Chapter 2:
Fox Crane was in his 'stepmommy's' suite, sipping champagne with her as she went on
and on about her ex-fiancée, Ethan Winthrop, who also happened to be his half-brother.
"I know he loves me," Theresa said, a look of determination covering her features.
"His marriage to Gwen is just a minor setback. He'll be mine again." She turned to look at
Fox, hoping her optimism about her chances with Ethan would have an agreeable effect on
someone else.
"How many times has he hurt you, Theresa?" Fox couldn't help exclaim impatiently.
He was getting sick of seeing a wonderful person like Theresa devote all of her energies
on something that was useless, such as her pursuit of Ethan. "You say he loves you, and
that you love him, but I also detect a look of pain cross those beautiful features of
yours every time you mention him. As much as you say he loves you, he hurts you, too,
doesn't he?"
Theresa turned her back on Fox as she absorbed his words. He was right. Deep down
she knew what he was saying was true.
~*~ Girl I Know He aint takin' care of you
I see it in your face
And I know thats not the man that you really want
You know?
So if your sick & tired of him, then come see me...
Yeea..Yeeaaahh. Whoa...WHoooooaah(I'm a betta man anyways)~*~
Fox watched Theresa's back, wondering what she was thinking at the moment. I'm so
much better for her than Ethan ever will be, he thought to himself.
Theresa turned around to face Fox. "You noticed that?"
He nodded. "Theresa, not even you knew this about yourself until this moment."
"You're right," she replied, nodding her head in agreement.
~*~ Lies and deceit
I know, you feel this with your man
Cause when there, all i see, is crying ~*~
"How many sleepless nights have you spent, Theresa?" Fox asked her, pacing her
room. "How many times have you cried yourself to sleep over him? Love hurts, but it
shouldn't hurt this much!"
"What are you saying, Fox?" she pressed. "Are you saying I should give up on the
love I feel for him? The love that has been inside of me for much of my life? I can't turn
it off like a light switch."
"I'm not asking you to," he replied quickly. "But you should move on...find someone
else."
He stopped talking as he stared into her eyes, hinting that he should and could be
the 'someone else.'
~*~ I should be your boyfriend (I should be your boyfriend)
Cause you know he's lyin' (Cause you know he's lyin)
It might seem like I'm hatin' (Might seem like I'm hatin')
Gurl I'm just relatin' (Ooohh WHoooa) ~*~
"You're only saying this because of the animosity you have against your half-brother.
I won't listen to this, Fox!" Theresa said insistently.
Fox grabbed her hand before she could walk out of the room. "Look I know you think that
way, Theresa and I'll admit, part of me is telling you this because of the ill will I have
against Ethan, but tell me, doesn't what I'm saying make sense?" He half-released his grip
on her as he made her come to terms with what he had just said.
"Yes," Theresa replied, after a moment of silence. "It makes perfect sense. And I
totally agree. I just wish you were wrong, you know? That Ethan loved me more than he hurt
me. She sighed as she felt a tear fall down her face.
Fox gently wiped the tears from her eyes.
"You should tell him that you're not going to chase after him anymore. You're better
than that, Theresa. Besides, there are people, at least one, who can and do love you more
than he ever did!"
Theresa looked up at him, surprised at his last sentence. "Like who?" she asked curiously.
~*~ Step One- Walk thru that door
Step Two- Tell him, he's not like he was before, you don't love him anymore
Now Three- Come to me
Step Four- I love you more
You will see our love's truly, cause there's four steps to complete ~*~
"Like me," he said courageously, finally letting her know how he felt about her. He
was falling in love with her, and deep down he knew that he could make her happier than Ethan
ever could.
She stared into his large blue eyes. Hers had taken on a form of surprise.
He gazed deeply back at her, a glint of hope shining in his eyes.
"Theresa, I," he began, but she backed away, which made him pause.
He looked at her mysteriously as she tried to busy herself with tending to little
Ethan so she could figure out how she felt about what he had just said.
Sighing, he sat down on her bed, scratching his head and muttering to himself. Maybe I
shouldn't have told her just yet, he thought to himself dejectedly. Maybe I should have given
her time to get over Ethan a little bit before I told her.
"Fox," Theresa whispered a few minutes later, as he was almost falling asleep. She
gently stirred him awake.
"Oh. Theresa," he answered, a bit groggy. "I should go. Goodnight."
"No, wait!" Theresa cried out. "There's something we have to talk about."
~*~ There was a time, When, he tried
to be the one who would
give you all you deserve
Now he's not trying ~*~
"Ok, what is it, Ther?" he asked her. She had grabbed his full attention. He stared at
her intently, hoping beyond hope that she would say what he wanted her to. That she would
forget Ethan completely and move on with him.
"I just, I, was thinking about what you said earlier," she said. "And you're right.
I should let Ethan know that I won't be chasing after him anymore like a little girl. I'm
going to be strong. I will move on. And as for you, I must admit that yes, I am attracted
to you." She stopped talking as she waited for a reaction from him.
"Great!" he couldn't help exclaim. "But I don't believe in just talk; I want to see
the action."
"And you will," Theresa replied, as she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the
cheek. It sure was something new and different to her. But she liked Fox, and could see
herself off with him. "I'm going to go talk to Ethan."
He nodded as he followed her out of her room and into Ethan's, which was next door.
~*~ I should be your boyfriend (I should be your boyfriend)
Cause you know he's lyin' (Cause you know he's lyin')
It might seem like I'm hatin (Might seem like I'm hatin')
But I'm just relaaaaaatin' ~*~
"Ethan?" Theresa called, knocking on his locked door.
The door was opened a few seconds later to reveal a barely clad Ethan. On the large
bed nearby laid Gwen, with a angry look on her face once she saw who it was that had
interrupted them.
"I want to talk to you for a few minutes, Ethan," Theresa said firmly. "It's important."
"Oh, come on! Ethan, don't!" Gwen yelled exasperatedly from where she was. "Ethan
can't you see she's trying to win you over? Still?! My God, Theresa, give it up, he's a
married man now!"
"Please Ethan?" Theresa said in the same tone she had used before, completely ignoring
Gwen's words.
Ethan could tell from Theresa's expression that it was indeed important. He put on a
shirt and followed her outside.
~*~ Step One- Walk thru that door
Step Two- Tell him, he's not like he was before, you don't love him anymore
Now Three- Come to me
Step Four- I love you more
You will see our love's truly, cause there's four steps to complete ~*~
"I just wanted to say it's over, Ethan," Theresa said quickly. She wanted to get this
over with so she could move on with her life.
"What is, Theresa?" he asked her, struggling to understand what she meant.
"My whole facade to steal you away from Gwen. I give up. She's right. You're a married
man now, and besides, you've hurt me far more than you loved me. I can't want or be with a
person like that."
Ethan couldn't believe he was hearing this. Sure he had hurt her, but not on purpose!
"So," Theresa continued, not caring if he replied or not, "that is why I have decided
to give up everything that had previously been important to me. Your love. And I don't want
you to work for me anymore either, because I don't think I would want to see you anymore.
And I want you to leave the Mansion. You aren't a Crane, you shouldn't be living here!"
Ethan stared at her, perplexed. Am I hearing this all right? he wondered to himself.
I can't be.
~*~ Listen baby,
Your what I'm lookin' for
I've never mean much more
than what he's givin you
But you must let him know, that you can't take no more
(Oh nah nah)Replace him with...Someone who knows how to show
That, that feeling, to someone who deserves it
If you can't figure out, You got it all left out
Baby, just take.... ~*~
"Goodbye, Ethan," Theresa said simply as she walked back into her room, leaving a
helpless Ethan standing there in the hallway, looking at her retreating form, his mouth
hanging open with an O of surprise.
Fox followed her back into her bedroom. He gave her a hug. That was not an easy thing
to do, but Theresa had been strong, and had held her ground. She hadn't wavered once.
"I'm proud of you, Theresa," he told her, as they broke away from their hug.
"Thank you, Fox," she answered, smiling up at him. "I'm beginning to get over Ethan."
"That's good," he told her. "But you know, you haven't completed all aspects of my
plan yet."
~*~ Step One- Walk thru that door
Step Two- Tell him, he's not like he was before, you don't love him anymore
Now Three- Come to me
Step Four- I love you more
You will see our love's truly, cause there's four steps to complete ~*~
Theresa laughed. "What's left to do?" she asked him.
"Well let's see," he said. "There were four parts. You walked through that door and
told him how you feel, but you have yet to come to me and let me love you."
"Hmm," Theresa said amused. "You're right." She stepped closer to him and did something
she hadn't done in a while. Kissed a guy other than Ethan.
Her lips inched closer to his and she placed her hand at the back of his head, as he
caressed her soft lips with his. It was an innocent first kiss between them, but they each
knew it had potential. Potential to be something each one had been yearning for - a TRUE love.
