Chapter 40: Mrs. Dylan Banning or Not?

"Do you think this is funny Dylan?"

"No, why would I? It's very serious Teresa. I'm offering my hand in marriage to you."

"With the same diamond necklace Fox gave me."

"What are you talking about? I just bought this necklace."

Teresa pulled a necklace from her purse and Dylan saw that it was almost identical to the one he had bought for Teresa. She burst into tears and said, "You're asking me to marry you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I love you Teresa. Remember the promise ring I gave you a long time ago?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I want to replace it now, with an engagement ring. I want you to be happy with me."

"No. You want me to forget Fox."

"That too."

She looked at him in disbelief. She didn't know what to think. She kept hearing his words over and over again in her head. Images of Fox and herself were whizzing through her mind. She remembered when the first night she and Fox made love, their first kiss, their special spot under the wharf, their time in Milan, Rachel coming into their lives, the birth of their daughter, you name it and she remembered it all. It was like Dylan's proposal was an end to everything she had known.

"Teresa? You don't have to answer me now you know."

She looked him in his eyes and said, "Good, because I don't know if I could reply to that so quickly."

He smiled and said, "I don't want to push you into this or rush you into this."

"I know that."

"Good."

"Dylan?"

"Yeah."

"Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean is your father pushing you to get married and have Banning heirs?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"Teresa, I love you. That's why. I don't understand why you think there is something behind this, like some bad motive."

"Because after my situation with Fox I don't want to get you kidnapped either because of proposing to me or wanting to."

They laughed. He replied, "Not quite. My father knows I'm proposing to you and he hasn't made any insinuations that he'll have me kidnapped or killed. At least so far."

They laughed again and Teresa kissed Dylan's cheek as they laid back to watch TV in their room.

"Dylan?"

"Yes dear."

"Question."

"I'm listening."

"Will you make me yours?"

"Now?"

"No next year. Of course now." She laughed as Dylan started to kiss her neck.

"Oh okay. Now's fine I guess."

"You guess?" She laughed as he started to take her shirt off.
"Whatever." He replied.

(Insert your thoughts here about what happens. I don't feel like writing sexy things right here)

*~*~*~*~*

While Dylan was asleep next to her Teresa got up from the bed and grabbed Dylan's pants and found the box that held the huge ring he had offered her as an engagement ring. She slowly took the ring and went into the bathroom. She took off the promise ring that he had given her and placed the engagement ring on her finger. She stretched her hand out and flexed her hand as she admired the ring. She began to talk to herself aloud, quietly and with her back to the door so Dylan couldn't hear her. She said, "Hello, Mrs. Vanderbuilt, I'm Mrs. Banning. Mrs. Dylan Banning to be exact." She started to say 'Mrs. Dylan Banning' hundreds of times to see how it would sound and how she would say her name, 'Mrs. Teresa Banning' and she compared it to 'Mrs. Teresa Crane'. She began to look at the ring again as she said, "I'm Mrs. Dylan Banning."

Seconds later there was silence as she began to think of her life with Dylan. Then she heard a voice, "You're not Mrs. Dylan Banning yet you know." She jumped at the sound of the voice that startled her. She turned around to see a smiling Dylan. She started to take the ring off in embarrassment, but Dylan placed his hand on hers and said, "No, don't take it off, let me see how it looks."

She showed him her hand with the ring on it and he kissed her hand. "It looks perfect Teresa."

"Yeah, it really does. Doesn't it?"

"Teresa?"

"Huh?"

"Do you want me to ask you again?"

"Not right now, I think I'm still a bit giddy from earlier."

"Earlier? Oh! The sex? Yeah. Me too."

She laughed, "How can you be so honest with me?"

"Because I'm not embarrassed by it or by you. I love it when we're together."

"Together?"

"You know what I mean."

"I thought you weren't embarrassed to say things like that."

"I'm not, you are."

"So?"

"So?"

"Okay, okay. I'll put the ring back and let's head back to bed, okay?"

"Why are you taking it off?"

"Because, I don't want it to get ruined."

"Ruined?"

"Yes, and don't ask anymore questions. Let's go."

"You already sound like a wife."

"Haha. Let's go."

*~*~*~*~*~* Two weeks later w/o a reply to Dylan's proposal *~*~*~*~*~*

Dylan, Teresa and the kids were eating breakfast while watching the news:

"Breaking news this morning. After a strong and non-sop search for Mr. Nicholas Foxworth Crane, led by his best friends Dylan Banning and Teresa Lopez-Fitzgerald he has been found. I repeat, Mr. Fox Crane has been found. More news as it comes to us here at the station."

Dylan jumped from his seat at the table and kissed Teresa. He picked her up and swung her around in circles. They laughed, they cried, they screamed in delight. They were so happy that Fox was found. Their telephone rang and it was Luis calling to tell them where to meet Fox in about two hours. Fox had been found and neither of them (Teresa or Dylan) knew what would really happen now that Fox was back.

"Dylan."

"Yeah."

"I have something to tell you before we leave to see Fox."

"What is it?"

"I think I'm pregnant."

"You what?"

"I think I'm pregnant. I'm not sure yet though."

"How will you know?"

"A pregnancy test."

"When and how do we go about getting one done?"

"At a hospital, preferably, and when we want."

"When do you want to get one done?"

"Whenever you're up for it."

"Later today?"

"I don't think Fox will want to let go of you or the kids today or anytime soon."

"Well, we will have to make time then won't we?"

"Yeah. I guess so."

"Perk up Dylan."

"Why? My best friend is back on the scene and he's going to want everything back now, everything I have."

"Like what?"

"You, the girls, our life, our future."

"Dylan, I'm your fiancé not his."

"Fiancé? Wait does this mean you've accepted my marriage proposal?"

She smiled, "Maybe."

"Maybe? Come on you can't leave me hanging. Do you want to marry me?"

"How about I tell you later, when it's a bit more private."

"Whatever you say, Teresa."

And so together they left with the girls to see Fox at the designated spot where their lives were about to change.

*~*~*~*~*~* A/N *~*~*~*~*~*

NEXT CHAPTER: Fox is back and meets Teresa and his kids for the first time in almost a year. What will his reaction be when he finds out that Dylan has been caring for "his family" and that he proposed to Teresa. What will he say when he learns that Teresa has somewhat "accepted" the proposal (not officially)? What will he say to everything that has been going on while he was gone? And what about Teresa and her possible pregnancy with Dylan and what is her answer to his proposal and how will it affect Fox and her life? All this and more in Chapter 41: Answers, Problems and Then Some.