A Face of True Love

Here is something for original TNT fans.

No copy infringements. These character belong to their owners

My first fan fiction all reviews welcome.

Quick note all memories will be in italic.

CHAPTER TWO: FACING A HORRIBLE TRUTH

He moves just in time to catch her from falling onto the ground. He caresses her face and picks her up into his arms. He looks around making sure the coast is clear, and he heads out to the motel where he has been staying which is only around the corner. He keeps looking around his surroundings to make sure no has seen them. As far as he is concern he's in the clear. He struggles to get his motel key from his pocket while holding Tea in his arms. So he gently puts Tea into a fireman's carry and then is able to enter into his motel room. He gently lowers Tea onto the bed. He rushes into the bathroom soaking up a wash cloth with cold water. He rings out the soaked wash cloth and hurries back to places it on Tea's forehead.

"Come on Delgado wake up." He whispers caressing her face.

He knows he shouldn't be touching her. He just couldn't help himself. So many years had passed by since he last touched her. He knew deep down inside he made a horrible mistake so long ago. The last time he saw her, she was waving goodbye to him with tears in her eyes. He knew he had broken her heart that day. He shook his head not wanting to relive the pain he also felt. He always ended up sabotaging himself one way or another. He knows as soon as she wakes up she is going to be emotional.

She just has to believe me. He thought.

Her eyes snap wide open. She sees his face above hers. She opens her mouth to scream, but suddenly there is a hand covering her mouth.

"Sh. No screaming, Delgado." He said quietly looking into her eyes.

Tea looks into his hazel brown eyes. No it can't be. She says to herself.

"Ok, Delgado, I'm going to move my hand. No screaming, ok, I'm not going to hurt you." He said quietly.

He slowly removes his hand from her mouth. She slowly sits up and looks around her surroundings.

"Dios Mio, You look like Todd before the surgery. Who are you?" She asked quietly. She had to be careful.

"Oh come on, Delgado." He said looking straight into her eyes.

"Don't call me that." She stated getting angry.

"I've always called you, Delgado. You can call me Sir." He stated smiling slowly.

Tea's eyes widen and memory flashed before her eyes.

His office at The Sun was their first meeting.

"I make my own mind about people, Mr. Manning." She said.

"You can call me sir."

"I see you remember, too." He stated walking towards the door.

"I-mm. NO! NO! This is not happening." She stated standing up with her chin held high, her shoulder back ready to fight.

A smiled spread across his face this was his Delgado.

"Will you stop smiling at me? Answer me damn it." She said raising her voice.

"I'm Todd Manning." He stated walking over to stand right in front of her.

"No, I'm married to Todd Manning. I would know my own husband. You might have his old face. You are a fraud." She said angrily she turned her head slightly so she couldn't look at his eyes.

"Oh Delgado," He paused his anger was beginning to rise. "You and everybody in this town have been had by a fraud."

She turned to look at him. She noticed the anger behind his eyes. She should be afraid, but she never was afraid of him. She began to turn away from him when he suddenly grabbed both of her shoulder.

"How could you? How could you not know it was me? You know me. You who always wanted me to open up to you." He stated forcing her to looking into his eyes.

"You who always wanted me to open up."

Her eyes widen to that phrase. He said those exact words to her so long ago. Tears began to blur her vision. Knowing in her heart this was true. The man standing in front of her was Todd Manning.

"I. I don't know. Ok if-"

"There is no ifs ands or buts I am will always be Todd Manning." He stated.

She closed her eyes overwhelming feelings of old and new began to surface. Her mind began to spin not long ago her brother had asked her if she ever doubted her belief that her husband was in fact the real Todd Manning. She suddenly remembers her wedding day.

"No way am I marrying you. You are not Todd Manning."

"I need you to believe me." He said.

Tea opens her eyes. The memory fresh from her mind. She looks at him.

"What is my full name? Where do I come from?" She asked quietly.

Todd closes his eyes briefly he almost has her believing in him. She is asking questions. He thought.

"Tea Marissa Delgado, born and raised in New York. Your family is from Puerto Rico. Your parents are Leon and Ana Delgado. Your father was a janitor at a high society apartments building. You lived with him, your mother and your brothers in a basement. Your mother abandoned you when you were a little girl. You used to wear a necklace with an A for your mom. It was the only thing left you had of her. You almost lost it once at those docks over there, and I jumped into the freezing water to get it back for you. You and your family were poor. You worked your way through law school. You were closed to your grandmother while you were growing up. You called your grandmother abuela." He said.

Tea nodded her head.

