-sized pool of blood between an overturned chair and the broken television, partly staining the dark gray carpet.
"Dex?!" Nina calls out, her voice filled with fear, "Ciara?!"
She looks through each room she can, with the kitchen, bathrooms, and nursery all untouched. When she enters the master bedroom, she winces at the mess she sees, further triggering her panic. The disheveled bedsheets rest in a pile on the mattress, pillows on the ground. Picture frames and assorted items rest around it. She approaches the crib in the corner, her face pale when she sees how empty it is.
"Oh no-" she pulls out her cellphone and dials 911.
"911: what's your emergency?" the dispatcher greets her with a chipper tone.
"Yes, hi, uh, there's been a break-in."
"What's your location, ma'am?"
"The Harborview Towers. I-It's my neighbor's home: Penthouse #2. I-It looks like it's been ransacked."
"What makes you believe that it's been ransacked?"
Nina goes downstairs from the bedroom, standing on the steps of the living room, "There's…furniture thrown around and a lot of things…broken on the ground."
"Do you know if anything's been stolen?"
"No, no, I don't."
"Is your neighbor currently home?"
"N-No. I don't think so."
"Do you happen to know where they are?"
"I don't, but I'm…I'm worried that wherever they are, they're not there willingly."
"Do you believe they've been kidnapped, ma'am?"
"There's blood by the TV stand…it looks f-fresh…oh God…they had to have been. Please, please send officers out here as soon as possible."
"Can you tell me who lives in that penthouse?"
Nina gulps, her body wracked with anxiety as the names slip past her lips: "Dex Heller and his daughter, Ciara."