*****

Téa sees a flash of uncertainty in Todd's eyes as he slowly pulls his hand from hers. The moment of "reaching out" had passed, but relief that he had reached out at all overwhelmed the feeling of disappointment that he had pulled away. Todd's eyes never left her face. He searched it constantly, looking for some sort of trick or deception. There had to be one. After everything he had done to ger, he couldn't trust that she had come after him out of love and concern. But he wanted to believe...he really wanted to believe that.

Téa continues watching him silently. She notices his eyes widen, his face soften.
"I missed you Téa," he says. Blinking quickly, she watches his face take on that anxiety again. That voice...she knew that voice. A flash of anger goes through her. Could he actually be trying to fake her out again? She sits silent, watching. Stunned actually. Searching his eyes, for any sign.

The blinding stab of pain came and went in a second for Todd. He didn't even realize he had left, until he noticed the slightly confused, slightly angry look on Téa's face. He tried to keep his face expressionless as possible, trying to hide the battle that was going on within him. He was frozen, trying desperately to stay in control.

"Todd?" she asks tentatively.
"Yeah?"
"What just happened?"
Todd looks away from her and gets up. Running his hands through his scraggly hair, he walks away from her.
"Nothing."
"You said you missed me...but it didn't sound like you...it sounded like..."
"DON'T say it."
"Tom."
Todd breathing quickens as he paces around the room. He couldn't look at her...couldn't let her know.

Don't tell her the secret Todd....you can never tell her the secret...

"Todd? It's real...isn't it?" Téa asks softly.
Todd whirls around to face her. "No...no. It's not real. It's not real. I lied to you and everyone else Téa."
"Todd..."
"IT'S NOT REAL!" he screams at her.
Téa watches his obvious agitation with concern. For some reason, his insistence that the DID wasn't real only made her believe more that it was.
"Todd...it's okay...I'm here to help you okay? You can tell me the truth."
"I DID tell you the truth Téa. I lied to you....it's fake...always was always will be," he says, his voice edged with both panic and frustration.

Let me out, Todd. She can't know the truth....and you're weak enough to crack when you get around her....let me take care of her....

The strong, angry voice rips through Todd's head. A soft moan escapes his mouth as he clutches his head in pain.

"Todd?" Téa asks worriedly, walking towards him. His head snaps up at the footsteps.
"GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!" he yells. God, she couldn't see him like this. And he couldn't protect her...he had to get her out of there.
"I'm NOT leaving," Téa replies defiantly.
His breathing increases as he presses his hands harder against his head, willing the pain to stop. Why was he surprised that Delgado was being stubborn as hell?
"Téa," Todd's voice comes out muffled from beneath his long hair, "please....you have to go....I can't protect you...."
The pleading in his voice strikes a chord in Téa. She slowly continues to walk toward him.
"Protect me from what, Todd?"
"No..no don't ask me that," he whispers.

You tell her Todd boy...and she dies...I'll make sure of that...

"SHUT UP!" he yells, causing Téa to jump back in surprise. She watches him slump to the floor, holding his head. In spite of her fear, she slowly sinks to the floor and begins to make her way towards him.

"Todd....who are you talking too?"
She had to go.....she had to go.....
"Delgado, please," he whispers weakly.
"Todd..you can tell me anything, okay? Nothing you can say will make me leave, I promise."

Go ahead Todd...tell her....and I will take great pleasure in getting her out of your life once and for all...

"Oh God no," he moans, beginning to rock himself back and forth. His fingers start to wrap tightly around his hair, pulling at it...using the pain to reassure himself he was still in control. Téa watches, panicked. She reaches for his hand and tries to untangle it from his hair, but he pushes it away.

"Get away," he growls.

Let me at her Todd....let me show her a good time...just like old Peter taught us too...

"NO!" he screams. He leaps up off the floor and runs towards the staircase. Téa, momentarily shocked, jumps up to follow him. As she runs up the stairs, she begins to hear loud crashes. Running down the hall, she sees Todd, overturning furniture in what appears to be the master bedroom. She watches in horror as he slams his fist into the wall, slamming furniture on the floor. She stands back, much more afraid for him than for herself.

Todd sees her out of the corner of his eye standing in the doorway. He prays she has sense enough to stay a safe distance from him. He needed to do this...get the rage out....it was the only way he could think of to maintain some semblance of control over himself and the others. His mind delivers up horrible pictures of his father's many abuses towards various women, keeping his anger and fear alive and fresh inside him. He couldn't let him near her....he would destroy her. God, didn't she know that? Didn't she know what he was? He suddenly stops and stands motionless in the middle of the room. Slowly, he raises his eyes to look at her.

"Are you okay?" he says, his voice hoarse.
"Are you?"
"Don't care about me....are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but I'm more worried about you."
Todd grins wryly. "Always your biggest problem Delgado. Worrying about me when you should have been worried about you."
Téa shakes her head. "I'm not scared of you."
Todd's eyes widen in shock.
"I'm scared for you."
He watches as Téa looks around the wreckage of the room from the doorway. Peter's old room. The bastard. Panic grips his heart as he watches take a step into the room.
"NO!"
Téa gives him a questioning look. In a flash, he is by her side, grabbing her arm and pulling her into the hallway.
"No...no..y..you can't go in there," he says, his voice shaking...