First and foremost, this story is a romance/drama, not a sex story. Also, I'd like to note that I do not own ABC's One Life to Live or the characters and I will NOT be receiving any payment whatsoever for writing this story. It is intended for entertainment purposes only.
*~Marty and Todd ::: Chapter Twelve~*
Powell walked down the streets of Llanview toward Dorian Lord's home. It was very dark and the streets were deserted. He saw a teenage girl walking around in the livingroom, but no one else appeared to be home. He had his connections and he knew that Todd and Marty's grandchild, Hope was staying here. Knowing she was probably in a room upstairs, Powell began climbing the trellis along the side of the house.
Powell stood on a balcony on the second floor of Dorian's. Looking in the window, he saw a clear view of a baby crib. "Hope," he said in a whisper,
pushing the sliding door open and walking into the house. There in the crib was a sleeping 14-month-old baby girl.
"Come to Uncle Powell," said the psychopath as he reached into the crib. Hope didn't even cry as he took her into his arms.
Powell returned to the frat house, Hope in tow. He couldn't believe how easy it had been to kidnap the child. "So, you're the grandchild of Todd and Marty?" Powell said to Hope as he sat her down on the floor. Hope looked at the strange guy and began to cry. She wanted her mommy. She was hungry and her diaper was wet.
Powell frowned when Hope began to cry. He had no clue how to care for a little baby. "I think it's time we gave your Grandpa Todd a little call,"
Powell said to the fussy little girl who was playing in the dirt and debris on the floor of the frat house. "I hope he brings you a cookie or something and shuts you up!"
*~o~*
Marty looked at Todd in surprise. "You mean that? You really want to marry me?"
she asked. She wanted to scream yes, but had to know if he was being serious.
A small smile came to Todd's face. "Yes, I want to marry you, Marty... I love you so much," he said as he raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it. "Give me something to fight for..."
Marty's face lit up in a brilliant smile. "Yes, Todd, I'll marry you," she said. She couldn't believe it but it was true; Todd, herself and Paloma were soon to be a family. All their dreams were coming true.
Todd's heart soared when Marty said 'yes.' Now all he had to do was work on this problem of getting rid of Powell Lord once and for all, then he and Marty could be married. Todd couldn't have been happier, thinking of the day Marty would become his wife. "Thank you, Marty," Todd said to her as he raised her hand to his lips to kiss it again. "For the rest of my life, all I care about is making you happy. I promise, as soon as this is all over and Powell is out of our lives forever, we will be married and we can start our lives together...
leaving our painful and tragic past behind."
"That's exactly what I want, Todd. I want to forget our horrible past and make a new bright future with our family. I want us to be happy."
Todd returned Marty's smile. "We will be happy," he promised. "You mean everything to me... and after everything we have been through... I never thought we COULD be this happy..."
Todd's speech was cut short, because his cell phone began ringing persistantly. Todd reached for it, seeing that the caller appeared to be Tea.
"Tea?" he said into the phone urgently, hoping she would tell him that she was alright and that Powell hadn't harmed her as he had threatened the night before.
"No, Todd... it's Powell. Tea can't come to the phone right now," he said with an evil laugh. "In fact, she'll never speak again..."
"Powell, what did you do to Tea?" Todd demanded.
"You have greater worries than that slut Tea," Powell spoke with a vicious sneer. "I have a little girl here... about a year old... and from what I understand, she's your granddaughter. Want me to put her on the phone?"
"Hope?" Todd cried out in alarm. At first he thought Powell was bluffing,
but then he heard the distinct sound of a baby crying in the background. Todd's heart sank, realizing that Powell had his wicked hands on his baby granddaughter.
"Yep, that's her name... She's not a happy camper right now. I'm about ready to shut her up ... permanently," Powell said with a growl.
"Powell, if you harm her..." Todd began, clutching the phone in his fist.
"Meet me where it all began... don't bring any cops..." Powell insisted. "And come alone."
"Ohhh and by the way," Powell added. "I killed Marty."
Todd didn't have a chance to say another word ... Powell had hung up.
*~o~*
Blair had been upset when she had gotten the mysterious call from Todd. Somehow she knew it had to be about Powell Lord. She prayed that that her family was not in danger as she waited for the boys to come home from school. She wouldn't stop worrying until she knew that her kids were safe.
John had sandwiches and potato chips ready for the boys after school. He watched out the window as Sammy and Jack stepped off the school bus at the curb and then walked up to the door. "Hi guys," John said, as he greeted his stepsons. "I made sandwiches. Is anyone hungry?"
"I am!" exclaimed Sammy.
"I'm starved," replied Jack.
Blair was so relieved when she heard their excited voices; her boys were okay.
No matter what the situation, she assured herself that John could handle anything and that they were all in capable hands.
John set the chips and sandwiches on the table and the boys started digging into the food. "This is really good," Jack said approvingly. Sammy went to get two Cokes from the fridge they could enjoy with their food.
John still felt uneasy, despite the fact the boys had made it home okay. He had a bad feeling about all this Powell business. He didn't know why, but he had this nagging worry that perhaps someone was in trouble.
"How was school, boys?" Blair asked.
"School was fun," Sammy said happily. "We played dodge ball outside."
"Cyndi said I'm cute," Jack announced as he stuffed his face with chips.
John would have laughed if he wasn't so uptight about Powell Lord. With Todd on his way there, John was pretty sure that someone was in danger.
Blair needed a distraction even if it was something as childish such as listening to her son talk about his crush at school. "Well, you're a Manning, so of course she thinks you're cute," she said to Jack with a nervous smile.
In that same instant, someone pulled up in the driveway, tires screeching on the pavement. Blair ran to the window, at first thinking it was Todd. Looking over at John in alarm, Blair said, "It's Starr and Schuyler!"
John met them at the front door, alarm in his eyes. "What's going on?"
asked John.
"Someone has taken Hope," Schuyler said sadly.
*~o~*
Marty's expression was one of intense fear as she had overheard Todd's side of his conversation with Powell. What in the world was going on? She sat stiff in her seat as she waited for Todd to tell her what was happening. Fear gripped her heart as she sat next to him, hoping and praying that Powell's evil had been contained.
Todd tossed his cell phone aside with anger and frustration. "Powell has Hope," he said as he slammed his hand hard against the steering wheel. "He's taken Starr's little girl, our granddaughter." Todd saw red as he continued speeding back to Llanview, rushing back as fast as he could so he could help rescue his daughter's child.
"Oh dear God," Marty said. "Is Starr okay? Did he hurt her too before he took Hope?" Despite Powell's past evils, she couldn't believe he would stoop so low as to go after an innocent, defenseless baby.
"I don't know the details, all I know is what Powell said... and I could hear the baby crying in the background," Todd said as he continued to drive towards Llanview. "He said to meet him in the place where it all began... and to come alone."
Marty's eyes went wide when she heard Todd's words. "Are you going alone? Can you handle that?" She didn't think she wanted to know if he was really going alone. Fear gripped her heart, thinking Todd was probably going to get himself killed.
"Marty, I don't want anyone else to be hurt... don't argue with me on this,"
Todd said in a steely tone. "Let's just get there... and then you and Paloma can stay at John and Blair's. I don't want either of you hurt."
Todd's knuckles were white as he drove... and finally, after what seemed like hours, though really not, they arrived in Llanview.
Marty sighed as they drove into Llanview and pulled up at the McBain residence. Something told her this wasn't going to be much fun, her staying with John and his new wife, who just so happened to be Todd ex-wife. "Just be careful," she pleaded, placing her hand upon his arm.
Gently, Todd kissed Marty on the lips as they were parked in John and Blair's driveway. "Always," he said softly. "I'm coming back to you..."
He let her get Paloma from the backseat, then the two of them walked up to the front door. "Manning," John acknowledged Todd as Marty and Todd stepped inside the doorway.
Todd looked at Starr and saw all her tears. "Hey, it's going to be okay,"
he said, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to comfort her. "I'll get Hope back for you, I promise."
"Yeah, and how are you going to do that?" John asked, wondering if Todd knew exactly what he would be getting himself into if he went after Powell Lord.
"I know where Powell is; he has Hope, and I'm going after him," Todd announced.