Bianca had been in a low mood since her heart breaking encounter with Marissa at the therapy pool. Then David had come to speak to her about her progress. It seemed she wasn't recovering as David had hoped and another operation was scheduled for next Monday. Bianca hated the thought of more time trapped in this bed; the brace holding her neck in place for more weeks, the clamps pressing into her skull. She had felt so sure she was close to being free of it all.

Bianca didn't glance at the door when she heard it close. She wasn't in the mood for company right now.

She imagined she knew who it would be. Her room had become legendary in the hospital and medical staff, patients and even their visitors kept popping in to gaze at her pictures.

AJ, Miranda and Gabby had started something huge. It wasn't just her friends and family in Pine Valley who were sending her pictures now. Someone found out at the Miranda centre and pictures were being sent from children at the centres all over the world. There were also pictures sent from the families of some the centre's major donors. Everyone at the Paris Cambias Industries Offices sent a drawing. Someone had put it on-line and now it was almost viral, she was getting pictures from well-wishers, who she had never even met. The ceiling was covered, all four walls, there was also a pile of scrap books put together of the pictures that no longer fitted and more were coming.

Bianca's room looked more like an Aladdin's cave than a hospital room.

"Wow." gasped the intruder, their voice filled with awe.

Bianca let out a gasp of her own.

"Marissa!"

The red head was hovering in the doorway, a sheepish smile on her face.

"Um... AJ gave me this to give to you;" said Marissa holding out a drawing covered in yellow crayon. "It's a get-better picture. Not that it looks like you need any more!"

Bianca took a moment to enjoy another new freedom that would be lost to her again after Monday's operation. She reached for a nearby control and with clumsy fingers adjusted the bed so she was sitting and could see Marissa properly.

She clumsily took the picture in her right hand and placed it on her lap, all the while unable to take her eyes from Marissa's face.

"There is always room for another of AJ's masterpieces." she said.

"I've also come to apologise." Marissa added, looking apprehensively at Bianca's amazed expression.

"Marissa." sighed Bianca again, just for the soothing effect that name had on her aching heart. It took her a moment for the elation to ease enough to really focus on the woman she loved. She looked pale and obviously nervous.

"Should you be out of bed?" Bianca asked, concern finally overriding her delight.

"Definitely not." said Marissa, her smile more confident as she moved to sit beside the bed. "I just felt so awful. I had to see you. I was so… I don't know… I'm just sorry for the way I behaved at the pool. I didn't know I knew you. I mean that's no excuse but… AJ told me who you were and I… I'm sorry… When he told me what happened to you… I'm… I'm talking too much aren't I?"

Bianca smiled as Marissa's babble washed over her.

"No, don't ever stop." she sighed.

Marissa laughed.

"Well I just came to say I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted." said Bianca.

Marissa smile remained as she licked her lips.

"I guess you know I've been avoiding people from my past." Marissa confessed, guiltily. "It's so hard to know there is a whole person I'm supposed to be and I don't know anything about her."

"Well she's a wonderful person." said Bianca honestly. "I'm sure you'll like her!"

"Thank you." said Marissa at Bianca's compliment, the hint of a blush blossoming on her cheeks. Bianca was delighted her words could still have that effect on the woman she loved.

Marissa shuffled her chair forward and leaned closer to the bed.

"I would have happily stayed oblivious but someone had other ideas. AJ sort of smuggled himself into my room to talk to me. He's such an amazing child; I can't believe he's my son."

"He is a sweetheart." agreed Bianca, "He told you about us?" She still couldn't believe this was really happening, that Marissa was here with her. She was more than a little scared that this would turn out to be a dream.

"Well, he had these photos he'd brought to give to me. There was one of our family, AJ, his father and me. And then there was one of you and me and AJ and your daughters – Gabby is it? And Amanda…

"…Miranda…" Bianca corrected.

"…Miranda his birthday-twin! I recognised you from the pool, only then I didn't know I was looking at my best friend."

"Best friend." gasped Bianca, two words that struck her like a punch in the gut. Marissa didn't know!

…

Bianca had been vaguely aware of a growing sensation of warmth that was spreading on her left side. Sometimes her nerves played tricks on her but this warmth felt very real. She tried to focus on the sensation, anything to distract from Marissa's last words. She glanced down and saw Marissa had taken her left hand in both of hers. Marissa thumb was even absentmindedly stoking the back of her hand.

Bianca was amazed at the sensation. Marissa's touch was like magic, she could almost feel it burning into her skin. It had to be a sign; that Marissa still reached for her, and that, miracles of miracles, she could feel it. Hope sprung once more in Bianca's heart.

"You say you don't remember me at all?"

"No." said Marissa sadly, "But strangely I know I trust you completely. I've known since I saw your picture. Is that weird?"

"No." said Bianca, daring burning in her eyes as her used all her strength to move her right hand and place it over Marissa's clasped hands. "We mean so much to each other. Please try to remember. Can you remember holding hands like this?"

Marissa looked down at their entwined fingers. For a moment Bianca thought she saw a flash of recognition in her eyes; then her face went totally blank as if a shutter had dropped and Marissa was suddenly gone.

"Marissa!" Bianca called out suddenly scared.

Marissa let out an indistinguishable whine and then her whole body began to convulse. Her head flew back, her limbs jolting wildly. She was having a fit. Bianca struggled to keep hold of the hands in her grip as Marissa tumbled from her chair.

Marissa weight pulled Bianca on to her side but she couldn't keep hold of Marissa. Marissa flailed alarmingly as she hit the floor, the tremor in her heels beating a rhythm on the lino.

Bianca acted on impulse with no thought of the repercussions. She used every ounce of her strength to roll herself out of her bed. She ignored the impact as she thudded to the floor, the crack as something snapped on her head brace and the pain as something pierced her shoulder. Equipment squealed as monitoring sensors tore from her body. The IV stand crashed to the ground as the needle pulled from her arm…

All Bianca cared about was Marissa. Every inch of her protested as Bianca tried to move to Marissa's side. Her body was not able to obey her. Marissa's clenching hand was the only part of her girlfriend she was able to focus on. Bianca reached out and took that hand in her own.

Doctors and nurses charged into the room behind the crash cart, alerted by the screaming monitors. They froze when they saw Marissa and Bianca together on the floor.

"Help her!" Bianca cried, but they didn't need her prompt.

One nurse ran to find Cara Castillo while David Hayward appeared demanding a drug that Bianca didn't catch the name of. He injected it into his daughter and the convulsions lessoned and then stopped. Cara hurried into the room followed by porters with a gurney. The nurses moved to lift Marissa from the floor.

"Bianca."

David spoke, his voice barely penetrating Bianca's terror numbed senses.

"Bianca you need to let go." He said again, reaching to ease her grip from Marissa's hand.

Bianca reluctantly let go and watched as Marissa's unconscious form was lifted from her view.

"Your hand!" gasped David.

The sheer surprise in his voice drew Bianca back to reality. Slowly she saw the reason for his amazement. The hand that had hung on so tightly to Marissa's was her left one.

…

I'm sorry folks – but this moment is a very important for the story still to come!

Do say you'll forgive me. :-