The only sound Kristina hears is the whirring of her heater when she jolts awake, her back hitting the pleather back of her desk chair. Her office at Corinthos-Davis House is still when she takes it in, adjusting her blurred, hazy vision. She wipes the apparent drool from the corner of her mouth, smacking her cheeks and shaking her head before pivoting to her computer.
"How long was I out...?" she asks out loud, noting the time on the bottom right corner of her screen. 8:04 PM. She stares at the wallpaper on her monitor: an image of her, Dex, and Ciara on the couch together. Her phone lights up after accidental contact, the lock screen displaying the infant resting against the young man's shoulder while he faces the camera from his left side, innocence in his blue eyes.
"Dex..." Kristina mutters as she swipes on the device, placing a call. It buzzes for a few moments before going to voicemail. She tries again a few more times, each ending with the same result, "Come on...pick up the phone..."
She hastily gets to her feet, exiting the office and suddenly feeling a blast of cold air. What should've been the hallway of the building turns into the road in front of Harborview Towers. A few cars sit against the sidewalk, but no vehicles or people occupy the asphalt of the road. Looking both ways, she swiftly crosses from one end to the other, dashing into the lobby of the complex. She enters the elevator and attempts to call Dex again: no response. Once she reaches her floor, she takes off for the penthouse, stumbling into the living room.
"Dex?" Kristina calls out, checking her phone, "Hello? Dex? Are you home?"
Her feet slam against the wooden staircase as she heads upward, looking around the hallway. She places one final call to his cellphone, faintly hearing the default ringtone coming from the bedroom.
"Dex...?" she slowly pushes the door, which sat slightly ajar, open, seeing two silhouettes in the master bed. Her steps are shaky as she creeps towards them, the moonlight from the balcony doors barely illuminating the room. She opts to approach the doors, catching half of Dex's restful face with Ciara mostly underneath him.
"Hi, baby girl," she whispers sweetly, gently pulling the infant into her arms. She freezes when she feels a wetness sink into her shirt, slowly pulling Ciara back enough to see the source, "Oh...Oh my God-"
A single bullet wound to the chest appears in the center of the baby's pink pajamas, blood staining the fabric. Kristina feels her whole body shake as she lays her daughter down on the free pillow, wincing at the image of peace on the tiny face.
"C-Ciara..." her voice trembles, "God...no...no, no, no, no, no…!"
She leans over to shake Dex awake, calling his name all the while, "Get up, get the hell up! Please! Ciara's been-"
She eventually stops and catches a sight that makes her visibly ill: one bullet wound to the back, matching where Ciara used to lay, and another to the back of the head. Kristina steps back ever-so-slowly from the bodies, her vision blurring and bile rising in her throat.
"No…!" she chokes out, "Oh God...!"
A third silhouette comes from the bathroom, a rifle in their hands. Kristina can't make out their face, screaming and scuffling backwards as they gingerly approach her from the opposite end of the room. She backs away until she collapses in the corner by Ciara's crib. The figure continues its march, raising the rifle to be level with the young woman's forehead. Her eyes widen just as they pull the trigger, and the bullet rips through the air in speed and sound, "NO!"
Sweat drenched every inch of Kristina's skin as she let out a scream, sitting up from the penthouse sofa. Moonlight fills a quarter of the dark living room as she looks around, absent-mindedly bunching her hands in the gray blanket on her body. She shoots up from her spot, rushing up the stairs, "DEX?! CIARA?!"
She slams into the door for the master bedroom, jostling the knob before falling into the dark room. She gets to her feet, observing the moonlight striking the bed at the perfect angle. She takes a few steps towards the furniture, pivoting when she hears a soft coo and a blanket shifting. She rushes to the crib, watching Ciara squirm inside. Her tiny hands grip the yellow bunny plush while her pacifier moves in sync with her quiet breathing.
"Baby girl…!" Kristina whispers softly, relief washing over her. She then re-focuses on the bed, cautiously approaching Dex and feeling a number of weights lifting when she sees his body rise and fall before he rolls onto his stomach.
"Thank God," she lets out a sigh, crawling into bed. She gently pulls Dex into her arms, his head on the spot between her chest and shoulder, before kissing his forehead, "Thank God you're okay."
The young man lets out a soft groan, settling against her and lazily throwing an arm around her torso. She settles into the comforter, tugging it up to keep them warm. Her arms fall against his back before she drifts into a deep sleep, the rest of the night devoid of any new nightmares. She's not sure how long she was out when she feels Dex pull himself away. She stirs and opens her eyes, rolling onto her side to check the alarm clock: 8:04 AM.
