PREVIOUSLY

Todd: Nevermind.

Tea: No, I've never heard you mention her before.

Todd: You're kidding, right? You're not jealous? She's this chick in some book by this famous (waves his hand) Irish writer guy.

Tea: Oh. I read Neruda and Borges, and other spanish-language writers growing up.

Todd: (Shrugs.) Whatever.

[Scene ends.]

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

[Scene: Later that day. Blair enters Publisher’s Office.]

Blair: Todd?

Todd: (Looks out from behind monitor and keyboard at Blair.) What?

Blair: Max was in here earlier in the week.

Todd: (Drolly reaching for the phone on his desk:) Blecch. I'll call the exterminator. We'll have to have the building fumigated now. Why didn't you tell me this earlier? He's such a yutz! I hate him.

Blair: (Exasperated look.) He came sniffing around to try to get me to sell The Sun out from under you.

Todd: (Testing her mockingly:) And did you?

Blair: (Scowls:) No. I ran him into the ground saying no, in fact. I knew you wouldn't agree to it and Max wasn't offering enough of Asa's money to make me sell you and Starr out.

Todd: (Smirks.) How sweet. (Evenly, sarcastic:) Maybe you're developing a soul, after all, Blair.

Blair: (Makes a sour face.) Very funny, Todd.

Todd: (Smirking:) I never would've thought you had it in you.

Blair: (Testily:) Watch it, I could still sell my half to Asa.

Todd: (Confident:) You wouldn't, you don't want Starr inheriting Buchanan money.

Blair: (Relenting:) More like I don't want to be "be-Holden" to Asa or Max.

Todd: (Evenly, smirking a little:) Very funny, Blair. You're developing a sense of humour. A soul and a sense of humour in one day. (Sarcastically mockingly melodramatic:) It's the end of the world as we know it.

Blair: (Scowling at him:) You think you're so cute, don't you?

Todd: (Smiles a little nastily at her.) Cute is something I never was and never will be. Scorpions are never cute, just deadly.

Blair: (Sneers at him.) So I said no and went back to work, but Max, of course, vows this is not the end of it and I'm not surprised. This is just a shot across your bow. And you wanna know what else I found out?

Todd: What?

Blair: It seems a couple years ago, Asa faked mental illness.

Todd: Interesting. When was that?

Blair: When he was trying to test Alex's loyalty to him when he knew she was seeing Carlo. The whole faked pregnancy period.

Todd: (Laughs.) I remember having a grand old time with the headlines during that and taunting Carlo in person about that was a hell of a lot of fun. And then Alex gave birth to that stillborn pillow.

Blair: (Smug:) You should have seen how self-righteous Asa was when that pink tape played on your wedding night!

Todd: (Musing sarcastically, looking at Blair:) Asa used to actually like me. He used to say I was just like him. (Stronger, more direct:) He was so wrong. I'm much better than him. Ever since I started going after Bo, Asa decided he no longer liked me. (A sly look of mockery on his face, his hand flat against his chest in mock distress:) It just about broke my poor little heart to find that out. (Smiles.) Asa's been wanting to shut me down and run me out of town ever since. (Leans back in his chair, regards her.) Of course he was self-righteous about the tape. Hypocrite.

Blair: (Coolly:) You ran yourself out of town with your lies last time.

Todd: (Barely concealed anger:) And you (pointing at her) helped me do it, too. Don't think I've forgotten that.

Blair: (Coldly:) It cost me Sam, too.

Todd: (Cold:) You cost you Sam. You believed in Saint Sam so much you were blind to his lies, too. Sam never lied to me, but he did lie to you. I still have Sam's love, 'cos I'm his surrogate son, even after all these lies. What do you have of Sam? Or have you patched things up while I was away?

Blair: (Bristles. Defiantly:) It's none of your damn business, Todd.

Todd: (Mockingly:) Ooooh, I'm scared, Blair.

Blair: You should be. I hold a lot of cards over you that you want very much.

Todd: (Bravado:) No, you don't, Blair.

Blair: (Coolly:) You told me about the nightmare.

Todd: (Unmoved:) And?

