Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own it…

A/N: Well, this story is just moving right on along, isn't it? I swear, I sit down with one little sentence in my head and before I know it, the chapter's done. It's practically writing itself, LOL... I'm glad it's going so well. This is only my second fanfic- and the first one is pretty well stalled because of writer's block, hehe- so I am really happy that I'm turning out chapter after chapter here and, of course, that you guys are enjoying it so much. R & R, okay? I love reading your reviews- they make me so happy, and my heart does this little flip-flop when I see that people actually like my work! Enjoy!

--Chapter 3--

Port Charles International Airport

Lulu Spencer stepped into the breezeway connecting her flight from London, England, to Gate C-6 of the Port Charles International Airport and collected the stroller waiting for her by the door. Her one-month-old daughter, Lauren Delilah Spencer, slept peacefully in her carseat as Lulu attached the carrier to the stroller and wheeled the stroller out into the terminal. Lauren- named after Lulu's mother Laura and Lila Quartermaine- had spent her first month of life in London, where Lulu had gone to live shortly after deciding she couldn't go through with her planned abortion after all. She'd been at the clinic when she'd made the decision and had left for England straight from there- as far as she knew, no one was aware that she had given birth to a beautiful baby girl.

She collected hers and Laurie's, as her daughter had been nicknamed, bags and stepped outside to the curb to catch a taxi. She'd really only gone to London to think and figure some things out, but she'd had a difficult pregnancy and been forbidden to travel by her doctor. So, she'd stayed and, though she'd picked-up the phone a thousand times to call Dillon or Tracy or anyone in Port Charles, she'd been too terrified. She didn't know how they were going to react to her return or Laurie, but she figured she'd find out the answer to that soon enough. Once she'd given the driver the address of the Quartermaine mansion- no further details were necessary, as it was a well-known place- she pulled her cell phone from Laurie's diaper bag and dialed the mansion's number.

"Quartermaine residence," Alice answered, much to Lulu's delight- she loved the overbearing maid.

"Hello, Alice," she greeted, and was rewarded with an audible gasp.

"Miss Lulu? Is that you? Where are you?"

In the background, Lulu heard a voice call out, "Lu's on the phone? Give me that," and instantly recognized it as Dillon's.

"Lulu! Where are you? Where have you been? Why'd you just-"

"Whoa, calm down there, film-boy," Lulu chuckled as she gave Laurie her finger to hold. "I'm fine- I'm heading to the mansion as we speak, actually. Uh, Dillon?" She bit her lip as she readied herself to tell him that she had a surprise for him.

"Thank God," Dillon muttered under his breath before asking, "Yeah?"

"I… Well, I have a surprise for you. I hope you'll be glad, but… Well, I understand if you're not. Anyway, I don't want to tell you about it over the phone, okay? We'll- I'll," she hastily corrected, hoping Dillon hadn't noticed the slip, "be at the house in about fifteen minutes, okay?" With that, she flipped the top on her cell phone and ended the call. She looked down at her daughter, who seemed to be avidly watching her mother- probably, Lulu thought wryly, wondering what the heck Mommy is getting her into now. Oh, well- too late to turn back now.

Dillon stared at the phone- now making an annoying beeping sound signaling the end of the call- in disbelief. Lulu was coming home- correction, Lulu was home. She was in Port Charles. She was coming back to the mansion- had she said, "we"? That didn't make any sense… No, he must have heard her wrong. He let out a sigh of relief as he thought about seeing the woman he'd realized he was in love with- after all, she had given him eight months to think about that rather daunting idea. And the reality was, no matter what Lulu had done- and no matter what she might do in the future, because he was pretty sure she hadn't changed that much since she'd taken off to parts unknown- he was in love with her, and that wasn't going to change. Oh, he was sure she'd test that love to the limits- probably to the point where he'd want to walk away and be done with it- because that was how Lulu was. But he wouldn't walk away, no matter how tempted he might be.

His mother, accompanied by Lulu's father, came down the steps- naturally, the two were bickering. "Now, Spanky, I really don't know why you're so-" Luke swallowed whatever defense he'd been about to make to his wife as he caught sight of Dillon. "And just what has put that goofy grin on your face, young Spielberg?" he questioned the young man.

However, it was Alice who answered- drawing Luke's attention to the matching goofy grin on the maid's face. "Miss Lulu's coming home!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Luke and lifting him a good three feet off the ground.

"What? Alice, put me down!" Luke demanded, trying to comprehend what he'd just been told. His daughter had taken a page from his book and disappeared without a trace several months ago- worrying him sick, naturally, and finally making him see just what his "adventures" did to the people he loved.

"Lulu's coming home?" This from a disbelieving Tracy as she arched an eyebrow in her son's direction, seeking clarification.

With a sharp nod, Dillon replied, "She's on her way from the airport- said she'd be here in about fifteen minutes." Glancing at his watch, he noted that left about ten now.

Luke's broke out in a grin at the thought of strangling his run-away daughter for the worry she'd put him through these last several months. He, of all people, should have been able to find her- and, he thought to himself, he probably would have if it weren't for the simple fact that she was his daughter and at least as clever as he was.

Several minutes later, Edward Quartermaine, patriarch of the psychotic bunch, waltzed into the foyer from the den, bellowing, "Alice! Where's my lunch?" He shot a glare in Luke's direction and muttered, "Tracy, haven't you come to your senses and divorced that… that… thing yet?"

"Now, Eddie, don't be so harsh on Spanky, here- you know there aren't many men who'd love her enough to put up with this dysfunctional mess you people call family," Luke replied with a wolfish grin, making Edward wish he had something to throw at him.

Luke and Tracy had, naturally, resumed their argument seconds after Dillon had made his announcement- much to Dillon's dismay. He hadn't been paying any attention to them, really, but he could really go for some peace and quiet to think about the short conversation he'd had with Lulu. His grandfather's presence wasn't doing much good, either, though it had stopped the arguing- at least, it had stopped Luke and Tracy's fighting. It looked like dear old Grandfather was about to start up an argument with Luke. At that particularly gruesome thought, Dillon decided he preferred his mother and step-father's bickering.

He was saved from having to interfere and try to break-up the dispute before it started when a knock sounded on the door. He rushed to pull it open, but Alice beat him to the task. "Miss Lulu- oh, my goodness! Isn't she just the cutest little thing?"

At the maid's confusing greeting, Luke, Dillon, Edward, and Tracy all fought to peer around her and at Lulu- who stood on the doorstep, her hands resting on the handle of navy blue stroller, and a bright-eyed baby girl with a patch of fluffy blonde hair waved her arms up in the air from the carrier attached to it.

"Lesley Lu Spencer, is that a baby?" Luke asked in a horrified tone.

Lulu pushed the stroller past the crowd gathered around the door and stopped in front of Dillon. With a worried look in her beautiful eyes, Lulu released the straps holding the baby securely in the carseat and cradled her in her arms. "Dillon, I'd like you to meet Lauren Delilah Spencer." She drew a deep breath and added in a softer voice, "Your- our- daughter."

At the declaration, Dillon and Luke both promptly fell to the floor.