PREVIOUSLY

Todd: (Stretches out on the grass on his belly, his head propped on an elbow, his cheek in his hand as he watches her every move.) You're beautiful, you know?

Tea: (Smiles at him.) So are you, Todd.

[Scene ends.]

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

[Scene: Under a tree in the park, after lunch.]

Tea: Enough?

Todd: Yeah.

Tea: Good, 'cos I'm full. I'll go toss this away, back in a second. (She returns, sits next to him on the ground again. He picks at the grass, lying on his belly, propped on his elbows.)

Todd: Tea?

Tea: Yeah?

Todd: Thanks. I just wish you didn't always end up taking care of me.

Tea: I'm glad to, I love you.

Todd: You're the second person to tell me that today.

Tea: Oh? Who else loves you?

Todd: (He turns to her, resting his left temple on his left fist.) Jess.

Tea: Yes, she does. She adores you, although at times she can't stand you, too.

Todd: I have that effect on people.

Tea: You know what I hear sometimes when I'm around you?

Todd: What? The wind whistling through my head?

Tea: No. It's a quiet thing, it just says, "love me."

Todd: (Shudders.) You're getting all weird on me, Delgado. (Rolls back onto his belly and picks at the grass again, listening.)

Tea: Well, it is a kind of weird thing, but you do want so badly to be loved by someone and to be able to feel ok in loving people back.

Todd: Tea...

Tea: I've watched you, and with Starr now, for years and it's all right there in that relationship with Starr.

Todd: I want that with you, too. I mean, not like you're a little kid or anything --

Tea: You have it with me, Todd.

Todd: (Looks at her:) Still?

Tea: Yes.

Todd: (Pauses, studies her face a moment, looks at the ground near where he's lying on his belly picking at the grass.) Tea?

Tea: What?

Todd: (Looks at her:) I'm too stressed out for this, but what I want -- Could you make love to me?

Tea: Here?

Todd: (Rests his head on his fist again.) No, but soon. I would really like to, but I'm not really ready yet.

Tea: When things are more calm?

Todd: When I am.

Tea: It could help you calm down, too.

Todd: I don't want to... uhh...

Tea: Oh. We don't have to, there are other things we could do that would help. It's not all about sex.

Todd: I know that. I do. But I do want that with you, too.

Tea: We can make love tonight if you'd like.

Todd: How? I'm really too strung out for sex, but I want to be close to you.

Tea: We could spend the night just snuggling until we fall asleep. Would that be ok?

Todd: That would be ok, I guess. I could watch you sleep. I wouldn't have to sneak to do it, I know you hate that. You know, it's kind of romantic watching your loved one sleep. But it kind of spoils the romantic effect when, after a few minutes of observation, your loved one sits up and says 'Okay, that is really creeping me out.'

Tea: (LOL!) Oh, Todd. It really is creepy knowing you were taking my picture when I was sleeping, though!

Todd: (Slowly sitting up.) I've apologized for that already. I stopped doing it. Besides I already have copies of the pictures to look at.

Tea: You kept them?

Todd: (Drags himself back until his back rests against the tree.) I wanted to remember you. What??!

Tea: You're so creepy sometimes.

Todd: It's one of my many gifts.

Tea: (Crawls over a few strides to sit in front of him.) I'd rather feel you there with me while I sleep, even if you can't sleep. I've watched you sleep sometimes, too.

Todd: Did you take my picture?

Tea: No!

Todd: Too bad. You could've used it to blackmail me or something.

Tea: Into doing what?

Todd: I don't know. (Smirks.) Picking up my socks, maybe.

Tea: I gave up on that a long time ago.

Todd: (Drawing his knees up and putting his hands on them.) I'm that much of a pig?

Tea: Sometimes. Actually, you're neater than I would've given you credit for when we first met. I mean, bird crackers under the sofa cushions?! You want rats?

Todd: No self-respecting rat would ever stay at my place. I'm the chief rat and they know they don't stand a chance against me. I got a cub to protect.

Tea: We gotta cub to protect. Todd: (Frowning sadly:) Yeah.

Tea: (Putting her hand on his on his knee and stroking his hand with her thumb:) Tell you what, tonight, after she's asleep let's pop some popcorn and watch a movie.

Todd: No funny business?

Tea: (She stops moving her thumb.) No, just time alone doing something together. I think we need that. It can just be being together watching a movie, ok?

Todd: And after?

Tea: Whatever we want. Maybe just go to bed and snuggle?

Todd: Ok. I get to pick the movie, just so you won't pick out some sappy girl movie and make me watch it with you.

Tea: If you pick something scary you'll have me all over you. Are you sure you're ready for that?

Todd: (Blanches.) Um...

Tea: (Giggling at his discomfort:) You better be. You just propositioned me, the least you can do is protect me during a scary movie.

Todd: Oh. I just -- I want this, I'm just wicked strung out over Starr. I'm being really hinky, ok? Deal.

Tea: It's fine. Are you afraid you'll disappoint me in bed? Like you were afraid on our wedding night?

Todd: Yeah, mostly because I'm so torqued over custody stuff.

Tea: Well, I'm not. I'm stressing out over this thing with Starr, too. I want us to have some time alone and regroup as a couple. Just don't pick anything too scary, or neither of us will sleep. (Smiles at him and puts her chin on her hand so their faces end up closer.)

Todd: (He looks in her eyes intently, as if studying her whole face.) I do want to be alone with you. I'm just not sure how, and how much of what I want I can handle.

Tea: Don't worry about it. Whatever happens happens and it'll be fine with me. (She strokes his arm, looking into his eyes.)

Todd: You'll be happy with just clinging to me during the scary parts?

Tea: (Laughs.) Yes. It's about closeness, not about sex. Sex is fun, I like sex, but one thing I've learned with you is that it isn't everything. You taught me that, so I'm reminding you of it.

Todd: You really want a movie so you can have popcorn. (Grins at her.) Don't worry, I'll protect you when the giant bats come rushing out of the TV at us. You can throw popcorn at them to distract them.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Rectory. Afternoon.]

Andrew: Todd. Oh, you're here to pick up Starr?

Todd: Yes.

Andrew: You look better than the last time I saw you.

Todd: I haven't been drinking, if that's what you're thinking.

Andrew: (Gently:) Not really, but you do look less haggard.

Todd: Gotta remember to shave less. Gotta keep up my unkempt appearance. People would talk.

Andrew: (Exasperated:) I'll never know how Tea copes with you.

Todd: (Shrugs.) Where're the kids?

Andrew: Out back.

Todd: (Follows Andrew to the back yard.)

Andrew: I have to warn you, Dorian's -- (they both see Dorian at the same time, Andrew looks at Todd but Todd is wearing an impassive mask watching Dorian with Starr.)

[Rectory back yard, behind the house (back of house is stage left).]

Dorian: Starr?

Starr: (Running after the soccer ball River has just kicked towards her.) I'm not talking to you, Dorian! I'm mad at you! You're not my aunt anymore!

Dorian: (In shock:) Starr!

River: Grandma, leave Starr alone! She doesn't want you here. (Traps the ball after running after it, turns, kicks it back to Starr. He sees Todd and his father approaching.) Hi, Todd. Starr, your Dad's here!

Starr: (Runs over.) Daddy! Dorian's bothering me, let's just go.

Todd: Dorian, you heard her. Starr doesn't want to speak to you, so go bother some other poor little kid.

River: Not me! (Running over and standing next to Andrew.)

Dorian: William River Carpenter!

Andrew: Dorian! You're upsetting the children!

Dorian: You've both put them up to this, haven't you? Andrew, you're in league with the Devil, you know.

Andrew: Dorian, as much as it pains me to admit it, Todd is not the Devil incarnate.

Todd: I must be losing my touch.

Dorian: You haven't lost your touch anymore than I have.

Andrew: Dorian...

Dorian: All right, all right. For the children's sakes, but this isn't over.

Todd: Everyone's been promising me for months that the fun's not over, but then they won't play with me. (Smirks at Dorian.)

Dorian: (Glares at him huffily.)

Andrew: That's quite enough, both of you. You're both behaving worse than the children!

Dorian: (Leaves via up stage left of the yard.)

Todd: Let's go, Shorty.

Starr: I thought you'd never say that! (Grabs his hand and starts to take off.) Come on, Daddy.

Todd: (Finds himself being dragged off towards down stage left of the yard.)

River: Bye, Starr!

Starr: (Over her shoulder:) Bye, River!

River: (After they've gone out of sight:) Daddy?

Andrew: Yes?

River: Why is Grandma like that? Why does everybody hate Todd?

