Dean smirks. "Don't be up too late," he says, then hangs up.

*****

The Llantano County Courthouse is relatively small as courthouses go...and it's very quiet at six in the morning. People haven't shown up for work yet, and the two or three guards on duty in the lobby sit around, drinking coffee, talking and laughing...

...and not paying much attention to the car pulling up outside. Two men dressed all in black get out of the car in ski masks...each of them carrying a gun. They exchange glances...then quietly make their way up the steps, staying low to the ground. They plaster themselves against the columns in front of the doors...hiding behind them, peeking through the glass.

One of the guards happens to look up from his coffee...and sees the car sitting outside.

"Where'd that car come from?"

The other two guards look up too, shrugging. The first guard checks his watch, making a face...then sighs, getting up and wrangling the keys off his belt.

"I'd better go check."

The other guards watch as he walks up to the front doors, and starts to unlock them. Outside, the two men in black exchange glances, nodding...waiting for the doors to open...

...suddenly, the other guards jump at the sound of a silenced round being fired. The guard at the doors lets out a yell and falls to the ground with a dart in his chest as the men in black rush in, each one aiming at one of the other guards. One of the guards reaches for his weapon...and both men in black fire. Two darts fly out, hitting each remaining guard in the chest. Both guards drop to their knees in shock...then fall all the way to the ground, immobilized. One of the men in black stays by the guards, on the lookout, as the other one jumps over the table by the metal detectors, heading down the stairs leading to the holding cells.

As he approaches the door, the man takes a deep breath, stretching his neck from side to side...then in one swift move, he throws open the door and surprises the hell out of the guard sitting outside the holding cells. Before he can do anything, the guard hears a sharp, air-sucking sound and feels a sting in his chest. He looks down at the dart as he falls off of his chair, into a heap on the floor.

The man in black stands over the guard, watching him for a second to make sure he's out...then grabs his keys and starts trying each one in the lock. In his cell, Dean hears the sounds of his friends coming to get him...he jumps off of his bunk and runs to the front of his cell, peeking out.

Finally...CLANK. The ancient, clumsy lock turns, unbolting. The man in black runs down the corridor, and grabs Dean's outstretched hand. He smiles through his mask.

"Somebody here call a cab?"

Dean laughs like a kid, as the man starts trying keys in the next lock. Dean looks around nervously, as the man goes through key after key. At the end of the chain, he finds the one...and the lock releases. He pulls the door open, and hauls Dean out of the cell.

"Let's GO!"

Dean starts unsnapping his orange uniform as he runs down the hall after his friend, up the stairs and into the lobby. When he sees them, the other man in black leaves the guards and starts running too. They all bust out the front doors, flying down the steps and jumping into the car. One of the men in black starts the car, ripping his mask off...revealing the dark-haired, dark-skinned man from the poker game.

As they peel away from the curb, all three of them let out huge sighs of relief, smacking each other for a job well done. Dean wriggles out of his uniform and starts putting on the clothes that were waiting for him in the backseat. Then he grabs his friend around the neck, holding him in an affectionate headlock, giving him a smacking kiss on the cheek. His friend pushes him off, making a face.

"Get offa me, freak! You want me to wreck?"

Dean and the other guy in the passenger seat both laugh. Dean slaps his friend's shoulder, then sits back.

"Listen, I gotta make a stop before we go."

The driver rolls his eyes, looking at Dean in the rearview mirror. "I am not hearin' this. We do NOT have the time, bro."

Dean settles back in the seat, slouching down. "It'll be quick, don't worry. Head for Llanview."

*****

A few hours later, Viki and Carlotta step off the elevator, and head down the hall toward Tea's room. As they approach the door, it suddenly opens and Todd nearly mows them down as he steps out. They all look at each other, surprised...then Todd sighs, running a hand through his tousled hair.

"God...what're YOU doin' here?"

The two women exchange glances at his typical rudeness. Then Viki steps up to him, smiling gently...seeing the fatigue and worry in his puffy eyes.

"Rough night, huh?"

Todd just makes a face. Viki nods. "Joely came by last night before she left. She told me...and I told Carlotta. We just wanted to make sure you're alright...but if you don't want us here, we'll go."

He looks between them...then moves aside, holding the door open. "She just fell asleep again."

Viki and Carlotta step inside, and quietly make their way toward the bed. They stand there for a moment, both of them taken aback by how fragile Tea looks lying there. Viki stays at the foot of the bed with Todd as Carlotta sits down beside Tea. She takes her hand and puts it up to her face.

"Oh, mija," she whispers, starting to cry a little.

