D/C: I'll tell you when it's changed for cryin' out loud!
Theresa's POV
That night, after Lyn took Mattie home, and Miguel and Ethan were settled, (Ethan had a bed in Little Ethan's room, Little Ethan was sleeping in his basinette in my room, and Miguel settled with the couch) and Miguel wanted to "experience life outside of Harmony" as he called it, I finally got a chance to talk to Ethan alone.
"Ethan, I've wanted to tell you this for some time now, because I know that you'd respect my intentions. But the thing is, you don't trust me, so I'm not sure if you'd believe me," I started.
"Look, I'll be the judge of that. Just spit it out Theresa," he encouraged me.
"Well, I found out something, not long before I left home, that's really going to shock you. I've been debating whether or not to tell you, but I really think you should know," I continued.
"Listen, just tell me. You'll feel better once it's out in the open," he kept on interrupting me.
"Do you want me to tell you or not?" I got angered at all of the interruptions.
"Fine, sorry," he apologized.
I took a deep breath before I started over again.
"Well, it all started right after Julian came back to Harmony and I was cleared of the charges. Of course, after the injections, but I digress," and I proceeded to tell him about Gwen's indiscretions.
"And once I saw Noah there, I knew that she wasn't doing something casual, or that it wasn't just a fling or something," I ended.
"How... what... you mean..." he clamored, leaping out of his seat.
"Ethan, calm down..." I started.
"Calm down? You're telling me that... Gwen? It... Gwen couldn't, wouldn't," he sobbed. "Just when you think you can trust someone, something happens."
"Believe me, I, of all people. I know that storyline by heart," (A/N: no pun intended) I explained, looking away.
"Gwen? How could she? What am I going to do? But she said..." he started, trying to relax.
"Ethan, do you know what lenghs she took to do this? And you're thinking about 'why'?" I asked. "You of all people should know what to do at a time like this," I added smugly. "Look, take some time to figure things out before you go home. You can stay here, if you like."
"No, I have to go home and get this over with," he jumped up and started pacing.
"You don't mean right now, do you?" I asked.
"No. I... I just need a couple of days, and a walk to clear my head," he murmured.
"Well, there's a park outside, two blocks to the left of the front entrance. Go on," I urged.
He grabbed his jacket and went out the door wordlessly.
***********
I called Lyn to tell her I went through with it.
"Thank God you've gotten it off of your chest, or it would've bothered you for forever," she commented.
"I feel a lot better now, but seeing Ethan like that, it was almost like going through the day we were supposed to get married all over again. It hurt so see him like that," I sighed.
"But it's all over now, and you both can get on with your lives. It's all for the best," she assured me.
***********
Ethan and Miguel went home the day after the next. Miguel really didn't want to, but I told him he could come back after awhile.
"Listen, I really appreciate you telling me about Gwen. I'm glad that I didn't have to find out later on, when it was too late," he said.
"I'm just sorry to have had to been the one to tell you," I commented.
***********
I was on my way down to Livia's apartment, when Alex stopped me.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to do something tomorrow night. Just a movie or something?" he asked.
"I..." I started.
"Look, it was probably stupid of me to ask. You're probably going out with that Ethan who was here last week..." he said, before I interrupted.
"Ethan? I admit, I did go out with him before, but he's seeing someone else now. And that was before I married Julian," I said.
"Well... do you want to? I heard there's a new Reese Witherspoon movie in town if you wanna," he hinted.
"Sure," I smiled shyly.
"Tomorrow at six?" he asked.
I nodded my head.
"Six it is then," he said as he walked over to the elevator, backpack on his back, and his jacket slung over his shoulder.
************
The day kind of went by in a blur, and I forgot almost everything Mr. Halliway said about some case back in 1990.
Lyn couldn't remember anything for another reason: he was wearing leather pants and a fitted shirt to class, so naturally all of the female population in the class was staring at his well-formed butt.
***********
Gwen's POV
"Hank, Ethan's going to be home any minute," I tried to pull him away.
"Come on..." he begged.
"No. You know the situation here. Not until the wedding's final. Then we'll be together," I promised.
"So you can be together? Not in this lifetime Gwen," Ethan interrupted their little masquerade.
"Ethan! You're home... so early... how about a drink..." she tried to change the subject.
"I didn't really want to believe it, but I guess Theresa was right. You are a two-timing bitch!" Ethan yelled. "Just get out of my face. I never want to see your face ever again!"
"Ethan, please. We can talk about this..." I started.
"I'm through talking. Get out!" he thundered.
I took Hank's hand and pulled him out of Crane Manor. My life there was over.
***********
Lyn's POV
I looked through the peephole to see who was outside.
"Ethan? What are you doing here? I thought you went back to Harmony?" I wondered outloud.
"I did, but I wanted to surprise Theresa when she got out of class. Your mother told me where you lived, so I thought I'd pay you a visit while I was waiting, if that's okay?" he asked.
"Sure, but Theresa's not at class, or I'd be there, too. She's out on a date with Alex," I informed him.
"Alex? Wasn't he..." he started.
"Yeah, my brother. Come on in, and see Little Ethan. He's staying over tonight," I said, moving aside for him to come in. "Have a seat," I motioned to the living room, where Mattie and Little Ethan were playing.
"Let's see if he can get this right yet," he said, picking Little Ethan up. "Come on, Little Ethan, what's my name?" he asked.
"Daddy," he recited, clear as day.
"I still don't know why he's still doing this wrong. We've been trying to teach him for months now," he shook his head.
"Maybe it's a sign?" I hinted.
"I don't know. He's my namesake, so I guess it's a natural reaction that I'd be close to him. That's probably why he's mistaking me for Julian. As far as I know, he's only held him once," he thought outloud.
"Want something to drink?" I asked, changing the subject.
***********
Theresa's POV
"I'm having a great time, Alex," I said.
"I'm just glad that you could have some time away from everyone," he said.
"When I was with Julian, we didn't do anything but sit inside Crane Manor. I don't really say bad stuff about people, but he was insane. The only time he ever left was when he'd go off on Alastair's command," I commented.
"It was the same way with Lisabeth. All she ever did was go off to work. She never really wanted to spend time with Xander. Her parent's didn't either," he said, shaking his head.
***********
"I just need to stop at Lyn's before I go home, so I'll see you tomorrow, at your mom's house," I told him on the way home.
"Okay, but are you sure that you don't wanna do something next week or something?" he asked.
"Maybe next thursday?" I wondered out loud.
"Sure," he said, as we walked up to Lyn's building.
We said our goodbyes and I took the elevator to the third floor.
I knocked on the door.
There was a shuffling of feet as Lyn walked to the door to answer it.
But it wasn't Lyn who answered it...
I just love cliffies!
Theresa's POV
That night, after Lyn took Mattie home, and Miguel and Ethan were settled, (Ethan had a bed in Little Ethan's room, Little Ethan was sleeping in his basinette in my room, and Miguel settled with the couch) and Miguel wanted to "experience life outside of Harmony" as he called it, I finally got a chance to talk to Ethan alone.
"Ethan, I've wanted to tell you this for some time now, because I know that you'd respect my intentions. But the thing is, you don't trust me, so I'm not sure if you'd believe me," I started.
"Look, I'll be the judge of that. Just spit it out Theresa," he encouraged me.
"Well, I found out something, not long before I left home, that's really going to shock you. I've been debating whether or not to tell you, but I really think you should know," I continued.
"Listen, just tell me. You'll feel better once it's out in the open," he kept on interrupting me.
"Do you want me to tell you or not?" I got angered at all of the interruptions.
"Fine, sorry," he apologized.
I took a deep breath before I started over again.
"Well, it all started right after Julian came back to Harmony and I was cleared of the charges. Of course, after the injections, but I digress," and I proceeded to tell him about Gwen's indiscretions.
"And once I saw Noah there, I knew that she wasn't doing something casual, or that it wasn't just a fling or something," I ended.
"How... what... you mean..." he clamored, leaping out of his seat.
"Ethan, calm down..." I started.
"Calm down? You're telling me that... Gwen? It... Gwen couldn't, wouldn't," he sobbed. "Just when you think you can trust someone, something happens."
"Believe me, I, of all people. I know that storyline by heart," (A/N: no pun intended) I explained, looking away.
"Gwen? How could she? What am I going to do? But she said..." he started, trying to relax.
"Ethan, do you know what lenghs she took to do this? And you're thinking about 'why'?" I asked. "You of all people should know what to do at a time like this," I added smugly. "Look, take some time to figure things out before you go home. You can stay here, if you like."
"No, I have to go home and get this over with," he jumped up and started pacing.
"You don't mean right now, do you?" I asked.
"No. I... I just need a couple of days, and a walk to clear my head," he murmured.
"Well, there's a park outside, two blocks to the left of the front entrance. Go on," I urged.
He grabbed his jacket and went out the door wordlessly.
***********
I called Lyn to tell her I went through with it.
"Thank God you've gotten it off of your chest, or it would've bothered you for forever," she commented.
"I feel a lot better now, but seeing Ethan like that, it was almost like going through the day we were supposed to get married all over again. It hurt so see him like that," I sighed.
"But it's all over now, and you both can get on with your lives. It's all for the best," she assured me.
***********
Ethan and Miguel went home the day after the next. Miguel really didn't want to, but I told him he could come back after awhile.
"Listen, I really appreciate you telling me about Gwen. I'm glad that I didn't have to find out later on, when it was too late," he said.
"I'm just sorry to have had to been the one to tell you," I commented.
***********
I was on my way down to Livia's apartment, when Alex stopped me.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to do something tomorrow night. Just a movie or something?" he asked.
"I..." I started.
"Look, it was probably stupid of me to ask. You're probably going out with that Ethan who was here last week..." he said, before I interrupted.
"Ethan? I admit, I did go out with him before, but he's seeing someone else now. And that was before I married Julian," I said.
"Well... do you want to? I heard there's a new Reese Witherspoon movie in town if you wanna," he hinted.
"Sure," I smiled shyly.
"Tomorrow at six?" he asked.
I nodded my head.
"Six it is then," he said as he walked over to the elevator, backpack on his back, and his jacket slung over his shoulder.
************
The day kind of went by in a blur, and I forgot almost everything Mr. Halliway said about some case back in 1990.
Lyn couldn't remember anything for another reason: he was wearing leather pants and a fitted shirt to class, so naturally all of the female population in the class was staring at his well-formed butt.
***********
Gwen's POV
"Hank, Ethan's going to be home any minute," I tried to pull him away.
"Come on..." he begged.
"No. You know the situation here. Not until the wedding's final. Then we'll be together," I promised.
"So you can be together? Not in this lifetime Gwen," Ethan interrupted their little masquerade.
"Ethan! You're home... so early... how about a drink..." she tried to change the subject.
"I didn't really want to believe it, but I guess Theresa was right. You are a two-timing bitch!" Ethan yelled. "Just get out of my face. I never want to see your face ever again!"
"Ethan, please. We can talk about this..." I started.
"I'm through talking. Get out!" he thundered.
I took Hank's hand and pulled him out of Crane Manor. My life there was over.
***********
Lyn's POV
I looked through the peephole to see who was outside.
"Ethan? What are you doing here? I thought you went back to Harmony?" I wondered outloud.
"I did, but I wanted to surprise Theresa when she got out of class. Your mother told me where you lived, so I thought I'd pay you a visit while I was waiting, if that's okay?" he asked.
"Sure, but Theresa's not at class, or I'd be there, too. She's out on a date with Alex," I informed him.
"Alex? Wasn't he..." he started.
"Yeah, my brother. Come on in, and see Little Ethan. He's staying over tonight," I said, moving aside for him to come in. "Have a seat," I motioned to the living room, where Mattie and Little Ethan were playing.
"Let's see if he can get this right yet," he said, picking Little Ethan up. "Come on, Little Ethan, what's my name?" he asked.
"Daddy," he recited, clear as day.
"I still don't know why he's still doing this wrong. We've been trying to teach him for months now," he shook his head.
"Maybe it's a sign?" I hinted.
"I don't know. He's my namesake, so I guess it's a natural reaction that I'd be close to him. That's probably why he's mistaking me for Julian. As far as I know, he's only held him once," he thought outloud.
"Want something to drink?" I asked, changing the subject.
***********
Theresa's POV
"I'm having a great time, Alex," I said.
"I'm just glad that you could have some time away from everyone," he said.
"When I was with Julian, we didn't do anything but sit inside Crane Manor. I don't really say bad stuff about people, but he was insane. The only time he ever left was when he'd go off on Alastair's command," I commented.
"It was the same way with Lisabeth. All she ever did was go off to work. She never really wanted to spend time with Xander. Her parent's didn't either," he said, shaking his head.
***********
"I just need to stop at Lyn's before I go home, so I'll see you tomorrow, at your mom's house," I told him on the way home.
"Okay, but are you sure that you don't wanna do something next week or something?" he asked.
"Maybe next thursday?" I wondered out loud.
"Sure," he said, as we walked up to Lyn's building.
We said our goodbyes and I took the elevator to the third floor.
I knocked on the door.
There was a shuffling of feet as Lyn walked to the door to answer it.
But it wasn't Lyn who answered it...
I just love cliffies!