A/N This story is an alternate to the Ben/Meg/Maria/Derek/Tess/Beny story.
In this version Derek and Maria have gone on their "second honeymoon" to
Hawaii (Maria thinking Derek was Ben).
This story is rated PG for mild language, violence, and thematic elements.
1 - At the Coffee Shop
Maria sat at the coffee shop and the tears begin to fill her eyes again.
"No," she said as she picked up a menu to hide her face from prying eyes. "I promised myself I would *not* cry anymore"
But sometimes circumstances beyond our control happen.
Maria still couldn't believe it. She had been sleeping with Derek all that time. Ben had been held captive in Seattle. It was Meg who rescued him. It was Maria who discovered it was Derek. Maria had remembered her missing five years- full of terror from Derek and Tess. Derek had been about to kill her in Hawaii when Meg and Ben came to save her. The three of them battled with Derek. The fight had climaxed on a bridge near the ocean. Derek had fallen in and was attacked by shark.
At least this time, they knew he was dead, because the police had dragged out his body.
But Derek hadn't died without revealing something to Maria. "Benjy is not your son. He belongs to Tess and I."
Tess however, was also dead.
Maria had gone for a pelvic exam right away. Indeed, as she found out from Tyus, she had never been pregnant. She couldn't believe it. The child she thought was hers was gone.
Then came the worst news of all for Maria. Ben loved Meg and only Meg.
After Derek had died, Meg comforted Ben and he had looked very content. Maria was shocked to find a picture of Meg had slipped out of his pocket. It turned out that this picture had been his only comfort in Seattle. No thoughts of her or even Benjy had consoled him. Then Ben had turned to her and said.
"Please understand Maria that this is hard, but I love Meg and only Meg. I loved you once, but I changed and Meg was part of that change. My love for Meg is stronger than anything I have ever felt. I am sorry Maria" This time he did not spare words. Maria knew that he was sure.
"All right Ben," she had said after a few very difficult moments. "Then we'll let Carmen watch our- your nephew while we go to the Dominican Republic."
"Maria, thank you," said Meg reaching out a confronting hand.
"You're welcome Meg."
At the Dominican Maria watched tearfully as Ben signed his name. And then Maria signed her name "Maria Torres Evans" for the last time. She made sure it was the last time because she had already arranged for her name to legally be changed back to Maria Torres as soon as the divorce papers were signed.
A lonely tear fell on the divorce papers as the clerk briskly took them away. "Thank you Maria, said Ben giving her a tender but only friendly hug. Meg hugged her too. "Good luck in your new life, Meg Evans" she whispered as Ben and left for Venice for their wedding and honeymoon.
So now Maria sat weeping behind the menu when a hand pulled it away from her face. She was about to snap at the waiter when she realized it was Officer Spencer from SBPD.
"Oh hello, Officer" she said.
"Mrs. Evans," he said.
"Ms. Torres." She corrected him.
"I'm sorry. Ben and Meg must be on their honeymoon then?"
"Yes." Maria really wanted to be left alone.
"You know, Ricardo and I are great friends. May I call you Maria?"
"Of course Spencer you and my brother go way back."
"Call me Eric," he said.
"All right, Eric. Do you mind leaving me alone for a while?"
"I would like to Maria but I have some news about Ricardo I think you should know."
"What?" she asked
This story is rated PG for mild language, violence, and thematic elements.
1 - At the Coffee Shop
Maria sat at the coffee shop and the tears begin to fill her eyes again.
"No," she said as she picked up a menu to hide her face from prying eyes. "I promised myself I would *not* cry anymore"
But sometimes circumstances beyond our control happen.
Maria still couldn't believe it. She had been sleeping with Derek all that time. Ben had been held captive in Seattle. It was Meg who rescued him. It was Maria who discovered it was Derek. Maria had remembered her missing five years- full of terror from Derek and Tess. Derek had been about to kill her in Hawaii when Meg and Ben came to save her. The three of them battled with Derek. The fight had climaxed on a bridge near the ocean. Derek had fallen in and was attacked by shark.
At least this time, they knew he was dead, because the police had dragged out his body.
But Derek hadn't died without revealing something to Maria. "Benjy is not your son. He belongs to Tess and I."
Tess however, was also dead.
Maria had gone for a pelvic exam right away. Indeed, as she found out from Tyus, she had never been pregnant. She couldn't believe it. The child she thought was hers was gone.
Then came the worst news of all for Maria. Ben loved Meg and only Meg.
After Derek had died, Meg comforted Ben and he had looked very content. Maria was shocked to find a picture of Meg had slipped out of his pocket. It turned out that this picture had been his only comfort in Seattle. No thoughts of her or even Benjy had consoled him. Then Ben had turned to her and said.
"Please understand Maria that this is hard, but I love Meg and only Meg. I loved you once, but I changed and Meg was part of that change. My love for Meg is stronger than anything I have ever felt. I am sorry Maria" This time he did not spare words. Maria knew that he was sure.
"All right Ben," she had said after a few very difficult moments. "Then we'll let Carmen watch our- your nephew while we go to the Dominican Republic."
"Maria, thank you," said Meg reaching out a confronting hand.
"You're welcome Meg."
At the Dominican Maria watched tearfully as Ben signed his name. And then Maria signed her name "Maria Torres Evans" for the last time. She made sure it was the last time because she had already arranged for her name to legally be changed back to Maria Torres as soon as the divorce papers were signed.
A lonely tear fell on the divorce papers as the clerk briskly took them away. "Thank you Maria, said Ben giving her a tender but only friendly hug. Meg hugged her too. "Good luck in your new life, Meg Evans" she whispered as Ben and left for Venice for their wedding and honeymoon.
So now Maria sat weeping behind the menu when a hand pulled it away from her face. She was about to snap at the waiter when she realized it was Officer Spencer from SBPD.
"Oh hello, Officer" she said.
"Mrs. Evans," he said.
"Ms. Torres." She corrected him.
"I'm sorry. Ben and Meg must be on their honeymoon then?"
"Yes." Maria really wanted to be left alone.
"You know, Ricardo and I are great friends. May I call you Maria?"
"Of course Spencer you and my brother go way back."
"Call me Eric," he said.
"All right, Eric. Do you mind leaving me alone for a while?"
"I would like to Maria but I have some news about Ricardo I think you should know."
"What?" she asked