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 5 part 2 Crane Mansion Sheridan could not help but to laugh as she watched the staff try to lug Elizabeth's big trunk up the main staircase. She had warned them not to let the trunk hit the ground, but they could barely lift it. They asked her what her mother had in the trunk and she had just shrugged. They had just gotten to the top of the staircase when some one lost their grip and the back of the trunk end up hitting the top step with a loud boom that resounded throughout the entire house. Sheridan held her breath as she waited for a roar to come from the trunk, but there was nothing. The staff just rushed to pick up the back end of the trunk and rush it into Elizabeth's room. Half way to the room someone tripped sending the trunk forward and land with a thud. Sheridan waited for the roar, but again there was nothing. She did not know what was going on, but she was scared to find out. They all finally reached the room. The rest of Elizabeth's luggage had already made it to the room, and had been on packed, all except one wrapped up box that someone had carelessly left near the door. Again the trunk hit the ground. Sheridan threw her arms up in the air. "Just leave it there!" She yelled at the staff, she knew that it wasn't their fault, but she was going to get all of Luis's rage when he got out of the trunk and she was scared. "Close the door on your way out." With that the staff left her and the trunk alone in the room. The room was silent and then, "Sheridan Crane you let me out of this trunk right now or I will-" "Or you'll what Luis? You need me to get out of that trunk, I have the key," She said playing her upper hand. "Okay, fine you win. Please let me out of the trunk Sheridan," Luis's voice was gentle and soothing. "Fine," Sheridan put the key in the trunk and turned it. She should have known better. She should have thought twice before opening the trunk, but she had not. As soon as the key and been turned Luis somehow managed to jump out of the trunk like jack-in-the-box would jump out of its box. The velocity of his jump sent him with such force towards the bed that trunk had landed near that it seemed like he was flying. As he flew towards the bed he took Sheridan with him. Sheridan had the wind knocked out of her, it felt like she could not breath for an eternity, and as she was trying to force air into her lungs all she could see was Luis's face with a mixture of amusement and anger, but there was something else there too. "So you thought it would be funny to run over every pot hole in Harmony on your way here? That letting the trunk fall three times would just add to my enjoyment of our trip?" Luis had her pinned, she could not move. Sheridan still could barely breath, "I did not . . . They weren't suppose to . . ." She struggled against him and managed to get her arms free. Luis grabbed her arms, placed them over her head, and held them down with one hand, "What's a matter Sheridan? Are you speechless? Well we are just going to have to do something about that now, aren't we?" Luis moved his free hand down towards her stomach and Sheridan inhaled sharply, "Luis . . . Don't-" Her air supply was cut of again by a fit of uncontrollable giggles that Luis was causing by tickling her. Sheridan squirmed and wriggled against him but she could not get free. She tried to kick him but just ended up giving him better access to her ticklish spots. He looked at her with an evil grin on his face and she returned it with a grin of her own, she had just gotten idea and if she planned it right she would be able to pull it of and pay back Luis ten fold. Luis was thrown off by Sheridan's grin giving her the prefect opportunity to execute her plan. She quickly twisted her wrist free of his grasp and began to search for his own ticklish spot, but she was doing it such a manner that the temperature in the room raised about 25 degrees. Her hand slowly scanned his clothed torso looking for just the right spot to set him of into a fit of giggles. It was not working, well at least the tickling plan was not working. "Sherie, you are never going to find my ticklish spot, if that's what you are trying to do," he said suggestively. She shoved him playfully, "Of course that's what I am trying to do, what else would I be doing? Besides, what do you mean that I'll never find your ticklish spot? Are you saying that the almighty Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald is not ticklish? Well that's just no fun." She pouted a bit. Luis leaned in closer to her, "I wasn't saying anything of the sort. Of course I am ticklish, everyone is. It's just you are not going to find where I am ticklish by doing what you are doing," Luis paused for a moment giving what he was saying a double meaning that Sheridan was half scared to interpret. "You are looking in the-" Luis