[Todd continues to laugh as Tea angrily stares at him.]
Tea: Stop laughing!
Todd: That's a really good one, Delgado.
Tea: It's the truth. I'm over you.
[Todd's laughter increases, as does Tea's anger at his response.]
Tea: What's so funny?
Todd: You are. You came here to tell me that you're over me, that you're moving on, and what happens? You end up seducing me.
Tea: You seduced me!
Todd: You screwed me twice but you're over me, right?
Tea: That was clearly a mistake.
Todd: And, I heard what you said when you thought I was asleep. You told me that you still love me. You're not even close to getting over me.
Tea: I'm pregnant.
[Todd's facial expression becomes serious again.]
Tea: We both know that you're not man enough to be with me now.
Todd: I'd have to give up everything to be with you. Why would I do that?
Tea: Why did I give up everything to be with you?
Todd: Are we talking about now?
Tea: I was referring to the past, when I was still living in Llanview, when you asked me to go away with you and leave everything behind.
Todd: I have no clue why you went with me that time.
Tea: Because you asked me. I'll admit, it hurts knowing that you would never do the same for me.
Todd: I have more to lose than you did back then. You'd have a different answer if I asked you now, wouldn't you?
Tea: Are you asking?
Todd: Are you knocked up?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: Then, no.
Tea: If I weren't pregnant would you?
Todd: And give up the thrill of being blackmailed by a new low-life every other day? Why would I do that?
Tea: Because you still love me...just as much as I still love you.
Todd: You must not love me then, because I definitely don't love you.
Tea: Nothing ever really changes with you, does it?
Todd: Not really. I'm still the biggest creep you know. I'm still not worth feeling all that junk for. I still can't give you what you want. I never could. You always ended up disappointed when you realized that.
Tea: I wish I could leave knowing that you'll be happy. I always wanted so much for you to find what you had been searching so long for.
Todd: I don't even know what the hell I'm searching for. I probably found it a bunch of times and tossed it away because I didn't even know I had it.
Tea: Maybe it's right in front of you.
Todd: Maybe it's knocked up.
Tea: Why is that so hard for you to overlook?
Todd: It's a kid, Delgado. How am I supposed to overlook a kid growing inside you that I didn't put there?
Tea: You were still willing to be with Blair, despite her having a child with someone else.
Todd: Which time? When she got knocked up by that poet? Or, this time, when she was pretending that low-life scumbag knocked her up?
Tea: Both.
Todd: The poet's kid died, then she turned on me and I married you so no one could steal my kid from me. This time, I took her kid and tortured her into believing that the kid was dead. Which of these were you hoping for from me?
Tea: I was hoping that you had finally grown up and become a mature adult.
Todd: You want me to be boring?
Tea: I want you to understand that sometimes people make choices that you don't approve of. It doesn't mean that they're not worthy of your love anymore.
Todd: Knowing what I did to her, you still love me?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: You're nuts.
Tea: That's how love works.
Todd: So, if I took your kid, you'd still love me?
Tea: You would never do that to me.
Todd: You should never trust me. People get hurt when they trust me.
Tea: This is different than your situation with Blair.
Todd: She spent her whole pregnancy telling me she was over me, too. She was rubbing it in how happy she was to be having Max's brat. She kept telling me how lucky it was that the kid wasn't mine.
Tea: Then, this is very different. I have no desire to make you feel bad.
Todd: You came, didn't you?
Tea: Not to hurt you.
Todd: You think it feels good knowing that you let some creep knock you up?
Tea: I assume it feels similar to the way it felt for me when I learned that you had gone back to Blair.
Todd: That is so different.
Tea: Why?
Todd: We already had a kid together.
Tea: You didn't have to get involved with her again.
Todd: You split on me. What was I supposed to do?
Tea: Anything but torment yourself with your ex-wife again.
Todd: It's what I deserved.
Tea: Why are you punishing yourself?
Todd: Everyone keeps saying this is what I'm supposed to do. You're the only one acting like I'm doing something weird.
Tea: I don't believe that. I don't believe that Viki and Sam would want you to be this miserable.
Todd: Maybe that's the real reason they've been pushing this so hard -- they both hate my guts.
Tea: You don't have to be miserable. You could leave all the misery behind.
Todd: If I took off with you, I'd be trading one kind of misery for another kind.
Tea: Being a step-parent isn't as horrible as you seem to think. I've been one, remember? I know how much you can grow to love your step-child.
Todd: I know what it's like when a bastard is raising someone else's kid.
Tea: You're not your father. I know you. I know the size of your heart. I know there could be room in there for this child.