"Mama?"
Ciara stands up in her crib, lifting a tiny arm in the air. Kristina gets up from the bed, rushing to pick her up. She kisses the baby's cheek, cuddling her without a word.
"Good morning."
The young woman spins around, seeing a tired Dex offer her a soft smile. He rubs his eyes before pushing strands of his messy blonde hair back.
"Did the couch become uncomfortable?" he yawns as Kristina sits down next to him.
"Huh?"
"You crashed on the couch after we came home from the funeral."
"Oh…right…" she ignores Ciara's coo and extended hand towards her father, "It was a tough day."
"Yeah," Dex grabs his daughter's hand, gently shaking it, "I know Ciara loved having her mom around, though."
Kristina kisses the top of her head, smiling when she hears her giggle.
"How are you feeling?" Dex asks.
"I'm just…glad I have my family right now."
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Krissy," Dex gives her a knowing look.
"I'm gonna be fine," she shakes her head, running a gentle hand through his hair, then cupping his cheek, "I love you."
"Wuv you!" Ciara chirps, the family breaking out into gentle laughter.
"Well, uh," Kristina is the first to stop, letting the baby crawl into her father's arms, "I should get going."
"Stay," Dex replies, "Have breakfast with us."
"I don't want to overstay my welcome. We still have a court-ordered custody arrangement."
"It's okay-"
"I'll see you later," the young woman gets to her feet, rushing out of the bedroom. She marches down the stairs and opens the front door, nearly running into the family of five on the other side, "Sam? Dante? What are you guys doing here?"
"We came to check on you," Sam walks in first, hugging her sister tightly. Rocco, Danny, and Scout scuffle into the living room while Dante shuts the door behind him, "How are you?"
"I'm…uh…" Kristina winces when she can't find the words. She pivots to her brother, "H-How are you doing, actually? I know it's been tough for you since you were called to the scene."
"I'm doing better. Dr. Collins has been a big help."
"You're going to therapy?"
"Dad would want me to take care of myself, both for my sake and my family's sake."
"...How bad was it?"
"Well, having your son find you hungover on the couch after a bender certainly gives you a swift kick in the ass."
"Yikes," Kristina grits her teeth, turning to Rocco, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Nothing crazy happened," the teenage boy grins at the detective, "and Dad is taking those weekly appointments to heart. Maybe you'll benefit from seeing him too…?"
"Yeah…maybe…" Kristina sighs, heading towards the balcony doors. The couple exchanges looks, with Sam walking off towards her younger sister.
"Hey," she hugs Kristina from behind, "what's going on?"
"...Nothing."
"You walked away mid-conversation. Something's going on."
"I just…" the young woman shrugs, speechless as tears brim in her eyes, "I can't do this. I can't move on."
"It's okay that you can't. You two were really close, and everything is still fresh. Don't feel like you have to force yourself to get over what happened."
"I have to, though, Sam. I really do."
"Why?"
"I…" Kristina mentally searches for a reason, "I have so many things I need to focus on. I've been in and out of Corinthos-Davis House more often than I should be, and I have a one-year-old who needs her mom."
"I'm sure everyone will understand if you need more time off, and Dex has always gone above and beyond-"
"I can't keep abandoning my staff, Sam! The whole Greenland incident set me back, and this will too," Kristina runs a hand through her hair, "And with Dex and Ciara…"
Sam notices the stoppage, "What's the matter?"
"I…" the flash of their bodies on the bed immediately makes her choke up, "God…"
"Krissy…" the elder sister pulls her to the dining table, sitting her down. The younger sister watches as Dex and Ciara arrive downstairs, striking up a conversation with Dante, nodding at Rocco and Danny and hugging Scout with his free arm, "What's wrong?"
"I…I just…"
"Hey," Dante walks over, "Dex and I are gonna take the kids out to breakfast. Are you guys coming?"
"Uh," Sam looks between the siblings, "I think Kristina and I will stay here."
"Ciara too," Kristina manages to say. Dante nods and travels to Dex, who glances at Kristina before handing the baby over.
"Let me see her," Sam coos as the detective approaches them, pulling Ciara into her arms. The baby looks down at her tiny hands just as she settles into her aunt's lap.
"Do you guys want anything?"
"Uh…no, that's okay. Thank you."
"Gotcha, we'll be back," Dante nods and turns to Dex to do the same. He, Danny, and Rocco leave first, while Dex takes Scout's offered hand and follows them out. Sam settles into the chair, gently bouncing her niece as she looks her over.
"You're getting so big," the elder sister beams, "You got your daddy's hair and your mommy's eyes-"
"She died."
"What?" Sam's head immediately goes up, eyes locked onto Kristina.
The young woman takes a deep breath, choking up, "She died: her and Dex."
"What do you mean?"
"I…" she takes a deep breath, rubbing her eyes, "I had a nightmare last night and it's just…it's shaken me up."
"Is that why you're feeling like you can't move on?"
"Yeah, partly."
"What happened in the nightmare?"
"I…woke up in my office, and when I left the room, I ended up at the penthouse. I kept calling Dex over and over and no response, and then I got inside and went up to the bedroom…"
"And you found them."
"Dex was…on top of Ciara, and they…they were s-shot," Kristina shakily takes a breath, "I think he was shielding her…he h-had one where she laid and…and one in his head…"
"I'm so sorry," Sam rests a hand on top of her sister's.
"The s-sniper got into the house and he was…he pointed the gun at me and…and-"
"Stop, I get it. You don't have to tell me anything else."
"What if the sniper comes here? What if he breaks in and attacks me or my family? What if he's not done? What if-"
"Okay, Krissy, take a deep breath," Sam squeezes her hand, "You're driving yourself crazy here. Has anything happened at the penthouse since the shooting?"
"No."
"Has anything happened to you, Dex, or Ciara since the shooting?"
"No."
"Have you heard anything about the sniper? From Mom, from Dante, from the news, anything like that?"
"...No."
"Then I think you're okay," Sam leans in, catching Ciara's attention, "It could be that the shooting was mob-related, and now that they got Sonny, they're done."
"Maybe, but I'm a witness to it. I mean, I'm the kingpin's daughter, for God's sake! My baby daddy is the organization lieutenant! They'll want to come after me!"
"That's something for Brick and Dex to deal with. I trust that they'll handle it," Sam gives Kristina a reassuring smile when she sees her younger sister tear up, "You know how tough Dex is. He'll be fine; the last thing he'll let himself do is abandon you and Ciara."
"Yeah…" Kristina begins to gently sob, "...yeah…"
"No cry, Mama," Ciara pouts, reaching out, "Hug!"
"Oh, baby girl," Kristina pulls the infant away from Sam, cuddling her tight, "thank you."
"Why sad?"
"Mama had a bad dream," Sam answers, "Something bad happened to you and Daddy."
"Dada here," Ciara cocks her head in confusion.
"He is, and so are you, and you're both okay," Kristina wipes her eyes.
The baby looks back up at her mother, snuggling into her, "Wuv you, Mama."
"I love you too," Kristina takes a deep breath, staring ahead at Sam, "And I love you."
"Love you too," the elder sister smiles.
"Thank you for talking me off the ledge, and I'm sorry if this dredged anything up-"
"I made my peace with all of that," the dark-haired woman holds a hand up, "All that matters to me now is my family, and if I can help them, I will."
"You're the best," the brunette beams, "...You think it's too late to join everyone for breakfast?"
"Probably, but the chances they bring something back for us anyway are pretty high."
Dex observes the full table of people as they reside in Kelly's. Dante sits across from him, with Rocco to his left and Scout to his right. She and Danny sandwich the young man in, rounding out the circle. As he glances from face to face, he feels that he's never been happier to be around people than now.
"What are we thinking?" Dante scans the menu at Kelly's, "Waffles? Pancakes? Both?"
"Both sound good," Rocco nods, Danny and Scout joining him.
"It sucks that Mom and Aunt Krissy didn't come," Danny sighs.
"Is Aunt Krissy okay?" Scout turns to Dex.
"She will be," the young man smiles.
"And you?" Rocco asks.
"I'm okay."
Dante raises an eyebrow, "You're okay?"
"Yeah. I'm just…taking things one day at a time."
"You were my dad's lieutenant. I doubt you're 'fine.'"
"I am," Dex takes a sip of coffee, "I have to be. I don't really have time to grieve. There's just a lot going on-"
"There's always time to grieve," Rocco cuts him off, "I know life is crazy, but you shouldn't have to bottle up how you feel."
"Hey, guys," Dante cuts in, "why don't you order what you want at the counter? Get Dex and I some waffles."
"...Okay," Danny huffs, getting to his feet. Rocco and Scout join him as they melt into the growing order line at the diner.
"You know, I'm more of a pancake guy," Dex replies, taking another sip of coffee.
"You're funny," Dante smirks, his elbows on the table, "Mind telling me what's been going on?"
