TODD'S RETURN - PART FIVE

PREVIOUSLY

Todd: (Breaks the kiss and whispers very close to her face:) I promise...... (nuzzles her, his eyes closed, taking in her touch and absorbed by the moment, murmurs:)...... promise ...... (kisses her softly).....I'll be...... (more nuzzling)....... gentle......(kisses her tenderly, gently, and hungrily as he holds her face in his hands like an eggshell, her hands in his long brown hair above her.)

[Scene ends.]

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

(Day 11)

[Scene: Daytime. Viki's kitchen at Llanfair. Bo arrives. He and Viki stand near the kitchen table and counter top, but do not sit.]

Bo: Hello, Viki.

Viki: Bo.

Bo: (Smoothly:) I understand that criminal brother of yours is back.

Viki: (Hotly:) Bo, I would appreciate it if you would not describe my brother that way. I'm finding the attitude of the whole family rather rude. He is my brother, and whether you like him or not, that isn't going to change.

Bo: Is he back?

Viki: Yes. He has been ill. I wanted to allow him to recover before his return was widely known.

Bo: (Suspicious:) If he's been ill why wasn't he in the hospital?

Viki: He wasn't quite that ill, not physically.

Bo: Viki....

Viki: Bo, he had lost much of his memory. It's not clear why, but he had. He's needed time to relearn some things and get re-acquainted with his life.

Bo: I don't believe that. He's faking it.

[Upstairs, Todd wanders into the hall, and starts down the back stairs. He hears his sister's voice in the kitchen and decides to go to her, but stops on the upper landing out of sight when he hears the conversation. He hides himself and eavesdrops.]

Viki: You haven't watched him. You don't know him.

Bo: Does he know what he's done?

Viki: Some things. I'm hoping he'll remember details on his own. Some things I've told him outright. I don't intend to coddle my brother in the least, but I also have no intention of deliberately traumatizing him.

Bo: Why not?!

Viki: Do you remember Peter Manning?

Bo: Yeah....

Viki: Do you remember how he treated Todd?

Bo: Yeah....

Viki: He was far, far worse in private. There are things you haven't heard about how he treated Todd.

Bo: I have severe doubts about the rape testimony at his last trial.....

Viki: He was raped. He showed the signs of it for years, but no one knew what they were seeing until he testified about what Peter Manning had done on that birthday.

[Todd gasps, tears form in his eyes, but don't fall. His registers deep anguish, he regains composure. He listens, quietly, tense.]

Bo: That's so improbable, though....

Viki: Not really. My brother is many things, and has done many things and has about as much trouble as Dorian in coming out and telling the truth, and telling what he feels, but this is not something he would ever lie about. It's too painful a thing to reveal, for boys especially. And to do so in court, with so many of his enemies there, knowing it would be a matter of public record in the court and wind up in the papers...?

Bo: (Almost sympathetic:) I can imagine....

Viki: You're slipping, Bo.... You were there, Bo. He was in tears on the stand.

Bo: (Thinking:) If anyone had done something like that to Drew....

Viki: Exactly. So I am very protective of my baby brother. He has suffered more than enough. You're no longer Police Commissioner, Bo. There really isn't much you can do about his return. But if you try to make things worse for him, you'll have to deal with me, too.

[Todd gathers himself together and quietly retreats to his own room.]

Bo: I see.

Viki: I'm not sure you or Clint do. When I was his guardian, you were quite rude to both of us. If you want me in your life, you also have to accept my brother. He is an Uncle to that new baby of yours, for example.

Bo: He's not getting anywhere near my kid!

Viki: Bo, the one thing Todd holds sacred is the safety and well-being of children.

Bo: He doesn't hold anything sacred!

Viki: He believes, as he testified in court, that no matter what, you don't hurt children. He never has. Look at how he treats Starr. Remember that he rescued not only Marty, but CJ and Sarah. He did that before he knew who they were. He was the one who payed for Eli's AIDS drugs!

Bo: He did?

Viki: You've forgotten this? He didn't have to do that. He and Eli don't even get along all that well. He did it because Eli is a child who is ill and, except for Carlotta, alone. He wasn't going to allow Eli to be denied his medications and suffer.

Bo: What was in it for him?

Viki: Nothing more than the satisfaction of knowing he had helped ensure the health and well-being of a child. That was all he wanted to do.

Bo: (Still skeptical:) That's unusually selfless of him.

Viki: He isn't all bad. Nobody did that for him. He is so much more complex than his anger and destructiveness.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene. Daytime, about half an hour later. Livingroom at Llanfair. Todd enters from foyer (stage right).]

Todd: (Looking around, avoiding eye contact with Viki, who is at her desk working.)

Viki: (Looks up briefly.) Hi, Todd.

Todd: (Looks at her briefly.) Hi. (Avoids eye contact.)

Viki: What's bothering you? I know that look.

Todd: I heard...some things I shouldn't've heard.... before.

Viki: Bo dropped by.

Todd: He doesn't believe.... my Dad.....raped me. (Upset. Composes himself.) I heard you talking about it and it came back to me. (Upset again.) He really did. (Struggling.)

Viki: (Gently:) I know, Todd. I tried to set Bo straight about some things. He's never liked you.

Todd: (Calming down:) I know. I know why...... mostly.

Viki: What do you remember?

Todd: I raped someone.... (Touches his scar a moment, as if making the connection.) He's a got a wife, right? She's this lawyer, right?

Viki: Yes.

Todd: She threw the case. Later, I attacked her, and she cut me with a knife, only she couldn't see me then. Bo came in and knocked me out. When I came to, I ran. I made a threat.....

Viki: You threatened to rape her. She was very frightened.

Todd: I know.... She hates me too, now. I hate her.

Viki: Why, Todd?

Todd: (Hesitates. Looks away. Looks at Viki a moment:) She betrayed me. She...... (Looks at his feet:) you're like my Mom was when I was little. (Looks at Viki again:) You take care of me.... try to protect me.

Viki: And Nora didn't?

Todd: (Quietly:).....Yeah.

Viki: I see......

Todd: That's why I hate her, that's why I did all those things to her. My Dad, he taught me that women will betray men everytime -- look at Blair and me -- use us. I felt Marty and Nora had betrayed me.

Viki: Now I understand that better. None of the rest of the Buchanans will, you know.

Todd: No. They won't get in trouble for things like Kevin threatening me with a gun in the woods after I took you all hostage, either, when everyone thought I'd killed Georgie. Something happens, I always get blamed. Kevin fired a gun at me in the dark, and I know he intended to kill me if he could.

Viki: You remember......

Todd: Yes....(Sets his feet apart in a stable, firm stance, arms across his chest. His demeanor darkens, his voice icy. Looks Viki in the eyes.) I remember much more now.

Viki: (Recognizes the change, with some concern.)

Todd: What? What're you looking at?

Viki: You know, don't you?

Todd: (Turns away, looking uncomfortable. Looks toward her from the corners of his eyes, and back away.)

Viki: (Gently:) You have DID.

Todd: (Looks at Viki, a mixture of fear and confusion on his face.)

Viki: Are you ok?

Todd: No, I'm not ok. My own sister just told me I'm nuts..... You have it, too, right?

Viki: Had it.

Todd: (Sounding frightened, a little panicky:) How do I fix it? So it sticks?

Viki: You go back into therapy.

Todd: Like a crazy person?

Viki: You're not crazy.

Todd: I'm so twisted sometimes I can't even see straight...... (Quietly:) Tea untwists me.

Viki: She knows, you know.

Todd: She knows??

Viki: Yes, and she's stuck by you the whole time.

Todd: (Stunned.) She says she loves me whoever I am..... You think?

Viki: I know. I do, too.

Todd: (Stares at Viki, a look of awe, love, and fear mixing on his face.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: That evening. Todd is lying in bed at the penthouse staring at the ceiling in the dark. The music of Nirvana's "Scentless Apprentice" plays around him like a reverie, becoming louder as the camera dollies closer to Todd's form on the bed. When Cobain screams "Go away!" those first times, Todd's whole body seems to shudder or shiver. As the song progresses through the second refrain and into the third verse, Todd begins to curl up on his side. Through the third refrain, as Cobain's raw screams fill his head, Todd holds his head in agony and balls his body up tightly on the bed. Scene fades out as the song ends. Todd is motionless, except seems to be panting. Camera dollies back out.]

(Day 12)

[Scene. About Noon next day. Todd's Office at The Sun. Todd looks tired and distracted behind his desk as he works. Tea arrives, enters.]

Tea: (Gently:) Hi... (Crossing to the desk.)

Todd: (Looks up.) Tea.

Tea: Couldn't sleep?

Todd: Something like that. (Searches her eyes, looking almost lost.)

[Scene ends.]

(Day 25)

[Scene: The Sun, Todd's office, two weeks later. He is sitting behind his desk, hands behind his head, staring into space and looking very tired. Suddenly stands up, dropping his hands to his sides, and crosses towards his office's double doors. Briggs comes rushing in through the doors, they nearly collide, but catch themselves short.]

Briggs: Mr. Manning?

Todd: (Wearily:) I'm heading out for the night, Briggs. Beep me if you need me.

Briggs: Everything ok, Todd?

Todd: Just tired. Night. (Exits the office, leaving his doors open.)

Briggs: (Watches Todd leave.)

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED