*****

Carlotta writes up the check for the last table of customers left in the diner, taking a moment to chat with them as she drops it off. She takes her apron off, checking her watch...suddenly wondering to herself what was going on a few hours north of her. It actually causes her to stop in the middle of the room...but then she dismisses the second thoughts, still fairly confident that she did the right thing.

Fairly.

She starts to head back toward the kitchen, when she hears the front doors opening. She turns around to see Kevin...she makes a face...and RJ? She makes another face, walking toward them. They stop a few steps away, standing amazingly close together, as if they were...partners, or something. She just looks at them, totally confused by it...folding her arms, waiting for them to talk first. Kevin and RJ exchange glances, then Kevin clears his throat.

"Um..." he starts, glancing over at the last few customers. "...can we talk to you for a minute?"

Carlotta follows his look, and shrugs. "Sure. Talk."

"Privately?"

She rolls her eyes. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm the only one here. I can't leave. So just talk, for god's sake. I'm sure they don't care," she says, walking behind the counter to pour herself some water.

Kevin sighs, shrugging at RJ, who tips his head in response. They sit down on the other side of the counter, and Kevin tosses another glance at the lingering customers before turning back to Carlotta, and leaning in closer.

"It's about Tea."

She stops drinking in mid-gulp, putting the glass down, and looking at him intently. RJ makes a face, picking up on something. He looks at Kevin.

"She's already talked to him."

Carlotta's eyes dart over to him, flashing. "Hey...I'm still in the room, y'know. You can talk directly to me."

RJ gets ready to fire back, then catches himself...and backs off a little.

"Right...sorry...you've already talked to him, haven't you?"

She doesn't respond, but her face is pretty much giving it away. Kevin nods, seeing it now too.

"What'd you tell him?"

She hesitates, her eyes moving over to him. Just then, the remaining customers start filing out...one of them walks up to the counter with the check and some money. She looks at the man, suddenly distracted.

"Here you go...thanks, Carlotta," the man says, backing out the door.

She smiles politely. "Yeah... 'night," she says, absent-mindedly, before turning back to the guys. The door shuts, and an eerie silence settles in the room. Carlotta folds her arms.

"Alright, first things first. We ARE talking about Todd, right?"

They both nod. She sighs, starting to get a bad feeling...RJ pipes up, getting impatient.

"You DO know where Tea is, don't you?"

She looks at him, really suspicious now...she puts her hands up. "Alright, wait a minute. What the hell is going on here? You tell me THAT, before I tell you ANYTHING...and what is with...THIS," she says, gesturing between the two of them. "...since when did YOU TWO become best buddies?"

RJ tosses off a sarcastic laugh. "Ohhhh, believe me...we're NOT buddies. We just...have a mutual goal, it seems."

"Really? What's that?"

"To see Todd Manning go down...one way or another," Kevin says, devilishly.

RJ gives him a look, then adds... "Yeah, well...we gotta get Tea back first, that's the most important thing."

She nods, slowly...then makes a confused face. "Wait...why?"

" 'Cause she's in a lot of danger, that's why," Kevin replies.

Carlotta's face goes from confused to nervous. "Why...danger from WHAT?"

"Not what...WHOM..."

Her heart starts to sink...and a wave of nausea starts to creep over her, as Kevin continues, getting up and pacing around.

"...see, Manning's been sleazing off my mother, as usual...she's the mat he wipes his feet on, so he gets to use Llanfair as a safe house. The guy could start selling drugs outta the place, and she'd find some way to rationalize it. Anyway, I just happened to overhear him talking to Starr last night..." he says, turning back to face them. He looks at Carlotta's face, totally engrossed...and he grins ever so slightly, thoroughly enjoying drawing the details out.

"...she was asking him about Tea, why she wasn't with him. And do you know what he said?"

Carlotta's lips part, dreading the response. RJ looks at her...then shoots a look at Kevin.

"Hey...think you could lay it on a little thicker there, man? Just get to the goddamned point."

Kevin squints at him, then twitches a little, recovering. "Well...he got really upset, started getting all weepy and crap...said he was afraid he'd done something to make her leave, but he couldn't REMEMBER..." he says, dripping with sarcasm.

