This is the sequel to my story If I Kissed You.
~*~o~*~
When John had left to question Tea, Todd didn't stick around. He showed up minutes later at his sister's mansion. "What are you doing here at this time of night, Todd? And why do you have the baby?" Vicki questioned with a worried frown. She didn't like the look of desparation she saw lurking in her brother's eyes.
"Marty's been kidnapped. I need you to watch the baby so I can look for her," Todd said as he thrust the diaper bag at Vicki.
"What? Marty's been kidnapped?" Vicki exclaimed. "By whom?"
"You're never gonna believe this, Vicki. My dear, sweet LOATHESOME twin is still alive and well... and he strolled into the hospital earlier and took Marty out of her hospital bed and then he just walked right out with her," Todd said in disgust.
"No!" Vicki cried out in disbelief.
"Saw it all on the hospital security tape myself. John McBain saw it, too. She's been missing a couple of hours now. I think I know where he took her. Anyway, I'm going to look, and I won't stop until I find her," Todd said hurriedly. "Watch Summer Rose, alright? I need to bring her mother back to her."
"Todd, you should let the police handle this," Vicki said as she gently lifted her newborn niece out of the car seat so she could cuddle her.
"Screw John McBain and the Llanview Police Department. I'll find Marty myself," Todd said as he looked at the beautiful baby Vicki now held in her arms.
Todd bent forward and kissed the baby's soft little cheek. "Daddy will be back soon, little one. And I am bringing your mother home. That's a promise." Before Vicki could question Todd further, he had walked out.
~*~o~*~
When John walked into Tea's hospital room, he found she and Blair were just about to leave. "What's going on?" John asked Tea. "I thought you had to stay the night for observation."
"Blair convinced me to leave considering Marty was kidnapped. What's going on, John? Did you find Marty?" Tea questioned.
"No, we haven't found her yet. Actually, Tea, I need you to sit down. I need to ask you a few things regarding Marty's disappearance."
"Me? What does any of this have to do with me?" Tea asked in confusion.
"Please sit down..." John coaxed. He was afraid the shock of knowing her husband was alive might be too much for her, considering she was pregnant. Once Tea was seated and holding Blair's hand, John began to explain.
"We watched the hospital's surveillance tape, and we saw something shocking..." John said cautiously.
"Do you know who kidnapped Marty?" Blair demanded.
"Tea, where's Dani right now?" John suddenly asked.
"She's staying the night at Destiny Evan's. Why?" Tea asked. "Does this have something to do with my daughter? What's going on, John?'"
"Tea, this is going to come as a great shock to you, but the man we saw on the surveillance tape- the one we saw come into the hospital and kidnap Marty was your husband, Victor Lord Junior," stated John.
"What? No, Victor is dead!" Tea exclaimed.
"That can't be!" Blair cried out.
"We all thought he was dead, but he's definitely not... and he's taken Marty," John remarked.
"No... noooo. This can't be true..." Tea mumbled, looking greatly agitated. "It's not Victor."
"Why would Victor do that?" Blair demanded.
"I don't know. But no one is safe. Not Dani, not Sam. And Todd is totally losing it. Blair, take Tea home and lock all the doors. I will send an officer over to guard the house in case he should show up," John instructed. "I need to get back to Todd now... before he does something stupid."
John turned to go, but Blair grabbed his arm. "Wait! Where are you going?" Blair cried out.
"I'm going over to search the Manning Estate. I have a feeling he may have gone there," John stated.
~*~o~*~
Todd walked into the Manning Estate just like he owned the place. It wouldn't be the first time. There were lights on in foyer when he entered. The front door had been left wide open. He had no doubt that Victor had recently been here. There were muddy footprints in the foyer which lead up the staircase. Todd was careful not to disturb anything in an attempt to preserve evidence. He grumbled to himself about the incompetence of the Llanview Police Department as he clutched his gun in his hand and cautiously started up the staircase.
Holding his gun out in front of him, Todd walked toward the first bedroom at the top of the stairs. It was the only room with a light on. The door was wide open, but Todd heard no sounds or movement. He entered the room to find it and the adjoining bathroom empty. He swept his eyes around the room, looking for any signs of Marty or his brother. The bed was turned down as though someone had been sleeping in it. He walked closer and moved the blankets aside, seeing droplets of blood upon the sheets. Then something else caught his eye. It was a hospital I.D. bracelet. As he bent forward to look at it, he saw that it was Marty's. She had been here!
He realized she had probably slipped it off and hid it under the blankets in hopes that it would be discovered. He wanted to touch it, but he didn't dare. The police would need to collect it as evidence. *I won't stop until I find you, Marty,* he spoke to her in his mind. He searched the rest of the house from top to bottom, but he did not find any other clues of Marty's whereabouts.
He was standing in the foyer minutes later when John and the Llanview Police arrived. "It's about time you got here," Todd hissed. "My asshole of a brother has been here. He had Marty with him... but now he's gone."
"You should have waited for me, Manning. I hope you haven't tampered with any of the evidence," John said in annoyance.
"You and your police department are worthless. I am going to look for Marty on my own. I'll be in touch," Todd said as he got ready to leave. He then turned around and added quickly, "You'll find your evidence in the room at the top of the stairs."
As Todd was leaving the Manning Estate, he got a phone call. It would seem that one of his two private jets had come up missing. "I'll be right there," Todd responded before he sped away.
~*~o~*~
Marty was feverish. Infection had set in... and she was quite sick. Gently Victor applied a cool wash cloth to help bring the fever down. He gave her antibiotics and stayed at her bedside as she called out for Todd in her delirium. "Shhhhh..." Victor whispered as he held her in his arms.
"Todd... Cole... Summer Rose..." Marty mumbled in her sleep.
Tenderly, Victor pressed kisses to her brow. "You're going to be alright, Marty. I won't leave you until you are better," Victor crooned to her.
"Victor, I love you..." she murmured. His heart turned over in his chest, hearing her declaration of love. Yes, she was delirious... but he truly believed that somewhere deep inside of her, she did still love him.
"I love you, too, Marty," he whispered back to her. "So much."
As he held her in his arms all night, tending to her, finally her fever broke just as the sun was coming up. Her dark-blue eyes opened. "Where am I?" she asked Victor, feeling weak and disoriented.
"We are in our home in New Mexico, don't you remember?"
She nodded as she continued to hold his gaze. "I'm so thirsty," she whispered.
"You've been very sick," he said as he lay her back against the pillows and went to get her a glass of water. He gave her a tiny sip of the cool liquid.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked as he took her small hand into his.
"I think so. But I want to go back to Todd and my baby now..."
Victor just shook his head. "You aren't leaving me, Marty. As soon as you are feeling better, I have a wonderful surprise for you," Victor stated with a little smile. "After you see my surprise, everything will change. You'll never want to leave."
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Just rest now and regain your strength. You'll have all the answers soon enough," he promised.
Too weak to argue with him, Marty closed her eyes.