A/N: Thanks as always for reading, reviewing and following! I appreciate it. Sorry for not posting last week. The chapter wasn't where I wanted it to be, and to avoid stressing myself out over it, I continued to work on it. I'm posting today because I'm leaving on vacation later today and won't have my laptop with me. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update! Oh, check out my A/N at the bottom.
/
"I know. I think we may need to …" Marissa didn't get to finish her thought.
"Mommies". Gabby rasped as she slowly opened her eyes.
Both women snapped their heads in Gabby's direction and jumped up from their seats to get closer to her.
"Gabby, sweetie!"
"Monkey!"
"It's hurts."
Marissa leaned in and kissed her daughter's forehead. "I'll tell them she's awake."
Bianca nodded as Marissa dashed from the room. The brunette quickly turned her attention back to Gabby.
"Mommy."
"I'm right here, baby. I know it hurts, but Mommy is getting Dr. Parrish. You'll feel better real soon. I promise." Bianca kissed her daughter and smoothed her bangs away from her forehead. "Do you want Minx? Mommy brought him for you."
"Uh huh." Gabby squeezed the stuffed monkey as tight as she could. She couldn't recall ever hurting this much.
Bianca continued to soothe her daughter as best she could. Seeing her little girl like this was tearing her up inside.
Marissa returned with a nurse in what seemed like hours but in reality was just a minute or two later. When Dr. Parrish entered just seconds after them, the mothers reluctantly stepped back to let the doctor do her work.
The doctor smiled and talked to Gabby as she examined her. She noted the stuffed monkey the little girl was clutching tightly. "And who is this?"
"Minx. Mommy got him for me."
"Minx, huh?"
"Uh huh. Aunt G helped me name him. He's named after my Mommies."
The doctor glanced at the couple with a confused expression. They simply shrugged and nodded.
"Well, he's awfully cute. Okay, I need you to take a real big breath for me."
Gabby did as requested and continued to follow the doctor's instructions. Every so often, she would glance over to her mothers who gave her encouraging smiles. When the exam was over, Dr. Parrish spoke to a nurse who nodded and left the room.
"I have to say, Gabby, that you are one of my best and bravest patients. I asked Nurse Laura to get you something that will help you not hurt so much, okay?"
"K." The little girl nodded. "Mommy, could I have something to drink? My throat hurts."
"It's fine." The doctor answered at the questioning look Bianca directed her way.
Bianca grabbed the small plastic pitcher the hospital provided and filled it up in the sink in the restroom. When she returned she poured water into a cup and helped Gabby take a few small sips.
While Bianca was doing that, Marissa was speaking quietly with the doctor. The brunette could see her wife nod as a relieved expression spread across her face.
The nurse returned and administered the requested pain medication through the IV in Gabby's hand.
Before she left, Dr. Parrish smiled. "I'll see you again in a little bit, Gabby. You get some rest and listen to your moms, okay?"
"K." Her eyes were already starting to close.
When they were alone, Bianca turned to her wife. "So?"
"Dr. Parrish said she was very pleased with Gabby's progress. Her cognitive functions are good, and her lungs are still clear. The pain that Gabby has right now is expected, and they gave her something mild for the pain based on her exam. Gabby's going to sleep on and off for a while. It's her body's way of helping her heel. When she wakes up again, they'll see about getting her something to eat."
"Oh, thank god! That's such good news." Bianca's shoulders sagged in relief.
"This is even better news. Her condition has been upgraded to stable."
"Really?" Bianca asked hopefully.
Marissa smiled and nodded. "Really."
"Oh my gosh, that is better. I feel like I can breathe again. I was so worried about her. I …"
"I know." Marissa held her wife as they both gazed down at their daughter.
/
Sometime later, Bianca went for a short walk to stretch her legs. She hadn't wanted to go at first, but Marissa insisted saying she needed a break. Bianca finally relented but wasn't going to go very far. She decided to take care of a few things while she was out. With her wife's car keys in hand, she went to the parking lot, found the redhead's car, and retrieved the remaining bags Marissa had left there. Instead of going back inside right away, Bianca took a seat on a bench in a small garden the hospital had put in. She pulled out her cellphone and called home. She and Marissa had talked about giving the kids an update on their sister and had decided that Bianca would call them during her break. As expected, they were thrilled and wanted to talk to Gabby. Bianca told them that she was asleep, but that they would call back in a little while when she was awake again. The brunette spoke briefly with Carol and gave her the good news about Gabby and also thanked her for all of her help. When their conversation was over, Bianca called her mom.
