Disclaimer: Okay- let's review: I didn't own it a chapter ago; I didn't own it the chapter before that- or even the chapter before that. Now, I'm not a math whiz, but even I know that the chances of owning General Hospital or its characters is… ZIP- as in, ZERO! I don't own it!

A/N: I am so thrilled with the response I am getting to this story! I'm just so happy that you guys are enjoying this story! Thank you so much- and keep sending the reviews! Even if it's something bad because it will help improve my writing! Enjoy!

--Chapter Four--
--Quartermaine Mansion--

Alright, so that wasn't exactly the reaction I was expecting, Lulu thought to herself with a smirk- but, really, it was pretty funny. Dillon- once he'd recovered from both the shock of meeting his daughter and the pounding headache he was bound to have after hitting the floor- would appreciate the dramatic moment and find some film or another to associate it with. She glanced over at her father and chuckled to herself- the great and mighty Luke Spencer, shocked into fainting by a little tiny baby.

"Uh, Alice?" she piped up after a moment, motioning with her free hand to the two men now decorating the floor. "Could you maybe move them to the-" she frowned, trying to think of the name for the room across from where she stood and finally just shook her head in defeat. "Could you move them in there?" She pointed to the room and pushed the stroller into it while Alice slung "Mister Dillon" over her shoulder and carried him into the room before unceremoniously dumping him on the couch. Seconds later, she returned- this time with "Mister Luke" hanging not-so-gracefully over her shoulder. She set him on the couch beside Dillon- a little more gently.

Lulu contemplated getting the two men something for their headaches, but decided against it- she didn't want them choking on pills or water. That would definitely not be good. So, she gathered her courage and faced Tracy and Edward Quartermaine. She figured Edward wouldn't be too hard- she'd just remind him that the precious baby girl in her arms was his great-granddaughter- the ice surrounding his heart would have no choice but to melt with that reminder. Tracy… Well, Tracy wouldn't be so easy, of that she was sure.

"I must say, it shouldn't have surprised me that you just up and left like you did, considering who your father is," Tracy began, trying to hold onto the thread that was her control at the moment. "But really, Lulu- couldn't you have at least told Dillon that you had decided to keep his child?" The last two words came out as an irritated bark, which would have sent just about anyone running for safety. Lulu Spencer, however, was definitely not "anyone."

Straightening her spine and preparing to do battle with the step-monster, Lulu started, "Look, Tracy, I know I should have called-"

"You shouldn't have left in the first place!" Tracy exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and glaring at her step-daughter.

"Ugh… I hear screaming," Dillon muttered as he came to on the couch- as war had been launched behind him and Luke, he didn't see either Lulu or his mother at the time.

The baby, sensing the tension in the room, started to fuss and Edward, in typical Edward-fashion, placed his hands on his hips and declared in his don't-you-dare-argue-with-me voice, "Tracy! Stop harping on Lulu- you are upsetting my great-granddaughter!"

Luke groaned in pain and grumbled, "Sounds more like nails on a chalkboard to me," partly just to get a rise out of either Edward or Tracy- either one would do.

"Luke," Tracy warned, causing Luke to smile gleefully- he'd succeeded. When he turned to face his wife, he noticed the glare she was currently attempting to level him with. At that, he winced and decided he might have succeeded just a little too well- clearly Spanky wasn't in the mood to fight, at least, not with him.

Dillon, too, turned to face his mother- and Lulu. "It wasn't a dream," he said, his tone somewhere between disbelief and awe. When that thought finally set in, he stood quickly, nearly stumbling back into the coffee table in his haste. "Lulu," he began quietly, speaking as he would to a child, and trying to hold onto his patience, "would you care to explain?" You love her, Quartermaine- just remember that. You knew she was going to test you… Dillon wanted to laugh at that particular thought- this was one hell of a test, alright.

Thankful for the chance to explain- and that she hadn't been tossed out on her butt by the raging step-monster- Lulu gave Dillon a tiny smile of gratitude before beginning. "I got to the clinic and sat there for a while, waiting for them to call my name- and, by the time the nurse did, I had realized that I couldn't go through with it." She looked down at her daughter, who had her head nestled in the crook of Lulu's neck, her trusting hazel eyes locked on her mother. Lulu felt a tug at her heart as she held her baby girl just a little bit tighter. "I- I needed to get away- needed to think. So I left- but I didn't plan to stay gone as long as I did. Just a few days or maybe a couple of weeks… I don't know…" She started walking, knowing that Laurie was happier with the movement. "But then I had some… complications… and the doctor said that I had a high-risk pregnancy and that I couldn't travel. I was put on bed-rest when I was six months pregnant after I started going into really premature labor."

She focused her gaze on Dillon once more- her fear at being rejected once again and the love she had for him both crystal clear teary gaze. "I tried, Dillon- I tried to call you so many times, but I…" She broke off as her emotions she couldn't name clogged her throat and made it nearly impossible to speak. She swallowed several times, feeling like she was drowning and fighting for air. "I was so afraid that you had managed to work everything out with Georgie and wouldn't want the baby anymore… That you'd be relieved not to have to deal with everything and…"

Tears spilled from her eyes and ran down her face. Laurie fussed, picking up on her mother's discomfort. Luke and Tracy both opened their mouths to speak at the same time, but snapped them shut when Dillon raised a hand to silence them. He slowly walked around the couch, stopping only a foot or so away from Lulu and the baby- his baby. He still couldn't believe it. Lulu hadn't gone through with the abortion- and his daughter was safe and secure in her mother's arms. Another moment passed- it could have been seconds or minutes, Dillon didn't really know- and he closed the distance, wrapping his arms around both Lulu and Laurie and placing a tender kiss on his daughter's forehead and a kiss every bit as loving to Lulu's temple.

"I love you, Lu- it may have taken me a while to finally realize it, but I had it figured out before you called today," he said, wanting to assure her that it wasn't just something he was saying because she was standing there, holding their daughter in her arms. "I know it's not always going to be easy, and I know there will be days when we make each other's lives hell- but I will always love you." His words were whispered, so that only she could hear them.

Lulu relaxed in his arms, finally feeling as though she could breathe again. "I love you, too, Dillon," she whispered back, her voice filled with her love for him.

Dillon raised his head and his determined gaze met first his grandfather's, then Luke's, and then his mother's before he stated clearly and for all of them to hear, "Stop glaring, stop staring, and get over here and welcome the love of my life and our child home."