Chapters 5 & 6: Forever
Chapter 5:
Luis arrived at the station to find Sam pacing back and forth. His eyes looked tired and he seemed to be miles
away. Luis knew that some of that was Ivyıs fault. Since Ethanıs true parentage had been revealed Ivy has been
trying relentlessly to get Sam back. She had been throwing herself at him every chance she could.
Sam noticed Luis come in and was ready to give Luis the bad news he had received. Sam was worried about what
would play out in the next 24 hours with the breakout and Luis, the Cranes, and Bennettıs.
³Luis, I am glad you got here so quick,² Sam stated.
³What is going on, Sam,² Luis asked.
³From what Pilar probably told you, you know that Alistair broke out of prison. I wanted to tell you this in person,
but this is worse than you think.²
³What do you mean by that? Is he going after Sheridan,² Luis ordered.
³Hank escaped with him and from what I understand they are both headed here to Harmony to make all of us pay.²
³We need a guard sent to the house. I need to make sure Sheridan doesnıt find out. If she comes face to face with
Hank who knows what will happen. She still has nightmares about the shooting and Alistair is not helping her sleep
much either.²
At the Lopez-Fitzgerald house, Sheridan was sitting on the couch discussing in details the conversation she had
with her father hours earlier to Pilar. She could not believe he had broke out of prison, she knew deep in her gut that
he was up to something. Was she in danger? Would he come after her? Did he feel such hatred towards her to
harm her life? She had held off telling Luis about visiting her father. He rushed off to the station before she could
confess.
³I think you should have told him, my dear,² Pilar stated.
³He might think I had something to do with it,² Sheridan replied.
³Did you,² Pilar wondered.
³No, how could you ask that? I went there for answers not to break him out,² Sheridan answered angrily.
³You visited Grandfather in prison,² Ethan asked walking into the living room and Miguel following close behind.
³Yes! And before you ask, no, Luis did not know about it,² Sheridan shouted.
Theresa walked into the house with Chad on her heels. She had a concerned look on her face and Chad looked just
as bad.
³Theresa, where have you been,² Ethan asked.
³Do you know about the breakout,² Chad asked.
³Yea, Sam called to tell us. I donıt believe Alistair broke out,² Pilar announced.
³I am more worried about Hank,² Theresa stated.
³What about Hank,² Sheridan commanded now her eyes full of fright.
³Didnıt the Chief tell you,² Chad wondered.
³Hank Bennett escaped with Mr. Crane,² Theresa declared.
Sheridan started shaking uncontrollably, she could not believe what was happening. She thought Hank was out of
her life for good. He had shot her months ago leaving her for dead. She could not leave Luis again. Her dreams
had finally come true of having a man that loved her as much as she loved him. Luis was that man, and to have his
best friend, a man she trusted kill her terrified her. She could recall those weeks she was away from Luis, she knew
Hank would come back to finish the job. Now Hank had her fatherıs help on hurting her and the ones she loved.
Ethan held onto his Aunt Sheridan, he knew the only one that could make her feel safe was off trying to save them
from destruction. He was hoping his father and Luis could find Alistair and Hank before they came after Sheridan.
³I think we should call Luis at the station,² Miguel suggested.
³Good idea,² Chad replied.
Pilar went to dial the number on the phone, but to her astonishment there was no dial tone.
³Do you have your cell phone, Ethan,² Pilar asked.
³Mamma, whatıs wrong with our phone,² Theresa questioned.
³Not now, Theresita,² Pilar commented giving her a look of concern.
³Here you go, Pilar,² Ethan said handing her the cell phone from his pocket.
Sheridan sat there mumbling words to herself shaking. She could not go back of being that frightened child of the
past. Her mind wandered flashing memories of the night Martin died, to her life in Europe, and all the encounters
with Luis before they admitted how they felt about one another and the night they finally made love.
³I need to speak to Detective Lopez-Fitzgerald immediately, please,² Pilar said over the phone.
³This is Detective Lopez-Fitzgerald,² Luis stated a couple minutes later.
³Luis, itıs your mother. We found out who else escaped, Sheridan is not handling it well. She needs you, Mijo,²
Pilar explained. ³She has been mumbling things to herself, crying, and shaking. We canıt get her to calm down.²
³I figured this might happen. Sam didnıt tell me until I got here. Who is there with you? Call Dr. Russell, see what
you should do. I will try to be there as soon as I can,² Luis said.
³Theresa and Chad showed up to tell us the news. They said they heard it over the radio. Ethan is trying to calm
Sheridan down,² Pilar whispered. ³There is something else. I am calling you on Ethanıs cell because our phone is
dead.²
³Sam and I are heading there right now. I was going to send an officer to look after you but now I think we should.
