Unforgiven II

by angelsinstead

This is my sequel story to Unforgiven. Todd gets out of prison to join Marty and their three-year-old daughter, but he's furious to find that Marty has married Jason. Todd becomes desperate to get Marty back. He wants Marty and their child to be with him. What will Todd do when he realizes Marty has betrayed him?

15. Unlocked

*~Chapter Fifteen: Unlocked~*

That night, the prison gates opened for Marty and Cassandra. As a taxi stood outside in the circular drive, Todd helped his little girl pack up a few of her belongings. After she was finished, she picked up her little suitcase. Todd placed her rag doll into her arms. "I will miss you, Daddy," the little girl said. "Will you come to visit me?"

Todd was struggling not to cry. He couldn't believe that Cassandra was leaving him. He had waited so long to get to know her.

"I - I hope I can," Todd said softly.

Minutes later, Marty came downstairs to join Todd and Cassandra. It was real. It was happening. He was losing his little girl and the woman he loved. Marty was really leaving him.

Todd didn't say a word as he walked them both outside toward the waiting taxi.

"Come back to me," Todd whispered into Marty's ear. He paused a moment, hugging her, then he helped her and Cassandra get into the taxi cab that would take them both away.

Watching them go, he choked on a sob. His heart was dying. Todd had to do everything in his power to restrain himself from going after Marty and forcing her to come back to him.

Her words echoed in his head - *You can't just keep me here against my will. It's not fair to me... and it's not fair to our daughter.*

Todd realized that he had to let Marty go. At least for now. All he could do was to hope for the best. He had to do it for his own sanity. He had to stay calm or he knew he'd go crazy.

He returned to the mansion and entered the parlor. He had erected a life-sized portrait of Marty near the fireplace. He stood staring at it as he contemplated all he had lost. He clenched his fists as he tried not to lose control.

*Come back to me,* he called out to Marty with all of his soul.

Did she hear him? Did she know how much he needed her? Being without her was tearing him apart. He ached inside as he sunk down in a chair beside the fire. If she didn't come back to him, he was certain he could not live. For years, locked up in that prison, he had dreamed of her and their little girl. He had waited for that day when he could come back to them and when he did, he had lost it all.

Or had he?