Lucky listened as Patrick told Elizabeth's family the exact details of what seemed to be a very complicated surgical procedure. He tried to focus on the words, to comprehend what they meant for the future of his wife and the people that they both loved more than anything. His left knee bounced nervously as he held Emily's hand loosely. Her long, delicate fingers were strong in his grip, caressing each muscle and bone affectionately. For everyone, it was just a strange place to be.

"I'd like to see her before she goes in," Lucky declared suddenly. "I just need to see her. I need to know that she is going to be okay."

"I can't promise anything," Patrick confessed. "The surgery has its dangers, and you all need to be prepared if something were to happen. Per Lucky's instructions, Elizabeth's life will be put first unless she is able to consciously and coherently make a choice of her own free will. I hope that it will not come to that, but I want everyone to be informed about what we are facing. We have the best surgical team in place, and I will do everything I can to bring Elizabeth back."

Nodding perfunctorily, Lucky didn't say anything as he kissed his girlfriend's fingers gently. "I'll be right back," he whispered before heading toward her room. Nikolas passed him a sideways look but he didn't bother to acknowledge him. Instead, he wanted to see Elizabeth. Just in case, he needed to be with her. Part of him felt guilty that he still felt such love and devotion for her, but another part of him was glad it was still there. It reminded him just how deep their bond ran. As he glanced at her through the large picture window before going in, he prayed for a last minute reprieve.

"Hey, Beautiful," he whispered, sitting at her bedside in the lone plastic chair in the room. Picking up her hand, he couldn't help but notice the mass of tubes and wires attached to her pale arm. He was glad that he had decided to keep Cameron away still. The small boy was currently having a good time with Lucas, playing with his favorite train toy. "Well, I wanted to be the one to tell you what I decided. I hope that you'll understand. I know that you would put me first with Cameron in mind. That's all I'm trying to do here. I told Patrick to save you first. Our son needs his mother, and I know that you need him."

"I drove out to the old boxcar this afternoon. I can't believe it's still there, after all these years, still hidden in that old field. I could still see where we carved our initials in the wall. Even after all this time, I still love you, Elizabeth Webber. I can't imagine what my life would be like without you. You are central to so many lives, and those people in there are living proof of that."

Pressing a kiss to her palm, he held it against his cheek. "I have to go so that they can take you in, but I'm going to ask this one last time," he concluded. "If you don't want this, Liz, you need to wake up now to tell me. We have to make a choice for you if you can't make one for yourself. You are the strongest person I know, so you need to come back now. Do you hear me? Come back now."

His voice was strong and urgent but fearful and childlike at the same time. It killed him to beg her like that, especially without her able to answer back. He'd give anything to take her place, the true definition of unconditional love. Gazing down at her, when her reply did not come, he whispered a final goodbye and a genuine declaration of love. While his heart was now with Emily, a part of his soul would always belong to his first love, Elizabeth.

"Lucky?"

He spun around, his hand immediately dropping from the doorknob. Her voice was barely audible, so hoarse that he could barely make out the two syllables. Still, as he stared at her wide-eyed, he felt immediate relief consume him. "Elizabeth!" he cried, quickly making his way across the room. "You're awake. I should get a doctor."

"In a second," she implored. "I need to tell you something first."

"What is it?"

"I heard everything," she replied. "I don't want to lose my baby, but you are right. I would never let Cam lose his father, and to be honest, I don't think I could chose to lose you, either. I just wanted to tell you that you made the right choice."

He looked at her, clearly perplexed. He almost expected her to be angry. "I'm sorry, but I'm your husband," he apologized. "Someone had to make the choice."

"You were the right man," she said as she started to fade away again, the backup anesthesia kicking in. "Somehow, you were always the right man."

Pressing the button over the bed, he called a nurse toward the room loudly. Epiphany must have sensed the urgency in his voice because she was there within moments, Patrick nipping at her heels. "She told me that I made the right choice," he rambled. The doctor just nodded, not sure how to respond. He listened to the rest of the story before dismissing him back to the waiting room. It was time for her to go in.

The hours passed, each taking longer than the one before it. Friends took turn pacing the hallways, family members holding vigil near the hospital room. Everyone was nervous, mostly silent, as they waited for a single word. Once or twice, a staff person came out of the room, causing all conversation to stop on a dime. No one would say a word to them or offer a single sign of the progress. Their fluid movements gave them hope, but one single second took all that way.

"We need a crash cart!" Epiphany screamed into a phone outside the door before disappearing back inside the room. Emily jumped to her feet first, knowing exactly what that meant. Lucky and Nikolas weren't too far behind. A neonatal nurse soon rushed by, dragging a tiny medical device behind her. Jason's eyes were frozen on the contraption, well aware that his child was now into the world.

"I'm a father," he whispered to Carly, tears brimming in his eyes. She reached up and wiped one with the pad of her thumb to no avail. Before long, their tears were mixed together as he held her next to his body. "I'm a father."

"You already were," she murmured back, kissing his cheek, his lips, his eyelids. "And now, you get to be a father again. I know that this going to work out, Jase, I can just feel it. This baby is going to be fine."

"I love you so much," he whimpered, completely unaware of anyone else in the world except her. "I have always loved you and the boys more than anything, and now, we have another child in our family. This child is going to have so much love that they will never have to know a single moment of loneliness."

"You're an amazing man."

"Your optimism inspires me."

"Your faith in me makes it easy to believe that anything is possible, Jase," she smiled. "After all, I finally got you."

Looking back toward the door, Nikolas sat next to his brother. "I wonder what's going on in there. I can't stand this waiting. I just want to see her."

"Elizabeth is going to be fine because I need her to be fine. She is our family. She is our insides," Lucky said without looking at him.

Dillon sat next to a very stoic Lulu. She was eerily calm, her eyes frozen to the door just like her brother's. A silence settled over the room again, and minutes quickly spread into an hour. Finally, Patrick Drake appeared before them again. "Lucky, I need to speak with you in private."

Lucky nodded and glanced at Jason. Following the doctor into a private room, he was relieved to see Elizabeth asleep in a bed just inside the operating room. "Well?"

"Elizabeth is fine. From what I can tell, she should make a full recovery," he revealed happily. "The next 24 hours are critical but I don't foresee any complications. She woke up briefly just to reiterate your earlier wishes."

"What about the baby?"

"Let me bring Jason in," he told him. "Since you are still Elizabeth's husband, you both should probably be present legally. If you're both comfortable with it, I'd like to tell you at the same time."

"Of course," Lucky permitted. He drummed his hands on the metal table nervously, keeping his gaze fixated on Liz. Patrick returned and quickly explained her situation. Then, finally, he brought the conversation back to the baby.

"Well?" Jason asked expectantly.

"Your baby is alive," Patrick explained. "There were complications, so he is in the neonatal unit. We are monitoring him very closely. He is unable to breathe on his own, and we have to carefully watch his blood levels. For right now, he can't have any visitors, but you can visit the nursery. I wanted to give you a chance to look first before inviting the rest of the family."

Lucky turned to Jason. "You go with Carly first," he insisted. "Whenever you are done, Nikolas and I will go to see him. Congratulations, Jason. Being a father to a baby is the most blessed gift, and to have Elizabeth as a mother, this child has an amazing start."

"Thank you," he replied, all bad feelings evaporating between them. "I can't wait to tell Carly. Can you take care of everyone else?"

"Of course," he nodded. "Go. Go see your son."

Everyone, minus Carly and Jason, waited for Lucky's explanation. Translating Patrick's technical jargon, he filled them in on what he knew. Nikolas asked to look in on her and asked Emily to accompany him. The nurses expected her to be awake within a few minutes, and the Cassadine prince was going to be the first one Elizabeth would see. Amongst all the hugs, everyone was consumed with relief and joy. Audrey left to call Lucas to give him the good word while Luke took Tracey home for a much needed rest.

"Do you want to stay longer?" Dillon asked.

She looked at her husband. While they would always be her family, he was her true family now. He had been here all day, supporting her in the way that she needed. He deserved to know how much she appreciated. "Take me home."

Hours later, Lulu crept from their bed. It was dark, somewhere in the absolute middle of the night. A tiny sliver of silver moon cast a glow through the translucent curtains, shining only the slightest light around the bedroom. She gazed at the water below, losing herself in the placid cresting of every small wave. Turning back, she smiled fondly at her husband. His entire body was covered with only a throw, his calf sneaking out from beneath the blanket. Even a single glimpse at his caramel skin was enough to cause her stomach to flutter. Inside and out, he truly was beautiful.

"I love you," she whispered, hoping that it was enough to wake him from his content but deep slumber. As always, her words drew a reply, as muffled as it may have been. Turning over, he peeled back the blanket to invite her inside his warm cocoon. "I love you, Dillon. I know I say it a lot, but I don't think I say it nearly enough."

"Watching Nikolas and Lucky go through everything today, it only reminded me of how close I came to losing you," he retorted. "I want to make every day with you count. We are so lucky to have each other."

"Dillon, I want to have a child with you. I know we're young, and I'm not sure that I'm ready…but watching them tonight, seeing the joy on Jason's face, I want to see that same look in your eyes. I want to make our past count."

"Lu, are you sure?"

"As sure as I am that I love you," she answered confidently. "Let's start a family, Dillon. We have so much love to share, it'd be a shame to limit it to just us. I want to have all of this. I want to have everything with you."

"I want that, too, more than anything," he grinned excitedly. "Let's do this."