This story is AU. In this particular story, Todd hasn't been married to Blair and doesn't have any children with her.
~*~o~*~
Todd woke up the next morning and crawled out of bed. The only thing on his mind was the little girl in the next room and all the mysteries that surrounded her. He wasn't going into The Sun as usual, so he called Briggs and told him to take care of business. "You're not coming into work, Boss?" Briggs asked with great surprise.
"Nope, I ate a bad burrito," Todd stated as he didn't want to explain the complicated situation to his assistant.
"Feel better soon," Briggs said before hanging up the phone.
Todd took his morning shower and got dressed for the day. Then he hurried into the guest bedroom to check on Tabitha. It all seemed like a dream, and he was silently praying that she'd still be there. He found her lying on the bed, the covers pulled up to her chin. She came awake when he came in the room and stared at Todd with her bright blue eyes.
"Good morning," Todd said to her cheerfully. "Would you like me to make you some breakfast?"
"No, I'm not hungry," Tabitha said to him quietly as she sat up in the bed. Her dress barely had a wrinkle in it as though she hadn't slept in it at all.
"Are you sure you're my daughter?" Todd said to her jokingly. She certainly didn't have his appetite.
"I don't eat much," she responded with a mysterious little smile. "Are you going out to get me a new dress and a few toys?"
"Sure," Todd answered with a grin. "What would you like?"
"I don't know," she responded. "Maybe I'd like a bunny..."
"Okay. I'll get you a bunny. We'll go to the toy store and I'll buy you all the toys you could ever want, but first we have to make a little trip to the hospital."
"No!" Tabitha cried out. "I can't leave here. I can't leave your house. She said I couldn't leave!"
"Tabby, I can't leave you here all alone. You're too little to stay here all by yourself... and I need to you to come with me so we can-."
Tabitha looked frantic as she jumped up from the bed and ran away from Todd. He hurried after her, but he couldn't find her. "Tabitha, where are you?" he called out as he searched the house for her. He searched all the rooms, but he could not find her anywhere. It was as if she had suddenly disappeared as strangely as she had appeared.
"Tabitha!" Todd exclaimed as he looked around outside. There was no sign of the mysterious little girl anywhere. Where could she be?
Todd sighed as he gave the house one final search. He looked under every bed and within every closet. Tabitha seemed to have vanished into thin air. "Damnit," Todd mumbled as he stepped into the guest bedroom. What he saw there made him pause in his tracks.
The bed was made up as though no one had even slept in it. Upon the pillow lay a single strand of pale blond hair. Todd picked up the strand of hair and held it up to the light. It was exactly what he needed to answer at least one of his many questions. He'd ask for a paternity test to be performed using the strand of the little girl's hair. At least then he'd know whether or not he was the father of the child who had gone into hiding.
He put the strand of hair into a plastic bag and placed it in his pocket. Before he left the house, he called out, "Tabby, I'll be back soon!" He felt terrible leaving her there alone, but he had done everything he possibly could to find her. He would take care of his tasks, then he would hurry right back to her.
~*~o~*~
Twenty minutes later, Todd had arrived at Llanview Hospital. He demanded to be seen by Doctor Larry Wolek as soon as possible. He was lead into Larry's office as Larry glared at him with annoyance. "What is it, Todd?" Larry asked. "I have patients who need me."
"I need a paternity test preformed," Todd stated.
"A paternity test?" Larry spoke with surprise. "On who?"
"There's this little girl... and she's claiming to be my daughter..."
"Really? Where is she now?" Larry questioned.
"That isn't important," spoke Todd as he reached into his pocket and withdrew the single strand of hair within the plastic bag. "This is a strand of her hair. You can test the DNA, compare it to mine, and see if she's my daughter?"
"Yes, I can do that, Todd. But I need to see the patient. Where's the little girl?"
Todd shrugged. "Damned if I know. She disappeared on me..."
Larry looked at Todd suspiciously as he collected a hair sample from Todd as well. "Well, where did she come from?" Larry asked Todd.
"I was hoping you might know the answer to that question," Todd stated as he turned and looked at Larry. "I have some questions... about... Marty."
"What about Marty?"
"Was she pregnant with my child when she left Llanview?" Todd asked bluntly.
"Did she look pregnant at the trial?"
"No, she didn't. But that doesn't mean she wasn't. Marty's petite, plus she has a health condition. She may have been pregnant... but it just didn't show. After I got out of prison, she was gone. She left Llanview. I need to know where she went. And I need to know if she was carrying my child."
Larry crossed his arms over his chest. "There is such a thing as doctor-patient confidentiality, Todd."
"Yes there is, but Marty's not your patient now. I am. And I need some answers. There's this little girl... and she needs to know who her parents are," Todd insisted.
Larry let out a long heavy sigh. He looked Todd square in the eye. "Yes, Marty was pregnant when she left Llanview."
Todd expelled the breath he had been holding deep inside. His heart started to pound. "Was the baby mine?" Todd questioned.
Larry nodded. "Marty said it was... and she had to move away to avoid a scandal."
Of course, Marty wouldn't want to remain in Llanview where everyone would speculate that she was carrying her rapist's child. No wonder she had disappeared.
"Where did she go?" Todd continued to question.
"I don't know. She didn't tell me. And I haven't heard from her since."
"You're lying. You were like a father to her. She wouldn't disappear without contacting you."
"I'm telling the truth, Todd. I haven't heard from Marty since right after the trial. I don't know where she is... or what happened to her."
Fear crashed through Todd in heavy waves. Had Tabitha been right? Could Marty really be dead? The urgency to find her was like a fever that burned inside him.
"How soon will we have the DNA results?" Todd asked.
"It will be a week or so. Until then, you should bring the little girl in to see a doctor."
"I will," Todd promised. "If I can find her..."
~*~o~*~
Todd arrived home a little bit later, carrying gifts for Tabitha. "Tabby, I'm home!" he called out as he walked through the door. The little girl entered the room, a small smile upon her face.
"Did you bring me my bunny?" she asked him softly.
He reached into the shopping bag and withdrew a stuffed yellow bunny. It was soft and adorable with a large white heart upon it's tummy. "I hope you like it," he said as he placed it in her little arms.
"I love it," she said as she hugged the bunny.
"I got you some clothes, too... and a few other toys," Todd said as he put the shopping bags aside. "Where were you earlier? Why did you hide from me?"
"I had to hide, Daddy. I can't leave your house. She told me I couldn't."
"She...? Do you mean Kiki?"
"Yes, Auntie Kiki. She said I can't leave until it's time."
"Time for what?" asked Todd.
"Time for me to take you to Mommy," Tabitha replied.