Chapter 17:

On A Search For Some Answers.

"Theresa, can I speak to you for a sec?", Dylan asked, he stood at the door waiting to be invited in by her.

"Sure.", Theresa replied, "Come in."

"Thank you.", Dylan replied.

"Dylan, what's wrong?', Theresa asked, thou she had only known him a short time she had learned to read him, he was much like Fox only let his feeling be exposed, when he was on the brink of exploding.

"Everything.", Dylan replied simply following her into the kitchen.

"Meaning?', Theresa asked sitting down in the chair at the breakfast set table, Dylan took the chair across from her.

"Meaning, I can't get Janet out of my head.", Dylan replied.

"Why?", Theresa asked.

"Theresa, I love her and probably always will.", Dylan replied.

"What about Kat?', Theresa asked. "What do you feel for her?"

"I love her but, not like Janet.", Dylan admitted.

"Really?', Theresa questioned.

"Yeah, warped, huh?', Dylan asked.

Theresa nodded.

"Well, want to know what's even more warped?", Dylan asked.

"What?", Theresa asked.

"Remember when I first meet you ?', Dylan asked, she nodded. "Well, I wanted you because…",

"I resemble Janet?', Theresa asked, Dylan nodded, "Yea.", he mumbled.

"Dylan, I don't know what to say.", Theresa told him, "but that's normal."

"Then why do I want a sexual encounter with you who I didn't really know, but not with Kat, the woman I love?', Dylan asked.

"I don't know, maybe you're not really wanting me, but to some how use me to go back to the time you was with Janet and maybe the reason your afraid of anything sexual with Kat, is because you're afraid of being hurt again."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Rachel.", Ethan called as she walked past the foyer.

"Yeah?', Rachel asked.

"Uh, Rach this is Sam.", Ethan told her. "Sam this is Rachel, my sister."

"Hi.", Rachel replied forcing a smile on her lips.

"Hi.", Sam replied, that girl was pure evil always ordering the other maids around as if they were her personal slaves.

"So, are you one of the head maids?', Rachel asked.

"Yea, me, Phyllis and Pilar.", Sam replied.

"Really, interesting?", Rachel stated.

"What?", Sam asked.

"How both Pilar and Phyllis have worked for years to get where they are and you have been here what 4 months?", Rachel smirked. "I guess a little bit does go a long - long way."

"What are you insinuating, Rachel?', Sam asked.

"Nothing, hey what you do with my brothers is your business.", Rachel smirked. "Just watch out for Theresa, you know Foxworth's wife."

"What, no.", Sam replied.

"Chill out, okay I ain't tell nobody, I'm just giving you a fair warning if you're messing around with Fox don't call attention to yourself.", Rachel replied. "For example don't be so friendly around the wifey."

"Rach, I don't know where you got that silly idea, but you're dead wrong, Fox and I are friends it's nothing sexual.", Sam deafened,

"Not yet, anyways right?", Rachel asked. "admit it you're attracted to Fox and he wants you too, but you'll never be nothing but, sex to him, because he loves his wife."

"I know that and I'm not stupid Rachel, unlike you I know when I'm wanted or when it's strictly sex.", Sam huffed.

"Good.", Rachel smirked. "So, you expect no commitment from Nicholas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, you waiting on Chad?", Whitney asked, walking in.

"No, actually, I was hoping to see you if you aren't too busy.", Fox replied.

"Of course, I'm not too busy.", Whitney replied. "So, what's a matter, is it Ethan has he did something to you and Theresa?"

"No.", Fox replied simply. "It's Sam."

"Samantha?", Whitney repeated.

"Yeah.", Fox replied. "The new maid."

Flashback

"Good.", Fox replied. "You plan on staying."

"You sound, happy.", Sam replied.

"I am.", Fox replied.

"So am, I.", Sam replied leaning in and kissing him, he didn't pull back, he wanted this, he waned to kiss her, he want this woman.

Sam moaned his name, pulling him even closer. 'YES, he didn't pull back.'

Finally, he was aware of what he had, done what he was doing. 'Theresa, OH My God, I almost, cheated on Theresa, the woman, I love the mother of my children, my whole universe.' "Sam, I-uh- I'm-I'm sor- sorry, this can't happen, this shouldn't have happened I love Theresa."

"Fox-I uh-…", Sam stuttered.

"This, shouldn't have happened.", Fox interrupted. "And, it won't ever happen again, this was an mistake."

End of Flashback

"What about her?", Whitney asked. "She isn't working for Ethan?"

"No, Sam's a good person, she' just had a rough life.", Fox replied.

"Fox, don't fell sorry for her it isn't your responsibility.", Whitney replied, knowing there was more to the story, "and, it's not up to you to make her content, now."

"but, she doesn't need to get mixed up with Ethan.", Fox stated,

"No, she don't.", Whitney replied. "but, it's her chose."

"I know but, I just don't want to see her get hurt, again.", Fox replied.

"What?", Whitney asked. "Just what have you got yourself into?"

"What do you mean?", Fox replied.

"Why, did you say you didn't want to see her get hurt again?", Whitney asked. "What kind of sappy story did that chamber maid tell you?"

"I can't tell you .", Fox replied. "She swore me to secrecy."

"Fox, come on, you aren't that foolish.", Whitney scolded. "she's a playing you."

"No, Sam has really been through it she grew up without no one, no mother, no father…", Fox began.

"Much like you?", Whitney asked.

"Huh?", Fox asked, taken back by her statement.

"Well don't you see a pattern here?", Whitney asked. "You grew up with out no one as did Samantha, so you automatically assume you're soul purpose in life is to give her what Theresa gave to you a friend, a person to be there for her, to care."

"Everyone need someone, I don't care what they did and how awful they've been to people or to themselves.", Fox replied.

"True, but don't sacrifice yourself or your and Theresa happiness for her.", Whitney replied.

"I won't.", Fox replied. "I just got to protect Sam from anymore heartache or pain."

"Oh, My God!!!", Whitney exclaimed. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

"What?', Fox asked. "No, I just want to help her get past all of her horrible child hood memories."

"Let me guess, she was abused by her mother or perhaps step mother, she was a young prostitute who was took advantage of?', Whitney offered.

"It more complicated than that.", Fox replied.

"But, that's basically it, you know without going into much detail?", Whitney asked.

"Yeah.", Fox admitted.

"Well, let me say this much Fox, It's not up to you to save her she needs professional help, help that you can't give her.", Whitney advised.

"But, she trust me, and it took awhile for her to open up what if she doesn't trust a shrink?", Fox asked. "Or worst what if she runs away?"

"You feel like you are responsible for her, don't you?', Whitney asked.

"Yeah, Whit, she has no one.", Fox replied.

"Fox, come on, you can't be serious.", Whitney replied.

"Yeah, well, I know what it's like knowing no one cares wither you live or die.", Fox replied.

"I know, but you have a wife and two beautiful children/", Whitney replied.

"And, Samantha has nothing no one to give a damn about her.", Fox replied.

"So, you're going to play hero, knight in shiny armor to her?', Whitney asked.

"I didn't say that.", Fox replied.

"But, I know you.", Whitney replied. "You've always got to play superhero."

"What are you talking about?", Fox asked.

"That's how you and Theresa got together, you married her in order for her to keep Little Ethan.", Whitney replied.

* Flashback

"Theresa, for what it's worth, congratulations...Whitney began.

"Thank you, Whit you're the only one hear who hasn't ranted and raved.",Theresa replied.

"Theresa, I hope you'll be happy, I know you married him in order to keep Little Ethan.",Whitney began.

"Yeah, but I'm going to make this work, for Little Ethan's sake.",Theresa began.

End Of Flashback

"Yeah, well I love her.", Fox defended.

"Just like you loved me, at the time you marred Theresa?", Whitney asked.

**Flashback

"Who is she ? Let's see it can't be Charity because you hardly know her, Kay, no you don't really know her either, Gwen, I'd see where you'd be going there stealing Ethan's wife, but she won't take a second look at you, Beth, no she's to old for you, Whitney….It's Whitney isn't it.", Theresa asked she looked at him it was clear to her. "Damn you, you couldn't settle for marring me, you had to make me fall in love with you, You are really sick you used me to get to my best friend. What was the plan Fox, hum ? Marry me to get closer to Whitney, then have Whitney to fall in love with you, then you either planned to keep me and take Whit on as your mistress or was it to dump me and be with Whitney. Typical Crane, right.", Theresa replied.

End Of Flashback

"What are you trying to say Whit, that I'm not in love with Theresa, my wife the mother of my children?", Fox asked.

A/N: if you didn't notice beside the flashbacks I places star/stars (*) or (**).

* = Chapter 1 of Trading In Everything…. (Where they announce there engagement) , that's was one of the first chapters I ever write.

**=Chapter 9 of Trading In Everything….(Where Dylan tells Theresa that there is another woman, who has Fox's heart)

Also, I'm going to go back and correct my earlier stuff AKA : Trading In Everything For Love that means I'm correcting spelling and everything, so if you want you can go back and re-read it. Also, I'm sorry this chapter was so short, I've kind of got writers block,but hopefully the next chapter will be better. JessJ

Spoilers for Chapter 18:

Fox ponders his feelings for Theresa and Sam. (Don't start throwing them eggs just yet, I've got a good plot here, but be ready for some huge twists and turns, to spice things up a bit.)

Sam and Ethan talk about love.

Theresa and Kathelina have a heart to heart about the men in there lives.