Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with General Hospital.
A/N: Thank you writers for yesterdays perfect Dilu moment. I have gushed about the scene in every one of my stories. I think it's safe to say that I was very pleased with yesterdays writing regarding these two. I don't think I could have written it better, well unless he had have confessed his love for her, but that's just me.
Tormented
Chapter 4
"Lulu are you okay?" Lucky asked, as he entered the room. I looked at him, terror spreading through my body. "Lulu, why are you out of bed?" I made an attempt to inhale but my trachea felt constricted. "Come on," he said, as he came to my side and helped me back into the bed. I tried to breathe again, as Lucky called a nurse.
Epiphany came into the room. "What's going on?"
"I found her standing by the window. She looked terrified."
"She's having an anxiety attack. Lulu you need to calm down," Epiphany said. I ignored her and continued trying to breathe. I felt pain in my arm and everything faded to black.
As I regained consciousness, I could hear the many voices in my room; both my brothers, Dillon, my father, and Lainey. They were all talking at once and I couldn't distinguish what was being said. "What happened?" I asked.
"You suffered a panic attack Lulu," Lainey explained.
"What happened to the Metro Court?" I asked, remembering the burning rubble. My father opened his mouth to explain.
"What do you remember?" Lainey interrupted.
"Nothing. Why? Was I there? I just saw the burning rubble from the window. What happened? Is that what happened to your face?" I asked Nikolas.
"The building was blown up with explosives," Lainey explained.
"Who blew it up?"
"A man who worked with Alcazar."
"Alcazar is responsible for blowing it up?"
"Not exactly. The man defied Alcazar and blew it up against his wishes."
"Why? Just tell me what happened. Stop whispering about it. Stop keeping information from me," I shouted. "Was I in there?"
"Yes," Lainey said gently. "You were in there."
"Why did it happen?"
"It was a robbery gone wrong Lulu," Nikolas explained, as he sat down on my bed.
"Why can't I remember? How is that so traumatic that it would erase my memory?"
"It wasn't the robbery or the bombing," Nikolas explained further.
"Well then what?" I shrieked.
"Lulu calm down," Lucky said.
"Nikolas you were there. Tell me what I don't remember."
"Lulu, your mind needs time to heal," my father insisted.
"Did he torture us? Is that why I don't remember?"
Nikolas nodded and I saw the tears that spilled down his face. "It's over now. We have to move on," Nikolas said softly.
"I can't move on if I don't remember what happened. Please tell me what happened."
"It's not time for you to remember."
I tried as hard as I could to remember being in the Metro Court. I imagined the lobby, the last time I could remember standing in it. Suddenly an image of a gunman dressed all in black appeared in my mind. He pressed the gun against my skin and I couldn't stop myself from screaming.
"Lulu, do you remember something?" Lainey asked with concern. "Tell me what you remember."
"Gunmen, dressed all in black..."
"That's right," Nikolas said gently. "But it's over and we made it out."
"Does that mean my memory is coming back?" I asked Lainey.
"Bits and pieces. However, it will be easier if we continue discussing everything in order. Let's continue on with your sessions."
"No, I want to remember the gunmen. I want to remember the Metro Court exploding."
"We will get there," she said with a gentle inflection in her voice.
"Nikolas," I said gently. "Why did the gunmen make me scream? Did he put the gun to me?" Nikolas started to cry and tried to get away. "What did he do to me?" I screamed, grabbing his arm and trying to hold him back.
"Lulu, you need to listen to Lainey. I can't just start telling you what happened," Nikolas responded.
"Yes, you can. I can handle it."
"Lulu, he was so horrible that it erased your memory. You cannot handle it. Follow the doctor's orders," he insisted.
"He's right Lulu. Lainey is in charge of your recovery," Lucky agreed.
"I know you want this to be over, but we will get there. Can you just hang on a little longer?" Lainey asked.
I nodded in defeat and tried to get back out of the bed. "Where are you going?" Dillon asked. I went to the window and stared at the rubble.
"Lulu it will be best if you focus your attention on me and not on what's left of the Metro Court," Lainey said.
I ignored her and stared outside. Suddenly I could hear a British accent. "Miss Lulu…"
"He was British," I exclaimed. "He called me Miss Lulu."
Nikolas nodded. "Okay, Lulu can you come back so we can try and restore your memory?" Lainey suggested.
I shrugged and made my way back to the bed. My family waved goodbye and left me alone with the doctor. "You continued investigating Rick Webbers murder through the month of December. On Christmas Eve, your aunt Bobbie gave you this." Lainey handed me my mother's engagement ring.
"I remember this ring, but I don't remember my aunt giving it to me."
"Your father had sent it. He wanted you to look after it."
"Why would my father trust me with such an important piece of his and my mother's past?"
"As your aunt Bobbie explained it, this ring is a symbol of their love and so are you."
The words struck a chord, but I couldn't explain why. "Oh," I answered, as tears suddenly flooded my eyes. I brushed them away with embarrassment. I couldn't place this overwhelming sense of emotion.
"Do you remember something?" Lainey asked with interest.
"More a sense of emotion. It's not really a memory."
"It is somewhere," she explained. "This is good. This is progress."
"What happened next?"
"That same night, Nikolas' nanny Colleen kidnapped Spencer…"
"What?" I exclaimed, as anger surged through my body. "That bitch hurt my nephew?"
"She didn't hurt him; she just kidnapped him. He was later taken from Colleen by Helena. Nikolas and Emily followed her to Greece and got Spencer back."
"Is he okay?"
"He's fine. During this time you, Dillon and Spinelli were still investigating the murder. You had come up with Alan Quartermaine as one of the suspects."
"Why Alan?" I asked with confusion.
"I don't know. That's just what Dillon told me. Anyway, the night Spencer was brought home was the night of a charity event at the Metro Court."
"Okay whoa, when is this happening?"
"A couple days ago?"
"Spencer was gone for almost two months?"
"Yes. Your whole family decided to attend, carrying over a party that had started because of Spencer's return home. While there, you took the opportunity to steal Alan's PDA so Spinelli could do something with it. You and Alan, among many others were in the lobby when several gunmen took over."
"What? That's what happened to the Metro Court?"
"Yes. You were held hostage with Carly, Sonny, Robin, Emily, Nikolas, Elizabeth, Sam, Maxie, Alan, Max, Father Mateo, and a few hotel employees. The gunmen filled the place with explosives and made you play little games to pass the time. Most of these games were used to break you down. They were used to destroy your psyche and lose all of your will to live. You reached that point."
"What do you mean I reached that point?"
"At some point during the situation, you came to terms with the fact that you were going to die. Apparently, after one rather torturous event with the leader of the hostage takers, you collapsed. You were then dragged into a room by yourself for about an hour. When you came back out, you were just rocking back and forth. You didn't speak, you didn't make eye contact; you just rocked."
"Like my mother?"
"Similar; but not exactly. When the situation came to an end, the explosives were set off with the detonator, giving you a 60 second grace period. Sonny Corinthos ended up carrying you out."
"Did anyone die?" I exclaimed, as the faces of all the names she mentioned flashed through my mind.
"During the hostage situation? No."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know if you're ready to hear this."
"I think I'm ready to hear this."
"All of the hostages made it out. Robin had been shot in the leg. Max had been shot in the shoulder. Father Mateo had been shot in the chest, but they all survived."
"Well that was my question."
"Unfortunately, one of the hostages died in the hospital soon after."
"Which one?"
"Alan Quartermaine."
"Alan is dead?" Lainey nodded in response. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. He died of heart failure."
"Why was he in the lobby?" I demanded, afraid to hear the answer. When Lainey shrugged, I knew it was because he followed me down. "Can I be alone?"
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Nothing you do or say is going to make me feel any better. I just need some time alone," I insisted.
"I'll be back in an hour to check on you. Okay?"
I nodded, and climbed back out of the bed. I stared at the burning rubble and tried once again to restore my memory.