Bianca had been returned to her room and Griffin did his best to make sure she was comfortable. Fixing her to a sedative filled drip laced with a strong pain killer. The scans had revealed she was in some degree of discomfort even in her unconscious state. The scans had also shown no obvious physical cause for her extreme pain. The only culprit left was David's unauthorised Orpheus treatment. Griffin's next task was to break the news to Marissa and Kendal who were waiting in a neighbouring room. How could he tell them that the woman who was laughing and joking with them just yesterday was now in a drug induced coma, and would remain so until he could find a cure… if there was one?

Griffin stepped into the hallway, planning his next course of action, when he noticed David striding purposefully down the corridor towards Bianca's room.

"Where do you think you are going?" demanded Griffin, blocking his path.

David ignored him and attempted to step passed him.

"Someone told me Bianca was awake and there were complications." said David. "Why didn't you come and get me?"

"Because you have done more than enough!" snapped Griffin, blocking his way once more.

David finally registered the extent of the young man's anger.

"She's still my patient."

"Not anymore." said Griffin.

"I can help her." insisted David, "I'm the only one who can!"

"Help her? Help her! All you've succeeded in doing is make her sicker. I've done every scan I can think of and the only reason I can find for the unimaginable pain you have left her in is the nerve damage caused by your reckless treatment. It seems this Orpheus Serum of yours isn't such a miracle drug after all."

"Nerve damage? Orpheus doesn't work like that!"

"Well it does now? Oh I forgot, you think you are the only man genius enough to understand your miracle drug. Well your genius has left a young woman in a coma."

"A coma?" Both doctors turned to find Erica Kane standing a few feet away. "Please tell me you are not talking about my daughter."

"Erica, I'm sorry." began Griffin.

"Where is she?" demanded Erica, looking passed them both towards Bianca's room. She rushed forward in a hurry to get to her daughters bedside.

Griffin followed her.

"She's drugged." he explained, "It's really just a deep sleep. But she is no longer in any pain and I promise to do all I can."

Erica pushed open the door to see her youngest daughter in a hospital bed. In all respects it looked like she was just sleeping, except for the regular beep of the heart monitor.

"My baby!" gasped Erica hurrying to her side, kissing Bianca's sleeping cheek and stroking her hair. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here."

Griffin. who was still standing in the doorway. felt the presence of his former mentor at his back.

"You have to let me examine her." said David attempting to push his way past.

Griffin had finally had enough. He turned and grasped David by the lapels of his doctor's coat and shoved the older man across the corridor to the opposite wall.

"You did this! You and your arrogance! You are not some god, David! You make mistakes and other people pay; well no more! If you think I am going to let you treat even one more patient in this hospital, let alone Bianca, you have another thing coming!"

Griffin felt the pressure of hands pulling at his shoulders. Jake and Frankie were there pulling him off David Hayward. David coolly straightened his jacket.

"I'm the only one who can help her." said David.

"That's not true." said Griffin. "I understand your Orpheus treatment too, I was there for your last great break through remember. You had your chance and you failed."

"You can't do this to me." replied David.

"No but I can." said Jake stepping forward. "As Chief of Surgery I am telling you to hand over all your treatment notes to Dr Castillio and then you are to clear your locker and leave this hospital. You are done here."

"I'm still a shareholder. You can't ban me from the hospital entirely."

"But I can ban you from stepping one foot on the wards."

David glared at the three doctors, his eyes briefly flitting to the door of Bianca's room.

"I only wanted to save her." he insisted.

"You only wanted to save your reputation." said Griffin coldly. "And now I have to break the news to your daughter..."

"What news?" asked the object of their discussion; Marissa and Kendal were standing outside the hospital room Marissa had been resting in, clearly disturbed by the argument. They were watching them concern in their eyes. "Is Bianca going to be alright?"

Griffin scowled at David before approaching the two women to break the sad news.

David thought briefly of ignoring Jake's warning and marching into Bianca's room, examining her condition for himself. But then he caught the look of heart broken accusation in his daughter's eyes as Griffin told them Bianca's prognosis. That look was too much. He knew he was defeated… for the moment.

…