SLEEP - PART ONE

He stood over her bed while she slept fitfully. He had finally convinced her to spend the night after the Max fiasco. He was so unsure of what might happen in his future that he wanted Téa as close as possible.
If she were to awake, she would see her DID afflicted husband standing over her. Todd wasn't quite sure how to handle that either. Shortly after getting off the roof, Todd had found himself in the penthouse playing with Starr. He blacked out again soon after and later woke up to hear Téa telling him what she wanted, needed, and dreamed about. Staying relatively reticent, he had figured out what the problem was, and since it was keeping him out of jail and he had seen more of Starr and Téa than he had in a long time, he didn't see a reason to question.
Until Max interfered. The last time Todd was accused of lying he had held fourteen people hostage with a knife and some fake dynamite, and she left him again. When Max came into the picture, Todd lost time again. He figured whatever was lurking in his mind leaped out to protect them all, and although he was terrified, he was grudgingly grateful also.
But now, stealth was needed. And it was hard to be stealthy when you had no control over who was inhabiting your head.
Téa stirred, and awakened slightly. "Todd?" she moaned quietly. His heart caught in his throat. She was so tired, it seemed. She had given so much of herself. He forgave the shovel and the testimony now, because he knew he was the last person who could be afford to be mad at her. She handed him her soul and he had stomped on it on a daily basis, mainly out of fear. And every time he thought he was losing her, he snapped her back, knowing that in her ocean of strength, he was her weakness.
She opened her eyes and focused them on him. He felt a stab of lust so strong that he had to force himself not to leap on her. She eyed him warily, as if she wasn't quite sure who he was. And, he realized, there was a reason. No one was quite sure who he was anymore.
"Todd, is that you?" she said quietly, a little hope creeping into her voice.
It was the hope that broke his heart. She had no idea why he left her, and she was trying to hang on.
He finally spoke to her.
"You don't understand who I am anymore, and I can understand that. But, I'm asking you to hang on. If something happens, or someone comes out, and you feel threatened, get out, call Sam, call Viki, whatever you have to do. But, please don't give up on me. I still love you, and I can see you still love me. And I'll try to be here with you as much as I can, but I won't be here always. Do you understand? Just say you do."
"I understand." She closed her eyes and turned away from him. "Can I ask you to do something for me? You don't have to. It's just that I've missed you. And for once, I'd like to sleep with my husband. And we don't have to do anything if you don't want to."
He felt nervous, unsure of himself. But, how could he turn her down, when she was handing him the world? If he lost time again and whoever was there came out, they would deal with it together. She would be there. She always had been. Even when her body wasn't, her heart was. So, Todd closed his eyes, thanked his demons for staying away for one night, and crawled into bed with her. And soon enough, wrapped in each other's arms, sleep chased away the darkness.

TO BE CONTINUED