A/N: A LOT OF YOU MUST BE WONDERING WHAT TOOK SO LONG WITH THIS CHAPTER.
DID I DROP OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH? WAS THE LAST CHAPTER THE END? WELL,
OF COURSE IT WASN'T. I'M NOT THAT MEAN. THE REASON AS TO WHY I TOOK MY
SWEET TIME GETTING THIS CHAPTER DONE IS THAT INSPIRATION REFUSED TO COME TO
ME. SOMETIMES, THINGS IN MY HEAD JUST COME WHEN IT'S READY AND NOT TO MY
COMMAND. UNFORTUNATELY.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS CHAPTER IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TO WRITE BECAUSE KAY AND FOX HAVE HAD THEIR FIGHTS BEFORE AND THAT THEY HAD NICE MAKE UP SCENES. TO BE HONEST, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GOING TO WRITE THIS MAKE UP SCENE. IT WILL PROBABLY THEIR LAST FIGHT AND LAST MAKE UP SCENE. I WANT HAPPY MOMENTS FOR BOTH OF THEM FROM NOW ON.
THERE'S A FEW THINGS FROM THE LAST CHAPTER THAT I HAD IN MIND FOR THIS ONE. FIRST AND OBVIOUS, FOX AND KAY'S MAKE UP SCENE. SECONDLY, THE DILEMMA THAT INCLUDES JESSICA AND ERICA AND THE STILL WITHSTANDING FEUD BETWEEN KAY AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE ELSE THAT WAS HER FAMILY. I CAN'T PROMISE THAT IT WILL ALL BE TAKEN CARE OF IN THIS CHAPTER BUT I TRIED.
BEFORE ANY OF YOU, FALL OFF YOUR CHAIRS FROM DROWSING OFF BECAUSE I'VE BORED YOU WITH THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE, LET ME JUST SAY THAT THERE'S QUITE A FEW THINGS TO EXPECT FROM THIS CHAPTER. TWO CHARACTERS WHO HAVE STAYED IN THE BACKGROUND WILL BE GIVEN A MOMENT IN THE LIMELIGHT. AND AS FOR THE REST, I ONLY HOPE THAT I MET MOST OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS IF NOT ALL.
ENJOY.
~*~
One Day Later
The Bennett house was abuzz with excitement as half the town gathered to discuss Kay's most recent antic. It looked like a town meeting. Most of them were pleased with the news that Kay fell or was allegedly pushed. The others just hoped that she would leave and never come back.
"It's another one of her stunts." Ivy huffily declared as she imagined the delicious thought of Kay falling down a flight of stairs in the Crane mansion, hopefully breaking a few important bones in the process. She wanted to congratulate whoever it was who finally had the courage to give the little bitch a taste of her own medicine.
Sam shot his wife a look but made no comment. He remained silent and listened to everyone else's opinion.
"I agree." Simone stepped up. "Kay loves to get attention and I think she did this one because she still wants to steal Miguel from Charity. I know Kay more than any of you and when she wants something, she'll do anything, even hurt herself."
Miguel nodded, although he was no longer convinced that Kay was still after him. She spoke and acted like she loathed him.
"She's looking for someone to blame." Theresa declared tearfully, almost too dramatically. "She wants to ruin us again!" She practically wailed and Ethan immediately wrapped his arms around her.
From where she was sitting, Jessica smiled in content. It was turning out better than she had ever hoped. Everyone believed that Kay pushed herself. She was going to get away with it and even if she was found out, Jessica was sure nothing would happen to her. Everyone should thank her. She had the guts to do to Kay what they could only think of.
Reese cleared his throat. "If Kay wanted to blame one of us for her fall, then the police would have been involved. She would have made sure to file a report." He said all knowingly. To Reese, it just did not make sense why Kay would go through such lengths as pushing herself down the stairs and then just stop there. If his former friend wanted to blame someone, she would have gotten proof. "No, I think that she's not playing this time." Everyone's attention was suddenly on him, most of them wondering why he was defending the person who was the cause of all their unhappiness.
Sam nodded thoughtfully. "Reese may be right. Someone must have really pushed her."
"No!" Jessica practically shrieked, startling the ever fragile Charity. "Reese is defending Kay because he used to be in love with her." Jessica shot him an accusing look although she didn't really believe her words. It was the first thing that came into mind and she had to say it in order for everyone not to believe Reese's claim. Jessica could not have him ruining everything now.
"That is not true!" Reese protested. "I love you, Jessica, but I am trying to be logical here."
Screw logic, Jessica thought with a smirk.
Beside Miguel, Charity sighed. "I'm sorry to say this because no matter how it's said, it won't be good but I think that Jessica is right." She said softly, looking at Reese sympathetically. "Your judgment is clouded because you were once very much in love with Kay and I think you still are."
Jessica then gasped. WHAT?
The room erupted in murmurs and protests. Reese shook his head in dismay, finding it suddenly futile to be the reasonable one out of the group.
"Well, whoever is right, it doesn't matter." Luis stated happily, despite their currently dire situation. "Kay deserved what she got."
"That's right!" Ivy exclaimed triumphantly.
Seeing the torn look on Sam's face, Luis continued. "I'm sorry, Sam, but your daughter is inexplicably evil. Whether she was pushed or she fabricated the whole thing, it doesn't matter as long as Kay doesn't try to put the blame on any of us."
Everyone in the room proceeded to agree with Luis. Sam sighed and searched for Grace. She was seated in the farthest corner with David, both of them looking somber but utterly silent. Sam wondered why his ex-wife had nothing to say when not too long ago, Grace could not stop talking about how despicable and hateful their daughter was.
Grace saw the look on Sam's face and understood. He was searching for her opinion. She was after all, Kay's mother. Grace offered Sam a small nod but made no indication of saying what she thought of the whole thing. She already had an opinion about Kay's latest disaster and Grace believed that what the paper printed was true. Someone pushed Kay, perhaps with the intent of permanently terminating her life by making it look like an accident. Grace suspected the reason why her daughter didn't go to the police was that she hated them. Kay had Luis fired like she vowed in the beginning and she was not on good terms with Sam who still resented her for keeping Ivy and David's secret.
But like Luis said, it didn't matter as long as Kay did not put the blame on them. Grace had the gnawing feeling that Kay would think that she was behind this and their withstanding 'truce' would be diminished and Kay would reveal Grace's secret to hurt her back.
"You okay?" David asked when he saw the troubled expression on Grace's face. The subject of Kay never did make Grace happy.
She gave him a thankful smile. "Let's go home." She whispered amidst the noise of everyone talking all at the once.
David nodded and they both rose, making no effort to announce that they were leaving. Everyone was too busy celebrating Kay's fall to truly care.
"That was something." He asserted once they were out of the Bennett house.
Grace sighed and slipped her hand into his. "Yeah, they think they won all of a sudden." She said as she recalled the happy and triumphant faces of her friends and family.
Luis looked about ready to open a champagne bottle for celebration, if only he could afford it. Ivy would have done a victory dance if she could. Even Sam seemed pleased.
"But no one won." David stated, as he thought of how bizarre and complicated his life had gotten. It was an endless mind game.
"No." Grace whispered forebodingly. She knew that it was just about to get much worse.
~*~
The Same Day
Boston
Erica Reed triumphantly hummed to herself as she soaked in her floral scented bath. Last night's events had turned out better than she anticipated. As expected, Kay became upset with what Erica had to say but the best part, perhaps was when she fell down the stairs.
Of course, Erica only knew of it from reading today's paper but it felt damn good to know she wasn't alone in this crusade to ruin Fox and his new pet. If only she knew who did the deed. Shrugging it off, Erica decided she didn't really care who or why Fox's new favorite was pushed down the stairs, along with Jason.
It irked her that the local newspaper made Kay out like a wounded royal. Erica didn't truly hate Kay Callaway. She had nothing against the woman. It was Fox she was after but if the only way hurt Fox was through Kay then Erica was willing to ruin the other woman.
