Chapter 24
More clanking sounds filled the air, as if someone had tripped over something.
"What was that?" Lulu asked
Dillon pulled her behind him and opened the door. He flipped on the light.
"Malcolm Edward Quatermaine what are you doing?" he asked his son
Mac looked down.
"Exploring." answered Natasha, her chin titled up and hands on her hips.
Mac had a flashlight and his magnifying glass, things he carried in a backpack where he went."There are lots of species of spiders down here, dad."
Lulu shivered and looked around. "I'm out of here. Let's go, Miss Natasha, I bet your father does not know where you are." Lulu knew the child well because they were related. Natasha's father was Sly Eckert.
Sly's father was Luke's cousin.
"But I am having fun!" Natasha objected, her brown eyes defiant.
"Did I ask for back talk?" Lulu asked her.
"No, ma'am." Natasha said."Bye, Mac. See you in school."
"Bye, Nat."
Lulu said to Dillon, "See you upstairs." She gave him a sweet smile before leaving.
Dillon watched them go and then said, "I would expect a stunt like this from your sister, Mac, not you. You know better than to sneak off away from adult supervision."
"Sorry, Dad."
"Did Natasha talk you into it?"
"No."
"Good answer. Never sell out a woman. Do you like her?"
Mac shrugged. "She's okay for a girl."
Dillon chuckled. "Well, no more sneaking off for you two until you are 27."
"27? Isn't that kind of ancient?"
"Yeah, that's the point. Lets get back to the party, son."
"Okay, dad." As they walked upstairs Mac asked, "Is Lulu going to be my new mom?"
Dillon stopped. "You will never have a new mom. But you might get a second mom at some point. Would that bother you?"
Mac furrowed his brow. "I don't know. It would be weird but..."
"Yeah?"
"She seems really nice and it might be...fun to have a mom around...again."
Dillon smiled, "Well if I ever do ask her I will make sure you are the first to know her answer. Since it affects you and Frankie just as much as me. We are a team, right?"
"Yep. Forever."
"Exactly. Forever."
Dillon led his son back into the party. He immediately saw his other son dancing with a young woman. Clark had a lost expression on his face, as if he didn't realize their was anyone but her in the room.
Lacey said to Clark, "How long are you staying in town this time?"
"I was only planning on tonight but..." he said " after my finals are over in a few weeks I could come back for the summer."
She grinned. "I think you should."
"You do, huh?" he smiled
Her heart sped up.
"Unless I am imagining this?" Lacey whispered "Am I crazy or is there something between us?"
He kissed her cheek. "You aren't crazy," he whispered in her ear.
Dancing next to them was fifteen year old Andrea Cassadine with J.J. Jacks. J.J.'s full name was Jerome John Jacks.
Andrea's mom and dad were also on the dance floor. Nikolas spun Emily around and she laughed.
"Go easy on my old bones." she protested
"We aren't that old yet, Em. In fact, I was thinking we could act like the old days tonight and ..."
He gave her a sexy look and dropped his voice "duck into a closet or empty office?"
He pulled her close and ran his hand over her bare back.
"Lead the way, husband." she whispered into his ear.
Luke said into his cell phone, "You are sure it was him? This is not like the last five wild goose chases you sent me on is it, Robert? It better not be. I'm on my way."
Cameron walked up and said, "I know that look. What is going on?"
"You get rid of that jerk?" Luke asked
Cameron nodded. "Now, talk, Gramps. What was that call about?"
"Stefan is in town."
Sixteen year old Alexi Cassadine, the second son of Nik, heard the conversation and walked over.
Cameron said, excited, "Where?" They had been following leads on him for years.
"Wyndermere." Luke said "Lets go."
"Count me in." said Alexi
Luke glared at him. "Don't think so, kid."
"It's my great uncle you are talking about." Alexi argued "You can take me with or I can go and tell my dad about this. I am sure him, Spencer and my sister Andrea would love to see Uncle Stefan."
"Fine. You are in." Luke said and they all took off.
As Luke, Cameron and Alexi left the boat Jason, Carly, Micheal, his wife and baby, and Morgan were coming on the deck.
"Cutting out early, Uncle Luke?" Carly asked
"Got a hot tip on a race at the track." he said "Tell your Aunt Laura I will be back shortly."
Carly rolled her eyes and said to Jason, "Great. He leaves me to do his dirty work."
Micheal said to his wife, Bree Buchanan Corinthos, "I told you the people in this town are crazy. You sure you want to go in there?"
"No crazier than the town I grew up in." Bree said smiling. She held a baby girl, named Caroline, on her hip.
Morgan, a risk taking twenty four year old who, unknown to his mother or Uncle Jason, was plotting to take down Diego Alcazar, strode away from his family. His eyes searched for a face he remembered from his childhood and the other times he visited town. He always made sure to see her.
His dark eyes meet hers. Lila Rae blushed and looked away. Morgan started chatting with Spencer Cassadine but he kept his gaze focused on the red head.
Lulu said good bye to Sly and Sam, who had her hand in her daughter's to make certain Natasha didn't run off again.
Lulu spotted Dillon, who was depositing Mac at the table with Tracy again. Dillon turned and saw her.
He started walking toward her.
They met in the middle of the dance floor.
Dillon held out his hand and wordlessly they began dancing.
The DJ had been slipped a hundred dollar bill at the start of the evening, by Dillon, to play a certain song if he saw Dillon and Lulu on the dance floor. So when the current song ended, a modern one that Katie put on the play list, a oldie from twenty years back filled the air.
Watch my life pass me by, in the rearview mirror
Pictures frozen in time are becoming clearer
I don't wanna waste another day stuck in the shadow of my mistakes
Cause I want you and I feel you, driving underneath my skin
Like a hunger, Like a burning, To find a place I've never been
Now I'm broken, And I'm faded, I'm half the man I thought I would be:
But you can have what's left of me
Dillon and Lulu swayed to the music and he said, "I never expected to feel this again- after Georgie. But I do love you, Lulu Spencer, and I don't think I can watch you walk away from me ever again."
A slow smile spread over her face. "That's all you had to say to make me never want to."
I've been dying inside, little by little,
No where to go, but going out of my mind in endless circles,
Running from my self until
You give me a reason for standing still
Carly tugged Jason's hand and said, "Dance with me."
He knew better than to give her the line he did everyone else about not liking to dance. He willingly took her into his arms.
Bree Buchanan Corinthos handed baby Caroline to Lucas to hold. He was sitting at a table with Maxie Smith. Maxie had married a cousin of Zander Smith.
Micheal and Bree moved onto the dance floor.
Morgan waited until Skye and Lorenzo stood to dance before he went over to Lila. He said, "Meet me on the deck." and then he faded back into the crowd.
Alan and Monica swayed to the music, dancing beside them was Brooklyn and her husband, and next to them was Ned and Lois.
Dillon gave Lulu a kiss, not caring who saw them.
It's falling faster, barely breathing, give me something to believe in
Tell me: It's all in my head
Take what's left of this man
Make me whole once again
Underneath the moonlight Morgan pulled Lila into his arms and his lips crushed hers in a kiss filled with longing.
Sirens wailed in the air.
A few miles away, Luke ran down the dock at Wyndermere chasing a man dressed in a black trench coat. Luke called out "Jump in the boat! Hurry! Come on Alexi don't slow us up or you are going to be left behind. Floor it, Cam. He is getting away."
On the Haunted Star, Katie walked over to Marc Jacks. "I was wondering... would you...um, Marc..."
"I'd love to dance, Kate." He took her in his arms.
Clark still held Lacey. He had lost track of how many songs had played since they started dancing.
He said to her, "I should have asked this first but you don't have a boyfriend, do you?"
"No."
"Thank God."
She smiled.
The DJ had played the song twice now but eventually it wound to an end. Lulu had tears in her eyes when Dillon said, "You came home to me, Lulu, and saved my life and our son's. I never expected this to happen when I saw you in my living room back in January but you knew, didn't you? You knew it would all work out."
"I prayed it would. And this time my prayers were answered." she told him "Yet still, Dil, this is more than I dared hope for. You here loving me... loving me like I love you... and our son, happy and healthy and part of our family now. I never want this to end."
"Will you marry me, Lulu?"
It's falling faster barely breathing,
Give me something to believe in
Tell me: It's all in my head
Take what's left of this man
Make me whole once again
I've been dying inside you see
Im going out of my mind
Out of my mind
I'm just running in circles all the time
Will you take what's left
Will you take what's left
Will you take what's left of me?
Running in circles all the time
Will you take what's left
Will you take what's left
Will you take what's left of me?
Nick Lachey