*****

San Francisco General Hospital

Todd Manning rushes through the doors of the emergency room and frantically makes his way to the front desk.
"I'm looking for my wife....Téa Manning....she was brought in by helicopter," he says, out of breath. The nurse flips through some files.
"Uh....yes....the doctor is still in with her."
"How is she?"
"I don't know, sir, there's been no word yet," the nurse says, turning back to her work.
Todd runs his hand through his hair, exasperated. "Figures..can't get a straight answer," he mutters. He spots Bo, and walks over to him.
"Buchanan...where the hell is my wife?"
"Calm down, the doctor is still in with her."
"Don't tell me to calm down," Todd yells, "It's not your wife in there!"
Bo puts his hand up, in a vain attempt to quiet Todd. "Look Manning....I'm sure the doctor will be out soon...until then...you'll have to wait with the rest of us."
Todd shakes his head, and begins pacing. Suddenly, he stops, and looks at Bo.
"The criminal? Did you catch him?"
Bo nods.
Todd swallows hard, and asks the question he isn't sure he wants the answer to.
"Uhhh.....Téa....was she....did he hurt her?"
Bo looks at him strangely, then, comprehending, shakes his head no.
"You sure?"
"Yeah...in fact...you can thank Raymond Jones for saving Téa and Mike. He stuck around and carried them from the plane wreck to safety. In fact, Mike mentioned something about a pardon."
Todd feels a strange sense of deja vu washing over him, and slowly sinks down in to a chair. The similarity was almost bizarre to him....a convicted rapist...saving people in a heroic act...thwarting his own freedom...a pardon....
Bo watches Todd in silent fascination....pretty sure what was running through his mind. Remembering something, Bo reaches into his pocket.
"Uh...Manning....here is some of Téa's stuff."
Todd blankly looks at Bo...still somewhat lost in the memory. He shakes his head, and reaches out his hand. Bo places the things in Todd's hand. Todd looks down and sees Téa's necklace...and the Christmas picture of her and Faith.
"Thanks," Todd mumbles.
"Listen....the local authorities are gonna have to talk to Téa, so you might need to stay in town a few days."
Todd nods, a slight panic beginning to take him over as there is still no sign of the doctor. He puts the picture in his pocket, and clenches Téa's necklace in his fist.
"She's gonna be alright," he whispers to himself.
"Commisioner Buchanan?"
Todd looks up, along with Bo, to see a doctor.
"Yes?"
"I'm Dr. Edwards, I am the one who examined Téa Manning."
Todd jumps up out of his chair. "Is she okay?"
Dr. Edwards eyes him warily. Bo jumps in.
"It's okay...this is Todd Manning, her husband."
Dr. Edwards nods. "Well, you're wife is going to be fine. Actually, she's very lucky. She has some bruises and cuts from the crash, but nothing's broken."
"Why'd she pass out?" Todd asks, still worried.
"A combination of dehydration and heat exhaustion. We have an IV in her now, to replenish some fluids. I'd like to keep her overnight, just as a precaution, but she can be released tomorrow."
Todd nods, feeling immensely relieved. "Can I see her?"
Dr. Edwards smiles. "Sure, she's in the fourth room on the right." He points in the direction of Téa's room...and Todd takes off.

*****

Todd quietly opens the door to Téa's room. His eyes mist up at the sight of her, alive, breathing....he had been so scared of losing her. She's sleeping, so Todd moves quietly, as not to wake her. He walks over to the side of her bed, quietly dragging a chair over. His eyes settle on her sleeping face, and he reaches up to gently stroke her hair.
"Thank God you're alright," he says softly.
He brings his hand down and runs it along her cheek. Téa stirs, and slowly opens her eyes. As she focuses on Todd's face, a smile spreads across her face.
"Hey Manning," she says, sleepily.
"Hey Delgado," he replies.
Their eyes lock, no words being necessary, as the relief at being together again is apparent in each other's eyes.
Finally, Todd breaks the silence. "Next time you wanna have a little wildlife adventure..do me a favor...don't."
Téa chuckles softly. "Don't worry, I'm in no rush to do this again." She feels Todd grasp her hand, and is suddenly overwhelmed. The intense situation that she had been through finally hitting her, she begins crying.
"Hey," Todd says softly, "why the girl stuff? It's over...you're safe now."
Téa nods, trying to get her crying under control. "I...I know,...I was just so scared....that I would never see you....Faith...Starr.....again....so scared," she says through her tears.
"Well...that's not gonna happen...so stop the waterworks," he says, jokingly, trying to bring a smile to replace those tears. Téa can't resist, and a small smile lights up her face.
"Faith....is she okay?"
"Yeah...she's great..misses her mommy. Viki's got her. I stayed with her Delgado...but in the end I thought the best thing for me to do was to make sure you got home okay...for her...and me."
"I miss her...so much."
Todd reaches into his pocket, and takes out the picture. "Here, Bo gave me this," he pauses, "and this."
Téa takes the picture, and her necklace, tears welling up again.
"I can't wait to see her...and Starr...Starr's okay?"
"Yeah...Shorty's okay...she was scared....I'm gonna go call her in a few minutes...and Viki to tell them you're okay." Téa nods, and places the picture and necklace on the little table next to her bed.
"So...what did the doctor say?"
"You're fine....dehydrated he said...they wanna keep you here tonight."
Téa nods. "Okay."
Todd takes a deep breath, not sure if he should broach the subject of Raymond right now. But he has to hear it from her.
"Delgado?"
"Hmmm?"
"That Jones guy....he didn't .....," Todd stops, not really wanting to say the word.
As always, Téa understands him. "No...Todd...he didn't. If anything...he saved me."
Todd nods. "Okay....so what....he gonna get pardoned?"
"Well...Mike and I are gonna try. Of course, I think there need to be conditions...like a probationary period....and definitely counseling. But...talking with him...it seemed like he really wanted another chance."
"What is it about you that brings out that quality in men?" Todd asks, grinning wickedly.
Téa laughs. "I don't take credit...for Raymond or you.....especially you....I give the credit to a very beautiful little blond haired girl."
"But you helped."
Téa doesn't answer, just reaches up and caresses his goatee.
"I love you," she says softly.
Todd takes her hand and brings it to his lips, gently brushing her fingers with them.
"Love you too."
They are silent for a moment.
"Bo says we gotta stay for a couple days....I'll call and get us a hotel room....the doc says you can be sprung tomorrow."
"Well you better call...so you have someplace to stay tonight."
Todd looks at her, grinning. "Oh yeah...like I'm leaving you....I'm staying here."
"Todd.."
"Don't even try to talk me out of it...you know how I am when I want something...and I wanna spend the night here with you...deal with it."
Téa smiles. "Okay." She pushes herself over on the small hospital bed, and pats the empty space.
"Just a sec...I'm gonna call Shorty and Viki...then I'll be back," he says. Slowly, he leans forward, and gently presses his lips to hers. Then he gets up and walks towards the door.
"Don't go anywhere," he says wickedly.
"Whatever," Téa replies, grinning.
As he walks out of her room, he briefly looks skyward, thanking the heavens Téa was alright.