PREVIOUSLY

Duke: Then how come I don't feel like I fit into your family?

Viki: You do fit. When you left, there was a Duke-sized hole left in our family. You're in your rightful place no matter where you are, because you are a part of this family, too. You're just as important in this family as Starr or Joey, or any of the other children are in this family. Please don't doubt that, ok?

Duke: I have to figure out how that works.

Viki: I know, and it can be hard especially when you've been away and you hardly know any of us. I'm here if you need me, ok?

Duke: Ok. I just don't know if I'll ever find my place in this family.

Viki: You will. We just made a good start on your being my grandson.

[Scene ends.]

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

[Scene: Early evening, docks.]

Todd: (Stands leaning against the railing, deep in thought and looking at the water in the harbour.)

Del: Todd.

Todd: (Wheels around, startled.) You! Oh god. Just shoot me and get it over with.

Del: Whoa. I'm not gonna shoot you.

Todd: Then stab me. Do whatever it is you were gonna do, but get it over with. (Turns back to the water.)

Del: Carlotta says you have a death wish, now I see what she means.

Todd: You gonna do it or not?

Del: Not.

Todd: Great, I always knew you were a sadist.

Del: I'm not here to kill you.

Todd: Then why the hell're you here?

Del: We need to talk.

Todd: We've had our little family chat for the year, go away.

Del: Not about family.

Todd: Then what about? I got nothing to say to you.

Del: Boy, you really are a tough nut, aren't you?

Todd: That's me, a real nut.

Del: How my sister puts up with you I have no idea. Why she does I have even less of an idea.

Todd: So you did come to lecture me about family again after all, Mr. "I'm A Spook"?

Del: I'm here in town on business, actually. I figured since I wasn't undercover I could see my family while I'm in town.

Todd: So why are you talking to me?

Del: It pains me to say it, but we're family because of Tea.

Todd: (Long pause. Quietly intense, looking out into the harbour again:) I love her, Del. I never wanted to hurt your sister. There have been times when I've hurt her and the next thought that comes to me is I wanna die because I've hurt the one person on the planet other than my kid who I really love and who accepts me for who I am. She accepts all my flaws and still supports me. Still wants me, loves me. Me and Tea, we're a package deal now.

Del: She said to me and Antonio that what you have is special and dressed us down for criticizing both of you for it. She wanted us to see that she has something we don't in our lives, and she has it with someone we don't like. I don't even know how it works between you.

Todd: She probably said something about how you'll have to deal with her if you want to give us a hard time, or something. She's fierce. She's scary... She's mine.

Del: Are you hers?

Todd: (Turns to face him:) What have I just been saying?

Del: I'm amazed you're capable of such feelings. More so that you'd tell me, of all people.

Todd: You're her brother. Why are you here?

Del: Business. Asa Buchanan's in particular. Of course, I could be lying. I could be here to kill you, and that whole conversation just a ruse.

Todd: You could but you're not. You're not gonna hurt me 'cos of your sister.

Del: How do you know?

Todd: Family's important to you. You hurt me, you're just as guilty as I've been of hurting her. You don't want that, do you? You don't want to become like me, do you?

Del: What are you?

Todd: A monster, hasn't anyone told you? Oh, you just think I'm an animal, a rabid wolf probably.

Del: Man, Antonio was right and my memory serves me well. You're an animal of some sort, that's for sure.

Todd: Your sister loves this animal (tapping his own chest with his finger), which makes me untouchable to you. You can't resist grilling me, can you? You can't resist the urge to probe the beast with that sword and see if you can rile him to charge, can you?

Del: No. Not this matador. It's safer to talk business, and my time is limited tonight.

Todd: (Sarcasm:) Saved by the bell.

Del: I will need to see your files on Buchanan Enterprises from that article earlier this summer discussing his business dealings.

Todd: You'll have to ask my ex-wife, Blair Cramer. It's her story and her notes.

Del: She works for you.

Todd: You don't know Blair very well, do you?

Del: No. I guess I'll be getting to know her better starting tomorrow.

Todd: You'll be getting to know Max Holden real well, too, then.

Del: What's he got to do with this?

Todd: Joined at the hip with little gold bands (holds up his ring finger and fiddles with his wedding ring with his thumb).

Del: I see. Pillow talk?

Todd: I have no idea. If they can stop boinking long enough, sure.

Del: I see.

Todd: You don't know Blair very well, do you?

Del: Not at all.

Todd: Can I go now? Am I dismissed?

