One Love to Give ~ Season Three ~ Episode Three

Written by AngelsInstead

Fish was able to reach Stacy on his cell phone. He was crying as he told her the news. "Stacy, something happened to Sierra Rose. We're at the hospital."

"What?!" Stacy cried. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's very sick. You need to get to the hospital right away."

"CJ and I will be there as soon as we can. Please don't let anything happen to my little girl," Stacy begged over the phone.

XoooXooo

After ending his call with Stacy, Fish saw his dad in the hall. His father's face was streaked with tears. "Dad, what is it? What's wrong?" Fish asked urgently. "Is it... is it Mom?"

"Yes, I am afraid it is, Son. And it's all my fault. Your mother... your mother is dead."

"WHAT?" Fish gasped in disbelief. "What happened to her?"

"She died of a massive heart attack."

"How could that be your fault?" Fish questioned.

"Because I... I am gay," Fish's dad admitted. "I am so sorry, but because of my sins your mother is dead."

Fish could only stare at his father in shock. What in the world was his dad babbling about?

XoooXooo

John was taken to the police station where he was booked for the sexual assault his ex. Blair was left in a state of shock, because John had been arrested. Rape?! She couldn't believe John was capable of something so heinous. Surely it was some sort of mistake!

At that moment, she had far greater troubles to deal with; she couldn't even think about what had happened to John. She had to save Sam and Melinda and the only way she could protect her child was to turn Victor and Marty over to crazy Margaret. She couldn't let her precious little Sam suffer. She had to do something. She had to find Victor and Marty and convince them somehow to go with her to the peer.

XoooXooo

Nora screamed when she saw Collin at her bedside. Her screams were so shrill that she went hoarse. She felt his hot, tepid breath against her cheek. She knew he was real. This wasn't some sort of apparition. Collin was really there to torment her.

"Because of you, I injured my husband, the man whom I love," Nora sobbed.

"Because you want me more, don't you, Nora?" Collin tormented her.

A nurse rushed into the room, hearing Nora's agonizing screams. She gave Nora a sedative to calm her down. Nora had been through so much. "Just rest, dear," said the kindly nurse. "I'll be right here beside you."

Nora's eyelids were droopy, but she could see Collin in the corner of the room, lurking there like a haunting spectre. "Rest now and heal," the nurse said soothingly. Finally Nora gave in as sleep took over her weary body.

XoooXooo

Todd had no other choice but to stop and get supplies for the hungry baby. He peered down into the carseat of the sweet little cherub. She was such a beauty; a part of him and Marty blended into one. He couldn't believe it. He actually had a child with the woman he loved, but sadly, he had stolen his own little girl from the hospital. When Marty found out, he knew she'd lose it. She and Victor would be frantically searching for the baby.

"Little one, you need a name," Todd spoke soothingly to the fussy child. "But before that, you need a bottle and a diaper change. Let's go in the store and get you everything you need."

Todd entered the store and began browsing in the baby section. He picked up some bottles, formula, diapers and everything he thought his newborn daughter might need. Everytime she let out a whimper, he tried to soothe her with his comforting voice. He grabbed some bottled water, then went to the front of the store to pay for the items.

"What a cute baby girl," said the clerk. "What's her name?"

Todd was at a loss for words. He and Marty had never discussed baby names. He had no clue what to call his daughter. "Can you just hurry?" Todd said with agitation. "Can't you see that she's hungry?"

The clerk hurried to total up the items. "That will be 78 dollars and 45 cents," she announced.

"You're kidding me," said Todd as he handed her his credit card. Babies sure were expensive, but this one was worth every single penny. This baby was everything he had ever wanted. He loved her with all his heart and soul. He had absolutely no intention of ever returning her to her mother.

XoooXooo

The police had been alerted about the kidnapped baby. Now that Brody was done with booking John, he hurried over to the hospital to help. "Todd took my baby!" Marty cried. "I know it was him. He took our little girl!"

Sure enough, the surveillance footage showed Todd Manning abducting his own baby girl from the hospital's nursery. Marty was close to hysterics when Brody told her and Victor about the baby's fate. "Ohhh my God, I knew it. Todd's kidnapped our child!" Marty said with a sob. "Victor please, we have to find her... you have to bring her back to me!"

"I will put an APB out on Manning, but considering he's the biological father, I can't put out an Amber Alert, not yet anyway," Brody stated.

"Why not?!" Marty demanded. "He took our newborn from the hospital's nursery without my permission. His name isn't even on the birth certificate."

"You better put out an Amber Alert," Victor insisted. "My brother has an extensive criminal record. He's abducted babies before. He even sold his OWN son and made Blair think that the infant had died! He's a dangerous man."

"I will see what I can do," Brody promised, before leaving Marty's hospital room.

"We are going to have to find her ourselves, Victor," Marty said. "We have to find Todd."

"Marty, you just had a baby. You can't..."

"I am not staying here. Todd could be half way across the state by now!"

Victor wrapped his arms around Marty, trying to comfort her. "We'll find her. I promise," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

XoooXooo

Brody was extremely busy. Not only was Marty's baby missing, but there was a murderer on the loose in Llanview. Tina and Cord were both dead. He had a forensic team searching for clues regarding their grisly murder. With John behind bars and Bo in surgery, Brody was trying to handle everything at the police station on his own. He tried to call Fish for backup, but discovered that Fish was dealing with an emergency regarding his daughter.

He had no clue that Irene Manning was on the run with a newborn child. A young woman lay in a pool of blood as Carlo was overcome with grief. Carlo looked up as one of Irene's henchmen took pity upon him. He was set free from his bonds. When the chains fell away, he rubbed his sore and bleeding wrists. He crawled on hands and knees to his precious Aubrey. She gathered her cold, dead body in his arms. "I am so sorry she killed you. I promise you, Aubrey - I am going to find our baby and Irene Manning is going to pay. I swear it on our love."

XoooXooo

Irene was shopping for baby supplies at the same store as Todd. She saw him at the checkout, carrying a newborn baby girl in a car seat, presumably her granddaughter. Wicked thoughts danced through her head. What if she did a little switcheroo with the babies? Todd would never know. He'd be left with Carlo and Aubrey's infant and Irene would have her own precious grandchild! Yes, it was the perfect plan!

Todd was juggling several bags of baby items as well as the baby carrier. He was loading it all into his car, thinking he had to disappear and fast, before the police caught up to him. When he was busy placing the baby supplies in his car, Irene stealthily made the switch. She reached into the car seat, removing Marty and Todd's daughter. Then in the blink of an eye, she placed the other infant in the car seat. She hurried off, hoping Todd wouldn't realize the difference. After all, babies all looked alike, did they not?!

The baby had gone silent. Todd didn't hear any crying. Maybe she had cried herself to sleep. He placed her car seat in his vehicle, strapping her in securely. He needed to find a safe place so he could feed her and change her diaper.

"Don't worry, Princess, Daddy's gonna take care of everything," Todd promised as he got behind the wheel.