The Mysterious Samuel Toddman: Chapter 35

Todd woke up with a start. He looked around and saw Blair asleep in the chair next to his bed. It had been a dreamless night and he felt surprisingly good. It was probably because of the stress and oh yeah the heart attacks but hey, it had been blissfully silent in his head last night. Before he could wake up Blair, the nurse came in and started taking vitals. "Hey, Can you tell me when I'm going to get out of here. Really, I'm feeling much better."

The nurse just smiled and said."Let's wait and see if the doctor agrees with you. In the meantime, are you hungry? It's been quite a while since you ate."

"I don't care about food. I want to go home!" Todd's volume increased with his tension."I don't like hospitals, you tell that doctor to get in here, or I'll just go ahead and leave now."

The nurse was keeping an eye on his monitors and notice the heart rate rising steadily. "Mr. Toddman, please, you must calm down. If you truly want out of here you need to relax. You're getting agitated and that's raising your heart rate, you're going to give yourself another attack. If you have another attack right now it will very likely kill you or at the very least incapacitate you and keep you here quite a bit longer." She gently tried to get Todd to relax against the pillows, she felt the tension leave his shoulders as he sank back into them. "That's better, I'll go see when the doctor will be here and I'll send some food in. Do try and eat," the nurse noticed that Blair was awake and said. "Try and keep him calm," and exited the room.

Blair had woken up at the sound of Todd's raised voice. She headed to the bed when the nurse left. "Are you Crazy! Look, I know you hate it here, but we're trying to keep you alive. Todd if you can't behave I'm going to ask Ms. Perkins to send Samual back out. At least he has the sense God gave you to know how to stay calm. He's lived with your bad heart for a while now. I can count on him to keep you alive if you're going to act foolishly. So you tell me, are you going to behave yourself or do I get Samuel out here?"

Todd was stunned. He hadn't seen Blair this angry in a long time. He realized he had been acting a little foolish, but he really did hate hospitals. He sat there and suddenly had to chuckle. She had gotten so used to Samuel and the thought of his alters, she really thought she could just order one of the others to come out and they would. Of course she was right in a way, Samuel was the most levelheaded of the alters, but Todd had full control again and he was the only one who could release one or the other.

He was laughing. Blair couldn't believe it. "Why are you laughing? This is serious. I mean it Todd. I'll call Samuel if you won't listen."

Todd stopped laughing and said. "That's just it, Blair. You can't just call Samuel and have him take my place. It doesn't work that way."

"But I don't understand. At your trial, Sam asked Ms. Perkins if he could speak to the boys and she let him. Why can't I do that?" asked Blair.

"That happened when I was still reeling from a lot of things and I let Ms.Perkins run things. But she doesn't right now, I'm fully in charge and only I can let my alters out right now," replied Todd. He started thinking of that time. The trial was a blur, but he remembered how supportive Sam had been. Even when everything had fallen apart and he had made a mess of things with Blair later on, Sam had been there for Blair. He hadn't liked the fact that Blair and Sam had been getting close again, but he had trusted Sam to take care of her and the kids. For a brief period, he was back in the tomb and Mitch was gloating about someone he loved dying, he was terrified that Mitch had hurt Blair, then Mitch told him about Sam. At that moment, he could have killed Mitch without hesitation.

Todd had gotten so quiet. Blair looked at him and realized his thoughts were a million miles away. "Todd, are you alright?" As she went over what they had been talking about, it hit her who he was thinking of that moment. She reached over and laid her hand on his. "Todd?"

Todd looked at her. "He told me that someone had died and that I was going to be the one they would look for. I asked him who I was supposed to have killed. Blair, he just grinned at me. At first I feared he had killed you. Then he told me that Sam was dead. He had me handcuffed to the wall and I couldn't get free. God, I tried, I wanted to get my hands on him and kill him, but I was trapped. Blair, I need to know. How did Sam die?" His eyes were full of unshed tears as he silently pleaded for the truth.

Blair took Todd's hand in hers, she could feel the tears forming in her own eyes as she took a deep breath and chose her words. " The last time I saw Sam alive was probably also the last time you did. Do you remember how angry you were that last night? You had seen Troy and I together.  You stormed over to the house insisting on seeing the kids, but they weren't there. Then Sam showed up with the papers about my full custody. You and Sam got into a little shouting match and then you left.”

He nodded and gulped.  He had been so mad at Sam that night and that had made Mitch’s taunts that much worse.

“You were so angry, Sam and I figured you'd calm down and Sam told me to be careful about Troy. I was upset and you know me, I acted out. I gave Troy a call and had him come over. I was drinking and I made a play for Troy, but he turned me down. He took me to my room and put me to bed and left. The next thing I knew, I was waking up and Sam was lying next to me on the bed.  He was dead.  God, Todd, there was blood everywhere.  Sam had been shot multiple times in the back.  I made my way to the phone and saw a gun lying on the floor and your father's ring. I didn't know what to think. I called the police and Bo and Antonio came to investigate. The evidence mounted against you, but it was all too pat. Even Bo and Nora didn't think you had killed Sam. Still, you had disappeared and that made you look guilty. It turned out that Lindsay accidentally shot Sam.”

Todd was puzzled. He looked at Blair. “I thought Mitch did it?”

“Mitch had screwed with Lindsay's mind so much that she thought she was shooting Troy. She had a break down when she realized she was responsible for Sam's death. It was just a horrible accident set into motion by Mitch. I'm so sorry Todd. I know when you parted, it was in anger, but I know how much you cared about Sam and I believed he cared about you just as much. You'll always have a piece of Sam in you. I see him in Samuel. I think a part of you wanted to be like Sam and so Samuel was created. You didn't let go of Samuel the other night because he's that important to you. For my part I'm grateful Samuel was created to protect you. Without him I never would have gotten the painting. The painting brought you home. You're here safe. We're going to get you back on your feet and then we'll get you back your life."

Todd had listened and inside wished that his last words to Sam had not been ones of anger. He took comfort in knowing he had Samuel. Blair was right, Samuel was the piece of him that had always wanted to be more like Sam. He had always fallen short of the mark in his efforts to be the man that Sam would have been proud of, but when push came to shove Sam had always been there. Samuel had filled the void that night when everything else was almost lost. Once again Fate stepped in, and here he was ready to take back his life. Now to get to work. There was still one item that needed to be clarified. Once he had the information he could plan his next move. His tears had dried as his anger grew. Todd looked at Blair and asked grimly "Where's Mitch now?"

Blair had sensed his anger growing as he had listened. She wasn't surprised. Mitch had successfully tampered with a lot of lives that spring. Then they had all believed he was dead only to have him reappear and make life miserable for Dorian and all of them once more. He was apprehended once again but not before he kidnapped Jessica and almost raped her. Todd had enough on his plate. He didn't need to hear that story right now. She decided to keep it simple. "Right now I believe Mitch is in Statesville Prison. He can't hurt us."

"Are you sure he's still there?" asked Todd.

"Well no, but if he wasn't, I think we would have heard something about him escaping or at least Bo would have." replied Blair.

“Has he suddenly gotten a clue. I hadn't heard." Todd snarked.

"Alright, I know you're feeling better but Bo's a good man and he was smart enough to keep looking for someone else even after you were framed. Like I said, I don't think Mitch is a problem right now. In fact, as I see it, you're the problem right now. Let's think back to what started all this. Are you going to behave yourself and try and keep your stress level down, or do we have to knock you out so your heart can recuperate?" said Blair.

Todd looked at Blair "Blair I..."

"Shush, I may not be able to ask Samuel to come out, but I will sit on you if you make one more attempt to browbeat the nurse. She's doing her job. It's time for a dose of reality. Your body has seen more trauma than most will ever see in ten lifetimes. You were abused as a child, as a young man before I even met you, you almost lost your life from bullets and pipes and drugs. Then you were shot repeatedly and sent flying off a cliff in Ireland. I don't know how you survived all that, but you did. Then Mitch got you and he almost killed you. Samuel showed me the doctor reports of your stay in Philadelphia. They claimed you were a blooming miracle to even be alive and even more incredible, lucid. Still all the reports zeroed in on one very important fact. You have a ticking time bomb for a heart. Since you've been here, you've had four near misses. If you want to live to see tomorrow you've got to acknowledge that. You have to admit to yourself that you do have a flaw that can no longer be overlooked. I'm here and I'm yours, but I will not stand by and watch you kill yourself. Have you got that, Todd." said Blair through her tears.

Todd reached up and wiped her tears, "I got that, Blair." He looked at her and grinned sheepishly and said, " But I really need to get out of here."

"OOhhh! you're as infuriating as ever. " Blair said as she brushed his hand away. She didn't know whether to laugh or yell. He'd always had that effect on her. " Ok, this is what I'll do. If the doctors feel you're well enough to move to a regular room then I'll push for just letting you go home with a portable heart monitor. Would you agree to that?"

"That I can do. A heart monitor, ankle monitor, it's all the same.  At least I'll be able to get around." said Todd and he leaned back onto his pillow. He realized Blair was right, he was exhausted. If he couldn't even get into an argument with Blair, how the hell was he going to face Manning and Hesser. He was going to need more help, but he wasn't sure who else he could trust with his secret. Tea was too close to Manning. He still didn't know if Manning had been an unwilling or willing participant and until he knew, the man couldn't be trusted. There was only one other person in town other than Vicki who might be good to have in his corner. Damn, the guy really didn't like him and his wife barely tolerated him, was he nuts to even be contemplating asking him. He had no choice, he needed the help. "Blair, I need you to make a couple of phone calls. I want you to reach Vicki and ask if she can find some time to come here, and then I want you to call Bo."

Blair had pulled her cell phone out to call Vicki when she heard Todd say he wanted her to also call Bo. She almost dropped the phone. "Did I hear you right? You want me to call Bo. Are you sure you're alright? Are you getting enough oxygen? "

"Blair, I'm fine but you made me realize I'm going to need help. He's the only other person in town that I think I can trust with my identity right now. Like you said, he didn't believe I killed Sam and for all our differences through the years he's been straight with me. So please just call him." said Todd.

"Are you going to meet him as you or Samuel?" asked Blair.

"I don't know, right now he thinks Todd Manning has been living here and is married to Tea. I'm going to need you and Vicki as well as Samuel's art supplies to prove to Bo that both Samuel and I are one and the same and the real thing. If I fail to prove it to Bo, I'm never going to be able to convince everyone else. I also need Bo if I'm going to go after Carlo. I guess he'll have to meet Samuel first and then I'll show myself. You make those calls, I think I'm going to rest. Wake me when some food arrives." Todd said, and closing his eyes he drifted off.

Blair looked at him and wondered if he was up to this visit with Bo. She knew he was going to push forward with his plans no matter what. She just prayed he'd be able to hold up under the strain. Blair called Vicki first and after some discussion they decided Vicki would be able to come later in the afternoon. She decided to call Starr next. Luckily she caught Starr in between classes and told her what her dad needed. Starr agreed to pick up the supplies on her way to the hospital. With those two calls taken care of, Blair wondered how she was going to get Bo to come to the hospital. Then she realized the best way was just to be truthful. She called the LPD and asked for the commissioner.

"This is Bo Buchanan, How can I help you." Bo answered.

"Bo, this is Blair Cramer. I have a big favor to ask. A friend of mine asked me to call you and ask if you could come to the hospital to meet him. I know you're busy but you see he's in CCU because he's already had a couple of heart attacks and I'm trying to keep him calmed down. He seems very stressed about something and really wants to talk to you. I was hoping you might see your way clear to come to the hospital and talk with him. The doctors are telling him he has to get rid of some of his stress and maybe you can help him do that. What do you say Bo? Can you help?" asked Blair keeping her fingers crossed as she waited for his reply.

"Well I'm right in the middle of this whole escapade of Clint's but we seem to be at a standstill right at the moment. I can probably get up there around four if you think it will help your friend." replied Bo.

"Bo, that will be terrific. I'll let him know. I'm sure that will help immensely. Thank you so much." said Blair. She hung up just as the nurse brought in some food for Todd. "Todd, wake up, the food's here. You need to eat."

At the mention of food, Todd woke and looked over at Blair. " Well are we set."

"Yes. Starr and Vicki will be here around three and Bo is supposed to get here around four. After you see your sister and Starr, you need to rest and let Samuel take the lead for a while. Remember you have to stay in the background otherwise Carlo and whoever else is working for him might find out Samuel's no longer in Paris. We have to hope Carlo's hired help doesn't read the papers. Because if Carlo knows you're not in Paris anymore he's sure to up his timetable for removing all traces of him in connection with Walker and you. We got to stop that from taking place. Now go ahead and eat. I'm going to run and get myself some coffee. I'll be right back. I also want to get today's papers and see if Vicki and Tea were successful in getting the stories stopped." Blair raised his bed so he could eat and went to find the coffee and papers. She wanted to be back when Bo finally got there.

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