Just then, the cordless phone lying on the night stand starts ringing. Tea's eyes open, slowly, at the sound. She blinks herself awake, then looks over at the phone. She reaches for it, then yawns as she answers.

"Ohhhh-hmmm...hello?"

On the other end, Todd walks along a dirt path illuminated by the jeep headlights, relieved to hear her voice.

"Hey, c'mon, it's only like twelve-thirty out there. You should still be up raiding the fridge."

She giggles as she nestles into the pillows. "Well right now, laziness outweighs hunger. But gimme an hour or so."

He smirks, as he reaches the end of the path and looks up. "Guess what I'M lookin' at."

She thinks for a second...then her eyes brighten, and she sits up straight. "Oh! How's it look?"

He takes a moment to look at the massive wooden frame sitting atop a stone foundation...the skeleton of a house. Even in its unfinished state, it seems to speak to him...and he grins wider.

"Well...guess it's hard to tell just looking at a frame, but...I think...yeah, I think it's gonna be cool."

"Cool is good."

"Yeah, I wanted to take a peek myself before I have to deal with all the contractors tomorrow. I figured I'd come out now, while everybody's gone, and Shorty's hangin' out with Doc."

She laughs at him. "You make them sound like the seven dwarves, Todd...Shorty, Doc. Guess the wonder twins'll have to be Sneezy and Dopey now."

He cracks up. "Know what, Delgado...shut up."

She laughs harder, then settles down, wiping her eyes. "Ohhh, man...so how's Starr?"

Todd cracks up. "Oh my God, she's so funny. She's having the best time."

"And how's Joely?"

"Doc? Oh, she's alright, I guess. She's still gettin' bad headaches off and on, but she's dealin'."

Tea nods. "She doesn't mind having a kid around?"

"What, are you kidding? She loves it...you'd think she was Shorty's grandma or something. She can't wait to see you."

"Awww. Same here."

Todd kicks a pebble down the dirt path, shoving a hand in his pocket. "*I* can't wait to see you."

She sighs, missing him. "Same here."

There's another short silence. Tea laughs to herself. "Well, just think...tomorrow's Wednesday...halfway through the week."

Todd sighs too, nodding. "Right..."

Then a different tone seems to creep into his voice, serious, pensive. "...it's been hard to sleep without you here, y'know. I keep getting this weird feeling."

She settles back against the pillows. "About what?"

He starts making his way back to the jeep. "I dunno, it's just weird...can't pin it down to anything. You know that feeling you get when you think you've forgotten something...or something like that?"

She nods. "Yeah...yeah, I know it. Hmmm. It's probably nothing."

"You alright?" he asks, directly.

Tea makes a face, wondering where that came from. "Yeah, fine...why?"

He shrugs. "I don't know...guess I'm just..."

"...worried?" she finishes.

"Mmm."

She smiles. "Well, gee, dunno why you would be, I'm just the pregnant cripple after all..."

She hears him crack up a little. "...ah, I'm fine, Todd...WE'RE fine. Don't worry about us."

"Yeah, I know," he says, getting in and shutting the door. He rubs his eyes, feeling tired.

"...I dunno. Whatever. I'll talk to ya tomorrow."

She smiles, her voice coming out low and seductive. "Mmmm...buenas noches, querido."

He suddenly feels all the hairs on the back of his neck standing up, and a warm shudder of arousal rushing through his veins. He does a take, surprised by it.

"Damn, Delgado...the hell did you just say?"

She cracks up. "All I said was good night. Why?" she asks, lowering her voice again to a velvety purr, teasing.

"...did that do it for ya?"

He runs his tongue along the inside of his cheek. "Shut up...like RIGHT NOW."

She giggles, then lays it on as thick as she can, breathing heavy. "Ooooh. I just LOVE it when you get bossy. Mmmmm...y'know, Todd...underneath all these clothes I'm wearing...I'm COMPLETELY NAKED."

There's a silence...then they both crack up. Tea starts laughing, loudly...Todd hears her and lets his laughter out too, knowing nobody can see him or hear him except her. He stops long enough to get one crack out.

"Didn't know I dialed a 900 number...who the hell have I been talking to all this time?"

She clutches her belly and falls over, laughing harder...which just makes him bust up all over again. They laugh and laugh, until the laughs settle into giggles, and the giggles finally disappear. There's another silence as they both catch their breath.

Finally Todd speaks softly. "I better go...before I have to jump on a plane."

She cracks up again. "Mmmm. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

He punches the end button, then tosses the phone on the passenger seat. He exhales deeply, feeling better now that he's talked to her. He starts the jeep and turns it around, heading back to Joely's.

Tea holds the phone against her chest for a moment after she hangs up, smiling to herself. Then she puts it on the night stand and turns the lamp off. She pushes the books aside and lies down, curling up and falling asleep.

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

Tea wakes up a little while later, feeling like she hasn't eaten in a month. She sits up, yawning, reaching over and flicking the lamp on. She looks at the clock...it's a little after 2AM. She swings her legs over and onto the floor carefully.

"Oh, you guys," she says, patting her belly.

She looks down at the brace, lying by the bed. She goes to put it on, then stops, making a face and a "screw it" gesture. She stands up, slowly, then limps out of the bedroom and into the hallway.

She grabs onto the railing, supporting herself on it as she makes her way down the stairs. She yawns again as she looks around the dark, quiet living room. She rubs her eyes as she limps her way toward the kitchen, adjusting her baggy pajama bottoms.

The lights from the kitchen seem like nuclear blasts to Tea's eyes when they come on. She stands there, covering her eyes for a moment. Then she looks around, blinking, adjusting to the brightness. She limps over to the fridge and opens it up, feeling the cold blast as she peers inside. She grabs a huge armload of sandwich fixins that she bought and dumps them onto the table...then grabs the bread off the top of the fridge and hops over to the sink. She takes a knife and a plate out of the drainboard and sits down.

She assembles a massive sandwich and takes a bite. Then she leans back in the chair, stretching as she chews away. She leans forward again, listening to the silence all around her for a moment. Then she gets up, slowly, and puts everything away. She hops back over to the drainboard, getting a glass. She makes her way back to the fridge and pours herself some milk.

She grabs the plate, then heads out with her snack. She lifts up an elbow and flicks the lights off...the penthouse plunges into darkness again. She stops in the doorway, letting her eyes adjust. Then she makes her way over to the stairs and stops, wondering how she's going to get herself AND her food back upstairs. She sighs, then secures the plate in the crook of the arm holding the glass, freeing up her other hand to grab the railing. She climbs the stairs slowly, taking forever to get up to the top. She lets out a deep breath once she's there, rebalancing the load and shuffling slowly back to the bedroom.

She gets a few steps inside and stops, smelling something...strong. She sniffs the plate...it's not the sandwich. She wrinkles her face at the fumes making their way up her nose. She feels a sudden rush of air behind her...she starts to turn around...

...but before she can, something grabs a hold of her. The plate and the glass fall out of her hands...spraying milk and sandwich all over the place, and making dull pinging noises as they hit the carpet. She starts to scream...but a cloth soaked in chloroform comes down over her nose and mouth. She tries to pull it away...but the gloved hand holding it is much stronger than hers.

Tea struggles, trying not to breathe in...but she can't hold it long. The fumes shoot up her nose and into her brain, overpowering her. Her eyes flutter as she loses consciousness. Finally, her head drops and her body goes limp.

Dean keeps the cloth in front of her face for a few more seconds, making absolutely sure she's out cold. He holds her up with one arm, then shoves the cloth in a pocket. Then he picks her up, grimacing a little as he tries to balance on his bad leg...then he carries her over to the bed and sets her down, gently. He looks all around...on a chair across the room, he spots some of her clothes and a pair of sneakers. He grabs them, and as he comes back over to the bed, spots the brace. He grabs it, too, then starts to dress her quickly, pulling the track pants up over her shorts.

