Ch11.

"Did you have fun tonight baby?"

Fox and Teresa were lying in bed. They had just gotten home from their party.

"Oh Fox, tonight was wonderful." Teresa hadn't told Fox about her sick spell earlier, or the fight she had had with Rebecca.

~Those things will only upset him~ she thought.

"What are you thinking about?" Fox looked down at her.

"Oh nothing," she said. "I'm just getting sleepy."

"Well come here and snuggle with me then you little vixen." Fox opened his arms.

Teresa laughed as she was engulfed in his in embrace. She felt so perfect lying beside him.

She closed her eyes ad Fox began rubbing her back.

"Hmmm that feels nice." She said smiling.

He laughed.

"What can I say, I've got the magic touch…all girls are putty in my hand when I use it."

They grew silent.

"So," Fox finally said. "I saw you talking to Rebecca earlier.

Teresa's eyes flew open.

"What was she saying to you?"

"Just the usual trash she usually says." Teresa didn't want to get into the details. She knew he would be furious.

"Oh." He said. She could tell he wanted to say more.

"Fox? Is there something else you wanted to say?"

"Well…." He stammered. "It's just that I saw you walk upstairs after you talked with her, and Ethan followed you. And you guys were upstairs for a really long time…."

She sat up and looked at him.

"Nicolas Foxworth Crane, what exactly are you implying?"

"Nothing, nothing," he out his hands up defensively. " I was just curious that's all."

"About what?" she said, obviously getting angry.

"Resa I don't want to fight with you now…lets not spoil are good day alright?"

"No Fox, I want to know right now, what were you curious about?"

He just looked at her.

She scoffed.

" I cannot believe you think that I would do something with Ethan. God Fox, do you know me at all?"

"Of course I know you Re-"

"THEN HOW COULD YOU THINK THAT?"

He sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry alright? I don't mean to think these things, but its hard ok? It's hard to just completely ignore what you had with him. He was your life at one point."

"Yea, the key word being was Fox."

"Look, I'm sorry I brought it up ok? Lets just go to sleep...you need your rest."

He laid back down and turned the light off.

Teresa was furious. How could Fox think that she would cheat on him?

"You want to know what Ethan and I were doing tonight fox? He was upstairs helping me…I was in the bathroom, coughing up blood, and he was there to help me."

Fox shot up from the bed.

"Blood?" he choked out.

"Oh yea, I'm coughing blood up now…just another problem to add to the list."

"Teresa I'm sorry, I had no idea tha-"

"You know what Fox, save it."

She got up from the bed and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Fox just sat there in a stunned silence.

~Resa was coughing up blood. She was getting worse. ~

"Oh God," he whispered to himself.

~How could I say these things to her? How could I be such an ass? ~

Fox ran out of the room.

"Teresa, where are you?"

He searched the entire house and didn't see her. He was about to give up when he saw her outback on the porch. He could tell she was crying.

He walked outside and stood behind her. She wouldn't look at him.

"Teresa, I am so sorry."

Her shoulders heaved as she cried.

"Fox, do you really think that I would ever cheat on you?" she said, still not turning to face him.

"Resa, I don't know why said anything. I know that you would never do that to me. I am so sorry I hurt you."

She didn't respond.

"Resa, please look at me."

She slowly turned to face him. When she did, she could see the tears in his eyes, on his face.

"You really hurt me Fox."

"I know I did…and I am so incredibly sorry for it Teresa…you know the last thing I would ever do is hurt you."

He inched a few steps closer to her.

"I think I'm just having pre wedding jitters, that's all."

She inched a few steps closer to him.

"Are you sure that's all it is? Because I cant be in a relationship without trust Fox, and I'm not sure you trust me."

"Teresa I trust you with ever fiber of my being."

They both stepped a little closer towards one another.

"Really?" she said.

Their faces were inches apart.

"Really."

"Oh fox, " she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He grabbed onto her, and held her tight.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, stroking her hair, kissing her forehead.

"It's ok." She smiled.  She kissed him gently on the lips. Then, she grabbed his hand.

"Come on, let's go inside."

She started walking back to the house, when she realized he wasn't moving.

"Fox, are you coming?"

"Teresa, how long have you been coughing up blood?"

Her stomach dropped. She hadn't meant to even bring it up, but the words just flew out.

"About a week," she said quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he said, his voice filled with pain and sorrow.

"I didn't want to worry you."

"Teresa, I always worry about you. I love you, that's part of the territory."

She didn't know what to say.

"Have you been to the doctor?"

"I'm going tomorrow."

"Well, Ill go with you."

"Oh Fox, you don't have to g-"

"Resa, I'm going alright?

"Ok."

Neither knew what to say then.

"Are you mad I didn't tell you?"

Fox looked at her. He walked over, and took her hands in his.

"I could never be mad at you Resa. "

She sighed relieved.

"Come on, let's go to bed," Fox said.

They walked back in and got back in bed. Teresa fell asleep instantly. Fox just laid there, a million thoughts running through his mind.

~I'm losing her~

It wasn't until hours later, that he eventually cried himself to sleep.