Tea looked at him in that way she always did, that he now recognized as a tinge of disgust, some fear, and a lot of discernment. He couldn't help but smile, since he'd gotten her to come there, and he knew it was his daughter Dani that made it happen. He had gotten through to Daniella. It meant the world to him that his daughter believed in him enough to get Tea there. So, the smile cracked and brimmed over. Since he returned, he had never been so happy to see someone standing outside his cell.
After some of his best flattery, cutest smiles and conniving comments about Dani, he had won. She finally agreed to defend him, and that meant a lot. He knew that if the widow of the man who was murdered was defending him, no jury would see him as guilty. His strategy was still perfection, after all these years. When she left, he sat alone, trying to be patient, for the time he would be set free and be able to pursue making things right with his family at last. Being alone in the cell was not as bad now, since someone actually believed him, he sat back and rested his head against the industrial pillow and closed his eyes.
He was going to get out of this prison, this hospital bed that reminded him too much of Statesville and the hell he endured there. A rapist in jail is not given too many breaks or thought of too highly. He'd been through the worst, and more, but what could they do to him that he had not endured before? After all, that was Pete. He was going to get out of the clinic and return home, and it was going to be today.
The morning could not come fast enough for him. As part of his plan, he intended to remain awake all night, meet with the doctor in the morning, spring himself, and sleep on the plane home. The last time he had been on a plane was his private one, on the journey to save Marty. His heroics now sickened him. He had wasted so much time. He had left his wife and baby daughter behind to help Marty. He knew why, but it still made no sense now, after all that had happened. He didn't even know, as he sat in the pristine whiteness of the Swiss clinic, if Marty even made it back in time to give Paloma the Pooka. But, he would find out, eventually. Something about the little girl had tugged at his heart, despite the fact that she was dying. She was ALONE. Like he was at her age. No mother to care for her, and no one else who gave a damn.
He had a long time to wait. It was just getting dark, which meant at least 12 more hours of waking. He was an expert on avoiding sleep, and somehow trained himself to get 1 or 2 hours at a time, as not to get into deep sleep and dreaming. It started when he was a kid. he'd try and stay awake so Peter would not come in and scare him awake. He'd be prepared. And, when he was older, he stayed awake to make sure Peter didn't hurt him again, The Big Truth way. Pete had kept a baseball bat next to the bed, and was primed to beat Peter's head in if he so much as approached the bed. He didn't sleep much and learned to live without it. No one even knew, not even Todd, that Pete was in charge from the time he was fourteen until the day Suede Pruett died, and later, at his mother's cabin, when he broke down with Rebecca. That was Todd. He still slept very little, but after marrying Blair and finally feeling "happy," he learned to sleep a bit more. He was still always awake after her and up before her.
For a moment, he lost himself in the thoughts of her, in the sunlit room, waking and bringing him a tray of breakfast in their bed. Her hair was hanging, shining, and she reached and tucked his behind his ear, stroked his cheek, and told him she was glad that he was the one she found. And though things were never perfect with them, he loved her just the same, his heart overflowing with the knowledge of it. He had to get out of this prison and return to her.
It had been a long night, waiting for morning and Dr. Asper. His thoughts had taken hold and occupied him for most of it. He did sleep, but carefully only two hours or so. He had gotten out of bed and walked the halls, no one even noticing. It occurred to him that he could have easily gotten away, but it wasn't like he was being held against his will. He had to make certain that Pete was gone, so he could not come out and harm Blair and the baby.
Deep down, he believed that Pete wouldn't harm them. Blair had brought him so much, made him see so many things. She saw things, also, that other people didn't. She saw him in a way no one else did, too. He did believe that Pete would spare them, but he knew he had to be certain. Which brought him to his plan.
He knew Dr. Asper would try and bring Pete out; he'd done it intentionally before to get Todd to see he was not in control. Todd had spent hours working it through his mind. He knew he could contain Pete, and would also have to contain Tom. Neither could exist without the other, at this point, unless one was in control, then the other was always waiting in the wings. With both of them pushed back into the shadows, he was in full control and could protect his family. He hadn't seen or heard Tom or Pete since he sent Tom away for the last time. It still brought a lump into his throat to think of it, but what was done was done.
The sun through the panes was making patterns on his bed. It warmed him, and felt good, and safe. He had a good feeling about this day, he was pretty certain it was going to lead to his return to his family and his home. He missed the penthouse, with the wall of glass overlooking the city. He missed Blair, and her accepting arms and body. He missed the baby he did not meet yet - heck, he missed it all. Determined, he folded his arms and waited for Dr. Asper's appearance.
