The MST, Firestorm, Ch. 59

Starr and James enjoyed the view. "Something else isn't it? Quite a step up from the apartment I had with Cole. OK, of course, this is just temporary till I can finish a couple of semesters and decide what I'm going to do. Samuel wants to have some family around and I needed to get out of the house with everyone there feeling sorry for me. Anyway, what do you think?" asked Starr.

"Starr this is freaking awesome. Samuel is something else too. I mean when we walked in here tonight it was amazing. He did all this just for Sam and Hope. That was cool. Heck, this whole evening's been cool. I wasn't sure what to expect, I mean I know he's not your dad but I still figured he'd give me the third degree. Now he's gone and left us alone. No offense Starr but your dad would have been standing over us with a shotgun before he'd let us be alone here. Oh gosh, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to hurt you, what with your dad still in a coma. It just that Samuel is so different from your dad." James apologized.

Starr turned and faced him. "It's ok, you're right. Samuel and my dad are two different people. I found out something about my dad earlier. It seems somebody’s been giving my dad some medicine that has been working on his mind. That's why he's been so paranoid and obsessive lately and they think it's also why he's in a coma. And well, Samuel he's cool and he's really trying to get to know all of us and our friends. Come see the pictures Samuel painted of Hope and me." She led him to the portraits.

"Hey, they're really good. You say he actually does this for a living. He must be doing alright to afford this place. What's the one that's covered?" James goes to uncover it and reveals Blair's painting. "Wow, you didn't tell me your Mom and Samuel had a thing."

Blushing, Starr covers the painting. "Well, it's kind of hard to think of one's Mom like this. Besides it's their business and they want to keep it under wraps right now. Samuel said he was going to come back and talk. We don't have a lot of time. Let's take advantage of the little time we have." She grabbed his hand and drew him back upstairs.

Blair arrived at La Boulaie, Jack got out and opened the front door and entered. "Jack I don't want you getting on the computer, you need to go to bed. You hear me, Mister." Since Jack was out of earshot, Blair said. "Todd, follow me I'll show you Sam's room."

Before entering Todd looked at Blair. "You better make sure Dorian isn't around. Don't know what she might do if she saw me."

Blair looked around and then saw the note. She opened it and read it. "You're not going to believe this, Dorian just got married today. She's off on her honeymoon."

Todd looked at her in disbelief, "You're kidding, right? Who the heck would marry Dorian?"

"Why Todd, it's an old friend, one I'm sure you remember. Dorian is now Mrs. David Vickers Buchanan," replied Blair. She led him up to Sam's room and he laid the boy down. Todd removed his shoes and covered him then followed Blair out of the room. She stopped at a room listened for a minute then knocked. The door opened and Addie stood there. She looked at Blair and saw Todd, her eyebrows raised "Well, this is a surprise."

"Momma, I just brought the boys home and I'm taking Todd back to the penthouse. I'm spending the night there so could you see that the boys get to school in the morning." pleaded Blair.

"Blair, you're not giving enough time to the boys. You of all people should know how important it is for the boys to have some stability, Todd.'

said Addie.

"You're right on so many levels Addie, but we just spent the evening with them, now we need our time. I can't stay here. The boys don't know the truth. I can't risk making Jack angry at me at this time. I need Blair and I need your help. Please, Addie?" Todd looked at her waiting for her answer.

Addie looked from Blair to Todd and knew they really needed this time. She didn't like having to keep the truth about Todd from her grandson, but they were his parents. It was up to them to tell him the truth, hopefully, they wouldn't wait too long. "Alright Blair, I'll see the boys get to school tomorrow but you two need to let Jack know the truth and soon. It's not going to be easy for him no matter when you tell him, you might as well do it sooner than later." She moved forward and gave each a kiss on the cheek and then sent them on their way.

On the way back to the penthouse, Blair decided to bring up her concern about Jack "Todd I need your help, I heard something this morning about Jack that has me worried. I can't believe it could be true but he's been really out of sorts lately and I'm beginning to wonder. It was told to me that Jack might be bullying someone in school. If he is and if the story is true, then we have a problem. I was told he might have endangered someone's life. I don't know what to do."

"Blair, first things first, how reliable is your source? Do you trust the person who told you?" asked Todd

"That's just it Todd, I know that the person who told me is reliable and she cares for Jack. I think she told me so I can stop Jack before he goes too far. Todd, how did I miss this? If it's true I've let him down.  I've been so wrapped up in my problems that I haven't seen my own son going through something. And now the man he idolizes is lying in a coma. How did he go from teasing his little brother to a boy that would hurt another boy for kicks?" Blair looked over at Todd. He was looking straight ahead obviously thinking. She pulled into the garage and parked.  "Todd, you know this is none of your doing, right? I know I always got after you about the way Starr grew up, doing schemes with you. But you were a good father you were just unorthodox. You didn't have a chance to raise Jack. If anyone is at fault with Jack, it's me."

