Chapter 7

How she got back to Port Charles Lulu didn't know. Her only thought was getting to Olivia. Olivia wasn't at her apartment so Lulu decided to go by Kelly's.

Hello… "Lulu it's Lucky, where have you been, where are you at now."

"I just pulled up at Kelly's why," Lulu asked him.

"Stay there, I will be there in just a minute," Lucky told her.

"Lucky, what's the matter?" Great he hung up, Lulu muttered.

Getting out of her car as Lucky pulled up, Lulu said "what is the matter?"

Grabbing her arms, Lucky said "Lulu, Dad is in the hospital, he had a heart attack."

"What, no….oh my gosh, when," a distraught Lulu asked.

"Late this afternoon. Get in; I will take you to the hospital. Where have you been, I have been trying to call you all day," Lucky asked his sister.

"I went to see Dante. When I got to the NYPD, Ronnie told me that someone had tried to kill him yesterday. He's fine, but they put him in a safe house. I don't know when or if he's even coming back Lucky. Now Dad. How are Tracy and Mom holding out," Lulu asked.

Laughing, Lucky said, "Well so far no fights have broken out."

"Lulu, I'm sorry about Dante. He'll come back. He loves you. Don't give up, ok," Lucky told her.

"Mom, Tracy, I'm so sorry I wasn't here," Lulu said giving them both a hug.

"Where have you been," Tracy asked.

"I'm sorry, I had to go to the city for work," Lulu told them. "How is Dad?"

"He is in surgery. We don't know anything else right now." Tracy told her.

Lulu was sitting in the chapel praying for her Dad and Dante when Carly came in.
Carly, I know you are still upset with me. If you would just let me explain," Lulu pleaded.

Sitting in the pew, Carly said, "I would like to hear your side."

"I was so conflicted over all of this. I found out by accident that Dominic was really Dante, Olivia's son and a cop. I was worried how all of this was going to affect you, Michael and especially Morgan. I know I should have told you, but I knew nothing good was going to come out of this and I was going to be stuck in the middle. You are my family but at the same time, here was this noble, great guy that I was starting to care about. You and I both overlook what Sonny is because his heart is in the right place, but Sonny is a criminal. We both knew he would eventually get caught. I just didn't know that it would be by someone that I knew. Deep down, I also knew if Sonny found out that Dante was a cop, he would kill him. I knew that I wouldn't be able to live with that on my conscience. I tried to convince myself that Sonny wouldn't hurt him if he knew that he was Olivia's son. That he would be off limits, like Lucky, but I saw Dante's side of it too. He sees things in black and white, while I see the gray. I think he was starting to see the gray too. This was so hard for him because he likes all of you, including Sonny. This could have all been prevented, if Olivia would have just told the truth. I don't know if the outcome would have been any different, but Dante would be here right now. I am so glad that everything turned out ok with Michael and Sonny. I hope you can eventually forgive me," an upset Lulu told her.

"Lulu I've had time to think about all of this. I know you were trying to do the right thing. I know this has been really hard on you and I'm sorry I said those things to you at the trail. I was upset about Michael. I know we should have told the truth about Claudia, but I was so afraid for Michael and Sonny thought covering it up was the right thing to do. I'm sorry can you forgive me," Carly asked her.

"I love you Carly, you are my best friend and sister all rolled into one. I wouldn't know what to do without you in my life. There is more that you don't know, but I have to talk to Olivia first. As soon as I talk to her, I will tell you because I'm going to need your advice and support. I left her a message to come to the hospital so hopefully this will all be over tomorrow and Dante can come home," Lulu said hugging her cousin.

"Olivia had to go to one of the other hotels for Jax, she won't be back for a couple of days," Carly told her. "Are you ok, you're awfully pale?"

