AN: Wow, you guys think this is GOOD STUFF? All of this (all 5 stories) were written 2-3 years ago (depending on the story). I personally think the stuff I write now is a lot better. Hehe. But sorry to disappoint you guys… I haven't written any Passions stories in a while. Thanks though. That means a lot.
ashes of roses: No, you are NOT overdoing it on the reviews. (I was going to say that's not possible, but one anonymous reviewer once left me 16 copies of the same review on one of my stories once. That was not cool.) Thanks for all your encouraging stuff. And there's an update right now (like I got your review 2 minutes ago), so you don't have to wait too long! =D
Okay, here's the story now…
Love Always (part 2)
After they were all done eating, Rachel and Skylar were still really, really hyper. Ethan suggested they go and meet Faith Lopez-Fitzgerald, Luis and Theresa's niece. "Okay!!!" they said, really jumpy. The four of them went to drop off the twins at Miguel and Charity Lopez-Fitzgerald's house.
They rang the doorbell and Charity answered. "Hi, Luis, Theresa, Ethan... and Sheridan," she said, surprised.
"Hey, Charity," Luis said to his sister-in-law.
"Come in," Charity gestured. She opened the door for the six of them. "Miguel!" she called. "Your brother and sister are here!"
Miguel rushed into the living room, along with Faith. "Aunt Theresa! Uncle Luis! Hi!" Faith ran to hug them.
"Hi, Faith," Luis said, picking up his niece. "I missed you, you know," he said, ruffling her hair. "You look more like your mom every day."
"I do?" asked Faith.
"Yep," said Theresa. "And we have a surprise for you, Faith."
"What is it, what is it?"
"I know you're kind of lonely around here, so... we brought some girls for you to play with." Theresa stepped aside to reveal Rachel and Skylar.
"Hi!" Skylar waved.
"Hi," Faith said, a little shy.
Miguel and Charity were surprised. "Um... Theresa, who are they?"
"Rachel and Skylar Crane."
"Crane?"
"That's right," Sheridan said, speaking up. "My twin daughters."
"Sheridan?" Miguel asked.
"Yes, it's me, Miguel."
"Hi! Wow, it's been so long! How are you?"
"I'm fine," Sheridan responded. "And you have a beautiful girl here. Her name is Faith?"
"Yes," Charity said, "after her grandmother. Come! Sit down." She gestured to the sofa. The six adults sat down, with Faith, Rachel and Skylar playing around them. "So, Theresa," Miguel said. "Only two weeks until the wedding, huh?"
"Yup. And I designed the dress!"
"Wow, Theresa, you really are talented," Sheridan said. Luis just kept staring at her twins and noticed how much alike they looked to Faith. "Sheridan, I'm so glad you're home. I would love to have you in my wedding," Theresa said.
"Of course! I'd be honored to be in it," Sheridan replied.
"Oh! Theresa, there's something I want to show you," Charity said. "Come with me... it's in the kitchen." Theresa and Charity left the room.
"Ethan," Miguel said, "I have something here that you could probably use for yours and Theresa's wedding. Come on, I'll show you." Miguel led Ethan into the kitchen, and Sheridan and Luis were alone once again.
"Sheridan... your girls look a lot like my niece," Luis finally spoke up.
*That's because they're cousins...* "They do?" Sheridan asked. She took a look and realized it. "Yes, they do."
"Sheridan... why did you leave so many years ago?"
"It's a long story..."
*Flashback*
Sheridan just came home from the doctor's. "Yes," she said into her phone, "it's positive. I'm pregnant." *How am I going to tell everyone about this? They're going to freak...Now they're going to know what really happened between Luis and me... I've got to leave...and now.*
*Real time*
"Luis... I had to leave. If I didn't, then both our lives would have exploded in our faces."
"So... you still cared about me when you left?"
"Yes! I left because I cared, Luis. I didn't want you to get hurt. If only I had told you before I left... then maybe..."
"Told me what, Sheridan?" Sheridan looked at her twins, playing happily with their cousin. "Rachel, come here," she said. Rachel stopped playing and immediately went to her mother. Skylar was having way too much fun with Faith to even notice. "Rachel," she said, "tell Luis what your full name is."
"Okay, Mommy. My name is Rachel Theresa LF Crane," she said to Luis.
"Rachel Theresa, huh?"
"Yup," said Rachel. "Can I go now, mommy?"
"Yes, Rachel. Thank you." Rachel left and went to play.
"What does that have to do with it?" Luis said.
"I named Rachel after her aunt..." Sheridan trailed off.
"You don't have a sister named Rachel, do you?"
"No... but..." Luis still didn't get it. "Wait, Sheridan, what does the LF stand for in their names?"
"Lopez-Fitzgerald."
"You mean... they're Lopez-Fitzgeralds too? Then that means..."
"I might as well just say it, Luis. My girls... are your daughters. Your twins, right there."
"You mean I'm their father?" Luis was amazed.
"Yes." Sheridan nodded, her eyes full of light once again. "I was thrilled when I found out I was pregnant with them. But... I knew that Julian and Alistair would kill me if they knew that we were seeing each other, so I ran away. I'm so sorry that I had to leave without saying goodbye, but if I had written or called, they would have found out. I didn't want to leave, but I had to... for both our sakes. And Rachel and Skylar's."
