Work Text:
Theresa woke up with a headache.
She should've known better than to go out for drinks last night, but she needed a night off - a chance to get away from her life, feeling trapped outside of her son, and loving a man who just didn't see her anymore.
"Ugh," she said, putting her hand to her head. What happened? The details were a blur.
She shifted over, fighting the urge to close her eyes and go back to sleep. The light from the clock drew her attention and she realized it wasn't even 7AM. While she wanted to give into the temptation to sleep in just a bit more, she could already see Little Ethan squirming in his bed so she pulled up every bit of strength she had left and forced herself up, making her way to the crib.
"Hey, little Ethan," she cooed to her baby. "Do we want to get some sleep?"
To her shock, her son didn't react to her voice, just continuing to fiddle with his blanket.
"Ethan?" she said, trying to get his attention, but again, he ignored her, causing Theresa to frown.
She stood in front of him, but he still didn't seem to focus on her, seeming to almost see through her.
"Huh," she murmured, turning her head, but all she saw was the solid wall. Nothing there to capture the interest of a baby.
She leaned over to pick him up, but to her shock, her hands went right through him.
Theresa gasped, and brought her hands to her chest, staring at it, heartbeat rapidly rising.
"Now that was weird," she said out loud, blinking and staring at her own hands. Was she hallucinating? She had only had two drinks last night but then again, it had been a while. Or maybe she still asleep and dreaming? She pinched herself and winced - no, definitely not a dream.
Stay calm, she told herself. Then she repeated her previous action and much to her horror, the same thing happened - her hands went right through her baby, unable to hold on, to feel anything.
Then she screamed.
And screamed again.
When no one came, she desperately ran out of the room, still yelling.
She ran into no one until she got downstairs and for the first time, she was relieved to see Julian sitting at the table, drinking coffee.
"Julian," she said hurriedly. "Please tell me you see me."
But he ignored her, just like her son had, no matter how loud or in his face she got.
She continued to go around, trying to gain someone's attention, her panic growing as it seemed that no one could see her, and she ran back upstairs to her baby, needing to keep watch on him, collapsing on the bed, tears filling her eyes.
What was going on? Was she dead? Was this what the afterlife looked like? She knew she had done some bad things, but was this her punishment? To be around people she cared about, so close yet unable to touch? She pressed her hands together in prayer, hoping for some sense of guidance. If only she could remember what happened last night. Theresa could only recall going out with Whitney, and then nothing more.
"What is going on?" she said tearfully.
"I don't know, but I don't think talking to yourself is going to solve anything."
Theresa's head snapped up and she gaped seeing none other than Fox standing at her doorway, his lips curved into a customary smirk.
"Fox!" she said, standing up so suddenly that her head spun, and ran over to him, throwing her arms around his body. To her relief, she could feel him, solid as ever.
"Oof!" he said, clearly not expecting her actions. "That's some welcome. Nice to see you too, step-mommy."
"Don't call me that," she said, punching his arm lightly. "But you - you can see me!"
He raised an eyebrow. "What did you and Whitney drink last night? And more importantly, why didn't you share?"
"Don't joke," she warned. "I know it sounds crazy, but you're the first one today who can see me. I can't touch any one!"
"You're right," he said, frowning. "That is crazy. Are you sure you're not hungover?"
"No," she said impatiently. "Your father looked right through me-"
"Well, that doesn't say much," he interrupted.
"And I can't touch Ethan!" she said, gesturing to her son's crib desperately.
"Theresa," he said patiently. "Maybe you should sit-"
"Look!" she said, walking over and demonstrating her words by showing him what happened earlier. Much to her distress, it repeated itself.
"Theresa, I don't-" And Fox stopped short as her hands went through Ethan like it was air. "Huh."
"Is that all you have to say?" she asked.
"I don't know what to say," he said, scratching his head. "I am starting to wonder if I'm the one who is hungover."
"Neither of us is hungover," Theresa told him. "Somehow, I am invisible to everyone-" She paused and amended that statement. "Well, apparently everyone but you so far."
"So far," Fox echoed and blew out a breath. "Well, are you sure it is just me? Because that doesn't make any sense."
"You're telling me," Theresa said sarcastically. "But no one in the house that's awake right now can see or hear me and trust me, I tried." Her voice was rising again, and Fox raised his hands up in defense.
"Okay, we need to stay calm."
"Easy for you to say!" Theresa snapped. "People can see you!"
"Look, this is weird for me too," Fox retorted. "I'm not exactly made to be anyone's prince charming."
"Well grab your cape and horse, because I need to get back stat," Theresa told him fiercely.
"Nice to know you're still as bossy as ever," Fox muttered, sighing. "Okay, let's go back to last night - what happened? Whitney mentioned you guys were going to hang out."
"Yes, Sherlock Holmes, that's exactly what we did," she said, unable to hide her sarcasm. He gave her a pointed look and she relented. It wasn't fair to be rude to the one person who could help her, no matter how frustrated and angry she was at finding herself in this situation. If he walked away, as of right now, she would be totally screwed, and most importantly, so would Little Ethan. Everyone would think that she abandoned him and then what would they do?
They'd take him away from her and there was nothing she could do about that. She'd like to think her mom would get her, but against the Crane family? There as no chance. Her breath starting coming in quicker as she imagined her son growing up without her.
"Theresa, Theresa! Focus!" It was Fox's hands on her shoulders that brought her back to reality. The touch was more comforting than she would admit out loud or could focus on. "Hey, it's okay, you're here. I'm here. We'll fix this."
"How?" she asked, teary once more. "What is going to happen to my son, Fox? What if I'm dead?"
"You're not dead," he said firmly. "If you were, I wouldn't be able to feel you right now. You feel me? I'm real. I'm alive. So are you."
She nodded warily, wishing she could believe him but unable to feel confident in his words. "You're the only one. How do we know we're both not going crazy?"
"At least I'm in good company," Fox joked lightly. Seeing her glance, he grinned. "Okay, not in a joking mood. I get that. Here's what we're going to do - you'll tell me what happened last night and we'll solve the case together. What say you, Watson?"
She chuckled, despite herself. "Sounds like a plan, Holmes."
"So?" He stared at her expectantly.
"The truth is I don't really remember," she admitted, running a hand through her hair. "Whitney and I got drinks, did a little dancing, and then I just woke up in my bed and everything was ... well, this."
Fox's mouth was fixed in a thin line. "Not much to go on, but at least you weren't alone. Maybe Whitney remembers more than you do. How about you get dressed and we go see her?"
She nodded. "You can come with me?"
"What choice do we have?" Fox said, shrugging.
"And work?" she said tentatively.
"I'll take the day off," he said casually.
"But what about Little Ethan?" she asked, gesturing his crib.
His eyebrows furrowed. "You're his mom. What do you want me to do?"
"Can you take him to mama?" she asked. "I don't want him to-" She trailed off, cheeks warming when she realized what she was about to say. It wasn't very nice to insult his family when he was the one helping her.
Fox snorted, not looking offended. "Trust me, I wouldn't want to leave him with anyone with my last name either. So we take him to Pillar. What will he need?"
She started giving him instructions, and he was fairly good at following them. Theresa felt a surge of jealousy when he was able to pick up her son and hold him in a way she couldn't, her arms already aching to be around her baby. To his credit, for all that he claimed to not be sensitive at all, he managed to pick up on her emotions fairly well and sympathize.
"You'll be back with him before you know it," he said, and it sounded like a promise.
And what was crazier was that she believed him.
They visited Whitney, and she only saw Fox too. He tried to be as nonchalant as possible, but she knew something was up almost immediately.
"Did something happen to Theresa?" she demanded. "Where is she?"
"It's complicated," Fox said, glancing over at her, before meeting Whitney's eyes.
"Fox," Whitney warned. "Tell me where Theresa is."
"You wouldn't believe me if I did," Fox said, and the look in his eyes when he watched Whitney made Theresa's stomach sink for some reason. Had he always looked at Whitney that way? She blinked and shook her head. Focus, now is not the time.
"Try me," Whitney shot back.
"You can tell her if you want," Theresa said.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Fox said, and Theresa wasn't sure which one of them he was talking to.
"I think it's a perfectly good idea," Whitney said as Theresa offered up, "I don't know what choice we have."
"Look, all you need to know is she isn't in a good spot and I need your help getting her back," Fox said.
Whitney narrowed her eyes. "I don't trust you."
"Yeah join the club," Fox said. "But if you care for Theresa like you say you do, you have to know that I may be her only hope."
"You?" Whitney said incredulous, folding her arms across her chest and in a defensive stance. "Look Fox, I think you're a better guy than your reputation gives you credit for but ... you?"
He looked a little hurt, an expression he hid quickly and schooled into his usual "devil may care" expression, but she saw it and Theresa felt weirdly protective of him for it.
"Trust me, no one is more surprised than I am," Fox said, the words spoken a little too casually. "But it's all we got. I promise, if, when we get through this, I will explain. Or I'll let Theresa do it. For now, I just need your help. Please."
Maybe it was the combination of the desperation in his tone and sincerity in his expression, the likes of which even Theresa hadn't seen from him, but Whitney looked visibly moved. Even Theresa felt a lump in her throat at how far he was going for her.
"What do you want to know?" she asked finally.
"What happened last night?" Fox asked.
"We went out for drinks - I had a cocktail and two shots and Theresa had two margaritas - usual girls night out stuff," Whitney explained.
"Nothing out of the ordinary?" Fox persisted. "Drinks tasted okay?"
"A little watered down but nothing funny," Whitney answered. "I took a sip of one of her margaritas too and it tasted like ... a margarita."
"Did Theresa say anything?"
Whitney shook her head. "No, she didn't. She seemed fine too."
"So it wasn't the drinks," Fox concluded. "How was her mood?"
"Theresa?" Whitney frowned in concentration. "I think she seemed okay. A little melancholy at moments - there was this group of women over there celebrating their friend's engagement and it bummed her out."
Theresa tried to summon up the memory but she didn't quite remember that, though it stirred up some sort of ache in her.
"Okay," Fox said slowly. "Did she talk to them?"
Whitney shook her head again. "No ... oh wait there was one woman! Not apart of the celebrating party ..."
"Okay, and?"
"I went to get freshened up and when I came back, Theresa was just chatting with this woman, but by the time I got there, she was gone. And then that was it. We stayed for maybe, 30 minutes longer and then went our separate ways."
No matter what she did, nothing of what Whitney was saying rang a bell.
"Describe this woman," Fox was saying.
"She looked tall," Whitney said thoughtfully. "Dark brown hair, sharp features - I didn't see her very closely ..."
"Could you recognize her if you saw her?" Fox asked.
"Maybe," Whitney said hesitating. "I'm sorry. Like I said, she left before I could actually speak to her. I think Theresa said her name was -"
"Angelica," Theresa said suddenly, just as Whitney said the same thing.
Fox looked over at her. "Angelica. Are you sure?"
"Positive," Whitney said confidently and Theresa nodded eagerly, ready to go off and explore on her own too. It was as if the woman's name was the key that unlocked the door to her memories and all of a sudden, she could picture her face perfectly. Granted, she was still stumped on everything else and wasn't quite sure what they talked about, but she hoped coming face to face with her once more would do the trick.
"All right," he said. "If you see her ... let me know, okay?"
"I will," Whitney promised. "Please ... keep me updated."
"I will," Fox assured her. "Thanks, Whitney."
"Any time," she replied warmly.
Theresa started talking the second they were in his car. "I remember her - she was alone too, and she started up a conversation with me when Whitney left."
"Do you remember what she said?" Fox asked, starting the car.
Theresa's face fell. "I don't."
"Do you have a last name?"
She shook her head. "No, I don't think she gave me one."
"Well, at least you can recognize her, right?" Fox was clearly doing his best to put up a calm front, but she could hear the undertones in his voice expressing doubt and she nodded quickly.
Please don't give up on me, she found herself thinking. She didn't know what she would do if he did. What was weird was as paranoid as she was that he would tire of their investigation, she also couldn't picture him quitting. Despite all the things she said and did, Fox never really wavered or walked away.
It made him more special and unique than he would ever know.
"So we'll head to the bar," Fox said decidedly, "and see if anyone else has seen or heard of her."
Which is what they did. Theresa tagging along as Fox went to question the bartender. Theresa hated this, literally being invisible, but she was well aware that it could be worse. So, she waited as Fox asked questions about "Angelica" and tried to provide some info so he could add his own details.
"Sorry," the woman behind the bar, whose name tag said "Kate", "I wasn't working last night."
"Yeah, it was another guy and another woman, who isn't here," Theresa chimed in, from Fox's side.
"Do you remember who was?" Fox asked.
Kate's expression turned suspicious. "Yes, but I don't think they'll be able to give you information."
Theresa was offended. "They think you're a stalker creep."
"Well, it doesn't look good for me," Fox said automatically and then they both noticed Kate was staring at him strangely. "Sorry. I mean, thanks anyway. If you happen to see her, please tell her that Fox Crane is looking for her and it has to do with Theresa - a woman she was talking to at the bar last night." He handed her his car and at least she reluctantly took it.
There weren't many people there at the time, and the few people Fox questioned, trying to be casual to avoid unwanted attention or ire, weren't able to tell them anything.
"So much for that," Theresa said, after they left.
"Yeah, that was a dead end. Got any other ideas?"
"Not at the moment." She took a deep breath, trying to force down the panic that was rising again. "What if we can't find her? What if I'm just stuck like this?"
"You won't be," Fox said fiercely, and she was taken aback by the passion in his voice. "We're going to solve this - you and me. We can't quit now."
A few passerbys were staring as they walked on, and they once again realized how Fox probably looked like, talking to himself. "Hey," he said, regaining his composure with impressive speed. "A guy can't give himself a pep talk without the whole world staring?"
They only walked faster, their horrified expressions making Theresa burst into a fit of giggles.
Fox grinned too, a wide bright smile, and seeing him genuinely smile, brown eyes sparkling, caused her heart to skip a beat. It wasn't as if she was blind to the fact that he was very handsome and extremely charming; she remembered their night at the bar, when they tried (and succeeded at) making Ethan jealous yet that wasn't the memory that stood out - what did was how it felt like to dance so close to him and even get close to doing more than that at the beach.
But those were feelings she couldn't act on. Not then and not now.
It was far too dangerous.
"It's good to see that smile," Fox said genuinely, thankfully oblivious to her thoughts.
"I think it's the first time I felt like smiling all day," she admitted.
Fox looked soft in a way that some people wouldn't imagine he was capable of. "Well, let's work on giving you a reason to do that more. I think we should head back and see if we can find any "Angelicas" living in town or at least ask around to see who was there last night."
Theresa agreed, silently wishing she had kept better track of any other familiar faces, but there was no use in crying over spilled milk. They had to use what they had and hope it led them down the right path.
Unfortunately, that path wasn't as clear as they would like. Fox did his best, but there was no sign of "Angelica" and even when they got lucky with finding a couple of people who were there, none of them had paid attention to the lonely woman at the bar. Finally, they had to call it a night. She went with Fox to see her baby and give Pillar an update, who was even more suspicious than Whitney. Somehow Fox managed to placate her and get a promise that she would watch over Ethan. At moments, Theresa could swear her mother was looking right at her.
"Yes," Pillar said, satisfied. "My grandson will be safe with me, and my daughter will be safe with you."
Fox blinked, visibly surprised, but didn't argue. "Yes, she will."
Theresa believed him.
"We'll try again tomorrow," Fox said, squeezing her shoulder, once they were back at her door.
"Okay." She forced a smile. "I haven't said this yet ... but thanks, Fox. For everything."
"Don't thank me yet," he said playfully. "I don't think Holmes leaves cases midway and neither do I."
"Still, I appreciate it." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, lips accidentally brushing against the corner of his mouth, due to their height difference.
He swallowed. "Any time, Theresa. Good night."
"Good night," she responded in kind, and was touched with the way he shut the door behind him, knowing she couldn't.
She sat on the bed, and saw that she didn't make a dent, something she hadn't noticed that morning, and though her mind was going in what felt like a million different directions, the events of the day had taken a toll, and she soon fell into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, she woke up and was eager to get started. She went downstairs, hoping to find Fox up, only to hear commotion. Following the sound, she discovered members of the family in one room arguing, Fox at the center of it.
"I just think it's irresponsible for Theresa to get off without a word," Julian was saying, frowning.
"She wouldn't," Fox said defensively. "I know her and if she could be here, she would."
"Are we sure she decided she didn't get tired of being a mother and flee?" Julian asked. "Who is watching Ethan anyway?"
"Her mother," Fox said firmly. "Where he's safest."
"Fox," Julian said, "I'm aware you've gotten ... attached ... but you don't know what you're dealing with."
"No, you don't know what you're dealing with," Fox retorted. "I know her ..."
"Since when?" Now that was Ethan and his tone hurt, but not as much as Fox's defense eased that ache, her heart racing.
"Since I got here and have tried to know her," Fox shot back. "I see Theresa ... she's a great mother and person and she will be back .."
Theresa's hand went to her heart, fully taken aback and before she knew it, she was unconsciously wandering back to her room. Fox was still talking, but Theresa didn't feel the need to listen.
To have someone defend her like that, to see her ... it was overwhelming, in the best of ways. Isn't that what she always wanted? For a person to care for her and know who she was, deep down?
"I just wish I could find someone who saw me for me."
"Perhaps you have that ... and you just can't see it ..."
Theresa froze, eyes widening at the words that made its way into her memory, a thought that felt too real to be anything but a memory. Where did that come from? And how could she get more of it.
She focused, and bit by bit, it came back.
"I am Angelica ... but some people call me 'The Mysterious A'," the woman who had been previously quiet next to her said.
"Theresa," she responded, "Any chance you can solve the mystery of my tragic love life?"
The other woman's eyes lit up. "Why don't you tell me more about it?"
And she had, lamenting over Ethan and her blues and that was when she made that comment, and got that response. So had she wished for this? If she had, maybe she could fix it too. That meant finding Angelica immediately.
Then again, maybe they were looking at it all wrong. They had been looking for an "Angelica" ... perhaps they needed to check in on this "Mysterious A". She should contact Fox and make her check, but there wasn't a way to extract him from his family easily, and she was in a hurry, so even though she felt guilty over leaving him behind, she was out the door and sneaking her way into a bus that was heading downtown. There were some benefits to being invisible, though it was still jarring, especially when she didn't have much to hang on to.
She almost got distracted, but then her eyes fell on a sign on top of a tiny shop with the name "The Mysterious A". That had to be it. The bus stopped a block away and Theresa was out, almost running toward the place.
The sign indicated that it was open so she lifted her chest and walked right in, a tiny entry way with a counter and a bell greeting her. No one was there to man it. She looked to her side to be greeted with a beaded curtain that led to another room.
"Hello?" she called out. "Anyone here?"
There were footsteps and Theresa was greeted with the same woman she saw that night.
"It's you!" Theresa gasped.
"You've returned," Angelica said speculatively.
"You can see me?" Theresa asked.
Angelica nodded. "I can see beyond the human eye."
"Well, you're the only one!" Theresa found herself getting upset, hands going to her hips.
Angelica raised an eyebrow. "Am I?"
"Technically no," Theresa said, blushing as she thought about the one man who could see her. "But almost everyone else can't. Either way, you need to fix it. I didn't ask for this!"
"You did ask for this," Angelica reminded her. "You wanted to be seen, really seen ..."
"No one can see me," Theresa pointed out. "I'm invisible!"
"Not to the one that matters most," Angelica responded.
To the one that mattered most ... Fox? Yet, standing there, she wasn't as thrown off at the idea as she would've been even a day ago.
"Sometimes, even with our eyes we can't see and those eyes can blind us to our hearts true desires," Angelica said wisely. "We try to convince ourselves of what we want, but that may not be what we need ... or even what we really want. Only you can bring yourself back by accepting that."
Angelica's advice lingering in her head, she walked back, needing the time to think about what she had said. Accept her true heart's desire? For so long, she thought that was Ethan, but it wasn't Ethan that had stood by her in her darkest time. It wasn't Ethan who could see her when everyone else couldn't.
It was Fox.
And she knew, in the future, in times of trouble, she would confidently go to Fox, but also in times of happiness, she wondered what it would be like - to be with him, to have him by her side.
To kiss him, to call him her own ... to ... love him?
Maybe she wasn't there yet, but it was too easy to see herself there.
Which was terrifying, but she didn't feel the urge to run.
At least not away from those feelings.
She stopped as the familiar house came into view and she lingered in the driveway, staring out into the sky, processing and deciding what to do next.
The roar of an engine had her jumping and she spun around to see Fox's car pull up, him getting out and slamming the door a little hard.
"Theresa, what the hell!"
Theresa was shocked at the anger in his voice, but within it, she could hear worry and relief. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" he echoed. "How about that you just left without a word? Where were you? I searched everywhere!"
The guilt was back in full force. "I'm sorry ... I just had a lead and I jumped on it."
"Without me?" Fox asked, hurt replacing the anger, and she wished he was angry instead - being the cause of his hurt wasn't a good feeling.
"You were a little busy," she said, but deep inside, knew it was an excuse.
"I would've left them for you," Fox said, unhappy and then his face cleared. "Wait ... what did you hear?"
Theresa took his hand in her's, relishing the touch, and to her pleasant surprise, he entwined their fingers, looking equally surprised, gaze drifting between her face and their joint hands.
"Enough," she said gently. "I heard you defending me. Fox ... that meant a lot."
He looked embarrassed. "Well, it wasn't fair for them to pile on you when you couldn't defend yourself."
"And you did ... defend me."
"Sure," Fox said, shrugging. "They were wrong about you ... they are wrong about you."
"Here I thought you weren't anyone's prince charming," Theresa teased. "You totally have a soft side."
"Don't let it get around," he warned, half joking. "I have a reputation to maintain."
"Your secret is safe with me."
He smiled and then grew curious. "So that lead?"
"I found Angelica," Theresa admitted.
"And?" Fox asked. "Did she fix it? Can she fix it? Do we have to do some sort of strange ritual? I'll warn you - I'm not the biggest fan of blood ..."
It was the "we" that got to her and solidified her own thoughts and feelings. From the moment that he knew she was in trouble, it had been "we" and "they" and "them". There was never a question of her going off on her own or being left behind.
That gave her courage so she lifted her free hand to caress his cheek and her stomach tightened with the way his eyes darkened at the touch.
"Theresa?"
"I think ... this is one thing I have to do on my own," she said quietly. "I just ... don't know if it'll work ... and I've asked a lot of you already ..."
"Ask and you shall receive," he said seriously. Was it her imagination or was he closer? No, he was definitely leaning down, slowly but steadily, a question in his eyes.
She answered it with her actions and closed the remaining distance, their lips finally meeting a kiss.
If she had doubts before, she didn't have them now. She let his hand and used her free arms to wrap around his neck, and his rested at her waist, pulling her even closer against his body, deepening the kiss at the same time.
He shifted and she bumped into the car, the touch had her pulling back in shock, taking a few breaths to get herself steady and she was pleased to see he was in a similar predicament, unable to take his eyes off her.
Then she realized what caused her to stop kissing him and she stared at him and then at the car in amazement. "Hey I felt that."
Fox was confused and she saw the moment it dawned on him. "You felt the car?"
"I felt the car!" she said loudly. "I'm back!"
They both cheered and she hugged him again, not wanting to leave his embrace.
"Is that ... all you felt?" Fox asked, uncharacteristically vulnerable.
"I have a couple more feelings," she said coyly. "Do you care to listen to them?"
"I'd care for a lot more than that," Fox said. "I didn't know you felt this way."
"I don't think I did either," Theresa confessed. "I think I needed a push. Though you weren't exactly open with your feelings either!"
"Maybe we both needed that push," he said seriously. "When you went missing earlier, I thought I had lost you or that I wouldn't be able to see you again. I don't think I've ever been that scared before in my life."
"I'm here now," she said, her feelings at his words trickling into her voice.
"So am I," he said, and she kissed him, not wanting to waste another moment.
They heard voices and the sound of both their names being spoke, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see members of his family gathered at the front door.
"I think they see you now," Fox said, against her mouth. "They see us both."
"Let them watch," Theresa said, smiling widely, their lips meeting again.
The only person she wanted to see her was already there.