There was silence as they looked at one another. John looked at Georgie, then at his hands as he said "I am sorry that I didn't tell you the truth from the beginning. Dammit, Georgie, do you think this is easy for me. I hate that you did this all alone. I hate that I let you down. That I let our son down."

Georgie didn't know what to say, she wanted to tell him that everything was going to be okay, but it wasn't going to be okay. There was an innocent boy who had lost time, time he should have had with his father, with his clearly outrageous family. But he had lost that because of one simple lie.

Looking at John who she could see was clearly upset but wondering the exact cause of WHY he was upset, she said "What is wrong with you. One minute you are accusing me, then you are apologizing. I just don't know what to say to you. You were the one who LEFT me. What was I supposed to say when you FINALLY told me the truth. Oh, by the way you have a son. Considering you knew we had unprotected sex the first time, maybe that is something that should have occurred to you sooner."

The silence returned, both unsure what to say, both wanting to tell the other that they wanted more, wanted a life but there were too many mistakes in the past, too large of a gap between their lives for this to be easy. Both knew that there was going to be shouting, Georgie more scared of the unknown than of the hurt.

John out of fear of what he knew he was going to learn. He knew deep down that his life was about to change, but some part of him, some part of him knew that it had already changed when he had lived in Italy, but that he had ran before getting the news.

Another part of him, the part that had decided to never love another person, was sinking into the abyss, he had a child, someone who he was already feeling love for, with the woman he had finally accepted he would never see again. It was why he had decided that the Spencer girl was perfect for his future, now that was shattered and standing in front of him was the one woman, the one woman who had the ability to break through his shell.

"John, I just... I just don't know what to say to you, where to start." she said quietly. "My life was plodding along rather nicely, I am now a lawyer, I have a... a son. A beautiful little boy I have had pretty much all to myself, now, you show up."

"Our son? Please can you just once say it, our son." he asked more than stated, needing to hear her say the words. Sticking his hands in his pockets, John looked around the cozy bedroom. His eyes went to the toys, the tidy little bed, then at the picture on the bed side table. Georgie and their son, at what looked like some playground.

"Georgie, we have to talk about him, about Antonio." he said his eyes avoiding hers. He was a father, but he had no idea, none about how to be a father. His time spent in this room already proved that. His own father had said that you just knew, that there was no set solution to handle every situation, there was no one to be there at every single moment but a child's parents.

That no one, no one was perfect as a parent. His eyes met Georgie's saw her indecision and some part of him, some part deep inside wanted her to tell him that he wasn't the father no matter how badly it would hurt. That he was wrong, because if he was right, that made him a cad, and a man who hadn't lived up to his responsibilities. His voice cracked as he harshly blurted out. "Please, just tell me the truth."

Georgie felt her hands trembling as she looked at him and then whispered "How? How do I do that?"

When the tears started, John went to comfort her, never seeing the eyes of the little boy who had come up the stairs to where his mother was. Looking at the man who was patting his mommy on the back, he glared and said "Who are you?"

Georgie froze, then wiped the tears away. "Come to mommy."

Glaring at John, Antonio was advancing and Georgie intervened not wanting his first meeting with his son to include John being bit twice. "Sweetie, this is John, a fr-friend of mine."

John's eyes narrowed as he looked between Georgie and the little boy who was clearly his son and then thought about how she had introduced him. "John, this is Antonio, my son."

"Hi." John found he couldn't find any other word to say as the little boy looked at him then said to his mommy. Some part of him was hurt that she didn't tell their son that he was his father, the other part could hear his father warning him that it might take time.

"Mommy, can I go play now?" When she nodded, John watched as the little boy looked at him, then rushed off.

Georgie had seen the similarity when her little boy had been held by John earlier, she had gasped, the startling resemblance between her son and his father. As she came to accept that there was no doubt the man in front of her was the man who she had fallen in love with, the man who had broken her heart.

To deal with him, she would have to put all that behind her. John was engaged to be married, he was now in love with another woman. A woman she couldn't stand, but she was going to have to work this out, because her son deserved to know his father.

His mind racing as he began to finally make plans, the plans he had known he would need but some part of him, the part that had felt numb for so long, now, he had a child, a little boy who needed him.

There were a thousand questions going through his head, questions that an hour before he would have never dreamed of asking. The phone rang and it was clear Georgie didn't want to answer but did. "Maxie, what is it?"

Walking down the stairs, John saw his son playing with toy cars in the living room. "Hi, can I play too?"

Seeing his son look him over, then hand him two of his very varied selection, John sat down and asked "Which are your favorites?"

When his son held up a toy version of a Bugatti Veyron, then a Ford pickup truck, he looked at the two in his hand, both were American muscle cars. As they quietly played, John looked at his boy, his son and felt his heart twist.

Within a few minutes, Antonio looked at the man and said "Where is my mommy?"

"Here, mommy is here." said Georgie as she wiped the tears she had falling as she watched her little boy play with his daddy. "Aunt Maxie is coming over to pick you up so that you can go play with Emma, how does that sound?"

"Okay." he said then went to grab his favorites then picked up the rest with John's help. When the petite blond knocked, Georgie thanked her and said she would explain later while John sat down on the sofa watching as the little boy happily greeted the blond then asked if he could play with her phone. Maxie just handed it to him then took his hand as she escorted him to her car..

The door closed when they heard the car pull away and Georgie looked at the man in front of her, she started to talk, but instead she grabbed her stomach and rushed off to the small bathroom to expel whatever was still in her stomach. "Georgie?"

John entered the tiny room, saw Georgie on her knees and knelt down next to her. "What is wrong?"

"Food poisoning." was all she said, not wanting to explain about Luke Spencer YET again. John lifted her when she was done and helped her walk up the stairs. Lying her down, John ran his hands through her hair then handed her the water bottle that was already sitting on the stand.

Taking out his phone, John quickly googled food poisoning, then said "We can talk later, just sleep, Georgie."

Wanting to argue but too sick to bother, Georgie was almost asleep when he asked if she wanted a cup of tea with some lemon. Nodding no, she wished she had the energy to tell him to leave, she was out of it when he stood and walked over to the window.

Making a few calls to get some food delivered, then sighing called back. "Send something a three year old would eat, too. Dad, my son hates me."

"He's three, John. How much damage could you have done in five minutes? Your sister said that the little boy was the one in control of your first meeting." said the older man on the phone. John looked at his neck in the reflection, then went to Georgie's bathroom looking in the mirror. Seeing the bite on his neck, he found himself laughing when he saw the tiny teeth marks.

"He bit me." he reported and the older man on the other end was reminded of John as a little boy and told him so, that he used to like to kick people. "Oh, he did that too."

Getting what happened, Anthony said "You're right, you are in over your head. John, remember stranger danger? You run million dollar business deals on a regular basis, yet you can't find a way to get close to your son, you can't find a way to tell one woman about the past. Do you even know the date your son was born? Have you even asked Georgie?"

Matt quietly let himself in the side door, wanting to check on Georgie after what Maxie had told him but not wanting to interrupt if she was in the middle of something with John. What he heard next, had him debating on what to do.

"I don't think I need to." he said grimacing but kind of proud of himself for figuring it out. "Unless I am wrong on something else, my guess November 27, a Monday at about noon. I think my phantom illness was connected. Remember, the day I ended up in the hospital with the stalker girl as my doctor."

Suddenly not so proud as John recalled sleeping with the woman out of relief that no, he didn't seem to be dying. He had been having sex while Georgie had... been giving birth. Feeling a bit sick, John felt his throat closing up as he told his dad he had to go.

Matt left, not sure what was going on, but knowing that his staying would only create yet another reason for them to not talk. Settling the bag of crackers and seven up on the counter, he left, heading to his father's knowing that they might be having to deal with the Spencers before long.

John meanwhile stood in the doorway of Georgie's bedroom, the woman inside fast asleep as he thought about the last four years. Backing out, he wandered the house, seeing Antonio's room, then the guest room. Knowing that her brother had been the main man in their son's life, made the sick feeling worse.

The study that was obviously full of all of Georgie's text books and her growing accumulation of law books. The photos on the wall of her family, the last row and a half containing pictures of her pregnant, she had looked so beautiful, of their son in a white dress being held by Morgan's wife and a blond man he didn't know.

With what looked like cake all over him, Georgie with her sister in front of her store. John reached out and touched the last one some part of his heart clenching when he saw the man holding Georgie around the waist as they smiled for the camera in formal clothes. "Who are you? Does she love you? Did you two sleep together?"

Jealous and not liking it, John tried to put it off as being concerned about their son, but he knew that it was really that Georgie had been telling the truth, she had moved on and he had been a rather unpleasant memory.

When he felt the lump on his throat, he put if off as the bite from Antonio and went to the kitchen and got some ice. Finding a ziploc bag, he held it against his neck then made the call some part of him had wanted to since he had seen Georgie again. "Tomorrow morning."

Now thinking on his own past for the last few years, his imagination ran riot with the idea of Georgie and knowing he had no right to feel like that, but still not able to deal with the idea of her doing with other men the things they had done together, John threw the ice at the sink, sat down and finally let the emotions overwhelm him.

His head was buried in his hand when he heard the knock on the backdoor, he let in the man who brought over the food, then opened the bag on the counter. Putting the groceries away and the food in the oven, John walked back to the living room, feeling caged as he knew he couldn't do the one thing he wanted until he had dealt with the Spencers.

"John, what are you still doing here?" asked Georgie as she came down the stairs two hours later.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked, his eyes not meeting hers, knowing that he had to correct his mistakes before this went any further."

"I am fine. I know better than to eat anything Luke cooks, I just wasn't thinking. You can head out now or we can talk." she said tersely. When he didn't get up to leave, she said "Fine, but don't say I didn't offer you a chance out of this."

"I was sick at the beginning of April, tired, but just put it down to missing you. Then I started throwing up not much later, missed my period so I went to the doctor, hoping against hope I was wrong." Georgie was back in Italy, that scared and heartbroken young woman.

"I found out I was pregnant two months after you left. I went to your job, wait, it wasn't your job, was it?" John saw the scathing expression on her face as she continued 'I drove over to your apartment. The landlord seemed about to tell me something but his wife stopped him. Your sister explained about your not being found was partly her fault."

"I came home, told my family about how I was about to become a single parent. They rallied around me, never once judging me, never once blaming me for what happened in spite of it being half my fault. I had a remarkably easy pregnancy, gave birth to my son and made a life for us. I won't apologize, I tried to find you." Georgie spit out like it was her grocery list, part of her wanted to tell him how alone she had felt, how terrified, but he didn't deserve to know her innermost thoughts and feelings, he had left her, not the other way around but he seemed to forget that.

"I am sorry, I just never thought that this was a possibility in spite of our not using a condom." he said holding out his hands then looked at her. "I know that I am mostly at fault for what happened. I just want to know, why did you introduce me as a friend, why not tell Antonio the truth?"

"Do you have any idea how much of a mess that could cause?" Screaming inside her head at him, she calmly said out loud "I didn't know what you wanted. John you are engaged to a girl that has been my sister and my biggest rival in school. Her mother hates us, because her father hit on our biological mother and it is never Luke's fault. Where and how do we go forward from here."

"Luna won't be a problem." he said firmly. Georgie's lips twitched at the name, Claudia had been right about that one. He truly couldn't get Lulu's name right. "I want to tell him, I want him to know I am his father."

Seeing red yet again and knowing she had to make her position clear, she retorted "Too bad this isn't about what you want, or what I want. John, he is three, he needs to be comfortable around you before we throw this at him. I know him better than you do, you need to let me take the lead."

"No." he said then took a step back as he noticed his anger rising irrationally. "I am sorry, let me explain. Georgie, the press, when they find out, this is going to create a furor. We can't hide this."

