Todd Manning was shocked speechless. Completely and absolutely at his ex wife's words. They had been spit out in the same accusatory tone he knew all too well, though this time more heavily accented than he ever remembered and slurred from scotch. His world blurred and his mind tuned out everything. The piano music playing, Blair's rambling and reaching for a fresh drink, his meeting with Jameson. All of it. Todd's mind played the words over and over. Before he could fully process what Blair had said, surely she had been mistaken, his mind drifted further. He saw a little girl, Joss's age, with blonde hair and big blue eyes and Starr and Hope's smile running to him arms outstretched.

He remembered her whispered words, in the throes of her grief and their passion the night Jason Morgan had died, that she couldn't have anymore children. Todd didn't know the reason but he had researched her ex husband's. He knew of the circumstances that surrounded Morgan's birth. Todd himself felt the raised scar on the right side of her head, at her hairline, every time he ran his fingers through her hair or held her head in his hands. White hot rage flowed through him, unlike any other he'd ever experienced, each time his fingers grazed it. He was glad Sonny was locked up in that asylum before he'd ever felt it. Todd knew he wouldn't he been able to control his rage at the diminutive mobster. He had come to know her body well. His fingers and lips had teased the long, faint scar that marred her pelvis, evidence of Michael's birth, as he knew her other two had been natural births. But he suspected it was the violence surrounding Jocelyn's birth that had led to her infertility. Her poor body had suffered tremendously to bear the children she had. It was that. The idea of her struggling to carry his that snapped him back.

"Where is she, Blair?" He demanded of his ex wife.

"Who?" Blair really was drunk if she had lost track of the turn this conversation had taken.

"Carly! Where is she?"

"In the ER at General Hospital, Starr was visiting with her when I left to check on Michael." The look on Todd's face quickly sobering her.

"Why was she..never mind." Todd was finished with Blair.

He threw four twenty dollar bills on the bar to cover her drinks and grabbing her upper arm, he pulled her off of the bar stool and headed towards the elevator with her stumbling behind him. He impatiently threw her into the elevator and pushed the button for his floor. Todd intended to get to General Hospital as quickly as he could but he had to deal with Blair first. He didn't want Jack or especially little Sam to see her in this condition. Blair knew all too well the look on his face and she decided not to engage him instead she allowed him to push her into his suite.

"Sleep it off here. I will tell the nanny where you are."

With those words he stormed out the door slamming in his wake.

As Todd stalked through the lobby he dialed the room where Blair, Sam and Jack had been staying with Sam's nanny. Reaching her he quickly filled her in on where Blair was.

Todd walked into the ER at General Hospital where so much tragedy had occurred. Where he had been told of his granddaughter's death, where he had spent countless hours with Carly during the pathogen scare and just days ago watched as the doctors worked to revive Carly's oldest child. It was also where they had schemed together on the day of their meeting, both dressed in scrubs determined to sneak in to see loved one's that they had been banned from seeing. Now he was there less than a year later to find out if that amazing creature that had been so devious and delicious in her scheming that day was carrying his child.

The large competent Head Nurse with the funny name directed him to a curtained off section of the ER. As he pulled the curtain back he was shocked to find an elderly man on oxygen occupying the bed he had expected to see her in. Pulling the curtain back in place her heard her. Todd had to listen carefully to determine which cubicle she was in, he didn't want to see anything he couldn't unsee. When he stopped in front of her cubicle and was about to pull back the curtain he heard another woman. The only words he heard were "ectopic, you could die." And he heard Carly say "No." The conversation was muddled and didn't make sense. He stood immobile outside the curtained off cubicle and listened.

"Carly, it is a miracle that you even conceived but you know there is a slim chance this pregnancy isn't tubal."

"But there is a chance. You can't say for sure yet."

"No, even with the best equipment it's hard to see a pregnancy less than five weeks after your last period. But given your history we simply can't rule it out."

"I haven't had any pain or bleeding."

"You did faint. We can't be sure that this isn't the cause. Carly, we want to treat this obviously before it ruptures but also while it's still early enough to treat with an injection of methotrexate."

"NO! Get out, I will not do it." Carly raged.

Todd slowly walked away. He had felt this pregnancy would be dangerous given her prior pregnancies and deliveries but words like "ruptured" and the doctor's tone had left him feeling cold and numb. He was walking to the waiting area where he could see when that doctor left when he bumped into the male nurse that had accompanied the awkward young girl to his office that day asking for funding for a charity.

"Hello, handsome." the obviously gay nurse flirted with him.

"I remember you."

"Well, I'm glad I'm as unforgettable as you are." Felix crooned admiring the fierce older man again, "Though I should be cross with you for not underwriting the Nurses Ball."

That's right, it was a ball they had wanted him to fund.

"Tell you what, if you answer my questions I'll buy five tables." Todd needed answers from a medical professional and this young nurse would have to suffice.

"Ten." Felix bargained, though he knew he would have answered any question this man had for nothing. Plus he had a haunted look about him that Felix's nurturing nature noticed and couldn't ignore.

"Fine whatever," Todd grumbled, "What can you tell me about tubal pregnancies?"

The flirtatious easy going manner was gone in a flash replaced by grim detachment. Felix didn't know much about the infamous owner of the local paper but he thought he had read in a Blind Item in his own gossip section that he was dating a prominent local figure.

"I'm sorry Mr. Manning." Felix started, "Most women are able to have viable healthy pregnancies after."

"After what?" Todd demanded then softened his tone, he realized this young man was being too sympathetic for this to be good news.

"Tubal pregnancies are not viable, they need to be addressed before they rupture and cause permanent damage to the mother."

"She could die?"

"Ectopic pregnancies are life threatening to the mother. However, most very early tubal pregnancies can and are resolved without any lasting damage."

"It's going to be ok, Mr. Manning." Felix was becoming truly concerned for this man. Todd's face had turned white and his eyes had become almost wild.

"Thanks." Todd mumbled as he saw a woman emerge from the curtained section Carly was in.

"Call my office, my assistant will handle the details of paying for the tables."

With that Todd went to the cubicle holding Carly and slowly pulled back the curtain. Her eyes were closed and her breathing even and deep. She was asleep, probably from a sedative flowing into her from the IV. Carly's face was red and her eyes puffy from crying. Todd sat down in the chair next to her bed. He pushed a few gold tendrils that had slipped lose from the low ponytail off of her face. Held the hand without the IV, rubbing his thumb over it, the cool skin warmed at his touch and then he looked down. At her womb. His child lay there, they had made a baby. He couldn't completely wrap his mind around it, at their age they had made a baby. He had been a grandfather and she had two grown sons. He put his free hand there, right over her womb. He actually felt resentment towards it. Right now, it was jeopardizing her life. If she wanted children they could try for more, though he had no desire to endanger her with another pregnancy. They could adopt. He'd buy her a child if she wanted but right now he couldn't stop himself from wanting this one gone. His worry and fear, increasing by the second, of it rupturing and causing her anymore pain was becoming suffocating.

The intense emotions he was feeling weren't new. Since that first night together, he had loved her. He realized that now. He truly was in love with her and wanted to protect her. Wanted more than that. Todd wanted to marry her and share his life with her. And he would no matter what it took. She was his now.

Carly opened her eyes, the fog from the sedative clouding her mind. She felt more than saw Todd there at her side. His hand was laying on her lower abdomen, his head resting on her bed next to her hand. He knew. How had he found out? Starr. She must have told him. He looked tense even in sleep. She took the hand next to his head and ran her fingers through his too long hair. He stirred and looked up into her eyes.

"Hey." She whispered.

"Are you ok? Do I need to get the doctor? " Todd worriedly asked.

"No, I feel fine. I'm just pregnant." Carly tried to make it sound light as though there was nothing to worry about, but it fell flat, probably due to the sedatives.

Carly had decided she would tell just tell him, though she knew he was aware.

"Not for long." Todd fiercely responded.

And with those words, Carly's heart shattered and leaning up she shoved him away.

"Get out. Don't come back, ever." Her eyes fierce and cold.