Chapter Three

As Fox and Theresa's minds drifted off into separate worlds of thought, a comfortable silence surrounded them. A few months of emotional turmoil had made them feel completely alone and overwhelmed with the inability to find comfort in the people around them. But at that moment, both friends had finally found the comfort that they had been deprived of slowly mending the emotional scars resulting from the distress that had diseased their happiness.

After a brief period of silence, Theresa glanced over at Fox whose gaze was deeply concentrated on the ceiling. "What are you thinking about?" She inquired, noticing Fox's gaze softened immediately.

"Us." Fox replied simply- his unwavering gaze still centered above him.

"What about us?" Theresa asked quietly as she played with a stray thread on her comforter.

"I was thinking about why our dating relationship didn't work out." Fox said as he sat up again.

As Theresa soaked up his words, flashbacks of the night she had used Ethan to get pregnant melded with memories of the night she told Fox that their dating relationship had reached its end due to her betrayal of Fox's trust. She remembered the stabs of guilt that wounded her as she confessed of her betrayal and the looks of anguish dulling Fox's gaze.

"It was me, Fox." Theresa said finding Fox's eyes with her own. "We didn't work out because I had betrayed you with"

"No, Theresa" Fox interrupted. "Both you and I got into the relationship still not completely over the people we were in love with. For a short while you and I were boyfriend and girlfriend, but a part of us remained with someone else no mattered how hard we tried to forget them. You still had Ethan on your mind, while I had Whitney on mine. While you and I were together, I was convinced that I would get over Whitney." Fox's eyes looked down upon his twiddling fingers as he continued. "But after you told me that you had betrayed me with someone else, something told me that it had been with Ethan and Whitney suddenly entered my thoughts again. Then you and I sort of went our separate ways. And now here we are- together again."

"Funny how that worked out." Theresa replied as tears suddenly slipped out of her eyes. Quickly brushing them away, Theresa turned her head away from Fox. "I don't know how you put up with me," She said with a laugh to disguise her sadness. "Ethan had been all I'd ever known, and all you'd ever hear was 'Ethan this,' or 'Ethan that.' But you know I have to hand it to you. You actually managed to distract my thoughts of Ethan, and I even thought that maybe I could move on. Then he and Gwen took my son away from me, and then I became their surrogate, and" Theresa's voice trailed off, knowing that if she continued talking that her voice would break and she would not be able to keep her tears from endlessly streaming down her face.

Fox watched Theresa carefully and noticed that she was becoming visibly upset. Rather than attempt to console Theresa with his words, Fox instead instinctively placed his arm protectively over her shoulders. A sense of security filled the holes that heartache had dug within her soul, and Theresa let the stubborn walls that masked her sadness to fall. The anguish that had been building within her released itself in a torrent of tears that shook her whole body. She covered her mouth to muffle her cries as she leaned on Fox, the one person who had been her stability in times of chaotic misery.

Fox held Theresa tightly against him, feeling her body shake as her emotions departed her body. After awhile, Theresa's tears subsided, but Fox's arm still remained firmly around her shoulders. He knew that one moment could not make up for the other times Theresa needed his comfort, but he knew that she needed him now and in turn he needed her as well.

Wiping her eyes, Theresa sat up- her eyes full of apology. "I'm sorry Fox. You know how emotional I can get." Sniffling, she lowered her head.

"No apology is necessary, Theresa." Fox said as he lifted Theresa's chin to look into her eyes. "My shoulder is always free for you to cry on when you need it."

"Thank you, I can always count on you." Theresa said- her eyes still bright and glassy. "I probably look like a mess. I'm going to go clean up. Be right back."

While Theresa was gone, Fox changed into the shirt she had given him. After sitting back down on her bed, he noticed a picture of them sitting on her desk. Picking up the frame carefully, Fox smiled as the traced the picture with his finger. After placing the frame back into its place, Theresa entered the room. Fox immediately noticed that she had changed into a light blue nightgown that flowed around her ankles making her appear as though she were floating as she walked.

Awestruck, Fox seemed to forget to exhale as Theresa took a seat beside him. "What is it?" Theresa asked when she noticed the dumbfounded look that had crossed his face.

Exhaling slowly, Fox ran his fingers through his tousled locks. "Nothing," He squeaked. "So, it's getting late." Fox said clearing his throat. "We should probably go to bed soon."

"Yeah," Theresa agreed. "It is getting late." Theresa took a long pause as if deciding what to say next. When Fox was about to get up and bid Theresa good night, she asked him a question that took him completely off guard.

"So, Fox, which side of the bed do you want?"