"Whitney, we need to talk and we will talk right now. So baby girl, put down the rackets now." Chad demanded.

Whitney was still attracted to him. She couldn't take her eyes off him for even a moment. When Chad wanted something, he fought for it tooth and nail and she knew he wanted her.

I can't trust him.

"Look Chad, whatever you have to say, just say it and get the hell out, because I have to go practice." Whitney said trying to look anywhere but at Chad because she knew she would melt into a puddle in his arms.

"Whitney, I love you. What we had together, it was like nothing both of us have ever had. It was, no girl it is true love. I know you can feel it between us. I know when we touch, you can feel it." Chad said as he moved closer to a very affected Whitney.

"Chad, love isn't enough. Don't you see that? I can't trust you. I put all my faith and trust in you and you let me down. Everyone let's me down." Whitney said thinking of her mother and Julian Crane.

"What do you mean everyone Whit?" Chad said curiously.

"Nothing. Look Chad, it's over and you need to accept that. We can never be together and it hurts too much to ever talk about it again. Why can't you understand that?"

"Whitney, I know you're hurting but if you-"

"Stop it Chad!" Whitney said on the verge of tears. "Don't you think it hurts me to do this? I have loved you for so long. I...I..." Whitney cut herself off and surprised Chad with a kiss on the lips.

It was slow and soft and shocked the hell out of Chad.

"Whitney, you do still love me. We can work this out. Baby please." Chad pleaded.

"Good-bye Chad." Whitney said grabbing her things and heading out the door leaving Chad emotionally damaged.

He closed his eyes.

"We will find our way back to each other Whitney. I know we will."

Theresa stood and looked at the man before her. She couldn't believe she spent her whole life loving him, believing in him, trusting him, going to the death chamber for him.

Ethan.

He made her so sick she didn't want to look at him. Why did he have to come in the Book Cafe when he knew she would be working there? Why does he always try to make excuses to be around her when he told her they could never be? How could he just abandon her and his Godson like that? This was not the man she knew and definitely not a man she loved anymore.

I was so wrong about you Ethan, so wrong.

Ethan had flip flopped between Gwen and Theresa for so long and Theresa felt like an idiot because she didn't see it. She always thought he would fight for their love and finally realized Ethan never did. All those times Ivy, Rebecca, Julian, and Gwen would taunt and tease her, he just stood there and lived in that house and even sat and had tea with those evil people.

Everything about Ethan made her sick. The last thing she wanted to do today was see him.

"I'll get Rob to take this table sir." Theresa said spinning around.

"Theresa, wait. Please don't go. I need to talk to you." Ethan pleaded.

Theresa didn't want to turn back. She hated looking at him. It just reminded her of all the pain and all the time she wasted loving a man who could never accept her for herself.

"Ethan, we have nothing to say to each other." Theresa said staring him in the face.

She noticed he had a huge bruise on his left cheek. It was swelling pretty bad.

Was he in a fight? And with whom?

"Theresa, we do have a lot to say to each other. There is so much I need to tell you."

"Ethan, some of us have to work and I cannot sit around talking with you. I've missed work enough today as it is." Theresa said as her thoughts drifted to Whitney's trauma.

"What do you mean? Why did you miss work? Is everything okay?"

Ethan was worried. He could tell something greatly troubled Theresa and he desperately wanted to know what it was.

Did Fox hurt her?

That bastard, I'll kill him.

Theresa thought Ethan had some nerve.

For years he had been telling her they need to stay away from each other and not talk to each other ever again and now he wants to sit and discuss her problems?

I don't think so.

"None of your business. Say what you're going to say Ethan. You have exactly one minute." Theresa said as she looked at her watch and tapped her foot.

"Okay, look, you have to stay away from Fox." Ethan blurted out.

"Excuse me? Since when do you have the right to but your nose into my business Ethan?"

"Since I know you're in danger of getting your heart shattered into a million pieces and I can't stand by and watch it happen Theresa. I won't." Ethan assured her.

"You won't? Who in the hell do you think you are? Newsflash Ethan, you don't control me and you don't tell me who and who I cannot date. I cannot believe you. For so long you have told me to stay away from you and your family, that we can never see each other, that you need me out of your life and now you're giving me the 411 on Fox? Where do you get off?" Theresa said angrily.

She was so mad she could scream. How dare he want to have his cake and it eat it too. She was tired of him treating her like dirt all the time. When he wasn't with Gwen, he wanted to be around her and when he was with her, he wanted to be around Gwen. Ethan was so fickle.

"Theresa, I am doing this because I care about you."

