The back-up medical team, led by Jake and Frankie, arrived along with Jesse and a few other police officers.

"We'll need to clear this ward." said Jesse; the whole area was a crime scene.

Jake nodded, he was checking over Jackson under Erica's watchful gaze.

"It looks like a through and through." He said examining the bullet wound. He looked up to a pair of orderlies. "Move him to Chandler ward and get Dr Prentis to check his collar bone, I suspect a fracture."

The orderlies carefully transferred Jack to a gurney.

"Will he be alright?" Erica asked.

"He's lost a lot of blood, but the wound is clotting nicely." said Jake putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He should be fine. And you; are you injured?"

"No, no." said Erica shaking her head, "He never touched me."

Erica's eyes drifted around the room taking in the condition of her family.

Bianca was being examined by Griffin and Frankie. Miranda was in Marissa's arms, the young woman was rocking the little girl, whispering to her and kissing her hair. The same time Marissa's eyes never left Bianca's. AJ was there too, sat beside his mom leaning against her side.

Erica's eyes then drifted to the figure sat on the floor beside her. Kendal hadn't moved from the doorway. She was simply staring at Ricky's corpse.

"Kendal?" Erica asked. "Are you okay?"

Kendal looked close to tears.

"I'm not hurt." she said quietly, shaking her head, "But I'm not okay."

Erica reached out to her eldest daughter and pulled her into her arms.

"I don't think any of us are okay." said Erica, hugging Kendal tightly.

…

AJ was evacuated from the hospital with Erica and Kendal. He couldn't stay with his mommy because she was hurt and the doctors were taking care of her.

Now Nana Krystal was sitting with him in the police van while Natalia interviewed him about the bad things that had happened. He was doing his best to remember every little part. He knew it was important, just like it was for his daddy's trial.

He was being brave and he was going to keep being brave and make his mommy proud…

…

Marissa and Miranda were together in the hospital cubical while Frankie, in his role as police doctor, checked them both over. They had been given hospital gowns while their clothes were taken away as evidence. Miranda was finding it all a little scary, but it felt better to have Marissa there. If she couldn't have her mommy then Miranda was beginning to realise that Marissa really was the next best thing.

Marissa had gone first so Miranda knew what to expect. They took pictures and measured every cut and scrape and bruise. Marissa even had bruises on her stomach and wounds that went right around her wrists from being tied up. When it was Miranda's turn she didn't feel so bad about her sore neck.

Still Miranda refused to let go of Marissa's hand, as the photographer took pictures of her bruises and the small cut on her cheek where Ricky had held the blade. Marissa however wasn't letting her be scared. She had both of her hands encompassing Miranda's and she was singing… she was singing her special get better song!

"…so hush don't you cry,

You will be in my arms forever more."

She remembered…

…

Griffin refused any medical treatment until he had gotten Bianca stabilised.

They had moved her to a bed in ICU. The heart monitor showed her pulse was still a little erratic, a reaction to the overdose of sedative, but the other question was the pain. The muted pain, because it was nowhere near as bad as it had been when she woke from David's rogue treatment, could be either a result of the increased analgesia in her system or a natural reaction from the withdrawal from the Orpheus treatment.

Griffin didn't want to risk it. He put Bianca back under as quickly as possible.

He was checking Bianca's IV, when there came a knock and a voice from the hall.

"Griffin, I need to talk to you!"

Griffin looked up to see a dishevelled David Hayward standing in the doorway with a police escort.

"David, what the hell are you doing here?" Griffin asked. "Bianca is no longer you patient."

"But I know what is wrong," said David. "And I know how to fix it…"

Griffin shook his head in disbelief.

"You can't fix everything." He said sourly.

"No." said David, grabbing Griffin's forearm. "You were right. You were right all along. It was the Orpheus treatment that made her so sick; I just refused to see it. But not for the reasons you think..!"

…