"I don't want to, I just want to give our son a chance..." Georgie then sat down, she found herself thinking about what she had said, our son, their son, John's son, her son. He was all those things. "John what do you see happening here? What do you think is going to happen? That us and you along with Lulu Spencer are going to have some sort of happy blended family? Seriously have you even thought that far in advance?"

"I don't understand what you mean." he said to her even as his mind knew exactly where this was going. Marriage, a family, a future with Georgie but first he had to get rid of the mess with the Spencer family. "To me its fairly simple. We are his parents, we work together as a unit."

"When, where are you planning on announcing this. There is going to be fallout, I don't want Antonio exposed to it." she said helplessly. "We then have to set up visiting days, when you want to be with him. Set up rules of what we are both comfortable with the other doing as parents."

"The when is immediately after I leave here." he said then continued ignoring the later stuff, for him it was simple. They were parents of a child together that meant they got married and created a family. "I think that for now, you might need to head out to Crimson Point when the news get out, just for now."

John wanted to press his plans but he could see that Georgie would resist, after all she had no idea, none that he didn't plan on losing her nor their son. "Georgie, I have to deal with the Spencer, to end this disaster with them."

"I am going to go and get Antonio, you do with what you have to do, then there are a few people I have to see if we are going to be gone for a while. A couple of dates to cancel before we leave." she said then stood, glad that they were on the same page when it came to their son. They would co-parent, they would be able to work past their mistakes.

John stopped her his mind going to her having a lover, a man she had to see, then asked the one question he shouldn't have. "The men, the men who have been in your life, what does our son know about them. I mean, have they spent the night with our son here. Whoever he is, he CAN'T COME to Crimson Point, I don't share what belongs to me."

"Excuse me?" she asked her stillness should have been a warning to him that he was screwing up but all John saw was green at the idea of Georgie loving someone else. "Would you please explain EXACTLY what you are trying to hint around about."

"Men, I don't think it is a good idea for you to have other men around our son now that I am here." he said. "It's not really appropriate anyhow, now that you are a mother. I would think that you wouldn't have the time, but from now on, other men, they no longer are an option."

Georgie looked at him, then gave a short laugh. "John, how many women have been in your life since Italy, ball park figure?"

"Why?" he asked.

"Just answer the question." Rubbing the back of his neck he said "About eight. None of them more than a couple of times."

"You are a complete and total jackass. You have been since you showed up here in Port Charles. If I want to date the entire list of eligible men in Port Charles it is none of your damn business. You left me, remember? You were the one playing games, who was thoughtless. I am the one who was a single parent, the one holding our son when he was sick, when he teethed, when he took his first step, when..." Georgie's hands were shaking as hundred of thoughts came to her mind.

"Where were you? Where were you when I gave birth?"

Sickened at what his own mind had pointed out earlier, John looked down, "No answer, yeah sounds about right for you. John, we are simply too different. This is about our son, not you, not me. And as for the men in my life, you have no right, none to even ask. Especially not while you are engaged to another woman. How about this, have you had sex with Lulu?"

"Uh, once." he stated thinking on the night he had agreed to marry her and the quickie sex afterwords. He saw the look on Georgie's face and said "I just hate this, I hate that we lost so much, that we could have had something wonderful but instead we are reduced to clawing and fighting for whatever we end up with."

Georgie looked at him with not one ounce of sympathy as she asked "Whose fault is that? Excuse me, I have to go and pick up my son. I would prefer if you weren't here when we got back. John, we are co parents, nothing more. The moment I woke up alone after giving birth was the moment I put the idea, the ideal of you away. You need to accept that because there is no going back."

Georgie returned home and after putting her son to bed, found herself admitting out loud that she was still attracted to the rat bastard, that her body still wanted the man who had broken her heart.

John made the call to Lulu, asking her to meet him at the Haunted Star tonight instead of the next day before calling her family. When they arrived, John looked around the room. From the clearly enigmatic expression on Luke's face to the clearly excited face of Laura Spencer. Then there was Lucky, the screw up and the half brother who looked around, getting the feeling he was missing something.

When Lulu joined them, he saw the slight frown and smirked before turning around. "Our deal is over. I have made a small deposit into your account Lulu, for all the trouble you have gone to but clearly this marriage was a bad idea."

Lulu took a deep breath, planning on telling everyone the truth when her father stood and with a now flushed face said "You can't do that, we have a deal. Without my license, you have no chance of..."

"He had no chance anyhow, does he?" asked Mac Scorpio as he came into the room. Looking at John, he said "I gather you learned about the city council revoked their license."

John looked at Spencer senior as the entire family squawked at one another then attacked the police officer. "No, I wasn't aware of that. I was ending my engagement because I no longer wish to marry Lulu. Not that I ever really wanted to marry her in the first place, I just decided she would do."

"Good, because I never wanted to marry you either." retorted the blond. "I am already married and my family pushed me into this. You and your attitudes about women are the last man I would ever want to marry."

There was shock as the Spencers looked at her. Lulu flushed and said "When I came to New York, I had just ended my relationship with a man I knew in Texas. It was why I let you talk me into marrying him. But I don't LOVE HIM, HE does nothing for me. I want my life back, my life in Texas. I came because you were in trouble, yet again. It was why I fled in the first place, you get in trouble and then take the easiest way out, no matter who it hurts."

"W-wow." John looked at her then pulled her out of the room, needing to find out what was going on. "Start talking. Why didn't you tell me this from the beginning. We could have put an end to your family's manipulations."

Lulu started to cry and said "I love him but my family is going to hate him. When we ended because I was too scared to tell them the truth, I thought why not. You are rich, you're nice looking, but then you just used me, like a whore. You just walked away, got rid of the condom and told me I could go. But like Mom said, you were rich, very very rich so I thought I could deal with it for now."

Not denying his less then gentlemanly treatment of her, instead he admitted to her what had been going on. "I am in love with another woman. I thought I had lost her and decided that marrying you would work. I would gain the license, a couple of kids, then I would pay you off."

