*****

In the darkness of a red-eye flight, Dean looks around at all of the sleeping passengers, squirming around, trying to do the impossible...get comfortable in a coach seat. He grins...partly because he realizes how great it is to be back in the world, watching regular people doing regular things...but also because he feels perfectly secure. As he scans the dimly lit cabin again, he knows for sure.

Nobody recognizes me...and more importantly than that...nobody cares.

He takes his baseball cap off, running a hand over his smooth, newly-shaven head. He grins again, adjusting the smart-looking, wire-rimmed glasses he bought. Then he sighs, as he turns off his overhead light...and settles back in the seat, turning his attention out the window. Looking down, he sees the cities and towns as grids of tiny, twinkling lights beneath him. He leans against the side of the plane, resting his head beside the porthole, thinking...wondering what would become of him now. He knew where he was going, but he had no idea what he would do when he got there, besides lay low for a while, until the commotion about his escape died down. But regardless of all that, he did know one thing...

...he'd be back.

His eyelids start to droop, as the stress and fatigue of the past twenty-four hours finally catches up to him. He folds his arms across his chest, letting the drone and vibration of the jet engines lull him to sleep. As he drifts off, he thinks of the one person he regretted not seeing before he left...wondering how she is...and whether she's gotten her gift yet.

*****

There's nothing quite so disorienting as opening your eyes in a completely dark space. Tea blinks...and blinks again, thinking maybe she never really opened her eyes...but it's still the same. Sitting up slowly, she reaches out, trying to feel around for something, anything. She reaches farther, until her hand won't stretch anymore. Then she reaches out with the other hand, becoming more frightened as she becomes more aware. She tries to speak...but finds she can't form any words. She feels her throat with one hand, still reaching out with the other. She swallows again and again, but can't seem to wet her dried out throat.

Then her hand finds something in the dark. She freezes, waiting for it to move...but it doesn't. Cautiously, she starts to feel it, trying to recognize it...

...when it suddenly moves...fast. Before she knows what's happening, she feels something hard hit her squarely in the face, knocking her onto her back. When she tries to get up, it plants itself on her chest, pushing her back down. Then she feels a rush of air...and can sense something close to her...the heat of another human being.

She lies there, uselessly struggling against the person pinning her down. Suddenly, the person starts to laugh...softly at first, then louder, and louder. When the laughter dies down, the person's voice whispers to her menacingly...

"Remember what I told you."

Tea freezes at the icy tone of the words...and the eerie familiarity of the voice...but before she can place it, the space around her suddenly changes...light and dark swirl around her like a tornado, disorienting her all over again. The one voice disappears...and is replaced by a cacophony of other voices. Then she feels herself slowing down, as if she were reaching a destination and putting the brakes on. The noise becomes more distinct...

...and as she opens her eyes, the light and dark form themselves into colors and shapes. She blinks rapidly, trying to acclimate herself to the time and place where she's landed. She breathes in, and coughs, realizing how dry her throat is.

Sitting beside her in the dimly lit hospital room, Todd suddenly wakes up too, startled by her coughing. He gets up and hovers over her...realizing how disoriented she is, he sits down on the edge of the bed, speaking softly.

"Hey...that's it...that's it, Tea, come on back."

Tea's eyes widen at the sound of his voice...she turns her head to find him. She focuses on him, watching the blurriness becoming sharper...until she finally sees him. She immediately tries to talk, but can only cough again. Todd pours her a paper cupful of water from the pitcher on the bedside table. Placing a hand behind her head and lifting her up, he puts the cup to her lips. She swallows, letting the water rush down her throat, feeling the coolness of it spreading out inside her.

She makes quick work of the first cupful and gestures for more. Todd pours her another one as she tries to sit up straight. Before he can stop her, she winces in pain, letting out a strange sounding, voiceless...

"OW!!"

Todd makes a face, feeling sympathy pains for her. "You don't wanna be doin' that right now, Delgado."

She gives him a look, then reaches for the water. He gently raises her head and tips the cup to her lips. She sucks it all down, then collapses back down into her pillows, finally awake...and becoming acutely aware of how sore she is. She closes her eyes, allowing herself to wallow in her misery for a second...

