TODD'S RETURN - PART EIGHT

PREVIOUSLY

Todd: Stay....

Tea: (Climbs into the bed next to him.)

Todd: (Holds her hand tight and closes his eyes again.)

Tea: (Watches him drift away again, until she falls asleep herself.)

[Scene ends.]

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(Day 26)

[Scene: Asa rings bell of PH2. Todd answers.]

Asa: (Venomously:) Manning, you snake! I heard my son had beaten you up pretty badly last night, but I didn't think you'd be out of the hospital so soon.

Todd: (Evenly:) You know me, Asa: I am among the Undead. You, for example. (Smirks.)

Asa: (Quietly hissing:) Watch it, Manning!

Todd: Why should I, Buchanan?

Tea: (Appears from the kitchen.) Yes, Asa, why should he? (Stands by the bar, arms crossed.)

Viki: (Approaches from upstairs, followed by Starr.) Asa! I could hear you upstairs.

Asa: (Sneering.) Surrounded by your womenfolk, I see, Manning. Viki, what're you doing still hanging around this snake of a brother of yours?

Viki: Excuse me, Asa, but no matter what you think of Todd, please have the common decency not to say it in front of his daughter.

Asa: She's better off without this psychopath for a father.

Viki: Asa!

Starr: Aunt Viki? Why is that man so mean to my Daddy?

Todd: (Crosses to Starr, kneels in front of her, says very sweetly:) Do you remember what I told you about some people don't like me very much, and some I don't like very much?

Starr: Yes, Daddy.

Todd: Well, this old cowboy here is one of the people who doesn't like me very much. I don't like him very much, either. (Standing up in front of Starr, setting his feet apart and standing solidly with his hands at his sides. He faces Asa squarely, and continues:) And Asa Buchanan doesn't have the common decency not to disrespect and upset a child by saying such things against her father in front of her.

Starr: (Looks at Todd and points at Asa:) He's mean!

Todd: (Twists to look at Starr.) Yes, he is, Shorty. It is impolite to point, though.

Starr: I'm sorry, Daddy.

Todd: That's all right, Shorty. (Turning back to Asa, icily hisses:) GET OUT.

Asa: This isn't the last of this, Manning.

Todd: (Evenly:) Probably not. You Buchanans have a penchant for going after me even when I'm innocent.

Asa: (Seething:) You're anything but innocent, Manning. And you're gonna pay.....

Todd: (Feet apart, he crosses his arms across his body, fixes Asa's eyes with an icy stare. Icily says:) Uh-uh-uh: not in front of my child........

Viki: I suggest you leave, Asa. Your gloating disgusts me.

Asa: (Slickly:) You were at the lodge, Viki. (Raises his voice slightly:) Or have you forgotten your brother holding a knife against your throat? Causing my heart attack?

Viki: (Sharply:) ASA! That's more than enough!

Todd: (Evenly and icily, with menace, looking at Asa from under his brow, as he glares steadily at him:) I said: GET OUT.

Asa: Fine, Manning. For your child's sake not for yours.

Todd: (Quietly, cold:) As long as you're leaving......

Asa: Viki. Miss Delgado. (A curt nod to each.)

Todd: (His jaw tenses.)

Asa: (Turns and leaves the Penthouse.)

Todd: (Waits for Asa to leave, unfolds his arms.)

Tea: (Slams the door. Walks back into the livingroom and watches Todd.)

Todd: (Turns to Starr:) I'm sorry you had to see that, Shorty. (Kneels in front of her.)

Starr: It's ok, Daddy. You were here to protect me.

Todd: I won't always be.

Starr: Yes, you will. You're my Daddy.

Todd: (Hugs her close, on his uninjured side.) Yes, I am, Shorty.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Bo and Nora's. ]

Dorian: (Appears.)

Nora: (Answers door, coolly cordial:) Oh. It's you, Dorian. What do you want?

Dorian: Charmed, I'm sure. Is Bo here?

Nora: Yes......

Bo: (Comes to the door. Coolly:) Hello, Dorian.

Dorian: I'd like to congratulate you on beating up Todd last night. I take it you put him in the hospital?

Bo: No..... Unless he checked himself out against doctor's orders.

Dorian: (All silky:) Next time you must try harder, then. I'm still happy you injured him, and showed what a madman he is in public.

Bo: No, Dorian. It was strange, he actually didn't say a word to me. He didn't even fight back.

Nora: (To Bo:) Don't let Todd make you feel guilty for that.

Bo: (To Nora:) Oh, I don't. It's just odd. Last time I took a swing at him he hit back.

Nora: (To Bo:) Most of the time, trying to predict Todd just isn't worth the effort.

Dorian: You can say that again.

Nora: (To Dorian:) I won't. Now, shoo, Dorian.

Dorian: (Miffed:) FINE. Next time, Bo? Use a wooden stake and some silver bullets. Much better results, I hear. (Turns to go.)

Nora: Bye.... (Closes front door.)

Bo: (Laughs to Nora.)

Nora: (Starts chuckling.) It's true, though. Nothing seems to kill him. It's like he's some sort of alien life-form that you can't ever kill.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Buchanan Mansion. Renee answers the phone:]

Renee': Buchanan residence. Hi, Viki.

