Requiem

Summary: Sheridan and Luis do not have an established relationship, but they don not hate each other, though at times it seems like that. Sheridan has a huge favor to ask of Luis, because she feels he would be the only one she could ever want to ask. With the outcome of the answer, they both embark on the voyage to their true desires.

Disclaimer: To put it simply, I do not own any characters used in this story except for Dr. Maloy .

Sheridan was nervous. It wasn’t an entirely unfathomable state, considering she could be making or breaking the foundation she and Luis had made for a friendship, but Sheridan needed to ask him. If she didn’t, she could die and not know such joy. So here she was, waiting in her cottage for Luis to arrive, and she paced, her feet kneading a path into the carpet for which she paced upon. Her mind was a whirlwind of unanswered questions, and answers to which question she had not thought to ask. Altogether, everything was not as it should be, and God only knew it could get worse.

When the staccato knock came finally, the sound was louder then Sheridan was normally accustomed to. In fact, she was sure that the loudness would dissipate once the words left her mouth, and his answer came forth.

She hurried to answer it, wishing she could be passed this point and be on to the aftermath. Her hand posed above the knob, giving herself time to rethink the situation, to discard everything she was going to say or to continue on into the unknown. The cool steel of the knob was a surprise to her as her hand turned it seemingly of its on will.

“Hi.” He said when he entered into the small cottage living room.

“Hey.” She said, her nervousness betrayed by the none-to-subtle tremor of her voice. “Can I take your coat?”

He waved her off, and hung the material up in the closet by himself. She smiled at his familiarity with her cottage; after all he had lived there for quite a while. But he had moved out when Interpol had captured, and arrested, Pierre, Roger and all involved in the drug cartel. She had instantly missed his presence, because he had grown to be such a dear friend to her, and she missed not being able to… in a way, mother him.

“So… What is it you wanted to ask me?” That was the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question wasn’t it? Or was it her question? She couldn’t answer his without asking hers, so in a way it all fit together. She took a deep breath and dropped her eyes. She would ask him, but she refused to meet his gaze at any rate.

“Luis… we’re friends, right?” she asked, seemingly establishing her boundaries.

“Yeah… yeah Sheridan, we’re friends.” His smile accompanied his answer, and she felt her stomach ease a bit.

“Well, then this makes it a bit easier to ask.” She was stalling and she knew it, and she was sure he knew it too, but she could not help it. It’s only going to get tougher, she thought, the more you hold out.

“Don’t make me guess.” He whispered, trying to coax her into submission.

“I…Well… Luis, I want to have a baby.” She said. The silence in the room was far more deafening then the knock that had scared her out of her wits, only minutes before.

“I…see.” He replied, obviously not sure what to make of her statement.

“And… I wanted to ask you, if you’ll help me.” She continued. Her voice had dropped to nearly a whisper, but Luis had heard her loud and clear.

“You want me to help you?” He asked completely unbelieving. He couldn’t understand how Sheridan Crane wanted him to help her make a baby, but he was extremely flattered. The smile he suddenly had plastered on his face, was smug and oh-so-manly. Of course, Sheridan could not see it for her head was still bowed in shame.

“I can understand how utterly odd this question must seem, and I understand that you don’t want to do this. It was a long shot, and quite frankly, I didn’t expect you to say—“

“Yes. I’ll do it.” Her head shot up, and she met his gaze with hers. She was completely taken aback. She was elated, nevertheless, and ran to engulf him in a tight hug. He hugged her back and she nearly broke out in tears. When she pulled away, the smile she gave him made his heart lurch forward.

“I-I-I-You will have to see my doctor… you know, for donor procedures.”

“You mean I don’t get the good stuff?” Luis asked jokingly, but Sheridan could not tell if he was trying to shed some mirth at the transpiring events or if he was serious. He smiled, and she knew it was a joke, but her heart ached anyway.

“Thank you Luis.” She said when she gave him another tightly knitted hug. She kissed his cheek and he smiled down at her. “But don’t you need time to think about this?” She pulled away to see his reaction, and he shook his head.

“It was never something I would have to think about, when it comes to you.” Sheridan wasn’t exactly sure she knew what he meant by that, but she was sure she would ask him about later.

She reached into her purse, which lay motionless on her pink couch, and she pulled out the card for her doctor’s office.

“Here is my doctor’s card… you’ll need to speak with him when ever you get the chance, to go over general donor procedures. He wanted to meet you, when I told him I had a father already lined up, but I had told him I was sure you were going to say no.” She smiled at the memory, “he had said no sane man would turn down the opportunity.”

Luis smiled on the outside, but couldn’t help but hate her doctor.

Sheridan was far from prepared to meet with Luis for coffee, after he had spoken to her Doctor about what was going to happen. She was extremely surprised that he had accepted her request so quickly. , she thought, while driving her Red Mercedes through the Harmony streets en route to meet Luis, He really does have feelings for me.

That was crazy, Sheridan determined. If he had had any feelings for her, then wouldn’t his answer have been no? After all awkwardness wouldn’t be far off, if they both were far more committed to this then they let on. Sheridan shook her head, as she pulled into a parking space in front of the book café, she was confusing things to give herself an excuse. She had to take a breath to assure herself she was doing the right thing.

“Take it easy Sheridan,” she whispered to herself, “It isn’t going to get any easier if you make up hypothetical situations.” With that said, she marched proudly into the book café, stopping momentarily to tell Beth she would have a cappuccino, before making her way over to the Irish-Latino man sitting in the back.

Her hand unconsciously drifted to her stomach, where she imagined his baby would grow inside her soon. She momentarily forgotten the circumstances surrounding the parentage of her as-of-yet none existent baby, but remedied that by remembering why she was in the first place. To discuss what he had discussed with her doctor about being a first-time donor. If that didn’t serve to tamper down on her mood, she didn’t know what would.

Luis stood when Sheridan arrive, his gentlemanly manners practiced and precise.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.” He said after they had both sat back down. She smiled her thanks to Beth, who had brought over her cappuccino, and as she departed, Sheridan swore she saw Ms. Wallace give Luis an assessing look. She banished the jealousy, and concentrated on a mild retort to what he had said.

“Oh ye of little faith, Officer. If I had meant to not show up, I would have called with at least a legitimate excuse, even if it proved to be a blatant lie.” She smiled to tell him she was joking, and he rolled his eyes in response.

“How long have you waited to tell me that one?” Luis asked, an amused expression on his face that refused to dissipate. Sheridan found his humor to be infectious and she found herself beaming as well.

“Again with the smugness, I would think that after our many nights and days living under the same roof, sharing living quarters as well as friendly banter, that you would have gotten bored with teasing me.” She shot back, taking a sip of the quickly cooling liquid of her cappuccino. She breathed in a large gust of the surrounding scents. Cappuccinos, his coffee, mixed with Luis’ heady musk made her head spin a bit.

“Bored?” He exclaimed, “Hardly, Crane. I find it all to amusing to watch you get riled up.” He smiled at her, and her amused expression softened a bit as she became serious. They needed to discuss the actual situation at hand, with out getting caught up in childish chiding.

“Anyway, Officer how was your visit with Dr. Malloy?” She asked, pleasantness with a bit of a whispered tone, meaning what they were discussing was meant for only their ears.

“Well, he told me all about the options I had. Everything he told me was so interesting. Did you know that thousands of women each year go to fertility clinics, genetic counselors, or sperm banks? Then he—“ At her amused expression he paused. “What’s going on? What’s happening? Why ‘re looking at me funny?”

“Because you’re so excited. I never thought you would be so amazed by modern medicine. I’m happy you want to do this. It’s adorable.” Sheridan smiled at him warmly, and he felt he flood his body at the warmth he saw in her eyes.

“It is exciting… and Sheridan?” He asked timidly, dropping his gaze to his hands that help his coffee mug.

“Yes?”