"If only she broke her neck and died," Erica mused darkly as she tried to picture the look on Fox's face if Kay had died. She knew it would have destroyed Fox. She saw how he looked at Kay; how he possessively held her while they danced, the lingering kisses that he gave her. Fox was never one to be possessive. When he was with Erica or his numerous other girlfriends, he never acted like he truly cared about them or what they did.
Fox never worried because he knew that no matter what, they would always come running back.
Erica's musings were suddenly interrupted by the rapid clicking of approaching footsteps and the slamming of her bathroom door.
Gwen Hotchkiss stood in the doorway, looking very elegant in her well ironed dress pants and matching shirt. Her blonde hair seemed to be shinning despite the deadly gleam in her eyes. Behind her, stood a red haired woman that Erica recognized from the party as Jason Callaway's younger sister.
"Erica." Gwen hissed curtly, giving her a look that could have made many people shiver in fright. But Erica Reed was not easily frightened.
"Gwen." Erica replied, sounding overly chipper. "Nice of you to drop by. Who's your friend?"
Miranda narrowed her eyes at the blonde woman in the bath tub. "Your worst nightmare." She practically growled.
"Ooh, I'm shaking. See the ripples in the water?" Erica taunted as she leaned back in the tub and made herself more comfortable. She proceeded to laugh at her own joke. "I'm sure there's a purpose as to why you came here, Gwen. I don't suppose you both intend to stand their all day and watch me have my bath."
The blonde crossed her arms over her chest, wondering how she and Erica used to be friends many years ago. The other woman was a snake. "I want you to leave Fox and Kay the hell alone."
"And if I don't?" Erica challenged, looking at Gwen and then Miranda squarely.
The other blonde smirked while Miranda continued to glare at Erica. "I will make it my life's mission to destroy everything that you have or will ever have." Gwen retorted venomously.
"You don't have it in you Gwen, just like you didn't have it in you to keep Ethan." Erica sneered and Gwen's anger rose to a boiling point.
"Miranda, close the door." She ordered bitingly.
Knowing that Erica was about to taste Gwen's wrath, she obeyed silently and waited in the living room.
Once the door was shut, Gwen discarded her purse and light jacket on the side, stalked over to the other woman, grabbed Erica's blonde hair tightly and dunked her head into the water. The other woman struggled for air, kicking and gasping as she tried to free herself from Gwen's hold. But Gwen was strong even for such a small person.
"You bitch!" Erica screeched when Gwen pulled her head out of the soapy water. "You tried to kill me!"
"So, I don't have it in me, do I now?" Gwen whispered dangerously as her fingers tightened even more on Erica's hair. Gwen truly hated her, no matter what kind of friendship they once shared. It was bad enough that she lost Ethan and the baby but for Erica, who had no right to speak of such things, to bring it up was enough for Gwen to go almost psychotic.
"I'm going to have you arrested for this, Gwen Hotchkiss!" Erica continued to struggle.
Gwen yanked Erica's head back, thudding as it bumped against the tub. The other woman winced. "Listen to me you shit talking little slut, stay away from Fox and Kay! If you ever come within a one block radius with either of them, I and a few other people will make you very, very sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper and it was enough to make any regular person cringe in terror.
Fox Crane was like a brother to Gwen. He had defended her against Theresa and everyone else time and time again. Fox had held her hand while she lost her baby and almost bled to death when Ethan was nowhere to be found because he was with Theresa. He had comforted Gwen when her so called husband didn't have the decency to face her and apologize for their child's death or for running back to Theresa. Fox was there for her, even when she didn't want to be helped. And Gwen was not going to allow anything or anyone to stand in the way of Fox's happiness. She owed him that in the least.
Despite her position and discomfort, Erica laughed. "You think that by coming here, assaulting me and making threats, I'll back off? Fox will pay for hurting me. I would be married and happy by now if it wasn't for him!"
Gwen let go of Erica and stood back. "You can't blame Fox for your stupidity, Erica." She softened her tone and sighed. "You cheated on Mark with Fox."
"He seduced me until I could not say no!" Erica shrieked vehemently.
"Everyone can say no, Erica. It was not Fox's fault that Mark called off the wedding." Gwen justified calmly. "You didn't have to cheat on your fiancée. Did you honestly think he was foolish enough to take you back after you slept with another man three days before the wedding? You cheated on the man you claimed to love. Fox was stuck in the middle. You have yourself to blame for it."
"Fox knew I was getting married. He knew and he didn't care."
"Of course Fox didn't care. You were a desperate little bride wanting to sow your wild oats before you officially got tied to someone for the rest of your life or until the divorce. You can't have all that fun and not pay for it. Erica, you were about to get married to man who truly loved you but you had to wreck it. It could have been any man, not just Fox." Gwen retorted resolutely as she looked down at the other woman without any sense of pity. "Now stop it before you truly regret it."
"You can keep on making threats, Gwen, but I won't stop. Fox needs to feel what I feel."
Gwen smirked. "If you don't stop now, Erica, I will convey every disgusting detail of your torrid little affair with Headmaster Blackburn."
Erica looked appalled but she narrowed her eyes anyway to see if Gwen was bluffing. "You wouldn't."
"Think of how your family would react if they found out that you had a five month affair with the school's headmaster when you were sixteen. Imagine what they would think when I tell them that I held your hand while you had an abortion." It was cruel, Gwen knew. It wasn't fair game and she really wasn't going tell the world of Erica's horrible secret but from the desperate look on the other woman's face, Gwen realized that she had won. Fair or not, Erica would no longer be an obstacle. Feeling quite accomplished, Gwen picked up her belongings. "And if you suddenly lose all your morals and not care whether I tell your secret or not, let me remind you that as of today, I own your father's company. You see, your father is ready to retire and since you have not shown any interest in going into the family business, I had the opportunity to buy it. I'll let you have your little fun and play professional but if you as much look at me or my friends the wrong way, I will liquidate everything and leave you not quite as well off as you are now."
With that said Gwen turned on her heel, opened the door and walked out. Miranda looked at her curiously, arching an eyebrow at Gwen's slightly soggy clothes.
"How'd it go?" She asked skeptically as they both headed to the door.
Gwen slightly shrugged as she slipped on her jacket, disappointedly looking at her now ruined clothes. "Quite well." She replied with a small smile.
"I was worried. I couldn't hear the splashes and yelling for a long time." Miranda joked darkly. There was a dark and dangerous side to Gwen Hotchkiss that other people were fortunate not to see.
The other woman offered her a smile. "Erica and I have come to an understanding."
"You're that persuasive, huh?"
"Yes, I'm very persuasive when determined." Gwen replied in all sincerity as they stepped into her car.
"How'd you do it?" Miranda curiously asked, glancing at the blonde.
Gwen shrugged her shoulders again. "Simple. I just imagined Theresa's trashy little face every few seconds."
"Oh."
~*~
Two Days Later
Crane
Kay irritably tapped her right foot on the marble floor, at the same time cursing the guards for letting Charity Standish into the property. For a well fortified place, a lot of people seemed to slip into the mansion with ease. She sighed in disdain before turning her attention to the blonde girl who was primly sitting on the couch.
"Is it just me or is the epitome of all goodness actually in the house of evil?" Kay sarcastically drawled, sending Charity a chilling glare.
Charity softly smiled in response, giving her cousin an understanding look and Kay cringed in disgust. "Hi, Kay," She said sweetly. "I just wanted to see if you were alright. I read the newspaper and what happened to you was horrible. I'm so sorry." Charity declared, making the whole situation sound so tragic and heartbreaking. Kay narrowed her eyes into thin slits, hating Charity's sincerity. Had it been anyone else, she would have already decided that they were lying through their teeth but this was Charity. And the girl was always sincere and could not lie even if her life depended on it.
