Sonny: If you follow me into the business, people you care about are gonna be used against you. They're gonna be hurt in terrible ways. You want to carry that? You think you want to do that? 'Cause I know what that's about. Trust me.
Michael: Abby wouldn't have been in Chicago if it wasn't for me, Dad.
Sonny: Listen to me. What happened to Abby was an accident.
Michael: Claudia wasn't. I wanted to stop her, so I did.
Sonny: Look, you did what you had to do to protect your mother and sister. Does not make you a killer, Michael. And if you think you're gonna go after, you know, this guy who's beating up Abby's friends, it's just gonna make things worse.
Michael: Dad, I already knew you were gonna say this.
Sonny: Then why are we having the conversation?
Michael: Look, if you'd known Jax was back, would you have gone after him?
Sonny: Look, the business between me and Jax is personal. There's a lot of history, a lot of years. But I will say this. It will not touch you, your brother, or your sister.
Michael: Dad, I'm not judging you, all right? So you stop judging me. Stop preaching to me what I should and shouldn't do with my life. It's my life. It's my decisions.
Sonny: That's not what I'm doing.
Michael: I don't want to hear it anymore, okay? Look, I made up my mind. So here it is. Look, either you give me what I want, or I'll find a way to take it myself, just like you always do.
Sonny: You're giving me ultimatums now?
Michael: Dad, you can call it whatever you want. I'm just telling you, I'm doing this, whether I'm working for you or not.
Sonny: From the second that I told you that I don't want you in this life, you've been fighting me ever since.
Michael: And that proves what? That you can't count on me, that I'm not trustworthy?
Sonny: It's not about trust. Can't you get it through your head that I don't want you in this life? I want a better life for you.
Michael: How I decide to live my life is up to me.
Sonny: Yeah, it's up to you. Yeah, it is. And you know what's up to me? How I run my business. And I'm telling you that you're never gonna be involved in it--end of story.
Michael: [Sighs]
[Knock on door]
Sam: Hey, Michael. Um, we just stopped by to see how you're doing.
Michael: Well, you're welcome. You're not.
Jason: Michael, I just--I just wanted to explain--
Michael: I don't give a damn what you want. This is my apartment, and I want you to leave.
Sonny: Ease up, Michael. It was an accident.
Michael: That's not what this is about, Dad. Jason knew Jax was alive, and he didn't tell anybody. He went along with Mom's lie and let us all think Jax was dead.
Michael: So much for honesty and trust. Josslyn and Morgan are kids, but they still know what it's like to feel grief and loss. How could you do that to them?
Sam: Hey--hey, look, Jason loves you, Michael. He obviously has his reasons--
Michael: Reasons? What--what reasons? And how can you back him? He lied to you, too.
Jason: I didn't know about Jax until Carly came and told me in Hawaii, and that was months after the fact.
Michael: You still owed us the truth.
Sam: Hey, Michael, you know what happened in Hawaii. Jax was the last thing on his mind.
Jason: I know that you wanted to go to New Zealand alone to scatter Abby's ashes.
Michael: Don't say her name!
Jason: I'm just--I'm just saying I should have been there waiting for you when you got back, when you needed me.
Michael: You mean you should have protected me.
Michael: You want to help me, Jason? Why don't you tell Dad to let me into his business?
Sonny: I already told you that's not happening, Michael.
Jason: I thought you liked the job at the warehouse.
Michael: I also liked waking up to Abby every morning. Things change. I have no reason to stay safe anymore--no crime-free future to plan for.
Sam: Michael.
Michael: Thanks for coming by. I'll let you know if I need anything.
Sonny: You need to get ahold of yourself, you understand me? Whoever is responsible for beating up Abby's friends--I want you to stay out of it. I'm gonna handle it.
Michael: Dad, I am just as good and just as capable as most of the guys you have working for you.
Sonny: And smarter. You're smart enough to know this is not a life for you. You know why? 'Cause this life makes you dead inside.
Michael: You know, Dad, that sounds nice. But the truth is, is you've never believed in me.
Sonny: Okay, that's not true. I just wanted a better life for you--that's all.