“I was wondering… do you think I could stay with you during your part? Well as far as you’re comfortable. All I know is about the male factor, and I am really interested in all aspects of what’s going to happen.” He looked up to gage her reaction. She seemed contemplative. Then after a brief moment of silence, she nodded. He smiled his thanks. “I wonder if our baby will be as excited by the world, as you are.” Sheridan said without thinking. When she heard only silence, she began to fully realize what she had said. Their baby. He must be freaked out by the thought of being a father. You screwed up Sheridan… big time.

Completely repulsed by her un-thought out musings, she stood quickly and began to search her purse for money to pay for her coffee. Luis was dazed, to say the least. He hadn’t really thought about the baby as their baby. He mostly thought it as hers, Sheridan’s baby. But he now thought of it as their baby, and the thought excited him further.

“Don’t go,” Luis said placing a reassuring hand on her arm. She looked down at it forlornly and he mentally kicked himself for his delayed reaction.

“No I should really go. I need to talk to Dr. Malloy anyway… I’ll call you.” She said, the urge to flee coloring her features. He loosened his already loose grip and she stepped out of reach. “I’ll call you tonight… fill you in on all the gory details.” He smiled and nodded, and she fled the quaint afternoon hangout.

“I’ll be waiting.” Luis said to himself, and continued to drink his coffee in solemn silence.

Sheridan could not help but smile as she walked past a baby store. Soon she would be buying a crib, blankets, and baby clothes, and the thought made her grin foolishly. She looked at the display in the window as she slowed her pace, so not to miss it, and stared contemplatively in at the window display.

“ ‘Classic Pooh’ looks nice.” She said thoughtfully to herself. She would coordinate everything in a unisex way. Thankfully, she thought, I have lots of money put away in a private bank in Paris.

Would she raise her baby in Paris? But what if Luis wanted to see her… or him? She would decide that later, she confirmed. First thing’s first, she would have to be pregnant. After all, there wasn’t a definite answer as to whether or not she would get pregnant this way.

She walked briskly, feeling the breeze sift its chilled fingers through her hair. She was going to be late for her appointment with her doctor, so she needed to hurry.

She arrived at the office of her doctor, and told the desk clerk that she had an appointment. As the young man scanned the list of pending appointments, Sheridan surveyed her surroundings. There was something to be said about a entirely white-room, of course Sheridan could not for the life of her figure out what it entailed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Sheridan Crane?” A male nurse said to Sheridan shortly after she had taker her seat in chairs. “Dr. Maloy will see you now.”

“Thank you.” She replied curtly. She followed the nurse to the room and handed Sheridan a robe to put on, and a paper blanket to go over her lap.

When Dr. Maloy came in, a small knock shot Sheridan out of her baby bliss reverie.

“Hello Sheridan, it’s good to see you.”

“You too.” Sheridan agreed with a friendly smile, and unbeknownst to Sheridan while she had not been paying attention, Dr. Maloy gave a quick perusal of her exquisite features.

“So!” He said suddenly, “I met your ‘father figure’,” Dr. Maloy used his fingers as emphasized quotations when he said the words ‘father figure’. “He seems nice. He was very interested in the process and had asked many questions.”

Sheridan smiled at this, and recalled his excitement when she last saw him at the café.

“He also wanted to know the risks involved for you.”

“He is very protective.” Sheridan told him, the smile growing wider.

“I sense that about him,” Dr. Maloy answered, “How close are the two of you?” He asked, then shuffled some papers to make his questions seem far more casual then Sheridan suspected.

Sheridan staggered to form a response. Should she tell him the truth? That she trusted Luis with her life, but not with her heart? She opted for near truth.

“We have a comfortable relationship.”

“Oh.” He seemed pleased by her response, which Sheridan couldn’t determine if that made her uncomfortable or calm.

“Is there a problem, Dr. Maloy?” Sheridan asked him suspiciously.

“Hardly, Ms. Crane.” He smiled at her to confirm his rejoinder. Sheridan stayed silent thereafter.

The rest of the check-up went by relatively uneventful, and Sheridan found herself growing more and more comfortable under the general prodding of her doctor. When the check-up was complete, he stood straight and told her all was well, and that they could proceed forward.

“I’ll have to bring Luis in and you can come in the next day.”