He notices her belly and stops for just a second, never having seen a pregnant woman's tummy up close. He touches it gently, feeling how firm it is...like it was puffed up with air. He makes a face, then continues with his chore. He gets her shoes on, then picks her up by her arm, slinging her over his shoulder. He grabs the brace with his free arm and slowly carries her downstairs.

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

Todd slouches comfortably on the couch, looking at Starr, who's curled up in the huge chair next to him, sound asleep, using Fred as a pillow. He turns to face Joely, who sits on the couch next to him, sipping her tea.

"Think she likes your chair," he says, quietly.

Joely smiles. "Mmmm...I've fallen asleep in that chair, too."

There's a short silence. After a moment, Joely looks up at him.

"Oh...did you call Tea?"

He nods. "Yeah, she's fine. I knew she was fine. I dunno what my problem is."

She laughs a little. "Well, it's perfectly obvious to ME."

He does a take at her smart remark. "Gee, THANKS."

She giggles, then lightly hits him. "Look, Tea's pregnant with twins and is still healing from a horrible accident. It's only natural to worry."

He grabs the pillow behind him and clutches it to his chest. "Mmm. Did I tell you what her niece said to her the other day?"

"No," she says, finishing her tea. She puts her cup down and looks at him. Todd shakes his head, getting angry just thinking about it.

"She really laid into her...wasn't pretty."

"Is this...Roseanne?"

He nods, glancing at Starr to make sure she's still asleep. "Yeah...she said something to the effect of... 'great, just what the world needs, more of Todd Manning's devil spawn running around.'"

Joely's eyes widen. "Really?"

He nods. "Oh, it gets better. She asked Delgado how she felt knowing she was gonna have the children of a 'schitzoid rapist.' And THEN, goes on to tell her what a screwup she is for being with me, and that the twins are probably gonna turn out to be nuts, too."

She covers her mouth, shocked. "Oh, my God...that's awful. How did Tea react?"

He shrugs. "Ah, you know Delgado, she didn't let herself react in front of everybody...but she was really hurt. She was crying when she told me."

Joely looks at him, sympathetically. "And how did YOU react?"

He looks at her, then glances away, fiddling with the pillow. "Well, I mean, obviously there's nothing I can do from here, but, uh...hmm. I felt like getting right back on the plane just so I throttle the little witch."

She nods, sighing. "Is Roseanne ALWAYS that hostile toward Tea?"

He shakes his head. "Na...well, I mean, they never really got along...and Roseanne's always had it in for her. She's always thought that Tea doesn't care about her family, y'know...that she's disowned them just so she can pretend to be a rich white woman."

"Well...I don't really know Tea's history, but I can't imagine that's true."

"Actually, it used to be, kind of. When I first met her, it was all about the career and the cash. But at the same time, she had this other side to her, y'know? One with a big heart...she cared about people...and THAT hasn't changed, just the career and the money thing. Delgado...she feels things really deeply...and I know it hurts her that Roseanne hates her so much."

Joely nods. Todd looks at her questioningly.

"Y'know what really got to me, though? That whole thing about the twins turning out to be nuts... 'cause that..."

"...because YOU'RE worried about it, too, aren't you?"

He hesitates, then nods. Joely shakes her head, moving a little closer.

"Todd...you know dissociative disorders result from abuse, not from defective genes. And besides, the most important thing you'll pass down to those kids has NOTHING to do with genetics or biology. It's LOVE."

He squints at her, listening intently. She puts an elbow on the top of the couch, resting her head in her hand.

"The reason YOU are the way you are, the reason WHY you have the problems you have...is because of love you NEVER GOT. Just look at Starr...if DID were a genetic disorder, she'd probably have it too. But she doesn't...she's a perfectly healthy, stable, beautiful child...and why? Because you LOVE her...her mother loves her...Tea loves her...and you all make sure she KNOWS that...and you're all there for her, whenever she needs you. THAT'S what's key. If you and Tea are as loving to the twins as you are to Starr, they'll be fine...just like she is."

He says nothing for a moment, taking her words in. Then he nods, and sort-of laughs.

"That's what Delgado said."

