Part XVIII

"As I was saying, there was an exit wound to the bullet. The biggest problem is that she lost a lot of blood. The next 24 to 36 hours will be critical to her full recovery."

"Can I see her?"

The doctor nodded.

"Of course. She is resting comfortably."

"I would like her to be moved to a private room, so that she isn't bothered."

"The nurse will see to it. She'll take you to her once they put her upstairs."

"Thank you doctor."

The doctor nodded once more and walked away. He spoke to the nurse for a moment and then left with her. Fox stood in the middle of the room.

"Mr. Crane?"

Fox turned around and recognized the police officer who had come to his door earlier, bearer of bad news.

"Yes?"

"These are the belongings of Ms. Lopez-Fitzgerald."

He handed him Teresa's beige purse which was in a transparent plastic bag and covered in blood. Inside it, Fox saw Teresa's watch, her bracelet and the gold chain she always wore. And the ring.

"She was wearing the ring when this happened?"

"I assume she was, the paramedics took off the jewellery and put it in the bag."

"Thank you."

The officer left and Whitney approached Fox.

"Is this some kind of joke that you two are married?"

He looked at her and didn't say anything. He saw the nurse approach him, he went up to her and followed her all the way into the elevator and then into Teresa's room. He walked inside and closed the door behind him. He stood in the middle of the room and felt his heart ache. He went to the bed and pulled a chair beside her and sat down.

*****

"Teresa, you need to pick yourself up, come one."

She looked at him and she cried even more.

"He took my baby, Fox. He took my son away."

"I know, but Teresa, it doesn't mean that you lost him, far from that. It's a minor set back, that's all. We will be going back to Harmony in a couple of days."

"I told you Fox. Our fate has to be our own or we are nothing."

Teresa got up from the bed and walked around the bedroom. He got up and followed her. He grabbed her arm and forced her to face him.

"What the hell is this nonsense, Teresa? Don't you ever learn? Fate has nothing to do with this. Look what this silly belief has gotten you into. It is time for you to snap out of it once and for all and grow up. The judge is going to want to see a capable woman standing before him, not a little girl. Teresa, it is time to let go and let your life take its course."

He looked at her and felt bad that he had been so rough.

"Look, Teresa. I'm not saying this to hurt you. But I think that this is something that you need to hear. Teresa, your life is about to change a lot and you need to adjust for yourself and for your son."

"You don't understand, Fox. I have done so many things that are coming back to hunt me. There were so many times when I put my love for Ethan ahead of my son. I tried to kill myself while I was pregnant with him, I almost made an orphan of him twice. And the list goes on."

"But everyone knows that you're a good mother, Teresa. Everyone knows how much you love your son."

"Yes, but the judge won't care about that. Fox I have no chance of getting him back. I have no last name, no money, and I can't provide a stable environment for him."

"Yes, you can."

"How?"

"Well, I've been thinking about this for a while. You know how much I love your son, right?"

Teresa nodded as Teresa watched his reaction.

"And there is one thing I don't want for him and it's to grow up the way I did, or turn out the way I did."

"I will be very proud if my son is half the man that you are Fox."

"Thank you for always having faith in me, Teresa."

He smiled at her and let go of her arm.

"Dylan told me a while ago that I found what I was always looking for."

"And what is that?"

"A family. You and little Ethan have become my family and I think you feel the same way. There's no way I will let my father tear this apart."

"How do you plan on doing this, Fox? Going up against Julian might cost you everything."

"I don't care about that, Teresa. What matters to me is that you get your son back, I'll deal with the consequences later."

"And how do you plan on doing this?"

"You and I should get married."

He looked at her astonished face and smiled.

"What? It's perfectly reasonable. You and I are already acting like a couple. For the past weeks I acted like little E's father. I love him and he is blood."

"Fox! You are amazing. But what about your mystery woman?"

He shook his head and smiled.

"You and little Ethan matter to me more than she ever will. Besides, I don't think I ever felt anything real for her."

"Still, I can't let you ruin your life for me like that."

Fox crossed his arms on his chest and looked at Teresa.

"If I thought it would ruin my life, Teresa I wouldn't have brought it up."

She went closer to him and planted a kiss on his lips. She put an arm around his neck and her other went up to his face as her hand trailed down his cheek as he felt himself shiver.

"I'm not going to say this because of what you're about to do for me and my son, Fox..."

She let go of him and went to the door and just as she was about to exit, she turned around and faced Fox.

"I think I love you, Fox."

And she walked out, closing the door behind her. Fox sat on the bed and stared at the door for a long while.

*****

Fox looked down at Teresa. She was pale from all the blood that she had lost and the ordeal her body had been through. He looked around and saw the machines and felt sick. He turned his attention to Teresa and took her hand in his.

"It was never Whitney, it was always you. My best friend and everything else that makes my world go round. You are it, Teresa, everything. You're everything. Hang in there, Teresa. Your son needs you, I need you."

He opened the bag the police officer had given him and took the diamond solitaire out. He looked at it for a few seconds then slipped it on her finger.

"I think I love you, Teresa."

*****

Ethan stood outside Teresa's room looking in and completely startled by Fox's revelation.

"Whitney?"