PREVIOUSLY

[Scene: PH2, Livingroom. Midday. Todd enters. He crosses to the stairs, looks around at the room, goes upstairs.]

[MBR doorway. Todd looks in and pauses, leaning against the door frame. Tea is asleep in the bed under the covers and he stands to watch her from the doorway. After a little while he yawns, and after a pause he crosses into the room and takes his shoes off. He carefully lays himself out next to Tea on top of the covers, and gathers her close against himself, burying his face in her hair with a look of emotional longing and relief, as if he's missed her deeply. She snuggles sleepily against him, he closes his eyes. Scene ends.]

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[Scene: PH2, MBR, almost 2 hours later. Todd awakes with a start and assesses his surroundings, seeming to orient.]

Todd: (A slightly bemused look on his face, he then turns to regard Tea, who stirs as she also awakens.)

Tea: (Sleepily:) What time is it? It's still bright out.

Todd: (Looks at the clock on the nighttable and starts getting to his feet off the bed.) Time to get Shorty.

Tea: (Looks at her watch.) Not much.

Todd: (Putting on his shoes.) Go back to sleep.

Tea: I have to go back to work, actually.

Todd: (Standing.) Was this ok?

Tea: I'm glad you came home.

Todd: Don't get the wrong idea.

Tea: We're still taking it slow. I love you, Todd.

Todd: I gotta get Shorty.

Tea: You're gonna be late.

Todd: Not if I speed.

Tea: Don't you dare! You might not make it at all.

Todd: (Sighs.) Then Shorty'd have to live with Blair. (Turns, and runs out of the room, leaving the door open as he tears around the corner and he can be heard bounding down the stairs.)

[Livingroom: Todd takes the stairs more than one at a time and runs past the camera and out the door. Scene ends.]

[Scene: Summer camp, a little bit later. River and Starr's group are cleaning up from a big art project in the gym, a banner of things about their group with the name of their age-sorted group along the top. Kids are bustling around them and the camera follows the cousins as they clean up as they talk, keeping them in sight no matter how much other activity there is around them.]

Starr: River?

River: Yeah?

Starr: Do you like Max?

River: I don't know him too well.

Starr: Yeah, but do you like him?

River: I dunno. Dad doesn't really seem to like him, and Mom and Kevin. I dunno. How come?

Starr: I can't stand him. I don't want to live with him.

River: What would you do if you had to?

Starr: I'd run away to my Dad.

River: They'd send you back. I thought you were mad at him.

Starr: Sometimes. You know I'd keep going back to him. The grownups wouldn't be able to stop me, either.

River: They could lock you up.

Starr: Daddy wouldn't let them. I'm gonna win this, River. I'm gonna get to live with Daddy for ever and ever. Tee, too.

River: That's how it worked with me.

Starr: See?

River: I see your Dad...

Starr: (Waves to Todd happily, still with dirty hands.) You go tell him to wait right there and I'll wash up and get my stuff. Ok?

River: Ok. (Walks to Todd.)

Todd: Where's she going?

River: She'll be right back, she's got paint all on her hands and she sent me to tell you to stay right there while she washes up and gets her stuff.

Todd: Ok. Where's the Rev?

River: (Looks behind Todd.) Behind you. (Waves at Andrew, takes off after Starr.)

Todd: (Turns around.) Hi, Rev.

Andrew: Hi, Todd. You look a bit better. I meant what I said, but it's for Starr.

Todd: Whatever.

Andrew: (Conspiratorially, lowering his voice:) I know your tactic. I already know you care so much it scares you.

Todd: (Looks at him very oddly.) Go get your kid.

Andrew: Aren't you coming with me?

Todd: My kid said to wait right here so she'd know where I was. And here she is, right on cue. It's been... "fun", Collar Boy.

Andrew: (Shakes his head as Todd walks toward Starr and picks her up. River approaches Andrew and they walk out holding hands, happily chatting.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: PH2, about a half hour later.]

Todd: Starr? You have to get your things ready to go to your mom's tonight.

Starr: Do I have to?

Todd: Yeah. Sorry.

Starr: But it means Dorian's!