Todd stares at Carlotta, as she reaches out and strokes Tea's hair, whispering to her in Spanish. He suddenly feels a pang of fear...like he's watching Tea receive her last rites. Then he looks at Viki...she looks back at him, and can instantly see how scared he is, how powerless...and how it's taking all his strength just to stay in the room. Without a word, she stands on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek so softly he can barely feel it.

"I know...but she'll be alright. I know she will," she whispers.

Todd swallows hard, nodding...as Viki gently squeezes his hand. After a moment, she relaxes her grip, thinking she should let go. But as she starts to pull her hand away, Todd threads his fingers through hers, locking their hands together. Viki looks up at him, surprised...then sighs, watching him just staring at Tea.

The twins' heart monitor beeps steadily, ticking the time away. The room grows still, and the air is thick with everyone's worries and thoughts just hanging there...waiting.

*****

Bo wades his way through the sea of press people outside the courthouse, all of them shouting questions at him as he pushes his way toward the entrance. Finally, as he gets to the doors, he turns around.

"Can't you people see I just GOT here?! No comment!" he yells back at them, as he squeezes through the doors, pulling them shut behind him.

He turns and scans the lobby of the courthouse, filled with every available cop in the area. Flashing his badge at the security guard, he strolls around the metal detectors to meet Hank, and Lisa West.

"Any news?"

Lisa shakes her head. "Nothin' yet. But the APB's out, and we got cruisers all over town. FBI's on their way, too."

"Those security guards...how are they?"

"Looks like they were all shot with some heavy tranquilizer darts. I guess they're gonna be okay, but they won't be awake for a while yet."

Bo surveys the scene again, thinking...then shakes his head, looking at Hank.

"Y'know my mistake with this guy is that I'm always underestimating him. I thought for sure whatever connections Shelton had would've abandoned him by now. I mean, wouldn't you?"

Hank nods...then makes a face. "Well, whoever they were, they must've been more than business acquaintances. If these friends were willing to do THIS for him...he's even more dangerous than we thought."

There's a silence as all three of them try to come up with something. Then suddenly, Bo looks at them both.

"Tea. Oh my God...Tea. Have we sent anybody to guard Manning's penthouse?"

Lisa's eyes widen at her oversight. "No...not yet. I'll send someone right now!"

Bo heads back toward the entrance, shouting over his shoulder. "Forget it, I'll take a couple guys from here! Get on the horn to Manning, tell him to stay put! I'm on my way there!"

*****

The dark-haired man shuts the engine off, turning around to look at Dean.

"This is STUPID, bro. We gotta get outta here!"

Dean grins. "Can I borrow your gloves?"

"Why you doin' this, man? Why are we wasting our time busting you out if you're just gonna get your dumb ass caught again?"

"I'm not gonna get caught. I just..." he starts, trailing off, his mind elsewhere for a second.

His friends exchange glances...then the dark-haired man shrugs.

"Just what?"

Dean looks back at him, snapping out of it. "Uh...nothin', I just gotta do this one thing. So just stay put, and we'll be fine. Gimme your gloves...and your gun. The real one."

"Oh, great...my gun too." the dark-haired man replies, shaking his head as he throws his gloves at him. Then he reaches into the glove box, pulling out a 9mm. He turns around, and starts to hand it to him. Dean reaches for it...but he pulls it back.

Dean tips his head slightly...then smiles. "It's alright, bro. I know. I won't get caught, I promise."

With that, he snatches the gun out of his hand, then gets out of the car and runs down the alley toward the street. The dark-haired man settles in the seat, watching him go. Sighing in frustration, he turns and looks at the guy in the passenger seat.

"I swear to God...if he tries to nab that Delgado bitch again, I'll kill him myself..." he says, glancing out the window again after Dean.

"...dumb-ass."

Dean steps out of the alley, and walks casually...even taking a second to enjoy the feeling of the sun and the crisp morning air on his face. He strolls past the doorman, nodding at him politely as he gets onto the elevator. He grins to himself as he punches the button for the top floor. As the doors close, he catches sight of himself in the mirrored metal. He runs a hand over his shaggy two-tone hair, shaking his head.

"Memo to me. Haircut. Bleach. First thing," he mutters, turning his head from side to side.

Thinking some more, he makes a face.

"Scratch that. Shave it off."

The elevator bell rings as it reaches the top floor. Dean pulls the gloves on as the doors open quietly. He peeks out, checking both sides before he steps into the hallway. As he makes his way toward the door, he pulls the gun out from behind him. Looking around again, he aims at the doorknob, ready to fire...

...when he suddenly catches sight of the note taped up on the door. He steps closer, reading it.

"Blair, Shorty...we're at the hospital. ---T."

Dean wrinkles his brow for a second...then his face becomes softer, as he figures out what probably happened. His whole body seems to sink a little, and the gun drops to his side.

"Damn," he whispers. Then he stands there for a moment, thinking.