Blair: (Sputters:) I could.....

Todd: (Cuts her off firmly:) What, Blair? Print it in my own paper? Leak it to The Banner? Viki'd never let it go to Press.

Blair: (Bravado:) Use it against you for Starr.

Todd: (Evenly:) That's hardly actionable, Blair. (Sarcastic:) "Oh, my kid's Daddy has nightmares, therefore I should have sole custody of her." That's not gonna fly, Blair, and you know it.

Blair: (Bravado and hauteur:) It's one of many pieces of information I can use.

Todd: (Confident, seeing he's ahead:) Well, then, how about the history of mental derangement in your family? How you went off the deep end when you and Poetboy lost your son? Or how unstable and violent Diamond Lil is? How she treats my kid like an endtable and not like a person? How she throws things when she's angry? How she and Mel fight so much it frightens my daughter? Shall I go on?

Blair: (Sputters.)

Todd: No, I guess not, Blair. (Icily:) I told you: You utter one word about that nightmare to anyone, and you will lose all custody of my kid. Got it?

Blair: (Quietly, icily:) I'll fight you, Todd.

Todd: (Confident:) I'd be surprised if you didn't. (Casual tone:) Knock yourself out, Blair. Don't cross me and you can save yourself all that trouble, and get to see Shorty when you want.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Two days later. The Sun offices.]

Briggs: Miss Cramer?

Blair: Yes, Briggs?

Briggs: I have an assignment for you.

Blair: Not another dog show?

Briggs: Oh, no. Sorry about that, everyone else was on assignment.

Blair: Then what is it?

Briggs: We have some leads on a possibly big story about someone wanting to take over The Sun in a hostile bid. It came in anonymously, so it could all be bogus, and we have Legal on it, but if it's true, it could be a juicy expose'. There's also a secondary story about Asa Buchanan having faked mental illness a few years back. Kelly's notes are there, but she didn't make much headway. You game?

Blair: Uh, I guess.

Briggs: It will likely involve traveling, will that be alright?

Blair: I'll make arrangements for Starr.

Briggs: All right, then. (Hands her a packet of information.) Read these over, and let me know if you'll take it. I think it does merit some further investigation. Legal has been hitting stone walls so far.

Blair: And you think I can crack this?

Briggs: Worth a shot.

Blair: I'll let you know.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Dr. Boyd's office. Four days later, afternoon.]

Dr. Boyd: (Concerned:) Are you sure you're ready to discuss these dreams, memories with your family? I want to make sure you're stable enough to handle it.

Todd: (Quietly agitated:) I don't have a choice, this has been eating at me for months, and they need to know. They've been asking me, but it's been too upsetting. I'm about ready to explode now. I gotta tell them. I made the decision to come clean with them about things and I'm working hard to do it. This is eating me alive from the inside and I can't take it anymore.

Dr. Boyd: (Firm:) I realize that, but you must not go too fast, or you could fall apart again. You could lose a lot of ground all at once.

Todd: (Anxious, agitated:) If I don't go ahead with this I'll fall apart, I'm rapidly becoming a basket case. I can't sleep at all right now. It comes back if I do. I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't. Then again, I'm just damned.

Dr. Boyd: Then I guess you do need to tell them, but go slowly and be very careful. I know this is difficult material for you, from our discussions. Have those helped?

Todd: Yes. It's still eating me alive, though. I have to tell them. I don't want to, but I really have to now. I've been seeing it even during the day now.

Dr. Boyd: We'll work on that next time, ok? So you'll be better able to handle it.

Todd: I guess. (Chews lower lip, looks off into space.)

[Scene ends]

[Scene: Saybrooke Mansion. Night time.]

Dorian: Mel?

Mel: (A bit distracted, reading his notes on a yellow legal pad in the foyer:) Yes, my sweet?

Dorian: Are you still working on that story on Todd's past?

Mel: (Wary:) Yes. I am.

Dorian: Why? You know he's scum, he's innately evil.

Mel: (Irritated, places notepad on entryway table:) Dorian, we're not going to have this argument again, are we?

Dorian: (Smirking:) I guess we are.

Mel: Look, he isn't innately evil. You met his father, I understand, and --

Dorian: Yes, Peter Manning. What a terrible man.

Mel: Exactly.

Dorian: That doesn't mean that Todd isn't the Bad Seed.

Mel: It means such creatures are made and not born. You just said Peter Manning was a terrible man. How good, unbiased, do you think his judgement would have been about a child he hated?

Dorian: You never knew Victor Lord.

Mel: Only by his reputation in the newspaper business. Both of his children feel he was, as Todd put it to me once, "a formidable pervert".

Dorian: Only to Viki.

Mel: In his own way, to Todd, too.

Dorian: Why are you sympathetic to Todd?! Have you turned on me, too?!

Mel: Because he's been given a raw deal to start with, and I don't judge people. Unlike you.

Dorian: I do not judge people! He's inherently evil. I am so glad he doesn't have sole custody of that sweet little girl sleeping upstairs.

Mel: He used to, and Starr thrived in his care. Is she thriving now?

Dorian: (Defensive, turns up her nose:) Yes, she is.

Mel: She misses Todd. I sometimes hear her crying about it. She hasn't seen him in days, and she hasn't seen Blair.

Dorian: She'll get over it.

Mel: No, she won't. She'll be scarred for life and you know it. Look at Blair. Starr almost never sees Blair.

Dorian: Is this your mother speaking?

Mel: Who, Maude? No, it's me. My mother's right, though.

Dorian: She's had you on her couch, too? Isn't that a bit unethical?

Mel: (Gets exasperated, makes an exasperated noise:) No! It's all those years spent as her son. Maude is extremely ethical.

Dorian: She knows you'd expose her in the Press if she weren't.

Mel: (Insulted:) I would not! She's my mother!

Dorian: Are you somehow related to Todd that you're protecting him now?

Mel: (Incredulous:) WHAT?!

Dorian: (Slickly angry:) You heard me......

Mel: Are you nuts?

Dorian: You met my mother, you tell me.

Mel: (A bit icy:) Maybe you are.

Dorian: (Frustrated and angry, finds something to throw at Mel, which misses him and breaks against the far wall near his head loudly. There is a pile of shards resulting on the floor from what had been a large ceramic vase.)

Mel: (Shocked expression.) You really are crazy. You could've knocked my head off with that bit of crockery, you know!

[Starr can distantly be heard crying upstairs.]

Dorian: Hold still. (Crosses to another bit of crockery, but Mel is there first.)

Mel: (Grabbing it away from her barely fast enough, hugging it hard to his chest:) Do you really want to wake Starr up with this argument?

Dorian: She's a very sound sleeper!

Mel: Not with her Daddy's insomnia! And not away from her Daddy. I think I hear her now, in fact!

Dorian: (Bitchily:) I hear the mad walk the halls like spirits.

Mel: I suppose you'd know that intimately, after living with your mother!

Dorian: (Glares at Mel.)

Mel: Todd isn't mad, Dorian. Damaged, yes, but he isn't insane.

Dorian: Damaged, insane, what's the difference with Todd, Mel? Why are you bothering to investigate him? He's a lost cause, and he's never going to have custody of Starr again if I can help it!

Mel: I hate to break it to you, Dorian, but as broken as Todd is he is still the better parent to Starr than Blair will ever be.

Dorian: (Screams:) How dare you criticize Blair's parenting!

Mel: Where is Blair? She's been gone almost a week this time!

Dorian: On assignment.

Mel: And her job comes before Starr?

Dorian: Never! Starr always comes first! You should talk!

Mel: Yes, I should talk! My absences were very hard on Muriel and the children. Do you want that for Starr? Her father's a publisher and her mother's a journalist.

Dorian: If I had my way, he'd be out of the state, not just out of his mind!

Mel: I've observed Blair with Starr for a long time now. Yes, Blair loves Starr, there's no doubt. Starr will run to Todd everytime she sees him. While she goes to Blair, there just isn't the same depth of connection with Blair she shows to Todd. Blair's barely here when she is here.

Dorian: She'll get over it.

Mel: He's her Daddy, Dorian, and you can't change that. Who would you replace Todd with? Max?

