AN: This is the last Therethan for this story. It's a one shot, set after the August 29, 2000 ep (when Theresa was in the motorcycle accident and she was in the hospital, remember that? If you don't remember there's background on it on the official Passions website (http://www.nbc.com/Passions) so yeah. Okay tell me what you think. The last story is REALLY long (10 chapters) so that's why it's last. Thanks you guys for reviewing!
--And sorry for killing off Beth and Gwen in the last story. That was before I had respect for Gwen. (I do. I like her, she's a great character. I liked Natalie Zea a lot and was sad that she left.) I've never really liked Beth, but I'm starting to understand her a lot more, so yeah…
One more thing (I promise): song credits. Only 2 songs used in this story—"The Hardest Thing" by 98° and "Kiss Me" (hence the title of the story) written and performed by Lindsay Korman (the actress who plays Theresa). If you've never heard it, you should find it. It's a great song. Okay, read this now.
Kiss Me
I've got this
feeling you're not gonna stay
It's burning within me
The fear of losing, of slipping away
It just keeps getting closer
Whatever reason to leave that I've had,
my place is always beside you
and I wish that I didn't need you so bad
Your face just won't go away
--"Don't Wanna Lose You Now" - BSB
"Theresa!" Ethan Crane exclaimed, when he found her lying in her bed, barely conscious. "Theresa, you've got to hang on. You're a fighter. Fight!" He couldn't lose Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald. He only realized now how much she meant to him. "Why, why did I have to be so harsh with her? It's all my fault."
::Flashback::
"Ethan, do you love me? If
you can look me in the eye and tell me that you don't love me, then I'll never
bother you again."
"I…" Did he love her? Ethan
knew, someplace deep inside his heart and soul, that he loved her, but he was
too afraid to admit it. Besides he was already engaged to Gwen. And his mother
wanted him to marry Gwen more than anything. His family would never forgive him
if he called off the marriage. He had to do what was right for the sake of the
Crane Empire.
"Theresa, I'm telling you the
truth. I don't love you."
It's the hardest
thing I'll ever have to do,
to look you in the eye and tell you I don't love you
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to lie,
to show no emotion when you start to cry
Theresa stepped back in shock. "You… you mean it, don't you? You don't love me. You don't love me!" Through her tear filled eyes, she took one last look at Ethan, then turned on her heel and ran out.
I can't let you see
what you mean to me
when my hands are tied and my heart's not free
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do
to turn around and walk away pretending I don't love you
When Theresa didn't
come back, Ethan decided to go find her. He found out that Theresa had been on
her brother's motorcycle, that she wasn't wearing a helmet, and that she was in
an accident.
::Reality::
Just then, a
nurse came in to check up on Theresa. "How is she doing?" Ethan asked.
"She's very weak," the nurse
replied. "There's no reason for her to be unconscious, and if she doesn't
regain consciousness soon, she could die."
"Well, fix it!" Ethan demanded.
"Theresa can't die!"
"I'm sorry, sir,
but the only thing that can pull her through is love. She's lost the will to
live. She's given up." Ethan shook his head. "No, she can't."
"I'm afraid the only person who
can save her is the one she loves and loves her back. Do you know who that is?"
"Well… she does have a sort of a
crush on me," Ethan told the nurse.
"Then you're the only one who
can save her." The nurse walked out, and Ethan looked at Theresa again. He
smoothed down her hair, and he knew he had to do what his heart told him to and
save her. "Theresa," he whispered. "Theresa, I love you," Ethan confessed,
leaning in closer so that she could hear her. "I love you."
Theresa stirred,
so Ethan took her hand and said, "I know I've been hard on you, but Theresa,
you've got to pull through. I love you. I can't go through life without you.
Please, wake up."
"Ethan…" Theresa whispered, a
smile forming on her face. "Ethan, don't leave…"
"I won't leave you, I promise.
I'll be here until you open your eyes, I'll be the
first thing you see."
The smile on Theresa's
face grew, and she slowly opened her eyes. "Ethan?"
Ethan smiled. "Oh, Theresa, I
knew you'd make it!" Never before had he felt so full of joy. Not even when
Gwen accepted his proposal. On impulse, he leaned down and kissed her, kissed
her with more intensity, passion and love than he'd ever kissed her or Gwen.
When he pulled away, Theresa said, "Do you really love me, Ethan?"
"Yes, Ethan, do
you really love her?" a voice asked. Ethan turned and there stood Gwen in the
doorway. "Gwen—"
"I saw what just happened, you
know," she continued, her eyes flashing, her voice harsh and accusing. "All
this time that I've trusted Theresa, she's been stabbing me in the back! You
lying, scheming, backstabbing—"
"Gwen, that's enough. It isn't
Theresa's fault. Can't you see she's in a hospital bed, barely conscious?"
Ethan asked, defending Theresa.
"Oh, I bet she's just acting so
she can play her sympathy card and make you fall in love with her," Gwen
retorted.
"How… how dare you!" Theresa
said, very softly. Ethan rushed back to her bedside and said, "Theresa, no,
you're too weak. Let me handle Gwen."
"No, Ethan, I can
handle her. Gwen," Theresa began, her eyes also flashing, "I never did anything
against you. I practically planned your whole wedding. I agreed to be your maid
of honor! Whatever Ethan feels for me, it's because his heart wanted to feel
for me, not because I forced him to. And, my God, Gwen, I've just been in a
motorcycle accident. I could have died, and all you think about is that I'm
faking it? Does this look fake to you?" Theresa touched the big wound on her
head and winced. "Ouch."
"Theresa, take it easy," Ethan
instructed. Then he turned to Gwen. "Gwen, can I talk to you outside for a
minute?"
Reluctantly, Gwen agreed, but
not before giving a glare to Theresa. They walked outside and Gwen crossed her
arms and said, "Ethan, you've got a lot of explaining to do."
"I only kissed Theresa because
the nurse said that I'm the only one who can save her life. You don't want her
to die, now do you?"
"No… but Ethan, when I walked in, can you imagine what it looked
like? My God, I thought that you had actually fallen in love with
Theresa!" Gwen exclaimed.
Ethan felt uneasy. "Of course
not, Gwen, I love you, and I'm going to marry you."
Gwen smiled. "Okay." Just then
her pager went off and she went outside to take her call (in the real world,
you're not supposed to use cell phones in hospitals). Ethan sat down and tried
to straighten himself out. "What is happening to me? Am I falling for Theresa?"
Let me close my eyes
(let me see)
You give me hope tonight (give me me)
You touch my heart, I cry (and I live)
I live alone tonight in my dreams
Hold me, give me a brace
Help me find my way
You carry through
the night (carry me)
Be the one inside my dreams
See me, make me whole
Breathe me, find my way
Out here, be with me
All for you now, kiss me
Kiss me… kiss me…
Make me light the
way
Find me, kiss me
Kiss me…
Ethan fondly remembered all the fun times he'd had with Theresa, plus the song that they shared. No one had ever made him feel the way she did, not even Gwen. She didn't even come close. Sure, he'd known her for a long time, but she was the only girl he'd ever really taken interest in. He never knew anyone else. Not until Theresa, that is.
"Ethan!" Whitney
Russell, Theresa's best friend, rushed into the hospital waiting area, along
with Chad Harris, one of Ethan's closest friends; Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald,
Theresa's brother, and Charity Standish, Miguel's girlfriend. "Ethan, how is
she? Is she…" Whitney trailed off, afraid that she may have lost her best
friend.
"She's okay," Ethan said softly,
"but she could be better."
"This is all
your fault!" Whitney accused. "If you hadn't gone and broken Theresa's
heart, she wouldn't have run off… on a motorcycle at that! Was she wearing a
helmet?"
"Whitney,
stop, aight?" Chad demanded, pulling
her aside. "Can't you see how hurt Ethan is? He already thinks that it's his
fault, you don't have to add to his guilt."
"But Chad—"
"No buts, Whit. Now come on, we
have to see how Theresa's doing." Chad and Whitney walked
into her cubicle, and Whitney gasped. "Oh, honey…" She went over to Theresa's
bedside and said, "Theresa, how are you feeling?"
Theresa's eyes
were open, but she felt very weak. "Whit?" she whispered.
"Yeah, it's me," Whitney
replied. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "I've got a few cuts
and bruises here and there, along with this gash on my head, but otherwise, I'm
ecstatic. You won't believe what Ethan told me!"
"Theresa, don't get too excited,"
Whitney warned. "It's not good for you."
"Okay. But Ethan told me that he
loves me! Oh, Whit, didn't I tell you so?"
"Yeah, Whit, Theresa didn't stop
believing, unlike you," Chad cut in.
"You know what, Chad? You—"
"Uh, uh, uh, no fighting in my
hospital room," Theresa ordered. "Thank
you, Chad,
for supporting me."
"But what if he was just saying
that to revive you? What if he didn't really mean it?" Whitney asked.
Chad let out an
exasperated sigh. "Geez, Whit, all you can think
about is the negative stuff, huh? Ethan has already said that he loves Theresa,
can't you just believe it?"
"No, because he's still engaged
to Gwen. The day that he breaks off the engagement and
proposes to Theresa, that will be the day I'll start believing."
"Whit, you are a lost
cause." Chad shook his head, and
turned to Theresa, whose eyes were slowly closing. "Theresa?" She didn't
respond.
"Theresa! Oh, my
God, Chad, what's happening?"
"I think she's unconscious
again," Chad deduced. "Come on,
we've got to go back outside." Chad ushered Whitney out
of the room and there he found Ethan and Gwen, along with Miguel and Charity.
"How is she?" Ethan and Miguel asked, in unison.
"She's unconscious… again… I
think she may have slipped into a coma," Whitney told them.
"No, my sister can't die,"
Miguel said. "This is all my fault. I have to call
Mama and Luis."
"Don't blame yourself,
Miguel," Ethan replied. "It's all my fault."
"Look, guys, we don't have time
to argue over whose fault it is. We just have to be strong for Theresa,"
Charity pointed out.
"Charity's right. I'm going to
go call Mama and Luis, let them know what's going on."
"Can I go with you?" Charity
asked.
"Sure, come on." They went to
find a pay phone and then a nurse came out of Theresa's cubicle. "Excuse me,"
Ethan said, asking the nurse, "how is she?"
"Well, she's in a coma now… she
needs you more than ever."
"What do mean,
she needs Ethan now more than ever?" Gwen demanded. "Ethan, what is the meaning
of all this? Does Theresa have feelings for you? Did she tell you that she
loves you?"
Ethan looked to Chad and Whitney for
help, but Whitney just crossed her arms and Chad raised an eyebrow.
"Gwen, look. Now
is not the time, okay? I will tell you everything, in due time. Right now, I
just need to clear my head, okay? I need to be alone."
"Fine.
Push me away. Pick Theresa over me. But don't think that you'll get rid of me
that easily." Gwen walked off in a huff, with Ethan calling after her, "Gwen, I
didn't mean it that way…" but she was already out of earshot. Ethan sat back
down and sighed. He needed to be here for Theresa, but… This was just too
confusing.
We both know that I
shouldn't be here
This is wrong
And baby, it's killing me, it's killing you,
both of us tryin' to be strong
I've got somewhere else to be, promises to keep
Someone else who loves me and trusts me fast asleep
"It's time to
make up your mind," the little voice inside Ethan's head told him. "You have to
decide between Theresa and Gwen, and once you do, there's no turning back."
Ethan sat back for a minute,
trying to collect his thoughts. Gwen… Gwen was beautiful, she came from the
same background as Ethan… he'd known her since he was twelve… she knew almost
everything about Ethan… she was the only love of his life… until Theresa came
along. Theresa, on the other hand, was so full of life, so… joyful, so hopeful…
so much was going for her… she was so pure, so innocent, and so loving. Theresa
had a huge heart, she was so kind, and she had made Ethan feel like he was alive.
He had so much fun with her. For the first time, it hit him: he really was in
love with Theresa. "So I am," he thought. "I guess Chad was right." But if
he chose Theresa, what would it do to his family? Would he be disinherited? No,
there was always Father, he could be the patriarch of
the Crane Empire… what about the people in the country club, the rich people of
Harmony? Then he realized he didn't care. All he wanted to do was be with
Theresa, and no one else. But he didn't want to hurt Gwen, and his mother. His
mother meant the world to him. Ethan saw what an unhappy marriage she had,
though, and he didn't want to put Gwen through that, if he didn't really love
her. He'd come to a decision, and it was final.