Carlotta's brow knits tighter...and he walks back up to the counter, sitting down again.

"...he said he was afraid he'd done something...TO TEA...something BAD..." he says, making little quote gestures.

"...and what else could that possibly mean? I KNEW that sonofabitch had done something to her the minute I laid eyes on him, I could smell it. He raped her...I just know it."

Carlotta's mouth drops all the way open, and she shuts her eyes for a second...before looking back at him.

"Kevin...are you SURE? I mean, this isn't...you'd better not be screwing around here. Are you ABSOLUTELY sure about this?" she asks, but the nauseous wave she's feeling is already indicating an answer.

"Well, why else would Tea run from him? She's been to hell and back with him about a million times. And why else would he be suffering from such CONVENIENT memory loss? I mean, come ON...it doesn't take a genius to figure it out."

RJ gives Kevin another disapproving look before turning to her, sighing. "Look, Carlotta... obviously we can't be ABSOLUTELY sure that that means what we think it means...unless we find her. And if it IS true, if he did..." he stops, unable to even say the word.

"...if that really IS what happened...then we gotta find her before he does, plain and simple," he says, gently...in stark contrast to Kevin's theatrics, which have affected Carlotta already. She sinks down, leaning on her elbows, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh god...this is not happening, tell me this is not happening..." she mutters, behind her hands.

RJ and Kevin exchange glances...then RJ reaches out, gently moving her hands away.

"Hey, it's okay...just tell us where she is, so we can hurry up and get her back here, safe."

Her hands part away to reveal her tear-stained eyes. She looks at RJ, shaking her head.

"It's probably too late."

"What're you talking about?"

Kevin's shoulders sink. "Ohhhh...you told him, didn't you? You TOLD him where she is!"

Carlotta can only look down, shamefully. RJ sighs heavily, muttering to himself. "Oh, man."

Kevin suddenly pounds a fist on the counter, making them both jump. Then he gets up, pacing for a bit, then whirling back around and pointing at Carlotta, yelling.

"What the HELL were you thinking?!! You KNOW what he's capable of!!! Why...WHY did you DO that?!!!"

RJ glares at Kevin, completely irritated by him...but he says nothing, and just looks back at Carlotta, who cringes at Kevin's attack...then stands up straight, wiping her face.

"I thought I was doing the right thing," she says, as bravely as she can, then she grabs the phone under the counter.

"Who are you calling?" RJ asks. Carlotta sniffs, wiping her face again, and dialing.

"I can't BELIEVE I fell for that...I TOLD him...I told him he'd be sorry if he lied to me...sonofaBITCH..." she mutters to herself, waiting for someone to pick up.

"Carlotta...WHO are you calling?" RJ asks again.

She looks at him. "Tea's brother...Del...she's staying with him."

Kevin runs back over to the counter...getting right in her face. "Where...WHERE??"

Carlotta hesitates, looking back and forth between them...finally, she grabs the check pad and starts writing the address on it, as the answering machine picks up.

"Hey, it's Del...leave me a message...thanks," his tinny voice says, then she hears a long beep.

"Del...Tea...it's Carlotta, listen...I really...just...I just made a huge mistake," she starts, as she finishes writing and rips the check away...Kevin grabs it out of her hand, reading.

"New York...damn, he's probably already there," he says, handing it to RJ, who gets up.

"Well, we better get movin', c'mon."

Carlotta watches them both as she continues. "...Tea, you need to get outta there, RIGHT NOW. Todd is on his way, if he isn't there already..."

Kevin hurriedly scribbles a number on the check pad, handing it back to her, and running out after RJ.

"Give it to her...it's my cell phone. Tell her we're on our way...tell her to call me!" he yells, over his shoulder.

Carlotta reads the number into the phone. "...RJ and Kevin are on their way up there, mija...call them, please...and call me...god, I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, Tea," she says, then hangs up.

In a flash of rage, she tosses the cordless phone across the room...then slumps down on the counter, as the rage subsides...leaving a tremendous amount of guilt behind...coupled with an equal amount of terror. She paces around, frantically...thinking. Her first thought is to jump in her car and follow the guys to New York...but then she thinks better of it...knowing she can't do much of anything.

God knows I've done enough already...