Dorian: If that's who Blair wants. Personally, she could do much better than Max.

Mel: Max hates Todd, can you even begin to imagine the harm he could do to Starr if he and Blair were together?!

Dorian: Max would never hurt Starr.

Mel: Where are his kids?

Dorian: Ok, Mel.....

Starr: (At top of stairs, clutching Fred, in tears:) I want my Daddy!

Mel: (Turns to Starr and begins to climb the stairs towards her:) Daddy's at work, sweetie. Shall I tuck you back in?

Starr: I want my Daddy!

Mel: Did we wake you up?

Starr: Yes! (Increasingly upset:) I WANT MY DADDY! I WANT MY DADDY RIGHT NOW!!!

Dorian: (Trying to swallow her hatred of Todd in front of Starr:) Daddy will be here for you in the morning, sweetie. Would you like me to tuck you back in?

Starr: (Starting to lose it, she's still sleepy:) NO! I'm never going to sleep again until I see my Daddy! You can't make me, and you're mean, Aunt Dorian! You only want me to get back at my Daddy, I heard you!

Dorian: (Tries to dissemble and distract Starr:) Now, Starr dear, that's not true. I love you.

Starr: Not as much as you hate my Daddy! I WANT MY DADDY!!

Dorian: (Sharply:) Mel!

Mel: (Strides up the steps to Starr and kneals on the landing next to her, an arm around her back. Gently:) I know you miss your Daddy, I used to miss my Daddy when he was away, but it always helped me enjoy his company more if I made sure I got enough sleep.

Starr: (No sale. Shreiking:) I WANT MY DADDY!! NOW!! NOW!! DADDY, COME BACK!! DADDY!! DADDY!!! [Continues shreiking like this and wailing loudly, escalating in intensity if not volume and losing control.]

Dorian: Mel! Do something!

Mel: (Over her shreiking, comes back down the stairs and confronts Dorian, very angry at her now:) Shut up, Dorian! Call Todd at The Sun. NOW!

Dorian: (Hesitates.) Why? She'll get over it.

Mel: (Angrier now:) Why? WHY?? How cruel are you, Dorian? Starr will work herself up until she's throwing up and make herself very sick before she'll stop this, unless she sees her father! Do you want to explain that to Blair??!

Dorian: (A little cowed:) No.

Mel: Well, then you call Todd, before I go deaf! (Starr is now redfaced and stamping her feet as she screams ever louder and more out of control, crying hard. Mel rushes back up the stairs to her, tries to hold her, but Starr is not having any and squirms out of his grasp.)

Dorian: Why don't YOU call him, then?!

Mel: All right, Dorian! (Starts down the stairs with Starr in his arms. Starr is now hitting Mel and kicking him as she continues her tantrum. She is now bright red and sweaty, her hair a mess.)

Dorian: (Anxious:) Ok! OK! I'll call him! (Picks up her cellphone out of her purse on the entryway table. Shoos them away from the phone, so she'll be able to hear, puts a finger in her ear. Dials. Affectedly calm:) Hello, Todd?

[Camera shows Todd in his office answering the phone.]

Todd: (Distracted from his work at his desk, distractedly answering phone:) WHAT?! (All he can really hear at first is Starr screaming in the background. His reaction is immediate:) STARR?!! WHAT'RE YOU TWO DOING TO MY KID??!

[Camera shows Dorian trying to speak to Todd, one finger in her ear, looking at Mel and Starr as Mel tries to calm Starr in the doorway of the parlor.]

Dorian: She woke up very upset, she refuses to go back to sleep unless she sees you.

[Camera shows Todd standing up quickly.]

Todd: I'll be right there, Shorty! (Slams the phone down. To Starr, in absentia:) Daddy's coming! (He runs out of his office.)

[Camera shows Dorian putting the phone down and approaching Starr and Mel, Starr refuses to look at her, breathing heavily and sobbing loudly.]

Dorian: (Getting worried now:) Starr? That was your Daddy. He'll be right here.

Starr: (Glares viciously at Dorian, all business, yells:) Hebetterbe!

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED