Lulu: So, I'm guessing Nina's sister isn't stranded on the side of the road somewhere waiting to be picked up?

Logan: Yeah, i don't even know if nina has a sister. Um --

Lulu: Huh.

Logan: Yeah, i -- i convinced her to do this. I wanted this to be a surprise, you know?

Lulu: Well, mission accomplished. I had no idea you were planning this. What is this?

Logan: This is dinner. Look, i know it's probably not going to be the best thing you ever tasted, but it's got to be better than that hospital crap i've been eating. You like your steak medium well, right?

Lulu: I -- i -- you really shouldn't have gone to all this trouble.

Logan: Lulu, it's no trouble. I mean, it's not a gourmet meal. I grabbed a couple of steaks, threw them on the grill. I got a bag of salad. Listen, why don't you grab a seat here.

Lulu: I'm sorry, i can't have dinner with you, logan.

Logan: Why not?

Lulu: Well, i mean, the lights, the flowers and the candles --

logan: Yeah?

Lulu: I mean, this feels like a date.

Logan: Yes, that -- that was the idea.

Lulu: I'm -- i just can't do this anymore.

Logan: You were there with me when i woke up. I mean, you spent, like, every day by my bedside. I -- lulu, this is just my way of thanking you for all of that.

Lulu: I almost killed you, logan. And when you woke up, i wanted to make things right as a friend, not as a girlfriend. That's not how i feel about you anymore.

Johnny: Lulu came by to let me know she had talked to sonny and carly on my behalf.

Claudia: To say what? Why do you make me pull this stuff out of you?

Johnny: She alibied me for the time of michael's shooting.

Claudia: Well, i bet that went over well.

Johnny: It's legitimate, by the way. I was with her.

Claudia: I'm not sure sonny and carly are going to buy it, but little lulu get's an "a" for effort.

Johnny: Do you have to make fun of everything?

Claudia: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It was a really nice thing for her to do.

Johnny: And guess how i repaid her. I blew up at her, basically threw her out the door.

Jax: Look, i'm not oblivious to the fact that i'm putting you on the spot. Carly's keeping something from me. I can tell just by looking at her. Michael's my stepson. I love him with all my heart. I want to help him, but i'm at a distinct disadvantage here.

Elizabeth: It's hard when you feel like you're out of the loop.

Jax: I wish that was the worst. See, i shouldn't have gone away. Carly didn't want me to go houston. Maybe she had a premonition. But i was so caught up in business. Anyway, the point is, i have no idea how to help my wife, and she's going through the most difficult time of her life. I just -- i just need to know. Tell me what needs to be done for michael.

Elizabeth: That's the thing, jax. There's nothing anyone can do.

Jason: Don't do this, carly, not in here.

Carly: Fine. I meant what i said. When you left michael standing there in the line of fire, when you left him vulnerable and alone so you could protect kate, you made a choice, sonny. And you lost all rights to call yourself his father. I want you to stay the hell away from michael.

Sonny: You be as mad at me as you need to be, but i'm not leaving my son.

robin: I got some cookies for us to share.

Patrick: I completely appreciate the concern, but i -- you don't have to baby-sit me. I'm completely sober. Getting there, at least.

Robin: If you'd rather be home, you can leave. But if you'd like to stay, i'd enjoy your company.

Patrick: What? Since when?

Robin: Well, since i listened to sonny's grief and regret for about an hour. You know how sometimes you don't realize you're doing something until you see someone else doing it?

Patrick: Yes, i know that.

Robin: That's what happened. Sonny is shredding himself from the inside out over what happened to michael, questioning every decisions he's ever made including starting the business to begin with, right up until the point he pushed kate out of the way of that bullet.

Patrick: Is that what happened?

Robin: Unfortunately, yes. I mean, you can imagine carly's reaction to that, right?

Patrick: I would imagine she went crazy, yeah.

Robin: She did. She ordered sonny out of michael's life, told him that he didn't deserve to be michael's father. And that just wasn't in the heat of the moment. I mean, she meant that. She is that vindictive. Never mind what michael wants, you know, or the fact that he needs his father just as much as he needs his mother. Anyway, i was saying that, settling into my comfort zone of, you know, always judging carly, and then it hit me. I have no room to talk because i've been doing the same thing to you.

Patrick: Robin, those are completely different situations.

Robin: Not really. Two mothers keeping fathers away from their children, me holding you to positions that you took before this baby was even conceived, you know, not really making any allowances for the fact that months have passed and you might feel differently about it. I -- is that possible? Have your feelings changed about his baby?

Lulu: No more mixed signals, no more back and forth, i owe you that much.

Logan: Lulu, i don't have a problem with back and forth. I like it. It means my foot's still in the door, ok? Seriously, listen, if the whole dinner thing -- it feels like a lot of pressure, you know what? It's no problem. We'll forget about it. We'll call it a night.

Lulu: Running out on this is not going to change anything. We would still have this conversation tomorrow.

Logan: Maybe not. No, maybe we wouldn't. Ok, you might sleep on it. Your perspective might be different in the morning. It wouldn't be the first time.

Lulu: I know my own mind, and i am not changing it. Logan, straight out honest, i like you. I think that you are a great guy, but i am done talking myself into an attraction that i just don't feel.

Logan: You faked being attracted to me?

Lulu: No, no, no, not at first, but after time, things just changed, and they're not going to change back.

Logan: How can you be so sure about that? This isn't a rash decision. It's -- it's not a -- a reaction to something. This is something that i've thought about for a long time. I had to. I can't keep jerking us around.

Logan: Lulu, i still haven't heard a valid reason why you're blowing me off, ok? Now if you're going to be honest -- if you're going to be honest, you need to go all the way with it and tell me -- just tell me.

Lulu: Haven't i hurt you enough?

Logan: If this is about you choosing johnny over me, you need to woman up, and you need to say so.

Claudia: So you were with lulu when michael was shot?

Johnny: I found her at the haunted star.

Claudia: So all's well in paradise?

Johnny: Hardly. We had a huge fight.

Claudia: You want to share it?

Johnny: That depends. Do you really want to know or are you storing up future ammunition?

Claudia: I can't even believe you just said that. Of course, i want to know, john. If it concerns you, it concerns me. I love you.

Johnny: I know that. Basically, lulu said that i was i lying to her, not letting her make her own choices, that i was jerking her around. She says, one minute i'm pushing her out of my life and the next minute i'm jumping back into hers.

Claudia: Is she right?

Johnny: Somewhat. But she does the same damn thing to me.

Claudia: Sounds like a recipe for a headache. What's the deal, johnny? What's really going on with this girl?

Johnny: I'm not going to lie and say i don't care about her. I do. And i know she cares back, but she's scared. Who can blame her? I mean, look at my life. My crazy family --

claudia: Hey.

Johnny: Present company included. But, seriously, i mean, sometimes you look at the fire and you know how bad it's going to hurt when you get burned, but you can't help but stick your hand in anyway. If i was -- i don't know what, noble? I'd hurt her so bad that she'd have to write me out of her life for good. But, honestly, i like waking up and knowing that she's in my life and maybe i'd turn a corner and she's there.

Claudia: Do you want my opinion?

Johnny: Do i have a choice?

Claudia: You want lulu in your life? Keep her. Just don't fall in love, john, because if you do, you might as well eat your gun.

Jax: What do you mean, nothing anyone can do? I'm sure michael's case isn't hopeless.

Elizabeth: I'm not a doctor. I'm not qualified to give you an accurate prognosis.

Jax: Yeah, but you know something, elizabeth.

Elizabeth: Jax, i shouldn't even be discussing this with you.

Jax: Ok, you know what? I'm not going to mention your name to anyone, so whatever assurances you need, consider them made. Please, help me help my wife.

Elizabeth: When michael was on the table, it was clear that the damage he sustained was as serious as it gets. There was a bullet lodged in his brain. He almost bled out. The only reason he's still alive is because no one is more amazing in the operating room, under pressure, than dr. Drake. Jax, i was there when michael's test results came back, and i heard patrick telling robin that michael's coma is permanent.

Jax: Permanent? He's -- he's not going to wake up again?

Elizabeth: I'm just telling you what i heard.

Jax: Oh, she knows.

Elizabeth: What do you mean?

Jax: Carly. Somebody must've told her, right? Which means this -- this certainty that michael's going to wake up is denial. Carly can't face the fact that michael's already gone.

Sonny: I understand why you're angry. I respect it. I deserve it. I would change my life --

carly: I don't want to hear your remorse. I'm not interested.

Jason: Ok, listen, i get that you're mad.

Carly: I am mad as hell and don't try and talk me out of this.

Jason: I'm not. I'm just saying, prioritize. What's more important, ripping into sonny or keeping -- keeping the peace for michael's sake?

Carly: You understand this. I don't care how sorry you are or how much regret you have because it's empty and i've heard it before. And i can't spare any sympathy or compassion for you because i need it for that little boy in there, the little boy who's recovering from brain surgery because he got shot on your watch, sonny.

Sonny: We're clear about that, carly, but why don't you tell me where michael would fit in here?

Carly: Well, he can't really speak for himself right now. Sonny: He would want me to be with him.

Jason: Sonny's right. Michael needs his father.

Claudia: Look, i realize that "love kills" is not a universal truth. There are happy, normal nuclear families that exist somewhere. People fall in love early, and they stay together until death do they part. They invest in the whole 2.5 Kids and a golden retriever a white picket fence, the american dream, and they have it pay off. But then, on the other hand, there people who never catch that gravy train. They fall in love and they get stomped, and then they meet someone else and they start the whole sad, sick cycle over again, never getting anywhere, just running in place. And then -- then there's us in a category all of our own. We come to the table already warped. You add love to the equation and you're standing in the doorway that leads to full blown insanity. You need hard core proof, john? Look at your father in the local loony bin. He loved your mother so much he shot and killed her?

Johnny: So you think i'm going to end up like him. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Claudia: I have more confidence in you than i do in myself, and that is saying a lot. I'm just your big sister trying to give you a little bit of advice from my own experience. Love makes you vulnerable. You leave yourself open to betrayal and disappointment. And genetically unstable psyche? That's enough to push it right over the edge into full blown whackdom. Why -- why take that chance?

Johnny: Isn't that what life's about? The chance? The risk? The edge?

Claudia: All i'm saying is choose your risks.

Lulu: I don't know if johnny and i have a future. Maybe we do, maybe we don't. But what i do know right now is that he makes me feel --

logan: All right, i get the picture.

Lulu: My feelings for johnny just go way beyond friendship, and my feelings for you don't.

Logan: Look, because of what i did with maxie, i understand, but i promise you --

lulu: No, i -- i have already forgiven you for what happened with maxie, and i just hope that at some point you'll be able to forgive me with what happened with the wrench.

Logan: Lulu, i already told you i know why you did that. You -- you know, you were trying to protect yourself. I scared you. I promise you that will never happen again.

Lulu: No, no, no, no more promises. It's over, logan. Please, just accept it.

Jax: You know, i don't often find myself at a loss, but i have no idea how to help my wife through this devastating time.

Elizabeth: Well, maybe you don't have to right now.

Jax: I don't understand.

Elizabeth: Maybe carly's not ready to hear the devastating truth. Maybe she's just doing everything she can to hold herself together with what she does know. Denial isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes it's necessary. I know that she loves michael and morgan more than anything, and she would never intentionally put her children in harm's way, but, really, that's exactly what she did by allowing sonny to be a part of their lives. And i'm sure she's realized that. Talk about a devastating truth, knowing that you put your own happiness or a comfortable relationship with an ex at your children's expense? The guilt must be overwhelming. So if carly needs to cling onto hope for just a little while longer, what's the harm? She's going to have to face reality soon enough. And you -- you just need to be there to love and support her through this next stage of pain.

Jax: Yeah. Well, you know, this is the first thing i've heard in the last 24 hours that makes any sense at all. Thanks. I really appreciate your insight and your generosity. I know that carly hasn't always been kind to you.

Elizabeth: I could have easily made the same mistake as carly. I just thank God i didn't.

Jason: There's enough blame to go around. We all failed michael on some level, but fighting about it isn't going to do him any good. You know how upset he gets when you two fight each other.

Sonny: Mm-hmm.

Jason: You're not helping him by bringing anger and guilt and blame into a room where he's trying to get well. Nothing can change what happened. Michael needs us. That has to come first. Just be parents.

logan: All right, point made, you and me, over. Nice memory, can't say it doesn't hurt. But there is something to be said about knowing where you stand, because i can't afford to continue to bang my head against the wall for a girl that doesn't want me.

Lulu: Logan --

logan: Look, no, do not try and make it better. You can't. I am sorry, truly, i am, for putting you on the spot like this, but it will not happen again.

Lulu: I'll clean up around here.

Logan: Whatever.

Claudia: I'm not telling you something that i read in a -- in a book somewhere, john. I've had my own experiences with how love equals emotional disaster. You didn't know my mother.

Johnny: Dad wouldn't even allow questions about her.

Claudia: Well, let me tell you. Domenica zacchara was a strong, powerful woman. She was a force of nature, not for the faint of heart. I was in awe of her -- a little afraid of her. And i wanted to be just like her till the axe fell, and dad decided that he was done or bored or outmatched an banished her, divorced her, erased her from his life as if she had never existed. I didn't even see my mother again until i was a teenager and i didn't -- i didn't recognize her. That flamboyant, beautiful woman that i remembered was gone. She was hard. She was brittle. She had no spirit. She was dull. She was ruined because she loved a man who threw her away And i said right then and there, i will never let a man make a shell out of me.

Johnny: Yeah, but what if someone takes you by surprise?

Claudia: That's not going to happen. It's not because i could only love someone that i could trust unconditionally. Somebody who'd stand by me no matter what. Somebody who would keep my secrets no matter how much it went against there grain and who would never leave me. And that man doesn't exist. So i can wipe love off the agenda and just concentrate on things that, you know, i could actually make a difference at, like in the business, you know? And, hey, if you have any sense of self-preservation, you'll do the same thing. I'm telling you this because i love you, john, because i care about you. Love is a losing proposition. There's one person in this world that will always have your back, that you can always trust, that you can count on. That's me. You're looking at her.

Carly: I know michael loves you. More than that, you're his hero and, every word you say is gospel. So if you go in there and you tell him that he can fight his way through this and come out the other side, he will. So you go in there, and you tell him to fight. But don't you, for one second, believe that you deserve to be there.


Edited 1 time by laurieluvsliason Apr 16, 2008 04:40.