A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I appreciate it. I'm sorry for the delay in updating this story. Vacation (which was great) and work (which has been kicking my butt since said vacation) had me slightly distracted. I'm going to offer a warning with this chapter. If you know anything about the character of Bianca, then you are aware of the traumatic event that happened to her when she was younger and one of the main purposes for the Miranda Center. This and the next chapter will focus on those events. While Bianca has healed, it doesn't take much for those wounds to be re-opened. This warning is here to prevent any possible triggers for anyone reading this. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

Bianca noted the time as she sat in her office, and her mind immediately went back to her conversation with Marissa the previous evening. From what her wife had told her, she and Doug would be meeting with Mike Jensen around this time to discuss a possible plea deal for Tammy. Bianca really hoped it worked out for Doug and Amber. Things had just started to settle down for them. A trial would dredge everything up again, and the events would once again make headlines across the country, in print and online, and the one who would be hurt the most if that happened would be Amber. A plea deal would definitely be best for the girl, but it couldn't be a deal that resulted in Tammy receiving a slap on the wrist. No, Tammy had to face the consequences of her actions, and the only way that would happen was if she went to prison. When it came to having to serve time, Bianca knew that Tammy would fight tooth and nail to either not serve any time or the least amount possible. Bianca was pulled from her thoughts by a knock on the door. She glanced up and saw Aya standing in the doorway with a concerned look on her face.

"Hey, Aya. What's up?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Angie Hubbard is on the phone. She needs to talk to you right away. Before you ask, it has nothing to do with Marissa or the kids."

Bianca breathed a sigh of relief when she heard her family was okay. "Thanks. I'll take it now." Bianca picked up her office phone. "Hi, Angie. What can I do for you?"

"Hi, Bianca. I hate to bother you, but I have a patient that needs some help. And you were the first person that came to mind. Let's face it. You were the only person that came to mind. Could you come over to the hospital as soon as you can?"

Bianca knew what Angie was saying without her actually saying it. "I'm on my way over right now."

"Thank you so much."

"You're welcome."

With that, the call ended. Bianca grabbed her purse, cellphone, and keys. On her way out, she stopped by Jan's desk.

"Jan, I'm on my way over to Pine Valley Hospital. Angie Hubbard needs my help with a patient. I'm not sure how long I'll be. Could you do me a favor and call Marissa, and let her know what I'm doing? I would do it myself, but I know she's in a meeting right now and I have no clue when I'll be able to call."

"No problem. I'll take care of it."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. And Bianca, be careful." Jan knew calls like the one Bianca was making could be difficult and had to be handled with extreme care.

Bianca nodded. "I will."

/

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing, Marissa?" Doug asked after Mike left the lawyer's office.

Doug and Marissa had discussed the possibilities of a plea deal a few times, and she advised him to think about what he would be the most comfortable living with. Doug's first response was to have Tammy locked up and the key to her cell thrown away. He never wanted to see the woman again, and he especially didn't want Tammy to have anything to do with Amber. This was when Marissa's experience with her ex-husband came into play. She felt the same way when it came to JR and AJ. Marissa believed that she had to put AJ's feelings for his dad above hers and trust that things would work out for the best. AJ eventually saw JR's true colors, and it had, unfortunately, crushed him. While it was hard, AJ made the final decision to not see JR anymore. Marissa was fully aware that could change in the future, but for now, that was AJ's decision. She was going to respect it, and more importantly, she was going to make damn sure that JR did as well, whether he wanted to or not. Marissa had told Doug to talk to Amber and see what she wanted, and he took her advice. At the moment, Amber didn't want anything to do with her mom, and Doug was going to do his best to make sure that his daughter's wishes were taken into account.

"I do. You want Tammy to be punished, deservedly so, for what she did. I also know that you're hoping that one day she'll get a clue as to the damage she's causing Amber and stop. Unfortunately, nothing has worked so far. That leaves you with only one option. Prison. While Mike does have a fairly strong case against Tammy, you never know what a jury is going to do. You also don't want the trial to drag out and for Amber to have to testify. Tammy's lawyer has indicated that he plans on doing both of those things. The best way to accomplish what you want is a plea deal. At the very least, what you're offering will prevent Amber from having to testify and give her the time to heal as well as allow her to reclaim some of her childhood. Is it ideal? No, and that's something we both know since we're dealing with Tammy, but you are looking out for your daughter's best interest. I can tell you that Mike is very good at his job, and he will do his damnedest to get more time for Tammy. I honestly don't see that there is anything else that you can do right now. Believe me when I say that you've done everything that you possibly can."

"Thank you, for saying that and everything else you've done for me and Amber. You've been great, and not just you. Bianca and the kids have really been there for us as well. I don't know that I'll ever be able to repay you."

"You're welcome, and you don't know owe me or my family anything."

Doug nodded as he stood. "Just know that if you ever need anything, I'll do whatever I can to help. Okay. I need to get back to work."

"I'll let you know as soon as I hear something from Mike." Marissa said as she followed Doug to the office door.

"Thanks. I guess I'll talk to you soon."