“Luis wants to come with me.” Sheridan explained simply, but shyly. Dr. Maloy looked puzzled but didn’t question it. He did however, try to coax an explanation out of her indirectly.

“Oh I’m sorry… I wasn’t aware you two were involved.” He began, and Sheridan’s eye grew wide and she rushed to correct him, but he continued, “I just assumed since you were going through the donor process—“

“We aren’t involved.” Sheridan said absent-mindedly bringing up her hand to his chest as though to push him away, and as if the pressure of her hand could make him desist any further questioning. His hand came up to encase hers in place.

“Good.” He said softly, taking a step forward, ultimately invading her ‘personal space’. Sheridan needed to leave. She couldn’t let him do anything to her, if he did Luis would come after him. Sher knew that for a fact. Probably shouting to the heavens that Dr. Maloy was committing malpractice.

“I must leave.” She dislodged her hand from his, and she went to grab her clothes, still facing forward. He sighed, and left her to dress.

Sheridan dressed quickly and left the office, stopping to get another appointment scheduled, though against her better judgment.

Should she tell Luis what happened? Did anything happen? She was so confused, but when she got to her cottage, she opted got a hot bath first.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When the phone rang, waking Sheridan from her peaceful slumber in the bathtub, she immediately knew who it was. Getting up, Sheridan grabbed a towel and went to get the phone.

“Hello Luis.” Sheridan said, stifling a yawn.

“Hey motha!” Sheridan laughed.

“Not yet,” she replied tampering down her laughter.

“The night is still young.” His innuendo caught her off guard and she flushed.

“Anyway,” Sheridan said, attempting to change the subject, “Dr. Malloy says everything is in order and we can do the indirect deed, in a couple of days.”

“I’m glad.” Luis said quietly. The grew silent, both unsure what t say but unwilling to part from the conversation.

“So, what’re you doing now?” Sheridan asked lamely.

“Well I’m talking to Sheridan Crane, who appears to be a boring phone conversation-ist. What about you?”

“Oh, well, I’m talking to an Irish-Latino cop who thinks a minor amount of flattery can make up for the unsolicited sexual innuendoes he occasionally throws my way.”

They were bantering now and Sheridan shifted in the couch, still in her towel as she attempted to get more comfortable.

“So let me guess,” He said after he had controlled his laughter, “I called you while you were… if memory serves me correctly… you were in the bath tub.”

How did he know that? He couldn’t possible know her that well.

“How—“ She began.

“It’s seven, and that’s usually when you have your daily hygienic cleansing.” She swore she could hear a smile, even through the phone.

“Well,” she planned to wipe the smug grin off his face permanently, “Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, I would have been out of the bath if I hadn’t fallen asleep in the tub.”

“Sheridan that hardly matters… you were still in the tub when I called.” He countered.

“Whatever.” She chuckled.

“Anyway, anything else happen at the doctor’s office?” His question, though innocent in its intention, made Sheridan uneasy. She didn’t need to tell him, but she felt as though she were betraying him if she didn’t.

“Well,” she began, her voice wavered with her nervousness, “Jake, nearly kissed me… I think.”

She tried to make her response as casual as possible, but the jittering tone in her voice made it impossible.

“Jake?”

“Dr. Maloy.” She explained. Sher heard him take in a deep breath.

“Nearly?” It took her a minuet to figure out what he was talking about.

“I pushed him away, of course, and left his office.” Luis did not respond right away, but when he did Sheridan was thoroughly surprised.

“Can I come over?” She didn’t know what he was really asking, but couldn’t help the quickening of her heart at the suggestion.

“Yes-sure. If you want to.”

“ ‘Kay.” With that he hung up the phone. Sheridan found herself waiting impatiently, after she had dressed, for his arrival, and it made her uncomfortable at the reasoning for that.

“Luis.” Sheridan muttered when she opened the door, half an hour later.

“Hey.” He was wet from the newly fallen rain and it made him seem rough around the edges, which was how Sheridan liked her men.