She smiles. "Well, there you have it, second opinion and all."

"So...does that mean I'm gonna get billed for this?"

She laughs softly. "Hmmm..."

Then her voice lowers, becoming more serious. "...actually, I HAVE been thinking about what you asked me."

He sits up. "Yeah?"

"Mmmhmm...and I have a suggestion for you."

Todd rests his head against his fist, listening intently. "Uh-huh."

"Well, as I told you earlier...*I* really shouldn't be your therapist anymore, since I'm not completely objective."

He makes a face, disappointed.

"...but, I CAN be here for you, as a friend. You can still tell me whatever it is you want to tell me. And when you're here, if you feel you might be regressing, you can come to me for help. As long as you're aware that I'll have to share information with Dr. Hoffman...and I won't be able to prescribe medication for you."

Todd thinks for a moment. "So basically, you'll be my doctor again...just not officially."

Joely considers...then nods. "Yes...basically. Would that do?"

He grins, nodding back, relieved. "Yeah. Yeah, that'd be...that'd be...great. Thanks."

She smiles back. "Good," she says, then looks at her watch. She sighs. "I really need to get to bed now."

He nods, standing up and stepping over to the chair. He rubs Starr's shoulder...she stirs, and her eyes open slowly. He bends down and holds his hands out to her...she yawns, stretching...then wraps her arms around his neck. He scoops her up as he stands back up, and she rests her head on his shoulder. He turns to Joely, who comes over to them and touches Starr's hair gently.

"Thanks for dinner. See ya tomorrow."

Joely nods. "Goodnight," she whispers, then waves as he heads out the back with Starr.

Todd carries Starr down the path back to the guest house. He walks in and locks up, flipping a lamp on...then takes Starr over to the bed. He yanks the covers down, then sets her down, gently. She yawns, stirring. She feels the sheets and pillows beneath her and lies down without even looking, eyes still closed. She clutches Fred to her chest as Todd pulls her shoes off and tucks her in.

He plants a kiss on her head, then walks over to the couch. He plops down, grabbing a pillow and clutching it as he lies down. He stares up at the ceiling for a while, just listening to the quiet all around him. His eyes catch sight of something on the table behind the couch...he looks over and sees the envelope of Starr's pictures, just developed that day. He grabs them and starts flipping through them. He smiles at the badly framed, off-kilter shots she took of the house, of some flowers, of the dollhouse, some completely overexposed shots out the plane window, a shot of Fred, and...

...he stops at the last one, actually the first one taken...the early morning picture of Starr...and Tea...cheek to cheek, hugging and smiling. The happiness so evident in the photo spills out and into him...and he smiles, big and wide. He puts the other pictures back up on the table, then turns on his side, still clutching the pillow. He looks at the picture for a long time, fascinated by it. His eyes are drawn to Tea's huge, beautiful brown eyes...and he suddenly feels her absence, that familiar tightening in his chest.

He sighs, then yawns...staring at the picture, and feeling his eyelids getting heavy. He whispers to himself as he drifts off.

"Just a few more days."

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

Tea's eyes open, slowly...still heavy-lidded with anesthetic. She can't see a thing. It's completely dark, all around her. Still too out-of-it to do anything, she just lies still...listening, and feeling. She feels a pillow under her head, and a blanket covering her. She goes to open her mouth, just to swallow...but can't, feeling the heavy tape pasting her lips shut. She tries to move her arms...but they're tied behind her. Then she tries her legs...but they're bound, too...and they won't stretch far, either, only an inch or so.

She breathes in, noticing the air...warm, stagnant...and a weird smell, like...rubber, and leather. She furrows her brow...then suddenly notices the steady vibration...and every once in a while, she feels a bump and gets thrown around a bit.

She closes her eyes, realizing that she's been stuffed in the trunk of a car...and where the car is going? She has no idea...and she starts to cry, feeling trapped, nauseous...and terrified. But the heat, the stuffiness and effects of the chloroform keep her quiet...and eventually, she just lets herself fall back to sleep, helpless to do anything else.