was interrupted by the bedroom door opening with such force that it slammed against the wall causing the room to shake. Luis who had moving in closer to Sheridan's ear lost his balance putting both Sheridan and himself in a very odd position. "That! That! If he wasn't my grandson I swear!" Elizabeth said as she burst into the room in such a state of rage that she had not noticed that her daughter was in trapped underneath Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. "He is absolutely unbelievable, I mean he does not even love this Gwen, yet he is still going to marry her. I can't stand this! I won't stand for it, I don't care how much Alistair wants the Crane and Hotchkiss families to be united it's not going to happen. We'll take over Hotchkiss Enterprises first! Why is he even working for them, he should be a lawyer for Crane Industries not the Hotchkiss family, where is his loyalty? Has Julian thought him nothing? Okay, never mind that was a stupid question." The entire time that Elizabeth had been going on in her tirade about how awful Ethan was she had just been pacing back in forth in the room and still had not even noticed what Luis and Sheridan were doing, or rather what they were not doing. Luis had tried to move off of Sheridan but after listening to Elizabeth he could not move because he was laughing too hard and Sheridan had been no help because she too could only laugh at her dear mother. Elizabeth finally looked at Sheridan and Luis lying on the bed and a look of horror came across her face. She immediately turned her back to them, "The least you could do is tell me that I am interrupting before I start pacing around the room." Luis chuckled, "We tried to but you just kept going and going and going. Besides you were amusing, and to tell you the truth, I am not all to fond of Ethan myself." Sheridan somehow managed to elbow him, "You weren't interrupting anything Liz. Just Luis torturing me for letting the house staff drop the trunk three times. Now what has you so upset at Ethan?" This time when Sheridan tried she was able to get out from underneath Luis and get off the bed. She threw him a glare that kept him silent, because she knew that he was going to say something about Ethan. Luis sent her back a look that said he did not know what she was upset about. "He just keeps saying how much he knows the wedding means to the families and that he really does love Gwen and he knows they will be happy. It's like he is trying to convince himself that he is in love with her. And then there is the fact that he has a major grudge against Luis and has a major chip on his shoulder. He can't do anything without worrying about whether or not it will upset his mother or not. He is not ready for the world Sherie, he is not ready for life, and he is definitely not ready for marriage to a woman who he does not ever really love!" Elizabeth threw her hands up in the air and began to start pacing again. "Elizabeth you have to claim down. I know Ethan. He and Gwen have been dating for years now. He does love her. In fact he has never dated anyone else," Sheridan walked up to Elizabeth and tried to make her stop pacing. In truth Elizabeth was starting to give her a headache with the pacing, even though she knew that was how Liz was able to think, it was just making her dizzy. Elizabeth was still mulling over things in her mind, "Sheridan why don't you go get dressed for the party? Luis and I have a few more things to discuss before he is to make his grand entrance," Liz forced a smile. "Okay, I'll go, but you two have to promise me that you won't be in here trying to figure how to kill Ethan or Gwen," Sheridan looked at Luis pointedly. "We won't dear, I promise. Now why don't you go get dressed," Elizabeth started pushing Sheridan to the door. "I don't trust either of you. I know you two are up to something. I am just going to send one of the house staff to go pick up my dress and bring it here to the main house, but I'll leave you two alone for a bit. Not a long time, just a bit," Sheridan was trying to figure out what was going through Liz's mind but she just could not. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She walked out the door and yet out a yelp as she was almost run over by Theresa and Whitney. "Oh I am so sorry Ms. Crane, we didn't see you there. Please don't be mad," Theresa begged. Whitney looked a little scared too. Sheridan laughed but then realized that Luis was standing on the other side of the door. "Theresa you have got to get out of here," she said in a low voice. Theresa shook her head, "I can't Ms. Crane, Ethan needs me here so that when Gwen doesn't show up for the dinner tonight he can take me to the dinner instead. That way your mother won't be so mad at him." Sheridan's mouth dropped open, "Ethan is going to what? Whitney please tell me that you are going to talk