Del: Yeah. Yeah, you can go. Who are those big guys who always seem to shadow you and a few other people?

Todd: Bodyguards.

Del: Why would you of all people need them? Paranoid delusions?

Todd: Actual attacks. The same article.

Del: I see. A side of you I am surprised at. A Protector.

Todd: Whatever. Your sister's probably waiting for me. (Turns to go. Over his shoulder apparently to no one:) Let's go, Darius.

Darius: (Emerges from the shadows and shadows Todd into the shadows again, as Del simply observes them.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Sun Publisher's office, a bit later that evening. Darius is stationed outside of the office, in the hallway almost in sight of the desk by Todd.]

Tea: (Carrying a large paper bag with handles, passing Darius in the hallway:) Hi, Darius.

Darius: (Nods almost imperceptibly, face impassive.)

Tea: (Enters office and closes door, crosses to desk:) I called before but you were out.

Todd: (Looks up at her from his work, stands up, crosses to her in the middle of the room:) Took a walk along the docks. Ran into Del.

Tea: You don't have any marks, is Del ok?

Todd: When I left him he was.

Tea: Hungry?

Todd: Yeah, actually.

Tea: You said I could feed you from my hand...

Todd: (Reaches for her, draws her into a close hug.) You smell so good.

Tea: What's wrong?

Todd: Arguing with Del. I don't need that.

Tea: Are you wearing out?

Todd: Who knows? I'm Death Himself, I don't wear out. So, no.

Tea: Let's sit on the couch and eat.

Todd: The floor's not good enough? (Ends the hug and takes her hand, looking in her eyes. His eyes flick from her mouth to her eyes.)

Tea: I know there are ants on the floor. They'll disturb our picnic.

Todd: Very funny, Delgado.

Tea: At your desk, then?

Todd: Whatever. (Turns and crosses to his desk.)

Tea: (To his back following him:) You seem sad.

Todd: (Shrugs.) I dunno. Hungry. (Sits at his desk.)

Tea: (Digs out some grapes.) Open. (Feeds a grape into his mouth.) Got you eating out of my hand, yep.

Todd: (Draws her to his chair and sits her on his lap. He holds her close, nuzzling her neck to drink in her smell. He seems almost drunk with the intimacy. He then draws her very close, buries his face against her and just holds her. She snakes an arm out around and hugs him back.)

Tea: Food can wait a bit, this is so nice.

Todd: (Quietly:) Hush...

Tea: (Snuggling closer. She turns and kisses his neck, nuzzling. His eyes close languidly. They remain this way for several beats, almost too long cinematically. Tea straightens up slowly, and grabs some more grapes. She offers him another and he looks up at her like a small boy and sensously accepts it into his mouth. She smiles at him as he eats several grapes. She strokes his cheek as he eats the last one in her hand, looking in his eyes.)

Briggs: (Bursts into Todd's office, his nose in some copy:) Mr. Manning! (Looks up, stops.) Oops.

Todd: (Embarassedly pushes Tea off of his lap, she stands up next to Todd, straightening her clothes nervously. He begins to seethe.)

Brigg: I'm sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Manning. Todd, we have this layout for tonight's run --

Todd: Charlie, can't you knock?!

Briggs: (Nervously:) One minute, that's all.

Todd: (Rolls eyes.) If that's what it'll take to get rid of you. Gimme it.

Briggs: (Does as he's told, nervously looking at Tea and then Todd.)

Todd: (Looks it over, grabs an indelible pen, marks it up a little, hands it back.) And lock the door behind you. (Tosses the pen onto his desk.)

Briggs: Yes, Mr. Manning. (Retreats out of the room, locking the door and closing it behind him.)

Tea: Should I go?

Todd: (Reaches his hand out to her. With feeling:) You stay.

Tea: You eat.

Todd: Feed me. (He wheels around and sits on his desk chair again, looks at her expectantly.)

Tea: (Resumes her place on his lap.)

Todd: (Puts his arms back around her tentatively and rests his head on her shoulder a moment.)

Tea: Does this give you strength?

Todd: Quiet.

Tea: Mmm.

Todd: You quiet the voices, the fears.

Tea: Well, let me quiet your hunger, too. Open up. (She breaks off some bread and feeds him.) There's a whole spread here, come eat.

Todd: (Hugs her close again.)

Tea: (Kisses his hair, stands again.) A lot of this is ok finger food, ok?

Todd: It'd be finger food anyway.

Tea: Do more than pick, ok?