"Care about me? You care about me? That's a laugh. You don't care about me because if you did, you would have never abandoned me and your Godson when we needed you the most."

"Theresa, you know why I couldn't help you, I promised Gwe-"

"Ethan, just save it all right! I don't want to hear about all your sanctimonious promises to Gwen. I have heard them a thousand times before and frankly, I have moved on and I could not be happier."

It was true.

Theresa had never been more happier in her life than when she was with Fox. He was everything to her. He was the most amazing, wonderful, perfect man in the world. He loved her and her son so unconditionally. A love like that only comes around once in a lifetime and she had found it with Fox and wasn't about to ever let it go and she wasn't about to let Ethan diminish it.

"Theresa, he is using you."

"Using me? You don't even know Fox. Fox would never use me. He loves me. He has loved me all this time and you know what? I was too stupid to see it. I was so blinded by this obsession I had with you, that I could not see the forest in front of me. But now I do Ethan and it is beautiful. It's the most beautiful, magical place I have ever been."

"Theresa, stop living in this fantasy world where you think Fox is your knight in shining armor. He was never in love with you. He is in love with Whitney Theresa, not you."

Theresa was on the verge of tears. How could Ethan just stand there, look her in the eye and make up all these vicious lies about Fox? Did he want to hurt her that much? Her son was ripped from her arms, how much more pain could she take?

"You.....are a liar." Theresa said wiping her tears away. "You really want to hurt me don't you? What is this Ethan? Some sick revenge you cooked up? Do I not deserve happiness? Do you think I deserve to suffer for all the misery you think I brought upon you and Gwen? Making up these vicious, disgusting lies about the man I love, the man I'm going to marry?"

Marry?

Theresa cannot marry Fox.

Never.

"Theresa, listen to me. I want you to have nothing but happiness, but Fox is not that man. He has been in love with Whitney this whole time. He is using you to get closer to her. He told me this months ago. I would not lie to you Theresa."

Ethan was so desperate to make her believe that Fox was using her. She had to believe it. She had to believe it before it was too late. But Ethan feared it may already be too late. He didn't want to admit it, but he saw the love in Theresa's eyes for Fox and it killed him.

She loves him.

Ethan's heart sank as he tried to reassure himself she only loved him because Fox made her believe something that wasn't true. Add that to the fact that she thinks Ethan abandoned her.

She's in love with an illusion.

"Why are you doing this? Fox and Whitney were dating, but it wasn't real. They did it to help me see my son. You see, that is the kind of man Fox is. He would do anything for me." Theresa defended Fox with every fiber of her being.

Ethan hated to see Theresa in pain. He knew this was going to be hard, but he had to get through to her. She would realize Fox is nothing but a playboy using her and she would heal herself and move on. He would make sure of it.

"Theresa, that was fake. Didn't you ever notice Fox would rush to always spend time with Whitney? He was always the eager beaver wasn't he? All too willing and too accommodating wasn't he?"

Theresa didn't want to hear it, but her mind flashed back to all those times Fox was around Whitney.

No he's so wrong.

"He was doing that for me Ethan. Fox loves me more than life itself. He isn't a coward and he protects me and my son and I will not allow you to stand here and try to make him out to be some monster because you can't stand the fact that I have moved on." Theresa screamed.

"Theresa, I want you to move on. I want you to find someone that deserves you. Someone that won't play around with your feelings." Ethan said as he approached her mesmerized by her scent and beauty.

She was so beautiful.

He was aching to touch her.

Did her lips feel as soft and sweet as he remembered?

"Play around with my feelings? Oh, you mean like you did? Ethan, just stop it. Stop it!" Theresa said frustrated that he was making her cry...again.

No.

I will not cry.

I have shed far too many tears for Ethan Winthrop.

No more.

"Theresa, you know I would never intentionally try to hurt you, but I know my half brother more than you ever will. He doesn't love you. He loves Whitney. He's always been in love with Whitney. Everything you two had or whatever you think you have, is not true. Fox is using you just like I always told you he would."

"You're sick. I know what this is about. This is about you not being able to let go isn't it? All this time you said I was the one with the problem. I was the one that couldn't let what we had just die. Now that you see me so happy, happier than I have ever been in my entire life, you can't stand it can you Ethan? You can't stand that I'm not mooning over you like I used to. That I'm not always around, begging on your leg to take me back. It kills you that I have moved on and am with a man that I love who loves me." Theresa said.

She was getting to him.

