Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with General Hospital.

A/N: When I started this chapter, I had no intention of it going in this direction. I was going to keep writing angst for a while, but for some reason this just felt right. This story is no where near completion but this chapter had to happen this way. Thank you to my loyal readers. I hope you all enjoy it.

To Choose Life

Chapter 25

A week had passed and it was the day of yet another appointment. I got off work early and Dillon met me at the hospital. The smile on his face spread from ear to ear when I got off the elevator.

"Afternoon," he greeted me.

"Are you excited to learn what we're having?"

"I cannot wait," he exclaimed. "After today we're going to know whether we're going to have a little boy or a little girl."

"Do you have a preference?"

"I don't care either way. I just want a healthy baby."

"Me too," I agreed, before rubbing my hand against my belly.

"I bought a name book. What do you say about going out for something to eat after the appointment and looking through it?"

I turned to meet Dillon's gaze and felt my heart flutter for a moment at the innocent excitement in his face. "I'd love to," I heard myself saying before I'd even taken a moment to consider it.

Dillon's grin only widened. "Lulu, I'm ready for you now," Dr. Lee called to me.

I went in to her office and she did a quick examination before inviting Dillon in to do the sonogram. "So do you want to find out what you're having?" she asked politely.

"Yes we do," Dillon said.

I nodded in agreement and the doctor smiled before spreading the cool gel across my abdomen and then pressing the wand against my skin. I listened to my child's steady heartbeat as we all stared at the little monitor. I watched my baby's little movements and couldn't contain my emotion. I wiped away the tears that slid down my face before Dillon turned to look at me. "I love our baby," he whispered.

"Me too," I agreed.

"You are having a little baby… girl," Dr. Lee said. She started pointing at the screen and explaining things but I could no longer hear her. I still heard the world 'girl' playing over and over in my mind. I imagined my baby swaddled in pink blankets and then the little girl with flowing blonde hair and my mother's blue eyes. I imagined the little girl who had the Spencer stubborn streak but Dillon's quirky, idealistic personality. I started to cry hard and when Dillon looked at me there was nothing that could stop our mouths from crashing together in a kiss. His right hand cupped my face as our tongues fought for dominance.

Suddenly we pulled apart both embarrassed and feeling a sense of overexcitement at the prospect of our little girl.

Dr. Lee started to talk about a few other things and I listened intently before she told us we could go. I thanked her for everything before following Dillon out into the hallway. "I'm sorry…" he started.

"Lets not talk about the kiss. Let's talk about our little girl. Besides I believe I was promised something to eat."

"I can't believe we're having a girl. I mean I know you kept saying we were but to know for sure. I just can't wait to hold my daughter and she's going to look like you. I'm going to have to beat the boys away with a stick."

"Already protective," I teased. "Good; because no boys are getting within three yards of her."

Dillon grinned again and I couldn't help but smile at his smile.

"Do you know what you're having?" Elizabeth exclaimed as she jumped out of the nurse's station.

"Maybe," I said playfully.

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Lucky would be devastated if you found out first."

"Well then you are just going to have to come to dinner."

"It would be nice if the whole family could be there," I said.

"Tell you what, you just show up and I'll arrange for the whole family to be there?"

"You really want to know?"

"Damn straight," she answered.

"Dillon, do you want to go to dinner tonight?"

"I'd love to," he said.

"All right, you'll all find out the gender of our child this evening."

Elizabeth looked like she was going to start jumping around the hospital with excitement. I was just as excited though, I just hid it better.

Dillon followed me out of the hospital. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" I asked. "I should have asked you first."

"Are you kidding? I want to shout this from the rooftops. I feel like one of those parents that is always showing pictures of their kids from their wallet."

"Dillon you are one of those parents."

"And so are you. Don't even deny it."

"Shut up."

We went over to Kelly's for our food and Dillon brought in his baby name book, which he held in his hands like the Holy Grail. Much to my chagrin, Georgie would be serving us.

"What can I get you?" she asked politely.

"Are you going to poison my food?"

She gave me a dirty look. "Yes, Lulu. I figured I'd make a habit of trying to kill you now."

"What happened to you being nice?" I asked with irritation. "When did you and Maxie trade places?"

"Don't you dare speak about Maxie. You have no right to ever utter her name again."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm very sorry about your sister's miscarriage. I really am," I said sincerely.

"It should have been you," Georgie muttered, her words like ice. As she said it I imagined something happening to my little girl and my world felt like it shattered. I started to cry again.

"You bitch," Dillon spat. "How dare you say something about a baby like that? What the hell happened to you? Did you have a lobotomy while I wasn't looking?"

Mike came over immediately. "Lulu what is the matter?" he asked.

"I just don't appreciate your waitress telling me my baby should die."

"I didn't mean it that way…" Georgie started to protest.

"What?" Mike asked absolutely horrified. "You said that?"

"I meant I wish Lulu was suffering like Maxie."

