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About two weeks have passed since the events of the last story of the Legacy series. This story is one I've been planning for quite a while and felt now was the right time for it to be written. My immense love for Carlos' family can no longer go unnoticed. For the first time in WTR history, all of his family that we were introduced to in various episodes are together in one story. Also, we will be introduced to a few new faces in the Sandoval family.

Like the previous tale, this story is still set in the approximately two-month time frame in between "Moment of Truth" and "Fighting Back" per the SOT world and during the period of time when Walker, Alex, Gage, Sydney, and even Trivette were out of town in "Tall Cotton." By the end of this story, we will have entered the events of "The Lynn Sisters." Thanks again for reading and reviewing! Enjoy :)

FAMILY REUNION

Chapter One

Katheryn let herself enjoy about five extra minutes of relaxation by White Rock Lake, enjoying the piercing pink sunset hues glistening over the waters until she finally resolved it was time to leave. She glanced at her watch wide-eyed to the realization that it was already a quarter passed five. And she was supposed to be ready for Carlos to pick her up at her apartment at six. She then shifted into scramble mode, throwing her belongings gently into her backpack and slinging it onto her shoulder before racing calmly across the grass water's edge to the parking lot just beyond a sheltered grove of trees. In seconds, she was cruising on the roads of inner Dallas in route for home and the flurry of activity she imagined was to follow.

Both Carlos and she had been waiting for the right moment to plan for his family to meet Katheryn. But no time seemed to come up as appropriate until Carlos' sister Teresa had told him there was to be a family reunion of sorts in several weeks. Immediately, Carlos set aside his menial fears and asked Katheryn if she would like to take the trip to Austin with him for his family reunion. She quickly consented, eager to meet some of the family Carlos had only told her about. Yet she had quickly developed a nervousness about the whole ordeal and began mulling doubts in her mind. What if Carlos' mother was some stuck up old lady who wouldn't approve of her son's potential choice of mate? What if his other sister was some arrogant rich girl intent upon ruining her brother's relationship? Yet as quick as she had let these thoughts filter into her mind, she quickly cast them aside and took a few consecutive days to unwind, journaling and finally piecing together some of C.D.'s stories for the book she still planned to write.

Her little plan had worked. Nearly all her fears were gone. And she was now eager and ready for the trip ahead. But if she didn't hurry home, she may not have to worry over it at all. She knew Carlos would wait for her. But she didn't want to put this off. They would need every minute of the three hour drive to reach their destination and check in to their hotel before they got plenty of rest to face the activities of the next day. It seemed like both an instantaneous moment and an eternity all within the same breath, Katheryn mused as she pulled to a stop in front of her apartment building and turned off the engine.

Carlos had already arrived, Kath noted by the presence of his Durango next to her own car. But he was nowhere to be found. Just as Katheryn was climbing from her Stingray, she turned, soaking in the brilliant sunset that encompassed the Dallas skyline. A smile teased her lips as she tugged at her backpack and shut her car door. She'd miss that view. But this trip was worth so much more to her.

Her thoughts must of have been jumbled beyond recognition or she simply wasn't prepared for the onslaught of coffee that flew haphazardly all over her outfit as the entrance to the apartment swung mercilessly open. Katheryn gasped and doubled-back, nearly losing her balance to the escaping menace who was now charging away from the scene. Whoever they were, they paid little regard to Katheryn who stood dumbfounded at her ruined shirt. She could have cried but wouldn't let herself. This trip had to be perfect. Not just for her but for Carlos. And now she'd be delayed again.

Katheryn managed to mop up the bare necessities of the mess with two or three restaurant napkins from lunch she had stashed in her purse. But their efforts could not hide the obvious. Her outfit was ruined.

Unable to reach her keys, Kath rapped on her apartment door three gentle times and waited, her smile having faded to despair.

As the door opened, Molly's smile too went from bright to dim. "Oh my! What happened to you, Kath?! Come inside. Let's get you out of those clothes."

Katheryn sighed sharply as she followed Molly inside. "Some lunatic flew out of the apartment as I was coming in. Apparently they thought my shirt could use a few mocha highlights."

"I'm so sorry, Kath."

"It was sorta hot too."

"Ouch," Molly exclaimed. "You need to take a shower then?"

"Yeah," Kath continued to frown. "I'll take a bath though. Relax my muscles for a second. That way I won't have to spend time doing my hair again. At least the coffee missed my hair. For that I can be thankful I guess." Katheryn heard a bit of laughter coming from her bedroom and stopped abruptly. "Who's in there?!"

Molly grinned and was about to answer when Carlos and Tommy revealed themselves.

"Kath," Carlos beamed and nearly wrapped her in a quick embrace. But Katheryn took a step back, preventing him from doing so. His brows furrowed, glancing her over. He then relaxed. "Didn't care for your coffee?" Carlos cracked a smile.

