Learning By Heart
Chapter 4
By: April
Disclaimer: The Passions characters featured in this story are the
property
of NBC, Passions, and its writers.
If it weren't for these people, I
could
not have come up with this story. This one is really more or less just
dedicated to the time once Sheridan gets to Paris that was not on the
show,
what could have happened, etc. The story gets much more creative in
the next
chapter.
Enjoy! From April
LEARNING BY HEART
Chapter Four
When Sheridan opened the door for Hank, she knew by the reaction on
his
face that she had accomplished her desired look. She decided on a deep
red
fitted blouse that came off of her shoulders and dipped down her back,
bringing special attention to her long neck and slender waist. Her
black
velvet skirt reached to her ankles, but allowed breathing room by means
of a
long slit along her left leg that reached mid-thigh. She wore velvet
black
pumps, and a small ruby necklace with matching earrings. She hoped the
outfit would appeal to Luis' Latin side.
"Wow!" was all her could manage.
"Well, let's go," Sheridan said, ready to see Luis.
`She must be over Luis if she went to so much trouble to look this
sexy
for our date!' Hank thought to himself. `Well, I won't disappoint
her.' He
led her to the car, and together they drove to the Lobster Shack.
Beth was sitting at a table in the Book Cafe when Luis walked in.
She
almost passed out when she saw him. `He looks like something in one of
those
hard body calendars!' she thought to herself. She knew all too well
that
Luis would look sexy in anything he put on, but in a well-fitting white
button down shirt, black slacks and a black jacket, he looked like a GQ
model. He had left the first two buttons of the shirt undone,
contrasting
his dark skin and revealing the beginnings of his well-muscled chest.
`He
really is over Sheridan! I don't remember him ever going to so much
trouble
to look good for me,' Beth thought happily.
He walked over to the table, flashing her a friendly smile. "Ready
to
go?"
"You know, I don't think Hank and Sheridan would mind if we skipped
out
on them," Beth said suggestively, hoping to get Luis to herself. She
wasn't
so naive that she didn't realize that Sheridan would see the same thing
in
Luis she did. `But I won't give him up without a fight, even if
Sheridan
does decide she wants Luis back!'
"No!" Luis said. Realizing it had come out stronger than her
meant, he
lightened his tone. "I don't want them to think I backed out on them.
Besides, it's been a while since we all had a friendly dinner
together,"
Luis stated, trying to sound convincing.
"Okay, let's go then," Beth said, satisfied with Luis' answer.
They
left together and headed for the Lobster Shack.
Luis and Beth arrived right before Hank and Sheridan, so they sat
down
and waited. Beth watched Luis to see if he seemed different than
usual. She
noted a small nervous foot tapping, but she decided that was normal,
considering this was their first real date since high school. What she
did
not know was that they had been seated at the very same table where
Luis and
Sheridan had had their first date.
"I'll be right back," Beth said. "I just need to go to the ladies
room.
If the waiter comes, just order for me."
Luis watched her as she walked towards the front of the restaurant.
`Okay, I've managed to pull this off so far, but what am I going to do
when
Sheridan gets here. Stop it, Luis! She'll be with Hank. Just
remember
that, and you'll be fine. I just wish we had gotten a different
table!'
Sheridan and Hank got out of the car and went into the Lobster
Shack.
Just as they were about to look for Beth and Luis, Hank's cell phone
began to
ring.
"Who could that be?" Hank said, pulling out his phone. "Forget
it.
They can call back."
Sheridan looked at Hank. "Go ahead, I'm sure it won't take long.
I can
wait."
`It will give me time to figure out what I'm going to do when I see
Luis.'
Rolling his eyes, Hank answered the phone, and after a second, he
looked
at Sheridan. "Look, this may take a few minutes. Why don't you go
ahead and
sit down."
"I wonder what's taking them so long?" Luis said to himself. He
got up
and began walking toward the lobby to see if Hank and Sheridan had
gotten a
different table when he almost ran into Sheridan. She was so surprised
that
she lost her balance and fell forward into his arms. Luis caught her
easily,
holding her around her waist. She had instinctively wrapped her arms
around
his neck, and for what seemed like an eternity, all they could do was
look
into each others eyes. They never noticed Hank and Beth walking up to
them
with the owner in tow. The owner just smiled.
