Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with General Hospital.
A/N: I don't think I'm going to continue this because I like the ending, but if the writing on the show doesn't go the way I want it to, you may get a sequel. However, I am currently writing for Dilu in, To Choose Life and I have an idea for a new story. So I'll just let the chips fall where they may! Enjoy...
Finding Our Way Back
Chapter 2
Milo spun us around the room, but I still hadn't erased my memories of Dillon from my mind. "You're not having a good time are you?" Milo asked sweetly.
"I'm sorry. I think I'm using you to get over the last guy I was with. I guess I'm just not ready to move on."
"That's okay. I understand," Milo said gently. "But if you wouldn't mind, I'd still like to show you a good time tonight as your friend."
I smiled, as tears filled my eyes. "That's really sweet."
Before Milo could even respond, gunfire was heard and we suddenly became hostages…
XXXXX
(Dillon's POV)
I stormed away from the Metro Court. I couldn't explain this feeling of jealousy I felt every time Lulu was around Milo. I was supposed to be with Georgie, so why did I want to always be the one to save Lulu? Maybe Spinelli was right, I suddenly realized. I did need to sort out these feelings.
I stopped at Kelly's and realized it was closed. I didn't feel like going home and Georgie was off with her professor. Why wasn't I angrier? I suddenly realized it bothered me more to see Lulu and Milo dancing than it did to see Georgie take off with her professor. I pushed the thought from my mind.
Suddenly I heard sirens. I rarely heard them in such ferocity in Port Charles. My curiousity got the better of me and I set off in search of the source. What I didn't expect was to find myself staring back at the Metro Court and being told by someone that there was a hostage situation.
"Lulu is in there," I suddenly exclaimed. Panic began coursing through my veins. I saw Lucky standing with Mac and Rodriguez. "Lucky," I screamed. He heard me and turned in my direction. He waved at me to hold on. I felt like running inside myself. I had to know that she was okay. I heard a gunshot and every ounce of blood drained from head. "Lulu," I screamed.
"Dillon…" I turned to see Georgie running towards me. "What's going on?"
"Lulu is inside. So is Maxie. They're all in there," I sobbed.
Mac saw Georgie and ran over. "Hey guys, we don't know what we're dealing with so I would rather you weren't here."
"I am not going anywhere…" I spat.
"It's not safe here. The Metro Court could explode."
"Then I'll go with it. My whole family is in there. Everyone I care about is trapped in those walls with a bunch of trigger happy gunmen," I screamed.
"I'm sorry Dillon; we're doing all that we can."
"Do you know that your daughter is in there? Lulu is in there."
"I know who is in there," he retorted.
"He's right Dillon. We shouldn't be here," Georgie agreed, as she took my arm.
I shrugged her off. "Fine, go spend time with your professor."
"Dillon now is not the time to fight about this."
"Lulu and I just fought Georgie, and now she might die…" I spat.
"Don't say that. She's going to be fine."
"How do you know that? Did you pick up a psychic ability while I wasn't looking?"
"I know you're scared, but taking it out on me isn't going to help."
"Just leave me alone." I couldn't explain the anger I felt towards Georgie. I wanted nothing to do with her.
I watched the wounded look that passed across her face. "I see. I only matter when Lulu doesn't need you. Is that it?"
"I don't have time for your jealousy over Lulu."
"Do you love her?" Georgie spat. My silence answered her question. I saw the tears fill her eyes. "We're over." Then, she stormed off, but I couldn't care less. Her pain was nothing compared to the danger Lulu was in. All I could do was focus on Lulu and seeing her alive one more time.
I saw Spinelli arrive and ran over to him. "Is Lulu in there?" he asked.
I nodded. I couldn't choke out the words. I was overcome with emotion and I started to cry. It was so humiliating to cry surrounded by a bunch of macho cops. Spinelli put his hand on my arm. "She'll be okay. She'll get out. Lulu is strong," he tried to assure me.
"What if she dies? I fought with her. I don't want that to be what she remembers of me."
"She won't die. Try and stay positive," Spinelli said softly.
"Spinelli…" Jason shouted. He ran over to us. He started asking questions about Alcazar, shipments and hacking into systems.
I walked away and dropped onto a cement step.
"Where's my daughter?" a voice screamed. I recognized it immediately.
"Luke," I called to him. He ran over to me.
"Where's Lulu?"
