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OKDeanna's Passions Fan Fiction Forum > Luis & Sheridan Stories > Forever Has No End: Prologue - Chapter Five |
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Forever Has No End: Prologue - Chapter Five Posted By: OKDeanna - ezOP Posts: 281 Posted At: (10/19/02 8:24 am) Reply |
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I had planned on discontinuing this story, but after speaking with a reader recently, I reread this piece and realized I didn't want to leave it hanging. I wanted to see it to its conclusion. I'm not sure when I'll get back to this one, but I wanted to post it here anyway. That way its already up whenever I do decide to update it. :-) Deanna Forever Has No End Author: Deanna (OKDeanna) Email: asjfan@cox.net Prologue I'll hate you forever. Until he'd heard them spoken from the lips of the woman he loved, Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald had never known how powerful four words could be. They were like a dagger to the heart. Each word had sent a four-inch blade into the center of his chest, each cut deeper than the last and puncturing his heart in a way nothing ever had before. He had always known Sheridan had the power to hurt him, it just came with the territory, but he'd never believed she'd actually use it. Not until the words were falling from her lips in venomous rage. He still couldn't quite believe all the things she'd said to him. All the things she'd accused him of. She thought he'd betrayed her. Betrayed their love. She hadn't even given him the chance to tell her he hadn't. When he'd gotten to the cottage tonight, she'd already had his bags sitting on the porch and Crane Security standing beside them ready to escort him off the property. He'd begged her to talk to him and tell him what was going on. When she finally opened the door, he'd watched with slow, agonizing breaths as she'd taken off the ring he'd placed on her finger less than forty-eight hours ago and tossed it into the center of his chest, telling him what a bastard she thought him to be. He'd asked her what was wrong and that's when she'd hit him with her accusations. His so called betrayal and the four words that had opened his chest and cut out his heart. I'll hate you forever. Even now, hours later, he could still see the hatred in her eyes and hear the venom in her voice. He'd tried to talk to her and tell her it hadn't been him that she'd seen, but she'd flown off the handle the moment he opened his mouth and he still had her palm print against his cheek to prove it. If Julian hadn't instructed Crane security to remove him from the property, he wasn't at all sure he wouldn't have a bullet in his chest. After all, he already had the knife. He closed his eyes and let out a ragged breath. Of all the things he and Sheridan had gone through and fought against to be together, he couldn't believe it took one night, one single moment to destroy everything they had worked so hard to build. He knew who was responsible for it though. He knew who had set him up and even though he had the proof he needed to prove it the one person it would have the most impact on was gone, vanished into the night without a trace. He should have known she would leave. She'd done it the last time. Only then he'd known where to look for her. Now…now he had no clue. She'd taken the Crane jet and the pilot hadn't bothered to file a flight plan, which left him with no way to find her. He knew instinctively she wouldn't go back to Paris. That would be the first place he'd look and she'd already made it clear she didn't want him to find her. The letter in his hand was proof of that. She'd known him so well. She knew he'd come to the airport looking for her and had been sure to leave a letter with one of the stewardesses. Dammit. If she had known him that well, why couldn't she have believed in him? Trusted him? Luis opened his eyes and looked down at the letter in his left hand then slowly raised his right and pulled his grandmother's ring out of the pocket of his tuxedo jacket. Luis, I don't want you to misunderstand anything that I'm telling you. Do not try and find me. Whatever we had is over. The ring I gave you back earlier and the letter you're reading now should tell you that. I can't be with a man I can't trust and you've proven to me that I can't trust you. You used me. You made a fool of me and I will never forgive you for that. You once said you never wanted to music to end, but everyone knows the music has to end sometime. I guess ours ended before it ever really began. Damn you for doing this to us. Damn you for breaking my heart when you swore you never would. Damn you to hell. She didn't bother to sign the letter, but then again she didn't really needed to. Her venomous words told him all he needed to know and her signature was as clear as the words she had told him earlier… I'll hate you forever. Without a doubt in his mind, Luis knew that she meant it and he could only hope that she'd one day come to realize that while she'd hate him forever he'd love her just the same. I can hear the music of the angels Singing in my sleep I can feel the love we used to share In every music beat I hear the angels whisper That forever has no end And feel my heart skip in my chest When I hear the familiar band I told you I'd love you forever I told you I'd hate you the same Now I know what was missing Now you know why I came I told you the music ended I told you our love had died But what I never knew Is that music has no lies You still hold my heart In the palm of your hand And though I tried not to I can still hear the band The music still plays The Angels still sing And through it all My love for you remains An angel whispered on the wind That forever has no end And I know they speak the truth Because I can still hear the music I can still hear the band… Chapter One - Three Years Later FBI Headquarters Washington, DC "Look," FBI Director Alexander Thompkin replied flipping the flap of the manila file folder in front of him closed before leaning forward and lowering his now clasped hands to the top of his desk. "I know you have reservations about this assignment. Anyone in your position would, but the fact of the matter is, we need you. You're the only one we can send who wouldn't raise a lot of suspicion." Special Agent Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald scoffed at that, but the dismissive hand Thompkin raised told him it wasn't going to do him the least bit of good. They'd already made their decision and whether he liked it or not the case was now in his hands. "Does she know about this?" Thompkin nodded, his facial expression completely unreadable. "She's perfectly fine with the idea." Luis arched a brow at that. He could just imagine how 'perfectly fine' Sheridan Crane was at this particular moment. More than likely her perfectly fine consisted of screaming at the top of her lungs at anyone within earshot. Despite his irritation at the situation, Luis found a smile working its way across his face. "She has no idea I'm the agent you want to assign to her case, does she?" "Not a clue." Thompkin responded with a somewhat nervous sounding laugh. "We figured you could just surprise her." Luis shook his head then reached between the black pencil and pen caddy and black wire letter holder and grabbed his newly inherited case file. "She is going to go ballistic. She'll demand another agent be assigned to her immediately." "I don't think so." Thompkin reached up to run a hand over his bald head, the only sign that he was as distressed about having to assign him to this case as he was at having been assigned, then slowly pulled his silver wire frame glasses from his face. "I think Ms. Crane will actually be relieved that you are assigned to the case. She's trying to pretend to be strong, but you can see how worn out she is. These threats are really wearing her down and because of that I think she'll be glad to have someone there that she can trust." Luis tilted his head to the side and studied the man carefully. "What makes you think she's going to trust me? I know you're well aware of our past together and how things ended between us. It would seem I would be the last person on earth Sheridan would trust." "You saved her life more times than any one person has a right to expect, why the hell wouldn't she trust you?" Thompkin replaced his glasses then shook his head. "Just because things didn't work out between you two personally is no reason she should doubt you professionally. I don't see her having a problem with this." That's because you don’t know Sheridan, Luis thought his eyelids slipping shut as the full force of what he was being asked to do hit him. How on earth could he face seeing her again knowing that the last time they were together she threw his ring back in his face and told him she'd hate him forever? He shook his head again then opened his eyes and took in a deep breath, knowing full well the choice was out of his hand. "Okay, I'll do it, but if she has any doubts at all about my being able to protect her, I want your word that you'll take me off the case and assign another agent." "Okay." Thompkin replied scooting his chair back and quickly rising to his feet. "I give you my word. If Ms. Crane has any doubts about your being able to protect her then I will remove you from the case." * * * * * Sheridan Crane drew her knees to her chest then slowly wrapped her arms around them. The agent assigned to guard her would be here any minute and she couldn't help but think about the last time she'd had to have a bodyguard. Luis. Even after three long years, he still had the ability to invade her thoughts and cloud her mind. She knew from Gwen that he'd left Harmony not long after she did and couldn't help but wonder where he was and what he was doing now. Was he still in law enforcement? She'd been more than a little surprised when she'd found out he'd handed over his badge and gun to Sam. Gwen hadn't been too forthcoming with the details about that, but then again Sheridan hadn't really asked. At the time, she hadn't wanted to know. The only reason she knew the little bit of information she did was because Gwen had tossed it out before she actually realized whom she'd been speaking to. Sheridan sighed then lowered her lashes and let her head fall back against the overstuffed floral print sofa she was sitting on. She was so tired. She hadn't slept well again last night. Every time a tree had scraped against her bedroom window she'd heard it and had gone into a complete panic. Her temporary guard had rushed in there at least fifty times last night to check on her and each time she had seen a face she knew couldn't possibly have been there. Luis. No matter how much pain he had caused her or how much he'd broken her heart, the one thing she couldn't get out of her mind was how safe he made her feel. All those times Roger and Pierre had tried to kill her, the only reason she'd survived was because of Luis and his gut instinct. God, how she wished that gut instinct could protect her now! She wasn't even sure whom she needed protecting from, but she knew without a doubt that Luis could do it. After all, he'd proven it before. She knew it sounded crazy. How could she feel safe with a man who had caused her so much pain? It seemed so hypocritical yet it wasn't. It was the truth. He had caused her a lot of emotional pain, but he was the one person in the world that she would trust her life to without question. Before when she'd run off to Paris and tried to mend her broken heart, he had followed her and saved her life numerous times. Yet each time she had refused to believe she was in danger. Actually it wasn't so much as a refusal to believe as a refusal to admit. She had always known she was in danger, but at the same time something inside of her hadn't allowed her to admit that Luis was right. So she'd done the only thing she could do under the circumstances - she'd fought him every step of the way. There was a lot of difference between this time and last time though. Last time she'd known who the enemy was. This time…this time she had no clue. She didn't know who'd been taking photographs of her when she walked around town. She didn't know who'd been mailing her the letters and gifts. She didn't know who the man was that kept breathing into her phone line every time she had picked it up over the last year and a half. And she damn sure didn't know who had gotten inside her old house and left her a threatening letter on her bed. Even now three months after the fact and over sixty miles away, she still shivered with the memory of coming home to find that letter on her bed. The words he'd written…the things he'd said…the things he'd described. She tightened her eyes and lips and forced the thoughts away. She didn't want to relieve that nightmare again. She didn't want to visualize the faceless man acting out her worst nightmare. She didn't want - A knock sounded on the door and Sheridan practically jumped out of her skin, despite having already jumped off the sofa. Her blue eyes immediately shot open and the moment they connected with the unreadable green eyes of her current guard, she took a deep indrawn breath. "New guard?" The man looked through the peephole and evidently the face on the other side was one he recognized, because his stature relaxed almost immediately. His hand went to unlock the deadbolts that had been keeping them safe from an unwanted intruder and when all the locks were undone, he reached for the silver knob. Sheridan felt her heart start to race and she shut her eyes against the sensation. Every time they opened that door, she was frightened of what she would see on the other side. She couldn't help but think about the letter the man had left on her bed, claiming that one day he would be the face on the other side and it would be then that she would realize she belonged to him. She shivered again then slowly lifted her lashes and prepared to face the man the FBI had assigned to guard her. The moment her eyes connected with the familiar brown ones of the man currently walking through her front door, the room started to spin and before she knew it her legs began to shake. Less than a split second later, she began to fall. The only thing that stopped her from actually meeting the plush burgundy carpet underneath her feet was the pair of strong arms that wrapped around her waist and the worried voice that spoke into her ear. "It's okay, Sheridan. It's me. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay." Somehow despite everything that occurred between them those few whispered words were the music to her ears and for the first time in a year and half, she felt safe. * * * * * Luis gently guided Sheridan to sit on the soft behind them then slowly lowered himself onto the cushion next to her. He wasn't sure what he expected to find when he got here, but the bloodshot eyes from too little sleep and the tear-streaked cheeks were definitely something he could have lived without. She looked like hell and the way she had almost passed out on him was a pretty good indication that she was going through it too. "When was the last time you ate anything?" He asked eyeing her up and down and frowning when he noticed she was a lot skinnier since the last time he'd seen her. She mumbled something, but he didn't quite catch it and when he asked her to repeat it, his frown deepened even more. "Sometime yesterday. Wasn't hungry this morning." "What about this afternoon?" He asked shaking his head as he got up off the couch and walked toward the kitchen, not even sparing a glance at Agent Wright still standing near the front door. He pulled open the refrigerator and smirked when he saw nothing but an almost empty carton of milk and about half a dozen eggs inside. He should have known. A quick check of the cabinets proved to be just as useless as checking the fridge, not that it surprised him any. "What the hell have you been eating, Sheridan? There isn't much in here at all!" "We've been eating a lot of take out." Agent Wright replied with a shrug. "Ms. Crane isn't…well, she isn't-" Luis took pity on him and finished the sentence for him. "You mean she can't cook?" The slightest amount of color entered the man's cheeks and normally would have caused Luis to laugh, but there was definitely nothing normal about today. "How about I make a list of things and you run down to the corner grocery store before you head out of here? That sound okay with you?" "Sure thing." Wright answered with a nod. "Just write down whatever you need." Luis set about making a list and when he was done, he handed it, along with a handful of cash, to Agent Wright. "Thanks man. If I had thought about it, I would have brought stuff with me, but I came straight here from the airport." "No problem. I was the man of the house while growing up so I've done my share of grocery shopping. I'll be back soon." The agent turned and walked toward the front door, but looked back at him before pulling it open. "You going to grab your bags out of the rental while I'm gone or do you want me to do it when I get back?" "Nah, I'll take care of it in a bit." Luis said waving him to go ahead and leave. "Just don't take all day. I need to get some food into her before she really does pass out on me." The agent nodded and with a quick wave, he was gone, leaving him and Sheridan completely alone. Luis glanced over at her, sitting on the couch with her eyes still closed, and couldn't help but think about all the things that she had been through the last year and a half. He'd read the case file on the plane, along with the letters the creep had left her and the transcripts of the few phone calls when the guy had actually spoken, and looking at her know he understood exactly what Director Thompkin had meant this morning in his office when he'd assigned him to the case. She looked completely worn out. He closed his eyes then shook his head and walked back into the living room. He reached out and lightly touched her arm, but froze a second later when her eyes shot open and he found himself staring into her blue eyes. "How are you holding up?" "I could say I'm holding up just fine, but we both know it would be a lie." Sheridan shook her head then straightened herself up and lowered her feet back onto the floor. "Does the FBI have any other clues about who this guy is?" Luis looked into her hope-filled eyes and wished he could tell her they did, but it too would be a lie. The FBI had absolutely no leads on who this guy was and it really worried him. The guy had been at this for over a year and he had to be getting pretty damn frustrated about it. It would only be a matter of time before he decided to change his approach and then - "Luis?" Sheridan's worried voice asked breaking him out of his thoughts. "Has there been a development in the case? I mean did they find some fingerprints on that last letter or something?" "No." He replied hating that he had to dash the sudden hope he saw in her eyes. "Nothing new. Has there been any more phone calls?" She shook her head. "I haven't gotten one in over a week. The letter came last Monday. I don’t' know whether to be relieved that he's taken a reprieve or worried about what he'll do next." Luis could have told her the answer to that, but he knew he didn't need to. She knew as well as he did that the guy wasn't going to go through all the trouble of making the letters and phone calls just so he could slip back into the woodwork of crazies. That would be way too easy and from everything he was learning about this guy, he didn’t seem like he took the easy way out. He seemed to skirt on the edge and often loved to see just how far he could lean over it without getting caught. "Luis?" Sheridan softly asked, causing him to return his focus to her face. "How did you…how did you get assigned my bodyguard again?" Luis sighed then leaned back against the couch. "Director Thompkin read my name in your file, about how I'd saved you before. He figured by bringing me here, you'd feel safer, and…" "And?" She questioned when his voice trailed off. "And that our past personal relationship may draw this guy out." Chapter Two Sheridan drew in a sharp breath. What if she didn't want to draw this guy out? What if she just wanted him to go away and never bother her again? What if - She shook her head to stall the thought then slowly got to her feet, ignoring the hand Luis held out to help her. "So another words, you're being assigned my bodyguard is the FBI's way of setting a trap?" She turned around to face him then crossed her arms over her midriff. "The last time the FBI came up with a trap, I almost died. What makes them think this one will work out any better? Who knows this time I may actually end up dead!" "Don’t talk like that." Luis whispered his eyes locking onto hers. "There is a lot of difference between last time and this time." "You think so?" Sheridan asked bitterly. "Well, I don’t see much difference. In fact, the only difference I see is that instead of drug dealers wanting to kill me, I have an unknown stalker wanting to…" Her voice trailed off as she was unable to voice the words, but judging from Luis' facial expression she knew she didn't need to. After all, he'd read the letters. He knew what the sicko wanted to do. She didn't need to say it. "God, I just want this over with. Why is it that every time I think my life is almost normal, something happens to prove me wrong? Do I just have bad karma or something? Am I cursed?" "You are not cursed, Sheridan." Luis replied scooting to the edge of the couch, his eyes still focused on hers. "I don't know why all this is happening to you, but I promise you I'm going to get this guy. I won't let him hurt you." "Don't make promises you can't keep, Luis." She closed her eyes then shook her head. "You did that once before." * * * * * Luis ran a hand through his hair not sure what to say. He knew he could tell her that he hadn't broken the promise she thought he had - to love her forever and be faithful to her - but he didn't see the point. It had been three years and she had way too much on her plate already. The last thing she needed right now was to find out the family she'd always had so much faith in was the same family that had broke them apart and ultimately broke both their hearts. Besides what proof did he have? The evidence was destroyed years ago. He knew he had Alistair and Julian to thank for that too. If they hadn't paid Packer off and gotten him to steal the mask out of the police evidence locker then given him enough money to disappear they'd all three, along with the man that had impersonated him, be sitting in a jail cell right now. Then again knowing the Cranes like he did, he wouldn't be at all surprised if Alistair and Julian hadn't found some other way out of it. They were as slippery as a rattlesnake and just as deadly. There was no telling what all they'd gotten away with over the years. He certainly wouldn't be surprised to find murder on the list, probably at the top too. And he still refused to believe they didn't have something to do with his father's disappearance. He couldn't prove it, but he felt it in his gut just the same. Luis shook his head to clear it of the direction his thoughts had suddenly taken then looked over at Sheridan who had walked to the window to look out in his silence. She peeked out between the blinds not even bothering to open them and her shaking hand as she held a small section of the blind apart told him just how much of a toll this stalker situation had taken on her. She was scared to even look out her window. Even when Roger and Pierre were after her, she hadn't been scared to do that. What the hell had this man done to her? What happened to the strong woman he used to know? The fearless woman that had looked death in the face and won? What happened to the woman he'd fallen in love with? He closed his eyes to block out his regret that she'd had to go through this thing alone for the last year and a half then opened them again when a voice whispered that it wasn't his fault. He knew deep down that it wasn't, but a part of him still believed that somehow he was responsible. If only he had known where to look for her. If only… Stop it, Luis, a voice admonished, it wasn't your fault. Sheridan didn't give you a choice. She just left. If anyone is to blame it's her. She could have believed in you and trusted in you, but she didn't. Instead, she chose to believe a lie. She chose to believe you were just using her, that you had cheated on her, that you… His own face appeared in his mind and with it came a memory he'd tried to forget. The memory of walking into that house Sheridan claimed she saw him having sex with some woman in and coming face to face with himself. Or a rather good impersonation of him. Hell, Luis had thought he was looking into a damn mirror. If they hadn't gotten into that fight and he hadn't felt the rubber of the mask, he might have actually believed he was hallucinating or something. But they had gotten into a fight and he had found out his face was made into a mask. He could still remember the anger coursing through his veins when he'd finally torn that mask off the man's face and gotten a glimpse of the man Julian and Alistair had hired to destroy their love. He hadn't known the man from Adam yet the man had been able to portray him so well he'd been able to convince the woman he loved that he was nothing more than a user, a liar, a cheat. He couldn't blame Sheridan for not knowing it wasn't him. The man had not only looked like him, but he'd had his mannerisms and voice too. How could she have known it was just some actor hired by her father and brother to break them apart? How could she have known the words he spoke were nothing more than lines written by her father and brother? She couldn't have known, he thought his eyes returning to look at her. She couldn't have known and because she didn't, she had done the only thing she could do. She'd left him. Granted if she'd stuck around long enough to talk to him, she would have found out the truth, the real truth, but she hadn't and he couldn't really blame her for that either. Not really. She had once accused him of being like two different men. There was no way for her to know she'd actually been right. He took a deep breath then slowly rose to his feet and walked over to join her by the window. She tensed immediately so he knew she knew he was behind her, but she made no move to turn and he made no move to touch her. "I know you think I didn't keep my promise to you and I don't blame you for thinking that, but I swear to you with everything I have inside me that I won't let this guy hurt you." "You can't make that promise, Luis." She whispered as she slowly turned around to face him and her tear filled blue eyes met his. "You can't make that promise because he's already hurt me and he didn't even have to get within a foot of me to do it." "What do you mean?" He asked arching a brow as he raised a hand and wiped away a single tear that had escaped from one of her eyes. "How did he hurt you?" "He made me afraid." She replied closing her eyes as more tears fell. "He made me so afraid that I haven't left this house in over two months. He made me so afraid that I haven't slept a full night in over a year and a half. I have nightmares of him coming into my bedroom and doing all the things he described in those letters. I jump at the smallest noises. A tree scrapes against my window and I come unglued. So you see, he's already hurt me. Maybe not physically, but emotionally…" Her voice broke off as she raised a hand and rubbed her temples. "God, I'm tired. I'm so tired of being afraid, Luis. I'm just so damn tired." She opened her eyes then and the pain he saw reflected caused his own eyes to tear. She had broken his heart when she left him three years ago, but seeing her like this now, afraid to leave her own house, broke it even more. And as he gently reached out and pulled her into his arms, he made a silent vow that somehow he was going to help her find that inner strength he knew was hidden somewhere inside of her. Nothing could ever kill it fully. He knew that. And if it was the last thing he ever did, he would help her know it too. * * * * * He stared at the brownstone nestled in the trees across the street and wondered if she could feel his presence as strongly as he felt hers. He was sure that she could. After all, they had a connection, a connection no one could break. And soon she would realize just how strong that connection was. Soon she would realize that in the years since they had last seen each other, their connection had only gotten stronger. He smiled at the thought of standing so close to her again then lowered the binoculars in his hand and placed them into the passenger seat beside him. He could give her a little more time to get used to the idea of seeing him and then…and then he would make it happen. No one was going to keep them from being together. Not even the man he'd seen arriving almost an hour ago. If he thought he was going to - or that he even could - he would find himself mistaken. Sheridan was his and no way would he allow anyone to take her from him. He'd kill them first. His smile grew wider as the thought about killing the man, of watching the life slowly die out of him, entered his mind then as he let the thought roll around in his head some more, he laughed. He wasn't sure which would please him more - killing the man that had once slept with his woman or reuniting with the woman he'd dreamed of every night for the last four years. Chapter Three "Can you tell me where you were when this picture was taken?" Luis asked holding up an eight by ten photo of her. Due to the breeze that had been blowing that day, her hair was flying about her face and she was reaching up, trying to rein it in. A laugh hovered over her lips, but for the life of her she couldn't remember why she would have been laughing. If she was remembering right that was the day she - "Sheridan?" Glancing from the photo to the brown eyes of the man she still couldn't believe was sitting beside her, Sheridan frowned. "It was taken sometime last fall. I don't remember exactly where I was, but judging from the children in the background I'd say I was at a park of some kind. More than likely it was one of the parks in Tulsa." Luis nodded. "Did you go to the parks often? Like everyday? Or every other day? I mean were they spur of the moment visits or did you go there around the same time of day?" Sheridan knew where he was trying to go with his questions, but she also knew she couldn't answer them with any kind of definite response. In all honesty, she hadn't paid attention to when she went to the parks or how often. She'd simply gone there whenever she needed time alone. Time to clear her head. "I don't know, Luis. I didn't keep a schedule or anything. I just went there when I wanted to go." Again, Luis nodded. "Then he must have been following you daily because that's the fourth picture he took of you at that park and they were all on different days." "How do you know that?" She asked her heart pounding in fear at the mere thought of him following her to the same park - with all those children around. "Because in each photo you're wearing different clothes." Luis stated, a frown breaking out across his face. "The bastard must have been watching you day and night." Sheridan shivered. "Don't say that. It's bad enough that he was watching me at all, but to think that he could have been sitting outside my house…while I was inside…alone." She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." Luis gave her an understanding smile. "Okay, we've done enough for tonight. We can go through the rest of this stuff tomorrow." Sheridan wanted to tell him she didn't want to go through it at all, but she knew they needed to. He needed to hear her side of things. She knew that. A file could only contain so much. Hadn't he told her that when the drug cartel was trying to kill her? She shook her head again then scooted her chair back and stood more than ready to get away from the photos and letters covering her kitchen table. She'd wished she could get away from it all, but she knew she couldn't. The man that had been watching her would only follow her. Damn him, she thought her eyes tearing up as another wave of fear crashed through her, why was he doing this? Why was he - "Can I ask you a question?" Luis asked, something in his voice causing her to turn and look at him. He was standing in the archway that separated the kitchen from the living room and as he shifted from foot to foot, she had the distinct impression that he was uncomfortable. Her observation became more apparent when he raised a hand to clear his throat and took a step toward her. His brown eyes held a glimmer of emotion, but she couldn't begin to give it a name. If it even had a name. Right now, those deep brown irises of his were a mystery to her, a mystery and a temptation. She shook her head. "What…" The word that came out didn't remotely sound like anything she wanted to say so she quickly cleared her throat and tried again. "What did you want to ask me?" "I need to know if you're okay with my being here?" Luis replied, his eyes searching hers as if they alone could tell him her answer. "I probably should have asked you this earlier, but… Well I was more worried about getting some food into you than what your reaction to my being assigned your case was." He shook his head then locked his eyes back onto hers. "If you have any reservations about my being here or about trusting me enough to be here then I need to know. Now." Sheridan looked into his eyes, the eyes of the man she'd spent the last three years trying to forget, trying to get over, and wondered just how she did feel about his being here. Before he'd walked through the door earlier, she'd actually wished that he were here with her. And now that he was, she wasn't really sure how she felt about it. She hadn't even thought to question it. It just seemed…right somehow. When she continued to remain silent, Luis arched a brow at her and for the first time in what felt like years, she genuinely smiled. "I'm glad you're here. I don't think there is anyone I would trust my life to more." Luis nodded. "Okay, that's all I needed to know." He looked at her for a few seconds, his lips parted as if he wanted to say something else, but no sound ever came out. He just looked at her. Looked at her and then…he smiled. "I've wondered what it would be like to see you again, to look into your eyes, and see your face light up with a smile. But I never would have thought it would be under these circumstances." His smile died on his lips. "I'm sorry you have to go through this. I feel like it's my fault somehow. That if you were still in Harmony this wouldn't have happened to you." Sheridan frowned at that. "I'm the one that left Harmony, Luis. You didn't force me to go. There is no way this is your fault." "I may not have forced you to go," He said his eyes taking on a serious gleam. "But you left because of me. Doesn't that at least make me partially responsible for what's happened to you since you left?" Sheridan blinked. She'd known the past would come up eventually, but she wasn't expecting him to address it like this. She never would have expected that. "This has nothing to do with you, Luis. The only person at fault is the man that's stalking me. It's not your fault." "It's not your fault either." Sheridan sighed. In a single sentence, he'd managed to draw in on her deepest fear. Her fear that somehow, someway she'd brought this on herself. She knew it was ridiculous. Knew there was nothing she had done to warrant the attention of an obviously, disturbed man. Yet a part of her still believed somehow she was responsible. Crazy? Yes. Ridiculous? Yes. But was it true? That she didn't know. And that was what worried her the most. Was the man stalking her a man from her past? Someone she'd once met? Perhaps even dated? Or was he a stranger that had merely become fixated on her? Sheridan wasn't sure which would frighten her more. Knowing she'd once met, possibly even dated the man, or not knowing him at all. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she found Luis standing directly in front of her, his dark eyes serious. "It is not your fault, Sheridan. You didn't ask for this man's attention. You didn't ask for him to invade your privacy. You didn't ask to be afraid." "I may not have asked for it, but it's still happening, isn't it?" She shook her head and started to turn around, unwilling to look into Luis dark knowing eyes a second longer. But the moment she began to turn, Luis hand shot out to stop her and his gentle grip on her arms held her in place almost as much as the look within his eyes did. "I will stop this guy, Sheridan. You have my word. I won't let him hurt you anymore." Sheridan wanted to close her eyes. Wanted to block out the serious look on Luis' face. The serious look in his eyes. But she didn't. She held his stare as surely as he held her arms and without wanting to, without meaning to, she found herself believing him. And then, much to her surprise and probably his surprise to, she leaned her head forward and let it fall against his chest. "I'm so glad you're here. I don't want to go through this alone anymore." "You're not alone, Sheridan." Luis replied, wrapping his arms around her, his voice soft and low. "You're not alone. I'm here. I'm right here and I'm not leaving until I get the bastard that's doing this to you. And I will get him. I promise you. I will get him." Chapter Four Dropping the photos and letters back onto the coffee table in front of him, Luis lifted a hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger before finally running his palm down the length of his nose and over his jaw. A heavy sigh escaped his semi-dry lips as he allowed his tired body to fall back against the cushions behind him, his hand automatically moving from his face to the tense muscles in his neck as he swiveled his head from side to side in the hopes of working out the knot of tension plaguing him. He had no idea how long he'd been looking at the photos and letters Sheridan had received, but he knew it had to be at least a good three hours or more. And he still wasn't any closer to figuring out who the guy is or why he'd chosen to target Sheridan, he thought a frustrated curse slipping out from between his lips as he hoisted himself up off the floral printed cushions and made his way into the kitchen to fix himself a glass of water. He thought by going over the files and evidence again, he might pick up some type of clue as to who the man stalking her might be, but unfortunately he was no closer to solving that riddle than he had been a few hours ago. Opening the cabinet he'd found the drinking glasses in earlier, Luis quickly reached in and pulled one out. A second later, he retrieved a couple of cubes of ice from the freezer and used the filtered water faucet to fill his glass with water. The ice cubes immediately floated to the top of the glass, but it was the clinking noise they made that caused the woman standing in the doorway to jump. Upon the realization that the noise she heard was merely ice cubes hitting against his glass, a soft shade of crimson floated into her cheeks, giving her pale complexion some much needed color. His lips pulled into a small smile at the action and then, without his consent, his eyes traveled downward. Taking in the two perfectly round mounds hidden beneath a white silk robe and the mile long bare legs that peeked out from underneath the bottom edge of the material. He swallowed hard, his hand automatically tightening it's hold on the glass in his hand. At her sudden intake of breath, his eyes shot back up to her face and if he hadn't noticed the nervous and somewhat uncomfortable look in her eyes, he might have actually followed through on impulse his body made. Shaking his head at his own behavior, he lifted the glass in his hand to his lips, drinking almost half of it, before finally finding the voice that had deserted him when he'd first seen her enter the kitchen. "Did I wake you?" "N…no." She whispered, her head giving only the slightest shake. "I couldn't sleep. What…" She paused to draw in a breath of air then continued, her voice sounding somewhat shaky to him. "What about you? I mean, why aren't you in bed? You have to be tired from your flight. Not to mention the drive from the airport to here." He shrugged then took another gulp of water, before averting his eyes and sitting the glass into the sink behind him. "I was going over the evidence, trying to see if I might have missed anything when I read through it earlier." "And that couldn't wait until tomorrow?" She asked, her unexpected question drawing his eyes back to her face. "How many times have you read over that stuff anyway?" "I don't know." He replied, rotating his shoulders as a sudden knot of tension attacked the area just underneath his shoulder blades. "A few I guess." His answer had her shaking her head at him, a reaction that caused him to give a slight chuckle. "Don't worry about it, Sher. I always get this way whenever I'm on a case. Don't tell me you forgot?" "I didn't forget anything." She whispered softly, her eyes falling away from his. He nodded once, immediately catching the double meaning behind her words. "If you've changed your mind about my being here, I need you tell me. Director Thompkin told me he'd assign someone else if you didn't feel like my being here was in your best interest and in a case like this, the sooner you get someone here you feel comfortable with and can trust, the safer you'll feel." "I won't feel safe until they catch him." She replied, her eyes suddenly shooting back to his. "And if past experience is anything to go by then your being here is in my best interest. You protected me once before and there's no reason for me to doubt that you can't protect me again." "What about the fact that we had a personal relationship that ended with you telling me you never wanted to see me again and that you'd hate me forever?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Sheridan averted her eyes. It was just as well though. He couldn't read the emotions in them anyway. "I'm not sure my guarding you is such a good idea. There's a lot of history between us and while you might be able to deal with the close proximity I'm no longer sure that I can." He shook his head then lifted his hand to the back of his neck and once again tried to work the knot of tension out. "I have no idea what Thompkin was thinking when he assigned me this case." "Probably the same thing Agent Freeman was when he assigned you to guard me four years ago." Her voice was so low he wasn't at all sure he hadn't just imagined the words, but then she spoke again and he knew he hadn't. "Your gut instinct kept me alive more than times than I can count and I understand if you don't think you're guarding me is a good idea, but because you were able to keep me safe before and because I've learned how to admit when I need help, I'm asking you to stay." "No," She said, lifting her head to lock her eyes with his. "I'm not just asking. I'm begging you. I have no idea who this man is, but I know I need protection from him. You know what he's promised to do to me, Luis, and I'm begging you to stay and keep him from being able to do it. Please." He opened his mouth to say something, but the moisture in her eyes combined with her heartfelt plea, stole any words he would have said and clogged the path they would have made upon their entry into the air. The only thing he managed to do was nod, nod and hope she understood exactly what it was she'd just asked him to do. * * * * * At his nod of agreement or what she assumed was agreement, Sheridan released the breath she hadn't even been aware she was holding then blinked back the tears that once again threatened to fall. "Thank you." "Don't thank me yet." He said, his eyes searching hers before he finally averted them to stare at a spot just above her left shoulder. "Thank me when I catch the bastard." His dark eyes moved back to hers then, the intensity filling them telling her he meant the words he spoke, and just like that the air surrounding them shifted. Shifted into familiar territory. Territory she remembered quite well. The tension. The need. The desire. She felt it all. And she knew without a doubt that he felt it too, which was the reason she broke the connection between them and turned her back on him. "I think I'm going to go back to bed now. Goodnight, Luis." "Goodnight, Sher." He said, his voice soft and low. "Sweet dreams." Hesitating only slightly at his words, Sheridan made her way out of the kitchen and back down the hall toward her bedroom. Only when she was safely inside her room, did she finally let her tears fall. Sweet dreams. What would Luis say if he knew the last time she'd had sweet dreams - any dreams for that matter - was the night before he'd torn her world apart and shattered her heart into a million tiny pieces? Shaking her head, refusing to allow the painful memories to seep into her consciousness again tonight, Sheridan walked toward her bed and slowly climbed beneath the covers. Once she was situated, she reached over and turned off the lamp on her bedside table. Darkness immediately engulfed the room and as it did, the panic that she'd felt every night for the last year and a half swept through her body, the sheer force of it causing her to gasp aloud. Would she always feel this scared? Would she ever again be able to face the darkness without feeling as if someone was waiting for her inside it? She hoped not. She really, really hoped not, because she was getting awfully tired of being afraid. "Sheridan?" Luis questioned, his voice as well as the soft pale light from the hallway traveling beneath the door. "Are you okay?" She nodded then realizing he couldn't see her through the thick wood panel, she cleared her throat and spoke. "I'm f…fine." "Are you sure?" He asked, uncertainty clouding his deep voice. "Because if something's wrong you need to tell me?" She closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down, then drew in a deep breath and somehow found the tone that she knew would alleviate the worry she heard in his. "Everything is okay, Luis. I promise." He didn't say anything for a few seconds and because of it, she thought he'd already walked away. But then he spoke and the gentle reassurance in his voice removed the fear clutching at her heart. "I'm right out here on the couch. So if you need me...." "I'll yell." She finished, when his voice suddenly trailed off. She heard his feet shuffle outside the door, as if he were turning to walk back down the hall, and she quietly called out his name. When he stopped his movements, a shadow falling into the light shining beneath the door, she smiled. "Thanks for…for being here. I feel safer knowing you're out there if I need you." "That's what I'm here for." He said, a smile present in his words. "Goodnight." "Night." She whispered, her eyes following his shadow as he moved away from the door while her ears strained to hear him quietly begin to make his way back down the hall toward the living room. When his footsteps finally vanished from her hearing, she shook her head and slowly lowered her lids, sleep almost immediately overtaking her body. * * * * * Darkness suddenly flooded the inside of the brownstone, causing him to smile as the image of Sheridan slipping beneath the cotton covers of her bed flashed inside his mind. He could just see her long tanned legs sliding beneath the sheets. He could almost feel the smooth texture of her skin beneath his palms too. What he wouldn't give to be inside that house and share with her what he'd only dreamed of them doing. But that wasn't possible as long as he was around. He hated the fact that someone that had caused her so much pain was allowed to sleep beneath the same ceiling as she was, possibly even in the same bed, and yet he was stuck outside, once again sleeping in his car. Left to imagine what it would be like to feel her in his arms, feel her beneath him, while the man he'd spent the last four years despising was possibly enjoying the reality right now. Damn him, he thought hitting his fists against the dashboard in front of him. If it was the last thing he did, he would make Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald pay for coming between him and Sheridan. By the time he was done with him, Luis would be begging him for mercy. Or better yet, he'd be sleeping underneath the stars—with six feet of dirt piled on top of him. He smiled as he imagined himself shoveling the first patch of dirt on top of his enemies coffin then leaned back against the expensive leather covering the driver's side seat and told himself that someday soon he'd find out which was better—fantasy or reality. Chapter Five Lowering himself back onto the couch, Luis lifted a hand and threaded his fingers through his hair. He knew he needed to rest, but he wasn't sure how he was going to be able to accomplish that feat when the image of Sheridan standing in the kitchen in that silky robe wouldn't leave his mind. Not to mention the sound of her setting against her bedsheets. Every rustle of covers he'd heard during their brief conversation through her bedroom door was firmly planted inside his head and he knew the moment he closed his eyes, it would get worse. It would change from him merely hearing her move against the sheets to actually seeing her move against them. Which would definitely not give him the rest his tired body needed. No, the only thing it would do was give him a need to take a cold shower. He dropped his hand and gave his head a tiny shake then leaned his back against the floral printed cushions and closed his eyes. He knew taking the assignment was going to put him under some personal stress, but Thompkin had been rather adamant about his guarding Sheridan. He knew her being a Crane put her case on high status with the FBI, but he couldn't help thinking there was another reason. That someone else had been behind his being assigned to guard her. He knew it wouldn't be Alistair or Julian, as they both couldn't care less about Sheridan or her feelings. He really hated that Sheridan didn't know what they'd done to her - to both of them - but there was no way he could tell her. She was going through way too much already and there was no way he would take away something else from her, even if she would be better off knowing just what her family was capable of. Besides, he no longer had the proof to back up his accusations. It had been stolen before he'd even finished building his case. Yet another thing he could thank the almighty Cranes for. Oh, he had no proof of that either, but he knew they were behind it. Where else would Packer have gotten the money to buy his new identity? He had to have gotten one hefty sum of cash to disappear without a trace. Either that or he was laying in some unmarked grave somewhere. Those were the only two scenarios that made any kind of sense. Then again, nothing ever made sense where Julian or Alistair was concerned. He still couldn't quite wrap his brain around the fact that they'd actually, purposively, set out to break her heart. His he could see. After all, there was certainly no love lost between them or their families, but to cause that amount of pain on a member of their own family? That wasn't just cruel. It was heartless. It was…evil. Pushing his back off the couch, Luis slowly opened his eyes and got to his feet. He didn't stop his movements until he reached the window on the other side of the room and lifted to fingers to the mauve tinted blinds and gently pried them apart, much the way he'd seen Sheridan do earlier tonight. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary outside, but his gut told him he was out there. Watching. Waiting. If he knew as much about Sheridan as Luis suspected he did then he had to know that he was here and that he and Sheridan had a prior relationship. His being in the same house as Sheridan, sleeping under the same room, had to really tick him off too. After all, he'd made no secret of the fact that it was exactly where he himself wanted to be. A burst of anger shot through his system as he recalled the words the maniac had written. The things he'd said he wanted them to do. It was nothing short of a porn movie and though he and Sheridan were no longer together, it made him furious that someone would speak of her that way. As if she were nothing more than an object to satisfy some sick bastards physical needs. Narrowing his eyes into the darkness, Luis scanned the nearby perimeter. The only thing in his line of vision was a thick nestle of trees, but he knew the guy was there. He'd been watching Sheridan day and night for a while now. He was sure of it. There might not be any proof to back up his suspicions, but from what Luis had seen in the photographs and read in the letters, it was the only thing that made any sense. Despite what he'd told Sheridan about his guarding her maybe not being in her best interest, he knew there was no way he could've walked away. He knew himself too well to think that. Somehow he would have found a way to stay. Whether it was inside, sleeping under the same roof as she was or outside sleeping in his rental car, there was no way in hell he would leave her alone to face this ordeal. He didn't care if someone else would have been guarding her. They didn't know her like he did. Then again, he wasn't at all sure he really knew her anymore. There had been a time when he could read every emotion reflected in those brilliant blue irises, but that time was gone now. He'd seen the truth of that fact earlier. For the sake of her own protection, she'd temporarily let him back into her life, but he had no doubt that once he caught the sick bastard stalking her, she would send him packing. And more than likely it would once again be without his heart. He knew it was crazy to still be in love with her after everything that had happened between them. All the time that had passed. All the things that had happened since they'd both left Harmony. Yet he knew in his gut that his heart would always belong to her. There just didn't seem to be any way around that. He'd given her his heart and while she'd taken hers away from him, she hadn't bothered to give him back his own. It was still hers and as far as he was concerned, it always would be. Whether she knew it or not. Shaking his head at the direction his thoughts had suddenly taken, Luis removed his fingers from the blinds and stepped back away from the window, automatically swiveling on his heels to walk back toward the couch. His eyes briefly strayed toward the closed bedroom door that sat at the end of the hallway and he quickly found himself drawing in several deep breaths as he thought about the woman sleeping behind it. He knew he needed to get his feelings for her under control. That the situation she was in needed his complete attention and focus. Yet even as he told himself to focus on the case and not the woman he'd never stopped loving, he knew it was going to be easier said than done. It always was where Sheridan was concerned. He'd learned that lesson the first time he'd guarded her so it really came as no surprise that it was still true today. They may have been apart for the last three years, but the time away from each other certainly didn't diminish the connection they had. Or the love he felt for her. She might not feel the same way she once did, but he knew she still wanted him. He'd seen it in her eyes tonight. She tried to hide the feelings, but he knew they were there. Just as he knew she'd never act on them. What they had was over. She'd told him that in the letter she'd written to him and left at the airport. Still he couldn't help thinking that her decision might be different if she knew the truth about what really happened on the night of their engagement party. Then again, it probably wouldn't matter even if she did know the truth. She more than likely wouldn't believe him. Without proof, she would never believe he hadn't done what she thought he had. He knew he should be more upset that she wouldn't just take his word for it, but given what he knew about her past relationships and her family, he couldn't really blame her. She'd had to deal with so much in her life. So many people had taken advantage of her. Had broken her trust. He was surprised she'd even given him a chance at all. After what that bastard Jean Luc had done to her, he wouldn't have blamed her if she'd never wanted to set eyes on the male species again. Grabbing the blanket, sheet, and pillow Sheridan had handed to him earlier, Luis set about fixing his makeshift bed on the couch. When he was done, he quickly undressed down to his boxers and slid beneath the sheet and lightweight blanket. As soon as his head hit the pillow he closed his eyes, but he knew instinctively that sleep would be a long time in coming. Especially when his mind seemed more intent on replaying every single minute of his relationship with Sheridan, even going so far back as to the day they first met - the car crash that had undoubtly changed his life forever. As his police radio suddenly crackled to life, Luis listened with a trained ear. "Hey Luis, if you're there we've got some drag racers out by Old Willow Road. Chief wants you to check it out. Said he knows you're about to go off duty, but he just sent Quinlin and Packer to investigate a mugging down by the wharf and Simmons and Taylor are tied up with a break in over on Staton Avenue." Picking up the receiver and holding the button down, Luis quickly brought it to his lips. "No problem. I'm only about a half a mile from Willow anyway. I bet it's the same bunch of kids that Quin and I caught racing last month." "Probably so." O'Brien replied, his voice coming in despite the small patch of static in the line. "Besides, this is too small a town for it to be anybody else." "Okay," Luis said, straightening himself up in his seat. "I'm going to pull off onto one of the side roads and wait. If they're out here drag racing again they're bound to come by this way and when they do I'll bust 'em." After released the button on the receiver then placed it back into its cradle on the dashboard. He'd much rather be on the wharf investigating the mugging Quin and Packer had somehow managed to catch, but catching a few drag racers wasn't so bad. Yeah right, he thought shaking his head and turning his cruiser off onto a small cul-de-sac, busting drag racers was really the highlight of every cop's day. Shaking his head again, Luis placed his cruiser in back then leaned back against his seat, wondering how long he'd actually have to wait before one of them came speeding by him. About three seconds after, the thought entered his head, a car zoomed by him. It only took one look at the radar gun to know his night was about to get a little more exciting. Flipping on his sirens, Luis threw his cruiser into park and zipped out onto the road. The car didn't stop at the sound of the sirens. In fact, it seemed to speed up. He knew it wasn't one of the drag racers because the car was far too expensive for one of them. Unless of course they'd resorted to stealing cars instead of just totaling their own. Grabbing the receiver of the dashboard, and pressing the button in, he quickly spoke. "This is Lopez-Fitzgerald. I'm on the main highway just past Old Willow Road. Some yahoo is actually trying to outrun me. I'll radio back when I've nailed 'em." Releasing the button and dropping the receiver onto the seat beside him, he pressed his foot on the gas pedal and muttered a few choice curses as the car continued to try and outrun him. Remembering there was a road up ahead that would allow him to get in front of the car instead of behind them, he quickly turned the wheel. The cruiser squealed as he took the turn on two wheels, but luckily he didn't lose control of the wheel. Several minutes later, he blocked the main road with his cruiser and pulled his gun out of his holster. As soon as the car came into view and he realized they weren't going to stop, he braced himself for the impact and prayed the driver didn't kill him when they hit his cruiser. After several seconds of squealing tires and the unmistakable sound of metal hitting metal, it was over. Except that it wasn't over, Luis thought pulling himself out of the memory before he completely lost himself inside it. It had only been the beginning, the beginning of a relationship he knew he would mourn the loss of for the rest of his life. To Be Continued... Author of over 40 fan fiction stories, some of which include:
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