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 6 part 2 Julian's Study Elizabeth had ducked into the Study without anyone noticing her. She quickly walked over to the desk and opened the top drawer. She was disgusted with what she found. "That stupid idiot!" She withdrew the Luis mask that had been in the drawer and continued to look for some scissors. The phone rang and she punched the talk button, "Elizabeth Crane." "Elizabeth?" Alistair's voice came over the phone She stopped what she was doing, "Alistair! I am so happy that you called. I miss you!" She sat down in the chair that she had pushed aside when she begun her search through Julian's desk. "I miss you to dear, but what are you doing in Julian's Study?" Elizabeth had found a pair of scissors and picked up the mask, "Cleaning up after your son, what else? You know he still has that mask of Lopez-Fitzgerald in here? It would have ruined everything if Sheridan had found it!" She began to cut the mask into strips. "I bet he still has those papers on Martin Fitzgerald in here that you told him to get rid of." Alistair became angry, "Well burn them along with that mask. Those papers should have been destroyed a long time ago!" "Hey honey, what do you think I am doing. I am in here doing his dirty work when I should be out having fun at my party," Elizabeth got up and moved to the safe that Julian had. "I know dear. You always deal with important family matters before you have fun. That's why I love you so much, you know that family means everything." Elizabeth laughed at this, "The fact that I am the adopted daughter of one the most powerful mob bosses in Spain had nothing to do with it. Oh and lets not forget about that one time you let all your family secrets spill, oops, and told me everything." Elizabeth rolled her eyes and cracked into the safe. "Also there is the fact that I am an expert thief." "Those things are important, but you forget that your father died in that car accident, no more mob boss. You made a life of your own separate from him before that happened and before I meet you. The family secrets, well you don't know all of them, besides you could have been disposed of just as easily. And I had now idea that you were a thief," Alistair tone was about as happy as someone like him could get. A normal person would have thought that Alistair was mad at them but Elizabeth knew better. Alistair could never be mad at her. "I know dear. I am just teasing," she pulled out the papers from the safe. "Would you look at that! All the papers about Martin Fitzgerald are here and in perfect order. Well this will make good fire starting materials." "That idiot!" Elizabeth brought the papers over to the fireplace that was on the far wall (hence the reason you never noticed it before). "Now, now do not be so hard on your son. He is a good son, most of the time. He does try. Well at least to mess everything up." "I thought you loved all your children equally Liz," Alistair joked. Elizabeth had put the papers in to the fireplace and took a match to them. She looked at the speakerphone, "I do love all my children equally, that doesn't mean that I don't think that one of them can be stupid every now and then. I mean just look at all the mistakes that Sheridan made. You know that if it were I in her place I would have never done half of the things she did. But then I never was interested in suave men in fast cars." "No you never were. Something I never understood," Alistair voice said that he wanted answer to the unasked question. "I'll explain it to you someday. Right now I should be getting back to that party. I am surprised that Julian did manage to catch me in here," Elizabeth threw the little pieces of the mask on the fire and then added a log on to it. No one but the help would find the ashes of the mask, and they would just wonder why Julian had a fire in his study. "I am sure Julian is far too drunk by now to do anything but smile," Alistair said in disgust. "How is your plan with Sheridan and Luis going?" Elizabeth walked back over to the desk, "It did not work out quite the way I wanted to, but you know you can't push something like this. It will happen but not over night." "I still do not understand why you think it is a good idea for Luis and Sheridan to get married," Alistair scoffed a little at the idea of his daughter marrying the son of the housekeeper. "Well first of all it will make Sheridan happy. She and Luis are in love. Secondly it will ensure the fact that no one will ever find out about Martin Fitzgerald," Elizabeth sat down again. "How will their marriage ensure that Luis will not look into his fathers death? Julian and I both think that Sheridan will help Luis find out what happened to him, what the family did to him," Alistair was getting frustrated. "Alistair I am sure you have heard of the old proverb, keep your friends close but your enemies closer. We can't get any closer to Luis than to have him be our son-in-law. Besides which if they do start looking, they will not find anything. I plan on having Sheridan's cottage and the gazebo fully checked and cleaned out again, this time by professionals. Then if that they still keep looking we will just have to go on to plan B," Elizabeth smiled. "And what is plan B?" "I'll tell you when it becomes necessary to use it. Now don't forget to call tomorrow," Elizabeth told him sweetly. "Fine I guess I'll just have to wait. Of course I won't to forget to call tomorrow, I have to berate Julian yet again," Alistair hung up and Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. That man, she thought as she walked to the door, does he think that I am really that much of a fool. I know he has this whole house bugged, I have to be careful what I say all the time. Sometimes I just don't know why I married him, he doesn't trust anyone but himself. Then he really doesn't have any reason to, I know all of the family secrets; even he thinks that I don't. The House of Crane would not know what hit it if I even breathed one of the secrets. Too bad for everyone I actually love my family. I don't know how I do it, maybe it is because I never really had a family. Being adopted buy a mob boss doesn't mean an instant family. Just money, trying to make sure that I don't get killed, oh and let's not forget a father who tries to marry me off to some stupid American. I miss my real family. Elizabeth shook her head. Enough! I can't think about the past, only the future and make sure that my daughter is happy. Elizabeth walked back into the dinning hall and found where Sheridan and Luis were standing. They were talking to another couple who she did not recognize. "Great, more fake smiles and giggles." She walked over to them. "Sheridan dear, who are this lovely people you are talking to?" Elizabeth interrupted them. "This is Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. Mr. Bennett is the Chief of Police here in Harmony," Sheridan told her. "It's wonderful to meet you Mrs. Crane. That was a lovely speech you gave early," Mrs. Bennett held out her hand and Elizabeth shook it. Elizabeth could tell that Mr. Bennett did not want to be with them. Or maybe it was just her he did not want to be around. "Please call me Elizabeth. Thank you for being so kind. Half of the time I don't really know what people think about what I say. Everyone just seems to say what they think I want to here. I swear I could have read from the phone book and everyone would have laughed. Sometimes these people frustrate me." "Well some it is something that you should be used to by now," Mr. Bennett mumbled a little loudly. "Sam!" His wife gave him a little slap on the arm for being rude. "No, it is alright, I know what people think of me. I'll have you know Mr. Bennett that I was the CEO of Crane Industries International for about a year and I worked my way up there without help from anyone. I am now going to be co-CEO here on the domestic front. I am not just some helpless little wife, I actually know how things work in this circle and in others. I personally think you are too quick to judge others. You have already made up your mind to hate me, and you don't even know me," Elizabeth knew she was pushing the envelop but she would not stand to put down from someone who did not know what she had been through. "I don't need to know you, you are a Crane. You are all the same," Sam hissed at her. "Sam you need to apologize to Mrs. Crane right now. You have no right to say that. She never did anything to you," his wife demanded, she was obviously embarrassed with his attitude toward Elizabeth. She knew he would not act this way with Julian or Ivy, but it seemed that Elizabeth's young age made him feel like he could walk all over her. "I don't need to apologize to her Grace. If anything she should be apologizing to us for marrying Alistair," Sam glared at Elizabeth. Elizabeth was furious. "Now that is enough! You can say anything you want about me. But only a coward would talk about another man behind his back. Is there not a shred of human decency in you? You do not seem to understand the fact that any type of prejudice is a deadly sin." Sam was taken aback by her statements. She was wise. "I am sorry. I guess I have misjudged you." Elizabeth nodded, "Yeah I would say so. I am not the little dimwitted imp that you think I am. I have morals and values just like anyone else. Alistair and I both agree that there are some serious changes that need to be made in the way that the Cranes conduct themselves, that's why I was sent here." Luis knew that this argument was only going to get worse before it got better. He knew Sam hated the Cranes as much as he did. "Maybe we should all go seat down now. It looks like the waiters are ready to bring out dinner." "Yeah now is a good time," Sheridan grabbed Elizabeth's arm. "It was nice seeing you again Grace and Sam." She and Luis proceed to drag Elizabeth away from Sam. "What is your problem," Elizabeth said when Sheridan finally let go of her arm, "I could have handled that! I was going to make that man see that he had an unfounded hatred for me. I have done it many times before." "Elizabeth, as much as I believe in your abilities to reach people, you are never going to be able to reach Sam. He has hated the Cranes since before I was born," Luis told her. "Fine, but mark my word, I will not leave Sam Bennett alone until he admits that he does not hate all the Cranes. He seemed happy to be talking to Sheridan, and she is a Crane by blood, I just married Alistair! He will find out that everyone loves Elizabeth, even him!" Luis laughed at her, "Okay, I believe you but let's just sit down, I would like to eat sometime today." Elizabeth shook her head, "We have to find Julian, Ivy, and Ethan before we sit down. All the Cranes have to sit at the front of the room together. I know you don’t want to, but because you are here with Sheridan and me you have to, but don’t worry the rest of your family will sit near us. As my midwife Pilar gets to sit near me, and since Theresa is Ethan’s date and your brother and sister are here we all will be sitting at one table." Sheridan felt Luis stiffen next to her, "We don’t have to sit too close to them, just at the same table." "Alright, let’s just get this over with," Luis told them Elizabeth looked around and saw Ivy, Julian, Ethan, and the rest of the Lopez-Fitzgeralds standing at the front of the dinning hall. "Well our job just became much easier. They are all waiting for us. We better get up there before Julian says something stupid." They walked over to join others and when the approached Julian grabbed Elizabeth’s arm. "Is this some kind of joke that you have planned. Having the Cranes sit with the help? I thought you wanted to protect the Crane family name. When father hears about this-" "Alistair already knows what is going on. In fact this was his idea. So let go of my arm Julian before I have Luis arrest you for harassment. Which is a charge that I am sure you are familiar with," Elizabeth hissed at him. Julian let go of her arm and patted her shoulder, "Of course you know what you are doing. I shouldn’t have questioned you. Sorry mother dearest." "Whatever Julian, let’s just sit down. And no more alcohol for you tonight, you are drinking water, just like me," Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She smiled at the others and they all took their places near the seats that they had chosen. Luis and Sheridan had chosen to sit to Elizabeth’s right, next Luis and Sheridan were Miguel and Paloma. On Elizabeth’s left was Pilar, next Pilar was Ethan and Theresa, and next to them was Ivy and Julian. Elizabeth watched as the other people in the hall moved to their tables. She kept her eye on Sam and Grace to see whom they were sitting next to. She did not recognize the people they were sitting with. "Who is that Sam and Grace are sitting next to Luis?" Elizabeth whispered. "That’s Eve and TC Russell. Why? Elizabeth you aren’t planning to do something to Sam are you?" Luis knew what she was capable of. "No, I just was wondering if you knew if Sam was a good dancer. Hey who is that other guy they are with?" Elizabeth had noticed another man had run to catch up with them. He looked familiar, but she could not place him. Luis saw him too and his mouth dropped, "That’s Hank! Sam's younger brother and my best friend. What is he doing here?" Elizabeth was eyeing Hank more carefully now. I know him from somewhere, but where, she thought to herself as she searched her memory to figure out how she knew him. "Is he not suppose to be here?" Luis shrugged, "Well I guess Sam invited him when he found out that I was here. I just wasn’t expecting to see him. Man he must be crushed now." Elizabeth did not understand, "Huh?" Luis leaned in closer and whispered to her, "He has a thing for Sheridan, but after that speech you gave. Hey wait a minute? How come he wasn’t with Sam and Grace when we were talking to them?" "Maybe he was so crushed he did not want to be around you and Sheridan but he did not want to miss a free meal?" Elizabeth came up with the best excuse she could. "That doesn't sound like Hank," Luis told her. Before she could respond Sheridan hissed at both of them, "You better stop whispering at each other before people start asking why you are not sitting. People are going to wonder what on earth is going on." Elizabeth nodded, "Well I would say it is about time we all ate!" She smiled as everyone sat down and the food was served. Pilar watched as Elizabeth pushed the food around on her plate, "Elizabeth you need to eat something to stay strong for the baby." "I ate," Elizabeth defended herself. "You had a tomato slice from the salad," Pilar said giving her a look. "You need to have some real food." Elizabeth took her knife and fork and began to cut the chicken on her plate. She stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork, raised it to her mouth, and then began to chew. "See I am eating," she said after swallowing the chicken. Pilar and the others laughed, Elizabeth made a face at them but she kept eating. She knew that Pilar was right it was just that she was not hungry and her stomach felt like it was doing a series of flip flops. The rest of the dinner was in her opinion uneventful. Julian complained about not being able to have wine with his chicken but she just gave him one look and he shut up. Pilar made sure that she ate the majority of her supper. Luis teased her about being scolded by his mother. Sheridan must have stepped on his foot or something because let out a soft cry of pain and then sent her a glare. Ethan and Theresa did not seem to notice that anything else was going on, which made Elizabeth more sure than ever that they were in love. Paloma and Miguel ate in silence until Luis made a face at them and Pali started laughing. Elizabeth kicked him and told him to make sure that no one else saw him doing that, they would hear about in the news tomorrow if he kept it up and someone caught him. The headline would be 'American hero making faces at younger siblings.' Alistair would never let her hear the end of it. Luis told her that he would deal with Alistair if need be and she laughed at him. Finally the waiters came and took the plates away and the band started to play music. "Thank goodness. I don't think I could have taken anymore of that seating down. Come on Sherie, I want to see this amazing tango that I hear you do," Elizabeth gave Sheridan a wicked smile. "I don't know Elizabeth," Sheridan was going to begin her payback plan. She owed her mother for a few embarrassing moments. "You were giving Pilar an awful hard time early. You really should not need be told that you need to eat." "Sherie that's not fair!" Elizabeth shook her finger at her daughter. "You and I both know that I don't eat while after air travel. My stomach never has been that strong. Please Sherie, you promised all this people that you do you would. Please!" Sheridan laughed at her mother and looked at Luis, "What do you think Luis? Should we?" Luis thought for a moment, "Well you were giving my mom a hard time. I think you owe us some type of favor first." Elizabeth stood up and gathered her dress, "Fine then. If you two won't dance then I will. I know Ethan is not a pro-ballroom dancer but he knows the basics." Elizabeth walked over to her grandson and tapped him on the shoulder Ethan did not notice her he was to busy trying to make it look like he wasn't staring at Theresa. "Hey Ethan!" Ethan turned to look at his grandmother, "Oh Grandmother Elizabeth, I didn't see you there." "Yeah, tell me something I don't know," she grabbed his hand, "I am sorry Theresa, but I am going to have to steal my grandson from you for a moment." "It's okay Mrs. Crane I understand," Theresa said in a soft voice. Elizabeth winked at her, "When I am done with him I expect to see you two dancing for the rest of the night. Come on Ethan, I don't want to miss this song." Ethan and Elizabeth went to the dance floor and began a simple waltz. People clapped a little when they started and Elizabeth sighed, "They clap for everything I do. They don't really mean any of it. This is worse than when I was in Europe. I am sure if I were to sneeze they would all start cheering." Ethan laughed, "Well I don't know about cheering. But they would be pleased." "Only because they would be hoping it was a sign of my early death. I am only… Well never mind about that. How are you enjoying your evening with Theresa?" Elizabeth knew that she was going on to a dangerous subject but she wanted to see what her grandson would say. Ethan knew that Elizabeth was getting at something, "I am having a nice time. Why?" Elizabeth was going to tell him what she thought about his relationship with Theresa when she saw Chief Bennett glaring at her, "That man does not like us one bit does he?" Ethan spun her around, "Chief Bennett has always hated the Cranes. He is a bad Chief of Police, he never does what is told of him." "Ethan! Just because he does not do what you ask him to does not mean he is a bad Chief of Police. He has to think about the other citizens of Harmony not just the Crane family, if he did that he would be a bad Chief." "Still he gets in the way a lot." Elizabeth could understand why Chief Bennett would be mad at the Crane's, when the members of the police board acted like such jerks, how could he not be. "Ethan, I think I am going to co-chair with you on the police board from now on. I know you are older than I am, but I have been dealing with people like Chief Bennett for awhile now. I am sure you could learn a thing or to from me. Now do you know how to do a dip?" Elizabeth had managed to get them closer to the Bennett and Russell's table. "Yes I do," Ethan seemed surprised by her question. "Good. In the next few steps you are going to lead me into a dip, but this is going to be more exaggerated than your average dip. All you have to do is make sure you keep firm support of my lower back and let me do the rest," Elizabeth knew what she was about to do was purely evil, and she knew she would hear about it from Alistair tomorrow, but she just had to. "Got it?" "Yeah I think so," Ethan kept up the dance. "If you drop me Ethan Crane you are going to wish Luis killed you when he realized that you were here with Theresa," Elizabeth warned him. Ethan just led her right into the dip. Elizabeth let her whole body relax as her hand brushed the floor. Right before her head was about to come in contact with the floor she started to pull up and Ethan took the queue had finished pulling her up and led her into a turn. "You are very good at this," Ethan told her when she returned into his arms. "Well they don't just give away the title of Championship Ballroom Dancer you know. I had to work really hard for it. I bet you didn't know that I had my own dance studio back in Spain, it was award winning to," Elizabeth knew she had caught her grandson of guard. "Sheridan said that you had moved to Japan." "Yes but I moved back to Spain shortly afterward, but your grandfather had me route my mail through Japan so people would know where I was. Anyway my studio was an awarding winning studio, I of course won most of them. My old partner and I received the World Professional Latin Championship title, bet you didn't know that. We placed second at the World Professional Standard Championship. My partner stepped on my dress during the Viennese Waltz portion of the competition. He blamed the loss on me but then let's see who is the one with the successful dance studio and who is begging to be teacher at that studio." Ethan laughed at her, "I think that is the most you have said to me all day. So what did you do with the studio when you decided to move here?" "Well my two lead dancers had run off to get married, and I was moving here so I had to change the location of the studio to Harmony, USA. Of course my students were upset. They would not be able to train under me but I found them a good studio. Now though my new students will have to go to the American competitions. It will be a new playing field for them and me," Elizabeth smiled. "However I know we will place well and make it to the international competitions." "So you plan to do all this, run Crane Industries, and have a baby. I don't mean to sound imposing but don't you think that is a little much. I mean you said you were not doing well with this pregnancy, maybe you should tone down things a bit," Ethan did not fake the concern in his voice and Elizabeth noticed it. "Thank you Ethan dear. Yes it may seem like I over doing it, but Dance Sport is my love, that and your grandfather. I have been involved in Dance Sport for such a long time. I meet one of my best friends at a dance studio here in the USA. It is more like a relaxing thing for me than a work thing. Don't you have something like that," Elizabeth was happy that she was getting to know her grandson better. It would make a lot easier to justify why she did not want him to marry Gwen if she were his friend. "Well I don't know. I just love to make my mother and Sheridan happy," Ethan told her without really thinking about the question. Elizabeth shook her head, "Ethan Crane that is the worst thing I have ever heard. When the dance studio is set up here you have to come in for a few lessons. Who knows? You might really like it." Just than the music ended. "Well I guess I should give you back to Theresa. I have to get Sheridan and Luis out here too and soon. It was nice talking to you Ethan. We should do this again, later. I mean I would like to get know you better." Ethan smiled as he took her back to the table, "That would be nice Grandmother, and thank you for the wonderful dance." He than walked over to where Theresa was sitting and asked her if she wanted to dance. She said yes and he took her to the dance floor. *Sorry had to cut it here so that it would be an even cut between the four parts. 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! :) )