A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews. The next few chapters may come out more slowly, but if people are still reading, I'll keep going. I was glad to see that people were sympathizing with so many different characters. Rather than simply declaring characters good or bad, I really wanted to look at the overlapping and competing notions of love and loyalty and family – and the consequences of selfish acts done in their name. This chapter should end the last of the character introduction and basic set up, and then we'll start colliding everyone together.

Chapter Six

Greenlee let out a frustrated scream before flinging the phone violently into the couch. What the hell was going on? She had gotten his voicemail again. Where was Ryan?

It had now been hours that she had been storming around the apartment cursing Kendall and Aidan. Ryan was wrapped up in their drama again. She was sure of it. Why couldn't they … all of them: Aidan, Kendall, Jonathan, Bianca, Zack, Ethan, Erica, Maria … just stay out of her life? They were like vultures, all trying to grab a piece of Ryan. They wanted his help or his love. They wanted to use him or crush him. They wanted to give to him or take from him. They wanted to blame him or praise him. And they all acted like it was the most important thing in the world. Wouldn't they ever get it? She was Ryan's wife. She and Ryan came first for each other. Hadn't they proven that a thousand times over: the well, their wedding, today when they discussed Jonathan? Nothing was going to change that. These people … all of them … needed to get their own life.

And as the time had continued to pass, she even began to fume at Ryan. Why couldn't he just let all of them go? He didn't need them ... any of them ... and especially not Kendall. Every time she tried to be nice, Kendall responded by trying to grab onto Ryan a little tighter. She had felt sorry for Kendall at the apartment, but not anymore. Yes, she could see now, now more than ever, that Ryan was right. Kendall was pathetic.

Kendall stared at the hospital room door. Erica had still not come out. She held Miranda a little tighter. The child giggled and flapped her arms in response. When Anita first handed Miranda to her, Kendall had actually considered handing the child right back. She was afraid, afraid it was be too much, that she would break down again, like in the morgue, or even worse. She didn't want Miranda to be scared. She didn't want to be the one who scared her. But, Kendall's fears were for naught. She didn't scare Miranda. If anything, the child was even more healthy and happy and animated than usual. As far as she was concerned, everything was fine. Perhaps that should have consoled Kendall, and in a way it did. And yet, she saw the awful truth underneath. Miranda would not remember her mother. Bianca would be like a princess in a fairy tale to the girl. And you couldn't know a fairy princess. Not really.

And it was then, that for the second time that day, something else took root in Kendall's despair. The first was the spark outside the morgue with Derek Frye, a desire for truth and justice and vengeance maybe even. This was the same, and yet different … truth and justice and love maybe even. She looked again at the door, and, for the first time, she was happy that Erica had not emerged. She understood, or thought she did anyway. She could help Bianca too.

The urge that overcame her then was so strong … stronger even perhaps than the despair. She had to see Bianca. She had to tell her.

She stood up and surveyed the room for someone to take Miranda. Aidan was busy with the police. Jackson was distracted by the still-closed hospital room door. Myrtle was shaking, though she was trying to hide it. When the elevator beeped, Kendall looked up, hoping to see Anita or Ethan. Instead, it was JR, with Ace in his arms, and Babe who emerged.

When the phone finally rang, it actually startled her. She dove at the couch, tearing through the pillows and cushions to dig it out before the voicemail system clicked on. "Ryan, where are you?" she demanded.

"Greenlee?" the voice, not Ryan, came back.

Greenlee rolled her eyes and let out a huff of frustration, "Who is this?"

"Is this Greenlee?" the voice asked.

"Yes," she drew the word out sarcastically, "Isn't this my number you called?"

"This is Derek Frye." There was no reaction to Greenlee's barb.

"Oh my god. Something has happened to Ryan, hasn't it?" Greenlee started frantically pacing around the room, chastising herself.

"Ryan is fine," Derek assured her, though it was not technically true. He tried again, "He's not hurt." That wasn't true either.

"I've been trying to find him," words poured out of Greenlee mouth, faster and faster, "I've been calling everywhere I can think of, but all I get is voicemail, voicemail, voicemail. I told Ryan to just let it go, but he was so angry, I think he may have ..."

Derek didn't have time for this. He interrupted, "Greenlee." She continued talking. "Greenlee!" The louder, harsher version of her name finally got her attention.

He got straight to the point, in case he was interrupted again. "Jonathan killed himself," Derek began carefully, "Ryan is down at the morgue. I think you'd better come down here."