The way she spoke, her voice, everything about Theresa was so intoxicating. But she was right. He had always took Theresa's love for granted. As many times as he told her to move on, she never did. She would always come around him and he liked it. He loved that she could love him so much like that and now she wasn't doing that. Now he was with Gwen and she was with Fox. She had finally moved on and Ethan couldn't take it.

"Theresa, no matter what has happened between us, you know I would not make this up. I am telling you the truth."

"Wrong again, Ethan." Theresa said shaking her head.

"I thought I knew you. I thought you were this wonderful man who would always protect me and my son and never hurt me, but I was wrong about that. You have hurt me so much and the worst was abandoning me and my son, your Godson when we needed you. So you have no credibility with me. When you came over on the day of Sarah's funeral to my house and you told me it was over for good, you were right. It is over." Theresa said with such strength.

"Theresa, please..." Ethan whispered as he pleaded.

People in the Book Cafe were staring.

"Theresa? Is everything all right here?" Rob said worried.

Theresa collected her emotions together and held her head up straight and smoothed out her apron.

"Yes, everything is just fine. This customer was just leaving."

Ethan knew Theresa wouldn't believe him. He had to prove it to her. He had to find some way to show her Fox has been using her. He vowed to himself he would.

I won't let him hurt you Theresa.

I won't.

Ethan stared long and hard at her.

He wanted her so badly.

God, he hated to admit that to himself, but he did. He knew he was betraying Gwen in his heart, but he couldn't help it.

He ached to be with Theresa, to feel her all consuming love around him. But he had made a promise and he had to stick to it no matter what.

"Don't say I didn't warn you Theresa." Ethan said as he gathered his scarf and briefcase and left.

Theresa tried to collect herself, but she was shaken.

Ethan is wrong.

Fox loves me only me.

 "I have no idea what you're talking about Fox." Rebecca said nervously.

"Come on Becs. Don't play me for a fool. I'm not my father. I know what Ethan did and I know you know. Now it's time to turn the tables on you." Fox said.

How did Fox know?

Did Ethan tell him?

Damn Ethan.

"What is it you want Fox?" Rebecca said curiously.

"That's easy. Listen once very good Rebecca." Fox said pointing his finger in her face. "You will hand Little Ethan over to Theresa tonight."

Rebecca tried to protest, but Fox shut her up quick by shoving an apple in her mouth and holding it there so she would shut up.

"There, now as I was saying, you will hand Little Ethan over to Theresa tonight. You will sign court approved papers, reliquinsihing any rights to Little Ethan and forfeiting them all to Theresa." Fox took the apple out of her mouth. "There, now you may speak."

Rebecca was spitting up and holding her neck and coughing. She went to the cart to get some water.

"If you think I'm going to give into your little blackmail to save that taco tramp, you have another thing coming." Rebecca said gulping some water down."

Fox approached her.

"Watch your mouth!" Fox snapped. "You will do as I say Rebecca, because if you don't, I will just have to go straight up to Gwennie and tell her everything her husband has been doing behind her back after he promised on his dead daughter's coffin he wouldn't help Theresa. Gee, I wonder what she would do then? What do you think Becs?" Fox said mockingly.

Rebecca spun around.

"You wouldn't."

"The hell I wouldn't. I would march straight up to her and tell her everything. Then your little plan would blow right up in your face, which is a switch because judging from what the pool boys and Crane security told 0me,you usually are the one blowing." Fox smiled.

"Why you little twerp! How dare you want to hurt my Gwennie." Rebecca said knowing Fox had caught her.

How could she let Gwen find out what Ethan has been doing? She would be heartbroken and it would ruin all her plans for Ethan and Gwen.

Damn Fox.

"Well Rebecca? What's it going to be. Give Theresa her son back, or let poor Gwennie's heart be crushed? My my, decisions decisions." Fox said pleased with himself.

One good thing came from his confrontation with Ethan and that was this useful information to help the woman he loved. Theresa would finally get her son back.

"Wait a minute Fox." Rebecca said as she stared at him. "You have just as much to loose as I would if Gwen learned the truth, then so would Theresa and she would run right back into Ethan's arms and out of yours." Rebecca smirked.

Fox felt uneasy. But was Rebecca right? If Theresa learned the truth, would she really just leave him and run back to chasing Ethan,0 a man she loved her entire life?

"Rebecca, those are the chances I'll have to take then. Come on Becs, what's it gonna be? I don't have all day." Fox said taking a bite of an apple.

"Damn you Fox." Rebecca said frustrated, not wanting to see her daughter hurt by this and she knew Gwen would be devastated.

She's already lost Sarah.

"I am good aren't I? They should name temples after me." Fox said taking another bite of his apple pleased with himself.

"All right, but I'll draw up the papers."

"No no, I'll draw up the papers Rebecca. I don't trust you as far as I can throw your ass and that's not far in case you were wondering."

"Ughhhhh." Rebecca said as she stormed out.

"You're going to get your son back Theresa. Tonight."

"Ugh, how dare he." Rebecca said pacing around her room. "I cannot let this happen to my Gwennie. I have to do something. But What? Come on Rebecca, think."

"Mother? Are you okay?" Gwen said walking in the room.

"Oh Gwennie, we have a problem. We have a big problem."

"What?"

"Well, you see, we have to strategize. Our latest plan just blew up in my face thanks to- well, never mind."

"Mother, what do you mean?"

"Oh Gwen, I'm sorry, but for now, we have to give up on getting Little Ethan away from Theresa."

"Wha-what? Why?" Gwen said getting angry.

"I can't go in to details, but just trust me. This will not last for long okay. I'll think of something. I can't tell you what happened, but just know that Terrorcita will not win."

"Mother, you said this plan would work damnit." Gwen said throwing a glass against the mirror cracking it.

Rebecca held her shoulders.

"I know, I know. Look Gwen...." Rebecca said holding Gwen's face. "...I told you we would not let that taco tart win and we won't. We may be down and out now, but not for long." Rebecca said with a gleam of an evil eye.

"We better mother. We just better."

Theresa was adding the finishing touches on dinner. Little Ethan was coming over with Fox and she wanted everything to be perfect.

Knock Knock Knock.

"Coming." Theresa said straightening her apron and looking in the mirror to add the finishing touches to her hair.

It was swept up with longer pieces falling down. She wore an Asian style pattern dress and looked stunning as she opened the door.

"Look who's here." Fox said as he held Little Ethan in his arms and handed him to Theresa.

"Ahhh, my baby." Theresa said grabbing him and spinning him around.

"Mommy, mommy."

"Baby, let me look at you sweetheart." Theresa said putting him down.

He was such a little man. He had on a black little suit with a tie and his hair was spiked up. Little Ethan touched his hair with his hand.

"Fox did it mommy."

Theresa laughed.

"I can see that. Well you look so cool. Gimmie a high five." Theresa said as Little Ethan placed his tiny hand onto Theresa's.

Fox watched in amazement.

Theresa loved her son so much and Little Ethan loved her. He could see it anytime they were in a room together. It brought such a smile to his face to see such a loving and devoted mother. It also brought a lot of sadness as he remembered what a horrible mother Ivy was to him. It made him sick to even think about his awful childhood, being raised by nannies and servants. Maybe that's why he craved love so much.

"Fox?" Theresa said as she caught him with a far away look. "Are you okay?" Theresa said worried as she touched his shoulder.

Fox awoke from his daze. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just remembering not so nice times with my mother."

"Oh Fox." Theresa rubbed the palm of his hand back and forth.

Her hands had such warmth to them. Theresa made him feel so loved even with the most simplest touch.

Fox grabbed her hands.

"I'm fine, really. You know self pity isn't my style." He said as he flashed his million dollar smile.

Theresa reached up and brushed his cheek with her thumb. That was when she noticed his swollen cheek.

"Fox... your cheek. It's swollen." She said as she tried to touch it and Fox winced in pain.

"It's nothing, really." He said as he grabbed her hand.

Theresa thought back to her confrontation with Ethan at the Book Cafe. He too had a swollen cheek.

This was no coincidence.

"Fox, you're hurt. How did this happen? Who did this to you?" Theresa said worried.

"Mommy, mommy." Little Ethan said running up to Theresa's legs. "Spiderman! I love this mommy." He said as he played with the doll Theresa had bought him.

She bent down and rubbed his hair.

"I knew you would. Spiderman is your favorite! Baby, why don't you take that in the kitchen because we're going to eat your favorite." Theresa said smiling.

"Spaghetti and meatballs!!!" Little Ethan said excited.

"Come on little man." Fox said as he grabbed the boy up and over his shoulders. "Let's go help your mama with dinner."

Before they left, Fox whispered to Theresa. "We'll talk about it later... promise." He said as he kissed her nose and went into the kitchen.

Theresa watched them leave with a worried look on her face.

"What happened between you two?" She said with concern.

0

After dinner, Fox, Theresa and Little Ethan played for hours. First they played Spiderman, then Lego, then Karate, then Power Rangers, and finally Hide and Seek.

"Okay...where are you two?" Fox said with a blind fold on and his arms spread out trying to feel his way around the Lopez- Fitzgerald living room.

