V.

"Something's bothering Theresa." Whitney said immediately after Theresa ran out of the room.

"I know." Fox said guiltily.

"What happened?" Whitney demanded. "You know something, don't you?" Whitney eyed Fox suspiciously.

Fox sighed and made his way over to the couch. "Maybe." He answered.

"Spill it, Fox. Theresa's my best friend. You're going to have to tell me something." Whitney said.

"It's probably because of what I said to her." Fox thought to himself sadly. He immediately regretted every word he had said to Theresa. "Well, Ethan interrupted our evening." Fox said instead.

"Damn, Ethan!" Whitney said exasperated. "Why can't he get it through his mind that Theresa wants to move on with you? Doesn't he see how happy you make Theresa? I mean she literally lights up when she's with you."

Fox felt even worse. He paled as Whitney went on and on about how happy he made Theresa. "Well, you did take care of Ethan, didn't you?" Whitney said after awhile.

"Theresa did, actually. You should've seen how she stood up to him." Fox replied.

Whitney smiled. "Good for her."

"Yeah. She was a little bummed after the confrontation with Ethan, so I comforted her the best way that I could." Fox ran his fingers through his hair. "Then I ended up making her feel worse." He thought miserably.

"Aww, Fox. She's really lucky to have you around. You've been really good to her."

"Well, I don't think so." Fox mumbled.

"What, Fox?" Whitney said. "There's something you're not telling me."

Fox couldn't contain it any longer. "I said something a few minutes ago to Theresa that probably upset her." He blurted out.

"Fox!" Whitney said exasperated. In frustration she knocked him on the head. "What did you say?!" She demanded.

"Ouch!" Fox cried in pain. "I'd rather not tell you. You'll just hit me again." He frowned.

"Fox, you better tell me what you said to her." Whitney threatened. "I think I have a right to know."

"Well, it was something along the lines of~" Fox trailed off.

"What?!" Whitney cried impatiently.

"I kind-of told her that I thought that- that maybe she and I shouldn't be taking a step further in our relationship." Fox got up hurriedly and went to the other side of the room. Whitney sat down in shock. "You what?!" She said disbelievingly. "Fox Crane you had better have a good reason why you said that to her."

"Yeah, you, Whitney." Fox thought to himself. "I-I don't know why I said that." He mustered.

"Liar." Whitney said. "You know exactly why you did."

Fox sat down. "I-I guess I-I just got scared. Theresa and I are such good friends that I was worried our friendship would be threatened."

"Fox," Whitney said quietly. "I think Theresa really cares about you. You need to talk to her. I bet she's crying her eyes out right now."

Fox felt terrible. He felt a pang of guilt. Fox hated the thought of making Theresa cry. "Damnit." Fox chided himself. "I'm such an idiot."

"Go talk to her." Whitney said quietly.

Fox went into his bedroom and peered in. He noticed that Theresa wasn't in the bed. Fox turned on the light and looked around. "No Theresa in here." He thought. "Hm..Theresa?" Fox called in the hallway.

Hearing her name, Theresa sat up. "Theresa!" She heard Fox yell. Theresa ignored it and locked the bathroom door.

Fox went to Theresa's bedroom and knocked. Gwen answered. "Fox, is there something you want?"

"Oh, I thought maybe Theresa would be in here."

"Well, I haven't seen her." Gwen said. "I didn't know you two were home."

"Yeah, well I really need to talk to her." Fox said walking off. "Theresa!" Fox called again. "Where are you?"

Whitney appeared. "I think she's in the bathroom. She couldn't have left the apartment because she would've have gone through the living room."

"Thanks." Fox mumbled. He rapped on the door. "Theresa?" He called softly. He reached for the knob and found that it was locked. "Go away." Fox heard Theresa say tearfully.

"No, not until you talk to me." Fox said through the door.

"I don't want to talk to you right now." Theresa sniffed. She wiped her eyes.

"Please, Theresa. I'm so sorry. I realize now that what I said was wrong."

Theresa sighed. "You're just saying that so I'll open the door."

Fox lay his forehead on the door. "Theresa," he said pitifully. "Please open the door."

"No." Theresa said. Theresa felt a mixture of sadness and anger. She placed her hand on the door and sighed sadly.

"Let me try." Whitney said softly pushing Fox aside. "Theresa, honey, will you let me in?"

Theresa bit her lower lip. She recognized her friend's voice and desperately wanted to talk to her. "I'm only letting you in, Whit." Theresa said.

"Okay," Whitney replied. "I think you should go to your room, Fox. Theresa probably doesn't want to see you right now."

"Okay," Fox said reluctantly. "But please tell her I'm sorry."

"I will," Whitney replied. "Unlock the door, Theresa." Whitney said.

Theresa unlocked the door and quickly ushered her friend in. Before Fox could peer in, Theresa slammed the door shut. "Oh Whitney." Theresa said sinking into her friend's arms.

"Theresa, Fox is really sorry for what he said." Whitney said softly.

"Being rejected like that really stung. I can't believe he said that to me!" Theresa wailed.

"Oh Theresa," Whitney said trying to soothe her friend's heartache. "He told me that he was afraid that your friendship with him would be put in jeopardy."

"He did?" Theresa sniffled.

"Yeah." Whitney said softly. "Like I said, he's really sorry."

"He should be sorry." Theresa said crossly.

"Go talk to him Theresa."

"No." Theresa refused. "I don't want to see him." Theresa shook her head.

"Theresa, please be reasonable." Whitney said.

"I am being reasonable. Why should I be forced to talk to him?"

"You can't stay hidden in the bathroom forever. Please, Theresa. Go talk to him." Theresa sighed. She crossed her arms and looked away. "Fine." She said after a long pause.

"He's in his room." Whitney said quietly. "Look, go over there and tell him how you really feel. Then, he'll realize what a fool he was."

Theresa took a deep breath and glanced in the mirror. "I look horrible." She whined.

"Just wipe off that runny mascara." Whitney said as she handed Theresa a tissue. "Now, go."

~*~

Theresa slowly made her way towards Fox's bedroom. She paused at the door and took a deep breath. Shakily, she turned the door knob. Taken by surprise, Fox looked up. "I didn't think you'd want to speak to me."

"Whitney convinced me that I should." Theresa mumbled as she avoided Fox's gaze.

"Theresa I'm so sorry." Fox said getting up. "I shouldn't have said those thing to you." He made his way over to Theresa and reached over for her hand. Theresa winced at his touch. "Theresa, please forgive me. I was a fool."

"Why did you say that though? Why did you tell me that you didn't want to take a step further in our relationship?" Theresa asked with a pained expression. Fox felt another pang of guilt. He led her over to the bed and motioned for her to sit down. "It's because of- well you know."

"Your mystery woman?" Theresa asked quietly.

"Yeah." Fox admitted.

"I figured as much." Theresa grumbled. Theresa looked away and frowned.

"I hate that I hurt you Theresa." Fox said. He reached over and turned Theresa's face towards him. Theresa refused to look up. "Theresa look at me, please." Fox pleaded. Theresa slowly lifted her eyes. Sadness and pain clouded her gaze. "I don't ever want to hurt you Theresa. I'm sorry that I did. I truly am." Fox said honestly.

"Fox, you broke my heart." Theresa tearfully confessed. "I offered my heart to you, and you refused it. Don't you know how that feels? It's like my heart shattered into a million pieces. I hate that feeling!" Theresa got up and went to a corner of the room. She folded her arms and bent her head. Tears washed down her cheeks.

"Theresa, don't cry." Fox begged. "I hate to see you in so much pain. I hate it even more that I was the cause of it."

"I can't help it Fox." Theresa said trying desperately to control her voice.

Fox went over and put his arms around Theresa. Theresa tried to push him away, but instead, she found herself sinking into his arms. She loved the way it felt to be in Fox's embrace. It felt so right to her. "Fox," Theresa whispered.

"What?" Fox whispered back.

"This feels right to me. Being with you feels right. Can't you feel it?" She asked.

"Yeah, it actually does feel right." Fox admitted.

"Fox," Theresa said pushing herself away to look into his eyes. "I really think that you and I have the potential to be a great couple. Aren't you even remotely curious about what it would be like to be a real couple? I don't want our relationship to be for show. I want it to mean something. I know you still have your mystery woman, but from the looks of it, I sense it isn't going to work. Didn't you mention once that she was already with someone? Fox, can't we just try dating? If it doesn't work out then, you can always go back to your mystery woman."

Fox sat silent, contemplating Theresa's words. "Ya know, I am curious of what it would like to be your real boyfriend. I guess we could see how this will play out. Maybe dating will make us realize things we never really noticed."

Theresa looked at Fox as her spirits lifted. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald, would you go out with me?" Fox asked.

Theresa ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Oh Fox!" She said relieved.

"Theresa, do you forgive me for hurting you? I didn't mean to, and I don't want to ever hurt you again."

"I forgive you Fox, but you better not hurt me again." Theresa nudged Fox playfully.

"So, we're okay?" Fox said.

"Yeah," Theresa replied. Fox sighed in relief. "I was afraid I was going to lose you." He admitted.

"Well, you didn't." Theresa said as she hugged Fox again. Fox embraced her tightly and closed his eyes. "Let me make this up to you, Theresa."

"How?" Theresa asked curiously.

"I'll think of something, but I promise I'll make this up to you."

"Okay," Theresa sighed contented. "It better be good." She said smiling.

"Don't worry, it'll be." Fox said grinning. "Now, what do you say we go to bed?"