Chapter 9 – Not As It Seems

Spinelli had been working tirelessly. Jason had ordered him to find out who had murdered all of the PCPD men and blown up the warehouse. Whoever it was would pay with their lives. Normally, Spinelli struggled with seeking and finding information that would get someone killed, but this time Spinelli did his job willingly. Lulu's brother lay in a hospital bed, clinging to life because of these people. They needed to pay.

Jason breezed into the penthouse and Spinelli looked to him. Jason shook his head indicating there had been no change in Lucky's condition. He then questioned with his eyes and Spinelli shook his head because he had yet to find the identity of their newest enemies. Jason sighed and went upstairs.

Spinelli began to work even harder. This was the most important thing he had ever worked on. He had to do this, not only for Jason, but also for Lulu. He finally found something of interest. A Zacchara jet had arrived recently in Port Charles. Spinelli knew what Johnny's family was famous for and he couldn't help but wonder why the Zacchara jet would have been used recently. Johnny had not left Port Charles. What other Zaccharas had been to Port Charles?

Spinelli began hacking every Zacchara financial account onshore and off. Their recent activity all indicated one thing. The Zaccharas were the ones responsible for shooting Lucky and blowing up the warehouse. Jason came down the stairs and Spinelli jumped out of his seat.

"The Jackal has learned the identity of the culprits," Spinelli exclaimed. "It was the Enemies of Afar, the Zacchara family, who shot the Brother of Fair Lulu and disintegrated Stone Cold's warehouse."

"Zacchara, as in Johnny Zacchara? Your friend from high school?" Jason asked and Spinelli nodded.

"It is unclear at this point if the Former Comrade of the Jackal has knowledge of the situation," Spinelli explained.

"You think this is a coincidence, Spinelli?" Jason asked and Spinelli shook his head sadly. "I won't make a move against Johnny personally until you find proof he was directly involved. For your sake. But the Zacchara men who were at the warehouse that night won't live to see tomorrow."

Spinelli nodded as Jason hurriedly left the penthouse. Johnny was his oldest friend, yet he had lied to him. Worse, Spinelli had led Lulu into this web of deceit. She would be hurt badly and that was not what Spinelli wanted. She should know the truth as soon as possible. Spinelli grabbed his computer and left the penthouse for the hospital.

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Lulu was sitting with Lucky. She and Nikolas had been taking turns and it was taking its toll on her. She certainly didn't mind sitting with him, but seeing him lie so still was hard. It had been a couple of days and she still hadn't called Johnny. She didn't want to worry him and she knew if she told him that she was staying at the hospital he would be right beside her and she didn't want to burden him. She heard a knock at the door and turned to see Nikolas.

"It's my turn," he said, faking a small smile.

Lulu nodded and got up. She kissed Lucky's hand and then gave Nikolas a hug before leaving the room. She walked down the hall and down the stairs to the front lobby. She got some coffee before exiting the hospital to get some fresh air. She sat down outside on a bench and got her phone out. As much as she didn't want to be a burden to Johnny, she needed him now. Before she could dial his number, someone tapped her on the shoulder. She looked up to see Spinelli standing beside her.

"Hey, Spinelli," Lulu said softly. "Sit down."

Spinelli did as he was told and Lulu put her phone up. She looked to him and wondered what had him so upset. He looked like he had bad news for her, but she couldn't imagine the situation getting any worse.

"What's wrong?" Lulu asked.

"The Jackal has news of a disturbing nature," Spinelli replied.

"How bad?" Lulu wondered.

"The Jackal fears Fair Lulu will be devastated," Spinelli confessed.

"Just tell me," Lulu demanded.

"The Visiting Italian has proven himself untrustworthy," Spinelli said sadly.

"Johnny? What did he do?" Lulu questioned.

"The Traitorous One is responsible for the current predicament of the Brother of the Blonde One," Spinelli replied.

"How? Johnny was with me when Lucky got shot," Lulu cried. "You have to be wrong."

"The Jackal wishes he was mistaken," Spinelli sighed. "The evidence states clearly that the Zaccharas are blameworthy of this unfortunate incident."

"I can't believe this," Lulu said, shaking her head. "After all of the things he said to me. It was all a lie. Just a way to gain my trust so he wouldn't be implicated in Lucky's shooting. He's good, I'll give him that. I believed it all. I fell for it all again."

"The Jackal feels to blame for the situation. He encouraged the Fair One to pursue a romantic relationship with the Traitorous One," Spinelli responded.

"Don't blame yourself," Lulu insisted. "I should have known better. Thank you for telling me the truth. You just saved me from making a big mistake."

"Does the Fair One need anything from the Jackal?" Spinelli questioned. "Nourishment of the gods perhaps?"

"No, I'm fine," Lulu answered. "I need to get back inside."

Lulu hugged Spinelli and headed back into the hospital. She held it together in front of Spinelli because she didn't want to seem weak. She made it to the ladies room in the lobby before she broke down. Another man, another liar. And this was the worst betrayal of all. Her brother was clinging to life by a strand because her boyfriend...ex-boyfriend had put him there.

What made it so much harder for Lulu was remembering the night Lucky was shot. She had spent that night in Johnny's arms feeling safer than she had in her entire life. He had been playing her and she had made it all to easy by letting herself fall for him. Now it was all over. Spinelli had most likely told Jason about Johnny and he would be dead soon. She didn't care. Dead, Johnny Zacchara would never hurt her again. Alive, she would be haunted by the biggest mistake of her life. She had learned one thing from today.

Things can always get worse.

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Johnny was worried sick. He had given Lulu space, but now he wondered if there was something else. She said she would call, but after not hearing from her for two days he was fearing the worst. What if her brother had died? All he knew for sure was he needed to see her. A call wasn't enough. He needed to see for himself that she was alright.