Michael: You know what? You and Mom aren't that different. She lied about Jax, and now you're lying right to my face. You think I'm too weak to last in this business.
Sonny: I know you're grieving, Michael, so we're just gonna--
Michael: Dad, just--just get out. Stop trying to manage me and get out.
Sonny: Michael, you have to--
Michael: I said leave!
Jason: I just--I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help Michael.
Sam: Yeah, well, Michael is going through a lot right now, Jason. You can't take it personally.
Jason: I know that, but he's trying to get back in the business, he's not thinking clearly, and that's just a bad combination.
Sam: Well, once he processes everything, I'm sure he won't be so angry.
Jason: I wouldn't count on that. He took the news about Jax pretty hard. He's pissed at me more than I've ever seen him.
Sam: No. Listen. I think that this is all very fresh to him, and he can't see what's obvious to everyone else. If Carly would have said something about Jax, Sonny would have went after him. She actually did the right thing for once.
Jason: [Sighs]
Sam: Jason, Michael is gonna calm down, and he will forgive you for this. I know he will.
Sam gave Jason one more comforting looking before leaving the apartment, to follow a client. Jason brain racked over many ways to get through to Michael. Then it hit him like a tons of brick. He dialed the all too familiar number, as the phone rang for a long while worried she wouldn't answer
"Hey Jason, what's up"
"Kristina, I need your help with Michael"
"What do you need me to do"
[later that afternoon]
[Knock on door]
Kristina could hear Johnny in the hallway talking with Michael.
Johnny: Hey. I got your message. What's going on?
Michael: Thanks for stopping by. We have a lot to talk about.
Johnny: All right.
She stayed hidden for a moment longer until the door closed behind them.
Johnny: I heard about Abby's death. I'm sorry. She was a good person. If there's anything I can do for you, Please let me know.
Michael: There is. You can give me a job.
Johnny: You already have a job, Michael, at your father's warehouse.
Michael: I quit.
Johnny: Maybe you should reconsider.
Michael: Abby's the one who wanted me to have a legitimate job, to keep me safe. It's kind of ironic, isn't it, since she died?
Johnny: Abby's death was an accident.
Michael: Look, some freak is beating up Abby's friends. I want to stop them.
Johnny: I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but maybe you should let the police handle it.
Michael: The police? The police are sitting on their hands while he's targeting his next victim.
Johnny: There's nothing you can do.
Michael: With resources and organization behind me, I can get into places where cops can't go.
Johnny: What would your father say if you came to work for me? Or is that the point?
Michael: My father doesn't want me in his organization.
Johnny: So why join the competition?
Michael: It's time I stepped out from under his shadow.
Johnny: And what about Jason? He's had your back your whole life. You're just gonna spit in his face?
Michael: Jason's to worried about protecting me to let me live my own life.
Johnny: Sorry, am I missing something here?
Michael: You want the short story?
Johnny: Please.
Michael: Jax is alive. My mom and Jason knew it and didn't tell me or anybody else.
Johnny: I'm sorry. What does that have to do with coming to work for me?
Michael: My dad thinks I'm too weak and Jason still thinks I'm a kid. They won't give me what I need to stop this guy.
Johnny: So you called me.
Michael: Look, you made a pretty hard sell on me last time. You must have thought I had some kind of potential.
Johnny: Michael, I like you. I think you're smart. I think you're eager. You're willing to learn, but if I'm being honest, your true potential was leverage over your father.
Michael: Well, here's your chance to get it. What do you say?
Before Johnny could get a word out there was a knock at the door. Michael left where Johnny was standing to answer it.
"Kristina what...." Before he could speak another word, Kristina wrapped her arms around him. He started to lose all control of the pent up emotions since losing Abby. Tears began racing down his cheeks letting the tears seep into her shoulder. Johnny left the apartment, thankful for Kristina's presence in that moment. As the tears dried up and he pulled away from her grip,in a hiccuped tone asked "why are you here? How did you know?"
"Jason called me, said you needed someone to talk too." He nodded in understanding
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really" he moved to sit on the couch, while Kristina moved to the couch behind him. They spent that evening watching movies and eating takeout. While not speaking about their lives or Abby's Death. But he felt happier than he has for the past month.