Theresa out of going to this dinner with Ethan." Sheridan was so shocked that she hadn't realized that she had raised her voice. On the other said of the door Elizabeth had been telling Luis how she suspected that Ethan had fallen in love with the girl that had been helping him plan his wedding to Gwen. How he had the gull to try to present the wedding planner to her instead of his own bride to be, which just further proved her point that Ethan was in love with this girl and not Gwen. Luis just laughed at her but then he heard Sheridan yelp. "Did you hear something?" Luis asked her as he neared the door. "Yes I did, it sounded like Sheridan." Elizabeth put her hand on the knob when Luis stopped her. "What?" Luis put a finger over his lips to single her to lower her voice. The reason he had stopped her was that he heard a voice that sounded a lot like his sister's. Elizabeth did not know what Theresa sound like but she heard Sheridan say that Ethan was taking Theresa to the dinner tonight. Which meant Theresa was the wedding planner that she had just been saying Ethan was in love with. She looked at Luis and could tell that he had made the same conclusion but what she did not know was that Theresa was Luis's sister, and he had been trying to keep her away from Ethan Crane forever. "Luis what is wrong?" Luis was about to explode, "What's wrong? What's wrong!" He hissed. "If what you are saying is right then Ethan Crane is in love with my sister." Elizabeth was still not seeing what the problem was, if she knew how much Luis did not want have any of his family involved with members of the Crane family she might of understood, but she only knew that Luis hated her husband and son. "Okay, I am still do not understand the negative factor in this situation. I think it is wonderful! I mean I'd rather have Ethan with Theresa then that little social snob Gwen, I don't care how much Sheridan and Ivy like her. From what I have read about her, she does not care much for anything besides money." "The negative factor in this situation! I hate the Cranes, that's what the negative factor is. I mean it is bad enough that my mother has to work for them," Luis had forgotten who he was talking to. "Umm... Hello? I am a Crane. Sheridan is a Crane. You can't hate the Cranes because we all know that you love me," Elizabeth said pointing to herself. Then added as an after thought, "Oh and then there is Sheridan, well everyone knows you love her too. So there you go, you are in love with two Crane women, how can you hate us?" She asked sweetly. "Well I don't know about Sheridan," Luis said jokingly which caused Elizabeth to punch him. "Okay then, I hate the Crane men and if Ethan so much as goes near Theresa I will tear his head off of his shoulders and then pull his heart out though his neck." Elizabeth put her hand to her neck, "Not that what you are saying is really possible but I would prefer if you did not try to kill my grandson. You and I both know that I like Ethan about as much as you do but Sheridan really does care about him and sees him as a brother rather than a nephew. So I say for her sake we drop our previous conceptions about the soon to be disinherited Crane heir and give him a chance. Okay?" Elizabeth held out her hand in order to make the deal with Luis. Luis looked at her incredulously but then took her hand, "Alright, deal." Elizabeth nodded with satisfaction, "Good, now lets give your sister a real scare." "I don't understand. She'll be scared enough when she see me at the dinner tonight. What are you thinking of?" Elizabeth let a sly smile cover her face, "Well I am guessing that you have repeatedly told Theresa to stay away from Ethan and not to come any where near the Crane Mansion," Luis nodded to show that he had. "Well let's say you open the door right now and let Theresa see you. Luis smiled slowly, "She would die right then and there." "Then you tell that you are glad that she is here, but not to tell your mother that you are in the house," Elizabeth talked with her grand hand gestures again. "It's prefect," Luis joined in her joy of playing a prank on his sister and Sheridan. The two made the plan even more evil as they listened to Sheridan tell Theresa that she had to leave the Crane Mansion as soon as possible. "Theresa you do not understand, if you stay here then it will cause a huge mess," Sheridan had been trying to convince Theresa to leave for the last five minutes and half whispering the whole time so that Luis would not hear her. Theresa looked confused, "I don't understand, what huge mess? And why are you whispering?" Before Sheridan had a chance to answer Elizabeth opened the door. Theresa looked in horror at the person standing behind Mrs. Crane and tried to find a quick way to exist before Luis tried to kill her. "Oh Sheridan, I did not realize you were still here. I thought you were going tell some one to pick up your dress. Who are this two lovely young women that you are talking to?" Elizabeth did her best to act surprised by seeing Sheridan standing in front of her door talking to Theresa and Whitney. Sheridan tried to speak but nothing would come out of her mouth. The same thing was happening to Theresa and Whitney. They were all waiting for Luis to go on a rampage and drag Theresa out of the Mansion. Luis only moved to stand in next to Elizabeth, "This is my sister Theresa and her friend Whitney Russell, Mrs. Crane. Are you two here to see Mama?" Luis did his best not to laugh that the girls' look of horror and Sheridan was not making his job any easier. "Ye... yes Luis. That's why we are here. To see Mama, but we almost ran into Ms. Crane so we were apologizing to her," Theresa's voice was shaky. "Okay, well just don't tell Mama that I am here. It's suppose to be a secret until right before the party begins to night," Luis smiled at his sister. "There... there is going to be a party tonight and you are going to it. But you hate the Cranes Luis, I would think that you would not be caught dead at one of their social events," then Theresa realized that two of the Crane women were standing in front of her, "No offense Mrs. Crane, but my brother is not fond of your family." Elizabeth waved her hand to dismiss what Theresa said, "Don't worry about dear, Luis and I were just having a talk about his so called hatred for my family. You know what Luis, I think that your sister and her friend should stick around for the party, I am sure they would love to see it, Crane parties are always outrageous," Elizabeth looked at Luis questioningly. Luis nodded, "That is a great idea, it's just to bad that Miguel could not be here too. Although I think we would have a hard time getting him away from is girlfriend, right Theresa?" Theresa smiled nervously, "No we wouldn't. Luis you really want me to stay for the party?" Luis shrugged, "Well it is up to you but it's going to be a lot of fun, right Elizabeth?" "Oh it is going to be tons of fun, dancing, food, and all sorts of surprises. Hopefully that fool grandson of mine will be able to get his fiancé to come to the party, if he doesn't, well now is not the time to talk about this. Are you and your friend going to come to the party tonight Theresa?" Elizabeth asked turning to them. "Well I would love to come if it is okay with Luis, but Whitney has tennis practice that she has to go to. It is okay, right Luis?" Theresa was still not sure what to make of everything that was happening. "Sure it is okay, it will be fun, just remember, do not tell Mama that I am here, okay?" Luis was about to burst out laughing and he knew that Elizabeth was going to do the same. They both needed to get back into the bedroom before they blew their cover. Theresa was overjoyed, "Thank you Luis," she gave he brother a huge hug. "I promise that I won't tell Mama you are here and I'll be on my best behavior. I won't embarrasses you or Mama at all." "Good just remember one thing," Luis said pointing a finger at Theresa once she had ended their hug. Whitney, Sheridan, and Theresa were sure that Luis was going to tell Theresa to stay away from Ethan, which would cause a major problem. "Have fun tonight, and don't tell anyone that I am here, got it?" Theresa was beaming with happiness, "I understand. Well Whitney really has to get to her tennis practice, I will see you later Luis, bye Ms. Crane. It was really nice meeting you Mrs. Crane. I see you guys later!" Theresa shouted as Whitney dragged her to back staircase. "What just happened there?" Whitney asked her once they got away. "Are we in the Twilight Zone or something? Since when does Luis catch you near anything Crane and not go crazy. For that matter when did he start going to Crane events or how did he get on first name basis with Mrs. Alistair Crane?" Theresa was so happy she did not care about anything Whitney was saying, "I don't know Whitney but I really don't care. I will get to go to the party tonight and Luis can't say anything about it!" "Well I am going to get out of here before anything else happens. Have a nice time Theresa, it will probably be the last night you'll get to go out in a long time once Luis finds out that you are going to the party with Ethan. Bye Theresa!" Whitney quickly left the Crane Mansion. "Bye Whitney!" Theresa called after her. "Well everything is going to be perfect. Now I just have to find a dress. Ethan said that one of his sisters had some new dresses that I could use, but wouldn't it be prefect if I could get a dress from Mrs. Crane?" Theresa decided that she was going to push her luck and go back to Mrs. Crane's room and ask for fashion advice. Sheridan, who had been too dumbfounded to speak during Luis and Elizabeth's discussion with Theresa and Whitney, finally found her voice, "Luis you are going to let your little sister go to the dinner tonight, I mean you must of heard us out here. Isn't that why you to came out? Because you heard me talking to Theresa and Whitney?" Elizabeth could not talk because she was too busy laughing so Luis took over, "Yes Sherie, we heard you out there and my sister too. I know that she is going to the dinner with Ethan and I am not happy about it, but Elizabeth and I made a deal and I had to follow through with it." "You to made a deal? A deal to kill Ethan and Theresa the minute the walked into the dinning hall?" "No," Elizabeth acted as if she was taken aback by what Sheridan said. "We decided that we were going to give Ethan a clean slate and a chance to redeem himself. Isn't that right Luis?" "She is right. Yeah I figure is the least I can do. I mean Elizabeth has been so nice to me, I don't want to kill her grandson right on the spot. Besides which Elizabeth says that Ethan happens to be in love with Theresa." Luis acted as if the whole thing was not a big deal at all. "That would not be a good thing, no not at all. I still do not understand how you missed that Ethan was in love with your sister, it is so obvious!" Elizabeth shook her head. "Ethan is in love with Gwen! He is going to marry her. Have both of you forgotten that?" Sheridan really wanted to kill both of them. Elizabeth gave Luis a look which said, what on earth is she talking about. Luis just shook his head. "Sheridan do not tell me that you haven't noticed the way your nephew gets when he talks about her? He gets all dreamy and stuff. When he talks about Gwen he practically cringes, like he is talking about the most awful thing in the world." "Well I have kind of noticed that too," Sheridan started to mull over the times she saw Ethan and Theresa working together, but then she came back to reality. "That still does not explain why you to have suddenly decided to change your mind about him. I mean Luis you always said you would hate it if anyone in our family got involved with someone in my family." Elizabeth looked at Luis and he just shrugged, "Well I guess I don't think it is such a taboo thing anymore. I mean I don't hold a grudge for the rest of my life, it's not health for a guy to do that," he smiled at her. Sheridan was fed up with them, there was something else going on but she knew she was just going to wait and to find out. "Whatever! I am going to tell someone to get my dress, I don't want to leave you two alone for any longer then I have to. I am sure that I don't trust the two of you planning something together." Just as Sheridan was going to turn to leave Theresa called to them, "Excuse me Mrs. Crane, but Mrs. Ivy said that I could borrow one of her daughters' dresses, but I don't know where I am suppose to get them from. Do you have any idea?" "Ivy's daughters? Oh no, I can't let you go around wearing something of theirs, the probably have the same awful fashion sense that she does. No you will just have to borrow something of mine. Sheridan, since you don't trust Luis and me enough to leave us alone for more than a minute I have a dress for you too. I was going to give it to you later, but I suppose now is just as good," Elizabeth was practically about to burst from joy over her plan. It was going so well. "Well I am glad you guys got that all settled. Elizabeth you said that I could shower and change here?" Luis asked before the women went into a tirade of trying to find the prefect thing to wear. "Oh yes, the guestroom next door to us is empty, you can go there. I'll have someone put your suit in the room so it is ready for you when you are ready for it. Umm... you and Sheridan are not going to come to the party right away, once you are done getting dressed come back to my room. Theresa and I will already be gone, but Sheridan will still be there. She is going to escort you to the dinning hall when the time is right. You'll only miss about ten minutes of the whole thing. Sound good?" Elizabeth had started rambling again and knew from the look on Sheridan's face that she should have tried to take a breath at some point during her instructions. "Sounds fine. See you later Theresa, remember, have fun," Luis entered the guestroom leaving Elizabeth to fashions victims. "Alright you two, time to find you something to wear, figure out what we are going to do with your hair, and other such things. Wow, I am really out of it. We better get started, there is only an hour left till the party!" Elizabeth ushered the girls into her room and they started taking apart her wardrobe in order to find Theresa a dress. After looking for fifteen minutes Elizabeth finally found something that she thought would look good on Theresa. The dress was too youthful for the female head of the Crane Empire to wear but it was just prefect for Theresa. It was a red dress with an empire waist and had an