Todd: I know, and I wasn't able to prevent that, since your mom's now under orders from me that you be kept away from Max.

Starr: I made sure of that. I won't even sit at the dinner table with him anymore. I lose my appetite.

Todd: Do you eat ok around Dorian?

Starr: Not really, no.

Todd: This is bad.

Starr: It's very bad, Daddy. I raid the fridge during the night. (Giggles.)

Todd: You shouldn't have to do that.

Starr: It's fun, though.

Todd: I bet it is. I used to do that.

Starr: Yeah, because your Dad was so mean.

Todd: Well, yeah. That's why you shouldn't have to do that. No one should be making you that uncomfortable that you can't eat around them.

Starr: Oh.

Todd: Another reason you shouldn't have to live with them.

Starr: Well, I don't want to.

Todd: I'm doing everything I can to make sure you won't have to again. Go get ready.

Starr: (Sighs heavily.) Okaaay...

Todd: (As she turns to go upstairs:) Starr?

Starr: (Turns towards him:) Yeah, Daddy?

Todd: I love you. This is going to end, I hope soon, ok?

Starr: And then I'll be living here with you and Tee?

Todd: That's the plan. Get your stuff ready. Use the clean backpack in your closet.

Starr: (Makes a face.)

Todd: You want a new one or do you want this one cleaned?

Starr: I like that one when it's clean, I want to keep it.

Todd: Ok.

Starr: (Goes upstairs.)

[Scene ends.]

[Cut to: Carlotta's house, kitchen, around the same time that day.]

Del: You had some questions about your father?

Roseanne: Yeah, Del.

Del: What about?

Roseanne: Your sister-in-law and that Miguel creep.

Del: Oh. What do you need to know?

Roseanne: Why did he send me to his mother-in-law?

Del: She's your mother's mother.

Roseanne: She hates me! She hates my father, too. She hated me the moment I got sent to live with her. I swear she hated the day I was born. I may have been looked after, but I could feel her hatred of me in her frequent silences. Do you -- can you imagine what that's like?

Del: I was a step-son once, it went both ways for a few years with Tea and Jose's mother and your father and I. I don't have to imagine all of that, no. I'm sorry she made you feel so unwanted, I hadn't known it was as bad as that for you.

Roseanne: Yeah, well. I did get to learn magic, I met some old people and they taught me a lot over the years. Useful stuff that gives me power.

Del: (Raises an eyebrow at that.)

Roseanne: I got to roam freely on my own a lot, too, and think.

Del: You mean plot and obssess. What else?

Roseanne: My mom wasn't stepping-out on my Dad. Mami wouldn't do that.

Del: She did, mija.

Roseanne: I heard Mami and Tea yelling --

Del: -- You heard them??

Roseanne: One night I was out walking at dusk and I heard voices near the docks that I thought were familiar, so I crept closer to be sure. Tea and Mami were yelling at each other about Miguel and Mami. She was screaming that Tea was lying, that she loved my father, that the baby was my father's and to stop spreading her malicious lies about her own brother's wife all over the barrio. I ran away from them. Tea's still lying! You're all lying!

Del: No, it was Miguel who lied. He'd lied since we were kids, all the time. If I didn't know any better I'd think you were his.

Roseanne: (Her eyes grow wide in shock a moment and then narrow and cold.) You're lying.

Del: I wish I were.

Roseanne: You're all covering for each other.

Del: Your Mami did sleep with Miguel, numerous times.

Roseanne: That's a lie, uncle Del! My parents loved each other!

Del: See, that's the problem, Rosie. They did.

Roseanne: Then how could she sleep with another man?!

Del: (Scoffs.) Miguel Enriques a man? You're kidding!

Roseanne: He was man enough to get my mom pregnant.

Del: We were never entirely sure, but your father was adamant that the baby was Miguel's. After your mother died --

Roseanne: -- suicide --

Del: Fine, after her suicide, which seemed to confirm it, your father went after Miguel and beat the crap out of him. They'd had fistfights before over the years, but never this bad. It took Jose', me, Papi, and a few other guys in the neighbourhood to pull your Papi off of Miguel and by then the cops had been called and they got hauled off to cool down at the local lockup. Your father said the cell he got had Miguel's name all over it in graffiti, not all of it by Miguel and not all of it kind.