Pathetic, Kay inwardly smirked.
"Spare me." She spat, placing her hands on her hips. "I am not interested in your sympathy, Charity."
Her cousin nodded considerately which only irked Kay more. There was always something about Charity that rubbed Kay the wrong way. "I know we weren't the best of friends-"
Kay immediately scoffed in indignation. "We weren't friends at all, Charity!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, looking at Charity like the she no brains at all. "Why are you here? Why are you wasting my time and energy? Shouldn't you be attached to Miguel's hip?"
Charity shook her head in dismay, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "It's always going to come down to Miguel, isn't it?" She whispered, sounding thoroughly disappointed and hurt.
Kay exhaled sharply, her patience diminishing. "What it's going to come down to is me kicking your sorry little ass if you don't leave in three seconds!" She hissed, balling her fists tightly to the point that her nails were digging into the palm of her hand, close to drawing blood.
"Kay, please stop making threats. It's not healthy."
"I'll show you what's not healthy!" Kay exclaimed, groaning in sheer annoyance and Charity quickly took a few steps back, looking somewhat shaken.
"I didn't come here to argue or fight with you." Charity explained softly, wishing that Kay didn't look so murderous. When Kay continued to glare at her, Charity sighed. "Why do you hate me so much?"
"Why do you care?"
"Because I can't stand to have someone hate me, especially you." Charity replied sadly. "I have never done anything to you, Kay."
"Don't even go there." Kay warned dangerously.
Charity folded her arms in front of her and looked at her cousin defiantly. "Well, I'm going to have to."
Kay laughed bitterly. "Was that insolence? Wow, Charity, your voice was almost above a monotone." She inflected sarcastically. "So, go ahead. Go there." She taunted, partially curious whether or not miss-sweet-and- perfect had grown a backbone over the years.
Charity sighed, finally realizing how obstinate and infuriating Kay was. "How long are you going to keep hating me, Kay? What will it take to make this horrible feud end? Why can't we just be friends?"
"Friends?" Kay echoed resentfully. "You actually think I would want to be friends with the likes of you! Stop before you make yourself look even more foolish."
"Why not? Why is it so hard to forgive?"
Kay glowered. "Because you stand for everything that I loathe."
Charity's face contorted into a frown. "And what is that exactly?"
"Pure goodness." Kay spat in disgust. "You are so good, Charity, it's sickening and strange. No one is that good. But that's not why I first hated you. I guess you can't change who you are, unfortunately. No, I hate you because the minute you came into my life, you suddenly became more important that anything or anyone else. You took everything from me: my family, my house, my money and my friends. My whole life was suddenly turned upside down just so we could accommodate you."
"I never knew." Charity whispered tearfully as she brought one hand up to cover her mouth. She looked truly shocked to the core.
"You never knew?! You never knew?!" Kay suddenly shrieked and she frantically paced in front of a terrified Charity. "Did you not see me look at you with hatred and jealousy? Did you not notice me try to get Miguel and everything that used to be mine back? Did you not hear me complain every time something that was mine suddenly became yours? How could you not know, Charity? How can you be so blind to that?" She suddenly picked up a small vase from a nearby table and threw it at Charity, missing her by a few inches. Charity yelped in fright while the vase shattered on the wall behind her.
"Kay-" She gingerly pleaded.
"No! You wanted answers, you got it! So listen, dammit!" Kay practically barked in fury. Her eyes blazed with anger. "You should have known. You should have known that it wasn't all about you and your damn tragedy. Now, I am sorry that you lost your mother and that you don't know who your fucking father is and that you have amnesia. But did you even stop to consider that we--that I--had a life before you? A life that did not include you! My parents handed you everything that should have been mine and the inconsiderate little bitch that you are, you didn't ask how I might feel about it! I was their first born daughter but you took everything from me!"
Her words hung heavily in the air, so thick it was almost suffocating. Kay was heaving by then, her eyes wet with tears that she hadn't noticed before. Charity stepped forward, suddenly feeling all the pain that Kay had suffered through for so long. She suddenly felt the need to hug Kay, to give her the comfort and apology that was long overdue. "I'm so sorry, Kay." Charity whispered brokenly.
The other woman immediately moved away, as if Charity's touch would burn her skin to a crisp. "Don't touch me!" She hissed.
"Kay, please. If I knew....if I knew how unhappy you were, I would have left. I never meant any harm."
Kay scoffed incredulously and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, hating herself for showing such weakness to the woman who had taken so much from her before. "Hindsight is remarkable, isn't it?" She muttered hostilely.
"There are no words to describe how sorry I am, Kay. I wish it had been different."
"I guess you're not entirely to blame." Kay declared bitterly. "Grace just had to try and replace your mother; Miguel had to drop everything and make his life revolve around yours. And everyone else just had to side with you, no matter what."
Charity nodded grimly. "I wish I had known sooner."
"Stop wishing for things that are done to change, Charity. You didn't know because you didn't want to know. You just accepted things the way they were, no questions asked. It wasn't just about Miguel but he was the main reason why I hated you." Kay clarified, feeling suddenly like she was reeled back to her childhood. "He was important to me then. He was my best friend for God's sake. But it doesn't matter anymore. He's yours and always will be."
Charity nodded solemnly, guilt riddling her to the point of nausea. "But you and Miguel would have been together if I never came."
Kay shrugged offhandedly, feeling suddenly very weary. She hadn't realized how long she and Charity shad been standing and lashing out at each other. Well, she did all the lashing out and as usual, Charity was the innocent one. "Well, you came and stayed. That's that." She retorted. "And it doesn't matter whether Miguel and I could have been something. Sooner or later, I would have realized that I never loved him all along. Miguel was the only boy my age that I saw as a potential. I didn't really have many choices to pick from. It would have been easier had I known all that before I wasted my time and effort." She smirked wryly.
What a waste, she thought.
"I just want you to know that I never meant to take him from you. I never meant to take anything from you."
Kay nodded. "I know that now but I still can't help be angry about it."
Charity sighed, slipping her fingers into her pockets. "So you still hate me even with all that said."
"Yeah," Kay replied honestly. "I still hate you but not as much, I guess. I can't help but resent you for the things and chances that I lost, Charity. That time in my life, I can never take back"
"If I could, I would give all that back and more, Kay. I really would."
"I know." She answered, knowing that Charity really would give back all that Kay lost if it was possible. "Funny, I thought I'd be strangling you by this point of the conversation."
Charity smiled. "Me too." She agreed. "Since I'm still standing, does this mean that there's a chance we could be friends somewhere down the road?" She sounded hopeful and Kay was almost tempted to shatter her optimism.
"Slim to none." Kay answered nonchalantly.
Charity smiled again. "I'll take it. A chance is a chance no matter how small."
Kay shot her a strange look. Maybe she no longer despised the sight of Charity or wished her dead but Kay still thought that she was too positive and perky for her own good. "If you say so." She whispered.
"Shake on it?" Charity extended her hand and for a moment, Kay just looked at it. A few years ago, she would have thought that shaking hands or making any agreement with Charity was worse than a long painful and violent death.
"I'll never understand you." Kay declared as she took Charity's hand and shook it firmly. "Just remember, Charity. We're not enemies but we're not friends either."
The blonde girl nodded, beaming. "Someday, Kay. Someday."
Kay said nothing in response but just watched Charity from where she stood. She inwardly wondered how years of hating someone was suddenly changed by an hour of talking to them. It was true, Kay didn't hate Charity as much anymore and perhaps with a lot of time, it would all diminish and they could be friends. Perhaps. All it took was for Kay to let all the bottled anger, resentment and unhappiness go and for Charity to know how Kay truly felt and why.
The cousins parted after that with an understanding between them. They made no promises to see each other again or had any expectations of bonding and make up lunches for all the lost time.
But they both knew that the war between them that had lasted so long was slowly coming to a conclusion.
