She looks down at her belly, which to her, seems even bigger now than it was the day before. She cups some of the water in her hand, and pours it over her tummy...over, and over, and over. It's a comforting motion for her, as her mind starts to drift back...

"Mark my words...if you manage to carry to term...they'll be dead before their second birthday..."

Tea makes a face at that...what the hell was she talking about? Suddenly remembering, she lifts her arm up out of the water, looking at it...and finds the scar on the outside of her arm. She stares at it for a long time, trying to piece things together...but nothing makes much sense.

Outside, Todd comes up from downstairs and walks down the hall toward the bathroom. Without a second thought, he knocks quickly and opens the door. Tea's head snaps up...and before she knows what she's doing, she covers her chest. Todd stops in his tracks, suddenly feeling like he's busted in on her privacy. A long, awkward silence passes as the two of them look at each other...both of them knowing that this wasn't normal.

Finally, Todd grabs the doorknob. "Sorry...I didn't mean to...y'know..."

Tea wrings her hands nervously...trying, once again, to shake off her tendency to push him away. He starts to swing the door shut again.

"Just wanted to see how long you'll be...but they can wait. Whenever you're ready."

She watches the door as it closes, obscuring him from her sight...she manages to spit a word out.

"Todd?"

The door opens immediately, and he pokes his head back in. She offers him a weak smile.

"It's okay, I...I guess I should be getting ready."

He shrugs. "Like I said, they can wait."

She runs her a hand over her head, slicking her wet hair back, sighing. Todd pushes the door open a little further, leaning on the doorsill.

"Tea, the last thing you should be worrying about is Buchanan. If you don't wanna talk to him, you don't have to."

She looks at him a moment, thinking it over. Then she shakes her head.

"No...no, it's alright. I just...I wanna get this over with."

He nods, lingering on her face...hoping she'll say more, talk to him...but she doesn't. He sighs, then he goes to shut the door again. Tea looks at him, wanting to say more, but the words are getting stuck in her throat. She tosses her head around angrily, fighting just to speak up.

"Wait--"

Todd comes back in, again...looking at her with hopeful eyes. She takes a deep breath...then she looks down at herself. All of a sudden the idea of standing up with no clothes on in front of him is frightening to her...and feeling that fear is even MORE frightening. She glances back up, then looks around...her eyes falling on the towel rack.

"Could you hand me a towel, please?" she asks, quietly, pointing...without looking at him directly, knowing how strange her behavior must be to him.

Todd stares at her a moment, watching her body language...tensed up, anxious. It's clear that she doesn't want him to see her naked. Even though at this point, he's seen her naked more times than he can remember. He nods at her, their eyes making contact...she can see how hurt he is by what she's doing, and glances down nervously. Todd feels his chest tightening up as he walks over to grab the towel, but he tries to brush it off as he steps over to the tub...

She's scared...but not of you...it's not about you...

She looks up at him, her arms covering her chest. He looks down at her, still hurt, but trying to keep it under control. He sniffs, tossing his hair...then unfolds the towel with a snap. She looks at it, a screen between them now. She puts one hand on the tub rim and pushes herself up onto her feet. As she rises, Todd lifts the towel so that it covers her, and doesn't look at her directly. She looks at his face, her heart sinking...knowing that this simple action is really upsetting him. It bothers her just as much, though, and she wishes she could take it back. But she's unable to stop herself from doing what she's doing...as though it's all happening without her...

...and now, all she can do is take the towel from him, placing it over herself.

"Thanks," she whispers, as she tucks the towel into itself.

He looks back at her, sort-of nodding...face-to-face now, they can see the sadness in each other's eyes, the mutual wish that things were normal again. This was the only way they could communicate now...words and actions were failing them both. After a moment, Todd tips his head back, motioning for her to step out. He steps back, offering her a hand. She hesitates...then reaches out and grabs onto his hand, putting her weight on him as she steps out and onto the rug.

