The wink that Jackson gave Erica was the last bit of encouragement she needed to get back to full Kane strength.

"So what now?" she asked, with a sniff, glaring at Ricky. "Are you going to keep us here indefinitely?"

"We are going to wait." said Ricky leisurely, "It is their turn to make the next move."

The 'they' Ricky referred to was the police. There was no disguising the fact that the hospital was surrounded. The net curtains in Bianca's room were glowing blue and red from the squad car's flashing lights.

Ricky flicked the gun in Kendal and Griffin's direction.

"On your knees, facing the door." He commanded; "And put your hands behind your head."

"And if we refuse?" Griffin asked.

Marissa gave a grunt of pain as Ricky once more shoved his gun into her ribs.

"On your knees."

Kendal tugged Griffin's sleeve, in a silent plea, before she resignedly followed Ricky's instruction. Griffin looked from Ricky to the discomfort on Marissa's face. Slowly he joined Kendal on his knees and tucked his hands behind his head.

"You too Erica." said Ricky, pointing the gun her way. "Jack… may I call you Jack? I shall give you dispensation; you don't look like you can put up much of a fight."

Erica didn't move at first.

"Erica…" said Ricky the warning clear in his voice.

"I suppose I should take this as a compliment," said Erica coolly, "If you think I'm that much of a risk to you."

She slowly knelt beside her daughter; this kind of thing wasn't as easy as it once was. It felt like a long way down. Erica put her hands on her head and peered sideways at her eldest child. Kendal was staring into the middle distance, lost in thought. But feeling Erica's eyes on her Kendal turned to give her mother a small smile before her face returned to a mask of fear…

Erica was feeling it too.

What was Ricky planning to do next?

…

Marissa's head still hurt. She felt unsteady and every so often a little dizzy spell washed over her. Sometimes it felt like the arm around her throat was the only thing holding her up. Griffin was probably right about the concussion. She knew she wasn't thinking straight. She should be more scared than she was… she didn't want to die! But instead she seemed to have only one thought in her head… Bianca.

She could see her out of the corner of her eye.

Bianca was still sleeping… pale and still and silent… Almost like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White. Almost like all it would take was a kiss to wake her up.

Or maybe that was just the head injury talking…

Suddenly Marissa felt Ricky's vice-like grip release from her neck.

"You join them as well." he said shoving her towards where the others were kneeling in front of the doorway.

Marissa stumbled but held her ground, her eyes fixed on Bianca's bed. She was so close. If she could just touch her… reassure herself she was still alive…

Bianca… Bianca… Bianca… The only thing that mattered.

"Kneel." ordered Ricky his gun waving in her face but Marissa barely saw it.

Marissa just wanted to rush to Bianca's bedside, take her girlfriend's limp hand in her own; stoke her girlfriend's pale cheek with her finger tips; trace her girlfriend's parted lips and kiss them fiercely. She wanted to climbed onto Bianca's bed, and pull her girlfriend's sleeping body into her arms and keep her warm; keep her close; keep her safe. She felt a need to feel for herself that the heart she treasured most in all the world was still beating.

She couldn't hear Ricky screaming at her. It was only when his arms grabbed her and shook her sharply that she remembered he was even there.

He grasped her short hair and dragged her to the doorway with the rest of the group, forcing her to her knees beside Griffin.

"Do you really have that much of a death wish?" he whispered harshly in her ear.

As the room began to spin, as another wave of dizziness descended, only one word formed itself on her lips as an answer.

"Bianca…"

…