Todd also, has been silently admiring his wife as he trails behind her...and mostly just trying to get used to the fact that she was there at all. Even now, as he approaches her standing at the door, he half expects she'll disappear when he gets there...which is why he stayed behind her most of the way back. But he gets closer...and closer...and still she stands, shivering as she waits for him to open the door.

He finally steps up on the porch. He looks at her short, layered hair, blown in all directions now, making her look like a pixie...how weird, he thinks...she even LOOKS like a magical thing.

She blinks at him through her scarf. "Are you gonna open this door before I freeze to death?"

He grins at her as he pulls the keys out, and opens the door. "Keep your pants on, Delgado."

She laughs through chattering teeth. "You kidding? At this rate, I'll be sleeping with my COAT on."

They walk in, getting hit with a blast of warm air. Tea lets out a sigh as the warmth starts to thaw her face. She moves her jaw back and forth as she takes her coat off. Todd doesn't seem to be as affected by the cold, merely rubbing his hands together as he sits down on the couch, still not bothering to take his coat off. He looks up at Tea, who's still trying to warm up, rubbing her arms and legs.

She looks down and sees him staring at her. "Sorry...I'm used to those MILD east coast winters."

He grins slightly. She grins back, then looking around, she spots the throw blanket and grabs it off the back of the couch. She wraps it around herself and plops down on the floor in front of him. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, looking at her. She runs a hand through her mussed hair, eyes on him. They sit in silence for a long time, enjoying the calm they create by merely being in the same room.

Finally, Tea looks down at her lap, a sudden sense of dread sinking in. She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and fighting with herself...she knows she has to tell him. But...what will he do when she does? Is she prepared to take responsibility for what happens now? Her chest is moving up and down faster now...there's a different feeling invading their space now, and Todd senses this as he looks at her.

"What's up, Delgado?"

She looks up at him, her eyes now covered over with apprehension. She takes another deep breath... here goes.

"Todd...you know that Viki gave me the ticket you sent HER, right?"

He glances off to one side, then back at her, nodding. She swallows, seeing his entire concentration on her face. She can't backpedal now...

"Well...I...I have to tell you what happened with that key you sent."

He says nothing, just sitting there, waiting. He's not sure what she's going to say, but from her voice, he's not gonna like it, whatever it is. She picks her butt up and moves a little closer, now right at his feet.

"I...uh..." she stutters, not knowing how to phrase it. Finally, she shuts her eyes, deciding to just blurt it out.

"I asked John Sykes to help me figure out what the key opened."

She opens her eyes to find his brow creased...a questioning, bordering-on-accusing look on his face.

"He was the one who found out what it opened finally, but that wasn't until just last week. And...he... uh...look, what I'm trying to say is, I never KNEW you sent me a ticket...because HE took it out of the locker before I even got to it."

She lets out the rest of the breath she said all that in, then looks back up at him...nothing. Todd feels that familiar insecurity and paranoia rising up fast, getting ready to lash out at her. She watches him as his tongue moves behind his cheek, his eyes narrowing. She sighs, her shoulders dropping.

"Go ahead...ask me."

He bites his lip, then, quietly...

"You sleeping with him?"

She shuts her eyes, taking the hit. She bites her own lip, hard...then opens her eyes, wide...looking directly into him.

"No."

"Then why did he do it?" His voice is still amazingly low.

Tea sighs. "I...I think maybe he..."

"...wants you?" He finishes the sentence for her, having an increasingly difficult time plugging the leaks that are springing up inside. He can feel the pressure building, bottlenecking...

She's not sure how she's seeing it, but she sees it happening. She takes a deep breath and rises up on her knees, putting them eye-to-eye. He hasn't blinked once since she started this discussion. She continues, even though she's getting nervous.

"Todd, listen to me...I...I'm not gonna lie to you and say I'm totally innocent here. He was after me when you left...and I snubbed him for a long time. He did eventually wear me down, though...and we went out ONE time. But...I never led him on or anything..."

Inside, Todd feels himself rapidly losing it...he can see himself trying to hold it together, but this is coming out of nowhere. He wants to believe her...she is there with HIM, after all...but how does he know what she's been doing? How does he know she isn't lying? The obstacle that always kept them apart before pops up again...

He has to trust her.

No, you don't...another voice says...DON'T trust her. Don't trust ANYONE. EVERYONE has let you down...she's no different...in fact, she's the worst offender of all. You've got to shut her down, right now.

Tea's voice trails off, becoming distant, muffled...the inner voice is louder, overpowering. He stares at her, his face growing darker, his eyes narrowing to slits. He can't hold it back now, it's started...

Sensing trouble, Tea leans in closer, whispering. "Todd?"

The room gets eerily quiet. They stare at each other...though now, Tea's not sure if it's Todd she's looking at. Her heart sinks like a rock. All she can do is wait for him to react.

Inside, Todd tries one last ditch attempt to stop it...he opens his eyes wider, his face softening with concern for her. He opens his mouth to speak...but it's too late...it's almost as if someone has grabbed him from behind and tossed him aside like a doll, as he jerks back suddenly. Tea reacts, jumping back from him.

His head is down, hair covering his face, breathing heavily. Tea puts a hand to her mouth, and moves back farther. The sounds of her sliding back make him look up, slowly, through his hair...a pair of the coldest, meanest eyes she's ever seen are now looking at her like she was a bug about to be squashed.

"Oh, no..." she whispers.

Before she knows what's happening, he's across the distance and has her pinned to the floor. She looks up into his eyes, knowing who it is now. She shuts her eyes tightly, shaking under him as he stares into her diabolically. She opens her eyes, and he shakes his head at her, his voice oozing out quietly, icy and cruel.

"You are SUCH a little whore, you know that? And you actually think you can make us believe you didn't sleep with him? Get real. You probably couldn't WAIT for us to leave so you could jump him."

She opens her mouth to protest. He shouts right in her face.

"Don't LIE to us, Tea! You're just like every other woman. So come on, tell us...give us ALL the details of your great sex with that loser cop."

Tea's eyes are wide with fear, her mind racing...she has no idea what to do. She knows she can't let Pete dominate her, but he's scaring her to death. She knows what Todd is capable of when Pete controls him...if she doesn't act now, she's either gonna end up in a hospital or in a morgue.

He laughs at her, snidely. "Fine, be that way. You know, Todd, Tom and Rod may ALL be soft when it comes to you, but I KNOW you. You're a lying, worthless little bitch. I knew Todd couldn't handle this without giving YOU the upper hand, so here I am."

Tea looks around wildly for anything she might be able to grab...but there's nothing. She looks back at Pete, who pushes himself up onto his knees, still holding her arms down, but freeing her legs up slightly.

"I'm gonna shut you down, sweetie...say goodnight."

He lets go of her arms for a split second, rearing back and getting ready to punch her with everything he's got. In that split second, Tea realizes this is her only chance. She does the only thing she can, bringing her knee up fast and hard, right into his crotch. Pete gasps for air as the wind gets knocked out of him, falling over in intense pain. Tea scrambles to her feet and across the room, one hand on the doorknob. She turns and looks back to see Pete curled up on the floor, rocking with the pain.

She stands there for a second, looking at him, her fear turning into adrenaline, giving her a moment of clarity. Before she even realizes it, she's walking back toward him. She stands over him for a second, then kneels down in front of him. She watches him as he glares at her, speechless with agony.

She knows she has him at a supreme disadvantage right now, and that this may be the only time she can speak to him without having to be afraid of him. She decides to go for it, getting right in his face and looking directly into his seething eyes as he gathers himself into a sitting position.

"Now you listen to ME. You don't know SQUAT about me...but *I* know YOU. You just can't stand the fact that Todd needs ME more than he needs ANY of you. And you're very well aware of the fact that there WILL come a day when Todd will finally have the strength to shut YOU down. That's what this is all about. You just want to destroy HIM so YOU can remain."

She sits back for a second. The room is quiet, except for the sounds of Pete's labored breathing. He's still immobilized, arms wrapped around himself.

"Well, I'm gonna tell you something right now...I love him as much as you hate him. I'm hip to you...and I'm NOT gonna let you do it. You can threaten me all you want...I don't give a crap."

She leans in closer. He backs away. She points a finger directly at his nose, her voice quiet, but steely.

"I am NOT afraid of you. You just think about that the next time you feel like taking a swing."

The intense physical pain seems to be having some kind of involuntary calming effect. Tea sits back again, watching him. She's not sure how she knows, but she knows her warning has sunk in, and he's no longer a threat. She sees the rage in his eyes dissipating before he shuts them. She watches as they flutter, and his body twists uncomfortably.

Todd's eyes flutter open again, wide with shock. He looks at her, still shuddering with the pain. Spent, Tea falls back on her behind onto the floor, burying her head in her hands and starting to cry, releasing the tension. After a moment, he manages to unwrap himself a little, and pull himself over to her. He looks at her in awe, this woman who just risked everything to stand up for him. He watches her body shake with stress, listening to her quiet cries. He reaches up and gently touches her hair.

"Delgado..."

She looks up suddenly, her voice gone, whispering. "Todd?"

They look at each other and the mutual understanding returns in the peaceful silence, soothing their nerves. She nods, sniffling. Todd reaches out to her with both hands, cradling her face and wiping the fast-flowing tears. His own eyes tear up with humble devotion to her, as he opens his mouth and tries to form some proper words. But all he can think of is one sentence.

"I...I love you."

She closes her eyes...the words bring on an unexpected wave of exhaustion. He feels her head growing heavier in his hands. He scoops her up, and she falls limp against him. He holds her tightly, as she folds herself up, trying to get her entire body inside the safety of his arms. He pushes his face into her hair, letting it soak up his own tears. She tucks her head under his chin, lifting her arm up and hanging her hand in the crook of his arm. They sit there on the floor like that for a long time, rocking back and forth gently, the stillness becoming a kind of lullaby.