[:-{cHaPtEr 3}-:] cOnSeQuEnCeS
Summary: Gwen finds Fox and Theresa in a compromising situation and sparks fly! The consequences that arise are lethal. Sam begins to see the old Ivy that he used to know and love. This chapter will be kind of lengthy, so bear with me.
Thanks to all the people who review! I don't know for the love of God y u would actually read my fics but I appreciate it! *muah*
"Mother..." sighed Gwen.
"Gwennie! Sweetheart, your wedding is coming up and you haven't even picked out your wedding dress yet!" Rebecca Hotchkiss exclaimed.
"I'm really not in the mood right now, please." Gwen replied without emotion, she was feeling less than enthusiastic to pick a gown to wear to marry a man she knew she no longer loved.
"Do you not want to go out right now, honey? Well, we could ask all the fabulous designers to come and bring the dresses here. You would have the privacy of your own home trying on the dress to become the next Mrs. Ethan Crane."
Gwen's lips twisted upward but not happily. It was a lose-lose situation; her mother would stop at nothing to get her to marry Ethan. Sometimes, she even thought her own mother lusted after him, she didn't think it often as it was very disturbing. She shut her eyes and wanted to escape. She thought quickly in her mind for an excuse to get away from having to choose a dress and listen to her overbearing mother drone on and on about Ethan.
"There is plenty of time to choose a dress, Mother. After all, what's the point of a girl choosing a dress when she clearly can't tell what she wants right now? I might choose something that looks horrid." Gwen said, using the first excuse that popped into her mind. She crossed her fingers hoping her mother would buy it.
"Gwen, you know well enough that you can never look horrible in anything. You'll be the belle of the ball. Of course, second only to me." Rebecca replied staring into her self-centered reflection in her compact.
Gwen turned around so that her mother wouldn't be able to see her roll her eyes. "Yes, well, since you're very much in the mood wouldn't it be much more enjoyable that YOU pick your dress first?" Gwen gave her mother a phony smile that she has perfected to please Rebecca.
Rebecca looks thoughtful. "Hm... Gwen you have a point, honey. It wouldn't hurt to see my dresses and then have you model for me another time. Yes, go on sweetie, you don't look so good." Rebecca was already heading towards the telephone trying to make herself up at the same time.
Gwen rolled her eyes once more and bounded toward the stairs. Luckily, Ethan was at work and would mostly like be there for a very long time. Fox, on the other hand was in his room. She half wished that he would come in her room. As she sat on the foot of the bed, she fought the temptation to bound toward his room, kiss him, and let things take their course. But she knew that she couldn't. She wished that she didn't have so much pride. That was the big part that kept her away from Fox. She was also scared of the effect that they might have on their families. Ethan was already having a tough time dealing with the situation his mother was in. Her own mother kept nonstop blabbing about Ethan this, Ethan that. How much better life would be when she married Ethan, just blah blah BS.
She was dressed in a simple red tank top and black capris that showed off her figure subtly. She lay down on the bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about Fox. It seemed that he was always on her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about him and she wanted it to stop. She gets up and opens the drawer on the nightstand next to the bed. She pulls out an elegant, thin silver bracelet. On the back is engraved:
"I pledge my love forever to you, Gwen. - Nick"
Gwen tries to hold back the tears forming in her eyes but loses the battle. They flow freely and flood her cheeks. It was one of the only times that Fox used his real name and declare his love for a woman, no less. Gwen remembers the day he gave that bracelet to her distinctly. She could never forget the warmth and sincere love on his face when he gave that to her. It was on their 3-month anniversary that he gave it to her. The only times she had ever felt complete and whole with herself was when she was with Fox. It pained her to know that instead of wearing the bracelet she had to wear a ring that would bind her with Ethan for all time. But the only one she wanted to be with for all time was Fox.
Gwen decides to swallow her pride and go to see Fox herself. She finds the door cracked open and decides to just go in.
"Nick I..." Gwen's eyes widen, as she looks at Fox... with Theresa!
Theresa was sitting on Fox's bed looking very comfortable while he half stood above her massaging her shoulders. They looked very intimate and seemed to be enjoying each other's company very much.
Fox looks up at the voice that came from his door and his face pales. Theresa looks angry at the interruption. Fox immediately takes his hands off Theresa and his arms hang at his sides.
"Do you MIND, Gwen?" Theresa says irritably with a wave of her hand.
