Disclaimer
I own nothing but the plotline
Chapter Two: Theresa
LA Hospital, Gwen's room
"Sarah, please forgive me. I never meant for things to turn out this way," Gwen murmurs to her daughter, as wrenching sobs wrack her fragile frame and her grief overwhelms her. Just then the door opens and a startled Gwen wipes her tears and stares with hatred at the intruder.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she shouts bitterly to a somber Theresa. "Have you come to gloat?" she murmurs resentfully.
"Dear God, Gwen, do you really think I'm such a monster that I'd come to gloat over your loss?" an anguished Theresa asks her rival. "I would never wish harm on an innocent baby, Gwen no matter how I felt about its mother. And in spite of everything that's happened between us I'm sincerely sorry about your loss," Theresa states forcefully.
"Do you really expect me to believe that you're sorry my baby died when a few hours ago you were yelling at me that if I hadn't gotten pregnant Ethan would have proposed to you?" Gwen asks disbelievingly.
"My wanting to be with Ethan had nothing to do with how I felt about your baby Gwen," Theresa replies softly but Gwen is beyond listening to Theresa's explanations.
"I will never forgive you for killing my baby Theresa. Never, do you understand? I have never hated anyone more than I hate you Theresa. If you hadn't followed Ethan and me to LA I would never have lost the baby. My God you know how precarious my pregnancy was and you did everything in your power to make things worse. I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU," she shouts, livid with rage and launching herself at the brunette. Theresa does nothing to ward off Gwen's vicious attack because her guilt is eating away at her.
"Gwen is right. I should never have thrown myself at Ethan. Sarah's death is my responsibility," she thinks to herself. Gwen continues her attack until she is worn out and then collapses on the floor, in tears. Theresa falls to her knees and envelops Gwen in a hug.
"I'm so sorry, I never meant for any of this to happen. Please forgive me Gwen," Theresa murmurs, her eyes filled with tears as she continues comforting Gwen.
"I loved her so much, Theresa, I wanted her so much. Why did God have to take her from me?" she questions the younger woman with tear filled eyes.
"I don't know Gwen. I just don't know." Theresa replies, pushing Gwen's blond hair from her eyes and helping her back to her feet. "Let me help you back to the bed so you can lie down," Theresa tells Gwen. Gwen lets her rival help her to the bed without comments.
"Gwen, I want you to know that I will be heading back to Harmony with Fox in the morning and that you won't have to worry about me again. You were right when you claimed that Ethan had made his choice and that I should learn to accept it. I had no right to try to break up your marriage, Gwen, no right at all and I hope you and Ethan will be able to work things out," Theresa tells Gwen with a sad smile.
Gwen doesn't reply and with a huge sigh Theresa turns and walks to the door.
"But there's something I think you should know before you decide to forgive Ethan, Gwen," Theresa tells Gwen.
"What is it?" Gwen asks wearily.
"I know I've done some awful things in my quest to get Ethan back, some of them truly unforgivable, but Ethan never pushed me away Gwen. No matter how much he swore to me that he loved you and was committed to making your marriage work, he never pushed me away and that just fed my obsession for him. Ethan isn't worthy of either of us. I'm just sorry it's taken me so long to figure it out. And even sorrier that your daughter had to lose her life for me to realize what an obnoxious, spoiled little brat I've become," she concludes.
"Theresa, wait," Gwen, tells the brunette when Theresa is about to leave.
"Sarah's death isn't your fault," she admits to a stunned Theresa. "Dr. Abel warned me again and again that I if I left the hospital, I'd be putting my baby's life in danger and I let the anger and hatred I felt for you overcome my common sense. I chose to disregard my doctors orders when I went to confront you, knowing what it could cause me and I have to take responsibility for my actions," Gwen confesses to a shell-shocked Theresa.
