He wasn't sure how he wound up in the lobby of the Palace. After his run in with Téa at the police station, he had wandered around for a few hours, going to his old haunts. The docks, roaming the penthouse...all the places that reminded him of her.

Todd still couldn't quite grasp that she was there, in his life once again. The conflict he was feeling was making him crazy, but he had to admit, it was also somewhat of a welcome relief. Since she had walked out of his life, he had been numb, and had done anything and everything to try and 'feel' something, all for nothing. Nothing worked but her.

He had toyed with the idea of going home, but the idea of seeing Blair's ticked off face and hearing his daughter plead with him not to fight with her mother wasn't exactly an inviting thought. So, after wandering around a little more, he found himself here. Fighting the internal battle...should he? Or shouldn't he?

He strolls into the darkened bar and gruffly orders a scotch. His fall eyes on one spot, realizing if he stared hard enough at the empty chair, he could see her. Tears streaming down her cheeks but a smile lighting up her face and she said 'yes' to his proposal. Seemed like a lifetime ago.

And maybe it was. Because it certainly felt like he had lived about a few lives since then. Moments of okay-ness. . More moments of misery. Moments of numbness. He couldn't remember exactly where it had all gone wrong. A nagging thought kept saying he shouldn't have left Llanview after his deceit had been uncovered. Maybe he should have stayed, gotten help, not given up. Maybe the year and a half away did him more damage than good.

Maybe.

Swallowing the brown liquid with a gulp, he slams the glass down and turns toward the door for the bar, contemplating his next move. He glances at his watch, and back at the doorway. With a look of determination that had long been missing from his handsome face, he headed for the door.

*****

Téa leans back against the sofa, cherishing the quiet after Jeremy had a tough time getting to sleep. Alex hands her a glass of wine and sits down.

"Téa, he is an angel," she says, raising her glass and clinking it with Téa's.

"Yeah..he is," Téa says wistfully.

"How long til everything is final?"

"Just a few weeks. Since there was no sign of the parents and the authorities did their best to try and uncover who they were, it's all going fairly smoothly."

"I still can't believe it."

Téa looks at her. "Why?"

"I don't know, you just seemed so set on being alone."

"Maybe not as much as I thought."

"Does that go for Todd to?"

Téa rolls her eyes. "Do you ever put those arrows away?"

"I'm just wondering."

"I'm sure you are. But I don't think there's much chance, I mean, I told you, I'm not gonna interfere in his life."

"Even if he wants you to?"

"What does that mean?"

"Téa, he got you to interfere in his life before without even realizing it!"

"Come on Alex, that was completely different. He certainly didn't plan on us being together."

"Maybe not, but he saw something he liked from the start. The fact that he trusted you with Starr is a testament to that."

"Yeah," Téa says quietly.

"Are you going to see her?"

"I'm not sure that's such a great idea."

"Oh, I'm sure she would love to see you. I know I can't wait to see her!"

Téa smiles. "Well it is because of you that she was able to grow this big in the first place."

"You too."

"I'm not the one who saved her life."

"You gave that child a stable home, after her parents could barely stay in the same room together."

"Well they apparently can now," Téa mutters.

"Do you know that for sure?"

"Know what for sure?"

"I'm just saying, that I don't think Todd is all that happy."

"Well it's his decision Alex. He's got to decide what he wants, and if it's Blair and Starr," she says, pausing and she swallows the lump in her throat, "then that's what he wants. And I'm not going to stand in his way."

"Do me a favor ok?"

"What?"

"Don't mistake Todd's situation for happiness and lose out on your happiness, and his, in the process. Get all the facts first, I mean, isn't that your job as a lawyer?"

Téa smiles. "Yeah, I guess it is."

A knock on the door causes them both to look in that direction. Alex stands up, stopping to check herself out in the mirror, and goes to answer it. As soon as the door opens, Todd strolls into the room.

"I thought we were gonna do the eating thing," he says, stopping at the sight of Téa on the couch. "Oh...hey," he says, trying to act non chalant, and finding it incredibly difficult as he always did in her presence. "Uh, I didn't know you were here."

As Todd and Téa stare at each other, Alex stifles a giggle as she closes the door.