A.N: whoopidedo!... I think I got some sort of plot revolving around Ricardo and Melanie's oldest son George going,

A nice little complicated love triangle of sorts more likely.

So I am writing this in a third person because there will be more characters involved, some old, some new. And it will also give me a chance to express Ricardo's thoughts and feelings, which will probably include some stuff from things that happened in Mouse, which I couldn't really do because it was Melanie's story... so we could never get to see what was going on inside Ricardo's head until now... haha

Anyway this is the introductory chapter one.. roughly 17 years on from the other one left off and we are getting reaquainted with the Sanchez family I hope I have developed some their children's characters amd persona;ities and their relationships with each other ok in this first chapter, that they are close knit, but still have their problems an imperfections, so let me know what you think.. so enjoy:)

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Mom have you seen mp three player? I can't find it anywhere," Maria Sanchez skipped the last two bottom stairs, landing deftly on her feet beside where her Mother Melanie was about to open the front door in the hallway

"The last time I saw it, the thing was around your neck the other day," her mother replied as she hauled the large bluehold all over her shoulder

Maria frowned, "But I can't go without it, especially when we have to travel long distances in the car, its so boring, I need my music," she complained

"You have five minutes to find it; your brother is waiting for us in the car," Melanie informed her firmly, "We are already running late, and you know what your father is like if we are not there when he expects us to be, he will get tetchy"

Maria just pulled a face of irritation, before rolling her dark eyes up in her head in a way that reminded Melanie so much of her husband Ricardo, that she still found it a little uncanny, even after almost seventeen years of witnessing it.

But then all three of their children had the swarthy skin and dark colouring of their father, but only Maria had acquired Ricardo's mannerisms as well. She was truly her father's daughter, except for her more lax attitude where the circus was concerned

"It's not like the circus is going anywhere, so I can't see what the big deal is if we don't meet him there at the exact appointed time"

"You know he likes us there early, so he can get in as much rehearsal time as possible with you for tomorrow nights show. He likes to stick to his scheduled regime" Melanie reminded her

"Sometimes, It's more like being in the army than the circus, where dad is concerned," Maria grumbled

"It's called dedication, your brother George understands that, so should you by now," Melanie replied curtly, "So you have got five minutes, then we are going whether you have your mp three player or not, so stop wasting time and go look for it,"

"Ok, I'm going, I'm going." Marie said, her slim figure turning and disappearing hurriedly back up the stairs again.

Melanie sighed, and opened the front door. Despite all the years of moving around with the circus and being on the road, she thought she should have this down to a fine tee. But after the six month winter break, it was a matter of getting back into the routine again, and Maria's lack of usual co operation and enthusuaism for getting up early was not helping.

If Ricardo had been there with them, they would probably be well on their way already. But he had left two days before; with a gathering of the other circus Bigwigs, on discussions and meetings about the forthcoming summer tour before they actually set off on it. So the family would be meeting him on the site, where the circus would be doing their first show In Italy.

Knowing her father wasn't around to snap orders at her, and her mother wasn't as strict of a disiplinarian, Maria had taken her time getting up and getting ready, much to the others irritation. Melanie knew she was going to have trouble with her daughter.

Like her father she could also be headstrong and obstinate; and now she was in her teenage years, these traits seem to be coming out more than usual.

She made her way over to the silver car in the drive way where her oldest son George, who had only recently turned nineteen, stood by the opened car boot, looking relieved to see his mother. He took the holdall of her to put it in the back of the car.

At almost six foot he stood just about head and shoulders above his mother, and now frowned over the top of her head, towards the house.

"Where is Maria?" he demanded

"She should be coming now, she can't find her mp three player, so I give her five minutes to find it," Melanie replied

"I know what I would like to give her," George muttered slamming the boot of the car shut.

Whilst he got into the drivers seat, his mother got in beside him at the front, glancing around at her youngest child, fourteen year old Carlos, who sat in the back of the car engrossed in playing with a hand held game console.

"Have you got all your inhaler meds?"

"Yeah, you packed them yourself last night, remember?" he replied not bothering looking up from the screen of the game console"

"If course," Melanie recalled, "I am all over the place this morning trying to make sure we have everything before we go, and it hasn't helped when your sister decided to sleep late either," she frowned

"Can't we just leave her behind," Carlos suggested, now glancing up hopefully, making his older brother snicker in amusement.

Melanie shot him a small reproachful look through the rear view mirror, although was doing her best to hide her own twitch of a smile, "I think she would like that too much. Better making her suffer and come along with us. She has to learn some self discipline, and where better than hanging from your father and brother's hands high in the air"

"Just as well she is not depending on me to catch her on the trapeze, I think I would enjoy letting her drop too much," Carlos then retorted

"You only think that, I would trust you implicitly with your sister's life, just as much as I trust your father and George with it," Melanie replied

"Well lucky you will never get the chance to test that trust," Carlos replied dryly, "Hey, perhaps you can leave me behind instead, after all it's not like I am exactly needed, and I am sure Dad won't even notice I am not there" he then shrugged

Melanie frowned, "Carlos, you know that is not true, your father wants you there just as much as he wants George and Maria, you are important to him" she stated

"Sure," Carlos replied, not sounding convinced, then returned all his attention to the game console in his hand.

Melanie sighed, suddenly overridden with a sense of guilt

Her last child had been born under difficult circumstances, leaving him with, chest problems and suffering from chronic asthma. Even though it wasn't as bad as it use to be, his illness made it impossible to join the rest of his family in the trapeze act, or do anything too strenuous, When they were with the circus it was difficult for him

More now, as he was getting older. He always felt the odd one out, and all Melanie's fussing and trying to give him extra attention wasn't enough.

