Restored Together

9

Jackson came out of the week feeling on edge and anxious. He relapsed. Not once but twice. Not only that but it still shocked him that his sister was in the same town. He wanted so desperately to really make things right with her. Kristina's been an incredible support but he can't help but feel unworthy of it. After leaving the bar that night he saw Sasha, he did something he swore he would never do again. He hated to admit that part of him enjoyed backsliding and the other part of him knew he should get far away.

It was Fourth of July weekend, Kristina and Jackson were going to join her family at The Corinthos household to celebrate. When they arrived, they immediately spotted Sasha and Michael across the living room. Sasha turned away as she took a deep breath and tried to keep her cool.

"Jackson, right?" Carly snapped his attention away from his sister as she greeted the couple. "Carly Corinthos. Sonny's wife." She introduced extending her hand.

"Nice to meet you." He nodded, shaking her hand, "You two have a beautiful home."

"Thank you. Can you believe Sonny actually did most of the interior design?" She joked lightly.

"So, you two are officially together now?" Sonny asked his daughter as he approached the pair.

"We are." Kristina confirmed, taking her boyfriend's hand, "Please, dad, can you interrogate him some other time? We're supposed to be enjoying the night."

"As long as he makes you happy." Sonny told his daughter with a nod, glaring at her boyfriend.

"My intentions with your daughter are one hundred percent pure. I will do everything I can to make her happy and protect her." Jackson assured her father, hoping to ease the evil eye.

Jackson caught up with Sam as she was there with Jason and the kids. Just as they're about to go outside to get ready for fireworks, the front doors bust open. Revealing a furious and wasted Ava Jerome. "Sonny! Carly!" She hollered, stumbling into the living room. "Where's my daughter!? She should be with me, it's a holiday!" Ava scanned the room until her eyes fell on Avery, who was in Kristina's arms.

"Ava, you need to go." Carly stopped her from stepping any closer to Avery.

"YOU are NOT her MOTHER!" Ava yelled at the blonde, "I am. C'mon Averyyy, come to mamaaaa!" She slurred her words as she tried stepping forward but was stopped again by Carly.

"Ava, you're drunk and you need to get the hell out of here! You really want Avery to remember you like this!?" Sonny yelled at the woman who was the mother of his toddler daughter.

"Me?! How dare you worry about me when you all are practically criminals here! Including him!" Ava spat at them and pointed at Jackson who stood by Kristina with Avery. Jackson and Ava stared each other down for a moment, she returned his gaze with a devilish smirk. Kristina looked at her step-sister Joss, gesturing her to take Avery and the rest of the kids outside. Joss did so as Dev accompanied her.

"That's enough! Can we get a guard in to get her out of here!?" Carly shook her head, wondering how the hell she even got in here to begin with.

"I'm sorry." Kristina turned to comfort her boyfriend. "You didn't deserve that but hey- that's Ava for you. I told you she's bad news." She added as she wrapped her arms around him with a tight squeeze.

"It's fine. My record is just as public as hers." Jackson added with an uneasy feeling in his stomach. His cover was so close to being blown he wasn't sure how Ava didn't manage to spit out the direct truth in front of everyone.

After things settled down since the night was interrupted, everyone went out back to get ready to resume watching the fireworks. The night ended with cheers of joy as they watched the vibrant explosions in the night sky. Kristina leaned back into her boyfriend's arms and finally felt at peace for once. Like things were finally going how they're supposed to.

The next morning, Jackson woke up to the warmth of his girlfriend next to him. When he turned over to face her, she was already awake and staring at him.

"You sleep so peacefully." She greeted him with a good morning kiss. Little did she know that peaceful was the exact opposite of how he was feeling.

"I always sleep a little better when you're here." He replied with a sleepy smile as she met his lips for another kiss. Kristina followed up by crossing her legs over his lap, straddling his waist she began to place affectionate pecks along his bare skin. "Kristina..." Jackson uttered as she continued.

"Shh..." she told him as she continued to seduce her boyfriend. Just as their affection began to grow hot, Jackson's cell phone started ringing. Kristina groaned frustrated as she reached for his phone. As she went to press the ignore button she glanced at the caller ID.

"Why is Ava Jerome calling you?" Kristina asked him, now concerned with why her boyfriend had her half-sister's mother's contact in his phone.

"What?" He asked and she turned the phone to show him the caller ID. He panicked, not knowing what to say.

"Jackson." Kristina said annoyed, her attitude shifting as she got off of him and stood from the bed. "I swear if you're somehow sleeping with Ava Jerome of all people-"

"Kristina." He stopped her as he got up after her. "It's nothing like that!" He told her taking a deep breathe. "But I have been involved with Ava on business related terms." Jackson confessed to his girlfriend, figuring there was no point in keeping the truth from her now. He couldn't keep lying to her.

"Jackson." She shook her head disappointed. Her mind was racing, she didn't want to believe it but it started making sense the more she thought about it. "How long?" Kristina asked him, trying to make sense of everything.

"About a month ago. A little bit after we started seeing each other. It was just supposed to be a one time thing. But I haven't worked for her for a few weeks now and she keeps calling me." He confessed. She backed up as he stepped forward. All the feelings of betrayal, anger, and hurt rising all at once.

"I told you what that woman has put my family through, Jackson. How could you support her?!" Kristina asked him, her calmness beginning to fade.

"I don't! That's why I stopped. I realized I made a mistake." He tried to explain. "I'm sorry, Kristina."

"I can't be with someone who is going to lie to me." Kristina told him firmly. "This is what Ava meant last night at my dad's isn't it? When she called you out specifically?" Kristina asked him, connecting the dots. Jackson nodded as he saw the hurt in her eyes. "And you still didn't tell me."

"Let me make this up." Jackson pleaded as he tried to step closer to her. She back away again, bumping into his dresser.

"Jackson." Kristina spoke almost resentful. "You've kept this from me for the majority of our relationship. How am I supposed to trust you? You could've just told me." Kristina shook her head and crossed her arms as she tried to hold back tears.

"I'm sorry. I know, I should've told you sooner. I wanted to, I just kept talking myself out of it." Jackson told her, admitting he was wrong.

"I think we should take a break." Kristina told him as she mustered up the strength to speak. She looked into his eyes, making sure he knew she was serious.

"Kristina..." He uttered lightly as his heart ached, realizing he was about to lose her. She began to gather a few of her belongings from the room. He followed her out into the living room. "I want to fix this. Let me fix this."

"Maybe you're the one that needs fixing." She replied back as she caught one last look of him before walking out the front door.

—

A/N: I struggled so hard trying to write the reveal of Kristina finding out. I rewrote it a few times. Even though Jackson was backed into a corner and it wasn't fully his decision to tell her, I wanted him to be the one she found out from.