Gwen is still stunned. There was nothing more that she wanted to do but throttle that little bimbo but she couldn't. If Ethan found out what she did, but he would be suspicious as to the reasons why. She wanted nothing more but to give in to the temptation to slap her.
"We were in the middle of something, Gwen. I suppose that Ethan's gone so you've gone to find his brother for a little FUN?" Theresa says with a hint of nastiness.
Gwen's pretty features twist in anger. Theresa gives her a little smirk. Fox is still stunned at the position the woman he loved found him in with ANOTHER woman. Stunned, embarrassed, ashamed, those words all fit to describe his expression.
"Or maybe some strange guy you find on the street? Those are your fun little excursions you have, right Gwen?"
Gwen's eyes narrow and flash with anger. She gives in to temptation. She slaps Theresa accurately and hard across the cheekbone causing Theresa to nearly stumble onto the floor.
"Who the HELL do you think you are, you little tramp?! You have the audacity to imply that I am a slut? Hm... I seem to recall that some girl who claimed to love this guy, ran off his with the guy's father, got drunk, got LAID by the guy's father, is PREGNANT by the guy's father and LIES about the whole situation to the guy she supposedly loved? Anything I'm missing out, Theresa?" Gwen feels as if a huge weight is lifted off her shoulders and shakes from the emotion involved.
Theresa's jaw drops open practically to the ground. Fox is also shocked to the core. Theresa storms out the room in a fury.
"Gwen..." Fox walks over to Gwen and tries to put his hands on her shoulders.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Gwen yells. "Especially not after you touched her! And to think I was going to come and talk to you about... you know what, never mind!"
Fox winces as if she slaps him. He slowly backs up but realizes that this is not the way to deal with her. She is angry, he knows that and she wants a BIG explanation from him for catching him with Theresa.
Gwen crosses her arms with her back towards Fox. Her conscience and pride screams at her to leave and leave him behind forever. But her heart disagrees and causes her to stay in his room.
"What is it?" Fox says softly.
Gwen whirls around and yells, "NOTHING, GODAMMIT!"
In a softer voice she says, "I thought that maybe this could work out but it never will. You're still the same, Fox. You lust after other little pretty girls after you confessed your love to another. I am engaged and I have feelings for him. I won't deny that I love you but when Ethan and I get married I'll develop those feelings for him, it's only a matter of time."
Fox felt as if she thrust her hand in his heart, pulled it out, threw it on the ground, shattering it to pieces and squishing them under her feet to make sure. He never felt more pain in his heart and guts until this moment. She called him Fox; he didn't mind it from anyone else, but not Gwen. Not his Gwen, she NEVER called him Fox. But the part that hurt most that she said that WHEN Ethan and I get married not IF. It practically gave him nothing to hang on to. And then saying that she will love Ethan eventually as she loves Fox now.
"No..." Fox pleads.
"Yes. I will marry Ethan, I will love him, I will have his children, and we will live very happily. I don't want to see you anymore, Nick. We may have to because we're currently living in the same household but as soon as Ethan and I get married we will move away."
Fox blinks as though he doesn't believe what has come out of her mouth. In a matter of minutes, he shattered any hope of having a future with Gwen. All because of a stupid mistake that he made. He couldn't help himself, and Theresa practically threw herself at him. He knew he should have resisted but for that momentary lapse he forgot about the woman he loved and it cost him dearly.
"You can't." Fox says with disbelief.
"I can and will, Nick. You can't stop me."
* * * *
Ivy was sleeping softly not aware that Sam was watching her sleep. She looked so angelic and sweet as she had when he first met her. He had woken up in the middle of the night to take a leak and decided to check up on Ivy to make she was all right. Her eyes started to flutter open and Sam was nervous that she would get angry. It was too late for him to get out; she was awake and would just get more suspicious if she heard the door open and close.
Her eyes began to look around the room and she got uncomfortable. She wasn't used to this house and her eyes began to search the environment and finally her eyes settled on Sam. Even in the darkness there was a small beam of light from moon outside from the open window. She was surprised to see Sam in her room at this time of day.
"Sam, is that you?" Ivy asks sleepily.
Sam is startled that Ivy is able to recognize him even in the dark. He replies, "Yes, Ivy. I just wanted to check if you're all right."
"I'm fine. Is that the real reason you're here?" Ivy says hopefully.
Sam knew that Ivy still loved him and was trying to do anything to get him back. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but then he would be betraying Grace. He wouldn't exactly be lying to say that the real reason was that he wanted to watch her sleep but he would be betraying Grace, the woman he was married to and loved.
"Uh..." Sam stammered.
Ivy flicked on the light that sat on the nightstand next to the bed. The bright light made Sam squint as he was staring in the dark for a while. He blinked hoping to get rid of the irritable feeling in his eyes. He stared at his lap waiting to see if Ivy would say anything. Lucky for him, she did.
"It's okay, Sam. I didn't expect you to answer that question anyway. I know that I've done many terrible things over the years and I just want to apologize. Keeping Ethan away from you all those years, it was all my fault. I didn't mean any of it." Ivy stared at the ground and sounded sincerely genuine.
"No, it's over Ivy. We have to stop living in the past. I'm in Ethan's life now and that's all that matters to me. I have forgiven you for all those things and I am never one to hold a grudge." Sam said truthfully.
"I just want you to know that I've decided to let you live your life. I've given up the hope that maybe you would come back to me. As soon as I find a place to stay, I will get out of your way. I can't do this anymore, I want you to love me, but not because of some evil twist or plot I thought of to MAKE you love me. I want it to be for real, like when we younger. I know that you love Grace and I accept it, I just want you to know, I will always love you, Sam Bennett." Ivy said, tears spilling onto her cheeks.
Sam was completely taken aback by Ivy's declaration and was speechless. He knew that Ivy was now changed. She was like the Ivy that he knew when they were both in high school. Genuine, sincere, and kind. Part of him wished that he wasn't married and he was free to love Ivy. The other part was just very touched that Ivy had said those words. Ironic, how every time Ivy tried to plot to make Sam love her, it pushed him away more. And when she decides to stop completely and decide to let him live his life, he begins to see her in a brand new light. Well, actually an old light that he used to love.
"Ivy..." Sam started.
"No, no. Don't say a word. I feel embarrassed enough as it is. And I don't expect you to return those feelings for me after all I've done. Why don't you just go back to sleep, I'm sorry if I disturbed you this way." Ivy said.
"Ivy... I... don't know what to say right now."
"There's nothing else for you to say. But I thank you for listening. Goodnight, Sam." Ivy replied and getting ready to go back to sleep.
"Ivy..." Sam paused. "Goodnight."
He stared at her one more time before closing the door.
Summary: Gwen finds Fox and Theresa in a compromising situation and sparks fly! The consequences that arise are lethal. Sam begins to see the old Ivy that he used to know and love. This chapter will be kind of lengthy, so bear with me.
Thanks to all the people who review! I don't know for the love of God y u would actually read my fics but I appreciate it! *muah*
"Mother..." sighed Gwen.
"Gwennie! Sweetheart, your wedding is coming up and you haven't even picked out your wedding dress yet!" Rebecca Hotchkiss exclaimed.
"I'm really not in the mood right now, please." Gwen replied without emotion, she was feeling less than enthusiastic to pick a gown to wear to marry a man she knew she no longer loved.
"Do you not want to go out right now, honey? Well, we could ask all the fabulous designers to come and bring the dresses here. You would have the privacy of your own home trying on the dress to become the next Mrs. Ethan Crane."
Gwen's lips twisted upward but not happily. It was a lose-lose situation; her mother would stop at nothing to get her to marry Ethan. Sometimes, she even thought her own mother lusted after him, she didn't think it often as it was very disturbing. She shut her eyes and wanted to escape. She thought quickly in her mind for an excuse to get away from having to choose a dress and listen to her overbearing mother drone on and on about Ethan.
"There is plenty of time to choose a dress, Mother. After all, what's the point of a girl choosing a dress when she clearly can't tell what she wants right now? I might choose something that looks horrid." Gwen said, using the first excuse that popped into her mind. She crossed her fingers hoping her mother would buy it.
"Gwen, you know well enough that you can never look horrible in anything. You'll be the belle of the ball. Of course, second only to me." Rebecca replied staring into her self-centered reflection in her compact.
Gwen turned around so that her mother wouldn't be able to see her roll her eyes. "Yes, well, since you're very much in the mood wouldn't it be much more enjoyable that YOU pick your dress first?" Gwen gave her mother a phony smile that she has perfected to please Rebecca.
Rebecca looks thoughtful. "Hm... Gwen you have a point, honey. It wouldn't hurt to see my dresses and then have you model for me another time. Yes, go on sweetie, you don't look so good." Rebecca was already heading towards the telephone trying to make herself up at the same time.
Gwen rolled her eyes once more and bounded toward the stairs. Luckily, Ethan was at work and would mostly like be there for a very long time. Fox, on the other hand was in his room. She half wished that he would come in her room. As she sat on the foot of the bed, she fought the temptation to bound toward his room, kiss him, and let things take their course. But she knew that she couldn't. She wished that she didn't have so much pride. That was the big part that kept her away from Fox. She was also scared of the effect that they might have on their families. Ethan was already having a tough time dealing with the situation his mother was in. Her own mother kept nonstop blabbing about Ethan this, Ethan that. How much better life would be when she married Ethan, just blah blah BS.
She was dressed in a simple red tank top and black capris that showed off her figure subtly. She lay down on the bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about Fox. It seemed that he was always on her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about him and she wanted it to stop. She gets up and opens the drawer on the nightstand next to the bed. She pulls out an elegant, thin silver bracelet. On the back is engraved:
"I pledge my love forever to you, Gwen. - Nick"
Gwen tries to hold back the tears forming in her eyes but loses the battle. They flow freely and flood her cheeks. It was one of the only times that Fox used his real name and declare his love for a woman, no less. Gwen remembers the day he gave that bracelet to her distinctly. She could never forget the warmth and sincere love on his face when he gave that to her. It was on their 3-month anniversary that he gave it to her. The only times she had ever felt complete and whole with herself was when she was with Fox. It pained her to know that instead of wearing the bracelet she had to wear a ring that would bind her with Ethan for all time. But the only one she wanted to be with for all time was Fox.
Gwen decides to swallow her pride and go to see Fox herself. She finds the door cracked open and decides to just go in.
"Nick I..." Gwen's eyes widen, as she looks at Fox... with Theresa!
Theresa was sitting on Fox's bed looking very comfortable while he half stood above her massaging her shoulders. They looked very intimate and seemed to be enjoying each other's company very much.
Fox looks up at the voice that came from his door and his face pales. Theresa looks angry at the interruption. Fox immediately takes his hands off Theresa and his arms hang at his sides.
"Do you MIND, Gwen?" Theresa says irritably with a wave of her hand.
Gwen is still stunned. There was nothing more that she wanted to do but throttle that little bimbo but she couldn't. If Ethan found out what she did, but he would be suspicious as to the reasons why. She wanted nothing more but to give in to the temptation to slap her.
"We were in the middle of something, Gwen. I suppose that Ethan's gone so you've gone to find his brother for a little FUN?" Theresa says with a hint of nastiness.
Gwen's pretty features twist in anger. Theresa gives her a little smirk. Fox is still stunned at the position the woman he loved found him in with ANOTHER woman. Stunned, embarrassed, ashamed, those words all fit to describe his expression.
"Or maybe some strange guy you find on the street? Those are your fun little excursions you have, right Gwen?"
Gwen's eyes narrow and flash with anger. She gives in to temptation. She slaps Theresa accurately and hard across the cheekbone causing Theresa to nearly stumble onto the floor.
"Who the HELL do you think you are, you little tramp?! You have the audacity to imply that I am a slut? Hm... I seem to recall that some girl who claimed to love this guy, ran off his with the guy's father, got drunk, got LAID by the guy's father, is PREGNANT by the guy's father and LIES about the whole situation to the guy she supposedly loved? Anything I'm missing out, Theresa?" Gwen feels as if a huge weight is lifted off her shoulders and shakes from the emotion involved.
Theresa's jaw drops open practically to the ground. Fox is also shocked to the core. Theresa storms out the room in a fury.
"Gwen..." Fox walks over to Gwen and tries to put his hands on her shoulders.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Gwen yells. "Especially not after you touched her! And to think I was going to come and talk to you about... you know what, never mind!"
Fox winces as if she slaps him. He slowly backs up but realizes that this is not the way to deal with her. She is angry, he knows that and she wants a BIG explanation from him for catching him with Theresa.
Gwen crosses her arms with her back towards Fox. Her conscience and pride screams at her to leave and leave him behind forever. But her heart disagrees and causes her to stay in his room.
"What is it?" Fox says softly.
Gwen whirls around and yells, "NOTHING, GODAMMIT!"
In a softer voice she says, "I thought that maybe this could work out but it never will. You're still the same, Fox. You lust after other little pretty girls after you confessed your love to another. I am engaged and I have feelings for him. I won't deny that I love you but when Ethan and I get married I'll develop those feelings for him, it's only a matter of time."
