If you haven't read Exposed!, or want to refresh your memory, you can find the story in it's entirety in my profile. This picks up right where it left off, so it might be a good idea to at least read the last chapter.
I'll shut up now. Enjoy!
Life's Gifts
Sequel to Exposed!
Written by Shay
"I love you."
"I love you, too," Sheridan whispered just before he recaptured her lips and the applause rang out behind them.
*****
"Stop!" A voice suddenly shouted and a collective gasp echoed through the room as everyone turned to see Antonio marching down the aisle towards them.
Sheridan tensed beside him and Luis gazed at his brother, stone faced. Pilar, who had been holding Madison during the ceremony, placed her granddaughter in Theresa's grasp and quickly stepped out between her two sons.
"Mijo," She said firmly to her firstborn. "Let it go. Do not make a scene."
Antonio glared at her. "Let it go, Mama? Do you really expect me to just stand by and let him marry my wife?"
"Actually, she's my wife," Luis interjected angrily. "You were never legally married."
"The hell we weren't!" He seethed.
"You weren't," Luis replied simply, purposely running his thumb over the gold band now at home on the fourth finger of her left hand. "You can deny it all you want, but it won't change the facts."
A sneer crossed Antonio's features. "Even if that's true, she still slept in my bed every night for the past year."
Keeping a hold on his anger, Luis shook his head. "And yet, somehow she ended up pregnant with my child."
"Mijo," Pilar warned and placed a calming hand on Antonio's arm when he raised it to swing at his brother.
"Are you sure about that?" He rebuked instead, his eyes taunting.
"You son of a -"
"Stop it, both of you!" Sheridan yelled, coming between them with her hands on her hips, her blue eyes fiery with anger. Turning towards Antonio, she gazed at him with a mixture of disdain and disgust. "Look, I know we hurt you and you're mad, and I really don't blame you, but you have no right to come barging in here, treating me as if I'm some piece of property. And you have a hell of a lot of nerve saying Madison isn't Luis'. You know damn well you haven't so much as touched me since I regained my memory."
Pausing, she turned her attention to Luis.
"And you. Honey, I know you're angry, trust me, I am too, but dammit this is our wedding day! Can't you just let it go for tonight, for me?"
Dropping his head in shame, Luis nodded, looping one arm around her waist and pulling her back to his side. "I'm sorry," He murmured against her ear. "You're right, this isn't the time or the place."
At his words, she tilted her face upward, allowing him to brush her lips with his own. "Thank you," She whispered. "I promise you'll get your reward for being a good boy later tonight."
He nearly groaned out loud at the seductive gleam in her eyes and a grin appeared on his lips. "In that case, I'll be on my best behavior."
"Mmm," Was her only reply, followed by a suggestive wink before she finally returned her focus on the small gathering of people in front of them. During their personal dialogue, Sam and Hank had escorted Antonio out of the building, while Theresa and Gwen worked to get the impromptu reception started.
The group was led into one of the rooms, which was decorated much like the lobby in which they'd been married. Soft lights lit the room, while bouquets of roses and baby's breath adorned the table tops.
Sheridan gasped when they entered, her eyes filling with fresh tears and she whirled around to face her husband. "You did all of this?"
Luis shrugged. "I helped, but this is mostly Theresa and Gwen's doing."
She turned again, to take in the decor, seeking out her best friend and her sister-in-law. "It's beautiful."
"You're beautiful," He said softly as his arms came around her waist from behind. "And you're all mine."
Moving in his embrace, so that she was facing him, Sheridan gently touched his cheek, her eyes burning with truth. "I've always been yours. And I always will be."
He echoed her sentiment, not with words, but with a kiss that conveyed all his love, his undying devotion.
The moment lasted but for a minute, until Hank approached, clearing his throat and looking apologetic for intruding.
"Sorry to interrupt, but Theresa's insisting it's time for the two of you to dance."
Luis arched an eyebrow in amusement and offered his wife his arm. "Shall we?"
"We shall," She readily agreed, slipping her arm through his proffered one and followed him out onto the dance floor.
The lights dimmed as they came to a stop in the middle of the room, lost in each others mere presence. The wo only had eyes for each other, the only two in their own world as the music poured from the speakers.
It´s hard for me to say the things
I want to say sometimes
There's no one here but you and me
And that broken old street light
Lock the doors
leave the world outside
All I've got to give to you
Are these five words and i
Thank you for loving me
For being my eyes
When I couldn't see
For parting my lips
When I couldn't breathe
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
I never knew I had a dream
Until that dream was you
When I look into your eyes
The sky's a different blue
Cross my heart
I wear no disguise
If I tried, you'd make believe
that you believed my lies
Thank you for loving me
For being my eyes
When I couldn't see
For parting my lips
When I couldn't breathe
Thank you for loving me
You pick me up when I fall down
You ring the bell before they count me out
If I was drowning you would part the sea
And risk your life to rescue me
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!....
Lock the doors
leave the world outside
All I've got to give to you
Are these five words and i
Thank you for loving me
For being my eyes
Oh, when I couldn't see
For parting my lips
When I couldn't breathe
Thank you for loving me
When I couldn't fly
Oh, you gave me wings
You parted my lips
When I couldn't breathe
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Oh, for loving me
(Song; Thank You For Loving Me, Bon Jovi)
"I love you, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Luis whispered as the song came to an end.
"I love you, too, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Sheridan replied before succumbing once again to his questing lips, as a dream finally came true.
*****
"What do you say we consummate this thing?" Luis growled some hours later,
his body pressed against hers on the door to the hotel room he'd reserved
for the night.
"Mm, so romantic," Sheridan joked, a soft moan escaping the back of her throat while he began devouring the skin at the base of her neck.
He pulled back slightly, a grin on his face. "What, were you expecting some champagne? Maybe some flowers, music and candle light?"
Her head cocked to the side and she gave a slight nod. "Something along those lines."
Luis seemed to ponder this as he moved away to unlock the door. Taking her hand, he ushered her into the waiting honeymoon suite. "Something more like this?" He asked, turning her around.
She inhaled sharply at the sight before her. The room was bathed only in candle-light and the faint moonbeams coming in through the balcony doors. Flowers of all colors and sizes were placed strategically, while rose petals were scattered on the bed. A bottle of champagne sat chilling on the table beside the bed and soft music began playing behind her. She turned to see Luis standing there, now sans his suit jacket, holding out his hand and smiling lovingly at her. "Care to dance?"
Not trusting herself to speak, she merely nodded and slipped her hand into his larger one, allowing herself to drown in his steadfast love.
I've been waiting to taste your kiss
Touch you in the dark, hold you to my heart
I've been hoping for that moment we'd be making love
Now the time has come, come with me, tonight
Share my dreams change my life
Chorus:
Make tonight beautiful (beautiful)
Make tonight something more
Than any night I've ever known (yeah)
In my life before
Make it beautiful baby (make tonight beautiful)
Hold me close and don't let go
Lay with me and stay with me, tonight
Make tonight a beautiful night, ooh
Turn the lights down tonight
There's a world of love waiting there for us
Let me take you yeah, to that place you've never been before
Open up the door to a dream, come true
Take my hand
And show me how to make
Chorus:
Make tonight beautiful
Make tonight something more
Than any night I've ever known, in my life before
Make it beautiful baby(make tonight beautiful)
Hold me close and don't let go
Lay with me and stay with me tonight
Make tonight a beautiful night, ooh
Come show me all the magic the night can bring
You see you're my door to heaven, you're all I need
I've waited all my life, to look into your eyes
So stay with me, make love to me,
Chorus:
Make tonight beautiful (make it beautiful)
Make tonight something more (baby make it something more)
Than any night I've ever known, in my life before
Make it beautiful(make it beautiful)
Hold me close and don't let go
Lay with me and stay with me tonight
Make tonight a beautiful night, ooh
(Song; Make Tonight Beautiful, Tamia)
"Happy?" Luis inquired as the last notes of the song faded out and their
movements stilled, though they remained in each others arms.
"More then I ever thought possible," She answered honestly. "There is one thing that would make me even happier, though."
"Name it."
Sheridan shot him a look as one of her hands traveled up his shirt encased chest, popping open the top two buttons and then moving to the back of his neck. His desire laden gaze met hers just before she brought his head down to her level, engaging them in a heated open-mouth kiss.
He, in turn, crushed her frame to his own, his arousal evident through the fabric of his pants. She moaned his name, her fingers leaving his soft, dark locks to return to his shirt, which she deftly removed, tossing it behind her.
Lips still meshed together, Luis swept her up and into his arms, carrying her over to the silken sheets that awaited them. His mouth rained tiny kisses on her soft skin as he made his way down her body, sending ripples of pleasure through her every pore.
While he concentrated on getting her out of her dress, Sheridan put her mind to ridding him of his last few garments. Almost as if it were the first time, her shaking hands managed to undo the top button and the zipper that followed. He paused momentarily to shed himself of the black dress pants, before returning to his previous position.
Any thoughts of anything other then the intense feeling her husband was evoking in her, flew out the window when his mouth and strong hands turned their attentions to her tender breasts.
"Oh, Luis," She breathed, her mind becoming a muddled mess.
At the sound of her voice, his ministrations stopped and he glanced up, giving her a disarming grin. Slowly and deliberately, he made his way up the length of her body, catching her sweet lips in a kiss of the mind, the body and the soul.
*****
In the weeks that followed the union of Luis and Sheridan, the two settled
easily into married life. Having been cut off by her father, they decided
staying with Pilar would be best until they could afford a place of their
own. Madison grew quickly, having become the center of attention in the Lopez-Fitzgerald
clan.
After spending Thanksgiving with his family, Antonio had informed a heartbroken Pilar that he was once again leaving Harmony. Though Luis felt for his mother losing her firstborn for the second time, there was certainly no love lost between the two brothers, and he was relieved to see him go.
The week following, Beth's trial began and ended four days later, resulting in a life sentence for both she and her accomplice. Mrs. Wallace had not been charged on any grounds and was sent to live at a posh private nursing facility, paid for by Sheridan before she had lost her inheritance.
The Christmas holiday was fast approaching and the little family was looking forward to their first together.
It was, however, an unexpected twist of fate that made the season more memorable then any of them could have ever imagined.
*****
"All of this is going to have to go," Luis assessed, gesturing to the stuff that was stored against one wall of his bedroom. "And we're going to have to take that wall down as well."
"You guys are going to be at this forever," Sheridan commented, wrapping an arm around her husbands waist, her head resting against his shoulder.
Miguel, who was giving his big brother the evil eye, groaned. "Tell me about it."
Luis gave him a look, which then transferred to the woman beside him. "It's not going to take that long. A few days, week tops."
The plan was, now that Miguel and Charity had moved into an apartment together, to expand the bedroom he and Sheridan shared. The wall between the two rooms would be knocked down and they would then add a bathroom and a nursery for Madison in the extra space it would give them.
"We're going to be old and gray before this gets done," Miguel sighed. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
"You owe me, little brother," Luis reminded him, slapping his back in amusement. "And don't you forget it."
"Like you'd let me," He grumbled. "When do you plan on starting?"
"Tomorrow. We'll clear all this out tonight and get cracking first thing in the morning."
"Great," Miguel replied sarcastically. "Can I go now?"
Luis was about to object, but Sheridan cut in. "Go ahead. We'll see you in the morning."
Miguel shot her a grateful look and backed out of the room, but not before his brother shouted a reminder.
"First thing tomorrow!"
Once he was gone, Luis turned to Sheridan, a look she knew all too well in his dark orbs.
"Sheridan," He sing-songed, his muscular arms pulling her against his hard body. "I want you," He murmured against her lips after he'd kissed her thoroughly.
She gently pushed on his chest, an apologetic smile on her face. "As tempting as that is, your mother is going to be home soon."
"So?" He said dismissively, pulling her back to him. "We're married."
Again she pushed him away, this time stepping out of his reach. "Yes. But we also have a three month old who will be waking up at any time. I don't think you'd appreciate a replay of the last time that happened."
He groaned at the reminder. "That I can definitely live without." Sighing, he raked a hand through his hair. "Rain check?"
"You know it," She grinned, leaning up to kiss him.
Exhaling, Luis glanced at the mess of their belongings. "I guess we should start getting this stuff out of the way."
She, too, surveyed the things before them. "Where do we start?"
"Putting most of it in boxes. I'll get Hank to help me move the furniture later."
She nodded her agreement and the two set to work. Over the next few hours, they managed to make a dent in the pile, even with the added distraction Madison provided. Sheridan was emptying the contents of Luis' night table when she came across a familiar piece of jewelry. Her forehead creased as she struggled to remember where she'd seen it before. She gasped as the memory assaulted her.
Swallowing the last bit of toast, she rinsed her plate and wandered back into the living area, for the first time getting a glimpse into the home of the man who had become her savior. The decor was simple, mostly wood, with a few sparse pieces of furniture. The fireplace took up most of the space and she felt drawn there. The mantle was bare, with the exception of a singular silver chain with a matching cross dangling from it. It seemed familiar to her, though she wasn't able to remember where she'd seen it before. Shrugging, Sheridan headed back over to the couch and sat down and after a minute or two, the man reentered.
Studying the necklace in her hand, she was certain that it was identical to the one the man in the woods had. But how in the world was that possible? There were coincidences, but this was too odd for words.
"What's that?" Luis' voice broke through her trance and she turned abruptly, holding the piece up.
"Luis, this necklace is just like the one the man who helped me had."
His brow furrowed as he took it from her, his work roughened fingers tracing the detailing. When he glanced up, he shook his head. "Sheridan, that's impossible. Only three people in the world have one of these. Me, of course, Antonio and my father. It must've just been one that looked like it."
