I'LL STAND BY YOU
*Note: This fanfiction takes place right after Luis starts the "intervention" for Antonio at the Crane Mansion.
Antonio stopped Luis mid-sentence and said, "Luis, I think I know why you had all my friends and everybody-" he glanced around the room, "-here tonight."
Luis threw a quick side glance at Sheridan and said, "You do?"
"Yes, I think I do." Antonio went on, "It's about my health isn't it?" Antonio looked back at Eve, "That's why Dr. Russel is here, and all of your are here...I'm going to die sooner than expected."
"No no Antonio," Sheridan stood up and interrupted, "No that's not it, Eve says that your condition hasn't changed."
"Oh," Antonio said, faultering, "Well then what is it?"
Luis leaned forward and started, "The reason I asked everybody here today is because, I have to tell you something. Something very important."
"Okay, go on." Antonio said.
"Well," Luis's voice went out then back in as he tried to gain his confidence back into his voice, "You know that Sheridan lived here, in Harmony, before you met her and she had amnesia."
"Yes yes, of course." Antonio said.
Sheridan sat down next to Luis and said, "Do you remember my lover? The one that we decided must of been dead?"
"Yeah I do." Antonio said.
"Well, he's not dead." Sheridan said.
"What?" Said Antonio, surprised, "well then, where is he, who is he?"
Luis hesitated before he said, "It's me."
"What? You?" Antonio said, "But I don't understand.." he paused, "Are you saying that you and Sheridan were...together?"
"Not just were together, Antonio." Luis said, then he took Sheridan's hands, "Are together."
Sheridan leaned closer to Antonio and said, "I care for you Antonio, and I love you like a brother."
"What? What are you saying..." Then, suddenly Antonio hit the ground.
Fainted, dead away on the ground. Eve went to his side and the room gasped and rushed forward.
"Eve, Eve what's happened?" Sheridan asked rapidly.
"He's fainted," Even said as she checked his pulse, "His pulse is weak, but it's there. It must just be from shock."
"Will he be alright?" Luis asked, somewhat frantic.
"Yes I think so.." Eve said, "It looks like he's just unconious," she dug through her bag looking for something, "I have some smelling salts with me that should wake him up." She held them up to Antonio's nose and waved them around.
He coughed, then lifted his head and woke up saying, "Whoa, where name I?"
"You're at the Crane Mansion, Antonio." Eve answered, "What is the last thing you remember?"
Antonio stood up and then sat in a chair while everybody else surrounded him as he said, "I remember..I remember coming here and walking through the manison doors saying hi to everbody, then..then my mind goes..blank."
Sheridan and Luis exchanged glances and then Sheridan said, "Yes well nothing really happened after that, we just came in here and you just passed out. Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes," he took Sheridan's hands, "I feel fine, now."
Then Luis said, "Uh Sheridan, why don't you come here and give me a hand with some tea."
They walked out of the room and into the lobby as Sheridan spoke in a hurried whisper, "See Luis! We can't tell him, he could die!"
"Yeah, or we could die Sheridan." Luis said, "What about our love? You know Antonio is going to expect you to sleep with him, and how will you keep puting him off? What is your plan, to live a lie until he dies? That isn't fair to anybody, least of all Antonio."
Sheridan thought for a moment, then looked at Antonio and said, "I can't. I can't lose him like this."
Luis's eyes sadden and then he looked down and then looked back at Sheridan and said, "Do you love him? Because if you do you can just tell me."
"No Luis, you know I love you." She put her hands on his shoulders and added, "I love you."
"I love you too Sheridan," Luis said, "But we can't go on this way. We have to tell him the truth."
"We can't tell him, Luis! If we tell him we could kill him."
"I know, don't you think I know that?" Luis said, "He's my brother and I love him, but Sheridan you are the love of my life and I can't risk losing you, again. It's happened too many times. I love you Sheridan, but I don't know if I can do this anymore. We have to tell him the truth."
Just then Antonio came in and said, "Luis, Sheridan, why is everybody here anyway? Do you have something to tell me?"
Sheridan and Luis exchanged glances.
"No" Sheridan said, but at the same time Luis said, "Yes"
Antonio gave them a weird look and said, "Well do you or don't you?"
Then Luis looked in Sheridan's worried eyes and said, after a pause, "No, I guess we don't." Luis looked down at his pager and said, "I got a page from the Police Station, I have to go."
Then Luis grabbed his coat and walked out of the mansion, leaving Sheridan a bit dazed and behind.
After a second Sheridan said, "Oh, Antonio, I forgot to ask Luis something."
She was about to run out the door, when Antonio stoped her and asked, "What do ya need to asks him?"
"Umm.." Sheridan thought frantically, "For his..recipe! Yes, his speical garlic chicken recipe." Antonio gave her a questionable look and then Sheridan said, "Be right back." and darted out the door.
"Luis!" she called.
He didn't even turn around when he said, "I have to go."
Sheridan caught up with him and then she grabbed his arming, turning him to face her and she said, "Luis, the Police Station didn't really page you, did they? You just wanted out of there."
"Actually the Police Station did page me, but you were right, I did want out of there." Luis said.
"You know," Sheridan said, angered at the world for putting them in this situation, "It's really horrible how you want to make Antonio's last days ones where he is alone-"
"-alone? Alone?" Luis said, his temper getting to him, "He'll have all his family and friends around him, surounding him when he learns the truth. At least he wouldn't be living a lie." he paused and looked away, but then looked Sheridan in the eyes again, "Where was he when I heard mama crying herself to sleep night in and night out because of papa, and him. He could of been here in Harmony for us but he wasn't, so don't give me alone."
Sheridan paused and took Luis's hand, "I know Luis, I know." she hesitated and then said, "But we can't tell him now."
Luis pulled away and then said, "We're going in circles Sheridan. Antonio deserves the best. He deserves the truth."
"Even if the truth kills him?" Sheridan said.
There was a pause before Luis said, "So what's your plan, Sheridan? Pretend like you love him and sleep with him until he dies?"
"Luis! Don't say it like that." Sheridan opposed.
"That's what it would be though, wouldn't it?" Luis paused, unable to look her in the eye anymore, "Now I have to go back to the Police Station."
He started to turn to go when Sheridan said, "But Luis, what about us?"
"What about us?" Luis asked, looking her in the eye very questioningly, "You refuse to tell Antonio the truth, and you know he's going to want to sleep with you tonight. It's in your hands now."
Then Luis made way to the Police Station and Sheridan paused, wide-mouth, but then turned for the Crane Mansion.
****
"Hey Sam, what's going on?" Luis said as he walked into the Police Station, now in uniform.
"Hey Luis, glad you could get here so quick." Sam said hurridly as he gathered his gun and patted Luis's back and said, "Come, we got a hostage situation."
As they were in the Police car Luis asked, "Hostage sitaution? Where is it?"
"451 Maple Ave." Sam replied, "Nobody I know, but apparently it's a car hi-jacker holding a man hostage."
"Ok let's go." Luis said, thoughts of Sheridan still running through his mind.
****
"Did you get the recipe?" Antonio asked Sheridan, who was on the brink of tears.
"What?" Sheridan asked, confused, "oh right yes, I did." she said as she realized what he was talking about.
"Well good, I'm glad." Antonio said, smiling.
Then Sheridan leaned against a table and Antonio said, "Are you alright honey?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine I just got dizzy for a moment there." Sheridan said.
She stood up straight for a minute, but then her face cringed and she closed her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Antonio asked.
Sheridan shook her head and said, "I don't know, I just feel like something horrible has happened."
"Huh that's odd." Antonio said, "Well I'm sure it's just your imagination running on overtime."
"Yeah, I guess so.." Sheridan said, although not really convinced.
They visited for a few mintutes, until the phone rang, Pilar answered, gasped and then said a series of "ok"s before hanging up.
"What is it?" Sheridan asked as they all stood waiting for an answer.
Pilar paused, trying to keep it together. She started walking to the door as she said, "Come on, we must go to the hospital."
"What? Why?" Eve asked as she and Sheridan exchanged worried glances.
"I'm fine mama really," Antonio said, thinking that Pilar wanted Antonio admited to the hospital.
"No, it's not you Antonio." Pilar said, making way to the door.
Sheridan stepped forward and said, "Who is it Pilar?"
She paused, being to cry but didn't sob when she said, "It's Luis." she paused and Sheridan gasped, "He's been shot."
