Chapter Four-
A/n: I'm thinking about turning this into a full length story, should I? Like I don't have 50 billion stories but, the muse lol.
Lulu hadn't seen Johnny in months, she hadn't even been allowed to call him since he had checked her into Shadybrooke. For months Johnny had been the only thing keeping her sane and watching him get beat down by the cops when he was just hugging her goodbye, it tore her apart. Nobody has asked her how she was feeling, they just pumped her full of pills that made her feel like a zombie and sedated her. Lulu couldn't even cry anymore because she was so out of it, would she spend the rest of her life in here? Lulu cried every night remembering how Johnny would hum to her to calm her down at night, she just wanted everything to be over. Barely anyone visited her except for Maxie and Tracy, it's almost like Lucky and Nikolas didn't even care. Lulu wipes away a stray tear that escaped, time for another day of feeling dead.
"Lulu. Are you okay?" She heard a familiar raspy voice call out to her, Lulu blinked her eyes a couple of times adjusting to the light. Claudia Zacchara peers over at her.
"I'm fine." Lulu didn't figure that Claudia wanted a real answer.
"Jesus, what have they been giving you? You look like a ghost. They are supposed to be helping you! John got out of prison weeks ago, they keep telling him that you don't want to see him. They won't even let him in the door." Claudia shakes her head, she needed to find out what was really going on.
"They just pumped me full of pills and sedated me, this isn't helping. So, is Johnny okay? He got acquitted?" Lulu ached for even one word about her boyfriend.
"He's just…worried about you. Okay, we're breaking you out of here." Claudia motioned for her to get up, Lulu shakily stood up as Claudia's eyes darted to the door. A few nurses passed by but they didn't glance her way, the two women snuck out the back way taking the stairs.
"Put these on." Claudia instructed handing her a pair of clothes as she kept guard while Lulu got dressed. They finally made it out of the building and slid into a sleek black BMW that she recognized as Ric's car.
"Thank you, I know that you don't particularly like me." Lulu glanced at Claudia as they drove away.
"My personal feelings aside, I don't think you need to be in there. Not anymore. My brother loves you, the last thing I'm going to do is stand in the way of that. Not anymore. Daddy sent me away after he killed Maria. I was about fourteen, he sent me to a mental health facility because I defied him. I know what it's like to be stuck, it's no life." Claudia was solemn, remembering spending her teens in a prison-like state.
"It's time to board the plane. It's good to see you, Lulu, welcome home." Ric nodded, he had been oddly silent throughout the drive to the airport.
"Where are we going?" Lulu asked, she had been expecting them to take her to crimson pointe or at least a safehouse.
"You're going to Italy, John's going to be waiting for you when you land. Our family has villas there, somewhere you two will be safe while I figure out why Shadybrooke is basically drugging you. Once you see him, you'll be okay. I promise. It's a long flight, you should get some rest." Claudia no longer looked at Lulu like she was an inconvenience, she was family.
"Thank you. For everything." Lulu sighed, knowing she owed Claudia. Claudia awkwardly hugged her before she got out of the car, they watched her get on the plane before pulling away.
"Don't tell me you're going soft." Ric couldn't help but to smirk as he drove away.
"Don't push it Lansing, I'm still a bad bitch." Claudia playfully rolled her eyes, dialing Johnny's burner phone and waiting on him to answer.
Johnny Zacchara had spent many sleepless nights, he knew that Lulu must be hurting. Johnny wanted nothing more than to see her, hold her in his arms again. After many unsuccessful attempts to see her, Claudia had suggested that he lay low in Italy for a while. Johnny didn't like being so far away but he needed to clear his head. Johnny woke up that morning to his burner phone ringing, it had to be his sister. Fumbling around in the dark, he picked it up on the last ring.
"Claudia?" He asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
"Good morning sleepyhead, I have a surprise for you." Claudia sounded like she was smirking.
"You and Lansing finally tie the knot?" Johnny guessed, earning a laugh.
"No, you know white isn't my color John. I'll tell you. I broke Lulu out of Shadybrooke and she's on our private Johnny headed to you. It takes eight hours to fly from Port Charles to Venice, so be at the airport at roughly six." Claudia could barely get the news out fast enough, knowing her brother would be happy.
"What?" Johnny chuckled in shock, he would finally get to see her? Joy bubbled up in his chest.
"John, they were just shoving pills down her throat and sedating her. When I walked into her room she looked like a fucking ghost, I couldn't just leave her there. I'm going to figure out who set this in motion, whoever it is will be sorry they messed with Claudia Zacchara." Claudia became serious for a moment, before continuing on and smirking.
