"What are you up to, jackass?"

The drive around town is as daunting as Josslyn thought it would be. Her silver car tails Dex's black SUV to a number of different places, from the Quartermaine mansion to a nearby mall and ultimately to the pier. Mental notes on the suits and gifts and miscellaneous luxury items he purchased sit in the back of her mind while she parks her car a few feet from his. Dex exits his vehicle, fixing his leather brown jacket before venturing towards the docks, and she scrambles after him. She sneaks through the wood and pipes keeping the area upright until settling down in the corner, noting a few men dressed in sleek black suits with Dex.

"Got your call," one of them bellows, his British accent crisp and clear and his dirty blonde hair perfectly curled, "I'm surprised you still had a number to reach us."

"Just as surprised as I am that you agreed to meet with me," Dex replies, his hands in his back pockets, "We need to talk."

"You no longer work for us; there's nothing to discuss. Of course, if you're looking to jump back in, you'll certainly have to start from scratch."

"If that's the reason you agreed to talk, you're going to be pretty disappointed."

"Okay, then we're done here," the trio of men proceed to walk towards Josslyn's spot, only getting a few paces in.

"I know you assassinated Sonny Corinthos."

Josslyn's eyes widen when Dex's remark hits her ears, watching as the men turn around and regain their spots.

"Really," the British man replies, "You know it was us? You got any evidence?"

"Someone was dumb enough to leave the business card in the tower."

"...Ah," the man clears his throat, "I see. A misstep."

"This is a pretty big misstep, Caleb. You're usually not this sloppy."

"You're acting like I deliberately left it behind. The sniper code is to go as soon as we arrive."

"I know that. It still doesn't excuse this very obvious breach. I could certainly rat you out."

"Oh, really? And what would that achieve, Dexter?" Caleb steps forward, his green eyes and chiseled jawline equally sharp, "You quit on us for that scumbag's daughter. You're a traitor. Do you expect the higher-ups to listen to you?"

"Considering that I still have your card, they'd be quite interested in knowing how a prime agent messed up so badly."

"Sure, after they round you up and throw you in prison to cover their ass."

Dex tries to harden his expression, "The goal with Operation 5522 was to take down the business."

"And now you're embedded in it. Good work!"

"When did things change?"

"That's none of your business. You went AWOL on us, and now you feel entitled to information you don't deserve to have?" Caleb snorts, "But you'll find out anyway, considering you planted a mole on us."

"What?"

"You don't think our systems would snuff out your little hacker employee? Are you truly that daft?"

Dex shakes his head, averting his eyes as he opts to not respond.

"What are we doing here, Dexter?" Caleb asks, "Why did you want to chat? You left Cazador. You decided that this new life was a better fit for you than the benefits and clearances we were granted. You dropped all of that, and for what? Some random bird?"

"Tacky," Dex spits, "How would you feel if I said that about Allegra?"

"I'd beat your ass. Oh, what, is that a threat? You want to fight? Go for it!" Caleb steps back, "Take a shot! Let your life go up in flames!"

Dex shakes his head again, a lump in his throat.

"You're such a wuss, like you've always been. You couldn't step up to the plate in this job, so you deserted us for the enemy."

"It's not that cut and dry-"

"It is to me. Oh, what, you actually left us for your…what is she now? Your fiancée?"

"Fiancée…" Josslyn mutters, her heart dropping to her stomach.

"How do you know that?"

"You're even dumber than I thought," Caleb scoffs, "Did you really think we were done once that arrogant pig was put down? His business is still up and running, and since you're part of it, we have eyes on you too."

"Of course…" Dex rolls his eyes.

"If there was any justice in this world, you would've been tried and hung for your crimes by now. But instead, we'll just continue our course in the mission you nearly tanked because you banged the kingpin's daughter. That broad must be so proud to come home to her coward of a fiancé every night."

"Shut up-"

"And that little girl, what's her name?" he looks to the men behind him before snapping his fingers, "Oh, Ciara! She's adorable. Hard to believe she's got your genes. It'd be a real shame if something happened to her-"

"Listen to me," Dex instantly grabs Caleb's suit collar, hoisting him up a bit. The other two men draw their pistols and aim at his head, "if you lay a finger on my daughter, I will hunt you down, rip you limb from limb, and torch your remains until there's nothing left."