"Very funny," Katheryn scoffed and wove her way in between Molly and Carlos on her way to the bathroom. She gave the door a bit of a slam and rested her back against the door to run a handy over her weary face. This day was not going how she wanted it too. Carlos didn't deserve this. Maybe this was all a waste of time. Surely they could plan a better time for her to meet the rest of his family. Snap out of it, Kath quickly reprimanded herself. Everything's going to be okay. Get yourself together! And that she did, quickly selecting a casual blouse and jeans to change into after her bath.

Half an hour later, Katheryn stepped out of her bath and wrapped her towel around her. She ambled over to the mirror to check her hair and makeup. It actually was not that bad. In fact, she couldn't have felt better if she tried. Somehow the very thing that tried to ruin the day had made it better. The bath was just what the doctor ordered.

Once in her fresh clothes, Katheryn sauntered out into the bedroom and smiled in her vanity mirror as she slipped in a pair of earrings and selected a scrunchie from her large, colorful collection. She tied her hair back resolutely and quickly grabbed her suitcase and purse. Finally, she was ready to go.

Carlos was waiting for her in the living room as Katheryn joined him and Molly. In fact, Kath noticed how quickly they stopped talking and cocked a smile at each of them. "What were you two talking about?"

"Oh, nothing." Carlos shrugged, winked, and reached to take her suitcase. "I'll meet you in the car."

Suddenly Katheryn was very suspicious. Carlos was never that edgy. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps this all was a bad idea.

Molly noticed the frown and quickly took her friend by her shoulders. "Hey, where's that smile?"

"Carlos," Katheryn explained. "Why is he acting so weird with me today?"

"I assure you nothing is wrong. In fact, he was just saying how much he's been looking forward to taking this trip with you. He's wanted you to meet his mom for so long. She means the world to him, Kath."

Katheryn's gently-growing smile seemed to wash all her fears away again. "Thanks, Molly." The two best friends wrapped their arms around each other. "I'll miss you."

"And I'll miss you more," Molly chuckled. "But it's only for a few days. You'll bring back a souvenir for me won't you?"

"Absolutely," Kath beamed and started for the door. She turned back one last wave as she closed the apartment door. As she walked alone to the elevator, she was suddenly filled with a dose of joy about the trip. Something inside of her seemed to tell her that everything was going to be just fine.

"So I should probably come clean about something," Carlos told Katheryn as they merged onto the freeway.

"Oh? What's that?"

"We aren't going to Austin."

"What? What do you mean? I thought you said I was going to meet your family?"

Carlos suppressed a smile. He couldn't lie very well. Besides, the look of concern on Kath's face was not worth the pain he would cause her by dragging this charade on any longer. "We're going to Mexico."

Katheryn was dumbfounded. "Excuse me? I didn't pack my passport just for your information."

Carlos reached inside his leather coat's pocket and drew out a shiny, navy blue passport and flashed it at her with a grin to go right along with it. "Molly helped me."

"You! So that's what you two were talking about." Katheryn crossed her arms and laughed the matter away.

"That…among other things," Carlos mumbled.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. All I said was she found it in your things."

"Oh," Kath nodded, her nose in the air as she could read Carlos like a book. He was still hiding something from her. She wasn't sure what that could possibly be. But he had never lied to her since they first met last year. Why would he start now?

"Just one question. Why did you say we were going to Austin in the first place?" Kath reasoned.

"That's where my mom lives. Teresa found a perfect retirement community for her there. She's made tons of friends."

"I don't understand," Katheryn inserted. "Dallas has plenty of good retirement communities. And you and Teresa live here. And Carmen and Hector. Wouldn't she want to live near her family?"

"Well, not exactly," Carlos confessed, hesitating to explain. "She insisted to move there because she didn't want to be a burden on her family. She said it was the right thing to do."

Kath scoffed. "I can just imagine what you and Teresa said."

"Oh, you should have heard Teresa," Carlos smiled, remembering back several years ago. "Teresa would not hear a word of it. But after we saw how happy she was, we backed off and let her live her life since that's what she wanted us to do to."

Katheryn turned to watch Texas pass them by. She sighed. "That still doesn't seem right." Kath quickly turned back to Carlos. "But that still doesn't explain to me why we're going to Mexico of all places."

Carlos' cheesy grin nearly gave him away. "Our mother wanted to go there one last time. She insists she won't be around much longer. I think she'll outlive the lot of us. But anyways, she wanted to see the place where she grew up just one last time before she dies. And she wanted her family with her to see the place. Teresa thought what a better time for you to meet the Sandoval clan than that."

Katheryn's lips curved upward as she thought about how sweet of a gesture that sounded like. "You know, I think I'm rather looking forward to meeting your mom. She sounds like a wonderful woman from what you and Teresa have said."

Carlos flashed her a knowing smile in return, tempted to kiss her had he not been driving. "I think she'll like you too. At least I hope she does. Because I think you're very close to perfect, Miss Beaumont. Very close."