Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They truly do mean a lot to me. You guys' reviews inspire me to write more, and to try to write better. So keep 'em coming! The more you review, the faster I write. Just please, for the love of God, no plot bunnies until the end of this semester. ;) But enough of my babbling. Here's chapter 3! I hope you enjoy it.

Unconditionally-Chapter 3

Sleep eluded her. With the raised voices emanating from down the hall, Theresa's inability to rest was not surprising to her. If she could have been a fly on the wall in that room she gladly would have. What was happening in there would affect her whole life, and the life of her children. And while the raised voices gave her reason to hope, Theresa forced herself to curb her natural optimism.

Don't get your hopes up too high. She told herself. You've been through this before, and it only ended in heartache.

When Theresa told Ethan she knew him, she had meant it. She knew he loved her, and Jane, and Ethan Martin. Knew that while he hated hurting her, he didn't seem to know how to stop. Knew how scared he was, and how easily Gwen could manipulate him, using his guilt over Sarah and Nathan to control him. And she feared that no matter how much they loved each other, it wouldn't be enough to overcome that guilt.

The sound of her door slowly creaking open drew Theresa out of her reverie. Sitting up, she turned on the lamp, pushing her tumultuous thoughts aside for the moment.

"Ethan Martin, what are you doing up, sweetie?" She asked, smiling comfortingly at her son.

"I can't sleep with all of the yelling." The little boy responded, walking to the bed, sitting next to his mother. Theresa nodded in understanding.

"I see. They are kinda loud, huh?"

Ethan Martin nodded.

"Yeah. Why does everybody fight around here?"

"Well, sweetie, people fight for a lot of reasons. They misunderstand each other, or say things they may or may not mean. Sometimes, it's just plain old unhappiness or anger." Theresa sighed. "I think that there are just a lot of unhappy people living in this mansion."

"Are you unhappy, mommy?" He asked, shocking his mother with the innocence and sincerity of his question.

"At times, yes." Theresa answered honestly. "But most of the time, I'm the happiest woman in the world, and do you know why?"

"No, why?"

"Because I am lucky. I've got you, my sweet boy, and your sister Jane, even though she is with Gwen and Ethan right now. And that's a lot to be thankful for."

"Mom." Ethan Martin groaned, rolling his eyes, drawing a chuckle from his mother.

"So, now that I've answered your question, I've got a question for you. Are you happy?"

"Yeah. But I don't like living here with Grandpa Alistair, and I wish we could go back home."

"So do I, mi niño. And one day we will. I promise."

Theresa smiled, pushing away her dark thoughts, determined to cheer up her son.

"Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't we go visit the nursery, and see if Jane's up, too?"

"Can we!" The little boy responded excitedly.

"I don't see why not. But we'll have to be very, very quiet just in case she is asleep, okay?"

"Okay."

Hand in hand the two walked out of the room, quickly passing through the hallway on their way to the nursery. When they arrived, they found Jane standing in her crib, smiling happily at them.

"Well hi there, beautiful girl!" Theresa exclaimed, picking her daughter up, snuggling her close. "I guess all the loudness woke you up too, huh?" she tickled Jane's stomach, chuckling at her little baby giggles. She'd missed being able to hold her daughter, play with her. It had been her main thought when agreeing to getting involved with Alistair. She would do whatever it took to get Jane back in her arms permanently.

"Can I hold her, mommy?"

"Sure, sweetheart. But you'll have to sit in the rocking chair."

Excitedly settling in the rocking chair, the little boy reached out for his baby sister. Placing her gently in his arms and stepping back, Theresa couldn't help but smile at the picture they made. Jane grinning an adoringly gummy smile at her big brother as he rocked back and forth, talking to her about what he'd done that day. As painful as the situations surrounding both of her children's conceptions were, she would not have traded having her children for anything. Other than Ethan, her children truly were her life. They were what kept her going.

How could you think I would let you take our daughter away to another country half a world away, Ethan?

"What is going on here!" A shrill voice coming from behind her yelled, pulling Theresa from her thoughts. Sighing, she turned, coming face to face with the woman who's main mission in life was to make her life a living nightmare.

"Calm down, Gwen. Little Ethan couldn't sleep with all of the yelling, so he and I decided to come visit Jane."

"You have NO RIGHT to be in here!" Gwen raged, glaring at Theresa. "Jane is MY DAUGHTER, Theresa. The courts gave her to Ethan and I. And I don't want you and your poison around her, you tramp!"

Biting back a retort, Theresa turned, taking Jane from Ethan Martin's arms, placing her in her crib. Turning back to her son, she smiled comfortingly.

"Honey, it's getting late. Why don't you head to your room, and I'll be there in a minute to read you a story. Okay?"

Ethan Martin nodded hesitantly, casting a fearful glance at Gwen. He still had the occasional nightmare from his time under her "care".

"Okay, mommy." he responded, hugging Theresa tightly, giving her a kiss on the cheek, then quickly walked past Gwen. He didn't like this blonde woman and how she treated his mother. He hated her for taking him from his mother, and for taking his sister away. He didn't understand how his "Daddy Ethan" could stay with her. And he didn't trust her not to hurt his mommy again. He stopped at the door, turning to give his mother a worried glance.

"It's alright, honey." Theresa reassured him. "I'll be there in just a minute. Promise."

Nodding uncertainly at his mother's words, Ethan Martin left, disappearing down the hallway.

Taking a last look at Jane, Theresa took a deep breath, turning her attention to Gwen.

"What do you say we take this downstairs?" She suggested.

"Why should I go anywhere with you?"

"Because what I have to say to you, Gwen, is not for little ears to hear. I refuse to get into this with you in front of my daughter. I won't do that to her."

"Fine. For Jane's sake. I don't want to hurt my little girl."

Rolling her eyes at Gwen's words, Theresa held her tongue, nodding.

"Good. Thank you. Let's go."

Not waiting for a response, she walked out of the nursery, heading in the direction of the downstairs living room. She'd had it. It was bad enough that Gwen insisted upon calling Jane her daughter, but the days of Gwen degrading and insulting her in front of her children were over.

She'd done what she could to shelter her children from the madness of what was going on between she, Ethan and Gwen. Gwen, however, seemed to have no compunction about drawing children into a battle they had nothing to do with. But that was going to stop tonight. This was not their fight, and Theresa was not going to let the bleached-blonde terror turn her children into casualties of this war that raged between them. It was not going to happen. Arriving at her destination, she waited for her nemesis to catch up.

Moments later, Gwen arrived in the living room.

"Okay. Now that we're here, all I have to say is that you'd better stay away from my daughter."

"Get it through your head, Gwen. Jane is my daughter. Ethan's and mine."

"Yes, because you drugged him and put on a blonde wig! And the courts gave us custody of Jane, so she is my daughter. And I don't want a slut like you influencing her."

"You know what, Gwen? Call me a slut, whore, baby-killer, whatever. I don't care. We both know what you really are, and what the truth is, so your words don't have any effect on me. But when you do it around my children, that is a different story." her eyes turned stone cold before continuing. "If you ever speak to or about me like that in front of my children again, I will not only take you down, I will take you out."

"You don't scare me, Theresa." Gwen replied, forcing herself to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine at the brunette's words. "Jane is mine now! So is Ethan. I don't know what you've done to seduce him away from me, but I won't let you have him! We're going to be together! I will get him back! He's mine, Theresa! Do you hear me!"

Theresa fought back a smile at the implication behind Gwen's words. He chose me. Ethan's leaving Gwen. We're going to be a family. A sense of peace came over her. Maybe, just maybe, Fate was back on her side.

"The whole mansion can hear you, Gwen." Theresa responded calmly. "I wouldn't be surprised if the whole of Harmony could hear. But you know what? I haven't done anything, and I refuse to discuss Ethan with you right now. It's late, and my son is waiting for a bedtime story. I'm going to give Jane a kiss goodnight and go tuck him in. Just remember what I said. Leave Ethan Martin and Jane out of this." she smiled coolly as she headed out of the living room, turning as she reached the entryway. "Have a good night, Gwen." With that, Theresa walked out of the living room and upstairs, Gwen staring after her, raw, seething hatred shining from her eyes.

If you only knew how much I loathe you. She thought. Before you came, Ethan and I were happy. We were going to have it all. Then you had to come along and ruin everything with your wide-eyed innocence and dark, bewitching beauty. You destroyed everything. But you won't win. I won't let you. I will do whatever it takes to bring you down. I many not be able to have Ethan, but I refuse to let him run back to your arms.

Theresa lay beside Ethan Martin, her thoughts racing as she forced herself to focus on the storybook in front of her. Gwen's words kept replaying in her head.

Could what Gwen said really mean what I think it does? Has Ethan followed his heart

back to me? After all of this time…could we finally be together…and happy?

As she finished the story, she glanced at the sleeping boy beside her. He had been her saving grace in the years after she and Ethan had parted. And she would have given anything to give him the complete family she herself had never had. She smiled at the image of image of her son and the man she loved playing catch, while she and Jane looked on from where they were playing 'tea party'. It was a dream she'd had countless times before, only now, it was even sweeter. Because now, it had a chance of coming true.