"Ooh, so tough," the man's laugh comes out suppressed, "Someone wants to show off how much of a Papa Bear he is."

"Don't mess with my family," Dex drops him, and he lands on his butt, "or you'll regret it. I can promise you that."

"Sure, sure, I'll believe it when I see it," Caleb gets to his feet, dusting himself off, "Well, this has been an experience."

"This isn't over," Dex snaps as the men walk off.

"No, it's not. You'll hear from us again. It'll only be a matter of when," Caleb says as they continue walking, passing by Josslyn with ease, "Watch your back, Dexter!"

Dex doesn't yell back, shaking his head as the young woman pops out from the shadows. His face goes pale when he turns and catches her in his line of vision, "How long have you been here?!"

"Long enough to know that you're in some deep crap," she smirks, "It's nice to see just how…interesting your former employer is."

"Oh, what, you're going to blackmail me?" Dex crosses his arms, taking a step towards her, "Those people are trained killers. If you interfere even a little bit, they'll gut you like a fish."

"Really? If that's true, then why are you here at all?"

"Because it's worse to be a snake than a rat."

Dex briskly approaches her, a darkness in his aura. Josslyn gulps in response, their faces mere inches apart as his eyes cut her down completely, "They found out that a colleague of mine was going to turn state's evidence against them, so they disemboweled him right in front of me. He screamed as they went one by one with each organ until he slumped down and died on the floor."

"...Y-You're lying," Josslyn shakily takes a step back, "You have to be."

"Not at all. I still remember what order they went in: stomach, intestines, liver, and they cut all the way up to his heart. I remember the angle they cut from, every single speck of blood that dripped from their blades, everything."

The young woman continues to back away, her face flush with fear. Dex smirks at her posture, "You heard them: they have eyes all around town, and since Carly was a big part of the business for so long, you're a target by proxy. So if I were you, I'd keep quiet about what you saw. Or else you'll be their next excavation project."

Josslyn doesn't bite back, turning and rushing out of the dock area. Dex lets out a long sigh when he hears her footsteps disappear, running a hand through his hair: That actually worked? She's more gullible than I thought.

A buzz in his back pocket catches his attention, and he swiftly returns to his vehicle once he sees the event reminder flash on the screen, swearing for the duration of the drive to his destination.

I'm so sorry, little one, he thinks as he steps onto the Quartermaine grounds, I'll never be late again.

He rapidly knocks on the door, his fists smacking the wood. Tracy opens the door, a smirk on her face.

"Well, well, look who's here," she says, checking her watch, "Almost an hour late."

"I'm sorry," he huffs, "I was caught up at work-"

"Don't care," she holds your hand up, "especially since you're out of here once you get Ciara."

"Uh huh," he walks past her, "Is she upstairs?"

"She's not here."

"Excuse me?"

"She's out on a little field trip."

"Where is she?"

"Couldn't tell you-"

"If you want me to be part of this family, Tracy," Dex approaches her, a finger in her face, "you will not lie to me and use my daughter as a bargaining chip."

"My God," Tracy cackles, "you have a lot to learn about us, don't you? Of course, if you're actually a Quartermaine."

"You don't think I am?"

"It occurred to me that the only 'proof' of you being AJ's is your mother's word, which is inherently untrustworthy."

"So…what, you're holding Ciara hostage until I agree to take a DNA test?"

"I wouldn't be as dramatic as you are about it, but yes."

"I'm not against taking a test-"

"Then why haven't you done it?"

"I haven't had the time to."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Uh, yes? Between co-running Sonny's business and raising a one-year-old, I don't have a lot of 'me' time."

"Is that really the case, or are you trying to avoid it?"

"I'm not avoiding anything."

"Then take it."

"...Fine."

"Good boy-"

"But only after you tell me where Ciara is."

"I think Monica is better suited to answer that."

"And where is she?"

His drive to the hospital consists of speeding, passing red lights, and cursing Tracy out under his breath. He parks haphazardly in two spots, flying feet-first across the asphalt and into the lobby. Slamming on the elevator button, he takes the short ride up to the doctor's office, stumbling into the right room.

"Dex," Monica smiles, "it's nice to see you."

His heart skips a beat at the sight of Ciara in her lap, her brown eyes bright as she sucks on her yellow pacifier. She reaches a hand out towards her father, flexing her tiny fingers.