I've made up my
mind; there is no turning back
She's been good to me, and she deserves better than
that
Ethan looked up
at the sound of nurses and Dr. Russell rushing into Theresa's room, yelling all
those med terms no one understands. "What's going on?" Ethan asked Dr. Russell.
But she didn't have to answer. Ethan got a glimpse of Theresa's heart monitor.
She was flatlining.
"Oh, my God,
no!" Ethan rushed into the cubicle, while they were trying to revive
her. "Theresa, you have to make it! I can't live without you! Please, don't
die! I love you, Resa!" he practically yelled, before
two of the nurses had to drag him out. But somehow, Theresa heard him, and she
found the will to live again. Dr. Russell walked out, and Ethan came up to her
and asked, "Is she okay?"
"She's okay.
Still unconscious, but okay." Ethan breathed a sigh of relief, and then he
noticed that Sheridan, his aunt, along
with Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, Theresa's other brother, and Pilar
Lopez-Fitzgerald, her mother, were also there. "Dios mio, what happened?" Pilar asked.
"Pilar,
I can explain," Ethan said. "I'm so sorry, this is all my
fault."
"What the hell do you mean, this is your fault, Crane? What did you do to my
sister?" Luis yelled. "It's your fault she's in the hospital? She doesn't even
know you… does she?"
Six pairs of guilty eyes looked
to the floor. Charity looked around and wondered why everyone was looking down.
"Okay, is there something I don't know here?" Luis demanded.
"Um… yeah," Whitney told Luis.
"Theresa… Theresa has been working at the Cranes' for months now, maybe for a
year."
Luis turned to Sheridan. "You knew, and you
never told me?"
"I was afraid of this," she
bluntly stated. "That's why no one told you. They were all too afraid."
Pilar said, "I'm sorry, mijo, but
I didn't want any fights between you and your sister."
"Well, no one told me, and I
have to find out when my sister's in the hospital, fighting for her life? Talk
about a loyal family," Luis scoffed. "And how is it your fault that she's
here?"
"I told her I didn't love her,"
Ethan said.
"Ay, my Theresa told you how she
felt? Dios mio," Pilar replied.
"WHAT? That's it, Crane, you're
going to pay. And that little sister of mine too."
"Luis, calm down!"
Sheridan exclaimed. "First of all, Ivy has given Theresa a great job, where she
can enter the world of fashion on a good note. Secondly, she's in the hospital,
so you can't hurt her here. And lastly, you wanted Theresa to stay away from
Ethan. If Ethan told her that he doesn't love her, then why are you so upset?"
"Okay, okay, Sheridan, you've got a
point. But Ethan did say that it was his fault that Theresa's here. Spill it,
Crane, why is she here?"
"Well… Theresa and I have become
really close in this past year," Ethan tentatively began. He really didn't feel
like putting up with Luis right now. "Anyway, when I was her date to the prom—"
"You were her date to the prom?"
Luis exclaimed. He seemed to be repeating everything Ethan told him.
"Luis, will you just shut up and
let me finish, damn it?" Ethan fiercely said. "I'm not in the mood for
fighting, okay? Anyway, that's when she told me that she loved me. I mean, I
just thought it was a schoolgirl crush or something, but she kept insisting it
wasn't. Then when we were at the Russell house to visit Chad, Chad reminded me
about our pact, and so I decided to come clean with Theresa, quit leading her
on. So I did. When she finally realized it was true, she ran off, took Miguel's
motorcycle, and wasn't wearing a helmet. She lost control of the bike and
crashed into a car. The witnesses at the scene of the accident said it would be
a miracle if Theresa lived." Ethan tried to choke back the inevitable tears; he
was a Crane. He wasn't supposed to show any emotion.
"Oh, God, how is
she?" Pilar said.
"I don't know," Ethan replied.
"Why don't you ask Dr. Russell?"
Just then, she walked by. "Eve,"
Pilar asked, "please let me see my Theresa."
"Of course, Pilar. Only for a little while, though. She needs
her rest."
