Ethan took a deep breath as he neared his bedroom door. The strain of
worrying about whether or not Theresa was going to die and the revelation
that he had two sons was starting to take their toll. Words couldn't describe
how relieved he was when Theresa stabilized and the Doctor Russell told
him that he was going to be alright. For some reason. eventhough he didn't
know Simone all that well it made him feel better to know that Theresa
was in her hands. He didn't think he could live if anything happened to
Theresa and their boys needed her desperately.
"Their Boys." he thought with a smile.
The fact that he was a father had been rolling around in his
head ever since he found out that there was a possibility that the twins
were his, but he still wasn't use to the idea. He had two sons and they
needed him just as much as they needed Theresa and he was going to do whatever
it takes. to ensure his place in their lives.
Gwen saw the door knob turned and let out a sign of relief as soon as
Ethan entered. She rushed over to him and through her arms around him.
"Ethan," she said happy to see that he was safe. "Where were you I
have been out of my mind with worry."
She pulled back and took a look at Ethan. He was totally disheveled.
His eyes were red and tired as if he had been crying and his shirt was
hanging out of his pants in a wrinkled mess.
"Ethan." she said suddenly concerned. "What happened? What's wrong."
Ethan met Gwen's gaze and put his hand on her face. The past couple
of hours had been hell on him, but he knew that what was to come was going
to be hard on Gwen. He didn't know how he was going to break the news to
her about the boys. He had known Gwen all of his life and loved her in
some way or another during the entire time. She had done nothing but love
him since they were children and it seemed to him that he did nothing but
hurt her.
"Tell me what's wrong Ethan where have you been all night."
Ethan looked at Gwen for what seemed to her to be an eternity and then
finally answered.
"I was at the hospital."
"What? Is it Sheridan did she have the baby?" she asked breaking into
a small smile.
"No," said Ethan barely above a whisper it is Resa..Theresa she was
in an accident and I was there to see if she would be ok."
Gwen's face turned completely white at the sound of Theresa's name.
She should have known that this would happen she should have known that
she would find a way to place herself back into their lives. She had schemed
her way into their lives before and nearly destroyed their love now she
was back.
"You promised," was all Gwen said fighting back tears. "You promised
that Theresa was no longer an issue."
The trip to the cabin had been a long one but Gwen felt like it was
one that she needed to make. She and Ethan had been officially broken
up for weeks now and she felt as if he entire life had lost its meaning.
She had loved Ethan all of her life it was the only thing that she really
ever had to hold on to and she knew that she had to take the blame for
everything that happened to tarnish it. She had been a jealous shrew when
it came to Theresa but she couldn't help herself. Ethan had always loved
Gwen, but not the way that she loved him. In the beginning she didn't mind,
she shrugged it off as just childish immaturity or them not being together
long enough, but those excuses eventually began to run thin. As the years
went by Gwen knew that Ethan's love wasn't growing the way that it was
suppose too. She thought that maybe it was just Ethan and that he was incapable
of giving her anymore then he was giving, but that was until he saw the
way he looked at Theresa. The moment she saw the two of them together she
knew that there was something between him and Theresa. Ethan didn't know
it yet, but Theresa did and she wanted it there and she wanted Ethan for
herself.
"And you gave her her shot when you broke up with Ethan," she thought.
She had heard that Theresa and Ethan had been seen around town together
and she knew that it was only a matter of time before Ethan was hers. She
knew that she had to act quickly that's why when Sheridan let it slip that
Ethan was at the cabin she knew that she had to go there and make a move.
It was now or never. She went to the potted plant where she knew Ethan
kept the key. She scooped the key up in her hand and thought about all
the great times they had there. Being back there was sure to bring them
luck. She turned the key into the hole, opened it and gasped at the sight.
There right in front of her right near the fire was Ethan and Theresa snuggled
up clearly naked.
"Noo!!" she screamed trying to hold down the bile that was rising
up in her throat.
Ethan and Theresa jumped up when they heard the scream. They stared
at Gwen in horror.
Ethan had no idea what to say. This was the last thing that he wanted.
After everything he and Gwen had meant to each other the last thing that
he wanted was for her to find out about him and Theresa this way.
"Gwen," he said," jumping up and putting on his boxers. "What are
you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" she asked still in shock. "What am I doing
here. Ethan what are you doing here with her?" she asked barely able to
hold back her tears."
"Gwen I didn't want you to find out this way." he said moving towards
her.
"Well at least I know that I am not crazy. I knew that you wanted
to Theresa. How many times did I say it to you and you told me that I was
wrong, that I was imagining things,"
"At the time I didn't..."
"You didn't what Ethan? You didn't know that you had the hots for
Theresa. Spare me. You've wanted to be with Theresa since the moment you
saw her. Just like Julian said. You needed to sow your Crane oats and you
found to willing a participant in Theresa."
"Look Gwen I realize that you're hurt," began Theresa truly sorry
that Gwen had to see him and Ethan together like this she knew that if
the tables were turned that she would be devastated.
"What Theresa. You didn't mean for this to happen. It just did.
Spare me. At least have the respect not to lie to me. Not to pretend that
you aren't happy that this moment has come."
"I'm not," said Theresa.
"Yeah right," said Gwen bitterly.
"Look Gwen.." began Ethan.
"What Ethan, what are you going to say? How could you do this to
me? How could you betray everything that we had and for what a roll in
the hay with the housekeepers daughter? And you bring her here a place
we have been, where we shared our first kiss."
Ethan sighed and looked own.
"Oh my god," said Gwen crying. "You forgot."
Ethan looked back at Gwen apologetically and felt horrible. He had
forgotten. He was a jerk.
"Gwen, lets not talk about this now you're too emotional," said
Gwen.
"No we'll talk about it now I deserve the truth Ethan what is going
on between you and Theresa?"
Ethan looked at Gwen then to Theresa then back to Gwen.
"I love her," he said simply as a tear fell down his eye. "I love
her."
Gwen felt as if her heart had been ripped out she ran into the blinding
snow, ran as far and as fast as she could. She didn't hear Ethan whisper
that he was sorry. She didn't see the look of anguish on his face. All
she knew was that she never hated anybody more then she hated and always
would hate Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald.
Gwen wiped back a tear as she brushed off the memory and sank to their
bed.
"You promised," she said again.
Ethan looked at Gwen and sat beside her.
"I know," he said taking her hands in his, but I had to make sure that
she was ok?"
"Why? She wasn't going to die Ethan I'm not that lucky."
Ethan looked at Gwen a little shocked.
"I know that you don't mean that." he said.
"Don't I? How do you expect me to feel Ethan. How am I suppose to feel
knowing that you just spent the night holding a worried vigil at the bed
of the woman who almost came between us forever. A woman that you love
and will always love more then me."
Ethan opened up his mouth to protest at the sight of Gwen's tears but
Gwen through her right hand up to silence him.
"It's all right Ethan," she said. "I've made peace with it, but the
one thing that I can not and will not make peace with is the idea of you
brining her back into our lives. We've been happy Ethan, Genuinely happy
these past few years. Let Theresa stay in the past where she belongs Ethan."
Ethan took a deep breathe and prepared for what was to come.
"I'm afraid that it just isn't that simple Gwen."
"Why not." she said becoming angry
"Because Theresa is the mother of my twin sons."
.