(A/N: At last, I've finally been able to defeat my Amazing Colossal Writer's Block to cobble together another chapter! I don't think I'm capable of writing an adequate apology for an eight month delay, but I'll try. I am not giving up on this story, and I'm making the solemn vow to have it totally finished before the end of the year. Other than that, I can't make any promises except to say that, having conquered my inability to write, updates should become relatively frequent, barring RL interruptions. This upcoming chapter is relatively short, and not too much happens, but it does help set the stage for what will (hopefully) be an exciting climax. So, without further adieu, enjoy, and, as always, reviews are certainly welcome.)
"I really hope Gwen and Hank have more luck today than they've had the past couple of days," Sheridan sighed, once again holed up in the same claustrophobic hotel room with Luis.
Luis shrugged uneasily as he absently reshuffled a deck of cards. He was by now as thoroughly sick of playing Solitaire as any human being could conceivably be, but at least it took his mind ever so slightly off the business at hand, not to mention being alone with Sheridan for so long, day in and day out. "They'd better before long. Our whole plan hinges on those two pulling through for us right now."
Taking a seat next to him, Sheridan sighed wearily. "I know I shouldn't doubt them. After all, I know how capable Gwen is, and Hank, well, there was that one time he got me buried alive and all, but I don't think he'll let us down now if he has any say about it."
"No, he won't," Luis replied confidently. "I know that guy; he's like a brother to me. And, in case you're worrying, I know he won't let anything happen to Gwen, either, if he can do anything about it. I'm still not sure what the hell happened with those two, but he's crazy about her."
"Yeah, I'm still sort of shocked about their elopement, to tell you the truth. I talked to Gwen about it, but she doesn't seem to understand it any better than we do. What a match, the two of them, antagonists one moment and then all over each other the next. Have you ever seen anything like it before?"
Luis shifted awkwardly, but his troubled brown eyes met her gaze, and he let out an uneasy laugh. "Well, yeah, Sheridan, I've seen it happen once before, and it was absolutely amazing, though, in the end, it didn't end up working out."
Sheridan looked down at the table, embarrassed by Luis' words. As was so liable to happen these days, all of her conflicting emotions rose to the surface, making it impossible to respond to Luis' comment. Attempting to clear her mind, Sheridan forced herself to focus on the card game which Luis was currently playing.
"Luis, don't you see the jack of clubs for your ten?" Sheridan asked, deciding that his mind must be a thousand miles from Solitaire. "Look, see, it's right here…"
But as Sheridan extended her right arm, intending to point out the elusive card, her hand accidentally brushed against Luis', causing him to turn his head sharply to meet her gaze, and the next thing either of them knew, they found themselves bent over almost to the point of falling out of their respective chairs, roughly lip-locked, and haphazardly groping one another furiously.
When she finally realized what they were doing, and even more importantly, what they were about to do, Sheridan forced herself to pull away, exaggerating her heavy breathing so as not to have to be the first one to say something.
"Well, that was…something, alright," Luis said once he caught his breath. Reluctantly, he added, "So, I guess that never happened, right?"
Suddenly, the absurdity of the whole situation hit Sheridan, and she just had to roll her eyes at how ridiculous she'd been acting. "Look, Luis, despite everything that's happened since the boat blew up, I love you, and I always will, and I'm certainly not going to pretend that I don't for one more second."
Despite his shock, Luis' face automatically broke out into a wide, goofy grin. "Are you sure, Sheridan? Do you really mean that, Sheridan?"
Sheridan nodded determinedly. "Yes. I mean, I got annoyed with you a few weeks ago, but it doesn't change anything. I've tried, but I just can't imagine living out my life with anyone but you."
It took all of Luis' willpower to keep himself from jumping up and down happily like a little kid: he hadn't felt nearly this good since he'd first realized that Sheridan had come back to him. However, he still had to make sure, especially since the main roadblock to their happiness hadn't been addressed yet. "And Antonio?"
Sheridan sighed. "In a way, I do love him. But not like I love you, Luis. When I chose him, I must've had some residual feelings from my time as Diana left. But the longer I've been myself, the more I've been realizing what a terrible mistake I've made. As much as you drive me crazy sometimes, I guess you and I are what your sister would call 'fate.'"
Luis laughed softly, and began stroking Sheridan's cheek. "Yeah, I guess I'll have to apologize for all the times I yelled at her for that. There's no other explanation for us." Gently, he moved in for a slow and sensuous kiss, which Sheridan received with a hearty enthusiasm.
By increments, they ended up on Sheridan's bed, nearly horizontal. "Luis," protested Sheridan as she broke off for air, "maybe we shouldn't let things go this far right now. I'm still technically engaged to your brother, after all."
"I guess…you're right," Luis conceded in fragments, before he went back in for another kiss. "We don't want…to betray him…we should…probably…wait until…we get a…chance to…tell…him," he continued, trying half-heartedly to stop, but just getting pulled deeper and deeper into the bed.
"Definitely," Sheridan gasped, and really meant to agree to stop for now, but soon those thoughts were subsumed and subsequently replaced with an intense desire for Luis, desperately needing an outlet after weeks of building tension.
*****
While Sheridan and Luis were busy making up for lost time, Gwen and Hank were busy in entirely another venue, as they, after days of futility, were finally getting a break. Incredibly, they spotted Antonio a couple of blocks away from the harbor and, after satisfying themselves that nobody else was trailing them, they approached the eldest Lopez-Fitzgerald.
"Antonio," Hank said as he grabbed his arm to stop him. "How's it going?"
"Hank!" Antonio exclaimed incredulously, "and…I'm sorry," he said, looking in Gwen's direction, " I know I met you in Harmony, but it's been so insane, and I can't remember your name."
"No problem. It's Gwen Hotchkiss, Sheridan's friend."
"Sheridan!" Antonio exclaimed, allowing all of his worry and fear for his fiancée's safety rise to the surface, "Sheridan, and Luis, they're being held hostage, we have to do something!" he raved incoherently.
"Relax," said Gwen soothingly, "we know all about that, and we sprung them out. They're perfectly safe."
Antonio stepped back in astonishment. "Really? Sheridan's okay?" he asked again, needing that further reassurance before allowing himself to feel relief.
"Yeah," Hank replied, "that's why we're here. All four of us are in Boston, trying to help you out about the smuggling job this Nick guy is forcing you to do."
"Oh, thank God," Antonio breathed out. "I've been so afraid that Nick had already ordered his goons to get rid of them, and that Sheridan…wait a second, she's here? With you?! Then, she's still in danger…she shouldn't have come!
Gwen rolled her eyes in unrestrained annoyance. "Yes, she made the decision to come with and see if she could help you out, just like I did. Honestly, you Lopez-Fitzgerald men should really stop trying to play knight-in-shining-armor all the time. It gets old after awhile."
Antonio opened his mouth to object, but Hank decided he had to get the discussion back on track before Gwen and Antonio got into a huge fight that attracted the attention of the whole street. "Look, guys, let's stop arguing and focus on the problem. Antonio, we know you're supposed to help deliver contraband weapons, so our plan is to highjack the boat, take Nick and his associates into our custody, and contact the local authorities. Thing is, we can't do this until all of the cargo has arrived, and we need all the information and help you can give in the meantime if we're going to pull this off."
Antonio grinned recklessly. "You know, your whole scheme is nuts, but it just might work. As far as I can tell, what you need to do is…"
*****
Saint Margaret Mary's was decorated in full wedding regalia, as was only fitting. After all, one of its most beloved and pious parishioners was about to join her beloved in holy wedlock, and although the reception invitations were kept at a minimum of close friends and family, it seemed as though half the town had shown up at the lovely little church for the ceremony itself.
In the front pews sat the families of the bride and groom, who waited for the ceremony quite emotionally. Grace, overcome with joy for her beloved niece, was already using a handkerchief to wipe the tears from her eyes. The day was finally here, and nothing would keep Charity from the happiness that she so truly deserved.
A couple of seats away, Pilar was weeping quite profusely, overcome with a myriad of conflicting emotions. She had disapproved of having the wedding so soon, and had wanted to postpone it until they had some sort of definite word on her other two sons, but now that the moment was here, she too felt incredibly happy for and proud of her second youngest. Still, seeing Miguel like this made her yearn desperately for the family that was not here: for Antonio and Luis, wherever they were, for Paloma, whom she fervently hoped would be able to come home soon, and finally, for Martin, whom she knew rationally would never return to her, and yet whom she could never quite bring herself to give up on.
"Mama, are you alright?" Theresa, who was sitting to her right with Little Ethan, asked. As of lately, she'd been worried about her mother, who might do a great job of holding it all together, but whom Theresa knew must be driven near the breaking point with worry by now.
"Yes, mi hija, I'm fine," Pilar smiled through her tears. "It's just that I've been thinking…"
Theresa reached out and grasped her mother's hand. "They're going to be all right, Mama, I just know it."
"I hope so, Theracita. But I've also been wishing that your father could be here today."
"Oh," Theresa said quietly. Truth be told, she could barely even remember the man, and she'd learned a long while ago to stop hoping that he'd come back someday. After all this time, it had become quite clear, even to a veteran dreamer like herself, that there were only two possibilities: that he'd run off and left them all with nothing, in which case she didn't want to ever see him again, or that he'd been murdered, probably by the Cranes, a possibility she preferred not to think about it, considering that it was entirely possible that she was currently married to his killer, or at least the accomplice. Theresa wasn't about to upset her mother anymore than she already was by telling her how she really felt about this, though.
"That would be wonderful," Theresa remarked, not quite able to offer any hopes that Fate would bring him back to them anymore.
"Yes," Pilar smiled sadly, but also fondly. "I can just imagine how happy he would be right now, to watch his first child get married…" Pilar stopped suddenly when she saw Theresa's pained reaction, and, realizing what she'd said, tried to correct herself. "That is…"
"Don't bother, Mama," Theresa interrupted with a painstaking lack of emotion. "I'd like to forget it, too. It's all my fault, too, doing all those crazy things, not listening whenever you, Luis, or Whitney tried to get me to listen to reason, something awful was bound to happen."
Pilar couldn't think of much to say, except, "At least you've got your beautiful little boy. Isn't that worth it?"
"Of course, but if only Ethan was his father and not Julian…well, I guess just wishing can't make it happen. Anyway, this is Miguel's day, so let's just concentrate on him and Charity now."
*****
Very soon after Theresa said this, the ceremony began. Father Lonigan took his place at the altar, Miguel, looking especially handsome in his tuxedo, walked in, accompanied by Reese, who was acting at his best man. Shortly, the wedding march began, and Laura, Simone, and Jessica, in that order, glided up the aisle. Finally, Charity appeared with Sam, who she had asked to give her away.
Once the processional had finished, Father Lonigan began, "Friends and loved ones, we are gathered here today to unite to of St. Margaret Mary's most beloved children, Charity Standish and Miguel Francis Lopez-Fitzgerald, in the bonds of holy matrimony, in accordance with the wishes of Our Lord…"
As Father Lonigan continued to deliver the ceremonial words, Charity suddenly began to feel very uncomfortable. She was marrying Miguel, the man she loved, and yet, she didn't feel the way she knew she was supposed to. She had expected to feel nervous and even scared, sure, but instead she found that she felt with an absolute certainty that this wedding was wrong.
"Please, stop!" she yelled, causing the entire congregation to stare at her slack-jawed.
"What is it, Charity?" Father Lonigan asked, as taken aback as anybody there.
Charity took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry, everybody, but I can't go through with this wedding. It's just not right."
Miguel looked hurt, as if he was about to start crying. "But, Charity, don't you want to marry me?"
"Of course Miguel, but I just realized that now isn't the time."
"Um, Charity," Miguel replied, his gaze shifting to the mass of disconcerting wedding guests gaping at them. "Maybe you should have decided that before the ceremony."
"I know, and I feel really bad about this, but I just don't think we're ready to get married. We are too young, and neither of us has even started school, and we don't have any idea how we're going to make it work."
Miguel couldn't actually disagree with anything she said, but was still perplexed at her sudden change in attitude. "If you feel like this, why haven't you said something before?"
"It was the premonitions," Charity asserted, drawing odd looks from people throughout the audience. "Something's coming, and I thought I was being warned to get married, but it suddenly hit me that it's something else, that this isn't what any of the warnings were about at all. I'm really sorry Miguel, but I don't think we should do this right now. I do want to marry you someday, though. That is, if you can ever forgive me."
"Of course!" said Miguel, relieved despite his slight embarrassment. "Any time you want to."
Slowly, the dazed congregation got up and filed out, not too sure what had happened. Not that this really surprised anybody; weddings in Harmony had become notorious for not actually, well, happening, and in fact several disgruntled guests reflected bitterly on the bets they would now have to pay off, and wished that they had been a little less optimistic about the outcome of the ceremony.