"A lot."
"Does anything specific come to mind, besides my dad's death?"
"Well, uh, my…" the young man thinks about how he wants to proceed, AJ's name flashing in his mind, "My dad's dead too. He died before Sonny did."
"Whoa, seriously?" Dante adjusts to face the young man, "That's awful, I'm sorry."
"It's fine. He and I…didn't have much of a relationship.
"Who else knows?"
"Kristina."
"Sheesh," the detective shakes his head, "One loss right after another is brutal, man. You should have the space to mourn them both, even if you weren't close with your old man."
Dex shakes his head, a small lump in his throat, "I just want to make sure Kristina's okay. All I care about right now is helping my family heal."
"We're your family too. We care about you."
Dex turns around to see the three kids, eyes laced with concern. Dante lets out a soft sigh as he leans back, with everyone retaking their seats.
"Ciara's my cousin, and you're her dad," Rocco continues, "You matter. We don't call you 'Uncle Dex' just to be nice. We do it because that's who you are to us."
"Well, they call you 'Uncle Dex,'" Danny crosses his arms.
"So do you. You just do it when he isn't around."
"Hmph," the boy scoffs, "Even then, he's not our uncle. He's just Ciara's dad. He and Aunt Kristina aren't married. Hell, they're not even dating anymore!"
"He can hear you," Scout frowns.
"It's okay, Scout," Dex gives her a small smile. She gives one back and grabs a few crayons from the glass cup in the middle of the table.
"Danny, come on," Dante says, "be nice."
"I just…" the teenage boy shakes his head, "Why can't you just let Aunt Krissy back in?"
"Danny," Rocco snaps.
"I'm serious! You're letting her stay with you, you're letting her be around Ciara-"
"Aunt Kristina went through something traumatic; Uncle Dex is trying to support her."
"Yeah, and when it's all said and done, he'll kick her to the curb again."
"Okay, take a lap," Dante shakes his head, "and before you ask, yes, your mom will know about this."
"Actually, Dante, it's okay," Dex holds a hand up, turning to Danny, "You're entitled to how you feel about your aunt and I. Things have been difficult for the both of us. Am I supporting her because we share a daughter? Yes-"
"I knew it," the boy rolls his eyes.
"Let me finish," the young man gives him a look, "I'm also supporting her because she deserves it, and I don't just mean because of what she saw."
"Wait," Rocco's eyebrows shoot up, "are you and Aunt Kristina actually getting back together?"
"It's a work in progress, but I'd like it if we're able to get there."
"She deserves another chance," Danny calms down.
"It'll take some time, but if all goes well, she just might."
"She better."
"Uncle Dex?" Scout gently tugs on the man's jacket sleeve. When he looks her way, she slides her paper placemat over. He can't help but admire the tall blonde and brunette apricot stick figures holding hands. A tiny blonde baby stands between them, a litany of colors making up the penthouse living room.
"Wow, Scout," Dex picks up the drawing, "did you draw your aunt and I? And your cousin?"
"Yeah. It's you guys as a happy family, because that's what you're gonna be someday," she remarks, "Do you like it?"
He pulls her in for a warm hug, "I love it, Scout. Thank you. I'll make sure to hang it up when I get home."
"Really?!"
"Of course; talent like this should be on display!"
"Thank you, Uncle Dex!"
A waitress walks by with plates of various breakfast foods: waffles, pancakes, bacon and sausage, and various fruits. The group eats in silence, mindless chatter between them going as soon as it comes. Eventually, Danny nudges Dex's shoulder with his own.
"Thanks," he whispers, "It means a lot that you like Scout's picture."
"She put a lot of heart and effort into it, and it's a sweet gift. I appreciate it."
"...I'm sorry about Sonny."
"I'm sorry too," Dex frowns, "It's been hard, but we're trying to move on, one day at a time."
"I get that. I had to do it too when my dad died a couple years ago."
"I'm sorry you lost him."
"It's okay; I've moved on," Danny then lets out a sigh, "I can't imagine how tough things are for Aunt Kristina," he flashes a smile, "I'm glad you're there for her."
"I'll always be there for her."
"We're all there for each other; we're family. Like, I'm pretty lucky to have Dante in my life," Danny smiles, "kind of like how Ciara is lucky to have you."
"...You know, this is the nicest you've been to me since we met."
"I said 'kind of.'"
"Right," Dex looks away, proceeding to eat one of the waffles on his plate. His cheeks glow a light pink as he chows down, and a part of him agrees with Rocco and Danny's individual assessments: we're family.