Todd: I thought chicks were supposed to protect their kids.
Tea: If I believed you would harm this child in any way, I would walk out that door and never look back.
Todd: That's exactly what you should do.
Tea: What about you?
Todd: What about me?
Tea: You need me.
Todd: I'll get another lawyer.
Tea: You need more than a lawyer.
Todd: Even if you weren't knocked up, this thing between us wouldn't work out. It never does.
Tea: We could try again. Maybe this time...
Todd: This time you're knocked up. There's nothing more to talk about. You're knocked up. End of story.
Tea: This doesn't have to be the end of our story.
Todd: Sure it does. You don't need me in your life right now and, trust me, you don't want me in your life right now. All I'll do is screw it up. Go back to whatever creep knocked you up and lie your head off about what happened here tonight. He'll never know. You'll have a great life. You deserve that.
Tea: We could have had a great life together. We still could.
Todd: I can't do it, Tea. I can't be with you. I can't hurt you like that. You're one of the few people I don't totally hate. And, you're probably the only person left who doesn't totally hate me, or you will be after everyone finds out what I did.
Tea: I could help you.
Todd: I could hurt you. Get away from here before I do.
Tea: You wouldn't.
Todd: I won't have the chance.
[Todd opens the door.]
Todd: Get out.
[There's no longer any anger in Todd's voice. Tea is tempted to stay and continue to try to break through his defenses but she senses that right now it would be impossible.
He watches her as she opens her purse and retrieves something from its interior. He continues to watch her as she slowly approaches him.
As she enters his personal space, his body is rigid but he allows her to take his hand in her own as she transfers possession of the item she retrieved from her purse.]
Tea: Someday we'll be together. I don't know when. I don't know how. But, I know that someday we'll find a way.
[Tea tenderly kisses him on the lips. He returns her kiss, desperately wanting to reach out and grab her and hold her forever, but refusing to allow himself the pleasure of her presence in his life, choosing to protect her from himself, instead.
As their lips part, their eyes lock in an intense gaze for several seconds until Tea finally turns and leaves the penthouse.
Todd quickly closes the door behind her. He lifts his hand and stares down at her business card.
Seconds later, the crumpled card lands in a nearby waste basket.]
Tea returns to her office following lunch and is surprised to find a message from an unexpected person from her past.
She closes the door of her office to ensure privacy. As she dials the phone number the caller left, she attempts to prepare herself for what she's certain must be bad news.
As she waits for the call to connect she nervously taps her finger against her desk, dread rising heavily in her heart.]
Viki Lord: Hello?
Tea: Hello, Viki. It's Tea...Tea Delgado.
Viki: Tea! It's been a long time.
Tea: Forgive me for being rude, but let's get right to it. Is he okay?
Viki: Todd is in jail.
Tea: What a relief!
Viki: Excuse me?
Tea: I'm sorry. I'm not happy that he's in jail. I just assumed... I was trying to think of a reason that you would call me after all this time and I thought maybe he had finally run out of lives.
Viki: I think he still has a few left, not that he hasn't tried desperately to use up as many as he could, as fast as he could.
Tea: What happened this time?
Viki: I don't know how much you already know about Todd's life since the two of you went your separate ways.
Tea: Fill me in on as much as you can. How much trouble is he in?
Viki: Did you know that Blair had been pregnant last year?
Tea: Yes, I did.
Viki: She initially identified Max as the father but... It may be hard for you to hear this next part...
Tea: I know that she changed her story and began claiming it was Todd's baby only after she felt it was safe because she believed the child had died.
Viki: You know a great deal, it seems.
Tea: I've been able to keep up on Llanview happenings. Tell me, why did you call? Did Todd ask you to contact me?
Viki: I'm sorry. No, he did not.
Tea: I didn't think so. How did you get my number? Did Carlotta give it to you?
Viki: Since Todd's arrest, I felt that someone needed to handle some of his business affairs, for the sake of his children.
Tea: That's a smart move, considering that Blair would have all of his assets in her name in record time if allowed to do as she pleases.
Viki: I know there was some animosity between you and Blair in the past, for obvious reasons, but she really was wonderful to Todd and didn't deserve the horrible thing he did to her.
Tea: I could argue for hours on the subject of Blair not being the innocent victim in this situation...
Viki: Todd already told you what he did, correct?
Tea: Not exactly. Let's just say that I'm a good guesser. It wasn't too difficult to put the pieces together of what Todd did reveal to me the last time we spoke.
Viki: I had been wondering how Todd came into possession of your current business card. When did you two see each other?