His last statement failed to register in her mind as a million thoughts, images, and memories raced through her head. Suddenly it all became crystal clear and she gasped, reaching out to grab the bedpost as the room began to spin.
"Sheridan?" Luis said worriedly, reaching out to steady her. She clung to his arm desperately as he helped her sit down on the bed. "Sweetie, what is it? Are you all right? Sheridan, answer me."
His frantic tone snapped her out of it and her shocked blue eyes met his concerned amber ones.
"Luis," She whispered, her voice full of surprise and disbelief. "I think the man who helped me... I think it was your father."
******
Though Luis tried to act rational to her proclamation, he couldn't help
but get his hopes up. She seemed so certain that the two necklaces were the
same and he hated to doubt her. The three were originals, his father having
made them with his own two hands when he and Antonio were children. HIs mother
had held onto them until they'd been old enough to have them and he had always
assumed she kept his fathers as well.
"What makes you say that?" He questioned, trying to keep his cool.
Sheridan held even more tightly onto his hand. "Well, the necklaces, Luis. I'm positive they're identical. And his demeanor, his actions. I remember I kept thinking of how much he reminded me of you. At the time, I just figured it was because he was being so nice and I missed you so much, but the more I think about it, the more sure I am I wasn't imagining the similarities. And there was something he said, I just now remembered your father saying the same thing to me as a child."
Luis' attempt to go into cop mode instead of eager son mode failed miserably. Standing, he hauled her to her feet. "Come with me," He said, leading her out of the room.
Though confused, she followed him down the hall to Pilar's room. The space was empty of life and he motioned her to sit on the bed while he dug through his mothers closet. After a few minutes, his dark head popped back out and he emerged with a book of some sort in his hands.
Wordlessly, he settled beside her and opened what she realized was a photo album. He flipped through the pages, obviously looking for something in particular. Halfway through, he stopped and placed the album in her lap, pointing to one picture. It was summer in the photo, with a much younger Luis in a baseball uniform, with his siblings standing around him, smiling brightly. Behind him stood her mother-in-law and a man, whose hand was proudly settled on his shoulder.
"That's the last picture we have of my father. Is that the man who helped you?"
Sheridan's brow knotted together as she studied the image of Martin Fitzgerald. This was the man she remembered from her childhood, the one who wiped away her tears, saying she was much too pretty to cry. But was it the same man with the cabin in the woods?
Closing her eyes for a second, she brought his face to her minds eye and gazed at the picture intently. The eyes. The man in the woods was much older, his face beginning to wrinkle, but the kind, sincere green eyes were the same. With her heart pounding in her chest, she glanced up at him, his face full of guarded anticipation.
"That's him, Luis. That's him."
He inhaled sharply at her words. "Are... are you sure?"
She nodded. "I'm sure."
Luis swallowed hard before continuing. "Would.. would you be able to find the cabin if we went back there?"
Sheridan hesitated. She wanted nothing more then to say yes, but she had been more concerned with getting home to him and finding their baby, then her surroundings. "I'm not sure. I don't remember much of where we were and there weren't any roads or anything. I'm sorry."
He closed his eyes briefly, sighing heavily before making eye contact with her again. "Was there any kind of distinguishing land mark? I don't know, like an odd looking tree or a river or something?"
Biting her lip, she struggled to recall the four-wheeler ride they'd taken into town. Suddenly her face brightened and she nodded. "There was a river! I remember, I crossed it when I was running. It wasn't too far from the cabin and I know we had to cross it when he took me into town. I think he said something about building the bridge we used."
Excitement settled over his features and he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight. "Tomorrow... tomorrow we're going to find my father and bring him home."
******
"Are you okay back there?" Luis asked loudly the next afternoon.
Sheridan, who sat behind him on the snowmobile they'd borrowed from Sam, gripped his coat tighter as they went over a bump. "What?"
"I asked if you're okay," He replied, louder this time.
"Just cold," Was her answer, followed by a yelp when some snow flew up and hit her in the face. Riding on this contraption in the dead of winter was not her idea of a good time. But for his sake, she would suffer through the frigid New England air.
Suddenly he slowed down, pointing out something through the bare trees.
"Is that the bridge?"
She peered over his shoulder, squinting in the direction he indicated. Mentally comparing what she saw to the vague memory she had, she nodded. "I think so."
Like a man on a mission, Luis hit the gas with such force, they almost went toppling over into the frozen river. Sheridan screamed just as he hit the break to prevent this and jumped off the machine, glaring at her husband.
"I understand you're eager to find your father, Luis, but is it too much to ask we get there and back in one piece? Because, I don't know about you, but I would like to see my daughter again."
