He stands up and leans over her, looking at her sleeping face more closely...his hair falling down around her cheeks. She stirs a little, feeling the light tickling. Todd pushes his hair back behind his ears, not wanting to wake her.

"Looks like you need some Taco Bell, Delgado," he whispers.

She sniffs...then sighs as she settles back into her deep sleep. Todd reaches up, slowly...and starts stroking her hair...barely touching her. He wants to say more...wants to just talk to her about whatever, and pretend that everything's just fine now. But the doctor's words stay at the forefront of his mind, louder than ever...

"...at some point during all of this...she was probably sexually assaulted..."

Todd shuts his eyes...listening to the sounds of both of them breathing...his mind suddenly filled with images of every terrible thing he ever said or did to any woman...to Blair...to Nora...to Rebecca...to Marty...

...his face tenses as he remembers Marty especially...and all the heinous things he did to her.

His eyes fly open, as he slowly realizes that his worst nightmare has come true...but not in the way he expected. He knew that he, himself, was more than capable of taking his deep-seated rage out on women...he'd already done it. His greatest fear was that it might happen again...

...and it had. But Tea had become the object of SOMEONE ELSE'S deep-seated rage...SOMEONE ELSE'S single-minded hatred...not his. Even so...now that Tea knew that kind of terror, that kind of pain...she would never be able to look at him the same way...ever.

And on top of everything else, he hadn't been there to stop it from happening. Angry tears well up in his eyes, mixed with awful feelings of helplessness...and shame. He glances away, unable to stop them from spilling over. After a moment, he puts his head down...hiding his face behind his arms, crying softly.

Tea stirs at the noise...she blinks herself awake, slowly. She swallows, licking her dry lips...then looks around, and down...and sees Todd at her side. She blinks again, opening her eyes wider, hearing his quiet cries. She lifts her hand up, and goes to gently place it on his head...

"Todd?" she whispers.

...as soon as her hand makes contact, she shudders with a sudden stab of fear. She does a take, surprised and confused by it. All she wants to do is touch her husband's hair, something she's done a million times...but now it takes all of her strength to keep her hand where it is. Something inside is fighting her brain now...a fear of touch that's trying to control her.

She takes a deep breath, trying to shake it off...concentrating on Todd instead.

"Todd...what is it?"

He hesitates, afraid to look at her. Finally, he picks his head up, slowly.

She wants to touch his face...but the fear bubbles up again, and won't let her. Before she knows it, her hands are folded in her lap. She looks down at her hands, frustrated...then turns her gaze back to Todd.

He wipes his face on his arm...then looks at her. Her eyes are still just as soft and beautiful as they ever were, but...they're different now, somehow...darker...and sadder.

"Why are you crying...what's wrong?" she whispers.

He swallows hard...not sure if he really wants to bring it up now. Tea tries to guess as to what it is...and opens her eyes wider, sitting up straight.

"Oh, no...the twins..."

He shakes his head, glancing away for a second. "No...no, they're fine...I mean, from what the doc says, THEY seem to be okay, but...he says found something when he looked at YOU."

She furrows her brow...but says nothing. He takes another deep breath to continue.

"He said that you'd been...assaulted..."

Her lips part, slightly.

"...sexually."

An even darker shadow falls over her eyes as she stares back at him. She opens her mouth wider, as if she were going to speak...but doesn't. Instead, she turns her gaze to her lap.

Todd tries his best to hold the anger down as he struggles with the question...

"I know what the doc told me...but I wanna hear it from YOU...is that what happened? Did that...did he...hurt you?"

She doesn't respond at first, realizing that Todd's talking about him. Her brow creases...

...where is he...did they arrest him? Where did they take him...?

She snaps out of it...then raises her head, and looks at him.

"No," she replies, simply.

Todd does a take at that, confused. "What? No?"

"No," she says again.

"Then...who?"

Silence. She looks away from him.

Todd watches her carefully. He doesn't know HOW he knows...but somehow, he knows that there's a BIG wall between them now. He can see her chest rising and falling faster, as she tries to hold herself in.

"Delgado...talk to me..."

Unconsciously, she starts shaking her head. He can see she's starting to shut down on him, and reaches out to gently turn her face toward him. She sees his hand coming toward her...and even though it's not her intention, she jumps. Before her brain can override it, the fear takes control...and she pushes his hand away.

He shrinks back, taken completely off-guard. Tea stares, wide-eyed...also taken off-guard by these actions which, it seems, she has no control over. Her face covers over with immediate regret. She slaps her hands over her eyes, drawing her knees up toward her chest.

Todd sits there, looking at her for a moment...clueless as to what to do now. He just wants to reach out and hold her. But it's clear that she won't let him...and he feels it, cutting him very deep.

"Who did this to you..." he whispers, partly to himself.

She shakes her head, muttering from behind her hands. "Todd..."

He finds himself unable to put a lid on it, even though he can see it's upsetting her.

"...you tell me, Delgado...they won't get away with it, whoever they are..."

"Todd---"

"...and neither will that bastard who took you. His ass is mine---"

"STOP, STOP IT...SHUT UP!!!!" she yells suddenly, her hands slicing through the air.

Todd shuts his mouth, staring at her in shock. She stares back at him, still furious...but also regretful, once again. She lingers on his face for a moment...then sighs, heavily. She collapses back onto the bed, and rolls over onto her side, away from him...without another word.

"Tea..." he says helplessly.

No response. He sits there, looking at her back for a moment...listening to her sniffling. Finally, he gets up and walks around to the other side of the bed. She sees him and wipes her face, roughly...but won't look at him. She pulls her hands into her chest, folding them and squeezing them together tightly.

Todd kneels down, putting his face right in front of hers...but says nothing. She avoids looking at him as long as possible...but after a while, she can't avoid it anymore. Tears form and fall as she looks up at him.

She sniffles, her voice cracking. "I'm so sorry...I...I didn't mean to yell at you. I don't...I dunno what's wrong with me."

He sighs back...wanting to touch her...but afraid to now. He leans on the bed, getting as close to her as possible without touching her...his voice as weak as hers.

"You gotta help me here, Delgado, I...don't know...what to do for you...and I REALLY don't know what to say."

She wipes her eyes again and clears her throat, trying her best to keep anymore tears from forming.

"Nothing to say...nothing to talk about."

Todd's whole body deflates at that...the wall has gone back up. "Delgado---"

She cuts him off. "Todd---" she blurts out, harshly...

...then she catches herself. She takes a deep breath...then continues, calmer.

"Just...PLEASE, just...DROP IT, okay? I...I CAN'T do this right now."

They stare at each other for a long time, silent. Finally, Tea sighs, feeling her eyelids growing heavier. Todd sighs too, nodding...letting it drop, for the moment He keeps his eyes locked with hers, watching as she gradually dozes off.

After a few minutes, Todd gets up, and starts to head for the door. He turns back and looks at Tea, sleeping peacefully again. Then he looks at his watch, thinking to himself. He walks back over to the bed, pulling his hair back as he leans in close, hovering just above her. He closes his eyes for a moment and listens to her breathing...feeling her warmth on his face. Unable to stop himself, he bends down farther, until the tip of his nose touches her skin, right at her temple.

He braces himself, half-expecting her to jump. But his touch is so light, she doesn't even feel it. He sighs, heavily...then parts his lips and kisses her, as delicately as he possibly can. She inhales deeply at the sensation, but doesn't wake. He whispers into her skin...

"Love you, Tea."

Then he stands up, and arranges the covers over her, tucking her in. She stirs a little, burrowing in. He lingers on her for another moment...then walks out, quietly.

****************************************

It's the middle of the night...and a casually dressed Hank walks into the basement of the county courthouse, down into the holding area. The guard at the first gate nods at him as he opens the door. Hank chucks him on the shoulder and proceeds to the cell block. All is quiet except for a radio, playing softly.

The guard sitting at the desk sees Hank coming. He throws his newspaper down and stands up.

"Hank...whatcha doin' here at THIS hour?"

Hank grins, stretching. "Hey, man. Oh...I was gonna wait 'til later this morning, but...I just couldn't. I just HAD to see them."

"Ah. Gettin' that pitching arm ready?"

Hank looks at him strangely. "What?"

The guard laughs as he strikes his best pitching pose. "Y'know...to throw the book?"

Hank nods slowly, getting it. He grins, then points at him knowingly. The guard nods back...then gestures grandly down the hall toward the last two cells.

"They're ALL yours."

Hank nods again, then proceeds down the row, his steps echoing loudly. He slows down as he gets to the last two, folding his arms across his chest as he looks upon the new occupants. From the other side of the bars, Dean and Roseanne both look up at him from their respective bunks. Dean sits settled back against the wall, arms resting over his knees...he grins at Hank.

"Weeeeelllll...Gannon, right? Hmm. A visit in the middle of the night...wow..."

He looks over at Roseanne. "...guess we should feel honored, huh, baby?"

Hank's eyes dart between the two...and finally settle on Roseanne. She stares right back, her eyes narrowing with anger. Hank clicks his tongue, shaking his head at her.

"HIM..." he starts, pointing at Dean. "Now HIM...yeah, I could see that. But YOU??"

