The police cruiser pulls up to the emergency room entrance, and Todd barely waits for the car to stop before jumping out. He runs into the crowded waiting room, looking around wildly. He finally spots the front desk, and descends upon the harried, young nurse sitting there at the computer, typing like mad and balancing the phone on her shoulder at the same time.
"Where is she??"
The nurse's eyes dart over to him. "Hold on," she says to the caller...then she says, annoyed...
"You're gonna have to be more specific than that, sir. We get a LOT of 'she's' in here."
Todd glares at her. "Tea Delgado."
"You family?"
His angry glare disappears at that...he nods. "Yeah...I guess...she's my ex-wife."
She nods back and sighs, tapping the keyboard, as the phone rings like crazy. Todd watches her put the phone back on her shoulder as the computer lights up her face, changing screens.
"Yeah, sorry...look, I need those labs, like right now. Doctor's screaming for them. Okay...thanks," she says into the phone, then tosses it away as her eyes scan the screen.
"Okay, Delgado...Delgado...oh...here she is. She's...she went up to surgery. Take the elevator to the third floor, and you can talk to the nurse up there."
She barely finishes the sentence before Todd takes off, flying down the hall and jumping into the elevator. The doors close, sealing him into a relatively quiet box for a moment. He shuts his eyes, letting his head hit the back wall...breathing deeply. The doors open with a pleasant-sounding chime, and his eyes immediately fall on the nurses' station, directly in front of him. He takes his steps much slower now...for as much as he wants to see Tea, he also dreads it. The nurse at the desk sees him, and sees the pain written all over his face. So she smiles, kindly.
"Can I help you?"
Todd has to swallow hard, and wet his dried-out lips before speaking. "Um...they said...my wife was here."
The nurse waits for more, but nothing comes, so she nods. "Okay...and what's her name?"
"Delgado...Tea Delgado," he whispers.
She nods again, recognizing the name. "Oh, yes...yes...she's still in surgery, though. You can wait over there...I'm sure it won't be too much longer. I'll tell the doctor to come see you."
Todd sort-of nods, his gaze drawn to some miscellaneous point on the side for a moment...then he looks back at her.
"What happened?"
"Ummm..." the nurse starts looking through the rack on the counter, pulling out one of the charts. She flips it open, scanning the forms.
"Oh, god..." she sighs, reading for another moment before she looks up at him. "Ummm...apparently...her wrists were slashed."
Todd's eyes widen at that, and a harsh breath comes out of him, as he looks down, covering his mouth. The nurse's face softens, and she puts the chart back.
"Listen, I'm sure it won't be much longer before she's out of surgery, and the doctor can tell you more than I can," she says, watching as Todd slowly walks away from her, and over to the waiting area. He slumps into the chair in the farthest corner, leaning over his knees, and burying his face.
The elevator chimes its arrival just then...the doors open, and Colin steps out, a cup of coffee in his hand. He walks over to the desk.
"She out yet?"
The nurse shakes her head. "Not yet, but...her husband just arrived, he's right over there," she says, her face becoming suddenly concerned, as Colin's eyes nearly bug out of his head, and he whips his head over in Todd's direction.
"Oh, sssshhhit."
"Sir?" the nurse asks, totally confused.
Colin puts a finger to his lips, as he leans in closer. "Where are the stairs?" he whispers.
The nurse's eyebrows knit tightly at that. "Well...they're over that way," she says, pointing...and he rolls his eyes, realizing that he's going to have to walk right by Todd to get to them. Colin sighs, glancing back over at him...thankful that he seems to be in his own world at the moment, his face still buried in his hands. He looks back at the nurse, nodding...then he backs up, slowly, keeping his gaze locked on Todd as he reaches behind him to press the 'down' button on the elevator. Then he stands there, waiting...hoping like hell that Todd won't look up.
A sound draws Colin's eyes away, as the big double doors to the operating rooms open with a hissing sound. A tired-looking, older Hispanic man walks out in scrubs, heading for the desk. He sees Colin and changes direction...and Colin starts to panic, looking back over his shoulder...but Todd still hasn't looked up yet.
At least...not until the doctor says, "Mr. McIver."
"Ohhhh," Colin groans, as he shuts his eyes tightly, and his head drops back. When his eyes open again, Todd's eyes are drilling into his from across the room. Colin looks at the doctor, who has stopped a few steps away, looking between the two men.
"Listen, uh...is she gonna be alright?"
The doctor nods, slowly, still wondering what the hell is going on. "Yeah...she'll be fine, but...she's gonna need to be put un...der...watch...and who the hell are YOU?" he suddenly says, backing up.
Colin whirls around, just in time to see Todd's fist coming at his face. Todd lands the punch, sending Colin to the floor. The doctor and all the nurses gasp, as Todd jumps on him.