...then she suddenly realizes...and looks at Todd, her eyes wide and worried.

"Oh god..." she whispers. "...what happened?"

He sits down beside her on the bed. Reaching out and touching her face, he nods, swallowing hard...the realization still sinking in for him, too.

"Boys. We got boys," he says, in a soft, awestruck tone.

Slowly, Tea smiles...bigger and wider until it takes up her whole face. Todd moves closer to her, holding her face in his hands. She starts to cry with relief as she wraps her arms around him.

"Ohhhh....are they okay?"

"I guess so...I mean, I haven't seen them since they took them out of the delivery room. Parker told me she'll come get me when I can go down and see them in the nursery."

She nods, sniffling. He tips his forehead into hers, tapping them together lightly.

"Y'know, it all happened so fast. I mean, we went through all these months of waiting and worrying, and then when it finally came down to it, it was over in like two minutes. Parker just reached in, pulled 'em out and sent 'em off. I barely got to look at them."

Tea nods again, biting her lip. "Were they really small?"

Todd looks up at her, his eyes taking on a sadder look as he nods.

"I mean, I thought Starr was small the first time I saw her...and she was already like, a year old by then. But this, I...I've never seen anything so small. I saw Parker lifting them out, and I swear to God, I coulda held them both in my hands, easy."

She lets out a heavy sigh, wiping her face...then she wraps her hands around one of his. They sit there, silently, looking down at their entwined fingers, not saying anything...each of them knowing how worried the other one is. It stays quiet like that until they both hear the door opening. They both look up and see Beth, poking her head in.

She smiles. "Hey...somebody's awake," she says, walking over to them.

Tea smiles back, half-heartedly. Beth sighs, nodding as she gives her the once-over.

"I know, sweetie. But I'll tell ya...I've delivered plenty of preemies. Your little guys are gonna be just fine," she says, turning down the covers and lifting Tea's gown to check the dressing.

Todd turns and looks at her. "So what's the deal? Can we see them now?"

"Well, YOU can," she replies, then points to Tea. "But YOU have to stay in bed and rest. No sitting up, no getting up and no walking for the next few days. Only water for you tonight...you can start eating lightly tomorrow, if you feel up to it, and I'll get them to give you something for the pain. I'll be back to check on you tomorrow."

Tea sighs at that, nodding...disappointed, but at the same time, too tired and too sore to argue. Beth touches her face affectionately, then pats Todd's shoulder and starts to head for the door.

"C'mon, Dad. Let's go see those boys."

Todd sighs, looking at Tea, wishing they were going together. She gives him a tired smile.

"Tell them I said hi."

He grins at that...then gets up and follows Beth outside. They start to walk down the hall together, with Beth striding along in her usual hurried pace. After a few seconds, she notices that Todd is way behind her. She turns and waits for him to catch up, noticing his slow shuffle...his head down, hands in his pockets. When he finally gets up to her, he continues shuffling by, clearly deep in thought...not noticing anyone, including the delivery guy that passes by, heading for Tea's room.

Beth walks along with him, slowing her pace to match his. They get to the elevators, and they wait. She glances over at him, but he still says nothing...she sighs, and just continues to wait silently, letting him have his silence...knowing that nothing she could say would really put him at ease.

The doors open, and Bo nearly runs into them both stepping out. Todd looks up, snapped out of his reverie. They stare at each other a moment, both of them surprised by the other. Beth holds the door open as Bo steps out.

"Todd...uh...just the person I wanted to see."

Todd wrinkles his brow at that. Beth steps into the elevator, still holding the door.

"Todd...you comin' or not?"

He nods, brushing past Bo and stepping into the elevator. "I don't have time for you right now, Buchanan. I gotta see my kids."

Bo's eyes widen. "Tea had the babies?"

Todd gives him a look as the doors start to close. "Yeah, that's usually what happens after somebody gets pregnant. Oh...and don't go bothering Delgado, either."

Bo puts an arm out to stop the doors. "Todd...I HAVE to talk to you right NOW. It's important."

"It can wait."

"No, it CAN'T," he says, more urgently, glancing at Beth. Finally, he decides to just come out with it.

