A/N sorry for the lack of a new chapter yesterday. I will try and post 2 new chapters tomorrow to make up for it.
Leo stared at Bianca he had never seen her like this before. She was one of the most forgiving person he knew. Even when she and Greenlee were at odds she still pushed him to go after her. The woman that sat before him was different. The look in her eyes was unrecognizable.
He placed his hand on her knee, "Binx I know I've been gone a long time but this isn't you."
She looked up at him their eyes meeting, "Leo you don't know what I went through to find someone like Marissa. From the moment she admitted her true feelings JR has been after us trying to tear us apart. He's been out of control for awhile. Marissa had to get a restraining order against him to keep him away from us and AJ. And now….he almost succeeded and what scares me the most…."
Leo watched as tears formed in her eyes, "What is it Binx?"
"Leo I'm so scared he'll use the Chandler money or name to weasel out of this. That he'll get away with hurting so many people and…..I'm so scared….he'll try it again." She leaned into Leo's chest and sobbed.
Leo and Bianca sat in the middle of the Slater kitchen. He held tight to her as she finally let out the tears, frustration, and anger that had been building up inside her from the moment she saw the pool of blood forming on Marissa's soft brown dress.
Her tears finally ceasing she pulled back from him and noticed the wet spot on his shirt, "Oh Leo I'm sorry I ruined your shirt." She tried wiping the tears but not doing much of anything.
"Oh Binx I just bought this shirt to," he joked with her trying to put a smile on her face.
Bianca looked into his eyes and saw that same Leo magic she remembered and laughed, "You always could find a way to make the girls laugh."
"Well I'm selfish and I wanted to see that beautiful smile on your face."
"Ha Ha always the charmer Leo." She jokingly punched his shoulder. She then noticed the clock on the wall.
"Oh my gosh! I didn't realize how late it was. I promised Marissa I'd go by and see her before visiting hours are over. Would you come with me Leo?" she couldn't wait for Marissa and Leo to formally meet.
Angie's head lay upon a large stack of patient charts. She had come to her office to go over the charts and get some administration work done. Moments after sitting in front of the charts her head a lowered slowly to the desk.
Over the past three days she had only been home long enough to take a shower and change her clothes. She was grateful for the distraction from home. She loved that Maya had agreed to move back in with them but seeing her with baby Lucy was a constant reminder of the little girl she lost.
Being here gave her a reason to not be there to avoid her own pain and focus on someone else's pain. She hadn't realized how being here would be just as painful as being there. She fought with people she had grown to love to keep them alive. She watched as loved ones cried out to God to save their daughters or wives or friends. The pain and stress had finally gotten to her and her body made her finally take a moment of rest.
The sudden knocking sound on the door abruptly woke her.
"Come in" she called out to the mystery visitor.
"Hey Angie." Krystal's familiar southern drawl called out.
Angie stood and walked across the room to her friend. The two women embraced for a moment.
"Angie when can I see AJ? It's been days and no one's been able to see him. I need to see my grandson." Like so many in Pine Valley the pain in Krystal's eyes didn't escape Angie.
"AJ's doctors told me he had some pretty bad lacerations from the accident. Due to the amount of time it took to get him out of the SUV he's got a really bad infection. They're concerned that too much contact with the outside world could cause him to get worse." Angie tried her best to explain the extent of AJ's injuries.
"Angie please. I'll wear a mask; I'll use antibacterial soap all over if that's what it takes. Please let me see him." Krystal pleaded with Angie not as the family member of a patient but as Angie's friend.
For a moment the two women stood across from each other just staring at one another.
Angie turned and walked to her desk quickly picking up the phone and dialing. "This is Dr. Hubbard please let Dr. William's know I'm bringing Adam Chandler III a visitor. Thank you."
Krystal followed Angie to the Pediatric ICU. Angie had her changed into a pair of scrubs and put on a hair cover. She showed her how to wash her hands and then put on a pair of gloves. The two women walked into AJ's room.
Krystal walked up to the bed where her Grandson laid. He looked so small on the large bed. His face was pale and he had wire's everywhere monitoring his vitals. He was hooked up to IV's that were giving him high dose antibiotics. His arm had also been broken in the accident. They had put a blue cast over his arm which was laying across his stomach. His eyes were closed as he slept peacefully.
Krystal was grateful to see that he was breathing on his own and didn't need assistance with that. She ran her soft hands through his blond hair.
"AJ?" she softly whispered "Grandma's here baby. You're going to be ok honey. The doctors are going to take good care of you. And you're mommy she's going to be just fine two. You're just like her you're a fighter AJ." She kissed the top of his head and felt the heat from his fever.
Angie watched as Krystal sat with her Grandson holding tight to his hand. Quietly she left room before going back to her office she stopped at the nurses' station and told them that Krystal was permitted to stay as long as she wanted.
Leo and Bianca walked in to the hospital waiting room visiting hours would be ending in another hour and they were going to see Marissa before it was too late. They were surprised to see Ryan sitting by himself.
"Hey Ryan what are you doing down here?" Bianca sat down next to him.
Ryan was surprised to see Bianca and Leo standing before him. He hoped Leo wasn't there for Greenlee he had promised to stay away until Greenlee was better.
"They took Greenlee off the vent about an hour ago."
"How is she?" Leo asked concern evident in his voice.
"She's holding her own. They said her lungs are a lot stronger. They're moving her out of the ICU right now and will start whining her off the sedative over the next 24 hours." Ryan let out a sigh of relieve.
"Oh thank God." Bianca exclaimed as she hugged Ryan.
Ryan turned to Leo, "Listen Leo I wanted to thank you for not fighting men on staying away from Greenlee. I know it's not easy for you to see someone else with her. I'm sure you want nothing more than to be in there with her I know if our roles were reversed I would want to kick your ass if you asked the same thing from me."
"You know Ryan I was pretty pissed off when you asked me to stay away. She was my wife and I love her more than anyone in this world. It's because of that love that I stepped aside. As hard as is it is for me to admit you were right. Having us both in there telling her how much we loved her and begging her to fight for us would have just caused her confusion and stress and that's the last thing she needs. But you should know Ryan that when she's better I plan on being in her life in whatever capacity she'll have me." Leo wanted Ryan to understand that while it seemed like he was stepping aside he didn't come back to Pine Valley to watch her with another man without at least trying to fight for her.