Head Over Feet

A Therox Series

Chapter Two

You've already won me over

In spite of me...

I couldn't help it...

It's all your fault.

"Welcome home, Theresa!" Fox exclaimed as he helped her through her apartment door. Fox had a silly party hat strapped to his head and Theresa couldn't help but smile.

"Forgive me," Fox began, "I was going to arrange an extravagant party but then decided against it, you being in your delicate state and all."

Theresa laughed and attempted to hit Fox with one of her crutches. Fox dodged the hit and wrapped around Theresa, picking her up from underneath her arms. "Now tell me, what is it that you were trying to do?" Theresa's feet were off the ground as Fox tried to get her eye level to him.

"Put me down this instant! What is it with you and carrying me?" Theresa asked exasperated.

"It's the only way I can prevent your vicious attacks. Now, do you promise not to try and beat me up anymore?" Fox arched his eyebrow. He doubted Theresa would, but he was willing to let her go once she gave him her word.

"Whatever..."

Fox gave up and placed Theresa on the ground safety. Theresa had a cast wrapped around her foot up to her ankle. She was confined to that linen prison for about two months. She hated not being able to move around for herself, and more importantly she hated not being able to take care of her son. The bandages around her hands had been removed by Eve earlier that day before her discharge. Only reddish scars remained where she had scraped them two days before. She had gained two pounds as well; a combination of the IV fluids and Fox's fattening dietary habits. Despite having the cast, crutches, and scars, she looked better after her accident with Fox. It wasn't only Fox who was noticing this, but Theresa too.

"I've got my old figure back," Theresa said jokingly, as she tried to twirl around, hobbling on her good foot.

"Not quite yet, but we can work on that." Fox felt silly saying that. He was like the opposite of a personal trainer.

"Good, 'cause I'm hungry.'" Theresa plopped down on her couch.

Initially, Theresa was surprised to see her apartment so clean. When she had gone out that day of the accident, her apartment was in shambles. Dirty clothes, dirty dishes and spoons, and trash were strewn about everywhere. Theresa was usually a neat girl, but after Antonio's death and the baby, she felt inexplicably tired and she had lost any interest in everything. Nothing inspired her to get out of bed. Theresa explained her apartment's condition to Fox in the hospital and she was sure now that Fox has sent in a cleaning crew to take care of the mess. Theresa was embarrassed just thinking how disgusted the cleaning crew must have been at her mess. The apartment was representative of how she actually felt about her self- a big disaster. If it wasn't for Fox being there, she would have headed straight to the refrigerator, gotten some ice cream, and would have proceeded to hide under her covers. But with Fox around, everything was different. He motivated her.

Fox was no cook but he managed to scramble up a turkey sandwich for Theresa. He placed it on a tray along with some orange juice and served it to her. He seemed proud to have even accomplished that.

"How is that?" He asked, beaming at his own creation.

"Like every other turkey sandwich in the world."

"That good, huh?" Fox felt satisfied with him himself.

"Please tell me that you are not excited over this pathetic little sandwich," Theresa asked teasingly.

Fox actually looked wounded for a minute. "It's pathetic? I thought you said that–"

"I was just kidding," Theresa said understandingly. He was so cute when he tried.

"Oh, okay."

Theresa placed her head down trying to conceal a blush that was creeping up on her cheeks. "Hey... I just want to thank you for everything you've done, especially cleaning this apartment."

Fox shrugged his shoulders. "It's nothing, nothing you wouldn't have done for me."

"Right..."

"Don't even think about it. I never hesitate to do anything for you. Doing things for you has become this instinctual thing." Fox bent over Theresa and kissed her on the forehead gently. Being that close to her, hearing her breathe, made Fox's heart skip a beat. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was changing between them.

Theresa could still feel Fox's lips pressed against her forehead. It felt so sweet, so right. It sent a sensation through her whole body, up into her fingertips. His tender touch was enough to unravel her heart.