The Bennetts and the Lopez-Fitzgeralds were the last to leave, Grace flashing a dirty look at a highly confused Laura before going to "console" Charity, and Pilar waiting with Theresa to pick up Miguel, who still wasn't exactly sure what was going on, and was disappointed that they were still not married, but more or less pacified that they were still together, and more or less engaged.
*****
Gwen and Hank returned to her and Sheridan's hotel room to find a slightly disheveled Luis and Sheridan waiting for them. This roused Gwen's curiosity, but she decided not to comment on it. "Guys," she said excitedly, "Great news!"
"Really?" Luis asked, perking up.
"We sure could use it," Sheridan commented wryly.
"Well, you've got it," replied Hank. "We actually managed to speak to Antonio today!"
Although the mention of his name caused a slightly uncomfortable reaction in both of them, both expressed considerable relief and wanted to know more. "Is he alright?" Sheridan asked.
"Yes, he's fine," Gwen answered, "and very helpful, too. After we were able to convince him that you were alright, that is. He'd been really worried."
Now, Luis and Sheridan both flinched a little, obviously trying to hide their guilt, and confirmed Gwen's suspicions. Feigning obliviousness, for now, she continued, "Anyway, he said that the final shipment is being loaded up a week from tomorrow, and they'll be about a two hour period when we can make our move."
"Right," Hank interjected. "We'll be waiting outside, hiding right off the docks, while we wait for Antonio to give us the sign. He's going to try and drug Nick and his thugs, and if he succeeds, he'll drape a green flag over the side of the ship. The second we see it, we rush aboard and take the boat to the nearest authorities. Sounds good?"
Luis and Sheridan both agreed to what seemed like a more reasonable plan than just about anything else. After awhile, Hank went out with Luis to try and find the perfect hiding place for the four of them, Luis risking possibly being recognized because, as a cop, he was most qualified to scope out the best area.
As soon as Gwen was alone with Sheridan, she turned toward her best friend, wanting some answers. "Alright, I want to know: what's going on between you and Luis?"
Sheridan sighed in resignation. "Were we really that obvious?"
"Just a little!" Gwen snorted. "At the mention of Antonio's name, the two of you looked like you just wanted to disappear. So, spill."
"There's not really that much to tell. We're back together."
"Finally!" exclaimed Gwen, clasping Sheridan's hands in excitement. Narrowly avoiding a girlish squeal, she added, "I was beginning to think that you'd never come to your senses about who you wanted to be with! So, what's the problem?"
Sheridan blushed slightly. "Well, when we got back together, we got…together."
"Oh, and you feel bad because Antonio still thinks that you and he are getting married?"
Sheridan nodded.
"Well, you're going to tell him as soon as this is over, aren't you?"
"Of course!"
"Then," Gwen concluded evenly, "you should stop torturing yourself over it. He'll be hurt, sure, but if he really loves you as much as he says he does, he'll understand, especially since he already understands the history you and Luis have."
Sheridan smiled sardonically. "This from the woman who went after her rival with a baseball bat? My, how you've mellowed."
"Hey!" objected Gwen, hitting Sheridan with a pillow. "That was different! The things Theresa was doing behind my back…anyway, it was also a long time ago. Also, I'm starting to realize that Ethan and I didn't even come close to the sort of relationship that you and Luis have."
Shaking her head, the young Crane woman remarked, "You really have done a turnaround about Luis! I can still remember you telling me that it was doomed to failure because of our class differences."
"Well, the whole "you being "dead" for an entire year but still finding your way back to him" thing made a pretty big difference. And, a lot's happened since then to change my perspective."
"What, like Hank?" Sheridan's eyes twinkled, though she was seriously trying to figure out what exactly was going on between the two of them.
Gwen suddenly stiffened up. "I have absolutely no idea what's going on there, and I'm making it a point to not even try and figure it out. As far as I'm concerned, none of it's actually real until we get back to Harmony, if we get back at all."
(A/N #2: Well, I've now covered two important Passions traditions: the Botched Wedding and the Incredibly Stupid Plan, hopefully satisfactorily. Tune in next time, same Passions-time, same Passions-channel, for further developments, and, of course, more Kay, who just didn't fit into this chapter but will be getting herself into lots more mischief soon enough.)