She wipes her face again, staring out the door...her mind racing...remembering the conversation she had with Todd...how he convinced her of his sincerity...convinced her that he really did love Tea, and only wanted her happiness...

...how she had warned him...and he STILL looked her in the eye...and LIED...how he sealed the deal...reeling her in with an uncharacteristic sign of affection...

Unconsciously, she rubs the cheek that he kissed her on, roughly...enough to leave a mark. Then she races to the counter, grabbing her keys and storming out...determined to get back at somebody tonight, if she couldn't get back at Todd.

*****

Meanwhile, back at the Buchanan ranch, Starr lies in bed, staring up at the ceiling...at the stick-on stars, glowing in the dark. She gazes for a while, singing to herself softly...then picks up Fred, her stuffed frog.

"Ready Fred?" she asks, looking at it. She waits a few seconds, then nods, as if Fred actually answered her.

"...okay. Tell Daddy that---"

PLINK! The sound of something hitting the window interrupts her. She looks over at it, making a face...then turns her attention back to Fred.

"...tell Daddy that I---"

PLINK!

Starr looks over at the window again...then she gets up, and shuffles over to the window, stopping a few feet away. Nothing happens for a moment, so she steps closer...still nothing. She peers over the window sill, carefully.

PLINK!

She shrieks, jumping back as another pebble hits the window. She turns around, checking to see if her door is closed...then she grabs the handle, using all her strength to open the window. She pokes her head out, slowly...

...and does a double take when she sees her father, looking up at her...he waves.

"Daddy??" she yells.

On the ground, Todd cringes from the volume. He waves his arms, gesturing for her to be quiet. Starr covers her mouth...then pushes herself farther out the window.

"Dad...what are you doing here??" she whispers, loudly.

"DUUUH...came to see you, silly," he whispers back.

She giggles. "Wanna come in?"

He shakes his head. "No, I can't...I gotta go, Starr. I just wanted to say bye for now."

"Where are you going now?" she asks, with a slight whine.

Todd holds up the scrap of paper Carlotta gave him, grinning. "I'm gonna go find Tee."

Starr's eyes widen, her whole face brightening. "Yeah?"

He nods, starting to back away. "But I gotta go, like now. So...you be good, okay? I'll see ya when I get back. Get back to bed."

She nods back, waving...then suddenly remembers. "Oh...Dad!"

He stops, and she points at him. "Don't forget to say you're sorry!"

Todd's face softens at that...at his daughter, innocently trying to help him remember how to make up with somebody. As if that were all it would take to make everything right...a simple apology. He nods...then blows her a kiss, mouthing the words "I love you." She smiles, mouthing them back. Then he backs a few steps away, slowly...before turning and disappearing into the trees around the house. Starr watches after him for a while, even though she can't see him. Then she closes the window, and hops back in bed...holding Fred tightly as she drifts off to sleep, with a big grin on her face.

*****

The city of New York comes alive at night, one of those places that never seems to sleep. It's after midnight when Del and Tea come out of the restaurant they had spent the last couple of hours in. They step onto the sidewalk, wet from a light shower that just ended. The cars fly by them, making hissing noises as their wheels cut through the water. Del puts an arm around Tea as they walk, and she snuggles into his side, feeling warm from an alcohol-induced buzz, and from just being...surprisingly happy. The day had turned out to be a pleasant one for her...mostly because the subject of Todd never came up. She had slept most of the afternoon away...a deep, dreamless sleep that actually left her feeling pretty well rested. By the time she got up, Del had gotten home and they immediately went to dinner. They spent hours eating, drinking, and talking...about everything EXCEPT Todd. And now here they were, just enjoying being with each other. She almost doesn't want to talk, afraid of disturbing this peacefulness...afraid it will disappear if she speaks. So she lets it go for a few blocks, before finally speaking quietly.

"One thing I love about New York...I can eat like a pig, and then walk it all off," Tea says, finally, as they stop at a light and wait to cross.

Del cracks up. "I haven't eaten that much in a LONG time...but it was sooooo good."

She nods. "Mmmmm..." she agrees, as the light changes, and they cross the street. "...so...where to now, bro?"

He looks down at her as they walk along. "Not tired yet?"

She shrugs. "Not really...I thought we were going for a drink."

