Who's the Real Todd?, Ch. 2

Blair and Samuel walked through the penthouse doors. Blair had been quiet thinking of Samuel's words all the way back home. She turned to Samuel the minute they entered, she had to know what was going on with Todd. "Samuel please.." Samuel grabbed her and began devouring her lips. The desperation in that kiss is evident. Blair returned his kiss knowing that Todd was back and seeking solace. Minutes later, the kiss softened and his lips released hers. Blair looked into his eyes and saw the pain still lingering. Todd moved to Samuel's studio and stared pensively out the window. Blair followed and stood at the end of the staircase. "Todd, what happened?"

"I lost it, that's what happened. I was so sure that I had the anger under control. When I found out about Peter, I thought he could no longer affect me. I made the mistake of thinking the anger inside me was gone, but it's not. It scared me, Blair, I was afraid I might do more than just throw a few things around. How did we get home?" Todd asked and looked over at Blair.

"Samuel came out and tidied up the situation. He hired Kelly back, so the Sun could stay in operation. Then he indicated you were in trouble, and that we needed to return home. So here we are." Blair said and realized Todd was kicking himself for his angry display. "You didn't lose it, you were understandably frustrated. Any normal person would have reacted the way you did. Don't begin to doubt yourself.  You have made huge strides in the last week, but Ray told you things were going to take time. Stop beating yourself up."

"Is that what I'm doing? I was so up after receiving the news that Carlo had been apprehended. I thought I could go to the Sun and Kelly would be willing to help get the news on the stands that the real Todd Manning was back in Llanview. I just wasn't expecting her flat out refusal to even accept the possibility. Then I lost it when she called you a fool. Who is she to judge your beliefs?  She doesn't know the whole story, yet she claimed you were the one being hoodwinked. Maybe I have been a bit hasty and it is premature to put out an article. But one thing is now out of the bag, Kelly knows I hold the controlling interest in the Sun. The question is what is she going to do with that information?" Todd walked over to Blair "She had no right to make that remark to you." he pulled her into his arms as he captured her lips for another kiss.

Coming up for air, Blair said, "It's a shock to see you the first time Todd, I'm sorry that you have to keep telling your story. But there are a number of people in your corner. Promise me you won't let this get you down. We're here and behind you all the way. As long as I'm talking about the people who stand behind you. Why didn't you tell me Samuel was back? I thought you lost him."

Todd smiled. "So did I, but the other morning after my session, I couldn't find any of them and Vicki said they were probably still around. Samuel told me he'd be nearby if I needed him. I was feeling so empty without everyone, so I asked his help in locating Tom, Ms. Perkins, and Rodd. As we were pulling away from the clinic Samuel spoke to me and told me he had found everyone. His last words to me that morning were 'we're all here'. I didn't realize he meant himself too. I'm glad he's back. I really felt different when he left and now I feel whole again. There is something else I said to Kelly, about missing all those years with Jack. I've wasted enough time trying to be Jack's friend. Blair, I think it's time to tell Jack. I don't want him finding out about me from the newspaper or TV, and it sounds like he's really tormenting this other student. I need to get through to him, the path he's choosing is wrong. Do you agree?"

"You're right Todd he needs to hear it from us. I'll get him over here later. When were you going to tell me you've been buying up shares of Sun Stock?" asked Blair.

"Oh That, well you see I've had agents buying stock in the two companies that I found out Hesser had stock in. I don't think Manning was even aware that until recently he wasn't really in control of the Sun. Hesser had a big block of shares and has been laundering Money through The Sun. Carlo also has his hand in BE, I been working on getting a major block in BE too. I intend to hit Hesser where it hurts monetarily and then I want to finish gathering the evidence needed to put him away for what he did to me." Todd headed to the bar to get a drink. Just then the doorbell rings. He glanced at Blair.  From the shake of her head, it was obvious she had no idea who might have arrived. .Todd grumbled, "Who the heck is here now?" as he moved to answer it.  Todd opened it saying "Whatever you're selling, I'm Not Buying."  then he stopped frozen as he saw his guest.

Kelly stood on his threshold holding a special edition of the Sun, the headline read. NEW PLAYER IN TOWN OR FAMILIAR OLD PLAYER? YOU DECIDE! Sun's new owner Samuel Toddman made an appearance today to introduce himself to the populace. He informed this reporter that he's back to regain what was taken from him. Could there be a mystery unfolding concerning Samuel Toddman? You be the judge. There beneath the headline was a full-page picture of Todd, complete with both scars.

Todd arched his eyebrow as he took in the headline. "Blair we have a visitor and she's brought a housewarming present. Won't you come in Kelly?" He stood back to let her in. " Kelly, my dear, this is certainly a surprise. I was under the impression you thought I was a fraud. Why the change of attitude?"

"No change, Samuel. But you are news. The Sun might also capitalize on your face's mystery and the obvious relationship factor that you greatly resemble the old 'Todd Manning'. I decided to run the story and brought you a copy as the new owner. Besides, I wanted to see this new home of Starr's and I think it's time I heard the entire story about Paris." replied Kelly. She moved into the living room, noting the difference in the atmosphere that the room gave off. Todd's home had always seemed a little cold but had fit Todd. This room felt like home. Her eyes were drawn immediately to the portraits on the wall. She wandered closer looking for a signature but noted only dates similar to the portrait Blair received from Eli. Tea's and Vicki's portraits were painted during the mid-2000s and the last one of Blair was dated 2011. Looking at the content of Blair's picture she turned to Blair, "You didn't waste any time in Paris did you?"

Her arm was grabbed and she was turned to find herself facing one very angry Todd. "This is my house, and if you insult Blair again you will answer for it. I don't have to explain the origins of those portraits but you should know that Samuel painted all of those portraits from his memory. He hadn't even met Blair the day that portrait was painted. He's a good man and I will not have you demean his love for Vicki, Tea, and Blair. Get your mind out of the gutter or get out of my house. Do you understand Kelly?" he applied just a little more pressure to her arm in his anger.

Kelly struggled to free her arm and distance herself from the man in front of her. "I understand. Ow! Let me go." abruptly he released her and moved to stand beside Blair. "Why do you continue to talk about him like he's a separate person. You made him up.  Please. Do you really expect me to believe you painted these? You don't have that kind of talent. You never did."

"Who never did Kelly?" he asked quietly.

"You know perfectly well who. You, Todd, that's who! You're the same bully you've always been. I've never been able to see what Blair sees in you. Now she's back in the same rut falling for you all over again." said Kelly rubbing her arm and glaring at Todd.

"Kelly, thank you for finally admitting you know I'm Todd. For that, I'm grateful but everything else you believe is fantasy. The reality is. I am Todd Manning, and I've been diagnosed and am being treated by a reputable psychiatrist and have been undergoing sessions with an equally reputable therapist for my DID. Samuel is the alter who kept me going for the last eight years because of a severe trauma that occurred in 2003. Samuel is very real and is, in fact, an accomplished artist. Those three portraits are but a few pieces of his and if you had bothered to look a little further around the room you would have seen his studio where more recent pieces have been completed."

Todd stopped talking and pointed to the studio on the other side of the stairs. "Please have a look. There is also a portrait that I completed. If you care to examine them you'll see signatures on all of them. You are even welcomed to bring in your own expert to verify the artist. I swear that both Samuel and I are capable of producing these works of art. The question remains are you capable of believing what you see with your own two eyes." Todd turned away from Kelly and looked at Blair. "Do you want a drink now?" at her nod he headed to the bar.

Kelly was flabbergasted. She couldn't believe her ears. Todd has just very openly declared he suffered from DID without blinking an eye. Not only that but he was dead serious. He knew she could check up on him and he welcomed it. The Todd she had known all those years ago had hated giving any information about himself, he had always played everything very close to the vest. This Todd was as much a mystery now as he'd been in the past but it felt different now. Kelly wandered past the stairs to Samuel's studio and began looking at the portraits in the area. Two portraits, one of Starr as a little girl, and one of Starr as a mature young woman were obviously painted by the artist who had painted the portraits on the wall. Even the fanciful portrait of little Hope had many of the same characteristics as the other paintings. She noticed an unfinished portrait of Vicki that had yet to be completed. All of the finished portraits are signed by Samuel Toddman and dated 2011.

There was one more portrait that was covered, it was clearly the one Todd claimed he painted. This is going to be good.  Kelly was anticipating something very abstract and bizarre since Todd supposedly painted it. She uncovered the painting and stood there shocked. It was amazing and titillating. Given the subject matter, it could have been very vulgar and cheap but the portrait was very beautiful and the viewer could feel the love of the artist for his subject in the romantic way she was portrayed. Kelly could see a little of the other portraits in the painting but it was clearly painted by someone other than the person who had painted the gallery on the wall. Kelly's eyes wandered to the corner where his signature was on the painting. She knew that signature, she had seen it numerous times on articles and editorials when Todd first purchased the Sun. If the signature was to be believed, Todd had painted the picture and she didn't think he would have let any other artist paint Blair in that pose. Todd would kill anyone else if they even look at Blair like that.

Kelly moved back around and watched as Todd brought a drink to Blair and ever so gently caressed her cheek before going back to the bar. That was such an unToddlike movement. Todd hated displays of affection and had always been very standoffish. It was plain to see they are very much in love. Something had definitely changed in Todd at least when it came to showing his love. His anger was still a factor but today's anger had been in defense of Blair. Todd had taken quite a bit from her without batting an eye earlier until she had said something he considered offensive to Blair. Kelly was dying to know the whole story, but then her mind returned to the question that had been bothering her from the moment he left. Why had he come out today? She moved back into the room. She came to the penthouse convinced that Samuel had an agenda and was planning on taking everything from Todd before he recovered from his wound. That idea had quickly lost its momentum as she realized Samuel was the real Todd.

Taking back his life wasn't the only thing Todd was interested in. There was something else in the works. "Todd?" he looked at her and silently offered her a drink. She nodded. Boy, do I need a drink. When his hand paused over the Vodka, she nodded again and he poured, then handed her the glass.

He sat down next to Blair and looked at her once more. "What can I do for you Kelly?" he said effortlessly continuing the conversation from where she'd left it.

"Todd, why have you waited so long to come forward? You've been here for over two months, but you've stayed hidden and reclusive. Now today you show up in my office ready to step forward into the light of day. Why didn't you do it when you first returned?"

Todd and Blair looked at each other, then he said: "Well aside from the obvious health issues, I've been working to find out who caused all of this eight years ago."

"Who caused what eight years ago?" asked Kelly.

"Eight years ago Mitch Lawrence left me on the side of the road with just about every bone in my body broken and a new scar on my face. Several months later Samuel awoke in the Philadelphia General hospital and the only thing my alter could remember was his name. My memories had been tampered with. Of course, at the time, Samuel just thought he had amnesia. When Samuel got ready to leave he felt like someone was keeping tabs on him and decided to get out of the country. He took us to Paris and began making a living as an artist. He made his living selling paintings of the three women he called his muses. Samuel had no idea those were real women but they kept him sane.”   He paused as Kelly took a seat.

Todd drank a portion of his scotch and reached to intertwine his hand with Blair’s.  He continued, “ The day Samuel finished that painting of Blair, he decided to take another portrait of her to the Gallery that was selling his art. A simple glimpse of Blair that day broke the barrier that had been keeping my memories locked away and as more came back, so did I. There was a slight problem, I couldn't get back control of my body and Samuel had no idea he was an alter. Then Blair showed up at Samuel's door. When Samuel realized Blair was real he began to investigate his time in the Hospital and eventually figured out that someone had tampered with his memory. We've tracked the tampering back to a facility outside of Philadelphia and I found out how I got from the road to Philadelphia General. I've been working with Bo to get the man behind it all and today I received word he was in custody. Therefore, I came forward."

"Whoa, back up.  Are you telling me Bo knows you're Todd and believes it?"  asked Kelly.

Todd and Blair both nodded. "There are others who also believe me. I'm not playing at any scam Kelly, I'm just trying to get my life back on track."  Todd reached and picked up the copy of the Sun that Kelly initially brought over. "This is an excellent start."

"Ok, you've told me that Bo knows you're Todd, obviously, Starr and Blair know. I guess that means Vicki also knows. Who else has been let in on your secret? Also, can you explain what exactly happened in 2003?" asked Kelly.

"Blair's mother Addie, Nora and Tea, as well as my therapist and Dr. Levin are the only other people who know that I'm the real Todd Manning. As to 2003, get comfortable.  What I'm going to tell you sounds like science fiction. But I assure you I'm not making any of this up.”

Todd waited as Kelly settled back in her chair.  “Samuel began investigating in Paris after having some troubling memories. When he received our medical records a few discrepancies fueled him to investigate further. It seems that there was a period of several months unaccounted for between our arrival at an emergency room in Cherryvale and our arrival at Philadelphia General. Samuel tracked down the Attending ER doctor at Philadelphia General and found out we were brought to the Philadelphia General ER by an ambulance from a research facility outside Phillie.  My sources told Samuel that the facility dabbled in experiments for the Government and in 2003 they were working on projects involving Memory; both the extraction of memories and the transference of said memories from one person to another for the purposes of infiltrating any situation as someone else. The second project involved filling the memory of the second party with memories of the first party and then with some additional mind control the second party would take over the life of the first party and truly believe he was the original."

Blair interjected as she spied the skepticism on Kelly’s face.  “It’s all true, Kelly. Just let him finish.”

Todd paused, drained his glass, then got up to pour a second glass and returned to Blair's side. He glanced over at Kelly. "Samuel's gotten back memories of a period of time in which we believe they were extracting my memories of my life. It is our belief that the memories they extracted from me were then transferred to Manning. Samuel was then delivered to Philadelphia General and when we awoke, the only memory thought to be intact was Samuel's name.  Later we found out that memories of my Alters had not been taken because I had hidden them too deep to be accessed by anyone but me. I believe that the person in charge has had someone watching both of us over the years so he can make sure the experiment is still functioning properly. Something spooked him though and he sent someone to feel out Samuel in Paris to see if Samuel was still in the dark. Samuel set up an excellent plan to keep the ringleader unaware that he, that I’m in Llanview. Right now it appears like he is still painting in Paris. But that is all changing with this headline and picture." Todd stopped his tale to let Kelly absorb the story. "Because of the need to keep the ringleader in the dark, I've been remaining reclusive, but all of that changed with Bo's news."

As he watched her, she took a big gulp of her drink and glanced warily at Blair. "I  can see you’re skeptical, Kelly, and as I told you, it sounds like science fiction. If you agree that I am Todd then explain Manning. He's displayed many of my traits and has recited things from memory only I should know. I know I was in that facility and the other day Blair discovered some information about Manning that seems to indicate he might have a connection there as well. If Bo can find the proof that Manning and I were both there simultaneously, it will only solidify our case. I don't like Manning for a number of reasons. The answer to your next question. No, I did not shoot nor have anyone else shoot Manning. I had only been home from the hospital myself for a little over a day when Manning was shot. Nora has already questioned me and has cleared me. But the fact that someone shot Manning means that our ringleader might be starting to get rid of anything or anyone who could possibly link him to this charade." Todd looked at Kelly, trying to figure out if she believed what he just told her.