Luis' dark eyes softened and he smiled contritely. "I'm sorry."
"You promise you'll go slower? I don't know if my heart can take another one of your drag race starts."
"I promise," He vowed, holding out his hand, which she took. Kissing the tip of her frozen nose, he helped her back into her seat. "Let's go find this cabin so we can get you warm."
She conceded, burying her face in the back of his coat, pressing her body as close as possible to his in search of a reprieve from the cold.
True to his word, Luis maneuvered the snow mobile more carefully and they went slowly over the ice covered bridge. Both were relieved to discover a trail that began on the other side and crossed their fingers it led to Martin Fitzgerald.
For over an hour, they traveled through the snow-white woods, stopping only for a few minutes to snuggle together, sharing a cup of the hot chocolate she'd had enough foresight to bring along. Apprehension was beginning to settle in as the mid-December day began to turn to dusk and still there was no cabin in sight.
Just as they were about to give up and fight their way back to town, she caught sight of smoke billowing out above the bare trees. Determination renewed, they trudged on, now with direction.
A few wrong turns later, a clearing appeared before them and Sheridan managed to exclaim, despite her chattering teeth, "That's it!"
Anxious to reunite with his father, yet more worried about getting his wife someplace warm, Luis killed the engine, sliding from his seat. He helped Sheridan to her feet, pulling her close to his side. Though he was freezing himself, he hoped his body was giving off enough heat to help her even the slightest. She burrowed into him, hugging the arm around her shoulders as if it were her only means of survival.
Quietly, with the exception of the crunching their boots made in the snow, they slowly made their way up to the cabin. The two exchanged a look and she gave his hand an encouraging squeeze. With a deep breath, Luis braced himself and knocked on the door, the sound echoing through the surrounding forest.
It was a minute before the door opened a crack and the eyes staring out at them widened.
"Sheridan!" He gruffly exclaimed, having not noticed the man beside her.
She offered him a shaky smile. "Hello, Martin."
Shock quickly spread across his face and he opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off.
"Papa."
*******
Astonishment was the only way to describe the feeling Martin Fitzgerald felt when he glanced up and into the familiar eyes of his second born son. He would know him anywhere, even nearly twenty years later.
Even as he stumbled back into the cabin he'd called home for so long, their gazes held. Finding his voice, he croaked out a single syllable. "Son."
The sound of his fathers voice brought tears to Luis' eyes and he readily stepped forward when Sheridan nudged him. Martin also felt the stinging of tears behind his eyelids and the two finally came together in a long overdue embrace.
With an ecstatic smile, Sheridan slid into the warm cabin behind them, grateful not only to see the unparalleled happiness on their faces, but also to be out of the cold at last.
"I don't believe this," Martin said with a disbelieving laugh when they broke apart. "I can't believe you're really standing here. How in the world did you find me?"
Luis' eyes darted in the direction of his wife, who was watching them with keen interest from in front of the fire. She grinned when he nodded at her and said, "Our little sleuth over there."
Martin was surprise. "But how?"
Standing, Sheridan made her way over to them, snuggling into Luis' side. "The necklaces. I saw the one you have and then I found Luis'. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, until he told me that they were complete originals. I just put it together."
"Beauty and brains. I'm a lucky man," Luis smiled, his arm curling around her waist and his fathers eyes widened when he placed kiss on the top of her head.
Martin cleared his throat. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"
Luis looked thrown for a moment, before he realized what he was referring to. Exchanging a loving look with the woman in his arms, he grinned at the other man. "Papa, I'd like to introduce you to your daughter-in-law, Sheridan Lopez-Fitzgerald."
Shock was an understatement as he studied the couple before him. "Daughter-in-law? Well, I'll be damned! When did this happen? How did this happen?"
Again, the couple shared a look and a short laugh. "We were married at the beginning of last month," Luis stated proudly. "As for how," He paused, searching for the appropriate words. "Well, let's just say it's a long story and leave it at that."
Martin shook his head in disbelief. "I assume then, that my son is the man you spoke of?" He asked Sheridan, who nodded.
"That he is."
The three continued to converse as Martin led them to the fire, offering them both a bowl of hot soup, which they took gratefully. He was elated to learn that he had not one granddaughter, but two and a grandson to boot! Tears sprang forth as Luis filled him on the family and things that had occurred in the last sixteen years. Sadness overcame him when he told him about having to send Paloma away and he grew angry to find out how Antonio had abandoned them in their hour of need.
Father and son spoke for hours, well after Sheridan had fallen asleep on Luis' shoulder. Martin insisted that they take the bedroom and watched with a smile as he tucked his slumbering wife in, with more love and care then he'd ever witnessed. Once they were alone, Luis' smile faded into a grim line and he finally asked the one question that had been weighing on his mind for over a decade.
