Part VI

"Fox really cares about you, doesn't he?"

"He is a really great guy. It's a shame that his family doesn't realize it."

"Yes, you're right."

Teresa and Whitney were both in the kitchen making dinner.

"So what do you think his friend Dylan is like?"

"He is exactly like Fox. Bad and not to be trusted."

Teresa's head whipped as she heard the voice. She looked at Ethan and then turned back to Whitney.

As I was saying, Dylan and Fox go way back."

"Are you going to ignore me like that all the time."

Teresa put the bowl she had in her hands down on the counter and folded her arms on her chest, staring into Ethan's eyes with defiance. Ethan stared back, not recognizing what he saw.

"Why don't you go to Gwen, Ethan?"

"Am I talking to you Whitney? I want to speak to Teresa alone."

"No, you're not!"

"It's alright, Whitney. I'll be alright."

Whitney looked at Teresa and left the kitchen.

*****

Fox was in the pool holding little Ethan in his arms. The child was a little scared and was holding on the Fox's neck with his little hands tightly.

"Now that's what I call a very touching picture."

Fox looked up and frowned.

"I got to say, Fox. When you said that you were planning on brining the little tyke over to the City of Angels, I didn't believe you."

Fox concentrated his attention on his little brother. He walked towards the deep end of the pool and stopped when the water reached little Ethan's shoulder. The little boy was starting to relax a little.

"And why not, Dylan?"

"I don't know, something to do with how pissed you were the day you heard that your father had another son born by another woman. Maybe it has to do with the fact that your inheritance that is a wee bit smaller, say by at least a quarter. Not that you won't be able to survive or anything like that."

"And your point been?"

"You hated the child before you even laid eyes on him. What's the change of heart?"

Fox remained silent and walked back to the shallow end. He put Ethan Martin on the edge of the pool, came out of the water and picked him up again. He took him to the lounge chair and put a towel over him and started drying him.

Dylan was right, Fox had thrown a fit when he heard that his father had gotten Teresa pregnant. Her name had rang familiar in his ear and the didn't place her until he saw her at Ethan's wedding. The fact that his father had yet another Crane heir didn't sit well with Fox at all, but then he met Teresa and her son and he fell in love. Ethan Martin was a terrific little boy and he always seemed happy to see Fox arrive.

He recalled how on his first night in Harmony, he had sat in the bed that Pilar had made him in the nursery and how he had watched his half brother sleep for hours, peacefully. He remembered how he had wished that he could go back to simpler times and sleep like a baby, but that was time was long gone. He was an adult and had all the problems adults had.

"Things change, Dylan. This little guy is terrific and he is blood, my blood. I can never hate him or harbour ill feelings towards him. The fact that Teresa is his mother compensates for who his father is."

"I see. He takes more on the Crane side than Teresa's side, that's for sure. I somehow doubt that blond babies run in her family."

Quick footsteps were heard and Whitney showed up. Fox had a quick smile on his face and then disappeared as he saw the seriousness of her face.

"What's wrong Whitney?"

She stopped and went straight to him.

"You have to go to Teresa."

Fox felt a surge of panic come over him.

"What? What happened?"

"It's Ethan. We were making dinner and he came in the kitchen and insisted that he talks to Teresa."

Fox shot a disappointed and angry look at Whitney.

"Why would you leave her alone with him?"

"You know how she is, she told me to go and I came to you. Fox she is doing better today, go see her."

"I'm on my way, take care of the little guy."

"Sure."

"This is Dylan. He is the one who will be having dinner with us."

Whitney nodded and smiled at Dylan as Fox walked back to the apartment.

*****

"What do you want Ethan?"

"I wanted to apologize for my behaviour with you the other night."

"Apology accepted, now go!"

Ethan looked at Teresa and saw hostility in her eyes.

"I thought maybe we could talk about what happened."

Teresa had a sarcastic laugh as she shook her head.

"There is nothing to talk about and you made it abundantly clear that night."

"I won't deny that I don't have feelings for you."

Fox stood under the kitchen's door and stared at Ethan's back.

"Haven't you done enough damage, Ethan?"

At the mention of his name, Ethan turned and stared his brother down. He despised him and Fox despised him equally. They both glared at each other, one feeling utter disgust for one and the other feeling jealousy rising in him as he watched the woman of his life walk to his half brother and taking his arm.

"Ethan, if you don't leave this kitchen I will make you leave the apartment and I don't care that Gwen is pregnant. Then I will have you explain to her why I threw you out and how you kissed your ex-fiancée."

"I came here to speak to Teresa."

Fox smiled slightly as he looked at his brother. He wrapped an arm around Teresa's shoulders and she came closer to him to Ethan's dismay.

"If I were you, half bro, I would watch my tone. You are walking on thin ice. If it cracks, you will fall."

Ethan eyed his brother and Teresa with anger and chose to leave before things turned sour. Fox watched him go and heard the front door slam. The walls shook under the impact.

"Are you alright, Teresa?"

She simply nodded and sat down on one of the high chairs near the kitchen counter. Fox joined her and took her hand in his. He ran his thumb against the back of her hand."

"Why is he doing this to me?"

"I don't know."

"He wants to hurt me, he is trying to destroy me. I'm not strong enough for this."

Fox approached his stool from Teresa's and leaned close to her as he sat. he wiped the tears that were starting to slide from the corner of her eyes.

"Yes you are, Teresa. You are a strong woman and the strongest person I know. And I believe that a woman who is as strong as you are can take on anything and make it out in one piece, especially if that woman has love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is almost indestructible. And you are one of the most loving people I ever met in my life."

"I don't think I can do this alone."

Fox took Teresa in his arms and held her. He kissed her on her hair and spoke.

"Who said that you are alone, Teresa? You have me to help you through this and you me to lean on and if want to cry, my shoulder is here for you."

Fox let go of their embrace and looked at Teresa's face. She was somewhat calmer and the tears had stopped. She gave Fox a weak smile.

"That a girl, is this smile I see? I know you can do better than that."

Teresa gave him a wider smile and then she started laughing as he tickled her. She got up from the stool and they both started running around the wide kitchen, pushing chairs and other things out of their way. They both stopped on either side of the counter and looked at each other.

"You know that I love you, right?"

Fox's smile grew wider as he looked intently into Teresa's eyes.

"Of course I do. And you know that I love you, right?"

Teresa's face lit up as she held the connection between them.

"Of course I do."

"How about you and I finish preparing dinner?"

"Sounds like a plan. Thank you for coming to my rescue, Fox."

"You never have to thank me for that, Teresa. I'll always be there for you whenever you need me."

"I know I can always count on you."

*****

Dylan and Whitney stood outside the kitchen and looked in as Teresa and Fox bonded over the small and the big things.

'Fox is such a fool', Dylan kept thinking. There was a lot more between his best friend and Teresa than Fox was willing to admit. He kept wondering how Fox could sleep next to a woman such as Teresa every night and not be tempted by her. Dylan knew that if Teresa was in his bed every night, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands to himself. He then looked at Whitney who was smiling.

"You know, Dylan.Fox and Teresa need each other more than they realize. They make each other happy, don't they?"

Dylan looked at Fox and Teresa and smiled. The truth is he had never knows Fox to be this caring and if someone had told him, he wouldn't have believed it. Fox had changed, not only was he amazing to little Ethan down at the pool, but he showed more care, kindness and heart to Teresa than Dylan had ever thought possible.

"Fox certainly has changed."

Both Whitney and Dylan kept looking at Teresa and Fox who were oblivious to the world around them.