"Haven't you had enough already?" he says, teasingly. She punches his arm back.

"Shut up! I only had a couple...okay, a few...glasses of wine."

"And a beer," he finishes.

She grins, blushing. "So what's your point?"

Del just laughs, waving a hand. "Well...I wouldn't mind one more beer. Let's see..." he says, trailing off as he looks around. Most of the restaurants he sees are getting ready to close for the night, but as they round the corner, they start to hear a muffled, thumping bass...the telltale sign of a nightclub nearby. At the end of the block, they see a small crowd milling around...talking, laughing, smoking.

"Oh...club's still open," he says, looking at her.

Tea makes a face, not liking the idea much at first. Del shrugs back.

"Your call, baby...we don't have to go there. But...we'll have to walk a ways to find another bar."

She chews on her lip, considering...then she shrugs too. "No, it's fine...I haven't been in a joint like that for a while...might be fun."

He grins, then takes her hand and leads her down the block to the entrance. A huge man steps in front of them, blocking the door.

"ID's please."

Del smirks at the guy, reaching for his wallet. "What, I don't look legal to you?"

He smirks back, having heard that line a million times. "Yeah, well, ain't you I'm worried about..." he starts, his eyes drifting over to Tea. He looks her up and down, grinning wider.

"...but you...pretty young thing...you legal?"

She looks up at him as she holds her ID out, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, I HAVE been...for quite a while. But it's nice of you to say."

The bouncer laughs, stepping aside and opening the door for them. Del heads inside, then the bouncer tips his head politely as Tea passes him...she gives him a smile, her face getting a little hot from the attention...then steps through the door. They stop at the booth to pay the cover charge, then the door shuts behind them...submerging them into an entirely different world...one colored by a dim, blue light that washes over the entire space...highlighted only by the votive candles burning on the few tables scattered around, the white flourescents behind the bar, and the strobes going off on the dance floor.

The place is filled with the din of people's voices, laughing and talking...and vibrates with bass so loud that it almost drowns out the music it accompanies. Tea puts a finger in her ear for a second, looking up at Del. He surveys the crowd...mostly college kids, hovering around the bar and at the tables...moving around to the beat as one big, dark mass on the dance floor. They're definitely two of the oldest people there. He looks down at Tea, who shrugs.

He watches her lips move, but he doesn't hear her, so he bends down.

"WHAT???"

She laughs. "I SAID...WHADDAYA THINK?? SHOULD WE STAY???"

Del nods, looking around again, getting pushed a little farther in as more people enter from the street. Then he looks back at her, taking her hand.

"ONE DRINK??"

"OKAY!" Tea yells back, as he leads her through the crowd to the bar. A few people vacate their seats to hit the dance floor, and Del and Tea quickly grab the empty stools. The bartender strolls over to them, a college-age girl, decked out in full gothic gear...short hair dyed jet black, too black to be natural...thick, black eyeliner, white cake-makeup, dark lipstick. She wears all black clothes, and the skin that does show is pale...accentuated only by the tattoos and the silver jewelry...including the nose ring.

Del just looks at Tea, who grins and gestures for him to go ahead and order for her.

"Two beers, please," he says loudly, plunking a bill down. Without a word, goth-girl takes the money and walks off to get the drinks. Del turns around and makes a face at Tea.

"Think she goes to art school??"

She laughs, nodding. "DEFINITE possibility!"

That quick, goth-girl returns with the beers, setting them down in front of them and leaving the change. Del smiles at her, raising the bottle.

"Hey, thanks."

Goth-girl does a slight take at his politeness...then smiles...a lovely, bright smile that completely contradicts her look.

"Wow, somebody who still says thank you..." she says, with a sweet voice that also clashes with her appearance.

"...you're welcome," she finishes, then walks off.

Del and Tea exchange impressed faces, then clink their bottles together, chugging some of the beer down. He laughs again, wiping his mouth.

"I never would've expected that kind of voice to come outta that kind of face!"

She smiles, nodding, as he swivels around in his chair to check out the people.

"...just goes to show how wrong you can be about people, huh??"

The innocent remark causes her smile to fade, quickly...she takes another swig from the bottle to cover up. Del, for his part, doesn't notice...as he's too busy checking out the woman sitting at the table a few feet away, a lovely, dark-haired Latina, who looks right back at him, just as interested. Then she looks away shyly, giggling with her girlfriends sitting with her. Del smiles brightly, then leans over to Tea, who's now intently staring at the napkin under her beer.

"Hey...think I made a friend..." he starts, then suddenly notices the change in her mood. He rubs her arm, lightly. She turns to look at him, her eyes now filled with renewed sadness.

"...oh, hey...what's wrong?? What'd I say??"

She shakes her head. "Nothing...it's not you...it's me."

Del makes a face, tossing a glance over his shoulder before looking back at her, concerned.

"Wanna go??"

Just then, he feels a light tap on his knee. He turns around to see the dark-haired woman standing in front of him. Tea turns with him, looking at her...the dark-haired woman makes a surprised, and disappointed, face.

"Oh...sorry, I didn't...I didn't know you were with somebody. Sorry," she says again, politely, starting to back away. Del and Tea both look at each other, then they both talk at the same time.

"No! It's okay!"

She stops, surprised. Del gets up, shaking his head, with an embarrassed laugh. "Uh...it's okay, that's...that's my SISTER."

The dark-haired woman looks at Tea again, then back at Del...and smiles, nodding and blushing.

"Oh...oh, okay."

Tea turns on her stool and watches the two of them...a slow, sad smile covering her face as they stand there awkwardly, trying to connect. Del talks to the woman, breaking the ice with his down-to-earth, easygoing ways. The woman looks up at him sweetly, nodding and laughing nervously. Tea continues to stare, mesmerized by them...trying to envision herself, and Todd, in their places...wondering if they ever looked like that...

...but it doesn't work. It's an image she can't see...because it's too ordinary, too...normal. Nothing about their relationship had ever been that way...and if the last couple of weeks taught her anything, it was that they never would be. She finally breaks her stare, sighing heavily, and turning back to the bar. She plays with the edge of her napkin for a moment, trying to divert the sad, wistful thoughts that had suddenly come back with a vengeance. Finally, she feels a tap on her shoulder, and turns to see Del.

"Baby...you okay? You wanna go?"

She smiles at him, shaking her head. "We don't have to, it's okay."

"You sure? 'Cause I can just...y'know, get her number..."

She shakes her head, more emphatically. "No, no...don't worry about me, I'm fine. Go on."

Del makes a face, still not sure if he should believe her. She manages to laugh a little, lightly pushing him away.

"GO, you big doof...don't keep her waiting. I'll just sit here, and ...watch you make an even bigger doof outta yourself on the dance floor."

He grins at her, knowingly...then kisses her on the cheek. "Be right back," he whispers. Tea turns back around and watches as he disappears into the murkiness of the dance floor with the dark-haired woman.

High above the dancing mob, the DJ mixes it up, gradually phasing the old song out and bringing up a new beat. Another steady house-thumping, only slightly different from the last one. Tea cranes her neck a little, trying to make them out...she squints, unable to really see them until the strobes start going off. After a moment, she catches sight of them...brief flashes in the bright light. And she smiles, momentarily distracted by Del's goofy moves...knowing that dancing was definitely NOT his thing. She can see the dark-haired woman laughing at him, and shakes her head, giggling a little...knowing he's hamming it up for her benefit. She reaches behind her and grabs her beer, finishing it as she watches her brother continue to make an ass out of himself. The song drones along without lyrics, just steady thumping to the electronica...Tea unconsciously rubs her collarbone, feeling the bass pounding in her chest...

...when suddenly, the flashing strobes go dark...the music fades slightly, and the powerful bass cuts out. A strange silence fills the room...and a few 'wooooo's' float up from the dancing crowd...

Tea turns back to the bar, about to flag down goth-girl for another beer...when the beautiful, but eerily-filtered sounds of a woman's voice suddenly fill the room...

"...I have a smile...stretched from ear to ear...to see you walking down the road..."

Her mouth drops open, and she freezes...a chill racing through her...

"...we meet at the lights...I stare for a while...the world around us disappears..."

The chill dissipates, leaving a horrible pit in her stomach. Tea shuts her eyes, still not quite believing she's hearing what she's hearing...

"...let me surround you...my sea to your shore...let me be the calm you seek..."

