PREVIOUSLY...He struggles, trying to take over, but he is weak, tired...but he had to keep trying. As he listens to Tea's distant voice...he knows he has to fight...the monster is so close to her....

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Pete continues staring at Tea. She is oblivious...she is busy preparing their dinner, making small talk about her day. She doesn't see the grin on Pete's face, as he thinks about what he has planned for later. He slowly walks over to Tea, and slides his arms around her waist. She is so warm. Tea smiles, enjoying the sensation of being close to him. She gently leans back against him. Tea feels a strange feeling wash over her. She can't place it...Todd's holding her, but something is different. He seems rigid...like he's holding her but not really holding her.

"Stop it Tea," she admonishes herself, "Boy, you can't just be happy, can you...constantly have to search for a problem...hey he's probably still a little nervous about the intimacy stuff...just relax."

The feeling passes, and Tea closes her eyes.
"This is nice," she says.
Pete doesn't say anything...he just continues to hold Tea...and wills himself to take their fun and games slowly...he has all night...

Todd is slowly becoming more cognizant of what's happening. Tea's voice still seems distant, but at least now he can make her out through the haze he is looking through. He watches Tea, praying she is safe, praying she will figure this out...praying he can save her. He notices that Tea's hazy figure is coming closer...Pete is walking towards her. He is so close to her...Todd senses Tea...her body against his.
"NO!" Todd screams silently, "Don't touch her Pete! Get away from her!"

Tea is still leaning against Pete, when Pete's head snaps up.
"Oh was that you, Todd? Are you awake? Don't bother to fight...it's useless...you're weak..." Pete says silently.
"I won't let you hurt Tea," Todd says, his voice weak but insistent.
"OOOH...I'm scared Todd. You're a loser...you don't deserve Delgado...you don't need her...believe me Todd someday you'll thank me for this."
Pete manages to push Todd down...silencing him....

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After eating Tea's wonderful dinner, Pete and Tea are relaxing in the living room. There is a fire in the fireplace, and Pete has just handed Tea another glass of wine. He sits down next to her on the couch, putting his arm around her.
Tea feels like she is in a dream. This is all so romantic...perfect. And something about being close to Todd never fails to make her heart pound. She turns to look at him and finds him intently staring at her.
"What should we do now?" Pete asks, with obvious suggestion in his voice.
Tea is momentarily taken aback by the overt seductiveness of Todd's tone. It's not really like Todd at all.
"But then again, Rodd is integrated now..part of Todd," she thinks.
Tea smiles, and returns his seductive tone. "What did you have in mind?"
"Oh, Tea, wait til you see what I have in mind," Pete thinks.
Pete answers her by leaning in and kissing her. His passion rises as he finally feels Tea's lips against his own. Tea reaches up and runs her hands through his long brown hair. But as she returns his kiss, one thought races through her mind....
Something's not right....

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It is taking all of Todd's strength to fight his way back to where he had been before his conversation with Pete. It's a bizarre feeling, watching someone else control your body, feeling completely powerless to stop it...
With a sickening rush of panic, he realizes that Pete is kissing Tea...and she is kissing him back.
"She must think it's me," Todd thinks, "She has no idea who's she dealing with."
Todd senses what Pete is planning...after all Pete is the one who blocked him from Tea for so long.
"Pete wants you gone...so he's going to make you think I hurt you..." Todd thinks, the thought of losing Tea frightening him to his very core.
Against the haze, he watches Pete kiss Tea...knowing he has to stop him...but he is tired...weak...
"C'mon Delgado," he thinks, "You know me....you're smart...figure out it isn't me...I'm trying to help...fight...I won't let him hurt you."

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Never Tear Us Apart 17

Pete's lips left Tea's and trailed passionate kisses down her neck. She was so intoxicating, almost making him forget the reason he was here in the first place. One arm snaked around her waist and his other hand was in her hair, pushing her as close to him as possible.
Tea is finding it difficult to think straight...her passion and desire almost blotting out the strange feeling that has come over her. But the feeling nags at her. She can't place it...it's almost as if...the man she's with isn't Todd.

"NO!" she thinks, "He's integrated, I know it..."

But the eerie sensation doesn't leave her. The feeling of Todd's warm lips on her neck is not helping...she wants to just succumb to the overwhelming desire in her...but she can't. Something won't let her. The fear that this man kissing her isn't Todd races through her mind, causing her to stiffen slightly. Pete notices. He pulls away from Tea.
"What's the matter?" he says gruffly, his breathing slightly ragged.
Tea looks at him. The thought of this man sitting next to her, who looks like Todd, feels like Todd, and sounds like Todd, not really being her Todd is still very hard for her to comprehend.
"Nothing," she says, trying to ascertain the smallest clue as to what's going on.
Pete studies her...she is playing with her wedding ring. He grins, an idea occurring to him that will certainly help his little game along.
"Why don't we go upstairs," he whispers, as he leans in to kiss her neck again.
Tea remains silent, still unsure of what to do. Pete takes her silence as a "yes", grabs her hand, and wordlessly leads her upstairs.
Tea's mind is working furiously, desperately trying to make sense of the situation. She is still not sure who she is with, but she's reasonably sure it is not Todd. But she has to be positive...she has to figure out some way to prove it.
Pete leads her into the bedroom, still silent. He goes to the dresser and pulls out the red nightgown he discovered earlier. He walks slowly towards Tea, who is standing by the bed. A seductive grin spreads across his face as the mental picture of her in the nightie forms in his mind again. He brings the red satin to her cheek, softly running it down her jawline.
"This," he says, "I want to see you in this."
Tea momentarily freezes. That is certainly not like Todd. Not that he wouldn't ask her to wear that...but his tone. It was very low, very seductive, but also...almost menacing. Tea felt a chill run through her body. She decides for the moment to play along until she can think of some rational way to deal with this.
"Okay, Todd," she whispers, taking the nightgown from him. Their eyes lock, and Tea realizes she sees something in his eyes she hasn't seen for a very long time.
But part of her is still in a quandry...maybe this is part of Todd now...because of therapy...he's integrated...maybe it's a part she will have to learn to accept. The warning bells are still ringing though...and her gut has rarely been wrong. Her eyes leave his and wander around the room...finally resting on the pictures of Starr and T.J. An idea occurs to her...one that will answer the question of who she is with once and for all.
Pete brings his hand to her face, using his finger to gently trace her lips. "I'm going to go get us some wine...give you some time to get ready." He lets his eyes wander over her slowly.
He turns to leave.
"Okay," Tea says, "I'm just going to give Viki a call and check on T.J."
"NO!" Pete turns around sharply.
Tea tries to hide her reaction, and responds calmly. "Why not?"
Pete attempts to compose himself, reminding himself of his role. "Uh...well..don't you trust Viki?" he challenges. "Of course, but I'm his mother...I just want to say good night."
"I don't think it's a good idea, Viki will think we're checking up on her," Pete says, hoping she'll give up this ridiculous idea...he didn't want her talking to anyone...too risky.
"It will just take a second...I'll call while you get the wine."
Pete slowly walks towards her. Tea resists the impulse to back away...and holds her ground. He leans toward her, and speaks in a low, menacing tone.
"I said, I don't think it's a good idea."
Tea eyes lock with his. "Okay....Todd."
Pete turns and walks out of the room.
Tea's heart sinks like a stone. She knew for sure now that the man she was with wasn't Todd. Todd would never act like that...he adores his children...and if she felt the need to call and say good night to their son before their romantic evening continued...Todd would have had no problem with that. Her mind raced. The sickening realization of who she was with hits her like a truck.
"Pete," she whispers.
She begins to pace...knowing she does not have a lot of time. She takes a deep breath..trying to figure out the best course of action. Call his doctor...first thing...then Viki...then Carlotta to see if she could take T.J. from Viki for the night. Until they arrived, she would have to play along. She strips off her clothes and throws on the nightie. She walks toward the phone..listening for any signs that Pete was returning. Silence. She picks up the cordless and presses 'power'. No dial tone. Tea's body fills with panic. She tries again, but no luck. With a sinking feeling, she looks behind the nightstand. Before she even looks, she has the sick realization that she knows the problem...
The phone line was cut....