XI



"Divorce?" Ethan said in disbelief. The shock of Gwen's statement seemed to numb Ethan's emotions. He felt as if his body and mind went rigid. Ethan stood before Gwen dumbfounded and unable to utter a word.

"Yes." Gwen said in an even tone as she fixated her eyes on Ethan. "A divorce. I refuse to compete with Theresa. I'm tired of it."

"But Gwen~" Ethan protested.

"Don't 'but Gwen' me, Ethan." Gwen said evidently getting angrier. "I am sick of the excuses, of the lies! I am sick of knowing deep down that every night you sleep beside me you wish you were with her!" Gwen spat out the words in disgust. "Why did you marry me Ethan?" Gwen said. "Why did you marry me if it was Theresa who you really loved?" Hurt, anger, and jealousy flashed through her eyes. She folded her arms as her chest heaved with breath.

Ethan looked down ashamedly. He couldn't bring himself to look into Gwen's accusing eyes.

"You can't even answer me," Gwen said quietly almost in a disappointed tone. "Why Ethan?" Gwen asked. "Why?"

Ethan swallowed nervously and fidgeted with his hands. "Because," Ethan mumbled. "The truth would hurt you."

"Lies hurt even more." Gwen retorted.

"Gwen~" Ethan said shakily.

"Tell me the truth." Gwen demanded. "I need to hear the truth."

"Sometimes the truth hurts." Ethan replied.

"I know that." Gwen said with an annoyed look. "Enough with the cliché's. Tell me the truth. Why'd you marry me in the first place? Was it because I was pregnant?"

Ethan paled as he nodded his head in affirmation. Gwen shook her head in disbelief. "Then why did you tell me that you were marrying me because you also loved me?"

Ethan closed his eyes and took in a slow shaky breath. "You will always have a special place in my heart, Gwen." Ethan replied softly. "I just thought that the love I still had for you would be enough."

"But it wasn't?" Gwen asked.

"No." Ethan said miserably. "I kept saying that I loved you more over and over again in hopes that I would eventually whole-heartedly believe it myself. It just~ just never happened."

"Well, now that I know~ I suppose I can move on. I'm leaving for New York in a couple of days, and I plan on taking Sarah with me."

"You can't!" Ethan cried. "She's our daughter. You can't just take her away!"

"I can and I will." Gwen said.

"Sarah can't grow up without a father." Ethan protested. "She needs me. Please, Gwen, don't leave Harmony. Don't do this!"

Gwen closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She felt pressure building inside her skull. "Ethan- I've already made my decision. Nothing is going to change my mind. I suggest you spend as much time as possible with Sarah before we leave."

~*~



"Theresa?" Fox called as he rapped on their bedroom door.

"Go away," Theresa said.

"No," Fox refused gently. "I'm not budging until you open this door."

"Well then just stay out there," Theresa replied resentfully. "I don't give a damn if you stay out there all night. I'm not letting you in."

"Theresa," Fox said. "Be reasonable. Please?"

"I'm not in a very reasonable mood right now," Theresa retorted, her voice still muffled by the wooden barrier between them.

"I love you," Fox said softly.

"Nice try," Theresa said slyly. "But that's not going to work."

"Theresa," Fox said exasperated. "Please?"

"No luck?" Dylan asked as he carried Little Ethan in his arms.

Fox shook his head and frowned. "No,"

Dylan placed little Ethan on the ground and firmly rapped on the door. "Theresa, it's Dylan."

"I don't want to talk to you either." Theresa said.

"I haven't done anything to you." Dylan said defensively. At that moment, Theresa thrust open the door and glared at Dylan. "You" Theresa said pointing. "Told me a lie."

"I did?" Dylan said sheepishly.

"You said that Audrey was just a friend."

"And?" Dylan replied. "That wasn't a lie."

"But you failed to leave out the part about Fox dating her." Theresa said folding her arms.

"It was one time, Theresa." Dylan replied.

"Yeah, one little time that didn't mean anything" Fox added hoping that Theresa would let go of the anger. Theresa sighed and went back into the room.

"Wait, Theresa," Fox said as he followed her.

Dylan picked up little Ethan and went back downstairs. Theresa walked over to the window and looked out into the front yard. She hugged herself and frowned. Fox came up behind Theresa and placed his hands on her shoulders. Theresa flinched at his touch. "Theresa," Fox said gently. Theresa leaned against Fox as he enveloped her into his strong embrace. "Are you still mad?" Fox asked quietly. Instead of answering, Theresa untangled herself from Fox's arms and went over to sit on the bed. She played with the edges of the comforter. "Theresa?" Fox asked as he took a seat beside her. "How could you even go out with a woman like Audrey?" Theresa asked.

"I dated a lot of women in the past," Fox admitted as he ran his hand through his blond hair.

"But, all of them weren't important to me, like you are. Theresa, back then, I didn't really know what it was like to be in love or to love someone in return. You know how my family is. Don't you remember the conversations we had when I first came to Harmony?"

Theresa frowned and shook her head. "Those I can't really remember."

"Then let me refresh your memory," Fox said. Theresa quietly listened as Fox gave Theresa and account of their conversations that had initiated the strong bond between them. Fox's expression changed as he talked the painful memories of being unloved and unappreciated. Theresa' heart went out to him as she saw the pain pervade his gaze. He tried to mask his feelings by pretending to not care about what his family thought of him, but Theresa knew better. She comfortingly rubbed his back and said, "I'm sorry that your family is so awful towards you. You don't deserve that."

"Don't be sorry." Fox said after clearing his throat. "I don't care what they say,"

"Are you sure?" Theresa asked. "Because it seems as if it still hurts you."

Fox clenched his jaw. "I'll get over it."

Theresa lay her head on Fox's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her on the top of her head. "I take it that you're not really angry any longer?"

"Well, I was just upset because~" Theresa began. "Because~"

"Why?" Fox asked.

"I don't know." Theresa said exasperated.

"Yes you do," Fox said gently. "Talk to me, Theresa. Tell me."

"Maybe because I was afraid that Audrey was trying to get you back or something."

"Theresa, I love you and only you."

"I know~" Theresa's voice trailed off.

"Don't you trust me?" Fox asked.

"Of course I trust you." Theresa replied. "I just don't trust other women when they're around you."

"Really?" Fox said with an amused smile on his face.

"Oh c'mon Fox. You're handsome and charming. Any girl would fall for you. Haven't you ever noticed that when we're out together, other women give you that look."

"What look?" Fox asked.

"That look, you know, the one that basically says 'I want you.'" Theresa said obviously uncomfortable.

"No, I didn't notice that Theresa, and you know why?" Fox asked. Theresa looked away in response. Fox reached over and turned Theresa's head towards his. She slowly lifted her brown eyes to meet his.

"I don't notice the other women giving me the look because the only woman that I have eyes for is you, Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane. I love you, and nothing and no one will ever change that."

~*~

"Mommy?" Belle asked as she went to the bathroom.

Angela groaned as she slowly got up from the bathroom floor.

"Mommy?" Belle repeated as she looked worriedly at her mother. Angela rubbed her temples and moaned again.

"Are you okay?" Belle asked.

"Mommy will be fine." Angela murmured. "Just stop bothering me, and go somewhere else."

"But I want to see Daddy," Belle complained.

"I can't take you to see Daddy right now." Angela said through clenched teeth.

"I want to see Daddy!" Belle cried as she stomped her small feet in a tantrum.

"Damnit Belle!" Angela yelled angrily. Belle shrank back in fear.

Angela rubbed her and tried to get up. She leaned against the bathroom counter. Belle watched her mother in fear. "Go outside and play," Angela said quietly.

Belle ran quickly out of her mother's sight. She went outside to the front yard and kept running without looking back. After reaching the end of the street, Belle stopped and sat down on the sidewalk to catch her breath. Tears filled her eyes and Belle quickly wiped them away. She heard a car approaching and turned to see who it was.

Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald was in the driver's seat. He glanced at Belle worriedly. "What are you doing out here, little girl?" Luis asked gently.

Belle sniffled. "My mommy~" She said in a quiet voice.

"What about your mommy?" Luis asked.

"I think she's sick, and I wanted to see my daddy, but my mommy wouldn't take me."

"Where's your mommy?" Luis asked.

"In the bathroom." Belle replied.

"Why are you out here?"

"My mommy told me to go play outside and stop bothering her." Belle looked at Luis and got an idea. "Will you take me to see my daddy?" She asked.

"We should probably take you back to your mommy." Luis replied.

"No!" Belle cried. "I don't want to go to Mommy. I want Daddy!"

"What's your daddy's name?" Luis asked.

Belle scratched her head. "Um," She said.

"You don't know his name?" Luis inquired.

"It's like an animal's name." Belle replied. "I don't 'member."

"You don't what?" Luis said confused.

"I don't 'member." Belle repeated.

"Oh, you mean remember?" Luis said.

"Yeah," Belle replied.

"An animal's name hm?" Luis murmured. "Let's see, what does he look like?"

Belle gave Luis Fox's description. Luis frowned as he put pieces together. "That sounds like Fox," He mumbled.

"Yeah!" Belle cried. "Fox! That's his name. Mommy said he's really rich."

"So you're Belle." Luis said. The whole town had heard the whole ordeal that had transpired at Fox and Theresa's wedding reception. Luis had talked to Theresa, but did not know what Belle or her mother had looked like. Now that the little girl was standing before him, Luis thought that Belle must've looked more like her mother because he had seen no resemblance to Fox in any way.

"I'm Belle. How did you know?" She asked as she gazed in wonder at the handsome police officer that stood before her.

"My sister Theresa is married to Fox." Luis replied.

"Oh! She's nice!" Belle said smiling.

"She is." Luis said returning the smile. "I'll take you down to their house, but we're going to have to tell your mommy."

" 'Kay," Belle said. "Let's go!"

~*~



"I mean it Theresa. I only have eyes for you." Fox said quietly, pulling Theresa into an embrace. Theresa hugged him back tightly.

"Awww, would you look at that?" Dylan said as he stood in the doorway of Theresa and Fox's bedroom. Little Ethan giggled in response.

The doorbell began ringing. Its high-pitched clinging echoed through the house. "I guess I'll get that." Dylan said turning around. "You two need some," Dylan cleared his throat. "Alone time," He said winking. As he walked downstairs, Theresa and Fox heard Dylan call, "Don't overexert yourselves too much!"

Theresa laughed as she wrapped her arms around Fox's neck. "What shall we do now?" She asked while nudging Fox's nose with her own.

"I have an idea," Fox said as he led Theresa towards the soft comforts of the bed.

~*~