~*~
Later That Night
Fox's first restful sleep in days was disturbed when someone started to shake him. Startled, he shot his eyes open to find Kay looking down at him.
"We need to talk." She hoarsely whispered in the darkness.
Fox groggily glanced at his alarm clock by the nightstand and groaned. "It's two in the morning. Can't it wait a few hours?" He grumbled, shifting on the bed grudgingly.
Kay exhaled impatiently. "No, it can't." She insisted. Kay had been turning and tossing in her bed for hours but sleep refused to claim her. Her mind kept drifting back to Fox, to coldness that their relationship had gotten to.
"Well, you had no problem avoiding me the past three days." Fox mumbled resentfully as he flicked the lights open. Kay flinched slightly.
"You were the one who was barely home." She insisted defiantly, suddenly beginning to think that coming here was a mistake. But a part of her refused to back down and just leave because Fox was not too enthused to see her. "Look, I didn't come here to argue."
"Good." He retorted curtly, sighing in annoyance. "I don't appreciate being awakened in the middle of the night just to have an argument with you."
"I know." Kay whispered seriously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her heart was suddenly pounding against her chest. "I couldn't sleep and I just realized that I can't keep doing this anymore."
Fox creased his forehead into a frown. "What do you mean?" He asked, sounding concerned.
"This!" Kay whispered heatedly as she suddenly rose from her seat and paced. Fox's frown deepened but he made no move to comfort her. Instead, he folded his arms and waited for Kay to continue. "I can't do this anymore, Fox. I don't want to be mad at you and at myself anymore. I can't stand that we're no longer talking and that we've been avoiding each other for days because we have too much pride." Kay halted her steps and turned to look at him, her eyes brimming with hot tears. "What I did was wrong. I shouldn't have kept my pregnancy a secret from you. It was selfish but I was too damn scared to tell you. At first, I couldn't accept it because I was terrified that I would lose this child like I lost my first."
"I wouldn't have let that happen." Fox conveyed softly knowing full well that he would use all his power to protect his child.
Kay nodded, wiping her tears hastily. "And I thought that if I told you, you wouldn't be happy, that you would not want the baby."
"But-"
"No, let me continue." Kay pleaded softly, trying to conjure up whatever energy she had left. "Just hear me out."
"Alright."
"Everything that has haunted me since I lost my daughter suddenly came back when I realized that I was pregnant: every fear; every insecurity, every situation that could go wrong. And a part of me didn't want you to be forced into a life that you did not choose for yourself. I didn't want you to turn into Miguel." She declared brokenly.
"What does Miguel have to do with this?" He curiously asked, hating the other man's name.
"I'm sure you know, Fox." She sniffled, shaking her head slightly. "I'm sure you know that when I got pregnant with Miguel, I tried everything I could to keep him with me. Hell, as cruel as it sounds, the baby was my way of having him forever. And I didn't want to do that to you. I didn't want to make you do anything that you didn't want and hate me in the process." She brought her hand to her mouth to suppress her sobs but Kay was losing all control and composure.
"I wouldn't do anything I didn't want to." Fox firmly declared as he stepped out of the bed and walked over to her. He gingerly wrapped his arms around Kay and pulled her into an embrace. "It's okay. I understand, Kay. I understand." He whispered, kissing her hair softly.
She tearfully nodded against his chest, her body wracked with sobs. "I didn't want you to hate me and resent the baby."
Fox tightened his embrace. "I don't hate you, Kay. I could never hate you." He proclaimed in all sincerity, finally understanding why. In a strange way, Kay had done it for Fox.
She pulled away from his embrace and nodded, heaving sigh. "That night at the ball, I was ready to tell you, I wanted to tell you but when Erica came up to me and told me all those horrible things, all I could think of--all I could feel was hurt. I was so hurt to know that I loved you that much and you've been lying all along. I was going to have your child but it dawned on me that I was going to lose you in exchange."
Fox tipped her chin up with his finger so that she would look straight into his eyes. "You were never going to lose me. What Erica said was out of spite, out of revenge. She saw how much you meant to me, how much I love you and she wanted to ruin it. Kay, you are the one good thing that happened to me; in fact you're the greatest thing to ever happen and I would never do anything to jeopardize that." Fox vowed; his eyes boring into hers.
"I know that now. I'm sorry I caused so much trouble." Kay stated softly as she stepped back into his embrace.
Fox smiled. "As long as I still have you, it's worth all that trouble." He replied. "Just promise me that no more secrets be kept between us. When I found out that you were pregnant, the first thing that came into my mind was that finally I was going to be a father. I was going to have a child with the woman that I loved. But when I realized that you've been keeping it from me, it made me wonder if you were ashamed to have my baby."
"But I'm not, Fox. I'm not." She protested firmly.
Fox nodded gravely. "I know but still, that's what I thought. You're not the only one to know what it's like to lose a child, Kay." Kay narrowed her eyes at the comment, wondering what exactly he meant by that. "Before the big horrible mess about Chad paternity was exposed, I thought that the baby that Whitney was carrying was mine. I didn't love her as much anymore but I was still happy to know that I was going to be a father. I wanted that baby and when Whitney told me that it was Chad's it felt like I lost a part of me, like my child had died." He explained softly. The tragedy happened between him and Whitney no longer hurt as much to Fox. It felt more like a distant memory.
Kay gasped, looking startled. Her heart went out to him and she suddenly felt more horrible for keeping the baby a secret from Fox. "I'm so sorry."
"What happened between me and Whitney is none of your fault but please no more secrets from now on, okay?" Fox pleaded as he held her hands in his.
Kay nodded in agreement, smiling softly. "I promise. I don't mean to hurt you, Fox, but sometimes I do stupid things."
He laughed wryly, hugging her again, this time with relief and happiness. "We all do." Fox agreed as he bent his head and kissed her. He hadn't realized how much he missed Kay.
Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, her slender fingers threading through his unruly hair. "Fox-" Kay moaned his name as she pressed herself against him.
"I want you." He answered, his kisses becoming hungry and urgent.
She laughed, breaking the kiss for only a brief second. "I know." Kay said as they started to move to the bed. They fell on top on the covers, Kay hastily unfastening the belt of her robe.
"What about the baby?" Fox asked worriedly.
"Our baby will be fine." Kay replied, touched by his thoughtfulness before planting a demanding kiss on his lips. "Did I tell you how much I love you, Fox Crane?"
"Not recently." Fox joked as he trailed hot kisses down Kay's neck.
He looked back at her and saw a wicked glint in Kay's eyes. "I'll make sure to make up for it."
~*~
A/N: YOU MUST BE ALL ASKING YOURSELVES? WHY? WHY?
OKAY, FIRST WHY: GWEN NEEDED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE. I DIDN'T LIKE HOW SHE'S NOW ALL MUSH AND NO BITCHINESS. I WANTED THE OLD STRONG, CONFIDENT GWEN BACK. I LIKED THE BAT WIELDING GWEN AND I SAW THIS CHAPTER AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HER TO LET OUT SOME PENT UP ANGER AND FRUSTRATION FROM WHAT HAPPENED TO HER WITH ETHAN AND THERESA AND HER BABY. AND HER SCENE GAVE US SOME INSIGHT ON HER PAST.
SECOND WHY: I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED CHARITY AND KAY TO RECONCILE. CHARITY IS A GOOD PERSON. STRANGELY MELLOW AND TOO FORGIVING BUT A GOOD PERSON ANYWAY AND I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT KAY DOES NEED TO HOLD A GRUDGE AGAINST CHARITY FOR AS LONG AS SHE LIVES. BESIDES, I SEE THEIR NEW RELATIONSHIP AS SOMETHING THAT I CAN USE LATER DOWN THE ROAD.