Pilar
nodded and motioned for Luis to come with her, leaving everyone else. Ethan noticed
Sheridan's bloodshot eyes and said, "Sheridan, what's wrong?"
"Well, when Dr.
Russell was being paged about Theresa, Eve was at my cottage, hypnotizing me.
Ethan, it wasn't a dream. It was real. That night was real."
Ethan let out a sigh. "Oh, Sheridan, are you sure?"
"I'm positive, Ethan. But
listen, my problems aren't important right now. Look at you, you look
devastated. What's up?"
"Sheridan, I just came to a
major conclusion. It's about Theresa."
"So you are in love with her?" Sheridan asked. Ethan
nodded, and Sheridan gasped. "So… what
are you going to do now?"
"I need to talk to the both of
them," Ethan firmly stated. "I need to tell them what my decision is."
~a week later~
"Morning, Mrs. Crane," Theresa
cheerfully greeted her employer.
"Theresa, what
a surprise! What are you doing here? You should be at home, resting… you
just got out of the hospital," Ivy said.
"Well, the wedding is on
Saturday, isn't it? You need the most help you can get. Besides, Ethan called
me and told me to come over," she replied.
"He's upstairs in his room."
"Thanks, Mrs. Crane." Theresa
headed upstairs and found Ethan and Gwen inside Ethan's room. "Great, Theresa,
you made it. How are you feeling?"
"Better… still a
little sore, but better." Theresa forced a smile.
"Good. Now, listen, you two, I
need to tell you both something. It's really important, and it will change the
course of all of our lives."
"This does sound serious," Gwen
said. "Ethan, what is it?"
It's the hardest
thing I'll ever have to do,
to look you in the eye and tell you I don't love you
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to lie,
to show no emotion when you start to cry
I can't let you see what you mean to me
when my hands are tied and my heart's not free
We're not meant to be
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do,
to turn around and walk away pretending I don't love you
"Gwen, this is
one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but… " He
looked Gwen squarely in the eye and said, "I don't love you." He felt a feeling
of déjà vu, just like when he had told Theresa the same thing.
"What? Ethan, what did you just
say?"
"I said, I
don't love you. Not anymore." Ethan sighed. He didn't want to hurt Gwen
this way, but it was the only way. He didn't want to cause her more pain in an
unhappy marriage.
And we will meet
again
Fate has a place and time
So you can get on with your life,
I've got to be cruel to be kind
Like Dr. Zhivago, all my love I'll be sending,
and you will never know,
'cause there can be no happy ending
"You don't love
me? Ethan, if you don't love me, then… who do you love?" Gwen asked,
devastated. "Who did I lose you to?"
Ethan turned to Theresa. "This
is where Theresa comes into play. Theresa, I'm going to repeat what I told you
in the hospital last week." He took her hand and looked into her eyes. "I love
you, Theresa. I just never realized it until that night, when you flatlined."
Theresa's eyes
filled with joy. "Oh, Ethan, do you mean it? Do you really love me?"
"Yes, I do," Ethan sincerely
stated. They were about to kiss when Gwen said, "Guys? I have something to tell
you too. It's about time I told you."
"Gwen, you don't look too
upset," Ethan realized.
"I'm not. I've been waiting for
the right time to tell you that I've been having an affair with Warren. So we're even,
Ethan. All is forgiven."
Ethan smiled. "Gwen, I'm not mad
at you. Can we at least agree to be friends?"
Gwen extended a hand. "Friends." Then Ethan gave her a hug and said, "I hope
you're happy with Warren."
"Me, too," Theresa pitched in.
"Oh, Theresa, you've been great
to me. You will always be my friend too, okay?"
"Sure."
"Oh, look at the time. I've got
to go, but I will keep in touch with you guys. See you later!" Gwen walked out
of Ethan's room, leaving just Ethan and Theresa. "Ethan, you don't know how happy you've made me. I love you so
much." They kissed then, their first real kiss, and then Ethan pulled away and
said, "Resa, I can't believe we've made it. I think it's fate."
"Me too,
Ethan, me too." He hugged Theresa and then they went to Whitney's house
to tell her the good news.
The end!
Well, Chad and Whit also got together, after seeing Ethan and Theresa together. They had a double wedding.