Background:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-46x-IWZUc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovLDeYOHtQ0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGPxGVa5BVU (you can stop after 1:50)

Todd opened the door to the penthouse and stepped in.  He gave out a big sigh of relief and looked around appreciating his surroundings considering he could have been a dead man--yet again.  He was glad to finally be safe at home.  The wound in his abdomen was still tender, but was mending nicely.  He had a bad feeling about his trip to Chicago from the start and knew that it could be a ruse.  Indeed he had been brutally attacked and got nowhere closer to finding his son.  However, he determined to himself that nothing would stop him from continuing on with his search.  He knew the road was long ahead of him and he needed to rethink his strategy, but first things first--Evangeline. 

He hadn't been able to call his best friend since he was attacked, so Todd quickly dropped his things, moved to his desk phone and dialed her number.  As he dialed, the fact that he also needed to track down his family flashed in his mind, knowing that everyone would be worried.  Blair would have made herself back to Llanview at some point after he left her; she should have never followed him in the first place.  He would figure all that out soon enough, but at the moment he needed to see Evangeline and talk to her-it was a natural instinct and he went with it.

No answer. 

"Evangeline, it's me.  Look, I know you've been worried, but I'm home now and I'm fine.  Don't say anything to anyone--just call me a soon as you get this message.  I need to see you right away...and about Bla...look, just call me at the penthouse when you're on your way, I don't have my cell.  I'll explain everything as soon as you get here."

After placing the phone back on the cradle, an immediate pang of worry hit deep in Todd's gut.  It was early evening and she hadn't answered.  He was surprised by the knot slowly growing in his stomach because even though he and Evangeline hadn't spoken that much in the few weeks they were apart, he expected to see her and explain things as soon as he got back.  For some reason though, her unanswered phone bothered him more than usual.

Todd looked around the penthouse again and instinctively paced with his hands in his pockets.  He stopped his movement.  "What the hell...something's going on...something's not right," he thought to himself, eyes darting at nothing specific.  "Okay..." he said aloud after a moment and blew out a deep breath expecting it would release the pit inside him.  He could feel aches all over his body now as he raised his arms and stretched, probably from the injury and stress of the past few weeks' events.  He had to stay focused though because there was lots of work ahead of him.  Evangeline would help.  That thought alone propelled him as he made his way quickly up the stairs to shower and change before ‘the beautiful one' came knocking. 

The shower and quick shave was a welcome respite.  Todd dressed and headed back downstairs to the kitchen.  He thought he was hungry and opened the fridge to survey the contents.  He settled on a beer instead and went to the living room to try Evangeline's cell again.  "Evangeline, hey sweetie, I'm home and I need you.  Call me back right away or I'll have to come searchin' for ya'," he said, half joking with a small laugh. "Can't wait to see ya.  Come over as soon as you get this."

Todd tried to ignore that knot, which had diminished somewhat from the shower, but was starting to make itself known again.  He thought about his kids and Blair.  They needed to know that he was okay, but he had to figure out a way to announce his return without totally ruining his motivation.  He was on a mission and needed all of his energy and brainpower for devising and carrying out his plans to find the kid...and making things right with Evangeline.  He certainly didn't need Blair's blathering about him abandoning her and he didn't need her following him around like a dog in heat.

The thought of ‘something more' with Evangeline had been entrenched within him way before Chicago.  Something was happening with them--something big--at least inside of him and he had every intention of seeing it through.  After all this time-from the execution, to her blindness, her relationship with the caveman, the loss of his sons and all the other drama in their lives--he finally had a chance to take their relationship to another level.  Even though she was clearly hesitant, she at least seemed more open to him.  He didn't even know what ‘open' meant, but he could feel in his heart that she was finally letting her guard down-even if just a little bit. 

He thought back again to their last meeting.  "Your sister's right, I do want something, but I don't want you to go to Chicago with me," he remembered saying.  He sensed his ‘soon to be more than' best friend wasn't all too thrilled to know that his ex-wife was with him in Chicago, especially after he had insisted that Evangeline not join him even though he had agreed to it the night before.  He remembered telling her that he no longer cared about what Blair thought and still his ex had managed to ingratiate herself upon him. 

Nevertheless, Todd had so much that he wanted to say to Evangeline-that for so many reasons he couldn't say before--and after all he had just experienced, he knew he could no longer afford to wait.  He figured he had to stop putting his feelings on hold while being too careful with her sensitivities.  He wanted so much more from her than friendship-in fact he had loved her desperately for some time now and she would know everything he was feeling tonight.  Somehow she was just going to have to deal with him.