Chapter 1

Sheridan Crane was driving. *It’s been so long since I’ve been here, I wonder what everyone will think when I come back…* She stopped at a red light and looked back at her little girls. Yeah, they were still asleep. “We’re almost there, sweethearts,” she said. *Almost there.*

Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, the Chief of Police, was going about his duties when his ex-best friend, Hank Bennett, called to him from behind bars. “Luis,” he said, “you gotta help me. Please.”
“No,” he said sternly. *Not after what you did.* Hank had chased the love of Luis’ life away, and now he was miserable. *That was five years ago, Luis. Sheridan’s never coming back. Never.*

Sheridan pulled up into the driveway of her old house, where she hadn’t grown up but where her nephew now lived, the CEO of Crane Industries. Now, everyone in Harmony loved the Cranes, particularly because Julian and Alistair were dead, and because it had just been revealed that Ethan was not Julian’s son, but everyone wanted him to be the CEO anyway. He lived with his fiancée, Theresa. *Theresa… I wonder if she knew that she has nieces…*
“Mommy?” a little voice asked from the back of the car. It was Rachel Theresa, named after her aunt. “Rachel, honey, I’m here.” She gently unbuckled her daughter and helped her out of the car. “We’re going to meet your cousin and his fiancée, okay? Be a good girl and wait while I wake Skylar up.” Sheridan reached into the car and gently stroked the face identical to Rachel’s. “Skye, honey, wake up.”
Skylar Veronica stirred in her sleep. “Mommy?” she asked, panicky.
“Shh, I’m here,” Sheridan said as she tried to calm her other daughter. “Come on, now, Skye, we’re going to meet your cousin now,” she said, pushing Skylar’s long blonde hair out of her brown eyes. *Her mother’s hair… but her father’s eyes.*
“Mommy?” Sheridan slammed the last door of the car shut and turned to Rachel. “Yes, honey?”
“Are we finally going to meet Daddy?”

Luis had finally dealt with Hank when he got a call from the Crane Mansion. It was probably Theresa, his sister. Or Ethan. He and Ethan had become pretty close once Sheridan had left, all those years ago, and when he and Theresa became engaged.
“Hello?”
“Luis? It’s me.” Ethan.
“Yeah? What is it?”
“Could you come over? Theresa and I are kinda lonely tonight and we wanted you to come and have dinner with us.”
“Well… okay. I’ll be right over.”
Just as soon as he put down the phone, the doorbell rang. Ethan looked at Theresa. “Were you expecting anyone, Scarlett?”
Theresa smiled. She loved it when Ethan called her that. “No, but why don’t we go see who it is.” She put her arm around Ethan’s waist and went to go open the door.

Sheridan was holding her daughters’ hands, one in each. “Now remember what I told you girls.”
“Be nice, and polite, and be good girls,” Rachel said.
“That’s right,” Sheridan said, as the door opened.
“Sheridan?” Ethan asked.
“Yeah, it’s me… You didn’t expect it, did you?”
“No! Come in!” He held the door open and led his aunt and his cousins in. “And these would be…?” Theresa asked.
“Theresa! Oh, I’m so glad to see you, too,” Sheridan said, hugging her. “I’m so glad you and Ethan are going to get married.”
“Mommy,” Skylar said, tugging on her mother’s shirt, “I’m hungry.”
“Me, too,” Rachel chimed in.
Ethan and Theresa looked at each other, then at Sheridan. “You guys, I want you to meet my twins, Rachel and Skylar. Girls,” she said, squatting to their height, “this is your cousin Ethan and his fiancée, Theresa.”
“What’s a fiancée, Mommy?” Skylar asked.
“That means that Ethan and Theresa are getting married, honey,” Sheridan said.
“Like you and Daddy were?”
Theresa raised an eyebrow. “So, Rachel, Skylar, you’re hungry, huh? Well, my brother is coming over, so why don’t we all have dinner together?” She looked at Sheridan, realizing what would occur. “Sheridan… could I talk to you alone?”
“Sure, Theresa. Girls, you listen to your cousin Ethan, okay?”
“Okay!” Theresa and Sheridan went to the kitchen.
“Which one, Theresa, Miguel or Luis?”
“Luis.” Sheridan became really sad when she heard that name. “We weren’t expecting you coming…”
“I know, I know.”
“Does he know yet?” Other than Ethan, Theresa and Gwen were the only other people who knew about the twins’ paternity. “No…”
“Well, he’s got to know sometime,” Theresa said.
“Yeah, I know… but when do I tell him?”
“As soon as you can…” Sheridan realized that her girls were talking a lot about their dad lately. She had told them only little details, but she had given them a picture that they treasured more than anything. They were okay living without a father, but they missed him.