AS FOR FOX AND KAY: I DON'T KNOW IF I DID JUSTICE WITH THAT MAKE UP SCENE BUT I REALLY DID TRY. I SEARCHED MY BRAIN FOR EVERYTHING. I'M SORRY IF I DISAPPOINTED YOU GUYS.
AND DON'T WORRY, JESSICA WILL BE PUNISHED.
WELL, THANKS FOR READING AND MAKE SURE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF IT ALL.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS CHAPTER IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TO WRITE BECAUSE KAY AND FOX HAVE HAD THEIR FIGHTS BEFORE AND THAT THEY HAD NICE MAKE UP SCENES. TO BE HONEST, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GOING TO WRITE THIS MAKE UP SCENE. IT WILL PROBABLY THEIR LAST FIGHT AND LAST MAKE UP SCENE. I WANT HAPPY MOMENTS FOR BOTH OF THEM FROM NOW ON.
THERE'S A FEW THINGS FROM THE LAST CHAPTER THAT I HAD IN MIND FOR THIS ONE. FIRST AND OBVIOUS, FOX AND KAY'S MAKE UP SCENE. SECONDLY, THE DILEMMA THAT INCLUDES JESSICA AND ERICA AND THE STILL WITHSTANDING FEUD BETWEEN KAY AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE ELSE THAT WAS HER FAMILY. I CAN'T PROMISE THAT IT WILL ALL BE TAKEN CARE OF IN THIS CHAPTER BUT I TRIED.
BEFORE ANY OF YOU, FALL OFF YOUR CHAIRS FROM DROWSING OFF BECAUSE I'VE BORED YOU WITH THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE, LET ME JUST SAY THAT THERE'S QUITE A FEW THINGS TO EXPECT FROM THIS CHAPTER. TWO CHARACTERS WHO HAVE STAYED IN THE BACKGROUND WILL BE GIVEN A MOMENT IN THE LIMELIGHT. AND AS FOR THE REST, I ONLY HOPE THAT I MET MOST OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS IF NOT ALL.
ENJOY.
~*~
One Day Later
The Bennett house was abuzz with excitement as half the town gathered to discuss Kay's most recent antic. It looked like a town meeting. Most of them were pleased with the news that Kay fell or was allegedly pushed. The others just hoped that she would leave and never come back.
"It's another one of her stunts." Ivy huffily declared as she imagined the delicious thought of Kay falling down a flight of stairs in the Crane mansion, hopefully breaking a few important bones in the process. She wanted to congratulate whoever it was who finally had the courage to give the little bitch a taste of her own medicine.
Sam shot his wife a look but made no comment. He remained silent and listened to everyone else's opinion.
"I agree." Simone stepped up. "Kay loves to get attention and I think she did this one because she still wants to steal Miguel from Charity. I know Kay more than any of you and when she wants something, she'll do anything, even hurt herself."
Miguel nodded, although he was no longer convinced that Kay was still after him. She spoke and acted like she loathed him.
"She's looking for someone to blame." Theresa declared tearfully, almost too dramatically. "She wants to ruin us again!" She practically wailed and Ethan immediately wrapped his arms around her.
From where she was sitting, Jessica smiled in content. It was turning out better than she had ever hoped. Everyone believed that Kay pushed herself. She was going to get away with it and even if she was found out, Jessica was sure nothing would happen to her. Everyone should thank her. She had the guts to do to Kay what they could only think of.
Reese cleared his throat. "If Kay wanted to blame one of us for her fall, then the police would have been involved. She would have made sure to file a report." He said all knowingly. To Reese, it just did not make sense why Kay would go through such lengths as pushing herself down the stairs and then just stop there. If his former friend wanted to blame someone, she would have gotten proof. "No, I think that she's not playing this time." Everyone's attention was suddenly on him, most of them wondering why he was defending the person who was the cause of all their unhappiness.
Sam nodded thoughtfully. "Reese may be right. Someone must have really pushed her."
"No!" Jessica practically shrieked, startling the ever fragile Charity. "Reese is defending Kay because he used to be in love with her." Jessica shot him an accusing look although she didn't really believe her words. It was the first thing that came into mind and she had to say it in order for everyone not to believe Reese's claim. Jessica could not have him ruining everything now.
"That is not true!" Reese protested. "I love you, Jessica, but I am trying to be logical here."
Screw logic, Jessica thought with a smirk.
Beside Miguel, Charity sighed. "I'm sorry to say this because no matter how it's said, it won't be good but I think that Jessica is right." She said softly, looking at Reese sympathetically. "Your judgment is clouded because you were once very much in love with Kay and I think you still are."
Jessica then gasped. WHAT?
The room erupted in murmurs and protests. Reese shook his head in dismay, finding it suddenly futile to be the reasonable one out of the group.
"Well, whoever is right, it doesn't matter." Luis stated happily, despite their currently dire situation. "Kay deserved what she got."
"That's right!" Ivy exclaimed triumphantly.
Seeing the torn look on Sam's face, Luis continued. "I'm sorry, Sam, but your daughter is inexplicably evil. Whether she was pushed or she fabricated the whole thing, it doesn't matter as long as Kay doesn't try to put the blame on any of us."
Everyone in the room proceeded to agree with Luis. Sam sighed and searched for Grace. She was seated in the farthest corner with David, both of them looking somber but utterly silent. Sam wondered why his ex-wife had nothing to say when not too long ago, Grace could not stop talking about how despicable and hateful their daughter was.
Grace saw the look on Sam's face and understood. He was searching for her opinion. She was after all, Kay's mother. Grace offered Sam a small nod but made no indication of saying what she thought of the whole thing. She already had an opinion about Kay's latest disaster and Grace believed that what the paper printed was true. Someone pushed Kay, perhaps with the intent of permanently terminating her life by making it look like an accident. Grace suspected the reason why her daughter didn't go to the police was that she hated them. Kay had Luis fired like she vowed in the beginning and she was not on good terms with Sam who still resented her for keeping Ivy and David's secret.
But like Luis said, it didn't matter as long as Kay did not put the blame on them. Grace had the gnawing feeling that Kay would think that she was behind this and their withstanding 'truce' would be diminished and Kay would reveal Grace's secret to hurt her back.
"You okay?" David asked when he saw the troubled expression on Grace's face. The subject of Kay never did make Grace happy.
She gave him a thankful smile. "Let's go home." She whispered amidst the noise of everyone talking all at the once.
David nodded and they both rose, making no effort to announce that they were leaving. Everyone was too busy celebrating Kay's fall to truly care.
"That was something." He asserted once they were out of the Bennett house.
Grace sighed and slipped her hand into his. "Yeah, they think they won all of a sudden." She said as she recalled the happy and triumphant faces of her friends and family.
Luis looked about ready to open a champagne bottle for celebration, if only he could afford it. Ivy would have done a victory dance if she could. Even Sam seemed pleased.
"But no one won." David stated, as he thought of how bizarre and complicated his life had gotten. It was an endless mind game.
"No." Grace whispered forebodingly. She knew that it was just about to get much worse.
~*~
The Same Day
Boston
Erica Reed triumphantly hummed to herself as she soaked in her floral scented bath. Last night's events had turned out better than she anticipated. As expected, Kay became upset with what Erica had to say but the best part, perhaps was when she fell down the stairs.
Of course, Erica only knew of it from reading today's paper but it felt damn good to know she wasn't alone in this crusade to ruin Fox and his new pet. If only she knew who did the deed. Shrugging it off, Erica decided she didn't really care who or why Fox's new favorite was pushed down the stairs, along with Jason.
It irked her that the local newspaper made Kay out like a wounded royal. Erica didn't truly hate Kay Callaway. She had nothing against the woman. It was Fox she was after but if the only way hurt Fox was through Kay then Erica was willing to ruin the other woman.
"If only she broke her neck and died," Erica mused darkly as she tried to picture the look on Fox's face if Kay had died. She knew it would have destroyed Fox. She saw how he looked at Kay; how he possessively held her while they danced, the lingering kisses that he gave her. Fox was never one to be possessive. When he was with Erica or his numerous other girlfriends, he never acted like he truly cared about them or what they did.
Fox never worried because he knew that no matter what, they would always come running back.
Erica's musings were suddenly interrupted by the rapid clicking of approaching footsteps and the slamming of her bathroom door.
Gwen Hotchkiss stood in the doorway, looking very elegant in her well ironed dress pants and matching shirt. Her blonde hair seemed to be shinning despite the deadly gleam in her eyes. Behind her, stood a red haired woman that Erica recognized from the party as Jason Callaway's younger sister.
"Erica." Gwen hissed curtly, giving her a look that could have made many people shiver in fright. But Erica Reed was not easily frightened.
"Gwen." Erica replied, sounding overly chipper. "Nice of you to drop by. Who's your friend?"
Miranda narrowed her eyes at the blonde woman in the bath tub. "Your worst nightmare." She practically growled.
"Ooh, I'm shaking. See the ripples in the water?" Erica taunted as she leaned back in the tub and made herself more comfortable. She proceeded to laugh at her own joke. "I'm sure there's a purpose as to why you came here, Gwen. I don't suppose you both intend to stand their all day and watch me have my bath."
The blonde crossed her arms over her chest, wondering how she and Erica used to be friends many years ago. The other woman was a snake. "I want you to leave Fox and Kay the hell alone."
"And if I don't?" Erica challenged, looking at Gwen and then Miranda squarely.
The other blonde smirked while Miranda continued to glare at Erica. "I will make it my life's mission to destroy everything that you have or will ever have." Gwen retorted venomously.
"You don't have it in you Gwen, just like you didn't have it in you to keep Ethan." Erica sneered and Gwen's anger rose to a boiling point.
"Miranda, close the door." She ordered bitingly.
Knowing that Erica was about to taste Gwen's wrath, she obeyed silently and waited in the living room.
Once the door was shut, Gwen discarded her purse and light jacket on the side, stalked over to the other woman, grabbed Erica's blonde hair tightly and dunked her head into the water. The other woman struggled for air, kicking and gasping as she tried to free herself from Gwen's hold. But Gwen was strong even for such a small person.
"You bitch!" Erica screeched when Gwen pulled her head out of the soapy water. "You tried to kill me!"
"So, I don't have it in me, do I now?" Gwen whispered dangerously as her fingers tightened even more on Erica's hair. Gwen truly hated her, no matter what kind of friendship they once shared. It was bad enough that she lost Ethan and the baby but for Erica, who had no right to speak of such things, to bring it up was enough for Gwen to go almost psychotic.
"I'm going to have you arrested for this, Gwen Hotchkiss!" Erica continued to struggle.
Gwen yanked Erica's head back, thudding as it bumped against the tub. The other woman winced. "Listen to me you shit talking little slut, stay away from Fox and Kay! If you ever come within a one block radius with either of them, I and a few other people will make you very, very sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper and it was enough to make any regular person cringe in terror.
Fox Crane was like a brother to Gwen. He had defended her against Theresa and everyone else time and time again. Fox had held her hand while she lost her baby and almost bled to death when Ethan was nowhere to be found because he was with Theresa. He had comforted Gwen when her so called husband didn't have the decency to face her and apologize for their child's death or for running back to Theresa. Fox was there for her, even when she didn't want to be helped. And Gwen was not going to allow anything or anyone to stand in the way of Fox's happiness. She owed him that in the least.
Despite her position and discomfort, Erica laughed. "You think that by coming here, assaulting me and making threats, I'll back off? Fox will pay for hurting me. I would be married and happy by now if it wasn't for him!"
Gwen let go of Erica and stood back. "You can't blame Fox for your stupidity, Erica." She softened her tone and sighed. "You cheated on Mark with Fox."
"He seduced me until I could not say no!" Erica shrieked vehemently.
"Everyone can say no, Erica. It was not Fox's fault that Mark called off the wedding." Gwen justified calmly. "You didn't have to cheat on your fiancée. Did you honestly think he was foolish enough to take you back after you slept with another man three days before the wedding? You cheated on the man you claimed to love. Fox was stuck in the middle. You have yourself to blame for it."
"Fox knew I was getting married. He knew and he didn't care."
"Of course Fox didn't care. You were a desperate little bride wanting to sow your wild oats before you officially got tied to someone for the rest of your life or until the divorce. You can't have all that fun and not pay for it. Erica, you were about to get married to man who truly loved you but you had to wreck it. It could have been any man, not just Fox." Gwen retorted resolutely as she looked down at the other woman without any sense of pity. "Now stop it before you truly regret it."
"You can keep on making threats, Gwen, but I won't stop. Fox needs to feel what I feel."
Gwen smirked. "If you don't stop now, Erica, I will convey every disgusting detail of your torrid little affair with Headmaster Blackburn."
Erica looked appalled but she narrowed her eyes anyway to see if Gwen was bluffing. "You wouldn't."
"Think of how your family would react if they found out that you had a five month affair with the school's headmaster when you were sixteen. Imagine what they would think when I tell them that I held your hand while you had an abortion." It was cruel, Gwen knew. It wasn't fair game and she really wasn't going tell the world of Erica's horrible secret but from the desperate look on the other woman's face, Gwen realized that she had won. Fair or not, Erica would no longer be an obstacle. Feeling quite accomplished, Gwen picked up her belongings. "And if you suddenly lose all your morals and not care whether I tell your secret or not, let me remind you that as of today, I own your father's company. You see, your father is ready to retire and since you have not shown any interest in going into the family business, I had the opportunity to buy it. I'll let you have your little fun and play professional but if you as much look at me or my friends the wrong way, I will liquidate everything and leave you not quite as well off as you are now."
With that said Gwen turned on her heel, opened the door and walked out. Miranda looked at her curiously, arching an eyebrow at Gwen's slightly soggy clothes.
"How'd it go?" She asked skeptically as they both headed to the door.
Gwen slightly shrugged as she slipped on her jacket, disappointedly looking at her now ruined clothes. "Quite well." She replied with a small smile.
"I was worried. I couldn't hear the splashes and yelling for a long time." Miranda joked darkly. There was a dark and dangerous side to Gwen Hotchkiss that other people were fortunate not to see.
The other woman offered her a smile. "Erica and I have come to an understanding."
"You're that persuasive, huh?"
"Yes, I'm very persuasive when determined." Gwen replied in all sincerity as they stepped into her car.
"How'd you do it?" Miranda curiously asked, glancing at the blonde.
Gwen shrugged her shoulders again. "Simple. I just imagined Theresa's trashy little face every few seconds."
"Oh."
~*~
Two Days Later
Crane
Kay irritably tapped her right foot on the marble floor, at the same time cursing the guards for letting Charity Standish into the property. For a well fortified place, a lot of people seemed to slip into the mansion with ease. She sighed in disdain before turning her attention to the blonde girl who was primly sitting on the couch.
"Is it just me or is the epitome of all goodness actually in the house of evil?" Kay sarcastically drawled, sending Charity a chilling glare.
Charity softly smiled in response, giving her cousin an understanding look and Kay cringed in disgust. "Hi, Kay," She said sweetly. "I just wanted to see if you were alright. I read the newspaper and what happened to you was horrible. I'm so sorry." Charity declared, making the whole situation sound so tragic and heartbreaking. Kay narrowed her eyes into thin slits, hating Charity's sincerity. Had it been anyone else, she would have already decided that they were lying through their teeth but this was Charity. And the girl was always sincere and could not lie even if her life depended on it.
Pathetic, Kay inwardly smirked.
"Spare me." She spat, placing her hands on her hips. "I am not interested in your sympathy, Charity."