After some of his best flattery, cutest smiles and conniving comments about Dani, he had won. She finally agreed to defend him, and that meant a lot. He knew that if the widow of the man who was murdered was defending him, no jury would see him as guilty. His strategy was still perfection, after all these years. When she left, he sat alone, trying to be patient, for the time he would be set free and be able to pursue making things right with his family at last. Being alone in the cell was not as bad now, since someone actually believed him, he sat back and rested his head against the industrial pillow and closed his eyes.
He was going to get out of this prison, this hospital bed that reminded him too much of Statesville and the hell he endured there. A rapist in jail is not given too many breaks or thought of too highly. He'd been through the worst, and more, but what could they do to him that he had not endured before? After all, that was Pete. He was going to get out of the clinic and return home, and it was going to be today.
The morning could not come fast enough for him. As part of his plan, he intended to remain awake all night, meet with the doctor in the morning, spring himself, and sleep on the plane home. The last time he had been on a plane was his private one, on the journey to save Marty. His heroics now sickened him. He had wasted so much time. He had left his wife and baby daughter behind to help Marty. He knew why, but it still made no sense now, after all that had happened. He didn't even know, as he sat in the pristine whiteness of the Swiss clinic, if Marty even made it back in time to give Paloma the Pooka. But, he would find out, eventually. Something about the little girl had tugged at his heart, despite the fact that she was dying. She was ALONE. Like he was at her age. No mother to care for her, and no one else who gave a damn.
He had a long time to wait. It was just getting dark, which meant at least 12 more hours of waking. He was an expert on avoiding sleep, and somehow trained himself to get 1 or 2 hours at a time, as not to get into deep sleep and dreaming. It started when he was a kid. he'd try and stay awake so Peter would not come in and scare him awake. He'd be prepared. And, when he was older, he stayed awake to make sure Peter didn't hurt him again, The Big Truth way. Pete had kept a baseball bat next to the bed, and was primed to beat Peter's head in if he so much as approached the bed. He didn't sleep much and learned to live without it. No one even knew, not even Todd, that Pete was in charge from the time he was fourteen until the day Suede Pruett died, and later, at his mother's cabin, when he broke down with Rebecca. That was Todd. He still slept very little, but after marrying Blair and finally feeling "happy," he learned to sleep a bit more. He was still always awake after her and up before her.
For a moment, he lost himself in the thoughts of her, in the sunlit room, waking and bringing him a tray of breakfast in their bed. Her hair was hanging, shining, and she reached and tucked his behind his ear, stroked his cheek, and told him she was glad that he was the one she found. And though things were never perfect with them, he loved her just the same, his heart overflowing with the knowledge of it. He had to get out of this prison and return to her.
It had been a long night, waiting for morning and Dr. Asper. His thoughts had taken hold and occupied him for most of it. He did sleep, but carefully only two hours or so. He had gotten out of bed and walked the halls, no one even noticing. It occurred to him that he could have easily gotten away, but it wasn't like he was being held against his will. He had to make certain that Pete was gone, so he could not come out and harm Blair and the baby.
Deep down, he believed that Pete wouldn't harm them. Blair had brought him so much, made him see so many things. She saw things, also, that other people didn't. She saw him in a way no one else did, too. He did believe that Pete would spare them, but he knew he had to be certain. Which brought him to his plan.
He knew Dr. Asper would try and bring Pete out; he'd done it intentionally before to get Todd to see he was not in control. Todd had spent hours working it through his mind. He knew he could contain Pete, and would also have to contain Tom. Neither could exist without the other, at this point, unless one was in control, then the other was always waiting in the wings. With both of them pushed back into the shadows, he was in full control and could protect his family. He hadn't seen or heard Tom or Pete since he sent Tom away for the last time. It still brought a lump into his throat to think of it, but what was done was done.
The sun through the panes was making patterns on his bed. It warmed him, and felt good, and safe. He had a good feeling about this day, he was pretty certain it was going to lead to his return to his family and his home. He missed the penthouse, with the wall of glass overlooking the city. He missed Blair, and her accepting arms and body. He missed the baby he did not meet yet - heck, he missed it all. Determined, he folded his arms and waited for Dr. Asper's appearance.
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This is pretty good combining Todd's need to return to his family now, with the need he felt when he was trying to get home from Ireland. I also like the way he's trying to control Pete, he's knows in his heart that Pete is his troublemaker.
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