Todd: (Shrugs. His computer beeps, he cranes around and sees the From: field, Subject: field, and the first two lines of the message. It's from Kelly about an article. He opens it with a sigh, and answers it quickly. When he's done, he turns back to Tea and the food.)

Tea: Work?

Todd: Kelly checking in about a column. I gotta deadline.

Tea: I didn't think you were bluffing. Eat.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Todd's Sun office later. Empty containers on his desk, they look satisfied.]

Tea: Good food?

Todd: Yeah. I wouldn't've eaten today if you hadn't done this.

Tea: That's why.

Todd: I gotta deadline, won't be home tonight. Can you tell Shorty I love her and I'll be home to take her to camp in the morning?

Tea: Is there a choice?

Todd: No.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: PH2, Starr's bedroom at night.]

Starr: Where's Daddy?

Tea: He had to work late, and he told me to tell you that he loves you very much, and he will be here to take you to camp in the morning.

Starr: Like he said he'd be here to open the presents that morning?

Tea: Oh, honey. He's been so distracted with everything going on, but I'm sure he hasn't forgotten. Mornings here can be busy enough these days.

Starr: I guess.

Tea: I bet he has something special planned, too. We'll have to wait and see, ok?

Starr: I hope so. I can't wait to see what he picked out for me.

Tea: Well, until we find out, don't worry about it, ok? Your father loves you so much he doesn't know what to do with all the love he has for you sometimes. He'll come through, don't worry.

Starr: He better. I miss him.

Tea: I miss him, too. If you go to sleep now the morning will come sooner.

Starr: How's that work?

Tea: Because you sleep through the worst of the waiting.

Starr: Oh. I'll try that, then.

Tea: Ok. (Kisses her forehead and tucks her in.) I love you, too, Starr.

Starr: I love you, Tee.

Tea: Goodnight.

Starr: Goodnight.

Tea: (Stands and leaves the room, turning off the light and leaving the door ajar.)

[Scene ends.]

day 5:

[Scene: PH2. Starr's bedroom. Next morning.]

Todd: (Stands leaning against the door frame, looking at Starr as she sleeps.)

Starr: (Opening her eyes sleepily:) Daddy?

Todd: (Enters the room, crossing to her bed and sitting down next to her on the edge.) Hi. You're not dreaming.

Starr: You weren't here last night.

Todd: I had a deadline at The Sun.

Starr: Are you gonna take me to camp today?

Todd: Yes. Do you want to sleep a little more?

Starr: Nuh-uh. I don't wanna miss any time with you.

Todd: Oh, sweetie. I'm so sorry I haven't been around as much as we'd both like. I know I've made you some promises and I haven't been keeping them so well.

Starr: That's ok, Daddy.

Todd: No, it's not ok. You're my kid, and a promise is a promise.

Starr: It is, Daddy.

Todd: After camp, how about we go up to your aunt Viki's cabin for a bit?

Starr: Can we?

Todd: I'll get the key from Sis today and Tee and I will pick you up. Would you like that?

Starr: Yes, Daddy.

Todd: I promise that after camp today will be some family time for just the three of us.

Starr: Ok.

Todd: Start getting ready, ok?

Starr: Yes, Daddy.

Todd: I gotta go look in on Tee.

Starr: She doesn't know you're home?

Todd: I came straight in here to see you.

Starr: Then you better go see Tee.

Todd: (Kisses her cheek.) I'm going. (Smiles at her and leaves.)

[MBR. Todd slowly opens his bedroom door and peers around it at Tea, who is still fast asleep. He tiptoes in and as gently as he can lies down next to her. He reaches out and moves some hair off her face and strokes her cheek longingly, a look of such deep love and care on his face as he concentrates on touching her carefully. Eventually her eyes flutter sleepily open and she stares at him expressionlessly. As he continues to stroke her cheek, her eyes close sleepily again.]

Todd: (Quietly:) I love you.

Tea: (Sleepily snuggles closer to him.)

Todd: (Holds her close.)

Starr: (In doorway still in PJs. Stage whisper:) Dad?

Todd: (Opens his eyes and looks at her.)

Starr: (Still whispering:) I don't wanna wake Tee. Can I go get my own breakfast?

Todd: (Whispering back:) Sure. I'll wake her up soon and we'll come join you, ok?

Starr: Ok, Daddy. (Leaves.)

Todd: (Lays his head back down, and begins whispering at Tea:) Hey, Delgado? Thanks for everything last night. You have no idea what that meant.

Tea: (Eyes still closed.) I think I do.

Todd: You're awake?