TO BE CONTINUED
*Note: This fanfiction takes place right after Luis starts the "intervention" for Antonio at the Crane Mansion.
Antonio stopped Luis mid-sentence and said, "Luis, I think I know why you had all my friends and everybody-" he glanced around the room, "-here tonight."
Luis threw a quick side glance at Sheridan and said, "You do?"
"Yes, I think I do." Antonio went on, "It's about my health isn't it?" Antonio looked back at Eve, "That's why Dr. Russel is here, and all of your are here...I'm going to die sooner than expected."
"No no Antonio," Sheridan stood up and interrupted, "No that's not it, Eve says that your condition hasn't changed."
"Oh," Antonio said, faultering, "Well then what is it?"
Luis leaned forward and started, "The reason I asked everybody here today is because, I have to tell you something. Something very important."
"Okay, go on." Antonio said.
"Well," Luis's voice went out then back in as he tried to gain his confidence back into his voice, "You know that Sheridan lived here, in Harmony, before you met her and she had amnesia."
"Yes yes, of course." Antonio said.
Sheridan sat down next to Luis and said, "Do you remember my lover? The one that we decided must of been dead?"
"Yeah I do." Antonio said.
"Well, he's not dead." Sheridan said.
"What?" Said Antonio, surprised, "well then, where is he, who is he?"
Luis hesitated before he said, "It's me."
"What? You?" Antonio said, "But I don't understand.." he paused, "Are you saying that you and Sheridan were...together?"
"Not just were together, Antonio." Luis said, then he took Sheridan's hands, "Are together."
Sheridan leaned closer to Antonio and said, "I care for you Antonio, and I love you like a brother."
"What? What are you saying..." Then, suddenly Antonio hit the ground.
Fainted, dead away on the ground. Eve went to his side and the room gasped and rushed forward.
"Eve, Eve what's happened?" Sheridan asked rapidly.
"He's fainted," Even said as she checked his pulse, "His pulse is weak, but it's there. It must just be from shock."
"Will he be alright?" Luis asked, somewhat frantic.
"Yes I think so.." Eve said, "It looks like he's just unconious," she dug through her bag looking for something, "I have some smelling salts with me that should wake him up." She held them up to Antonio's nose and waved them around.
He coughed, then lifted his head and woke up saying, "Whoa, where name I?"
"You're at the Crane Mansion, Antonio." Eve answered, "What is the last thing you remember?"
Antonio stood up and then sat in a chair while everybody else surrounded him as he said, "I remember..I remember coming here and walking through the manison doors saying hi to everbody, then..then my mind goes..blank."
Sheridan and Luis exchanged glances and then Sheridan said, "Yes well nothing really happened after that, we just came in here and you just passed out. Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes," he took Sheridan's hands, "I feel fine, now."
Then Luis said, "Uh Sheridan, why don't you come here and give me a hand with some tea."
They walked out of the room and into the lobby as Sheridan spoke in a hurried whisper, "See Luis! We can't tell him, he could die!"
"Yeah, or we could die Sheridan." Luis said, "What about our love? You know Antonio is going to expect you to sleep with him, and how will you keep puting him off? What is your plan, to live a lie until he dies? That isn't fair to anybody, least of all Antonio."
Sheridan thought for a moment, then looked at Antonio and said, "I can't. I can't lose him like this."
Luis's eyes sadden and then he looked down and then looked back at Sheridan and said, "Do you love him? Because if you do you can just tell me."
"No Luis, you know I love you." She put her hands on his shoulders and added, "I love you."
"I love you too Sheridan," Luis said, "But we can't go on this way. We have to tell him the truth."
"We can't tell him, Luis! If we tell him we could kill him."
"I know, don't you think I know that?" Luis said, "He's my brother and I love him, but Sheridan you are the love of my life and I can't risk losing you, again. It's happened too many times. I love you Sheridan, but I don't know if I can do this anymore. We have to tell him the truth."
Just then Antonio came in and said, "Luis, Sheridan, why is everybody here anyway? Do you have something to tell me?"
Sheridan and Luis exchanged glances.
"No" Sheridan said, but at the same time Luis said, "Yes"
Antonio gave them a weird look and said, "Well do you or don't you?"
Then Luis looked in Sheridan's worried eyes and said, after a pause, "No, I guess we don't." Luis looked down at his pager and said, "I got a page from the Police Station, I have to go."
Then Luis grabbed his coat and walked out of the mansion, leaving Sheridan a bit dazed and behind.
After a second Sheridan said, "Oh, Antonio, I forgot to ask Luis something."
She was about to run out the door, when Antonio stoped her and asked, "What do ya need to asks him?"
"Umm.." Sheridan thought frantically, "For his..recipe! Yes, his speical garlic chicken recipe." Antonio gave her a questionable look and then Sheridan said, "Be right back." and darted out the door.
"Luis!" she called.
He didn't even turn around when he said, "I have to go."
Sheridan caught up with him and then she grabbed his arming, turning him to face her and she said, "Luis, the Police Station didn't really page you, did they? You just wanted out of there."
"Actually the Police Station did page me, but you were right, I did want out of there." Luis said.
"You know," Sheridan said, angered at the world for putting them in this situation, "It's really horrible how you want to make Antonio's last days ones where he is alone-"
"-alone? Alone?" Luis said, his temper getting to him, "He'll have all his family and friends around him, surounding him when he learns the truth. At least he wouldn't be living a lie." he paused and looked away, but then looked Sheridan in the eyes again, "Where was he when I heard mama crying herself to sleep night in and night out because of papa, and him. He could of been here in Harmony for us but he wasn't, so don't give me alone."
Sheridan paused and took Luis's hand, "I know Luis, I know." she hesitated and then said, "But we can't tell him now."
Luis pulled away and then said, "We're going in circles Sheridan. Antonio deserves the best. He deserves the truth."
"Even if the truth kills him?" Sheridan said.
There was a pause before Luis said, "So what's your plan, Sheridan? Pretend like you love him and sleep with him until he dies?"
"Luis! Don't say it like that." Sheridan opposed.
"That's what it would be though, wouldn't it?" Luis paused, unable to look her in the eye anymore, "Now I have to go back to the Police Station."
He started to turn to go when Sheridan said, "But Luis, what about us?"
"What about us?" Luis asked, looking her in the eye very questioningly, "You refuse to tell Antonio the truth, and you know he's going to want to sleep with you tonight. It's in your hands now."
Then Luis made way to the Police Station and Sheridan paused, wide-mouth, but then turned for the Crane Mansion.
****
"Hey Sam, what's going on?" Luis said as he walked into the Police Station, now in uniform.
"Hey Luis, glad you could get here so quick." Sam said hurridly as he gathered his gun and patted Luis's back and said, "Come, we got a hostage situation."
As they were in the Police car Luis asked, "Hostage sitaution? Where is it?"
"451 Maple Ave." Sam replied, "Nobody I know, but apparently it's a car hi-jacker holding a man hostage."
"Ok let's go." Luis said, thoughts of Sheridan still running through his mind.
****
"Did you get the recipe?" Antonio asked Sheridan, who was on the brink of tears.
"What?" Sheridan asked, confused, "oh right yes, I did." she said as she realized what he was talking about.
"Well good, I'm glad." Antonio said, smiling.
Then Sheridan leaned against a table and Antonio said, "Are you alright honey?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine I just got dizzy for a moment there." Sheridan said.
She stood up straight for a minute, but then her face cringed and she closed her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Antonio asked.
Sheridan shook her head and said, "I don't know, I just feel like something horrible has happened."
"Huh that's odd." Antonio said, "Well I'm sure it's just your imagination running on overtime."
"Yeah, I guess so.." Sheridan said, although not really convinced.
They visited for a few mintutes, until the phone rang, Pilar answered, gasped and then said a series of "ok"s before hanging up.
"What is it?" Sheridan asked as they all stood waiting for an answer.
Pilar paused, trying to keep it together. She started walking to the door as she said, "Come on, we must go to the hospital."
"What? Why?" Eve asked as she and Sheridan exchanged worried glances.
"I'm fine mama really," Antonio said, thinking that Pilar wanted Antonio admited to the hospital.
"No, it's not you Antonio." Pilar said, making way to the door.
Sheridan stepped forward and said, "Who is it Pilar?"
She paused, being to cry but didn't sob when she said, "It's Luis." she paused and Sheridan gasped, "He's been shot."
TO BE CONTINUED