Roseanne: He really did spend that night in jail?

Del: Si. And when he got out he got very very drunk, and again it took a bunch of us to keep him in line and keep he and Miguel apart. We sobered him up in time to see your Mami buried, but he couldn't approach the coffin because he knew he'd cause a scene.

Roseanne: Why?! He'd already caused a scene! She died because he'd caused a scene!

Del: He was loco with grief, mija. Their relationship was very volatile, but he loves her deeply to this day and has never forgotten either of you. He used to send money to your Nana Elba so she could keep you and you wouldn't go hungry or cold, but he's never been able to face you.

Roseanne: Oh, what a fine excuse for you to give for why I never saw him except a few rare times in, what? 8-9 years now. Why doesn't he tell me himself?

Del: He probably thinks that now that you're grown you want nothing to do with him. You're not his little girl anymore, you're grown up now.

Roseanne: I still don't believe you. Where is he? Have you talked to that bastard?

Del: Not in a few years, last I knew he was based in New York, maybe he's back in The City again. I can check with contacts if you want.

Roseanne: Fine. Whatever. I'll be living there with Will. I don't believe any of you still. Until I hear it from Papi I won't believe any of you.

Del: I'm not even sure you'd believe Rick.

Roseanne: What would be the point? You've all got your story straight years ago, set up your excuses so you could cover for each other. Why should I believe any of you?

Del: Because it's true what we're telling you.

Roseane: Why should I take the word of a guy who works for the government as a paid liar?

Del: That's not what I do.

Roseanne: Ok, then. A Professional Snitch.

Del: That's not what I do, either.

Roseanne: No? You're paid to spin yarns from all sorts of lies and innuendo and make them into plausible stories to cover the fact that it's all lies and fabrications.

Del: This is your uncle you're talking to, Rosie!

Roseanne: My uncle The Spy!

Del: That's not who I am with you, Rosie. I'm saddened that you don't want to believe any of us. You were a kid, we were supposed to protect you and keep you safe.

Roseanne: Is that why no one bothered to tell me any of this until now?

Del: We weren't sure when to tell you, but when you had that fight with Tea and she blurted it out, it was now or keep trying to cover it up. There was no way to cover it up, so we're all independently telling you. We didn't all sit down and decide on what the story was or that we should tell you now.

Roseanne: Oh, no?

Del: Oh, yes. We each seem to have come to the conclusion that you should've known much earlier. I know I kept waiting for Rick to tell you himself, but obviously he still hasn't.

Roseanne: Why should he, when I remind him of the shame of being married to my mother?

Del: Roseanne, he loves her still. He never stopped loving your mother.

Believe it or not, he also loves you.

Roseanne: (Bitingly:) Yeah, right! (Wheels and leaves the house, letting the screen door to the kitchen slam behind her.)

[Scene ends.]

[Cut to: PH2, a little later that afternoon.]

Todd: (In front entryway at the door, knealing:) Now, Starr, if you need me, call ok?

Starr: Ok, Daddy. I love you, Daddy. (Hugs Todd close.)

Todd: (Hugs her tightly, as if he can't bear to let her go. When he does, he kisses her cheek longingly as if he misses her already.)

Blair: (Reaching for Starr's hand.) C'mon sweetie, Aunt Dorian's waiting for us in her limo. (Trying to be perky about it.)

Starr: (Hugs Todd one more time.) I wish I weren't going tonight.

Todd: Me, too, but we grownups made an agreement (pointedly, looking at Blair:) that we're all legally bound to keep.

Blair: Like that's ever stopped you before.

Tea: Blair...

Blair: (Mockingly:) Blair...

Starr: You're not going to start fighting, are you? 'Cos if you are, I'm not going.

Blair: Starr!

Todd: She's right, Blair. She doesn't need this. We shouldn't fight in front of Shorty.

Blair: (Taking Starr's hand firmly.) Fine! (Turning huffily and bringing Starr with her.)

