There's a knock at the door. She sits up, knowing exactly who is standing outside. Shutting her eyes, she takes a deep breath and prepares to put on the act. With her eyes still closed, she calls out.

"Yeah..."

The door opens...as she suspected, Sykes pokes his head in. "Wow...burnin' the midnight oil, huh?"

She runs a hand through her hair. "Yep, that's me...buried as usual."

He saunters in and sits down in front of her. "Are you planning on going home at some point?"

She looks at him coolly, taking a moment to search his eyes again. Inside, she just wants to jump across the desk and beat him to a pulp. But she knows what's up...knows SHE'S controlling the game, at least for the moment. She smiles shrewdly.

On the other side of the desk, Sykes is also trying to read her...but can't seem to do it. Her face has an expression on it that he can't quite read. But she's calm...so...that MUST mean she still doesn't know. He decides to start fishing.

"I must say, counselor...I'm surprised you haven't been back to that locker yet."

She raises an eyebrow. Ohhh, okay...here we go. You think you're so damned slippery.

"Who says I haven't?"

He does a take. "Oh...well, I just figured..."

"No, I went," she says casually, as she grabs another file.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

She shoots him a look.

He puts his hands up. "Sorry. Forgot."

She looks away, thinks a moment...and then decides maybe it would be best to throw him a bone, and make it seem like she's opening up to him more. She sighs, laying it on a little thicker now...

"No, I'M sorry...I shouldn't be so defensive. I guess it's just a reflex with me now," she says, resting on her elbows.

He smiles, lowering his tone seductively. "Don't apologize, Tea...it's perfectly understandable."

She smiles back. He leans on the desk, so the two of them are face to face. They stare each other down, each of them for different reasons. Finally, he reaches out to touch her face. She watches his hand as it makes contact with her cheek, then looks back at him. She slowly grasps his hand and lowers it back on to the desk, smiling and whispering to him.

"I REALLY have to get back to it."

He sighs, sitting back. After another shared look, he decides not to push her further...at least not now.

"Right...you're not gonna get home any sooner," he says, getting up from the chair.

She watches him closely as he heads for the door, then quickly smiles and waves when he turns back around. He waves back, his eyes on her until the moment he shuts the door behind him. Tea closes her eyes, sighing heavily and shaking her head. Then she looks back at her watch and tries to get back to work.

It's two hours later in Montana. Out in the middle of nowhere, the Atherton Foundation is deathly quiet. Todd lies on his couch in the small guest house he's staying in, clutching a pillow to his chest and staring up at the ceiling. He's been filled with nervous energy all day, and all that walking didn't tire him much. Even the session today didn't really fatigue him...and it was pretty grueling. Calling out all the alters to let them know Tea was coming...all of them were happy about it, except for Pete...who made a brief, but scary appearance. It was the first time he'd come out when called for in at least a week. But as usual, he was all hate and rage...even with all the therapy Todd had had so far, and all the progress he'd made, Pete was still just as strong as he ever was, and wasn't going anywhere.

Todd sighs, running a hand through his hair. He still couldn't quite believe she was really going to be there...the one woman who meant anything to him...the one who told him to get out of her life not too long ago.

He starts a one-sided conversation with her in his head. So what was it...what made you change your mind? Was it the puzzle piece? Does it still mean something to you? Or are you just coming see the weirdo on display...to rip my guts out...to take me to the cleaners?

He makes a face. Na...you're not like that...besides, I already offered you another fortune to hang around and you tore it up. So THAT'S not it...

He sits up and looks over the back of the couch. On the table immediately behind it sit two framed pictures...one of Tea, the other of Starr. He picks up Tea's picture, feeling the new frame. He vaguely remembers both the pictures getting thrown against a wall during one of Pete's rampages. He tosses the pillow down on the floor and lies back down, Tea's picture against his chest.

There's a knock at the door. His eyes narrow, darting over to the door.

"Who the hell is it?"

Outside, Joely stands by the door, smoking. She laughs, shaking her head at Todd's abruptness. She blows some smoke off to the side.

"It's Bigfoot...who the hell do you THINK it is?"

Todd gets up and is at the door in two steps, still holding Tea's picture. A chilly wind blows into the room, and the lamp light falls on Joely.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, doc?"

She crushes her cigarette out, and walks inside. "Sorry. I was just finishing up some paperwork and I saw your light still on. I thought I'd check on you...since tomorrow is such a big day."

He shuts the door and leans up against it, clutching the picture to his chest. Joely cocks her head to one side, smiling sensitively.

"I know it's difficult for you, Todd...but you might TRY sleeping."

He stands back up, stretching his neck from one side to the other. "Don't think I can right now. Too wound up."

She nods. "Well...how are you feeling, alright?"

He shrugs. "Yeah...I guess. Nervous."

"Mmmhmm. That's to be expected, I think. About anything in particular?"

He sighs, looking at Tea's picture in the new frame. Joely looks down at it, then back up at him, nodding.

"Ah. Pete."

Todd's eyes suddenly glaze over with worry...his voice drops to barely above a whisper.

"I...I'm afraid he'll try to hurt her. He hates her...hates everybody."

Joely nods, and takes a breath, looking him right in the eyes. Her voice is quiet, but confident.

"He's part of you, Todd...a really awful part, but a part nonetheless. You have to deal with him to a certain extent...but ultimately, YOU control HIM. Remember that. YOU can make him small."

She walks past him to the door, and turns around. Todd turns to look at her.

"And as for Tea...well. She's a big girl. If she's how you described, she'll stand up to him."

She offers one last smile and opens the door, taking a couple of steps out and turning around again.

"Good night, Todd."

He nods, sorta-waves then closes the door. Joely stands outside for a second, shaking her head and smiling to herself. Then she turns and walks back to the house.

Todd grabs the throw blanket off the chair and wraps it around himself as he turns off all the lights except one. Then he falls back down on the couch, sighing heavily and rubbing his face. He keeps one arm over his eyes and lets the other go limp, his hand on the floor still holding Tea's picture.

To be continued...