Title: Diamonds, Chapter 7
Rating: PG
Warnings: mild language, angst.
Characters/Pairings: Luis, Ivy, Sheridan, original characters, other Crane family members.
Summary (for chapter): "Time is running out, Luis," Ivy told him. "The wedding is only six weeks away…"

Chapter 7

Luis wiped the sweat from his brow with a groan. It was so damn hot, the hottest Harmony summer on record. The sun beat down relentlessly, making the unpleasant aroma that lingered in the stables even more disgusting, and Luis laid the pitchfork in his hands against the stall's wooden wall.

Juliet shook her head at him, her wise brown eyes tracking his every movement.

"You know," Luis began conversationally, quickly looking in each direction to make sure no one was listening to him, "I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't like you. Just a little bit," he held two fingers close together and showed her. When Juliet stared back at him indifferently, Luis sighed and scratched the mare affectionately between the ears. "You stink, you know that? What do you think Sheridan would think if she caught me talking to you?"

Juliet whinnied in apparent recognition of the name.

"I know," Luis frowned. "I miss her too." He hadn't seen hide nor hair of Sheridan in almost two weeks, and he couldn't help but worry about her. "I never meant to hurt her," he told the horse with a pat to her neck. "But maybe things are better this way. She's engaged to someone else. It wouldn't be right."

"What wouldn't be right?"

Luis's brown eyes met the blue green gaze of the Lady of the House, Ivy Crane. "Mrs. Crane," he cleared his throat politely. "What can I do for you?" Somehow, despite the unbearable heat, the woman managed to cool, unaffected. That fact only served to strengthen Luis's conviction that the woman truly was an Ice Queen.

Ivy ignored his question. "Answer my question, Luis. What wouldn't be right?"

Luis bristled and scoffed at her audacity. "Forgive me for saying this, Mrs. Crane, but that is none of your damn business." Instead of balking in the face of his fearless response to her, Ivy stepped closer, and Luis thought he saw a crack in her façade.

"You're wrong, Luis," Ivy told him. "Sheridan is my business. This has to do with her, correct? Something happened between you two; don't try to deny it. I've wondered why she stopped visiting you."

"Visiting me?"

"Luis," Ivy rolled her eyes at his clueless act. "Sheridan loves Juliet. But I hardly think she'd slip out in the middle of the night to come see her. No. It's you. You're the one. What happened?" she pressed. "She won't open up to me."

Luis ignored her and picked up the pitchfork once more. "If you'll excuse me, I've got work to do." He didn't turn around, even when he felt her blue green eyes boring a hole into his back.

"Time is running out, Luis," Ivy told him. "The wedding is only six weeks away. Sheridan needs you. What's wrong is that travesty of a marriage her father is trying to force upon her. Remember that, Luis."

Luis kicked the hay at his feet in irritation when Ivy had gone, his feelings a jumbled mess (as if he hadn't felt bad enough before…). Mama. Mama could help, he thought. Leaving the stables with purposeful steps, Luis heard voices as he neared the big house. Rounding the corner, he came face to face with the owner of one voice in particular and just seeing her again was enough to make his heart jump.

"Hi. Luis," Sheridan whispered and cast her blue eyes downward.

"Sheridan," Luis swallowed. A snide voice had Luis looking away from Sheridan sharply.

"Excuse me. I don't think we've met. Colin Lindsay. And you are?"

"Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald," Luis answered, wiping his hand off on the leg of his jeans and offering his hand. Colin looked at it with disdain, and Luis let his hand fall back to his side.

"Luis works in the stables," Sheridan explained quietly. "He's Pilar's son."

"Pilar?" Colin mused boredly. "I can't seem to place her."

"You know her," Sheridan insisted. "The housekeeper."

"Aha!" Colin exclaimed. "The head housekeeper! The one you're so fond of. Luis," he looked at Luis shrewdly. "How do you think your mother would like coming to work for us? After the wedding, of course."

Luis's jaw clenched.

Sheridan bowed her head in shame at her fiance's demeanor with Luis.

"Colin! There you are," Julian called out. "Would you care to share a brandy?"

Colin nodded and kissed Sheridan dryly on the cheek, all but ignoring Luis. "Coming, Darling?"

"I'll be right there," Sheridan replied weakly.

As soon as Colin was out of sight, Luis grabbed Sheridan's elbow and steered her to a more secluded section of the gardens. Bending, he searched her eyes. "Where's the Sheridan I know? Are you just going to give up without a fight? Are you really going to marry that jerk?"

Sheridan raised tearful blue eyes to Luis. "A fight for what, Luis? I have nothing. Nothing to fight for. Do I?" she choked out. "Father's right. Colin will take care of me. I'll give him a couple heirs, then I'll have my freedom and someone to love me."

"Sheridan," Luis spat in anger. Shaking her roughly by the shoulders, he begged her to listen to reason. "Do you hear yourself? My God! What has he done to you?"

"Nothing, Luis," Sheridan snapped and jerked free of his hold on her. "Colin didn't do anything at all. I just finally realized…this is my life, the life I was born into. I can't walk away from it, Luis. No matter…"

"No matter what, Sheridan?" Luis questioned. "Tell me you don't want this," he demanded. "Tell me the girl I know, the girl I…tell me that that girl is still in there. Please." Pulling her into the shadows with him, Luis pleaded with her to just give him a sign. Delving his hands into her short blond curls, he searched her blue, blue eyes again, held her as she trembled under the gentle touch and clung to him for support. Their lips inched closer together until she shoved away from him and turned to go.

"No," Sheridan cried. "No, Luis. It's too late. There's nothing you can do." When she would have escaped, Luis offered her a lifeline.

"You're wrong, Sheridan. It's not too late. If you can bring yourself to believe that, I'll be waiting. You know where to find me."

Hardening her heart and squashing down her useless hopes, Sheridan dismissed him tearfully. "Goodbye, Luis."

I must say, Colin is still insufferable, even if I did write him.

Thanks for reading!