Chapter 1: The Truth
Sheridan stood by the window in her bedroom, looking outside. It was a
gorgeous day in Harmony, but in Sheridan's mind, it seemed cloudy and
frightening. She couldn't get that night out of her mind. After she had
killed Les, it brought back terrible memories of her childhood. What if she
had really killed someone all those years ago? What if that person was Luis's
father? If Luis ever found out about that, he would hate her forever. She
would never be able to live with herself if Luis hated her.
Tears started to well up in her eyes and a few tears streamed down her face.
She has the flashback of that night again and her words ring out in her head,
"Why are my hands covered in blood? What did I do? No body will ever love
me." Sheridan lost it. She picked up the china vase next to her and threw it
against the wall, shattering it. Sheridan sat on the bed and let herself cry.
Seconds later, Luis came racing into the room and when he saw her, he took
her into his arms and clung on tightly. "Sheridan what happened?! Are you
all right?!" Luis was breathing hard and quickly and his body was tense.
"Yes, Luis. I'm fine," Sheridan responded. Luis relaxed as he closed his eyes
and sighed. Thank god she was all right, but what was going on in here? Luis
looked by the wall and saw the shattered china on the floor. He pulled back
and looked at Sheridan, who was still sobbing hysterically. "Sheridan what
the hell happened? Why did you throw that vase against the wall?" He rubbed
her back as she started to rock back and forth.
"I can't take it anymore, I just can't take it." "Can't take what?" "I have
to tell you, you have to know the truth," Sheridan sobbed. Luis put his hand
on her cheek and turned her head to look into his eyes. Her face was wet from
the tears and all Luis wanted to do was kiss those tears away, but he brushed
them away with his fingers. "The truth about what, Sheridan?" Luis asked.
"About my past," Sheridan said, starting to calm down a little. "Your past,"
Luis asked. "Yes, but please don't tell anyone what I tell you." Luis nodded
yes and she calmed down. She didn't know where to start, but she knew that
she had to tell him. She owed him that much.
"Do you remember the nightmares I had in Santa Fe?" Sheridan said. "Yeah, I
do," Luis answered. "Well" she looked at the floor, than back up at him,
"I've had them ever since I was a little girl. I was in the living room of
the Crane Mansion and someone was breaking in. I got scared and I grabbed a
letter opener and hid the next thing I knew, I was standing in front of a
body covered in a white sheet, with blood on it, and my hands were covered in
blood." Sheridan tried to hold back the tears, but a few spilled out.
"So,
that's why you reacted the way you did when you got that blood on your hands
at the warehouse." Luis said, "There's nothing to worry about Sheridan, it
was just a nightmare." Sheridan stared deeply into his eyes, "What if it
wasn't?" "What?" Luis asked. "What if it wasn't a nightmare? What if I really
did kill someone?" Sheridan said, with fear in her voice.
"Sheridan" Luis said as he took her into his arms, "You didn't kill someone.
You couldn't of." Sheridan relaxed a little. It felt so good, so right, to be
in his arms. She could give anything to stay that way forever. But she hadn't
finished telling him the rest. She didn't tell Luis the worst part of all.
That it happened the same night that his father disappeared. That she might
have killed him. "Sheridan there is no proof indicating that you killed
someone." Luis said. Sheridan pulled away, "But there is a connection," she
said softly as she walked into the living room. Luis followed her.
He stood
on one end of the couch and she stood on the other, with her back to him. She
bit her nail and knew that there was no turning back. She had to tell him.
She turned around and said, "Luis. That night, it..it was" "What Sheridan?"
Sheridan sighed and said in a cracked voice, "That night was the same night
that your father disappeared." "What?" Luis asked. "It was the same night,
Luis, what if I killed your father?" Luis looked at her confused for a moment
and then the realization hit him. It lined up perfectly. Sheridan Crane
killed his father!
Luis looked up at Sheridan and she saw the anger in his eyes and knew what
was going to happen. "You killed my father," Luis said, with his jaw tight.
"Luis please don't get" "YOU BITCH!!!" Luis yelled as he jumped towards
her. She let out a small yelp and jumped back. Luis yelled, "You're
reasonable for my father's death. It was you all along." Luis started towards
her and frightened, Sheridan jumped away from him. Luis's face was red with
anger.
He knew that one of the Cranes had destroyed his father, but he never
thought that Sheridan, the woman he cared about, was responsible for it. He
backed Sheridan up against the wall. He had vowed to himself that whoever
killed his father would pay. He put his hands around her neck, ready to choke
her, but he stopped when he looked into her eyes. They were full of sadness
and grief. He remembered how he felt about her. All the great times they
shared together. All of their kisses and dances. He couldn't kill her. She
meant too much to him.
He let go of her and pushed her to the ground. Sheridan fell onto his hands
and Luis said, "How does it feel to be pushed around, Crane?" "Luis, please
just listen to me." Sheridan sobbed. "NO! NO!!! You don't deserve a damn
thing," Luis screamed at her, "You are a Crane through and through and I was
foolish to think that you had a heart. I hate you!" Luis whispered the last
three words. Those last words tore through Sheridan like a dagger. With that,
Luis turned around, grabbed his coat and ran out of the cottage. He was
through guarding Sheridan. He didn't care if she lived or died, she deserved
to die. Luis got into his car and drove away, leaving Sheridan in tears on
the floor.
To Be Continued...
Chapter 2: The 'Real' Truth
Once Luis got to his house, he ran inside and slammed the door. No one
was home, so no one could hear him. He was angrier than ever, mainly with
himself for falling for Sheridan. "How could I have been so stupid?" He said,
throwing his coat on the floor. He ran to his room and fell onto the bed. He
couldn't believe that a woman he cared about was responsible for his father's
death. "God, I really thought she was different. I really thought she could
be the one for me." Luis thought to himself. He remembered all the good times
he had with Sheridan.
It seemed like fate was drawing them together, they
always ended up in each other's arms. Now as he looked back, they had an
immediate connection when they first met, even if they were fighting. Luis
wouldn't admit it to himself then, but she was the most breath-taking woman
he had ever seen. They had shared so many good moments at the Youth Center
and just as he thinks that they could have a future together, she turns on
him and leaves for Paris, then things start to get great again and just when
he realizes how much she means to him, she tells him about her past.
"Why
does God torture me like this? One minute, fate is drawing us together and
the next, it is pulling them apart." Luis thinks to himself. He stopped,
realizing how much he sounds like his younger sister, Theresa. He then vows
to himself that he will never ever let his family get involved with the
Cranes, no matter what.
She hears someone knocking frantically on his bedroom door and he walks
over to it and opens it. Pilar is standing there with an angry and sad look
on her face. She glares at her son.
Luis asked, "Mama, what is it?" "How
could you do it, Luis? How could you?" "Mama, what are you talking about?"
Luis asked. "You left Sheridan alone at her cottage." Luis said, "I don't
care. After what she told me about her past, I never want to see her again.
She can die for all I care." "Well because of you, she might," Pilar said.
Luis perked up and looked at her, "What?" "Sheridan got attacked. She's at
the hospital now." Luis suddenly felt tears well up in his eyes and panic and
guilt take over, but he pushed it down.
"I don't care. She killed Papa." Luis
said angrily. "What?!" Pilar said. "She killed Papa. When she was a kid."
Luis said. "Oh no. Not this again," Pilar said. " Luis, Sheridan did not kill
your father. She just had nightmares as a child." "But it happened the same
night that Papa disappeared." Luis said. "She didn't kill him. She was having
nightmares the night I was there and I stayed by her bedside the whole night.
She didn't go anywhere. She didn't kill anyone." Luis starred blankly at
Pilar. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sheridan didn't kill his
father. Panic and fear washed over him. "Oh god, what have I done?" Luis
whispered as he ran out of the house and got into his car. He raced away
towards the hospital.
When he got there, he jumped out of the car and rushed inside, calling
him the biggest idiot ever. He had left Sheridan alone at her cottage and she
might die now. He couldn't loose her. I had to tell her how he felt. He
rushed to the third floor and ran out and the first person he made eye
contact with was Ethan. Ethan's face was red from crying, but when he saw
Luis, he was furious. "YOU!!!" Ethan yelled as he walked over to Luis. "You
bastard. You left her alone. You could have killed her." Ethan reached out to
grab Luis, but Luis pushed his arms away. "I don't have time for this, Crane.
I have to see Sheridan." Luis tried to walk past him, but Ethan blocked him.
"No one is allowed to see her and I won't ever let you see her again." "I can
see Sheridan if I want to. I won't let any of you Cranes come between us
anymore!" Luis yelled.
With that, he ran past Ethan and towards the hospital room, leaving Ethan
confused. When he got to Sheridan room, he walked inside. He stopped in his
tracks as he saw Sheridan, lying there motionless, with machines attached to
her body. Luis's bottom lip quivered as he saw her. He closed the door and
sat in the chair next to her bed. He gently took her hand in his and tears
started to stream down his face rapidly. He couldn't bear to see her like
this. "Oh God, Sheridan, I'm so sorry." With his other hand, he stroked her
hair back and let his finger linger there for a second before moving to her
cheek to caress it with his thumb.
He would never forgive himself if she
didn't make it through this. He should have stayed with her, to protect her,
but he was just so angry. He had treated her so badly. Then, he left her
there to die. He looked at her beautiful face and said, "I have to tell you
that I love you. Please, don't die, Sheridan. I need you. I can't go on with
out you." He closed his eyes and held onto her hand, praying that Sheridan
would make it. Praying that he would at least have the chance to tell her how
he felt about her. That she meant everything in the world to him.
To Be Continued...
Chapter 3: Because Of Love
Luis continued to sit by Sheridan, holding her hand, when Eve came in.
"Luis? What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here." Luis looked
up at Eve with a tear-streaked face and said, "I'm sorry, Eve, but I just had
to see her." Eve saw the loving look on Luis face and saw how much he cared
for Sheridan. "Well since you're here, I guess I should tell you about
Sheridan condition." Luis jumped up and walked up to Eve, "Eve, is she going
to be all right?" Luis asked frantically. Eve smiled, "Yes, Luis, she's going
to be fine."
Luis sighed with relief, "Oh thank god." "But Luis I think
there's something you should know." Luis looked at her and she said, "When
Sheridan's body was found at her cottage, there was a knife next to her. The
knife was taken in for inspection and it wasn't those drug dealers who are
after her." "What?" Luis said, "Someone else is trying to kill her. Who is
it?" Luis said, his fists closed tightly. "Luis she tried to kill herself,"
Eve said.
Luis mouth dropped open, "She what?" Eve repeated, "Obviously something was
really upsetting her, so she took her kitchen knife and stabbed herself."
Luis looked back at the bed that Sheridan laid on and remembered what
happened earlier. "Oh god," Luis said. "Listen, Luis. I'll let you stay, but
only because I can see how much you care for her," Eve said. Luis nodded his
head, but continued to stare at Sheridan.
When Eve left, he sat next to her
again and said, "Oh god. She tried to kill herself, because of me. Why would
I have an affect on her? Does she love me too?" Luis hoped that she did, but
he was shocked that she had tried to kill herself. As soon as she woke up, he
was going to tell her that he was sorry and that he loved her with all of his
heart. "Nooo" Sheridan called out from her sleep. "Sheridan," Luis whispered
as he grabbed onto her hand. She was tossing and turning. She was having a
nightmare.
Sheridan was surrounded by all the people she knew in Harmony. They were
circled around her and pointing and shouting, "Murderer. Murderer. Murderer."
"No...No I'm not a murderer. I didn't mean to do it." They continued to
shout at her. Over the crowd, she saw someone walking away. It was Luis. She
ran out of the circle of people and grabbed his shoulder.
He turned around
and said, "I have nothing to say to you. You mean nothing to me. I've found
someone who is honest and true. Someone who would never hurt me or ever kill
someone. Then, Beth walked up to him and he took Beth into his arms and
kissed her passionately. "NOOO!!!" Luis screamed. The crowd of people circled
her, including Luis and Beth and they continued to chant, "Murderer.
Murderer. Murderer. Murderer"
**Reality**
"NOO!!" Sheridan cried out. "Sheridan Sheridan wake up, it's me." Luis
said as he stroked her hair. Sheridan's eyes suddenly shot open and when she
saw Luis there, she threw herself into his arms. "No, Luis. Don't leave me!"
Luis stroked her back and held her tightly, "Hey, it's okay. It was just a
dream." Sheridan became lost in his arms for a second, than pulled back when
she remembered what had happened earlier that day. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to see you," Luis said.
"Why should you care? You hate me,
remember? I killed your father." "Sheridan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say
that. You didn't kill my father. Mama told me everything. She was with you
the entire night that night my father disappeared." Sheridan stared at him
for a second, than said, "I didn't kill anyone?" "No, you didn't." Luis
smiled. Sheridan smiled with relief. "Luis. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you
sooner. I was just afraid that you would hate me.
Can you ever forgive me?"
Sheridan asked. Luis didn't have to answer that. He took her into his arms
and kissed her with all the passion inside of him. Sheridan responded to the
kiss and pulled him as close to her as possible. Luis pulled back about a
minute later and said, "I love you Sheridan." "I love you too, Luis." They
pulled each other into another kiss, this one filled with promises of love
and commitment. After that, they never let go of each other. They had
overcome all obstacles and they well, you know lived happily ever after.
THE END!