[Tea places her hand on her expanding belly and recalls the one night she spent with him months earlier, during the early stages of her pregnancy.]
Tea: It must be about six months ago now. Please, keep that confidential. I doubt that Todd ever told anyone, or wanted anyone to know.
Viki: Did you know that Todd had kidnapped Blair's child and told her that the baby had died? Did you also know that he's been passing that same child off as a baby he wanted to adopt?
Tea: I'm not at liberty to discuss any details about what I know.
Viki: I'm finding it difficult to believe that you would know what he had done and not come forward. This has all hurt Blair terribly.
Tea: I'm certain she's heartbroken. She's probably consoling herself right now with her lawyer as she plots ways to keep Todd from his money and his children, in that order of importance to her.
Viki: You sound just as bad as Todd. I expect this kind of insensitivity from my brother, but not from you.
Tea: I've always put aside my ethics for Todd's sake. I have to if I'm to be his lawyer. That is why you called, isn't it?
Viki: I'm not certain why I called. Todd doesn't deserve anyone helping him out of the mess he's made this time.
Tea: Everyone is entitled to legal representation.
Viki: What he did was despicable.
Tea: From my understanding of the situation, Blair did some despicable things as well. You seem to have a great deal of sympathy for her. What about your own brother?
Viki: I did call you. This is the most I can do for him. He's just gone too far this time.
Tea: I'm surprised he even kept the card I gave him.
Viki: Honestly, I think he had planned to throw it away. I found it in his desk at the penthouse. It clearly had been crumpled up.
Tea: But he did save it.
[Viki notices a change in Tea's voice, from a cold lawyer tone to a more affectionate one for a man she still clearly cares about.]
Viki: The reason I called is that, despite what Todd did, you are correct, he should have representation. Right now he's refusing counsel. He says that he'll defend himself.
Tea: That stubborn fool!
Viki: I have the sense that he isn't planning to defend himself at all.
Tea: He's planning on punishing himself, instead.
Viki: He should have to deal with some consequences for the horrible things he's done this time, but...
Tea: But, you don't want him to be sent to prison.
Viki: I'm torn. I don't know if you know about the situation with Jessica...
Tea: I heard about her not being your biological child. I'm sorry. It must have been very difficult.
Viki: It has been, but now I have two daughters...Jessica and Natalie. It still outrageous me when I see the woman freely moving about in Llanview who kidnapped my child and returned a different baby to me. It infuriates me.
Tea: I guess I understand why your sympathies are with Blair, rather than Todd. You do understand that the circumstances are quite different. Blair created his hatred for her baby with the things she did and said to him during her pregnancy.
Viki: You really are in the know, aren't you?
Tea: I know Todd. I understand how his mind works, and his heart. I know that what he did was horrible but I also know that this situation could have turned out differently if other people had made different choices, as well. This isn't Todd's fault alone.
Viki: I have wondered if I may have played a small role in this.
Tea: By encouraging Todd to be with Blair again?
Viki: He told you that?
Tea: He mentioned something about both you and Sam seeing him in a better light because he did what you wanted.
Viki: What we really wanted was for him to be happy.
Tea: With Blair? That was always doubtful.
Viki: Are you still hopeful of being the one who can offer Todd happiness?
Tea: I could offer but we both know he would refuse. He doesn't feel he deserves happiness, which is exactly why he married Blair again.
Viki: It may be uncomfortable for you, but I truly believe that he wanted the family that Blair offered him.
Tea: I think he definitely wants a family, but he'll never feel that he deserves one and will probably never allow himself to have one, not without some plan for how he'll shoot himself in the foot and make it all go away. His marriage to Blair may have been partly for Starr and the baby that he desperately wants to believe is his.
Viki: Are you intimating that the baby may not be Todd's? He looks just like Starr did at his age.
Tea: They share the same mother. That doesn't mean that they share the same father.
Viki: If you have any hopes for a future with Todd, you'll need to accept this baby as part of his life, as difficult as that may be for you.
Tea: Trust me, I would never not accept one of Todd's children. I, however, will never trust Blair's word on anything. It was just too convenient the timing of Blair's revelation that it was Todd's baby and not Max's. The only thing that should have been more suspicious to everyone was the timing of Todd's marrying Blair. When has Todd ever been an easy-going, understanding kind of guy, especially about being lied to? Todd knew exactly what he was doing. He was creating a family that he knew had a shaky foundation, at best. He knew from the beginning that his secret would come out eventually and smash that family to pieces. I wouldn't even be surprised if he somehow engineered the final blow himself. I think he planned on this coming out sooner but decided to delay his revenge because he hadn't counted on you and Sam being so supportive of him again. He probably wanted to hold onto that a little bit longer.
Viki: You didn't see Todd with his family. If you had, you might see things differently.
Tea: I'm guessing that you didn't see him when he wasn't putting on a show in front of them, in front of you, in front of Sam. I did. I saw how thoroughly miserable and alone he was. You probably believe that I only saw what I wanted to see, but believe me, I wanted to find him happy. Yes, it probably would have hurt if I had found that, but that is what I genuinely wanted for him. I doubted from the moment I heard about his latest marriage to Blair, that he would find any peace with that woman, but I did want that for him. I still do.
Viki: You hope that he'll find it now with you, now that his marriage is clearly over?
Tea: Todd doesn't want to be with me right now, for reasons that will be clear to you when we see each other again.
Viki: You sound just like Todd -- dropping cryptic clues.
Tea: I learned from the master. Will you help me help Todd?
Viki: Involving you may be the most help I can offer my brother right now, considering all that he's done.
Tea: Could you also use your pull with Bo to arrange for me to meet with Todd?
Viki: I'm certain he won't stop you from seeing him.
Tea: He will if I'm not Todd's lawyer, which you and I both know Todd won't easily agree to. All I need is some time alone with Todd in one of the interrogation rooms. By alone, I mean no guard in the room with us.
Viki: You might want to rethink that. It isn't just Blair that Todd has been vicious with. He's been verbally attacking everyone since his secret came out.
Tea: I can handle Todd. We won't be able to talk freely, though, with anyone in the room. Give me some time alone with him and I guarantee he'll agree to allow me to be his lawyer again. I'll need some time to clear my schedule and take care of some personal issues. I'll be there tomorrow afternoon.
Viki: I'll talk to Bo but I can't promise anything.
Tea: I understand. One final thing...make it clear that Todd is not to know that I'll be there. The only chance I'll have is if I can take Todd by surprise.
Viki: Are you certain you're up for this fight?
Tea: I've been preparing for this legal fight for the last six months. I've been preparing for this personal battle with Todd for the last five years. I'm determined that this time we'll both win.
Tea arrives in Llanview and immediately makes her way to the police station where her ex-husband is being detained.
As she reaches the entrance to the main precinct room, she stops for a moment, allowing herself a few seconds to prepare for the reaction to her obvious pregnancy that she expects to receive from her former acquaintances, and especially from her ex-husband.
Before Tea feels prepared for her full entrance into the room, her sister-in-law exits the police commissioner's office and the stunned look upon her face at her first glimpse of Tea is exactly what Tea had been dreading.
Quickly Viki's face lights up with a smile which does nothing to ease Tea's discomfort in this moment.]
Viki: Tea! I had no idea!
[The former sisters-in-law share a brief hug.]
Tea: I'm not surprised Todd didn't tell you.
Viki: Todd knows?
[The confusion on Viki's face makes the moment even more awkward for Tea as she realizes that the older woman must have assumed that Todd is the father of her unborn child.]
Tea: This isn't Todd's baby.
Viki: I'm sorry. I had gotten the impression from our conversation yesterday that the two of you... That's not important now.
Tea: Don't worry. Todd won't refuse to allow me to be his lawyer because of this.
Viki: He does know?
Tea: I told him.
Viki: He handled it well?
Tea: He told me to get out. But, we did talk a little after that. He's had six months to adjust to the idea. This will be fine.
Viki: It sounds like you're trying to convince yourself.
Tea: I am. I've been rehearsing the whole way here what I'll say to him when I see him. The next few minutes will be difficult for both of us but I won't leave until I'm certain that Todd is okay. You and I both know that he's not okay when he's being held in custody.
Viki: I was just speaking to Bo about what an impossible time Todd's been giving the officers.
Tea: That's Todd! He does all he can to be locked up and then does everything he can to make it hell for everyone here in the hopes that they'll let him go.
Viki: Now that his lawyer is here maybe he'll finally get his wish.
Tea: Are you on his side again?
Viki: I tried to speak to him about our relationship but all he seems able to do is make snide comments. He did ask me, in his own way, to watch over his children while he's...unavailable. That's a start.
Tea: I hope you'll continue trying with Todd. Your relationship is one of the few that he values.
Viki: It can be very difficult to believe that sometimes.
Tea: I know what that's like.
Viki: I suppose if you can come and face his wrath, I can certainly continue trying, as well.
Tea: I should probably stop putting this off and meet with my soon-to-be client.
Viki: Are you certain that you should be putting yourself through this kind of stress right now?
Tea: Believe it or not, I'm more relaxed when I'm fighting an uphill battle than I am when I'm sitting around doing nothing.
Viki: An uphill battle is what you'll face.
Tea: Speaking of Todd...is he in his cell right now?
Viki: Yes. I did speak to Bo, as you suggested. He'll bring Todd to meet you whenever you're ready.
Tea: He'll allow us time alone?
Viki: He isn't pleased with the idea but, as a favor to me, he agreed.
Tea: Good. Let's get this over with.
[Tea marches confidently toward Bo Buchanan's office. She quickly disposes of Bo's questions concerning her obvious pregnant state and assures him that time alone in a small room with Todd, despite his current angry state, is precisely what she wants.
Minutes later...
Tea is waiting alone in one of the precinct's interrogation rooms. She feels more nervous than she ever has appearing before any judge. She knows that Todd will always be the harshest judge she could ever encounter. She also hopes that he'll ultimately be the most lenient about the choices she's made that he doesn't approve of.
Before the door to the interrogation room even opens, Tea knows that Todd is near as his loud voice filters through from the hallway outside the room.]
Todd: What the hell is this? I already told you idiots that I'm not talking. I have that right. I should know...I was married to a lawyer once. I know all about my rights. I know that if you screw up my rights I get to go free. You know what, go ahead. Beat me. Torture me. Put another scar on my face. I'll have all your badges. You'll be the ones going to prison and I'll be the one laughing my free ass off as you're carted off.
[Todd is forcibly shoved into the room and the door is quickly closed and locked behind him.
Todd and Tea stare at each other for several agonizingly intense moments.
Tea is the first to break the silence.]
Tea: Twice.
Todd: What?
Tea: You just referred to our having been married once. It was twice.
[Todd quickly turns toward the door and pulls on the knob. When the door doesn't open, he bangs on it repeatedly as he yells at the officer he knows is standing guard in the hall just outside the interrogation room.]
Todd: Get me out of here! Take me back to my cell! Do you hear me?
Tea: Have a seat.
[The calm in Tea's voice infuriates Todd. He quickly spins his body in her direction and lunges toward the table she's sitting behind.]
Todd: Go fuck yourself, or whatever loser will have you!
[Todd returns to the door and resumes pounding on it.]
Tea: Given your current residence, I'd say you're in the losing column right about now.
[Todd gives up getting the guard's attention and returns his attention to his ex-wife.]
Todd: I'm winning. I don't need you coming in here and blowing this for me.
Tea: I'm here to prevent you from shooting yourself in the foot, anymore than you already have.
Todd: My feet are fine...perfect for kicking all the trash in my life to the curb.
Tea: From what I've heard, you're trying to kick everyone out of your life. Why is that?
Todd: No way! You don't get to come in here now and do that over-analyzing junk I hate.
Tea: I'm not here to analyze you. I'm here to defend you. If your temper tantrum is over...let's begin.
Todd: I haven't even started telling you what I think about you. I've had a bunch of time to think up some really good things to say to you.
Tea: I'm sure you have built up quite an arsenal of insults by now. Your time, however, would be better spent helping me work on your defense so you can get out of here and back to your children.
Todd: Those are kids I knocked Blair up with, you know?
Tea: I'm quite aware of what you've done and with whom. Let's move on. Our first step is to ensure your immediate release from custody.
Todd: Speaking of moving on... What happened to that junk you were saying about moving on from me? I was really counting on that.
Tea: I'm sure you were over-joyed at the prospect of never seeing me again.
Todd: I was. I celebrated for days after you left.
Tea: You drank yourself into a stupor and then began your plan to self-destruct, knowing that I'd come to bail you out again.
Todd: You're not bailing me out.
Tea: You're right about that. You'll be bailing yourself out, at least financially speaking. I will, however, ensure that they allow you bail.
Todd: I already tried. These pigs must really like having me around.
Tea: I'm a lawyer. You're not. I'll handle your legal matters from now on.
Todd: No, you won't.
Tea: We can waste time because of your stubbornness, or you can grow up and start doing what's best for your children.
Todd: Don't even try to use my kids to get what you want.
Tea: I want you out of jail so you can have time with your family.
Todd: Including Blair?
Tea: I thought Blair had turned her back on you.
Todd: Is that the only reason you came back?
Tea: I came back because you needed me.
Todd: I don't need you. I've got everything covered.
Tea: Do you want to go back to prison?
[Todd angrily pulls out the chair positioned across the table from where Tea is sitting. He begrudgingly plops his body down onto the chair. Tea smiles slightly as she recognizes that his actions are the closest that he'll come to openly agreeing to allow her to represent him.]
