One week later...

"Luis?"

Luis looked up to see Sam Bennett looking worriedly at him.

Luis knew he had to look like hell considering he had not left the hospital since Sheridan was brought in.

"When was the last time you went home and got some sleep?" Luis just looked at him. "I’m not leaving her until she goes home," he said plainly.

"Look, I know better than to argue with you, but at least come with me to the cafeteria and eat something," Sam coaxed, knowing that Luis’ one track mind had probably forgotten about little things like food. "I have some information on the case that might interest you."

That got Luis’ attention. He looked at Sheridan one more time, silently praying that her eyes would be open. They weren't. They had not opened again since she lapsed into unconsciousness in the ambulance on the way to the hospital a week earlier. "All right," he conceded. He leaned close to Sheridan’s ear. "I’m going with Sam for a minute, but I’ll be right back."

She was back in the mansion. She looked down and saw the blood, the sheet and the body. "I didn’t mean to do it!" she cried over and over. "It’s not my fault! I’m sorry!" Blood all over her hands. -- "Yes you did," a loud voice calls back. "You did, and now no one can ever love you. No one will ever want you if you tell them what you've done!" - She continues to sob uncontrollably, "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it." She began to give up, to let the darkness take her in as it had tried to so many times in the last many days. Suddenly a man appears. He walks up to her and holds her close, comforting her. She holds onto him as if her life depended on it. "Who are you?" she asks him. "The one who loves you," he answers, and before she can say anything else, he begins to disappear. "Where are you going? Please don’t leave me," she cries. He leans close to her and says...

"I’m going with Sam for a minute, but I’ll be right back."

"LUIS!" A single tear ran down Sheridan’s cheek before the blackness took her again. ‘Please hurry!’

Sam watched in a combination of sadness and pride. He had always known that someday Luis would find a woman that he loved with all his heart, even more than his own life. He had always, in a way, felt like a kind of surrogate father to Luis since his left so many years earlier. He had known the first time he saw Luis and Sheridan together that she was the type of woman that would finally win Luis’ heart, but he had never imagined that things would go this far. He had tried to warn Luis about what happens to normal people who try to get involved with people like the Cranes, just as many other people had. Somehow they had managed to overcome that. ‘I never thought his heart would be broken because of something like this.’

They walked down the long hall and entered the hospital cafeteria. Sam ordered lunch for both of them, and took it to a table in the corner of the dining hall.

"What about the case?" Luis asked impatiently. He was still a little upset that Sam had not let him handle it personally, despite his repeated requests. Sam had told him that it was too personal since both his best friend, Beth, and Sheridan were involved. Luis had adamantly denied that, but deep down, he knew Sam was right. ‘Besides, Sheridan needs me.’

"First, I want to see you eat," Sam said, hoping to get something into Luis’ system. The glare from Luis told Sam that he wasn't in the mood to bargain. "Okay, we still haven’t found the gun, and we still don’t have any witnesses that have stepped forward."

"That's your news?" Luis said disgustedly. He knew it wasn't Sam's fault, but he had to blame someone.

"No." Sam looked at his hands, trying to find the best way to break the news to Luis. "No, my news is that Harmony P. D. is no longer handling the investigation."

"WHAT?" Luis jumped up so fast that he nearly knocked over the entire table. "Who is?"

"The FBI," Sam said, not happy about it himself. "I guess the Crane family doesn’t think we’re doing enough to find whoever did this."

"That's bull, and you know it!" Luis cried. "Do you know how many times anyone has been here to see Sheridan that's actually a member of her family?" Sam just looked at Luis. "Besides Ethan, Ivy has come once a day. Julian hasn’t come at all! And no one has heard hide or hair from her father. They don’t give a damn about her, Sam! To them, she was nothing but a liability. Hell, Julian and Alistair are probably celebrating their good luck!" Just thinking about it made Luis’ blood boil. He had not shared the thought with anyone else, but he would not have been surprised if Julian and/or Alistair weren't somehow involved.

"Well, at any rate, the Special Agent in Charge wanted to re-interview everyone, including you. You think you’re up to it?" "As long as he comes here, because I’m not leaving." "That's what I told Ethan to tell them. Look Luis, Ethan hand-picked this person as soon as he found out the FBI was getting involved. His name is Special Agent Chase Michaels. He’ll be here tomorrow morning."

"Sam?" Luis asked. Sam noticed the sudden concern in his voice. "This agent, have you talked to him? Is he really going to do everything he can to find whoever did this to Sheridan?" "I haven’t talked to him," Sam said. "But, I trust that Ethan wants to find the guy who did this as much as you do. I think it'll be okay."

"Fine," Luis said, getting up. "I've got to check on Sheridan." Sam watched as Luis walked away. He had not touched one bite of his food, and Sam wondered just how much longer Luis could run on empty before his body gave out. Almost as an afterthought, Sam called Luis.