"Luis? Miss Crane?" he asked, trying not to break the spell
between
them, but also needing to get past them.
Luis looked like he was waking up from a dream. "Oh, hey Jimmy.
Sorry
about that," he apologized, letting go of Sheridan and moving out of
the way.
Sheridan also apologized. "It's my fault," she said quickly. "I
was
caught off guard when Luis almost ran into me, and I lost my balance,
but
luckily he caught me, and..."
Jimmy just smiled. "No need to apologize. Besides," he said
flashing
Luis a knowing smile, :"I can't blame the man for taking any
opportunity to
hold such a beautiful woman. You`re a lucky guy, Luis. You`ve got
what most
men only dream of."
"What do you mean?" Luis asked nervously.
"Are you kidding!" Jimmy just laughed. "Man, I knew the first
time you
two came in together and she threw that wine in your face that you two
were
meant to be!" He looked at Sheridan warmly. "I always told Luis that
the
reason why he wasn't interested in dating wasn't because no one was
interested. Hell, he's had girls lined around the block for him as
long as
I've known him. His problem was that he needed a girl who wouldn't
take any
of his crap!"
Beth and Hank watched the exchange, and Hank looked at Beth with a
what-the-hell-is-going-on look. Beth knew what was going on. She had
been
wrong. Very wrong about Luis and Sheridan. `It's going to take more
for
Luis to forget about Sheridan than I thought.'
Beth decided it was time to break it up before Luis and Sheridan
were
given an opportunity to change their minds.
"Well, Jimmy, since Luis is MY date tonight," Beth said so only
Jimmy
and Hank could hear, " I would appreciate it if we could drop this
subject."
Jimmy almost choked on his embarrassment.
"I'm sorry! I thought..."
"It's okay," Hank said taking a shaky Sheridan by the arm. "Let's
just
sit down and eat."
Sheridan finally broke her gaze from Luis and let Hank lead her to
the
table. She sat down, then suddenly realized where they were seated.
She
knew she shouldn't but she could not help herself, and she started
laughing
uncontrollably.
"What?" Hank said, looking at Beth, then at Luis. He could see
that
Luis knew what the joke was. "You two mind letting us in on what the
hell's
going on?"
Luis was the first to speak. "This is our table," he said plainly
looking at Sheridan. She simply nodded in agreement, and they broke
into a
new fit of laughter.
Beth had had it. "Sheridan," she said. "I need a little fresh
air.
Would you mind joining me?"
Sheridan looked at Beth, but decided to go ahead and find out what
she
wanted. "Sure."
Hank turned and glared at Luis. He waited a few minutes to make
sure the
girls were gone before speaking.
"Alright," he said. "I want to know what's going on, and I want to
know
NOW!"
Before Luis could answer, there was a loud boom followed by
another.
Then someone screamed outside. Luis and Hank both jumped up and raced
to the
front of the building. Hank stopped short. Luis raced out the front
door,
and almost slipped. There was a large red pool under his feet and just
inches from that was Beth and Sheridan.
"Luis?" cried Beth.
The cop in him took over for a split second, and Luis noted that
Beth had
been shot, one round, clean in the stomach. She would live, but
Sheridan...
Sheridan had not been so lucky. She had also only taken one round,
but
it was to her chest, and she was already beginning to cough up blood.
"Sheridan?"
She tried to talk, but ended up coughing roughly from the effort.
Her
eyes began to roll back.
"You listen to me!" He grabbed her and made her focus on his face.
"Stay with me, Sheridan."
"I can't..."
"Sheridan, so help me God, if you die now, I will hate you for as
long as
I live," he said meaning every word. He saw the look on her face
change
from sorrow to determination.
Sheridan seemed to gain strength from his eyes. She nodded weakly
and
let him pick her up gently.
"I won't let you die!" he said it to convince himself more than
Sheridan, fighting back his tears just as the ambulance pulled up.
To Be Continued...
TO: CHAPTER 5
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