Luis was still sitting there, staring at his daughters. "Then that means... Faith is their cousin?"
"That's right. And their cousin Ethan is getting married to their Aunt Theresa... that's where I got Rachel's middle name from... so..."
"Sheridan, I'm so glad you're back. Do you think we could start over from where we left off?" Luis asked, hopeful.
"I'd love to... You know, Luis, I still care about you. A lot. And my girls need their father..." Sheridan trailed off, looking into Luis' eyes. Their faces were inches apart.
"Sheridan, I love you... and nothing will ever change that." He kissed her gently. She smiled. "So... you want to go out tomorrow or something?" she asked.
"I'd love that. But..." Luis said, "when do we tell them about me?" He gestured towards the girls.
"We'll tell them together." Sheridan smiled. "Luis, I'm so glad I found you again... I love you too." Luis kissed her forehead and put his arm around her, and Sheridan rested her head on his chest. Theresa, Ethan, Miguel and Charity all walked in, and found them looking at their little girls. They smiled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(A week later)
Sheridan and Luis walked into their daughters' room in the Crane Mansion. "Good morning," Sheridan said, opening the curtains.
"Ahh! Mommy, it's too bright," Skylar protested.
"Oh well, Skye, you're going to have to get used to it, because it's time to wake up!"
Rachel rolled over in her bed. "Mommy..." she said, groggily.
"Morning, Rachel." She went over and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Sleep well?"
"Yes. Mommy, I had the most amazing dream," Rachel said.
"Well, what was it about?" Sheridan asked, sitting on the bed.
"You and Daddy found each other... and we finally met him... and then, you and Daddy got married with cousin Ethan and Aunt Theresa... and we all lived happily ever after."
Sheridan glanced over at Luis, who smiled at her. "I think it's time we told you girls," Sheridan said.
"Tell us what?" Skylar asked.
"About your daddy. Do you know what the LF in your name is?"
"You told us it was Daddy's last name."
"It is. But shortened. I'll tell you what it stands for. You ready?"
"Yeah!"
"Well, it stands for Lopez-Fitzgerald."
Skylar remembered first. "That's the guy's name! The one that looks like the picture of Daddy! Does that mean...?"
"Yes, Skye." Luis spoke up and sat on his daughter's bed. "I'm your daddy. Yours and Rachel's."
Skylar sat up in the bed and hugged Luis. "Daddy! I'm so glad you're here. Now we can all be one, big happy family. I missed you so much."
"Me, too," Rachel said, across the room.
"So did I," Sheridan said, giving Luis a hug.
"Well, I missed you all. Look at that, my three girls. You know what?" Luis said.
"What, daddy?" Rachel wanted to know.
"I love you all. You, Rachel Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane, and you too, Skylar Veronica Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane. Oh, and you too, Sheridan Crane soon-to-be Lopez-Fitzgerald. That is, if you say yes..." Luis took out a ring and presented it to Sheridan. "Will you marry me?"
Sheridan gasped. "Of course! Now our daughters can have the father they deserve." She kissed Luis and he held her, while Rachel crawled into their cuddle and Skylar climbed up on top of them. "Yay! Now we're one, big, happy family!" Luis smiled at Sheridan, who smiled back. Then he scooped up Rachel and Skylar and kissed their heads. "I'm so glad we're finally together," Luis whispered to his girls. "I love you, you know that? Forever and always."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
(A week after that)
Theresa and Sheridan were in the vestibule. "Theresa," Sheridan said to her soon to be sister and cousin in law, "you look gorgeous."
"You, too, Sheridan. I can't believe you and Luis are getting married... with me and Ethan."
"I hope we didn't crash your wedding."
"No, of course not! You know we love you both. And those two adorable girls of yours." Theresa smiled at her nieces. "So, Rachel, Skylar, you ready? You know, you have a big job today."
"We have to sprinkle the flowers all over the little walkway," Skylar said proudly.
"Yes, I know, and you will do a great job, Skye. I just know it." Sheridan smiled at her daughter.
"Mommy, I'm so happy you found Daddy," Rachel commented. "I missed him... and I know you did, too."
"I did. But now... we're together, and nothing is going to tear us apart." She hugged her little girls, and then the music started. "Oh! Come on, it's time for you to do your very important job!"
Rachel and Skylar walked down the aisle, sprinkling rose petals all over. Luis beamed when he saw his daughters. *They're beautiful... just like their mother.* When they reached the altar they stood next to Charity, Whitney and Sheridan's old friend Vicki. Then... Theresa walked in, on the arm of Miguel. Ethan looked so happy, and he and his bride shared a smile. Then... Sheridan walked in. By herself. Her father and brother had died, and her nephew was standing at the altar, beaming at his bride. So no one gave her away.
Luis' breath caught in his throat when he saw Sheridan. *She's as beautiful as the day I first laid eyes on her... and to think that I'd be marrying her?* Sheridan had made it to the altar, took Luis' hands, and smiled up at him. "I love you, Luis."
"And I love you too, Sheridan. I will always love you."