“Come in, come in.” She said, ushering him in with a wave of her hand. He walked in silently, and hung up his jacket. He turned around as Sheridan shut the door.

“He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“I beg your pardon?” Sheridan did not mean to sound angry, but it seemed to have come out that way.

“Look, I don’t mean to sound protective, but I can’t help it… It’s hard to get out of the habit of being your bodyguard. I just don’t want him to hurt you.” He finished off quietly, and Sheridan was mildly shocked by this, but was able to regain her composure quickly.

“No… no, he didn’t hurt me. Why-why would he? He’s my doctor.” She countered. Luis, feeling slightly ashamed at his admission and the fact that he felt the way he did, dropped his head. When he looked back up at her, he noticed something in her eyes he hadn’t noticed before.

Empathy.

She understood him, though Luis couldn’t for the life of him understand why. Perhaps, she too, in her life she had been a protective person towards someone she… cared deeply about.

“I guess, I’m just not as trusting as you are, which I should probably work on.” Sheridan smiled at his meager attempt at a joke. Sheridan wanted to cry, because she couldn’t shake Luis from his need to protect, and she wanted to kiss him and hold him, because she couldn’t shake Luis from his need to protect her.

She loved him. Sheridan had long ago recognized the feelings for what they were. After all, Sheridan thought, “Denial is not a river in Egypt” . So she accepted it, which in some cases made it easier for her to ask him to do this colossal favor he so easily accepted.

She only wished he had it in him, to return the feelings she knew he longed to give to someone. Sheridan had often dreamt of sleeping in his arms, or kissing away his tears, and rocking him gently when the world got to hard for him to carry on his shoulders alone. She needed to do these things for him, and only him. She didn’t know if she could be as passionate for anyone else, as she was for him.

“Luis can I do something for you?” Luis seemed puzzled about her question. But then he started to understand what she was really asking. Could she do something for the both of them?

He nodded, and she took his hand gently and led him to the couch in the middle of the room. She dropped his hands and gestured for him to take a seat. When he did Sheridan walked around the back of the couch, with Luis’ inquisitive gaze firmly planted on her, and sat on the back of the couch, her feet planted by his thighs.

Luis wanted to protest, but then he felt her talented hands grasp his shoulders and start kneading away some of the tension that had accumulated in his should blades.

“Wow, Luis, you are really tense.” Usually when Luis heard such a mundane phrase, it was usually uttered as a ‘come-on’ in some second rate sitcom or movie. But when Sheridan had said it, it was a general observation. Not that it didn’t sound sexy, because to Luis anything and everything she did was sexy, but it was far more casual then a heated innuendo he had heard in the past.

“I take it,” he said moments later, “that that is not a good thing.”

“Luis,” Sheridan said, humor evident in her voice, “any tension, at all is not a good thing.” She chuckled, and she continued to knead his decreasing tension.

Eventually, after several minutes of avid kneading, Luis was completely relaxed. He didn’t need her to do this anymore, but refused to tell her this. She was completely relaxed as well, and didn’t mind that he was completely tension-less. She knew it, and she knew he knew it too.

“Sheridan…” Luis let out on a whispered note, when Sheridan hit a particular pressure point. She stopped, slowly, and he looked up. She smiled a small smile, and began to stand up. But Luis’ hand prevented further movement in such a direction.

He pulled her down, and onto his lap, and Sheridan was in a position where she was straddling him. She looked up at him, and he started to smile but stopped, knowing how serious this moment was in regards to the status quo of their relationship.

Sheridan was a bit nervous, to say the least, and didn’t know how to respond to the current change in events. His face was mere inches from her own, and she needed only to lift her head those last inches before their lips would touch. She wanted to kiss him, but she was scared.

“Luis,” she said finding her voice finally, she raised her head a bit, still a bit of distance between them. Sheridan closed her eyes, and waited.

“I can’t do this.” She finished, opening her eyes and pushing herself off his lap and back onto wobbly-feet. She was affected, and had the moment not been so deathly serious, he would have plastered on a smug grin.

But the truth was, that it was a very serious moment. Sheridan staggered to regain control, though from her movements it proved a failure.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t invite you over to seduce you.” Sheridan said a moment later. Luis looked confused.

“I invited myself over here.” He countered.

“Well whatever, it wasn’t my intention anyway.” Sheridan was slightly dazed, and obviously a bit angry. She couldn’t figure out how to handle the situation without giving away her true colors, however bright and blinding they often could be.

“I came here to warn you, not to be so trusting, even a doctor could hurt you. I didn’t intend things to go as they had.” Luis spoke as though he had been beaten at something he once was so good at.

“I know that, Luis, but you and I both know that this conversation proves pointless. Jake isn’t going to hurt me, nor do you have to ‘protect’ me.” Sheridan said, a small smile slipping through her erected defenses.

“Sheridan, people in the past have tried to kill you, and still you refuse to believe that one, even a doctor, would hurt you.” Luis was yelling now, as Sheridan’s smile fell, and he was a bit upset from the looks of it, as Sheridan stood back and accepted his wrath. When he finished, she defended herself.

“Luis you aren’t my bodyguard, and I think you need to realize that I’m not a child! I can take care of myself.” Sheridan walked towards the couch, once again, and sat down. Luis sighed, the tension of their current argument diminishing slightly.

“I know I’m not your bodyguard anymore, but you still need some protection.”

“No I—“

“I won’t help you with your ‘favor’, if you continually ignore the warning signs.” Luis said, bringing his dropped gaze up to hers. He saw hurt, fear, betrayal, and incalculable sadness in them.

“You wouldn’t… you can’t.” Sheridan felt herself go limp under the pressure of her lungs, “You said yes, and you can’t take that back!” Sheridan was on the verge of crying. If Luis did this, she would never forgive him.

“I’m willing to do so, if you won’t heed my advice. How good of a mother can you be, running from hit men? You need protection Sheridan, and let someone, if not me, do that.” He paused and turned her body towards him, “Look, I want you to be happy, but you and I both know you can’t be happy in fear for your life.”

“You mean your fear for my life.” Sheridan corrected. Luis smiled shyly, “Okay, I will agree to let you protect me, but you won’t be as constant as before. But only if you continue to ‘help’ me.”

“I agree.” He answered with a wide grin. Sheridan smiled appreciatively, and stood.

“I am exhausted, so I’m going to go to bed. You can let yourself out right?” Luis nodded, and stood as well.

“Wait!” He called suddenly, and Sheridan turned to him and waited. “You owe me.”

“Owe you? For wha—“ Before she could finish, Luis had walked over to, and crushed her lips to his. The passionate kiss, Sheridan was sure, was not only payment, but revenge as well. And Sheridan loved how he fought.

She felt a pang in her stomach, and gasped.

Sheridan, you shouldn’t be doing this. Her head bellowed. The pang that she felt was gone now, and she knew it to be one of warning. She had felt things like that in the past; a warning that she should stop doing whatever reckless thing she had been doing, but not one so sharp and harsh as right then.

Sheridan pulled back from Luis, his cheeks were flushed and were mirroring her flushed cheeks. Luis licked his lips, and waited for the sever berating that was sure to follow. He couldn’t tell why she had gasped, but it had stopped the flow of things anyway. When Sheridan opened her mouth, Luis flinched a bit, anticipating the forth-coming verbal blow.

“I don’t want to get involved like this with you.” She said simply, if a bit deflated.

“I’m not following.” Luis replied, his confusion a constant reminder to Sheridan that men don’t often think as ‘off the beaten track’ as women usually do.

“Do you know why I asked you to be the father donor, rather then go to a sperm bank? After all, it’s not like you and I have the greatest track record. So why, Luis, do you think I asked you?” Sheridan waited for Luis to respond, and when he didn’t, she knew he had gotten exactly what she was saying. But the confusion that was still the prominent emotion on his face, told her he knew she hadn’t asked for the obvious reason, but for something else entirely.

“No, why?” Luis responded, after perusing through his brain for an appropriate response to her question.

“Because, I wanted to secure our friendship. That may sound stupid—“

“It doesn’t sound stupid. If anything, I understand the situation a lot better now.” Luis interjected, and Sheridan examined him closely for any signs of further confusion.

“Do you?”

“Yes.” He replied, “I understand now that, though this is far from an orthodox way, you wanted to keep our friendship going, and that having this baby was the only way that could happen.”

Sheridan let out the lung-full air she had been holding. He didn’t fully understand.

“Well, sort of. I would have gotten the sperm from someone else, if this had fallen through.” She said with a chuckle, perhaps this situation needed a little humor. Luis smiled a bit, and it was apparent that he was trying to make light of the circumstances.

“Look Luis, it’s a hard pill to swallow, I understand,” Sheridan said with a small ‘Mona Lisa’ smile, “But I think it would suit us better if we just remained friends.”

“For the time being?” Luis asked, chuckling softly, though Sheridan knew he was a bit serious.

“I’m going to bed, bye.”

“Goodbye or good night?” Luis asked somberly now. Sheridan turned to him and smiled softly, her gentle features stretching to accommodate the serious smile.

“Good night.” She said before trekking into her room for a much needed sleep. Tomorrow would be far more stressful, and Sheridan needed to be prepared. She wasn’t about to face the questions from Luis, and the tension of a meeting with her gynecologist.

Luis left the confines of Sheridan’s cottage and made his way home. On the drive over, he began to fully understand their state. He understood a bit more about women, after meeting Sheridan, and this situation proved that fact.

The offices of Dr. Jale Maloy Gynecologist ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He emerged from the white room, more then a half an hour later, with the most uncomfortable look on his face. Sheridan smiled at his obvious discomfort, and he weakly glared at her. Sheridan rolled her eyes.

‘It couldn’t have been that bad.’ She mouthed, and he shrugged. He told the nurse at the nurse’s station and she nodded and patted his shoulder. Luis turned around with a look of total and utter humiliation. Sheridan laughed heartedly. Luis softened a bit as the soft sound reached his ears, and he was suddenly reminded of a white angel with beautiful golden tendrils haphazardly lying atop her head.

It was her turn now, and Sheridan took a deep breath before standing on weak legs. Luis approached her and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. She smiled at him, which told him she wasn’t afraid, and she could do it, and he watched her enter a similar room opposite his.

After he had sat there for what seemed like several hours, she emerged and she looked astonished. Luis felt an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, which brought to mind the image of Jake Maloy. He shrugged off the notion, and walked to Sheridan.

“I have a checkup in a week… to see if I’m pregnant.” She looked up at Luis then and her voice was softer then it had ever been, “What if I’m not?”

Luis didn’t respond he just tugged her into his embrace and held her tight. She felt her arms come up to circle his waist and Sheridan nuzzled into his neck.

Leaning against the doorframe, Jake Maloy watched the as-of-yet couple and wondered not for the first time, why Sheridan had chosen him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One Week Later…

Sheridan opened the door to the cabin, and found Luis sitting on her couch perusing through the latest issue of ‘Cosmopolitan’ no doubt reading the article, ‘How to make him squirm’. Sheridan had bought the issue in a last ditch attempt to regain a little bit of control. She hadn’t been in a relationship with anyone in a while, and she knew it would most likely be nine months before her next date, if she turned out to be pregnant.

He looked up when she shut the door, and quickly discarded the magazine before he was caught with the merchandise. She smiled, and he blushed, which forced her grin to grow to a colossal size.

He stood now and waited patiently for some sign of what was to be her fate as a parent. Her expression gave no indication of what she was feeling, let alone any knowledge of her future. She looked up at him, to watch his eyes, as she opened her mouth to speak.

“I’m pregnant.” She said simply, and Luis felt the whole world shift. He knew this was probably the only time he would feel such vivacious joy, and his eyes darkened over. He pulled her into his embrace and she held him just as tight as he held her. He couldn’t hold her too tight, he presumed, might not be good for the baby.

“I’m so proud of you.” Luis said to her when they finally pulled apart. Sheridan smiled at his blatant approval, and she blushed a sweet pink. She walked to take a seat on the far end of the couch. Luis came to stand by the couch, contemplating his next move.

