© COPYRIGHT BY violet561, 2001. This work of fiction is not
affiliated with ABC Daytime and is not endorsed by
them. The characters, cities, and settings are all copyrighted by ABC Daytime.
PROMISES-PART ONE
Todd is staring out the penthouse window. He leans his head against the window and closes his eyes. He feels a gentle touch on his shoulder and turns to see Tea smiling at him. Sighing he puts his arm around her and draws her close to him. He feels so complete with her in his arms. Tea rests her head against Todd's chest thinking to her self that she is so lucky. Thank god she had believed in Todd. Viki had said if Todd had enough support that he just might be okay and sure enough, Todd was starting to appear sometimes. She cannot forget the first time she realized it was really Todd and not some alter, her heart just stopped for a second looking at him.
Todd wonders what Tea is thinking about. She is such a puzzle to him sometimes but by some miracle she is still here. He had finally convinced the court psychiatrist that he really had DID. He pretended to let out "Pete" and man did that ever do the job. That stupid quack was still shakin in his boots. All the charges had been dropped so he didn't have to worry about jail anymore and he had let Max buy the Sun in exchange for the tape; a tape that he burned on the spot. He would find a way to get the Sun back, make no mistake. That was his paper and no one else's. He had also started to sometimes act like just himself, what a relief. He wasn't sure what Tea would do; she seemed kind of fond of Rod. Smiling, he had to contain himself not to burst into laughter. Just thinking of the first time he had introduced Rod to her, he had never seen her move that fast.
Tea senses that Todd is laughing somehow. She looks up at him smiling
"What is it?"
Todd shakes his head trying to look serious "Nothing.... " And starts to laugh, but realizing he can't explain, decides to use Rod for the moment.
"Ah...there she is..."
Tea leans back "Hi Rod"
Todd leans forward and begins nibbling on her neck " Never a finer feast. Such beauty. It is, how do you say...exquisite.... no?"
Tea affectionately pushes him away
"Look Rod.... I've told you that my heart belongs to one man and one man only and that is Todd."
Looking at her seductively "Who said anything about your heart. He can have that..." pulling her to him again " and I my sweet, will take the rest"
Tea is laughing at the look on his face.
"Seriously Rod. I've told you before. Not just my heart, all of me is Todd's"
Puffing out his chest Todd says, " He is not man enough for a woman like you. Come...come to me."
Tea holds up her hand "Well, he was certainly more than man enough last night."
Todd turns his head away quickly to hide his expression and turns back to her.
"What was that you were saying about last night?"
Tea's eyes shimmer with delight "Todd?"
Grinning, "Who else would I be? Oh, guess that's a stupid question..."
"Oh Todd, I've missed you"
Todd pulls her into his arms thinking "not much longer, just hang in there and we'll all be home free". Viki...Sam.... no one would ever have to know. Blair had Sam now, so she was happy, and Tea was here… just a little bit longer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At Club Indigo Max watches Blair and Sam from across the room. It makes him sick. Look at her hanging all over him. Frowning and turning away he thinks to himself, well now isn't everyone just so happy. Blair had chosen Sam. Todd had gotten away with everything. And what do I have? Nothing. He never really wanted the Sun, he wanted Blair, and from what he could see Todd certainly had not lived up to his end of the deal. The deal was Todd would sell him his paper and help him get Blair. From conversations he had with Blair it seemed as though Todd hadn't done a damn thing but push Sam and Blair closer. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out a small cassette. Tapping it on the counter he is really glad he made an extra copy. Let's just see how happy everyone will be now? Smiling he quietly walks out of Club Indigo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tea sneaks out of the bedroom carefully so as not to wake Todd. He is sleeping so deeply and peacefully. Taking one last look at him she tiptoes down the stairs and starts on her way to the kitchen to get something to drink. As she passes the entrance there is a knock on the door. Puzzled Tea checks her watch., what on earth? Who would be dropping by at this hour? Tea hesitantly opens the door peaking through carefully and is startled to see Max there.
She whispers, "Max - what are you doing here?"
She notices that he seems to be swaying slightly and then the strong odor of liquor hits her and she wrinkles her nose " Gee Max, had a few too many?"
Laughing bitterly Max bumps forward into the door " Nope, a few too little."
Frowning Tea says, " I think you'd better go Max.. I can call a cab for you "
Shaking his head back and forth "Naaaaa...I think you might want to listen to something..."
Looking perplexed, Tea tries to close the door but Max pushes his way past her and walks into the penthouse and loudly declares "So where does Tom, Dick and Harry keep the booze?"
Tea looks frantically up the stairs and frantically whispers "Todd is sleeping.... shhhh. Keep it down Max. Look it's obvious you've had way too much to drink."
Max throws his head back laughing, " No way Tea, I haven't had enough. Actually you might want a drink or two or maybe a thousand after this..." and he pulls out the cassette.
Looking completely exasperated Tea says, " Why on earth would I want to listen to that Max. What's going on?"
Max stumbles forward and places the tape on the coffee table. He staggers to the front door and looks back at Tea, " Tell Mr. D-I-D up there Merry Christmas.... Happy New Year...have a great life..." he stops for a moment and looks at Tea sadly " I'm sorry...this isn't about you...sorry..." and he sways out the door.
Totally bewildered, Tea follows him to close the door behind him. She turns to look at the cassette on the coffee table. What could be on there? What had Max so upset and what did it all have to do with Todd?
Tea walks over and picks it up and is dismayed by the feeling that comes over her as she touches it. She looks over at the stereo. Should she wake Todd so he could listen too? He was sleeping so peacefully, not something he did very often.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Todd is tossing and turning in his bed. Sweat is forming tiny droplets on his forehead and his breathing is shallow and forced. The same dream again…
The looming dark figure ...who is it? He is running and running but doesn't seem to be getting anywhere...where is he running to? He wants to wake up but it is like he is drowning and can't breathe. In his dream he keeps looking back to see if IT has caught up with him yet...he sees a light ahead...a tiny glimmering beacon of light in the darkness and a small figure highlighted there. That's it! If he can just get there in time.... if only he can run fast enough. He feels something pulling at his heels and the light ahead is fading.... no....no don't go. Looking back he sees the evil grin of Peter Manning as he feels his feet being pulled from beneath him. He starts screaming and yelling, " Get away...get away..." he is on the ground and Peter climbs on top…
Gasping for air, Todd struggles through the fog of his nightmare and sits up. He sees Tea on the bed beside him looking extremely concerned.
"Todd...my god. Todd, are you okay? You were screaming...."
Todd covers his face to hide the tears on his face and Tea pulls them away.
"It's okay Todd. It was just a dream. "
Todd looks at her and abruptly turns away and lies on the bed.
Tea climbs up on the bed and lays beside him " Oh no you don't. You're not alone anymore."
Todd turns back towards her unable to hide his fear.... unable to pretend he was anyone else.
"Tea...I hate it. I - I just hate it..."
Tea snuggles in closer holding him tightly "It's okay, we've got each other." looking at him seriously " Always...we've got each other… right?"
Todd closes his eyes and says, "You'll never leave.... will you?"
Shaking her head Tea says "Never...."
"Promise?"
Nodding Tea smiles " Promise."
Todd starts to drift back to sleep cradling Tea in his arms.
Tea is soon drowsy and as she drifts away vaguely thinks of the tape and decides it can wait until tomorrow.