Gah, I had the worst writers block last night - so I hope this reads okay.
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After the siege life slowly returned to normal in Pine Valley.
On the first morning, Miranda left the hospital with her Aunt Kendal. She felt very unsure of herself when she got home, but Gabby was there to greet her with a hug and magic kisses and AJ presented her with a get better picture of her very own. She had to admit that Marissa had been right and the silly kisses from her sister and the picture from her best friend really did work. They did make her feel loved…
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It took a day before Marissa was let home. Kendal invited her and AJ to stay at her house until Marissa was properly back on her feet and Marissa gratefully accepted. The world seemed different now. The ordeal had brought her something more than a bruised head and sore wrists it brought new memories - New memories that only seemed to make life more confusing. She caught herself calling her mom 'Krystal' and not really knowing why. She found herself craving food she didn't even know she liked. Dr Stanhope was helping her assimilate these new thoughts and feelings but the only things that seemed real at the moment were AJ, Bianca and her two little girls…
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It took two days for JR to wake from the coma after his failed suicide attempt. The doctors contacted Dixie, but she was torn. The more time she spent in Pine Valley the more she realised how dependant JR had been on her. But Tad had been right; JR was a grown man, she couldn't be his lifeline forever. And he had done terrible things and showed no remorse. Dixie didn't know what to do. She loved her life in Pine Valley, but JR was her son…
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It took three days for Jackson to be released from hospital, his arm in a sling. Erica was waiting for him and hurried him home, determined to nurse him back to strength. Of all the perils of Pine Valley he had faced, getting shot was never something you got used to and it took a lot out of him. He knew Erica was feeling guilty and blaming herself for his injury and nothing he said or did could make her change her mind. But at the same time the ordeal had brought them closer. It got Jackson thinking about the ring that was still waiting to be claimed. This time maybe Erica would say yes?
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It took five days for the press fervour to die down a after a new celebrity break-up hit the headlines. The hordes of press vans left the area and people began to settle into their normal lives once more; without having to worry about having their faces splashed across the front page of every newspaper and their words sensationalised on the nine o'clock news.
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It took eight days for Kendal and Erica to remember why they were feuding… but neither of them had the energy or inclination to continue as they were. Origiana was still a runaway success, the marketing campaign hitting all the right buttons. The Midnight Shadow launch happened quietly amongst the aftermath of the siege but early results proved the gamble was a success. Randi was mystified to discover that issues of their promotional comic books were selling on e-bay at $15 a time. Both Erica and Kendal were still closely watching the financial reports on the other's products, but the open hostility and resentment had wavered considerably.
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It took ten days for the State police to track down the black 4x4 that had been used in the robbery and arson attack at David's cabin. It was found burnt out in the woods, five miles off the main highway. Every other lead was drawing a blank, the Mabushi medical corporation didn't exist and although Globalnox was prosecuted for selling contaminated products; Jesse was frustrated to discover they could find no ties connecting anyone at the company with David's assault. Certainly no mention of a Mr Campbell or a Mr Pepper.
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It took fourteen days for Griffin and David to agree to remove Bianca's sedative and see if the new Orpheus treatment had been a success. Her whole family waited by her hospital bedside praying that this time everything was going to be alright.
When Bianca opened her eyes the first sight that greeted her was a ceiling covered in hundreds of colourful get-better pictures… the first thing she felt were a peppering of magic kissed from her girls… and the first smile she saw was Marissa's…
Bianca was awake and for the first time in a long time there was no more pain…
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