I am sat reading a book on the couch on the Monday, the high school had a vacation day, the kids school however, did not, so I had dropped them and come home for a day of rest, alone, curled up with a book.

I look down to the arm of the couch as my phone buzzes and it's a message from Sam, we had slept together on Saturday, an evening spent in my old bedroom. I didn't think I would ever sleep with a girl in that bed again, but as the guests all partied away outside, Sam undressed me with speed and threw me down for round two. It was something I could tell she had been thinking about as she had kissed me hungrily and ran her hands down my body as I unbuttoned her shirt in the same vain. Two hours this time, without Leah on my mind, and this time Sam was a little more familiar. Perhaps I enjoyed it more, because deep down strangers didn't connect me to the emotional experience of sex, and sleeping with them didn't give me everything I desired. That is why being with Leah, who I loved, it had been a different experience entirely. She had made love to me, and that was what sex with strangers lacked, the emotion.

S- Don't be mad that I've not vanished into a ghostly puff of smoke... Lydia gave me your number and I'm hoping you will agree to round three, or if not, perhaps a drink? X Sam

I place the phone back down and consider it for a minute, looking vacantly out of the window before being drawn back to the front door by the bell.

I place the book down and walk out to the hallway, looking at the security and seeing Teddy stood there with a black t shirt, grey sweats and a black snapback on backwards. I frown and open it up and she looks to me and reaches for the ladder that she had placed against the wall "what the..." i muse looking at the ladder and then to Teddy "what are you doing here" I ask.

She points up toward the camera on the wall that faces the door "a little DIY" she muses with a smile and she reaches down and grabs a baseball bat "and I brought you a present" she says holding up the shiny new bat.

I watch as she enters the house "where is the security plugged into" she asks.

I am still reeling with questions "Teddy what are you doing" I ask confused.

She looks to me "Morgan I will tell you in four short minutes" she counters.

I groan and point to a cupboard down the hall. "The security hub is in there... lots of wires. I'm not sure what's what" I say.

She places the ladder against the hall wall and flings open the cupboard "ah ha" she says disappearing inside.

The sounds of plastic smashing makes me run over and look inside as Teddy smashed the last bit of tech from the wall with the baseball bat and pulled out every wire with her bare hands. "Theodora that was tens of thousands of dollars worth of security" I say open mouthed.

She turns and smiles "and now it's useless"

She enters the hallway "but just incase" she says placing the ladder against the wall, and she climbs up. Then, using her own brute strength she pulls the camera from the wall revealing the wires hanging out the back of it

"Fucking hell Teddy... have you lost your damn mind" I shout.

She climbs back down and moves into the kitchen and does the same, and then in the family room before returning to me where I stand completely confused and beyond frustrated "any more" she asks.

I point to the back sliding door "there's one pointing at the pool" I say, just letting her carry on at this point since I would have to get a new system installed anyway.

When the last camera is out Teddy walks back into the kitchen and throws five cameras down onto the floor with a large smile "Better get cable now you toxic bitch" she mutters.

I frown "are you talking to me" I ask.

She shakes her head and takes my hand "No of course not" she says pulling me down to sit beside her at the kitchen table. "Morg... Annie's been watching you on these cameras" she reveals holding my hand.

I frown.

"What... no she can't have" I say and my mind begins to whirl "why would you say that" I ask.

She squeezes my hand "because she told Leah that... and she saw you both together here... before Christmas. She watched you together Morg"

I felt sick as I drew my hand back and held them against my forehead "When did Annie talk to Leah" I ask realising that this was the more important question.

Teddy suddenly looked pained as she took my hands back from my face and held them. A look of remorse on her face for what she was about to reveal.

"Annie was the person who bid on Leah on New Years Eve" Teddy reveals slowly.

I feel the tears push up behind my eyelashes and I stand up pushing the chair away from the table so violently it falls with a loud clang to the hard floor. Teddy stands with me watching me panic, watching the truth hit me... a horrific realisation seeping into my mind "what did she do to Leah" I ask.

Teddy gulps, her eyes wildly taking me in like she thought I may break right there in front of her.

"She told her if she didn't end it with you ... she would take the children. She said she would take your money... and that she would leave you with nothing. Leah felt she had no choice" Teddy reveals.

I shake my head. "No no" I repeat "Why would Leah agree to that"

"Because Annie promised in return to give you sixty percent with the kids and a big pay out... and to leave you alone. Annie said if Leah disappeared she would divorce you and set you free"

I sit back down on another chair because my legs felt as if they may give way.

"Morgan, Leah gave you up for your kids... for you so you would be set free, finally, set free" she says, taking the seat opposite "Leah said she was so worried about you... about bruises she had seen on you Morg... that she was desperate to get Annie away from you and if that meant potentially breaking your heart until the divorce was finalised... she had to do it"

I wipe the tears from my cheeks and try and take a breath, but it's like a heavy weight is on my chest.

"Morgan" Teddy says quietly reaching across and wiping my cheek again of tears "you never told me that Annie was violent with you"

I look up and she has tears in her own eyes "I didn't want you to get hurt trying to help" I say quietly.

She shakes her head as a tear falls and she wipes it away from her chin "Morgan you are my family. I can't believe I didn't know. I'm so sorry I didn't" she whispers.

I reach back and cup her cheek "Theodora it is not your responsibility to save everyone. You have your own family now... and I am a big girl... I took it"

"But what did she do to you" she asks.

I lean down and bury my face in my arms as she moves around the table and holds me, tears held in for months, releasing all at once in an intense wave of emotion that shook me to my core. Teddy strokes my hair softly until I can form a sentence and then as I sit up she pulls me into her arms "it's okay you don't have to tell me" she whispers.

I nod against her chest "Thank you" I say through sobs.

"Leah came to me yesterday" Teddy reveals "she was a mess Morg.. she wanted to tell you all of this herself but you told her you didn't want to see her, and she's against forcing you to. She said if you don't want her to come she won't, but she's so sorry she hurt you... she's absolutely heartbroken about it"

I suck up the emotion, and wipe my eyes dry "She's not with Spencer" I ask.

Teddy shakes her head "she never was... she just had to make you leave and she knew that was the one thing that would make you" she reveals.

I shake my head, feeling anger begin to replace my heartache "So Leah lies to me, tells me the one thing I have a fear about is true to get rid of me... and Annie is a psycho who has tried to manipulate my entire life, and still is by the way" I say thinking of the way she's been trying to sleep with me and all the crap I can now see was a lie "oh my god Teddy everyone has manipulated me... everyone in my life who should have loved me... took my fate and decided to manipulate it... both Annie and Leah... How dare anyone think that they can decide my path, or change it. This is my life and I should be old enough to make my own decisions, and steer my own god damned ship... fuuuuuuck" I scream.

"Morgan please" Teddy says trying to soothe me, but I'm furious, beyond furious and I pick up my cell and dial Annie "what are you doing" Teddy asks.

I place my finger against her lips and look to her intensely as the phone picks up "Morg you okay" comes Annie's voice.

I take a moment to clear my throat "I'm ready to be fucked senseless" I lie.

She laughs "I'm on the way" she says pleased that her plan was working.

I set down the cell and release Teddys lips "she's on the way" I announce.

Teddy's eyes widen "if she comes here I might kill her"

I look to her and poke her in the rib "this is my fight don't you dare steal my moment... nobody is taking what's mine ever again"

I grab a glass of water and sip it "go out back and wait will you. I don't want her to see you here" I ask.

Teddy is about to refuse but sees the anger in my eyes "okay... your fight... got it. I'm outside with a baseball bat though...please remember that" she says grabbing it and disappearing out through the sliding door.

I go upstairs to freshen up and try and make it look less like I've been crying.

***

The crackle of the gravel under tyres makes me look out the front window, and Annie appears, immaculate of course in a dark suit. She opens the door and enters with her key, which I take from her fingers pretending to be playful as she enters. I slip it into my back pocket and she looks to me teasingly "are we playing a game" she asks, shutting the door.

I nod "oh yes" I say grabbing her shirt collar and kissing her forcefully which takes her by surprise. Her hands find my hips and then move up my flesh, desperate touches like she had been longing for this for so long. I push her against the wall which makes her thud against it hard and she frowns "a little aggressive no" she asks.

I smirk "you like it this way don't you" I taunt.

She smiles then, because she doesn't see my meaning, and she tries to grab my hair but I duck away and into the kitchen where she follows and grabs my waist pushing me back into the kitchen counter. Her lips hungrily taking mine again as I reach into her silk shirt and rip it open, sending buttons scattering across the hard floors and exposing her entire chest. Her heart is beating wildly beneath her breasts. "That was expensive" Annie chastised "what will I wear back to work" she asks me.

I smile "how many times have you ripped my clothing and embarrassed me at parties or events Annie"

She cocks an eyebrow at me "you've been playing with a submissive I see..." she says gritting her teeth "well we both no that's not me... and I don't take turns" she says grabbing my pants and trying to push the zip down so that she can dominate me and throw me down on the table. I knew her next move before she did and I take her wrist and twist it hard which makes her features screw up in pain, but mostly in anger. She pulls my hand off of her wrist with her spare hand but not after I've left a finger bruise on her flesh, as she had done me. She looks to me, her eyes narrowing, a look I had seen before, fury at disobedience. She slaps me so hard around the cheek, that my head whips sideways, and the blood that comes from the cut against my cheek runs down my fingers there as I touch it.

I look back to her narrowing my own eyes "you fucking bitch" I curse.

She rolls her eyes "don't be so dramatic Morgan... it was just a slap... and you started this not me... you goaded me"

I shake my head and walk away out of reach before looking back at her and laughing.

She looks confused "what are you laughing at" she asks. She starts to look mad as the laughter just keeps coming. She looked so ridiculous stood there all dishevelled, her hair out of place, her lipstick smudged, and her clothes torn... very unlike Annie. "You really thought you could get me back by getting rid of Leah" I ask.

She looks caught off guard and shakes her head "I don't know what you are talking about" she lies

I laugh again "Oh Annie the game is up... you're a psychotic bitch... and I'm sorry but you're going to have to find someone else to watch, you freak, because Morgan TV has been cancelled after one season. You know violating my privacy like that... I could send you to jail for that...for a multitude of offences including harassment. Just so you know, so you finally get it....I wouldn't have come back to you... I've just started seeing someone else... I fucked her Saturday night instead of you... so it was never about Leah. It was about you, being bad for me, we are not ever reuniting Annie, never" I state.

She steps forward toward me and pushes me into the table before grabbing my wrists and holding them so hard against the table top I wince and whimper as she lowers herself inches from my face "don't fuck with me Morgan" she says aggressively against my cheek.

"You're hurting me" I cry out.

She looks me over like I'm nothing "I am the mother of your children...how can you treat me this way" I say angrily.

A flicker of realisation goes over her eyes and she releases me instantly "I'm sorry" she begs "I didn't mean to hurt you"

"Why does it take the children to make you stop. Why have you never loved me enough to stop for me" i ask.

She shakes her head and actually begins to cry as she stumbles back into the kitchen and steadies herself on the counter with both hands "I love you so much I can't see straight Morgan... it's too much... too powerful...and it sometimes makes me so angry I hurt you. I don't mean to... my god I don't mean to" she says looking to me remorsefully.

"But I can't see anything but you ... and it's driving me to distraction, you, you drive me to distraction" she says.

I believe her, I do. I've always known it, that whatever she felt, she felt it too much and as her mother warned me years before, it didn't do to be the object of Annie's affection.

"You have to let me go Annie for your own mental health ... because if you don't you won't just destroy me or you... you will take us all down with you. Do you want to be the reason your children suffer" I ask.

She shakes her head as tears fall and she pushes her dark hair behind both ears "I don't want to hurt my children... I don't ... and I would never have taken them from you .... Despite what I said to Leah. I was bluffing ... I would never hurt my children"

"I know you wouldn't hurt them on purpose but you would have eventually if you kept on with this quest for me... it would have hurt us all"

The back screen door opens and Teddy walks in assessing the damage and then when I turn to her she sees the blood on my face and she grits her teeth and moves across the room toward Annie who holds out her hands "Teddy whatever you think you have it wrong" she begs.

Teddy grabs her up by her shirt collar so quickly, lifting her into the air "That you have hurt my family... slapped and punched your wife perhaps" she asks.

Annie shakes her head "it's not like that" she begs.

Teddy throws her back down to the floor "looks like you accidentally bust her cheek open then...is that what happened" Teddy shouts angrily.

Annie gets back onto her feet and points at Teddy "you know nothing" she says spitefully "you've hardly been around in years Teddy so what the hell would you know"

Teddy shakes her head "I wish I could punch you sooo bad... but I will not lower myself to a little bitch's level ... unlike you I don't hit women... but if you don't get out of this house by the time I count to five I'm going to hit you so hard you won't come back from it... do you understand... and if I hear you have touched her again Annie... so help me god I will be back with my gun..."

With that Annie looks to me pained by what has happened today. I can see it on her face when she sees the blood there, and what she's done. It never gets easier to witness, the wounds after the anger subsides, and they are never easy to see.

"I'm so sorry" she apologises, and she looks to Teddy "I am Teddy... and I will go away and work on making it better... myself better" and she turns as Teddy starts counting to five slowly and loudly. "ONE... TWO..."

When the front door slams shut I fall down onto my knees and Teddy rushes over and bends down onto hers and takes me into her embrace. She strokes my hair and holds me against her "it's going to be okay... shhh it's going to be okay" she whispers as she soothes away the tears and the fear, every emotion coming at once and releasing.

"We are going to get this wound checked out, and clear this mess up. You can take a shower, and have a hot drink. I will go collect the kids from school and take them out somewhere... a movie and a pizza...how about that" she offers.

I look up at her and run my thumb over her deep dimple "god I love you dimple popper ... what would I do without you"

She smiles and kisses my forehead "good thing we don't need to find out" she says "and I love you too Morg... so much" she says squeezing me tighter.

Teddy had this amazing way of making you feel taken care of, even as a teenager I remembered it, that knack she had to fill a room, and make it feel warmer, safer, and like she would take on the world for you. We all felt it, everybody she loved, a little like life was that much lighter with Theodora Nomikos in it. I would never forget today, or the way she held me together whilst I broke apart, but she did, and as the weeks would pass I would start to heal, and my thoughts would finally return to Leah.

M- Can I come to your next game? I think we need to have that talk...

L- Morgan! Yes, of course, I will send you a ticket. When? X

M- Tomorrow? x

L- I think my heart may just have left my body... but I am looking forward to finally seeing you. I've missed you Morgan, SO much x

M- Leah...

L- Morgan...

M- Don't hurt me...

L- I won't.... I promise... just give me a chance.

M- See you tomorrow... you better win 🏆

L- watch me 💪🏼

M- Tomorrow x

L- Tomorrow x

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