"What?" Greenlee immediately began scanning the room for her coat and purse, which she scooped up as she spoke to Derek. "Thank you so much for calling, Derek. I'm going to the morgue right now. Goodbye."

"Greenlee, wait. Wait!"

Greenlee heard the frantic voice as she lowered the phone from her ear, but she ignored it. She didn't have any more time to waste on the likes of Derek Frye. Ryan needed her. She was his wife. She was the only one who could help him.

Their eyes met. Kendall watched confusion, and then concern, sweep across JR's face. He turned and scanned the room, and when he looked back at Kendall, he knew something was wrong. Very wrong. He headed towards her. As he neared, Miranda reached out toward him with both of her arms. JR never broke stride as he handed his own son to Babe and … without hesitation, without a word … scooped up Miranda and hugged her against his chest. Relieved and overcome, Kendall buried her head in her hands. She sensed JR sitting down next to her and then felt Miranda's hand patting at her hair.

She looked up, but did not answer the question in his eyes. "I'll just be a few minutes. I promise," she said to JR as she rubbed Miranda's head.

He nodded and a small, sad smile appeared, "Take as long as you need."

As she stood, Babe took a step back. The two stared at each other, the air charged. "Kendall?" Babe looked around the room, picking up on the distress, "What is … what is going … ?"

JR reached up from his chair and put a hand on Babe's arm. Once he had her attention, he shook his head 'no' to her. When Babe looked back, Kendall was already striding away to the elevator.

JR watched Kendall go, relieved that there hadn't been a scene. He didn't know what was wrong, but he suspected it had something to do with Bianca, who was nowhere in sight. If that was the case, and even if it wasn't, having Babe around wasn't going to help matters.

He looked back at Babe, who was looking down at Miranda. What was she thinking? How did she live with herself? How did he? They had made it through Ace's checkup together, maybe that was enough for now. "Why don't you go, Babe. Take the baby. It's okay. Call Jamie to pick you up," he said, surprising himself.

"No," she was looking not at JR, but around the room. She didn't like the vibe, and she too had noticed Bianca's absence. Maybe it was a mistake, but she said it anyway, "I think I'd like to stay, if that's okay." Then, without waiting for an answer, she sat down next to him.

JR watched Miranda's face scrunch up in delight at the sight of the other baby, and she immediately began reaching out to him, giggling happily. Babe and JR both looked up then, and their eyes met over the heads of the babies.

Kendall watched them as the elevator doors closed. She hated Babe, now more than ever perhaps. After all, what Babe took from Bianca was now so much bigger, more significant. What percentage of the time that Bianca was alive and able to be Miranda's mother had Babe stolen? 70? 80? It was an unspeakable, unpardonable theft. And yet, watching the two babies, Kendall did feel a moment of happiness. Because that too was what Bianca had wanted once upon a time.

Standing before the door of the morgue, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Last time, she was overcome by the sight of Bianca. She had heard Jackson's words in Erica's office, but they hadn't registered as truth, not really. Not until she had seen her. Because Bianca did not look like she was peaceful or sleeping. She looked dead … cold and alone and dead. Kendall had crumpled to the floor … crying, keening even. She couldn't form a word, or even a thought. There was only pain. Jackson had finally ushered her out of the room. It was too much for everyone, she supposed, to see her like that. And she had been ashamed. Her mother hadn't spoken at all and was now holed up in Maggie Stone's hospital room. But they both couldn't shut down, Kendall realized. Bianca needed them … Miranda needed them.

She entered the room slowly, but steadily. She stared straight at the drawer that she knew held Bianca. When she finally stood in front of it, she laid a palm flat against the steel door. It was so cold. She jerked her hand back and, before she could lose her nerve, she pulled up on the latch and pulled the door open. Next, she pulled out the rack that held her sisters body. It took several more deep breaths before she could bring herself to unzip the bag, but eventually, she did it. She pushed the edges back enough to see her sister's face and neck. There was bruising at the base of her neck. And though Kendall knew that she could follow that bruising down to the hole left by the bullet that killed her sister, she did not do so. She didn't need to see it to know that Bianca was dead. And she didn't need to see it to know what she had to do.

She ran the back of her hand along Bianca's cheek. It too was cold. "I didn't mean to forget to say goodbye," she began in a whisper. "And I'm sorry I made a scene," she continued, with a chuckle, "But I'm always making scenes. You know that."