Johnny entered the hospital and went to the information desk. The receptionist gave him the floor number and he climbed aboard the elevator. Apparently, Lucky was in ICU and very critical. The receptionist had told him he would not be allowed in the room because he wasn't family, but he could ask a nurse to let Lulu know he was there. She seemed to know Lulu and mentioned that she had looked very upset earlier. Johnny just wanted to take her pain away in whatever way he could.

He exited the elevator and was thankful that luck was on his side. There sat his beautiful Lulu in the waiting area reading a magazine. He approached her slowly, not wanting to startle her. She seemed to have been crying and he wanted to kill the man responsible for her brother's shooting. This perfect girl in front of him should never be in pain.

"Hey beautiful," he breathed and she looked up.

The caring gaze she usually gave him was not there. Her eyes were full of rage and Johnny immediately knew something was wrong. But what?

"What's wrong, Lulu?" Johnny wondered.

"How dare you show your face here?" Lulu screamed earning stares from everyone else in the lobby.

"Wh...what do you mean?" Johnny questioned, the hurt evident in his voice.

"It's over, Johnny," Lulu yelled. "I'm not interested in talking about it, just in staying with my brother. Just leave and don't come back."

"I don't understand," Johnny replied his hurt turning to anger.

What had happened between her leaving him on the docks and now? She looked like she hated him. Johnny was sure he was misunderstanding. She didn't mean it was over. She couldn't mean that. Unless she had been lying to him all this time. If she really felt the way she said she did, it would never be over between them.

"What don't you understand?" Lulu demanded. "I never want to see you again. Leave the hospital, the town, hell, leave the country! I don't care, just stay away from me and my family."

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Johnny yelled. "How can you suddenly hate me? You know what, don't answer that. I'm sorry I wasted my time with you. I'm sorry I waited so long to sleep with you because apparently that's all you wanted. Had I known that, I wouldn't have spent so much time trying to make you think I care. I would have had sex with you much sooner. And don't worry. I won't be back to see you. I regret the day I ever came to Port Charles in the first place. You are nothing to me but a mistake and a regret."

Lulu had started to cry as Johnny had yelled, but he didn't console her. He turned and headed for the stairs. He ran down them and out the door. He got in his car and drove. Fast and far. All of the pain inside him streamed down his face. He hadn't cried since his mother's funeral, but he cried then. For Lulu and for everything he had lost.

The worst part was lying to her. He had never lied to Lulu before and doing it now was like someone ripping a hole right through the middle of him. As much pain as Johnny was in right now, he would never regret a single second with her. He was grateful he had come to Port Charles. The last few weeks were the best of his life. Everything about his relationship with Lulu had been perfect. Everything but the way it ended.

What had happened? Why did she hate him suddenly? He couldn't rid himself of the way she looked at him. As if she despised him. He had hurt her in some way and it killed him. How could he have hurt the most perfect gift he had ever received.

He has also broken his promise to her. He didn't fight for them. He left when she asked him to. He didn't press the issue. Demand she tell him what had happened. Kiss her senseless until she realized how he felt about her. Until she stopped fighting him. He walked away. He hated himself more than she hated him.

Nothing mattered to him anymore. There was no going back and making it better. Whatever had happened was in the past and he couldn't change it. She hated him and it was really over. He wiped away the tears and pressed down on the accelerator.

Driving. Fast and far. Trying to outrun all of his pain and the haunting look of hatred in Lulu's eyes.

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I'm sorry I wasted my time with you.

So was Lulu.

I won't be back to see you.

Lulu didn't want to see him anyway.

You are nothing to me but a mistake and a regret.

For some reason that one killed her. Lulu could handle all of the terrible things Johnny had said, but the way he spoke the final sentence she presumed she would ever hear him say had crushed her. Knowing he had lied and manipulated her was one thing but hearing him essentially admit to it was another. That was unbearable.

Once again, Lulu found herself crying on the bathroom floor. He had seemed almost as hurt as she was when she attacked him initially, but Lulu quickly realized it was anger over being caught. Over his plan not working. Not over losing her. He could care less about that.

Lulu would have been fine had she been able to get him out of her head. His face and his words, both good and bad. It was consuming her thoughts and that had to stop. She needed to focus on Lucky and forget that Johnny Zacchara ever existed. He had most likely already forgotten her.

Lulu picked herself up off the floor and splashed water on her face. She left the ladies room and headed for Lucky's room to relieve Nikolas. When she got there, Nikolas was outside pacing.

"What happened, Nikolas?" Lulu questioned eagerly.

"He woke up," Nikolas said happily.

"What?" Lulu exclaimed happily. "Oh my gosh, this is great!"

"Are you okay?" Nikolas wondered.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Lulu replied. "My brother just woke up from a coma. I am more than okay."

"I'm just checking," Nikolas said sweetly. "I know how hard this has been for you."

"It's over now," Lulu responded happily. "All that matters is that Lucky is awake and will soon be on his way to a full recovery."

That's what she said on the outside. On the inside, she was hurting. Johnny was still gone. He had still betrayed her. He had still broken every promise he had ever made to her. Her mind was begging her to forget him, but she couldn't. She wanted so badly to be able to say "Johnny who?"

Her mind drifted to the look in his eyes as he made love to her. The way he held her all night long and the sweet words he had whispered in the dark. She couldn't forget him.

Johnny who? Johnny the man who had made her feel the best. Johnny the man who had hurt her the most. Johnny the man who she could see forever with. Johnny the man she would never see again.

Johnny Zacchara. The best mistake she ever made.