She shivered as a cold gush of air seemed to swirl around her. Icy fingers of cold clutched her arms, and cupped her neck, making death seem so close. Death wasn’t so bad, was it? Of course it was better than living like she was, in misery. She could still see him sometimes, his smiling face, his dancing eyes, his magnificent form, yet it all seemed so far away. It was all just a distant reminiscence of a past she was trying so hard to let go. Gone, he was gone, and she’d thought it was for the best. But now she knew it wasn’t. She knew that willing herself to live without him was like pulling a fish right out the water and asking it to breathe. What was that old saying again? Time heals all wounds… it certainly wasn’t healing hers. The more time she spent away from him, the more she missed him, longed for his touch, his kiss, his words. And even after all that, she’d let him slip away just because she thought she could save his brother’s life, but she couldn’t even do that. It was only a couple of months after he’d left, that was when his brother passed away, leaving her to wallow in the way she’d ruined her life.

I had it all

But I let it slip away

Couldn't see that I treated you wrong

Now I wander around

Feeling down and cold

Trying to believe that you're gone

Antonio’s words burned deep in her soul, his request, his pleas. The last words he’d said before he let go of whatever bound him to life were “I love you Sheridan.” He’d told her to move on after his death, to go back to his brother and make him happy again. Then he’d made her promise to never forget him, and she did. She promised him that there won’t pass a day that she wouldn’t remember him. It had been two years and until now she hadn’t broken her promise, but she’d failed him. She couldn’t comply with his will, couldn’t get herself to go back to his brother, begging him for his forgiveness. It just wasn’t her.

She felt as though everything she did those days was cry, cry and cry. Wiping furiously at the single tear that traced its path down her cheek, she walked towards the empty swing before her. It was a cold day, and it fitted her mood perfectly. So she left the safety of her cottage just to come to the park, knowing that it would be empty and loving it more for the fact. Sighing softly, she let herself settle onto the gently swaying swing. Her feet pushed against the ground smoothly, and the swaying became slow swinging. Her eyes fluttered shut and she allowed his haunting image to invade her mind as her head rested against the left rope of the swing. It was at those times that the pain was the worst, clutching at her heart desperately, begging her to find her way back to him again. But she couldn’t, even though she knew she was the one at fault. She’d let him go, she’d treated him bad. And she wished he was there, smiling at her and making everything ok if only for a few seconds.

Love takes time

To heal when you're hurting so much

Couldn't see that I was blind

To let you go

I can't escape the pain

Inside

Love takes time

I don't wanna be here

I don't wanna be here alone

“I don’t want to be alone.” Sheridan whispered to herself as her blue eyes opened slowly. She didn’t want to be alone. This was something she’d realized, but there was nothing she could do about it-not anymore.

“You’re not.” A low masculine voice murmured next to her ear, before strong arms applied a force against the swaying swing, making it go just a little bit higher.

She gasped when she heard the voice, the voice in her dreams. She was dreaming again, but then she found herself swinging higher and higher, and she knew he was there. Her hands clutched the ropes tightly as she stopped the swing by dragging her feet on the ground. Turning her head slightly, she saw him, standing there behind her like everything was ok. Like they were both not hurting. Her head went back to its original position as her gaze dropped to the ground. “You’re here,” She paused, looking up at his form as he went around the swing and stood before her. “Why?” Her question was contemplating as though she was asking for one answer.

Losing my mind

From this hollow in my heart

Suddenly I'm so incomplete

Lord I'm needing you now

Tell me how to stop the rain

Tears are falling down endlessly

“Because I want to be here.” Was his answer as he settled on the grass-matted ground before her. Amber eyes looked up at her, studying her face. “You’ve been crying.” Luis stated, allowing his elbows to fall onto his half-way drawn knees.

Her lips twisted upwards in a wry smile as her foot dug aimlessly at a small patch of soil. “I have been crying,” She repeated to herself, drawing a curious stare from him. “I’m shocked you’ve noticed.” She didn’t want to fight, but she found herself wanting to hurt him just as much as he’d hurt her when he’d refused to have things get back the way they were. Then again, it was all her fault. She was the one who gave up on them from the start. She chose his brother over him.

He furrowed his brow in question as his whole body tensed from her snappish demeanor. “What do you mean?” Luis asked stiffly.

Blue eyes settled upon him, unnerving him and making him fall in love again. “I’ve been crying for two years. Two damn years.” She was fighting so hard to keep the tears back, but they came again and begged to flow. One by one, they slid down her cheeks, choking her wavering voice. “And I’m so sick and tired of it all. Why don’t you just let me go? Damn you Lopez-Fitzgeralds. Damn you all. I hate you.” She sobbed, her voice rising with each word she spoke.

Luis smiled as he got off the ground and stood before her. Easily, he pulled her off the swing, bringing her body against his. “You don’t hate me.” He breathed against her face as his arms encircled her slender waist. “Far from it actually.” He teased as his lips brushed against her earlobe.

“Leave me alone.” Sheridan protested weakly as her hands pushed at his broad shoulders in vain. “Luis.” She moaned when his lips sought the pleasure spot on her neck and he sucked on it. “Please don’t do this to me.” She begged breathlessly, leaning into his embrace when her own two legs failed her.

“Do you really want me to leave you?” He asked as his lips left her neck. Brushing a kiss across her forehead, he rested his upon hers, gazing into her clear blue eyes.

“Yes.” Her voice was a barely audible whisper as she struggled against the power of his embrace.

“Liar…” Luis taunted, nuzzling her nose with his. “It’s just the two of us now. I won’t let anything come between us anymore.”

“You don’t understand.” Cold hands cupped his shaven cheeks, as she rubbed her thumbs against the golden-brown skin of his cheekbones. “There is no us anymore. It’s over Luis.”

You might say that it's over

You might say that you don't care

You might say you don't miss me

You don't need me

But I know that you do and I feel that you do

Inside

“Don’t you miss me?” He challenged, pulling his arms tighter around her waist. “Because God knows, it’s driving me insane the way I’m missing you.”

“No.” A bigger lie hadn’t been told. Only the angels knew how much she missed him, wanted him, needed him to be there with her.

“I know you do Sheridan. I feel it in here…” Taking her smaller hand in his larger one, he laid it upon his chest where his beating heart rested, waiting to be mend by her sacred touch.

Love takes time

To heal when you're hurting so much

Couldn't see that I was blind

To let you go

I can't escape the pain

Inside

Love takes time

I don't wanna be there

I don't wanna be there alone

“You can’t keep doing this to me.” She muttered in defeat, allowing her head to fall upon his shoulder.

“Doing what?” He smiled against her silky cheek.

“Making me fall in love with you all over again.” Sheridan replied, lifting her head from his shoulder and meeting his gaze evenly. She smiled softly when he leaned down and caught her lips with his. The sensation sending shivers down her spine and seeming so new as compared to the years she’d tried to bury it away.

“I love you.” Luis confessed as he pulled away from her sweet mouth. “More than you could ever know…”

“But love takes time.” Sheridan reminded him, her blue eyes sparkling like they hadn’t in years.

“And I’ve got all the time in the world… for you. Only for you.” A grin spread over his face as he bent down and brushed a lingering kiss upon her warm lips.

In love and together, they walked with the moonlight casting a glow upon them and the ocean stretching before them as a symbol of forever. Knowing that love takes time to heal and grow, they were off to start a new beginning in a new world. A new life of healing each other and falling in love again for in this life those star-crossed lovers were determined to be together.

Song: Love Takes Time by Mariah Carey