* I am not affiliated with NBC or James E. Reilly. I am simply borrowing the characters.
C H A P T E R S I X T E E N
Three's a crowd
Theresa rushed to get dressed and hurried out of her room. She bumped into Fox, the blow pushing them both down.
"Ouch!" Fox yelped as he hit the ground. Theresa responded with an "Umph" when she landed beside him.
"What's the rush?" Fox asked rubbing his backside.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to run into you like that. I have to get to the hospital. I called Ethan awhile ago, and he told me that Gwen was in labor. I'm going to check on them and to pick up Little Ethan.
"Wow. Gwen's in labor. Well, you shouldn't go alone. I'm coming with you."
"All right. We'll take your car then."
"That's a bad idea." Fox answered.
"Why?" Theresa wondered.
"I have no gas in my car."
"Great." Theresa said sarcastically.
Fox sighed. "Hmm, a means of transportation.." He trailed off.
"I know!" Theresa said. "Dylan."
"What about him?" Fox asked curiously.
"He might have a car we can borrow. Do you know what apartment he's in?"
"No, but I can find out." Fox replied. "Be right back."
Theresa sat down on the couch anxiously waiting for Fox to return with an apartment number.
"Got it." Fox said as he returned.
"That was pretty quick." Theresa said surprised.
"Well, you can get information in a snap when you've got connections."
"Okay, then. Let's find Dylan." Theresa said as she headed out the door.
Fox and Theresa ran quickly to 21-B where Dylan was supposedly staying. Theresa knocked three times before a shirtless Dylan answered. "Theresa," He said in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you so soon. What happened? You missed me too much?" Dylan winked.
Fox interrupted. "Hey, Dylan, look- enough with the flirting. We have something really important to ask you. Would you happen to have a car?"
"Geez, what a way to ruin the moment, Fox." Dylan replied. "Anyhow, yes, I do have a car."
"Great!" Theresa interjected. "Can we borrow it? We've got to get to the hospital as soon as possible."
"May I ask what for?" Dylan said.
"Well, you see, my friend Ethan happens to be the godfather of my son and he was spending some time with him. Well, Gwen, his wife, just went into labor and they're all at the hospital. Fox and I were hoping to see how Gwen and Ethan are. I also wanted to pick up my son."
"You have a son?" Dylan said. "Wow. I'd like to meet him sometime."
"Sure. In fact, you could meet him if you come along. " Theresa said smiling.
Fox raised his eyebrows and cleared his throat.
"Okay, Let me grab my car keys." Dylan left for a minute and then reappeared.
"Why don't you grab a shirt too?" Fox suggested.
"Oh, right." Dylan said and disappeared again. "I guess you couldn't stand the competition, Fox." He said after a moment and started laughing.
"Not funny, Dylan." Fox replied. "Let's go."
Theresa, Fox, and Dylan headed out to the parking lot. Once they were all in the car, Dylan sped off towards the hospital. Dylan decided to launch a series of questions to Theresa in attempts to find out more about her. Fox knew that his friend was trying to work his charm, and honestly didn't know how he felt about his old friend flirting with Theresa.
"So, Theresa, what's a pretty girl like you doing single?"
Theresa laughed. "Well, I was caught up in this one guy."
"Ethan." Fox mumbled.
"What's that, Fox?" Dylan asked.
"I said, Ethan. You know, my dear step-brother?"
"Oh," Dylan said knowingly. "That Ethan. Okay, Theresa, go on."
"I was in love with Ethan. Ever since I was a little girl, I had this belief that I'd marry him one day."
"What happened?" Dylan asked.
"I almost got married to him. You see, it all started when I worked in disguise as Ivy Crane's assistant."
"Disguised?" Fox and Dylan asked simultaneously.
"Um, before Ethan and I formally met, I had a series of mishaps every time we bumped into each other. Once, I spilled blue paint all over him. I've also managed to dump fish guts on him."
"Whoa." Dylan said while Fox laughed.
"When Ivy gave me the opportunity to be her assistant, I was thrilled yet scared because I was afraid of letting Ethan seeing me. He actually threatened to have me arrested for stalking him. Anyhow, luckily, he dropped the charges and his fiancé Gwen, now who is his wife, asked me to help her with her wedding. I got the opportunity to get closer to Ethan. I had my heart broken when he told me that all I felt towards him was a crush. Deep down, I felt that he loved me back. He did, in fact he proposed to me right before Christmas. We were going to get married, but our wedding day was interrupted when Ethan's true paternity was revealed. I was blamed for telling the tabloids that Ethan was the son of Sam Bennet. I had known about his true paternity because I had found documents that Ivy was hiding, but I never sent that information to the tabloids. No one believed me because the e-mail that was sent was traced to my computer. I still wonder who did that. Anyways, we postponed the wedding, but because of my foolish actions and Julian's lust, I ended up going to Bermuda, getting drunk, and getting pregnant all because I was trying to get Julian to adopt Ethan."
"Noble intentions, I suppose." Dylan responded.
"Well, I lied to Ethan from the start when I found out I was pregnant. Then, I finally told him. He was so hurt. Then, Ethan and Gwen began to get close again. I was almost close to winning him back. Ethan bought an engagement ring. I had found it in his coat pocket when he had stopped by my office when I had worked at Crane Industries. I thought he was going to propose to me. He almost did, but Gwen turned up pregnant. He told me that Gwen being pregnant 'changed everything.' He also told me, insisted really, that he loved Gwen more than he loved me. I think that was just a bunch of bull, to tell you the truth. He kept saying it over and over again. I went on this foolish pursuit to get him back. I actually got him to admit that he still was attracted to me."
"When was this?' Fox asked.
"A few days after I arrived here in L.A. In fact, it went like this."
(flashback)
"I know Ethan still loves me." Theresa said aloud. "I know he does." She got into her bed and snuggled in the covers. "Oh Ethan." She whispered. "If only you were here with me." Theresa slowly drifted off to sleep.
Ethan sighed as he returned to the Crane apartment.. "I hope Gwen will be all right. I wonder where our bags are at. Oh well, I'll call management tomorrow to see if anyone picked them up." Ethan went to the Crane apartment and searched his pocket for keys. He opened the door and went inside. "Wow," he said aloud. "Nice place. It's been kept up well."
Ethan did not realize that anyone was actually living in the apartment. Fox, Chad, and Whitney had decided to go out to a new club. Theresa had said that she was too tired to go out and went to her room. Ethan opened the lights and took a tour of the apartment. Pleased with the accommodations, Ethan decided to take a nap. "It's been a long day. I hope Gwen doesn't go into labor tonight. She's not due for a couple of months or so." Ethan walked slowly down the hall. He opened a door and hoped it would be a bedroom. Ethan decided to leave the light off and instead undressed and headed towards the bed. He sank beneath the covers and fell asleep instantly. He failed to realize that he was sharing a bed with his ex.
Theresa stirred when she felt the bed move. She rolled over and snuggled against a warm body. Theresa woke with a start. Someone's in the bed with me. She thought. Theresa rolled over to turn on the lamp. Ethan! She thought excitedly. He's here! This has to be a dream! Theresa pinched herself, and it hurt. It's not a dream. He's really here with me! Instead of waking Ethan, Theresa snuggled against him. He unintentionally responded by putting his arm around her. Theresa fondly remembered being held by Ethan. She reminisced about the night they made love. "Oh Ethan, Theresa said as she sighed happily. "Theresa." Ethan mumbled.
He just said my name! Theresa replied happily. Ethan said my name. He does love me. "Ethan," Theresa whispered in his ear. "It's me, I'm here, now."
"Mm~" Ethan replied snuggling closer.
"Wait a minute" Fox said interrupting Theresa.
"What is it Fox?" Theresa asked.
"That was the night me, Whitney, and Chad walked in on you guys isn't it?"
"Yes, it was." Theresa said.
"Well, if you're going to say that you two made passionate love, then please don't go into any gory details. I don't need any descriptions to serve as a means to visualize the actual act."
Dylan laughed. "What, can't stand the fact that Ethan made love to her and not you?" He teased.
Fox frowned. "Shut up and drive"
"Ooh, touchy touchy. Did I strike a nerve?" Dylan replied.
"I'll strike you if you don't shut your mouth." Fox said irritated.
"Okay, simmer down Fox." Theresa said. "And you," she said addressing Dylan. "Behave. No more comments from you."
"Aww, man!" Dylan said in a child-like tone.
"I mean it!" Theresa warned. "Great! We're here!" She said as they turned into the hospital parking lot.
"Aren't you going to finish telling us how you got Ethan to admit he was attracted to you?" Dylan asked.
"I'll think about it." Theresa said winking. "If you behave."
"Yes ma'm." Dylan said as Fox rolled his eyes.
~*~
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