She goes to pull her hand back...but Todd keeps it firmly in his grasp. She looks up to find him staring deeply into her eyes. She feels her pulse start to race with anxiousness...ashamed to admit to herself that she is actually afraid of what he might want from her now. Todd sees this...and it breaks his stare. He looks down, then back up...he loosens his grip on her hand, but gently guides it toward his face. Tea realizes what he's doing and tries to relax, as he brings her fingers to his lips, barely touching them. Tea's eyes mist up as Todd closes his, both of them feeling the tremendous wave of emotion from this simple gesture.

They stay like that for a long time, silent.

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

About an hour later, there's a knock on the front door. Tea sits on the couch with a cup of decaf, munching on toast as Todd stands at the desk, tied up on the phone with Briggs.

"---well, what the hell do I pay you for, man? Know what? I'll TELL you what I pay you for---to keep those Cramers from doing stuff like this!"

Tea looks up from her plate and sees that Todd hasn't heard the knocking. She stuffs the last of the toast in her mouth and pushes herself up. She sips her coffee as she walks past Todd to the foyer. He turns with her.

"Hold on---Delgado, where you goin'?"

She jerks a thumb toward the door just as there's another knock. He makes a face.

"Oh...sorry..."

She waves her hand back in a 'forget it' motion, and continues toward the door. Todd gets back on the phone.

"Get Cramer on the phone! I don't care which one!"

Tea opens the door to find Bo and Lisa West standing on the other side...they both smile at her, as Bo steps up to her, his tone low and soft.

"Hey Tea...how're you feelin'?"

She smiles back, a little. "Oh...better, I guess."

He nods, hesitating a bit. "Uh...you feel up to talking? I just have some questions for you."

Tea glances at West, then back at Bo. She sighs, then nods, stepping back to let them in. Tea closes the door behind them as they enter the foyer. Todd's yelling echoes all over the room.

"---NOBODY is redecorating MY office, got it??? You and Blair don't get paid to REDECORATE! Now I better not hear about this again---and if I walk in there tomorrow and see ONE piece of new furniture or even THINK I smell new paint, you're both fired! Got it??!!"

With that, he punches the off button and tosses the cordless phone across the room. He runs both hands through his hair, letting out a long, frustrated breath. Then he turns around and sees the three of them all looking at him. He shoves his hands in his pockets, leaning on the desk.

"Cramers. What can I say?"

Tea glances at Bo and West, who are shifting around where they stand, trying not to crack up. They both look over at Tea...she shrugs back at them, and walks into the living room, waving them in.

"C'mon in," she says, giving Todd a sideways glance as she passes him on her way to the couch.

He turns his head to follow her. She lowers herself down into the cushions, wrapping the bathrobe around her legs. Bo and West sit down in the chairs across from her. Todd walks over to sit down next to Tea, then notices she's still holding her empty cup.

"Did you want more?" he asks, quietly.

She looks down at the cup, then up at him, offering a little smile. "Oh...yeah, please."

He takes the mug from her and heads for the kitchen...his eyes darting over to Bo, darkening somewhat. Bo looks at him and sees this, acknowledging the warning. He takes a deep breath as Todd disappears into the kitchen, then leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"So...how're the twins doing?"

Tea rests a hand on her belly. "They seem to be alright...thankfully."

Bo nods...then glances at West...knowing he's stalling. Tea sees their little exchange and speaks up.

"So what did you need to ask me?"

He turns back to her, sitting back in the chair. "Well...I guess you've probably heard the trial date's set."

She makes a face. "Oh...actually, I didn't know. When?"

"Three weeks from today."

Tea thinks for a moment, running a hand through her hair. "Think I'll have to testify?"

Bo presses his lips together, shrugging finally. "Dunno. I wouldn't think so...but I can talk to Hank, see what he says."

She nods, then looks back at them both...knowing they're not done. Bo sees her starting to grow anxious, and leans forward again.

