A/N – I really don't have much to say about this chapter other than hopefully after you read it, you hate me a little less. :) Let me know what you think!

Chapter 3 – The Secret Plan

Jason walked the halls of the hospital. He saw some rooms with patients alone and some with family pouring into the halls. He assumed that Lulu would be with Johnny, but he thought he would check just in case. He didn't want Johnny to be alone on a holiday, so he made the trip. He came to the window of his room and peered inside. It was obvious something bad had happened.

"What happened here?" Jason asked, stepping into the room.

"I couldn't lie to her anymore," Johnny shook his head. "Or at least not about going back to the business."

"Do you want to go back on our agreement?" Jason wondered.

"I want Lulu," Johnny sighed. "She's all I ever wanted."

"I know," Jason said quietly.

"I knew this would happen," Johnny muttered. "I knew I would lose her if I did this. Maybe if I tell her the whole truth..."

"You know you can't, Johnny," Jason replied. "It would put her in too much danger."

"How much do I have to give up in my life?" Johnny questioned.

"You're not giving her up," Jason responded. "Once it's over and you tell her the truth, she'll understand. She will forgive you. You know Lulu as well as anyone. You know I'm right."

"I thought I knew her," Johnny breathed. "You didn't see her eyes when I told her. She hated me. She accused me of lying to her throughout our entire relationship. I don't think she believes I love her anymore."

"She knows you love her," Jason offered. "If you want out of the deal, I would understand."

"I can't back out of the deal," Johnny said firmly. "It's the only way to make it all go away."

"Johnny," Jason warned. "What if it doesn't go away? Then you do lose her for good."

"I know," Johnny said softly. "What do you think?"

"I think we have a good plan," Jason answered. "You get complete control of your father's organization. Once you have every asset and have Anthony convinced you're on his side, you sell to me and you're out of the business completely."

"The only wild card is," Johnny observed. "What if my father doesn't tell me everything? What if he finds a way to come after me when I betray him?"

"Right," Jason replied. "So, what do you think?"

"I think that I want Lulu safe," Johnny responded. "Which probably means I have to let her go for good no matter what happens with our plan."

Jason watched as Johnny buried his face in his hands. This kid did not deserve the life he was born into. He had suffered through more than most and still, somehow turned out okay. He deserved to get to be with the woman he loved. Lulu deserved to get to be with him too. That's why he had developed this plan in the first place and approached Johnny with it. He wanted to help them be happy, safe and free together.

"I know how much you love Lulu," Jason started. "I know how much she loves you. It would just hurt both of you for you to be apart. Maybe you can just refuse to take over the business and go under my protection. Then you could be with Lulu and be safe."

"We would never be safe," Johnny yelled. He was right and Jason knew it.

"What do you want to do?" Jason asked.

"We go on with the plan," Johnny muttered.

"What about Lulu?" Jason wondered.

"I don't know yet," Johnny admitted. "I have to think about it."

"Maybe you can tell her the truth," Jason thought. "Maybe that is what's best."

"Maybe," Johnny agreed.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Jason offered.

"Thanks," Johnny smiled. "You too."

Jason picked up Johnny's room so none of the nurses would see he had been upset. He left the room silently and headed for the elevators. Johnny was in an impossible situation. One that Jason knew well. How do you give up the person you love for their own safety? And if you do it, can you live the rest of your life with that decision?

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Lucky walked into the kitchen and found Lulu sitting at the table with her head in her hands. He didn't know what had happened before she came to the house, but judging by her demeanor since she had been there, it wasn't good.

"Lu?" Lucky asked, touching her shoulder.

"Hey," Lulu said, giving him a fake smile and wiping her eyes. "Sorry, I'm not being very sociable."

"It's okay," Lucky replied. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Lulu lied.

"It's something," Lucky argued. "I thought you would spend the day with Johnny and since you're not and you're crying, I would say that something is that you two had a fight."

"I think we broke up," Lulu muttered.

"You think?" Lucky wondered.

"Well," Lulu sighed. "I walked out and told him I couldn't be with him. I think that's breaking up."

"Maybe I'm stupid," Lucky chuckled. "But I don't get it. You two have been together for months and you've been putting your life in danger just to be with him. Why would you break up now that he's free?"

"It doesn't make a lot of sense to me either," Lulu said with tears filling her eyes again.

"What am I missing, Lulu?" Lucky prodded.

"Johnny isn't free," Lulu whispered.

"Did his father threaten him from prison?" Lucky questioned.

"He didn't have to," Lulu answered. "That's the worst part. Johnny lied to me every time he said he wanted out of the business."

"He's staying in the mob?" Lucky asked and Lulu just nodded. "And you broke up with him because of it?"

"I didn't want to," Lulu mumbled. "I begged him to choose me instead, but he wouldn't. I didn't have a choice. I've seen what the mob does to people. I can't sit around and watch that happen to him. I love him too much."

"What did he say?" Lucky wondered.

"That he had to take over his father's business," Lulu replied.

"Why?" Lucky continued.

"I don't know," Lulu sighed. "It doesn't matter anyway."

"I think it does," Lucky commented.

"What do you mean?" Lulu asked.

"I never really got to know Johnny," Lucky started. "But this doesn't add up to me. I think there is something you don't know and until you do know, you shouldn't just give up on what you had with him. You love him and he loves you. That goes a long way."

"I can't believe this," Lulu laughed sarcastically. "You're telling me to give a member of the mob the benefit of the doubt. I never thought I would see the day."

"It is a little surprising," Lucky said, laughing as well. "But this whole experience with Johnny and Anthony has taught me a few things. The most important one being that I have to let you live your own life and trust and support whatever you decide. So that's what I'm going to do."

"Thanks, Lucky," Lulu smiled.

"You're welcome, Lu," Lucky replied.

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Johnny just sat in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He honestly had no idea what to do. He didn't know how to live his life without Lulu because without her, he had no purpose. Nothing to hope for. The only thing worse he could imagine was Lulu being killed because of him. That was something he couldn't survive.

If he told Lulu the truth about why he was staying in the business, she would stay with him. She loved him the same way he loved her. But he didn't know if he wanted her with him while he was in the business. He wanted her alive and safe and he couldn't guarantee that. He knew this was the most important decision he would ever make and that fact made the decision even more difficult.

When he thought about the decision he had to make, one thing stayed in his mind. Johnny had always been honest with Lulu before. They had made every decision about their relationship together and they had survived so far. Why would things be any different now? He needed to tell her the truth and let her decide what she could handle.

He already knew what he could handle and being without Lulu was not on the list.