Her cousin nodded considerately which only irked Kay more. There was always something about Charity that rubbed Kay the wrong way. "I know we weren't the best of friends-"
Kay immediately scoffed in indignation. "We weren't friends at all, Charity!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, looking at Charity like the she no brains at all. "Why are you here? Why are you wasting my time and energy? Shouldn't you be attached to Miguel's hip?"
Charity shook her head in dismay, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "It's always going to come down to Miguel, isn't it?" She whispered, sounding thoroughly disappointed and hurt.
Kay exhaled sharply, her patience diminishing. "What it's going to come down to is me kicking your sorry little ass if you don't leave in three seconds!" She hissed, balling her fists tightly to the point that her nails were digging into the palm of her hand, close to drawing blood.
"Kay, please stop making threats. It's not healthy."
"I'll show you what's not healthy!" Kay exclaimed, groaning in sheer annoyance and Charity quickly took a few steps back, looking somewhat shaken.
"I didn't come here to argue or fight with you." Charity explained softly, wishing that Kay didn't look so murderous. When Kay continued to glare at her, Charity sighed. "Why do you hate me so much?"
"Why do you care?"
"Because I can't stand to have someone hate me, especially you." Charity replied sadly. "I have never done anything to you, Kay."
"Don't even go there." Kay warned dangerously.
Charity folded her arms in front of her and looked at her cousin defiantly. "Well, I'm going to have to."
Kay laughed bitterly. "Was that insolence? Wow, Charity, your voice was almost above a monotone." She inflected sarcastically. "So, go ahead. Go there." She taunted, partially curious whether or not miss-sweet-and- perfect had grown a backbone over the years.
Charity sighed, finally realizing how obstinate and infuriating Kay was. "How long are you going to keep hating me, Kay? What will it take to make this horrible feud end? Why can't we just be friends?"
"Friends?" Kay echoed resentfully. "You actually think I would want to be friends with the likes of you! Stop before you make yourself look even more foolish."
"Why not? Why is it so hard to forgive?"
Kay glowered. "Because you stand for everything that I loathe."
Charity's face contorted into a frown. "And what is that exactly?"
"Pure goodness." Kay spat in disgust. "You are so good, Charity, it's sickening and strange. No one is that good. But that's not why I first hated you. I guess you can't change who you are, unfortunately. No, I hate you because the minute you came into my life, you suddenly became more important that anything or anyone else. You took everything from me: my family, my house, my money and my friends. My whole life was suddenly turned upside down just so we could accommodate you."
"I never knew." Charity whispered tearfully as she brought one hand up to cover her mouth. She looked truly shocked to the core.
"You never knew?! You never knew?!" Kay suddenly shrieked and she frantically paced in front of a terrified Charity. "Did you not see me look at you with hatred and jealousy? Did you not notice me try to get Miguel and everything that used to be mine back? Did you not hear me complain every time something that was mine suddenly became yours? How could you not know, Charity? How can you be so blind to that?" She suddenly picked up a small vase from a nearby table and threw it at Charity, missing her by a few inches. Charity yelped in fright while the vase shattered on the wall behind her.
"Kay-" She gingerly pleaded.
"No! You wanted answers, you got it! So listen, dammit!" Kay practically barked in fury. Her eyes blazed with anger. "You should have known. You should have known that it wasn't all about you and your damn tragedy. Now, I am sorry that you lost your mother and that you don't know who your fucking father is and that you have amnesia. But did you even stop to consider that we--that I--had a life before you? A life that did not include you! My parents handed you everything that should have been mine and the inconsiderate little bitch that you are, you didn't ask how I might feel about it! I was their first born daughter but you took everything from me!"
Her words hung heavily in the air, so thick it was almost suffocating. Kay was heaving by then, her eyes wet with tears that she hadn't noticed before. Charity stepped forward, suddenly feeling all the pain that Kay had suffered through for so long. She suddenly felt the need to hug Kay, to give her the comfort and apology that was long overdue. "I'm so sorry, Kay." Charity whispered brokenly.
The other woman immediately moved away, as if Charity's touch would burn her skin to a crisp. "Don't touch me!" She hissed.
"Kay, please. If I knew....if I knew how unhappy you were, I would have left. I never meant any harm."
Kay scoffed incredulously and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, hating herself for showing such weakness to the woman who had taken so much from her before. "Hindsight is remarkable, isn't it?" She muttered hostilely.
"There are no words to describe how sorry I am, Kay. I wish it had been different."
"I guess you're not entirely to blame." Kay declared bitterly. "Grace just had to try and replace your mother; Miguel had to drop everything and make his life revolve around yours. And everyone else just had to side with you, no matter what."
Charity nodded grimly. "I wish I had known sooner."
"Stop wishing for things that are done to change, Charity. You didn't know because you didn't want to know. You just accepted things the way they were, no questions asked. It wasn't just about Miguel but he was the main reason why I hated you." Kay clarified, feeling suddenly like she was reeled back to her childhood. "He was important to me then. He was my best friend for God's sake. But it doesn't matter anymore. He's yours and always will be."
Charity nodded solemnly, guilt riddling her to the point of nausea. "But you and Miguel would have been together if I never came."
Kay shrugged offhandedly, feeling suddenly very weary. She hadn't realized how long she and Charity shad been standing and lashing out at each other. Well, she did all the lashing out and as usual, Charity was the innocent one. "Well, you came and stayed. That's that." She retorted. "And it doesn't matter whether Miguel and I could have been something. Sooner or later, I would have realized that I never loved him all along. Miguel was the only boy my age that I saw as a potential. I didn't really have many choices to pick from. It would have been easier had I known all that before I wasted my time and effort." She smirked wryly.
What a waste, she thought.
"I just want you to know that I never meant to take him from you. I never meant to take anything from you."
Kay nodded. "I know that now but I still can't help be angry about it."
Charity sighed, slipping her fingers into her pockets. "So you still hate me even with all that said."
"Yeah," Kay replied honestly. "I still hate you but not as much, I guess. I can't help but resent you for the things and chances that I lost, Charity. That time in my life, I can never take back"
"If I could, I would give all that back and more, Kay. I really would."
"I know." She answered, knowing that Charity really would give back all that Kay lost if it was possible. "Funny, I thought I'd be strangling you by this point of the conversation."
Charity smiled. "Me too." She agreed. "Since I'm still standing, does this mean that there's a chance we could be friends somewhere down the road?" She sounded hopeful and Kay was almost tempted to shatter her optimism.
"Slim to none." Kay answered nonchalantly.
Charity smiled again. "I'll take it. A chance is a chance no matter how small."
Kay shot her a strange look. Maybe she no longer despised the sight of Charity or wished her dead but Kay still thought that she was too positive and perky for her own good. "If you say so." She whispered.
"Shake on it?" Charity extended her hand and for a moment, Kay just looked at it. A few years ago, she would have thought that shaking hands or making any agreement with Charity was worse than a long painful and violent death.
"I'll never understand you." Kay declared as she took Charity's hand and shook it firmly. "Just remember, Charity. We're not enemies but we're not friends either."
The blonde girl nodded, beaming. "Someday, Kay. Someday."
Kay said nothing in response but just watched Charity from where she stood. She inwardly wondered how years of hating someone was suddenly changed by an hour of talking to them. It was true, Kay didn't hate Charity as much anymore and perhaps with a lot of time, it would all diminish and they could be friends. Perhaps. All it took was for Kay to let all the bottled anger, resentment and unhappiness go and for Charity to know how Kay truly felt and why.
The cousins parted after that with an understanding between them. They made no promises to see each other again or had any expectations of bonding and make up lunches for all the lost time.
But they both knew that the war between them that had lasted so long was slowly coming to a conclusion.
~*~
Later That Night
Fox's first restful sleep in days was disturbed when someone started to shake him. Startled, he shot his eyes open to find Kay looking down at him.
"We need to talk." She hoarsely whispered in the darkness.
Fox groggily glanced at his alarm clock by the nightstand and groaned. "It's two in the morning. Can't it wait a few hours?" He grumbled, shifting on the bed grudgingly.
Kay exhaled impatiently. "No, it can't." She insisted. Kay had been turning and tossing in her bed for hours but sleep refused to claim her. Her mind kept drifting back to Fox, to coldness that their relationship had gotten to.
"Well, you had no problem avoiding me the past three days." Fox mumbled resentfully as he flicked the lights open. Kay flinched slightly.
"You were the one who was barely home." She insisted defiantly, suddenly beginning to think that coming here was a mistake. But a part of her refused to back down and just leave because Fox was not too enthused to see her. "Look, I didn't come here to argue."
"Good." He retorted curtly, sighing in annoyance. "I don't appreciate being awakened in the middle of the night just to have an argument with you."
"I know." Kay whispered seriously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her heart was suddenly pounding against her chest. "I couldn't sleep and I just realized that I can't keep doing this anymore."
Fox creased his forehead into a frown. "What do you mean?" He asked, sounding concerned.
"This!" Kay whispered heatedly as she suddenly rose from her seat and paced. Fox's frown deepened but he made no move to comfort her. Instead, he folded his arms and waited for Kay to continue. "I can't do this anymore, Fox. I don't want to be mad at you and at myself anymore. I can't stand that we're no longer talking and that we've been avoiding each other for days because we have too much pride." Kay halted her steps and turned to look at him, her eyes brimming with hot tears. "What I did was wrong. I shouldn't have kept my pregnancy a secret from you. It was selfish but I was too damn scared to tell you. At first, I couldn't accept it because I was terrified that I would lose this child like I lost my first."
"I wouldn't have let that happen." Fox conveyed softly knowing full well that he would use all his power to protect his child.
Kay nodded, wiping her tears hastily. "And I thought that if I told you, you wouldn't be happy, that you would not want the baby."
"But-"
"No, let me continue." Kay pleaded softly, trying to conjure up whatever energy she had left. "Just hear me out."
"Alright."
"Everything that has haunted me since I lost my daughter suddenly came back when I realized that I was pregnant: every fear; every insecurity, every situation that could go wrong. And a part of me didn't want you to be forced into a life that you did not choose for yourself. I didn't want you to turn into Miguel." She declared brokenly.
"What does Miguel have to do with this?" He curiously asked, hating the other man's name.
"I'm sure you know, Fox." She sniffled, shaking her head slightly. "I'm sure you know that when I got pregnant with Miguel, I tried everything I could to keep him with me. Hell, as cruel as it sounds, the baby was my way of having him forever. And I didn't want to do that to you. I didn't want to make you do anything that you didn't want and hate me in the process." She brought her hand to her mouth to suppress her sobs but Kay was losing all control and composure.
"I wouldn't do anything I didn't want to." Fox firmly declared as he stepped out of the bed and walked over to her. He gingerly wrapped his arms around Kay and pulled her into an embrace. "It's okay. I understand, Kay. I understand." He whispered, kissing her hair softly.
She tearfully nodded against his chest, her body wracked with sobs. "I didn't want you to hate me and resent the baby."
Fox tightened his embrace. "I don't hate you, Kay. I could never hate you." He proclaimed in all sincerity, finally understanding why. In a strange way, Kay had done it for Fox.
She pulled away from his embrace and nodded, heaving sigh. "That night at the ball, I was ready to tell you, I wanted to tell you but when Erica came up to me and told me all those horrible things, all I could think of--all I could feel was hurt. I was so hurt to know that I loved you that much and you've been lying all along. I was going to have your child but it dawned on me that I was going to lose you in exchange."
Fox tipped her chin up with his finger so that she would look straight into his eyes. "You were never going to lose me. What Erica said was out of spite, out of revenge. She saw how much you meant to me, how much I love you and she wanted to ruin it. Kay, you are the one good thing that happened to me; in fact you're the greatest thing to ever happen and I would never do anything to jeopardize that." Fox vowed; his eyes boring into hers.
"I know that now. I'm sorry I caused so much trouble." Kay stated softly as she stepped back into his embrace.
Fox smiled. "As long as I still have you, it's worth all that trouble." He replied. "Just promise me that no more secrets be kept between us. When I found out that you were pregnant, the first thing that came into my mind was that finally I was going to be a father. I was going to have a child with the woman that I loved. But when I realized that you've been keeping it from me, it made me wonder if you were ashamed to have my baby."
"But I'm not, Fox. I'm not." She protested firmly.
Fox nodded gravely. "I know but still, that's what I thought. You're not the only one to know what it's like to lose a child, Kay." Kay narrowed her eyes at the comment, wondering what exactly he meant by that. "Before the big horrible mess about Chad paternity was exposed, I thought that the baby that Whitney was carrying was mine. I didn't love her as much anymore but I was still happy to know that I was going to be a father. I wanted that baby and when Whitney told me that it was Chad's it felt like I lost a part of me, like my child had died." He explained softly. The tragedy happened between him and Whitney no longer hurt as much to Fox. It felt more like a distant memory.
Kay gasped, looking startled. Her heart went out to him and she suddenly felt more horrible for keeping the baby a secret from Fox. "I'm so sorry."
"What happened between me and Whitney is none of your fault but please no more secrets from now on, okay?" Fox pleaded as he held her hands in his.
Kay nodded in agreement, smiling softly. "I promise. I don't mean to hurt you, Fox, but sometimes I do stupid things."
He laughed wryly, hugging her again, this time with relief and happiness. "We all do." Fox agreed as he bent his head and kissed her. He hadn't realized how much he missed Kay.
Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, her slender fingers threading through his unruly hair. "Fox-" Kay moaned his name as she pressed herself against him.
"I want you." He answered, his kisses becoming hungry and urgent.
She laughed, breaking the kiss for only a brief second. "I know." Kay said as they started to move to the bed. They fell on top on the covers, Kay hastily unfastening the belt of her robe.
"What about the baby?" Fox asked worriedly.
"Our baby will be fine." Kay replied, touched by his thoughtfulness before planting a demanding kiss on his lips. "Did I tell you how much I love you, Fox Crane?"
"Not recently." Fox joked as he trailed hot kisses down Kay's neck.
He looked back at her and saw a wicked glint in Kay's eyes. "I'll make sure to make up for it."
~*~
A/N: YOU MUST BE ALL ASKING YOURSELVES? WHY? WHY?
OKAY, FIRST WHY: GWEN NEEDED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE. I DIDN'T LIKE HOW SHE'S NOW ALL MUSH AND NO BITCHINESS. I WANTED THE OLD STRONG, CONFIDENT GWEN BACK. I LIKED THE BAT WIELDING GWEN AND I SAW THIS CHAPTER AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HER TO LET OUT SOME PENT UP ANGER AND FRUSTRATION FROM WHAT HAPPENED TO HER WITH ETHAN AND THERESA AND HER BABY. AND HER SCENE GAVE US SOME INSIGHT ON HER PAST.
SECOND WHY: I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED CHARITY AND KAY TO RECONCILE. CHARITY IS A GOOD PERSON. STRANGELY MELLOW AND TOO FORGIVING BUT A GOOD PERSON ANYWAY AND I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT KAY DOES NEED TO HOLD A GRUDGE AGAINST CHARITY FOR AS LONG AS SHE LIVES. BESIDES, I SEE THEIR NEW RELATIONSHIP AS SOMETHING THAT I CAN USE LATER DOWN THE ROAD.
AS FOR FOX AND KAY: I DON'T KNOW IF I DID JUSTICE WITH THAT MAKE UP SCENE BUT I REALLY DID TRY. I SEARCHED MY BRAIN FOR EVERYTHING. I'M SORRY IF I DISAPPOINTED YOU GUYS.
AND DON'T WORRY, JESSICA WILL BE PUNISHED.
WELL, THANKS FOR READING AND MAKE SURE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF IT ALL.