Fox felt as if she thrust her hand in his heart, pulled it out, threw it on the ground, shattering it to pieces and squishing them under her feet to make sure. He never felt more pain in his heart and guts until this moment. She called him Fox; he didn't mind it from anyone else, but not Gwen. Not his Gwen, she NEVER called him Fox. But the part that hurt most that she said that WHEN Ethan and I get married not IF. It practically gave him nothing to hang on to. And then saying that she will love Ethan eventually as she loves Fox now.
"No..." Fox pleads.
"Yes. I will marry Ethan, I will love him, I will have his children, and we will live very happily. I don't want to see you anymore, Nick. We may have to because we're currently living in the same household but as soon as Ethan and I get married we will move away."
Fox blinks as though he doesn't believe what has come out of her mouth. In a matter of minutes, he shattered any hope of having a future with Gwen. All because of a stupid mistake that he made. He couldn't help himself, and Theresa practically threw herself at him. He knew he should have resisted but for that momentary lapse he forgot about the woman he loved and it cost him dearly.
"You can't." Fox says with disbelief.
"I can and will, Nick. You can't stop me."
* * * *
Ivy was sleeping softly not aware that Sam was watching her sleep. She looked so angelic and sweet as she had when he first met her. He had woken up in the middle of the night to take a leak and decided to check up on Ivy to make she was all right. Her eyes started to flutter open and Sam was nervous that she would get angry. It was too late for him to get out; she was awake and would just get more suspicious if she heard the door open and close.
Her eyes began to look around the room and she got uncomfortable. She wasn't used to this house and her eyes began to search the environment and finally her eyes settled on Sam. Even in the darkness there was a small beam of light from moon outside from the open window. She was surprised to see Sam in her room at this time of day.
"Sam, is that you?" Ivy asks sleepily.
Sam is startled that Ivy is able to recognize him even in the dark. He replies, "Yes, Ivy. I just wanted to check if you're all right."
"I'm fine. Is that the real reason you're here?" Ivy says hopefully.
Sam knew that Ivy still loved him and was trying to do anything to get him back. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but then he would be betraying Grace. He wouldn't exactly be lying to say that the real reason was that he wanted to watch her sleep but he would be betraying Grace, the woman he was married to and loved.
"Uh..." Sam stammered.
Ivy flicked on the light that sat on the nightstand next to the bed. The bright light made Sam squint as he was staring in the dark for a while. He blinked hoping to get rid of the irritable feeling in his eyes. He stared at his lap waiting to see if Ivy would say anything. Lucky for him, she did.
"It's okay, Sam. I didn't expect you to answer that question anyway. I know that I've done many terrible things over the years and I just want to apologize. Keeping Ethan away from you all those years, it was all my fault. I didn't mean any of it." Ivy stared at the ground and sounded sincerely genuine.
"No, it's over Ivy. We have to stop living in the past. I'm in Ethan's life now and that's all that matters to me. I have forgiven you for all those things and I am never one to hold a grudge." Sam said truthfully.
"I just want you to know that I've decided to let you live your life. I've given up the hope that maybe you would come back to me. As soon as I find a place to stay, I will get out of your way. I can't do this anymore, I want you to love me, but not because of some evil twist or plot I thought of to MAKE you love me. I want it to be for real, like when we younger. I know that you love Grace and I accept it, I just want you to know, I will always love you, Sam Bennett." Ivy said, tears spilling onto her cheeks.
Sam was completely taken aback by Ivy's declaration and was speechless. He knew that Ivy was now changed. She was like the Ivy that he knew when they were both in high school. Genuine, sincere, and kind. Part of him wished that he wasn't married and he was free to love Ivy. The other part was just very touched that Ivy had said those words. Ironic, how every time Ivy tried to plot to make Sam love her, it pushed him away more. And when she decides to stop completely and decide to let him live his life, he begins to see her in a brand new light. Well, actually an old light that he used to love.
"Ivy..." Sam started.
"No, no. Don't say a word. I feel embarrassed enough as it is. And I don't expect you to return those feelings for me after all I've done. Why don't you just go back to sleep, I'm sorry if I disturbed you this way." Ivy said.
"Ivy... I... don't know what to say right now."
"There's nothing else for you to say. But I thank you for listening. Goodnight, Sam." Ivy replied and getting ready to go back to sleep.
"Ivy..." Sam paused. "Goodnight."
He stared at her one more time before closing the door.