"...Hi," he lets out a heavy breath, "I'm…I'm so sorry."

"No apologies necessary," she replies gently, grinning at the baby, "Ciara's been good company."

"And she's…she's okay?"

"Of course she is," she looks at the young man, "Tracy sent you, didn't she?"

"...This was all her idea, wasn't it?"

"In a way."

Dex lets out a sigh, gripping the top of the leather chair on the other side of the desk. He slowly takes a seat, running his hands down his face.

"I'm sorry she upset you," Monica frowns, "It's just in her nature."

"Yeah, I'm picking that up," he pinches the bridge of his nose, "but you said it was her idea 'in a way.'"

"I may or may not have…conspired with her."

"Why?"

"...I think we owe it to ourselves to find out if your mother was telling the truth."

"I…don't disagree. I know Michael's talked to me about getting a DNA test, and now Tracy has too."

"Would you be willing to get one?"

"Yes, of course. Whatever Michael or Tracy said about me 'avoiding' it, it's not true."

"I'm happy to hear that. If you have some time, I can get an expedited test done."

"Uh, sure, okay," he nods. Silence fills the room immediately, with doors opening and closing, doctors shuffling in and out, and cotton swabs rubbing against the inside of his mouth. Ciara toys with Monica's fingers while they remain in the office.

"I appreciate you doing this, Dex," she says, bouncing the baby in her lap, "Truly."

"You're welcome. Like you said, we should find out if my mom's telling the truth or not. We both know she isn't the most honest person."

"She's lied to you before, hasn't she?"

"My whole life. I didn't grow up in a big, loving home. My…stepbrothers terrorized me any chance they got, and my…stepdad let it happen. My mom did too, but when it was just me and her, she tried to apologize and comfort me, saying that I deserved better. If she really was sorry, if she really thought I deserved better, then she would've stepped up for me. She would've protected the little boy she claimed she cared about so much."

"Was she trapped with your stepfather?"

"No. She didn't want to give up what she had in Malibu and thought it was better for me to be a Heller than a Quartermaine."

"She hated our family that much…" Monica shakes her head, "I'm so sorry you endured what you did. You deserved a family that loved and supported you."

"Thank you. I'm away from her and them and all of that, and I just want to focus on my family," Dex smiles at Ciara, who mirrors him perfectly.

"She's such a happy baby," the elder woman beams, "and she absolutely adores you. Her face lit up anytime I talked about you."

"You love Dada, huh?" Dex opens his arms, pulling Ciara in once Monica lets her go. He meanders around the office, cuddling her and kissing her cheek, "Well, Dada loves you too."

Monica watches on, bliss in her eyes and tears forming at the corners. Her office door opens, and a nurse hands her a manila folder.

"Well," she sighs, "here we go."

Dex sits down, balancing Ciara in his lap. She tries to grab his hand while the doctor reads over the results, "What does it say?"

Monica drops the folder, and he's not sure if he's seen a brighter smile on anyone in his life, "Welcome to the family."

"Really?" Dex looks at the results, his eyes locking onto his name, AJ's name, and the 99.999% chance of matching DNA that exists on the page, "Wow…I'm really a Quartermaine…"

"Welcome to the family, dear."

"T-Thanks," he slides the folder back to her, taking a deep breath.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, it's just…I never thought I'd have a big family like this. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and because Michael is my brother, I have a niece and nephew too."

"Well, you're already on good terms with a lot of the family, so making it more official goes a long way."

"Yeah," Dex proceeds to frown as he watches Monica's tears grow larger, "What's wrong?"

"It's just…I never saw this coming," she chokes up, "My son had another son. It hurts to know that you two never crossed paths, but had your mom let him in, you would've been really good for him. AJ had his flaws, but I knew he had good inside of him. So many people just…dismissed him because of the things he did."

"And they haven't looked at the things people did to him," Dex takes a breath, "Tracy talked about his death, how Sonny and Carly were involved. That's all I know, though."

"There's a lot more that was done to him, especially by those two. I know you worked for Sonny…unfortunately, so I can imagine that this has been a tough pill for you to swallow."

"Yeah, it has, but I deserve to know the truth."

"Which I'm happy to give you," Monica forces her smile, sniffing back her tears, "I'd really like a relationship with you, Dex. I know your feelings on Sonny, and I don't want to speak ill of the dead, but I can't afford losing another family member to him. Having you and Ciara around, and you both embracing the Quartermaine part of yourselves, it'll mean everything to me."

"Hmm, what do you think?" Dex looks down at Ciara, removing her pacifier, "Should we do it? Should we connect with Grandma Monica?"

"Gamma!" Ciara giggles, reaching her arms out. Monica does her best to keep her composure, her heart swelling with pride, "Gamma! Hug!"

"Thank you," the doctor gets to her feet, lifting the baby into her arms. Dex joins her, wrapping himself around the woman, "I love you both."

"Wuv you!" Ciara chirps, both adults pulling back.

Monica looks the young man over, smiling wide, "You look so much like him, you know."

"Thank you," Dex blushes, immediately pivoting his thoughts, "Um, is it possible that we go back to the mansion? I'm sure everyone wants to hear the news."

"Sure," Monica pulls out her phone, "Let me call Yuri-"

"Let me take you."

The drive back ends up being one of the more peaceful ones Dex has had. Monica sits in the back seat, her playful faces and soft whispers causing Ciara's laughter to fill the SUV. He slowly pulls into the massive driveway, helping Monica out of the car and pulling Ciara into his arms. Yuri lets them in the front door, a smirk on his face as he eyes the woman. They take the small journey to the foyer, stopping in the doorway when they see Tracy, Ned, Brook Lynn, Olivia, and Michael seated and waiting.

"So?" Tracy asks, arms crossed.

"Everyone," Monica stands tall, "I'd like you to formally meet Dex Heller…my grandson."

"It's true," Brook Lynn clasps her hands together, "You are biologically AJ's."

"I am," Dex nods, "and there's more."

"More?" Michael scowls, "What is it?"

"I'm getting married."

"Oh my God…!" Olivia covers her mouth as everyone else gasps.

"Since we're all family, I was hoping you'd come."

"Chase and I will be there," Brook Lynn nods.

Ned wraps an arm around Olivia, "And so will we."

"Michael? Tracy?"

"Our newly-found relative is inviting us to his last-minute wedding," Tracy taps her chin, "Hm…"

"Oh come on, Tracy," Dex rolls his eyes, "I did what you wanted; I took the test. I'm as much a Quartermaine as you are."

"Let's not go that far," she snaps, smirking, "but you're right. You're family, and you did what was asked. I'll attend."

"Thank you," the young man turns to his elder brother, who shoots daggers in response.

His jaw tightens up, "My brother is going to marry my sister. Lovely."

"Don't you want to support your sister?"

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"He's got a point," Ned shrugs, "Whether or not you want to support Dex, you know that Kristina will want you there."

"I…" Michael's mouth clamps shut, "Okay, fine, Willow and I will be there…wherever you guys are holding it."

"The cathedral," Dex nods.

"Do you need any help?" Olivia asks, "Any catering or-"

"No, no, Kristina and I took care of all of that. All I want is for you guys to show up."

"A family wedding we don't have to host or pay for?" Tracy raises her eyebrows, "Why didn't you lead with that?"

"Because I figured I could appeal to your sentimental side…if you have one."

"Ouch," Ned cackles, ignoring Tracy's glare.

"It really means a lot that you asked us to be part of your wedding," Monica grins.

"Kristina has always been welcome here," Ned continues, "so making her part of the family…it seems right."

"I appreciate it," Dex beams, Ciara joining his expression.

"Oh, sweetheart," Brook Lynn opens her arms, taking the baby from her father, "you are so cute!"

"I think someone as adorable as you should get first pick of her ziti slice, shouldn't she?" Olivia coos, both women walking off towards the kitchen. Dex tries to step forward for her, but Tracy cuts him off.

"You want her back," she remarks, "you stay for dinner."

The young man lets out a defeated sigh, stuck in the center of a gaggle of Quartermaines as they guide him to the kitchen. Plates drop onto the table and bodies crowd the counters as he tries to find his daughter, rushing to the open seat next to her high chair. He kisses her cheek as he sits down, keeping himself close.

"This is our future, little one," he whispers to her, a smile spreading onto his face when he sees her own, "Might as well enjoy it."