“So,” Ethan said, “you’re Rachel.” He pointed to the girl with the blue headband, white blouse, and green skirt.
“Yup,” she said, nodding. “I’m Rachel Theresa LF Crane.”
“You’ve got a pretty long name,” Ethan commented.
“But mine is longer!” Skylar piped up.
“Oh, really?” he asked the little girl with the purple headband, pink shirt and jeans.
“Yeah, my name is Skylar Veronica LF Crane.” Skylar looked proud. “But my mommy calls me Skye.”
“That’s very nice to hear, Skylar… Do you girls know what LF stands for?” he asked.
“Mommy said that’s the last name of our daddy, but it’s too long so she just changed it to LF.” “Do you know who your daddy is?”
“No, but we have a picture, see?” Rachel took the picture of Luis out of her pocket and showed it to her cousin. *So they do know who their father is… problem is, does he know he has these two beautiful little girls?* He looked at his cousins, who had Sheridan’s face and hair, but Luis’ eyes and smile.
“You know what?” Ethan said.
“What?” Rachel and Skylar asked in unison (that twin thing).
“You are two very, very pretty girls,” Ethan said.
Rachel blushed. “Thank you,” she said, shyly. Skylar, on the other hand, said loudly, “I know… my mommy tells me that all the time. I’m hungry! Where’s Mommy? I want to eat!”
*Definitely takes after her father,* Ethan thought.
Just then, Sheridan came back out into the living room. “Rachel, Skye, could I talk to you for a minute?”
“Okay, Mommy.” They scampered to their mother and looked up intently.
“Listen, girls, I just want you to keep quiet about your daddy, okay?”
“But why?” Skylar asked. “We want to meet him! Does he live here?”
“Not in this house,” Sheridan said.
“When are we going to meet him?” Rachel repeated.
“Soon. You’ll see. But just for now, keep quiet about your daddy. Okay?”
“Okay, Mommy.”
“My sweet little girls. Come here.” She gave them a big hug and kissed them both on the forehead.

Luis stood on the doorstep of the Crane Mansion, looking around. *God, this place reminds me of Sheridan…* He remembered how she had looked. Yeah, it had been years, but he could still remember exactly how she looked.

“Girls, you stay right here, and I’ll be back. I’ll just go and help out with dinner. Be good.” Sheridan waved to her daughters.
Just then the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it, I’ll get it!” Skylar said, racing to the door. Rachel ran up after her sister, with Ethan following. After a little fumbling, Skylar managed to open the door. She looked up at the man. “Rachel,” she whispered to her sister, “he looks like Da…”
“Skye,” she responded, elbowing her sister, “Mommy said not to talk about him, remember?”
Luis was really confused. “Ethan? Who are they and what are they staring at me for?”
“Come in, Luis,” he said, laughing. “Girls…?”
“Oh! Sorry,” Skylar said, moving out of the way. *He really looks like Daddy…*
“So,” Luis said, squatting to the twins’ height, “I see we have twins here. You are…?”
“I’m Rachel,” Rachel said.
“And I’m Skylar Veronica LF Crane,” Skylar stated, very proudly.
“Oh. Well hello, Rachel and Skylar. I’m Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald.” He stuck out a hand.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald,” Skylar said, shaking his hand. Luis couldn’t help but laugh. Then he looked at Skylar, and saw the amazing resemblance to Sheridan. His eyes instantly got a sad look in them.
“Are you okay, Mr. Luis?” Rachel asked.
“What? Oh, I’m fine, Rachel. And just call me Luis.”
“Okay.” Rachel smiled, and he could see his sister Theresa in her. “So, you two are Cranes, huh? You related to my friend Ethan?”
“Uh-huh,” Rachel nodded. “He’s our cousin.”
*Cousin…?*
Just then, Sheridan came into the room, announcing, “Dinner’s ready…”She trailed off when she saw Luis.
“Mommy, come meet our new friend!” Rachel and Skylar ran across the room to their mother and grabbed her hand. Skylar whispered something into her mother’s ear. “Mommy, he looks like the picture of Daddy!”
“He does, doesn’t he,” Sheridan said, still entranced by the gaze Luis was giving her. “Come and introduce me to him.”
“Okay,” Skylar said. “Mommy, this is our new friend, Mr. Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald.” Hearing her daughter say her father’s name so well made tears well up in Sheridan’s eyes. “Mr. Luis, this is our mommy, Sheridan Crane. Is that how you say it, Mommy?” Skylar looked up at her mother.
“Yes, Skye,” Sheridan said. “Now I thought you said that you were hungry…”
“Oh yeah! Where’s the food?”
“In the kitchen. Go on, have some dinner with Theresa and Ethan.” Theresa led the girls into the kitchen, and left Sheridan and Luis behind.

“Sheridan? Is that really you?” Luis asked.
“It’s me,” she said, a tear falling from her eye. Luis lifted her head up. “Hey, don’t cry.” He wiped a tear from Sheridan’s cheek. “So… those girls of yours. Why do they have the same last name as you do?”
“Because I chose to give them that name,” Sheridan responded. She looked into Luis’ eyes and saw her daughters’ eyes. “I’m so sorry I had to leave you, Luis…”
“You’re married now? Or engaged or something?”
“No. I’m a single mom.”
“You mean your kids are growing up without a father? Trust me, Sheridan, the worst thing that could happen is Rachel and Skylar growing up without their dad. Who’s the bastard that left you with these two? Not that they’re bad… In fact, I think they’re adorable.” Luis smiled fondly.
“I’m glad you like them, Luis,” Sheridan said. “Because…” *It’s now or never.* “Because I think they like you very much, too. And…”
“Mommy, Mommy, come on! Let’s eat!” Rachel darted out of the kitchen, grabbed her mother’s hand, and started to drag her across the room. “Luis… I’ll explain later, okay?”
“All right.” Luis followed Sheridan and Rachel into the kitchen.

Chapter 2

After they were all done eating, Rachel and Skylar were still really, really hyper. Ethan suggested they go and meet Faith Lopez-Fitzgerald, Luis and Theresa’s niece. “Okay!!!” they said, really jumpy. The four of them went to drop off the twins at Miguel and Charity Lopez-Fitzgerald’s house.
They rang the doorbell and Charity answered. “Hi, Luis, Theresa, Ethan… and Sheridan,” she said, surprised.
“Hey, Charity,” Luis said to his sister-in-law.
“Come in,” Charity gestured. She opened the door for the six of them. “Miguel!” she called. “Your brother and sister are here!”
Miguel rushed into the living room, along with Faith. “Aunt Theresa! Uncle Luis! Hi!” Faith ran to hug them.
“Hi, Faith,” Luis said, picking up his niece. “I missed you, you know,” he said, ruffling her hair. “You look more like your mom every day.”
“I do?” asked Faith.
“Yep,” said Theresa. “And we have a surprise for you, Faith.”
“What is it, what is it?”
“I know you’re kind of lonely around here, so… we brought some girls for you to play with.” Theresa stepped aside to reveal Rachel and Skylar. “Hi!” Skylar waved.
“Hi,” Faith said, a little shy.
Miguel and Charity were surprised. “Um… Theresa, who are they?”
“Rachel and Skylar Crane.”
“Crane?”
“That’s right,” Sheridan said, speaking up. “My twin daughters.”
“Sheridan?” Miguel asked.
“Yes, it’s me, Miguel.”
“Hi! Wow, it’s been so long! How are you?”
“I’m fine,” Sheridan responded. “And you have a beautiful girl here. Her name is Faith?”
“Yes,” Charity said, “after her grandmother. Come! Sit down.” She gestured to the sofa. The six adults sat down, with Faith, Rachel and Skylar playing around them. “So, Theresa,” Miguel said. “Only two weeks until the wedding, huh?”
“Yup. And I designed the dress!”
“Wow, Theresa, you really are talented,” Sheridan said. Luis just kept staring at her twins and noticed how much alike they looked to Faith.
“Sheridan, I’m so glad you’re home. I would love to have you in my wedding,” Theresa said.
“Of course! I’d be honored to be in it,” Sheridan replied.
“Oh! Theresa, there’s something I want to show you,” Charity said. “Come with me… it’s in the kitchen.” Theresa and Charity left the room.
“Ethan,” Miguel said, “I have something here that you could probably use for yours and Theresa’s wedding. Come on, I’ll show you.” Miguel led Ethan into the kitchen, and Sheridan and Luis were alone once again.
“Sheridan… your girls look a lot like my niece,” Luis finally spoke up.
*That’s because they’re cousins…* “They do?” Sheridan asked. She took a look and realized it. “Yes, they do.”
“Sheridan… why did you leave so many years ago?”
“It’s a long story…”

Sheridan just came home from the doctors. “Yes,” she said into her phone, “it’s positive. I’m pregnant.” *How am I going to tell everyone about this? They’re going to freak… Now they’re going to know what really happened between Luis and me… I’ve got to leave… and now.*

“Luis… I had to leave. If I didn’t, then both our lives would have exploded in our faces.”
“So… you still cared about me when you left?”
“Yes! I left because I cared, Luis. I didn’t want you to get hurt. If only I had told you before I left… then maybe…”
“Told me what, Sheridan?”
Sheridan looked at her twins, playing happily with their cousin. “Rachel, come here,” she said.
Rachel stopped playing and immediately went to her mother. Skylar was having way too much fun with Faith to even notice.
“Rachel,” she said, “tell Luis what your full name is.”
“Okay, Mommy. My name is Rachel Theresa LF Crane,” she said to Luis.
“Rachel Theresa, huh?”
“Yup,” said Rachel. “Can I go now, mommy?”
“Yes, Rachel. Thank you.”
Rachel left and went to play. “What does that have to do with it?” Luis said.
“I named Rachel after her aunt…” Sheridan trailed off.
“You don’t have a sister named Rachel, do you?”
“No… but…”
Luis still didn’t get it. “Wait, Sheridan, what does the LF stand for in their names?”
“Lopez-Fitzgerald.”
“You mean… they’re Lopez-Fitzgeralds too? Then that means…”
“I might as well just say it, Luis. My girls… are your daughters. Your twins, right there.”
“You mean I’m their father?” Luis was amazed.
“Yes.” Sheridan nodded, her eyes full of light once again. “I was thrilled when I found out I was pregnant with them. But… I knew that Julian and Alistair would kill me if they knew that we were seeing each other, so I ran away. I’m so sorry that I had to leave without saying goodbye, but if I had written or called, they would have found out. I didn’t want to leave, but I had to… for both our sakes. And Rachel and Skylar’s.”
Luis was still sitting there, staring at his daughters. “Then that means… Faith is their cousin?”
“That’s right. And their cousin Ethan is getting married to their Aunt Theresa… that’s where I got Rachel’s middle name from… so…”
“Sheridan, I’m so glad you’re back. Do you think we could start over from where we left off?” Luis asked, hopeful.
“I’d love to… You know, Luis, I still care about you. A lot. And my girls need their father…” Sheridan trailed off, looking into Luis’ eyes. Their faces were inches apart.
“Sheridan, I love you… and nothing will ever change that.” He kissed her gently. She smiled. “So… you want to go out tomorrow or something?”
“I’d love that. But…”Luis said, “when do we tell them about me?” He gestured towards the girls.
“We’ll tell them together.” Sheridan smiled. “Luis, I’m so glad I found you again… I love you too.” Luis kissed her forehead and put his arm around her, and Sheridan rested her head on his chest. Theresa, Ethan, Miguel and Charity all walked in, and found them looking at their little girls. They smiled.

