Fox's thoughts seemed to wander aimlessly as he sat anxiously waiting to hear any news on Theresa's condition. He sighed restlessly as he placed his head into his hands and ran his fingers over his forehead. The only thing he had been told was that Theresa had fallen victim to an overdose of some kind. An overdose to what still remained a mystery to him. Guilt began to subside his conscience as he questioned what was going on. Could he be the reason for Theresa's overdose? In all the time that Fox knew Theresa he never would have guessed that things could be bad enough for her to turn to other means.

Fox had gone against hospital rules as he snuck in and peaked in on Theresa. There he saw her laying in distress, looking helpless. Her eyes crying for some help, but no one around to help her. She laid there tied in restraints, looking almost like a prisoner and that's when it hit Fox. The little dreamer he had once known was gone, never to be seen again from now on. She had escaped a lot time ago, never stopping once to look back. The girl she once was seemed to never even existed. The painful sight of her tore at Fox's heart, the guilt starting to spread to his heart. He just shook his head and tried to forget that he wasn't responsible for this, but he couldn't shake his guilt.

"You'll do as I say, Fox...that is if you want to run Crane Industries one day," Alistair said in his non-threatening tone of voice as he smiled, exhaling the intoxicating fumes from one of his precious, yet illegal Cuban cigars.

"What am I suppose to tell her?" Fox asked as he pounded his fists in frustration against his desk. "She's been waiting all week for this night and I can't just tell her that she's not allowed to go."

Alistair watched on as he laughed mercilessly at Fox. "You're a Crane, are you not?" Alistair waited as Fox answered by nodding his head. "Well, then it's simple. Be a Crane for christsake and begin treating her like a Crane's woman. That's all she is Fox, a woman. Women are only good for two things. And as much as I hate saying it, it's becoming very hard to find a woman who can do just one of their duties properly," he sighed while dying out his cigar on a photo of Theresa, which Fox had sitting on his desk. "She's only here to help you produce an heir and to satisfy you in the ways which you deem fit."

"I don't look at Theresa like that," he said standing up for her. "Theresa is different from all of the other girls I've dated. Yes, she's beautiful and gorgeous. I mean those words are insignificant in describing her beauty. Not only is she that, but she's intelligent, extremely talented, and to top it all off she has a pure heart of gold. I don't know how, but I've managed to make her love me. Someone like her with a guy like me," Fox laughed as a smile crept onto his face, "who would have thought?" Alistair just stood staring at Fox as though he had a screw or two loose. "Listen," he said redirecting his thoughts, "Theresa has to go with me to that banquet tonight. I won't go without her."

"Fine, Fox. If you feel so strongly about it that's perfectly fine. I always told Julian that I rather have Ethan running CI once day. He does have more experience," he smiled like the cat who just stole the canary. Fox was a pawn in his game and foolishly Fox was falling for every attack.

The intensity in the rival between Fox and Ethan could be felt by anyone. It was no secret that Fox and Ethan didn't get along that well. Fox most of Fox's life everything was handed to Ethan on a silver platter, while Fox worked hard, trying to just prove himself worthy of his family's love and trust. Fox could not live with himself if he knew that he handed over CI to Ethan. He vowed as a teenager to never let Ethan have anything that he wanted. Why should he back out on that vow now?

"I'll be there tonight..." Fox said looking Alistair in the eyes, "alone."

center/center

Fox seemed a million miles away on his drive home. He always waited anxiously to arrive home, but tonight he dreaded having to break Theresa's heart. He wasn't sure of what he should say to her. He tried playing it all out in his head, but no matter what he said or did, the outcome was the same...her heart would be broken. As Fox passed through the huge, black, metal entrance gates, he could feel his conscience consume more guilt. It would be only a few more moments until he was inside with her. What should he do? There was no way he could let Ethan win, but also didn't want to break Theresa's heart. "Just one of a Crane's many obstacles," Fox told himself miserably as he turned the engine of his car off. Fox glanced out his window and saw her peaking out at him. The smile on her face made what he was about to do more unbearable. Fox quickly turned away, trying to hide his anger from her, as he made his way inside.

Fox watched Theresa dance with delight down the stairs. She was breath taking and it was killing him that he couldn't take her with him. If ever there was a time when he was proud of her it was now. She was everything he wanted in a wife and more, she was perfect.

"Fox, I'm so glad you came home when you did," she said trying placing a kiss on his cheek, but failing as usual as he turned his face away. Fox wanted to feel her lips upon him, but he was about to become a monster and she should stay far away from this monster he thought. "You...you need to change for the banquet." he saw the fear and concern in her eyes come out. She couldn't hide the fact that his recent behavior was frightening her a bit. It's almost time to leave and..."

"Whoever gave you the idea that you're coming with me?" he said acting as though she was crazy.

"Well, Fox, we're engaged," she said laughing and showing a little smile. "I just thought that..." she said not staring him in the eyes. She dared not to stare him in the eyes.

"You just thought what? Huh? That just because I have somewhere to go, you're going to come with me? No, Theresa," he said shaking his head and index finger at her. "I'll tell you when and where to be if and when I need you. Do you understand?" Theresa remained silent as the single tear drop rolled down her cheek. "Do you understand me? Shall I say it in Spanish for you?" He said becoming louder and acting as though he was growing more aggravated with her.

"Yes," she said turning her head away from him as he tried kissing her cheek this time.

Fox had watched the excitement, the joy, everything disappear from her eyes. He had succeeded the first part in Alistair's plan, he broke Theresa heart. He continued to play it off by laughing and saying, "Now go upstairs and take off that ridiculous looking dress."

"I made this ridiculous looking dress!" She cried out as her temper seemed to reach it's peak. "You wouldn't know that though because you never pay attention to me. You treat me as a child, Fox. If this is how it's going to be, then I want nothing to do with you," she shot at him like venom.

Fox had lied. He didn't think it was ridiculous, he thought it was beautiful and even more beautiful because she was wearing it. What Theresa said was untrue. Fox paid much attention to her, only she didn't always know. At night when Theresa was sleeping peacefully in her room Fox would sneak inside and sit in the chair beside her bed to watch her breathing. Watching her in moments like that were his favorite.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"You heard me," she said as her tears began to dry. "I won't and I don't have to repeat myself in your presence and in no one's in fact."

Something came over Fox. He didn't know what it was then, but after much thought he came to the conclusion that it was the Crane blood in him that caused him to act out in such a manner. Fox gave a little laugh as he moved closer to her. "Think you're so damn smart?" he said before striking her in the face. Theresa fell to the ground, but she did not cry. She could feel the side of her face pounding and though it hurt she still did not cry. "What's wrong? Why aren't you crying?" he asked mockingly, though he began feeling regret and guilt over what he had just done.

"I won't ever shed a tear for you," she said as she staring him in the eyes. He could see her confidence and determination shinning through her eyes as she vowed that. He wanted to apologize, to make things right between them, but...Ethan and Crane Industries stood in his way.

"Come here," he said beginning to drag her by her legs up the stairs. Theresa cried and screamed for him to stop, but he wouldn't listen, though he desperately wanted to. Fox dragged Theresa all the way to her room, where he threw her on the bed and began ripping apart her dress. Theresa broke down in tears, but she wasn't going back on her word. She didn't cry because he hurt her or that he was treating her lower than dirt. Instead she cried because he tore apart her dress. Yes, it was only a dress, but she put her whole heart into that dress and when he destroyed it, he destroyed the love she once had for him. Never again could she ever love him the same.

Fox left Theresa as an emotional wreck in her room. He took her key and locked her inside so that she wouldn't leave. And as he placed it in his breast pocket, he slid down against the door until he reached the floor. A tear escaped from his eye as he silently cried, "I'm so sorry, Theresa."