"She's inside," I cried, just as more gunfire could be heard inside. Luke ran from my side to Lucky and then started arguing with Mac.
Everything became a blur over the next few hours. Time felt like it was standing still. Sporadically we'd hear gunfire. Every horrible thing I'd ever said to Lulu was fresh in my mind. I felt trapped and helpless. I needed to save her; to see that she was okay.
"How are you holding up?" Luke asked, as he handed me a cup of coffee. I thanked him and set it down beside me.
"I just want to know they're okay…"
"We have to stay hopeful," he offered.
"Do you expect me to believe that you believe that?"
"Not really, but there isn't exactly anything else to say."
"I fought with Lulu right before this happened, Luke. I need to apologize to her. I will never forgive myself. I should be in there."
"It's not your fault, Spielberg. I know you care about Lulu. She knows you care about her. Whatever it was, she won't blame you. If she can forgive me for abandoning her, then she can forgive you for whatever was said."
"Well, I won't forgive myself."
He put his arm around me. "You're a good kid Dillon. You have been there for my daughter every time I couldn't be. She thinks the world of you. She wouldn't want you to blame yourself."
"You're already talking like she is dead."
"I'm sorry. I guess it's my inborn pessimism."
Luke eventually left my side and went back to arguing with other people. Spinelli came back and sat down beside me. "Did you find anything helpful?" I asked him, hoping Spinelli would somehow hold the key to saving all of the hostages.
"All I know is that Alcazar put something into the safe and Jason thinks that that's what the hostage takers are after."
"So what will happen if they don't get it?"
"Everyone will die," Spinelli said morbidly. My stomach churned in response.
He pulled out his laptop and turned on a game. "Want to learn to play?" he asked timidly and I realized he was trying to distract me. My eyes traveled to the building before me and I imagined Lulu lying in a pool of her own blood. "Come on, it will take your mind off what's happening."
I nodded and he placed it into my lap. Then he showed me all of the controls. He taught me how to get through each level, but my mind couldn't stay focused on the game. My mind was with Lulu, the girl I had realized was the love of my life.
More hours passed while Spinelli attempted to distract me. It was well into to the night now. Jason came back. "Spinelli hack into the hotel computer again. I need the layout of the vault and lobby."
Spinelli closed the game and started typing frantically. "Are you going in?" I asked Jason softly. He nodded. "Do me a favour and bring Lulu out alive."
"I'll do my best," he promised.
Spinelli showed him the computer screen and started explaining everything about the layout of the hotel. I tuned them out and my mind drifted to the nights I had spent with Lulu in the boathouse. I remembered the scent of her hair, the taste of her kiss and the smile that had spread across her face. I remembered the feeling of her skin against mine. Mostly I remembered how I felt. She made me feel so content, so at peace. Our movements had been in tandem. We had literally become one. Now we were separated, perhaps forever and the only image I could think of was of her face, the day I called her a selfish bitch for saying that she was getting an abortion. I felt the tears burn my eyes. I dropped my gaze to the cement below me and tried to contain myself, especially in front of my mobster cousin.
"Your sister is in there too," I said suddenly, gathering Jason's attention.
"I know," he said sadly. "They're all in there. Sam, Emily, Elizabeth, Lulu, Carly, Sonny, my parents, your mother, our grandfather. I know they're in there Dillon and I will do everything I can to bring them out."
I nodded and Jason said good bye to us. Spinelli dropped back onto the step beside me. "Here I have another game for you." He loaded a new game and handed me the computer again.
I made another attempt to distract myself. It worked for about twenty minutes before another hail of gunfire. This one turned out to be one of the worst. It lasted for several minutes. Then we were met with another silence. I pictured a bullet penetrating Lulu's pale skin. I pictured her crimson blood pouring like a stream onto the dance floor. I pictured her body lying in a lifeless heap. I pictured the hostage takers indifference to her dead body. I pictured having to attend her funeral and seeing her corpse lying in a coffin. The thought made me sick. I threw the computer back into Spinelli's lap. "I can't do this. I can't just sit around and wait for them to kill her," I muttered.
Spinelli looked nervous, more so than usual. "There isn't anything we can do Dillon. It's up to the PCPD to get them out."
"Well they're not doing it. They're not doing anything. It has been six hours. How much longer are they going to sit around and wait for all of our friends and family to be dead?"