Lulu shuddered then said "I don't want kids, I never did. I lied when I said I did. They ruin your figure and you have to stay in one place, I want more than that out of my life. Still, what happened, it was so cold, so mechanical. I didn't enjoy it. I felt like you could have been there with anyone." Lulu didn't know how to say what she was thinking about the day they had had sex. "I felt like you were using me."

"I was, for the last few years, sex was a release, nothing more." he said bluntly. When she looked up, her eyes snapping with anger, he said "Hey, you were marrying me for my money. To me, it was sex."

Lulu glared then said "I am out of here. Take your money and shove it. You made me feel like a whore. A gold digger, and you have done so repeatedly even without ever having sex again."

John started to say she was one, but just let it go and went to deal with the family he had almost married into. "Lulu left, we are done. Laura, I took care of all the outstanding bills, don't try padding anything."

Standing, she looked at Luke, then around at the vibrant reds and golds of the casino, then at her husband. She couldn't believe this was happening, they were about to lose everything and Lulu, Lulu had married some unknown man and had walked away from her family from a rich husband for what? "We are going to sue you for breach of promise."

"Good luck with that." he scoffed. "I have two of the best attorneys in the country and you tried to lie to me. Spencer, I have no intention of bailing you out."

Mac walked with the younger man out the door then looked back into the room. Hiding his smile as they walked down the gangplank to where Lulu was in the arms of a blond man. He didn't like the younger girl but knew that who she was was the result of her family. "Lulu, it might be a good idea to head out of town."

"We have tickets on the midnight bus." said Logan who then nodded at the man who he had a sudden urge to slug for the way he had treated his wife. "John, Lulu didn't mean to put you in the middle of our mess. When she came back to Texas, we got married, I wouldn't have let this go too much further, but you hurt her, emotionally."

"Get on your bus." was all he said before getting behind the wheel of his car, Watching as they left, he shook his head then waited. When Lucky came off the boat, he watched as the younger man went to the strip club and took home one of the girls.

Turns out that Coleman was right, Lucky Spencer was actually living with a stripper. His other son Ethan was more than likely fleeing town. He owed the local loan sharks, John debated what to do with Spencer and his wife, knowing that if anyone was going to create problems for Georgie and him it was going to be those two.

Driving back to Georgie's, he was going to just check on them and leave but looking in the window, he saw that the living room was clear of toys and knew that more than likely meant Antonio was in bed. Seeing that it was almost ten, he was about to leave the porch when he heard the door open. "What do you want?"

Wanting to tell her her, but knowing not to, he simply said "I was just checking to see if you two made it home okay. Did you find the dinner?"

"Yes." she replied crossing her arms in a defensive posture as she looked him over. "You can go now."

"I uh, my dad is curious about meeting Antonio, more like only being held back from coming here by Claudia." he stated. "He might show up, you should know."

"I will deal with it when it happens." she replied. "John, can you give me a couple of weeks to deal with this, to help Antonio deal with this, before it ends up being public knowledge."

"Georgie, I have no control over the press, over the Spencer family." he said then saw her expression didn't change so he left, driving home, needing to figure out what to do with the half built casino and more importantly how to fix the chasm that was between Georgie and him. At the house, he just left his car in the circular drive as he went to find his family.

Claudia laughed when she saw his bit mark, the ripped off the band aid. "Sharp little teeth that one has."

Nodding ruefully John said "He is pretty strong as well. You were lucky he wasn't kicking you and pulling your hair."

"Tell me about your son and his mother." said the man entering the room with a photo album. It was late into the night as John finally found the strength to tell his small but growing family about how he had felt when he had fled home. About arriving in Italy about meeting Georgie just before Halloween, about falling in love. "I knew I was a mess, but it happened anyhow."

"Love tends to be like that. It rarely happens on our schedule." he told his son. Looking at his daughter he said "Why the cloak and dagger regarding the apartments?"

Flushing she said "When I was in England, I met a man, turns out later he was a spy for the Jacks Corporation. I started telling our staff to erase our presence after dealing with Mr. Craig. I was shocked the day I saw him talking to Jasper Jacks. When Jacks industries got the land we wanted, I realized that his spy had gotten all our numbers the night before when I had slept with the man."

"That's strange, Jax is normally pretty above board." said John a bit shocked to find out a business acquaintance had been so underhanded. "As for the Spencers, how do we handle them?"

"I say we let them fail on their own. The annoying blond did leave town with her young medic, big brother is not a threat and Ethan, my guess is he goes looking for his mama." replied Claudia. "Just think no more trying reminding you her name was Lulu."

"Georgie wants me to give her time, I agreed but everything inside of me is saying that that is the wrong thing to do." John confessed. "How do I fix this? I screwed up, badly. Then I keep making things worse. What if she is in love with someone else. There is a picture of a blond man, holding our son on father's day. I HATE that, I hate that another man is in their lives."

"John you might have to accept that for at least a while." Anthony told his son. "You are going to have to win her heart back, but you are also going to have to face that maybe she is in love with this man you are talking about, and if she is, you need to accept that."

Standing, walking to the window, looking out at his mother's rose garden, he pressed his forehead against the cool glass and said "I know that, but I think it will kill me. Dad, I kept going back to Verona looking for her. Georgie talked at the time about staying in Italy after she graduated, I had no idea, none that she was fifteen miles away from here, raising our son. Moving on without me."

"John, you were moving on too. You were marrying Lulu Spencer." pointed out his father a bit annoyed at the way his son was reacting as if Georgie betrayed him by not waiting for him.

"I know, but to me it wasn't the same thing. I didn't care one iota about Lulu, it was simply a good business decision. For someone like Georgie, who sees the world through her emotions, she believes I love Lulu. I don't, I don't even like her, have no respect for her. Yet, I can't tell Georgie the truth, she will be upset." John turned and saw that Claudia had fallen asleep.

Waking her, he walked his sister up to bed, then went to the room he kept on the estate. Inside, he opened his safe and pulled out the well worn jewelers box and popped it open. Inside was a bracelet, exquisitely carved etchings with minor stones in it. Wondering what happened to the cheap imitation that he had felt was the only thing that his alter ego could afford, John had an idea of how to prove Georgie that he was not leaving.