/

As soon as Doug left, Ellie stopped Marissa. "I just got off the phone with Jan. She said that Bianca wanted her to call you and let you know that she got a call from Angie Hubbard. She needed Bianca's help with a patient. She wasn't sure how long she would be."

"Okay. Thanks." Marissa headed back to her office with a furrowed brow. She couldn't help but be concerned about what she had been told and hoped that Bianca would be okay. When she was back at her desk, Marissa grabbed her cellphone and sent Bianca a quick text. "I love you and am here if you need me. Always, M."

/

Bianca was greeted by Angie as soon as she walked into the emergency room.

"Hi, Angie. What's up?"

"Hi, Bianca. I am so glad to see you. Thank you for coming." Angie lowered her voice as she led Bianca to a room where they could have some privacy. "Please have a seat."

Bianca did as requested. "You said you had a patient that needed some help."

Angie nodded and then informed Bianca of the relevant facts without violating HIPAA privacy rules regarding the patient. The patient's first name was Chloe, and she was a 19 year old student at Pine Valley University who lived in an apartment off campus. A neighbor had found her earlier that morning just outside the building of their apartment complex. Chloe was unconscious when she had been found, and it was obvious that she had been badly beaten. The neighbor called 911 immediately. Brot had been the first officer on the scene, and an ambulance arrived right behind him. She was still unconscious when she arrived at the hospital, and it wasn't until they were examining her that Chloe regained consciousness. Once she was awake, she started sobbing uncontrollably, shaking, and lashing out, attempting to fight the medical staff off. It was at that time that another police officer, one not as experienced as Brot, arrived at the hospital to question Chloe, and his attempts to step in and manage the situation did not go well. Jo was called in for a consult and managed to calm Chloe down somewhat, but still not enough to allow the medical staff to conduct any kind of exam.

What Angie omitted, but what Bianca knew without it being said, was the fact that one of the exams they needed to conduct was a rape kit. In addition to her own personal experience from years before, Bianca had been called in on a number of cases similar to this one and knew without being told why she was needed.

"Okay. Let's see if she'll talk to me." Bianca took a deep breath as she followed Angie down the hospital corridor.

/

Bianca knocked on the door and announced herself. She entered when she heard Jo's voice on the other side of the door telling her to come in.

Jo was seated near Chloe, but she had made sure to allow the younger woman some needed space. The doctor nodded to Bianca and stood to give the brunette the chair. Jo had tried everything she could think of to get Chloe to talk, but so far, she had failed. She hoped Bianca would be able to get through to her, get her to begin to open up. If Bianca was successful in doing that, then Jo believed Chloe could begin the long healing process. For now, Jo would take a step back and follow Bianca's lead. While she and Bianca had talked about the work the brunette did at the Miranda Center in the past, this was the first time Jo actually observed Bianca in action, and she had to admit that she was impressed. There was just something about Bianca that had people open up to her and trust her, and Chloe was no exception.

At first, Chloe didn't want to talk about what had happened, but Bianca was able to relate to her in a way that no one else present was. It took some time, but the younger woman began to feel comfortable with Bianca. Chloe asked if Bianca would stay during her examination, and she agreed. It was then that Angie began her exam, explaining everything she was doing along the way. A female police officer arrived and was present when the rape kit was conducted. She was an experienced officer and offered a much needed sense of security for Chloe.

Throughout the entire process, Jo, for the most part, remained quiet and just observed. She would answer any question directed her way however, but Bianca was the one handling the load for now. Jo noted that Bianca told the younger woman she understood what she was going through and assured her that she was not alone nor did she do anything wrong, and while Bianca never said exactly how she understood out loud, there was something in her eyes that told Chloe that she did really know and understand. It was that knowledge that did the most for the younger.

Not everyone in the room knew what had happened to Bianca, but Jo and Angie did. The others recognized Bianca from her work with the Miranda Center and had assumed the knowledge she had had come from years of working with those in similar situations as Chloe's and not from experiencing the nightmare firsthand. So while Angie and the medical staff tended to Chloe, Jo spent her time watching the younger woman as well as Bianca. She needed to make sure that her friend was okay, that she was holding up under circumstances that hit painfully close to home. From what Jo could tell, it was so far, so good.

/

Bianca closed her eyes as she leaned against the wall outside the room where Chloe was being x-rayed. The younger woman asked if she would accompany her there, and Bianca had agreed. She wasn't allowed inside while the x-rays were being taken so she waited right outside the room. Bianca had been at the hospital for a couple of hours now, but she had to admit that it felt longer.

"How are you doing, Bianca?" Jo asked as she carefully observed Bianca. She was beginning to see some signs of strain in her friends face, and the doctor was a little concerned.

The brunette opened her eyes when she heard her name and saw Jo leaning next to her. "Hi, Jo. I'm … okay."

"Really?"

Bianca sighed. She wasn't sure how much she would be able to hide from Jo. She was very good at reading people. Hearing Chloe's interview with the police had been harder than she thought it would be. "I will be, as soon as Chloe is settled in a room and I get a case worker from the Center over here for her."

"Do you need to talk?"

"No, but thanks."