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Roseanne walks back to Jose's room, fear in her heart.
"Did you find Tea?" Del asks.
"No, she's not at the Palace and there is no answer on her cell phone. Carlotta's trying to find her now. Jose...is he.."
Del takes a deep breath. "They managed to revive him, although the doctor doesn't sound all that optimistic. Apparently he was injected with some kind of poison, but luckily I stopped him before he got all of it in....and luckily whoever that was was a lackey and used something basic the doctors recognized and can work to counteract. However....it still doesn't look good," Del's voice was sad at the thought of losing Jose. "Where on earth do you think Tea is?"
"Probably with Todd...somewhere."
"He's not staying at the Palace with her right?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Do you have any idea where he's staying?"
"No, none."
"Well, hopefully Carlotta can find her. Meanwhile, I am racking my brain. Jose said the name "Miguel Cor.." and then he passed out....but I'll figure it out...whoever did this is not going to get away with it." Del takes his niece's hand in comfort. Silently, they both say prayers for Jose.

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"God, I don't know where to start."
Tea waits patiently, knowing he needs time.
"Okay, some of this you know...about Michelle."
"Yes, I met her while I was in Chicago."
His eyes widened. "She must hate me."
"No, Todd, not at all."
He pauses, squeezing her hand. "It was my birthday, and she came over with a cake...candles....but I was nervous cause Peter...he didn't like when I had people over...but he wasn't home so I let her stick around...and I used his lighter for the candles...that damn lighter...." his voice trails off. "Peter came home....he was ticked...he started saying things to Michelle....awful things...that I was a loser ....and she needed someone like him....I didn't know what to do...she looked so scared....and I was mad....I hated him so much....I told him he would have to rape me first..."
Tea managed to hold back a choked cry....watching him relive this horror...that distant look in his eyes.
"He told me after he was through....he would use his lighter to burn me....he would kill me...."
Tears continue to stream down Tea's face. She reaches over and gently strokes his arm, trying desperately to offer him some comfort. He squeezed her hand again in response, but couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes.
"I got angry....really angry...I told Michelle to leave...and she did...and Peter told me it was time to get started..." the color drains from his face as he goes back to the nightmare, "He came over to me and pushed me down...he was strong....I tried to fight him...I did....but he was so strong..." his voice breaks slightly, and he stops for a moment to take a deep breath.
"He ....he raped me....again..."
Tea feels a sick feeling in her stomach at these words...all she wants to do is take him in her arms and make everything go away...but she knows although she can help...this is something he has to do.
"Usually....when it happened....I would just go be by myself...but I was so mad that night....after he was....after he was done....I got up....and I pinned him against the wall...it was like I was out of control...I felt like I didn't have any control....I had my hands around his throat....I wanted to kill him...he fought....but for some reason....I was stronger....I wanted him dead.....and I would have killed him too....then Sam showed up...."
A tear slips down Todd's cheek. Finally, he turns and looks at Tea. "Sam stopped me....I never told him what had happened....I mean he knew that Peter used me as his punching bag....but he never knew what really happened."
Todd stops and searches Tea's tear streaked face. No disgust, no fear...it's amazing to him.
"So now you know," he says simply.
Tea nods.
"Do you still love me?" he asks softly.
Fresh tears roll down her cheeks at his plaintive question.
"Of course I still love you Todd....I will always love you....nothing will ever change that," she answers, her voice shaking with emotion.
Todd's tear filled eyes begin to spill over. He wordlessly leans over and rests his head on Tea's shoulder, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close. Tea holds him, gently stroking his hair. Todd feels the weight that had crushed him his entire life start to lift....now that he had told her he didn't have to bear it alone. And she still was here...and she wasn't scared. He had the feeling inside him that for the first time in a long time, he , Todd, was in control....not the alters....he wasn't afraid of them....she knew....he could protect her now.....
He slowly lifts his head and looks into her eyes. He leans in and lightly brushes her lips with his...the need to be physically close to her...connected to her...overwhelming him....