"Look...Shelton busted out of holding early this morning. He's gone."

Todd blinks, not quite getting it for a second...then his eyes widen, and in one swift move, he pushes the doors open and gets in Bo's face.

"WHAT did you just say? You did NOT just say that that scumbag escaped, did you? That better not be what you just said!"

Bo steps back, sighing...he stands there, hands on his hips, saying nothing. Todd waits...his heart sinking as he realizes what's going on.

"Ohmygod..." he mutters to himself, then whirls around to Beth, still in the elevator, a confused look on her face.

"Beth...do me a favor and make sure the boys are safe. Keep them out of sight, I don't want anybody knowing they're even here. NOBODY, you got me?" he says, his voice suddenly filled with panic.

Beth glances at Bo, gaping slightly...then she looks back at Todd, understanding...she nods, pressing the button.

"Yeah...okay...I'll be right back," she says, as the doors close.

Todd whirls back around, staring daggers at Bo, who sighs heavily.

"Apparently, Shelton still has friends."

"Yeah, and apparently, YOU aren't doing your job, Buchanan!! How could you let this happen?!"

Bo gives him a look, but Todd doesn't wait for the response. He turns around and heads back down the hall to Tea's room. Bo sighs again, reaching into his pocket for his radio, as he follows him.

"West...yeah, it's me. Get the guys up here to guard Tea's room...and send two more to the nursery. Nobody gets in or out who's not hospital staff, got it?"

Lisa West's staticky voice answers back. "Roger that. I'm on it."

Todd nearly runs the delivery guy over as he enters the room. When they make eye contact, the man smiles politely...then his smile quickly fades, as he sees Todd's crazed, panicked look. From her bed, Tea gives him a strange look, sitting there with a nicely wrapped gift box on the table tray in front of her.

"Todd...what is it?" she whispers.

Without warning, Todd grabs the delivery guy by the collar, slamming him up against the door.

"Did he send you?" he growls at the poor guy, who looks at him with wide eyes, obviously scared to death.

"What??"

"You heard me!"

"Oh, man, come on...I have NO idea what you're talking about! I'm just the delivery guy!"

Just then, Bo approaches the room. He sees what's happening and tries to break them up. Todd keeps his hold on the delivery guy for a second, and then shoves him at Bo.

"You might wanna talk to this guy," he says, then whirls around to face Tea, who stares back at him, totally confused.

"Todd, what the hell are you doing? He just delivered a gift," she says, about to open the card.

He rushes over and grabs the card and the box. "Don't open it!"

Tea gapes at him...then looks at Bo, who's standing outside with the shaken delivery guy. She looks back at Todd.

"WHAT is going on? Why is Bo here?"

Todd stands there a moment, trying to get himself together...then he holds up the gift box.

"Shelton escaped this morning."

Tea stares at him...her mouth opening, gaping as it sinks in. "Oh my God," she whispers.

Todd sits down on the bed, running a hand through his hair. "I told Parker to keep the boys out of sight. And now that the lone ranger's here, we'll probably be surrounded by cops."

Tea looks back at the door, as Bo comes in and stands at the foot of the bed.

"Tea...I'm sorry. I..." he starts...then shrugs, at a loss. "I underestimated him. But we'll find him..."

Todd lets out a humorless laugh at that.

"...and in the meantime, you can be sure that you and the twins will be safe. We'll have people here twenty-four seven."

Too shocked to reply, Tea just looks back at Todd...then she looks at the gift box. She wrinkles her brow...then reaches for it. Todd looks on as she gingerly tugs at the ribbon, pulling it loose.

"Delgado...don't open that."

She looks up at him. "I know what you're thinking...but it's okay."

Bo tips his head, trying to see as she lifts the lid cautiously. She parts the many layers of tissue paper, and lifts out the objects inside...

...two lovely, handcrafted silver rattles. Todd's eyes narrow, becoming increasingly incensed by Shelton's smug little gesture. He looks at Tea...who stares at them for a long time, her eyes taking on that strange, faraway look...not angry, not scared...just sad. Finally, she puts them back in the box, and opens the card...she reads aloud for Todd and Bo to hear.

"Tea...by now you've probably found out that I'm gone...and I just want you to know that I really am gone...long gone. I'm not lurking around, trying to find you...so don't worry. I have no intention of causing you any more problems. God knows you've been through enough already. I just wanted to give you a little something for this very special occasion...I know it doesn't make up for anything...but I hope you know how sorry I am, and..."

She trails off, her eyes reading ahead...and tearing up. "...and how much I care about you, and your children. I know that their first few months on the planet will be rough, but I also know that they'll make it through without a problem...because their mother is the strongest woman I've ever met. Take care, Tea...and be well...Dean."

Nothing is said for a moment. Finally, she sniffles, quietly slipping the card back in its envelope...then she hands the box and card to Bo.

"Probably won't help much, but at least you can find out where he got it."

Bo nods, taking the box from her. Just then, two Llanview police officers appear in the door. Bo turns and nods at them, then starts to head out. He turns back around, looking at Tea.

"Boys or girls?"

Todd turns, looking at him as Tea grins slightly. "Boys."

He grins back, nodding. "Congratulations," he says, walking out. He talks quietly to the officers, then leaves.

Todd and Tea sit there quietly for a moment, looking at each other...then Tea reaches out and gently touches his face.

"Do me a favor. Go see the babies."

He looks at her, his eyes sad and scared. "I don't want to leave you alone."

"I know...but you heard it. He's long gone, we don't have to worry about it."

"I don't believe anything he says."

"Well...*I* do."

He looks at her strangely. "You DO like him, don't you?"

"It's got nothing to do with like. I just know...he's telling the truth. Now will you please..." she trails off, making a shooing motion with her hands.

He shakes his head at her as he gets up and heads for the door. He turns back and looks at her...and she smiles, continuing to make her "shoo" gesture. He stares at her a moment, a little disturbed by her calmness...but at the same time, finding a strange reassurance in it...like she really does know somehow. Then he heads out, giving the officers menacing looks as he strides off down the hall.

*****

When he gets to the nursery area, Todd stops for a moment, staring through the glass at the all the newborns, sleeping or crying in their little plastic cribs that look more like roasting pans to him than anything else. He becomes so entranced by them that he doesn't notice Beth waving at him. Finally, she opens the big, heavy swinging door, poking her head out.

"Todd."

He snaps out of it, looking over at her as she holds the door open for him. He walks through and the babies' sounds become noticeably louder. He stares at them all as Beth leads him to the neonatal unit, stopping just outside of it. Beth grabs a pair of scrubs and hands them to him.

"Here, put these on...wash your hands, then come on in," she says, backing through the next swinging door.

Todd goes through the motions, putting the scrubs on, and washing up, only half paying attention to what he's doing...finding he's still distracted, still worried that Shelton might show up again...maybe not right at that moment, maybe not that day...maybe not for months or years...but sometime. He tucks all his hair into the little shower cap, and heads for the swinging door, all the time thinking...

...damn straight, you'll never get to us again. I won't let you.

He enters the neonatal unit and freezes...unnerved by the heavy silence. He sees Beth with a couple of nurses, quietly hovering around two large, plastic incubators. Beth turns and sees him, waving him over. He steps forward, becoming aware of all the equipment around the twins, all the machines working away...monitoring their every move, helping them breathe.

The nurses leave as he approaches. His eyes widen as he gets his first good look at the twins...his mouth opens slightly, taken aback by how small and fragile they are. He looks them both over, from the tiny blue knit caps on their heads to their microscopic toes. He feels a huge lump growing in his throat, looking at all the wires taped to them...looking at the tubes going in and out of them...looking at their eyes, still glued shut, not yet ready to see the world. He watches their chests, and can see them fighting, using all of their strength to push the air in and out. He looks over at Beth with glassy eyes...and she smiles at him.

"Listen," she whispers. "I've alerted all the nurses, so they know not to let anybody in here. And I guess the commissioner is sending round the clock guards, so I think we'll be okay."

He nods...then looks around again at all the machines. Beth sees this, and reaches out, touching his arm.

"I know how scary this looks, Todd...and I know it doesn't look like it, but they're actually doing extremely well, considering."

He sniffs the tears back. "So...what happens now?" he asks, quietly.

"What happens now...is we watch them...and we wait. We wait for their lungs to grow, we wait until they're developed enough and they're strong enough to breathe on their own."

"Sounds like a lot of waiting."

Beth cracks up at that. "Yeah...yeah, it is."

They stand there for a while, quiet. Beth looks over at Todd, watching him with a sad smile, as he tips his head down until it touches the plastic. He stays like that, just watching the babies' chests rising and falling, watching them fight their battle to stay alive...and knowing that it was only the first of many battles they'd have to fight in their lives.

*****

Tea stares out the window, unable to get back to sleep...waiting for Todd to come back. Her mind wanders in a dozen different directions...but she finds that they all lead her back to Dean somehow. She makes a face, trying to pin down exactly what it is she feels...it's not fear, or anger, or worry that he might come back and cause trouble for them again. She did know, deep down, that he was telling her the truth in that note...and that, in all likelihood, she would never see or hear from him again.

She makes another face, wondering if maybe THAT was what bothered her...

...when Todd enters the room, quietly. He sees her lying there, awake...and sits down on the edge of the bed. She looks over at him, forgetting everything she was just thinking about...and gives him a hopeful smile.

"Hey," she says, softly. "...how are they?"

He doesn't respond at first...he picks up her hand, gently, and touches it to his face, rubbing his cheek against it. She tips her head slightly.

"You okay?"

He nods, releasing her hand. "They're wearing these really dorky-lookin' blue hats."

She smiles, cracking up. "Well, I'm sure they're more practical than stylish."

He grins, sort of laughing back...then he sighs, heavily, and looks her squarely in the eyes.

"They're so small, Tea...and they're fighting so hard..."

The smile fades from Tea's eyes...and they quickly fill up with tears. She squeezes his hand.

"...but Parker says they're actually doing okay."

Tea nods, sniffling. A silence passes between them, then she lets go of his hand to wipe her eyes.

"Wish I could've been there."

Todd looks down, unable to respond. After a moment, he gestures for her to slide over. Tea pushes herself up on her elbows and moves over as he lies down, wrapping an arm around her, and burying his face in her hair. Nothing is said for a moment...then Todd starts whispering in her ear.

"Y'know I spent some time in Ireland, right?"

Tea furrows her brow at that...then she nods.

"Well, it was a pretty awful experience on the whole, but...I remember...meeting these guys there...they were twins too, which is probably why I'm suddenly remembering this now. Anyway, I met these guys in one of the pubs one night...y'know, I just hung out with them, and got totally blasted..."

Tea cracks up at that, but says nothing.

"...and it's not anything in particular that they said or did...they were just a couple of really cool guys...and they were close...really tight. I remember being...I dunno, jealous, y'know? 'Cause I never had that."

Tea smiles, nodding...then she turns to look at him.

"Were they cute?"

Todd blinks...then makes a face, rolling his eyes. "Shut up."

She giggles, nuzzling his cheek. "What were their names?"

He wrinkles his brow, thinking. "Don't remember...hmm. Oh, wait, no, I do...Brendan, and...and...oh...Evan. Yeah, that was it...Evan and Brendan. They were cool."

Tea wags her eyebrows. "Hmm. Nice."

Completely in sync, they both separate and look at each other. Tea smiles her famous, ever-widening smile.

"Evan and Brendan...Manning...Delgado Manning. Hmmm."

Todd raises an eyebrow, thinking...then nodding. "Think you might have something there, Delgado."

She smiles wider, then settles back into his arms. He wraps her up in his embrace, holding her tightly. Tea closes her eyes, whispering the names over and over to herself, as she drifts off to sleep again. Todd stares out the window for a while, nodding as he, too, repeats the names over and over in his head, becoming accustomed to their sound. And even with everything that had happened that day...and as worried as he knew he should have been...instead, somehow he was filled with a tremendous calm at that moment. Everything he wanted was right there, with him...Tea...and their children, safe and alive...and that was enough for him. He closes his eyes, resting his head on Tea's, letting himself drift off...not doubting it, not questioning it...just allowing himself to experience it, the thing that they so rarely got in their lives...

...peace.