"Bianca, sweetheart, is everything alright?"
"Yeah, Mom, it is. It really is. After they removed the ventilator, Gabby woke up a couple of hours later. Dr. Parrish examined her and upgraded her condition to stable."
"Oh, that is wonderful! What about pain? Is she in much?"
"Some, but they gave her something for it. She's resting now."
"I am so glad to hear that. You and Marissa have to be so relieved."
"We are. Marissa's been amazing during all of this, Mom. I don't know that I could get through this without her."
"Well, you don't have to worry about that now, do you? Marissa is not going anywhere. How are she and the kids doing?"
"Miranda and AJ want to visit Gabby or at least talk to her. For now though, visiting is out of the question, and she's sleeping right at the moment. According to Dr. Parrish, she'll be doing that for a bit."
"Her body needs to heal."
"Yes, it does. As for Marissa, she's a rock. I know this is just as hard on her as it is for me though. Maybe now that Gabby's out of the woods, we'll be able to talk, and I can be there for her like she's there for me.
"I have every faith that you will be, sweetheart. Do you think I'll be able to see Gabby later? I was planning on coming over shortly. Jack and I want to check on Greenlee as well."
"Yes, you can definitely see Gabby. How's Greenlee?"
"Ryan called this morning and said she was doing better. She still has symptoms from the concussion, but they are not as bad as they were yesterday."
"That's good to hear. Rissa and I were talking earlier and want to visit her." Bianca heard a beep letting her know she had another call. A quick glance at the display told her who it was. "Mom, Kendall's calling."
"Go ahead and talk to her. I'll see you soon. I know she's anxious to hear about Gabby."
"Thanks, Mom. See you soon."
/
With her call to Erica over, Bianca clicked over to take her sister's call. "Hey, Kendall. I was going to give you a call in a few minutes."
"Hi, Binx. You sound better than you did last night. I'm taking that as a good sign?"
"It's a very good sign. Gabby's off the ventilator and resting. Dr. Parrish upgraded her condition to stable."
"Oh, that's great news, Binx. How's everybody else? Did you get any sleep last night?"
"We're all hanging in there. I got a couple of hours."
"Binx …"
"I'm okay. I'll get some sleep later. I feel like I'll be able to now." Bianca paused for a moment. "Kendall, how's Greenlee? Rissa said she overheard you and Ryan talking yesterday, and she got the impression that something wasn't right, that maybe Greenlee was blaming herself for what happened."
Kendall sighed. "I was afraid Red heard that. Yeah, Greenlee does feel responsible for Gabby being hurt. She also thinks that the two of you hate her because of it."
"You know that's not true. Greenlee wasn't responsible for any of this, and there is no way that Rissa or I could hate her."
"I know that, and you know that. Greenlee though? She doesn't, at least not right now. Look, I was just getting ready to drop Lexie off at her sitter's and come over there. We'll talk some more then, okay? I don't want you to worry about this right now. You and Red need to focus on Gabby."
"I'll see you soon then. Gabby will be happy to see you." Bianca decided to drop this for now, but she and Marissa were not going to let this go. Greenlee meant too much to them and had helped them in the past. They were going to repay the favor one way or the other.
"I'm going to be happy to see her too, as well as both of her Mommies. See you soon."
Bianca checked the time and decided she had taken a long enough break. She really wanted to see Gabby again.
/
"What happened? Why am I in the hospital? Am I gonna be okay?"
Bianca and Marissa glanced at each other and smiled. This was the Gabby they knew, the curious one, the one with a thousand questions. For them, this was a very good sign.
"Well, you're going to be a little sore and tired for a bit, but you are going to be more than okay, Monkey. The reason you're here is because you and Greenlee were in a car accident. Someone wasn't paying attention when they were driving like they should have been and ran a red light. When they did that, they hit Greenlee's car."
"Oh, I don't remember that."
Bianca was glad about that. She didn't want her daughter to have to relive what happened. It was bad enough that she was injured, but to have to live with that memory was too much for Bianca to think about. "That's okay, sweetie."
"Is Aunt G alright?"
"She was hurt too but is going to be just fine."
"Do you think she's mad at me?"
