"I am going to go for a drive," I told Lulu early the next morning before the sun had even come above the horizon. A single lightbulb in the lamp next to the bed cast a warm glow across her face as she rolled over to peer up at me.
Her eyes met mine as she squinted, trying to make sense of what I've just said. "Okay, do you want me to go with you?" she asked.
"No, you stay in bed. It's really early," I told her as I pulled the blanket next to her chin. I stroked her hair tenderly as her heavy eyes fell shut again. She turned her face in my palm.
"Are you okay?" she murmured without opening her eyes.
Dillon is helping me with a project. You just walked in on us trying to work out the logistics of a project.
"I'm fine," I lied as I flipped off the lamp and grabbed my keys from the top of the bureau. I don't offer anything else, and she doesn't say another word. I close the door quietly behind me as I trample down the stairs and head for the garage. Within moments, I'm headed toward Shadybrook to see Laura.
"I know it's early, but she's expecting me," I tell the nurse behind the desk when I finally arrive at the hospital.
Her hair is pulled back into a tight bun and her smile is courteous but rigid. "It's before visiting hours. You cannot go in," she stated bluntly.
Nothing romantic is going on here, if that's what you're thinking. We're solving a mystery, that's it.
"Please," I implored, "it's a family emergency."
"You're not family," she reminded me. "I know that Ms. Spencer only has two sons, Nikolas Cassadine and Lucky Spencer. You are neither one of them."
"No, I'm Dillon Quartermaine," I revealed, hoping that my name would have some kind of pull.
"Quartermaine? You're related to the Quartermaines that live up on the hill?"
"Edward Quartermaine is my grandfather."
It's the perfect way to reel you in…Lulu is nobody's fool. She saw how lying to you to get you into bed worked out, now she's moved on to smarter, brainier schemes.
"Your family has been very generous to Shadybrook," the nurse said. I could see that she was reconsidering.
"I am sure that we will continue to be very generous. You see, I am going to marry Laura's daughter, Lulu. Her full recovery is very important to me, and my grandfather has always been fond of Laura. I am sure he would be more than happy to support any research that would be beneficial to her."
"Well, I guess we could make an exception this one time," the nurse relented, punching her keyboard a few times. "Go on in. You have twenty minutes before the doctor comes around to do checks."
"Thank you," I called over my shoulder as I slipped into the locked ward. Whipping around the corner, I managed to find my way to Laura's room undetected by anyone else on the staff. I knocked twice and pushed the door open.
She is justified in being suspicious of me. But you are wrong. This is not a trap to get Dillon.
Laura was standing in front of the huge picture window, staring aimlessly at the glittering skyline of Port Charles. She looked so much like Lulu, the same vulnerable innocence in her eyes as she turned to greet me. "Dillon, thanks for coming."
"She doesn't know that I'm here," I promised her before sitting in the rocking chair.
"If you don't mind waiting, I've asked someone else to join us," Laura explained as she paced the length of the window sill. As if on cue, another knock on the door brought Laura's other guests. "Hello, girls."
Wow, I am impressed.
"Hi," Emily said softly as she came forward to hug Laura. Elizabeth embraced her next as I jumped to my feet to offer my chair to the pregnant woman. She smiled gratefully as she slumped into the old wooden rocker. Emily sat on the floor next to her best friend's feet while I perched on the corner of the nightstand.
"I didn't tell Lucky that I was coming here," Liz announced.
"Nikolas doesn't know either," Emily added.
"Apparently, none of us told your children that we were coming," I said pointedly.
Well, obviously he's not that out of it if even he can see that lulu is still attracted to you. I can see it. How come you're the only one wearing blinders?
Laura arranged herself on the edge of the bed and nodded thoughtfully. "It's for the best. I just wanted to talk to you about Lulu. Luke has told me that this might not be permanent. I'm not worried about myself. If I revert, I won't be hurt. I won't know what's going on. My children, they will be the ones who are affected."
"I'm sure they can handle it," Emily tried to comfort.
Elizabeth shook her head. "I know what you're saying, Laura. It's a mother's instinct to protect your kids, but you can't protect them from this. Whether you like it or not – whether we like it or not – it may happen. But I know Lucky and I know your other children, they'd rather have a few days with you and endure the aftermath then never get this chance."
There's a difference between friendship and love. You can care about someone without wanting to be with them.
Laura looked at me. "Well, what do you think?"
"I think that Liz is right. I know that this is what Lulu has prayed about since she was a little girl," I began. "I know that she is scared that this is going to be taken away from her, and maybe it will be. But she doesn't regret that she has this chance. She never would."
"If I…" Laura trailed off before gathering herself. "They are going to need you. Luke won't be able to take care of them, we all know that. Nikolas will pretend to be strong. He'll think he needs to take care of everyone. He'll want the best medical advice money can buy. He'll want to be able to reassure himself and everyone else that it's the best possible situation."
You and Lulu have history.
"He will," Emily agreed. "But he will also allow himself time to grieve in private. He is different with me than he is with anyone else in the world. He'll throw himself into being a father to Spencer, just like he did after he lost Courtney. Nikolas will come through this because he won't be alone."
"None of your children will be," Elizabeth pointed out. "I know that you're probably worried about Lucky falling into bad habits. And maybe I should think more about it, but I have faith in my husband. He has proven to me that he can endure sobriety through the most difficult of circumstances. He'd be too worried about being strong for Lulu to revert back to that lifestyle. He wants to be a good husband, a good father, a good brother. My children, me, his sister…we're his biggest priorities in life."
"Lulu would need him," Laura mumbled. "I think of all my children, she would take it hardest. I know it was hard on her last time."
"But this time is different," I said. "This time she has me. I would never let her go through this alone. She'd have Nikolas, Lucky and me. She'd have Liz and Em. She'd even have the Quartermaines. Amazingly enough, they adore Lulu. Even my mother has accepted her into the family."
"It's true," Emily said. "Tracey seems to have a soft spot for her."
I like Lulu. And the fact that we went through the hell of getting pregnant, that's something that's probably going to -- well, it's going to bond us.
"My children are going to need you. I couldn't have chosen three better partners for them. Emily, you have always brought out the best in Nikolas. With you, he can relax and just be normal – well, as normal as Cassadines get. I've seen his eyes gaze at you, I know the love that is there."
"And Elizabeth, you have long been like a daughter to me. You know that I always wanted you to end up with Lucky. Your love has endured so much… Attacks, lies, deaths… I know how hard it is to love a Spencer man, but we sure do love them, don't we?"
Elizabeth nodded. "More than life itself."
Oh, hell, no. No, what is he doing here?
"And then there is you, Dillon, you fell in love with the hardest of them all. The spitting image of her mother with her father's wild soul, Lulu is like no other."
"Laura, Lulu doesn't need me to take care of her. She is the strongest person I know. Her ability to reinvent herself, to make these incredible comebacks…it's like no one else I've ever seen," I told her. "But Lulu has me to love her. To support her in whatever she does, to be her partner in life. This would be hard on Lulu, but she'd get through this. I know that much."
"Thank you," Laura said to me before looking at the two girls. "Thank all of you. I feel better knowing that you are here for them if I cannot be."
I appreciate your concern, really, I -- I do, but I'm fine. In fact, you'd be happy to know that I'm setting aside my own personal pain to reach out and help others.
"Thank you for giving us to them," I said as my phone rang. I pulled it from my pocket, smiling apologetically at everyone. Lulu's name flashed on the screen. It was still so early, she should be awake."
"Dillon, I'm in pain," she whimpered. "I'm cramping. And there's blood."
Somehow I doubt that, but that's beside the point. You don't want him here.