2



Fox stroked his chin and stared blankly out of his window that looked out into the back of the Crane estate. He replayed his conversation he had with Theresa that day he decided to find out why she was avoiding him. Fox had not expected Theresa to be so angry. A pang of sadness and remorse hit him as he remembered the look of agony in Theresa's eyes as she accused him of using her.

"She thinks our whole friendship was a lie." Fox thought to himself despondently. Fox rubbed his forehead in an attempt to diminish the headache that was already increasing in intensity.

"She didn't give me a chance to explain." Fox thought. "Then again, why would she?" Fox mumbled. "I kept secrets from her. I schemed to get her best friend." Fox leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He did not want to lose Theresa. She truly understood him unlike anyone he had ever encountered in his life. She was definitely someone special in Fox's life.

Fox did not really establish how he felt towards Theresa. She was his friend, but he did not dismiss the possibility that she could be more than just a friend. Theresa's obsession with his half-brother Ethan Winthrop was definitely a turn-off, but once he saw that Theresa was pulling away from Ethan, Fox became interested again. However, any potential feelings were put aside after Fox focused his attention on Whitney. He admitted to Whitney one night that he loved her. Fox thought that once he admitted his feelings that he would feel something within him, but once the words of "I'm in love with you," left Fox's lips he felt nothing. Fox was confused, but he still continued to pursue Whitney. Whitney decided that she would give a relationship with Fox a try, but for some reason Fox acted oddly in the relationship.

Whenever he was with Whitney, Fox acted the way a boyfriend should, but for him it felt as though his heart really was not into it. In truth, Fox was deceiving himself, but because he had won the woman he thought he loved, Fox was not about to admit that maybe he was wrong. Fox inherited the Crane stubbornness, and he tried to convince himself that he truly did love Whitney. Funny thing was that instead of having Whitney on his mind, Theresa dominated his thoughts.

Fox left Theresa alone after she screamed for him to leave her house. He decided that she needed space, and after a few days he would attempt to talk to her again. Fox waited impatiently. He was daily tempted to pick up the phone to dial her number, but he knew that she would most likely hang up on him.

Fox spent his time talking with Whitney, but their conversations revolved around Theresa. Whitney tried to get Fox's mind off of Theresa, but it was useless. The more she tried, the more Theresa was in Fox's thoughts. Fox also spent a lot of time with Theresa's son Ethan Martin. The poor child missed his mother so much that he often cried himself to sleep. Fox tried his best to cheer up the little boy. Luckily his attempts were successful, but Little Ethan was not about to forget about his mother. He often asked Fox about Theresa. Fox tried to answer the young child's questions the best he could. One day, Little Ethan drew a picture of himself and Theresa. "Would you give this to my mommy?" He asked Fox. Fox promised he would and resolved to pay Theresa a visit.

One morning about a week after his encounter with Theresa, Fox got up, dressed quickly, and drove to the Lopez-Fitzgerald home. He held Little Ethan's drawing in his hand as he nervously walked up to the front door. He rang the doorbell and waited anxiously for someone to open the door.

Pilar finally answered. She appeared flustered and extremely upset. "Pilar what is it?" Fox asked urgently. His instincts told him that it had something to do with Theresa. "Where is she?" Fox asked.

"She's gone." Pilar said tearfully.

"What do you mean gone?" Fox asked worriedly. "What happened, Pilar?" Fox asked with urgency.

Instead of verbally responding, Pilar handed Fox Theresa's goodbye letter. Fox's heart sank as he read Theresa's words. "Oh no," He said agonizingly. "No," He said. "She left?"

Pilar nodded. "I don't know where she is." She said shaking her head.

"Do you have any idea of where she might have gone?" Fox asked.

Pilar shook her head. "She could be anywhere. Obviously Theresa wanted to get as far away from Harmony as possible."

Fox closed his eyes and inhaled shakily. "I'm partly responsible for this." He said devastatingly. "She hates me doesn't she?" Fox asked quietly.

"I don't think she hates you, Fox." Pilar replied. "Theresa's going through a hard time right now. Like she said in her letter, her own identity is a mystery to her. She needs to find herself Fox."

"How long do you think she'll be gone?" Fox asked worriedly.

"I don't know. I just hope she comes home." Pilar replied.

After Fox left, he could not help but wonder where Theresa was. "She shouldn't be alone." Fox thought to himself over and over again. Fear seized him when he thought of the possibility that Theresa would never return to Harmony. "She has to come back." Fox said to himself. "She has to."

When Fox returned to the Crane Mansion, Whitney was waiting for him in the living room. "Fox," She said as she stood up. "Where did you go?"

Fox sighed. "Theresa's." He said as he went to the couch and sat down.

"Oh." Whitney replied. "Did she speak to you?"

Fox leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. "She's gone." He replied in a low tone. "Gone."

"Gone?" Whitney asked. "What do you mean gone?"

"Theresa left Harmony." Fox replied. "God, Whit, you should've read her letter. Even though it was short, I could feel her pain. She's hurting so much Whitney, and I hate it."

Whitney sat down beside him. "Well we can help her, but she doesn't want to have anything to do with us."

Fox clenched his jaw. "Look, Whitney, I don't want to be rude, but can you leave?"

Whitney scrutinized Fox with her gaze. "Okay," She said quietly. "I'll see you later." Whitney kissed Fox on the forehead and left.

Fox walked up to his room and immediately lay on his bed. "I'm one of the people Theresa despises." Fox thought miserably. "I have to find her." Fox thought to himself. "I have to." He whispered.

Fox got up and left his room to check on Little Ethan. He discovered the young boy still asleep. Fox walked over to the bed and adjusted the blanket around Little Ethan. He stirred slightly and opened his small eyes. "Fox?" He said sleepily.

"Yeah little man, it's me." Fox said softly.

"Did you give Mommy the picture?" Little Ethan asked yawning.

Fox swallowed nervously. "Uh- do you feel like seeing your grandma?" He asked rather than answer his question.

"Okay," Little Ethan said as he got up. Fox helped Little Ethan get dressed. Little Ethan asked incessant questions about his mother. Fox tried his best to avoid answering. "He's going to be crushed when he finds out," Fox thought desolately. "Please, Theresa," Fox whispered. "You have to come back. Soon."

~*~