"Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world. I am so lucky to have you in my life, Sheridan."

"No, Luis, thank you for saving me on more than one occasion. I love you so much and I know that being here together today is an indication that there isn't any obstacle in this world that we can't overcome as long as we do it together."

Remembering those words yanked Luis from his reverie. "Together." Luis sighed and sadly set the picture down on his desk and went back to finish up his work for the day.

He was finally done and was getting ready to go home when Sam came in.

"Hey Luis."

"Oh, hey, Sam."

"Are you going home for the day?"

"Yeah, I'm finally finished. How's Grace and the family?"

"They are all doing great. How's Sheridan doing?" Sam asked cautiously.

A sad look washed over Luis's strong face. "Uh, she's about the same really." He tried to hide the sadness in his voice, but he was sure Sam wasn't buying it.

"Well, we are all pulling for you both. Send her our best."

"Thanks Sam. I will. Goodnight."

"Yeah, goodnight, Luis." Sam watched Luis walk away sadly towards his car. He felt so bad for everything that he was going through.

Luis drove up to their house and slowly got out. He walked up and opened the front door and there was no sign of Sheridan in the living room. He looked in the kitchen, and she wasn't there either. He knew where she would be, but he was hoping she wouldn't be there. He walked upstairs and sure enough she was in the same place she had been everyday he came home for the last three months. Luis stopped in the doorway of the room and just watched her. Sheridan was sitting in a rocking chair with the lights off staring out the window. Luis knew this scene all too well. He found her this way everyday upon returning home from work. She wasn't crying, she just remained silent and rocked in the chair. He didn't know if she stayed that way all day long, but he was pretty sure that she did. He was so worried about her that it was making him sick inside. He broke the silence to let his wife know that he was home…not that he thought it would do any good, but he had to try. "Hi honey." Luis walked over to her and kneeled down beside her.

"Hi," she said dryly. She continued to stare out the window and didn't even look at her husband.

Luis reached out and grabbed her hand. She jerked her hand away and wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them close to her body. Luis sighed inwardly and told her he was going to change. When he was gone Sheridan finally stood up and walked downstairs. She remained silent as she went into the kitchen to fix dinner.

Luis walked into their bedroom that was well known to him, but it felt cold and unfamiliar. He opened a drawer to get a shirt when he saw another picture of him and Sheridan. This picture was taken six months ago. They looked so happy. Luis remembered the day it was taken.

"Sheridan, I'm home," Luis yelled as he walked through the door. He took off his coat and looked around the living room for a sign of his beautiful wife. He noticed that she had been busy putting up Christmas decorations. Christmas music was playing in the background but he couldn't find Sheridan. He walked to the doorway of the kitchen and found her standing there. "Hey, didn't you hear me yelling for you?"

Sheridan smiled sweetly at him. "Yes Luis, I did. Look up." Luis did as he was told and noticed they were standing under mistletoe. "I've been waiting for you to come find me in here so I could do this." She wrapped her arms around Luis and pulled him in for a deep kiss. "How was your day, sweetie?"

"Well, it was pretty good, but coming home to you makes it so much better. I could get used to this kind of greeting when I get home everyday." He smiled at her and pulled her in towards him so he could kiss her again. "I see you've been very busy today. The place looks great."

"Thank you. I kind of like it myself, Officer. Oh…I have a surprise for you, but you'll have to wait until after dinner to get it." She smiled devilishly at him and he wondered what she had up her sleeve.

"Why Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald, you aren't trying to pull one over on your husband are you?"

She smiled innocently at him. "Of course not." She kissed him one more time before pushing him out of the kitchen so she could finish dinner. She was setting the table when Luis came back in carrying a bottle of her favorite wine.

"I thought this would go nicely with dinner." Sheridan looked at him and tried not to spill her secret. They were eating dinner and Luis was telling her about his day. They laughed and were having a great time. Luis noticed she wasn't touching her wine. "Hey, why aren't you drinking the wine…it is your favorite after all."

"Oh, I just don't feel like it right now." She was so excited she was about to burst. They were done eating dinner and Luis kept looking strangely at her. "WHAT?"

"Can I have my surprise now pleeeease?" He sounded so child like. Sheridan rolled her eyes but burst out laughing at his pleading nature.

"Yes, Luis, you can have your surprise now." She stood up to walk into the den where she had the present. Luis followed her in there.

"Well, Sheridan, we haven't done it in here for a long time. This is a nice surprise."

"This isn't your surprise, Romeo. Go back into the living room and sit down." She smiled at how cute he was couldn't wait to tell him. She handed him the gift and Luis shook it acting like a child trying to figure out what it was. He finally unwrapped it and took the lid off the box. Inside was a silver frame saying "Worlds Greatest Dad" with his picture inside. It took him a second to catch on. Sheridan smiled at him.

"What…wait…does this mean…that we…"

"Are going to have a baby," Sheridan finished for him.

"A baby?" Luis asked.

"Yes, a baby." Sheridan replied.

"You're pregnant?"

"Yes, Luis, that's what I'm telling you."

"I'M GONNA BE A DADDY!" Luis shouted and jumped to his feet. He picked Sheridan up and swung her around before pulling her in so he could kiss her. He hugged her tight to him. "Sheridan, this is the best news."

"I was hoping you would think so." Sheridan stood still embraced by him. "I've been dying to tell you, but I was waiting for the right moment. I figured since it's only a couple of weeks until Christmas I could give you a present a little early."

"Well, it is the best present I could've gotten. This is going to be an amazing Christmas."

Sheridan smiled at him. She was so happy that they were starting a family. "Just wait until next year, Daddy."

"Oh I love the sound of that, Mommy."

"I can get used to that name too. Now, let's take a picture of us so we will always remember this day." Sheridan ran to get the camera, and Luis couldn't stop smiling.

She set the camera on the coffee table and set the timer. Luis was already sitting by the tree and she snuggled down next to him and he wrapped his arms around her. They smiled and the camera captured that magical moment for the both of them.

Luis sighed again for the umpteenth time that day and sat the picture back in its place. 'Six months ago. How much my life has changed in that short span of time. Why can't we get back what we had, Sheridan?' He changed his clothes and went into the kitchen to find Sheridan.

Sheridan was in the kitchen mindlessly chopping up vegetables for a salad. She knew how much this was killing Luis, but she just couldn't stop feeling the way she did. Her mind was racing through thousands of memories. She couldn't force her mind to stop and focus on the good times. It was like her mind was fast forwarding through all the good to get to the terrible tragedy that turned their world upside down. She stood in the kitchen and remembered that day.

Sheridan and Luis were getting ready to go to the Policeman's Benefit. Luis was having trouble with his tie and was cursing it in the mirror. Sheridan walked out from the bathroom and she took Luis's breath away.

"Here, let me help you with that tie."

Luis's breath caught in his throat. "Sheridan, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. How did I get so lucky to have you as my wife and the mother of my child?" He rubbed her now showing belly. As soon as she was done fixing his tie, Luis leaned down so he could talk to her stomach. "Hello baby. I can't wait until you come out so you can know how wonderful your mommy is. I've known for a long time, but I can't wait for you to know her too." He kissed her stomach and she ruffled his hair.

"You're too sweet, Luis. I love you so much."

"I love you too…Forever and Always." He kissed her and they started toward the door.

They were almost toward the door when Sheridan doubled over in pain. She grabbed her stomach and started crying. "LUIS! LUIS, something is wrong!"

"Sheridan, what is it? Is it the baby?"

"Yes, please call an ambulance or take me to the hospital." She kept crying out in pain and Luis scooped her up and got her in the car. He drove her to the hospital as fast as he could get her there.

He grabbed Sheridan's face and forced her to look at him. "Sheridan, you are going to be okay. I'm going to get the doctor and I'll be right back, okay?"

"Okay, please hurry, something isn't right." She wrapped her arms around her stomach and tried to be strong for Luis's sake. He came back with a doctor and the doctor wheeled her into an exam room so he could do some tests. The doctor wouldn't let Luis in with her and it was just Sheridan and the doctor.

"Doctor, what's wrong with my baby?"

"We're going to find out, Sheridan. I'm going to go get the fetal monitor and get you hooked up to that. I'll be right back," the doctor replied.

"Can Luis please come in here with me?"

"Yes, I'll send him in."

Luis darted in the room and rushed to sit by Sheridan. He grabbed her hand and stroked her hair.

"Luis, I'm scared. I'm really scared. What if something goes wrong with our baby?"

"Shhh…Sheridan, don't talk like that. They have great doctors here, and they will fix whatever is wrong," he tried to assure her.

