Chapter One

                Theresa Maria Lopez-Fitzgerald woke from an uneasy sleep.  The past few days had been hard on her.  She had finally realized that, as she had returned to Harmony from LA, she had to give Ethan up.  She knew how hard it would be, at least if she stayed here.  And plus the argument with Fox the day before had almost destroyed any chance she had with him, she felt.

            Theresa rose quickly from her bed and quickly packed a few suitcases.  She then marched out the door, not stopping until she reached her car.  She threw the suitcases in the backseat as she got in the car.  She quickly started the car and immediately headed out of Harmony, taking the interstate south.  She knew where she wanted to go and where she would be happy.

                Lucas Lorenzo Spencer Jr. flopped down on his bed.  What a night he had.  Being a cop, especially a rookie cop, sure had its disadvantages.  Like late-night stakeouts that returned him to his room above Kelly's at really rotten times to go to sleep.  Like 5:00 in the morning, as he was this morning.  Scott Baldwin didn't care, though, Lucky knew.  All Baldwin cared was that they were getting their jobs done.

            Lucky sighed as he looked up at the ceiling of his room.  At least working at the PCPD made him fell like he was doing some good.  If only it could have stopped him from losing Summer.

                He could hardly believe that she had been dead for several months now.  She was his love and her death had led him to his current life.  A stable life, at least so far.  He enjoyed his work and he was finally becoming his own person.  People no longer saw him as another Luke Spencer; they saw him as Lucky Spencer, police officer.  His own identity after all these years.

            Lucky got up from his bed and quickly dressed in his shirt and boxer shorts before collapsing on his bed, pulling the covers back just enough to get underneath them and falling into a deep sleep.

                Nicholas Foxworth Crane could hardly believe his eyes as he woke up that very morning at the Crane mansion.  He felt as if something was off this morning.  He couldn't think of what could be wrong, though.  But he still had that feeling.

            He reached for the phone by his bedside and dialed a familiar number.  He had called it every morning since they had returned from LA.  He was determined to talk to the woman he loved more than anything, the woman who owned his heart and soul.  Theresa.

                After they had returned, he realized that he was only lusting over Whitney when his heart was telling him that he loved Theresa.  He had admitted it to her days ago, but then just yesterday had accused her of something terrible.  He accused her of using him as a substitute for Ethan, since she couldn't have him.  He still remembered her shocked look as tears rolled down her face.

            The phone just kept ringing and ringing at Theresa's house.  Fox was worried, but kept calm.  Maybe she had left the house early to do something.  Maybe she and little Ethan had gone out somewhere.  Then he remembered that little Ethan was there at the mansion, thanks to Rebecca's machinations.  He kept himself calm as he rose from his bed and dressed for the day.  He left the house quickly and ran for his car, determined to find where Theresa was in Harmony.  He had to apologize to her for what he had said.

            He drove quickly to Theresa's house, only to find her not there.  Calm down, Fox.  She could just be at her mother's or with one of her brothers, he told himself as he drove to Pilar's house.

                But he did not find her there, or at Luis or Antonio's place.  He even checked to see if she had gone to see her nephew at Beth's place, but she was not there either.

            Where could she be?  I need to find her! He thought as he drove through town, trying to find her.

                Hours later, Theresa drove into Port Charles.  She sighed as she drove through town.  Finally she was where she would be happy.  Her best friends were here.  Lucky, Nikolas, Elizabeth, and Emily were all here and they were all she needed.

                She drove quickly to Kelly's hoping to rent a room there until she could find someplace more permanent and a permanent job.  She got out of the car and went inside.  As she looked around the diner, Lucky came down the stairs, dressed and ready for another day at the PCPD.  He noticed Theresa standing by the door.  "Theresa, what are you doing here?"

                "Lucky!  It's good to see you," she said as the two friends embraced.

                "It's good to see you too, Resa.  What brings you to Port Charles?" Lucky asked.

                "It's a long story, Lucky," Theresa said with a sigh.

            "Don't worry.  You can tell me.  I have plenty of time before I have to go into the PCPD," Lucky said, leading her over to a table.

            Theresa sat down and took a deep breath before beginning her explanation.  "You do remember me telling you about Gwen's pregnancy?"

                "Yeah, you told me about it before you left with your friends for LA," Lucky said.

                "Well, our last week there Gwen and Ethan came out there.  Gwen spent most of her time at the hospital to reduce the stress on the baby.  Well, at the beach, on nation-wide TV, Ethan and I kissed and Gwen saw it and left the hospital.  She confronted me about it and then she collapsed.  Ethan and I went to the hospital together and no matter what the doctors said, I wouldn't leave.  Ethan was told he had a choice to make, save Gwen or save his child.  That choice was taken away from him when the baby was lost.  It was a little girl.  They named her Sarah and buried her in Harmony.  Gwen blamed me for losing Sarah.  I had already made the decision after Sarah died to give up Ethan and I told her that.  She didn't believe me until Fox and I started dating.  I was falling in love with him."

                "There's more, right Resa?" Lucky asked.

                "Yes.  Gwen's mother Rebecca and Julian just got married and they took little Ethan away from me.  And then yesterday Fox and I had an argument and he believes that I'm using him as a substitute for Ethan.  I couldn't stay in Harmony after all that, so I left early this morning, without telling anyone where I was going," Theresa finished.

                Lucky shook his head.  "You have been through so much, Resa.  I understand why you left.  But I am sure your mother is worried since you left without telling anyone," he said, taking her hand.

                "I'll call her later, once I have a place to stay.   Unless there's a free room here," Theresa said.

                "Elizabeth's old room is still free, if you want it.  And I'm sure aunt Bobbie would love to have you stay here," Lucky said.

                "Of course I would," Bobbie said, coming up behind them with the key to the room in her hand.  "The room is yours."

                "Thank you," Theresa said, taking the key.  She got up from the table and headed out to the car and grabbed her suitcases and then went back inside and up to her new room.

                Twenty minutes later, Theresa came back downstairs to see Lucky about to head out the door to the PCPD.  "Lucky?  I need your help."
                "What's up, Resa?" Lucky asked her.

                "Do you know of any place that's hiring right now?  I need a job.  I'm not picky," Theresa said as she approached him.

                "You can come with me to the PCPD.  We are in desperate need of a good office assistant and receptionist right now.  And it is a good pay rate," Lucky said.

                "Sure.  I have some experience at the Harmony Police Department from my high school days.  And I was basically a receptionist to Ivy Crane, so I could definitely handle that," Theresa said before both friends headed out the door and to the PCPD.

                Fox slammed the front door of the Crane mansion.  He had searched every inch of Harmony for Theresa, but could not find her.

                Rebecca came into the foyer of the mansion shortly thereafter.  "Well, Fox.  What has got you in such as state as you are?  Has something happened?"

                "You are at fault for this state, Rebecca.  Thanks to your little talk with me before I saw Theresa.  She has left town, Rebecca!"

                "Are you sure?  I mean, she could be anywhere," Rebecca said.

                "Yes, I am sure!  I have looked all over Harmony to try and find her and she is nowhere to be found.  She's gone, Rebecca, thanks to you!" Fox yelled at his wicked stepmother.

                Gwen and Ethan came into the room at that moment.  "What do you mean by "she's gone?"  And why is it Rebecca's fault?" Ethan asked.

                "Theresa left town and it's all Rebecca's fault!  First she schemed to take away little Ethan from her and just yesterday she made me doubt her love for me and told me I was just a substitute for you, Ethan!  And that is why she is gone and why it is Rebecca's fault!" Fox exclaimed emphatically.

                "Very correct, Fox.  It is all Rebecca's fault for Theresa leaving town.  Or should I say Andrea's fault," came the voice of Alistair Crane.

                Lucky and Theresa walked into the PCPD later that day.  Theresa absorbed the different yet familiar chaotic atmosphere of the precinct.  No matter where she was, the police precincts all felt the same.

                Lucky lead Theresa directly to Mac's office and knocked on the door, hoping to find the police commissioner in.  "Come in," came Mac's command.  Lucky opened the door at that moment.

                "Hey Mac!"

                "Lucky, what can I do for you?" Mac asked.  Mac smiled at his best rookie cop.  He liked Lucky, no matter what that jerk Baldwin thought.

                "I've brought you a brand new employee," Lucky said, bringing Theresa into the office.  "This is my friend Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald and she's here to be our new office assistant and receptionist."

                Mac smiled.  "Good.  We desperately need one.  Ever since Baldwin fired Amanda, we have been in desperate need for a new one."

                "Do you want to interview me at all?  Or are you giving me the job outright?" Theresa asked.

                "I'll give you the job on a one-month trial basis.  If you do the job well during that month, then the job is yours permanently," Mac said.

                Theresa smiled at him  "Thank you Mac.  I won't let you down.  I promise," she said.

                "I'm counting on it Theresa."  Mac turned to Lucky.  "You'd better get to the squad room before Scott comes looking for you.  I can show Theresa what she needs to do."

                Lucky nodded as he headed to the squad room as Mac got up from his desk and took Theresa to where she would be working.

                Rebecca shook in fear as she heard Alistair say the name Andrea.  Gwen shook in surprise at the name.

                "Who is Andrea?" Julian asked as he came into the room.

                "Your false wife, my son.  Her real name is Andrea Myles-Faison.  She had plastic surgery to make herself into Rebecca Hotchkiss after she killed the true Rebecca," Alistair explained.

                Gwen looked at the woman she had believed was her mother, shocked.  "You killed my mother?"

                Andrea turned to her with a cruel smile on her face.   "Oh, yes.  My daughter Ambrosia and I killed her.  Slit her throat, died very quickly.  We were about to do the same to you, but you weren't there, so Ambrosia couldn't take your place."

                "You witch!  You murdered my mother!  You will pay!" Gwen shouted.  Then she launched herself at Andrea and wound her hands around her neck, choking her.  "You will die for what you've done!"

                "Gwen, no!  Don't turn into her, please!" Ethan pleaded as he attempted to pry her hands away from Andrea's neck.  He managed to get some leverage to loosen Gwen's hands slightly, opening Andrea's windpipe slightly.

                Fox came up and together the brothers managed to remove Gwen's hands from Andrea's throat.  Ethan held her tightly in his arms as she frantically tried to launch herself at Andrea again.  "Alistair, get this bitch out of here before Gwen gets loose!" Fox exclaimed.

                Alistair nodded and a man came out of the shadows at that moment with handcuffs in hand.  "Andrea Faison, you are under arrest for numerous international criems against humanity.  You have the right to remain silent.  Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.  You have the right to an attorney…" the voice of WSB Agent Frisco Jones droned on as he slapped the handcuffs on Andrea.

                Gwen collaped in Ethan's arms as Andrea was dragged away.  "She killed my mother, Ethan!  She killed my mother!"

                "I know.  But now she'll pay for it Gwen.  She will pay for it," Ethan said soothingly.

                "Yes, she will.  I've heard a lot about how the WSB sentences their guilty.  And many of the executions are really cruel," Fox said.

                Ethan nodded before guiding his distraught wife out of the room.  Even he had heard about the WSB and all their methods.