CHAPTER 29 Awake

"Fox, how is Teresa?"

"She's fine Whitney."

He stood in front of her for a moment.

"Whitney, I'm really sorry that I send you mixed signals and I'm really sorry that I hurt you."

She looked down feeling her eyes filling with tears.

"Fox, I really...."

Gwen came running out of the room.

"Fox, she is coming to. She opened her eyes."

A sigh of relief came over him. Suddenly, he felt really tired. He saw Ethan and Dylan heading inside Teresa's cubicle and he decided to join them. Whitney was about to follow but Gwen came in front of her.

"Leave Fox alone."

She walked back to the cubicle where everyone was standing. She could see Fox standing right in front of her bed.

"Where's the doctor?"

"He's on his way."

Just as Gwen had finished her sentence, he walked in.

"I will ask everyone to leave."

He looked at Fox.

"You can stay, seen as you are engaged to her."

"No, he isn't."

"Shut up Ethan. I live with her. That should be enough."

"Like I said, he can stay. Everyone else, get out."

"You know what doctor, I'll leave like everyone else." He stepped out of the cubicle and waited. He looked at Ethan who was staying away from Gwen. He looked at Gwen who was eying Whitney with suspicion. He looked at Dylan who seemed so out of place in a hospital.

"I'm glad to see that Teresa is waking up. I'll just go back to the office."

He went up to Fox.

"No hard feelings, Fox?"

Fox smiled for the first time since he heard that Teresa had been shot.

"No hard feelings."

Dylan leaned near Fox's ear and whispered.

"I'd watch my back if I were you. The gloves are coming off. Watch your back, Ethan and Whitney are up to something."

"Yes, of course I'll call you if there's anything I need. Thanks Dylan."

"What are friends for, right? Even if it's me."

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The doctor was inside the cubicle with Teresa.

"You are a very lucky young woman, Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald. I truly believe that someone was looking over you last night."

"Where am I?"

"The hospital. You were shot practically 48 hours ago."

She tried to sit up but she didn't feel her legs.

"No, don't move. You have a back injury."

"Why can't I feel my legs?"

"Don't worry, you'll need rehab but you'll be as good as new."

"What?"

"I'll call your fiancé and friends back in."

"Who?"

He went outside and let the others in, but spoke to Fox before he let him follow them. He saw Ethan sitting beside her and felt repulsed.

"Are you the man I'm engaged to?"

"What?"

"The doctor said that he was going to let my friends and the man I was engaged to in my room."

"Are you alright, Teresa?"

She looked at the man with the deep voice.

"Is that my name?"

"Gwen, call the doctor back in, please."

Gwen left and Fox sat on Teresa's bed facing her. He took her hand.

"What do you remember?"

"Nothing, I think."

They looked at each other just as the doctor came back in.

"You stay, the others leave."

Fox got up from the bed and let the doctor look at Teresa again.

"It's her head trauma. It's amnesia but I think it will go away on its own when she goes back home."

"And when will that be?"

"In a few days."

Fox sat back down again and put her hair behind her ear.

"Do you remember your son?"

"We have a son?"

"Why would you assume that?"

"Because we are engaged."

The doctor left the cubicle, and Gwen and Ethan came back inside.

"No, Teresa. We are not engaged. I just said that because it was easier for me to see you."

She was crying.

"I can barely move my legs."

"Don't worry, I will help you and everything will be like before."

Teresa turned to Ethan who had just said that. She looked at Fox.

"Your face is familiar, but yours I can't remember at all."

"You remember my face?"

She moved her hand on Fox's face, touching his lips, his eyes, his nose, his cheeks.

"I kissed you once."

He smiled at her.

"Yes, you did."

Ethan was angry.

"You let him kiss you? What's the matter with you Teresa? He is bad news."

She put her hands on her ears and started sobbing.

"Make him stop, please make him stop."

Fox got up and walked up to Ethan.

"Get the hell out, you're upsetting her."

"I will leave when I'm good and ready."

"Do you want to spend the night in jail? Because I can fix that for you."

He pushed Ethan out of the room.

"Gwen, stay with her please."

"Of course."

She sat on the chair and gave Teresa a tissue.

"Thank you."

"Teresa, I wanted to say something to you. Thank you for saving my life."

"I saved your life?"

"Yes, you threw yourself in front of me. Thank you."

Teresa didn't say anything.

"I can't remember you. I'm trying but I can't."

"Don't worry about it. You have some memory of Fox and that's all that matters. The rest will come back to you."

"What is Fox to me?"

"How do you mean?"

"I don't remember my son, but I remember him. Why?"

"Fox and you are very good friends and you live together. You have very strong feelings for one another."

"I see. Do you think I can see my son."

"Your sister is on her way with him right now."

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"What's going on?"

Paloma had arrived with little Ethan in her arms.

"Your sister has amnesia and this jerk was been rude to her."

Paloma stared at Ethan feeling anger course through her body. She handed Fox the baby.

"You are unbelievable. Leave her the hell alone. If you don't, I will make you regret the day you were born."

"You think I'm scared of you, Paloma? You are nothing but a little girl."

"A little girl who grew up with 3 brothers and lived with 4 cousins. I'd be worried if I were you because I will beat you to a bloody pulp."

"Like I said..."

She put her hand into a fist and punched him right in the face.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Fox's mouth dropped, he couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. How can a young woman who is so petite have so much power in that arm. She certainly knew how to throw a punch. She took the baby from.

"I will have you arrested for assault."

"And I can have you arrested for harassment. Two can play at that game."

They walked away from Ethan who was holding the side of his face.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side, Paloma."

"It was a long time coming. I wanted to clock him ever since I got back to Harmony."

*****************************

They both walked in Teresa's room and Paloma stopped when she saw Gwen.

"What is she doing here?"

"She's alright, Paloma."

Teresa looked at them and at the baby that was in the woman's arms.

"Hi Teresa, it's me, Paloma."

Teresa smiled politely at her.

"And this is little Ethan, your son."

She handed her the child and Teresa sat him on her lap. She smiled.

"Say good night, not good bye. You will never leave my heart behind..."

She caressed the child's hair and looked at Fox, Paloma and Gwen who were looking at her startled.

"What's wrong?"

"That's the song you sang to him the last time you put him to bed. Right before you left Harmony."

Teresa looked at Fox and smiled.