Tea: Barely.

Todd: Did you sleep much last night?

Tea: After I worked a lot on a brief to keep my mind off how much I missed you, yes.

Todd: You work too hard.

Tea: So do you. Did you start the coffee maker?

Todd: Didn't you set the timer?

Tea: I can't remember.

Todd: I'll go check it if you get out of bed right now.

Tea: Make me.

Todd: (Gently props her up in a sitting position against himself as he sits up.) Now, get up.

Tea: (Eyes still closed.) I'm up.

Todd: You'll flop right back down if I move.

Tea: Then don't move.

Todd: You want coffee?

Tea: Yeah.

Todd: (Stands up abruptly, she sprawls back on the bed, opening her eyes.)

Tea: HEY!

Todd: You want that coffee, I'm going down to make it right now.

Tea: You're cruel.

Todd: (Deadpans:) Thank you.

Tea: (Guffaws.)

Todd: You really need the rest. I'll be back in a few minutes when it's ready. I promised Starr we'd both be there at breakfast.

Tea: Oh, then I'd better get up.

Todd: Yep. (Over his shoulder as he leaves.) She's probably already started eating the Super Crispy Sugar Bombs without us.

Tea: Eeeeew!

Todd: Hey! They're my favourites!

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Mill House. Same time.]

Cassie: (Smacking her alarm clock.) Ugh. (Falling back in the bed.)

Kevin: (Opens one eye, shuts it, and groans:) Why does morning come so SOON?

Cassie: Whoever invented morning should be lined up and shot.

Kevin: At dawn.

[Alarm sounds again, Cassie smacks it again.]

Cassie: Snooze alarms have their uses, but ICK.

Kevin: (Rolls back over toward camera, eyes closed.)

[Scene ends.]

[A few minutes later. Alarm goes off again.]

Cassie: Ok! Ok! (Smacks the alarm off and sits up to shut it off for real. Kevin moans and puts his pillow over his head.) Ugh! Whose idea was the alarm clock, anyway? What a brutal way to wake up.

Kevin: (Muffled:) I'm not coming out.

Cassie: (Grabs the pillow and tries to get it off his face but he holds on tighter.) Come on! We have to get Duke ready, and we still have that deadline to keep.

Kevin: Lemme sleep.

Cassie: NO! Your Mom wants that story out today.

Kevin: Ugh! (Rips pillow off his face and tosses it across the room, sitting up very reluctantly.) Fine. (Flops back on the bed.) I hate you, Mom.

Cassie: (Laughs.) I'm sure she'll love it when I tell her that.

Kevin: Don't you dare.

Cassie: (Getting out of bed.) I will if you don't get out of bed and start getting ready... (grabbing the blankets, and as she speaks:) right now! (yanking them off of the bed and off of Kevin.)

Kevin: AAAAAA!!!! (Grabs her pillow and throws it at her towards the door.)

Cassie: (Runs out of the room squealing with laughter.)

Duke: (Meets her in the hallway in his boxers.) What're you doing to my Dad?!

Cassie: (Giggling still:) Getting him out of bed.

Duke: Did you beat him up or something?!

Kevin: (At MBR doorway:) No, but she yanked the blankets off of me.

Cassie: (Picks up her pillow and flings it at him, still giggling. She goes downstairs. Duke and Kevin look each other over a little awkwardly.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: PH2 Livingroom several minutes later.]

Todd: C'mon, Starr! Aren't we late already?

Starr: (Looks at her watch, and then at Todd:) No.

Todd: Then what time is it?

Starr: Ten-to. We don't have to go until about ten-after.

Todd: Oh. Then maybe we can walk this time.

Starr: But I like your car...

Todd: You don't wanna walk with me?

Starr: I wanna sit in your lap.

Todd: Oh. Should I hug you?

Starr: Until it's time to go.

Todd: Ok. (Sits on the couch, opens his arms to her.)

Starr: (Crosses to him and waits for him to pick her up.)

Todd: (Gathers her on his lap and hugs her close.) Miss me?

Starr: Yes, Daddy.

Todd: I missed you, too.

Tea: (Comes down to the livingroom, yawning.) Hi, you two.

Todd: Coffee's ready.

Tea: Ok. (Goes into the kitchen.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: St. James Church, later that morning.]

Cassie: Andrew?

Andrew: Cassie! Hi. How are you? River ok?

Cassie: He seems to be, we just dropped the boys at camp. Duke is still sullen.

Andrew: Sorry to hear that.