Suddenly I saw a new comer. Patrick Drake arrived on scene. He started asking questions and making demands, much like the rest of us that could do nothing but wait. "Robin has been shot Mac," I heard him shout. I hadn't heard that piece of information and I suddenly didn't know how to feel. I wondered if she was the only one that had been shot, or if they all had. I had to believe Lulu was going to be okay. I had to believe that she was going to come out alive.
Patrick stopped next to me. "How long have the cops been standing around?" he asked me bitterly.
"Six hours," I informed him, with an equal amount of disdain. "What are the chances they're even still alive?"
He looked at me with concern. "You have a lot of people in there?"
"My entire family and Lulu; they're all in there."
He nodded. "Robin was shot."
"How long ago?"
"I don't know someone told me while I was still at the hospital."
"Do you think she'll be okay?"
"Not if they don't get her out soon. You can only lose so much blood," he said with a hollow tone. I finally felt like I was with someone who could understand what I was going through.
More time passed and we all waited in a tense silence. It felt unending.
Suddenly, at 5:00 in the morning, there was movement. Someone dressed all in black emerged from a window. We all watched in shock as the assailant jumped from a ledge and landed on a cruiser. She ripped of her ski mask and we all recognized Sam. She ran towards Mac and started screaming something about trip wires and getting everyone out. We watched the cops prepare to storm the lobby. We watched some hostages run out and then as Nikolas screamed for Emily, we watched the building explode. What I didn't watch was Lulu run out to me. My world felt shattered.
Suddenly I saw the familiar blonde hair. I recognized her immediately as she stumbled in my direction. "Lulu," I cried as she collapsed into my arms. "Baby wake up." She was unresponsive to me. "Help me. Somebody help me. She needs medical attention."
Paramedics arrived and took her from me. I didn't want to let her go.
XXXXX
Hours passed as I waited in the waiting room with Luke, Nikolas and Lucky. We had no word on who had and had not survived. I missed Patrick Drake, but I knew he was in caring for Robin.
"Family for Lulu Spencer," a nurse said gently.
We all raced to her. "Well?" Luke exclaimed fiercely.
"She survived but she is in pretty bad shape. Her arm is broken. She has some broken ribs and her lung had collapsed but it has been cared for. She will be in a lot of pain when she wakes up but she is currently unconscious."
"But she's going to be okay?" I asked, as tears filled my eyes.
"She is expected to make a full recovery."
"Thank you," Lucky offered.
"Can we see her?" Nikolas asked.
"She probably won't wake up for a while. However, you're welcome to see her, one at a time."
"I'm going first," Luke demanded and no one stopped him from following the nurse.
"Dillon, if you want to go wait with your family…" Nikolas started.
"Please, can I speak to Lulu, just for a minute?"
"Well yeah, but she's not awake. We can come get you when she wakes up," Lucky offered.
"I just need a moment with her. I just need a moment to see her alive," I said, as more tears filled my eyes.
A doctor appeared. "Family of Elizabeth Spencer." Nikolas and Lucky raced over there. I waited apart from them, feeling some what out of place.
Luke reappeared. "Did you want to see her?" he asked me gently. I nodded. "Okay, I'm going to find out some information on your mother."
"Thanks Luke."
"Of course."
I went down the hall and stopped outside of Lulu's closed door. I peeked in the window and saw her unconscious body attached to several tubes. I cautiously opened the door, for some reason I felt the need to be quiet, so as not to disturb her.
I sat down on the chair next to the bed and reached out for her hand. It was cold. "Lulu," I whispered. "I am so sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I am sorry I left you tonight. I am sorry I didn't tell you the truth. I do love you Lulu and it scares me. It scares me a lot. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to tell you, but loving you scares me. I'm afraid of giving up on Georgie and entering something that I don't know. The fact is my fear is stupid. I'm clinging onto something that died a long time ago; long before the summer. You gave me an out, when you lied and I jumped at the chance to end things with Georgie. I wanted to believe you because deep down Georgie and I didn't love each other as much as we used to. When I was with you, I was at my happiest. You and I, we just work. It's not always fighting. We had this passion, something that Georgie and I never had and never will. You made me feel good about who I was. I've never had that.
"Tonight I desperately wanted to admit how I felt but I got scared again. I will never forgive myself for not staying with you. Lulu, I don't begrudge you for getting the abortion. You have to know that. I think I was most upset because it was severing the connection that I needed to have with you. It wasn't about the baby; it was about having a reason to be part of your life without feeling guilty. I will wonder about that child, but I understand why you did it. I don't blame you. I love you Lulu. I love you so much. Please just wake up. Just hear me, please…" I choked on my words as tears flooded my face. I rested my head against her bed, as I sobbed. "I love you."
"I… l… love you too," I heard her say weakly.
"Lulu," I exclaimed, as I lifted my head and looked into her eyes. "Thank God, you're awake. I missed you, so much."
"Did you mean it?"
"I meant every word I said. I am so sorry."
"Stop apologizing. I don't want to hear how sorry you are. I want to hear more about how much you love me."
"I will tell you every day for the rest of our lives, but right now, there are people who want to see you. Your family was so worried."
"Wait…"
"What?"
"What is the extent of my injuries?"
"Your arm is broken and you have some cracked ribs. Your lung was punctured but they performed surgery and you're going to be fine."
"Is everyone else okay?"
"I don't know the list of survivors yet Lulu."
"Is Nikolas okay?"
"Nikolas is fine. He has a couple cuts on his face, but he is fine."
"What about Emily?"
"She was rushed into the hospital but her injuries were not life threatening."
"What about Elizabeth and the baby?"
"I don't know. The doctor came to talk to Lucky when I came in to see you."
"What about your Mom?"
"Luke went to check on her."
"You haven't checked on your Mom?"
"I needed to know you were okay," I admitted, as more tears spilled down my cheeks.
"Hey, I'm okay. I'm fine. We're going to be fine. I want to know that everyone is okay. Please Dillon," she begged me and I saw the fearful vulnerability in her eyes. All I wanted to do was take it away.
"I am going to find out everything I can for you. I will knock out Doctors if I have to. I'm going to send Nikolas in okay?"
She nodded and I wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "I love you," I whispered.
"I love you too."
XXXXX
(Lulu's POV)
It was well over a week before I was released from the hospital. It was painful but I survived. Unfortunately Dillon's uncle Alan did not make it. He and a few hostages were not able to survive.
Dillon stayed vigil at my side. He was there when I was released. My father has also stuck around for now.
Elizabeth is okay and so is the baby. Unfortunately she released a piece of information that has left us all in shock. Apparently she is not carrying Lucky's child. She is carrying Jason Morgan's. I haven't had an opportunity to speak with her. Mostly because Dillon informs me I might rip my stitches. He continues to be my rock.
Emily is fine. Carly is fine. The rest of the Quartermaines are fine as well. Robin was also able to survive the bullet wound, which she has told everyone is her war scar. Sam is fine and she even came to visit me. Milo survived as well and he dropped in too. Dillon held my hand the whole time but his jealousy is not as bad as before. He feels bad for Milo.
It was an experience that I know will haunt me for the rest of my life. It is something that I thank God, I was able to survive. I had assumed my life was going to be over. It's not. Instead it's the start of a new life. A life with the man I love and the man that loves me. I have had contact with Georgie and she is surprisingly indifferent to all that transpired between us. I still hope she's not sleeping with the professor. There is one thing I know and that is that Marquez is an ass.
As soon as I am able to walk again without Dillon's support and feeling like my body is actually ripping apart inside, Nikolas and Emily intend to get remarried. It is such great news. The hostage situation helped them see that love is not something one should ever take fore granted.
Since the blow out between Elizabeth and Lucky, he's been spending a lot of time with Sam who seems to be in an equal amount of pain. I secretly am hoping that something romantic ends up between them. I loved Elizabeth like a sister, but she has hurt my brother more than she will ever imagine and I am having a hard time forgiving her. Sam is the only one that could understand his pain. I see a spark between them that I think other people are beginning to notice. I intend for the first time in my life, to keep my mouth shut and let the chips fall where they may. I know it's not my place, so I've stayed out of it. However, if something does happen, I do plan on being in the room when Lucky tells my father, that he is with a Cassadine. I want to see the look on my fathers face. Only time will tell.
I learned one thing while I had a gun pressed against my back. I've learned to fight for what makes you happy; to never settle for second best. I also learned that your family is the most important part of your life and to never take them fore granted. My brothers, Carly, my aunt Bobbie, my nephews, my cousins and even my father are very important and they will always be a part of me. I can only look to the future with hope because I have been given another chance to live and this time I intend to live my life to the fullest.