She smiled down at Bianca, "I know what you would want. I think I do, anyway." Kendall shook her head, almost ruefully, and looked up, at nothing, "And I just don't know if I can do it, Bianca. I can't promise that I won't try to make them pay … everyone who hurt you." Kendall looked back down at her sister then, resolute, "But I can promise you this. I promise that loving the people you loved – Mom, Jack, Maggie, Miranda – I promise to put that first. Especially Miranda. I'll make sure that no one ever hurts her … not because of who her father is … not because of what happened after she was born … not for any reason. I promise, Bianca. I'll try to let go of what I can. I won't be pathetic or vindictive or a liar. I'll put her first. I'll be a good …," her voice finally cracked then and the tears started, "I'll be a good mother."

She could not bring herself to zip the bag closed. She shut the drawer only because she couldn't stand the thought of Bianca out there alone, exposed. The loud, metallic echo of the latch catching forced a gasp from Kendall. That gasp was echoed by a moan from across the room.

She jumped at the sound.

He was there - Ryan. Sitting with his back pressed into the corner of room. His elbows were on his knees, his head resting in his hands. When he looked up, his eyes were red. Trails of tears were visible on both sides of his face.

She stood frozen, staring at him. It was too much … too many emotions … it was happening again, overload. She couldn't let it happen again. She couldn't fall to pieces. She had promised Bianca.

She turned and ran, her high heels clicking on the morgue's tile floor.

She ran straight into Greenlee.

"You!" Greenlee spat the word, her voice full of contempt, "I should have known you'd be here. Don't you ever quit?"

Kendall, stunned, retreated several steps.

Ryan watched from where he was curled up in the corner of the morgue. What the hell had Kendall done to him, Greenlee wondered. Thank god she had gotten here when she did. She stormed over to Kendall, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her towards the door, "You don't belong here, Kendall. This is the time for me and Ryan to be there for each other. I am Ryan's wife. I am the one who will help him though this. Me!

Kendall watched as Ryan began to rise. "You're a pathetic, vindictive liar." He was on his feet now, moving closer. ""There's nothing left for us here. There's nothing at all, not for anyone."

Greenlee followed Kendall's eyes and, seeing Ryan approaching, tried once more to give Kendall the shove that would finally push her out of the room. Instead, Kendall shrugged her off and gave her a shove that backed her all the way back against the door herself.

"Get out of here." Kendall looked at Greenlee only briefly, then back at Ryan. Her voice was quiet, but menacing. Greenlee actually leaned forward a bit to hear her. "Get out of here and take her with you," Kendall growled, pointing back at Greenlee. "I don't want you two here in this room with her."

Though confused by Kendall's words, Greenlee shot back, "You don't tell Ryan and I where we can be." But she said nothing further, watching as Ryan quickly made his way over to her. Waiting for words, she was stunned when Ryan had grabbed her upper arm and ushered her the final steps to the doorway.

Greenlee dug in her heels, "We are not going anywhere," she growled, straining to look around Ryan's body at Kendall, "What is going on Ryan? Why are you letting her do this?" When Ryan let go of her, and Greenlee waited for his response.

Ryan, eyes red and face disconcerted and lost, opened his mouth to speak, but when he looked back at Kendall, she held up a hand, silencing him. "I don't want you here in this room with what's left of her." Her next words were louder, forceful and booming, "I want you out of this hospital. Away from all of us who have to clean up the mess of the not-pathetic, not-vindictive, not-empty shell Lavery family."

Confusion washed over Greenlee's face, "Ryan? What is she talking about?"

Ryan didn't answer. He turned to go, ushering Greenlee with him.

Greenlee looked back over her shoulder, meeting Kendall's cold eyes, "What is going on? What is she talking about? Ryan? Ryan?"

Kendall could still hear Greenlee saying Ryan's name as the large steel door closed. And then, mercifully, there was silence.

She didn't know how long it took, and she didn't hear the door reopen.

"Kendall?" Zack's voice was soft, careful." When she didn't answer, or even turn towards him, he continued, "Shall we go back upstairs and check on your mother?"

She turned towards him then, eyes wide, looking small and frail and utterly spent. She nodded wordlessly and headed towards him.

As she approached, he was struck by the knowledge that somewhere in this cold, sterile room was Bianca Montgomery's body. Had the Cambius curse finally caught up with even her? He thought not. This was something else. Miranda, the light and the hope of so many had been attacked on all sides … by the Carey and the Laverys and the Haywards of the world. You didn't survive the Cambius curse only to be brought down by the selfish and the weak. That Zack knew. And for the first time, Zack felt like a father, or at least the patriarch. Yes, he thought, as the door closed behind he and Kendall, he would avenge his family.