Andrew: They have their reasons.

River: Like what?

Andrew: He's done some things that hurt a lot of people.

River: Oh. Does he hurt people now?

Andrew: Not as much. He's changed somehow. It's taken him a long time.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Saybrooke Mansion entryway, not long afterwards.]

Dorian: (Bursts into the house and slams the front door.)

Mel: (Emerges from the livingroom to investigate the noise.) Oh, you're home. Why all the sturm und drang?

Dorian: I swear he put her up to this!

Mel: Who put who up to what?

Dorian: That lunatic has the darling little girl all turned around about me.

Mel: Ok, I guess I have to guess now. First question: Who put whoever up to something?

Dorian: (Seething:) Todd. Todd put Starr up to rejecting me!

Mel: Progress! Ok, Second question: Rejecting you how?

Dorian: Starr refuses to have anything to do with me!

Mel: She left here that night in hysterics, Dorian, why would she want to spend time with you after that night?

Dorian: She's a very forgiving child, he has to have put her up to this!

Mel: From my observations of Starr over a few years now, she's a very determined young lady, like her father I might add. Like Todd, if Starr wants something, she will find a way to get it. Unlike Todd, she tries to be nice about it, but she's not above taking what she wants when she gets a chance.

Dorian: Just like her father!

Mel: Just like her mother. I've watched Blair for years now, too, and she isn't above outright trickery to get what she wants. It's how she got Todd, and to some degree it's how we got Starr, Dorian.

Dorian: Starr is not the result of trickery! That's like saying she was an accident!

Mel: I don't know if she was unplanned or not, but both her parents are devoted to her, especially Todd.

Dorian: That would require he had some capacity for affection, warmth.

Mel: You know he does. He's very giving when he wants to be.

Dorian: He never wants to be.

Mel: Dorian, have you watched him when he has to leave Starr?

Dorian: He goes.

Mel: Have you ever watched his demeanor when he has to leave Starr?

Dorian: Why should I? The sooner he leaves the better.

Mel: Not for Starr, and not for him.

Dorian: Who cares about him?

Mel: I do.

Dorian: You and Andrew, I swear you're both in league with the devil. It's like he's cast some sort of spell over you both!

Mel: He's no magician, no supernatural force even if he seems like he is. He's got more lives than anyone I've ever known, even fellow soldiers, but he's no supernatural creature in the least. In fact, he's most human indeed, even if he's the last person to believe that.

Dorian: (Practically red in the face, and furious, pointing to the front doors:) You! OUT! NOW! I will not have this in my own house! He will not have that child!

Mel: Fine, I'm going to the office, then. (Runs into the livingroom, gathers his papers into his attache', runs through the entryway.)

Blair: (Coming downstairs:) What on earth were you two fighting about? I could hardly work upstairs for the noise you were making.

Mel: Your ex.

Blair: You don't even know Cord!

Mel: Not him, one of the more recent ones. You might know him as the father of your child. Ring a bell?

Blair: Oh, that louse.

Dorian: That insane lunatic.

Kelly: (Enters through front doors, looks at everyone.) Am I interrrupting Family Time, or something? Or were you all talking about me behind my back?

Dorian: (A pretense of "all sweetness":) Where's Cassie? I thought she was coming back here with you.

Kelly: She's with Kevin, they went on a date to a movie and then they plan to go out to dinner. They thought of the movie mostly because of the air-conditioning.

Mel: Your aunt could use some air-conditioning for her temper right about now.

Kelly: Oh, what is it now, Dorian?

Dorian: Starr refuses to have anything to do with me now.

Kelly: Well, after you were throwing vases around that night and scared her to death, I wouldn't be talking to you, either.

Dorian: I swear Todd put her up to it.

Blair: Do you have any proof he did? 'Cos if you do, I want to use it.

Kelly: Blair, I can't believe you. Todd is many things, but he doesn't manipulate Starr like that. He wouldn't use her like that, but you so obviously would. That's sick.

Mel: A good parent goes to great lengths to protect his children.

Dorian: How do you know, you weren't around when yours were small!

Mel: It's about the only time I was around. It's when they started school that my career picked up.

Blair: So's mine.

Dorian: That doesn't make you a neglectful parent.

Mel: The fact still remains that aside from the months he was gone, Todd has been the doting Papa since Starr was small.

Dorian: The only thing he dotes on is getting back at Asa.

Kelly: Not so, Dorian. He really is a devoted parent.

Blair: All right! That's quite enough, Kelly! Now I know you're having an affair with him!

Kelly: You don't know a thing, Blair. You want to pin something like that on Todd just to undermine his credibility as a parent, don't you? Well, there's no affair to expose, Blair.

Blair: I can make it look like one so easily, Kelly.

Kelly: Can you?

Dorian: Can you?

Mel: (Throws up his arms in disgust.) I was just leaving. (Leaves.)

Kelly: Dorian! Fine. Try, you two. Just try it.

Blair: Your denials just strengthen my case, Kelly. Oh, this is sweet.

Kelly: Don't go into sugar shock over it. I think I'll just go someplace else.

Blair: To "work"?

Kelly: (Sneers back:) To my fiance's house, or to his Banner office.

Blair: Have you picked out Joey's tombstone, yet?

Kelly: You're so supportive, Blair. Bye! (Leaves.)

Blair: (Mockingly:) Bye!

Dorian: Well, now that we're all alone, let's talk custody.

Blair: You're not taking it over this time, Dorian.

Dorian: Who said anything about taking it over?

Blair: You took it over last time, but that time Starr wasn't really a factor in it.

Dorian: Yes she was! She was the whole point!

Blair: She was half the point, the other point was to get back at Todd.

Dorian: And it isn't now?

Blair: It is, but now Starr has a voice and her opinion may have weight in this now at her age.

Dorian: No it won't, she's too young to testify.

Blair: She's not too young to be heard by the Judge in Chambers, and what she tells the Judge weighed into the decision.

Dorian: Then we'll just have to make sure Starr doesn't speak to the Judge.

Blair: Starr would never forgive me if I kept her away from the Judge, Dorian, and I'm not living with that.

Dorian: Of course you can live with that, Blair.

Blair: Maybe you can lie to Cassie, Dorian, but I can't lie to Starr.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Evening, PH2 kitchen.]

Tea: Your turn. (Hands him a towel.)

Todd: We have a dishwasher for this. And a disposal.

Tea: Load em' up, tiger.

Todd: Shouldn't I be wearing a little apron for this?

Starr: Daddy! You're not a girl!

Tea: No, he's most definitely not a girl, Mi Estrella.

Starr: Daddy?

Todd: Yeah, sweetie?

Starr: When I grow up, I want to marry you.

Tea: We can't both be married to your Daddy at once, you know. You'll probably find someone as sweet and kind as your father and marry him instead.

Todd: (Rolls his eyes.)

Starr: I'll think about that.

Todd: Good. Now, it's time for bed.

Starr: Already?

Todd: I let you win at Scrabble after dinner and now it's time for bed.

Tea: Do you want me to go with you and help you pick out a story?

Starr: Ok. Night, Daddy.

Todd: I'll be up in a few minutes to finish tucking you in, Starr.

Starr: Ok, Daddy. (Takes Tea's hand and they go upstairs.)

[Scene: A little while later, Starr has brushed her teeth and changed into a flannel nightgown. They have a book called "Tuesday" which has few words and many pictures they're looking at together. They finish the book, close it and, Tea tucks Starr in.]

Starr: That's such a funny book!

Tea: Are you glad Daddy found it?

Starr: Yes. I like the frogs, they're kind of like Daddy.

Tea: How so?

Starr: They're magic, and they can fly away when they want to.

Tea: Do you think Daddy flew away because he wanted to?

Starr: At first I did. I thought I'd done something bad and he'd left me after that pink tape played that I gave to Sam to play at your wedding.

Tea: It wasn't your fault, you just wanted to hear your father's voice. I know you missed him.

Starr: He left me another tape before he left and I had Uncle Mel make me copies and copies and copies, and he took the first one and put it in the safe for me. When each copy wore out, he'd bring me out another one. He took Daddy's words and taped them over and over on each tape so I could play it over and over and it wouldn't wear out so soon.

Tea: You missed your father a lot, didn't you?

Starr: Yeah, only nobody else did and nobody wanted to hear that I missed him.

Tea: I'm sorry you had no one to talk to about this.

Starr: I did talk a little with Uncle Mel, 'cos he promised not to tell Dorian about the tapes we were making, but then I stopped.

Tea: I know how hard it is when a parent is missing and you have no one to talk to about it. I wish I'd been allowed to be with you, we could have helped each other talk about missing him.

Starr: That would've been nice. I had Fred, though, I talked to him and gave him messages for Daddy.

Tea: Good. Fred's a good friend to have.

Starr: I'm tired, Tee.

Tea: (Kissing her forehead and tucking her in tighter.) I'll go get your Dad. (Leaves and goes downstairs.)

[Livingroom.]

Tea: Pick a movie yet?

Todd: She asleep?

Tea: Almost.

Todd: I'll be back down soon. (Goes up to Starr's room.)

[Starr's room.]

Todd: (Watches her from the doorway as she sleeps. Then he crosses to her bed and sits down next to her on her bed. Whispering:) You're still so tiny... all I want is to protect you and love you... see you grow up strong and healthy, happy. Don't be angry, but I really don't want you to be raised by your Mom. She's not gonna protect you like I have, she doesn't seem to love you like I do. I mean, she loves you and all, and that's a good thing, but she loves herself more and it's always gonna be like that. I don't want you to grow up like her, I want you to be able to be the giving person you are now always. I love you, Shorty, so much. (His eyes fill up and his voice gets tight, and he pauses to compose himself.) I can't and I won't lose you. (He leans over and kisses her forehead, sits back a bit and smoothes her hair off her forehead, stroking her face gently, looking at her as if memorizing her face. He slowly gets off her bed and leaves the room, closing her door partially and lingering nearby a moment, casting his shadow with the hallway lights.)

Starr: (Eyes shoot open after he's left and watches until his shadow is gone before closing them again. She grins slightly and closes her eyes.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: PH2 MBR, night time.]

Todd: You didn't have to hold on so tight, you know. I think I'm injured for life. You've marked me with your finger marks for life.

Tea: I wasn't that bad!

Todd: Yes, you were! And what about when you ran out of the room and hid in the kitchen until I paused the movie and promised to skip the really gory parts?

Tea: Uhhh...

Todd: You made me skip the best parts!

Tea: They were the most awful!

Todd: (Grinning:) That's why they're so much fun to watch. How many gallons of fake blood went into those scenes? How many latex body parts?

Tea: It looked way too real to me, Todd.

Todd: You've never seen a lot of real blood, then.

Tea: You have?

Todd: Plenty of times. I played football.

Tea: You're such a ghoul.

Todd: You get used to blood and gore when you play sports and get into fights.

Tea: And get beaten a lot?

Todd: Yeah. My old man taught me a lot on that score.

[They get into bed.]

Tea: (Propped on her elbow, looking at him:) What was the moment when you made your choice between me and Blair?

Todd: (Looks at her.) Probably when we met, although I had no clue I had decided then.

Tea: When did you know you had decided?

Todd: Even when I'd decided I still didn't know I'd decided.

Tea: (Getting a little impatient:) When did you decide, only realizing later that that had been when?

Todd: When she pushed you out that window and I saw you on the ground looking all broken and pale.

Tea: Why?

Todd: I was afraid I'd lost you. Then I knew. Then I made the decision.

Tea: What decision?

Todd: I wanted to be with you. I wanted you to stick around.

Tea: I wasn't important or interesting personally before then?

Todd: Not like that.

Tea: Why not like what?

Todd: I didn't know what love was then, but I knew I couldn't be without you. At the very least I understood need.

Tea: So, you needed me? That's different from love.

Todd: No. It's the same.

Tea: They're very different.

Todd: Not when you realize how much you want that person. You understand me sometimes, often when I can't tell you what I feel or what I need, but I turn around and you give it to me and you give me the thing I need without my being able to spell it out in words. Blair's never been able to do that, except with a few isolated things. You're different. We connect.

Tea: I listen. I can hear your heart beating.

Todd: (Takes her hand.)

Tea: (Looks at him, as he looks away, up at the ceiling.) Todd?

Todd: What?

Tea: Nothing.

Todd: I know.

Tea: You know?

Todd: Yeah.

Tea: What?

Todd: You're asking if I'm ok.

Tea: (Pauses a moment.) Are you?

Todd: No. (Closes his eyes.)

Tea: Can I watch you sleep?

Todd: If I can sleep.

Tea: Give it a shot.

Todd: Don't make so much noise.

Tea: (Giggles quietly.)

Todd: (Smirks tiredly, eyes still closed.)

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED