*~Chapter 11~*
She was about to continue, when a knock at the door interrupted her train of thoughts. Ethan opened the door and saw that it was a young man with a package.
"Uh uh...This is for that young lady over there" The young man stammered.
"Who sent you?" Ethan asked as he took it from him.
"I can't say…I have to go…He just said to give it and leave." He told Ethan and began running off.
"Wait…"
But it was too late; the young man had caught the elevator and disappeared.
"What's in the package Ethan?" She asked as Ethan shut the door.
"I'm not sure, want me to open it for you?"
"I guess so."
Ethan carefully removed the packaging, it was a cassette with some songs on it.
"It's just a cassette. Want me to throw it out?"
"No, of course not. There must be a reason why I got it." She replied to reassure everybody in the room.
"All right. I can see if I can borrow a tape player from the nurses station." Ethan suggested as he handed Luis the tape and went to ask.
"Let's see what songs are on here" Luis told her.
"Good idea. Did you make me this Luis?"
"No I didn't. But there is a letter attached to it." Luis replied honestly and handed her the letter.
She began reading it aloud to herself as it said:
Dearest Love,
I have made this for you for a reason, and a special reason it is. I love you with all my heart and soul. I want us to spend our lives together. We are meant to be with each other. I know it. We had a past life together, now all I think about is our future. Here are a couple songs that I have put on the cassette that I feel that suit our love.
Truly, Madly, Deeply ~ Savage Garden
Strangers Like Me ~ Phil Collins
Fallen Embers ~ Enya
When She Loved Me ~ Sarah McLaughlin
Two In A Million ~ S CLUB 7
And Many More
I hope you enjoy them, and listen with your mind, body, heart and soul.
Love always,
Your Knight In Shining Armor
"Luis, are you sure that you didn't do this for me?" She asked double-checking.
"Positive. IF...it wasn't me. It must be Brian…err Antonio"
"Must be. But I wonder why he did that. I wonder if-"
"You are in luck. They did have a tape deck we could borrow." Ethan interrupted as he came back in with tape deck in hand, and then asked, "What did I interrupt something?"
"No Ethan. Antonio just sent a package for me and it contains some songs."
"Oh. That won't do any harm would it?"
"I hope not."
"Shall I play it?"
"Sure, can you play the first song of Truly Madly Deeply for me?"
"Not a problem." Ethan replied as he took the cassette from Luis and put in the deck and pressed play.
The song began to play like so…
I'll be your dream
I'll be your wish I'll be your fantasy
I'll be your hope I'll be your love
Be everything that you need
I love you more with every breath
Truly, madly, deeply do
I will be strong I will be faithful
'cause I'm counting on
A new beginning
A reason for living
A deeper meaning
I want to stand with you on a mountain
I want to bathe with in the sea
I want to lay like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me
And when the stars are shining
Brightly in the velvet sky,
I'll make a wish to send it to heaven
Then make you want to cry
The tears of joy for all the
pleasure in the certainty
That we are surrounded by the
comfort and protection of
the highest powers
In lonely hours
The tears devour you
I want to stand with you on a mountain
I want to bathe with you in the sea
I want to lay like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me
Oh can you see it baby?
You don't have to close your eyes
'cause it's standing right before you
All that you need will surely come
I'll be your dream
I'll be your wish I'll be your fantasy
I'll be your hope I'll be your love
Be everything that you need
I love you more with every breath
Truly, madly, deeply do
I want to stand with you on
a mountain
I want to bathe with in the sea
I want to lay like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me
She closed her eyes while it played, and began to feel a weird sensation. She felt as if she heard Brian talking to her.
"I love you, and only you." The voice began.
"The memories that you share in your past are only with me, nobody else." The voice continued.
She thought of the time she played basketball with Luis and beat him at it.
Flashback
"Not bad." Luis telling Sheridan surprised.
"You mean for a girl?" Sheridan asked.
"I mean for anybody. It was a compliment." Luis stammered.
"Sure, Luis. " Sheridan replied unsure to believe him or not.
"What's the score?"
"We're tied, 15-15."
"You're kidding."
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Sheridan approached and mocked him while bouncing the ball.
"No, I guess you don't. All right, let's get down to business…" And then added, "You know, I make this baby and the game is mine. Oh, how sweet it is."
"I won, you lost. How sweet it is. I guess that'll teach you to never underestimate a woman ever again. Especially one named Crane." Sheridan laughed as she threw the ball into the basketball hoop and headed into the ladies lockeroom to shower and change.
End of flashback
But instead of having Luis in that flashback, Luis had somehow, someway transformed into Brian. She must have been having a nightmare, but it felt so real.
"See what I mean?" The voice questioned her.
"We're meant to be together. You and I."
"Now repeat after me… 'I love Antonio'"
And somehow, magically she repeated what the voice ordered to do. "I love Antonio." She didn't know how it happened, the song was over, but her mindset was with Antonio.
She didn't want to accept it, but something was forcing her to keep it that way.
"Did you hear something?" Ethan asked Luis.
"Yeah. Something about Antonio."
Antonio tapped on the door, and entered, "What about me?"
"She's saying something about you." Ethan replied and motioned Antonio to close the door.
"Ooh Good. She got my tape. Those subliminal message tapes actually do work." Antonio thought to himself.
She stared at Luis blankly and went, "Antonio? Is that you?"
"No, it's me Luis."
"I need to see Antonio."
She whispered into his ear the words of 'I love you' as he soon as approached her, and before he could reply to her, she pulled him into a passionate kiss.
*~Chapter 12~*
"What the hell?" Luis said as he realized what was happening.
"They are kissing for some god forsaken reason!" Ethan murmured to Luis.
"We have to stop it." Luis told him.
"But how?" Ethan questioned Luis's motives.
"Here's how." Luis said as he approached Antonio kissing her and pulled him off, and punched him.
"Luis, what was that for?" Antonio asked as he noticed himself bleeding, and grabbed his handkerchief from his pocket to stop it.
"You are trying to brainwash her!" Ethan yelled at him and began pushing him angrily.
"So...so what's' your point..." Antonio said smirking, and seeing no wrong in what he had done.
"Ever heard that she is really fragile right now, and anything like this, could either make or break her?"
"Well ah...So what's your point?"
"What's my POINT? What's my damn point?"
"Let her make her own choices. Let her follow her heart, body and soul to the right choice."
She snapped out of the spell just then, and noticed the two brothers and Ethan fighting.
"Luis, Antonio, Ethan. What's the meaning of this?" She screamed.
"Do you know what Antonio or Brian or whatever his name did to you?" Ethan asked her.
"No...I don't remember."
"He tried to brainwash you!"
"He what?"
"Yes. I am getting rid of that damn tape right now." Ethan told her. He then proceeded to the tape deck and yanked out the tape from the cassette deck and broke it into two, and then handed it to Antonio.
"I need some air...I think I'll call Liz." He told them, unapologetic to
those he hurt.
With that, Antonio left without saying anything else.
Ethan saw blank faces between her and Luis, and proceeded to help cure that. Gwen had given him a tape with tango music just for emergencies. This turned out to be one of them. He placed it into the tape deck and pressed play, and slipped out the door.
The music began to play in the room, and Luis noticed, and smiled.
She smiled as well as it was the music that helped them to get together when she had the identity of Sheridan Crane.
"Would you like to dance?" Luis asked coming around to her bed and outstretched his hand.
"Yes, yes I would." She told him as she took his hand and slipped out of her bed, and unhooked her IV tube, and monitor from her.
The music went something likethis....
They starred longingly into each other's eyes, and began to dance. The surroundings around them seemed to just melt away.
Fantasy
"May I have this dance...?" The masked stranger asked her as he handed her a
single red rose.
She starred into his chocolate brown eyes for a few moments, and smelt the rose, and whispered, "Yes."
He took her delicate hands into his strong muscular hands of his, and escorted her to the dance floor.
She felt so safe in his arms, and didn't want to leave them. As they began to tango, others around them began to stop and encircle them and watch in awe. The chemistry was so there, everybody could see it. Even them. They didn't want this dance to ever end.
As it ended, he asked her, "What's your name? It must be as beautiful as you."
"It's ..." She starred at him blankly, but didn't answer, but instead ripped off his mask to see his entire face.
She felt his delicate skin, and looked at his precious smile. There was something inside her that screamed, he was her kindred soul, her soul mate.
That masked man was none other than...
End of Fantasy...
She thought to herself, which man could this be? She looked into Luis's precious eyes, and realized it was him.
Not Antonio. But him. He truly did love her. He waited century after century for her. And she did the same for him.
The song had ended and he had carried back to her bed, and then assisted her with putting back the IV line, and monitor line on her. He caressed her hair, and kissed her on her forehead.
"Luis, I love you." She said so softly that he couldn't even hear it.
A slight knock came at a door before she could say anymore. It was the nurse, and doctor along with both Ethan and Antonio.
"We have the results of the blood test." Dr. Spencer announced as she motioned everybody to take a seat.
"Is that a good or bad sign?" She asked painstakingly as she looked into first Antonio's, then Luis's eyes.
"Good sign." Luis told her as he rubbed her delicately.
"All right. Please tell us."
"You are expecting twins. And the father is…" Nurse Courtney began.
"And…" Luis and Antonio asked in anticipation and wanting to know who was the father of her children.
"And…"
*~Chapter 13~*
"And…I'm pleased to say that…" Nurse Courtney was about to continue when another nurse knocked on the door.
"I'll get it." Ethan said, and opened the door.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but I need to talk to Nurse Courtney immediately." Danie said with some frustration.
"What's wrong?" Nurse Courtney asked as she went to talk to the other nurse.
"Somebody seemed to try to rig the tests." Danie explained.
"Since Luis was here all the time. I think that Antonio is to blame for this." Nurse Courtney said coming to a possible solution to why there was a problem with the test results.
"How should we tell them?" Danie asked.
"Let's have him reveal the truth himself." Nurse Courtney replied and took the results with the correct results.
Nurse Courtney was walking back to where she was originally standing when she 'accidently' bumped into Antonio.
"Oh I'm so sorry." Nurse Courtney said as she bent down to collect the stuff.
"Oh let me help you." Antonio replied as he bent down and saw both results, and remembered what he had done.
Flashback
"Hello there." Antonio said introducing himself to the new nurse on duty at the blood-testing clinic. He had just got his blood test done, and realized now was his chance to rig the tests.
"Hi, may I help you?" Danie said looking up from the sample she was looking at.
"I was wondering how long it will take for the results to come in." Antonio continued as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Your Antonio Lopez Fitzgerald correct?"
"Yes, that is me."
"Another 30 to 45 minutes at least."
"Oh." Antonio said frowning because he wanted to have this over and done with.
"I'm working on test as we speak."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I hope I'm the father."
"By the looks of it…you…" Danie began.
Antonio had a gut feeling, that she was going to say Luis, and didn't want that to happen, and decided that a diversion would allow him to change the test results. He looked down at his coffee, and decided that it was his key in doing so. He 'accidentally' dropped his coffee on the results. "Oh dear God. I am so sorry."
"What have you done? These tests are ruined. Luckily, I still have some of the blood samples in the backroom." Danie said annoyed that her hard work was ruined and got up to clean the mess up. She knew that Luis was the father already, but kept quiet. She finally said, "I'll be right back."
Realizing that Danie was no longer in the room, Antonio peered over and saw the results. 'God Damn it', he thought when he saw Luis was the father. Antonio quickly erased Luis's name on the valid results, and replaced it with his own. His writing was similar enough to that of Danie's so he knew that he would not get caught. He quickly gathered his thoughts, and pretended nothing had happened as Danie returned, and inquired, "Find more of the blood tests to use?"
"No I didn't. I thought I would but I didn't."
"That's too bad."
"I'll check if my tests are valid enough. And then I'll come by with the announcement." Danie told him as she looked down and noticed some eraser bits near the name of the father of the woman's babies.
Antonio grinned and bid adieu. He began to feel guilty for what he had done.
He did love her, he truly did, but he didn't want to lose her to Luis.
End of Flashback
"Um...there's something you should know." Antonio talking louder than usual so everybody could hear, as he got up from helping Nurse Courtney with the mess.
"There is?" Luis, Ethan, and she all expressed at once.
"Yes..." Antonio began as he felt so bad, and then continued, "...I rigged the test results."
"You what?" Luis yelled.
"I rigged the test results. I rigged them because I wanted to be the father of her babies. Not you, Luis. I didn't want to lose her to you."
"I never knew that you'd stoop to this kind of level." She said frowning at Antonio.
"I'm sorry." Antonio began apologetically, and added, "I love you too much, and I didn't want to lose you. We shared a past life together, and I wanted to share this life with you too. Can you ever forgive me?"
"I'm not sure if I can. You tried to brainwash me earlier."
"Please?"
"First let me here this confirmation on who the actual father of my babies are first."
Nurse Courtney smiled, and finished reading the accurate results, "I'm pleased to say that Luis Lopez Fitzgerald is the father of the babies."
"I am?" Luis asked brightly.
"Yes you are Luis. Here's the results." Nurse Courtney replied as she handed him the results.
"I think I'm going to call Mama. Antonio, you better come as well. You have a bit explaining to do for not only me, her, but mama as well. And we can talk to her about it all later on." Luis said referring to the woman who's children she was carrying was his.
Luis and Antonio left to find a pay phone, and to call Pilar. Nurse Courtney, Danie and Dr. Spencer told Ethan and her that they'd be in later to make some final arrangements because she was free to go.
Ethan sat on the foot of her bed, and began to say, "Looks like your soul and heart is guiding you towards Luis, isn't it?"
"Yes. And I'm glad. I thought Antonio, well Brian was an honest man. I never knew I could be so wrong." She said with a frown appearing on her face.
"You mustn't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
"I know I shouldn't. I wish I had my own family to lay back on for advice. I know I have you Ethan. But I wish 'my' father and mother were still in my life. I know 'my' father has probably has now has changed, but it doesn't make up for lost time."
"I know it doesn't. Take me for example, I just found a common bond with my real father, Sam Bennett. I still think Julian as a fatherly figure. I always will."
"Chief Bennett is a wonderful man. I'm glad you have found a bond with him." She began to smile again.
"Yes he is…" Ethan was about to add something else, when another knock at the door came. "I'll get that." Ethan offered and went to answer it. It was Alistair once more.
"I'm sorry to bug you. But there's something I have to give her. Can we have some time alone?" Alistair asked Ethan.
"Sure. I'll be calling Gwen if you need me." Ethan replied and left without another word.
"I have something for you." Alistair began as he sat down beside her in the lofty chair.
"You do?" She asked puzzled.
"Yes, this." He handed her a small velvet box, and added, "It was your mothers', she said to give it to you on your wedding day. A day which I nearly ruined."
She carefully opened the velvet box and found abeautiful antique locket; she was in absolute awe, and finally said, "It's beautiful."
"Look inside."
She carefully opened the delicate latch and saw a photo of herself as a child, with her father and mother.
"We took this photo on your 6th birthday." Alistair explained.
"I remember it slightly. Thank you. Can you put it on for me?"
"Of course." Alistair replied as he got up and placed it around her neck. His warm gentle hands made her blush and smile. She longed to have her fathers' love, and now she finally had it. She hoped it would stay.
"I love you. And thank you for the gift." She finally blurted choking back her tears.
"I love you too…" He told her as he pulled her into a hug.
He slowly pulled himself away, and sat back down, and looked into her eyes. She had her mothers' eyes, her mothers' beauty too. He missed Katherine deeply, at least a part of her was with his daughter, at least he hoped so.
*~Chapter 14~*
Luis and Antonio alongside each other as they searched for a pay phone. Luis had his cell phone, but knew it was against hospital policy to use it in the hospital. Luis picked up the receiver, and placed a quarter in, and waited for it to be accepted, and dialed his mother's number.
It ran a few rings before Pilar managed to pick it up. She was making some stew for herself when the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Mama, are you sitting down?" The voice went.
"Yes I am. Luis is that you?" Pilar asked.
"Yes it is. I have some good news, as well as some bad news to tell you."
Startled at what Luis had said, Pilar took a seat by a nearby chair, and said, "All right, I'm sitting down. Please tell me what's wrong."
"Would you like the good news or bad news first?" Luis asked as he sat down on a chair himself.
"Doesn't matter."
"All right. That means I'll break the bad news first."
"Bad news? Miho, there's no such thing as bad news."
"Mama, there is. I don't know how to explain this, but Antonio er.. Brian...well whatever...lied and schemed and tried to brainwash her so she'd choose him. He also..."
Luis was about to tell Pilar about how Antonio tried to rig the tests, when Pilar interrupted by saying, "Luis, slow down. Antonio did all that?"
"Yes mama, and there's more."
"More?"
"Yes, Antonio tried to rig some blood tests."
"Blood tests?"
"Yeah, she's pregnant Mama. That's the good news. I'm the father. She's having twins."
"But Antonio tried to rig them?" Pilar replied tearing up, she couldn't believe that her son was capable of that. He was just like Theresa.
"Would you like to talk to him? I need to get myself a coffee."
"Yes."
"I love you Mama, thank you for listening." Luis told her as he said goodbye, and handed the phone to Antonio, and headed to the cafeteria.
"Hi Mama." Antonio said greeting Pilar on the phone as he took Luis's seat.
"Hello Antonio...Is this true what Luis told me?"
"Yes...I'm sorry Mama...I'm sorry to have hurt you, her and Luis. But I love her. I love her a lot."
"But Antonio, love comes from within. You don't have to lie your way through it. Theresa did that, and look where it got her. She's now Mrs. Julian Crane, and trying to steal Ethan back from Gwen."
"I know Mama. I am like that...I want to change that. I have come to a decision."
"What's that Antonio?"
"If she chooses Luis over me, I'll be alright with it. I don't mind it. I'll let her follow her heart. And I'll follow mine. I realize that Liz is the one for me. She nursed me back to health after that accident of mine. I wish...I wish there was a way I could tell her that."
"Liz?"
"Liz is the lady that I worked on the island when I found Diana...err...Sheridan...Err...You know who I mean..."
"Oh Antonio. Don't do this to yourself. Be strong. If you truly love Liz, then so be it."
"Thank you Mama. I'm thinking of calling her now. Thanks for everything."
"Your welcome Miho...And Antonio...?"
"Yes Mama?"
"Please go the church at the hospital, and confess your sins? It will be the best for you, and her."
"I will do that Mama. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I love you." Pilar replied and hung up the phone.
Antonio hung up the payphone receiver and walked towards the church so he could confess his sins. He'd call Liz later on, but this was much more important to him, if he ever wanted to love again, and let go of his love for her.
~*~*~
Luis sipped his coffee as he walked back to her hospital room. He was approaching the room when he saw her talking to Alistair Crane. He was about to go in and say something when he saw her smiling to him. She was opening something that Alistair handed to her.
Luis peeked through the window and saw her carefully open it. It was a beautiful antique locket, and she was in awe. Luis couldn't believe his eyes, or ears. He thought he was seeing things, but he wasn't. He saw Alistair carefully put it around her neck and then rub her delicate hands. Luis smiled to himself as he acknowledged that her father had changed, and theorized that Alistair must have changed after seeing how much trauma his daughter had to face in such little time she was here on earth.
~*~*~
Luis quietly let himself in, but was caught face to face with Alistair. Alistair was about to clear his throat to say something when Antonio returned himself.
"Luis, and Antonio. There's something I have to say to you both."
"There is?" Both men said looking startled.
"Yes." Alistair replied taking a seat close to her bed.
"Please tell us." Luis responded as he sat down at the foot of her bed, while Antonio remained standing.
"I realized how bad of father I was to her. I want that all to change, that's why I came back and gave her that antique locket you see her wearing."
"Go on." Antonio encouraged.
"Well…I give you both full permission to marry her when she comes to her decision of who to be, and who to marry."
"Really?" Luis was shocked at this, but knew it was coming from what he had witnessed a bit earlier.
"Yes, I'm sorry if I gave any trouble to you both earlier. And I assure you this is no lie"
"Thank you." Luis said getting up and shaking his hand, and returned his focus on her, and asked, "How do you feel about all this?"
"I…I…am lost for words…but thank you." She replied tearing up.
"No need to thank me." Alistair assured her, and continued, "I want what's best for you. I must go now." He gave a kiss on her forehead, and walked out.
"Wow." Antonio murmured under his breath.
"Sure is." Luis agreed.
"Can one of you put on the radio for me? Ethan requested a song for me and I want to see if it's on." she asked.
Luis switched on the radio for her, and the song dedication came on. It was Ethan saying, "Remember…Just love yourself…It will guide you to the right place."
The song went something like this…
I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
She remembered how she met him. Brian. She couldn't remember her name or anything. She couldn't even remember how to speak. But he had helped her so much.
Remember the good times that we had?
I let them slip away from us when things got bad
How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun
Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one
She knew had to make a choice. She had so many cherished memories with both men. Why was it getting so hard suddenly?
I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
Of course, there was a part of her that still loved him. But, on the other hand, the other part loved the other. So many memories were shared with both. So many! But hearing that man tell them, he gave approval to both of them told her that the time was now. Time to make a choice.
I'm so tired but I can't sleep
Standin' on the edge of something much too deep
It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word
We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard
But I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose
Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose
Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night
You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light
And I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
And I will remember you
Will you remember me?
Don't let your life pass you by
Weep not for the memories
Weep not for the memories
Tears began to flow down her cheeks as the song came to a close, and she finally spoke up by saying, "I have come to one of my choices…And I think you should both know that…"