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.

*****

The sun is even brighter than usual after the rain clouds clear out. Kevin Buchanan walks up to the front doors of the big house, breathing in the crisp, clean air and exhaling little steam clouds. He sticks the key in the lock and walks inside, whistling a little bit as he enters the foyer, and glances up the stairs.

"Hey, Mom..." he starts, then strolls into the kitchen. Empty. He walks back into the foyer and notices the closed living room doors. He cocks his head, curious...those doors aren't usually closed.

Without a second thought, he grabs the knobs and turns, opening the doors wide.

"Mom, you in here---?" he asks, before freezing in his tracks.

There, before him, lies Todd Manning. Sleeping on the couch. His mouth drops open, as his eyes scan the room...he spots his mother, on the opposite couch, asleep too. Kevin stands there, completely dumbfounded for a moment... then trying to figure out what he should do...

...grab Mom and get her outta here?

...or...

...grab TODD and throw HIS ass out?

He's still mulling it over as Viki stirs, wiping her eyes and sitting up. She gasps when she sees him standing there.

"Oh! Honey. Jeez, you startled me."

Kevin cocks an eyebrow at her, tongue flicking his teeth. Viki looks back at him questioningly, too sleepy to realize.

"What?"

He makes a more dramatic face at her, pointing at the other couch. She looks over, just as Todd's eyelids start to flutter, the first signs of consciousness.

"Oh..." she whispers, hopefully.

Kevin looks over and sees him starting to move around a little. He glances back at his mom, who, he can see, is already totally brainwashed again...feeling sorry for him. The knot in his stomach becomes hot with anger, as he watches Todd slowly waking up from what looks like a nice, peaceful rest.

Ohhhh, no...not again. You WON'T do this to her again...

The words run through his mind quickly, as his brain instructs his body to take action. Before he even realizes what he's doing, he's over to the couch, grabbing Todd by the shirt, yanking him up and out.

"GET UP, you sonofaBITCH!!"

"NO!!!" Viki yells, in total shock. She lurches forward, reaching out, trying to stop him, but to no avail. Kevin shakes her off and starts to drag a barely conscious Todd out of the room. Viki continues to scream at him, trying in vain to pull her son away from him.

"Kevin!!! STOP IT!!! Let him go!!!"

While all this is happening, Todd is only vaguely aware of what is happening to him. He's definitely awake now...but it's as if his brain hasn't quite caught up to current events. As Kevin drags him along, he shakes his head, trying to get with it. As he becomes more aware, his body starts to react. He manages to grab a hold of Kevin's arms, making a few unintelligible noises as he tries to stand up...but Kevin clearly has the advantage at the moment.

Jessica comes running down the stairs, stopping on the landing as Kevin hauls Todd up, and slams him against the front doors. Viki runs up to them and tries again to pull Kevin away, but he won't budge. Todd looks around him, then at all of them...finally starting to realize where he is, and what's going on.

"LET HIM GO, Kevin!!"

He turns and glares at her. "Why did you even let him in here, huh??"

Viki's shoulders sink...not having the energy to even get into it. She puts her hands out in a calming, pleading motion...speaking more softly.

"Honey, please...I know what you're thinking, but please...PLEASE don't do this. Let him go."

Her gentle tone only serves to make him angrier. Viki's eyes fill with fear, as she watches his completely glaze over. His lip curls up into a snarl as he tightens his grip on Todd's shirt, and gets his face in close, nose to nose.

"I gotta hand it to ya, man...you got some BIG cojones, coming back here...back HERE??!! There really is no such thing as SHAME in that screwed-up brain of yours, is there??"

Viki lets out an exhausted sigh, at a loss...covering her face. Jessica just stands there on the landing, watching in shock.

"Well, I hope you had a nice nap. 'Cause this is the LAST time you're EVER gonna set foot in this house. I am NOT gonna let you take advantage of her again, you got me??"

Kevin scans Todd's eyes...for that familiar glint that they always have...like he's got one over on everybody. He hesitates a moment...because as he stares into those eyes...he sees it's not there. All he sees is shock, surprise...maybe even a hint of fear. He makes a face, thrown off for a second. Todd says nothing, and just looks back at him like he's waiting for the ax to drop.

Viki takes advantage of the silence and interjects. "Kevin...honey, please stop this, okay? I REALLY don't need this right now."

The tension is thick, as they all stand there. Kevin examines Todd's face for another moment...then looks at her.

"Oh, and this is what you DO need?"

Viki sighs, frustrated. "Alright...I'm not gonna have this conversation with you right now. I said let him go."

Kevin stares at her, shaking his head. "I don't believe this," he mutters, turning his glare back to Todd, who still remains silent. They stare each other down for another moment, then Kevin reluctantly lets him go. Todd shakes himself out of his grasp, but stays where he is. Jessica takes a few steps down toward them, still listening in as Kevin takes a step back, arms folded.

He looks at his mom. "So...don't tell me. He showed up here like, DYING or something, right?"

He holds up his hand, rubbing his thumb and index finger together... otherwise known as 'the world's smallest violin.' Viki just makes a face. Then she looks at Todd standing next to her...he takes his eyes off of Kevin for a moment to look back at her. Nothing is said, but Viki nods as if something was...then Todd starts to walk away from them, heading back into the living room. Kevin turns with him, aghast.

"The hell you think you're doin'??"

Todd ignores him and walks into the living room. Kevin starts to go after him, but Viki's startling volume stops him.

"STOP."

He turns back...they exchange glances, then he shakes his head as he walks up to her.

"Mom, please...you're NOT buying into his act AGAIN. PLEASE, TELL me that!"

Viki takes a step toward him. "Kevin, I'm not an idiot. I remember everything he did."

He throws his hands up. "Then WHAT is he still DOING here?!"

In the living room, out of their sight, Todd stands behind one of the doors, his face pressed up against it, listening with closed eyes as they argue about him.

"Obviously, he's here because he needs HELP."

"Oh, yeah, he needs HELP alright...a rubber room or a nice cell at Statesville, maybe."

"I know what you're thinking, but---"

"What I'M thinking??? What, like I'M the only one who hates his guts?! He-LO, Mom! Y'know, you're standing here saying you remember what he did, but I don't think you do! So let's play Todd's greatest hits, shall we?"

Viki sighs heavily, shaking her head as Kevin counts off on his fingers.

"Okay, he RAPED Marty Saybrooke...still the BIGGEST hit of his very prolific career...slandered our family's name on a daily basis on the front page of that RAG of his, held almost the entire town HOSTAGE, threatened to blow us all to kingdom come...kidnapped his own kid, a COUPLE of times, if I'm not mistaken...he seems to enjoy kidnapping a whole bunch, like it was some kinda hobby...anyway, let's see, what else..."

"Kevin..." Viki interjects, but he continues right over her, on a roll.

"...oh yeah, not to mention what he did to Nora...and...oh! Let's not forget..."

He steps up to her, speaking more quietly. "...he ridiculed and exploited YOUR childhood with that multiple personality stunt...and used it as a get-outta-jail-free card."

Viki looks at her son for a long time, with tired, experienced eyes. She speaks just as quietly.

"Are you done?"

Kevin's voice calms even further, simmering down from ballsy anger to a stew.

"No. I'm not... 'cause that's not even all of it. Do you know, Mom...that HE is most likely the one responsible for the attempts on RJ Gannon's life? Did you know that?"

Viki's brow crinkles. He nods back. "That's right...attempted murder...and the only reason it's not actual murder is because RJ just HAPPENED to be wearing a bulletproof vest when Todd SHOT at him."

Behind the living room door, Todd's eyes pop open at that. Then he shuts them again, sighing...he was so tired...but now he knew, he couldn't even be safe here.

...he's gonna call the cops, that little prick.

Todd glances around the room, quickly...feeling his adrenaline starting to kick back in, that familiar flight impulse. He stops when he sees his boots in front of the fireplace, and his clothes in a laundry basket next to them, dry. Back in the foyer, Kevin looks at his mom, as she stands there, gaping a little, taken aback by the possibility. He glances over at Jess, still hanging out on the landing...her face looking very much the same. Finally, Viki shakes her head.

"You don't know that, Kevin. RJ has plenty of enemies, plenty of people who'd want to see him dead...but Todd never had any problem with him."

He cocks his head. "Well, no...not until Tea started dating him, anyway."

Another silence. She takes that in, thinking about it for a second...then looks back at him, suspiciously. Kevin picks up on it, and makes a face.

"Don't believe me? Well, maybe you'll believe Bo... 'cause he's the one who told me all of that."

Viki still says nothing, but is clearly listening. Kevin holds her by the shoulders.

"Mom, all you have to do is think about it for two seconds, and you'll know it's true. In addition to all of those other wonderful traits, Todd's always been possessive and completely obsessed with Tea. Even when he's not around, he's still gotta make sure she's on that short leash..."

He steps back, folding his arms again, wheels turning in his head. "...and who knows, y'know? I mean, he's back here, hiding out in your living room...and Tea...hmm. She's nowhere to be found. God only knows what he might've done to h---"

Before he can finish the thought, Todd bolts out of the living room and grabs him from behind, locking an arm around his neck. Viki and Jessica both let out surprised shrieks as they run over and try to break them up. But, as before, it's no use...the guys are just too strong. Todd doesn't even notice Viki trying to peel him away, as he shoves Kevin into the big table in the middle of the foyer. Jessica dives out of the way as Kevin smacks into it...and while he reels from the pain in his gut, Todd grabs him by the collar and spins him around to face him. Kevin snarls, his breathing jagged from the pain.

"Ohhh...what, did I hit a nerve there, TODD?? Didya kill HER, too...or didya just settle for raping her?!"

Todd grits his teeth hard at that, his eyes flashing with rage. He hauls back with a closed fist and lets it fly, punching Kevin squarely in the jaw.

"NO!!!" Viki yells, as she watches her son's head snap sharply to the side, spraying blood out of his mouth. Jessica shrieks again, and runs over just in time to catch Kevin before he hits the floor.

Todd whirls around, grabbing Viki's hands and pushing her away. He stands there, panting with the effort, staring her down as she backs away from him, hands up. She looks down at Jessica, holding her unconscious brother, wiping his mouth with her shirt. Viki's arms drop to her sides, her shoulders sinking as she looks back at Todd, who is completely dressed back in his own clothes...ready to bolt at a moment's notice. She shrugs, letting out a humorless laugh.

"Well, that...that's just great. What do you expect me to do now? Hmm?"

Todd turns and looks down. Jessica just stares up at him, scowling...then shakes her head and turns her attention back to Kevin. Todd lets out an exhausted sigh, shutting his eyes to the mess around him...the mess he made...the mess that seems to follow him wherever he goes.

"Jess...is he okay?" Viki asks.

Jessica dabs at Kevin's lip with her shirt...she shrugs. "Well, he's out cold...but he's still breathing. So I guess he's okay."

Viki nods...then takes a step toward Todd, speaking softly.

"Todd. Look at me."

He squeezes his eyes shut tighter...then opens them, looking at her reluctantly. Viki stares into his eyes...those deep, deep wells that lead down to the sadness, the darkness, the rage and pain that is his life. And she remembers how connected she is to him...because she knows. She knows what nobody else does, what nobody else can...because she's been there, where he's been and is now. It's an unusual, unbreakable connection...one that would remain no matter what he did in the past or would do in the future.

But it's also a connection that Todd has admittedly used to his own advantage...one that puts her in the most difficult position of having to defend him against her own family, and the rest of the world. She watches him, watches his adrenaline rush fading, his mental and physical exhaustion returning. She looks down for a moment, not even sure what to say to him...where she should begin. Finally, she looks back up...she rubs her face, keeping her hands folded in front of her face.

"Okay. I'm just gonna say one or two things here, like...I just got out of the hospital not that long ago for a masectomy. Did you know that?"

The look that comes over his face tells her he didn't. She nods, continuing...trying to remain as calm as she can.

"And I'm not telling you this to make you feel worse, believe me. I'm just saying...that I'm really sore, I'm really tired, and I REALLY don't need THIS..." she says, pointing at Kevin, "...kind of aggravation right now, okay?"

Todd opens his mouth to finally speak, but she holds a hand up, silencing him.

"Wait. Before you say ANYTHING, I want you to THINK. Think about what you're gonna say to me, Todd, think HARD. You and I have a very special bond, you know that, that's why you always feel you can come to me. And despite EVERYTHING...I still love you. I always will. I will ALWAYS feel that you're worth it...and you know THAT, too."

Todd stands there, all at once feeling deeply touched...and at the same time, put in his place...the way only she can do it. He tries again to say something, but she silences him again.

"BUT. But...I'm warning you right now. My caring about you does NOT give you free reign to USE me. So if you're even THINKING about lying to me...about ANYTHING, anything at all...then...you should just go. 'Cause I'm not gonna put up with it, Todd. I can't. I'm just too damned tired."

She steps right up to him, still looking deeply into his eyes.

"So...choose your words carefully...and tell me what's going on with you."

Jessica watches them both from the floor, still holding Kevin in her arms. Nothing is said for a moment...and Viki watches, as Todd does exactly what she's asked him to. He thinks, long and hard, before saying anything.

"So, you...you have cancer?" he whispers.

She gives him a tired smile. "Well...hopefully not anymore. But we'll see. I go back to the hospital in a week or so for a new round of tests."

He nods...then not knowing what else to say about it, he gently chucks her arm. Then he glances down at Jessica and Kevin.

"Sorry," he says to her, softly. Jess just stares back at him, then wags her eyebrows.

"I am, I'm..." he starts, looking back at Viki. "...sorry about that. I didn't mean to...y'know."

"Todd, would you please just tell me WHAT is going on?"

He hesitates before speaking, like he's not sure of anything...finally it comes out in a whisper.

"Did she come back here? Please tell me she did."

Viki does a take at that, hearing the desperation in his soft tone. "She? Who?"

His eyes instantly fill with a heartbreaking sadness, as if just thinking her name was enough to affect him.

"Delgado."