had shear shell on top of the dress base that give it made it seem to be draped at the top but flow at the bottom. Sheridan wore crimson a sleeveless stretch velvet dress with a low squared neckline, an empire waist, which because of its slinkiness had a slit which almost reached mid thigh on each side in order to allow for walking and dancing. The slits where placed in such a manner that you could not tell they were there until Sheridan actually started to walk. Elizabeth was wearing what looked like a typical Renaissance style dress that was made of a dark burgundy velvet material. The dress had a square cut neck, typical of the era, which almost went too low but was still respectable despite how form fitting it was, just below the bust line the dress began to flow out with a upside-down V in the center that showed a crimson under skirt. The dress was not over flowing with material like most dress that were designed after the Renaissance period and was sleeveless. If you asked Elizabeth, Sheridan looked the best out of all of them, but then that was the point. Elizabeth was married so she did not have to worry about wearing clothes to please anyone but herself and Alistair liked her usually taste because she always looked elegant in what she wore. "Okay, I give up on trying to figure out what to do with my hair, don't you have someone here that can do it for me, I mean this is the Crane Mansion," Elizabeth said exasperated and put down her brush. Sheridan had just finished her own hair and was working on Theresa's, "Just hold on a second and I'll do your hair. It would be a lot easier if you just wore something that everyone else wore. No, you have to go and out do everyone when it comes to style and elegance." Elizabeth smiled, "Hello? This is suppose to my homecoming party, I am suppose to look good." "You look wonderful Mrs. Crane," Theresa gushed as Sheridan finished up her hair. "Why thank you Theresa. I just wish Alistair could be here," She sighed sadly. "He'll be here for the wedding though. Gosh, I have only been away from what like a day? I miss him already." Sheridan laughed, "Well I guess that what happens when you are in love. Now come over here and sit still so I can do your hair." Elizabeth waited patiently and helped Theresa pick out some jewels to go with her dress. She asked Theresa to bring the jewelry box to her so she could find something for Sheridan to wear. She handed Sheridan a simple ruby pendent with a silver chain and ruby earrings to match. "They are not flashy or anything but they will look good with your dress." Elizabeth said as she instructed Theresa to put the pendent on Sheridan so that she did not have to be interrupted from Liz's hair. "Okay that's it. I can't take this anymore. It looks fine Sheridan. Ethan is going to be here any minute to escort Theresa and me downstairs," Elizabeth stood from the chair she had been sitting in. "You have a really low tolerance for sitting still. How do you get through half the social events that we have to go to I will never know," Sheridan turned her eyes heaven wards. Before Elizabeth had a chance to answer there was a knock at the door. Theresa half ran to the door to answer it, which caused Elizabeth to laugh at her excitement. These events were often fun for the first ten minutes but afterward became dull and boring, but Theresa did not know that and was looking forward to a night of dancing with Ethan. "Theresa, I did not expect to find you here. I am glad I did, I have been looking all over for you, I thought you had backed out on me," Ethan told her as he entered the room. "I could never do something like that Ethan. Mrs. Crane was just helping me find something to wear and I got ready in here instead of one of your sisters rooms," Theresa explained to him. Ethan nodded, "Well I see you have already met our wedding planner Theresa. She has done a great job with everything since Gwen has been away." "A real god send, am I not correct?" Elizabeth asked with a hint of sarcasm. "Well, yes she has been. She has kept me sane through out all of this," Ethan replied more than a little annoyed with his grandmother. "Tell me Ethan, where is Gwen?" Elizabeth picked up on Ethan's annoyance and was going to use this to her advantage. "She could not make it back. There are just too many things going on for her to get up and leave," Ethan backed down because he knew that his grandmother was going to make sure that he show her the proper respect. He knew that she would not let him get away with anything else. Besides which Sheridan was giving him a look that said that he better put out and act nice or he would not just have to worry about Elizabeth making his life hard, he would have to worry about her too. "We will talk about her later. Come it is time for you to take Theresa and me to the party," Elizabeth she knew had won the war that