"You don't understand Blair, I'm to blame too. The night you brought Jack to meet me I found out that he might be into bullying. I didn't say anything because I wasn't positive but if I had said something to you we might have been able to stop him before it escalated. If he's starting to hurt this other boy, things could get worse. Both of us have been so wrapped up in my problems that we've been ignoring our son's. I hope we're not too late, Blair. I'm wondering if we shouldn't go back and confront him tonight, but if we do that we'll have to tell him who I really am. That could end up pushing him farther away. God, this mess keeps getting bigger by the minute." Todd drew in a big breath and expelled it."What do we do now?" he looked at Blair "Well it looks like my holiday is over. Back to Reality." They got out of the car and headed for the penthouse.

Blair had seen Jame's car which meant he was still upstairs. She said. "You're not going to grill James are you?"

"Blair I'll give him a pass tonight. I'm too tired to go after anyone right now. But they better be downstairs when we get there." Todd watched in amusement as Blair carefully pulled out her phone and texted something. Of course, that was only going to help if Starr was paying attention. They opened the door to music playing and laughter coming from the living room. It appeared that Starr and James had taken all the pillows and made a huge pile in the middle of the floor and they were busy jumping on them and having a pillow fight trying to see who could knock who off their feet. Blair and Todd smiled and skirted the pile. "You kids have fun," said Todd as he grabbed Blair's hand and headed upstairs. He looked at Blair "I made you a promise earlier, It's time to keep it." she blushed and followed him up.

****

Todd was pacing the living room waiting for Blair to arrive. He had been on the phone the previous morning with Ray, and they had agreed that since Todd wanted to face the door to his secret, Dr. Levin should indeed be present in case Pete made another attempt to take control. Ray also stipulated that if at any time Todd's heart experienced any problems the session would be halted immediately. Todd had to agree or Ray would have called off the session right then, but he was extremely frustrated.

The morning before, Todd, Blair, and Starr had sat down and discussed Jack and his bullying. Blair and Starr were going to do some more checking to find out how far out of hand it had gotten and Todd was going to try and get Jack to open up to Samuel. Todd hoped Jack would see Samuel as someone who wouldn't judge him but would listen. Something was eating at his son and he could relate. He had his own demon he was trying to eradicate, and he realized just how much a single act could fester inside.

Blair came through the door and saw him pacing. He stopped when he saw her. "What's the matter, Todd. Why are you so stirred up."

"I'm just concerned about today. I want this over with but I don't know if my body is up to it and if it isn't Ray will halt the session. Any change in Manning's condition." Todd said to change the subject. "Give me some good news. Tell me he's coming out of the coma."

"All they're telling us is that he's getting stronger and they think he might awaken at any time. Tea said if he wakes up she'll send me word." Blair looked at Todd and said, "Shall we go?"

They made good time getting to Cherryvale and entered the clinic with time to spare. As they entered the session room, Blair observed that some extra equipment had been added. Along with the Doctor and nurse from the previous session, Dr. Levin was there conversing with Ray. The room had been rearranged so that a heart monitor and leads could be hooked up to Todd to better keep tabs on what his heart was doing during the session. Two more items had been brought into the room. A chair with restraints sat in front of the monitor and in front of the chair sat a full-length mirror. Blair looked at the chair and then at Todd but he didn't seem surprised. "Todd?" she asked.

"It's a precaution, Blair. I don't want Pete getting free if he takes control. Ray and I agreed it would be safer all around. Ray, I take it everyone is here." asked Todd

"We're waiting for one other person, Todd. I felt you might need a little more support today. She has agreed to leave if you don't want her here. Here she is." said Ray

Todd turned and saw his sister walk through the door. "Vicki, what are you doing here. This isn't something you want to see. I ..." he looked over at Blair "Tell her, she doesn't need this, not right now. Vicki, you have so much happening in your life. You don't need to worry about me. It can only bring up memories for you. You really shouldn't be here. " Todd pleaded with her silently to go but at the same time, he couldn't help being grateful that she was there for him.

"Todd, I promised you a long time ago that I wouldn't abandon you. You're getting ready to face your demons much the same way I had to face mine. I won't leave you alone with them. I had my family with me when I went through it. Well, guess what, you're my brother, and families stick together in a crisis. It's your choice. Do you really want me to leave?" Vicki looked at Todd waiting for his answer.

Todd looked at his sister with tears in his eyes. "No, please stay," he turned away from everybody and quickly wiped his eyes. "Well Docs, let's get this show on the road." Ray put chairs on either side of Todd's chair for Vicki and Blair. Todd sat down and the nurse hooked him up to the monitor. Then Ray strapped his hands in the restraints. There was just enough give in them for Todd to comfortably hold Blair's and Vicki's hands. Ray's chair was on one side of the mirror facing Todd and Dr. Levin's was on the other. After a quick check by the Doctor to ensure he was fit enough to continue, the session began.

Ray began, "Todd at our first session we went back to the events of your last night in Llanview in March of 2003. You experienced some trouble that day so much so that we lost you for a short amount of time and if Blair hadn't been here we might not have gotten you back. I think it's time you talked to Samuel and between you maybe we can piece together the true events of the evening. Will you agree to this?" Ray inquired looking at Todd.

Todd looked at his sister and Blair, then nodded at Ray. Looking into the mirror he called Samuel. To Todd's eyes, the chair in the mirror appeared empty and he saw Samuel approaching from behind the chair until he sat opposite Todd. Todd's eyes blurred and once again he had the sensation of looking through two pairs of eyes.

Samuel spoke, "This really is a unique feeling. Tom told me about it but I must say it's a little disorienting. Good morning everyone." Samuel squeezed Vicki's hand and looked at her. "Thank you for coming. It means a lot to both of us. Alright, let's start with my first real memory. The first sensation I had was hurting all over. It was dark and I felt hands holding me down. I was trying to open my eyes but they were so heavy. I remember struggling to catch my breath. My lungs were burning and my body felt like it was being pushed to the ground by a giant hand. I could hear laughter. It was nasty. I tried again to open my eyes I had a need to see who was laughing." the hand Blair was holding suddenly jerked and began trying to free itself from the restraint. Todd's eyes had lost focus even though Samuel's voice sounded strong, then his voice stopped. Todd whispered "No let go.. stop don't do it." Todd's whole body was struggling to get free now.

Ray looked over at Dr. Levin who spoke. "Samuel you need to get control back. He needs to hear your story. He's trapped in his delusion again, you need to make him listen. Come on Samuel take control."

"Todd, you need to listen, It's me, Samuel, hear my voice. Todd, listen, we're being held down by two men. Strangers. There is a third man. Do you hear me Todd there are three men? The two holding us, they aren't important. They're flunkies. They've been beating on us. Hurting us as they're kicking us and holding us down. Todd, feel them, not one pair of hands, there are two pairs of hands. Feel them. Todd, it's not your father. Peter's not there.  Peter's dead remember?" Samuel got full control and stilled Todd's body.

Todd speaks somewhat unfocused "It's not Peter, but it was I saw him." he blinks," I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, something crushing down on me, body felt so heavy hurt everywhere. Chest hurt, then heard laughter...it was Victor, he was coming for my heart he told me so in the crypt." Todd became unfocused again.

Samuel moved in swiftly "I see the knife Todd, look, it's coming down but not towards my heart, the third man is talking.  I can hear him.   Can you hear him, Todd? Come on listen, hear what I hear. He's taunting me, he says he's going to make sure I never forget him. He brings the knife closer He says.. he says?..."

Todd's eyes suddenly focus directly across at his image in the mirror, and in a voice as cold as ice he says "That son of a bitch said he was going to give me L for Lawrence as he sliced my cheek wide open." All eyes were on Todd. His voice was dripping with hate "He's a dead man. He engineered Sam's death and almost killed me, I owe him big time." Todd was looking at the mirror through one set of eyes again but he saw Samuel sitting opposite him.

Samuel was nodding. " Well I'm done you don't need me anymore."

Todd looked stricken "You're done when I say you’re done. I do need you, don't leave. I need your help with Jack. You give me the stability I've always lacked."

"Todd, I won't be that far away but I'll no longer be readily accessible. You'll do fine. Thank you for letting me have the time I've had. Give my love to Blair and Starr and Princess Shorty" Samuel got up, fading as he walked away.

Todd looked at Vicki, as the tears flowed from his eyes. "I've lost him. I didn't want to lose him. I don't want to lose any of them. How can I get him back?"

Vicki got closer and hugged her brother as his grief took over. On Todd's other side, Blair too was in tears for the friend she had spent such a brief time with but would sorely miss.

"Todd you haven't really lost him. He's here. He'll always be here." Vicki covered Todd’s heart with her hand.

In the back of his mind, he hears. "I'm here, Todd when you truly need me." Todd raised his head and looked once more in the mirror and smiled.