The thing Carlos wanted most was his father's attention and approval; not that Ricardo didn't love his youngest child, but because he spent most of his time and attention with his other two older children who had now joined him in the flying trapeze act, it only reminded Carlos that his disability estranged him a little from his father, and Melanie felt the resentment in her younger son starting to brew.

She almost jumped out of her wits when George beeped the horn loudly, getting impatient waiting for his sister to come out the door But she finally appeared happily with her mp three player in her hand and hurriedly got into the car a little breathless

"Mom, if Maria starts singing out loud when she is listening to that thing, can I take it of her and throw it out the car window?" Carlos demanded, "There is nothing worse than having to sit next to her, listening to her 'out-of- tune' singing, especially when we are going to be driving for over three hours," he complained

"Shut up creep! I bet you were the one who hid my mp three player, so I couldn't find it," Maria accused turning on him, glaring, "So if Dad is angry because we are late, I am going to tell him it's your fault"

"I was up early you were still lying in your bed after we were all ready," Carlos pointed out, "and I have Mom and George for proof, so it's your fault"

Melanie knew this argument could last half the journey, and suddenly wished she had some earplugs of her own.

She now turned to her older son with a pleadingly, "Can we just get going?"

George just shot her a small smile of sympathy, "Sure thing Mom," he replied and started up the car, he was just glad himself that they were finally getting underway

Melanie wasn't overly surprised to see the frown on her husband's face when they finally arrived and started to get out of the car

"Your are over an hour late, what kept you?" Ricardo demanded

"Sorry, we got held up," she apologised

"Yeah, ask Maria, she is the one who held us back," Carlos said as he slammed the car door shut after him, shooting his sister an accusing look

"It wasn't my fault that my alarm clock failed to go off on time," Maria protested, "Anyway we are here now, that is all that matters," to placate her father she hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, and then shot him one of her more winning smiles

"Don't worry Pops," she addressed him with her affectionate name for him, "It won't take us long to get sorted out for rehearsals, I am starting to get all hyped up now we are here," she admitted.

Ricardo's expression softened a little, "Just hurry up and get your things unpacked and sorted out for this afternoon," he told her, and she only too happily complied. She knew she could wrap her father around her little finger with just a certain look, it was a father daughter thing she had learned from an early age, and she always used it to her advantage.

As Ricardo now turned to help his oldest son George with some of the luggage from the boot of the car, both of them getting into a discussion,walking just behind them, Melanie couldn't help smiling seeing them together.

George was just a little taller than his father, his built a little more wiry. His dark hair was shorn really close to his scalp, whereas Ricardo's dark hair although still short and spiky, was now showing some flecks of grey at the temples. Their profiles were almost identical except George's seemed less sharp, and the expression in his dark eyes was softer and more gentler than his father's, his smile came more easily too. And even though Ricardo was clean shaven, and George had dark stubble covering his lower jaw and chin, you could still tell they were clearly father and son

It still amazed Melanie that at the most turbulent time of her marriage to Ricardo, it had produced such a sweet natured sensitive young man, and even though his nature was gentler than his father's, he did share the same passion and drive for the circus life, which made the two men close .

They spent the next hour unpacking and sorting things out. and much to Maria's delight, her father informed her that she and George would have their own bit of independence, as they would be to sharing their own caravan that use to belong to their Grandparents. Thomas and Angela Sanchez had retired and settled in Spain, Thomas's health was not too good after he took a slight stroke.

It would be strange not having them there, and Melanie knew Ricardo was concerned about his father, although didn't really want to talk about it either, and concentrated on the circus which was what his father would want.

Still it would be good to have a bit more privacy, with their two oldest children out of the way, and leaving them with their youngest Carlos.

But he would probably spend more time over in his siblings caravan

As much as she loved the mayhem of her family around her, Melanie thought she would like the privacy again, especially in the small space of the caravan, where the occasional arguments amongst her children seemed to be magnified.

The three of them where over in it now, unpacking and claiming what part was theirs. So Ricardo was alone with Melanie in their caravan, where she was still busy unpacking some of her clothes in the bedroom, her husband came in and grabbed her around the waist and pulling her towards him

"Missed me?" he queried huskily against her cheek. Even after all this time she felt the familiar thrill heat up her body his nearness always caused

"What do you think," she replied trying hard not to let the sensations of his body pressing against her overwhelm her, as she tried to concentrate on the fact she still had stuff to unpack, which was suppose to be her priority at the moment, and the fact they were no longer lustful twenty year olds, but now supposedly older wiser, late thirtysomethings.

"I've missed you too," Ricardo admitted, and swung her around to face him, so she could see the smouldering look in his dark eyes that only weakened her further

"And seeing we are alone, it seems the perfect opportunity to make up for lost time." he then said suggestively

Melanie laughed, determined she would not give into him so easily, stepping away from him a little, "Ricky I am trying to unpack here, we are behind schedule as you so blatantly pointed out when we arrived, and the kids could come back any moment.. I don't think it is the appropriate time"

"Actually I can't think of a better time," Ricardo replied, snatching the blouse she had just pulled out of the suitcase which she held in her hands. He flung it over his shoulder carelessly before pulling her close to him again, "We will just have to be quick that's all," he added with a mischievous twinkle

Melanie opened her mouth to protest, but it was reduced to a little muffled moan as Ricardo's lips covered hers in a hungry demanding kiss, making her melt against him, so she forgot everything else going on around her, except the familiar growing need for him that now refused to be ignored.

Somethings just never changed