Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with General Hospital.
A/N: I don't know how much longer I can watch the show. I don't understand what they've done to Dillon. Bickering with Milo and Spinelli as if Lulu is some prize in a contest? I don't understand and I can't stand it at all. I want to see the Dillon who is confident in his relationship with Lulu, the Dillon who had already won her heart as the only guy that cared about her feelings. That is not what they're showing on GH. The other day, I thought I was listening to a kindergarten teacher speaking to her four year old students. Anyway, if there comes a point when I just can't take it anymore, I won't give up on my stories but they may seem out of line with the show. It's simply because I write the characters as I remember them when I liked them. Not when they're acting like they hit their head and are suffering some type of head injury. I have others stories I plan on writing, but I will write Dillon and Lulu as they were back in the summer and not as they are being shown now. What is being shown now is definitely not what this couple is. I just wanted to let you know.
To Choose Life
Chapter 22
I stared at the house which I had just been told was mine. "I… I can't accept this."
"You don't have a choice. I've already paid for it," Dillon said as he climbed out of the car and motioned for me to follow him.
"There is no way I can accept this."
"I got it for our child too. Don't you think our child deserves a home?"
"Of course I do, but I can't let you buy me a house," I said, as I followed him up the front steps on the large veranda. He took the key from my hand and slid it into the brass lock. He pushed open the door and I was met with a beautiful foyer.
"I didn't decorate because I figured you would kill me, but we'll go out and furnish it soon."
"Why would you do this for me?"
"I wanted our child to have a home, unlike we did."
"What are your intentions?" I asked, wishing I could lie down on the floor and take a nap. I had never felt so physically and mentally exhausted.
"I don't have any intentions or expectations. I bought you and our child a house because I thought it would be good for our child to have roots. I am not expecting to live here with you unless you want me to."
"I'm not the type that needs a guy to buy me stuff to make me feel validated."
"I'm not trying to make you feel validated."
"You can't buy me."
"I don't want to buy you. I wanted to give you something that you could use."
"Well I can't accept this Dillon."
"Well if you don't live here it's going to remain empty because it is paid for and it's in your name."
"Then I will sell it and give you the money."
"No. I wouldn't take the money. I wanted to buy our child a house. Please stop being so difficult."
"I don't want you to buy me a house. I don't need you to. I feel like a fucking prostitute."
Dillon glared at me for a moment. "Now you're just being ridiculous. I didn't buy you the house because you slept with me. I bought you the house because you are giving birth to my child and I wanted my child to have a home."
"Tell you what? you and the baby can live here together," I muttered sarcastically.
"Come on," he said, as he took my arm and led me upstairs. He pushed open a door and I looked in at the bedroom. "This can be the nursery."
I smiled at the bay window that looked out over the neighbourhood. "It is a nice house."
"So you'll accept it?"
"I can't just accept this."
"Okay, forget your pride for one second. I am doing this for our child. You can pay bills and be independent if you want, but accept this house for our child."
"Well, I do want our child to have a home… I don't want to live here all by myself though."
"You don't have to move in right away. I just wanted it to be here."
Dillon led me down the hall and showed me the two extra bedrooms and then the master bedroom. It was very large and the bathroom had a Jacuzzi tub, which I decided that I was never going to get out of.
"Thank you Dillon," I whispered.
"You're welcome."
Dillon then offered to drive me over to the launch so I could get over to Wyndemere before dinner started. I climbed back into the car and dropped the key into my purse. "How did you get your mother to agree to this?"
"She didn't have a choice. I enlisted my Uncle Alan's help and he basically talked her into it."
"What sold her, that I would be gone permanently?"
"No, he explained how he was going to help me sue the company for the condoms if she didn't comply. Both she and Grandfather shut their mouths pretty quickly."
"Nice. Your grandfather is never going to forgive you for ensuring the heir would not be raised by him."
Dillon smiled. "Yeah, you should have seen the look on his face. He'd be happy if you just moved back in and handed him our child. So how was your trip?"
"Very relaxing. I got a lot of work done and at the same time, I had some time to collect my thoughts."
"About us?"
"That was part of it. Last week was a mistake."
"Only to you."
"Tell me this. If we got together how many times would you be thinking this could be Georgie and I?"
"Never."
"Bullshit."
"Lulu, Georgie and I were over long ago; long before you lied. I just didn't want to accept that. Maybe our relationship got off to a rocky start, but I feel more for you than just the mother of my child."
"It's lust Dillon. It's misplaced feelings of emotion because you can no longer project your love at Georgie. I am not the one you love. You got me pregnant. That is it. That is where our connection ends."
"That is what you think? That this child is the only connection between us?" he demanded. I'd obviously struck a nerve.
"What else would I think? You chose Georgie."
"You are my best friend. You are the person I trust most in this world. We are far more connected than this child."
"How would I know that Dillon? What would give me any indication of that? When you chose Georgie? When you told me we couldn't be friends anymore? When you called me a selfish bitch? Or how about when you screamed that you would never have slept with me, if you had known I lied?"
"I was mad at you. I didn't mean any of that."
"Dillon, its okay; I understand why you would be mad. I'm just saying that you and Georgie would probably still be together if it weren't for me."
"No we wouldn't. You are not the reason we broke up."
"Yes I am. If I had never lied to you and slept with you, you and Georgie would still be happy."
"Georgie and I were not happy long before you lied. Why do you think your lie worked? We were falling apart. I just couldn't see it. Maybe I didn't want to see it. You gave me an out and I took it."
"Dillon…"
"No Lulu, you need to hear this. You are not responsible for Georgie and I breaking up. I don't love her like I used to. I don't want to be with her anymore. She doesn't want to be with me anymore."
"I know that's not true."
"Yes it is. She is my past, but she is not my present and especially not my future."
"If you are saying this to try and make me feel better…"
"I'm not. I am telling you the truth. You mean a lot to me. This child means a lot to me. Right now that is all that matters in my life," he said as he parked the car and turned to look at me.
"Thank you for the ride," I said, as I jumped out of the vehicle.
"I'm not finished. I will make you believe my feelings are real."
"Merry Christmas," I said before shutting the door and running down to the launch where Alexis was waiting with Sam and her girls.
"Hi Lulu, how are you feeling?" Alexis asked with concern.
"Exhausted. How are you?" I asked my brother's aunt.
"About the same."
"Hi Kristina, how are you?"
Kristina smiled at me before burying her face in her mother's pants. I greeted Sam who was holding Molly on her hip. Sam thanked me for helping find Spinelli. I told her it was no problem at all.
Lucky, Liz and Cameron arrived. "Hey Lu, did you go to Spencer's play?" Lucky asked.
I shook my head. "No, I talked to Dillon."
"How did that go?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't think I can begin to describe it," I muttered.
"It went that bad?" Lucky asked.
"He, umm, well, he bought me a house," I confessed.
Elizabeth's eyebrows raised as I said that. "Really?"
"I don't know how to deal with him."
"What's wrong with getting a house?" Alexis asked.
"I don't want to be with him," I muttered.
"That was persuasive," Sam said gently.
"Okay, I want to be with him, but I can't be with him. He says it's for the baby and I to live in."
"Well how do you feel about that?" Lucky asked, as he readjusted Cameron on his hip.
"Confused."
The boat arrived and the eight of us climbed onto it. We arrived at Wyndemere and went directly into the house. "Hello," Lucky called. "Nikolas?" No one answered him. "Alfred?" he called again.
"I guess they are not back yet," Alexis said, as she removed her daughter's coat. We went into the dining room where the staff had set the table.
Suddenly Lucky's cell phone started to ring. He answered it quickly and listened intently. Then his phone plummeted to the floor.
"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked.
"Spencer was kidnapped," Lucky admitted.
"What?" Alexis exclaimed.
"That was Cruz. He said Spencer was taken from the pageant."
"Oh my God," Sam said. "Tell you what Alexis? I'll take Kristina and Molly home and you can go with these guys to see Nikolas."
Alexis nodded in agreement. "I'll be home later."
"Lulu what do you want to do?" Lucky asked.
"I'll take Cam, you and Elizabeth can go be with Nikolas and Emily. I'm not going to be any help. We all know that."
"All right," Elizabeth agreed, as I lifted Cam.
"I'll give you a ride," Sam offered.
"Thank you," I said before following her to get the kid's jackets. We got them redressed in their winter clothing and then Sam and I went out to the launch.
"Where do you need a ride to?" Sam asked.
"Elizabeth's Grandmother's house. That's where he has been staying."
"Okay," Sam said. "So when are you due?" she asked gently.
"The beginning of April."
"Are you excited?"
"Sometimes. I'm still getting used to the fact that I'm pregnant."
"I guess it was a bit of a shock, huh?"
"You can say that. I found out on my 18th birthday."
"Did you consider adoption?"
"Have you met the Quartermaines?"
"Well, what if it was adopted in the family?" Sam asked.
"Like you and Jason?"
"I was just wondering what they'd say to that."
"Edward would be over the moon if Jason had a child. He would forget any other children exist. So I don't think he'd be too upset, except for the fact that the child was being brought into the mob. That would drive him insane."
"Well, I wish you luck, but if you ever need any help. I would be more than happy to help you. Jason and I are trying to conceive."
"Congratulations," I offered.
"Thank you," she said. "So I would be more than happy to get some experience babysitting."
"Well, I might take you up on that. You are good with your sisters."
Sam smiled and helped me get Cameron's stuff out of the car. I carried him up the steps, as I waved goodbye to Sam and her little sisters.
Audrey opened the door and looked very concerned. "I wasn't expecting anyone for a while. What's going on?" she asked.
"Spencer was kidnapped," I explained as I set Cameron down and took off his coat.
"Oh my," Audrey exclaimed.
"Grams," Cameron shouted, as he ran over and hugged her.
"Do they have any idea who took him?"
"I don't know any of the details. I brought Cameron over here so Elizabeth and Lucky could go be with Nikolas and Emily."
"Do you want something to eat dear?" she asked, as she started to head towards the kitchen.
"I don't want to be any trouble."
"Well Cameron has to eat, so I don't mind."
"All right, something to eat would be wonderful."
Audrey, Cameron and I ate dinner together. Then I offered to put Cameron to bed, since I wanted to spend a little more time with him. I read him his favourite story and promised when he woke up Santa would come and bring him lots of presents. I kissed his head and he hugged me goodnight, before wishing me a Merry Christmas. I said the same to him and then left his room and went back downstairs.
Audrey was sitting with a cup of tea and a novel. "Is he in bed already?" she asked in surprise. "I didn't think he'd ever settle on the night before Christmas."
"He seemed pretty exhausted. Besides he knows that when he wakes up that Santa will have brought him presents."
Audrey smiled. "He's going to be up at four."
I laughed. "Well I'm going to head over to the precinct and find out what's going on."
"Would you mind keeping me updated?" she requested.
"I would be happy to," I said before leaving. I called Carly's house on my cell phone. Leticia answered the phone and I asked to speak to Carly. She told me Carly was with Nikolas, helping with the Spencer situation. I thanked her and then hailed a cab and got inside. I instructed the driver to take me to the PCPD. The cab driver nodded and did as I asked.
I went inside as soon as I got there. Nikolas was sitting at Lucky's desk looking like someone had kicked him in the face. Emily was sitting beside him and Elizabeth was on the other side. Carly grabbed my arm as soon as I entered.
"How's it going?" I asked.
"They're still searching. They've gone through tons of footage from the airport and bus stations, so far nothing though."
"What happened?" I asked.
"Sonny and I had went to put the boys in the car. We heard Nikolas shouting and went running back and found out that Spencer was gone."
"Nobody saw anything?"
"Not so far. Sonny's gone to get Stan on it. He's going to have his connections look into this whole situation. Especially since Helena was lurking around."
"Helena was back? It's never good when Helena shows up on scene."
"None of this is good," Carly sighed.
"Hey Lu," Lucky said as he approached us.
"Anything?" Carly asked hopefully.
Lucky shook his head. "We are just going through footage until we find something. You should go home and spend Christmas Eve with your boys. I will call you if we find anything."
"Promise?" Carly asked.
Lucky nodded. "I swear. If we find anything you'll be the first one I call."
"Okay, come on Lulu, you can come home with me," Carly offered.
"Lucky, tell Nikolas I'm sorry," I asked him gently.
"I will, have a nice night Lulu," Lucky said before quickly wrapping me in an embrace.
Carly took me back to her place. "You look exhausted," she said with concern. "Did you have a run in with Dillon?"
"Oh yes," I muttered.
"What happened?"
"He bought me a house."
Carly looked somewhat shocked when she turned her gaze over to me. "Wow."
"I don't even know how to handle him anymore. He seems to think he loves me now too."
"Does he intend to live with you in this house?"
"No, he said he got it for me and the baby, and unless I want him to, he won't live there."
"Well at least he's not pressuring you. Do you want to live by yourself with this child?"
"I have no clue how to care for a baby, so maybe it's not such a good idea. However, at some point I'm going to have to learn, so maybe it won't be so bad."
"Well do what's right for you, not what Dillon wants you to do."
"I will. No matter how much energy I drain."
"You need to take it easy. Do I need to send you to another hotel for a week?"
"No, I have to face him and prove to myself that I can be strong."
"That's a good attitude, but don't push yourself to your limit."
"I won't."
I quickly called Audrey to update her and then finally went to bed and slipped immediately into unconsciousness. I was absolutely exhausted.