"MOTHERFUCKER!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!" he screams, pounding away at Colin's head.
The nurse behind the desk gets on the phone, calling security as the doctor tries to peel Todd off of Colin, who struggles beneath him, arms around his head.
"HEY!!! BREAK IT UP!!!" the doctor yells, but to no avail. The adrenaline rushing through Todd's veins now makes him practically invincible, and he just keeps wailing away on Colin, who tries desperately to squirm out of his hold.
"She never did anything to you!!! But you just couldn't leave her alone, could you...COULD YOU??!! SONOFABITCH!!!"
Finally, Colin manages to bring a knee up hard into Todd's crotch. Todd sucks his breath in as Colin pushes him off, and scrambles backward, staggering up into a standing position against the wall. Todd tries to get back up, but only gets on his knees before he has to stop and breathe.
"I'M the one who found her, you fuckin' IDIOT!!" he yells, wiping his bleeding lip.
The doctor steps between them. "Alright, THAT'S ENOUGH!! Cool it RIGHT NOW, or I'm throwing BOTH your asses out."
There's a tense silence, as both Todd and Colin glare at each other. The elevator rings again, and two bulky security guards step out, nearly trampling Todd as they do. One of them tries to pick him up, but Todd resists, angrily, as he slowly gets to his feet.
"These two?" one of guards says.
The doctor looks between them both. "Well? What's it gonna be, gentlemen?"
Colin sighs. "I'm fine...sorry about the...disturbance."
The doctor then looks over at Todd, who's still glaring at Colin. "I don't want that motherfucker anywhere NEAR her," he says, low...but menacing.
The doctor tips his head at him. "Really? Even though he's the one who saved her life?"
Todd directs his glare at him, still breathing hard. "What?"
"Look, man, I don't know who you are, but---"
"Oh, that'd be the WONDERFUL Todd Manning," a strange, sarcastic voice suddenly says, from inside the still-open elevator.
All heads turn to see a tall, bald, olive-skinned man step out. Everyone looks at him strangely...EXCEPT Todd, whose eyes widen. Everyone backs off a step as the man steps right up to him, making the 'come hither' finger gesture...then he grabs him by the hair on the back of his head. Todd grits his teeth, and starts punching his arm.
"Ow---OW!! OW!! LEMME GO...YOU FUCK!!"
The man gives him a mocking grin...then turns to the rest of the crowd, pulling something out of his pocket. Todd thrashes about, still punching his arm, making the man flinch, as he flips open his wallet, showing an FBI identification card to the doctor.
"My name's Delmonico Delgado. Tea Delgado is my sister, and THIS..." he says, tightening his grip on Todd's hair, "...this...is her WORTHLESS, piece-of-SHIT ex-husband!!" he says loudly, and more to Todd than anyone else.
The doctor puts his hands out, with a pleading look. "Okay, listen, Mr. Delgado...I REALLY don't want anymore violence, okay? So, can we PLEASE, just...all...calm down for a minute, and discuss your sister without anymore fights breaking out?"
Still holding a flailing Todd in his death grip, Del leans closer in. "Of course. I'll be right back," he says, calm and cool...and everyone watches as he drags Todd into the elevator.
"NO!!! LEMME GO!!! GODDAMMIT, I WANNA SEE HER!!!" he yells, as Del shoves him to the back, stepping in behind him.
The doors close...and everyone just stands there, exchanging shocked looks.
*****
By now, the sidewalk is filled with the morning-rush-hour crowd. Several of these people stop in their tracks, when they see Del dragging a loudly objecting Todd out into the alley, around the corner from the emergency room entrance. Del pushes Todd farther down the alley, away from the street. Todd gets his footing back, whirling around to see Del coming at him again, shoving him backward. Todd stumbles, barely keeping himself upright...shaking the hair out of his face as Del makes another advance. But this time, Todd catches Del's arms, and shoves HIM back. Del just laughs, holding his position for a moment.
"Ohhh...thought I'd find you here. You're like...a little fly...Tea keeps swatting you away, but you just keep coming back. Spreadin' your dirt and your filth everywhere you go...and turning everything you touch into shit!"
Todd runs his tongue along the inside of his dry mouth. "I dunno why I'm gonna bother saying this, but...I had NO IDEA this was happening. I just found out! I just got here!!"
"Oh, you had no idea...you are SO FULL OF SHIT!!"
"I'M TELLING YOU, I DIDN'T KNOW!! You think I would've LET this happen to her??"
"I THINK," Del starts, slowly advancing toward him, with a finger pointed. "...that YOU...are a FUCKIN' DEAD MAN! THAT'S what *I* think!!"
And before Todd can say or do anything, Del grabs him by the jacket, and slams him up against the wall. Todd sees the crazed look in Del's eyes, and tries to wriggle out of his hold...but Del is also experiencing the benefits of an adrenaline rush, that surge of super-strength that his extreme rage is causing. He puts an elbow into Todd's neck, holding him against the wall as he reaches around behind him, pulling out the gun that's tucked in his belt. With one smooth move, he cocks it and puts the end of the barrel right against Todd's temple. He sucks a breath in, feeling the steel-hard barrel pushing into his head. Del twists it around, looking at him with piercing eyes.
"I know it was you...you made her do it," he whispers.
"Del..." Todd says, trying not to look at the gun that's being poked into his head, "...I SWEAR to you...I DIDN'T KNOW. She TOLD ME to leave...and I DID!"
Del shakes his head. "Doesn't matter. There's only ONE thing that would send her down so low...only ONE thing that would make her do something like this. ONE THING...and that's YOU."
Todd shakes his head too, in a weak protest...unable to speak. Del flexes his elbow, pushing down on Todd's neck, so he can't move his head now, either. Todd gasps for a breath, barely able to get any air. His head tipped back, he looks down at Del, and sees him actually tearing up.
"How could you do this, man? After all the shit you put her through, you couldn't just leave her be...you just HAD to torture her some more, huh? You just...won't be HAPPY until she's DEAD!"
He looks into Todd's eyes for a response, but all he sees is the fear of a man with a gun to his head. He sniffs the tears back, shaking the sadness off for a second to focus on the task at hand. Todd grits his teeth as Del pushes the barrel down harder.
"Well, y'know what? If Tea can't cut loose of you, I'm gonna do it for her...and you will NEVER get to my sister again, do y'hear me, you little...punk? DO YOU??"
Todd shuts his eyes tightly, feeling Del's spit hitting his face. When he opens them again, Del notices a new fire there, some rage on his part, building up...but by the time he sees it, Todd is already acting. Del suddenly feels a kick to his crotch, as Todd brings his knee up hard. Del grunts as he staggers off to the side, and the gun goes off once.
BANG!!!
Both Del and Todd crouch down low at the sound, as the bullet pings around, ricocheting off the dumpsters and the walls. Todd actually feels his body for a moment, to see if he's been hit...but he hasn't been. Panting, he gets up...just as Del gets back on his feet. Todd backs away, glancing behind him...only to see another wall. The clicking sound of another chambering round makes him look back at Del, who raises the gun again, taking aim this time.
The crowd gathered at the front of the alley gasps. Todd raises his hands, slowly.
"What're you doin', man? You can't do this..."
"Oh, yes I can...job be damned, I don't care. I will GLADLY do the time if it means I get to splatter your brains all over that fuckin' wall."
Todd feels his legs getting weak at that...at the bitter conviction in his voice. Del stands there, aimed in...focusing on the spot between Todd's eyes...trying to slow his breathing, trying to calm himself for the mere seconds it'll take to pull the trigger. He wanted to do it, and was doing everything in his power to will it...but as one second turns into two, then two into three, and three into four, he finds...that he can't seem to make it happen. And as the seconds roll on, he becomes increasingly aware of himself, and of what he's doing...training a loaded weapon on another person.
But he's not a person...he thinks. He's not...a person, he's...more like a dog...a rabid animal who mauled my little sister...and took her life away from her...put him down...down like a dog...
Todd watches Del closely, keeping perfectly still...but he makes a face, seeing tears in Del's eyes, streaming down his cheeks. Del feels it, too...and gets angry at himself for losing face, especially in front of the person he hated most in the world right now. It gives him some resolve back, and he grits his teeth, pushing himself farther into his stance.
"Goddamn you...sonofabitch...you did this...you killed her..." the words come out of Del's mouth in a frightening, rage-filled whisper, and all Todd can do is shake his head in protest, as Del's anger grows, mixing in with his tears, which are falling in full force now.
"...so SHE...dies, and you...YOU get to live? No...I don't think so," he says, gritting his teeth harder, putting more pressure on his hands, wrapped around the gun.
"YOU...DON'T DESERVE HER... 'cause she...is a good person...with a big heart...and she gave you all that...ALL THAT...and what did you do?? You chewed it up, and spit it out, right back in her face! You lied to her, you played her, you used her to get what you wanted...and not just one time, either...you did it over and over and over again, sucking her in with your...empty promises...and then snatching them back, and LAUGHING at her!!"
Todd shuts his eyes, listening...knowing that everything he's saying...is true.
"But she still loved you...even after all that. She still thought you were worth it...and THEN what did you do?? You left her! Without looking back...without a THOUGHT as to how it would affect her. So don't gimme that 'I had no idea' crap. You knew...you knew EXACTLY what you were doing...you ALWAYS know. But if it doesn't affect YOU directly, you just don't give a shit!!"
Todd opens his eyes again, sniffling as he tries to hold Del's steely gaze.
"Tea...is the only family I have LEFT. How DARE YOU take her from me!!"
A tense silence follows, as Del presses down again...but he feels his arms starting to shake, tiring from holding himself so tightly. Sweat pours into his eyes, stinging them...and as hard as he tries to concentrate, he knows he's lost it now...the edge...and maybe the nerve. Todd watches as Del slowly relaxes, dropping his arms to his sides. Then he holds up the gun, ejecting the clip...and Todd lets out a long breath at that, dropping his hands. Del wipes his face roughly, staring up at the sky for a moment...then he looks back at Todd...who watches closely, as Del stows the clip in his belt, and starts walking toward him...
...slowly at first, then faster. Todd starts backing up, when he sees Del haul back with the arm that has the gun in it. But he's not fast enough, and Del slams the side of his face with the butt of the gun. Todd lets out a stifled grunt as he flies off to the side, landing on the concrete. Dazed, he tries to get up...but Del bends down, grabbing him by the shirt...lifting him up, and putting their faces close.
"You are the lowest...LOWEST, belly-crawling thing that ever lived. You can't be helped, you can't be saved...and you most certainly can't be loved...because YOU...don't deserve it, and even if you did, you're not smart enough to accept it. 'Cause all you WANT, all you know how to do...is get your revenge on the world, 'cause you think it OWES YOU. And people like Tea...just end up greasing your wheels as you roll on through, mowing everything down. You wanna see it all burn, dont'cha? You wanna see it all...destroyed...reduced to the same miserable heap...that YOU are."
Todd stares up at him, with a blood-covered face...and Del tips his head thoughtfully, studying him for a moment. Then he sniffs, readjusting his hold on Todd's shirt, pulling him in again.
"Well, I hope you're happy... 'cause even IF she lives through this...she won't ever be the same. EVER. YOU took her life from her, and YOU...killed her spirit."
With that, Del lets go, dropping Todd back on the ground. Del straightens up, looking down at Todd as he props himself up on his elbows.
Del sniffs again, and points at him. "This is the LAST TIME. If I EVER...catch you within a hundred miles of my sister, I WILL kill you."
Todd swallows, tasting some of his own blood that's run into his mouth. He watches Del back up, slowly...looking down at him with the most hateful, disgusted expression, before he finally turns and walks away. Through blurry eyes, he watches the crowd part for him, then all of them looking back down at him. After a moment, he tries to sit up...feeling his face smarting more with each passing second. He puts a hand to his cheek and flinches, making contact with the deep gash.
A nurse from the emergency room comes sprinting toward him, the same one he'd been talking to before. She makes a face when she sees him, a dirty, bloody mess on the ground. She kneels down in front of him.
"Ohmygod...here, let me see..." she says, hissing as she dabs his face with a towel.
"...ugh...you're probably gonna need stitches. You want us to call the cops on that guy?"
Despite everything, Todd has to snicker at that. He shakes his head. "Wouldn't do much good. He IS a cop."
The nurse wags her eyebrows at that, as Todd tries again to get up. She watches him struggle for a moment...then she gets up, offering him a hand. Todd gives her a strange look...then reluctantly, grabs onto her hand. She helps to pull him up, and walks alongside him, to steady his wobbly steps. The crowd parts for them as they pass through, heading back into the emergency room.
*****
Del steps out of the elevator, finding the same doctor still standing there, and Colin. The doctor looks around, then looks at Del.
"Uh...where's...the other guy?"
"Oh, he won't be back. I made sure we understood each other," Del replies...then he looks at Colin, suspiciously.
"Who the hell are you?"
Colin takes a deep breath, as he extends a hand out. "Colin McIver."
Del shakes his hand, but his face doesn't change. Colin takes another breath. "Uh, I...I found her."
The suspicion melts away fast...and Del grips his hand tighter. "Oh...OH. Sorry, man...I just...I've never seen you before."
"No, I know. Truth is...I really only met Tea the other day."
Del makes a confused face at that. "Well, then...how did you...know?"
Colin glances at the doctor, who nods. "Look, the important thing is...if this guy hadn't found her, she wouldn't have made it," he says. "Now...can we, uh...talk for a minute?"
Del nods. "Yeah, sure," he says, and the doctor walks off. But Del stays behind a moment, still looking at Colin.
"Look, um...Mr. McIver...I'd appreciate it if you'd hang out for a little bit."
Colin sighs at that...but nods. "Yeah...yeah, of course."
"Thanks," Del replies, then he walks off, after the doctor. Colin watches them, huddled together in the waiting area. Then they walk back toward him, and Del stops as the doctor keeps going.
"Doc's gonna let me see her for a minute...you wanna come?"
Instinctively, Colin shakes his head. "No...that really should just be...family."
"Look, man...it doesn't matter if you just met her...won't change the fact that she's only still alive because of you. I can't tell you how...I don't know how to thank you."
Colin has to look down for a second, feeling guilty. "You just did. Now you should go see her."
Del nods at him. "Okay...I'll be right back."
Colin nods back, and watches Del take off down the hall...then he shuffles over to the waiting area, collapsing into the same corner chair that Todd had been sitting in. He lets his head rest against the wall...and he closes his eyes for the first time in forever.
*****
The hours drag on at the hospital...and Del stares out the cafeteria window, watching the sky turn pink and purple. He looks back at his coffee cup, empty now...even though he only bought it five minutes ago...did I really drink it that fast? Wow...shit.
He checks his watch...then glances out the entrance, looking for a sign of the Vegas...Carlotta and Cristian were on their way there, and Carlotta had said she would try to find Roseanne and bring her along too. He knew the news had probably already made it down to Llanview anyway, since Tea had been somewhat of a local celebrity there...of course, more for her attachment to Todd than anything else.
He shakes his head, thinking of their confrontation earlier. Del had been chastising himself all day for pulling his gun on him...not because he didn't want to kill him, he most certainly did...but...he was still fairly new at the FBI, and couldn't afford to have an incident like that get on his record. He bites his lip, wondering if he was going to be getting a call from his superiors, telling him not to bother coming back. With a groan, he leans on the table, rubbing his forehead with the bases of his hands.
God...what a day...what a nightmare...good thing that McIver guy was around...
Del stares at the table, wondering about him. They had spoken at length, and McIver told him what had happened...that he met Tea at the gym, and ran into her last night at a club...told him how drunk and depressed she was, and how Todd had showed up and basically dragged her off...then how he had a bad feeling about her, and went by her apartment to check on her...and just kicked the door in when she didn't answer.
Damn...good thing he did...
Del had let Colin leave finally, after that...poor guy had been there all day, and Del could tell he wasn't comfortable staying there. He was still wondering why...all he could think of was that he didn't want to run into Todd again, even though he'd told him that Todd wouldn't DARE show his face, after what happened earlier.
But suddenly...even Del isn't sure about that. He'd been down in the cafeteria for a good hour already...
He stands up suddenly, just as his cell phone starts ringing...he flips it open as he runs out into the lobby, heading for the elevators.
"Yeah?"
"Del??" a woman's voice says, through static.
"Yeah...Carlotta?"
"Yeah, it's me...listen...Cris and I are in the city, but...we're stuck in traffic. Must be an accident or something."
Del gets in the elevator, switching the phone to his other hand as he presses the button for Tea's floor.
"Oh....well..." he starts, checking his watch. "...visiting hours are over in like, fifteen minutes."
He hears Carlotta cursing in Spanish...then he hears Cristian saying something in the background.
"We're never gonna get there in time."
"I know, it's okay...uh, why don't you guys just find a hotel for the night, then...and meet me here in the morning? I'm gonna stay with her tonight."
"Yeah...guess that's the best thing to do," she replies, then pauses for a second.
"How is she?" she asks. The elevator doors open, and Del steps out, walking quickly toward Tea's room.
"Surgery went fine...and she's been sleeping pretty much all day. I doubt she's gonna come around before morning, anyway, so."
Carlotta sighs. "Okay. Well...we'll see you in the morning, then."
"Yeah...see ya then," Del replies, then hangs up. He pokes his head into Tea's room, looking all around. Then he steps inside, and even checks inside the bathroom, just to be sure. But the coast is clear...and Tea is still sleeping, soundly. Del stands over her, gently clearing the hair out of her face. Then he bends down, and kisses the top of her head.
"I'm gonna grab a smoke and some more coffee...be right back," he whispers...then gives her another kiss before he leaves again. Tea stirs in her sleep, shifting around in the bed as she dreams.
*****
It had been a blustery, rainy day, that day all those months ago...and of course, it had to be the day they were looking at apartments. They'd been out for hours, looking at different places and getting drenched as they ran from the buildings to the cabs...because neither of them thought to bring an umbrella.
Night had settled on the city as they rode back to the hotel, after seeing the last apartment...and Tea slouches in the seat, letting her head drop back...looking at the view sideways. After a few seconds, she closes her eyes...feeling suddenly tired. Rain always made her tired...didn't matter if she was out in it, or just listening to it. She would just get sleepy. So she yawns, turning her head to look at Todd, who is already looking back at her. She grins, knowing he'd been staring at her the whole time.
Nothing is said, and they just look at each other for another moment. Then Tea sits up, running a hand over her wet head. She turns and looks at him again...and again, another silence passes between them...no words, just... looks. The cab pulls up to the hotel just then, lurching a little as it stops...breaking their concentration. Todd hands the driver a damp bill and takes a deep breath before getting out. He opens the door, and the sound of the rain gets louder, until he slams the door. Tea watches as he runs around to her side, opening the door for her. She grabs his wet hand and jumps out. Todd starts booking for the entrance, and he hears Tea laughing hysterically as he drags her along.
They enter the lobby of the posh hotel they'd been staying in...and all activity stops, everyone staring at the two drowned rats, laughing obnoxiously as they drip all over the marble floor. Tea looks up...and tries to stifle her laughter, but she just ends up snorting. She covers her mouth immediately, looking at Todd, who bites his lip to keep from busting up again. Then he clears his throat, and tosses his sopping wet hair back. Tea starts giggling again, as the water from his hair splatters on some people standing behind him. Todd makes a face at her, and she stops, clearing her throat, too.
Then, without a word, Todd takes her hand away from her face, and starts leading her through the lobby, toward the elevator...casually, making a point of not making a point, about the fact that they were dripping all over the place, and undoubtedly leaving a small river behind. Todd almost loses balance, the rubber soles on his boots squeaking and slipping around. He presses the call button, and one of the elevators immediately opens for them. They step in, and turn around to face all the rich snobs staring back at them.
Todd waves at them all, giving them his cheesiest smile. Tea looks over at him, and busts up laughing again, just as the doors close. She falls back against the wall, one hand over her mouth, the other over her gut, laughing painfully hard. She looks up at Todd, who's up against the other wall, doing the same thing.
"Ohhhh...THAT WAS FUNNY," she says, crying. Todd wipes his eyes, too, and the laughter dies down after a moment. They stare at each other from opposite sides of the elevator, which hums quietly as it takes them up and up.
Tea grins again, unable to stop herself...she starts to laugh again, but she keeps it from getting too loud. She looks at the sign, lighting up each floor, and moves to the middle, seeing their floor coming up.
"You think they'll LET us have room service tonight?"
Todd snickers at that, moving to the middle as well. "Yeah...if they know what's good for 'em."
Tea grins wider, then stares at the door, waiting for it to open. She feels the elevator slowing...and...
...she looks down at her hand...and sees Todd's fingers, lightly moving over hers. She glances at him, and he looks up at her. She smiles at the look in his eyes, because there was so much there...it was mischievous, affectionate and scared, all at the same time. She turns her face toward the doors again...but she moves her fingers around, interlocking them with his. The doors open, and she leads him out.
They walk down the hall slowly...and Tea pulls him closer, putting their entwined arms behind her back as they get to their door. Todd slides the plastic card through and the door opens...he pulls them both through, not wanting to let go of her. But she lets go of him, walking into the room, toward the big window that showed a beautiful view, even on a night like this one. Todd stands in the middle of the light-colored room, staring at her back as he drips all over the plush carpet.
Tea turns around and starts cracking up again. "God...look at us," she says, slipping her jacket off.
Todd snaps out of it long enough to look down at the puddle underneath him. "Oh, shit," he mutters, immediately taking his boots off and tossing them toward the door.
Tea laughs harder, following suit, tossing her wet shoes toward the door. Then she stops, watching Todd casually toss off his long, dark coat...casually...which was unusual for him. She waits for him to look back over at her...and when he does, he looks around, suddenly self-conscious.
"What?"
She doesn't respond...she just stares into him, deeply...her eyes taking on a different look as the seconds pass. Then he sees her hands moving up to her waist, to the hem of her sweater. He freezes...his eyes locking on her, narrowing as she starts lifting it up, revealing her bare stomach. She peels the wet sweater off, letting it land by her feet.
Tea breathes deeply, trying to calm her nerves...remembering the last time she tried this with him. She ended up getting thrown out on her naked butt, in the middle of a blizzard...and as she stands there, she hopes...hopes to god it won't happen again. She was taking a big chance...this would only be their second time...and the first time, Todd had made the first move. But as she looks at him, her nervousness melts into a warm affection. So she wets her lips, and with another deep breath, she starts unbuttoning her jeans...keeping her eyes locked with his. She couldn't tell if he was liking this or if he was about to bolt...but...she keeps at it, going slowly.
Todd's eyes move up and down, from her face, to her hands, and back up again. He still felt awkward, and uncomfortable...but at the same time, he really wanted her. He'd been wanting her since they got in the cab...before that, even...hell, he'd been wanting her all damned day. He takes a deep breath too, hoping the air will give him the much-needed nerve. He sees Tea's eyes, doing the offering, even as she makes the moves herself. He looks back at her hands, going for the last button...then he looks back up, into her eyes again...
...and starts crossing the room, striding over to her. She backs up a little, stopping immediately...looking at him anxiously. Todd takes another deep breath, staring into her eyes...and after a second, the determination in his eyes softens, and Tea reacts, with a relieved sigh. Without a word, Todd moves her hand aside...and undoes the last button. A smile turns her mouth up...and she steps into him, lightly moving her hands over his arms. Todd lets out a ragged breath, and he feels his heart pounding as he slides his hands along her waist, separating the jeans from her body, and sliding them down over her behind. Blushing, Tea bites her lip, tucking her head under his chin.
*****
Todd peeks through the stairwell door, checking the empty hall before he steps out. Then he stands there, just listening. Hospitals had their own kind of quiet, an eerie kind, somewhere between a library and a cemetery. He could hear the nurses talking quietly, and a television, even lower in the background.
After a moment, he steps over to the door he'd seen Del come out of a few minutes ago. He shuts his eyes for a second, trying to prepare himself for what he would see...then he opens the door as quietly as possible. He sees Tea lying there, asleep...with white, fluorescent light pouring down on her from a lamp above her head. He slips in, closing the door behind him, and walks over to her. The light casts shadows on her face, and lightens her pale skin even more, making her look...almost like a ghost.
Todd swallows hard, as he walks around to the far side of the bed, and sits down on the edge. He looks down at her hands...at the bandages on her wrists. His face twists up, and he bites the inside of his lip to keep from making noise. He reaches out for her hand, resting right there by his leg, but hesitates...looking at her face...as if she knew he was there. Then he tries again, reaching out and touching her fingers, lightly...barely...afraid to wake her...afraid he might cause more damage. He watches his fingers move over her hand, then over the top of her wrist...right over the rounded part of the bone, right over the bandage. He stops there, running a finger over the gauze, back and forth, back and forth...as if trying to make sure it was real, trying to make sure he wasn't just having the worst nightmare of his life.
But the gauze stays...it doesn't disappear, and he doesn't wake up. He looks up at her face...at her eyes, hidden by the shadows the light was casting. Dark holes were all he could see...dark holes...lifeless...soulless. A body was there, it was alive...warm, and breathing...but Tea was hiding...away from everything, everyone...
...away from him...somewhere deep inside herself.
"You took her life from her...and YOU...killed her spirit..."
He bites his lip again, stifling a sob...but the tears start flowing. The realization that there was no foul play involved here, was really sinking in now. SHE had done it...when she told him to leave, she wasn't just saying goodbye for now...she was saying goodbye forever. It was clear to him now...she had left him there, gone upstairs, locked herself in...and then tried to kill herself. And it hadn't been a cry for help...she didn't want help. She wanted out. She hurt so badly, and couldn't make it go away, no matter what she did. Even seeing him again, did nothing to help her...if anything, it made her feel worse. Because she had run out of the one thing that always kept them going back to each other...hope...and there was no point to a life with no hope.
Todd wipes his face, uselessly...and just sits there, staring at her bandaged wrist. He wants to say something to her, but has no idea what. He looks at her ghostly face again...then his eyes move down, to her chest, rising and falling. He stares, imagining that he can see her lungs, her heart...continuing to fill, and beat...keeping her alive, even though she had tried to stop them. And they would continue to keep her alive, until she decided to come back. He makes a face, feeling suddenly grateful for that. Grateful...of all the things to feel right now. He knows he should be feeling responsible, and racked with guilt...and he is, but at the moment...he's just grateful to see her still breathing...
...almost as if...they were getting another chance.
Todd wipes his face again, glancing over at the door. He had no idea when Del would be back, and knows he should probably leave...but instead, he lifts her hand, carefully wrapping her arm around him as he lies down, resting his head on her belly. He feels her moving, stirring a little...but she doesn't wake. So Todd closes his eyes, hugging her to him...listening to her heartbeat...low, steady...and hopeful.
*****
Tea looks up at him, grinning as she realizes her jeans aren't coming off as smoothly as they should. They were pretty tight-fitting, and now they were wet too...and Todd was having a hell of a time trying to peel them away. Finally, she steps back, keeping one hand on his shoulder as she shimmies them down to her ankles. She steps out of them, using her foot to toss them away. Then she looks back at him...and they both crack up. She reaches up, pushing some of his damp hair behind his ear, looking into his eyes. She sees the nervousness there, the uncertainty in him as to what to do now...so she smiles, stretching her neck up to kiss him.
Todd bends down a little to meet her, and their lips touch lightly. They look at each other for a moment, from this extremely close view...then Tea closes her eyes, letting her bottom lip brush over his...sending a warm rush through them both, melting them into each other. Tea tangles her fingers in his hair, and Todd wraps his arms around her waist, holding her to him as the kiss deepens.
They stand there in the middle of the room for a quite a while, making out like a couple of teenagers...their hands roaming, pulling each other as close together as they can get...kissing until they have to separate, to breathe...then staring at each other with heavy-lidded eyes. Todd gives her another small kiss, rubbing their noses together...stopping to look at her. Tea stares up at him, and smiles...raising an eyebrow. He grins back, lowering himself down a little...then a little more, and a little more, starting to pull her down with him. She smiles wider, biting her lip again as she starts to go down, and Todd pulls her into him by the back of her neck. She starts kissing him again, as he turns her around and over, laying her down into the carpet.
Then the pace picks up as Todd rolls on top of her, nestling between her legs as Tea starts pulling his shirt off. It gets tossed away, and he moves in, kissing her passionately, pushing her back down into the carpet as she goes for his pants, undoing the belt and the fly without even looking. Todd pulls away from her, but only slightly, breathing hard, as she is. He feels her hands, inside the waistband, sliding the pants down...but only as far as she can reach. Todd runs a hand over her chest, through the thin little undershirt that somehow never got taken off. He turns his head, looking down along her legs, realizing they still have an awful lot of clothes on. But as he moves against her, the friction that was turning him on...was also making him desperate to get inside her. At this point, he didn't even want to take the seconds needed to get her underpants off. Tea wets her lips again, closing her eyes as he keeps moving against her...and when she opens them again, she gives him a thoughtful look, as if trying to read his mind.
She cranes her neck up, kissing the tip of his nose affectionately...then she slides her hand in between them, brushing past him, making him suck his breath in. She grins at that...and then, with another kiss, she reaches down, and simply pulls the material aside. Then she positions herself under him, and brings her hand to his back, guiding him down on top of her. Todd looks at her, smirking at her problem-solving move...and she grins back, nestling into the plush carpet, as he slips a hand under her shirt...wrapping his arm around her waist, lifting her up a little, and getting a good hold on her as he pushes himself into her. Todd feels her back arching, sees her eyes closing, and hears her moaning softly...it sends a shudder of arousal through him that makes his movements more forceful, and more rhythmic. Tea brings her knees up, opening herself up as much as she can, as she wraps her legs around him.
Nothing is said, and they don't make a lot of noise as they make love on the carpet in middle of the hotel room. The only sounds between them are those of heavy breathing and wet, sloppy kissing. When they have to pull away and breathe, it's not even an inch...their noses stay in contact, and their eyes stay locked. Everything else disappears, and only the two of them exist in this world they're in now. It doesn't take long for Tea to climax, and even that she does quietly. The only way Todd knows at all is that she tenses up for a second, and shuts her eyes, moaning into his mouth in the middle of a kiss.
Todd pulls back again, to look at her as her eyes open again. He puts a hand behind her head, supporting her neck, and bringing her closer to his face. Tea just smiles a thin, but beautiful smile at him as he keeps moving inside her. She reaches up and again, pushes the hair behind his ear, with the lightest, feathery touch...then pulls him back into another kiss...a kiss that doesn't end until he comes, grabbing onto her tightly. Tea's whole body shakes with the force of him, and she breaks the kiss off, letting out a harsh breath. Panting, Todd pulls back, giving her a suddenly concerned look.
"You okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?" he whispers, between breaths.
Tea looks up at him, with sleepy eyes...and she shakes her head no. Todd sighs, relieved, as she reaches up with both hands, tangling her fingers in his hair. Her lips move, into something that looks like 'shhhh'...and even though no sound comes out, it has an immediate, soothing effect on him. He lowers himself down on her, kissing her collarbone before resting his head there. Tea lifts her chin for him, smoothing his hair back, as they both start to relax...Todd hugs her tightly, calmed by her fingers in his hair...and calmed by her softness and warmth...which seems to be everywhere...all around him, inside him, everywhere.
Tea sighs, as she continues running her fingers through his hair...and she whispers to him, as she closes her eyes, letting the same, comforting gesture lull her to sleep, as well...
*****
"...there's only one person in this world for me, Todd...and that's you...you're so beautiful...and I love you..."
Todd picks his head up immediately, hearing her whispering to him in her sleep.
"...I love you..." she whispers once more, moving around a little, before she drifts off again. He makes a face, going over the words in his head, because they sounded familiar...like she'd said them to him before. Then slowly, a look of realization comes over him, as he recalls...and knows exactly when it was, and what they were doing.
Strange...that they had been lying together just like they were now...it was so similar, and yet it couldn't be more different. Todd lets out a quiet cry at that, lying back down and burying his face in the covers over her stomach...hugging her tightly to him, just like he did then.
To Be Continued...