Theresa and Little Ethan were hiding behind the front door giggling.

"Shhhh." Theresa told him.

They couldn't stop laughing as they watched Fox bump into the couch, bang his head on the lamp and trip over himself.

"Okay, I hear you two laughing at me. That's it, when I find you two, there will be no mercy, I'm telling you." Fox said still searching with his hands, feeling the house out.

Fox had a plan.

"I think you must be in the kitchen." He said really loudly as he approached the kitchen area and peeled a portion of his blind fold off and looked into the mirror.

He saw Theresa and Little Ethan standing behind the door. He quickly put his blind fold back on and ran behind the door.

"Gotcha!" He said as Little Ethan squealed.

Fox tickled him until he begged for mercy.

"Now, it's time for mommy." Fox said as he tickled her and Theresa couldn't stop laughing.

"Stop, stop, please. I give in." Theresa said trying to catch her breath.

Fox took off his blind fold.

"You sure about that?" He said continuing to tickle her.

"Yes, yes. Please."

"Say 'Fox is the Master.'"

"I will not." Theresa said.

"Okay then." Fox said tickling her more and more.

"Okay, okay you're the master."

"Wh-what? I can't quite here you Theresa? What was that again?"

"Fox is the master." Theresa shouted.

"Hmm, I don't know. What do you think sport?" Fox said asking for Little Ethan's opinion as he shook his head no.

"I can't believe my own son, against me." Theresa said with mock disbelief as Little Ethan giggled.

"Say it loud and I will let you free."

"Fox is the master. I bow to the master. Now please... ahhhhh... let me free." Theresa said trying to break free of Fox's tickle attack.

"Good enough?" Fox asked Little Ethan and he nodded his head yes. "Okay, I'll let mommy go."

"Finally." Theresa said trying to catch her breath and put her hair in place."

"I told you ,nobody beats the one and only Nicholas Foxworth Crane." Fox said as he bowed and high fived with Little Ethan.

"Hey!" Theresa said. "I thought you were on mommys side." She pouted.

"Theresa, can you blame the boy? He wants to be on the winning team." Fox said picking Little Ethan up in his arms.

"The winning team huh?" Theresa said putting her hands on her hips. "And you..." She said pointing at her son. "...You mister, have to go to bed."

"Awww mommy, do I have to?" Little Ethan pouted.

"Oh no, don't give me that face. It is way past your bedtime sweetie."

This is the perfect time, Fox said to himself.

"Hey sport, what do you say if you go get ready for bed and your mommy and I will come in and read you any story you want?"

"Even a real long one you've already read tons of times?"

"Yup."

"Yesssss!" Little Ethan said as he wiggled out of Fox's arms and ran to his room to get ready for bed.

Theresa watched him looking sad.

"Hey, what's that sad face for mommy?" Fox said as he touched her chin.

"I know you have to take him back, b-but I just wish he could stay. He belongs here you know? With me, his mother who loves him so much." Theresa said wiping a stray tear from her eye.

Fox walked over to his suit jacket and handed Theresa three documents.

"Here."

"What's this?" Theresa said as she took them.

"You'll see."

Theresa opened the documents and read them carefully as tears of joy were forming in her eyes.

"Fox, I don't understand. You mean to tell me Rebecca and Julian aren't suing me for custody?" Theresa said ready to explode with excitement, but afraid to be wrong.

"That is exactly what I'm saying. Little Ethan is all yours Theresa, now and forever." Fox said smiling.

"Oh my God, Fox!" Theresa said jumping into his arms as he held her tightly.

She pulled away.

"You're serious aren't you? This isn't a joke? This is real? Oh my God Fox, this is real." She said once again jumping into his arms.

"Yes, yes Tiger, it's real." Fox said reveling in her body rubbing against his.

She felt so good.

She was so happy.

He made her so happy and he vowed he would never forget this feeling as long as he lived.

"I don't understand. I mean, why did they just give up? They must have realized how wrong it was to keep a mother away from her child. Maybe they do have hearts after all."

Fox flashed back to his conversation with Rebecca. Should he tell Theresa the truth? Should he tell her Ethan was helping her all along?

"I guess she finally did realize it was wrong to keep a mother as wonderful and amazing as you away from her child." Fox lied.

He didn't want to, but he was so scared if Theresa knew it had been Ethan all along, that she would jump right back into his arms.

He lied.

"Oh Fox." Theresa said hugging him. "I have my son back forever." Theresa said holding him tight.

He felt guilty.

So guilty.