"Oh Delgado you got to help me. I have no idea what's going on. I've been-Fuck!" He stopped and began pacing in the small room.

Tea stared at him. Not sure what she should do. She continued to quietly observe him. He moved like the Todd she knew so long ago. He had the same mannerisms as the old Todd did. Aye Dios Mio, if this is Todd then who am I married to? Have the last three years of my life been a lie? What is going on? How am I going to protect my family? I need to get answers. She thought. "Where have you been all this time? What happened to you?"

"When I came back from the island, things were never the same between me and Blair. I'm sorry I left you there. I'm sorry I even came back to this fucking town." He said quietly.

"Oh-I fucked everything up as usual. I'm so fucking confused. It still feels like yesterday to me. Fuck! The last memories I have here in Llanview I was being beaten up, and then I was put into my father's crypt by Mitch Lawrence and his fucking goons The next thing I know is I'm strapped in this chair, and I can barely remember my fucking name. All I know is that I was fucking kidnapped being held against my will in some fucked up holding cell. I was fucking tortured and drugged into a coma for eight years. About a year ago I woke up one day feeling like someone I loved had just died. Then the guard that kept torturing me said they had been waiting for me to wake up. I had been in a coma for three years. They didn't expect me to live. He said his boss was going to give me one last chance to tell them where I hid it. I have no clue what the fuck he is talking about. I'm thinking to myself these people are about to kill me and I escape. Hey I thought I'd come home because maybe you all fucking missed me!" He yelled in anger. He stopped for a moment and continued, "I had this mantra in my head. I kept repeating to myself. My name is Todd Manning. My full name is Thomas Todd Manning. I have daughter her name is Starr. Starr's mother is Blair who was my first wife. I have another wife her name is Tea. I have a son his name is Jack. I have two sisters, who are Tina and Viki. I am closest to Viki. I raped a woman name Marty." He stopped to take a deep breath and continued to pace.

Tea looked at him in disbelief; he woke up a year ago? No, it couldn't be? She asked herself. Tea continued to look at him confused and then quietly asked, "How-"

"No! You don't get to talk right now! I'm not done. So I'm still at this compound or wherever the hell I was being held. I'm hideout trying to get my strength back, getting all these fucking drugs out of my system. My mind is all fucked up not that it wasn't to begin with, but I'm thinking I'm really fucked these people mean business. I overheard these guards say that they had to get this other prisoner on the plane; hey I thought I'd hitch a ride. So I hit this guard in the back of his fucking head and I put on his uniform. Because of that disguised I was able to get into the plane without anyone noticing me. For all I knew I wasn't in the States anymore. I didn't know where the fuck I was. So I hid in the plane. I overhear the guards talking saying that we will be landing in Llanview, hey lucky right. Then I hear something really disturbing I always have my past bite me in the ass. I hear the name Thornheart. Now the last time I heard that name fucking McPoet was dead in our living room floor. I thought I heard wrong. So I waited. Once we landed I wait again. I hear the guards get off the plane. I looked to see if it was safe for me to leave the plane. So I can get out. I make my way out of the plane and right there a catatonic Patrick Thornheart is sitting right there not three feet from me. I shake my head because I know I don't have enough time. I sneaked off the plane and I hide as fast as I could. I then hear a voice I thought I'd never hear again. Marty Saybrook's voice. I take a quick peek and I see her. Man she hasn't changed a bit. She is talking to some guy. She tells him something and then I hear her call out his name Todd Manning." He stopped speaking. He walks up to the small desk grabbing the little lamp and throws it at the wall.

Tea quickly jumps back a little.

"No breaking furniture!" She yells at him.

Todd turns around and looks at her with despair, confusion and anger.

Tea had always been able to help him control his rage. She was definitely the medicine he so long ago told his pet Moose.

Todd stopped and continued, "I thought I heard wrong but I didn't. A cop showed up. And called him by the same name Todd Manning. I saw Marty get on that plane. Then I made my way into town. I stopped first at La Boulale and I saw this little boy with glass sitting by the pool. I thought at first it might be Jack, but no. Then I saw Starr, my Starr, talking to this little kid-"

"Sam." Tea stated quietly.

"Yeah I heard Starr telling him not to get into the pool without anyone watching him. My Starr was so beautiful. She's all grown up now. I missed it Delgado. I missed seeing my kids growing up." He stopped with tears forming in his eyes.

Tea had tears already flowing. She knew how much Todd loves his children. Then Tea remembers about Daniella. Their daughter that he doesn't know about.

"Tod-"

"So I watch Starr play with this kid. I think it can't be mine. Me and Blair hadn't been together in a long time and the kid is probably five or six. I leave to see Viki to find out what's going on, and she was not at Llanfair. So I go back to La Boulale and I see the kid and he sees me. He tells me his name is Sam. I ask him who his parents are he tells me Blair is his mom and Todd is his dad. I asked him if he has any brothers and sisters, I already knew the answer. Before the kid tells me anything a guard from that fucking place comes out of nowhere and pulls a gun on me and the kid. You know me I would do anything for a kid. While the kid distracts the guard I got the gun that I had taken from the first guard. I was going to kill the motherfucker. I tell the kid to go inside and to keep it a secret. I killed the son of bitch. I went through his things got his wallet and cell phone. I got rid of the body. So I came here got a room and I start doing research. I want to know why my family didn't come looking for me. I start looking around again. Then I see Blair with Starr talking about old times. About me. I still haven't seen Jack. Blair hasn't changed much. It was too much. I go see Viki at Llanfair. I break into Llanfair and I see his picture standing next to Viki smiling. Then I see a picture of Viki and me right next to this picture. The guy doesn't even look anything like me. So I start thinking. How could anyone believe he was me? And why would someone want to be me? I broke that stupid picture, and then I heard Viki talking to him so I left quickly and then the dead guy's phone rings. I take the call and this Agent Barker asked if he had killed the prisoner. I told him no I killed the guard. He told me I had to come back there can't be two Todd Manning. I told him I was the only Todd Manning and hung up. I already had the dead guy's stuff so I put it to use. He had a computer and I looked up everything I could find on this new Todd. That was last night. Then this morning I go back to check on the kids. To make sure they were safe. I find my little friend Sam, and I start to talk to him. I ask him if his dad is home. He tells me no that his dad doesn't live there anymore his dad lives with his step-mom. I ask him his dad is married and he has a step-mom. Sam tells me his dad lives with his step-mom Tea Delgado and his step sister Dani."

Tea eyes widen and knows what he is about to ask.

"Who's Dani?" He asked with a broken voice.

Tea opens her mouth only nothing comes out.

"Who's Dani, Tea?" He asked this time with a demanding voice.

Tea closes her eyes.

"Your daughter her name is Daniella." Tea answers quietly as tears flow from her eyes.

It was Todd's turn to be in shock. He opened his mouth several times trying to get the words out. He walks over to the bed and sits down for a moment. He closes his eyes and realizes he missed seeing another daughter being born.

Tea sees his reaction. Dios Mio, what's going to happen now? She asks herself.

"Todd, please say something."

"I missed it again." He said opening his eyes.

She looks down and nods slowly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asks.

"You chose to be with Blair. I-I didn't want to ruin that for you. I wanted to you to be happy. I've always wanted that for you. Even when you think you don't deserve happiness. I was so hurt. I cried for days after you left. I was so worried you had died. Weeks went by." She stopped as she remembers those dreaded times and she continued, "Weeks went by still nothing no rescue party. I thought you were dead. I had to bury all my feeling for you. Ross did watch over me. He made sure I ate. He left me alone for a couple weeks. I won't lie to you. One night it was so unbearable Ross was there. I needed that comfort. About a month later we got rescued and I was so messed up, I didn't know what to do. The doctors came in to where Ross and I were at and they told me I was pregnant. All I knew at the time was I was having a baby. I didn't know who the father was. Ross didn't want to hear it. He wanted to get married. He wanted to do the 'right thing'. I agreed. All I could think about was getting better because my baby needed me. I spent most of the pregnancy in the hospital. I almost lost her twice. She's a survivor. When I had her I knew she was yours. She has your eyes. She has your mannerisms. She has your laugh." Tea said smiling.

"You married the beach bum. Were you ummm happy?" He asked standing up looking at her with tears in his eyes.

"Do you really want to know this?" She asked.

"One thing I know about you and me. We have always been brutally honest with eachother. Give it to me." He said biting his lip as hard as he could.

"No. It wasn't a good marriage. We fought all the time even got physical. I always protected Daniella from those fights." She said quietly.

"He hit you." Todd stated quietly his anger beginning to boil.

"Yes, he even tired to strangle me."

"Did he ever put his hands on my kid?" asked with concern look on his face.

Tea shook her head no and said, "I would kill him first, before he ever laid one hand on our daughter."

Todd took a deep breath trying to calm down. He had many thoughts running through his mind. He learned so many truths. He didn't know what to do. All he knew was he had to get his family.

well I hoped you liked this chapter. please review.