Notes: This begins shortly after the 2001 imposter story, almost immediately after Alistair tried to convince Sheridan to go to Europe with him.

Cross-posted at Archive of Our Own.

Prologue

"Thank you so much for helping me out, guys." Luis smiled as he fingered the lights strung across the wall of the youth center's gym. "Sheridan's going to love it."

Gwen smiled as she fixed the last flower to the arch erected underneath the basketball net. "She's going to love it because she's marrying you."

"Yeah, buddy, but what's the big rush?" Hank slapped Luis on the back. "You can't wait a few more weeks for your big double wedding with Ethan and Theresa?"

Gwen's eyes dropped to the floor.

Hank stepped back. "Gwen, I'm so sorry . . ." Hank placed one hand on her shoulder. "I didn't even think."

"No, it's okay." Gwen shook her head. "Ethan and Theresa . . . please, let's not bring them into this. Tonight is about Sheridan and Luis."

Luis crossed his arms in front of his chest and frowned. "Gwen, I'm sorry. I know how hard this must be for you, what with me being Theresa's brother and all." Luis hung his head and then looked back up at Gwen. "I want you to know how much I appreciate you being here for Sheridan today, for being her friend."

Gwen's eyes met Luis's. "She's my best friend, Luis."

"I know." Luis's eyes fell to the floor. "Listen, Gwen, I don't condone what my sister did."

"I know you don't, Luis." Gwen frowned and hung her head. "And I don't blame you for what happened between Theresa and Ethan. I'm . . . well, I'm just so happy that you make Sheridan so happy—and that you're going to make her even happier when you surprise her tonight."

Luis smiled. "I'd do anything to make Sheridan happy."

"I know you would, Luis."

"After everything's that happened with Julian and Alistair hiring that damn imposter . . . after them making her think that I was using her, that I was cheating on her . . ." Luis looked up. "I just couldn't let her go one more day belonging to a family that doesn't love her. I couldn't let her go one more day being a damn Crane."

Gwen shook her head. "They have been unbelievably cruel to her."

"Yeah, well, you should have been there the other day." Luis rubbed his chin. "The way Alistair was playing with her emotions, trying to convince that he loves her . . . it's no surprise she's spent a lifetime dating guys who aren't good for her when her own damn father emotionally abuses her this way." Luis's eyes fell to the floor. "Mama told me he's been doing this to Sheridan for her entire life."

Hank dug his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, you should have seen the way he was trying to talk her into going away with him to Europe—like he'd been waiting for this opportunity forever."

"Don't remind me." Luis frowned.

"Luis . . ." Gwen glanced over at Hank and then touched her hand to Luis's wrist. "The important thing is that now, all that's going to change. Now, she's going to have a husband who adores her for just the person she is. After tonight, everything will be different."

"I hope you're right, Gwen." Luis tucked his thumbs into his pockets. "I just pray that from now on she'll feel better—that she'll only know how it feels to be loved."

"With you as her husband, how could she not?" Gwen smiled softly.

"Thanks, Gwen," Luis smiled, nudging the floor with his foot. "I just hope that you're right."

Chapter 1

"Luis, maybe we should swing by to grab your files after dinner." Sheridan followed Luis up the steps to the youth center. "We're going to be late, and I don't want to keep your mother waiting."

Luis turned around and cupped her face in his hands. "Don't worry." Luis pressed his lips to hers. "This will only take a minute. Let me just go get them, and then we'll head over to The Lobster Shack. I'm sure Mama won't mind if we're five minutes late."

"But . . ."

"Shh . . . no 'buts.'" Luis grabbed Sheridan's hand and led her in through the entrance hall and into the darkened gym.

Luis flipped on a switch.

Twinkling white lights lit up across the room, bathing it in a soft, heavenly glow.

Sheridan's breath caught in her throat.

"Luis . . . what is all of this?"

Sheridan's heart swelled as her eyes fell on the wooden white arch resting in the center of the room—on the rows of chairs carving out an aisle that led right up to it.

Luis turned to Sheridan and took her hands in his own. "I wanted to do something special for you."

Sheridan's smile grew as her eyes continued to take in the room—then rushed to meet Luis's. "But I've already said yes, Luis," Sheridan smiled, cupping his face. "I've already promised to marry you."

Luis smiled. "I know." Luis kissed Sheridan's hands. "And don't get me wrong—we can still have that big wedding with Ethan and Theresa next month if that's what you want. But, after everything your father and brother have pulled, I don't want you to go one more night without being my wife. . . . I don't want you to go one more day without knowing you belong to a family who loves you."

"Oh, Luis . . ." Tears sprang to Sheridan's eyes.

Luis squeezed her tightly and pressed his lips to the top of her head. "I love you, Sheridan. I don't want you to ever forget that."

"I love you, too, Luis." Sheridan smiled, a tear streaming down her cheek. "How on earth did you ever pull this off?"

Luis pulled back from their embrace and smiled at her. "Well, I did have a little help."

Sheridan's eyes lit up with a smile as the door to Luis's office opened, two familiar figures slipping out from behind it. "Gwen? Hank?"

"That's right, Sheridan." Hank grinned, flinging his arm around Gwen's shoulder. "Even Zorro couldn't pull this off by himself."

Luis grinned and rolled his eyes.

Sheridan's eyes twinkled.

"I love you, Sher," Luis whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Sheridan beamed at Luis as she turned back to face him—her eyes sparkled at his.

"Sheridan," Luis started, lowering himself down to one knee. "I know I've already asked you to be my wife. But would you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife tonight?"

Fresh tears pooled in the corner of Sheridan's eyes. "Yes, Luis. Of course. A million times yes!"

From across the room, Hank and Gwen smiled as Luis jumped up, spun Sheridan around, and kissed her.

Hank squeezed Gwen's shoulder. "I guess you could say true love always wins out in the end."

Gwen blinked back tears as she stepped out of Hank's embrace. "Well, at least it did for them."

"Oh, Gwen, I just can't believe this is happening!" Sheridan grinned from ear to ear as she turned around, adjusting the back on her earring.

Gwen smiled. "It is pretty special." Gwen fingered the lace garter in her hand. "In fact, I'd venture to say you've got a pretty special guy there, Sheridan."

"I do, don't I?" Sheridan face lit up as she glanced down at her dress. "But I'm also very lucky to have you," she added, looking back up at Gwen and taking Gwen's hands into her own. "How on earth did you get this dress here so fast?"

Gwen smiled and turned her head, letting her hands fall from Sheridan's as she crossed the room. "I saw you eyeing it when we were in Paris. I know you ultimately went with the dress you found here in Harmony, but I knew this one was special to you, too." Gwen turned back to her friend. "I just called the shop and had them rush order it to me."

"I can't thank you enough, Gwen." Sheridan smiled. "I know these past few months haven't been easy for you."

"Yeah, well, Ethan wants to be with Theresa." Gwen hugged her arms to her chest, a single tear welling in the corner of her eye. "Who am I to stand in the way of his happiness?"

Sheridan frowned. "You know, until the moment Ethan told me he was in love with Theresa, I always thought he was going to end up picking you."

"I know you did." Gwen wiped the tear from her eye. "And I'm sorry I ripped into you when I thought you were supporting Theresa. I was just so angry that night, too angry to . . ."

". . . to realize I was just trying to support Ethan, not siding with Theresa over you?" Sheridan smiled sadly. "Gwen, that's all that it was. Ethan has been like a brother to me for my entire life. I never wanted to see you hurt, but I couldn't very well not stand beside him, especially when I knew how much flack he was going to have to take for choosing Theresa over you."

Gwen cupped her hands over Sheridan's. "I know that, Sheridan. I know how much you wanted us to end up together."

"I really and truly did." Sheridan squeezed Gwen's hands. "Gwen, you're a wonderful person with a wonderful heart. From the second I met you, I could see why Ethan was so in love with you."

Gwen turned to face the door. "Yeah, well, I think you're giving me too much credit."

"What do you mean, Gwen?"

Gwen rubbed her forehead and took a deep breath in.

"Gwen?" Sheridan stepped up behind her and rubbed her arm. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Gwen wiped a few tears from her eyes. "It's nothing. I'm . . . I'm just sorry I haven't been more supportive of you and Luis. I know I've let my anger at Theresa cloud my judgment of him—when I thought he was just his like sister, I wasn't thinking straight." Gwen took Sheridan's hands into her own. "I was there when Luis thought you had died. I saw the pain in his eyes—how he died right alongside you. Luis loves you more than his own life—we should all be so lucky to find a love like that."

"And you will find it, too, Gwen," Sheridan promised. "I just know there is a wonderful man out there for you."

Gwen smiled, her eyes dropping. "Yeah, well, tonight is not about me. Tonight is about you and Luis and the incredible love you share." Gwen's eyes rose to meet Sheridan's. "Thank you for still wanting me to be your maid of honor, Sheridan, after well . . . everything."

"Oh, Gwen." Sheridan embraced her. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Julian gulped down the last swig of his brandy and slammed his glass down on the desk. "For the last time, Father, there has got to be a better way of keeping Sheridan and Luis apart than killing her. My God, she's your own daughter! What would Mother think if she were alive?"

"Don't bring your mother into this, Julian." Alistair clenched his fist. "She was a damn fool, just like Sheridan. Always going on and on about how true love should win out in the end."

"Yes, well, maybe there's something to that." Julian yanked his coat out of the closet. "Maybe if I had stood up to you years ago the way Sheridan is standing up to you, I would be happy right now."

"Where do you think you're going, Julian?" Alistair glared at Julian as he strode across the room to the door.

"To take a walk." Julian scowled at his father. "I know it's what all the common folk in Harmony do, but Grace Bennett always seems quite happy when I run into her taking one—and God knows that woman could use some cheering up after eating one of her own tomato soup cakes."

"I'm warning you, Julian . . ."

"No, Father! I've had enough! First, you destroyed my life, and now, you're trying to destroy Sheridan's." Julian yanked on his coat. "All those years ago, I didn't stand up for Eve, and for what? God knows, you're never going to reinstate me as your heir."

Alistair slammed his fists down on the desk. "I did it for the good the family, for the good of the Crane empire!"

Julian stopped and raised his eyebrows. "For the good the family?" Julian shook his head and laughed. "Tell me, Father, how is it good for the family to be without the ones you love?"

Alistair shook his fist. "Now, you listen to me, Julian, and you listen to me well!"

"I can't listen to this anymore, Father."

Taking one last swig of his brandy, Julian stalked out of the library and slammed the door behind him.