Disclaimer: I only own myself and any other new characters that pop up a long the way, expect for characters that have been mentioned but have not be given life. I am working for Lennie Marie Inc., well not really working for them but they sponsor my story and my writings. Elizabeth is just a pen name, there is a real person around here somewhere. NBC and the creators, directors, and such are the ones that own Passions and I just borrowing the characters to play with. I promise to put them back where I found them when I am done. Thanks! Bye! Harmony: Homecomings by Annabelle Chapter 1 Crane Mansion Julian walked into his study just as the phone rang. He went over to his desk, sat down, and pressed the on button on his speakerphone. "Julian Crane," he said into the air, he knew who it was, the one person that he feared. "Julian, I do hope that you are ready for a guest. Your stepmother is coming to stay in Harmony for a while. She will be arriving this morning." "Stepmother? Father, you never told me that you had remarried. When did this happen?" Julian's facial expression was a mixture of puzzlement and shock. The reason that he was shocked was not because his father had remarried but because he was not told about it. "Oh just over five months ago. I didn't tell you because I was to busy cleaning up the mess that you have made of everything," Alistair's voice became hard and scolding which made Julian give a look of disdain to the speakerphone. "Father I have done everything that you have told me to do." "That's my point Julian. You have done everything I tell you to do but you do not think on your own. Elizabeth is much more capable of handling the matter of keeping the family secrets hidden then you are. You are a business man Julian, and there is nothing wrong with that, but there are things about human nature that you just don't understand." "And just who is this Elizabeth that you hold so highly in your trust?" Julian asked his father with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Elizabeth Felipes Crane is your new stepmother. She is coming to make sure that you do not screw things up any more with this whole Lopez-Fitzgerald situation." "I thought that we had already solved that situation. Even though he managed to save her life in Paris, Sheridan still wants nothing to do with Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald because she still thinks that he was using her. And if, for some bizarre reason she changes her mind we will just make him disappear like his father." "Elizabeth has brought it to my attention that Sheridan will eventually have to talk to Luis and the issue of him "using her" will be resolved with us revealed as the ones who hired the fake Luis. If we do get rid of Luis it will only create another problem," Alistair said in a commanding voice. "What is this new problem that my dearest stepmother has come up with?" Julian was trying to sound sweet but the comment came out as sarcastically as he had wanted to say it. "Elizabeth pointed out that by making Luis disappear we are only giving cause to his younger brother to look into the disappearance of his father and his brother. Luis's brother could cause more problems for us then Luis ever could because he would also have Sheridan on his side," Alistair acted is if he was stating the obvious. "So you are saying that by making Luis disappear that we are turning him into a martyr for his brother Miguel. Then what are we supposed to do if Elizabeth's plan doesn't work?" Julian said in a flabbergasted tone. "Well unlike you or me, Elizabeth has a great insight into Sheridan's personality. She and Sheridan have been friends for years now. She has a plan to deal with this whole thing and I agree with her plan," Alistair said with confidence "Is this Elizabeth the one that Sheridan met while she was living in Paris?" Julian asked with alarm in his voice. "Yes it is. I met with her a few years ago when she started working for the Cranes. Now listen carefully to me Julian. You are to do whatever Elizabeth tells you to do because I have already heard what she is going to do about this situation and I have given her permission." "Yes of course Father, it is just, well isn't Elizabeth awfully young? Why did you marry her?" Julian was whirling from confusion. "The reason that I married her is of no concern to you Julian, however if you must know I love Elizabeth and as you said I trust her greatly. You are to do exactly what she tells you to do. Do you understand me?" "Yes father. I'll have Pilar prepare a room for her immediately. What time should I have a chauffeur sent to pick her up from the airport?" "Elizabeth should be arriving in about two hours. Julian there is one more thing." Isn't there always, Julian thought. "Yes, father?" "Elizabeth is pregnant and I expect you to take care of her, she has been having some trouble and if she loses this baby while she is in your care Julian, you will live to regret it." "Of course I will take care of her father. She will have the best doctor's in town, and I'll have Pilar look after her. You have nothing to worry about," Julian replied rolling his eyes. "Good, I'll be in touch. Make sure to make your stepmother welcome. Goodbye Julian," and with that the phone clicked on the other end. "Goodbye Father. I can't believe that I have to put up with some little imp of a stepmother. Pilar! Pilar!" Pilar who was standing outside in the hallway walked into Julian's office. "Yes, Mr. Crane?" "Pilar have one of the guest rooms made up. My new Stepmother is coming to stay with us for a while and you will be caring for her personally." "Yes, Mr. Crane, right away," Pilar turned and left the study. "This is going to be a long day" Julian said to him self as he poured himself a cup of brandy. "Won't Ivy be thrilled when she finds out that her precious Ethan may no longer be the next in line to the Crane Empire. For that matter will I ever be in control of things, if Elizabeth produces a boy child everything is going to change." Sheridan's Cottage Pilar was standing on Sheridan's porch holding towels that had just been cleaned for her. Sheridan opened the door and smiled. "Hello Pilar, thanks so much for bringing these over for me. I really didn't feel like putting up with Julian today," Sheridan said as she withdrew the towels from Pilar's arms. "You are welcome Sheridan, but I am afraid that you may not be able to avoid coming to the main house today." "What do you mean?" Sheridan asked with a hint of fear in her eyes. "Your father called about an hour ago. It appears that he has remarried." "He what?" "Yes, he married a woman who has been working for him for a while and she is on her way here as we speak. Your father is sending her here so that she can become strong and healthy before she has her child." "My father remarried without telling anyone, he is sending his new wife here, and she is pregnant! I don't believe this." Sheridan walked over to her couch and flopped down onto it in disbelieve. "Julian did not believe either but Mrs. Crane is on her way here and will be here soon. However there is some good news, I know that you are really going to like your new stepmother," Pilar said as she moved to re-fold the towels that had fallen on the floor. "Why do you say that? I am sure that she is just as manipulative and conniving as Julian and my father," Sheridan crossed her arms in a child-like manner. "I think that you are going to like her because you already know her," Pilar smiled. "Pilar, what do you mean? I don't even know her name. Just tell me who she is, you are killing me!" Sheridan asked in an exasperated tone. "Her name is Elizabeth Felipes, your friend from Paris," Pilar replied calmly. Sheridan's mouth dropped. "Elizabeth Felipes, my best friend Elizabeth, that is the one you are talking about? She married my father! She barely knows my father, what happened?" Pilar shook her head, "I am not sure but I was under the impression that Mrs. Crane met your father a few years ago when she started working for you family." Sheridan nodded, "At the job that I got her. She had to move to Madrid afterward but she still came to visit me at least once a month right up until I met Jean-Luc. She had received a promotion and she had to move to Japan. We wrote to each other religiously. She gave me a verbal slap in the face and told me to get over Jean-Luc." Pilar had a puzzled look on her face, "And she never once mentioned that she had met or married your father? Mr. Crane said that he and Elizabeth married five months ago. She must have at least said that she knew him?" Sheridan got up and started to walk around her cottage. She shook her head, "No, she never said anything. When I moved back to Harmony, she called me to make sure that I was okay. Then she said that she was going to be in a communications black out for a while and that she would call me as soon as she could. I what I don't understand is how in a communications black out she could have married my father and be pregnant with his child, I mean my father doesn't talk a lot but he isn't in any area that would have a communications black out." Just then the phone rang. Sheridan walked over to it, still mulling over news of her father and best friend's marriage. "Hello?" "Sheridan darling, how are you?" A very flowery voice asked. "Elizabeth, is that really you?" Sheridan asked trembling a bit. "Oh yes my poor dear, it is I. Oh you must be so confused. I really must apologize for not letting you know what has been going on but I promise that I will explain everything to you shortly. Sheridan this is very important, is there anywhere that we can meet in private, that is not any type of Crane property?" Elizabeth asked with seriousness. "Of course, there is a beach here. We can go there," Sheridan said still in shock. "Very good. My plane is landing in an hour. I would love it if you would meet me at the airport. I know your brother is not expecting me for another hour, but I told the pilot to make the trip as short as possible. I am not really up to air travel these days." "Alright, well I won't tell him that you are going to be here early," Sheridan said with a smile on her face. "Thank you dear. Sheridan you have no idea how good it is to hear your voice again, I have really missed you," Elizabeth's voice sounded endearing and truthful. "I have missed you too. I guess I'll see you soon." "Yes. Don't forget I'll be there in an hour or less. See you then Sherie!" Elizabeth's younger side was starting to come out. "See you soon Liz." Sheridan said in a warm voice as she hung up the phone. Pilar could tell that Sheridan was happy to hear from her friend but she also knew that Sheridan would have to change before she drove to the airport. After all this woman that she was going to meet was no longer just her friend, she was her mother. "Sheridan, you go and get ready. I'll put the towels away and clean up here a little bit," Pilar told her as she moved to start picking up around the cottage. Sheridan smiled, "Thanks Pilar. I am just a bit nervous about meeting Elizabeth again. Well I guess I better get ready. I certainly don't want to be late in meeting my new stepmother," Sheridan said as she walked into her bedroom. Crane Jet Elizabeth opened her gold compact and looked at her face in the mirror. Half the time she did not even remember who she used to be, what her name had been. At one time it was not just Elizabeth Felipes, there was more to it than that. Alistair had made her forget about her old life, but it was not only him. She had forgotten who she was a long time before she had met with Alistair and before she had met Sheridan. Well it did not matter, she thought as she placed the compact back into her handbag, she was going to see her dearest friend, and now daughter, Sherie and that was all that mattered. Elizabeth looked down at her stomach. She smiled at the thought of the child growing inside. "I just hope for both our sakes that you are a boy. It will make life in Harmony a lot better for everyone if you are a boy. Now listen to me little one, you have to come out a boy or I'll have to give you up. Believe me I want to have daughters, I need to have daughters. But that need is just going to have to wait until we have everything set up the way we want it to be. Until we have everyone lined up just the way that we want," She rubbed her stomach and turned to look out the window. There was Harmony coming into view. Somehow this place seems familiar, she thought to herself, not really familiar but I feel connected to it in some way. She laughed at herself, it was absurd of her to think that she would have some connection with Harmony, other than her dear Sherie. She had never been to Harmony before, or to this part of the States for that matter. "Please prepare for the landing Mrs. Crane," the flight attendant asked her as came and collected the empty cup that was on the table in front of her. "Thank you, when are we landing?" "In the next few minutes. The Captain just got clearance from the ground," The flight attendant replied as she went to throw away the cup. Elizabeth nodded. "Oh can you call ahead and have a rental car waiting for me when we land, I have some things that I have to take care of before I see my family?" she asked the attendant. "Of course Mrs. Crane. Should I have a storage space prepared for your luggage or are you going to be taking it with you." Elizabeth thought about this for a moment. "No that's alright I'll be taking my luggage with me." "Very well," the attendant said as she went to go make the calls to the airport. Elizabeth looked out her window, "Well everything is in place. Sheridan thinks that I am going to be in Harmony in one hour instead of being there in the next few minutes. I just have to take care of one tiny little thing and then I'll have all my cards stacked up just the way I want them. Soon Sherie, oh so soon I'll be able to help you. You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into, but I do. I am going to make sure that you are happy, no matter what." She rubbed her stomach again, "I always take care of my children. Even if they are older than I am." She smiled and buckled herself in for the landing. Harmony Police Station Luis sighed as he leaned back on his bed in his cell and looked at the ceiling. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he get over her? She made it clear as day that she wanted nothing to do with him. Even after he had risked everything and had saved her life, she still did not trust him anymore. He just could not figure out what he had done to lose that trust. She had him arrested for crying out loud! Luis was so lost in thought that he did not see Hank walk in. "Hey Space Cadet! Come on Luis snap out of it," Hank waved his hand in front of his friend's face. "Sorry Hank, I didn't see you come in," Luis said shaking his head. "I could tell. What were you thinking about man? You were a million miles away. No wait, let me guess. Sheridan Crane," Hank said with a smile on his face. Luis snorted at first to try to deceive his friend, but he knew it would not work. "Sheridan Crane," Luis said with a sigh. "You know buddy, I don't know why you try to hide it. You are so in love with her it is not even funny. You went to Paris for her. You decided not to come back to Harmony because of her. And on top of all that you managed to save her life yet again. The only thing I don't get is why she still won't talk to you," Hank stated with satisfaction because he was sure that he had made is point and that there was no way Luis could deny his feelings for Sheridan. Luis shook his head again. "What are you talking about Hank? I don't love Sheridan! Okay so maybe I have feelings for her but she has made it clear that she never wants to see me again. She is the reason that I lost my job and that my sister and my brother might not be able to go to college. So can we just drop this?" Hank knew that he was right and it was only a matter of time before Luis would admit it. What pissed him off the most was that he knew that no matter how much he loved Sheridan he could never win her over from Luis. That didn't mean that he was going to stop trying. Luis watched his friend thinking. He knew that Hank liked Sheridan and that he wanted to believe that Sheridan was going to fall for him but it wasn't true. He just knew that it could never be true. He also knew that he had to stop thinking about Sheridan and get on with his life. She didn't want to see him again, ever. If he could just keep thinking about how he was going to get out of jail he wouldn't think about her. Hank was starting to get sick of just standing there looking at Luis. "Okay come on buddy, we are going to get out of here." Luis looked at him in shocked, "Hello Hank! In case you hadn't noticed I am behind bars! I can't go anywhere until someone posts bail for me. And it doesn't help that the judge made the bail so high that my family can't afford it!" "Oh yeah that. I guess I am just used to being able to get you out of this station. Well how about I go get you something from the Book Café. Do you think that your prison guard will let you have some outside food?" Luis shrugged, "I don't know. Why don't you go and ask him." Hank sighed and went to go ask the guard. He returned to the cell and looked at his friend. He had never seen Luis in such a wrack, sure he had been upset before, but not like this. He only wished there was someway that he could get him out of jail. Then a thought crossed his mind, there was a way, even if he it was going to cause a major dilemma in his life, he had to do it for Luis. "Alright buddy, the guard said I could go get you some food and that's what I am going to do. I have to make a phone call too so I'll be back as soon as I am done with that. Okay?" Hank asked trying to sound as positive as possible. Luis didn't look up he just nodded. Hank knew than that what he was about to do was the right thing. "Okay then, I'll be back in a bit." With that he left the police station to talk to someone that he never wanted to talk to again, but he had to in order to help his best friend. Hate it? Love it? Wanna kill it or me? Help me out here people, tell me what you think and I'll see wait I can do to improve my writings. ©2000 Lennie Marie Inc. (don't mess with me! :) )