Starr: (A little hurriedly:) Bye, Daddy! Bye, Tee! [As she is whisked down the hall to the elevator. Todd is in the doorway watching her, he waves to Starr. They look at each other, despite Blair's glowering at Todd, until they get in the elevator and the doors close as Starr waves to Todd again. He turns and closes the door, but leans his back against it as if trying to compose himself.]

Tea: You ok?

[Todd stirs, looks at her briefly, crosses to his desk and sits in his chair, removing Peter's lighter from his pants pocket. He looks upset yet cold as he begins to play with Peter's lighter, mesmerized by the flame as if he's fallen away into a trance. He lights it, holds the flame on until it gets too hot, blows on things to cool them, lights it again, puts his hand over the flame and holds it a few times, and keeps the flame on as long as he can each time. Tea watches this a few minutes. Tea approaches him carefully and kneels in front of him, gently taking the lighter and setting it on the desk. Quietly:]

Tea: I know you're upset, I remember the first time you had to give Starr to Blair and you were in tears that you didn't want me to see. You grabbed me and held onto me: the first time we hugged. I didn't want to let you go, you were warm and soft and hard and muscular and you held on. How could I stop hugging you when you were so sad and you had reached out to me to hold? How? But you pulled away and we shared our first kiss. Even though I panicked, it had felt so good to touch you and kiss you and try to comfort you. Can you be comforted tonight, Todd?

Todd: (He picks the lighter up again, plays with the lighter flame.)

Tea: (Strokes his cheek and tries to catch his gaze. Gently, she closes the lighter case, snuffing the flame. He looks at her, very sadly.) She's coming back in the morning, ok?

Todd: (Holding his emotions in check:) I can't lose her.

Tea: (Reaches out to hug him and he grabs hold of her tightly.) You won't lose her, querido. You won't lose either of us.

Todd: (Closes his eyes tightly and buries his face against her shoulder.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Alexandria (aka Buchanan Mansion aka "Bukefaire", same evening, livingroom.]

Asa: (Bellowing in his usual fashion:) NIGEL! NIGEL! Get in here!

Nigel: (Comes trotting rapidly in from the foyer as he always does, trying to maintain his dignity and manage Asa.) Sir?

Asa: Get my coat, I'm going out.

Nigel: Isn't it a bit warm out for that, Sir?

Asa: For going out?!

Nigel: (Patiently:) The coat, Sir.

Asa: It's none of your business, Nigel!

Nigel: Does Sir not feel all right? Perhaps a touch of fever?

Asa: Don't you patronize me, Nigel!

Nigel: Sorry, Sir, but the coat in summertime is a bit unusual attire.

Asa: (Growls:) Bring it, Nigel.

Nigel: Right away, Sir. (Turns, and then turns around again in the doorway.) Will you be dining out, Sir?

Asa: Yes, Nigel.

Nigel: Will Mrs. Buchanan be dining away from home also, Sir?

Asa: Yes, Nigel. Now get my damn coat!

Nigel: Immediately, Sir. (Goes after coat.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: PH2, Todd and Tea haven't moved from his desk, still hugging.]

Tea: (Draws back a little, just enough to look at Todd's face. He looks off into space.) Can you talk to me, Todd?

Todd: (He stirs, looks at her, grunting once quietly, his face sad but blank.)

Tea: Can you talk to me? I'm a bit worried about you.

Todd: (Clears his throat, swallows.) Don't be. I'm all right.

Tea: You sure?

Todd: (Looking unsure of anything for a moment and then his face is bland:) Leave it alone, ok?

Tea: No, you were pretty far away and deeply into that flame. Do you know what you were doing?

Todd: (Spaces out a little again. Quietly:) Testing myself. This all seems like some sort of twisted, sick test to see how much I can take. How much can I take? Sometimes I wonder if Peter really is dead, after all.

Tea: You're hurting that much? 'Cos he really is dead.

Todd: (Nods absently.)

Tea: Look at me, ok? (Holds his chin and guides his gaze to hers.) I love you, if I can comfort you in any way I want to try.

Todd: You do comfort me. Just your being here. (Takes her hand.)

Tea: Good. It's that sometimes I wish I could do more. Sometimes just sitting with you and watching over you isn't active enough and I keep wondering if there's more you need from me that I can give you.

Todd: I can only take in so much at once. After that I get really edgy, feel like I need to get away. I'm not good at this 'togetherness' stuff.

Tea: You're better at it than you think.

Todd: (Gives her a dirty look and gets up from his desk, crossing to the stairs and climbing them.)

Tea: (Watches him disappear and then slowly gets up and follows him.)

[MBR]

Tea: Todd? (Leans against the doorframe, casually.) Hungry?

Todd: (Flopped on the bed, propped against the headboard.) Always.

Tea: The Palace Restaurant?

Todd: I guess. You're not going to call ahead and gang up on me with my sisters, are you?

Tea: You're being paranoid.

Todd: Am I?

Tea: Yes.

Todd: Corner table?

Tea: Sure, if Renee has one free.

Todd: It is Bukeland over there, you sure this is such a hot idea?

Tea: Why do you care if it is Bukeland?

Todd: I guess I am sort of spoiling for a fight.

Tea: I thought you were hungry.

Todd: (Quiet for a moment, eyes closed. Then:) Yeah. Let's go. (Bounds off the bed to the doorway and passes Tea.)

Tea: (Scrambles to keep up.) You don't want to let me clean up?

Todd: (Without turning back as he takes the stairs fast:) You look fine, let's go, I'm starved all of a sudden.

Tea: Wait up, Manning! (Meeting him at the front door.)

Todd: Ready?

Tea: (Grabs purse.) Let's go. (They exit together, Todd ushering her out ahead of him and following her so he can admire her from behind secretly. A small appreciative grin crosses his face as he catches up at the elevator, before she's turned to face him.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: A little while later, Palace Hotel Restaurant.]

Renee: Oh, you.

Todd: (Looks over his and Tea's shoulders and down the hall a little, back to Renee:) You talkin' to me?

Renee: Nice try, Todd.

Tea: We're here for dinner, Renee, and nothing more. We're not here to start another phase of this ongoing war.

Renee: You can --

Tea: Renee, I am a lawyer, I am here with my spouse. We did make a reservation and were promised a corner table, away from potential trouble.

Renee: (Looking in reservations book.) True enough, you did book a corner table for this evening. Follow me, then. No trouble from you tonight, Todd, or I'll throw you out.

Todd: You wouldn't throw out a lawyer, would you? For no cause?

Renee: (Looking from Todd whose eyes sparkle with mischief but whose face is bland, to Tea who looks stern, and back to Todd.) If the lawyer's guest or the presence of said guest became disruptive I would.

Todd: Me, disruptive? I'm an angel, aren't I darling? (Looks at Tea.)

Renee: Let's get you seated, there are people lining up here. I want you where I can keep an eye on you all night, Todd.

Todd: Yes, Mom. Gee, another watchdog. Just what I need. (Pointing him out:) See that big black guy over there, Renee?

Renee: (Looks at Tyrone.) Yes?

Tea: He's one of our bodyguards.

Renee: I see. Will he be eating with you?

Todd: No, he's close enough as it is.

Tea: When he goes off-shift.

Renee: Very well. (Grabs two menus, escorts them to the corner table, goes back to the reservations desk.)

Todd: (Quietly to Tea only as they follow:) You planned this, didn't you?

Tea: (Just as privately:) Only the table.

[Todd and Tea settle in, Todd looking around the room at other patrons who seem to be whispering and looking their way periodically, trying not to be noticed.]

Todd: Let's go.

Tea: We just got here.

Todd: We can just leave here, too.

Tea: I thought you were hungry? I thought you were spoiling for a fight.

Todd: We can fight at home. (Does a take, looks at her.) No, scratch that.

Tea: Who are you expecting?

Todd: It is Bukeland here...

Tea: Oh... (Looks at hands resignedly.) Look, I don't expect Bo tonight --

Todd: (Watching doorway.) -- Not him...

Tea: Can we just have a quiet meal, Todd?

Todd: Maybe. The tall guy just shambled in.

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED