No...it was something else. Ben? Well, of course...not a minute went by that she didn't think of him, miss him. But that felt different...it wasn't what she was experiencing now. Could it be Jessica...and the whole mess with Will? The whole thing was so screwed up, it never left her mind for very long. But that too, felt different than what she felt now.

No...it was definitely something else. If Viki knew anything, it was that she was extremely tuned in to herself. She knew how to listen to that inner voice, to her instincts...it was a skill she'd perfected over the years, and when she relied on it, she was usually right. Listening to herself now, she knows...it's not the usual problems...it's something different, something...

...hmm. She wrinkles her brow, trying to get a fix on it, trying to identify it. She feels a strange mix of something familiar that she hasn't been around in a while...and worry...definitely worry, like someone close to her was in trouble, maybe? But who? Everybody she knew had problems...but none of them ever woke her up in the middle of the night before. She makes a face, getting a little frustrated...knowing she'll never get back to sleep now, not as long as this feeling is bugging her. She turns away from the window and sits down on the couch, sighing, letting her head hang back. She closes her eyes, hoping maybe she'll either figure it out or fall asleep. As soon as she does, the sounds of the rain and the wind seem to die down...to allow another sound to become audible.

...knock...knock...knock...

Her head perks up immediately. She stares out in the direction of the foyer, listening...wondering if she really just heard what she thinks she heard...it was the middle of the night, after all. The wind and the rain swirl around outside, but more quietly now. She stands up, slowly, and tiptoes into the foyer, staring at the front doors. Seconds pass, and her pulse quickens...her face takes on a grave concentration, knowing whatever this is, is what woke her up.

...knock...knock...

Her eyes widen, knowing definitely now, she wasn't hearing things. Without even thinking, she runs to the door and opens it wide. A blast of cold wind and rain hits her in the face, and she turns her face away for just a second to wipe her eyes. When she turns back, she looks out...and sees nothing. She stands there, bewildered...getting soaking wet, looking in all directions. Finally, she looks down...

...and gasps...at the body heaped up in a lifeless mass at her feet. She kneels down, touching the body to find the head. When she feels wet hair, she uses both hands to lift the head up. She blinks rapidly to shake the rain out of her eyes. Hair covers the face like a wet blanket, and she speaks to the person as she moves it out of the way.

"Hello? Can you hear me? Can---"

Her mouth falls open in shock, as the hair parts away and the face is revealed. It takes her a second to recover...then she looks at the face, looks directly at the closed eyes, speaking loudly.

"Todd...Todd, can you hear me? Can you hear me?!"

No response...she lets out a worried breath, feeling how heavy his head is in her hands. She lets his head down gently and gets up. She wipes her face quickly, then grabs his arms and pulls him inside. When she gets him clear of the door, she walks around him and closes it. She stands there for a second, recovering...then runs over to the soaking wet lump on the floor, turning him onto his back. She clears his face of all the hair, wiping it dry with her robe.

"Todd, honey...can you hear me?"

She leans in close, getting her face right in his, waiting for him to exhale. He does, weakly, and his breath tickles her nose. Well...he's breathing, at least...

Then her face becomes dark with worry, feeling how cold his face is...freezing. He must have been out there for hours to get this cold. She keeps her hands on his cheeks, trying to warm him...and sits there for a moment, unsure about what else to do.

"Mom?? What's going on down here??"

Viki's head whips around to the staircase, as Jessica appears on the landing, yawning and sloppy in her sweats. She stops short when she sees the scene in front of her, in shock. She runs down the stairs and kneels down next to her.

"Oh my god...is that Todd??"

Viki nods at her, still in shock herself.

"Is he hurt or something?"

They look him over, quickly, for any signs of injury...but nothing jumps out at them. He's just a cold, soaking wet mess from head to toe. Viki checks him over again, then she gets up and grabs him under the shoulders.

"I don't think so, I think he's just exhausted...but we gotta get him off this floor. Jess, get his feet, we'll put him on the couch."

Jessica gets around to his legs, slipping around on the wet floor. She lifts his feet as Viki starts to drag him toward the living room.

"What happened? How'd he get here?"

"I have no idea...he just...showed up," Viki replies, as they make their way to the couch.

Jessica puts his feet down, and wipes her hands on her hips. "Mom, he's soaking. We gotta get him out of those clothes or he's gonna ruin that couch."

Viki sits down, still holding Todd under the arms. He falls limply against her legs. She sighs, taking a second to wipe her face...then she looks at Jessica, with a tired smile, nodding.

"Yeah...and catch pneumonia while he's at it. Um...oh, I know. There's some old stuff of Kev and Joey's upstairs..."

Jessica nods, already on her way. "Right...I'll get some towels and stuff, too."

Viki stands up and walks over to the fireplace. She works quickly, tossing the wood in, and lighting it up. She pokes the pieces of wood around, getting the fire going. Then she takes off her wet robe and kneels down beside Todd, slumped against the couch. She lifts his chin, and looks at his face again.

"Oh, honey...what happened to you?" she whispers.

There's no response from him, his face dark, his eyes closed, his stringy, wet hair slapping against her hand. She sighs as she lets his head drop gently, then starts to pull his jacket off. She hesitates, anticipating a reaction...waiting for him to suddenly grab her hand and stop her. But seconds pass, and nothing happens. Slowly, she peels off layer after layer, without a complaint. She makes a face at the sheer amount of clothing he's wearing, that strange habit of his...but in this case it probably saved his life. Jessica comes back in as Viki gets his shoes off.

"Here...hope this stuff'll fit him," she says, dropping a bunch of sweatshirts and pants on the floor as she clears the couch, tossing the pillows on the floor and covering the cushions with big towels.

Viki carefully dries him off...looking at him sadly, as she runs the towel over his hair. Then she slips a sweatshirt over his head, pulling his arms through and pulling it down over him. It takes a bit more work to get the pants on, but she manages.

"Let's get him on the couch," she says, as she stands up. She and Jessica lay him flat, then lift him up and drop him onto the towel-covered couch. They cover him with blankets, and put pillows under his head, tucking him in like a child. Then they stand back, and just stare at him for a while.

"Should we call somebody? I mean, a doctor or something?" Jessica asks.

Viki thinks, her hand over her mouth...once again, turning to her inner voice for advice. After a moment, she shakes her head.

"No...not yet, anyway. Let's just let him sleep."

"Yeah, but what if he's really sick or something?"

Viki shakes her head. "Somehow I don't think it's anything like that."

"How do you know?"

"I...DON'T, I guess..." Viki replies, shrugging. "...but I...I DO know HIM...and something is just telling me to leave him be for now."

Jessica wags her eyebrows, then sighs. There's a silence as they stare at him for another moment. Then Jessica shakes her head, looking at her mom.

"This is so weird. He's the LAST person *I* ever expected to see."

Viki runs a hand through her hair...still looking at him...thinking. Then she grabs Jessica's hand and leads her out into the foyer, partially closing the double doors behind her. She turns to Jess, shaking her head.

"What?"

Viki hesitates another moment, trying to figure it out...then she looks at her again.

"Where's Tea?" she whispers, as if Todd could hear her.

Jessica's eyes widen, suddenly realizing. "Oh my god, that's right! Didn't she just leave town with him?" she says, lowering her voice.

"Well, I thought so, but...if she did, then why isn't she with him? And what in God's name could've happened that would make him show up here, like this?"

"Think something happened to her?"

Viki shakes her head, shrugging. They look at each other, both at a loss...then Jess makes a face.

"You don't think...ah, forget it," she says, waving a hand.

Viki looks at her. "No, no...tell me...think what?"

Jessica sighs, like she's sorry she thought it...then she looks at her mom, somewhat guiltily.

"You don't think he might've...done...something..."

Viki stares at her, confused. Jess sighs again. "...never mind."

Viki tightens her brow, trying to figure out what she's talking about...suddenly, it dawns on her. She turns and looks at the doors, then back at Jess...she opens her mouth to speak, then stops herself, covering it with her hand.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, Mom. I don't hate him like everybody else does around here...and I know he's not all bad, but...he HAS done some pretty bad things."

All Viki can do is shake her head at that...the very idea upsetting her. Jessica holds her by the shoulders.

"Mom, look...I'm just...guessing, okay? I don't really know him."

Viki looks at her...then sighs, calming down. She pats her hand. "No...it's okay, I'm sorry. I just...can't imagine that. I just can't," she says, walking over to the stairs and sitting down. Jess sits down next to her, hugging her knees as her mom leans up against the wall.

"Well, don't get mad or anything...but...why not? I mean, he did rape that girl Marty, didn't he?"

Viki's eyes widen at that. "Jess..."

Jessica shrugs. "Mom, I just told you...I don't KNOW anything about him...except that he's related to me, and that he's a pretty strange guy with a lotta...issues...not that I know what any of them are. I asked Kev and Joey, and they just got all mad and said he's mental...and that he's from hell. And that Tea's mental for going back to him all the time..."

Viki sits up, annoyed at all the bad blood between Todd and her sons...and everybody else in town, for that matter. But at the same time, she has to grin at her daughter's candor. She rests her head on her hand, listening as she continues.

"...y'know, they told me that he actually punched her out one time...and that she hit him back with a shovel or something? I mean, what is THAT about? And I remember their wedding...or WHATEVER that was...faking personality disorders to get outta jail? Now that IS screwed up..."

Viki just continues to grin, not used to hearing things relayed back to her in such a way. Jessica shrugs again.

"...so, please...TELL me. What is his DEAL?"

Viki sighs, knowing her daughter has no idea what a loaded question that is. She pats her knee, then gets up, taking her hand.

"We'll need a full pot of coffee for THAT story. Come on."

They walk silently through the foyer toward the kitchen. Viki glances at the living room, at the warm light shining through the doors.

...the deal. Yes, Todd...what IS your deal this time...?

She looks away sadly, knowing that whatever it is, it isn't good...and hoping that he's not too far-gone to tell her.