When she opens her eyes again, they're wide with a sudden paranoia...oh god...he's not...he's not HERE, is he??? He can't be...oh, god...

She jumps up, looking around wildly...just as the beat kicks in again, and the place pulses with the strobes going off. People on the dance floor wave stringy tubes of iridescent liquid to the beat, glowing toxic green...

"...and I...forgot...to tell you...I love you..."

Tea feels herself starting to really panic now. She squints, trying to find Del in the crowd, but the total sensory overload disorients her...she can't see anything clearly for more than a few seconds...and all she can hear is the song, the beat pounding the lyrics into her head. The alcoholic buzz that had been making her feel pretty good until now, suddenly adds to the pounding...clouding her head, and turning her stomach.

"...and night's too long...and cold here...without you..."

She tries again in vain to look for Del...then feels a sharp wave of nausea, coming up on her fast. A hand over her mouth, she makes a run for the bathroom...but as usual in any nightclub, there's a line outside the door. Tea stops short, knowing she won't make it...she turns and runs the other way, through the crowd. As she bolts out the front door, the lyrics float out after her, as if they were following...

"...I grieve in my condition...for I cannot find the words to say...I need you so..."

Tea pushes past the bouncer and the people in the waiting line, sprinting down the street. She barely makes it into the alley, grabbing onto the corner of the building as she doubles over and throws up. Her hands on the wall, she can still feel the bass vibrating through them, as she heaves again. Finally, there's nothing left to purge, and she stands up, staggering away from the wall. She stands there in the middle of the alleyway, panting...wiping her mouth with the back of her hand...feeling the cool, night air on her face.

The bouncer walks up to her, concerned. "Miss?"

She jumps, whirling around. He backs off, hands up. "Hey, hey...you alright?"

Tea sighs heavily, recognizing him...and nods, trying to pull herself together. She takes a few steps and immediately loses her balance. The bouncer grabs her arm just in time, keeping her from falling on her butt.

"Whoa, hey...I think somebody's had enough."

She glares at him, angrily for a second...then realizes it's true. She looks up the street and sees everybody in the waiting line staring at her. She rolls her eyes, embarrassed...then turns to the bouncer.

"Thank you. I just...it just hit me all of a sudden, y'know?"

He smiles at her, kindly, nodding as he locks arms with her, slowly walking her back up the street.

"Yeah, I've had a few nights like that..." he says, as they get back up to the entrance.

"...so...want me to call you a cab or something?"

Tea sighs, trying to avoid all the eyes still staring at her. She starts to shake her head, when a cab just happens to do a drive by, looking for potential customers. Before Tea can protest, the bouncer flags it down, and the driver pulls up to the curb.

"Talk about good timing."

She looks back and forth between him and the cab, debating...then finally decides to go for it. She walks over, opening the door...turning back to him.

"Listen...could you do me a little favor?"

He cocks an eyebrow. "Depends."

"Could you...find my brother in there, the guy I came here with...tell him I went home?"

He smiles at her again, nodding. "Yeah, sure," he says, holding the door open as she gets in.

"What's his name?"

"Del."

"Okay, I'll find him, don't worry. You take it easy now."

She nods. "Thanks," she says quietly, then the bouncer pounds on the roof of the cab. He watches it drive away, then heads inside the club to find Del.

*****

Back at the apartment, Tea sits on the couch, zoning after taking a long shower...knees pulled up to her chest, her chin resting on her knees. After a few minutes, she gets up and walks over to the window, looking out at the city lights...wondering about what had happened at the club. She makes a face, knowing it was probably just a weird coincidence, nothing more. Todd couldn't possibly know where she was...

...then she wonders why she's so afraid of him finding out. She still loved him...she always would, that was never going to change. So why be afraid of seeing him? He would never hurt her...

...not deliberately. She makes a face at that, turning away from the window, just as the phone starts ringing. It startles her...and she stares at it for a moment, before shaking off her paranoia and walking over to answer it.

"Hello?" she says, quietly.

She hears the background noise of the club...but nobody answers her at first. She swallows hard, starting to get nervous.

"Hello??" she says again, louder.

"Oh! Tea...it's me, baby!! You okay?? I'm leaving now!!" her brother yells.

