I TAKE THE DICE - PART TWENTY FIVE
PREVIOUSLY
Fiona’s eyes grew narrow and she sniffled back tears.
“I don’t know if I can do it…” she cried, “I hate her…I wanted to be the one…”
“Do it because it’s the right thing to do! For once Fiona, do it ‘cos it’s the right thing to do!” said Kevin pulling her into a hug.
Fiona looked past his shoulder into Nora’s eyes and nodded her head. Fiona was scared but if she had Kevin and Nora then maybe she could do the right thing for once.
**********************************************************************************************************
Outside Carlotta’s Diner…
Todd rushed through the crowd that had gathered around the makeshift police barricade with Trevor in his arms. Tina followed him and they approached Bo who was issuing orders.
“Buchanan! What the hell happened!?” yelled Todd getting in Bo’s face.
“Owww…Daddy used a bad word,” said Trevor.
“Trevor! Quiet!” said Todd in a frantic tone of voice. Trevor wrinkled his brow, surprised at his father’s harsh tone of voice.
“Look Todd, we’re trying to make contact now…” said Bo, “I’m sorry about your wife but I need you to stand back and let me do my job!”
Todd felt Tina’s arm pulling him back and he felt helpless. He hated feeling helpless. And this situation reminded him of the one two years ago when she was kidnapped. He’d lost her then just when he had started his life with her. And now, just when he had let her back into his heart he could lose her. Only this time, he held their son in his arms. He turned to Tina, looking for her to strength…and courage. He couldn’t run away. Not with their son in his arms.
“Tina…” he started.
Just then, Nora, Fiona, and Kevin pushed their way through the crowd and approached Bo. Fiona looked dishelved and nervous. Todd wanted to throttle her and he would have if he wasn’t holding Trevor.
“Bo!” said Nora getting his attention, “Fiona is here to confess!”
“What?” muttered Bo, “Not now…”
“Yes Bo, now! Fiona has confessed to killing Nick in an act of self defense and she wants to come forward now to save Téa’s life!!” exclaimed Nora.
“Jesus,” muttered Bo.
Todd, who had overheard Nora’s revelation felt a sudden wave of disgust flood his body. He wanted to lash out, badly, and his arms shook as he held Trevor. He had to calm himself down. He had too! For his son who needed him! He looked at Trevor who looked confused.
“What’s going on Daddy?” asked Trevor.
Todd took a very deep breath, “T.D. you know your mommy and Me love you very much?”
Trevor nodded his head.
“You know, I need to talk about your mom all right? Okay?” his voice was edgy, and wracked with pain.
Trevor nodded his head and Todd started to talk. He talked about his first meeting with Téa, their first marriage, his feelings for her and it helped to calm him down in the presence of his son.
“Where’s Fiona now?” asked Bo.
“Right here,” said Nora turning around to grab Fiona. She was gone.
“Kevin! Where’s Fiona?” yelled Nora.
Kevin looked away from the cop he was talking too and turned around, “Fiona? She was right there!!”
“Great,” muttered Bo, “Great.”
Fiona just wanted to get it over with. While everyone bickered and argued she made her way past the barricade and around the diner, going in through the back delivery door. She made her way though the kitchen and walked out into the serving area behind the counter. Carlotta was there, standing behind the counter, afraid to move.
Sam was sitting on the floor, his hand clutching his jaw, a man standing above him, holding a gun. A second man stood in back of Téa, holding her tight. She looked relatively composed, putting on a brave face. She didn’t want to act terrified or scared. She didn’t want to give her assailants that satisfaction.
“Fiona!” exclaimed Téa.
The gunmen directed their attention to Fiona. Carlotta looked spooked but Fiona just walked out onto the main floor past the counter.
“Who is this woman? Stop there!” said the gunman who was standing over Sam. He pointed his gun at Fiona.
“I’m the one you want. Not her. I killed Nick,” said Fiona giving them an attitude. She appeared cocky and confident.
“You lie! This woman is accused by the police!” exclaimed the gunman holding Téa.
“Look at us!” said Fiona, “We look a lot alike. She was mistaken for me and I let the police think it!”
Téa sneered at Fiona. What surprised her now was Fiona’s sudden admission of guilt.
“Why would you let her take the blame?” asked the gunman by Sam.
“Because I hate her,” said Fiona crossing her arms.
“You make even less sense!” said the gunman holding Téa.
“Look, I’m the one you want to shoot. I killed Nick, not her,” said Fiona walking toward the gunman and Téa.
Téa was absolutely speechless, “So why…so why are you admitting it now Fiona? Why didn’t you admit it before?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do. You have a family, Téa. I don’t…” said Fiona looking her nemesis in the eye.
“You’ve got Asa! Kevin!” said Téa. She felt the gunman’s grip lessening.
“Kevin is a damn consolation prize Te-ugh!” yelled Fiona, “Now do it! Shoot me! I’m the killer.”
The gunman threw Téa to the ground and she scampered over to Sam to see if he was all right. The gunman who had held her hostage pointed his gun at Fiona. Fiona was only a few feet in front of him.
“Shoot me!” yelled Fiona.
The gunman didn’t know what to think. Fiona stepped into him and pulled the gun into her stomach.
“Shoot me damn it! I’m not worth it!” yelled Fiona again.
The gunman couldn’t believe his ears. He was shocked to hear Fiona’s words.
Fiona fell to her knees and looked up into the gunman’s eyes, “I killed Nick! I did. Now get it over with. I’m the one you want to kill. SHOOT ME!!”