A few days later, Georgie heard the shouts and glass breaking in the lobby of the hotel as she went to see her sister. "What is going on there?"

"Luke came to see Carly, asked for a loan. She refused and my guess is what you are hearing is either Lucky or Laura coming to let her know that they don't appreciate her not letting them use her as a bank." said a smirking Maxie as she fingered the flowers in front of her.

"John knows about the addendum to the law, my guess is that he ended things." she said frowning as she looked at her sister's preoccupation with the very beautiful flowers in front of her. "Maxie, is there something you want to share? Maybe about the flowers you seem so enamored of."

Her head coming away from where she was sniffing the very lovely large pink peonies, Maxie tried to laugh it off, then said "No, there is nothing to share. The flowers where a thanks from Jax for finding yet another designer original for his current high maintenance mistress."

"Didn't he send you flowers a couple weeks ago?" she asked suspiciously. "Is there something going on with the two of you?"

"Jax, no, come on, Georgie. You know that there is a huge age gap between us. Jax just send them, flirts because he knows that it makes me feel better about things." she pointed out. Both sisters knew that Maxie's love life when she moved back to Port Charles from New York City was non existent. She found it hard to trust after what had happened with Kyle.

"Are you sure?" she asked, a bit worried that Maxie might develop feelings for the handsome and dashing older blond. "I worry about you sometimes."

"Yes, I am sure. Georgie, at some point, there will be a man I find I can trust, but it is still hard even though it was almost seven years ago." she said then added. "I thought I had dealt with it, but then there was Lucky Spencer and his stupid idea that we should date."

"I am glad you saw through him." said Georgie. "Okay, I will let the Jax thing go, as long as you agree to go out on a date. One date and I pick the guy."

"Not Dante." said the blond insistently. When she saw Georgie's expression, Maxie said "It is just too weird. I uh, we went out on a date, when I first moved to New York. We ran into his ex-girlfriend and Dillon's niece Brooklynn. It was too odd that he was already connected."

"Maxie he says he never saw the video, I believe him." she said gently. "You have to at some point accept that Dante is a nice guy. An honest guy. Or do you intend to be like that woman who edits your favorite magazine. Didn't she wait for relationships, then end up with a man who was in love with her cousin. I thought you told me that he stood her up on her wedding day in front of five hundred guests."

"I get what you are saying, but I assure you, I am no Kate Howard. And if that ever happened to me, first I would have Alexis and you sue the bastard then I would get a gun and shoot the man right where it would hurt the worst."

"And I wonder where my son gets his violent tendencies from." said Georgie laughing. "John's sister stopped over last night.. He isn't happy about it, but is giving me my week without him around. I have been mentioning him to Antonio. It's hard, I hate that I have to share him, how is that for sick and sad."

"You have been a single parent all this time, so yeah, I could get why it would bother you. How about his dad, I know you were wondering if he would come over." asked Maxie as she set up her newest mannikin. Growling when the outfit didn't look right, she said "I wish that Elizabeth had some time to stop over. This needs some serious work."

Claudia who had seen Georgie entering the shop, had been waiting for almost an hour while watching the Spencer sense of self involvement show with her old classmate Skye Chandler Quartermaine finally entered the shop in time to hear the other woman's comment. "Your right, what did you do to that outfit?"

"Maxie, this is Claudia, John's sister. Claudia this is my sister, Maxie." she stated then asked if she had enjoyed the show. Grinning the Italian woman walked over, moved the draping on the dress, then thought about how Carly Alcazar had tossed her aunt by marriage out of the hotel.

"Yes, I did. I do have to ask, is it true that Carly's uncle told her mother that she died, then gave her up for adoption?" she said tsk tsking as she finally stepped back then told the owner of the shop. "The dress needs a hat, and some shoes, red ones would work."

"Yes, Bobbie found out the truth a few years ago. They both forgave Luke, but every time they turn around, the man commits ever worse sins." said Maxie while Georgie stayed out of it. She had read in the newspaper the small article about the wedding of the year being canceled then had heard from Alexis and Diane's gossiping that Laura was once again low on the ladder at the country club. That the manager had publicly reminded her that she had to still pay her monthly dues.

"There, it's done." said Claudia who then added. "I am taking your sister with me."

Before she could protest, Georgie found herself in the dining room and with a large glass of sweet iced tea. "Okay, so, how is my nephew, bit anyone lately?"

"No, and he is great. I am taking him to buy his first bike next week now that he has outgrown his tricycle so he is on his best behavior right now." she answered. "Why am I here?"

"That is a question between you and your god." she answered with a smirk. Then added. "In truth, I am waiting for your mother, or stepmother, whatever she is to call me about someone I am investigating. I want to make sure I am not breaking any laws before I make his life miserable."

"Stepmother." said Georgie with a laugh. "My biological mother just left and never returned. Dad and Alexis got married when I was about my son's age. She is the only Mom I have ever known."

"Then why do you call her by her first name?" asked the other woman. "It's a bit strange."

"The day I went to the station on my first case, I had to be professional. I was only a paralegal at the time and still hadn't passed the bar. Alexis was the DA. My boss, Diane insisted on me calling them by their more formal names or by their first names. She said it wouldn't inspire my clients with confidence if I was calling the police commissioner dad and the DA Mom."

"I can understand that." she said now laughing. "So, why a lawyer? Was it a case of monkey see, monkey do?"

"No, Diane and Mom have been friends for year and she came into my school for a debate when I was in the eighth grade. I managed to beat her in arguments, it gave me the bug and then Diane offered to let me work for her, since I couldn't for my mom." Georgie laughed then said "My first day working, Jason Morgan was arguing with his grandfather about something. Neither would back down and I just wanted to go home, Diane wasn't back from court yet. Anyhow, I was fourteen at the time and I actually got them to compromise."

"Really, that must have taken some doing, they are notorious for being on opposite spectrum of must things. What were they arguing about?"

