A/N – Thanks to all of the readers! After this chapter, only the epilogue remains! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Chapter 13 – Fight For Love

Lulu was leaning against the counter of the coffee shop. It had been a slow day and Lulu was grateful that her first day back wasn't too hectic. She looked to Derek who was sitting at one of the tables with his head resting against his hand.

"Why don't you go ahead and leave?" Lulu suggested. "I don't think anything will happen that I can't handle."

"Are you sure?" Derek asked.

"Of course," Lulu smiled.

"Alright," Derek agreed. "The boss is in the back if you have a problem with a customer. The key to lock up is under the counter. You'll have to be here early tomorrow to bring it back for opening. The boss will probably want coffee later, so be ready for that. I think that's it."

"Okay," Lulu nodded. "Have fun on your date."

"Thanks again," Derek offered, walking out the door.

Lulu opened a magazine and began to read. She had been reading for five minutes when the first customer came in. Soon, the place was busier than it had ever been and Lulu was going crazy trying to keep up with all of the people who needed refills and working the register. She worked tirelessly for two hours before the traffic finally slowed down. The place finally emptied out five minutes before closing time and Lulu quickly flipped the sign to close and locked the door.

She began washing tables and refilled all of the packet holders. She went behind the counter and emptied the coffee pot and started a fresh pot for Johnny to have if he needed it after she left like Derek usually did. She wiped the counter while the coffee brewed. The phone rang and she froze. She had brought Johnny coffee six times already that day and each time she had only set the cup on his desk and turned around without letting him get a word in. She didn't know if she could do it again. She pushed the button to stop the call and looked to the pot that was ready. She took a deep breath and poured his cup of coffee.

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Johnny sat behind his desk. He knew that Lulu was closing today from Derek telling him earlier so he asked for another cup of coffee before she left, hoping she might listen to him. He looked up as she marched into his office with an angry scowl on her face. He found her fire so sexy he could barely remember all the things he wanted to say to her.

"Have you had enough coffee today?" Lulu asked sarcastically. "Or what is it you told me? You like seeing me. Have you seen enough of me today?"

"No," Johnny smirked. "I've only seen glimpses of you because you're too much of a coward to spend more than a second in a room with me."

"A coward?" Lulu scoffed. "You're right. I'm so much of a coward that I put myself out there to a complete stranger that I spent the night with in Las Vegas. I'm so much of a coward that I gave you another chance at making it work with me. I'm so much of a coward that I came back to work for you even after you've done nothing but break my heart."

"I've done nothing but break your heart?" Johnny countered, standing up. "How about me working my ass off to get you back? How I refused to give up on being with you because it was the only thing I wanted in the world?"

"I don't need anymore of your lies," Lulu rolled her eyes. "I am not the only thing you want in the world. I mean there's Betsy for one thing. And probably a ton of other girls I don't know about. The only reason you have ever wanted me is because I was convenient. I was convenient the first night we met and I was convenient when I moved to town."

"How can you even say those things?" Johnny questioned. "First of all, I was never with Betsy. I used her to try to get ahead in business and was actually happy the deal fell through so I could stop dealing with her. Second, there were no other girls. You're the only woman I've thought of since the night we made love. And finally, I have never once treated you like you were easy or anything like that. I respect you more than I've ever respected some one."

"Really?" Lulu replied. "So the way you show me that you don't think I'm easy is by not calling me after our one-night stand?"

"Maybe it's a waste of time to go after you because anytime I do something wrong, you're going to throw that in my face," Johnny accused.

"I have every right to," Lulu yelled. "But I guess you think I should just forget the weeks I spent crying over you. You know what, go to hell."

"I told you before that I did call," Johnny said loudly, walking around the desk to stand in front of her. "You just didn't want to hear it."

"Fine, when did you supposedly call?" Lulu demanded.

"The business was crazy when I got back to Port Charles," Johnny explained. "I didn't get a chance to call for a month. When I called you had already written me off and canceled your service."

"I canceled my service because I lost my phone," Lulu argued. "I might have written you off by then, but it was because it took you a month to call."

"I just explained that," Johnny sighed.

"Being busy is no excuse," Lulu screamed. "If you had really wanted to be with me, you would have found a way to call before then."

"You are the most frustratingly stubborn person I've ever met," Johnny said in exasperation.

"Then why the hell won't you leave me alone?" Lulu asked.

"Because as pissed off as I get when you're being ridiculous," Johnny answered. "I also never feel more alive than when I'm in a room with you. Whether we're fighting or kissing or just sitting there. I want you in a way I didn't think it was possible to want someone."

"That's great," Lulu replied. "But I don't want you. I don't want to be hurt every time I turn around. I don't want to be anywhere near you."

"Then quit," Johnny demanded. "Because if you really wanted to cut ties with me completely that's what you would do."

"I need a job," Lulu reasoned.

"There are other jobs in this town," Johnny shrugged. "The only reason you're still working for me is because you want to. Contrary to the facts that you've convinced yourself of, you do want to be near me. You want to be as close to me as possible."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Lulu said, trying to shove past him to get to the door.

"Stop running," Johnny ordered, holding her in place. "Every time you get scared of your feelings for me you run."

"There are no feelings to be scared of," Lulu insisted.

"That's crap," Johnny laughed. "If you had no feelings for me I wouldn't have been able to hurt you. And I'm sorry I did, Lulu. I am so sorry that I hurt you and I never want to do it again. I can't promise you I won't, but you can't assume I will."

"Stop pretending like you know me," Lulu demanded. "You don't know what I think or feel or anything about me."

"That's what you hate about me the most isn't it?" Johnny asked. "You hate that I know you. That I see right through your tough attitude and I know the real you. The you that wants me in spite of yourself. The you that believes that I never meant to hurt you. The you that wants nothing more than to be happy with me. You hate that I can see that side of you because it makes you vulnerable."

"You're so full of yourself," Lulu yelled. "You always have to be right. Never mind the fact that you don't make any sense."

"Then tell me I'm wrong," Johnny challenged, stepping closer to Lulu. "Look me in the eye and tell me that I mean nothing to you."

"What do you want from me?" Lulu wondered, stepping back.

"You," Johnny whispered. "The only thing I want to do is love you."

"What?" Lulu asked in disbelief.

"I'm in love with you," Johnny admitted. "I have been from the minute I laid eyes on you. I love everything about you. Your heart, your mind, your fighting spirit, even how you drive me crazy. I love you, Lulu Spencer. And I think you love me too."

"You're wrong," Lulu shook her head.

"Really?" Johnny asked, pushing her backwards toward the desk.

"Yes," Lulu breathed as Johnny trapped her against the desk.

"Then prove it," Johnny suggested, pressing his body lightly into hers. "Say it. Look at me and tell me you don't love me."

"I...I," Lulu tried as Johnny gazed deeply into her eyes.

"You what?" Johnny whispered against her lips.

"I love you," Lulu admitted and Johnny's lips immediately descended on hers.

Lulu's arms latched around Johnny's neck and she deepened the kiss. Their tongues explored each other's mouths like their first night together, both of them only wanting more. After finally admitting the depth of their feelings, they abandoned logic and let the passion they had been holding back for months consume them as they kissed.

Johnny broke his lips from hers and immediately started trailing kisses down her jaw and to her neck. Lulu gasped as Johnny bit her roughly and then soothed it with his tongue. She felt no regret as he continued to assault her neck. She didn't regret telling him she loved him and she didn't regret kissing him. He brought his lips back to hers and she showed him she didn't regret it.

Her hands broke from around his neck and ran down his chest to the hem of his tight black T-shirt. She pulled back from his lips so she could remove his shirt. His shirt hit the floor and hers followed soon afterwards. She pressed her lips to his chest and he reached around her and pushed all of the papers on his desk to the floor. He lifted her into his arms and laid her back on the desk. She pulled him down on top of her and their lips met again with passion and anticipation of what was to come.

Johnny's hands roamed her body as he tried to learn every inch of the beautiful skin of the woman he worshiped. His lips followed his hands as Lulu worked his pants. She pushed his pants down his legs and he kicked them off, turning his attention to her jeans that were keeping him from kissing every part of her body the way he wanted to. Lulu arched into him and allowed him to slide the jeans from her body and add them to the growing pile of clothes on the floor.

Johnny found Lulu's lips again and they laid there, skin against skin, kissing each other with all the love they felt in their hearts. They broke apart and Johnny leaned his forehead against hers. Staring in to Lulu's eyes, he found the fire that he found so enticing, the passion that he remembered from their first time and the love that he had craved for weeks. He kissed her gently as they removed each other's last articles of clothing that were the barrier from them being one again. He paused before entering, pulling back to catch her gaze again.

"I love you," Johnny whispered.

"I love you, too," Lulu breathed.

With that, Johnny began making love to her. He made up for the months they were apart in every move he made. Lulu clung tightly to him as he kissed her, swallowing her cries of passion. She wrapped a leg around his waist to bring him as close as possible, wanting to remember the feeling of the moment forever. The moment that would start the rest of their lives together. They both came to the same truth as they reached their climax together.

After everything that happened between them, there was nothing that would keep them apart again.