Todd once again finds himself walking along the docks of Llanview. Finding it even harder to sleep now then ever before. Sleep had never come easy for him but now he literally had to find himself at complete exhaustion before it would overtake him.

Sleep,ha! It's never brought me anything but trouble. If I just hadn't fallen asleep maybe the monsters wouldn't have taken her away. I could have done something, said something, anything to keep it from happening.

Shaking his head he once again berates himself for thinking about her. She never loved you, he thinks. If she had she wouldn't have left you.

A small voice creeps in,"You left her."

Yeah,but I had my reasons.

"Maybe she had hers,"the voice says.

Nothing excuses her leaving the way she did.

He looks down at the water examining his appearance. Shorter hair, flashier clothes but underneath the same monster. You can't judge a book by it's cover , he thinks. That's all I am, he says to himself, a monster. A ripple in the water distorts his face causing his reflection to look ghoulish. It makes him think of that movie that Starr liked so much when she was little, Beauty and the Beast. Tea was the beauty and I am the beast. Yeah, but in the end of that story Beauty's love transforms the Beast into a prince. In the end of our story I awoke to find a cold and lonely bed with only a note to keep me company. Thrown away long ago he still remembered every word.

Dear Todd,

I hate to do this while you're sleeping but I just can't face you awake. I have to leave. Please believe this isn't anything you've done, this one is all my fault. Todd, you're such a good man and you don't see it. I know you don't believe that but you are. Despite the bad things you've done you do have good in you. Todd go home to Llanview, be with you're family. Viki, Sam, Starr they need you and you need them. Prove the people of Llanview wrong. Prove they are not right about the things they have done everything they can to convince me of. Please, don't look for me. I need to be alone and away from you. That's the best thing for both of us.

Tea Oh, he knew what that note meant all right! She was tired of putting up with him. "The things they tried to convince me of,"come on. Was he stupid! They got to her, poisoned her mind. Infected her, one of the only good things in his stinking life. Or maybe he infected her. I never should have let things go that far. How could I have been so stupid! I know better. Sex, nothing but trouble for him. Three years though she had stuck it out. Two marriages. Okay, so one of those marriages lasted less then a day,but still. And she had come with him. Giving up her whole life, for him. Stupid Todd! You actually thought just because of all that she would stick around. So what do you do, have sex with her.

That had to be it, he thinks. Everything was fine before that. I don't get it though. I was gentle

"Maybe you weren't,"that voice creeps back.

No, I was... I didn't hurt her.She seemed like she was enjoying it.

"Maybe they where moans of pain, not pleasure."

Stop it! They weren't!

All of the sudden he hears the click of a woman's heels. Turning in the direction of the noise, he hears his name being called,"Todd?".

"Hey, what are you doing out here so late? Don't you know it not safe?All kinds of lowlife rejects," he says.

"I'll take my chances. I could ask you the same question, you know. Couldn't sleep again, huh," the lady says.

"Naw, you know me, the dead of night is my time. It's when most monsters like to come out," he says.

"Todd, I think I know you well enough to say you are not a monster," she says with a flirtaous tone.

"Whatever," he responds.

"You gotta stop doing this to yourself. Thinking about things isn't going to make them any better. Besides you have almost everthing you want. You should be grateful for that," she says.

"Yeah, I just about have Shorty back and my paper too. I have you to thank for that. I'm this close," he says demonstrating with his fingers. "Without you I might not have been able to pull it off."

"I appreciate the compliment. I think we work well together. A good team,"she says.

Noticing a strange look come across his face, she asks,"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"No. I was just remembering somebody else once said almost those exact same words to me. Not that it matters, that person was wrong. In the end they betrayed me just like everyone else. Except you,so far," he says with a menacing look on his face.

"Well I'm sorry you were hurt. I would never do that to you," she says looking at him shyly.

"We'll see," he says. His face begins to soften. "Look I'm sorry. I'll walk you home okay?"

"Okay thanks."

"By the way, are you doing anything tomorrow night? I was thinking that the Halloween costume ball might be a perfect oppurtunity to rub our relationship in everyone's faces," he says with a smirk.

"Nope. Free for you, O Prince of Darkness," she says laughing.

"Very funny, Jenny. Let's get outta here."

Just as they are out of sight, a figure moves its way out of the shadows. Tears are streaming down the woman's face. Well I guess that's it,she thinks. He's moved on. I just didn't think it would be this soon. Instinctively, her hands move to her stomach.

"Well Tea, you blew it. For yourself that is. No matter what, he has a right to know though. A right to know about the future heir to the Manning legacy."

To be continued...