The past, the present and future

Ethan takes a deep breath as he holds Theresa's hand. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

"Yes, Ethan, just please, let's talk about the past up to this point."

"Okay. I admit right now the biggest mistake I made was back during the time when I was choosing between you and Gwen to spend my life with, and chose Gwen. I picked her because she was pregnant with Sarah, and I had to do right by my child and her mother. When we lost Sarah, I knew it wasn't your fault, it was all mine. I shouldn't have come onto you the way I did, but somehow, I always loose my common sense around you." Taking a deep breath, Ethan stops Theresa from talking by placing his finger on her lips. "Please, let me just say what I need to say."

"Okay."

"Anyway, after we lost Sarah, I knew I had to put you in the back of my mind for good, but I couldn't. Everywhere I looked, your face was always there. When Gwen and I found out we had to go through surrogacy, I thought that things would finally turn out better, and then I could be able to give Gwen the child she longed for. When that failed the first time, I was heartbroken again. When Gwen told me she wanted to adopt Little Ethan, you have to believe me, Theresa, I was so against it because I knew how you would react. The only reason, besides the fact that I was going to give him back to you, that I agreed was so that Gwen and I could at least keep him from being shipped off to boarding school, as Rebecca had always told you she would do."

"I remember, Ethan."

"When Gwen and I found out you tricked our surrogate…I was mad at you, Theresa. I was so furious at you, yet I was so amazed at your determination. I realized how much you loved Little Ethan, and how you would stop at nothing to be with him. Believe me, I wanted to give him back to you so many times, I just couldn't because of Gwen and Rebecca."

"I remember the night you tricked me into sleeping with you. Looking back now, I realize that you did it because of your determination to get your son back. Of course, I was mad at the way you stooped to get Little Ethan back, but now, now I realize how you felt thinking you lost the baby. When we found out you were having twins, I was shocked. I didn't know who the mother of the babies was, or how to feel. I mean, I was having a baby with my wife…and yet, I was having a baby with the woman who always held my heart. I was so torn. When we had to do the procedure, I was so scared. Scared of losing you, scared that one of my children would die, and we not know who it was. When Gwen found out the truth, that the little girl was yours and mine, I never expected her to stab you the way she did. I realize now that ever since she took Little Ethan from you, a different side to her emerged. Now, I realize that I don't really know Gwen anymore. She's not the same woman she used to be. I still can't even believe the lengths she has gone to in order to get rid of you from her life. Theresa, you have to believe me when I tell you how truly sorry I am that this all happened. It should have been you and I all along, Theresa; we should have been the ones to be together and celebrating our daughter's birth." Looking down, Ethan slowly takes Theresa's hand in his. "I solemnly promise from now on to always trust in our love, and to never leave your side. I want to be with you and only you, Theresa."

Shifting slowly in bed, Theresa looks at Ethan. "Ethan, I'm just as much to blame in all this as you are. You always told me I was my own worst enemy, and it's true. I always plunge into something without thinking it through. I've always told you from the start that I never trusted what Gwen and Rebecca had in store for me. But then, I knew I couldn't give you up, because deep inside, ever since the night we made love on the beach, I knew that you were the only man for me. It was never about the Crane name, or the money, Ethan. It was about your heart. You were always such a kind, gentle man. When you chose Gwen over me, I was devastated. I wanted to let you see that we could have been together, and you would have still been a part of your child's life, but you didn't see things that way. You were always told to do the right thing, and in your mind, that was the right thing to stand by Gwen. At first, I wanted to leave you and Gwen alone and get on with my life. But then, I noticed how we always ended up in the same place, like in L.A. Then, when I started dating Fox, I saw the jealous side come out of you, and I thrived on that because I knew that you still had feelings for me, even though you wouldn't verbally admit them. In a way, as harsh as this is going to sound, I'm not sorry that I slept with you to get pregnant. That little girl is all I had left of you, and I wanted something of yours to hold onto for the rest of my life. Gwen stabbing me today made me see what I realized all along, that Gwen truly is not the person we all thought she was. It always amazed me how I saw one side to her, and you saw another."

"Well, now that I've seen all I need to see, I realize now what I have to do."

"Which is?"

Sighing, Ethan runs his hands through his hair, and then holds Theresa's hand. "I need to divorce Gwen. I can't be in a marriage with her, knowing what I know, and feeling how I feel. You're the only woman for me, Theresa, it's taken me to nearly loose you for me to wake up and realize that fact. All I want to know is if you love me, too?"

With tears in her eyes, Theresa caresses Ethan's cheek. "Do you even have to ask me that? Of course I love you. I always have. I would do everything over again if I had to just to prove to you that I never gave up on our love."

"Can you ever forgive me for all the hurt I've put you through?"

"Only if you can forgive me for everything I've done to you."

"You're forgiven, Theresa, you've always been forgiven."

Theresa stops short of smiling and looks closely at Ethan. "What is it, my love?"

"Ethan, do you still believe that I sent the tabloid the information on your paternity?"

Shaking his head, Ethan kisses Theresa's hand. "No. I should have known that all along and yet I was too stupid once again to realize what I already knew. I knew you would never stoop that low to send that information to the tabloid. I mean, what would you have gained from that? I still would have left you had it been true. Theresa, I don't blame you for that. I know that the person who did it is out there, and will soon be caught if I have anything to say about it."

Closing her eyes, Theresa sighs as Ethan cups her cheek. "Is this for real, Ethan? Are we really going to be together?" She whispers, feeling his breath near hers.

"Yes, my love, we are. I promise you from this day forward, we are going to live happily together with our children."

"Children?"

"Yes. Little Ethan, and our little girl, as well as any other children we'll be blessed with in the future."

"But we know Little Ethan isn't your son, Ethan."

"What if he was?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. We made love the night before our wedding, and then suddenly a few days later, you were with Julian, though that came out later that your wedding night never happened. Now that we know that, and since you found out you were pregnant, what if Little Ethan is really our firstborn?"

Could it be? Is it even possible? Theresa thinks to herself. "If it's possible…you have to believe that I didn't know…I never knew…"

Caressing her cheek, Ethan smiles. "I know, baby. I know."

Feeling a tear run down her cheek, Theresa sighs. "This is a dream come true, Ethan. All I have ever wanted was to be with you forever."

"I promise you we'll be together forever and always, my love. I love you, Theresa, I love you so much. Together, we'll make it through anything." He says as he kisses her passionately.

Coming Up

Gwen's Trial

A Happy Future for E/T!

Please R/R