The doctor came back in and got Sheridan hooked up to the fetal monitor. When he did, it started beeping rapidly and a team of doctors and nurses rushed in. Luis was rushed out of the room. Sheridan kept screaming for Luis, but they wouldn't let him near her.

All she remembered was hearing that the baby's heart rate dropped and they were going to have to get the baby out ASAP. "It's too soon. It's too soon. I can't have my baby yet," Sheridan yelled.

They got the baby out, but it was too late. She was too premature and there was nothing the doctors could do to save their baby. When the doctors finally let Luis see Sheridan, she was a wreck.

Luis walked into her room and dried his eyes before he she could see that he had been crying. She saw this and it made her cry even harder. "I lost my baby…OUR baby, Luis. How could I let this happen to us?"

Luis sat and held her as she cried. "It's not your fault, Sheridan. It's not anyone's fault." Together they sat and cried over the loss of their daughter, Mariah.

Sheridan snapped out of her memory and realized she was crying. She wiped away the tears before Luis came down. For three months it had been the same routine. He would get up and go to work, and she would sit in Mariah's nursery. When he got home she would get up and fix his dinner. Very few words were spoken. Sheridan blamed herself for the loss of their child and wasn't so sure she would ever be the same again. Luis was always there to support her, but she grew distant from him and she felt like she couldn't even talk to him about it anymore. That child was inside her and something inside her killed it. Sheridan felt Luis didn't understand. Just then Luis walked into the kitchen.

"Can I help?" Luis tried every attempt to make conversation but it was no use.

"No, I'll be done soon."

"Well, that was a whole sentence…that's progress." Luis knew he shouldn't have said that, but he just couldn't help himself anymore. He wanted Sheridan back.

"Set the table. Dinner will be done soon," Sheridan replied coolly.

"Sheridan, look at me!" Sheridan didn't look at him and kept chopping the vegetables.

"WILL YOU FORGET ABOUT THE DAMN DINNER FOR TWO MINUTES?" Luis shouted. It was the first time he'd snapped at her. He just couldn't keep this bottled up inside any longer. It was just as hard on him losing their baby, but life didn't stop. They still had their life together, but that life was slowly fading into non-existence.

Sheridan sat the knife down and slowly turned to look at him. She was taken aback by his tone, but decided this was long overdue. She looked him in the eyes, but couldn't force herself to maintain eye contact. Luis stared her down and she averted his gaze the best she could.

Luis was happy to see her at least try to make an effort, no matter how miniscule it was. "Sheridan, sweetie, please look at me." He pleaded with her and his tone softened. She turned her eyes back towards his and saw Luis's eyes looking back at her lovingly. When she didn't look away, he slowly reached his hand up to brush away a lone tear that remained on her face. When his hand made contact she tensed up and turned away like his touch had burned her skin. Luis was crushed. She was his whole world and it felt like she wasn't in it any longer. He sighed. He was so sick and tired of this. He was willing to do anything to get her to respond. If that meant provoking her so she'd yell at him, then so be it. But unfortunately, he wasn't up for that tonight. "DAMMIT SHERIDAN! I can't take this tonight." Luis had had it and he grabbed his keys and headed out the door slamming it behind him. Sheridan jumped at the sound of the slamming door. She broke out into sobs. She realized that she was rapidly losing Luis too. She desperately wanted to get back what they had, but she had no clue where to begin.

Sheridan was tired. She was tired of feeling dead inside. She was tired of pushing Luis away when he only wanted to help her. She was tired of grieving for the loss of their child 24 hours a day. She was tired of all the sympathetic looks she got from everyone. She was just tired. Sheridan cleaned up the kitchen and put the dinner in the refrigerator in case Luis wanted it when he got home. She was worried about him. She hadn't seen him snap like that since this whole thing happened. She knew deep down that he just needed to vent because he was trying to be strong for the both of them, and he needed a break. Sheridan was so tired that she couldn't drag herself upstairs. She turned on the TV and covered up with a blanket on the couch. She fell asleep dreaming of happier times with Luis.