"I was afraid something like this would happen, you just don't understand how much I love her." Johnny turns the lamp on checking the time, it was 10:15 in the morning. He would be counting down the hours until he could see his girl.
"I know that she loves you just as much, I shouldn't have stood in the way of you being happy. You're my brother, I just thought I was protecting you. I'm sorry." It wasn't often that Claudia apologized but she knew this was a long time coming.
"You've more than made up for it, Claud. I love you too, thank you." Johnny was grateful.
"I…hugged her. It was awkward. I don't even know why. I think it reminded me of what daddy put me through." Claudia grimaced, she usually never had awkward moments.
"I'm…sure she needed it." Johnny laughed, surprised.
"I know I don't have to tell you this but, take care of her. You know, she's been through it." Claudia shocked even herself.
"I know, I will. I'm going to take a shower and get ready, I love you." Johnny ended the call with a smile on his face. Johnny headed to the bathroom to take a shower, after that he began cleaning up.
Back on the private jet, Lulu began to drift off only an hour into her flight. She let her head droop against the window in fatigue, you'd think with everything she'd been given in the past few months that she wouldn't be tired. You'd be wrong, she was exhausted. Her dreams were filled with heart filled reunions with her boyfriend, all too soon she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Hi Alfred, how are you doing?" Lulu smiled kindly at the older gentleman, Alfred had been hired to take care of Johnny when Maria died. Johnny looked at him as a father figure, he was always so sweet. Alfred was a middle eastern man, she always loved listening to his accent.
"Quite well, quite well. It's good to see you, how are you feeling?" He asked, sitting down beside her.
"I'm unbelievably tired, but I can't wait to land. Alfred, where are you from?" She asked, genuinely curious.
"I was born in Israel, I'm sure Johnny will be happy to see you. You bring him into the light, I love Johnny as if he were my own but…he had no life before he met you." Alfred gives a slight smile.
"I didn't have much of a life before Johnny, either. Do you have children of your own?" Alfred didn't talk about his family much.
"I do, I have a granddaughter about your age. My son was killed in the war a few years ago, his wife remarried and doesn't have much to do with me. I don't know why. My granddaughter stays in touch, she calls me everyday." Alfred slightly frowned remembering his son, he missed him very much.
"I'm so sorry to hear that, it's good that your granddaughter keeps in touch, at least." Lulu says, feeling sad.
"That's why I'm glad to have Johnny, he makes losing my son almost bearable. We'll be landing soon."
Johnny glanced at the clock, excited that it was finally time for Lulu to land. Johnny grabbed his keys and drove to his family's airport, just in time to see Lulu getting off the plane. You know those slow runs that those couples in the movies do when they haven't seen each other in forever? That's what their hug felt like, Johnny never wanted to let go.
"It's so good to see you, I thought I'd never get out of there." Lulu sighed into his chest.
"You too, it's been killing me not being able to see you. Let's go, you're probably insanely jetlagged." Johnny wraps an arm around her waist, leading her over to his yellow mustang.
"Not to mention all the drugs in my system." Lulu nodded, sliding into the passenger seat.
"Yeah, that's really fucking legal." Johnny rolled his eyes, when Claudia told him what was really going on it made his blood boil.
"I hope my brothers had nothing to do with this but, I just don't think I could put it past them. They were determined to keep us apart." Lulu glanced out the window.
"The thought crossed my mind but, we can't count out my father and Trevor. They'd be even more likely." Johnny took her hand.
"I don't even remember if I've eaten anything. Like, in months. Maybe fluids but, I don't physically remember eating. At all." Lulu noted, trying to think but came up with nothing.
"They really did a number on you." Johnny frowned, pulling into a drive thru and ordering them some burgers, fries and two drinks. They went back home and Johnny set their food on the counter and heard Lulu laugh from behind him.
"Still haven't learned to do laundry, I see?" Lulu raises a brow, spotting his washer and dryer and a pile of clothes next to it.
"Hey, I've never had to before! Be nice to me." Johnny defended himself with a smirk.
"I think every man in the world uses that excuse but, in your case it's actually true. I'll do it." Lulu smirked, crossing the room.
"Lulu, you one hundred percent don't have to do that." Johnny chuckled, he could figure it out. Maybe.
"I could use some normal, watch the master." Lulu waves a dismissive hand opening the washer, throwing all the whites in together and popping a tide pod in with the load. Lulu pressed start and heard the water begin to fill the machine.
"It's easy." Lulu shrugged at Johnny's shocked expression.
"I need you in my life." Johnny smirked, pulling her close to him.
"Yeah, you're hopeless. God, neither of us can cook. We're doomed." Lulu smirked, pressing a kiss to his lips.
"Doomed from the start." Johnny kisses her again, leading her towards the bedroom.