The gunman whipped his brow with his freehand and looked at his companion. He looked back at Fiona and threw the gun on a table.
“I can not shoot a woman who is begging me to kill her,” he replied.
His companion threw his gun down too.
Téa was shocked. She couldn’t believe what had happened. And Fiona lunged for the gun, determined to finish the job. Téa lunged after her. Fiona grabbed the gun and Téa grabbed Fiona. They struggled and Téa felt a sudden blast of pain near her eye.
“Damn it Fiona! I will not let you kill yourself!” yelled Téa.
As they struggled, wet, hot, liquid ran down Téa’s cheek as Fiona scratched and clawed at her.
Just then Bo and a dozen uniform cops came bursting into the diner. They grabbed the two gunmen who didn’t put a fight. Bo grabbed Fiona and tore her away from Téa, who grabbed the gun from Fiona.
“Just kill me…” sobbed Fiona in Bo’s arms.
Téa stood up and gave the gun to a uniform cop. She went to check on Sam who was standing up and still clutching his jaw, ignoring her cut.
“Te-ugh…you bleed…” said Sam pointing to her eye. His jaw hurt like hell.
Téa brought her hand to her eye.
“Take Fiona out,” instructed Bo, who turned to Téa, “Sam’s right. You’ve got a pretty bad cut about your eye Téa. Were you had your stitches,” handed Téa napkin.
“Damn. I must have got it struggling with Fiona…” muttered Téa. She could feel her adrenaline high wearing off as she put her napkin on her wound.
Just then, Todd, Trevor, and Tina walked in. Téa ran up to Todd and Trevor and hugged them.
“Thank God you’re all right!” cried Todd. Téa looked up into his face and Todd saw the blood trickle out of her cut.
“Your eye Delgado,” said Todd.
“Mommy, will you be all right?” asked Trevor.
“Uh-huh, I’ll be fine sweetie. I love you guys,” said Téa finally allowing her bravado to fall. Finally allowing herself to shake in their presence.
“Come on Téa. Let’s get you and Sam to the hospital for treatment,” said Bo.
A Week Later…
It was early in the evening. Todd and Téa sat next to each other on the couch. The TV droned as it faced them. Their son, Trevor, lay out on them, sleeping, resting his head in Téa’s lap. Téa was softly stroking his hair.
Todd looked at her and smiled, “How’s your eye Delgado?”
“Sore,” she said.
While she had struggled with Fiona over the gun, she had bumped her eye that had previously been injured by Fiona, re-injuring it. Earlier in the day, the doctor had taken out her stitches. Todd noted that Téa appeared tired. She’d been getting tired a lot lately.
“It’s nice…here…with you and Trevor…” he saw awkwardly.
“You know…it almost feels normal Todd…” she said smiling at him, “Here with you and the kids.”
She leaned back a bit to relax.
“Normal, us? Whoda’ thunk it? It won’t last,” said Todd, “But I’m gonna’ make you a promise Delgado.”
“Todd, quierdo, you don’t…” she started.
“Yeah, I do,” said Todd, “Look, we’ve been stressed out lately. Ever Trevor was acting bratty…”
“Todd, he was just reacting to the situations around him…” said Téa.
“Yeah, I know that. Look, for now on I’m going to do my best to give you and the kids a normal life and I know it might not be easy ‘cos let’s face it, I’m Todd Manning and nothing comes easy but Téa from now on you and the kids – you’re gonna’ get the best of everything. It’s gonna’ be different for them Téa. No more of this insane $hit. I’m going to give you the family I never had but always wanted…” he said, looking into her eyes.
She leaned over and gave him a tender kiss, brushing her lips against his. The phone ringing interrupted the kiss. Todd let a breath escape, and reached over the couch grabbing the phone.
“Manning. Who? What? That’s not possible! Sure. Yeah. Whatever,” he hung up the phone and sat there looking stunned.
“Todd, what’s not possible?” asked Téa.
A sly smile grew on his face and he looked at her.
“That was your doctor’s office…” said Todd.
“Calling this late?” she asked.
“You aren’t going to believe this,” said Todd, “They tested your blood…”
“Yeah. Routine tests before they gave me my stitches,” said Téa, “Am I sick or something?”
“Well, according to the doc, you’re pregnant,” said Todd grinning.
“What? You’re kidding right? I’ve been using the BC…” she said stunned, “I haven’t forgotten any…”
“Well, it’s only what? 99 percent effective…?” said Todd.
“How?” muttered Téa.
“S-E-X. Sex, Téa. We had sex…” grinned Todd.
“I know about sex…” stammered Téa, “You must be a pretty potent guy Todd…”
Todd laughed, proud of himself, “Well, we uh…stayed up late at Viki’s cabin one night…”
“Yeah…” said Téa, “I can’t be far along.”
Todd said nothing and it was quiet between them as he studied her worried face.
Spontaneously he reached over, put his hand behind her neck and pulled her into his lips.
“I want this baby Téa,” he said, “I love you.”
“Me too Todd. I love you and I…want this baby too…” she said softly.
He was delighted with her words and kissed her again.
CONCLUDED.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Copyright by DimWitt. Orginally published on "Violet's TnT FanFiction Website." Copyright owner provides the information on this server to anyone, but retains the copyright on all text. This means you may not: Distribute the text to others without the EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION of the copyright owner. You may: Print copies of the information for your own personal use, store the files on your own computer for your personal use only, reference hypertext documents on this server from your own documents. =========================================================================================
Get your own FREE Home Page