"This is a little weird." Theresa murmured as she lay in Fox's arms.

"Why do you say that?" he asked, stroking his fingers through her hair.

"We were just friends one day and now..." she drifted off.

"Are you ready to tell everyone about us?" Fox asked.

Theresa sat up and bit her bottom lip. "I'm not sure. I mean, everything's starting to die down with the rape stuff since the guys behind bars, and I know that everyone would make a big case about it."

Fox raised his eyebrows. "Everyone?"

"Yeah." she replied.

"Exactly who is 'everyone'?" he asked curiously.

Theresa looked down and didn't answer.

"It's Ethan isn't it? You don't want to tell him?" he said reading her mind.

Theresa sighed and faced Fox. "Ethan's gone through so much recently with him leaving Gwen and loosing his baby and me not returning his feelings..."

"So now you want to be sympathetic?"

"Basically."

Fox let out a loud sigh and rolled his eyes.

"I don't want to add onto his mountain of troubles." she argued.

"You love me and that's all that matters, right?" he said trying to get his point across.

Theresa nodded. "Yeah, but-"

"But WHAT? Who cares what Ethan thinks. I know you believe in fate and obviously we're meant for each other so that means Ethan will find someone else."

Theresa paused and thought for a moment. "You're right."

"You better know it." he said jokingly.

Smiling, Theresa crossed her arms across her chest. "And if I don't."

Fox leaned across and kissed her. "Now you do."

Theresa giggled and pulled Fox in for a longer kiss.

____________________________________________________________

"Hey there." Ethan said pulling up a chair next to Theresa at the cafe.

"Hey." Theresa said looking up and giving him a bright smile.

"What are you doing?" he said pointing at the papers.

"Oh." Theresa said putting the papers she had been looking through into a stack. "Just reading over these papers."

Ethan opened his mouth to say something but they were interrupted by Whitney's squeals.

"Theresa!" she exclaimed as she excitedly made her way over to the table.

"Hey Whit! What's up?" Theresa said greeting her friend.

"Ah! Why didn't you tell me!" Whitney said grinning.

"Tell you WHAT?" Theresa asked narrowing her eyebrows.

"You know, that you and Fox are dating! That is so great!" she squealed.

"Um." Theresa said looking over at Ethan who had a shocked expression on his face just like Theresa. "Yeah." she said turning back to Whitney.

Whitney read her friends face and replied, "Is now not a good time?"

"No! It's..uh, its great timing!" she lied.

"Well I have to meet Chad at the studio anyway so I'll be going! Bye!" she said leaving as fast as she entered.

Theresa stared after Whitney thinking of what she was going to say to Ethan.

"You...and Fox...are dating?" he finally managed to get out.

"Yeah." Theresa sighed.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why?" Theresa repeated. "Because we like each other, that's why!"

"But I thought you said that you didn't like him."

"Well obviously I do now." she said getting defensive.

"Out of all people why Fox? Fox is like slime!" Ethan said disgusted.

"He is not!" Theresa said angrily.

"Hi there." Ivy said suddenly appearing.

"Mother." Ethan said sitting up.

"Am I interuppting something?" she asked looking from Ethan to Theresa.

"Matter of a fact you are. Theresa was just telling me that she and your son are dating." Ethan said turning to Theresa.

Theresa sighed and covered her face, angry that Ethan was telling Ivy.

"You and Fox are dating?" Ivy shrieked.

"You heard Ethan." Theresa said quietly.

"You two don't belong together!"

"That's exactly what I was thinking, Mother." Ethan agreed.

"Why not?" Theresa asked.

"Because! Fox is on a whole different level than you." Ivy pointed out.

"Levels can't change love. They can't hold or stop your emotions towards someone." she argued.

"Yes it can. Ethan would never dare to go to a level lower than him, would you Ethan?" she said turning to Ethan.

"N-no." Ethan stuttered.

"No!" Theresa yelled angrily. "So I guess you didn't tell your mother about our little affair...fling...whatever you want to call it!"

"What are you talking about Theresa?" Ivy asked.

"I guess your son never told you how we used to date and he's sitting here acting as if its wrong!"

"Would you excuse us?" Ethan said quickly pulling Theresa from her chair and taking her to a hall.

"What is your problem!" Theresa said pushing him away.

"Why did you tell her?"

"If you can tell my business then I sure as hell have a right to tell your dirty laundry. So why did you agree with her Ethan? Huh?" she said crossing her arms.

"Because when I stooped to your level I realized how stupid and wrong it is!" he yelled.

Theresa felt a sting to her heart at Ethan's words. "How STUPID? Dammit Ethan, it was love!"

"Until you misused it." he replied.

Theresa threw her hands in the air, not believing what she was hearing. "I misused it? No Ethan. From what I recall you're the one who slept with Gwen and got her pregnant while you were dating ME, AND you proposed to her without letting me know first! Don't even try to justify what you did with my relationship with Fox because it is no where near as selfish and heartless as what you did!"

Ethan looked down as his beeper rang. "I have to go. I'm sorry about this whole thing, I'll call you later about dinner or something ok?"

"Why do you do this?" Theresa asked.

"Do what?" he answered.

"Everytime we get in an argument or something you act as if a fancy dinner can make up for it."

"Because I love you, Theresa. Actions speak louder than words." he said softly.

"But words speak to the heart." she answered as a tear threatened to fall down her face.

"And now I know that." he said looking into her eyes.

Theresa felt a tug in her heart to pull Ethan into an embrace but she was interrupted by his beeper once again.

"I really have to get going. Take care of yourself." Ethan said. He took one last look at Theresa and turned to walk away.

Theresa wiped the tear that rolled down her cheek. Feelings began to tangle up inside of her. She felt love, anger, passion, confusion, lonelyness entangled with so many other things. She needed to untangle them and find out what feelings they were and who they belonged to before she made her decision.

_________________________________________________________________

Theresa slowly closed the trunk to her car as she put the last suitcase in. She sighed and turned around to face Fox who was watching her intently.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked.

Theresa nodded. "I think this job in LA will do me good. It'll give me time to heal over the rape...I just really need to be alone."

"Are you ever going to contact me?" Fox said not wanting her to go.

"I'll write you. I promise." she said taking his hand into hers.

"No matter where you are never forget that I love you." he said emotionally.

"I won't." Theresa replied as her vision became blurred with tears. She let go of his hand and walked away from him. Fox hoped that it wouldn't be forever.

(That's the end of Miss Independent Part 1! Soon there will be a sequal even more fun than the original!)