Song credit..."Chances Are" by Bob Seger and Martina McBride

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Llanview Country Club...July 1999

Téa is standing at the bar, sipping a glass of wine. John Sykes is parked right next to her, in fact he hadn't left her side all evening. She looks stunningly elegant in a simple, long, form fitting spaghetti strap black dress. Her long brown hair is swept up in a french twist. She surveys the other guests at the benefit. The usual suspects. She watches Blair and Kevin drool over each other, with Max standing by looking jealous. Viki is as usual being the perfect hostess, greeting and talking to everyone. The Buchanans have set up camp in a corner of the room. Téa unconsciously glares over to where over they are sitting. John looks at her. She is breathtaking tonight. He knows Manning being back has thrown her for a loop. He is anxious to move their relationship forward...maybe a little push is what she needs....he smiles. Téa, meanwhile, is lost in her own thoughts. Thoughts of the last time she had been here.

...you look nice..

...Téa, with this ring , I thee wed...

...for now and forevermore...

Her eyes fill with shiny tears as she remembers waltzing in Todd's arms...feeding each other wedding cake... She suddenly feels overwhelmed.
"Umm..John..I'll be right back.." she mumbles, as she heads for the terrace.

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Todd has yet to make his entrance. He shifts uncomfortably in his tux...he hates these things. He had made a large donation...he knew how much Viki loved Megan. Also...for Marty...maybe she would have a better fate. He had been waiting out on the terrace, watching everyone. Well, really just watching Téa. She looked absolutely stunning. Not that he is surprised. It was weird for him...being here again. The last time he had been here...it was the best and worst night of his life. Their wedding...that was the best...when it finally happened. And the few happy moments in the cabana. But the tape...that had ruined everything. He shook his head, no time to dwell on the past...now he had to concentrate on making things right for the future.
He notices Téa coming towards the door...and slowly backs up into the shadows...

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The warm summer night does little to relieve Téa's swirling brain. She notices that, while lost in her thoughts, she has twisted her necklace into knots. She sighs, taking it off. She begins to untwist it. Todd watches her from the shadows, and slowly steps forward.
"Hey Delgado."
Téa whirls around. "Todd," she says softly, "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Yeah...well for Viki...and she told me you'd be here."
Téa's heart twists. "Well, I'm not here alone."
"Yeah...I know...Sykes...but I'm not worried about him."
"Oh, really," she says, becoming angry.
"No way, not your type."
Téa doesn't respond, she just turns away. She begins to put her necklace back on...but her shaking hands make it impossible.
Todd notices. "Need help?"
"No," she says defiantly.
"Come on...let me help," he says softly. He walks over to her. She turns around, only to find him standing directly in front of her. He wordlessly takes the necklace from her, and gently places it around her neck. Their eyes meet...locked....like they had so many times before. Both..thinking about a time like this...on the docks...when he had put her necklace on her. Todd gently fastens the clasp, and brings his hand forward to gently straighten the necklace. The touch of his fingers on her skin sends a million electric shocks through Téa.
"Thank you," she whispers, her eyes never leaving his.
"No problem," he says, "So....uh...you look....great."
Téa grins slightly. Coming from Todd, that was a huge compliment.
"So do you," she says, and grins as her eyes fall to his bow tie, "but who tied this, Starr?"
Todd grins, "I hate this dressing up stuff."
She giggles, "Let me fix it."
If anyone were to see them now, they would have no problem thinking they were a perfectly happy married couple. In that moment, Téa forgets her hurt and anger, and Todd forgets his months of loneliness. Her closeness, her perfume...it's driving him crazy. He watches her intently, longingly, as she carefully re-ties his tie.
"Perfect," she says, looking at him with a satisfied smile. As she looks at him, though, reality comes crashing down.
What am I doing? she thinks.
Todd is still caught in the moment. He moves forward, his eyes falling to her lips...
Téa can read his intentions...and as much as she desperately wants to kiss him...she backs away.
"I should go inside," she says.
Todd reaches out and gently grabs her arm. "Don't go, Delgado."
She is overwhelmed all at once by love, desire, fear, panic, sadness, and intense longing. The only thing she knows for sure is that she needs to clear her head...
"Let go," she whispers.
Todd reluctantly lets go. Their eyes meet again. He can see the confusion there...confusion he is sure is mirrored in his own eyes.
Téa's eyes fill with tears as she looks at him. She is torn between the desire to run into his arms and run far away....she turns and quickly walks away...not back inside...she couldn't deal with all those people...she's not really sure where she is going...
Todd watches her go. After a few minutes, he starts off after her.
"You're not getting away that easy, Delgado."