"Papa, I have to know, why did you leave? And why have you stayed away all this time?"
Martin exhaled loudly, having expected this question since he'd shown up on his doorstep, but still uncertain how to answer. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he glanced up at him, his sons dark eyes staring at him intently. Recognizing the expression, he fought the urge to chuckle. It seemed as though time had done nothing to diminish his sons inquisitive nature. "Luis, you must believe, I never wanted to leave or stay away, but I had to in order to protect our family."
"Protect us from what?" Luis inquired.
"I don't know how much you remember of my jobs working for the Crane's. I was the manager at the cannery, but I also did a lot of personal work at the Crane Estate. I built the gazebo there with my own two hands, as well as worked closely with Alistair himself. I knew that a lot of his business dealings were less than honest, but as long as they weren't hurting anyone, I was able to turn a blind eye to it. Perhaps it wasn't the right thing to do, but I had a wife and five children to support and he was paying me well."
"What kind of work?" Luis wanted to know.
Martin sighed. "Nothing illegal, I promise you. Mostly just paperwork and accounting. I was to keep the companies yearly inspections up to date, which is really what led to this."
HIs son looked confused. "I'm not sure I follow."
"It was two months before I was forced out of Harmony. The yearly inspection of one of the cannery's, the one in Castleton, was just around the corner, but there was word that it would not be up to code that year and likely shut down. Alistair was furious, because it would be a huge loss in revenue for Crane Industries, as at that time, it was one of their biggest assets. Of course, Alistair was always one to cut corners and he refused to front the money to bring it up to par, so he devised a plan. Instead of making the necessary adjustments, or suffer public scrutiny, he decided the place would burn and he could collect the insurance.
"He expected me to go along with it, much as I had his other plans in the past. I was weary, it just didn't sit right with me, but I figured if nobody got hurt, it was his building to burn. I know it was wrong, but if you remember, this was right around the time Theresa and Miguel caught pneumonia and with all the hospital bills, I couldn't afford to lose my job."
He fell silent for a moment, letting his son digest the information he'd just relayed. Luis sat stoically, his dark eyes contemplating what he was hearing. Finally, he raised his gaze and nodded. "I remember. Mama wasn't sure if you'd be able to pay them even then, with both of you working."
"We cut it close there, and we never would have if I had gone against Alistair in the beginning. Our family would have most likely lost our home, had I. You do understand why I went along with it, don't you?"
Luis was slow in agreeing, but did. "Yeah, I do."
Martin nodded, relieved, though not surprised to hear the disapproval in his voice. "Well, you see, once he had me on his side, the plan was set into motion. Two days before the inspection, the building caught fire as planned, but things went haywire from there. THe man they hired to set the fire wasn't quite as professional as he thought. He'd been greedy, all too eager to get the job done so he could collect his pay and get out of dodge. He was supposed to wait until the early morning hours, but he rushed and set the place ablaze shortly before midnight." He paused, choking on his words, guilt settling over his features. "The cannery was engulfed in flames in a matter of minutes, no way in and no way out. He set the fire, never realizing that the last shift didn't end until 12:30."
Realization dawned on Luis' face and he swallowed hard, dreading what was to come next. His father closed his eyes briefly, before gazing at his son in remorse.
"Nearly forty men and woman were on duty that night and not one of them made it out alive. When I learned of the tragedy, I immediately decided I could not, in good conscious, let Alistair get away with killing those people. Your mother and I would find some way to make ends meet, but I couldn't let this go. I went to see Alistair then, to hand in my resignation, which he took without a word. Looking back, that alone should have alerted me he was up to something. Later that night, I received a call from him, asking me to come to the mansion. I was reluctant, but decided to go anyway. Once there, he was very cold and got right to the point. He knew I was planning on going to the police with what I knew and he couldn't let that happen. I told him the only way I wouldn't, was if he stepped forward himself. He shot that down, of course, and I stood my ground. He then said if I did such, the Castleton Police would be receiving a shocking piece of evidence. Confused, and perhaps naive, I asked what that would be. He led me into his office, where he played a surveillance video for me. On it was the entire horrendous act, only the man shone setting the fire looked exactly like me."
"An impostor," Luis murmured, all too familiar with the setup.
