Todd's Apartment
Later that day...
A sip of scotch, a glance out the window at the dreary weather. Wondering if he had been too obvious in his little maneuver. It wasn't easy, but money talks and the landlord, having been shown enough of the green stuff, readily agreed to evict his newest tenant and more importantly, keep the information to himself.
It was like that...with him, with them. He had sworn to keep her at a distance. He needed to, her return awakening too many old feelings in him that he couldn't quite handle. It was easier to avoid her, to avoid the feelings....
but fate had a way with him, with them. Always had. Viki's cancer striking again had driven him to seek solace in the one person besides his sister who understood his pain, his fear. Something bigger than them, somehow bringing them closer.
After finding out about Viki's relapse, it was funny, because the one of the first people he thought about was Ben. He never was a particular fan of his brother in law, except for the fact that he seemed to make Viki happy. But he wondered what Ben must be going through. And his thoughts had turned to Téa, and what he would feel if he ever would have been faced with this kind of news with her. Before the terrible thoughts had even had a chance to make his way into his brain, he had found himself at her apartment, watching her sleep, wondering...what if?
Todd Manning had never been a 'what if' kind of guy. He was a risk taker, lived life on a dare. But all he could think of as he watched her sleep was ...what if? What if he lost his sister? What if something happened to Téa, and he lost his chance with her forever?
When he had awoken the following morning, his head resting against hers, the familiar scent of her brown hair surrounding him, he knew. He knew what he had to do.
But, again, being Todd Manning, he had to do it the roundabout way. Because he was still afraid ...afraid of her rejection. He wouldn't come right out and ask her to live with him...but hey...he would offer if she needed a place to live. Then it was just a matter of making sure she needed a place to live.
He wondered if she would figure it out. She might, Téa was smart. One of the things he loved most about her, her intelligence. Drove him crazy, excited him. He also wondered if she would take him up on his offer. She had looked slightly taken aback, probably the last thing she expected to say.
But she knew...he could tell, she knew he needed her now. And somewhere, deep inside of him, in the tiny place he allowed himself a spark of hope, he knew that she wouldn't let him down.
*****
Téa glances around the dreary docks. She hadn't been surprised at Todd's choice of locales in which to make his new home in Llanview. For some reason, to her, this place seemed much more 'him', much more 'honest'. Todd was dark, brooding....much like the docks themselves. For some women, that might have been a turn off, but not for her. She loved his dark intensity, his complexity, the way he was a mystery behind those incredibly beautiful hazel eyes.
However, this was no mystery. She had figured out his game, figured out he needed her but was too...what? Proud...fearful...to ask? Probably both, considering the way things had ended between them.
Sighing, she picks up her suitcase and heads towards his building. It contained only one other apartment and Todd had bought that as well, not surprisingly, making sure no one would bother him. It had taken her all of two seconds after she had figured out who the mystery buyer was behind her losing her apartment to make her decision. She missed him, and she knew right now that he needed her. Just as much as she needed him.
Setting her suitcase down, she knocks on the door, not sure if she was actually prepared for this...never knowing what to expect from Todd Manning. Only knowing that it would be one hell of a ride. She hears his footsteps on the other side of the door...
The door flies open. Todd is about to bark his normal 'What?' greeting when he stops....his mouth slightly open in shock.
"Hey."
Todd shakes his head slightly, surprised to actually see her there. "Hey."
Téa smiles, enjoying having caught him off guard. "Is your offer still open?"
Todd blinks slowly, then glances down, seeing her suitcase next to her. "That all?" he asks, trying to be non chalant and not let his relief show.
Téa grins. "You know me better than that. I have some boxes I'll have to go pick up tomorrow," she pauses, glancing around him to look inside. "So....."
"Oh..yeah..," Todd says, moving aside and reaching out to grab her suitcase. Téa smiles as she walks in ahead of him.
"I really appreciate this Todd. I got quite a shock when I was told I had to leave my apartment," she says, turning towards him.
"Yeah, whatever," he mumbles, avoiding her eyes. "Wanna drink?"
Téa bites her lip to keep from laughing as she watches him avoid any sort of eye contact with her. "Sure, whatever you're having is fine." She slips her coat off her shoulders and drapes it neatly on the back of the sofa. Todd walks over and hands her a scotch.
"I'm still curious about the legality of all this, I'm thinking of looking into it," she says, watching his reaction closely.
Todd glances at her and notices the slight grin on her face. And in that instant, he knows she knows...and to his surprise, he feels slightly relieved that she does. That she wasn't just there for a place to crash, she was there for him. He takes a gulp of scotch and finally makes eye contact with her.
"Why bother right? The guy who did it was probably just a selfish jerk, only looking out for himself," he says quietly.
Téa leans back, watching him. "I don't know about that. Maybe that guy,... whoever he was, knew exactly what I needed."
They regard each other silently for a moment, their eyes connecting in mutual understanding. Téa breaks their stare first, lifting her drink to her lips, the scotch warming her from the damp weather.
"So," she says, "I guess I should settle in..." she pauses, glancing at her suitcase. Todd nods, his eyes still continuing their intent study of her. An awkward silence follows, until Téa clears her throat.
"Um...just tell me which room," she says, standing up to grab her suitcase.
"First one on the left."
Téa nods, slightly disappointed that he hadn't offered to share his room with her, but trying to tell herself that things were still new again between them. She picks up her suitcase and heads towards the stairs.
"Ok, I'm gonna go put this stuff up in my room, then," she says, a bit awkwardly as she climbs the stairs.
Todd watches her disappear into the doorway of the first room on the left.
"Our room," he says quietly.
To Be Continued...