"Gwen, I-"
"Please let me finish Theresa. I need to get this off my chest. I married Ethan knowing he wasn't over you and I've spend the last nine months trying to convince myself that he hadn't married me out of obligation when deep down I knew that he was on the verge of proposing to you when he found out I was pregnant. Ethan has always loved you Theresa and I part of the reason I accepted his proposal was because I couldn't stand losing to you. If I had followed my instincts and moved to NY like I had planned maybe Sarah would still be alive," she concludes.
"Don't blame yourself Gwen. Ethan is the only man you've ever loved and I never blamed you for accepting his proposal, not when I'd have done the same in a heartbeat. Besides, Ethan lied to us both when he told Father Lonnigan that he loved you more than me. If he had been honest about his feelings--"
"Ethan wouldn't know how to be honest if his life depended upon it," Gwen murmurs bitterly. "And for the first time in a long time I agree with you. Ethan isn't worthy of either of us and as soon as Dr Abel gives me the go ahead I'm going to pack my bags and go to NY like I had planned. Ethan will never have a chance to make a fool of me again, Theresa, "she states forcefully. "I'm done being his doormat," she adds with a small grin.
Theresa stares at Gwen with new respect in her eyes.
"You're an admirable woman, Gwen and I hope someday we can be friends again," Theresa tells the blonde somberly.
"I really hope so too, Theresa. I could use a friend right now," Gwen replies.
"You've got one," Theresa replies, a huge weight lifted off her shoulders now that her feud with Gwen was over. "Take care of yourself Gwen," she murmurs before stepping out of the room.
A sober but elated Theresa is just about to step into the elevator when she collides with a tall, well built man.
"I'm sorry" she apologizes before she looks up and recognizes the man standing in front of her. "Ethan" she whispers, startled at the mix of pity and disgust seeing him stirred in her.
A/N- Am having lots of fun keeping you all on your toes. What will happen between Theresa and Ethan? Will there be any more confrontations? Hope you are enjoying the story. I loved writing it. I will post chapters up one by one even though the story is complete. Happy reading
I own nothing but the plotline
Chapter Two: Theresa
LA Hospital, Gwen's room
"Sarah, please forgive me. I never meant for things to turn out this way," Gwen murmurs to her daughter, as wrenching sobs wrack her fragile frame and her grief overwhelms her. Just then the door opens and a startled Gwen wipes her tears and stares with hatred at the intruder.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she shouts bitterly to a somber Theresa. "Have you come to gloat?" she murmurs resentfully.
"Dear God, Gwen, do you really think I'm such a monster that I'd come to gloat over your loss?" an anguished Theresa asks her rival. "I would never wish harm on an innocent baby, Gwen no matter how I felt about its mother. And in spite of everything that's happened between us I'm sincerely sorry about your loss," Theresa states forcefully.
"Do you really expect me to believe that you're sorry my baby died when a few hours ago you were yelling at me that if I hadn't gotten pregnant Ethan would have proposed to you?" Gwen asks disbelievingly.
"My wanting to be with Ethan had nothing to do with how I felt about your baby Gwen," Theresa replies softly but Gwen is beyond listening to Theresa's explanations.
"I will never forgive you for killing my baby Theresa. Never, do you understand? I have never hated anyone more than I hate you Theresa. If you hadn't followed Ethan and me to LA I would never have lost the baby. My God you know how precarious my pregnancy was and you did everything in your power to make things worse. I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU," she shouts, livid with rage and launching herself at the brunette. Theresa does nothing to ward off Gwen's vicious attack because her guilt is eating away at her.
"Gwen is right. I should never have thrown myself at Ethan. Sarah's death is my responsibility," she thinks to herself. Gwen continues her attack until she is worn out and then collapses on the floor, in tears. Theresa falls to her knees and envelops Gwen in a hug.
"I'm so sorry, I never meant for any of this to happen. Please forgive me Gwen," Theresa murmurs, her eyes filled with tears as she continues comforting Gwen.
"I loved her so much, Theresa, I wanted her so much. Why did God have to take her from me?" she questions the younger woman with tear filled eyes.
"I don't know Gwen. I just don't know." Theresa replies, pushing Gwen's blond hair from her eyes and helping her back to her feet. "Let me help you back to the bed so you can lie down," Theresa tells Gwen. Gwen lets her rival help her to the bed without comments.
"Gwen, I want you to know that I will be heading back to Harmony with Fox in the morning and that you won't have to worry about me again. You were right when you claimed that Ethan had made his choice and that I should learn to accept it. I had no right to try to break up your marriage, Gwen, no right at all and I hope you and Ethan will be able to work things out," Theresa tells Gwen with a sad smile.
Gwen doesn't reply and with a huge sigh Theresa turns and walks to the door.
"But there's something I think you should know before you decide to forgive Ethan, Gwen," Theresa tells Gwen.
"What is it?" Gwen asks wearily.
"I know I've done some awful things in my quest to get Ethan back, some of them truly unforgivable, but Ethan never pushed me away Gwen. No matter how much he swore to me that he loved you and was committed to making your marriage work, he never pushed me away and that just fed my obsession for him. Ethan isn't worthy of either of us. I'm just sorry it's taken me so long to figure it out. And even sorrier that your daughter had to lose her life for me to realize what an obnoxious, spoiled little brat I've become," she concludes.
"Theresa, wait," Gwen, tells the brunette when Theresa is about to leave.
"Sarah's death isn't your fault," she admits to a stunned Theresa. "Dr. Abel warned me again and again that I if I left the hospital, I'd be putting my baby's life in danger and I let the anger and hatred I felt for you overcome my common sense. I chose to disregard my doctors orders when I went to confront you, knowing what it could cause me and I have to take responsibility for my actions," Gwen confesses to a shell-shocked Theresa.
"Gwen, I-"
"Please let me finish Theresa. I need to get this off my chest. I married Ethan knowing he wasn't over you and I've spend the last nine months trying to convince myself that he hadn't married me out of obligation when deep down I knew that he was on the verge of proposing to you when he found out I was pregnant. Ethan has always loved you Theresa and I part of the reason I accepted his proposal was because I couldn't stand losing to you. If I had followed my instincts and moved to NY like I had planned maybe Sarah would still be alive," she concludes.
"Don't blame yourself Gwen. Ethan is the only man you've ever loved and I never blamed you for accepting his proposal, not when I'd have done the same in a heartbeat. Besides, Ethan lied to us both when he told Father Lonnigan that he loved you more than me. If he had been honest about his feelings--"
"Ethan wouldn't know how to be honest if his life depended upon it," Gwen murmurs bitterly. "And for the first time in a long time I agree with you. Ethan isn't worthy of either of us and as soon as Dr Abel gives me the go ahead I'm going to pack my bags and go to NY like I had planned. Ethan will never have a chance to make a fool of me again, Theresa, "she states forcefully. "I'm done being his doormat," she adds with a small grin.
Theresa stares at Gwen with new respect in her eyes.
"You're an admirable woman, Gwen and I hope someday we can be friends again," Theresa tells the blonde somberly.
"I really hope so too, Theresa. I could use a friend right now," Gwen replies.
"You've got one," Theresa replies, a huge weight lifted off her shoulders now that her feud with Gwen was over. "Take care of yourself Gwen," she murmurs before stepping out of the room.
A sober but elated Theresa is just about to step into the elevator when she collides with a tall, well built man.
"I'm sorry" she apologizes before she looks up and recognizes the man standing in front of her. "Ethan" she whispers, startled at the mix of pity and disgust seeing him stirred in her.
A/N- Am having lots of fun keeping you all on your toes. What will happen between Theresa and Ethan? Will there be any more confrontations? Hope you are enjoying the story. I loved writing it. I will post chapters up one by one even though the story is complete. Happy reading