XIII.

"I guess Fox isn't around." Theresa thought disappointedly.

"Theresa!" someone called. Theresa spun around and was surprised to see Syd. "Oh, hey, what are you doing here?"

"I was looking for Chad." Syd replied.

"Oh, he's in the waiting room with Whitney. How'd you know he was here?" Theresa asked suspiciously.

"I called him and he told me." Syd explained. Syd pretending to walk off to see Chad, but she turned around quickly. "How are you really Theresa?" She asked with concern.

"What do you mean?" Theresa asked folding her arms tightly.

"You look so upset. Is it because~" Syd replied. "Oh never mind. It's really none of my business." Syd walked off.

"Wait Syd," Theresa called. "What were you about to say?"

"Well, you look so upset. I figure it's probably because of Fox."

"Why Fox? What are you talking about Syd?"

"Oh you poor thing!" Syd cried. "It's so painful that you're pretending that you have no clue of what I'm talking about."

"I really don't know what you're referring to." Theresa said still confused at Syd's comments.

"Really?" Syd said. "Hm, okay then. Whatever you say." Syd turned around. "Hm," She began in a lower tone, "I know that I would probably also try to repress the memory of finding out my boyfriend used me to get my best friend. That is if it had happened to me. 'Course I don't know how that feels or how you're feeling right now, but ah well. I can understand why you'd want to forget that pain."

"What?" Theresa asked in disbelief.

"Well didn't you find out that Fox used you to get to Whitney?" Syd asked in mock surprise.

Theresa's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. She felt it crumbling to pieces as the effect of the words hit her. "Fox~" Theresa was unable to finish her sentence due to the shock that overwhelmed her.

"Oh no," Syd cried. "You didn't know after all?! I feel so terrible now!" Syd covered her face and was inwardly jumping for joy. "I think it's working." Syd thought gleefully. "I'm so sorry." Syd said to Theresa.

"It can't be true." Theresa said. "It has to be a lie. Fox would not do something like that!" Theresa cried.

"I'm afraid he did," Syd said softly. "He told me at the dance club tonight. You probably noticed him and I having a bit of a conflict on the dance floor. I told him that you should know about it right away, but he stopped me. He promised me not to tell anyone."

"That doesn't make sense." Theresa said. "Fox and I left the club because he said he had to talk to me. He was going to tell me who his mystery woman was. He was afraid that he and I were going to broken apart."

"That was an act Theresa." Syd said. "Honestly, I thought you would have more sense. He was probably just trying to get you to feel sorry for him so that he could play on your sympathy and get you in the bed."

Theresa was baffled. "Fox seemed so sincere. He was on the verge of tears."

"What can I say?" Syd replied. "Fox is a great actor. He's had plenty of experience."

"How would you know? You don't even know him." Theresa retorted.

"I've been around him long enough to know what he's really about. And, I've already heard so much from other women he's been with. You know, I never realized how much he got around until I came to L.A. You should hear from the scores of women who brag they've had Fox Crane."

"You're lying." Theresa said shaking her head.

"I wish I were." Syd said sighing. "Unfortunately, Theresa, I'm not. It's true, Fox wanted Whitney first and he used you to get to her."

"It can't be." Theresa said sitting down in a chair.

"Sorry, Theresa, but the truth hurts." Syd walked off with a smile plastered across her face.

~*~



Whitney had gone to get some drinks for her and Chad. She entered the elevator and pushed the button for the 2nd floor where the maternity ward was located. As the doors opened, she was surprised to see Latoya before her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Whitney asked.

"I'm visiting my kid. He's in the hospital." Latoya said trying to sound pathetic.

"You have a kid?" Whitney said in surprise.

"What's it to you?" Latoya asked irritably.

"I was just surprised." Whitney replied.

"Oh." Latoya said.

"What happened?" Whitney asked quietly as she stepped out of the elevator.

"He's got cancer." Latoya said trying to make herself cry for effect. "We already tried everything, but the doc says that there's nothin' else we can do for him, so I gotta watch him die in here."

"That's terrible!" Whitney lamented. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah." Latoya said pausing. "You know, I just remembered, I got some things for him in my car. You think you could, I dunno, help me take them up to him?"

"Sure," Whitney said. "Where's your car?"

"Just follow me." Latoya said.

~*~

"I helped Fox pursue his mystery woman. I was the one who encouraged him to go after her." Theresa thought in disbelief. "Whitney?" Theresa thought. "It can't be." She said aloud.

"What can't be?" Fox asked as he came up beside her.

Theresa looked at him with a pained expression. "Fox, was Whitney your mystery woman?"

Fox's face blanched as he felt his lungs constrict. He swallowed hard and felt his palms begin to sweat. He was overcome with shock. "Uh,"

"I take it as a yes." Theresa said disbelievingly.

"Who told you?" Fox asked.

"So it is true." Theresa said. "Oh my God!" Theresa shook her head.

"Let me explain." Fox offered.

"Please," Theresa said. "I'm listening."

"Where do I start?" Fox said rubbing his eyes.

"When did you fall for her?" Theresa asked quietly.

"I was at the Blue Note, she got up to sing and I thought that at that moment, I was in love with her. From then on I decided to pursue her."

"You loved her? Do you still love her?" Theresa asked, her voice quivering slightly.

"No, Theresa, I realize that what I felt towards Whitney was an infatuation. It wasn't real. What you and I have is real." Fox reached for Theresa's hand.

Theresa's eyes searched Fox's. "Did you use me to get to her?"

"No." Fox said.

"Tell me the truth. I was the one who introduced you guys. I served as the link to her didn't I? You used me to get closer to her." Theresa said.

"Yes, you were a connection to Whitney, but you've got the wrong idea." Fox said. Theresa stood up and rubbed her eyes.

"Where are you going?" Fox asked.

"I need to be alone right now. I need to think. I'll be outside."

"Theresa~" Fox called.

"I just need to be alone right now, okay?" Theresa said as she turned quickly and disappeared down the hallway.

Fox still decided to follow Theresa despite her requests to be alone. He resolved to stay hidden until he felt it was safe to approach her again.

~*~



"It's this one." Latoya pointed. "I put the stuff in the back seat."

"Nice car." Whitney commented as Latoya opened up the door.

"Oh, thanks. My brother gave it to me." Latoya lied. "Uh, there's a small box on the floor."

"Okay," Whitney said as she bent down to search for the box. "I don't see it." She said.

"It's on the floor behind the driver's seat." Latoya said as she quickly pulled out a syringe filled with a sedative that would render Whitney unconscious for an extended amount of time. "It's not here." Whitney called. Just as she turned around, Latoya plunged the syringe into Whitney's skin. Whitney cried in pain as she struggled helplessly. In a matter of minutes, Whitney lay limp in the back seat. Latoya looked around and slammed the doors shut. She quickly opened the driver's side door and got into the car. She locked the doors, and reversed quickly. As soon as she was out of the parking spot, she slammed on the accelerator. The tires squealed on the pavement. Latoya glanced behind her. When she turned her focus back in front of her she screamed and slammed on the breaks. It was too late. She heard a sickening thud as a body bounced off her car. Latoya swerved and slammed into another parked vehicle.

~*~



Theresa ran quickly back outside to the parking lot. She looked up at the sky and held her hands to her head. Her thought were a jumbled mess. "Whitney was Fox's mystery woman. He claims it was an infatuation." Theresa felt that Fox was telling the truth, but doubt still pervaded her mind. It was all due to Syd's words, but Theresa was skeptical about the conversation she had with Syd. Theresa took a deep breath and tried to sort through her thoughts. She walked quickly through the parking lot. Theresa stopped and came to a realization. "I could've broken up Chad and Whitney." She thought in horror. "Since I had promised to help Fox with his mystery woman, I was unknowingly helping him break up Chad and Whitney. Oh my God, what if that had happened?" Theresa put her head in her hands in incredulity. Theresa heard a squeal of tires behind her. Curious, she turned and looked behind her. "No!" She heard Fox cry in horror. "Theresa, watch out!"

Before she could react, Theresa was hit with enormous force and thrown several feet from where she was standing. Unbearable pain coursed through Theresa's body as her mind lost its focus. Shock pervaded her body and mind as she found herself slowly sinking into the abyss of darkness.

Fox ran to Theresa's side. "Oh no," He said as tears filled his eyes. "Theresa!" He cried. "Theresa!" She lay broken and bruised on the ground. Fox was afraid to move her. No matter how many times he called her name, Theresa remained lifeless. "Oh God!" Fox cried.

Blood surrounded her. Fear struck Fox's heart. "I can't lose her, not this way." He thought. "God, don't take her away from me!" Fox cried to the heavens. "I love her, you can't take her away!" Fox kneeled to the ground. "You just can't." He sobbed. "Help!" Fox cried in the darkness. "Somebody! Help!"

A doctor on his way inside heard Fox's cries. He ran towards the commotion. "Oh my God," He gasped as he took in the scene before him. He pulled out his cell and phoned the emergency room. "Get help out here in the parking lot, STAT!"