Sheridan and Luis walked into their daughters’ room in the Crane Mansion. “Good morning,” Sheridan said, opening the curtains.
“Ahh! Mommy, it’s too bright,” Skylar protested.
“Oh well, Skye, you’re going to have to get used to it, because it’s time to wake up!”
Rachel rolled over in her bed. “Mommy…” she said, groggily.
“Morning, Rachel.” She went over and kissed her daughter on the forehead. “Sleep well?”
“Yes. Mommy, I had the most amazing dream,” Rachel said.
“Well, what was it about?” Sheridan asked, sitting on the bed.
“You and Daddy found each other… and we finally met him… and then, you and Daddy got married with cousin Ethan and Aunt Theresa… and we all lived happily ever after.”
Sheridan glanced over at Luis, who smiled at her. “I think it’s time we told you girls,” Sheridan said.
“Tell us what?” Skylar asked.
“About your daddy. Do you know what the LF in your name is?”
“You told us it was Daddy’s last name.”
“It is. But shortened. I’ll tell you what it stands for. You ready?”
“Yeah!”
“Well, it stands for Lopez-Fitzgerald.”
Skylar remembered first. “That’s the guy’s name! The one that looks like the picture of Daddy! Does that mean…?”
“Yes, Skye.” Luis spoke up and sat on his daughter’s bed. “I’m your daddy. Yours and Rachel’s.”
Skylar sat up in the bed and hugged Luis. “Daddy! I’m so glad you’re here. Now we can all be one, big happy family. I missed you so much.”
“Me, too,” Rachel said, across the room.
“So did I,” Sheridan said, giving Luis a hug.
“Well, I missed you all. Look at that, my three girls. You know what?” Luis said.
“What, daddy?” Rachel wanted to know.
“I love you all. You, Rachel Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane, and you too, Skylar Veronica Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane. Oh, and you too, Sheridan Crane soon-to-be Lopez-Fitzgerald. That is, if you say yes…” Luis took out a ring and presented it to Sheridan. “Will you marry me?”
Sheridan gasped. “Of course! Now our daughters can have the father they deserve.” She kissed Luis and he held her, while Rachel crawled into their cuddle and Skylar climbed up on top of them. “Yay! Now we’re one, big, happy family!” Luis smiled at Sheridan, who smiled back. Then he scooped up Rachel and Skylar and kissed their heads. “I’m so glad we’re finally together,” Luis whispered to his girls. “I love you, you know that? Forever and always.”

Theresa and Sheridan were in the vestibule. “Theresa,” Sheridan said to her soon to be sister and cousin in law, “you look gorgeous.”
“You, too, Sheridan. I can’t believe you and Luis are getting married… with me and Ethan.”
“I hope we didn’t crash your wedding.”
“No, of course not! You know we love you both. And those two adorable girls of yours.” Theresa smiled at her nieces. “So, Rachel, Skylar, you ready? You know, you have a big job today.”
“We have to sprinkle the flowers all over the little walkway,” Skylar said proudly.
“Yes, I know, and you will do a great job, Skye. I just know it.” Sheridan smiled at her daughter.
“Mommy, I’m so happy you found Daddy,” Rachel commented. “I missed him… and I know you did, too.”
“I did. But now… we’re together, and nothing is going to tear us apart.” She hugged her little girls, and then the music started. “Oh! Come on, it’s time for you to do your very important job!” Rachel and Skylar walked down the aisle, sprinkling rose petals all over. Luis beamed when he saw his daughters. *They’re beautiful… just like their mother.* When they reached the altar they stood next to Charity, Whitney and Sheridan’s old friend Vicki. Then… Theresa walked in, on the arm of Miguel. Ethan looked so happy, and he and his bride shared a smile. Then... Sheridan walked in. By herself. Her father and brother had died, and her nephew was standing at the altar, beaming at his bride. So… no one gave her away.
Luis’ breath caught in his throat when he saw Sheridan. *She’s as beautiful as the day I first laid eyes on her… and to think that I’d be marrying her?* Sheridan had made it to the altar, took Luis’ hands, and smiled up at him. “I love you, Luis.”
“And I love you too, Sheridan. I will always love you.”