"Since it isn't covered by attorney client privilege, I guess I can tell you." she said with a smirk. "Jason wanted no bachelor party and Edward was insisting that they were necessary. I talked them into a dinner at the hotel and no strippers."

"How did you do that?" she asked seeing the wide grin and knowing it had to be good.

"See, his brother AJ used to be engaged to Carly, they had a son together. The night before the wedding, they had the party at a strip club. AJ woke up in Vegas, married to a transvestite stripper named Courtney. All it took was mentioning that and plans were quickly quashed."

"Ouch, did you have to remind me." drawled out Carly as she walked over to the table. "Georgie, Mama says you haven't been around much."

"I have been very busy, Carly. Besides, Luke was in the kitchen again." she told the blond who shuddered. "Food poisoning is not exactly a great time."

"I am sorry about that. Was Antonio affected?" she asked sitting down with them and waving a waiter over. "A cold Coke with a cheeseburger and a large order of fries. When Michael arrives you better make that two."

Claudia asked about Lulu only to be told that she had called from Texas and apologized for some bad behavior while in town, then had asked Bobbie to send her her things, that her mother was trying to hold them hostage to get her to return and marry John. "Why is she so determined, I mean, it has to be more than the money."

"It is, Laura lost a lot of clout when she married Luke, her ex-husband was a young lawyer with a rich and well established law firm. It's like she suddenly realized the downward slide she was on. I love my momma, but she is blind to her brother, she always has been." said Carly. "It's funny, Monica and her were all over this gold digger AJ was seeing, yet, they think it is perfectly fine that Laura wanted to sell her daughter to the highest bidder."

"She didn't always used to be that way." said Georgie with a slight sigh. "A few years ago, something happened at my dad's house. It was while I was pregnant. I came home and we found her in the attic, wearing her old wedding dress and sitting in an antique rocker singing lullabies."

"Georgie, I know that you don't like Lulu but right now, she needs her friends." Carly hesitated to ask but knew that otherwise Lulu was going to cave in to her mother's demands.

"Carly, don't go there. First she set me up to look like I was cheating on Dillon, then slept with him when I insisted on us waiting. Then just because she wanted that stupid tin foil crown, she bribed Kyle with sex for him to seduce my sister on the Internet. Dislike doesn't begin to cover it." she said icily.

"She was sorry, she still regrets how far she went to make her mom happy." said Carly. "You have no idea how lucky you are with your parents."

"Carly, tell your sister that John has no intention of marrying her. He was the one who ended things, she has nothing to worry about. Hell, he was only marrying her for the license in the first place, no matter what Laura tries to say." stated Claudia who saw how uncomfortable Georgie was and added "We have to go, tell Skye I said I will call her later."

Watching them leaving, Carly couldn't help wondering about that friendship and made a call. "Hey, what do you know about Claudia Zachara being friends with Georgie Jones?"

Skye hesitated then said "I am sure it is because the law firm is working with them."

Carly doubted it, but let it go. Maybe Claudia was trying to replace Lulu with Georgie and she was all for that if it protect Lulu. Her cousin had done enough for her family. Then standing, she thought about it, about what Lulu said regarding sex with John and debated giving Georgie a heads up.

"How is my wife today?" Turning at the sound of her husband, the blond forgot all about Georgie Jones and her intentions as she dragged her husband up to one of the hotel room and spent the day in bed.

John meanwhile was almost finished settling his plan in motion. Looking around, he went to his father's estate then went to the safe. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, your mother would have been so happy." he replied as he handed John the engagement ring and it's leather case. "Good luck."

"It will be fine, we already discussed this." he replied as he left to drive over to see his future wife and son.

Georgie had finally gotten a few things done as she sat on her sofa, reading the extra copy of Diane's brief regarding Morgan enterprises plans to build a new building down by the old historic district. Hearing the sound of her doorbell, she wasn't happy when she saw John standing outside.

"What happened to giving me time?" she asked frowning when he just walked past her and into the living room.

"You had four days." he said then handed her the box. "Here, you are going to need this."

Opening it up, Georgie felt her mouth gaping as she saw the brilliant stone. Closing it, she tossed it back to him and said "No, no I don't need that. No human being on this earth, needs that."

Blinking a bit, he said "It's an engagement ring, this way the press will leave you alone when they read that we are getting married. It should be in the paper in two days."

"Wait, what are you talking about? How on earth could it be in the paper when I never agreed to marry you? When I never agreed to even be in the same house with you, let alone... John how did we go from me staying at Crimson Point with our son to this?." She was steaming as she looked at John. "We never, ever discussed getting married. We can barely be in the same room together without arguing."

"I thought about that and came up with an answer." he said smiling at her. "We are both just sexually frustrated. Once the investigator I hired said you hadn't been involved with anyone in years, I knew that this was the best way of solving all of our problems."

Crossing her arms to keep from pounding him with her tightly clasped fists, Georgie gritted her teeth and said "Solve my problems? I only have one problem and that is you. What is it going to take for you to wake up and get that I don't want to marry you, that I wish you were still in Italy."

"See, that is where you are wrong. You want me, I want you." he said as his eyes traveled down her body where her nipples reacted to his heated assessment proving her a liar when she growled and denied wanting him. "Before we go any further, is Antonio asleep?"

"John its almost ten, of course he is asleep in bed." she stated as if he was asking a stupid question. Maybe he was, he would soon get the hang of this. "John, you need to leave. You come here, mere days after ending your wedding to Lulu, making plans for us without even asking me what I want or if I think it is best for our son. Why on earth would you possibly think this is acceptable behavior."

"Simply put, I was not in love with Lulu, it was strictly a business arrangement. You, on the other hand are the woman I have never stopped thinking about, the woman who is the mother of my son and hopefully any future children we have, plus there is the very simple matter that I find you extremely attractive, I always have."

"Well, jolly gee, lawks a mighty and yippee kai yeah. Seriously are you for real?" she asked staring at him in disbelief. "I mean, John. I haven't seen you in years, you show up here, repeatedly create these scenarios in your head that have nothing to do with reality and expect me to fall in with your plans just because you say so. Well STOP, BACK UP AND WE WILL TAKE THIS ONE STEP AT A TIME."