He laid down on the couch so his head was in her lap, and Sheridan gasped at the new advancements. She was entirely too surprised by what was happening, but was oddly surprised when she let him continue. He lifted her shirt, just underneath her white lace bra, and kissed her stomach where he assumed the fetus grew.

Luis felt tiny droplets of liquid on his head and he knew he had made her cry with his sentiment. He didn’t intend for that, but he was glad she had been affected as he had been. Sheridan brought her hand up to run her nails through some loose tendrils of hair on his head, and he kissed her stomach softly once again.

Before she could rationalize the situation he reached over to grasp the remote in his hand.

“I think Sailor Moon is on.” Luis said good-naturedly. Sheridan laughed.

“Sailor Moon?” She asked not altogether surprised that Luis watched cartoons.

“It’s a classic anime, and besides… Sailor Mars is hot.” Sheridan laughed at that, and he smiled at his achievement. He had made her laugh twice and cry once in two minutes, and it was all out of joy, and he was extremely proud of himself.

She felt the regular rise and fall of his chest, and she knew he had fallen asleep in her lap, no less, as she thought about the circumstances surrounding her baby’s parentage. She was reminded of a show she had seen not too long ago, and though she couldn’t quite name it, she knew it was almost identical to the situation with her and Luis.

Luis had dozed off when he discovered that he had missed Sailor Moon, and was only able to catch the last five minutes. He had mumbled something about stupid children’s scheduling, got to get the cool shows in before bedtime. She had laughed at the time, but now thinking about it, it occurred to her that in a few years it will be her child watching these shows, ‘before bedtime’ and she wondered if Luis would be their to comment still.

She decided it to be unproductive to think about foolish thoughts such as those, but she couldn’t help but wonder.

“Luis!” Sheridan called loudly, the sound reverberating through the small cottage. She had a small baby girl, of maybe one or two, attached to her left hip and a sauce bowl in her right hand, and her stomach was enlarged with another child closely on its way.

Suddenly she heard a loud ruckus coming from outside, and quickly drawing nearer, and she knew it was Luis coming. Following behind Luis, was three boys, eight, seven, and six, and she smiled at their dirty faces when they came into the now crowded kitchen.

“All right boys,” Sheridan shouted above the loud laughter, shouting, and general male sounds they four were making, “tonight we are having… scrambled eggs!” The groans and sighs that emanated from the brood, made the smile on Sheridan’s lips disappear.

“Not again mom!” They almost cried in unison. Sheridan was becoming irritated by the second.

“Now Aidan, Jeremy, Junior, y’all want no supper? Is that it? Because if it is, Mom can arrange that.” Luis’s laughter sounded through the house and Sheridan was sure she could feel the wall shake with the intensity.

“I have unfortunate news.” Luis said, after the family had quieted, and everyone was eating away quietly. Even Lena, the blonde baby bombshell, was quiet as though setting the mood for another Lopez-Fitzgerald family upset. “I lost my job again.”

“Again!? Can’t you at least make an effort to keep it?” Sheridan shouted. “I mean, after you lost your job as detective, and then lost your job at the book café, I naturally assumed you would learn your lesson and try to keep your job this time.”

“Dahling, firstly, if you hadn’t severed your ties to your family, we would have enough money to retire with out any worries!” Luis shot back.

“Oh so now you admit to using me for money, and not because you actually love me! Thank you Luis!”

The screaming, and yelling, went on in such a fashion as the children soundlessly exited the premises.

Sheridan was shook out of her dream, when she felt Luis shift to sit up.

“Oh I’m sorry… did I wake you?” Luis asked quietly, whispering as though he wanted only her to hear and not the walls, objects, and other things in the room to hear.

Still disoriented, Sheridan quietly settled back in muttering something, just loud enough for him to her. “I hope we don’t fight when we’re married.”

“What?!” Luis asked, bewildered beyond belief at what he just heard. Sheridan shot up off the couch, and looked up into the surprised eyes of the man standing before her. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ TO CONTINUED......

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