AUTHOR'S NOTE: IT WAS BECAUSE OF KIND WORDS I UPDATED AS QUICKLY AS I DID. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TUNING BACK IN. – KRISTINE.

RATING: PG

DISCLAIMER: NOPE!

"Hey Abby would you mind coming in here for a second?" Lulu called from the small room that she had converted into her office for the time being. It had been basically empty except for a few empty liquor cases when she first took over. Apparently her father preferred to work at the bar and didn't see a need for an actual desk, let alone a computer or even a fax machine. It ended up becoming just another thing that she hadn't expected t handle when she said yes to Tracy.

She hated to admit it, but Johnny was right about Abby being the solution to at least one of her several Haunted Star related problems. Not only was she knowledgeable about dealing, bartending, and bussing, but she was also far more responsible and reliable than Ethan. In the less than two weeks that she'd been running the Haunted Star for her father she'd seen Ethan a whopping three times. Of those three times he'd only actually showed up to work once. It was a relief not to have to relaunch this place all on her own. Suffice to say Abby had quickly become the closest Lulu had to a savior.

"Did you call me?" Abby asked as she poked her head in to the office.

Lulu nodded, "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure," she replied as she sat down in the chair across from her. "What's up? Is everything okay?"

"Oh yeah everything is better than great," Lulu assured her. "I actually just wanted to give you your paycheck for the week."

Abby's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Lulu you don't have to pay me for this. It's been nice having something to do with my day. A girl can only spend so much of their day worrying about Michael."

"Believe me it isn't much but you've got to let me give you something for helping me with this relaunch. Without you I don't think I would have been able to get this place back off the ground before my father got out of rehab."

Both Johnny and Michael hard warned her that in moments like this it was better to just let Lulu have her way because sooner or later she would wear you down so she sat up and accepted the check that Lulu was holding out to her. "I should be the one thanking you for this opportunity. Not many people would hire a former stripper with a questionable past."

Lulu couldn't help but think back to her conversation with Johnny and once again marvel at just how wrong she'd been about Abby. Later that night when she'd told Dante about her intentions to hire Abby he'd reacted even more harshly than she had and she'd been reminded of the way Johnny had accused her of letting him rub off on her too much. She almost read him the riot act about judging Abby much like Johnny had done with her, but instead decided to just change the subject.

"Are you okay?" Abby asked, nothing the conflicted look that was written all over her face.

"Yeah sorry about that I just sort of zoned out there for a second."

She briefly considered asking her if there was anything she wanted to talk about, but decided that even though they were developing a sort of friendship they weren't there yet so she just smiled and nodded.

"Since tomorrow is going to be such a long day with the relaunch I think you should go ahead home and get a good night's sleep. I'm going to be done here in the next half an hour anyway."

"Are you sure?" Abby asked uncertainly.

Lulu smiled brightly and nodded enthusiastically, "Like I said I won't be here too much longer."

Abby thought about saying that she would wait, but once again was reminded of their warning not to fight her on matters like this. So she reluctantly agreed.

"Tell Michael I said hi and I look forward to seeing him tomorrow." Lulu told her, making sure that her tone was not only friendly but also appreciative. She had a feeling that Abby was made from the same cloth as her and Carly meaning she usually put up more of a fight on matters like this.

- J - & - L -

Johnny was in the middle of looking over shipment logs, making sure that everything was in order, when he heard the familiar click of women's heels on hardwood floors. He looked up and strangely found himself expecting Claudia to walk in wearing a dress that was too tight with a complaint on the tip of her tongue. Instead he found Abby walking in, wearing a dress that while not matronly was definitely not something Claudia would have ever worn. "You're back early," he remarked as he glanced at the clock above his fireplace. In the two weeks that she'd been helping Lulu the earliest she'd returned from the Haunted Star was 9:00.

"Lulu sent me home early because of the relaunch tomorrow," Abby explained.

She knew that a lot of people thought Johnny was dangerous and unstable, and honestly she could understand why they would say that about him. He definitely was quick to lash out and didn't always think everything through, but she also thought that he was misunderstood and more than just a little lonely. When she first moved in she'd marveled at how one person could live in a house this big all by himself. She'd almost asked about family, but had luckily stopped herself because within the next couple of days Michael explained the sadness and drama that was Johnny Zacchara's family life.

"Thank you again for putting in the good word for me with Lulu. You really did me a favor by helping me land this job."

He smiled, "No thanks necessary Abby. I might have put in the good word for you, but you secured this job all on your own."

"Lulu makes it easy by being such a great boss."

"She really is one of a kind, isn't she?"

