"Here." Matt said handing Lulu an Aspirin and a bottle of water upon her waking up. After the fight broke up he brought her back to his place and let her pass out on his bed while he took the sofa.
"Uh…" She groaned and then swallowed the pill. "Can we pretend that last night didn't happen?"
"I will consider it forgotten as soon as you tell me what actually did happen." Matt replied.
"Too much alcohol and not enough food." She explained.
He didn't need his medical training to figure that one out. "It doesn't take a brain surgeon to see there was something more than you being worried about your brother."
Lulu smiled at the irony of the statement. "I just saw a side of my ex that I didn't want to know existed."
"Did he hurt you?" He expressed his concern.
"No, I mean not physically. He helped cover for someone who hurt somebody close to me."
"That's a bit vague."
"I'm sorry about last night, but it's over and done with. I don't want to talk about it anymore, and I really have to get home so I can at least attempt to look presentable for work today." There was a lot of work left to do before the magazine could go out, and Maxie needed her help.
"Sure, yeah, my shift starts in a bit too." Matt backed off. "Lulu, if I promise not to bring this up again, can we go out tonight?"
"I'd like that." She smiled.
***********
After going a few more rounds the night before Carly found herself cradled next to Jason. Neither one of them were asleep but were too comfortable there to work up the ambition to leave. Jason nibbled on her neck and ear causing her tiny hairs to stand up on end.
"I could get used to this kind of pillow talk." She commented.
"We weren't talking." He replied.
"Exactly." She smiled and rolled over to face him. She leaned in and he met her in a kiss. She wanted more than anything else to stay there all day, but instead pushed away. "We should go to the clinic."
"Now?" He whined.
"After getting cleaned up and dressed first." She responded.
"Okay, fine. Let's get it over with." He conceded, and then they could go back to the room for the next couple of days.
"Are you going to…?" She motioned towards the shower, and this time he accepted.
"You know, you're looking healthier already." He commented as she checked the temperature of the shower.
"I feel better."
She admitted. She wasn't sure if it was the change in attitude
following the test results, an entire day without blood being sucked
out of her, or the medicinal effects of an active sex life that was
doing the trick. "And I know what would help."
"What's
that?" She took his hands and guided him into the shower with her.
He held her for awhile letting the running water rain down over them
before lathering the wash cloth.
**********
"You never said what happened last night." Olivia commented as she saw Johnny checking out his lip in the bathroom mirror, and then handed him an ice cube.
"Would you believe I let Matt Hunter catch me off guard?" He responded putting the ice over the swelling.
"Matt Hunter the neurosurgeon? Lulu's new boyfriend?"
"One in the same." He responded.
"You two were getting along so well at Carly's homecoming party. What happened?"
"Lulu was upset and drunk and I tried to help. Matt misunderstood something and instead of explaining it to him I got defensive and he started a fight." He knew he acted like a jerk about it, but he couldn't help it. Lulu was obviously upset and her boyfriend let her wander off alone.
"Do you know what she was upset about?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah, any faith in me she may have had left came crumbing down." He answered poetically. "Apparently Carly and Jason are the only ones left that don't know about the shooting."
Olivia made a facial expression indicating the contrary.
"Carly knows?" Johnny questioned.
"Yes, and right now she's taking it out by divorcing Jax." Olivia explained. "But for your sister's sake it's probably good that she's in Italy."
"Do you think that there is any chance Sonny can talk Jason out of putting a bullet between her eyes?" Johnny asked. Sonny took the news a lot better than he expected, but in his mind the x factor was always Jason.
"I wish him luck." Olivia responded. She didn't like Claudia. Most days she thought she was a vile waste of oxygen, but she did know how much Johnny loved her, and she would never condone taking a human life out of vengeance.
***********
"I thought I might find you here." Sonny said wrapping his arms around his wife. She spent most of her waking hours just looking out over the patio lost in her own thoughts. "Would you mind telling me what you are thinking about?"
"Somewhere between conception and labor, when the woman is carrying her child she becomes a mother." Claudia said still staring out.
"Okay." Sonny replied and held her tighter.
"I'm a mom without a child." Claudia cried. She turned to face him and continued to cry on his shoulder.
Sonny felt helpless; he didn't know what he could do or say to make her feel better.
"I'm sorry." She pushed away.
"No. If there was anything I could…"
"Maybe there is." She cut in.
"Just say the word." He responded. He couldn't imagine much that he wasn't willing to do to make this easier for her.
"I want a baby. I know it won't replace our little girl, but I want another shot."
"Claudia, I don't think that's a good idea." He replied. After Michael was shot he was more convinced then ever that his life was too dangerous for children. Claudia's conception was an accident, or so he thought, but he couldn't help but stand behind the idea that it wasn't right to purposefully bring another child into that.
"Please?" She cried. "I need this."
He hesitated to respond.
"I'm so sorry for what happened to Michael. Truly! You can punish me any other way you want, but please…"
"This isn't about punishing you. What happened to Michael is a clear example of why it's not a good idea."
"It won't happen again." She shook her head. The reason Sonny was open to that attack was because he attempted a treaty and left himself unguarded. He wasn't going to make that some mistake twice.
"You can't guarantee that." Sonny argued.
"Maybe not, but I can guarantee that given a chance our child will be loved the way we should have been, and you will be able to raise this child instead of being robbed like you were with your other children."
"I don't know."
"You said yourself that we work well. When we're on the same side it is great; just imagine the parents we could be together."
It had been while since he let himself go to that place where he could picture their little girl; how she looked, and which attributes she would take from each of them. It hurt too much to capture that image for too long. "Did you talk to Dr. Lee about it?"
"She mentioned that she didn't see anything wrong with trying again." Claudia answered. "Does that mean you're considering it?"
"Maybe." Sonny responded.
