When Bianca joined Jackson after her date she had a very big smile on her face.

"I take it you had a good time?"

"A very good time." said Bianca still grinning. "So are you ready to see mom?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." said Jackson, as he led his niece to his car.

"You won't recognise her I promise. She told me that she was going to make it up to us; to put her family first."

"And you believe her."

"I believe she is going to try. But I also know she is Erica Kane, so we shall have to wait and see."

…

When they arrived at the hospital they found Kendall waiting in the corridor.

"Didn't you go in to see mom?" Bianca asked.

"I did." said Kendal, "But at the moment she is on the phone to her publicist and requested a little privacy."

"Her publicist?" asked Bianca confused.

"She found out about the book and the film."

"Oh."

"When I arrived she was already bending Kit's ear about it. Now it seems some reporters want to interview her from her hospital bed and talk shows are already asking to book her for spots."

"You were saying." said Jackson, he looked less than amused.

Bianca was suddenly worried he was going to have a change of heart and leave Erica all over again.

"She'll want to see us when she knows we're here." said Bianca, resolutely.

With that she pushed open to door to find her mom sat up in bed, a phone to her ear and diary open on her lap.

"Hi mom, I've brought you a special visitor." said Bianca with a grin. Her face fell slightly when Erica held up her hand for silence, but she remained determined that her mom was not going to ruin her reunion with Uncle Jack.

"I shall have to go…" said Erica down the telephone."…No, my daughter has just arrived… My youngest, Bianca… I can ask?.. Okay… well I have to go… Call me when you have the dates for Leno… Goodbye… Goodbye."

Erica put the phone down and turned her attention to her daughter.

"Frederick asked if you would be willing to come with me to be interviewed by The Today Show."

"What? Mom you just got back. What about all your promises about putting your family first?"

"Oh I will, I will. But I'm a public figure now, the world wants to know my story! You know if I don't do this the press will only be camped outside our door."

"You've been back barely a day!"

"Yes." said Erica, missing her point entirely, "And there is so much to do!"

"I should have known you wouldn't change." said Jackson sadly; he had followed Bianca into the room. "Why could I think for just one second that you would have learnt your lesson and start to put other people first? You will never change."

"Jack." said Erica suddenly sitting up in bed, "You came."

"And I'm leaving again."

Jackson turned to go but stopped himself and looked back at Erica.

"Your selfish actions got people killed, Erica, people we loved; Zack, Angie… my daughter! Bianca is crippled; she could have been permanently paralyzed! You barely survived! Is that still not enough of a wake up call for you!"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry about all of that. But you have to understand this is my dream!"

"And your dreams are the only ones that matter…"

"Uncle Jack, please." begged Bianca, mortified that the reunion hadn't gone the way she had hoped. "Mom..?"

Erica looked from Bianca to Jack and picked the phone up from her bed.

"Take it." she said thrusting it towards Jackson. "You're right. I know you are right. Take it away."

Erica sunk back defeated.

"I need to spend time with my family." she added, "The world will have to wait."

Bianca smiled a broadened hopefully as Jackson took the phone from Erica's hand.

"Yes… well… I'm glad you saw sense." he said

"There will be plenty of opportunities after the film premier." continued Erica, "That will give me whole month to get ready for the press gambit and give me the time I need to spend with my girls."

Jackson gave Bianca a long suffering look, but Bianca kept her determined smile on her face. Her mom had yielded a little and Jackson hadn't stormed from the room. It was only baby steps but there was a glimmer of hope that it could all turn out right in the end.

Bianca took a seat by her mother's bedside. It was time to build on the peace.

"Did you hear the good news," she said, picking a subject at random, "Reggie is moving back to Pine Valley!"

"That's wonderful." said Erica giving Jackson a big smile.

"Yes." said Jackson. "Actually there was something I wanted to ask you…"

…