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 2 Harmony Airport Elizabeth felt the rush of the plane descending from the air to the ground. She felt the plane touch down and bump as it bounced along the ground. The one thing that she always hated about flying was the landing. The uncertainty of knowing if the pilot was pulling back hard enough or stepping on the breaks firmly enough. Her hand gripped the chair as she tried to relax. Finally the plane stopped and she let out a breath that she hadn't known she had been holding. Once the landing crew had set everything up and the stairs were firmly in place the door to the aircraft opened and a stewardess walked out. The stewardess helped the newly pregnant Mrs. Crane out of the plane "Oh don't bother with me. I can make it down on my own, I am not that far along!" Elizabeth said as she shooed away the stewardess. "Yes ma'am, is there anything else I can get for you?" "If you would be so kind as to get my bags. I need to have someone put them in my rental car," Elizabeth told the women, who was probably five years older than she was. She stood at the top of the stairs and took in a breath of fresh air. She looked around at the scenery. "So this is Harmony. Well I guess I am just going to have to get used to not being so near the city lights. It'll be fun slumming it." Elizabeth smiled and walked down the stairs with ease. There at the bottom was a rental car agent waiting for her. "Good day Mrs. Crane. I have our finest car waiting for you out in front. No need to sign any papers. Here are the keys. Is there anything else I can do?" Elizabeth smiled as she took the keys. "Yes, there is. Be a dear and get my luggage from the flight attendant, put it in the car, and come and get me when you are done." The rental car agent looked shocked at her request, then he saw that she was serious. "Yes ma'am, right away." "It's good to be a Crane," Elizabeth said as she watched the rental car agent walk to where the flight attendant was standing with her luggage. She checked her watch to make sure that she had enough time. There was plenty of time, she was about to stir up some major trouble and she hadn't even been in Harmony for more than an hour. She was getting really good at her job. Elizabeth smiled to herself as she opened her purse and pulled out a large business envelope. She turned the envelope over and looked at it. "Who would think that a simple thing like a piece of paper in an envelope would be going to cause so much trouble? You and that report in my briefcase are going to make life here so much more fun." she laughed as she put the envelope back into her purse. Just then the rental car agent returned, "Your luggage is in the car just like you asked ma'am. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to your car." Elizabeth nodded and followed the man to where the car was. Once she was seated and ready to go the rental agent asked her if there was anything else he could do for her. "There is just one more thing. I am sure there is a perfectly good map of Harmony in here somewhere, but I am just so bad at reading maps, I was wondering if you could tell me how I could get to the Harmony Police Station?" The rental agent nodded, "Of course. Just follow this road here and you'll see the Country Club coming up on your right. Just past that you'll turn left onto a road leading to the Hospital and a block after the Hospital is the Police Station, it'll be on your left." "Thank you very much, you have been very kind," she replied with a smile. She reached in her purse and pulled out her wallet and handed the man a twenty-dollar bill. "Please accept this for you troubles." The rental agent took it the bill with a smile, "It was no trouble at all ma'am." He closed the door to the car and walked back to where his office was. Elizabeth started the car and followed the man's directions. Harmony was in for a big surprise, she thought to herself. This little wife is going to be pulling all the strings now, things were about to change. Harmony Police Station Luis just stared at the floor of his jail cell. Time passed so slowly, he couldn't even tell if it was night or day, he just knew that time had seem to stop once he was put behind bars. He thought back to what was the cause of all of this, how had he ended up in the very cell that he used to put people in. . . "Sheridan you are coming with me, I don't care what you say, you are not safe here," Luis yelled at her as they were standing in the pouring rain. "If you think for one minute that I am just going to get on a plane with you, of all people, then you are seriously mistaken. I am not going back to Harmony, and even if I was going back to Harmony it wouldn't be with you," she yelled back at him. She was furious at Luis for kidnapping her and trying to force her to go back to Harmony and Luis knew that but that was not going to stop him. She was not safe in Paris. Those hit men had already tried to kill her again by poisoning her wine. He was not going to just stand there and let her put her life in jeopardy, he was cold, wet, and tired, and he was also fed up with her attitude. Why could she for once in her life not be pigheaded and get on the plane with him? Luis grabbed her arm and started pulling her in the direction of the warehouse that he had taken her to, "Luis what the hell do you think you are doing?" Sheridan yelled as she fought to get away from him. "Getting you inside. I am not going to stand out here and argue with you in the rain. We are both soaked and I am tired of putting up with you. I am tempted to just leave you here and let those hit men kill you. Hell, I am tempted to take you to them myself, and I would if I didn't know that they would just kill me on the spot when I gave you to them," as soon as the words came out of his mouth he regretted it. "You wouldn't," Sheridan said in horror as she came to a complete stop. Luis stopped and turned around. "Look at me, look me in the eye," he ordered as he used his hand to turn her head towards him. Their eyes met, there was pain, exhaustion, and fear in both of their eyes. "I could never do something like that, that's why I have to take you with me. That's why you have to get on that plane with me. That's why if you don't get on the plane with me I am going to have to force you on the plane." Luis could tell that she knew that he was right, but she looked away. He knew he didn't do anything to hurt her, he would never hurt her, but for some bizarre reason she thought that he had. That's why she would not go with him of her own free will, she didn't trust him anymore. No matter how much he didn't want to admit it, the fact that she no longer trusted him was killing him, he was dying inside every time she made a movement that indicated that he was hurting her. "God Sheridan, You have to know I don't ever want to hurt you, I would never do something like that. I would never hurt you." Sheridan looked at him with pain written all across her face, "It's to late for that. I am not going with you. If you really don't want to hurt me than let me go. I am trying to help the Gendarme, let me go, please." He just wanted to grab her and shake her and tell her that he cared about her, that he couldn't just let her sacrifice herself in order to help the French Police. He wanted to hold her and make her feel safe, and tell her that he was never going to let anyone hurt her. That when she was in pain, he was in pain, that this was all just too much to take, it was too much. Luis shook his head out of his painful meanderings into the past. He felt like he couldn't breathe, his body was shaking. Why was he doing this to himself? He did what he thought was right, he shouldn't be feeling this way, just as he was starting to pull himself together another flashback over took him. He and Sheridan were on the plane back to Harmony. Luis knew what was waiting for him as soon as he got off the plane. When they got off, there at the gate would be Sam and Julian Crane, waiting to arrest him. Why was he doing this? She was a Crane! Sometimes he just wished she had never come crashing into his life. The plane was landing, he needed to wake her up and tell her what was going to happen, not like she didn't know, after all she was the one who made the call to Harmony when he wasn't looking. "Sheridan, Sheridan it's time to wake up," Luis said nudging her. Sheridan stirred, she wouldn't look at him. She looked out the window. "When we get off the plane they are going to arrest me, they are going to take away my job, my sister and brother probably won't be able to go to college. I am not blaming you Sheridan, I knew what was going to happen when we got back to Harmony, but I want you to do something for me," Luis said his voice full of pain. Sheridan turned and looked at him with cold eyes, "What would that be?" "Please, when we get off this plane, don't go and get on the next plane to Paris. Stay in Harmony. You'll never need to see me again, just please stay in Harmony," Luis said holding her hand. Sheridan pulled her hand away from his. She turned away again. Just then the flight attendant made the announcement that they were landing and told them what gate they were going into. They didn't talk anymore, those words were the last that they were going to exchange. After they got off the plane it was a blur. There were police at the gate, who read him his rights, put cuffs on him and took him away. He sensed rather than saw that his family was there, he knew his mother would be crying. Even though she knew what he did was the right thing she would be crying for him. He also felt Julian there, looking at him scornfully. When he did look up his eyes met Ethan Crane's. Ethan looked at him as if he didn't know what to think. Then he was at the station. They took his picture and finger prints. He called his mother who had gone home after they arrested him at the airport. She told him that she loved him and that she knew that he did what he had to do. Sam took him into an investigation room, his head hung low. Luis knew that Sam thought of him as a son in someways, he also knew that Sam thought that he was right for taking Sheridan back. He told Sam that his story and at the end of it he asked Sam for one thing, to make sure that Sheridan did not go back to Paris. Sam shook his head as he ordered Luis to be taken to a cell. "Hello," said a pleasant voice that brought Luis back to the present. Luis looked up. There standing before him was a woman who was dressed like someone from the forties. She had on a knee length navy blue skirt and a matching short sleeve navy blue jacket with white trim. She had a hair net holding her black hair back in typical forty's movie star fashion. The only thing that really made the outfit unbelievable was that she was not only definitely Latina, but that she also looked to be about his sister, Theresa's age. "May I help you ma'am?" Luis asked her, for he didn't know what else to say. "Oh, I do wish that everyone would stop calling me ma'am. I am not old enough to be a ma'am," she said in a somewhat distressed voice. "Alright then what should I call you?" Luis smiled a little as he leaned back on his bed. "Well, I guess you can call me Elizabeth. Yes, yes you can call me Elizabeth. Now do you prefer Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald or Luis?" Elizabeth questioned as she started to pace a bit. "I'd ask you how you know my name but I guess that would be pointless?" Elizabeth nodded her reply. "Then you can call me Luis." "Very good then Luis. I am here to inform you that your bail has been posted and that I am in the process of having the charges against you dropped, oh and of course having you reinstated to the police force as Detective Luis," Elizabeth smiled at the shocked look on Luis's face. "Are you my attorney?" he managed to stammer. "Oh heavens no! Why on earth would anyone want to be an attorney. Oh wait, I take that back, my grandson is some type of attorney, only I can't remember which kind. I'll just have to figure it out before I go and see him," she said thoughtfully. "You have a grandson? How is that possible? How old are you?" "Don't you know it's rude to ask a woman her age? I'll have you know that I am old enough to have a married son, a daughter, and a few grandchildren," Elizabeth said sounding offended. Luis's mouth almost dropped to the ground, he was in total shock. He quickly regained his composure. "I am sorry. It was wrong of me to question." Elizabeth laughed, "No, it is I that should be apologizing. I guess I should explain myself. All of those children are not biological mine, but emotional wise I would give my life for any of them. However I am about to be adding to that number," she said as she touched her stomach. "I married an older man, but you can't help who you fall in love with." Luis nodded, "I can understand that. So who are you really?" Elizabeth hesitated, "I would tell you but I am afraid that if I did you would refuse to speak to anymore, and I really do want to get to know you. And I have a favor to ask of you, but if I tell you who I am I know you will say no." Luis had a feeling he knew where this was going. However he needed to hear it from her, "Go ahead just tell me. I promise I'll try to be objective and listen to what you want. After all you did bring me a lot of good news." He ended with a reassuring smile. She nodded, "Alright but I did warn you. I am Sheridan's mother, and her best friend, so I am a pretty good authority on her. I also know why she is mad at you and what she thinks you did. I can help you clear your good name," Elizabeth raced through the little prepared speech that she had made up on her way from the Airport to the Police Station. Luis didn't know what to say. First of all, this woman, this girl who wanted his help, who wanted a favor from him was Alistair Crane's wife. Second she knew something that he had been trying to find out for sometime now. Lastly she was one who came and told him that his bail had been posted, the charges were going to be dropped, and he was going to be a Detective. Luis just looked at her dumbfounded. "You married Alistair Crane? You are young enough to be his granddaughter," Luis said in a daze. Then he realized that what he said was completely and totally out of line, like she said, you can't help who you fall in love with. "I am sorry, that was extremely rude of me. Especially after you have been so kind. I take it you are the one who paid the bail?" Elizabeth smiled and held out her arms in a gesture, "Who else? Now I know it must be something having your ex-girlfriend's mother come and ask you to help her get the two of you back together but I want you to know that I am doing this for a reason." "Dare I ask," Luis said teasingly. "Like I said I am a pretty good authority on Sheridan and I happen to know for a fact that she is in love with you. I also happen to know that you are in love with her, and don't you try to protest me. You have saved her life so many times I can't even keep count. You gave up everything just to make sure she was safe, which is part of the reason I am seeing that the charges against you are being dropped, despite what my husband says you are a good man Luis, a one of the kind. There is one more thing. You have saved her life without even knowing it. A few hours after you kidnapped Sheridan to take her back to Harmony there was a car accident right in front of the hotel Sheridan was staying in. There was a woman in that car that was believed to be Sheridan. I know this because I was in Paris at the time and I was asked to come and ID the body. Oh I forgot to mention I went to Paris when I found out Sheridan moved back, fortunately by the time I got there you had gotten her out of the country without alerting the Drug Cartel." Luis interrupted her, "How is that possible the guy that was guarding Sheridan knew that she was missing, he must have told the police. They should have at least known that Sheridan had been kidnapped." "I don't' know. Oh wait, I do. He was hit by a car, or something. He wasn't looking where he was going. Anyway, I guess the hit men didn't see the face of the woman who got into the car and were just going so crazy from waiting to kill Sheridan they just assumed that it was her. Well it doesn't matter, someone managed to ID them before they got out of the country and they are in a jail cell in Paris. You were hailed a hero in Paris and they gave you the key to the city which I accepted on your behalf, I'll give it to you later," Elizabeth paused to take a breath and to see how Luis was taking all of this. He was giving her a look of total disbelief. "I know what you are thinking. You are thinking, how in the world did you get so much positive press in Paris while you were in jail in Harmony? Well I am responsible for that. Once I figured out that the body in car crash wasn't Sheridan I called Alistair to find out what had happened to her. He said that he had just found out that you had kidnapped Sheridan and taken her back to the states. Imagine his surprise when he found out that you saved his daughter's life by kidnapping her. He knew that I was going to tell the Gendarme that you were responsible for Sheridan's safety so he really had no choice in the matter of backing up my decision to have the charges dropped and have you reinstated. He also knew the Crane family would look like fools if they prosecuted a man that had saved a family member's life repeatedly. Even though he took his sweet time he helped me arrange to have all the paper work ready for you release when I was ready to leave Paris and come to Harmony." Luis thought that he was speechless before, but now he knew that he was really speechless. He was a hero in Paris, he had received the key to the city, and he was being offered a chance to figure out what had gone wrong between him and Sheridan. Luis looked at her, he could tell that she was telling the truth. "You don't have to tell me that you love Sheridan, because I know you do, even if you don't want to admit it yourself. And I am willing to bet that other people have told you the exact same thing," Elizabeth said shaking a finger at him. Luis laughed at this. "Alright I'll do it. I do want to find out why Sheridan turned on me, what she thinks I have done to her. Also I wouldn't mind getting that key to the city of Paris from you. So what do I have to do?" Elizabeth let out a sigh of relieve, "Good, I am so glad you agreed. Okay then, now comes the part that you are going to hate. You are going to have to come with me to the airport. Sheridan is suppose to meet me there in half an hour. By that time I will have filled you in on what she thinks that you have done and I'll have given you the proof you need to show her so that she will believe that you didn't do it. Then if all goes well we are going to stuff you into one of my suitcases and sneak you into the main house where you will proceed to get ready for the welcoming dinner that is being thrown for me. Then when the time is right I will bring you into the dinner as my honored guest and explain to everyone what happened in Paris and how you are a hero to us all," Elizabeth explained her whole plan to him with grand gestures and elegance. "Then you and Sheridan dance the night away right in front of Julian and I get to laugh the whole time at his dumbfounded expression. There is of course one other thing." By this time Luis was in such high spirits from watching Elizabeth explain her plan with such enthusiasm he was willing to agree to anything. "What would that be?" "I understand that you run the youth center here in Harmony, or rather starting tomorrow you will be running it again, is that correct?" "If you say so Mrs. Crane," Luis said with a sly smile. "Don't you Mrs. Crane me," she replied with a laugh. "Well I think that it would only be appropriate that after all the trouble that we have caused you that Sheridan and myself help you out there. And because I know that I am going to miss teaching so much, for me to help set up and sponsor a free dancing school for the youth of Harmony. I would ask that you and Sheridan help me teach of course." "Of course. And yes I think that would be a wonderful idea," Luis told her. He was really starting to like this Elizabeth Crane, she was different from the rest of the Cranes, just like her daughter. Luis smiled at the idea of Sheridan being the daughter of this woman who was the same age if not younger than her nephew Ethan. "Oh there is just one more thing. As I said I have taught dancing before, and not just Latin dancing, I taught championship ballroom dancing, you know waltzing and such," Luis nodded in understanding. "Well I had an award winning school set up in Spain and my two top dancers were all set to compete in this year's competitions, but they decided to run off and get married instead. So I am looking for someone to replace them," Elizabeth said with a smile. "You are not saying that . . . You want Sheridan and me to enter a professional ballroom dancing competition! Elizabeth, no offence but you are asking a lot. I mean all I know how to do is Latin dancing. I don't know how to waltz. And what about Sheridan, what if she doesn't want to? You seem to be riding an awful lot on the fact that she will even talk to me today." Elizabeth thought about this. "You're right. I won't tell Sheridan about the competition until later. But will you at least train with her, I mean she won't know about the training she'll just think that you two are helping me give dance lessons. Then I'll tell her about the competition and you two can decide from there. And meanwhile, I'll be giving you extra lessons so that you can get on a championship level. So what do you say will you do it? Will you train with Sheridan? Will you let me open up the dancing school?" "Well if you are going to fund the whole project and if Sheridan and I are given the right amount of time to patch things up, then I don't see what the harm is in either the dancing school or the training," Luis said lightheartedly. "Oh thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me! Thank you," Elizabeth said overjoyed. "Now I only have one question," Luis said. "What would that be?" Elizabeth asked. "When am I going to get out to this cell in order to help you put your plan into action?" Elizabeth looked stunned for a moment. She was so happy that everything was working out the way she had wanted it to that she had almost forgotten that she was supposed to get Luis out of jail. "Oh yes, of course. Guard!" The guard came up to stand beside her. "What can I do for you?" "I want you to release this man. Here are all the papers that show that his bail has been paid," Elizabeth handed the guard the paper work and he looked it over. "Alright Luis, it looks like you are off the hook. I bet you are ready to get out of here," the guard moved to unlock the door. "You have no idea," Luis replied smiling. "Hey Scott, when Hank gets here tell him that my bail was posted and that I'll talk to him later and explain everything." "Sure Luis, I guess I'll be seeing you around," Scott walked them to the door. Elizabeth signed a few more papers and Luis added his signature to the documents. Once they were done and Luis had changed his clothes, they walked out the door and to Elizabeth's rental car. Elizabeth looked at her watch. "Well we still have some time. If you want I can take you home so that you can change and tell your family what has happened. Besides which I don't think that Sheridan would be to impressed by seeing you in the same clothes that you were arrested in when you brought her back to Harmony. I am sure she would understand, but she would not be impressed." "Well I would like to change my clothes and take a shower. My family isn't home right now, they are at school and work," Luis said with a shrug. "Can you leave them a message or something? Oh and about that shower, we have time but we don't have all the time in the world. Would you mind terribly if I asked you to take a shower at the main house instead?" Luis sighed. This young woman was asking so much from him, she wanted him to trust her. She had married into a family that he hated. She probably knew more about him then she was letting on. He was going to test that theory right now. "Did you know that my mother worked at the Crane Mansion?" He asked looking at her in the eye. "Yes I did. Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald. And before you ask your next question I am going to go ahead and answer it. I don't know anything about your father's disappearance except for the fact that he did disappear and that a few months ago a man pretended to be him. At which time you saved my daughter's life instead of saving the man that you thought to be your father. I know that you think that he has some connection to my family but if he does I don't know about it. I am sorry." Elizabeth replied, for she truly meant every word of it. "And you never asked your husband if he had any connect to my father or the Martin imposter?" Luis questioned. "I did ask. Contrary to what many people would like to think, I am not the bitchy little uneducated wimp that they would paint me as. To me family is everything, so yes I did ask. He told me that there was nothing else about Martin Fitzgerald that I needed to know other than the fact that he used to work for the family and that his son was out saving our daughter's life. Luis I wish I could help you, I really do. But my family is the most important thing to me, and the Cranes are the only family I have. I can't do anything that would hurt any of them. I love them. Even that pompous jerk Julian," Elizabeth spoke from her heart and prayed that Luis would understand. "So I take it that you abide by the philosophy that money can't buy happiness?" Luis was smiling. "Yes. But it sure can help," Elizabeth laughed pointing to the convertible rental car. "Now what do you say we get out of here go to your house and get back to the airport before Sheridan gets there." Luis nodded and they got in the car. "Will you tell me what Sheridan thinks I did on the way to my house?" Elizabeth hesitated, "Can it wait till we get there? I want to make sure that you are not going to try to get me to drive off the road or anything." Luis laughed, "Alright. Well if you are going to get to my house you are going to need to turn around on this road take a left. Then my house is on the-" "No wait! Let me guess. It's on the left?" Elizabeth asked as she pulled out the car and did a K turn. "Yeah it's on the left," Luis sat back. "Hey can we put the top down?" "Sure why not. Hey like I said money doesn't get you love or happiness but it sure can help." Elizabeth pushed a button and the top slide back to reveal that it was a beautiful day in Harmony. Lopez-Fitzgerald House "She thinks I did what?" Luis almost yelled. Elizabeth had just finished explaining to him everything that had happened. How Sheridan believed that he had told someone that he was using her. How hurt she had been and that was the reason why she was so mad at him. Luis just put his head into his hands. He didn't know what to say or what to think. How could she think that he would ever do anything like that to her? He would never use her, couldn't she tell that it wasn't him on the wharf that night. Sure it was him when he kissed her. But after that had happened the only person that he had called was her. What was going on? "Elizabeth I swear that I never said that. You can check my phone records, the only other call I made that night was to Sheridan. I don't understand how she could possibly think that it was me out on the wharf that she was listening to." Elizabeth nodded. "I do believe you, in fact I have proof to support your claim." Elizabeth pulled out a huge manila folder from the briefcase that she had brought in with her. "In here is a copy of an FBI case that was sent to me. A few weeks ago the FBI caught a man that had been hired to impersonate people. They found in his apartment various masks that he had used. There were various people's faces there, some were of those that everyone knows, and others were of those that no one knew. One of them was of my husband, and there was one of you." Elizabeth handed him the report and the pictures. Luis looked at the pictures first. There was the face of the infamous Alistair Crane and then there a few masks down was his own face. Luis then looked at the report. The FBI could not make any traces as to who had hired the guy but they were still able to arrest him for impersonating people illegally. "There was no way the could trace the guy's buyer?" Elizabeth shook her head. "But they found scripts in his apartment. On page 134 there is a transcript of what he was suppose to say when he was impersonating you." Luis flipped through the papers until he got to page 134. There on that page his name was written. Also were words that he was supposedly saying to someone on the phone. Luis read the transcript. "Spoiled princess? Well no wonder she thought it was me." Luis flipped back a few pages. "He had a voice emulator too? God he was quite the professional wasn't he." "Yeah but he got caught, and that is the important thing. Now you can prove to Sheridan that you never said those things about her. I know you wish that this had never happened but look at it this way, it brought you to closer together. And now when you guys get into a relationship and she gets mad at you for something you can say, yeah well remember that time you thought you heard me say something and ended up having me thrown in jail." Luis laughed. "Yeah I guess you're right. I own her right now." "No I own her. In fact I think I own the both of you. I mean I am the one helping you two get back on the same wavelength," Elizabeth gave him a wicked smile. "Well if this all works out then I guess you do own us." "Yeah I'll own you two! I like that, no I am kidding. It will be enough for me to see Sheridan happy," Elizabeth reached out to him. "Come on. We need to get out of here in order to get to the airport and get everything set up before Sheridan gets there. As much planning as I did, I goofed. I should have left my bags at the airport, but I guess I just miss placed my brain for a minute." "Before we go, I just want to know why are you doing this? Aren't you worried that Sheridan and I might want to get married someday? Wouldn't that bring down the Crane Empire?" Luis asked her with all seriousness. "Well I should hope not. I mean if you and Sheridan were to get married, well I would like to think that it would help the Crane family rather than to bring it down. I know it will be hard, but somehow I see you and Sheridan bringing great change to how we Cranes conduct ourselves. Of course with my help that change will occur. I may love my husband, but he is not with out his faults." Elizabeth stood up. "Come on, no more of this depressing talk, it is time for us to go." She and Luis left his house and headed for the airport. Luis had no idea what to expect. Would Sheridan accept this evidence from the FBI as prove that he had never done anything to hurt her? If she did accept it what did that mean for them? Half of him wanted to go run all the way to the airport, the other half just wanted to go to his room and stay in bed for a week. He stood in the doorway for a moment. Elizabeth looked at him. "Luis, I didn't just come to Harmony to watch you stand in the door of your house. I am pregnant, not all that healthy, and I am suppose to go meet your mother, who is going to make sure that I have a healthy baby. But in order to do that I have to actually get back to the airport where my daughter is waiting for me. So come on! Shake a leg! We have to get going." By this time Elizabeth had already reached the car and gotten in. Luis took a moment to digest this new information and was about to ask what she meant, then he decided for once that he was going to go with the flow and just get into the car. 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! :) ) 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 Elizabeth 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! :) ) 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 Elizabeth 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! :) )