Sheridan finished getting ready. All she had to do was put on her lipstick and then she would be ready to go. She had on a short black beaded dress and she had her hair all curled. She wore her diamond necklace and between the necklace and the dress, she sparkled. She was sure Luis would love it. She couldn't wait for him to get there. She had a feeling this would be night they would both remember forever. It was New Year's Eve and they were going to the annual Crane New Year's Ball. Luis had really come around and tolerated her family for her sake. That was one thing she loved most about him. It was going to be a great party, but most importantly she just wanted to ring in the new year with the man she was head over heels in love with. Sheridan finished applying her red lipstick and sprayed on some of her favorite perfume that Luis got her for her birthday. There was a knock at her door and she smiled. She knew who was waiting on the other side and couldn't get there fast enough. She opened to door to find Luis standing there with a single red rose in hand. He had on a black tuxedo and she was sure she'd never seen anyone look so amazing in a tux before. He handed her the rose and she thanked him.

"You look…AMAZING, Sheridan. I…I…Wow!"

"Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald at a loss for words? Let me get a pen and write this down," she teased.

They both laughed and he just kept staring at her.

"So, are you ready to go, Sheridan?"

"Yeah, I can't wait. This party is going to be great. But I am most looking forward to spending the evening with you." She smiled at him and she desperately wanted to rip off his tux and jump him right then and there, but she knew they would have all night, and there was no need to rush things.

Luis helped her with her coat and they left for the ball. She noticed that he was rather nervous in the car. He kept fidgeting and she didn't know what was going on. "Luis, what's the matter with you? I haven't seen you this fidgety in I don't know when."

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just excited about the party that's all. However, I'm going to have to keep an extra close eye on you tonight," Luis said.

"And why is that, Officer?"

"Because the way you look in that dress, if I turn my back for a second, someone else is going to steal you away."

Sheridan blushed at his comment. He was so sweet. "Well, Luis, I don't think you'll have to worry. No one is going to take me away from you. If anyone has to worry, it would be me. I'll knock any woman out if they try to lay a hand on my man."

Luis laughed. "Why Ms. Crane, a woman as refined as yourself would resort to violence?"

"Hell yes. In case you haven't noticed, you're extremely easy on the eyes and I have noticed other women checking you out before. I didn't like it."

"Well, Sheridan, you don't have to worry. I only have eyes for you. I love you."

"I love you too, Luis."

They were dancing at the ball and having a great time. The place looked amazing and everyone was having fun celebrating. Sheridan hardly noticed anyone but Luis the entire night. They were so lost in each other. "Back at One" came on and Luis pulled Sheridan out on the dance floor.

Luis held Sheridan close to him and she got lost in his embrace. She looked up at him and into his dark eyes. They were so full of love and her knees got weak. They always did when he looked at her that way. Luis excused himself and Sheridan found Ethan and was talking to him. It was nearing midnight and she couldn't find Luis. 'I wonder where that man is. He better hurry back, because I refuse to ring in the New Year without him at my side.' Someone made an announcement that there were only 30 seconds left until the New Year, and Luis still wasn't back. Sheridan looked all over the place for him. She couldn't find his familiar face anywhere in the crowd. The countdown had begun.

"10…9…8…7…6…5…"

"Luis where are you?" Sheridan whispered.

"Right here." He turned her around and just as the clock struck 12:00 and kissed her with as much passion and love as she had ever experienced. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year, Luis." She wrapped him up in a big hug. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Where were you, I was getting worried."

"I had to take care of something. Come outside with me…please."

She smiled at him, curious as to what he was up to. "Okay, Luis."

They walked outside and he told her to close her eyes. She did as she was told and waited for him to tell her to open them. When she did open her eyes, Luis was kneeling before her with a ring in hand. Tears sprung to her eyes and she smiled at Luis.

"Sheridan Crane, you are my best friend, soul mate, and love of my life. I am so lucky to have you in my life and I want to spend the rest of mine showing you how much you mean to me. Will you marry me?"

Sheridan let the happy tears escape from her eyes. "Yes, Luis, Yes! I would love to marry you." He rose to his feet and placed the ring on her finger. She grabbed his face and pulled it down to meet hers so she could kiss him. "Luis, I love you so much."

"I love you, too. Forever and always."

They left the party shortly after the proposal and made love all night in her cottage.

There was a knock at the door and it ripped Sheridan from her first pleasant dream in months. She woke up feeling better than she had in a long time. She answered the door and found Sam Bennett standing there. She instantly knew something was wrong by the look on his face. "Sam, what happened? What happened to Luis?"