might have caused a rift between her and her grandson. He had realized that she was to be respected, feared, and loved. Elizabeth moved to the door but Ethan did not follow her. "What about Aunt Sheridan?" Ethan seemed puzzled. Theresa looked like a cat that ate the canary, but she did not say anything. Ethan was starting to pick up on the fact that the women were not telling him something. "Alright, what is going on here?" "Nothing is going on Ethan," Sheridan said as reassuringly as possible. She knew that she had to come up with some good excuse so that Ethan would not ask anymore questions. "I was just-" "Sheridan was helping me with my dress and hair so she did not have time to finish with her own. She'll be down later. Besides it would look bad if you were to walk down with all three of us. We need to make sure that people know that Sheridan is available," Elizabeth covered. Both Theresa and Sheridan glared at her, but what was she suppose to do, just tell Ethan that Luis was in the house and he was the one that was taking Sheridan. Ethan decided that he should not question his grandmother anymore and just get out of the room while he was still in one piece. "Well if ladies are ready to go, I guess we will see you later Sheridan." Sheridan forced a smile, "I'll be down in a few minutes." She was going to kill Elizabeth later for her comment about making it known that she was available, it made it seem like she was some sort of product to be sold. Despite the fact that she knew that Elizabeth had just come up with the best lie she could at that moment, she wished that her mother had something that was a little less demeaning. Elizabeth winked at Sheridan on her way out and whispered, "You know I was just joking right, I would never do something like that to you." Sheridan just nodded, she was not going to let Elizabeth off that easily. Oh no, Elizabeth was going to get what was coming to her. With that Ethan took Elizabeth and Theresa downstairs to the dinning hall, have of which had turned into a ballroom. Ethan wanted to ask Elizabeth about her dress but decided it was best not to push his luck. Theresa noticed that Ethan was nervous about his grandmother and wanted to reassure him that everything was going to be okay but before she had a chance to speak they reached the top of a mini staircase, which lead to the dinning hall floor. There, Julian joined them and looked at his mother's odd choice in dress. "I am glad that you finally decided to show up, Ethan," Julian added his son's name when he saw the look that Elizabeth gave him. "My I say, you look absolutely ravishing Mother and Theresa you are as beautiful as ever." "Thank Mr. Crane," Theresa looked down at the ground shyly. "Is everyone here yet Julian?" Elizabeth asked as he extended his arm out for her and she accepted his offer. "Yes, Mother dear. All of the guests are here, the only person not here is my sister, Sheridan. Oh and Ivy gave Pilar the night off and invited her to the party like you asked. I must say it was extremely nice of you to do so." Elizabeth held up her hand to make Julian stop talking, "Just hold off with your kissing up for right now. I would like to be formally introduced to everyone." "Of course. Follow me," Julian lead them down to the dinning hall floor and Elizabeth prepared to put her plan in action. Elizabeth's Bedroom Sheridan began to pace nervously, if Luis did not hurry up and get over here someone was going to come looking for her and force her to come downstairs. "And they say that woman take forever to get ready," Sheridan sighed and continued to pace. Just then she heard a knock on the door, "Who is it?" "It's me, open the door before someone sees me standing out here and throws me out of the house," Luis said in a voice just barely above a whisper. "Well it took you long enough to get here. What were you doing?" Sheridan opened the door to see Luis standing in the doorway holding out a bow tie. "I tie for my lady," Luis gave a little bow as he handed her the tie. Sheridan laughed, "Well the all knowing Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald does not know how to tie a simple bow tie?" Sheridan took the tie from Luis and started to loop it around his neck when she noticed that he was still holding his left hand behind is back. "What are you trying to hide from me," Sheridan asked as she finished putting the tie underneath his collar. "I have know idea what you are talking about," Luis replied innocently. Sheridan pulled on the tie with such force that Luis had to bend over and Sheridan was able to see what was behind is back. It was a simple white rose that was attached to a barrette. "Well just ruin the one little surprise I have for you. Oh, and let's not forget just try and choke me to death," Luis voice was full of amusement. "Here, take it." He handed it to her over his head. "Will you let me up now?" Sheridan let go of his tie and he actually stumbled forward and lost his balance, "Luis!" Sheridan bent over to help him up, "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I have kinda gotten used to you causing me bodily harm," Sheridan elbowed him. "Ouch! See what I mean? You know you would think you would be nicer to me after all the times I have saved your life, forgiving you for throwing me in jail, and after I just give you a present," Luis threw up his hands. Sheridan smiled at him, "It's beautiful, and it looks so real." "But that's the way it is suppose to look. That way people won't know that it isn't real but actually silk and it will never die. Come on put it on. We haven't got all night you know," Luis teased her. Sheridan glared at him but went to a mirror to put the barrette in hair. She fiddled with it until it was perfectly placed and turned to Luis. "Well?" "Lovely, now let's get out of here before Elizabeth tries to introduce us and we are not there for her to introduce," Luis paused for a moment thinking about what he just said. "Alright that did not make any sense." "No but I got your point. Liz will be pissed if we aren't there at the right moment," Sheridan sighed. "Shall we?" Luis held his arm for her. Sheridan knew from that moment that she would not be able to stop smiling all night, "We shall." As they walked to the dinning hall Luis made a comment about what Julian would do when he found out that Luis had been released from jail with the aid of his new mother. That she single handled managed to change things in Harmony forever in only the matter of a few hours. "Hopefully Julian will realize that he can no longer go around messing up people's lives. I think the marriage will have a good affect on Alistair, I mean you can already see some evidence that points to Elizabeth changing him," Sheridan still a little uncomfortable with idea of her best friend being the wife of her father. "Sheridan, it sounds more like you are trying to convince yourself. I already know that Alistair has changed, I mean he let Elizabeth have me released from jail, but I understand what you must be feeling. I am sure I would have a lot issues with Hank if he just decided that he wanted to marry my mother," Luis almost shuttered at the thought. "Yes, but at least you would know that Hank actually loved your mother and did not marry her for money. I don't have any clue when it comes to Elizabeth, with anything she does. Everyone of her actions has some hidden purpose behind it," Sheridan shook her head. "I love Liz to death but you just never know with her." "Well I happen to think that Elizabeth really does love Alistair with all of her heart. Early she told me that money couldn't buy you happiness but that it could help and the way she said it made me think she really knew what she is talking about. She is happy with Alistair," Luis squeezed her had in reassurance. "Now are you ready to knock the socks off your brother?" He asked as they reached the doors of the dinning hall. She laughed, "Julian is not the only one he is going to throw a fit. Ethan is going to go in to totally shock, especially since he will be with your sister." "Well I guess it is a good thing there will be a couple of doctors at this party. Just in case both Ethan and Julian decided to try to check out on us," Luis gave her a wicked smile. "I thought you were going to give Ethan a chance to redeem himself, since he is in love with your sister and all," Sheridan teased. Luis rolled his eyes, "Please don't remind me about that small fact. Do me a favor? Do not tell Theresa what you and your mother think, it will send her hopes so high, I am afraid to think about what she might do." "Hell hath no fury like a woman in love?" Sheridan asked changing the old proverb around a little so that it would fit the situation. "Exactly!" "Well if I know Elizabeth, and I do, I would dare to guess right about now she is about to tell everyone that she is not the real guest of honor tonight. You ready to cause a half a dozen people a heart attack?" Sheridan giggled. "Ready and willing," Luis still had a sly smile on his face. "This little town is in for a big shock tonight." Luis and Sheridan stood at outside the doors and waited until they got some single to enter. Then the doors opened and they could see the lights and beauty of the dinning hall. They stepped through the doorway ready for whatever waited from them on the other side.         *Okay I know the ending to this chapter sucks but that's what happens when I write 24 pages in two days. What ever happened to grammar? Do not ask me, you should know that by now if you have been reading my story. No sneak peeks this time. I have been too busy working on getting this one done in order think down the line.      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! :) )