"Georgie, there is no time for this, do you really want to deal with the full court press that is about to happen. Then there is the Spencer family. Laura Spencer is not going away and I know that she will be a threat to you and to my son. If you won't agree to at least wear the ring, then we need to head out of town for a couple of weeks."

"Weeks?" she asked weakly. She had talked to Alexis and Diane and both had agreed with the assessment but no one, but no one had said anything about weeks. She didn't know that she could handle weeks. She had spent a lot of the time they were together, angry with him, but some part of her, deep down was reminding her of how spectacular they were together.

"Weeks." he said recalling their first four months together, the very heated give and take, the very, very close calls long before they had finally given in to their attraction. He had planned this perfectly but had wanted her wearing his ring, but he would settle for just the three of them, away from everyone. Getting to know one another again and in the case of his son, spending time together, hopefully without biting being involved.

"I don't think this is such a good idea." she said weakly as he moved over to where she was standing. "John, stop invading my personal space."

Moving back inches, he asked "Is that better?"

"You know it isn't." she said, annoyed at how breathless she sounded. "Wait, what about your company, how can you be gone so long."

"Claudia can handle anything that comes up regarding business." he said his eyes boring into hers. "Any other barriers you want to attempt to put up."

"John, what about our son. He needs time." she said then groaned when he pointed out this would give them time to get to know one another. "Besides, how do we know that where you are planning on us being is age appropriate?"

"Because I got a recommendation from Jason." he said then asked. "I do have a few questions. Is there anything he doesn't like to eat or anything that makes him sick?"

"No, he is a pretty good eater, carrot sticks are always a good idea, though. He is at the stage where he feeds himself and it gets a little messy." she said. "And we need to talk about a few things. I don't want him spoiled rotten. I already have trouble reining in my family, so please if you want to buy him things, make it simple. One car, not a whole store full. One book, not the New York City library."

"Okay, I get that." he said wincing as he thought about the room he had had done up at his father's house and the one at what he hoped would be their place soon. Maybe he would have Claudia donate a few of the toys to a local hospital. "My sister mentioned something about a bike, how about I purchase that."

"I promised him he could pick it out." she warned. John just nodded, like most males he understood that, after all he wouldn't want anyone else picking out his 'wheels' for him. "We were planning on going next week."

"Since we will be gone by then, how about a quick stop in the city, we might find a better selection." he said. "We should pick up a couple of bikes so we can ride with him."

"I already have one." she said her mind recalling a bike ride in Verona that had ended with them hiding in barn to get out of the rain. How she had had her first orgasm caused by another person that day and how she had felt about him.

"Good, then we can just get them for our trip." he said then added. "Georgie, I know that I am doing this all wrong, but please cut me some slack. All of this, is new for me."

"I get that, I do. I can recall when Elizabeth Morgan came into the room when I woke up, she handed our son to me and I laid him down on my legs. I vowed then and there that I would do whatever it took to give him a happy and long life." she said her mind returning to that wonderful moment. "I already knew how much I loved him, but at that moment, at that moment, I knew... I knew that I would die for him."

John wanted to pull her into his arms, but resisted as he said "I wish I had been there. That my first time alone with our son hadn't been with him being determined to get me to leave."

Georgie saw the bleak expression on his face, leaning over, she clasped his hands with her and said "John, we can do nothing about the past. We can only move on. I forgave you for not being there then, but now, all of this being dredged up, made me forget that. Where we go from here, is up to us. But it can't be you making plans and then informing me about them later. I am not that sweet naive nineteen year old who thought you hung the moon."

John couldn't resist pulling her into his arms, then resting his head on top of hers as he said "I know that, but Georgie, she was a wonderful, loving young woman."

Looking at his hands, then at the ring box he had left on the table, Georgie said "We have both changed, Johnny. We need to spend some time getting to know one another. You are right, I am still attracted to you, but the simple fact is, I don't know you. Not this you."

John edged back, looking into her eyes then leaned down to press a gentle kiss on her lips. Letting go, he said "I will try to stop being so overbearing. I am just scared Georgie. When my mom died, my dad lost it, I lost it. Then you came into my life, and I fell in love. I left to go home believing that I was responsible for my mothers death."

Explaining he said after a few moments of silence. "When I finally got my head on straight, I went back to Italy. I came looking for you, but I didn't intend to stay away so long. You had left, I only had a few words to go on. You and I never talked about where we were from. Just in vague terms."

"I know, I thought about that later. I thought it was because you didn't really love me." she said softly.

With a snort, he said "Yeah, right. You never mentioned the town where you were from. I knew that you had a mom, a dad two sisters and a brother who showed up a few years before. We talked about them in general terms, both of us did it." he stated. "I kept going back to Italy. Your school wouldn't tell me a thing, I even donated money to their new library, thinking that might get me some information. It didn't."

"You tried to bribe them?" she asked suddenly laughing. "John-"

When his phone suddenly rang, he held it up so she could see that it was Jason Morgan. "What's up?"

"Spencer, he is going to blow a gasket. That daughter of his, she married Scott Baldwin's son." replied Jason who then added that the man had shown up at the hotel with a gun. "I wouldn't bother you, but I thought he might show up at your family's house. He is not the most rational man on the planet."

Hanging up, he asked Georgie. "Do you know why Luke Spencer would be upset about Luna marrying the son of Scott Baldwin?"

Georgie looked at him to see if he was serious, then laughed. "Okay, sit down. Scott was Laura's first husband. Luke raped Laura at the disco where they both worked. I don't know the back story but anyhow, as sick as it is. Laura fell in love with Luke, divorced Scott and married her rapist."

"How is it that you know this, clearly Morgan does and yet there is nothing official about it." he asked.

"Laura never pressed charges. Bobbie Spencer Jones used to be married to my Uncle Tony." she explained. "A few years ago, it came out that Luke used to be a gigolo, the woman he was involved with when he attacked Laura came to town and told their son Lucky. It was ugly, really, really ugly."