"You wished harm upon her unborn child?" he exclaimed, dumbfounded.

"Yeah she did," Dillon retorted.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"Georgie I don't think you can work here anymore," Mike started.

"No Mike don't. Georgie is just protecting Maxie like I did Lucky. I know she hates me but please don't also make me the cause of her losing her job. Please," I begged.

Mike turned to look at Georgie and then back at me. "Do you have something you want to say?" he demanded of Georgie.

"I'm very sorry for what I said. I don't wish harm upon your product of an affair with my husband."

"Very big of you," I muttered coldly.

Georgie stalked away and Mike apologized several times. I told him that he didn't need to and when he left I met Dillon's gaze. "I am so sorry," he said.

"Dillon you didn't do anything wrong."

"Yeah I did. I chose her over you back in the summer. That was the worst decision I ever made. If I could take everything back I would."

"You loved her and I ruined your relationship. You both get to be pissed and hate me. If I wasn't the mother of your child, you wouldn't be here."

"We both know that isn't true."

"Do we really? Then how come every time something intimate happens b/w us it happens because of the baby?"

"Because that's the only time you let your guard down long enough to let me in. I love you Lulu, not because you're the mother of my child, but because you are the center of my universe. You amaze me every day and every day I find myself falling more in love with you. I don't care if you don't believe me because I know it's true. I'm not going anywhere. Whether we are co parents or together nothing will change, you are everything to me. You and our daughter."

I brushed the tears from my eyes. It felt like floodgates had suddenly opened on my emotions. I couldn't stop myself from pulling on his tie and bringing his mouth to mine. Dillon tossed money on the table and led me out of the building. We made it to his car and he pressed me against the door as his tongue explored my mouth fervently.

"I love you," he whispered when we pulled apart.

"I love you too," I confessed. "Promise you won't leave me or our baby."

"I swear to you that as long as I can breathe and my heart is beating that you and our children will always come first. You are my life. I'm not going anywhere. I am not your father nor will I ever be."

Dillon decided to take me elsewhere for lunch. We arrived at the tiny quaint café I had went with my mother during her temporary recovery. "I wanted somewhere we could be alone with no pressure from the people we know. Now we can just be together," Dillon explained.

"You're such a romantic. Did I ever tell you that that is what love most about you?" I asked.

"Want to know what I love most about you?"

"Let me guess, my calm, enthusiastic, positive, sensitive, honest and innocent personality?" I teased.

"You're feisty, loyal, beautiful, loving, vulnerable personality. I love the way you fight for what is right and stop at nothing to achieve what makes you happy. I love the way you love me. I love the way you smile. I love the way I feel when I'm around you, like I'm free to be me. I love the way you twist your hair when you're nervous. I love the way you love our baby. I love every single thing about you Lulu Spencer."

I smiled at him, as I clutched his hand and rubbed my fingers against the skin on his palm. "What if I don't live up to that perfect ideal in your head?"

"Oh you exceeded it. I know you're not perfect and there are things that drive me nuts about you, but they really only make me love you more. Georgie was this perfect ideal. The way to end a perfect little love story, but who the hell would pay to watch it? It wasn't real. It was a fantasy. She was my first love but she isn't the woman I want. What she and I had can never, and will never, compare to what we have. Even when you're infuriating, I only find a reason to love you more than I already do."

"Well I don't know. Elvis and I had a good thing going…"

"Imaginary boyfriends, I imagine, are always the best. They don't knock you up."

"Well I'm glad you did. We are in for a lot of trouble and sleepless nights but I already love her and even when things get tough I won't ever regret choosing life."

After our lunch I followed Dillon back out to the car. I was just about to climb inside when my cell phone rang. I checked the caller ID and was ecstatic when I saw Nikolas' name.

"Hey Nik," I answered.

"Hi Lulu," he said somberly.

"Any news on Spencer?"

"No we're still looking, but I hear you have some. Elizabeth phoned me to tell me today was your appointment. I'm sorry I've missed so much of your pregnancy."

"Don't worry about me. We're fine."

"Since I won't be able to make it tonight, I was hoping maybe you could give me something positive like telling me the gender of your baby. I promise Em and I will keep it to ourselves until you tell everyone else."

"Are you sure hearing about my pregnancy is what you need right now?"

"I need some happy news Lu."

"Okay. Dillon and I are expecting a little… baby… girl."

"I'm going to have a niece?" Nikolas exclaimed.

"I am really excited Nik. I've never been so scared and excited at the same time."

"You're going to be an amazing mother Lulu and Lucky and I will always be there to help you."

"I'm so sick about Spencer though."

"I think we're getting close Lu. There are only a few more daycares left to check. We're doing that tomorrow."

"I won't give up hope. You're going to bring him home."

"I will never give up on my son. I'll call you again soon okay?"

"Thanks for calling me."

"Any time. I love you little sister."

"I love you too."