"Bianca, I'm so sorry."

Bianca looked up to see a dejected looking Dr Hubbard wheeling in a trolley of equipment. He was clearly feeling guilty for not catching her condition.

"It's hardly your fault… I didn't even know I had a problem."

"But still…" he said sadly.

"Don't." begged Bianca. "You have taken the best care of me Frankie, even when I haven't been taking such great care of myself."

Frankie nodded his thanks for her kind words.

Bianca looked at the trolley laden with equipment. She was a little apprehensive about her first treatment, not entirely sure what to expect, even though she had gotten David to explain it to her twice.

"What's all this?" she asked, gesturing to the trolley.

"David wants to monitor your reactions closely for the first few injections. So I want to put you on a heart monitor, just to be safe."

"I guess there is nothing like being prepared." said Bianca as she contemplated another uncomfortable night attached to more wires.

Frankie set to work attaching her to the machine, loosening her hospital gown to expose her chest, when there was a knock on the door.

Marissa peered around the door frame.

"Are you ready for visitors?" she asked, and then froze at the sight of Frankie fixing the sensors above Bianca's heart.

Bianca could hear the voices of her children out in the hallway. She looked at Frankie with pleading eyes. Frankie looked back at Marissa.

"I don't see why not. I'll try not to take too long." he said, pulling the gown back up modestly before turning back to connect the wires to the monitor.

"Alright kids." said Marissa holding the door open, "Remember be gentle."

"Mommy!"

"Mommy!"

"Binks!"

Three eager kids came charging into Bianca's hospital room; and Bianca was surprised to see Reggie on their trail as well.

"I hope you don't mind me coming too." said Reggie.

"Not at all." said Bianca grinning at her cousin. "It's great to see you!"

But she saved her biggest smile for her kids.

Everyone was clutching a picture in their hands, even Reggie, even Marissa.

"Are those for me?" Bianca asked, sitting up in her pillow's slightly with an expression of excitement while Frankie turned on the monitor.

"Ah, the famous get-better pictures." He said winking at the kids.

"What have you drawn for me?" Bianca asked but AJ, Miranda and Gabby were more curious about what Frankie was up to.

"Whatcha doing." AJ asked as Frankie moved to double check the position of the sensors.

"These are to measure how Bianca reacts to her new medicine." he explained. "You can see the readings as they come up on this monitor."

The kids gathered closer to look at the screen.

"This is her heart rate." said Frankie pointing to the numbers on screen. "And this is blood pressure. It tells us how hard her heart is having to work."

Gabby was staring at the cables disappearing into the neck of her mother's hospital gown.

"Do they tickle?" Gabby asked.

"A little." said Bianca smiling at the daughter.

She gave her mommy a worried look.

"Will you have to wear these always?" she asked.

"No, it's just for the next couple of nights." said Frankie, as he refastened Bianca's gown. "All done."

With that he made his leave to go.

"David will be here to give you the first injection in about half an hour."

"Okay," said Bianca, giving the doctor a smile. "Thank you."

"Kids." said Marissa finding the right moment to intervene. "Don't you think mommy wants to see your pictures?"

"I'll go first, shall I?" asked Reggie moving to hand over his drawing.

"No me!" cried Gabby picking her picture up from the floor where she had dropped it and rushing forward.

"It's a fishy." said Gabby, handing over a colourful painting before clambering onto the bed beside her mommy. Unlike most of Gabby's drawings, which could be almost anything, it was actually shaped like a fish, with a tail and a big green eye.

"It's very good." said Bianca.

"W-eggie showed me." said Gabby proudly grinning at Ayesha's daddy, "You do a body blob and a triangle tail and an eye - it's easy. I could show you mommy. I could draw fishies all day long."

"And she has been." said Reggie, "But she has honoured you with her best one!"

"Well I shall treasure it." said Bianca giving her youngest daughter a kiss.

"Mommy," said Miranda handing her picture over next. It was of two princesses, one with dark hair and one with red. "It's you and Marissa from our story; the princess and the blacksmith's daughter."

"Well you've made us look very beautiful."

Miranda smiled proudly.

AJ then handed over his picture.

"Not the house?" said Bianca a little surprised.

"No, it's a boat." said AJ excitedly, "Miranda's Uncle Jack is letting us sail his boat all by ourselves!"

"Well that is very kind of him."

"It's on Saturday," explained Marissa, smoothing down her son's hair. "Instead of… you know…" They hadn't mentioned the cancelling of the moving van to the kids. "Don't worry, Reggie and I are going as well. I think Jackson is keen for an excuse to take his newly refurbished yacht out for a spin."

Bianca nodded.

"Well watch out for the pirates." she said with a grin.

"Can you come too mommy?" Gabby asked.

"I don't know angel. I have to go on Dr Hayward's special Orpheus medicine and they need to keep an eye on me to make sure it's working. I could be in hospital for a few weeks yet."

All the kids looked suddenly very sad.

"But I would love it if you took pictures and then come back and tell me how much fun you had!"

"I can do that." said AJ, puffing out his chest slightly. "I've got an underwater camera, for my birthday!"

"Well hopefully you won't need it underwater," said Bianca with a smirk, "Unless you are planning on sinking the ship?"

AJ laughed.

"Stop being silly mommy." said Miranda, laughing too.

"My turn." said Reggie handing over his artwork.

"A bunny rabbit?"

"Gabby said you liked them." said Reggie.

"Bunnies are the best!" cried Gabby.

"We all know you think so!" said Bianca reaching out to tickle her youngest daughter. Gabby scooted out of her mother's reach, but Bianca stopped, her left hand was trembling unexpectedly.

The kids all stared apprehensively as Bianca covered the tremor with her right hand

"So, do you want to see my picture?" Marissa asked trying to break the sudden solemn mood.

"Of course." said Bianca, determined to stay cheerful.

Marissa held up the picture from her girlfriend to see. Bianca frowned.

It was a drawing of a crude smiley face.

"The kids didn't leave me much time for my masterpiece. So I decided I should just give you my smile."

Bianca laughed.

"It's perfect."

She looked up at the beautiful smile in Marissa's lips.

"But it really doesn't do you justice!"

…