A/N – Two weeks in a row of regular updating. I'm proud of me, I hope you're all proud, too. I'm glad people liked the fluff. There's more of that to come. Leave me a review to let me know what you think!

Chapter 24 – The Number One Man in Her Life

Nikolas walked into his private study and stopped suddenly when he saw someone sitting behind his desk.

"How the hell did you-" he started.

"It was entirely too easy," Johnny cut in. "For me and for anyone who wants to get to Lulu."

"I thought we agreed it was best for you to let my sister move on with her life," Nikolas replied.

"Best for who?" Johnny wondered. "Maybe you. But for Lulu and me, it's best that we're together. We love each other and that's all there is to it."

"Your father wants to kill her because you're with her," Nikolas pointed out. "How can you be so selfish?"

"My father wants her dead now, regardless," Johnny countered. "I heard him say it himself when he didn't know I was listening in. And, he has someone at Shadybrook helping him."

"Wow," Nikolas muttered.

"Look, I can admit that it was selfish of me to ever pursue Lulu," Johnny sighed. "But I can't take it back, and to be honest, I don't want to. She is by far the best thing that has ever happened to me and I don't know how I lived before I knew her."

"So, her reward for changing your life and making you happy should be death?" Nikolas asked.

"I can protect her," Johnny said confidently. "But you can't."

"Excuse me?" Nikolas questioned.

"I've been here for almost 24 hours," Johnny continued. "I came here last night and got all the way to Lulu's room without being seen. I've been here all day and your staff has no clue. This house is too big, there are too many nooks and crannies that someone could hide out in. Someone who could be waiting to hurt Lulu, or worse."

"I'll tighten security," Nikolas suggested.

"That's not going to work," Johnny said, shaking his head. "She needs a guard constantly."

"I'll give her one," Nikolas replied.

"They won't be good enough," Johnny said simply. "The only person qualified to protect her from my father is me."

"So, you want to be her guard?" Nikolas wondered.

"Yes," Johnny answered. "I want her to move in with me, so I have my security team around her at all times and she has me as her personal guard at all hours of the day."

"Do you really think she'll be okay with spending all her time with you?" Nikolas asked. "Lulu likes her space."

"This was her idea," Johnny shrugged. "So, yeah, I think she'll be okay with it."

Nikolas frowned and rolled his eyes, making Johnny sigh to himself. He guessed stubbornness was a family trait.

"Look, I know that you want better than me for your sister," Johnny said softly. "She deserves the best and I try to be that for her, but I'll probably never make it. But, by some stroke of luck, she fell in love with me. She chose me. And you can fight it all you want, but we are going to be together. You don't have the right to hold her hostage here and I'll fight it if you continue to try. I've got good lawyers, if you want to push it that far. But I'd rather have your blessing to be with Lulu. And I know that even if Lulu won't admit it right now, there's nothing she wants more."

"She doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks when it comes to you," Nikolas argued. "All she cares about is that she loves you and she thinks it's enough."

"It is," Johnny replied.

"You two are young," Nikolas muttered, shaking his head. "And naive."

"I think we're the smart ones," Johnny countered. "You told me you were in love before and that you let her go. And I can see it written all over your face that you regret that, even now. I won't be you. I have the woman of my dreams and I'm holding on. Now, you don't have to like me or respect me or anything like that. But you have to trust me when I tell you that I will keep Lulu safe and that she's better off being with me."

"You're asking me to hand my sister over to you and hope for the best," Nikolas noted. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Johnny can protect me," Lulu said, coming into the room. "He loves me and I love him. I'm not a little girl anymore, Nikolas. It's not your job to come to my rescue. You have to treat me like an adult and let me make my own choices."

"And he's your choice?" Nikolas asked, looking between the two of them. "You're sure?"

"Completely," Lulu nodded, smiling at Johnny. "You don't have to understand. I don't even expect you to. But I need you to accept it. Because I don't want to have to choose between the two of you. And I don't think you would like my choice."

Johnny walked from behind Nikolas's desk and went to stand beside Lulu. She laced their fingertips together and Nikolas watched them closely, staying silent for several minutes.

"You really love him, don't you?" Nikolas questioned.

"Very much," Lulu affirmed.

"You promise me that she's safe with you?" Nikolas asked, turning his attention to Johnny.

"I will never let anyone hurt her," Johnny swore.

"I guess there's not much else to say, then, is there?" Nikolas mused. "When will you leave?"

"Tonight," Lulu answered. "I packed most of my things already."

"I guess that's that, then," Nikolas sighed.

"I'm going to grab your stuff," Johnny muttered.

"I can help," Lulu offered.

"No," Johnny said, shaking his head. "You should talk to your brother."

Lulu frowned as Johnny gave her a look before kissing the top of her head lightly. She turned back to Nikolas uneasily, unsure of what to say.

"Thank you for not fighting this more," Lulu said after awhile.

"Your boyfriend made it pretty clear that I didn't have a choice," Nikolas noted. "He's a pretty perceptive guy, I have to admit."

"He loves me, Nikolas," Lulu replied.

"I don't doubt that," Nikolas smiled. "But I love you, too. And it's not easy for me to not be the number one man in your life the way I have been since your dad skipped town all those years ago."

"You're not losing me to Johnny," Lulu tried. "It's just time for me to grow up."

Nikolas nodded and held his arms out. Lulu was hesitant at first, but soon found herself tucked against her brother, hugging him tightly.

"I hope things work out for you," Nikolas said softly. "But if they don't, you always have somewhere to go."

"I know," Lulu whispered. "But I'm in good hands."

Johnny cleared his throat in the doorway, causing the siblings to pull apart completely.

"You ready to go?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah," Lulu nodded, taking one final look at Nikolas. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Of course," Nikolas affirmed. "Be safe."

"I will," Lulu promised, walking over to Johnny.

"I'll make sure of it," Johnny added, taking her hand.

The couple left the study and Nikolas sighed to himself, hoping that he had made the right decision.

"I think that's the last of it," Lulu sighed, falling onto Johnny's couch.

"Why do you seem tired?" Johnny wondered, looking down at her. "I carried everything."

"Yes, but giving you directions on where to put it was exhausting," Lulu smiled.

"Not too exhausting, I hope," Johnny frowned. "First night living together, we have to make some memories."

"I'm so glad you said that," Lulu said excitedly, jumping up quickly. "I have a surprise for you."

"Really?" Johnny asked as Lulu walked into his bedroom.

No. Their bedroom.

"I think you're going to like it," Lulu called out.

"I hope it's not too much," Johnny yelled back.

"Well, I think it's perfect for our first night together," Lulu replied, coming back into the room with her hands behind her back. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Johnny answered.

"Surprise!" Lulu said, bringing her hands in front of her to reveal his surprise.

"A movie?" Johnny questioned in confusion.

"You do have a DVD player, right?" Lulu countered.

"Well, yeah, but... You want to watch a movie?" Johnny asked.

"Not just any movie," Lulu smiled, handing it over.

"When Harry Met Sally," Johnny read aloud. "Is this a joke?"

"You said you hadn't seen it," Lulu reminded him. "Which is practically breaking the law."

"What law?" Johnny wondered. "And since when do you think that I have a problem breaking the law?"

"The boyfriend law, which is the one law you should never break," Lulu said seriously.

"There's really not something else you'd rather do tonight?" Johnny pressed.

"No, because unlike you, I don't see this as our first night living together," Lulu explained. "But it is our first night getting to be a normal couple. I mean, with us meeting while I was in a mental hospital and then going on the run and all the other stuff that followed, we've never even had a date night."

"Then why don't you let me take you out?" Johnny suggested. "We'll go some place spectacular."

"Because, I'd rather be alone with you," Lulu answered. "We'll have a fancy date eventually, I'm sure. But tonight, I just want us to have a date night in our new place. I want to order take out and watch this movie and fall asleep on the couch together."

"I have one more question," Johnny sighed.

"Why won't you just do this?" Lulu asked.

"Just answer me, please," Johnny requested.

"Fine," Lulu nodded, giving him the go ahead.

"Do you want pizza or Chinese?" Johnny wondered.

Lulu smiled broadly and wrapped her arms around him as he lifted her into the air, kissing her softly before returning her to her feet.

"Whatever you want, honey," Lulu said happily.

"I have all I want and need, right here," Johnny whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Lulu replied, kissing him again.