Suddenly, he hears the sound of air whooshing through the elevator shaft. He turns around, looking up at the numbers lighting their way toward the top floor. He runs and hides around the corner, in the shadows...keeping the gun aimed in on the hallway. The bell rings...Dean peeks out, to see Bo and two other officers get off the elevator. He watches them as they start banging on the door.

"Manning!! It's Buchanan, open up!!" Bo yells, then he sees the note. He reads it, then looks at the other officers, punching the elevator call button.

"Okay, you guys head over to the hospital, find Tea's room and guard it. Unless it's family or hospital personnel, NOBODY goes in or out, got it? If they move her, stay with her. DON'T leave her alone. Oh... and Manning's probably gonna go ballistic on you, but just ignore him."

They nod as the elevator opens again, and they all step in. When the doors close, Dean steps back out, tucking the gun in the back of his pants. He stands there in the hall, thinking some more...then he disappears into the stairwell.

*****

Beth Parker sits at a table in the hospital cafeteria, drinking coffee as she sifts through her pile of paperwork. She reaches for the egg and cheese sandwich she bought, ready to take a bite...

...when her beeper goes off. Sandwich in hand, she grabs the pager and looks at it...then she hurriedly takes a huge bite, and throws the sandwich back down on the plate. She gulps some more coffee, then scoops up her paperwork and rushes out of the cafeteria.

When she gets off the elevator, she dumps her paperwork at the nurses' desk and goes running for Tea's room...past Viki and Carlotta, who are still standing around outside, looking on anxiously. The door shuts on them, blocking their view...but they can hear Beth shouting orders to the nurses...and Tea, crying out in pain. They look at each other, then back at the door.

It's quiet for a moment...then the door flies open. They stand back, watching as Tea gets wheeled out on a gurney, with Beth and the nurses pushing her down the hall. Todd comes out of the room last, and walks up to Viki. He opens his mouth to say something, but he stops.

All he can do is look at her.

Viki nods, sniffling a little. Todd glances at Carlotta, then takes off down the hall, catching up as they wheel Tea into the elevator. Viki stares after them, then looks at Carlotta.

"I think maybe we should sit in the chapel for a while."

*****

Tea looks around, shivering as she lies on the table in the freezing operating room. She watches as a nurse puts up a barrier of sorts, blocking her view of her own body. The nurse smiles, taking a moment to smooth Tea's hair back and wipe her face with a cool, damp cloth.

"Just try to relax," the nurse says, through her mask.

Tea sighs, letting her head drop to the side. She closes her eyes, listening to the noises around her...praying silently...

...please God...let them be alright...

Suddenly, she hears the sounds of many voices, entering the room, buzzing around her. Then she feels the soft, slightly wet touch of lips on her forehead. She opens her eyes...and sees Todd, staring back at her. She looks him over...and cracks up.

"You look good in scrubs," she says, quietly.

He cracks up too, nervously, as he sits down beside her. "Yeah...this could be a whole new look for me."

"Mmmm...lose the cap, though. I gotta see that hair."

He grabs her hand, their fingers interlocking. "I would, but I think Parker'll kick me out if I do that."

Tea laughs a little, making a clicking noise. Just then, another man in scrubs walks over to them.

"Hi Tea. Looks like we're all set here, so I'm gonna give you a little something to put you to sleep."

Tea nods. "Where's Beth?"

"I'm right here," she answers, walking around behind Todd. "...so you go on and take a little nap. When you wake up, there'll be a couple of babies waiting for you."

Tea smiles, tiredly...then turns her attention back to Todd. He leans on the table, sandwiching Tea's arm between his, rubbing his cheek against their intertwined fingers.

"Okay, Tea..." a disembodied voice says. "...here we go. Start counting backwards from one-hundred."

Still gazing at Todd, she sighs, a few stray tears falling. "One-hundred. Oooh, that's cold. Ninety-nine...ninety...eight..."

Her eyelids flutter, and Todd feels her fingers relaxing between his. He rests his head on their entwined hands, watching Tea falling deeper and deeper into sleep...and suddenly sees the two of them, in his mind...holding hands, standing at the beginning of that all-too familiar road...the scary looking one, dark and shrouded in heavy fog...

...the one that he can't follow her on. But as she heads down it, he keeps a hold of her hand, stretching his arm as far as it'll go. When it won't stretch anymore, she turns back...and smiles at him. He feels her hand slipping out of his, and tries to reach for her, but she's too far away. All he can do is watch her as she continues on, walking backwards, still looking at him...

"...nine...tee...sev..."

...and finally disappears. Despite all his attempts to hold it down, Todd feels himself starting to lose it a little. He buries his face as tears start leaking out, and does the only thing he can do...

...wait for her to come back.