She didn't say anything. She just nodded. It was impossible not to notice the way his features softened when he said she was one of a kind. She couldn't help but wonder again how exactly Johnny and Lulu knew each other. Obviously at some point they dated, but whether or not they were serious about each other wasn't clear. Still it seemed that Johnny still carried a torch for Lulu.

"Well I think I'm going to go see if Michael wants to grab dinner. Do you want to come?" She offered even though she knew that he was going to say no, because he always did.

"No thanks," he told her sincerely. He picked up the shipment log he'd previously been looking at. He'd been staring at the log for over 20 minutes when finally he gave in. He was too distracted thinking about her to get anything done. He sighed as he dropped the log, stood up from his desk, and grabbed his keys before leaving so abruptly that he didn't even tell his usual guards where he was going.

- J - & - L -

She frowned when she heard the familiar sound of someone pulling out a bar stool. She dropped the order form she'd been looking at and made her way to the front of the house expecting to find Ethan helping himself to a bottle of scotch. She smiled when instead she found Johnny sitting there waiting with what she knew was Kelly's takeout. "Hey," she said as she sat down on the barstool beside him. "What's all this?"

"Dinner," he replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well I know its dinner, but-"

"Abby mentioned that you were going to leave early tonight and I knew that was a lie. I know for fact that Dante is doing surveillance tonight so I knew you were just telling her that so she wouldn't fight you." Johnny explained as he set down her meal in front of her. "Don't look at me so surprised. We used to eat like this all of the time."

"Well yeah we did, but-," she paused because she still wasn't comfortable really discussing their life together. Sometimes she felt like it was all just a dream or another life even though it wasn't that long ago that a simple text message from him could absolutely make her day. "Anyway I just well thank you." A moment later she added, "How did you know that Dante was doing surveillance tonight."

Johnny smirked and shot her a look, "Do you really want me to answer that?"

"No," she conceded. "I really don't think I do."

"I didn't think so."

"So I've been meaning to tell you that you were right about Abby."

"I know I was."

She rolled her eyes but decided to allow him a moment of smugness. "Are you coming to the relaunch tomorrow?"

"Do you want me to come?" He'd meant for his tone to be light and playful, but it came out more serious and emotional than it had been in a long time.

"Of course I want you to come."

"Well then I'll come."

"Good."

A silence that should have been awkward, but was actually rather comfortable fell over the couple as they both started eating. Both of them briefly considered discussing the moment that they had just shared, but wisely decided against it. They knew it would only complicate the friendship that they were trying to forge.

"I can't believe you remembered my favorite," she said before taking another large bite of the corned beef sandwich he'd brought her. Dante always either brought a salad or pasta which after a while grew tiring.

He smiled sheepishly and was happy that he'd been in the sun enough recently that his skin was tan enough that it wouldn't blush. There were too many facts about Lulu that he knew he'd never forget. Her favorite color, the soft sound of her snore, and her favorite songs to sing when she was in the shower were just a few.

"Are we ever going to talk about the reason you came to visit the other night?"

"I told you I just wanted to check in on you after I heard about Luke."

"While you actually are that nice, I know that there is something bothering you and sooner or later you'll be ready to tell me and I'll be willing to listen."

He reached out and squeezed her hand appreciatively before changing the subject to what he hoped would be a lighter topic. "So I couldn't help but notice that set up a piano in the corner."

"Yeah I did. It was in the back just gathering dust and I thought it would help liven the place up. We hired a struggling artist who doubles as a caterer to play tomorrow for the relaunch."

"You hired someone?" He asked his mock dismay.

"What? It isn't like you would have played for us tomorrow."

"We both know I would have loved to play for the relaunch."

She laughed and shook her head. "I can only imagine how guests would react when I said and playing piano for us tonight we've got Johnny Zacchara, the world's only crime boss who moonlights as an expert pianist."

"I bet it would help your turnout," he pointed out with a wry smile.

She couldn't even fight him on that one, "What's sad is you're probably right."

"Do you mind if I at least play it? I haven't had a chance to play in far too long."

"By all means," she replied as she walked around the bar to pour them each a drink. She gasped softly when she heard the familiar opening cords to the song he'd written for her. She grabbed their glasses and sat down on the bench beside him. She knew that if in that moment Dante walked in, he wouldn't have been pleased to see how close they were sitting or the far off look in her eyes, and if she really thought about it she really didn't care.

- J - & L -

AUTHOR'S NOTE: THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER JUST AS MUCH. I LOOK FORWARD TO READING WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE UPDATE. THANKS AGAIN! – KRISTINE.