"Anyway, that's not what we're here about. I, uh...I wanted to ask you if there were other charges you want to bring against Shelton and Roseanne."

She looks at him strangely. "What do you mean? What other charges?"

Bo glances over at West, who decides to jump in. "Tea...we've been going over the evidence and the reports. Looks to us, like...they may have hurt you, physically."

Tea directs her confused look to West, as Bo takes an evidence bag out of his coat, and holds it out. Tea looks back at him...then reaches for it, hesitantly. She takes it from him and looks more closely, at the blood-stained voodoo doll. The bag crinkles as she turns it over, examining it.

Her brow tightens, still confused. "Where'd you get this?"

Todd appears in the inner doorway, with her coffee in hand. Instinctively, he stops before entering the room, and just stands there, watching. He sees Tea handling the evidence bag. Bo gets up from his chair and sits down next to her.

"We found that when we searched the warehouse..." he replies, then sees in her face that she has no idea what he's talking about.

"...the warehouse...the place where they were holding you."

She looks back at the doll...her mind starts filling with images, sounds. Bo focuses on her face, watching her remember. He lowers his voice, leaning in a little.

"Tea...that's your blood. Do you remember them doing something to you?"

She hears him, distantly...distracted by her memories now. All of a sudden her mind is focused on one in particular. Concentrating, she can almost feel the ropes around her wrists again...how they chafed when she tried to move. She remembers ropes being cut...having the most painful urge to pee...and...a sharp sting as the knife missed the rope and cut her arm...

She makes another face...DID it miss...?

Knowing she's remembering something, Bo gets off the couch, onto his knees in front of her to get in her line of sight.

"What is it? What do you remember?"

Still disregarding him, Tea suddenly lifts up her arm, looking at the cut. Bo sees it too.

"Tea, WAS Roseanne torturing you?"

Somehow, his question sinks in to her mind...she answers, almost unconsciously, shaking her head. She stares at the cut on her arm...then at the doll...

"...if you manage to carry to term...they'll be dead before their second birthday..."

Her mouth opens...the words start to come out, but her tone is distant...her mind still piecing things together as she recounts. She talks without looking at anyone.

"I...I had to go to the bathroom...really bad, I felt like my bladder was gonna pop...I think I had just thrown up, too..."

Standing in the doorway, Todd listens carefully to her words, as she tells the story he hasn't heard.

"...they...one of them...must've been Roseanne...started cutting the ropes around my wrists. She...she cut my arm...I thought it was an accident...but I guess not."

With that, she looks Bo squarely in the eye, finished. Bo nods back at her, then inches closer, practically whispering.

"Do you want to charge Roseanne with assault?"

Todd takes a few steps forward, focusing on her face, awaiting her answer. Tea looks away for a second, thinking. Then she looks back...and shakes her head no. Everyone, Bo, Todd and West...all of them look at her, surprised. Tea's voice comes out stronger, suddenly more logical and lawyerly.

"No. All she did was cut my arm, I don't...remember them hurting me other than that. And if you charged her, it wouldn't stick anyhow. It's her word against mine...she'd just say it was an accident."

"But we have that doll, Tea...we HAVE physical evidence."

She shakes her head again. "There's no way you could prove that she intended to hurt me, Bo. I just know it wouldn't work. Besides..it's open-and-shut as far as the kidnapping, isn't it?"

Bo sighs, nodding. "Yeah...yeah, as far as I can tell. We have that doll, and her fingerprints. If nothing else, I bet Shelton would probably testify against her to knock a year off HIS sentence. She's not likely to get off on that one."

Tea hands him the doll back. "Well, let's just leave it at that then. I don't wanna waste time trying to add a few more months to her sentence with some piddly little charge. It's not worth it."

Todd stands there, baffled by her reaction...but at the same time, admiring her strength...and her willingness to let things go. He tips his head a little, seeing that she still has that preoccupied look, though...she's thinking about something else...she's holding something back.

Bo takes the doll back and tucks it in his jacket. "Okay. I mean, as much as I'd like to slap her with another charge, you're probably right. But...what about Shelton? Should we be charging him with assault?"

She looks up at him. "Shelton? No...why would I?"

Bo takes a deep breath, tossing a backward glance toward West, who bites her lip...both of them knowing they're about to get into a dangerous discussion. He looks back at Tea.

" We went through the reports from that night in Newark...the doctor's report, mainly, and we came across...something."

Tea starts to feel a bit of a tingling sensation all over...a nervous flutter. But she keeps her eyes steady, concentrating on him. Bo clears his throat.

"The doctor's report says that he found evidence of sexual assault when he examined you that night."

Tea stares at him for a moment...then she looks down. Todd starts to get a sick feeling in his stomach, afraid of what Bo's questions might do to her. He looks at them all...his eyes resting on Tea, her head down, quiet. Bo waits for a bit...then speaks up.

"Listen, Tea..."

She looks up without raising her head.

"...I don't want to upset you...and if you don't want to tell me anything, you don't have to. The only thing I really need to know is if you want to press charges."

Todd watches Tea carefully, as she lifts her head. She takes a moment to breathe deeply...then she shakes her head no. Bo waits a moment, to see if she's going to say something else...but she doesn't.

"You don't want to file charges then?"

Tea shakes her head again. "No charges to file...he didn't do it."

Bo does a take at that. "He didn't...?" He looks over at West, who speaks up, confused.

"Well...if it wasn't Shelton, Tea, then...who WAS it? Is there someone else we should be looking for?"

Tea's eyes dart over to her. She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out...the tingly sensation grows, and her pulse quickens as her anxiety heightens. She gets up suddenly, and walks over to the window, turning her back to everyone. West looks back at Bo and shrugs.

Todd watches all of this, wondering if he should throw them out now...or let Tea make the call. He looks over at her, eyes closed, arms folded...she's not trembling or crying...but she's getting there. He looks back at Bo and West...then back at Tea, trying to decide. Finally, he decides to intervene...just as Tea's voice breaks the silence.

"I don't...I don't KNOW who they were..." she says, hesitantly.

Todd's mouth drops open in shock ...what?? THEY...? As in 'MORE than one' ??

Tea turns around, looking at the floor. "...but I DO know it wasn't him."

She looks up...and sees Bo and West, exchanging confused looks...and Todd, staring back at her in shock. She shuts her eyes immediately, not realizing that he was there. Bo stands up and walks over to her, stepping between her and Todd.

"I don't get it...you mean Shelton had OTHER accomplices BESIDES Roseanne?"

"No, that's not---" Tea fires back, then shuts her eyes for a second...her chest feels tight...the walls are starting to close in around her...she clenches her fists tightly, as Bo steps a little closer, lowering his voice.

"Tea...we CAN find whoever did this to you. They won't get away with it. Just tell us what they looked like."

Her temper flares, pushed to her limit. "Didn't you HEAR me?! I CAN'T! I DON'T KNOW who they were, and I DON'T KNOW what they looked like! So even IF I WANTED to find them, I COULDN'T! GET IT??!!"

Bo jumps back...Tea takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Todd puts the mug down on the table and steps around in front of her, protectively.

"Alright, you heard it, so...that's it."

Bo's shoulders drop at having to deal with Todd. He stares past him to look at Tea, who looks like she's on the verge of tears. He looks back at Todd, knowing the conversation is over. He nods, then glances over at West, who gets up.

"Yeah. Yeah, I heard it," he says, as he walks back toward the door. West follows him out to the foyer. Todd leaves Tea standing in the living room as he goes to open the door for them. West heads out into the hall as Bo turns around to look at Tea.

"I didn't mean to upset you, I'm sorry."

She looks up at him, and nods slightly. Bo starts to leave again...then turns back around.