She sighs, relieved. "No, no, I'm okay, I just...had...too much to drink, that's all. Don't worry about it, I'm just gonna go to bed."

"No, I should be there---"

"Del...it's fine, really. Stay there, have a good time. I'll see you when you get back."

"You sure??"

"YES...don't worry, I'm FINE," she says, as her eye catches sight of the blinking answering machine light.

A short silence, then... "...well...alright. I won't be long, I promise. Just get some rest, okay??"

She smiles a little. "I will. Have fun."

"Okay...later."

"Later," she answers back, then hangs up. She goes to press the button, then hesitates, wondering if she should listen to Del's private messages. Then she shrugs, grabbing the pen and pad on the table and hitting the button.

"One new message," a tinny computer voice says. Then, after a second...

"Del...Tea...it's Carlotta, listen...I really...just...I just made a huge mistake..."

Tea's eyes widen, listening...

"...Tea, you need to get outta there, RIGHT NOW. Todd is on his way, if he isn't there already..."

Her mouth falls open at that, and her breathing starts to pick up...she hears somebody talking to Carlotta in the background, then her voice again, reading out a phone number...

"...RJ and Kevin are on their way up there, mija...call them, please...and call me...god, I'm sorry...I'm so sorry Tea."

CLICK. "End of message," the machine says. Then it's quiet again. Tea gets up, pacing around the living room, her mind going in a million directions at once. In her mind, she could see Todd, driving like a maniac up the turnpike. AND RJ?? AND Kevin?? What the hell were THEY coming up there for??

She looks around, wondering what time it was...how long ago Todd left...

...and what the hell she was going to do...stay...go...?

...why be afraid...? Just stay...stay calm...stay put...he won't hurt you...

...he loves you, you love him...

Suddenly, a flash of memory...back to that one moment in time, when it was just the two of them...naked...entwined...intimate...

...when she felt completely helpless...vulnerable...

...and afraid.

And now, he was on his way...could already be there, for all she knows. She thinks about what might happen if she stays put...what could she possibly say to him? Could she even be up front with him about this? Would he even be able to take it? She remembers looking into his eyes, the eyes that showed the tremendous sadness, the deep fears...and the rage...that would always live inside him. If she told him the truth it would destroy him...because it was the one thing that he was always afraid he might do someday...so afraid that it kept him from being intimate with her for years. And now...she finally understood why. Why he never allowed himself to get physical with her, why he threw her out of the house that one night years ago.

She sits down on the couch, debating...knowing that what had happened between them wasn't really his fault...and also knowing that the reason for their separation now was mostly because of her own fears. Should she stay, wait for him? Try to work it out, yet again, just like every other time?

But this wasn't like every other time...it was different...very different. And as she sits there, trying to envision a future with him, her eyes tear up...because she can't...like she couldn't see them as an ordinary couple. It could never happen...and in her mind, all she sees is black...a void...full of nothing but hopelessness.

I can't do this...I just can't...

She closes her eyes, letting a few tears fall...then she sniffs, and turns to the pad and pen. She writes a note to Del, and gets up, leaving the pad on top of the answering machine. Then she goes in the bedroom, and gets dressed, quickly, into a t-shirt and jeans. She runs into the bathroom, starting to collect her few toiletries...then she thinks again, knowing she had no bags to carry them in...so she picks up the trash can and throws everything into it. She runs back into the living room, grabbing her purse...checking her wallet, to see how much cash she has left. Then she does one more check of the room...and her eyes fall upon the fridge, upon that little postcard. She walks over, lifting it off...staring at it...thinking...

...then she stuffs it in her purse, and walks over to the table, grabbing the pen and pad again, adding something to Del's note. She places the pad back on top of the answering machine, and starts to back her way toward the door, checking one last time. Starting to cry again, she reaches behind her for the doorknob...she opens the door and slips out, closing it quietly.

A few cabs just happen to be passing by as she gets outside. She flags one down and jumps in. The old, salty driver turns to look over his shoulder.

"Where to, hon?"

Tea sinks down in the seat, looking all around. "Um...uh...uh, JFK, please."

The driver nods, putting it in gear and driving away. As she watches the city flying by her, she wraps her arms around herself and cries, quietly.