Disclaimers: I don't own the rights to the characters. But if TPTB don't put them on screen for over two weeks, then I'm going to invite them out to play.

A/N: The idea for this story came to me based on some postings by Canada Woman and Princess Charming on the After Ellen Bianca/Marissa forum. The location of the music box in Bianca and Marissa's home as well as it spurring Marissa's breakdown are their ideas. The soapy, cheesy melodrama and not quite accurate medical information, as well as any other errors, are all mine. I hope you enjoy it.

Forevermore

"I love you, too. See you soon." Marissa purposely deepened her voice on the last word, offering a promise of things to come. She ended the call and placed the phone on the mahogany dining room table, which she'd already set for their romantic evening. Candles, flowers, wine. Tomorrow the kids would be returning from camp and neither she nor Bianca could wait for their complete family to be under the same roof again. But tonight was going to be theirs. Theirs. They'd moved into the house nearly a year ago and sometimes Marissa still didn't believe she had finally found what she'd been searching so long for. She was sitting in their dining room, in their home. Tonight they would be in their bed. Marissa blushed slightly, feeling desire begin to flare. "Oh, Miss Montgomery," she smiled to herself, "the plans I have for you."

Marissa glanced at the custom made wall clock from Switzerland that Erica had given them as a housewarming present. It kept perfect time. Knowing Erica, it had probably cost a fortune, but as Bianca had once said, Erica always did know what to buy. Ten to Seven. Bianca should be home any minute.

"Any minute" was taking longer than expected. Seven-thirty and Bianca still wasn't home. A small nagging feeling began to grow in Marissa's stomach. Even if Bianca had been stuck in traffic, she should have been home by now, or she would have at least called. Marissa dialed Bianca's number for the third time and for the third time it went straight to voicemail. "Hey," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "Where are you? "

An hour later and the nagging feeling had blossomed into full blown worry. Where could she be? Marissa had already called the Miranda Center, thinking perhaps that she had been delayed by an emergency, but the staff said Bianca had left at her usual time. She'd placed another half dozen calls to her, all of which continued to go right to voicemail.

Marissa paced the length of the dining room, clutching her phone. Maybe she should call Kendall. Chances were that if something caused Bianca to deviate from her normal behavior it involved either her sister or her mother and since Jack and Erica were off on the European leg of her book tour, Kendall was the most likely choice. Before she could search her contact list for the number, Beethoven's 3rd Symphony sounded in her hand.

A local number flashed across the display screen, but not one that she immediately recognized. For a moment, she considered not answering it, thinking it could be a client and she was definitely not in the right frame of mind to dispense legal advice right now. But that worried feeling that was eating away at her insides told her she should answer.

"Hello?" she answered tentatively

"Hi Marissa. Jake Martin," came the calm voice on the other end. Too calm. Marissa knew from experience, good news did not accompany that tone of voice in a doctor.

She felt her knees buckle and grabbed the back of one of the dining room chairs for support.

"Yes, Jake. What can I do for you?" Her voice didn't sound right to her own ears

"I'm calling from the hospital," he continued in the same soothing tone. "Bianca's just been brought in. She was in an accident."

Marissa's blood turned to ice in her veins and the clock hands she'd been watching all night seemed to stop. Painful memories swirled around her, pulling her back to another house and another call. The last time she'd received a call like this, Roy and Lydia Tasker, the only parents she had ever known, were dead.

"Marissa. Marissa?" she dimly heard Jake's voice calling her name. "Marissa? Are you there?"

"Yes. I'm here." She swallowed hard before asking the next question. "How badly is she hurt?"

"Come to the hospital. We'll talk when you get here."