A/N – Okay, so unlike GH I follow through when I leave a cliffhanger. And also, I would never leave someone bleeding and dying in the street for two days. I just don't think that's very nice, but I digress. Here is the conclusion of the story! I hope you have enjoyed the entire thing and I would love to hear what you think!

7pm

Everyone reaches a point when they have to believe in the power of love. When it's the only thing they have to hold on to.

Lulu was staring intently at the floor. Her gaze could have burned a hole right through it. Johnny had no idea what was going on in her head and it was killing him. Did she hate him? How could she not? He found himself clinging to hope that she loved him too much to hate him. He just wasn't sure and her silence wasn't very reassuring.

"You lied to me for over a year," Lulu said softly.

"Lulu, I-" Johnny tried, but Lulu held up her hand to stop him.

"I asked you if you had something to do with it and you lied," Lulu repeated. "You just admitted to lying to me about Maxie too. I never asked you for anything but the truth and that was something you just couldn't give. I don't know what to say or do. I'm just wondering how many other lies you told me. What was real about us? Was any of it real?"

"Yes," Johnny muttered. "The way I feel about you is real. The way I love you."

"Love," Lulu whispered, shaking her head. "I remember when you used to tell me all that mattered was I knew that you loved me. And I remember when that was true. But it's not anymore. Trust matters. And how can I trust you?"

"You have no reason to," Johnny shrugged.

"You're doing a great job of defending yourself," Lulu said sarcastically.

"It's true, Lulu," Johnny replied. "I have made so many wrong choices along the way and you have no reason to trust that I can make it right."

"Explain it to me," Lulu requested.

"Explain what?" Johnny asked.

"Explain why you let the hit on Sonny take place," Lulu explained.

"I hated him," Johnny began. "He had taken so much from me and I had never done anything to him. He was constantly getting in my face and casting blame on me for things I didn't do. Every time I turned around there he was, accusing me of something, but I stayed calm. You kept me calm. Then came the day I was supposed to take you on a date. Sonny kidnapped me and locked me in a padded cell like I was crazy. Like I was my father. He beat me and threatened to cut off my fingers. All for something I didn't do."

"Why didn't you ever tell me all of this?" Lulu wondered.

"Because I didn't want the business to touch you," Johnny answered. "Not even a little bit."

"You don't always have to protect me, Johnny," Lulu responded. "Sometimes you're the one who needs protecting."

"Well he finally let me go, but it was too late," Johnny continued. "I was so filled with rage and all I could focus on was making him pay. You saw how I was. You gave me a chance to choose you and get out and I didn't take it. You weren't gone for two minutes before I knew I had made the wrong choice. But instead of going after you, I got even angrier. I blamed Sonny for you leaving me. It's funny because that's exactly the kind of faulty logic that made him kidnap me in the first place.

"Claudia came up with a plan to get rid of Sonny and I had no objections," Johnny continued. "I thought if I could get rid of him, all of my problems would go away. I didn't know any details about where the hit was taking place or who was performing it. The only thing I knew was when."

"And I was your alibi," Lulu noted.

"It wasn't supposed to be you," Johnny said somberly. "I was supposed to be meeting Luke, but you were there instead. When Spinelli came in and told us, I felt sick. Then I got angry all over again, but this time at myself. I should have stopped Claudia, but I didn't. And then I never gave her up."

"She's your sister," Lulu shrugged.

"And that makes it okay?" Johnny asked.

"If you had admitted it, she would have been killed," Lulu replied. "You already had enough on your conscience."

"I thought you were upset with me for lying," Johnny said in confusion.

"I am," Lulu said. "I understand not telling Sonny or Jason because they would have killed you or your sister or both. I don't understand why you couldn't tell me."

"He's your cousin, Lulu," Johnny responded. "I thought you would hate me."

"I would have been upset, sure," Lulu agreed. "But I could never hate you. Even when you cheated on me with Maxie, I didn't hate you."

"So you don't hate me now?" Johnny questioned.

"No," Lulu shook her head.

"So it was all for nothing," Johnny said sadly. "If I had just told the truth from the start, none of this would have happened. We would be together."

"You don't know that," Lulu replied. "Neither of us know what would have happened if you had done things differently. All we can do is deal with the way things did happen."

"And how are we going to deal with it?" Johnny wondered.

"I don't know," Lulu answered.

"Do you want time to think it over?" Johnny offered.

"Johnny, I've had months to think about what I would do if an opportunity to forgive you ever presented itself," Lulu laughed. "I don't think I need more time."

"Okay," Johnny nodded. "Then let me say one more thing."

"Alright," Lulu agreed.

"I'm sorry, Lulu," Johnny began. "I know that I messed up and I know that telling you I'm sorry doesn't change it, but I'm saying it anyway. Because I am sorry. I never wanted to hurt you in anyway and I ended up hurting you in the worst way. I wish I could take back all the pain I've caused you."

Lulu looked into Johnny's eyes and she could tell he was sorry. She knew that he would take back the pain he caused her and probably carry it himself if he could. He was a martyr that way.

"I believe you when you say that," Lulu smiled. "Which is funny because I guess if I didn't trust you, I wouldn't. But I don't know why I still trust you. I shouldn't. You gave me some good reasons not to."

Lulu studied Johnny as he waited for her to continue. She could see he was nervous. The truth was so was she. She had so many emotions running through her and she had no idea which one would win out or which one she wanted to win.

"Do you remember the day you found me trying to play Clair de Lune?" Lulu asked.

"Of course," Johnny answered. "You looked beautiful focusing and trying to press the right notes."

"You told me then bad things would happen," Lulu mused. "And I told myself I didn't care. Because I knew the good would always make the bad worth it."

"Do you still believe that?" Johnny wondered.

"Yes," Lulu nodded. "After everything, I have no regrets. Which is why I can forgive you for everything. You aren't perfect and neither am I. But I believe that you're sorry and that's enough for me to forgive you and move on."

"What do you mean by move on?" Johnny questioned.

"I mean let go," Lulu explained. "Stop dwelling on the pain and the past."

"So...there's no chance...that we could..." Johnny tried. "There's no chance we could find our way back to each other?"

"Is that what you want?" Lulu asked.

"Yes," Johnny breathed. "I want to try to make up for everything I did wrong. And I would understand if you want to go slow. Maybe just be friends at first. But I miss you so much and I hope there's some way that we can get back what we had."

"That's asking a lot," Lulu muttered.

"I know," Johnny replied. "I have no right to ask you for anything, but I'm asking anyway. I've always been selfish about the wrong things. The things I should have held closest I pushed away and the things I held on to are the things I should have let go. But this time, I'm going to be selfish about the right thing. You. I want you in my life, even if I don't deserve you."

"Johnny, it's not about what you deserve or what I deserve," Lulu countered. "Hell, if everyone got what they deserved we would all end up alone and miserable."

"Then what is it about?" Johnny wondered.

"It's about what I can risk," Lulu answered. "Can I risk giving you another chance? Giving you my heart again?"

"And you can't," Johnny said, his head falling in shame.

It was his worst fear come true. He couldn't get her back. He had done too much wrong and there was nothing that was going to make it right. The tears gathered in his eyes, but he held them back because the last thing he was going to do was guilt her into saying she wanted something she didn't.

"I will never understand why you don't believe in me," Lulu said angrily and Johnny snapped his eyes back to hers.

"What?" Johnny asked in surprise.

"You automatically assumed that I would hate you," Lulu began. "You also assumed that if I didn't hate you I still wouldn't forgive you. And finally, as soon as I mention being scared about doing something, you assume I won't do it. You used to know me so well, but I don't know if you do anymore. Or maybe you think I've changed."

"It's not that I don't believe in you," Johnny argued.

"Then what is it?" Lulu questioned.

"It's logic," Johnny answered. "It makes no sense for you to take this risk. I broke your heart once because I was trying to do what I thought was best for you and you can't be sure I won't do it again."

"Well in that case, let me share some wisdom that I've learned," Lulu smiled. "Love and logic have no business mixing."

"Love?" Johnny wondered. "I know I love you, but do you...do you still love me?"

Lulu met Johnny's eyes and she knew the answer. At that moment he was so open and vulnerable. She felt like she could see straight into his soul and there was regret and sorrow, but most of all there was love. And a glimmer of hope. Johnny had never been one to hope for much because he was used to being disappointed, but she could see in him the hope he had right now. He wanted more than anything for her to still love him. And she did.

"I'm always going to love you," Lulu replied and Johnny breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you willing to take the risk?" Johnny asked slowly.

"You know I told you once that I was afraid of love and losing myself," Lulu responded. "But I'm not afraid of that anymore. I know now that loving you brings out a better part of myself."

"I feel the same way," Johnny whispered and Lulu smiled.

"I have always been a risk taker," Lulu started. "And I've always said you were a risk worth taking."

Johnny approached her slowly until they were only inches apart. It had been so long since they were this close in any aspect. Now there was nothing separating them mentally, physically or emotionally.

"Do you still believe that?" Johnny breathed, bringing his hand up to her face and slowly running a finger down her cheek.

"I don't know," Lulu smirked, mimicking Johnny's motion. "You are pretty nice to look at. And you love me which definitely earns you points. And there's something else. Something that I just can't seem to find anywhere but you."

"I know what you mean," Johnny smiled, letting his hands settle at her waist. "It's like a spark. A lightening strike, really."

"You know, lightening never strikes twice," Lulu replied, looping her arms around his neck. "Not in the same place or the same heart."

"I love you, Lulu," Johnny said sweetly. "And I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much."

"I love you, too," Lulu muttered, leaning closer to his lips. "And I have no objections to your plan of showing me that you love me because I want to do the exact same thing."

Johnny leaned down the rest of the way and connected his lips with Lulu's. The kiss was slow and sweet, both of them savoring the taste and feel of each other's lips. Lulu threaded her fingers through his hair and Johnny immediately deepened the kiss. There was no decrease in their passion for each other, even after all the time apart. After several minutes, Johnny forced himself to pull away for air, but he held Lulu close to him.

"You know what?" Johnny asked softly.

"What?" Lulu wondered.

"We're forever," Johnny whispered and Lulu smiled brightly before kissing him again.

Love is the most powerful emotion. When you love someone, really love them, anything is possible. Real love is forever and always.