The Way Back: Chapter 27

Todd slammed the door to the penthouse, and Blair crashed onto the couch.  She looked up, "What a day."

"Yeah, it really was."  He headed straight to the windows.  He stood, staring out.  "I can't believe that I used to be on top of this place.  I was riding so high.  Or we were.  Remember?"

"You will be again.  I know it."  She approached him from behind, and hugged around his waist.  Her chin rested on his shoulder.  She thought back to the final events of the day.

The silence in the room could have been an object it was so thick.  Blair noticed Todd sweating and that his breathing had changed.  In concern, she naturally moved to his side seeing the "Mannings" at the door.

Jack pushed through all of them and raced out.  The Impostor spoke, "Leave my son alone.  Stay away from him, you freak," and he took Tea's arm and led her out of the station.  Todd thought he caught momentary pity in Tea's eyes, but it was too short lived to recount.

Todd looked to Blair, pain in his face.  She touched his cheek.  "Jack will be okay.  Things will work out.  We'll get the second test, and we'll let him know what's going on."

"I'm not sure you can do that,"  John said.

"What do you mean?"  Blair turned to the officer.

Todd steadied himself with the chair, and sat.  "He means that whoever changed the test is out to get me.  If he or she finds out I'm really me, then..."

"Oh my God, you'll be in danger."  Blair realized.  "John, you have to do something."

"Let's get the test results first, then we'll worry about how to protect him."

Todd broke the silence and her remembrance.  "I know what you're thinking."

"You do?"

"You're worried about Jack.  You're worried about me.  You're worried how Starr took the news that I'm not me.  You're worried that the other guy might try and capitalize on this with the kids."

"Mr. Manning, you amaze me.  You've always known me better than I do myself."

He turned to her.  "That's because I've always loved you.  And you've always known me, too."  He kissed her gently, and it lingered, slowly becoming deeper.  He pulled back.  "Now, you have to go to the kids."

"No, Todd, I can't leave you here alone.  I just can't."

"You have to.  Jack is going to need you, especially.  Shorty, well, I feel like she'll know the deal."

She smiled, "She's her Daddy's girl.  Always was."

"You have to go," he said, removing her arms from his neck.  She felt a slight trembling in his hands.

"I will come back.  After I get things settled, and the kids are okay, I'll come back."

"All right.  Take the key in case I am sleeping by then.  I'm tired, Blair."  He looked so worn to her, she hesitated.  "I'm okay.  Go."

She left him with a soft kiss on his lips and he turned back to the window.  There won't be much of a sunset tonight.  Clouds.  Heck, it looks like a storm is coming.

***

Tomas was waiting when Tea and her husband returned.  "So, you're home."

"Yes, we're home!"  Tea ran to him and hugging him a hello, turned to her husband.  "Home.  That feels good, doesn't it?"

"Sure.  Well, when do you pick up Dani from her Aunt Viki's?"

"A couple of hours, I guess.  There's a strong electrical storm supposedly on the way, and I'll want her home before it starts.  Why?"

"Think we have time to get some things unpacked and put back before then?  She'll be surprised to see her room back in order."

"Great idea," she ran to him and playfully kissed his cheek and then went upstairs to unload some packages.  Without letting on, she stopped at the top of the stairs to take in what the two of them were about to say.  She sat on the top step, silently.

"So you're home, Mr. Manning."  Tomas' voice was one of biting sarcasm.

"Yes, we are.  What do you want, Delgado?"

"Nothing, came to welcome my sister home.  And it better be a positive homecoming."

"All right, you can leave now."

"No, it doesn't work that way, Mr. Manning."  Tomas said.  Tea took note of the way he said her husband's name each time he said it.  Mocking, doubtful, knowing.

"It does in my world, Mr. Delgado.  You're not going to spoil anything for us."

"Oh no, but I am going to be sure to make certain she's safe.  And my niece as well.  If you think this is over, you're wrong.  You're not going to be able to get away from me.  She's going to be in my sights."

"I'd never let anything happen to her or Dani.  They're worth more than my life or my fortune at this point."  The Impostor said.  Tea had to cover her own mouth to keep from being heard as she sobbed softly.

"They'd better be.  I've gotta go find Blair.  Meanwhile, take care of our girls."  He left.

Tea stood up and pulling herself together, crept into Dani's room.  She soon heard him rounding the stairs.  "Hey, Tea, where are you?"

"In here!"  She called from Dani's room.

"Looking good in here.  Dani will love it."

"Yep."

"Tea, what's the matter.  You look like you've been crying."

She turned to him.  "I don't know.  I...I guess sometimes I don't know who you are anymore."

He took her in his arms.  "Yes, you do.  I'm your husband, the one that loves you."

She cried.  Confused, he pulled back from her.  "What is it?"  he stopped himself, "Is this about the other guy?  Or what, Tea?"

She sensed anger building in him.  "No, it's not about 'the other guy.'  It's about you."  Her voice broke.  "It's about who you are.  I mean who you really are."  She said it with pained emphasis, her voice elevating to shouts, and he knew she had doubt on her face.  "You trust me, don't you?"  she cried, "Don't you?!  You trust me enough to tell me everything?"

He felt nausea in the pit of his stomach.  What was she saying?  Did she think he was not who he claimed?  Was she doubting him?  He could only counter with a question of his own, "Do you love me?  Do you really love me, and want me?"

 

Through her tears, she still was beautiful; her long dark hair, and deep mysteriously ebony eyes, how she tended to smile through tears.  And in that moment, without thinking of anything else, he took her.  Before she knew it, he had shoved her up against the wall in Dani's room, pinning her hands behind her, his tongue in her mouth, which she received and gave back.  Both of them heaved for breath.  He pushed her skirt up rudely, letting her hands go, and she clawed through his hair, tears still on her face, and she lifted a leg around him.  "Yes," escaped from her as he recklessly undressed her, "Yes!"

***

Blair walked into La Boulaie to see Jack, red-eyed, and Starr sitting at the foot of the steps on the grand staircase.  "Hey, Mom."  Starr said.  "Jack has something to say to you."

Jack was reluctant.  "I'm sorry Mom for some of those things I said.  But, I'm not sorry for some of them either."

"All right," Blair said, moving toward him.  Starr vacated the step next to him so her mother could sit by her son.  She put an arm around him.  He leaned his head onto her shoulder.  "I wanted him to be my father.  Honest, Mom, I felt something around him.  I am not sure what it was.  I felt sorry for him, yeah, but I wanted him to be my Dad."

She spoke very quietly.  "Jack, I know you can't understand this, but he is your father.  He is.  He loves you all so much.  He's been to hell and back, in ways you can never understand.  And the reason you can't understand them is that he's just not ready for you to know the things he's faced.  He loves you, and he loves me, fully and completely.  He's your father.  I made a terrible mistake..." her voice fractured into airy rasps.

"It's not your fault, Mom, it's more mine."  Starr said.

"No," Blair said, "it's none of our faults.  None.  We loved him so much, that we wanted him to be here so badly, we believed."

Jack thought about it.  He so wanted it to be true.  "How do you explain the DNA test?"

"I don't know.  But what I do know is that we took another one, a private one, today.  John McBain believes us and he wants to help."

Starr spoke, "He's Dad.  I know he is.  He just is.  What is going to happen, Mom?"

"Well, I am going to stand by him, no matter what or who does," she looked at both of them, "but he could be in danger, either from the people who held him or the person or people who don't want him to be Todd Manning."

"We can't lose him again," Starr said.

"Mom?"  Jack asked.

"Yes?"

"What did they do to him, to make him, well you know, all screwed up?"

She wasn't sure how to answer the question.  "Terrible things, Jack, terrible things.  He'll tell you, when he's ready.  He's in therapy to deal with it all.  He has nightmares.  And, he has 'daymares,' too.  Sometimes he gets stuck in a memory and relives it, thinking it's happening then."

Both went quiet.  Starr fought back tears.  "That's a terrible way to live."

"But he's living," Blair added.  Jack remained stoic, listening. She continued, "I just have to ask you both, including you, Jack, to hang on to the belief in him, that he's your father and try to support him.  I promise you, he is Todd Manning, and you will not be disappointed or let down.  Jack, I know it's hard.  But, he needs us very badly."

"I have an idea."  Starr was suddenly excited, "Let's all go to Viki's and see him.  Maybe if he spends time with us, it will help him get over things."

"He's not at Viki's, but I do know where he is,"  Blair said, smiling.

"We don't even know he's really our Dad!"  Jack said in response.  "I want to believe you Mom, but honestly, there's no proof, and he just failed a DNA test.  And what about the other guy?  If he's not our father, then who the hell is he?"

Starr put her hand on Jack's shoulder, "We don't know anything about that yet.  But, think of it this way.  If we go there and help, and he is our father, think of what we gained and what we've done for him in return for him trying to protect us and provide for us all these years in the different ways he did?  And if he's not, then all we did was help someone who...someone who is not well."  She checked with her mother's expression and saw her nodding.  "If he really made all this up or somehow was convinced to believe it, and is not Todd Manning, he needs help anyway, right?"

Jack did not respond.  Instead, he got up from the stairs, and went toward his room.  Blair called after him.  "Jack, where are you going?"

"To my room.  I want to pack an overnight bag so I have my ipod and my charger."

Blair looked at Starr and hugged her.  "I love you, my daughter.  Any your father will never forget these things.  Now let's get ourselves going.  It's starting to storm, I can hear it, and I want us in and safe before it gets very strong.  Starr, this is one of the hardest times of his life.  He won't forget that you were there for him."

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