Those feelings that both Fox and Theresa were feeling, sensations that they could not rationalize, left the room in an awkward tension.

Fox cleared his throat and stood up. "So... Theresa, there's been something I've been meaning to talk to you about. Eve was telling me that it might be best if-" Fox was cut off by a knock on the door. "Hold on, I'll get that."

Fox opened the door and inhaled deeply when he saw a very tanned, nearly glowing Whitney standing in front of him.

"Fox!" Whitney exclaimed, surprised to see him there.

Fox could barely speak, he felt so nervous. "Hi Whitney." Whitney looked beautiful, rested, and very vacationed. It must have gone well on her trip with Chad, thought Fox. Disappointment was creeping up on him.

"Can I come in?" Whitney asked.

"Sure. Theresa's in the living room."

Whitney walked past Fox and into the living room, where Theresa had been waiting for her, her arms already open for a hug. "Theresa!" Whitney was excited to see her best friend. Despite all of the changes in their lives, their friendship had remained a stable, fixed point.

"Whitney, you look great!"

"Thanks," Whitney replied coyly.

"How was your vacation," and in a hush voice she added, "and where is Chad?"

"Oh, well the vacation was great..." Fox walked pass the living room and into Theresa's den. "And Chad is fine. He actually took a plane to L.A. from Bermuda. He said he had some important business to take care of there."

"I'm really happy that it went well."

"Yeah, but enough about me. I heard about you foot, and I came straight over. What happened," Whitney asked, concerned.

"That big lug over there bumped into me and I somehow ended up on the ground." Theresa laughed.

"Are you okay though?"

"Fine, perfect." Theresa smiled at Whitney, reassuringly. She didn't want to tell Whitney that she was very unstable and quite depressed at the moment. It would only concern her.

"I'm glad to hear that, but what about the baby?"

"Oh, you mean Conner..." Theresa gave Whitney a chance to take it all in. "He's with Luis and Sheridan, you know with this injury, single motherhood could be quite challenging."

"Right. Conner, that's such a cute name!"

"It just came to me." Theresa paused for a second. She wondered where Fox had gone. "Fox, get your butt in here," she called.

Theresa heard a small scuffle, and then footsteps nearing them. "Yeah?" Fox obviously wanted to be as far away from Whitney as possible. Theresa, however, wasn't going to let that slide.

"Why don't you sit here with us?" Theresa gave Fox a pout he couldn't resist and he reluctantly sat opposite them.

As Theresa spoke with Whitney, she could see Fox out the corner of her eye. He was secretly staring at Whitney. Though she felt bad for her best friend, she also felt a small ping of jealousy. She didn't know if it was because she wanted a guy to look at her the same way Fox looked at Whitney, or if she wanted Fox to look at her that way.

When Whitney decided it was time for her to head home and unpack, Theresa felt a sort of relief. She hated these feelings and she definitely did not understand them. They all said their goodbyes, and Theresa and Fox returned to her living room.

"So, what did you think," Theresa asked Fox, obviously referring to Whitney.

"About what?" Fox was trying to play dumb and avoid any questions.

"About what," Theresa repeated what Fox said mockingly. "About Whitney?"

"She looked great," Fox admitted, and that ping of jealousy that Theresa felt before came back.

"Yeah, she did," Theresa said reluctantly. She suddenly got an idea. "Why don't we go on a date?"

Fox arched his eyebrow. "We? Why?"

"So we can get away from all this unrequited love. The two most heartbroken people in Harmony go on a date. It'll be great. Besides, Whitney told me that she and Chad are going on date two days from now at The Ritz. Maybe seeing us together will make her realize how much she likes you."

Fox thought for a moment. "You know this is not something that I'd usually do, but let's go for it. Even if don't make anyone jealous, it will sure be a hell of a lot of fun."

"So it's a deal then?" Theresa wanted to do something that would prove to herself that she had no romantic feelings toward Fox.

"Deal."

Strangely enough, Ethan and Gwen were planning their date at The Ritz as well.