Part XX

Ethan waited in one of the corners of the hallway that led to Teresa's bedroom. He stood there and waited for Fox to leave the room before he went in.

"He is bound to leave sometime. He can't stay cooked up in there forever."

Just as the last words had come out of his mouth, he saw Fox walk past him to the elevator and get inside.

"Some husband, leaving his wife alone in her room, not knowing if she's going to be alright or not."

He made his way to Teresa's room and got inside, not closing the door behind him. He looked at her from where he was standing, then walked up to her bed and sat down, staring down at her face. He heard her cough and then her eyes opened slowly. She looked around, seemingly lost.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital, Teresa. You were shot a couple of days ago."

She closed her eyes and swallowed.

"I need water, my throat is really dry."

Ethan took the pitcher of water sitting on the bed side and filled the glass that was beside it. He took it to her lips and she drank slowly. She then gave it back to him.

"Where is Fox?"

"Fox?"

"Yes, Fox. I know he was here, I heard him talk to me. Where is he?"

"He left."

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"You saw me, now you can leave."

"I'm not one to leave the bedside of the woman I love, unlike Fox."

"If every two words that come out of your mouth is about how bad Fox is, then I don't want to hear it, Ethan. And as for you loving me, Ethan, you had your chance, and you missed it."

"Well, you have to hear the truth sometime about Fox, Teresa. And as for my love for you, you know the circumstances and why I had to marry Gwen."

"I do not want to hear your truth, Ethan. I know Fox better than anyone. And besides, you have no right to be here. Does Gwen know where you are?"

"No, she doesn't."

"Well then, she's not stupid, she'll figure it out."

Ethan looked at Teresa and saw the ring on her finger.

"I'll deal with Gwen later, right now I want to know why you are married to Fox, when since the day I met you, you always said that you and I were meant to be, that it was our fate to be with each other."

Teresa shook her head and a smile came to her face as she looked up and her gaze fell on the person standing against the wall in her room where no one could really see him if they didn't pay attention. She kept looking at him as she spoke to Ethan.

"I was young and foolish back then."

"What changed during this month, Teresa? The night that we kissed, you still believed that you and I were meant to be."

"One person opened my eyes to what was and to what is real in my life. He showed me that fate is not what we make it, but what it is, that its path cannot be forced or we end up missing out on the most important things in life like love."

"Love? You had all my love Teresa."

"No, I didn't. You loved the idea of me, the idea of perfection. But I'm not perfect and Fox knows that. He never expected me to be perfect. He just accepts me the way I am."

"What about fate?"

"Let me tell you something, I think that fate took me to you so that I can meet Fox, because I believe that him and I were always meant to be together. All the heartache and pain that I went through is worth this moment in my life when I can finally tell him exactly how I feel about him."

Fox and Teresa's eyes locked and they smiled at each other. Finally, Ethan looked away from Teresa and followed her gaze and saw his half brother standing there. He got up from the chair and looked back at Teresa.

"Because you think that he loves you?"

"I know he does."

"Well, let me tell you something about how Nicholas Foxworth Crane loves Teresa. He can't love because he is cold inside. He'll throw you away like yesterday's trash when he's done with you."

Teresa looked at Ethan with disdain.

"Well Ethan, I'm sure it can't be worst than what you did to me."

"Trust me, Teresa, it will be worst."

On that note, he left Teresa's room and Fox made his way to Teresa's bed.

"I see that you're awake."

"Yeah, and Ethan's face wasn't what I expected to see."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it, Fox."

He sat beside her on the bed, facing her and he pushed a stray hair out of her face.

"You gave me a scare. When the officer came to deliver the news, I thought you were dead and I realized that my life would never be the same. It's like everything was been destroyed and there was nothing I could do about it. I think I felt broken and lost."

"It doesn't matter how lost you are, Fox. I'll always find you, you can count on that. Besides, I'm not going anywhere."

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're awake and alright."

"You and me both."

"You know that I love you, right?"

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

"Of course I do."

*****

Ethan stood in the hallway pondering some thoughts.

"I should probably have told her about Whitney right away, but she just came out of it. I'll wait before I show her really what kind of man Fox is."