"But if you change your mind, you know..."

She sighs heavily, nodding again, but isn't even looking at him now. Bo lingers on her for a moment, then glances at Todd quickly as he walks out. Todd hurriedly shuts the door behind them, then walks back in to the living room.

"What is it with cops, anyway---" he says, as he looks up...to find himself alone in the room.

He looks around. "Tea?"

He walks into the kitchen, poking his head in...not there. He walks back out into the living room.

"Tea, where'd you go?"

He stops in the middle of the room, listening...after a second, he hears water running. He looks up at the staircase...then walks upstairs. The sound gets louder, drawing him toward the partially-closed bathroom door. He places a hand on the doorknob, trying to peer inside.

"Delgado, y'alright?"

His response is the sound of the water shutting off. After a few seconds, she opens the door wider, letting him in. He pushes the door open all the way, as Tea turns around and looks at him through the towel she's wiping her face with. He sighs, leaning on the door frame.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have let Buchanan get that far....never knows when to shut up, does he?"

Tea sighs too, as she buries her face in the towel for a second, blotting her face and bangs again. Then she tosses the towel in the hamper, and runs a hand over her hair.

"It's alright. I mean, he wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't ask, but...it's just that...I just...I dunno. God, I'm so tired..."

She trails off, shuffling past him and out into the hall. Todd turns with her and follows her into the bedroom, watching as she unties her bathrobe and lifts the covers off the bed. He walks over and gently takes them from her, gesturing for her to get in as he holds them up for her. She stands there, wanting to get out of her robe...but she freezes with him standing there. She has to shut her eyes for a second to get a hold of herself. Then, as quickly as she can, she shrugs out of the bathrobe, letting it drop to the floor.

"I can't believe I'm going back to bed, I feel so lazy," she mutters, trying to distract him from her actions.

Todd's brow creases a little, noticing anyway...she's reluctant to undress with him there, even though the robe is only one layer of clothing. He looks at her face as she climbs into bed, knowing exactly how she feels...naked...vulnerable...like her guts are hanging out. He glances away, as he pulls the covers over her legs.

"Well, look at it this way. Patton---I mean Parker---told you to."

The light remark makes Tea smile...wistfully, though...feeling a sudden wave of affection as she looks at him, his long hair hanging down over his face, his eyes piercing right through to hers.

A single thought materializes in her head...

Kiss him...

Her lips part. Todd focuses on her eyes, and somehow, knows what she's thinking. He glances down at her mouth as he leans in a little closer, bringing their faces within inches of each other. Tea feels the lightest touch of his breath on her face, strengthening the urge...

...but in that same instant, the desire turns into anxiety...suddenly grabbing a hold of her and tying her stomach up in a knot. It distracts her, forcing her to break eye contact with him. Todd draws back, knowing the moment has passed...the wall still stands between them, solidified by her fear. He stands up, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Um...you need anything?" he asks, softly.

Tea swallows hard...then shakes her head. "No, I'm okay...thanks," she whispers back, unable to meet his eyes anymore. She lies back, pulling the covers up over herself as she sinks into the pillows. Then she turns on her side, facing him, clutching the pillows under her head...and closing her eyes to avoid having to look at him.

Todd stands there for a moment, silent...feeling a horrible sadness washing over him. He steps back from the whole scene in his mind, and sees the two of them, here, now...in the same room together, but miles apart. The wall grows bigger...taller...longer, as the seconds pass...pushing him farther and farther away. He knows he needs to find some way to break it down...but right now, he has no idea how to do it. It's an overwhelming feeling that sucks away his energy...and even though he wants to stay with her, he finds himself leaving the room.

The living room is absolutely still as he descends the stairs. He practically collapses on the couch, covering his eyes for a moment, totally drained. Suddenly a thought occurs to him, and he looks at his watch. His eyes open with a hopeful look to them...hoping that the call he made...and what would happen today...would help bring Tea back to him.