"Blair." Bo Buchanan regarded her with a flat affect. She returned it in spades.
"Commissioner." She settled herself into the black sette, crossing one long leg over the other. "My manager says you wanted to speak with me? I was just about to head home."
"Can we take this upstairs then?" He gestured to the elevator to her residence, she crossed one arm over the other.
"Do you have a warrant?" She held his steely gaze.
"Do I need one?" He countered.
"I don't allow anyone upstairs except family members."
"Yes, I hear you've become rather reclusive since you moved out of La Boulaie."
"My family wants to feel safe it their new home." She raised an eyebrow. "In our past homes my children and I have been attacked, kidnapped, held hostage, shot at and my husband and I were interrupted naked in our bedroom by Llanview's finest. Forgive me if I've updated my security standards."
He didn't say anything, even he couldn't argue her point.
"Funny you should mention your husband. He's why I wanted to talk to you."
"He usually is." She replied with a Manning like disdain.
"I was surprised to see that you'd married him again."
"Were you?" She blinked lazily.
"I guess I shouldn't have been."
"Im fairly sure if they knew, not very many people would be." She sighed.
"I just found out you've been married for two years." He raised an eyebrow. "Too late to send a gift."
"What do you get a couple for their fourth wedding ceremony anyway." She perked up a little at the joke. He couldn't help but smile.
"It's just that most people in this town are of the opinion that Todd Manning is either dead or guilty of murder."
"Well.." Blair seemed to ponder it for a moment. "Typically both of those opinions are usually proven incorrect."
"Do you know where Todd Manning is?"
"If I did why would I tell you?" She stood slowly. "I don't think there are any current charges. No pending warrants."
"This organization didn't just come after your family Blair. They came after mine as well, my brother was almost killed."
"How is Clint doing St. Anne's?" Blair whispered.
"Vicki's moved him somewhere more suitable."
"I'm sure she did." She grimaced. "I promise you Bo, no one is more focused on bringing the people that hurt your brother to justice more than Todd. It's why he's not here talking to you right now."
"And Victor?"
"You'd have to ask, Tea."
"I intend to."
"Good." Blair smiled slowly. "If there is nothing further Commissioner, I'd like to go back to my children now."
"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Manning."
She waited until security had shown him out of the lobby before she poked her head into the club to make sure everything was as it should be. She unlocked the door to the secure lobby and pressed her thumb against the sensor in the elevator.
She was already pulling her earrings from her ears by the time she keyed into the front door. She shook her feet from her shoes and padded across the living room and up the stairs. Blair found him at the window of his office, staring out at the black night.
"The keystone cops found our marriage license." She whispered coming up behind him and slipping her arms under his and molding her front to his back.
"Only took them two and a half years." He sighed, leaning his head against the side of her face. "I'm impressed."
"It worries me Todd, why were they running a records check on us?"
"On me." He corrected. "If they'd run a check on you they'd know about the other secret." She sighed into his neck. "My guess is they're starting to put together our pieces. Seeing the cases solved as the giant puzzle it is, instead of separate events. We should call a family meeting."
"Later." She sighed, pulling away and pulling out her phone. "Starr sent us at text."
"She did?" He looked at his phone.
"Just to me." She smiled. "Are the kids In bed?" He nodded and she shook her cell at him before sitting it on the desk and walking to his sitting area. "Your daughter says to move the chairs out of the way and press play."
He helped her pushed the steel grey lounge chairs back against the wall, she leaned towards the phone and hit a few buttons, untill a soft piano was playing over his office speakers.
"Today is my parents 25th wedding anniversary." Came their daughters soft voice. "Well, one of their weddings anyway." The crowd laughed politely. "Still it was my dad's favorite one, I think." More laughter. "Anyhow. I wish that they could be here right now and I could watch them dance to what I have decided is their perfect song. If you'll indulge me…" They clapped in response.
"Better not be Nat King Cole." Todd breathed, pulling her flush against him as the piano started in earnest.
We were on fire
I slashed your tires
It's like we burned so bright we burned out
I made you chase me
I wasn't that friendly
"Our daughter might be on to us." Todd laughed softly, in her ear,
"Mmm.." Blair clasped his fingers a little tighter. "She sounds amazing."
"She is amazing." He breathed. "Takes after her mother."
Then after we were high and the love dope died, it was you
The pill I keep taking
The nightmare I'm waking
There's nothing, no nothing, nothing but you
My perfect rock bottom
My beautiful trauma
"Doesn't seem like a quarter of a century does it?" Blair asked tracing her fingers across the curve of his ear with her nail. He shook his head at her.
"You still look 25." He raised an eyebrow. She snorted with laughter, leaning in and kissing his exposed collarbone.
'Cause we've been on the run so long they can't find us
Who's gonna have to die to remind us
That it feels like we chose this blindly
Now I'm gonna fuck up a hotel lobby 'cause
These tough times they keep coming
"It's all going to come out soon Todd. All of it." She sighed. "I'm not sure I'm ready for our little bubble to burst."
"It's been a nice bubble to live in." He agreed.
"You'll enjoy being out in public again though won't you?" She pressed her cheek into his shoulder, his hand left her hip and slid into her hair, clutching her head to his body. "Not cooped up here in our little castle."
"I love it here Blair." He pulled back to look at her. "There is no place I'd rather be." She smiled and he kissed her lips. "This is the happiest I've been in my life."
She knew he was telling the truth.
There's nothing, no nothing, nothing but you
My perfect rock bottom
My beautiful trauma
My love (my love), my love, my drug, oh
My love, my love, my love, my drug, oh
"It will be good for the kids though. A more normal life." Todd sighed. "As normal as it can ever be for them. 'Growing up Manning' isn't that what Jack calls it?"
"Yes." Blair hummed in mock annoyance. "I'm scared Todd. We don't do normal. It breaks us."
"We're unbreakable now, Blair." He pushed his chin into her hair. "I know it. You and I, our family, we've never been stronger."
He was right, but the fear still settled in her stomach like a brick. The rest of the world had never been kind to the two of them.
it was you
The pill I keep taking
The nightmare I'm waking
There's nothing, no nothing, nothing but you
My perfect rock bottom
My beautiful trauma
My love, my love, my drug, oh
Star's voice faded out and the crowd clapped and cheered. Todd Manning kissed his wife.
"Happy Anniversary Mom, I miss you Dad." Their sweet daughter said over her acculaids.
"Miss you too Shorty." Todd whispered back, his breath tickling her chin.
"I'm going to send out a text." Blair whispered to him. "We'll gather everyone tomorrow morning." He nodded. "But tonight Mr. Manning you are going to carry me to bed and keep me up half the night showing me how unbreakable we are."
He nodded.
"I'll say nine?" She picked up her phone.
"Jack will love that." He scoffed.
"Well, remind him it will be six am for Starr." Todd started down the hall, opening the door to Sam's room, grinning at how small he still looked in a wad of blankets. He rapped his knuckles on Jack's door.
"Hey. So family meeting tomorrow morning." He told his son.
"Everything okay?" He looked up at Todd in alarm, Manning nodded, pursing his lips. "Mom home?"
"Everything's fine son." Todd assured him. "Nine?"
"Starr's gonna love that." Jack said with a smirk, Todd smiled.
"Love you." He whispered.
"You sure-?"
"Nothing terrible has happened." Todd put up his hand.
"Okay…" Todd started to pull the door shut. "Dad?"
He pushed his head back into the room.
"Love you too." The boy whispered. Todd nodded, swallowing hard as he shut the door. He walked towards the Master suite, opening the door into the sitting room, He could hear Blair in the shower on the other side of the double doors into their bedroom. He took a right instead, and headed down the small hallway, cracking the door open.
Manning sat on the edge of the white cast iron canopy, and brushed the blonde hair off of his granddaughter's face. Their miracle stirred but she didn't wake, he kissed her cheek and moved across the room to the crib.
Their secret, he mused exhaling slowly at the rising terror of going public with the contents of this room. He leaned forward until he could see her clearly in the glow of the night light, Merrie's shock of red baby curls were still damp against her pale skin.
He'd moved heaven and earth for the contents of this room. He'd killed for them, nearly died for them and soon it would all be out in the open. It would be up for debate, and he knew that it would be debated.
"Daddy loves you." He told the toddler as her breath caught and quickened at the sound of his voice, even in her sleep. "And I'm going to keep you safe."
"Todd?" Blair whispered from the door, he reached out his hand to her and she led him back to their double doors. He kissed her soundly, before lifting her into his arms, as directed.
"I'm going to keep all of you safe."
"I know." She smiled at him. "Everyone's responded. I don't know why your sisters are up at one in the morning, but they both were."
"Lords don't sleep." He mused as he walked them backwards into their bedroom, his wife kicked the door shut with her foot. "Jack was awake."
"Good thing we sprang for the soundproofing then." She teased, tugging his shirt from his pants as he set her on the bed.
"Good thing."