Roseanne bites her lip hard, looking away. Hank half-laughs.

"Clue me in here, okay? 'Cause I can't even FATHOM why YOU would be involved in the kidnapping of your own aunt!"

He squats down to be at eye-level with her. "I mean, what...was it just for the cash? Are you really THAT shallow? THAT stupid? Or do you just hate Tea THAT much?"

Dean pipes up from his side of the bars. "Mmmmm...better watch it, Rosie. Anything you say CAN AND WILL be used against you."

Hank shoots him a look...then turns back to Roseanne, whose angry face starts to show some fear creeping in. She takes a deep breath, then looks Hank squarely in the eye.

"I got nothin' to say to you."

They stare each other down for a moment...then Hank nods, and stands up, shrugging.

"Well, you'll HAVE to tell me eventually, so, fine. But I just hope you're ready to tell Carlotta...and Cristian...and the rest of your family."

Roseanne keeps her gaze locked on him. Dean just shakes his head. Hank takes a last look at them both.

"Hmm...see you both at the hearing. Pleasant dreams."

They watch silently as Hank turns and walks back toward the entrance, his footsteps getting quieter as he gets farther away. Roseanne buries her face in her hands, her composure slipping away. Dean watches her for a moment...then yawns loudly, stretching. Roseanne looks up at him as he lies down on the bunk, clasping his hands behind his head. He settles in and closes his eyes...looking very much like a guy who's taking a nap in a hammock on a sunny afternoon.

She stands up and walks over to the bars that separate them, gaping at him in awe.

"Y'know, last time I checked, we were in jail."

"Still are," he replies, eyes closed.

"This isn't funny, Dean. WHAT are we gonna do??"

He doesn't respond at first. After a moment, he opens his eyes and turns on his side to face her.

"We?"

She plants a hand on her hip. "Yeah...WE."

He shakes his head, slowly. She snarls at him, her temper starting to flare up.

"Don't you shake your head at ME, baby. We're in this TOGETHER."

There's a silence as Dean stares back at her, with no visible emotion. Finally, he gets up and walks toward her, slowly. He stops a few feet away from the bars, folding his arms.

"Obviously you need clarification on some things, baby."

He steps closer. She folds her arms, waiting. He leans forward, lowering his voice.

"We are NOT together, get it? Never have been. I USED you to get to your aunt...and you used ME to get BACK at your aunt and maybe get rich. Well. Now that's all over, isn't it?"

Her eyes narrow. "Oh, well, what about your big, bad PLAN?"

Dean puts his face right up to the bars. "You don't get it, do you? THERE IS NO PLAN. THERE IS NO WE. So my advice to you...find yourself a good lawyer...or start practicing your pleas for mercy... 'cause believe me, you DON'T wanna serve time."

Speechless with anger, Roseanne turns and walks a few steps away. Her chest heaves, and she looks all around her...as the reality of her situation REALLY sinks in. Dean watches her from the other side, his lips just starting to curl up into a grin...

...when something comes flying at his face. CLANK!!!

He jumps back, looking down at Roseanne's shoe as it hits the ground. He looks back up just in time to see her take off her other shoe.

"SONOFA-BITCH!"

He watches as she throws it at him with all her strength. It hits the bars hard and bounces off, flying back at Roseanne. She covers her face just in time, as it smacks against her arms and falls to the ground. Dean cracks up...then busts out laughing...loudly and obnoxiously. It echoes down the hall.

The guard's voice comes booming back down the hall at them. "Alright, THAT'S ENOUGH! Lights are goin' out, so KNOCK IT OFF!!!"

Dean bites his lip and walks back to his bunk...he falls down on it, still giggling as he settles in.

"Y'know Rosie, I'm almost GLAD this is all over now... 'cause I don't think I could've put up with your CRAP for one more stinkin' day."

Roseanne glares at him...then the lights go out. She stands there, helplessly for a moment...then quietly crawls into her bunk. She turns on her side, facing the wall...listening to the echo-y emptiness which surrounds her, almost suffocating her. Feeling completely alone and terrified now, she curls up in a tight ball...and starts to cry, silently.

On the other side of the bars, Dean stares up at the ceiling, thinking. The idea of going back to jail didn't really phase him...he had friends on the inside, so it wouldn't be the nightmare it was for some. He reaches for the pillow, adjusting it under his head, then folds his arms across his chest, staring up at the ceiling again. Listening to the silence all around, he finds his thoughts turning to something else...SOMEONE else.

...where is she? Where did they take her...wonder if she's alright...?

He dozes off to sleep, with these questions...and an image of Tea...at the forefront of his mind.

To Be Continued...