Marissa panic attack about her missing necklace was badly timed. When the doctor saw her in that state his first reflex was to sedate her.
Luckily Erica worked out the problem before he could put her under again.
"She had a heart-shaped necklace that my daughter gave her!" she was quickly. "That's what she wants."
Marissa nodded.
"Check her personal belongings." the doctor instructed, nodding to the nurse. He then turned his attention to Marissa, pleased to see calm down again. "And what do you say to us removing this tube… hmm?"
The nurse however didn't move, just gave Erica a long look.
"I thought she was your daughter?"
Erica gave her a 'caught out' grin.
"Now I never actually said…"
…
The missing necklace had been found with her clothes in the toe of her right boot. Once they were reunited Marissa felt calm again. Her breathing tube had been removed and she was left now with a sore throat, sore ribs and an all over weakness that wouldn't leave her.
Erica had been escorted from the room moments ago by the brusque nurse. They were clearly unhappy about her lie of being family.
Marissa missed the company. It wasn't very nice to be alone and in pain in a hospital bed.
As if hearing her thoughts the door to the hospital room opened and David and Krystal peered in.
"Sweetheart!" exclaimed Krystal stepping closer and gently stroking her cheek. "Are you okay?"
She had clearly been crying.
David grabbed her medical noes from the file above her head and began reading through them, giving a nod of approval as he read through the treatments.
"You're a very lucky girl." he said eventually. "But you should be fully recovered in the next couple of days."
'Days…' thought Marissa sadly. Right now it felt like she would never get her strength back.
Well her wish had been granted, she had company. Only a part of her wished Bianca was here as well. Erica had said she was coming, hadn't she?
…
Erica had been marched to the waiting room by the nurse who was angry at being tricked.
She was met there by Krystal, David and Bianca. They had been there for a while. Adam had given them the use of the Chandler jet so they could get there as quickly as possible. Only the hospital staff were not letting them see Marissa. Because despite Krystal's protests, her mother was already sitting with her. Erica's lies had obviously been causing a delay for her real parents getting to see Marissa.
"You can come through and see you daughter now." said the nurse addressing David and Krystal. "I'm so sorry for the mix up. The rest of you can wait here."
David moved to push Bianca forward.
"Maybe her girlfriend..." he began.
"Family only!" snapped the nurse, cutting him off, clearly in no mood to show leeway after Erica's deception.
…
Before they left to see their daughter however Krystal turned and gave Erica a huge hug.
"Thank you!" she exclaimed. There were tears in her eyes.
"What?" exclaimed Erica startled by the onslaught from her old rival.
"Marissa! Bianca told me what you did. You saved my baby girl's life!"
David stepped forward and rested a hand on Erica's shoulder as well.
"I'm not going to forget this." he said softly.
"What else could I do?" said Erica, not at all proud that it was her fault that Marissa was even at risk.
"She's right." said Bianca, when Krystal and David departed. "You saved her! You… saved the day! But it doesn't change the fact that Marissa would never have been in danger at all if it wasn't for you dragging a vulnerable woman like Madison into the middle of your stupid games. Even if she hadn't been so sick, she had still just had a baby and you tell her you think the father of her child is having an affair!" The whole story had come out in the phone conversation earlier and Bianca was not pleased. "Can you see now how you're interfering ended up almost destroying two families? I'm glad that you were there to save Marissa's life but I'm afraid I'm not in the mood to thank you right now."
Erica meekly accepted her daughter's anger; she was just on the first step on a long road to make this right.
…
Krystal and David talked platitudes to Marissa as they sat with her but she wasn't quite up to speaking much in reply.
It was great to see them both but all she really wanted to know was where Bianca was.
This desire may have been more obvious to her parents than Marissa thought when David kissed her brow and excused himself.
The next time the door opened it was David letting Bianca in.
He looked to Krystal.
"Maybe we should give them a moment. Erica is currently distracting the nurse so we have to be quick."
…
When they were alone Bianca hurried to Marissa's bedside, grasped her hands and kissed her lips. Marissa smiled back, so delighted to see her.
"You're not supposed to scare me like that!" Bianca sighed and kissed her again. She had been worrying all the way on the plane over what she was going to find when she arrived. Erica had painted such a bleak picture when she spoke of the fit and the CPR and almost losing her in the ambulance. It was horrible to see her girlfriend so sick, but Bianca always melted a little at any smile Marissa directed her way no matter how weak.
"Sorry." Marissa rasped; her throat sore from the breathing tube.
"Just don't do it again?" Bianca whispered, resting her forehead against Marissa's and closing her eyes.
There was the noise of voices outside the door that drew them apart, but no one entered.
"I guess we need to make this quick." said Bianca furtively, sitting up again. "The kids sent me with important duties. First your magic kisses…" Bianca bent down to kiss Marissa's nose three times; one for each child. "And then your get-better pictures..."
She pulled out three paintings that the kids had hurried drawn that morning of the Day of the Dead / Halloween Party. The familiar ritual earned her another smile from Marissa.
Marissa recognised AJ's colourful handiwork right away - a picture of a werewolf eating a donut. There was one of a skeleton in a dress with orange flowers.
"Gabby?" Marissa asked hoarsely.
"Yeah, she's definitely got a skill developing." said Bianca. "We might need to find her a art tutor."
Finally there was Miranda's picture of lots of monsters in a row, representing everyone who was at the party.
Marissa wearily dropped the picture into her lap when she had admired them all and Bianca recognising the weakness moved them to one side.
"I wish I could have got here sooner." said Bianca.
"You're here now" croaked Marissa.
Marissa reached out to take Bianca's hand again; affectionately walking her fingers over the palm of her hand. It felt strange to see her girlfriend from this angle. She was usually the one fretting by Bianca's hospital bedside. It was no easier to be on this side. Marissa wanted to tell her not to worry; that it was going to be alright, but speaking was too hard at the moment.
It seemed however that a smile was all they needed; because even if she could speak, the wonderful and sad smile that Bianca turned her way left her speechless.
…