*~Chapter Twelve~*

Marty arrived in the school yard to pick up Christopher. As she stood in the playground near the swings, she realized she wasn't alone. Blair had arrived as well, just in time to pick up Starr.

"Marty," Blair spoke up hesitantly. "I need to talk to you. It's about Todd."

"What about him?" Marty asked. After a long day and hundreds of raw emotions, the last thing Marty wanted was rehash everything with her sister.

"He's looking for you," Blair explained. "He came by the house earlier, asking where you were."

"He found me. We talked."

"Marty, he said some very strange things..."

A frown settled over Marty's features. This was not the conversation she longed to be having. She shifted where she stood as she looked at her sister questioningly.

"What exactly did he say?"

"I suggested he see Starr. I suggested he spend some time with his daughter, but he flat-out refused. And he said - he said that he's responsible. He claims he's responsible for Soliel's death."

Marty didn't say a word for the space of several heartbeats. She sucked her breath and slowly expelled it as her blue eyes echoed her pain. "No, Blair, Todd's not responsible. Not at all," Marty stated. "It was me. I am the one..."

"What do you mean?" Blair asked in a gasp.

"It was me," said Marty. "Blair, it was me who killed Soliel."