"Carly, you have to get her back now. Dante's life depends on it. I went to the NYPD today. Dante is in a safe house. Someone tried to kill him yesterday and they think it was Sonny. He can't come back until they find out who did it. I have to fix this. I was going to wait for Olivia, but this can't wait. Where is Sonny, I haven't seen him since I've been here," a frantic Lulu asked her?

Puzzled, Carly said, "Lulu what do you mean, fix what. What are you talking about?"

Distraughtly, Lulu told her cousin, "I heard Olivia and Kate arguing this morning, that is why I went to the city. I had to tell Dante. I overheard part of their conversation. Carly, Dante is Olivia and Sonny's son. Sonny put a hit out on his own son. I have to find him, he has to stop this. Will you go with me?

Rising too quickly, Lulu had to grasp the pew to keep from falling.

Grabbing her cousin, Carly asked, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I just stood up too quick. I'm just worried about Dad and Dante. Christmas is this week. I thought we would be spending it together," a disheartened Lulu said.

"I haven't seen Sonny either. Let me call Jason to find out where he is. You stay here and I will be right back," Carly told her.

Walking back into the chapel, Carly told her, "I couldn't get Jason either. I left him a message to call me as soon as possible and if Sonny had put a hit out on Dante, then he needed to call it off now. I would explain why as soon as he called. It's going to be ok Lulu. We are going to fix this and Dante will be home before Christmas. This is going to be our Christmas miracle."

"I pray that you are right Carly," Lulu told her as numbness settled over her.

Lulu had been at the hospital for two days. There was still no word from Jason or Sonny. Olivia was on her was back home. All Lulu could do was pray that everything was going to work out and Dante would still be alive. Worried about her Dad and Dante, she was exhausted. Almost falling out of her chair, Laura finally convinced her to go home.

Falling asleep immediately, Lulu could see him. He was there waiting for her. She saw him just beyond the gray misty places in one's dreams, dreams that harbor every subconscious thought, every memory.

Dante, vitally alive, his dark hair falling carelessly over his forehead, dark eyes mocking, sensuous lips grinning mischievous. Running to him, she reveled in the feel of him against her. Oh Dante, she whispered. She broke the kiss to tell him how happy she was that he was home but found him fading away before her eyes until her arms were empty. "Don't leave me Dante, she cried, screams bursting from her throat. She felt someone's hands on her.

"Lulu wake up, wake up", Maxie said.

Jerking awake to find Maxie standing over her bed, she knew she had been dreaming, but it had seemed so real. Sitting on the side of the bed, Maxie asked, "Are you ok?"

"It just seemed so real that he was here Maxie. I don't know if I'm ever going to see him again. We never even got a chance to say goodbye," Lulu choked out.

Hugging her, Maxie said, "It's going to be ok. Get some more sleep. I'll wake you if anyone calls."

Emotionally drained, Lulu welcomed sleep, for there Dante would come to her. During the day, she worried about Dante and her Dad, but at night only she and Dante existed.

Rinsing her mouth out and wiping her face with a cool cloth, Lulu knew she needed to make an appointment with Dr. Lee. Staring at herself in the bathroom mirror, she couldn't deny that she might be pregnant. Since she had been staying at the hospital with her Dad and being worried about Dante, she had just thought it was just nerves.

"Dr. Lee, I appreciate you seeing me on short notice, Lulu told her.

"It's not problem Lulu, what can I do for you," Dr. Lee asked her.

"I think I may be pregnant. I've been nauseated, light headed and sick to my stomach. With everything going on, I just thought it might be stress and tension. I haven't been sleeping good or eating right," a worried Lulu said.

"Well, let's find out for sure. Let's get some blood work done, then we will see if we need to do a sonogram," she told Lulu.

"Lulu, you are pregnant so let's do a sonogram to see what's going on," Dr. Lee advised her.

"Dr. Lee is there a problem," Lulu anxiously asked?

"Everything looks good so far, there are two strong heartbeats," a smiling Dr. Lee stated.

"Twins?" an ecstatic Lulu asked. "Oh my gosh, twins. I can't believe this."

