"Happy fourth darlings!" Carly Jax smiled walking into The Haunted Star to see Johnny behind the bar, talking with Starr and Michael about nothing in particular.
"Happy fourth mom, have you and Joss got anything planned?" Michael chuckled, as his mother gave him a hug.
"We're probably just going to watch fireworks at The Metrocourt, Jax is in Australia...but I know he wishes he could be here with us to celebrate. What about you?" Carly frowned at the mention of her daughters father...missing Jax came over her in waves sometimes.
"Am I missing something? Aren't you dating Johnny?" Starr rose a brow, puzzled.
"Johnny proposed we just be friends...I've come to realize that I was just using him as a distraction. The truth is Jax has all of my heart and I'm not sure there's any chance of me getting him back." Carly admitted.
"Carly it's okay, I know you feel guilty about this but...I'm always around if you need a friend. In all honesty even if it wasn't for Jax, I don't think we'd last." Johnny interrupted.
"Thank you Johnny, I appreciate that...you're right." Carly gave him a small smile, focusing back on Michael.
"I'm going to The Quartermaine's for their annual barbecue. Starr, would you like to go with me? I mean, if you don't already have plans!" Michael speaks, semi turning his body towards the young blonde.
"I didn't have any plans, I would love to! Thank you for thinking of me, Michael. You're so sweet." Starr broke into a wide grin.
"Grandma Monica is going to love you, I'll text her right now!" Michael gushed, pulling his phone from the pockets in his jeans.
"I was thinking about going to The Overlook and watching the fireworks there." Johnny shrugged. Before anyone else could comment Lulu Spencer rushed onto the boat, bags lining her arms as she stalked into one of the rooms.
"Lulu, what the hell? Come back here! You can't just take all of you're shit out of The Loft and come here!" Dante Falconeri snapped, walking after her.
"Dante, give me my space. Please. Today's a really hard day for me-leave me be." Lulu sighed preoccupied, walking back into the main room of the boat and dropping down to sit on the couch.
"Lulu-we're married now. You can't just run off somewhere every time you feel like it. What's so hard for you, Lulu? It's Independence Day. Just-come back home." Dante sighed, obviously not understanding.
"You don't understand Dante and-I don't want you to be able to understand. I need my fucking space, alright? You're smothering me! Go enjoy dinner with Olivia or whatever it is you're doing...I'll be fine. I'm just more comfortable on the boat...I'm sorry. I just need time away from you." Lulu let her eyes flutter shut as she spoke, Johnny frowned knowing how much she struggled each passing year with Logan's death.
"Lulu, you'd rather be with Zacchara on a boat than with me in our home? Don't act like this isn't about him, because it is." Dante scoffed.
"This isn't even about Johnny, you're being an ass." Lulu drew her legs up to her chest, trying not to admit distress.
"Why don't you leave her alone? You're stressing you're wife out. I don't know who the fuck you think you are but, just because lulu is married to you doesn't mean you can talk to her any way you want." Starr spoke up, having just about enough of Dante's crap.
"Why won't you talk to me?" Dante was stubborn as a mule.
"Just leave me alone." Lulu sighed.
"You're not staying here." Dante mutters.
"You don't get to control my cousin, Dante. If she needs space, give it to her. You guys don't need to be up each other's asses 24/7." Carly didn't like the way Dante talked down to Lulu.
"I'll stay here as long as I want-dad signed the boat over to ME. I can do what I want, fuck you very much." Lulu finally snapped, not in a good mental state being the day it was.
"If you don't leave, I'll escort you out right now. I'm leaving the choice up to you Falconeri but, Lulu needs time to regroup. None of us are going to let anything happen to you're wife." Johnny was going to try to level with Dante...man-to-man.
"Don't worry about it." Dante mutters under his breath, turning on his heel to walk out.
"I don't know how much longer I can do this...I'm exhausted." Lulu stared out before her at nothing in particular.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Carly asked.
"What's wrong is five years ago today my psycho ex attacked me and I fucking killed him. I took a man's life and I can't fix it. I couldn't help Logan. It's just such bullshit that Logan never had to pay but...I had a nervous breakdown, Johnny went to Pentonville because he was protecting me-luckily he was acquitted but...what if he hadn't been so lucky? Johnny would be in PRISON for something I DID. How could I ask a man that I loved to pay such a big price?" Lulu ranted, shaking her head.
"You never made me do a damn thing, I confessed because you didn't deserve to go to prison for protecting yourself. I hate how much it's still affecting you-it breaks my heart..."
"I don't really want to talk right now...thank you guys for standing up for me but, I need to be by myself for a bit. Happy Fourth Of July." Lulu forced a timid smile to everyone, before carrying her bags to one of the empty bedrooms in the back of The Haunted Star and promptly shutting the door.
"Is she going to be alright?" Starr asked, concerned.
"Eventually yes-this happens every year. Lu never quite got over that night, even though she was only protecting herself. I wish I had gotten to The Penthouse a few minutes earlier-I could have protected her. Shielded her from that prick, my girlfriend had to fend off a complete whack job at my apartment. I wasn't there for her and it kills me that I couldn't do my job as her boyfriend. I guess that I never really got over what happened either." Johnny mutters that night still fresh in his memory even five years later...Lulu stood at the door to her room listening to her former lover's words, quiet tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Johnny, you were never to blame...you were always so strong. My rock. I had no idea..."She whispers against the door, lightly biting her lower lip.
"She loved you, you know. You were the first man who ever loved her completely-maybe the only man, judging by Dante's actions. Maybe it's not too late for you and Lulu." Carly patted Johnny's arm, no matter if their relationship had ended Carly still wanted to be around for Johnny.
"It's just a marital spat-I'm not gonna be the one to ruin her life. Not again, I want her to be happy. I loved her too-if pressed, I still love Lulu Spencer more than life itself." Johnny glanced down at the mahogany bar.
"Take care of my cousin, okay? She needs you." Carly sighed, before leaving the bar and going to pick up Josslyn from Jason's.
"Tell Lulu I hope she feels better-for the record, Lulu was always happier with you." Michael rose from the stool he was sitting on, as did Starr.
"I haven't known you guys long but, Lulu seems miserable with Dante. When you two are hanging out here, I've never seen her frown or depressed. Tell her how you feel Johnny, both of you deserve to be happy. You're good people." Starr says being genuine as the two young adults said goodbye to Johnny, and made their way to The Quartermaine Mansion.
"I'll always love her but, she has a husband...one who can give her a better life than my dumbass ever could. Why would I fuck that up? Their wrong." Johnny shook his head, determined not to say a word.
Lulu lay herself down to take a nap, the information she'd overheard just a bit too much for her to handle right now. Johnny still loved her, after all this time? The amount of conviction in his words made her want to cry, Dante had never been that open about his feelings...hell, he didn't even compliment her body or anything she did. Sometimes it felt like Dante just kept her around as to not disappoint Olivia with a divorce-Italians sort of had a code and divorce was frowned upon.
"How did I even get myself into his mess? Maybe I should have just stayed away, let Brenda or Delores have their chance with him. I don't think I've ever been this miserable in my entire life." Lulu thought to herself as tears welled up in her light hazel eyes, sobs erupting from her mouth as she looked up at the ceiling and sobbed her heart out.
Johnny had a few things to take care of after Carly, Starr and Michael left The Haunted Star but it didn't take him long...he hoped Lulu was doing alright. As Johnny walked back into his place of business he heard the most heartbreaking sobs floating across the boat-ones that he hadn't heard in a very long time. Johnny hated to think of her being in distress, and grimaced in sadness.
"I should have been here, it's not like business can't wait." Johnny mutters to himself as he strode across the boat, gently easing the door open.
"Lulu? I'm back...can I come in? I won't if you don't want me to..."Johnny trailed off as he poked his head in the door, seeing her looking up at the ceiling...as she sobbed.
"I don't wanna be alone but, I always am. ALWAYS. I don't know why he acts like he doesn't care-maybe it's not an act. I don't know. All I know is I'm tired of being taken for granted." Lulu sobbed, getting even more upset with each word she spoke.
"Well, you're not going to be alone tonight...because I'm here. I don't want you to suffer, I know today is hard on you." Johnny came into the dark room and shut the door behind him, walking over to the bed and laying on the empty side.
"Johnny, I heard what you said earlier. I don't understand why you would still be in love with me-after all this time. You just weren't going to tell me? Why put yourself through that shit?" Lulu shook her head avoiding his gaze.