15



After a few moments Theresa pulled away. An awkward pause followed and all Theresa and Fox could bring themselves to do was stare at each other. Fox cleared his throat. "Uh-so~" His voice trailed off.

Theresa sighed sadly. "Things have already changed between us," She thought to herself. Instead of the comfortable silence she usually felt with Fox, Theresa now felt uncomfortable and awkward. "What happened to us?" She thought to herself.

"Theresa?" Fox said quietly as he interrupted her train of thought. "What is it?"

Theresa looked away. "Things between us are~"

"Different?" Fox finished.

Theresa nodded. "It's different because I've~"

"Lost your trust in me?" Fox finished again.

Theresa looked down. "Yeah." She said quietly. Despite the awkwardness between them, Fox still managed to know what Theresa was thinking.

Fox walked up to Theresa and wrapped his arms around her. "Theresa, I will do anything to regain that trust. We can start over once we get back to Harmony."

Theresa pulled away again and walked over to the window. "I'm not ready to go back to Harmony." She said softly.

"You're not coming back to Harmony?" Fox asked in disbelief.

"Not yet." Theresa said. "I- I left for a reason."

"But~" Fox protested. "I'm not leaving without you."

Theresa looked sadly into Fox's eyes. "You're going to have to, Fox. I came here because I need to find out who I am. I can't just go back to Harmony now."

"I can help you with that search for yourself." Fox insisted. Fox had traveled to Mexico in hopes that Theresa would be returning to Harmony with him. He was not about to let Theresa slip through his fingers. "Please, Theresa."

"No, Fox. First I need to find out who I am."

"But what about us?" Fox asked.

"What about us?" Theresa questioned.

"How can we repair our friendship if you're thousands of miles away from Harmony? From me?"

"That will have to wait." Theresa said quietly.

"But~" Fox protested.

Theresa walked up to Fox and gently laid her finger across his lips. "My mind is already made up. I'm not coming back to Harmony any time soon."

"How long will you be away?" Fox asked.

"I don't know." Theresa admitted.

"Then I'm staying here. With you." Fox said adamantly.

"No Fox." Theresa said. She wondered where she was going to find the strength to battle Fox's stubbornness. At the same time, Fox wondered how he was going to break Theresa's stubbornness.

"Theresa," Fox said exasperatingly. "Don't you realize how much your son misses you right now?"

Tears instantly filled Theresa's eyes at the mention of her son. Inwardly she trembled, but she dared not show her vulnerability to Fox. "I miss him too." She said as she turned away from Fox to swipe away her tears. "But I'm not allowed to see him. He was taken from me." The words left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"We will get him back." Fox said as he placed his hands on Theresa's shoulders.

"We?" Theresa asked.

"Yes. You and I." Fox replied.

Theresa closed her eyes. "You and I." The words echoed in her mind as well as in her heart.

"I told you that I would help you get him back." Fox said quietly. "I promise you will get him back."

"Fox, you-you need to leave. Go back to Harmony." Theresa said abruptly as she walked away.

Fox watched her in disbelief. "God, Theresa, why are you being so difficult?" He asked in frustration.

"Me? Be difficult? You're being difficult as well." She retorted. "I asked to be left alone. Can't you respect my wishes?"

Fox sighed. "To be honest, I just want you back in Harmony, Theresa."

Theresa took deep breaths to keep her composure. The longer Fox stood in her presence the more strength it took to keep her from breaking down and rushing into his arms again.

"I can't." She said hoarsely.

Fox sat on the bed and rubbed his eyes. "Okay, then, what if I~" Fox's voice trailed off. He hoped that he had perked Theresa's interest.

"Go on." Theresa prompted.

Satisfied that he had gotten Theresa's attention, Fox continued. "What if I gave up my relationship with Whitney in return for you coming back to Harmony?"

"You'd do that for me?" Theresa asked in surprise. "You would actually give up Whitney?"

"I think I've already proven that I would just about anything for you Theresa," Fox said. "After all, I did use my entire inheritance for you. What makes you think I wouldn't give up Whitney?"

"You love her" Theresa said quietly. "Or at least you think you do." She thought to herself glumly.

"Theresa?" Fox asked waiting for her answer. "Well?" Fox asked.

Theresa stood frozen as her mind debated with her heart. Yes or no Theresa thought to herself. Fox watched her anxiously. "Theresa," He said again.

"Um, my answer is-is~"

~*~