Changes

Chapter 1:
scene after funeral home... julian in the limo (while sheridan talks to theresa) "father i'm trying my best to keep sheridan and luis apart...but..." "all right julian...you take care of the business of martin...i'll take care of sheridan" "how will you do that?" julian gave a bit of a chuckle. " i am still her father...no matter how she denies it...my opnion does influence her actions..." sheridan in her cottage.... she walked through the door, dropped her purse and coat, and sat down on the couch with her head back. she closed her eyes, she was emotionally and mentally fatigued. why did all this have to happen. she took a deep breath and ran both hands roughly through her hair. she was suddenly jolted from her trance by the telephone. "hello..." "sheridan...you sound like hell" the voice had the masterful familiarity. "father...what do you what!" there was an annoyance in her voice. "sheridan...i wanted to be assured by your own words that you were all right" though his voice expressed no concern. "i'm fine...one more time i have to say that...arggghhh"{ there was a long pause then a sigh "father, what did you really call about" "it's about the men in your life..." "ha!....when have you cared about my love life..." "sheridan you're my daughter...." there was a softness in his voice which made caught her attention "you're my only daughter...believe it or not...i would like to one day walk you down the ailse....into the arms of a man that will love you" "what does that have to do with anything that's going on..." her voice was calmer, more patient. " i know that your relationships in the past haven't worked out...and i feel that one more heartbreak will shatter your heart...don't try to deny it from me, i know you have feelings for Officer Lopez-Fizgerald....Sheridan...i want you to be with someone who will love you for who you are.....Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald despises the Cranes...i just don't want to see you get hurt again...." "but father...he's different....i've tried to tell myself i'm being a fool....but he's been so kind to me..." "yes and what do you think will happen to all that kindness when he finds out the truth...i want to protect you...just as i had all those years ago..." "so are you telling me that that night really happened?" " well...i was hoping you would never have to find out...it was all an accident...i won't tell you anymore...but you're not a murderer....and officer lopez-fitzgerald won't see it that way....you're a crane and he'll try to pin us on anything.....just for your own sake...please just heed my warning....sheridan.......i love you....i have go to a meeting....you will take care?" "yes father...." her father never really gave a damn about her...but what if everything she knew about him was wrong...what if he was telling the truth...one thing for sure...this was what she needed to truely open her eyes...she had started to fall for luis...but he was just like all the rest of them...he just wanted to use her to get crane information...why else would he suddenly turn from detesting her to caring for her...and how could she have thought that his love was the one that saved her life... "that's it i give up....there's no true love in this world....i used to think about pilar's love for martin.....but love....is a two way street....sheridan....you're a crane...you've lived up to it all you're life no use changing it now....." image fades out with sheridan remembering the past....when luis still hated her.... "the cranes are all alike" he had mentioned numerously. the tears fell down her face as if to mourn for a departing friend....then she wiped the tears away bitterly...and her face turned cold.....

Chapter 2:
scene right after previous.... the telephone rang again.... "sheridan....i forgot to mention...we have clients are coming to harmony tomorrow for some propositions...julian was the one who was suppose to correspond with them...but seeing as he can barely stay sober...i'm counting on you to take in the deal" "i haven't done a lot of these transactions father..." "sheridan...i didn't send you to business school for nothing...i'm sure you'll be fine...i'll have my assistant fax you the data..." "all right father...." she all of the sudden had an anxoius feeling. after they hung up she walked over to the mirror. " well sheridan...looks like you're finally going to get the chance to make your father proud...can't let anything get in the way..." she looked at herself carefully "looks like time for a change...goodbye sheridan...hello ms. crane...." she gave herself a bitter smile and went into the bedroom. she rumaged through her closet...all her suit were in the back...now she put them in the front. "new look...what else...my car...need to get a laptop..." she was bustling now. first she had to call the car dealership...then ethan " this is ms. crane...i'd like to trade in my car...do you have anything...sleek, businesslike, expensive...and in black..." "yes we do..." "well then...have someone come over to my house with that and take the old one in...." "sure thing ms. crane..." "ethan..." "sheridan...is anything wrong" "no..no...i just wanted to know...do you happen to have a spare laptop around...?" "yeah actually i do..." "great... i'm going to need one fairly soon..." "there's one the closet of my bedroom...." "all right thanks..." she got dressed in a black business (mini skirt) suit, she didn't were any jewelry except for a silver watch. (you can imagine how black looks with blonde hair...my vision is...stunning) "rene...can you get me a cup of coffee" as soon as she burst into the door. julian and ivy were in the parlor... " julian...has there been a fax sent..." the power in her voice and appearance startled him. "he!...i thought the funeral wasn't until tommorrow...." sarcastically " i won't be going...as i have business to attent to...the one which YOU were suppose to..." "WHAT! father assigned be to that deal!" julian stood facing her she looked him directly in the eye...knowing his trademark intimidation glare " well julian...consider yourself unassigned..." she walked towards the library and without shooting a glance back "if you have any objections...consult father about it" julian turned to ivy, he was shocked at sheridan's transformation. ms. crane walked out of the house....briefcase in hand....to her brand new jaguar...and drove towards the lopez-fitzgerald house...

Chapter 3:
lets see the setting...lopez-fitzgerald house...hank pilar and luis are there....miguel is with charity, theresa is being confronted by gwen...... "so you guys are going to have the dna test done..." hank inquired "well it's the only way to know for sure...." luis looked at his mother "you will both know one day how it's like to be in love...to love someone so much that you know certain things..." "that's true love for you...and i've already found mine...sheridan crane..." luis just rolled his eyes, but turned away as he had a flash of sheridan and new mexico "are you the love of my life" she had asked him "and speak of my angel..." as hank opened the door for her. "hi hank...lu...luis...pilar" she looked away nervously. "i'm terribly sorry pilar...but i can't come to martin's wake" "why not!..."only pilar noticed that he said that too anxiously. "i have a meeting...come of father's clients are coming down...and he wants me to take care of things" she couldn't help smiling "how can he do that to you...you've been through so much...shouldn't he give you a break or something" hank joining in on the conversation. "don't talk about my father that way..."she had said it too harshly and was about to apologize but continued instead " my father does things for his own reasons...he wants me to stay busy...it keeps my mine off of things...i'm very grateful..."she turned away from him out of annoyance. "when did you start defending you father?" luis looked at her curiously "since he bacame just that..."she turned to pilar then to luis "no matter what he's my father you of all people should understand..." "listen...babe i'm sorry..." he he tried to pull her close "hank don't touch me!" she snapped at him "i'm undergoing a lot of stress right now...and don't want to sound rude...but i need space...not just from you...but from men" they were all stunned at her coldness "today i've made up my mind...all my life i've wasted my time on trying to find "true love"...well i'll let you in on a little secret...it doesn't exsist.." "sheridan! jos miyo (i'm not spanish) i don't understand...what happened to make think this..." "i opened my eyes...that's what...."she directly at pilar "whenever i would give up on love...i looked at yours and martin's marriage...and i wanted that...but look" she covered her eyes "i'm sorry pilar..." "i know you sheridan...true love was the one thing that kept you going...you believed so strongly in it...it was your faith....what brought this change?" "my father just pointed out..." "i should have known..." "and he's right pilar...just look at my track record..." "all those men didn't deserve you...and they took advantage of your vulnerable state.." this comment perked both men's ears "that doesn't matter...it does...that's why i can't let myself go back to the vulnerable state...i vowed that i will never be used...love and sheridan crane just don't fit in the same sentence...." "hey don't be so hard on yourself...you're pretty close if not my dream girl.."hank said trying to lighten things up....luis just sat back and listened and watched sheridan's face "you don't me...let give you a reality check hank...your dream girl isn't what she appears to be" she sighed..."i have to go..." she was heading to the door when pilar grabbed her arm "sheridan...i care very much about you...if you need to talk" she nodded and went to her car. "what was that all about...?"hank still dazed. "sheridan's right..." "mama, how can you say that..." luis was now ready to ask his questions (about sheridan...to his mother of coarse) "alestair crane...always has a purpose...everything he does is just part of a major one...and he's just trapped sheridan in the middle of. luis and hank stared at her with dibelief.....

Chapter 4:
next day, little before noon... "father lonigan (?) what do you mean there's been a delay...." pilar's voice trembling "well the water pipes have been acting up again and the foundation is very unstable...the city needs to do some repairs before anyone can even go inside the church..." "oh...yes i understand...how many days..." "there's no telling...they say that if all goes well...it'll be over with in a day or two..." "thank you father..." pilar turned to her luis. "mama...don't worry...this only gives us more time to find out if it's really papa..."luis tried to comfort her. "i need to go to work now...will you be okay..." "yes...ivy wanted to give me a couple of days of...but i need to keep busy so that i don't think so much about your father..." later that afternoon at the youth center.... luis entered and heard the dribbling of a basket ball....he walked in to find sheridan make a shot. she looked up at him and gave him a smile...he felt relief in see it...and smiled back... "how'd the meeting go..." "great...."she had a huge grin on her face "i got the deal...it was suppose to be a buyout deal...but i convinced the members to invest in the company instead..." "that's wonderful...care to play one on one...." "sure..." they played hard and half an hour in the game both were tired and sweating...sheridan attepted to make the final shot but luis blocked her...they stumbled because of exhaustion and luis had her pinned to the wall...they looked at each other nervously... "i'd better go home and take a shower..."she slipped under his arm. "there's showers here..." "and get into another one of our run in situations...i don't think so..."she smiled and walked out... in the parking lot... "ms.crane...hi brad porter...from the meeting...." "hi...i thought you guys already left..." "well i decided to stay behind...i was intigued by the woman who could do such great business..."seeing her suspicion "okay let me be frank... "no let me...if you're here to try to get me to bed with you...here's something you can do..."he leaned closer to him..."take a cold shower..." she backed away... "oh you're just one of those..."just then luis came out and stood beside sheridan "one of those...?" luis looked directly at him with the go-ahead-and-say-it-and-i'll-break-your-face-in expression "really great, respectable women..." he walked away...actually kind of ran "you'd think with the hardvard education they'd learn some manners....i didn't need you to come do that..." "i just thought you needed some help...." "why is it that you show up everytime...i don't want you trying to save me luis.." she has a flashback of new mexico 'i have dreamt of a man saving me...but there's no way you could be my dream guy'...."and that's the problem...you might just be..." "what?" she hadn't realized that she said it outload....she recollected what alestair had said to her 'what do you think will happen to that kindness when he finds out the truth...' "sheridan...what is going on with you..." "luis nothing is wrong..." "i never mentioned the word 'wrong'...i asked you what was going on..."they were intensely locked onto each other's eyes...when hank came up "hey...everything okay here..." they both answered..."everything's fine!" "sheridan..." hank nodded his head for luis to go away...he went back to the youth center. "hank i'm sorry....but i meant what i said..." "and i meant what i said...i am not easliy going to let the best thing that ever happened to me walk out of my life..." "i need to go..."sheridan got in her car luis came back out when he heard her drive away..."what happened?" "something's really wrong...but i'm not letting it get in my way..." "hank...drop it...give her a break" hank once again stunned by people's unexpected behaviors "as i recall i was the one telling you to cut her some slack" "she's just been through a lot...and when she needs you she'll let you know" "oh...i know she needs me...you can see that longing look in her eyes...if it's not me who she wants to be with then who..."hank oblivious to luis's sudden smile...he was recalling new mexico again 'make love to me...i need you to make love to me'... not for hidden in the foliage of trees...the man who called himself brad porter was spying on them.... "the girl is here in harmony...and so is hank bennett.." he gave an evil chuckle as the man on the other line said "duex oiseax avec une pierre..." (forgive my french,,literally...i'm only taking second year french...and it's first period so i'm either half late or sleeping...but i believe it translates 'two birds with one stone' )
preview....sheridan's and hank's pasts crash together....causing a deadly collision....

Chapter 5:
youth center.... hank's telephone rings.... "i see you got a new one..." luis said suspiciously (you know how we've been wondering where hank's money is coming from well luis finally does too) "yeah...hello..."hank's face froze "i told you to leave me alone! i don't care how much money you'll pay me....i don't care for your business....."he hung up the phone furiously...he was about to throw it when luis caught it. "you know hank...for someone who doesn't work...you sure know how to waste money..." "what are you trying to say luis" hank was aggrivated. "hey...buddy...no need to get defensive...i'm just looking out for your best interest...i just don't think that living under your brother's roof for the rest of your life is your type of gig...who was that anyway..." "no one..." that no one has been calling you a lot..." "luis when are you going to lighten up and stop being a cop..."hank put on his cheerful voice to change the topic. "that's the point of being a cop hank...always being one..."luis handed him back his cell phone and knowing he couldn't get anything out of hank, gave an sigh, and went into the youth center... a couple of days later they were all at the coffee shop.... they had all gone out for coffee after the morning arrangements were over with. "the foundation at the church is fianlly repaired...and we're going to have father's wake tomorrow..."luis said as he reached over to get the sugar from sheridan's side.she looked up and handed it to him without making eye contact. "will you been able to make it tomorrow..."hank asked "sheridan...hello...earth to sheridan.." she gasped as the attendant brought their coffee spilling it all over the girl "oh i'm sorry..."and realizing the softness in her voice " dammit!" "sheridan i really think you should talk to someone...like my mother..."luis helped the girl clean up the mess. "i'm not crazy! "she said it a little too loudly cause everyone turned their direction. "i don't need anyone to talk to okay....i'm perfectly fine..." she sat back down. "if you're so perfectly okay then why are you shaking" "you know luis with your opinions about my mental state...you should consider being a psychiatrist..." "i just want to know what the hell is going on with you!" he snapped back at her. "i don't know...you took it upon yourself to be my therapist...why don't you tell me!" "come on you guys not this again..."hank tried to stop their arguing. "you stay out of this!" was the unanimous response "oh i understand now...everyone just keeps assuming that something is wrong with me because i don't rely on them anymore...just because i'm independant you think there's something wrong with me....what sheridan crane can't stand on her own two feet..." "i wasn't saying that..."they were both standing now "well you didn't have to...listen for all of my life i've leaned on others...yeah well just like love...need is also a two way street...i just can't live my life like that anymore...the way i see people should be equally be needed by others as they need them...and if you're only doing one thing or the other you should do something about it...i just plan not to go down either roads...." "sheridan you're not making any sense..."hank tried to enter the conversation..but she just looked at luis "it might not make sense...but i don't give a dman...it makes perfect sense to me and that's all that matters...besides all the people i thought i needed just tried to make...."she looked out the window..as she continued slowly not really paying attention "think....that i was....crazy..." "what is it sheridan" luis not having followed her eyes "i just had the wierdest really...like we were being watched...." outside.... "don't you think that this is too public a place to do this "brad was talking to two french men (i can't really remeber their names i believe it was francois ans jean-pierre....so bare with me..) "c'est n'importer pas (it does not matter)" "i've been watching them carefully...and if their still in routine then they'll be going back to the youth center...it'll be more secluded there...and you'll have a better shot..." "tout juste ( all right)" sheridan,luis, and hank came out of the book cafe...and got into the car to drive to the youth center...... unbeknownst to them....they were being followed.......

Chapter 6:
at the youth center..... "okay can we just drop the subject..." sheridan was clearly getting frustrated..."you're really enjoying this aren't you" she could tell by the smug smile on his lips. "well...actaully...yeah...i haven't had an arguement this good since.."they both looked down nervously...remembering new mexico when she first woke up.... "we're being really childish..." she laughed...and he laughed along with her...hank just looked on with bewilderment...not understanding how from a split second they could be dopwn each other's throats to being good friends.... a few minutes later.... three men watch into the youth center... "bonjour sheri..." "excus`e moi monsieur...est-qu ce je fait savoir tu? (excuse me sir...do i know you)" hank froze..."leave her out of this...what do you guys want...." "hank you know these guys..." luis asked...already in his cop mode...cause he senses something is wrong... "all these guys want are you and the girl...." brad appeared the negotiator "what does she have to do with it...." "you can either come quietly or..." francois and jean pierre had drawn there guns... just then beth came through the door...the gunmen per momentarily diverted...but it was all the time luis and hank to try to struggle the guns away from them...brad was about to enter the brawl when sheridan threw him a knock out punch...followed by a kick "i guess those kickboxing lessons did pay off...." she quickly drag a frozen beth out of the room... "wait here..." sheridan went back to the entryway...because she say theresa coming up from a window... theresa came through the door which averted luis's focuse...he was knock down but quickly got up and threw francois across the room... "get her out of here sheridan..." sheridan had to walk very slowly because hank's struggle with jean pierre had lead to a gun in the air....they were struggling with it...and luis stood ready to help hank...but if he entered not it could implicate things.... suddenly there were two guns shots....and finally a muffled one between hank and jean-pierre......

Chapter 7:
the force of the bullet cause bothe theresa and sheridan to fall back...sheridan collapsed on theresa....as her shirt started to turn crimson.... jean pierre's body fell apart from hank....as he turn to see luis's face.... "SHERIDAN!!!!" luis was at sheridan's side followed by hank.... "well...now i know what it feels like to actually get shot...aaarrrrgggghh" she took short breaths...luis took his shirt off and used it to put pressure on her stomach... "shhh....don't try to talk your losing a lot of blood..." "sheridan...this was all my fault..." hank was at her side too "oh luis...ummm...."theresa looked absolutely dazed...by then beth had come out... "beth you and theresa call an ambulance..." both women nodded their heads... "how was this you're fault" luis looked at him furiously... "aarrgg....uuummm..." sheridan was undoubtedly slipping into unconsiousness...you could hear sirens approaching (it's a small town..the hospital's near by...) "we'll talk about this later hank...sheridan...you gotta stay with me okay..." "luis...this time...i don't....think...urgghh...that you can....save....me...you know....thay...say third time's....the charmer.." "don't talk like that...don't talk at all...and you're going to be okay..." the peramedics had gotten the stretcher and hauled her onto it....and drove off "luis...you go with her...i'll call sam over here..."hank examined that the other bullet had gone into francois... "and i'll let mama know what happened..." theresa offered.... scene fades...hank comforted by beth while he calls sam...luis getting into his car to drive to the hospital... an hour later at the hospital.... "jos miyo...i came as soon as i heard....luis is she all right..." pilar was followed by ethan, theresa and ivy..... "she's in the operating room right now...she was in a pretty condition when they brought her in..." luis's voice broke..."i couldn't do anything...you know mama....now i know...that really did do the right thing...when i saved her on the roof..."pilar threw her arms around him... ethan was pacing back and forth...with theresa... "i have to tell julian and alestair...pilar will you call if anything changes..." ivy left.... hank and beth came in with sam.... "you know the procedure luis....we have to get statements...don't worry the place has been cleaned up..." "what about the gunmen..." luis put on his cop front now... "they were dead when we got there...." sam and luis discussed what happened and sam left saying "luis...you care for sheridan don't you..." "luis...i'm so sorry...god...i will never forgive myself if anything happens to sheridan..." hank sat beside him... "and if anything does happen to her i'm going to hold you responsible..." "luis...this is no time to argue...or blame anyone...especially not hank..."pilar stepped between the two... "no pliar...luis is right...i did some business with those men.......but i saw the look on your face when the bullet hit sheridan..." luis turned away from both of them "it looked like your heart just got ripped out of you...." "is this true luis..." pilar put her arms around her son... "i just don't know how it all happened...i just know that sheridan has to make it...she has to mama...." luis whispered into her shoulder... two days later.... "she woke up and just started screaming...." the nurse was informing pilar... pilar walked into the room of a distrotted sheridan... "i'm right here sheridan...." pilar hugged her "oh pilar...i thought i was back in the institution...." she clutched on to pilar... " all that matters is you're okay...you had us all worried..." later that night....luis just got of his shift... "how is she mama?" "she's calmed down...and she's resting..." pilar left her son in the room with sheridan... luis sat down on the chair beside her bed.... "luis..." she started to wake up..."luis...i have to tell you everything..." "no...you need rest..."he put his hand on hers "but i do...i have to tell you about the nightmares..." he squeezed her hand gently "let's not talk about anything complicated...i just want to know that you're perfectly okay...your pilows fluffy enough...your not too cold..." he smiled at her and entwined his fingers around hers "okay..." she smiled back at him..she was too tired to discuss the whole thing anyway "i am a bit hungry...hospital food isn't exactly my favorite..." "then i'll tell you what...you get some rest...you get out of here... and i'll take you out to dinner....how's that sound..." "it sounds...great...what about hank..." "shhh...everything is going to be okay.." he kissed her hand... "you know something luis...i think if maybe it'll only be this moment....i believe that statement..." closed with sheridan drawing him close and them kissing slowly but passionately....

THE END