"Well believe it. You need to start taking better care of yourself. Getting enough sleep and eating right. I'm going to prescribe you some vitamins. I want you to come in every two weeks, so we can do blood work. With all the problems Carly had with her pregnancy, I want to make sure you don't have the same problems; especially with twins.

Stunned, Lulu walked down the hallway to see if her mother or Tracy was in the waiting room. Twins…. It was hard to comprehend. Luke's surgery was a success. Dr. Drake thought he would make a complete recovery if he made a lot of changes to his life style.

Walking into the waiting room, she found her mother. How is Dad? She asked.

"He is doing better. I told Tracy that I would stay while she went home to rest. That way someone would be here all the time," Laura said.

Shocked, Lulu told her mother, "I'm surprised that she went."

"I think this in the one thing we can see eye to eye on. We both only want what's best for your father. It won't do your father any good to be worried about her," Laura told her daughter.

"I'm so glad you are here Mom. I

Laura, Lulu, Sonny said rushing into the waiting room. "I just got back into town and heard about Luke how he is?"

"Sonny it's good to see you. Luke is doing better. Dr. Drake thinks he will make a full recovery, if he follows Doctors orders," Laura said.

Sonny, Lulu said, "this is probably not the time, but you have always been straight and honest with me. I need to know. Did you put a hit out on Dante?" Hearing a gasp, they turned to see Olivia and Carly standing in the doorway.

"Is Dante alright," a distraught Olivia asked?

"I don't know. I went to see him earlier in the week. . They told me that someone had shot at him the night before I was there. They think Sonny is the one who put the hit out on him. Dante was already gone to a safe house when I got there so I never saw him. He might never come back or he could be dead. You can prevent this Olivia. I overheard a conversation between you and Kate. You need to tell Sonny the truth. This needs to end before Dante gets killed. I'm not going to allow that to happen. If you don't tell him the truth, I will" Lulu told her.

"What is she talking about Olivia? What truth?" a confused Sonny asked.

Walking further into the room, Olivia said, "Dante is your son, Sonny. I never wanted him anywhere near the mob. I raised him to be honest. To be moral; to know right from wrong. You will never know how conflicted he was about all of this Sonny .He saw you with your family, how you are with your kids, with those you care about. He will be devastated. I didn't want you being his father to run his career. He loves being a cop. His whole life, its all he's ever wanted to do. There was not a good solution to any of this. Sonny say something."

Stunned, all Sonny could say was, "You've kept my son from me all these years. There was something about him. I trusted him so easily. I could never quite figure it out. Now I know."

Walking over to Sonny and talking his hands in hers Lulu said, "Please Sonny, if you had anything to do with this. Please call it off before Dante gets killed. I love him and I need him here." Kissing Lulu on the forehead, Sonny walked out of the room without another word.

Hugging her daughter, Laura said, "It's going to be alright."

"I hope so Mom, I hope so. I need him here now, more that ever."

Turning toward Olivia, Lulu said, "Olivia, I'm sorry you had to tell Sonny like that, but I wasn't going to risk Dante's life.

Sitting in a chair, Olivia said, "I never wanted Dante to find out who his father is. I saw what Sonny became and I didn't want my son in that life. I've spent his whole life protecting him from the mob. This will destroy him."

Sitting in the chair beside her, Lulu said, "Dante will be hurt by this. He told me one time that he had found his father when he was fourteen. That he had surveiled them and that their life was complete and he wasn't going to ruin that just to find out who or what he was. Yes he wanted a father in his life and he found that in Mr. Poletti until he was killed. Dante is one of the strongest people I know and that is because of you. You raised him to be that way. Finding out Sonny is his father is not going to change who he is. I just hope he comes home soon."

"He is never going to forgive me for this," a distraught Olivia said.

Hugging her, Lulu told her, "he's going to be hurt and upset, but he loves you."