Todd is frantically pacing the living room as cops pore over the house looking for any clues as to the intruder. He glances at Téa, who is sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, obviously shaken. He walks over to her and puts his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him.
"So you didn't get a look at the guy, either of you?" asked Bo.
"No, we were...we were upstairs," Téa answered.
"Okay, look, I'm gonna leave a car here with a couple of my best men...keep an eye on the place."
Todd felt himself tense up...he hated the idea of the cops watching them....but he knew he had to keep Téa safe.
"I think we're finished...call me if you remember anything else, okay?"
"Sure, thanks Bo," says Téa.
Todd doesn't say anything, as he and Bo exchange a look. As Bo and his men leave, a very angry Del barges through the front door.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, physically anyway."
Del looks at Todd. "You see the guy?"
"No...he was gone by the time we got down here," Todd answers.
"Mija," Del says, looking squarely at Téa, "I don't think it's safe for you to be way out here...away from town."
Todd gets angry. "I can take care of her," he snaps.
"I just want to make sure she is safe!" Del yells back.
"I will die before I let anything happen to her!" Todd shoots back, walking towards Del.
"Stop!" Téa yells, "Look, I appreciate you both looking out for me, but I really can't deal with you two fighting tonight," she pauses as she steps between them, "I love you both...and I trust you both...okay? I know you can't stand each other, but it will help things considerably if we all try to work together."
The two men stare at each other warily...and slowly step away from each other.
Del takes a deep breath. "Mija, look, you're the ADA...even if you're not on the case...these guys are just trying to scare you...promise me you will be careful."
"I promise, Del."
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Llanview Hospital, next afternoon
Todd steps off the elevator and looks around for Téa. He had dropped her off here before his therapy and was coming back to pick her up. With what had happened the night before...he hated being away from her for a minute...but he also knew they both had to continue their lives. He looks into José's room and sees she is still in there with him. Todd runs his hand through his hair. Why now? They had fought through so much to be together...but it seems like it just never ends.
The elevator door opens and Del comes off...holding a thick file. The two men exchange a glare.
"Manning."
"Del."
They sit in silence for a while...both lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Todd breaks the silence.
"So, why are these idiots threatening my wife?"
Del looks at him. "Your wife, and my sister. And like I said, I think they're just trying to scare her off."
"You're working on this case, aren't you?"
"Not officially, but I'm checking stuff out."
"Well, maybe these guys don't like a Fed sniffing around...maybe that's why they're messing with Téa."
Del stands up. "You saying this is my fault?"
"I'm saying maybe you should be more careful in your investigating...maybe they know and maybe they're using Téa to get you to back off."
"I can't believe this! After the hell you've put my sister through, now you're sitting there and blaming me for this?"
"I'm not blaming anyone...I just don't want to see her hurt," Todd says, his voice rising to match Del's.
"You think I do? Look, I've been discreet....but I'm not gonna rest until I find out who is behind José's problems!"
Todd walks over to him, an icy stare on his face. "Fine. You do what you have to, you just make sure Téa doesn't get caught in the crossfire," he says, in a controlled voice.
Del glares back at him. As Todd turns to walk away, he accidentally knocks the file Del is holding out of his hands, spilling the contents.
"Oh Great!" Del says,"Man, I just picked all this stuff up from the station!"
But Todd doesn't hear a word. His eyes are transfixed on a single object. Del looks at him, and follows Todd's stare. Del's eyes widen at what has caught Todd's attention.
Todd slowly leans down. What he grasps in his hand fills him with terror and panic. It's a picture of his beloved Delgado...knife marks covering her beautiful face. Del and Todd look up at each other...the silence between them deafening.
"Hey you two...what's going on?"
The two men whirl around at the sound of Téa's voice. Todd shoves the awful picture behind his back.
"Hello?" she says, laughing, "What's up?"
She walks closer to Todd...and is struck by the look of abject fear in his eyes.
"Todd?" she says softly, noticing that he is holding something behind his back, "Todd, are you okay?"
To be continued....