Marissa was confused by that question. "Why would you think she would be mad at you?"
Gabby bit her lip. "When we left the party, I kinda didn't want to ride in my booster seat, and told her so. Aunt G made me though. She said I had to 'cause it was the law, and if I didn't she could get in trouble. I didn't want her to get in trouble. I'm sorry."
The couple glanced at each other and knew they were definitely going to be talking to Greenlee.
"We've talked about this, Gabby."
"I know. I'm sorry."
Bianca sighed. It was impossible to be angry at daughter at a time like this. "I know you are, but there's a reason why you have to sit in that seat. Being in that seat stopped you from getting hurt worse."
"Really?" Gabby asked with eyes wide.
"Really. So, do you promise us that you'll sit in it and not complain about it?" Bianca asked.
"I promise, Mommy."
"Thank you, sweetie."
"Do you think I could see Aunt G? I want to thank her and make sure she's alright."
A nurse knocked on the door and poked her head inside. "Hi, Gabby."
"Hi, Nurse Laura."
"Do you want to try and eat something?"
"What do you say, sweetie? Are you maybe a little hungry and want to try just a little something?"
Gabby scrunched her face and her tummy grumbled a little. "I guess I'm little hungry, Mommy."
"I tell you what, Monkey. You eat something, and I will check on Greenlee and see if she's up to visit. What do you think?"
"I'd like that a whole bunch, Mommy." Gabby smiled. When she had woken back up, she wasn't in as much pain as she had been the first time, and her mothers were relieved about that.
Marissa kissed her daughter's forehead. "I'll be back, and I'm going to stop by the cafeteria to get us something to eat, B."
Bianca chuckled and gave her wife a quick kiss. "Sounds good."
/
Marissa gently tapped on the door to Greenlee's room before stepping inside. The redhead smiled when she saw her friend. "Hey."
"Hi." Greenlee shifted to get more comfortable and winced.
"Let me help, okay?" Marissa waited for Greenlee to nod before helping her.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. How are you doing?"
"I'm doing okay. How's Gabby?"
"Better. Much better. Where's Ryan?"
"He went to grab something from the cafeteria. So Gabby?"
"I don't know how much anyone's told you."
"Not much to be honest."
Marissa pulled up a chair and sat down. "First of all, on behalf of Bianca and myself, thank you."
Greenlee couldn't hide her shock. "Why are you thanking me? It's because of me that Gabby is here."
"That's not true …"
"Yes, it is. If she hadn't been with me, then she wouldn't have been injured and have to be here."
"Oh, I see." Marissa nodded. "So, Bianca and I are to blame."
"What? No. That's not what I said." Greenlee was really confused and couldn't figure out how the redhead thought that was what she was saying.
"It's what you implied." Marissa held up a hand to stop Greenlee's protest. "If we go with your line of thinking, then Bianca and I are at fault because we gave Gabby permission to go with you. If we hadn't done that, then she wouldn't have been in the car with you when you got hit. Therefore, she wouldn't have been hurt. Because we gave our permission however, Gabby was in fact in the car and that led to her injuries. So, we are ultimately at fault which means that we owe you an apology. On behalf of Bianca and myself, we're sorry."
Greenlee just stared dumbfounded at the lawyer. "You do realize that I have a concussion, and what you just said made my head hurt ten times worse than it did before?"
"I'm sorry about that." Marissa said genuinely apologetic for any pain she may have caused her friend.
"Why do I have the feeling that you're really not all that sorry?" Greenlee managed to smirk.
Marissa grinned. "Well, I am sorry if I made your head hurt more, but I kind of needed to make a point. You are not to blame for any of this."
"So, you decided to go all lawyer on me to make it."
"What can I say? I'm a lawyer. It's what I do. Did it work?"
Greenlee sighed. "Yes, it did."
"Good! So, let's start again. Thank you. Because of you, our daughter is alive, and before you ask why I think that, I'll explain. Gabby told us about the booster seat and how she told you that she wished she didn't have to sit in it because it was lonely. Yeah, we know. She's tried to pull that on Bianca and me before, and we've held firm which is exactly what you did. According to Jesse, being in that booster seat literally save her life. So, thank you. Bianca and I will never be able to repay you. Don't argue with me. I can see you want to, but I'm telling you don't because you'll just be fighting a losing battle. The appropriate response right now from you is, you're welcome, Marissa."
For the first time since she found out what happened the day before, Greenlee readily smiled. "You're welcome, Marissa."
"Atta girl!" Marissa grinned proudly.
"Does Bianca win any arguments?"
"Yes, she does, but her tactics won't have the same effect if you try them." The redhead added with a wink.
Greenlee snorted. "Kendall would be dying about now if she heard you say that."
"Yes, she would."
"So, Gabby?"
Marissa nodded. "Gabby has a punctured lung and bruised spleen along with an assortment of bumps and bruises like you."
"Oh god."
"Unlike you though, she doesn't have any head trauma."
"That's good. Kendall mentioned a ventilator."
"She was on one just to help her heal, and she's already off of it. Dr. Parrish removed her from it earlier this morning. Gabby has been upgraded to stable condition, and her doctor expects her to make a full recovery. In fact, Gabby's awake right now and having some lunch, grilled cheese to be exact." The redhead glanced at Greenlee's untouched lunch tray. "Something you should be doing yourself."
If it wouldn't have hurt her, Greenlee would've rolled her eyes. "Fine. Yes, I should, but in my defense, this is not the most appetizing food and …"
"And you didn't have much of an appetite because you were too busy blaming yourself. Look, the only one to blame is a guy named Neil Lawson. Jesse has him under arrest, and Mike Jensen is handling the case."
"The D.A. himself, huh? Nice to have connections, and he'll make sure everything is done right. I'm glad he's under arrest."
"I couldn't agree more. So, Gabby was asking about you. She was worried that you were mad at her."
"Why would I be mad at her?"
"The booster seat."
"Ah. Well, I'm not mad at her. Please tell her that."
"Bianca and I already have. Gabby did say that she wanted to see her 'Aunt G'."
Greenlee smiled. "Really?"
"Yep. So, when you're feeling better, you think you might be up for that?"
"Definitely. I'm stuck in bed for another day, but as soon as I can get up, Gabby is my first stop."
"Gabby will love that. She's stuck in bed herself for a couple of more days herself. Okay. How about I grab you some lunch, something more appetizing?"
"I'm okay. I don't want you to go out of your way. I can have Ryan run and grab me something when he gets back. They hadn't brought me anything yet when he left."
"It's no problem. I was just going to grab something for Bianca and me. Is there anything you want in particular?"
"If you're sure, I would love a cheeseburger."
"A woman after my own heart. Consider it done. You get some rest, and I'll be back soon. Again, thank you."
"You're welcome, and thank you." Greenlee was truly grateful for what the redhead had done for her.
Marissa smiled knowingly. "You're welcome."
/
With Greenlee's request in mind, Marissa decided to bypass the hospital cafeteria in favor of the burger place across the street. Not only did they have good burgers, which she knew Bianca would appreciate as well, but they had great shakes. The redhead decided that Gabby definitely deserved one. In fact, they all did. Marissa sent a quick text to Bianca to let her know she would be away a little longer and what she was doing. She chuckled reading her wife's reply of several smiling emojis.
Upon her return to the hospital, Marissa ran into Kendall in the lobby.
"Hey, Red. Making a food run, I see."
"Yep. Greenlee wanted a burger, and the ones in the cafeteria here don't even come close to Valley Burgers. It sounded so good that I decided to get Bianca and me one too. Plus, their shakes are the best, and Gabby deserves a treat."
Kendall eyed the drink carrier and noted more than one cup in it. "Just Gabby?"
Marissa shrugged. "We all do."
"Definitely. Wait. You said Greenlee. Have you talked to her?"
"I have, and before you ask, yes, I set her straight."
"You did? How?" Kendall was a bit surprised.
Marissa shrugged again. "I'm a lawyer. I argue for a living."
Kendall laughed as the two stepped on the elevator. "Of course you do. I didn't want either of you to have to deal with that since you have more than enough on your plates right now, but if you managed to get through to Greenlee, more power to you and thank you. I tried yesterday, but she wasn't budging."
"You're welcome. Bianca and I can focus on a few more things now that we know that Gabby is going to be okay. Besides, Greenlee's done so much for us that we're more than happy to help her however we can. I will admit that she put up a good fight, but again, I am a professional when it comes to arguing. She didn't stand a chance." Marissa added with a smirk.
"I have no doubt about that. I talked with Bianca earlier, and she that Gabby was doing a lot better."
"Yes, she is, and we are so glad about that. She was actually eating a little bit when I went to see Greenlee."
"That's really great to hear. Is there anything I can do to help you guys?"
"Well, would you mind taking Greenlee's lunch to her for me?" Marissa asked as they exited the elevator.
Kendall nodded and accepted the bag holding her friend's order and her shake. "No problem. After we talk, I'll stop by and see Gabby."
"Sounds good. Tell Greenlee that Bianca and I will stop by and see her a little later. See you in a bit."
/
"Hello, Marissa, dear." Erica greeted her daughter-in-law.
Marissa smiled and noted that several bouquets of brightly colored balloons had now taken up residence in her daughter's hospital room along with an assortment of stuffed animals. "Erica. Don't tell me this is all your doing."
"I'm afraid I can only take credit for the stuffed teddy bear. It doesn't seem to hold a candle to Minx though. Let me help you." Erica helped clear the table so the redhead could place her carryout bags on it.
"Thank you. Hey, Monkey. How are you feeling?" Marissa kissed her daughter while noting that Minx the monkey was still in Gabby's arms.
"A little better." Gabby spotted the drink holder. "Whatcha got?"
Marissa chuckled. "Well, you've been so brave and such a good girl that I thought you might deserve a treat. I got you a chocolate shake from Valley Burgers."
"You did?!" Gabby's eyes grew wide.
"Yep. Drink it slow though."
"I will. Thanks, Mommy!"
"You're welcome, Monkey."
Bianca eyed the other cups still sitting in the holder. "Did you get me one too?"
Marissa chuckled as her wife's look mirrored that of Gabby's. "I did. You definitely deserve a treat too. I also got you your favorite burger and fries."
"Thank you! I knew there was a reason I loved you." Bianca winked and gave her wife a quick kiss.
"Lucky for me that I know the secret to winning your heart." Marissa chuckled. "I'm sorry, Erica. If I had known you were going to be here, I would've gotten you something."
Erica smiled. The last day and a half had been stressful, and the diva was extremely relieved to see the couple smiling and teasing each other. It was easy to tell that a huge weight had been lifted from their shoulders by knowing their daughter was going to be okay. "Don't worry about it, dear. I'm fine. I had something before I came over. The two of you go right ahead."
Bianca groaned happily as she took a bite of her burger causing Marissa to chuckle again as she unwrapped her own burger.
"Oh, Kendall's here. I ran into her in the lobby. She took Greenlee's order to her for me. When she's done with her visit there, she's going to come visit here. Which reminds me, Monkey?"
Gabby took a break from enjoying her shake. "Yeah, Mommy?"
"Greenlee wanted me to tell you 'hi', and as soon as she can, she's going to come visit you."
Hearing that brought a bright smile to the girl's face.
"So, Greenlee's okay?" Bianca asked before taking a drink.
"Yeah, she is. I out-argued her." Marissa grinned proudly, and Bianca simply chuckled seeing her wife's reaction.
"That's very good to hear. I know Jack was worried about her." Erica noted.
"She just needed someone to straighten her thinking out."
/
"Hey." Kendall smiled as she entered her best friend's room.
Greenlee returned the smile and motioned for Kendall to come in. She saw the bag her friend was holding. "Hey. I see you ran into Marissa."
"I did. It seems Red thinks you deserved a treat. I have to agree with her."
"I only told her I wanted a burger. I didn't want her to go to any trouble."
"Don't worry. I have a feeling she didn't see it as going out of her way. Besides, she grabbed something for her and Binx as well as Gabby. Where's Ryan?"
"He went to check on Emma. I had him go because there's not much he can do here right now other than watch me sleep, and that's about all I'm allowed to do at the moment."
"I'm glad you seem to be listening to your doctors. I know how stubborn you can be."
Greenlee huffed. "If that's not the pot calling the kettle black, I don't know what is."
Kendall rolled her eyes, but damn if she wasn't happy to see her friend's snarkiness on display. "Whatever. I'm also glad you listened to Marissa."
"Well, she pulled out the lawyer on me. That's kind of not fair with me in my weakened condition."
"Right." Kendall raised an eyebrow not buying Greenlee's excuse for one minute. "I'm glad she did what she needed to do to get through to you and helped you see reason."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Greenlee took another bite of her burger and groaned appreciatively. After swallowing, she spoke again. "So, I think this accident might put a damper on my Dad and Erica's wedding plans."
"Ooh, I think you might be right. Knowing Mom though, she'll come up with something. The important thing is that you and Gabby are alright."
"That reminds. Explain to me again why you think you're Batman."
Kendall laughed. "You heard that, huh?"
"I did. Perhaps, you can explain why you believe something so ridiculous because I'm clearly Batman." Greenlee glanced at her best friend. She'd heard everything Kendall had said, and that's what it meant to her, everything. Some things, however, didn't need to be said between the two. They just knew.
/
Angie knocked on the door before entering. "I have another delivery for Gabby." The doctor announced as she pulled in another balloon bouquet. "You are quite the popular young lady."
Gabby blushed. "Thank you, Dr. Angie."
"You are most certainly welcome. I'm very glad to see you up and smiling." Angie turned to the girl's mothers. "I'm glad to see the two of you smiling as well. Erica, it's nice to see you. I wanted to thank you for taking care of the press for us too. Your statement seemed to do the trick."
"You're welcome. I'm sorry if they caused any problems. It is, unfortunately, one of the drawbacks to being me."
"What did you tell them to go away, Mom?"
"I simply gave a brief statement about Gabby's and Greenlee's conditions as well as the wedding."
"Oh, the wedding. What did you say about it?" Bianca asked.
"I told them that the only concern Jack and I had right now was the health of Gabby and Greenlee. We would worry about the wedding once they were home. The wedding is secondary to our family."
Gabby's head snapped up and a pout began to form on her face. "I'm not gonna be in the wedding?"
The couple shared a glance. They knew how much Gabby was looking forward to being a flower girl.
Erica smiled and gently squeezed the young girl's hand. "Gabby, sweetheart, there will be no wedding without you. You have a very important part in it. Jack and I are going to wait until you're better to get married."
"I'm sorry." Tears started to form in the girl's brown eyes.
"Sweetheart, what are you sorry for?"
"Because of me, you and Uncle Jack aren't getting married."
Bianca and Marissa were about to correct their daughter when Erica sat on the bed next to Gabby and began to talk to her.
"Gabby, I want you to listen to me. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, ma'am." Gabby sniffled and nodded.
"You haven't done anything wrong, sweetheart. You and Greenlee were hurt because of someone else. The thing that matters most to your Uncle Jack and I is that both of you are healthy. That's really all we care about. We can get married any time. If you're not there though to see it and be part of it, it won't mean anything at all to us. We want you there. We need you there. When you're better, then Uncle Jack and I will get married. We are not doing it without you. You are way too important to us."
"Aunt G too?"
Erica smiled. "Yes, Aunt G too. Do you understand?"
Gabby nodded. She was feeling a little better. "Uh huh." The girl yawned, and her eyes began to droop.
Bianca noticed immediately and motioned for her mother to move aside. "Okay, Sweetie. Do you feel better?"
"Yeah. I'm tired, Mommy."
"I know. It's time for you to take a nap." Bianca helped Gabby get comfortable and pulled her covers up. She handed her the stuffed monkey. "Here's Minx." Bianca brushed her daughter's bangs from her forehead and kissed her.
Gabby glanced at Marissa. "Mommy, will you sing me our song?"
"Of course I will, Monkey."
Bianca smiled and moved so Marissa could sit on the bed next to Gabby.
Marissa began to sing softly as Gabby sighed and started to drift off.
All through the night, near and far
We will be together
So hush, don't you cry
You will be in my arms
Forevermore
Erica shook her head in wonder. The diva had witnessed the song's magic once or twice before but it never failed to astound her. "Amazing."
"Works like a charm every time." Bianca simply smiled at a sight she was very familiar with and one that warmed her soul.
/
When Greenlee had finished eating, Kendall insisted that her friend get some rest. She could tell the petite brunette was getting tired. After Greenlee gave in, Kendall headed to her niece's room and found Gabby sleeping peacefully. Erica and Kendall then teamed up to get Bianca and Marissa to take a break. The couple reluctantly agreed after being assured by Kendall and Erica that they would call them immediately if anything came up, and also that at least one of them would remain in the room. Her mothers didn't want Gabby to wake up alone in an unfamiliar place.
"I'm going to check in with the office. I'll give them an update on Gabby and see if they need me for anything." Marissa said as they exited Gabby's room.
Bianca nodded. "Okay. While you're doing that, I'll get us something to drink, and I'll give Jan a call too."
/
Marissa sighed as she finished her call giving her team the good news on Gabby and thanking them for the balloons they sent. Lisa had made sure a monkey balloon was included, and the young lawyer was happy to hear that it was Gabby's favorite. There were no major issues back at the office so the redhead didn't have anything to worry about there. Now, Marissa found herself at somewhat loose ends which gave her time to think about everything.
"Hey, is this seat taken?"
"Jo." Marissa smiled seeing her friend. "God, it's good to see you. I'm so glad you're here."
"I wish it was under better circumstances." Jo hugged the redhead and then hugged her a second time. "That one is from Mom."
"Thanks. She's getting settled back at the house?"
"Yes, and she was already getting some much needed baby time with Danny. So, Gabby's going to be okay?"
A relieved sigh escaped from Marissa. "Yes, thank god. We're so lucky. It could've been so much worse. She's off the respirator though and resting now. Kendall and Erica are with her. They kicked Bianca and I out and made us take a break, and Bianca went to get us something to drink. Her doctor has told us that Gabby will have some fatigue, shortness of breath and muscle weakness for a little bit, and we'll have to make sure she takes it easy. Other than that, she should be okay."
"That's really good to hear. When will she get to go home?"
"They want to keep her here for a few days to monitor her lung function and that there is no bleeding with her spleen. The toughest part will be to keep her in bed once she starts to feel better."
"Understandable. Bed rest is the best thing for her right now though."
"Yes, it is. They're going to have her do some breathing exercises a little later."
"How are the kids taking this? They seemed okay when I saw them, but it was only for a couple of minutes."
"They miss her, but we were able to do a Skype session earlier so they could all see each other and talk."
"How about Bianca?"
"She's doing okay. It's been tough on her and has brought up some painful memories for her, but Bianca is the strongest person I know. She's amazing. I don't know how she does it."
"If you ask me, I think a big reason is because she has you." Jo could see her friend starting to protest but stopped her. "Don't say it. I know you, and I know how much you love her. You are doing everything that you can to be there for her, to be strong for her and letting her lean on you as much as she needs to right now."
Marissa shrugged. "Bianca would do the same for me."
"Oh, I know and have no doubt about that. Both of you will put your feelings on the backburner so you can be there for the other. Knowing you like I do, I'm going to say you haven't talked about how you're feeling about everything that's happened, about your Mom and Dad."
The redhead inhaled sharply. She knew what Jo was going to say, but it didn't make it any easier to hear. It wasn't like she could deny it either. Just as Bianca was remembering when she had thought Miranda was dead, Marissa was remembering everything surrounding her parents' deaths. Hazel eyes closed as she nodded.
"That's what I thought. So, how are you really doing?"
"Honestly, I don't know. I haven't had much time to process things. I am so thankful that Gabby and Greenlee weren't hurt worse. If we had lost Gabby …" Marissa couldn't even finish the thought, couldn't even let herself go there, and shook her head to push it from her mind. "I would be lying if I said this didn't make me think about Mom and Dad. You know, it about killed me when I lost them, and I didn't think I would survive that. They were my world, and all of a sudden, they were gone. My life changed forever in the blink of an eye. One minute I had a family, the next it was gone."
Jo nodded and hugged her friend. She understood probably more than most but still not completely. While her father had killed himself, Jo still had her mother, and Jessica was her rock. "But you did survive. You're stronger than you think, Marissa."
Marissa sighed heavily. "It sure as hell doesn't feel like it sometimes. There wasn't anything I could do to help my Mom and Dad, and nothing I could do to help Gabby either."
"She's right, Rissa." Bianca had caught part of the conversation and was going to let the friends continue it without interrupting, but she couldn't let her wife beat herself up over something that was completely out of her control. The brunette glanced at Jo who nodded. "Hi, Jo."
"Hi, Bianca. Is it okay if I poke my head in and see Gabby?" Jo asked knowing the couple needed some time alone.
"Of course it is."
Jo whispered to Marissa. "Talk to her." She then stood. "I'll be back." As she passed Bianca, Jo squeezed her arm.
"Thank you." Bianca said gratefully.
"Thanks, Jo." Marissa called out to her friend who turned and winked.
"Any time."
/
Bianca sat the couple's drinks on a table before taking the seat next to her wife. "Hey."
"Hey." Marissa gave a crooked smile.
"I'm sorry, Rissa."
"For what?" The redhead was truly confused.
"For not talking to you sooner. I know all of this has been really hard for you, and I haven't been there. I was so focused on my pain that I didn't talk to you about yours. I should have done that, and I am so sorry I didn't."
Marissa had to stop her wife. "Bianca, don't. Your pain was real. Please don't downplay it or make yourself feel guilty about it. You were reliving everything you went through with Miranda."
"And you were reliving everything you went through with your parents. You didn't say anything because you were being strong for me. I love you so much for that, but you need to tell me when you're hurting too. This …" Bianca motioned between the two. "This is a partnership, and it only works when we talk to each other. We're a team, remember?"
The redhead scrunched her face. Bianca was right. "I remember, and you're right. I just knew how much pain you were going through …"
"And you wanted to take that pain away. I get it."
"Yeah, I did. You are always so strong for everyone. I wanted to be there for you."
"You were. Now, it's time that I'm there for you." Bianca held her arms open.
Marissa leaned into the loving embrace and exhaled before finally opening up to Bianca.
/
The next day found Bianca repeating the routine Marissa had established the day before. The brunette had to admit that while she hadn't slept great, it was still better than she had the first night. Not having Marissa and Gabby home caused restlessness, but knowing that her youngest daughter was better did ease her mind. When Bianca arrived at the hospital, she could tell that Marissa was more rested as well, or as rested as she could be sleeping in the hospital. For her part, Gabby had slept peacefully. Both greeted Bianca happily, and not long after, they had a Skype session with the other members of their family.
Mid-morning, they had a most welcomed visitor. A knock on the door preceded the arrival of Greenlee.
"Aunt G!" Gabby exclaimed happily.
"Hi, Gabby." Greenlee smiled at the enthusiastic greeting as she slowly made her way into the room. Despite being assured by Bianca, Marissa and Kendall that Gabby wasn't mad at her or holding some sort of grudge over being injured, Greenlee had been anxious about seeing the little girl. Seeing her smile though, eased her mind.
Marissa quickly stood and helped Greenlee over to her vacated chair. The redhead could see her friend was a little wobbly. "It's good to see you up and about. Why don't you take my chair though? I know it was a short trip from your room to here, but you're still getting your balance back."
Greenlee nodded gratefully. "Thanks. It's good to be up, but you're right. Regaining my balance is still a work in progress. How are you feeling, Gabby?"
Gabby shrugged. She may not have had Marissa's DNA, but she had definitely picked up some of her redheaded mother's mannerisms. "I'm okay. I'm a little sore, but not as much as I was. My Mommies say I'll probably be like that for a couple of days. They also say that I have to take it easy even if I feel okay." The last statement was said with a slight roll of her eyes.
Bianca couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter. "As you can tell by that little bit of attitude, she's definitely feeling better. We talked about this, Gabby. It's not just us saying that."
"That's right, Monkey. Dr. Parrish said that too, and it's just for a little while. You'll be up and running around before you know it."
Hearing that made Gabby feel a little better. "Are you okay, Aunt G?"
Greenlee smiled at the girl's thoughtfulness. She truly was her mothers' daughter, especially Bianca. "My head hurts a little still, but I'm going to be okay."
Gabby nodded, happy to hear that. "Good. Mommy said the man who hit you is in trouble."
"He is. He wasn't paying attention while he was driving."
"Aunt G?" Gabby grew serious. "I'm sorry about not wanting to sit in my booster seat. Thank you for making me though. Mommy said I could've been hurt more if didn't make me."
Greenlee melted a little bit inside. It was impossible not to. "Gabby, you didn't do anything I wouldn't have tried when I was your age. I'm just glad that you're going to be okay."
"Me too. Aunt G?"
"Yes."
"We never did get our ice cream." Gabby said with a bit of mischief in her eyes.
The three women burst out laughing.
"I tell you what, Gabby. If it's okay with your Mommies, we'll get some when you're all better."
Bianca and Marissa nodded at the inquiring looks from the other two.
Gabby smiled brightly and mimicked something she'd heard both of her mothers say before. "It's a date!"
/
A/N: If you haven't heard the good news, today is a great day for equality in the United States! Our Supreme Court has legalized same sex marriage in all 50 states! It is truly an historic day! Will this be mentioned in this story? What do you think? See you soon!