"Yes," Martin confirmed. "I was appalled, not quite understanding how such was possible. I knew it wasn't me, but also knew if someone else saw it, they would draw the wrong conclusions. Alistair explained that he'd had the feeling I wasn't completely behind him with this and figured I would eventually have an attack of morality and he needed to ensure his innocence. So he hired the man to wear an exact replica mask of my face when he did the job. He said that not only was I not going to say anything, but I was also going to leave town. I objected, naturally, there was no way I was going to leave my wife and family. He said I had no choice, because if I didn't, he'd send the tape to the police and then promptly fire your mother, leaving her without any means of support. I would go to jail, if not sent to the chair, and he'd be certain that nobody would ever treat our family with anything less than the utmost contempt. He would have the mortgage called in on the house and make sure Pilar never worked again, that you children would be taken away and living in foster care. I'd seen him ruin people before, so I knew he could do just that and worse. And I couldn't let that happen, it would've killed your mother. So I made the hardest decision I've ever had to make, and agreed. He had one of his lackey's bring me here, where this cabin was already built. I've tried, a few times, to contact the family, to come home, only to be once again crushed by threats. Perhaps, if I were a stronger man, I wouldn't have caved, but the thought of having my family in such peril broke my heart. I couldn't do that to my children and I couldn't do that to your mother."
Though Luis didn't agree with his methods, he understood the reasoning behind it. He would do anything to spare Sheridan and Madison such pain. "I always knew the Crane's had something to do with your disappearance. I never bought their story that you were caught embezzling money and ran to save yourself."
"Is that what they've been saying?" Martin scoffed.
Luis nodded. "Yeah. I never believed it, though. Especially after all they did to keep Sheridan and I apart. IF that's all it was, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths. I knew they were hiding something."
Martin smiled at the mention of his daughter-in-law. "She always was such a beautiful child, but always so sad. Her father put that poor girl through hell. It does my heart good to see she turned out to be such a wonderful woman, despite her family."
Luis' mouth curved upward into a lovesick grin. "She is pretty amazing, isn't she? I'm the luckiest guy in the world. She means everything to me."
"I can see that," His father chuckled. "And I must say, I cannot wait to meet that granddaughter of mine. All of my grandchildren, for that matter."
"Does that mean you're coming home with us?" Luis asked hopefully, to which Martin nodded earnestly.
"You bet I am. I've given too many years of my life with my family to Alistair, I'm not going to miss watching my grandchildren grow."
"But what about the tape?"
Martin shrugged that away. "I think I have enough against him now, to get him to back off. If not, we'll deal with the consequences. At the very least, I no longer have to worry about him having you kids taken away."
Luis nodded in understanding. "If he does try to frame you, I will do everything in my power to prove otherwise."
Martin's reply was silenced by a low moan and then a shrill scream that pierced the night air.
Luis was on his feet before anyone had time to blink. "Sheridan."
******
It was dark, oh God, it was dark and the nauseating smell of damp Earth filled her senses. The world around her began to spin and she found herself flat on her back, staring up at the opening of the black hole. Manic laughter echoed in her ears as the hideous sight of the plastic clown face appeared above her.
"Time to die, Blondie," It cackled, and she screamed, eliciting more laughter.
"No," She moaned, thrashing about. "No. Please, no. Luis! Luis, I need you," The sobs came out choked and she clamped her eyes shut, willing it all to be nothing but a nightmare. "No, NO!"
******
Luis ran into the room where his wife lay, tossing and twisting amongst
the blankets. Her terrified moans and pleas for him to come, broke his heart
and he hurried to her side, gathering her in his arms.
"Shh, I'm here. I'm here, Sheridan. It's okay."
Sheridan's frantic movement ceased and she lay limply in his embrace, as he continued to whisper words of assurance.
"It's okay, Sweetheart. They can't hurt you anymore. You're safe, I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you," Luis promised, kissing her forehead as he gently rocked her.
She slowly became conscious, tears streaming down her cheeks and she snuggled further into him, seeking the comfort and safety only he could provide. They sat life this for a few minutes, until her hoarse voice croaked out his name.
"Luis?"
"Yeah, baby?"
"Thank you," She whispered, her blue eyes glancing up to connect with his.
He lovingly wiped the tear stains from her cheeks, offering a shaky smile. "Anytime. I'll always be here for you, you know that."
Sheridan nodded mutely and laid her head on his chest again, letting his gentle stroking of her back lull her back into a much more peaceful slumber. Her last words were a murmured, "I love you."
He replied in kind, "I love you, too, Sweetie," before he kissed the top of her head, never relinquishing his hold. His gaze met his fathers, who was standing in the doorway.
"Is she all right?" Martin asked with concern.
Luis glanced from his wife and then back to his father. "She will be. She still has nightmares of what happened to her when she was kidnapped... I thought they'd stopped, but I guess not. She's been to hell and back again, I don't think I should leave her right now."
Martin nodded in agreement. "No, of course not. We'll talk in the morning. Good night, Son."
These words earned a smile smile. "Good night, Papa."
*******
Morning came quickly and nobody could help but be thrilled about the recent
reunion between father and son and the one that would take place later that
day. Martin was rightfully nervous about returning to Harmony, but knew beyond
a shadow of a doubt, that it was time. The trio ate a quick breakfast, all
eager to get home as soon as possible.
After pocketing the necklace that had brought his family back to him, they all headed out.
The ride back to town was quicker, with Martin leading the way. They stopped for a few minutes at the diner in town, to warm up and get some coffee before loading the snow mobile into the back of Sam's truck. With identical smiles and silent prayers, Luis navigated them onto the high way and towards home.
*******
Pilar was seated in the kitchen of the Lopez-Fitzgerald home, feeding Madison, when she heard the car pull into the driveway.
"It sounds like your parents are home. Let's go greet them, shall we?"
Madison gurgled and her azure eyes twinkled as her grandmother swept her up into her arms. Pausing only momentarily to bundle the baby in a blanket, she hurried towards the door. Sure enough, there was Luis helping Sheridan out of the vehicle. She was about to call out to them when another figure appeared from the back seat.
The three turned towards her and it was then her heart skipped a beat and she inhaled sharply. Luis was the first to reach her, his brown eyes sparkling with happiness as he gently removed his daughter from her grasp.
"Go on, Mama," He urged softly.
"Martin?" Pilar choked out, the tears already forming in her eyes.
The man in question stepped closer, love and awe written on his face. "Mi amor."
The dam broke when he spoke and the next thing she knew, she was in his arms. The arms she knew, the arms she'd longed for for nearly two decades, the arms of the man she loved, her husband, her Martin.
Sheridan's smile was blinding as she watched the scene before her, securely tucked in Luis' embrace. She glanced up to catch his reaction and was surprised to see tears of his own shining in his eyes. Tugging on his hand, she murmured, "Why don't we give them some time?"
He nodded absently at her words and followed her into the house, glancing back once more. His father was home.
******
Christmas that year was more than just a time for family and friends, it
was a time for thanks. Thanks that Sheridan and Madison had been returned
to them, safe and sound. It was time to be thankful for the miraculous survival
of Baby Maria and above all else, the reunion of a family much too long torn
apart.
After Martin's surprise return to Harmony, Sheridan had insisted that she be the one to speak to her father and brother on his behalf. There had been much reluctance from both her husband and father-in-law, but she remained firm.
As it turned out, her assistance was unnecessary. When word got out of Martin's homecoming, others, men and women alike, had come out of the wood work, each with their own tale of how Alistair had ruined their lives, threatened them and their families. Julian, interested in saving his own behind, decided that going forward with his fathers misdeeds was the thing to do. He knew that together, the former Crane employees could blow the company right out of the water. He was granted immunity for his testimonial, while Alistair himself, was carted off to prison, where he was awaiting trial.
The holiday season brought home Paloma, who was ecstatic to be with her family again. Pilar and Martin were upset that they were missing a vital member of their clan, until they opened the door on Christmas Eve, to find their firstborn standing on the doorstep. Surprisingly enough, it had been Luis who had tracked his brother down and asked him to come home. They buried the hatchet that day, though they were never as close as they had once been.
Three generations of Lopez-Fitzgerald's celebrated Christmas a whole that year, none having been more happy then they were at that moment. And just when they thought life couldn't get any better, they were granted another gift.
*******
"This was the perfect Christmas. My father's home, I've got my beautiful
wife and daughter... what more could a guy want," Luis announced, sliding
into bed next to his wife that night, pulling her close to his side.
Sheridan smiled up at him, linking their hands together. "It isn't over yet."
"Oh?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Scooting up, she cupped his face between her hands. "I didn't get to give you your present."
He caught her wrist and shot her a devilishly handsome grin. "Lay it on me."
Giggling softly, Sheridan rested her forehead against his, staring lovingly into his coffee-colored eyes. In a whisper, full of more love and joy one could ever fathom, she impishly asked, "How do you feel about being a daddy again?"
A look of amazement crossed his features and he tightened his grip on her. "You mean? You're? We're?"
She gave an affirmative nod, to which he let out a loud whoop of excitement. Their faces held matching smiles of unparalleled happiness and Luis' hand came up to touch her cheek.
"I love you," He murmured, his voice rich with emotion. "I love you, so much."
A single tear slid down her face. "I love you, too, Luis. So very, very much."
As their interlocked hands slid down to rest on her stomach, their lips melded into one and together, they celebrated all of life's gifts.
*cringe* How bad was it? Not too, I hope. Thanks for reading!