This story takes place during the 'two Todds' storyline. Irene has just shown up at Vicki's to shed some light on who is THE Todd. Meanwhile, Blair and Tea compare notes about the two men. My story is a bit different from what you saw on the episode... Trust me!
~*Manning Residence*~
Jack came bounding into Victor's home, a dark scowl upon his face. "What's going on?" Victor asked when he saw Jack's foul mood.
"Tea and Mom just announced that Tea's pregnant... with YOUR kid," Jack responded, sounding disgusted with the whole idea. "I don't like this. Not one bit. They are going to keep this kid from you, too... just like Tea took Dani away and moved in with Mom. Everyone is trying to turn me against you, Dad - especially Scar-Face."
"What's he been saying about me?" Victor asked in a grumble.
"What a bad influence you are... how you made me into some sort of delinquent," answered Jack. "He said if he had been here for me when I was growing up, I wouldn't have gotten into trouble. That I'd be a totally different kid."
"What does he know? I mean, that ASSHOLE sold me on the black market when I was just a baby and tried to make my mother think I was dead. What kind of father does that?" Jack growled. "And we both KNOW what he did to Marty Saybrooke- raping her with they were both in college. And now what's he doing? He's shacking up with her over at Aunt Vicki's?"
Victor nodded. "My jerk of a brother has no right to cast the first stone, that's for sure," Victor responded. "Someone should make him pay. Give him a little taste of his own medicine."
Jack smirked, liking the sound of his uncle's thinking. "Someone should. I think that someone should be me and you..."
"Nahhh.. You should stay out of this, Jack. You're already in enough trouble," said Victor as he went to pour himself a drink. He poured his Vodka straight out of the decanter into a glass, then he took a long, cleansing sip.
"Dad, I deserve revenge on Scar-Face, too. Look what he's done to ALL of us. Because of him coming back, Tea left you for my mom, she took Dani away, and now she's having your baby; a kid you'll barely even get to see. I don't want to be his son. You're my dad, and I will never accept him as my father. I want to live with you."
Placing his arm around Jack, Victor was glad to have in ally in the teenager. He may not be Jack's biological father, but Jack had been molded in his image. "Todd has taken Marty from me, and that's something I cannot allow. Marty was supposed to be mine..." Victor spoke. "You're right, Jack. My brother has to pay."
"What will we do to get revenge on Scar-Face?" Jack asked his uncle.
"We'll take the one thing he wants most of all," Victor said. "Marty."
"Perfect," Jack responded with an evil grin.
~*Llanfair*~
Marty returned after her most recent therapy session at the hospital. She was now making major progress as with her therapist's urging she had been dealing with the issues which had lead to her recent breakdown. All of it was clear to her now as she realized many of her problems stemed from her past and her complicated relationship with Todd. Instead of dealing with their feelings for one another in the past, she and Todd had thrown themselves into one failed relationship after another. She thought of her painful past with Suede, Dylan, Victor, and John and realized she had been trying to make it work so badly in an attempt to block out her residual feelings for Todd. Only her marriage to Patrick had brought her happiness, and even though she had truly loved Patrick; that sweet, comfortable love could not compare to the breathtaking love she had experienced when she had been with Todd. The love she and Todd had shared had been all-consuming, making her realize that without a doubt, Todd was indeed her soulmate.
Even with that realization, Marty was terrified. She had no idea how to approach all of this with Todd. They had so much to talk about and work through, but Marty had no clue where to even start. Feeling uneasy, the urge to take a drink was unbelievably strong. Walking into the livingroom, Marty began walking over to the refreshment table, her hand shaking slightly as she reached for the bottle of brandy.
"What do you think you are doing, Marty?" she heard Todd's voice say.
She jumped a little, startled, as she hadn't known he was there. Looking at Todd, Marty curbed the urge to take a drink. "I just got back from my therapy session," she answered.
"And it made you want to have a drink?" Todd concluded.
"Well, actually yeah... it did," she admitted as she let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Todd, I think we need to talk..." she said, but in the same moment she spoke, Todd too had something to say.
"Marty, I have something I need to ask."
Staring into Todd's eyes, Marty was pretty sure she knew just what Todd was going to ask. Bracing herself, she said, "Then ask me, Todd."
~*LaBoulie*~
After putting Hope down for a nap, Starr went to talk to her sister. "Can I come in?" Starr asked, lightly rapping on the door.
A moment later, the door opened, and there stood Danielle. She had tears streaks upon her face. "Dani, are you okay?" Starr asked her younger sister.
"How can I be okay?" Dani asked. "My whole life has just been turned upside down..."
Gently, Starr reached for her sister, wrapping her arms around her. "It's going to be okay, Dani. I love you so much," Starr said as she caressed Dani's hair.
"Listen, Sis. We need to have a talk," Starr urged as she lead Dani over toward the bed. The two of them sat down on the edge of the bed together as Starr soothed Dani in an affectionate hug.
"Jack is being a total jerk about this to Mom and Tea, so it's up to us to be the mature ones. Dani, your mom has been crying her eyes out since Jack screamed at her, and you walked out," Starr said to her sister. "Your mom is a wonderful lady, and I am so proud to have her as my stepmom. I've loved her since I was a just a little girl, and she's always been incredibly good to me..."
"Dani, I know you love your mom, too. Don't you know she'd do anything for you? She's so happy with my mom, and she's happy about this baby. Can't you be happy for them, too?" Starr asked her sister.
Tears shone in Dani's dark eyes as she looked at Starr. "I'm sorry I hurt my mom and made her cry," Dani said softly. "I'm just so freaked out ... about ... EVERYTHING. I know you think our dad- our REAL dad - is this super, wonderful guy, but I don't even know him. At least I know your mom is a great person, and she'd never intentionally hurt my mom. But I miss Dad- I mean, Uncle Victor, and all the changes in my life right now are so upsetting..."
"Everytime I turn around, Jack is spouting off, making all of our lives a living hell," Dani went on to say. "I'm really trying to hold it all together, but it isn't easy, Starr."
"I know," Starr said gently as she held her sister's hand. "But it's time for you to grow up now, Dani. Mom and Tea really need us now. They have so much on their hands with Jack... and now with the new baby coming..."
"Ohhh, God, Starr.. .I know, and do you think they could ever forgive me?" Dani asked sadly.
"Of course they could, Dani. Why don't you go downstairs and give your mom a hug right now? I know she could really use it," Starr urged.
Wiping away her tears, Dani followed her sister's advice. She headed downstairs, finding her mom in the living room on the loveseat, being comforted in Blair's embrace. Blair and Tea both looked up seeing Danielle enter the room accompanied by Starr.
Moving closer, Dani came and took her mother's hand into her own. "Mom, Blair, I'm so sorry," she said softly as tears once again rushed from her eyes.
"I said some really awful things, and I was just upset. I didn't mean them... not really," Dani swore.
Reaching for Dani, Tea hugged her tight. "I love you, sweetie," she said to her teenage daughter.
"I love all of you so much..." said Tea as she looked at Blair, Starr, and her daughter, tears of love glowing in her eyes.
"Enough of this crying," Blair said as she took Starr's hand in hers. "I say we go on a huge shopping trip and out for lunch and make it a ladies' day out."
"Ohhh that sounds like fun. Grandma is here. She can watch Hope and Sam," Starr said with excitement. "I'll run upstairs and get my purse, and tell Grandma Addie we are leaving."
"Great!" Dani said, excited about the shopping trip. "Let's get lunch at the Buenos Dias, and I'll help you pick out some baby clothes..."
"Really?" asked Tea happily, surprised with Dani's sudden turn-around.
"Sure, I have always wanted a little sister," Dani responded as the four of them got ready to leave.
"What if it's a little brother?" Blair asked as she affectionately patted Tea's still-flat tummy.
"That's just fine, as long as he's like Sam and nothing like Jack," Dani laughed.
Looking at Tea, Blair absolutely couldn't argue with that. Thank God there was only one Jack. One was more than enough to handle.