Title: Diamonds, Chapter 5.
Rating: PG
Warnings: very mild language, angst.
Characters/Pairings: Sheridan, Luis, mentions of Alistair, original character.
Summary (for chapter): This engagement, this marriage, it's just another way to expand his millions, his power.
Chapter 5
"Juliet, you're the only one I can talk to," Sheridan confessed with a sigh. She rested her golden head against the mare's warm neck, and Juliet neighed in response. Sheridan laughed softly at the notion that the horse was agreeing with her, and scratched lovingly between her ears. "You are," she insisted, and Juliet nuzzled her palm, bringing a smile to Sheridan's lips. "I love you, too."
"Talking to your four-legged friend again?"
Sheridan's breath caught, and her smile faltered as she remembered Luis's behavior toward her since the revelation she was indeed Alistair Crane's heiress daughter. "So what if I am?" she responded coolly, watching the smirk on Luis's handsome face disappear.
Luis's feelings of distrust and hatred for all things Crane started a slow simmer beneath the surface. He shucked the tuxedo jacket he wore off of his shoulders and jerked at the tie around his neck impatiently. "What's wrong? Trouble in paradise?"
Sheridan looked at him strangely, greatly confused by his comment. Whatever was he talking about? "I…trouble in paradise? What kind of question is that?" Paradise, she inwardly scoffed. By no means was her life paradise. Paradise would be freedom. Paradise would be honesty. Paradise would be knowing someone in this big world loved her, warts and all.
Luis rattled on, oblivious to her inner turmoil. "I bet Old Man Crane wouldn't take too kindly to finding out his daughter feigned illness to escape to the stables to continue an ongoing affair with one tall, leggy horse," he sneered. "What would the fiance think?"
"He's not my keeper," Sheridan blurted angrily.
When Sheridan emerged from the shadows, Luis lost all train of thought. The girl didn't know how beautiful she was in the soft glow of the lantern he held.
"What?" Sheridan questioned. "Cat got your tongue?"
Her tone was teasing, but her eyes told a different story, at least to Luis. There was so much hurt there, a deep sadness Luis was sure she hid masterfully from the rest of the world. Why, then, was she allowing him to see it?
"He's not my keeper," Sheridan asserted. Grabbing a curry brush, she stroked Juliet's coat gently.
Luis fought the urge to reach out to her when her motions slowed and her chin quivered.
"He's not," Sheridan repeated, whispered. "He's not, Luis. I don't love him, and does my father care?" Her blue eyes shimmered with tears as she answered herself. "No. Father doesn't care about me. This engagement, this marriage, it's just another way to expand his millions, his power. But you already know that, don't you?" Luis gently took the brush from her grasp, and Sheridan watched its descent into the hay below. "You hate him," Sheridan voiced her realization. "You hate all Cranes."
Luis fingered the thin spaghetti straps of Sheridan's dress, and he watched her shiver. She gazed up at him and waited for a denial to fall from his lips. When it didn't come, she stepped back and shook her head.
"Nevermind." Sheridan didn't bother to hide her dismay. "Your silence says enough. Leave, Luis. I won't tell Father you skipped out early on your job. I have to save my own hide, after all." Rubbing at her arms briskly, she tried to ward off the chill she suddenly felt traveling along her skin. She turned to go, but she didn't get far.
Finally finding his voice, Luis stopped her in her tracks with his vehement answer. "No." He grabbed his tuxedo jacket from its resting place across the top of Juliet's stall and wrapped the midnight material around her shoulders carefully. "I don't hate all Cranes," he told her sincerely. "I don't hate you," he whispered as he brushed a gentle hand through her hair.
Sheridan held her breath.
"Hay," Luis explained with a smile. "You had it in your hair."
Slightly disappointed, Sheridan couldn't resist sighing. "Oh. Thanks. Thank you. You don't…you don't hate me?"
She sounded like a hurt little girl, and Luis pulled her to him without thinking. "I don't hate you," he repeated once more. She clutched at his shirt desperately in response, and seconds later, he felt the warmth of her tears seeping through his shirt ot his skin. "Enough tears, okay?" Wiping her tears away with his thumbs, he smiled encouragingly at her.
Sheridan nodded and started to slip from his comforting embrace when Luis reeled her back in.
"Hey. Where are you going? I didn't say you could leave." Sheridan returned his smile when she realized he was teasing her. "You going to hold me prisoner?"
"Something like that," Luis laughed. Tilting his head to the side, he told her, "It sounds like the party's still going. The music's still playing. I couldn't help but notice Colin is rather, uh, untalented when it comes to, aww hell," he swore softly. "The man can't dance."
His rambling assessment had Sheridan bursting into helpless laughter. "You're being too hard on him. He only broke two of my toes."
"Two too many," Luis jested. "So…"
"So what?" Sheridan whispered back. Feigning ignorance to his intentions, she squealed when Luis grabbed her hand and hauled her close. "Alright," she giggled. "I would love to dance."
Luis grinned at her reaction. Mission accomplished. "I promise I won't break anymore of your lovely toes."
Sheridan laughed and laughed as Luis twirled her long into the night.
Boy just can't help himself, can he?
:)