SLEEP - PART THREE

PREVIOUSLY
He kissed her passionately, letting her know that anything she thought was okay with him. Then he promptly fell asleep under her, exhaustion and turmoil finally taking their toll. She leaned over, turned off the light, and let sleep take her, too. Any fighting could wait until tomorrow.

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Todd was sitting in the living room, playing with his ankle monitor when Téa arrived downstairs fresh from her shower and her long, dreamless sleep in the arms of her husband. She was apprehensive about seeing him this morning, wondering if she had pushed him too far and whatever demon lurked inside would decide to make an appearance.
Todd was thinking as he sat, trying not to focus on anything, in abject fear of the same thing that concerned his wife. He didn't know how long his alters would stay inside and not take over. He was bent on maintaining control, no matter the cost.
"Todd, darling, you still in there?"
"Yeah, I'm still here. Who knows for how long, but I'm here now."
"I hate this," Téa suddenly jumped up and shouted. "We love each other. We were just starting to get things right. We stopped trying to destroy each other. I actually thought, for a few days, after Georgie's murder, that things could only get better. But, we're doomed, it seems. If I'm not pushing you too much, then you're closing up. Do you realize how much damage we've done to each other? For God's sake, you punched me and I clocked you with a shovel. If we were sane, we would get out of this right now. But, for some reason, that just won't work, will it? I come back or you drag me back, but we can't seem to get enough of the pain." She sounded almost callous, and Todd winced at the words as they flew out of her mouth. "And now, look at us. We're sitting here, waiting for whatever evil Peter Manning put in your head to peek out and make life horrible again. Just sitting here, like targets. I'm sick of it. We have to do something. Go to therapy, get your charges dropped, whatever, but we can't just sit here. I have you back and I'm sure as hell not losing you again, because I can't." She sat back down, looking defeated. She was finally getting to the heart of the matter, and revealing this much to him was frightening, but it was the only way to make him understand how much was at stake for her as well as him.
The tears started to form in her eyes before she realized they were coming. "I just physically can't lose you. You're everything I have. You and Starr, you're it. I need you as much as you need me, if not more. When you get better, you can move on. But, I can't ever. For me, the sun rises and sets in your eyes. I'll never love any man as much as I love you now. Which is why I can't wait around for something to destroy it. We need to act."
"Téa, you don't have to worry. Look at how much more in control I am already. You went through the whole tirade and no one new popped out to take over." He put his arms around her, pulling her close so she could feel how hard his heart was pounding against his chest. "I won't leave you, no matter what. This is Todd Manning we're talking about. I'm sure I'll have plenty of new problems that you'll have to deal with after this one gets taken care of." He grinned at her as she giggled through her tears. "We'll get through this, and it won't destroy us. The Mannings are made of stronger stuff than that. When this is all over, we'll settle back, raise Starr, and not have to worry about anything except all my employees quitting because I yell at them. When things have settled down, I'll make good on every promise I ever made you. I'll try to fulfill all your wishes. You're the only one who hasn't gotten scared off. You're the only person that's been strong enough to love me through all my crap even when someone with more sense would have run away."
"Thanks, dear. I'm happy you think so highly of my intelligence."
"Well, if you weren't so smart you wouldn't be a good lawyer and then why would I have married you?" he said with perfect Todd logic.
She laughed and threw her arms around around him. Soon, they were kissing again, and so neither noticed when Blair came in to the penthouse, with Starr in tow.
"Well, isn't this the cutest little domestic scene? Could you two keep the bedroom Olympics out of the line of sight of my little girl? Thanks."
Starr, momentarily distracted from rushing Todd and Téa in a fit of emotion, turned to her mother. "Mommy, what's 'bedroom 'lympics?'"
Téa got off the couch and picked the toddler up. "Someday, when you're all grown up, we'll explain to you, okay sweetie? So, how's my little angelita?" she said.
Starr gave her a huge kiss on the cheek and said "I missed you, Tee. Why don't you live here anymore? Mommy and I live here now, with Daddy, and so could you. Then we could all be together, like Daddy said a family should be. He always said that when you were gone."
Téa felt herself blush furiously. She didn't know how to respond to the little girl's request but that was taken out of her hands when Todd took Starr out of her arms and tossed the child into the air.
"Hey shorty. Did you miss me when you were out with your mom?"
"Daddy, you sound like you used to! What happened? I missed you a lot."
"Well, sweetie, I've been feeling a lot better lately. And I think I'll be around for a long time," and then he looked pointedly at Blair, "as long as nothing happens to make me feel bad again. Okay, sweetie?"
"Yeah! Tee, come play with me."
Téa took the little girl's hand, turned to look her husband, then Blair, then back to Todd again. "Be good, Todd. We don't want anything to happen."
Todd kissed her on the forehead, gave her a heated look, and promised to behave with Blair. Téa walked up the penthouse stairs with Starr. Turning from looking at the two most precious things in his life, he looked at the woman who knew and mirrored his demons and past mistakes better than anyone else, his ex-wife.
"So, Todd, who the hell are you today?"

TO BE CONTINUED