Mamma, give the phone to Sheridan. Let me talk to her,² Luis said.
³Sheridan, Luis is on the phone. He wants to speak to you. Sheridan....Sheridan....,² Pilar tried to give the phone to
her, but she was like a little child losing control. She was now hugging her knees shaking back and forth. ³Luis, she
isnıt doing good. She has lost any sense of reality.²
³We will be there in five minutes. Call Dr. Russell. Be careful. I love you,² he said before the cell phone went dead.
³I love you, too. And you be careful,² Pilar stated after the battery on Ethanıs phone went dead.
³Mamma, she isnıt doing to well,² Theresa whispered to her mother. Ethan was trying to calm her down, but it was
no use.
³Pilar, she doesnıt acknowledge me. She doesnıt even know who I am. Is Luis coming? What about Dr. Russell?
She is getting worse by the minute,² Ethan explained.
³I can go get Dr. Russell,² Chad volunteered.
Suddenly the electricity went off, everyone screaming at once except Sheridan who did not realize what had just
happened.
³Go get Eve, Chad, explain what is going on. Miguel make sure all of the doors and windows are locked also look
for the flashlights and candles. Theresa sit down and rest, talk to Sheridan. I will look out for Sam and Luis,² Pilar
ordered everyone.
Everyone scattered off to do what Pilar had ordered. She was getting a bit frightened herself. She was looking
outside from the front door worried that Alistair and Hank would make an appearance. All of them were in the
house with no way to the outside world. It seemed like hours had past when Pilar had noticed the police car pull up
to the house. When Luis had come out of the car, Pilar opened the front door and ran to her son.
³Luis, the phones are dead and the electricity is off. Someone is here,² Pilar cried.
³Pilar is everyone okay,² Sam asked.
³Howıs Sheridan doing,² Luis asked.
³We are all fine except Sheridan seems to be getting worse. We sent Chad out to get Eve, but he hasnıt come back
yet,² Pilar answered.
³Letıs get inside,² Sam ordered.
They walked into the house, Pilar bolting the door after they got in. Luis kneeled in front of Sheridan noticing how
pale she had become. When he touched her, she felt clammy and hot. She was burning up. Luis tried to
understand what she was saying, but he couldnıt figure it out.
³Sheridan, Iım here. Itıs Luis. Look at me, sweetheart. Iım here, Iım not going to let anyone hurt you,² Luis said
wrapping his arms around her.
³Where is everyone else,² Sam asked Pilar.
Miguel and Ethan walked into the room with matches and candles. They began to light them throughout the room.
Ethan noticed his father and wondered on how his mother was handling the fact the Alistair had broken out of
prison.
He asked his mother before about her past with Sam, on how she walked out on him to marry Julian. It was
a business deal from the beginning arranged by Alistair and her father. She admitted that she still loved Sam very
much, but Ethan made her promise that she would not ruin Samıs marriage with Grace Bennett. He had come to
know Grace, and the rest of her children. He admired them for handling the situation so well.
³Ethan, did you notice anything strange,² Sam asked.
³No, Pilar had Miguel and I make sure everything was locked up,² Ethan answered sitting next to Theresa.
³I think we should get out of the house and head somewhere safe,² Sam suggested.
Knocking at the door stopped everyone in their tracks. Pilar went to see who it was, she appeared a couple minutes
later with Whitney, Chad, and Dr. Russell.
³She wonıt acknowledge anyone,² Luis told Dr. Russell.
³That is how she was when she was sent off to the institution,² Ivy said walking in.
³What are doing here, Ivy,² ordered.
³She was with me,² Eve answered.
³I was concerned about Sheridan. I was there the night Martin was murdered and the next morning when no one
could calm her down. She was shaking uncontrollably, mumbling words no one understood, and that is when
Alistair had her sent to the mental institution,² Ivy explained.
³This shot will knock her out for a bit. We have to get her to a hospital immediately,² Eve stated.
Samıs cell phone rang and when he answered it he knew things had gone to bad to worse.
When he rung up the phone, he had to break the news to everyone. He wasnıt sure how to handle the situation
that was just handed to him.
³We found Hank and Alistair,² Sam stated.
³Thatıs good news,² Theresa shouted.
³Not exactly. They have some hostages,² Sam replied.
³Who,² Luis asked.
³Kay, Simone, Jessica, and Noah,² Sam answered.
³Noah,² Theresa cried.
³Where are they,² Chad asked.
³They want to make a deal. If we give them Sheridan they will give us back the kids,² Sam explained.
³We canıt do that, Sam,² Luis commented.
³Donıt you think I know that, Luis, but these are my children. Their Uncle Hank is willing to kill them just to get
back at us for putting him in prison. Alistair just wants his daughter back. What do you expect me to do,² Sam
wondered.
³Where are they,² Dr. Russell ordered.
³The lighthouse,² Sam answered.
³I think we need to get to that lighthouse,² Ivy stated.
³Ivy, this has nothing to do with you,² Sam snapped.
³No, but it has to do with us,² Grace said appearing from the front entrance with Charity behind her.
³What are you going to do, Uncle Sam,² Charity asked.
³Luis, do you want to gamble,² Sam wondered.
³What did you have in mind,² Luis asked.
³Not if it involves my Aunt Sheridan,² Ethan stated.
³Let them do there job,² Theresa whispered to Ethan.
³I will need the guys help on this,² Sam replied.
³To save Kay, anything,² Miguel spoke up noticing afterwards how tense Charity became.
To Be Continued...
Chapter 6:
Julian was sipping his brandy in his study when the phone rang startling him. He was surprised at the voice on the other end.
³I see no matter what I know I will find you in that study. Are you drinking the brandy,² the voice asked. ³We got things to do. We are in Phase Three, make sure everything is set up accordingly. If you mess this up, Julian, I will make sure you have nothing.²
Suddenly the phone went dead. Julian had to hurry, he wasnıt sure that they would come this far. He didnıt take him seriously when he suggested this ridiculous plan of his and now it was in full motion. What if something did go wrong? Why did he have such a difficult time telling them no? With a few phones call everything was arranged.
At Crane Industries, Gwen and Antonio were going over the details of the newest company Ethan planned on taking over. They were sitting in Antonioıs office, Gwen was amazed on how Antonio looked forward of taking the competition out of the way. He was a very attractive man, someone she would not mind to get to know if it was under some other circumstances.
³How do you like being back in Harmony,² Gwen asked taking a sip of her mineral water.
³I donıt really remember much. How does it feel to be back here, yourself? From what I heard you left in pretty bad terms with Ethan. Will you let your emotions cloud your professional responsibility,² he asked concentrating on the reports.
³I see Alistair taught you well. Business before anything else.²
³Father, I mean Alistair, taught me to fight for what I want and even if it is crossing your family if you want it bad enough you can do anything,²he said suddenly the phone rang.
³Crane Industries, Antonio Crane speaking,² he answered.
³I see you are hard at work. Did you remember the plan,² the voice spoke.
³I am glad you are safe. What did you need me to do,² Antonio asked.
³You did good by sending her to me. You made sure she was shaken up enough to confess.
Our plan is in motion. Meet me at the scheduled destination in two days. I gotta go, I wonıt be in contact with you until then,² the voice stated hanging up the phone. Antonio hung up the phone to Gwen looking concerned. Did she know what was going on? Did he trust her?
³An important call I can see,² Gwen said.
³Letıs just get back to business,² he ordered. He would finish the details of the meeting later without Gwen near.
Gwen knew he was up to something. Was Julian right when he said Antonio could not be trusted? And if so, was it because he was a Lopez-Fitzgerald by blood or the fact he had Alistair Crane as a role model.
At the lighthouse, Noah held onto his sisters tightly hoping that his father would come and save him. Throughout the years, he had heard how heartless Alistair Crane was, but to sacrifice your own daughter for vengeance that was low. Now Alistair had involved his Uncle Hank in his battle, he was trying to be strong for his sisters and Simone. Noah could not believe that Uncle Hank had done the things he was accused of like murdering Sheridan. What could make him turn like that?
³Iım scared, Noah,² Jessica whispered.
³Itıs okay, dad will save us,² he replied.
³Sushh, over there,² Alistair barked.
³Ethan is lucky to have found out he wasnıt your grandson. He is nothing like you,² Kay yelled.
³Kay, quiet,² Simone told her.
³No, let her speak. I may not be Ethanıs grandfather, but he has learned a few things from me. From what I heard, he always gets what he wants, right young man,² Alistair stated.
³Quiet over there. I see them coming,² Hank shouted.
³How many vehicles,² Alistair asked.
Hank was looking through binoculars, he knew this was it. Soon Alistair and Hank would be out of the country with Sheridan. He knew befriending Alistair in prison was a good idea. Both of them wanted to seek revenge on Luis, and taking Sheridan away was the easiest way. Hank knew the only way to get Sheridan was to risk Samıs children. He knew Sam would not bargain with his children for Sheridanıs life. Luis was the ace up the sleeve, would he listen to Sam and bring Sheridan to Alistair and him.
In the police car, which Sam was driving, Luis held Sheridan in his arms in the back seat. He was hoping the plan they had concocted would work. He could not risk losing Sheridan. The weeks he had spent thinking she was dead was some of the hardest times he had been through, but he had her back. She had come back to him. Their love for one another had bought her back, and now someone was trying to break them apart once again. Once this was over he would make sure she knew how mush he loved her. He did love her, he loved her with all of his heart. He didnıt know someone could feel so much for someone, but when it came to Sheridan he would risk everything to keep her safe. And today was that day.
³Sam, I hope this works,² Luis said.
³So do I, Luis. Hopefully the guys know what they are doing,² Sam replied.
In the car behind Sam was Eve, TC, Grace, and Pilar. TC was driving the car with Eve in the passenger seat making sure she had everything in her medical bag in case Sheridan awoke from her sleep.
³Do you think they made it,² Pilar asked Grace.
³I hope so. I just hope Sheridan doesnıt realize what is about to happen,² Grace responded.
A few miles away, Miguel began making his way up the cliff. Ethan was behind him with Chad on his tale. The three were twenty feet up already, looking down for a brief moment Ethan saw his mother with her arms around Theresa. Whitney and Charity were standing beside Theresa holding her other hand.
³Hope they know what they are doing,² Charity whispered.
³Luis taught Miguel how to climb the cliff a couple years ago,² Theresa said.
³Ethan learned to climb at school,² Ivy replied.
³I hope they get there in time,² Whitney stated.
Climbing up the cliff Miguel knew if they miscalculated by just a couple minutes they would also be hostages. Miguel wanted to save Kay, his best friend. He didnıt know what his feelings for her were, but he could not let her die. Charity was another one obstacle in his life. Being young was hard enough these days adding another log in the fire was being the youngest of one of the most respected families in Harmony.
In his family everyone was somehow involved with a Crane except him but he was torn between cousins in the Bennett clan.
Ethan was climbing the cliff thinking that he could not let his family die. He had just found out that Kay, Jessica, and Noah were his siblings and he could not let them die in the hands of the man he thought was his grandfather. Ethan left Theresa at the bottom of the cliff with his mother. He knew Theresa was worried about Noah, he could tell just by the look in her face. Before he came into her life, Noah and Theresa were very close. Luis had even mentioned that when Theresa was nine years old she told everyone she was going to marry Noah one day. Six months later is when she began the obsession of Ethan forgetting all about being Mrs. Noah Bennett.
.
Sam pulled up to the lighthouse worried that the guys had not arrived yet. Then he recognized the signal so he went to begin the plan. Luis carried Sheridan out of the car then he noticed something out of the ordinary. When he looked beyond the lighthouse he noticed the helicopter approaching.
³Sam, we have company,² he stated pointing to the helicopter which looked to be a couple miles away.
³That must be the way they think they are getting out of here,² Sam remarked.
Sheridan began to stir in Luisı arms. She knew whose arms she was in, but her eyes were not in focus just yet. Luis held onto her tighter making sure she would feel safe.
³Luis, where am I,² she mumbled.
³The lighthouse,² he replied.
He put her down on the bench near the lighthouse entrance. He knew he had to explain to her the situation as quickly as possible. When he finished the last word, she knew he was risking everything to protect his family as well as Samıs.
³Are you crazy,² Sheridan pouted.
³It is the only way,² Sam stated handing her a pistol.
³You want me to go with him for the safety of everyone here in Harmony. Do you even know what you are asking of me? I am not only concerned about my life here, but how about the guys climbing that cliff,² she stated.
³Alistair wonıt see it coming,² Luis replied.
³Yea, and how about Hank,² Sheridan cried. ³You are asking me to put my life in Hankıs hands. Do you remember he is a cold blooded killer or did you forget?²
³I could never forget what he did to you, but if everything goes as planned you have nothing to worry about,² Luis muttered.
³Where have I heard that before,² she commented. ³Fine, letıs get this over with.²
Sheridan opened the lighthouse door, when he grabbed her arm pulling her close to him. He was risking so much, and when their lips met for their final goodbye, he knew it could be their last.
³I love you,² he whispered. ³Remember that.²
³I love you,² she whispered back and with that she entered the lighthouse alone.
Sam and Luis headed back to the car where TC, Eve, Pilar, and Grace stood. Pilar hugged her son hoping that this worked out for the best. Grace went straight towards Samıs arms. Their children were the only thing keeping Sheridan safe now.
To Be Continued...