AUTHOR'S NOTE This is the only canon character whose story I'm telling. As all faithful Passions viewers know, Paloma is the youngest Lopez-Fitzgerald child. When Martin Fitzgerald disappeared, his wife Pilar could not take care of all five children by herself. Paloma was only a baby and Pilar sent her away to hopefully give her a better life. And, well, you know what happened after that.

DISCLAIMER Don't own anyone here.

…

Paloma – "A Dove" Spanish

Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald paced around the tiny kitchen in her dingy apartment. As she wrung her hands, she cast nervous glances at the back door. Finally, she seemed to give up and walked into the only other room she owned.

A dark bathroom was off the left of the bedroom. Her three boys – 10-year-old Antonio, 6-year-old Luis, and 2-year-old Miguel – slept soundly in a twin-sized bed. 3-year-old Theresa slept alone in another twin next to a small wooden cradle.

Pilar knelt next to the cradle and rocked it slowly. "My little Paloma," she said sadly. "Mi amada niña."

Sighing, she stood up and let the baby sleep. "Where is she?" she muttered once she'd reached the kitchen again.

A small noise caught her attention and she turned her head just in time to see a mouse disappear under the refrigerator. Pilar cringed. Her mind wandered back to the small but clean and cozy house that she had lived in not so long ago.

They had been better times. She had been deeply, blissfully in love. Her husband worked for Crane Industries – the largest company in Harmony. Pilar loved Harmony. She felt it the perfect place to raise their children.

Antonio was their oldest. He was ten now and he adored his father. There were times when it seemed he hardly remembered that he had a mother, brothers, or sisters.

It was just Antonio for a long time. Pilar and her husband wanted to be sure that everything was settled before they had more children.

After four years of just the three of them, Luis was born. He was protective of Pilar from the very beginning. When the younger children were born, Luis made it his job to protect them as well. Theresa followed him everywhere as soon as she learned to walk. She was doted on by her older brother, as she was the only girl and Luis's little princess.

The little ones – Miguel and Paloma – were two years apart. Miguel, who had greatly enjoyed the position of baby of the family, was jealous of the new baby girl at first. Theresa was a little jealous as well, as Luis loved the new baby and started spending more time helping Pilar with her. In consequence, Theresa and Miguel became fast friends.

Then one night when Paloma was only a month old, Pilar's whole world fell apart. Her husband failed to come home that evening. She waited up for him the whole night. When he was not home by morning, she began to worry. The following week was a nightmare. No one knew anything of her husband. Crane Industries had been thrown into chaos by the death of Alistair Crane's wife Katherine.

A month passed. It became clear that her husband wasn't coming back. The money that she had long counted on stopped coming in. Pilar was forced to move into the tiny creature-infested apartment that she now lived in. She became a maid in the Crane mansion just to make ends meet.

Tears gathered in Pilar's eyes. "Oh Martin!" she cried softly. "Where are you? Why did you leave us?"

She jumped when she heard a soft knock at the door. Drying her eyes, she opened the door. "Maria!"

"Pilar." Maria came into the small kitchen and hugged her sister.

Pilar wiped away a tear. "Thank you so much for doing this, Maria. I wish things were different but…"

Maria smiled sadly. "I know, Pilar. I know." Squaring her shoulders, she said, "Where is she?"

"Stay here," Pilar said softly.

Little Miguel was talking in his sleep when Pilar reentered the bedroom. Antonio sleepily opened his eyes, reached over the sleeping Luis, and swatted Miguel. The toddler quieted down.

"Antonio!" Pilar admonished her son sharply. Then, more gently, she added, "Go back to sleep."

The boy rolled over and went back to sleep. Pilar waited until his breath became deep and even before she knelt next to Paloma's cradle. While she could not stop herself from crying, she was able to keep her grief quiet enough not to wake the other children.

"My baby Paloma," she whispered to the girl. "Please forgive me for this. I love you so much. One day, when times are better, I'll bring you home."

Gently, she lifted the baby out of the cradle. She picked up an old knitted blanket and wrapped it around her daughter. Pilar stood for just a moment, holding her youngest child close.

Maria was waiting for her in the kitchen. She took Paloma from Pilar and rocked her softly. "She's beautiful, mi hermana."

Pilar choked back a sob. "Thank you. I – " She paused. "As soon as things are better – I mean, when my Martin comes back, I'll send for her."

Maria nodded. "I understand. I'll care for her as my own."

"Gracias, Maria."

Maria kissed Pilar's cheek and soon she and Paloma were gone. Pilar gave into her grief and sank down at the kitchen table. After she'd cried as much as she felt she could, she trudged back to the bedroom. She changed into her nightgown and gently pulled the blankets back on the bed that held little Theresa.

The three-year-old awoke when Pilar put her arm around her – her only remaining daughter. "Mama?" the child asked.

"Yes Theresa, it's me."

Theresa blinked sleepily. "What's wrong, Mama?"

Pilar just brushed her daughter's hair from her forehead. "Nothing, mija. Go back to sleep."