All through the night, near and far;

We will be together.

So hush don't you cry.

You will be, in my arms forever more.

Marissa kept the song in her head, singing it over and over and with each new chorus seemed to come a new memory... her father's large hands gently holding in her own little fingers; her mother's delighted laugh as she danced around the kitchen; AJ's sleepy smile and his little arms as he kissed her goodnight; Bianca's warm chocolate eyes just gazing lovingly at her as they talked about nothing and everything... and with it came a new strength and a new focus.

Determined, she struggled with the knots binding her, but they were proving impossible and were refusing to give under her sore fingers. So she began exploring what she could in the dark with her feet. She realised after a moment she was facing the door. If she looked really carefully she could make out a slight outline of light coming from around the well-fitting frame. She gave the door an experimental kick. That was how they got out before. Together she and Bianca had broken the lock with one kick! This time the door only reverberated hollowly in its frame.

So maybe this time it would take a little more effort.

Marissa braced herself against the floor and kicked the door again… nothing… she kicked it again. She wasn't going to give up!

…

Griffin strode down the corridor of Pine Valley Hospital. He had just finished helping Dr Prentiss complete a hip replacement on Mrs Torrington; he was exhausted, it had been a long day. But he wasn't going to go home until after he had checked on Bianca one last time. She seemed to be stabilising. If that was true he might finally be able to have a worry free night's sleep. Bianca's room was only one floor up from surgery so he made the decision to take the stairs rather than the elevator.

He came out onto the corridor, turning right towards Bianca's room. But then he stopped.

He must be tired because he could have sworn he could hear singing… a woman singing. Griffin turned around, the sound seemed to be coming from behind him and it was accompanied by a rhythmic, thump…thump… thump…

Intrigued Griffin followed the sound but when he turned the corner it had stopped.

"Hello," he called cautiously, "Is there someone there?"

The response was a muffled cry,

"We're here! Please, we're here!" and more thumping.

Griffin could see the door to one of the supply cupboards vibrating from an unseen impact, there was a chair wedged under the handle.

"It's okay, I'll get you out." He called, yanking aside the chair and pulling open the door.

He blinked in surprise at the sight of Marissa bound in the closet, her legs poised to kick the door.

…

At the sight of Dr Castillo silhouetted in the corridor Marissa's heart skipped a beat. They were saved.

"Marissa!" he gasped, "You're bleeding". He knelt down to examine her forehead.

"No," Marissa protested leaning forward so he could see the woman she was bound to, "Help Bianca!"

"That's not Bianca." He said reaching past her to feel for the unseen woman's pulse. "She's unconscious. What happened, Marissa?"

"There was a man." said Marissa, as Griffin, set to work undoing the knots. "I recognised him… he was dressed as a nurse but he wasn't one, I knew he wasn't."

Griffin finally succeeded in untying the ropes and Marissa pulled away as Griffin moved to lay the other woman on the ground and examine her.

"Is she okay?" Marissa asked.

"I can't see any injury; I think she's been drugged." He said, laying his patient out flat.

Marissa looked down at the unconscious woman, confused. She recognised her now… the blonde hair… it was Brittany, the young nurse who was manning the nurse's station that evening. She had been so sure it was Bianca.

But if Bianca wasn't here…

Marissa sprung to her feet, or at least that was the intension, but she only got partway before she felt woozy and sunk back down again. Griffin noticed however.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"That man, he was after Bianca," cried Marissa, "I have to go to her."

She tried to find her feet again but Griffin restrained her by grabbing her arm.

"You've hit your head, you could have concussion." Griffin warned.

"But that man…" her brow scrunched in effort as she tried to remember him… and then she did. "Reverend Torres."

Griffin stared at her.

"You're mistaken." he said.

"I'm not." said Marissa firmly. "He wanted to know where Bianca was and then he wanted to know if Kendal was coming."

That got Griffin's attention.

"He was after Kendal as well?"

"Yes." said Marissa, looking unswervingly back into Griffin's eyes. "And it was him, Ricky Torres. I know… I remember."

Griffin was about to answer when they heard raised voices from the corridor behind them.

"That's Erica." hissed Marissa. "He's got Erica!"

And then they heard the shot.

Marissa scrabbled to her feet in order to run to the sound. Griffin pulled her back down.

"The first and most important lesson in life is never ever run towards a gunshot." Griffin whispered gruffly.

"But Bianca!" moaned Marissa, struggling against him.

"Stay here." said Griffin in hushed tones. "I'll go and take a look."

Marissa wanted to protest but Griffin's return glare warranted no argument.

…

Griffin ducked low and crept towards the voices coming from just around the corner. He wasn't sure what to make of the whole situation. Marissa was clearly confused about the identity of her attacker… but something nasty was definitely going down in the hospital!

He got to the end of the passage and keeping low, peered around the corner.

The gun man was kneeling over a fallen body and Erica was standing nearby and even as he watched Kendal appeared from Bianca's room her hands raised in the air.

Griffin wanted nothing more than to run to her; shield her; take down the attacker and keep her safe! He bunched his hands into fists, ready to strike… but then he heard movement behind him.

He turned to find Marissa almost at his back.

"I told you to wait." He mouthed silently.

But Marissa's worried eyes were looking past him. It was clear her only thought was for Bianca and she wasn't going to be dissuaded.

Sighing Griffin turned back to the scene. The gun man was standing now, walking slowly towards Kendal and for the first time Griffin could see his face.

Marissa hadn't been mistaken. It was Ricky Torres back from the dead… and Griffin realised what terrible danger Kendal was now in.

…