1AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have now decided that this is the finale of this story, thank you all for your patience and your reviews. It's been 2 years since AJ "died" and his character deserved better, like other characters on the GH canvas.

DISCLAIMER – I do not own any characters appearing on "General Hospital"

Chapter 21 - Dinner Proposal

AJ brought Lisa to one of the most prestigious restaurants in Port Charles. He knew that she deserved to be pampered, she had been the best thing ever to have come into his life. Now that everything in his life was going well, her accepting his proposal to be his wife would be the icing on the cake.

"So Lisa I was thinking, that since you've been there for me and that we've gotten close that I wanted to ask you something." said AJ as he was reaching into his pocket.

"AJ you're not going to ask me to marry you are you?" asked Lisa.

"Well that was the plan."

"AJ as much as I would love to marry you, don't you think it would be best if we just lived common law? We've both been married before and why would we ruin something as special as we have by getting married?"

"I just thought that was the next logical step Lisa as now I have joint custody of my son and I have you."

"But AJ I realize that getting married would be the next logical step but all I've ever wanted was to be married once, and you've been married once. Besides I don't think your family would like to be related to the Alcazars through marriage."

"That's a very good reason but it still doesn't change the fact that I love you Lisa and want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I love you too AJ but I think we should wait for now."

AJ couldn't believe that he was shot down like that but all that mattered to him was that Lisa loved him as much as he loved her. All he could do now is propose that they live together as a common-law couple.

"AJ living common-law is perfect. All I have to ask is... is Dillon going to still be living in the condo?" asked Lisa.

"That would be pretty awkward wouldn't it? I mean you already see him in your class everyday, but no he won't be living in the condo anymore. After the whole custody thing he decided he wanted to reconcile with his mom." explained AJ.

"That is fantastic news, plus you have that other bedroom now for Michael."

"Hey that's right now too. Do you want to help me buy furniture and stuff for his room?"

"Of course. So when do you figure out the schedule for sharing custody?"

"Tomorrow morning, although I'm sure it will go smoothly."

It did go smoothly for AJ Quartermaine as he did finally have a life worth living. He reconciled with his family, found the love of his life and most importantly finally gets to know his son, Michael. He missed out on so much of his life and now he can finally be a part of it.

He learned a lot of things along the way especially about love, how it is patient and is kind. AJ respected the fact that Lisa loved him in a way that down the road if they felt the need to get married they would, but since they've both been through it before they were still just healing.

Alan Quartermaine Jr. went from being the black sheep of his family to a somewhat golden child after he finally brought his son back to the clan. Life was looking up for AJ as everything fell into place. No longer was he the tragic man that many in Port Charles saw him as but he was very much lucky to have gotten a second chance with his life, a life he thought he would never have.