Fox Crane was in his 'stepmommy's' suite, sipping champagne with her as she went on
and on about her ex-fiancée, Ethan Winthrop, who also happened to be his half-brother.
"I know he loves me," Theresa said, a look of determination covering her features.
"His marriage to Gwen is just a minor setback. He'll be mine again." She turned to look at
Fox, hoping her optimism about her chances with Ethan would have an agreeable effect on
someone else.
"How many times has he hurt you, Theresa?" Fox couldn't help exclaim impatiently.
He was getting sick of seeing a wonderful person like Theresa devote all of her energies
on something that was useless, such as her pursuit of Ethan. "You say he loves you, and
that you love him, but I also detect a look of pain cross those beautiful features of
yours every time you mention him. As much as you say he loves you, he hurts you, too,
doesn't he?"
Theresa turned her back on Fox as she absorbed his words. He was right. Deep down
she knew what he was saying was true.
~*~ Girl I Know He aint takin' care of you
I see it in your face
And I know thats not the man that you really want
You know?
So if your sick & tired of him, then come see me...
Yeea..Yeeaaahh. Whoa...WHoooooaah(I'm a betta man anyways)~*~
Fox watched Theresa's back, wondering what she was thinking at the moment. I'm so
much better for her than Ethan ever will be, he thought to himself.
Theresa turned around to face Fox. "You noticed that?"
He nodded. "Theresa, not even you knew this about yourself until this moment."
"You're right," she replied, nodding her head in agreement.
~*~ Lies and deceit
I know, you feel this with your man
Cause when there, all i see, is crying ~*~
"How many sleepless nights have you spent, Theresa?" Fox asked her, pacing her
room. "How many times have you cried yourself to sleep over him? Love hurts, but it
shouldn't hurt this much!"
"What are you saying, Fox?" she pressed. "Are you saying I should give up on the
love I feel for him? The love that has been inside of me for much of my life? I can't turn
it off like a light switch."
"I'm not asking you to," he replied quickly. "But you should move on...find someone
else."
He stopped talking as he stared into her eyes, hinting that he should and could be
the 'someone else.'
~*~ I should be your boyfriend (I should be your boyfriend)
Cause you know he's lyin' (Cause you know he's lyin)
It might seem like I'm hatin' (Might seem like I'm hatin')
Gurl I'm just relatin' (Ooohh WHoooa) ~*~
"You're only saying this because of the animosity you have against your half-brother.
I won't listen to this, Fox!" Theresa said insistently.
Fox grabbed her hand before she could walk out of the room. "Look I know you think that
way, Theresa and I'll admit, part of me is telling you this because of the ill will I have
against Ethan, but tell me, doesn't what I'm saying make sense?" He half-released his grip
on her as he made her come to terms with what he had just said.
"Yes," Theresa replied, after a moment of silence. "It makes perfect sense. And I
totally agree. I just wish you were wrong, you know? That Ethan loved me more than he hurt
me. She sighed as she felt a tear fall down her face.
Fox gently wiped the tears from her eyes.
"You should tell him that you're not going to chase after him anymore. You're better
than that, Theresa. Besides, there are people, at least one, who can and do love you more
than he ever did!"
Theresa looked up at him, surprised at his last sentence. "Like who?" she asked curiously.
~*~ Step One- Walk thru that door
Step Two- Tell him, he's not like he was before, you don't love him anymore
Now Three- Come to me
Step Four- I love you more
You will see our love's truly, cause there's four steps to complete ~*~
"Like me," he said courageously, finally letting her know how he felt about her. He
was falling in love with her, and deep down he knew that he could make her happier than Ethan
ever could.
She stared into his large blue eyes. Hers had taken on a form of surprise.
He gazed deeply back at her, a glint of hope shining in his eyes.
"Theresa, I," he began, but she backed away, which made him pause.
He looked at her mysteriously as she tried to busy herself with tending to little
Ethan so she could figure out how she felt about what he had just said.
Sighing, he sat down on her bed, scratching his head and muttering to himself. Maybe I
shouldn't have told her just yet, he thought to himself dejectedly. Maybe I should have given
her time to get over Ethan a little bit before I told her.
"Fox," Theresa whispered a few minutes later, as he was almost falling asleep. She
gently stirred him awake.
"Oh. Theresa," he answered, a bit groggy. "I should go. Goodnight."
"No, wait!" Theresa cried out. "There's something we have to talk about."
~*~ There was a time, When, he tried
to be the one who would
give you all you deserve
Now he's not trying ~*~
"Ok, what is it, Ther?" he asked her. She had grabbed his full attention. He stared at
her intently, hoping beyond hope that she would say what he wanted her to. That she would
forget Ethan completely and move on with him.
"I just, I, was thinking about what you said earlier," she said. "And you're right.
I should let Ethan know that I won't be chasing after him anymore like a little girl. I'm
going to be strong. I will move on. And as for you, I must admit that yes, I am attracted
to you." She stopped talking as she waited for a reaction from him.
"Great!" he couldn't help exclaim. "But I don't believe in just talk; I want to see
the action."
"And you will," Theresa replied, as she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the
cheek. It sure was something new and different to her. But she liked Fox, and could see
herself off with him. "I'm going to go talk to Ethan."
He nodded as he followed her out of her room and into Ethan's, which was next door.
~*~ I should be your boyfriend (I should be your boyfriend)
Cause you know he's lyin' (Cause you know he's lyin')
It might seem like I'm hatin (Might seem like I'm hatin')
But I'm just relaaaaaatin' ~*~
"Ethan?" Theresa called, knocking on his locked door.
The door was opened a few seconds later to reveal a barely clad Ethan. On the large
bed nearby laid Gwen, with a angry look on her face once she saw who it was that had
interrupted them.
"I want to talk to you for a few minutes, Ethan," Theresa said firmly. "It's important."
"Oh, come on! Ethan, don't!" Gwen yelled exasperatedly from where she was. "Ethan
can't you see she's trying to win you over? Still?! My God, Theresa, give it up, he's a
married man now!"
"Please Ethan?" Theresa said in the same tone she had used before, completely ignoring
Gwen's words.
Ethan could tell from Theresa's expression that it was indeed important. He put on a
shirt and followed her outside.
~*~ Step One- Walk thru that door
Step Two- Tell him, he's not like he was before, you don't love him anymore
Now Three- Come to me
Step Four- I love you more
You will see our love's truly, cause there's four steps to complete ~*~
"I just wanted to say it's over, Ethan," Theresa said quickly. She wanted to get this
over with so she could move on with her life.
"What is, Theresa?" he asked her, struggling to understand what she meant.
"My whole facade to steal you away from Gwen. I give up. She's right. You're a married
man now, and besides, you've hurt me far more than you loved me. I can't want or be with a
person like that."
Ethan couldn't believe he was hearing this. Sure he had hurt her, but not on purpose!
"So," Theresa continued, not caring if he replied or not, "that is why I have decided
to give up everything that had previously been important to me. Your love. And I don't want
you to work for me anymore either, because I don't think I would want to see you anymore.
And I want you to leave the Mansion. You aren't a Crane, you shouldn't be living here!"
Ethan stared at her, perplexed. Am I hearing this all right? he wondered to himself.
I can't be.
~*~ Listen baby,
Your what I'm lookin' for
I've never mean much more
than what he's givin you
But you must let him know, that you can't take no more
(Oh nah nah)Replace him with...Someone who knows how to show
That, that feeling, to someone who deserves it
If you can't figure out, You got it all left out
Baby, just take.... ~*~
"Goodbye, Ethan," Theresa said simply as she walked back into her room, leaving a
helpless Ethan standing there in the hallway, looking at her retreating form, his mouth
hanging open with an O of surprise.
Fox followed her back into her bedroom. He gave her a hug. That was not an easy thing
to do, but Theresa had been strong, and had held her ground. She hadn't wavered once.
"I'm proud of you, Theresa," he told her, as they broke away from their hug.
"Thank you, Fox," she answered, smiling up at him. "I'm beginning to get over Ethan."
"That's good," he told her. "But you know, you haven't completed all aspects of my
plan yet."
~*~ Step One- Walk thru that door
Step Two- Tell him, he's not like he was before, you don't love him anymore
Now Three- Come to me
Step Four- I love you more
You will see our love's truly, cause there's four steps to complete ~*~
Theresa laughed. "What's left to do?" she asked him.
"Well let's see," he said. "There were four parts. You walked through that door and
told him how you feel, but you have yet to come to me and let me love you."
"Hmm," Theresa said amused. "You're right." She stepped closer to him and did something
she hadn't done in a while. Kissed a guy other than Ethan.
Her lips inched closer to his and she placed her hand at the back of his head, as he
caressed her soft lips with his. It was an innocent first kiss between them, but they each
knew it had potential. Potential to be something each one had been yearning for - a TRUE love.