"Yeah?"

"How's Beth doing?" Sam asked.

"Oh, she’s pretty good, considering." Beth had been released from the hospital a few days earlier, and even though Luis had told her repeatedly that he didn’t need her to check on him, she did anyway. "I’m lucky to have a friend like her," he said, genuinely grateful for everything she had done. She had stayed by his side every day, leaving only to check on the cafe and change clothes.

"Go home and get some rest, Luis!" Sam said in his best police chief voice. "That's an order."

"I will in a little while," Luis said. They both knew he wasn't going anywhere. Luis headed back to his quiet vigil next to Sheridan, and Sam left to handle the Feds. Luis gave Sheridan a kiss on her forehead as he had done every night since she was admitted, and sat down in the recliner the nurses had brought in for him. "Good night, Sheridan." Finally, he closed his eyes and entered a fitful, dream-filled sleep.

The next morning, Luis was woken up by a soft shake. "Luis?" Beth asked, trying to wake him without startling him. Luis opened his eyes and looked at Beth. She was doing well, considering she had taken a bullet in the stomach. Still, she had been very lucky. It had missed all of the major organs, and she was up and around already. She smiled at Luis. "You want to stretch your legs for a sec and go get some coffee?" "Yeah, I could use some," Luis said, trying to work out the kinks in his neck. He got up slowly and gave Beth a warm hug. "Thanks for coming."

"Where else would I be?" she asked him quietly. "I will always be here for you, no matter what happens."

"I know, and I appreciate it. I know Sheridan does, too," he said, looking over at her. Same as before, she was lying in the bed, looking as though she were in a deep sleep. "Anyway, lets go." Beth took Luis’ hand and began to lead him away from the room.

"Oh, no!"

Beth looked over at Luis, startled by his sudden outburst. "What’s wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just forgot that I’m supposed to meet with FBI agent handling the case this morning, and I don’t know when he’s supposed to be here."

Beth stared at Luis for a minute before continuing. "FBI? How did they get involved in this?"

"I don’t know. Sam thinks that maybe someone in the Crane clan decided there wasn't enough being done. Personally, I don’t believe that for a second. Just between us," he said, leaning in so no one else would overhear, "I think I have a hunch as to who may have been involved. I just can’t prove it yet."

Beth looked anxiously at Luis. "Well, who?"

"I think Julian or Alistair, or both."

"Why do you think that?" Beth asked confused.

"Because they saw her as a threat!" Luis ran his hands through his hair, then rubbed his temples, as if it would magically make everything fit together. Beth had watched him do it hundred of times, even in high school. "They have always been afraid of the fact that she didn’t think or act like them. She was never really considered part of the "family." She was shipped off as much as possible and kept out of the way. Until she came back last summer. Then she became a problem." Luis fought back the tears that were threatening to come.

"What do you mean?" Beth took his hand, trying to comfort him. "Because that's when she met me."

Beth just stared at Luis. "Luis, you don’t really believe this is your fault." She looked at Luis to see if she could see the slightest agreement. Instead, she saw more pain in his eyes than she had ever thought could be there. She had been there we he was forced to go through things would have driven most kids either crazy or strait on a one-way track to crime. Instead, he had not just survived, but thrived into a wonderful man with a good heart and a strong will. He had never let anything beat him. "Luis, there was nothing you could have done. Sheridan wouldn’t have wanted you to give up, or blame yourself," Beth said putting a hand on Luis’ shoulder. She was surprised when he shrugged it off.

"Don’t talk to me like she’s gone," he said quietly.

Beth tried again. "Luis, she’s been in a coma now for over a week. The doctor has already told you that the chances of her making a full recovery are..."

Luis’ glare silenced Beth immediately. "Don’t say that." "Luis, I just want you to be ready in case..."

"What?" Luis asked, slamming his hand on the wall next to Beth’s head. Beth jumped, never having seen Luis this angry before. "In case she dies? Let me tell you something. As God is my witness, if she dies, I will not rest until I find out who did this." He leaned in so that his face was only an inch from Beth’s. "And when I find them, nothing short of the hand of God himself will save them. " Suddenly realizing that he had scared Beth half to death, Luis forced himself to calm down and back away. Beth looked at him, visibly shaken.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you."

"That’s okay, Luis," Beth said quietly. "I just didn’t realize you felt that strongly about her."

Luis finally sat down, feeling like he had been standing for years. "I would die for her," he said quietly.

Beth just looked on as Luis took Sheridan’s hand and began to pray. ‘It’ll be all right. He’s hurting now, but eventually the pain will go away, and when it does, I’ll be waiting.’ Beth thought to herself as she left the room.

Luis fell asleep with head laying on the edge of Sheridan’s bed, still holding her hand.

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