Georgie added "As for Scott, somehow, he became the bad guy in all of this. Luke resents his very existence. Laura still talks to him. Lulu marrying Scott's son, will set her father off, big time. I get now why she kept it a secret. My guess, Lulu finds herself disowned."

"I am not sure that is not a good thing." he replied even as he decided to have a few of his security people come over, not that it was an ideal situation but he was worried. "I had better head home. Can you be ready in the morning?"

"You better make it about noon. Antonio can be a handful to travel with. This way he will sleep through the drive." she suggested.

Not wanting her in town, just in case Spencer should hear the rumors, John thought about it then he said "I have a better idea. If we pick up whatever we need along the way, can you get things ready tonight."

"John, do you have any idea how much is needed when Antonio travels?" she asked shocked. "There are the clothes, the toys, the portable potty since he is scared of the big ones. We need a place for him to sleep, snacks. Plus there is what I need."

"Georgie, look, Luke Spencer is angry with me, and if he goes off, I don't want you or our son getting hurt because of my bad judgment regarding doing business with him." he replied. "Something just feels wrong, please, for me?"

"Fine, but I am sleeping while you drive." she warned as she dragged him up the stairs to their son's room. John sent a few text messages, then made one call while Georgie went to the hall closet took out a suitcase then set it on her bed before returning to the bedroom down the hall. Seeing John standing there watching with eyes that showed clearly his emotions, she reached out and took his hand.

"Stay here, with him. I will get what we need ready." she whispered. Nodding no, he asked her to point out what she wanted brought. Shaking his head no at her piles, he moved in and whispered. "Just pack enough for the next two days."

"Do you have any idea how expensive replacing his clothes?" Georgie found herself giving a quick kiss then he pointed out that he was quite capable of replacing them.

"What toys should we bring?" he asked then sat down with the basket and was soon handing what she assured him where the current favorites. Returning the basket to the toy closet, his eyes widened when he saw another large basket with the same amount of cars.

Georgie who had followed him, reached in and grabbed a coat hanging on the rack, then closed the door while pointing to the bathroom and mouthing the word potty. Finding the fire engine potty, John couldn't help thinking he would have been more afraid of this than the big kids potty at his son's age.

Georgie took him at his word, grabbed just enough clothes for the next few days from her own closet before lifting her phone to call Matt. "I have to head out of town for a few days. Can you check on things for me at the house?"

Matt looked at the lovely nurse flirting with him, then reluctantly walked away. "Sure, is this that trip we talked about with John?"

"Yes, he is concerned about the Spencers. Thanks Matt, I love you." she told him before making a similar call to her father, then to Maxie who told her that she was happy that Georgie had changed her mind about going. "I have to put Antonio's needs before my own."

"Georgie, why not take care of those needs, you said he was pretty good in bed." said her loud mouthed sister and the man now entering heard her through the phone. Raising his eye brow in amusement, he said "Just what did you tell your sister?"

"Don't get all egotistical on me, after all you were the only man I had had sex with up to that point, after all." she said loftily. John gripped the car tightly then recalled what his investigator had told him then reminded himself of his own past for the last couple of years.

Considering kissing her senseless but worried she might change her mind about the trip, John just said "What else do you need?"

"The car seat from my car as well as the DVD player, in case he wakes up during the trip." she replied then went to check her fridge. Taking out one of his sippy cups, Georgie tossed that along with some of his juice boxes into a small cooler before calling out. "How long will this drive take?"

"Not long." John said then asked "Do you have a passport in case we cross the border?"

"Yes. The desk drawer." she told him as she went to grab her purse and phone charger. John knew that this wasn't a good idea, that he should tell her where they were going but decided that it would ruin the surprise as he carried the rest of the items outside to where Georgie was standing staring. "John, why is there a limo in my driveway. I thought our leaving was supposed to be discreet?"

"It's not a stretch limo. It's just a slightly longer car than normal with a driver." he replied then asked the man to load the suitcases while Georgie shook her head in disbelief at the man's obtuseness. Checking the locks on her doors, she went up stairs to get Antonio and saw John lifting their son, who opened his eyes frowned at the man holding him then said "Where is Mommy?"

"Right here." she said "We have to take a little trip, okay sweetie. John is going to carry you to the car for Mommy, okay?"

"Okay. Mommy." he said then rested his head on John's shoulder and went back to sleep. John soon maneuvered into the waiting car, his heart pounding as he felt his son breathing in and out as they drove off into the night.

About five minutes from the Syracuse airport, John noticed that Antonio wasn't the only one asleep, Georgie's head was resting against his shoulder nearest their son and was fast asleep herself. "Well this will certainly make this easier."

Loading them onto the jet took some skillful work. John carried his son, then warned the cabin steward to stay a good distance away but to keep an eye on the curly haired boy. "He bites like a rabid Chihuahua and doesn't like strangers I will be right back with my fiancee."

Carrying Georgie onto the jet, John laid her next to Antonio on the bed, then went to see the pilot. "How long will this take tonight?"

"Syracuse to Verona Italy, about nine hours with head winds." replied the pilot as he finished the pre-flight check offs. John returned and asked the cabin attendant to let them sleep. "I don't want to be disturbed unless it is an emergency."

"We will be resting. Here are our passports, deal with immigration." he said then went to join his family in the small bedroom. After setting up the small potty, just in case John went to check on the rest of the items he had asked for.

Crawling into bed next to Georgie, he was soon fast asleep until he felt a small body crawling over him. Tensing a bit worried, he found himself relaxing as he listened to his son using the small potty. When he climbed back into bed, John had to keep from laughing as he watched from beneath hooded eyes as his son frowned at him then deliberately laid down between his mommy and the man in bed with them.

TBC

"Maybe you should have asked that before insisting on his coming over." she pointed out tersely.

"Guess that is a yes." she said then walking over to her brother who sniffed the air, his sister had a strange sort of sick smell to her but she just reached out, pulled his head lower and whispered "Don't blow this, talk, but John, please, please listen."