[Camera intercuts alternating Viki on her cellphone and Renee on the phone.]

Viki: I thought I'd warn you: Asa was just here at Todd's and proceeded to be rather rude to my brother in front of Starr.

Renee': He didn't!..... In front of Starr?

Viki: Yes, he did.

Renee': I'm no great fan of Todd's, but that's going a bit far, even for Asa.

Viki: Our children are quite off-limits.

Renee': I agree, Viki. He's going to get quite an earful from me.

Viki: Thank you, Renee'.

Renee': Thank you for the warning, Viki.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Dorian's house.]

Dorian: (Gloating:) And Asa went to the Penthouse and yelled at Todd.

Blair: Was Starr there?

Dorian: Yes.

Blair: That b@stard! How dare he do that in front of my little girl!

Cassie: Mother, I've been thinking. I remember what it was like to find out that you were my mother, how angry I was at you having left me, and how hurt I felt all those years without you.

Dorian: I'm sorry, Cassie......

David: (Machine voice:) I'm sorry, too, Cassie.

Cassie: (Reassures her father:) It wasn't your fault, Daddy. It was Mother's. (To Dorian:) My point is, Mother: I don't want that for Starr. I also don't want her hurt by seeing her father being attacked.

Blair: That old coot has no sense whatsoever, Cassie. He only cares about his boys and a Buchanan heir. He keeps forgetting about Cord and Tina's kids. He doesn't care about Starr, he only cares about going after Todd.

Dorian: Don't tell me you're sympathetic to Todd! This is all the more reason we have to get Starr away from Todd!

David: (Machine voice:) Dorian: do you really think that's what's best for Starr?

Dorian: Yes, I do, David!

Blair: I am looking out for my little girl, Aunt Dorian! If that means I take Todd's side in something like this, I will.

Cassie: I agree, Mother.

Dorian: (Exasperated:) I can't believe you two would ever be so naive as to ever take that psychopathic maniac's side in anything! You're both mad.

Blair: If it helps keep our daughter safe, I will.

Dorian: Oh, suddenly she's "our"? Not your daughter? She's a Cramer!

Blair: She's a Lord Manning! Look: like it or not, Todd IS Starr's father, Dorian. She loves her Daddy.

Dorian: I don't see how anyone could love Todd.

Blair: I'm going to offer him joint custody again, now that he's back.

Dorian: BLAIR!

David: (Machine voice:) Dorian.....

Cassie: I agree with Blair, Mother.

Dorian: You're all traitors!

Blair: (Makes a disgusted face at Dorian. Leans in towards Dorian:) Starr loves her Daddy. Even I used to love her Daddy.

Cassie: I couldn't see how anyone could love you, Mother, for leaving your child. It took me a very long time to be able to do that.

Dorian: And your point is?

Cassie: That it was devastating for me not to have you there. Attacking Todd and keeping Starr away from him will scar her for life if we're not all very careful.

Dorian: No, it won't. She's much better off with us.

David: (Machine voice:) How much better?

Cassie: Yes, Daddy -- You're entirely missing my point, Mother! No matter how much we may dislike Todd, we do have to think about Starr and how close they are. He may be a monster in many ways, but he is a very good father to Starr. Even you must admit this, Mother.

Dorian: (Flustered, but they don't allow her to say anything.)

Blair: Yes. Todd has never hurt Starr, and he dotes on her. He really is a good father to Starr, and nobody could replace him for her. I remember growing up without a father. Todd and I agreed to not let what happened to us happen to Starr. My little girl comes first.

Dorian: (Rolls her eyes at Blair, flails her hands in frustration at all of them.)

Blair: (In Dorian's face, angrily:) Even IF her father is Todd Manning, and he is.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Asa's study. Renee walks in.]

Renee': Viki just called. She says she was at Todd's when you were there.

Asa: Yes, she was.

Renee': How could you do that in front of Starr, Asa? That was vicious. She's a little girl.

Asa: I didn't know she was there at first.

Renee': No excuse, Asa. You couldn't stop yourself even after you saw her?

Asa: (A little evasive:) Guess not.

Renee': Asa Buchanan, whatever you feel towards Todd, including his child in your personal feud with him is well out of bounds. That was cruel, even for you, Asa. (Wheels around and leaves the room.)

Asa: (Stunned silence, as he looks after her.)

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Penthouse: Todd and Tea in livingroom.]

Tea: (Reaches out and strokes Todd's arm, soothingly.)

Todd: (Stares off into space, blankly.)

Tea: You look like you're planning something, Todd.....

Todd: (Sucked out of his reverie, quietly:) Huh? (Looks at her.)

Tea: Are you planning something?

Todd: (Looks away, stares into space, quietly:) No....

Tea: I hope not. (Determines to distract him, tries to soothe him. Moves to him and takes his face in her hands, makes him look at her) Hi.... (Smiles.)

Todd: (Smiles slightly. Puts his arms around her waist, his head on her shoulder.)

Tea: (Strokes his hair quietly, while holding him.) It's ok, Todd.

[Camera: From behind Tea: Todd's eyes are closed, his face relaxed but upset.]

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED