Reunions

AN: This one shot is a rewrite from Tuesday January 10th. This one shot is written from Todd's point of view.

As I listened to Starr tell Dani about my plan to fake Cole's death, I couldn't help but think about watching Marty being reunited with her son.

I knocked on Marty's door feeling anxious to see her after all the time that we were apart.

"Todd? What are you doing here?" Marty asked.

"I have a suprise for you, Cole...it's the right place." I called out.

Cole stood up from the bushes that he was hiding in.

"Cole! " Marty shouted as she ran to embrace him.

The joy in Marty eyes had made this whole moment worth while. She had always been beautiful, but there had always been pain in her eyes and for a brief moment when she saw Cole, it had been lifted.

I wanted to spend more time with her, but I didn't want to intrude on her reunion with her son, so I began to leave.

"Todd, don't go...not yet. Cole, your father's in the house, I'll be inside in a little bit."

"Okay mom...thanks Mr. Manning."

"You're welcome," I stated. Cole was so much like Marty. He was her son and the father of my grandchild. I honestly liked Cole...thank god he took more after Marty then the hairy ape that she was married to.

Cole went inside and Marty and I were all alone. Even after all these years she still affected me like no other woman could. My palms were sweaty, and my insides were fluttering with nervousness. I wanted to take Marty in my arms and make love to her over and over again, but of course I didn't. Losing Marty was the cross that I had to bare for hurting her. "So...here we are," I stated as we stared at each other in silence.

"Thank you so much for bringing Cole home to me. I was so broken when he went away to prison...I did a lot of terrible things. I stabbed Kelly and tried to kill Natalie."

"Why are you telling me this? It's over with and you're better now and I promise that nobody will take Cole away from you again."

"I'm telling you this, because I finally know what it's like to be in your shoes. I did terrible things that I'll never be able to take back. I guess I'm saying that I'm in no position to hold grudges against you any longer. I honestly and sincerely forgive you for what happened at Spring Fling."

"You forgive me?" I asked as my voice shook. She had never said those words to me before. There was times that I thought she was close to forgiving me, but then I always did something stupid to take away all the progress that we had made."

"I forgive you," Marty stated again as she stepped closer to me and traced my scar with her finger.

I couldn't help myself... I pulled her into a hug. When she had forgiven me for the unforgivable a huge weight that I had been carrying for years seemed lighter. I knew that she no longer hated me and I had hope that maybe one day...if I played my cards right...I could have a chance with her again. I couldn't help but think about what Victor did to her in my name and I needed to make sure that she knew I would never hurt her that way again. "I'm sorry that Victor lied to you and deceived you into falling in love with him when you thought he was me. I hope you know that I would never take advantage of you that way again. "

"I know that Todd and I was so relieved when I found out that he wasn't you...but he can't hurt me...not anymore. I better get going inside before Patrick starts to worry," she said as she brushed her lips across my cheek until she had reached my lips. She gave me a brief kiss and then she pulled away from me. "

"What was that for?"

"It was my way of saying thanks for bringing Cole back to me. Goodbye Todd, I hope that you manage to find happiness," she stated as she walked away from me.

Even now...24 hours later...I was filled with happiness thinking about her as I heard Starr tell Dani how I had helped Cole fake his own death. Starr was telling Dani how grateful that she was that I saved Cole for her. It's true that I would do anything for Starr but I would have saved Cole regardless of his relationship with my daughter. I saved Cole because he was Marty's son and was my ticket to seeing her again.