Cassie: It's funny. He's not really all that much older than River, but there's a gulf in some of the things that I usually look at as markers for a child's age. He's much more independent than River, much more self- sufficient, more sophisticated somehow as if there were more than about a year or so between them. Duke somehow seems much older than that at times.

Andrew: He's growing up too fast?

Cassie: Maybe, or he's simply been given more responsibility earlier. Or he's more serious.

Andrew: Do you think we should give River more responsibility?

Cassie: I don't know. Duke refuses to play with River at all.

Andrew: Is he jealous of River?

Cassie: He might be. I know he resents me and wants Kevin with LeeAnn.

Andrew: Even though he was an infant when they left here.

Cassie: Exactly. Maybe he's been taunted about it at school, or LeeAnn talks to him about the divorce?

Andrew: Anyone's guess.

Cassie: How do I get him to talk to me? I've tried to sort of stay in the background and let he and Kevin work it out, but he doesn't speak to Kevin much either.

Andrew: I think the real trick is to just listen, and listen closely. Follow what they're saying to you, and be ready to do things like comfort them when they're ready to let you do so. Just don't force things on him, and if he's going to come around to you he will. Maybe he's talked with Viki?

Cassie: That's an idea. Maybe Viki knows what Duke's thinking about? I know I could be a good step-mom to Duke if he'd just let me. I do try to listen to him, but he rarely speaks to me. Duke just seems so unhappy.

Andrew: You're a good mom to our son.

Cassie: Thank you. I think I needed to be reminded that I really am a good parent to someone.

Andrew: That bad?

Cassie: Yep.

Andrew: Good luck. Do you want me to pick up River?

Cassie: I might as well get them both this afternoon.

Andrew: Ok.

Carlotta: At least they don't fight in the car.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Tea's office, later that morning.]

Tea: (Looking up from a stack of papers.) Del.

Del: (Approaching her desk.) I spoke with your husband. Is he always that crazy?

Tea: (Annoyed and wary:) What did you say to him, Del?

Del: We talked about family a little more. Do you know he expected me to kill him? Seemed to want me to, in fact.

Tea: Just what the hell did you say to Todd, Del?

Del: Nothing.

Tea: Evidently he didn't think it was "nothing". What exactly did you two talk about?

Del: I found him on the docks, and he immediately told me to get it over with, to just kill him there and then.

Tea: I happen to know you told him if he ever hurt me you would kill him, and at the time he was feeling really low and stressed out and he told you to go ahead and do it if he ever hurt me.

Del: We did make that pact, yeah. What? You didn't seriously expect me to go through with it?

Tea: What do you do for a living?

Del: I see.

Tea: No you don't see. If you saw you wouldn't've had that conversation on the docks with Todd. How you manage to do your job with judgement like yours and your utter lack of insight is beyond me. That will get you killed some day.

Del: That's uncalled-for!

Tea: Calling my husband an animal and treating him like -- abusing him the way you do is uncalled-for. What did you say to him? He was pretty upset when I found him again.

Del: You're kidding, right?

Tea: No, and don't you repeat that. He has a heart just like anybody else, Del, and right now it is breaking with the threat of losing his only child to Blair. Can you get it through your thick Latino pride that maybe, just maybe, neither one of us needed that fight at Carlotta's? Can you maybe think what that whole fight did just to me, if not to Todd?

Del: Fine, 'cos I could care less how it affected Todd.

Tea: What affects my husband affects me. If he is in pain, as he is now, then I am in pain. You had no right to rip into him like that, nor me, that night. If you care so much about me, you will respect my husband and myself and stop attacking us. You've never lost a child, but you lost a mother and a step-mother. Starr is about to possibly lose her father.

Del: (Quietly, intensely:) What can I do to help?

Tea: That's more like it... First off, you will stop following Todd.

Del: I wasn't.

Tea: Joshua and Muhammed have been following you around on my orders. They report to me, and they report you've been following Todd for days.

Del: I'll stop.

Tea: What you will do instead is familiarize yourself well with Blair Cramer, and learn what her current secrets are. She always has secrets, she's always plotting something, and right now she wants to take Starr from us. She will do anything, and Starr doesn't want to live with both her and Max.

Del: I'm on an assignment that... let's just say it already brings me into Blair's orbit.

Tea: Good. Don't push her buttons, let me do that. I owe her.

Del: For what?

Tea: A lot of things. Defenestration is only one of them.

Del: Do I want to know this story?

Tea: No.

Del: Don't commit any felonies.

Tea: I know the law.

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED