Happy New Year! Better late than never!

SPOLIERS - this week - It's Christmas Day in Pine Valley and news of Erica and Bianca's rescue spreads.

...

Marissa watched Bianca as she slept, still not quite believing she was lying there. They were a family again… and today was Christmas day!

…

Last night Bianca happily put the kids to bed; making sure they all got a kiss goodnight. And as it was then so late, Marissa made sure that the kids knew they weren't allowed to get out of bed and open their presents until after eight o'clock.

Marissa then led Bianca to their bedroom.

Bianca sighed happily,

"You've no idea how much I missed this place." she said stopping by the edge of the bed.

"Well first things first. I need to get out of this dress." Marissa said. She was still in her maroon gown and she struggled to reach the ties at the back. "Do you want to help me?"

Bianca's smiled and invited Marissa to come closer.

"Maybe I could enjoy it for a moment longer."

It should have been a romantic moment Bianca pulled Marissa close and planted a small sensual kiss on her shoulder, but Marissa couldn't help but notice how thin Bianca was now; the new scars and new bandages; the bruises on her wrists… She had also overheard Bianca promising David that she would be admit herself to hospital as soon as Christmas was over… Marissa hated to think about what Bianca had gone through these last few months. …

As Bianca held her in her arms Marissa had been watching Bianca's dark eyes the whole time and could see something was wrong even before Bianca burst into tears and buried her head in crook of Marissa's neck.

"Shh." whispered Marissa, holding her close and bending down to kissing her cheek. "What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong?"

Bianca tried to hide her break down by pulling away and wiping the tears from her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I'm happy… I guess I'm just tired."

"Tired? You must be exhausted." said Marissa sympathetically, smoothing Bianca's hair back from her face and forcing her to meet her eyes. "Look, you need your sleep… especially as it is going to be such a big day tomorrow."

Bianca's big sorrowful eyes flickered down to her hands on Marissa's waist.

"But I missed you."

Marissa kissed her lips with a smile.

"And I missed you! But trust me; I'll still be here in the morning… Why don't you help me out of this dress and then we just sleep? Just you being there will be enough. I missed you being there..."

Bianca didn't argue after that. When they eventually went to bed, Bianca curled up and slept the sleep of someone happy to be home in their own bed.

Marissa night's sleep had been a little more fitful, she kept being woken by the thought that everything that had happened last night was just a dream, and she had to keep opening her eyes to see the reassuring silhouette of Bianca in the bed beside her.

…

Reese had a rather unexpected awakening. She was being shaken awake by Gabby screaming into her face,

"They're gonna get in tw-ouble!"

"What? What's going on?" Reese asked sitting up in alarm.

"Mamma said we were'nt to get up until eight and M'anda and AJ got up!"

"You're up too." observed Reese. "Couldn't they wait to open their presents?"

"NO!" cried Gabby with a stamp of her foot. "Mamma said to stay in bed and they got up because M'anda wants to make mommy breakfast."

Reese hauled herself out of bed.

"Well, that's a very sweet thought, like an extra Christmas present." Reese pulled on her bath robe; she had forgotten the price of motherhood was getting up when the kids did. "Let's go and make sure they aren't making a mess." she added

"But they're gonna get in tw-ouble!" cried Gabby following her out into the hall.

Reese smiled and stopped to let the little girl catch her up. She had looked at the clock before getting out of bed it was already quarter to eight so they weren't going to get into that much trouble.

…

Reese found AJ and Miranda busy in the kitchen. AJ was pouring two glasses of juice and Miranda was putting croissants on a plate.

"Someone tells me you shouldn't be up." Reese said, giving them a grin.

Miranda pulled an angry face at Gabby, who ran up to the counter to see what her sister was up to.

"We weren't going to go in mommy's room until eight." said Miranda. "We thought she would need some breakfast!"

AJ returned to Reese's grin.

"As you're here you could make them some coffee!"

"Sure, why not." said Reese, ignoring Gabby's disapproving look. Somehow she missed AJ's 'them'.

…

Marissa had wanted to capture forever in her memory the moment when Bianca woke for their first Christmas together, but she missed it. Her eyes had been watching the clock and she got lost in wondering if she dare sneak out of bed and beg the children to stay sleeping for another hour. When she looked back to the face she loved, Bianca's eyes were already open and she was staring at her with an indulgent smile.

"'Morning." Bianca whispered.

"'Morning." replied Marissa planting a soft kiss in Bianca's lips and leaning closer. "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept perfectly." said Bianca, her smile widening.

Under the covers her hands slipped to Marissa's waist and drew her closer still.

"Really?" asked Marissa, licking her lips in anticipation. "You're feeling better? You look a little better!

Bianca sighed.

"I feel more myself." she said seductively, kissing Marissa a little more deeply.

Marissa pulled back and grinned.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!"

Just then there was a tentative knock on the door. Marissa turned one eye to the clock, it was eight o'clock exactly.

"Perfect timing," said Marissa, yawning and straightening up. "Come in kids… and Merry Christmas!"

The door burst open and Miranda, AJ and Gabby, armed with their stocking, all ran in together, scrabbling over the bed excitedly.

…

Reese was following the kids with the breakfast tray as it held hot coffee. She felt a little embarrassed about disturbing Marissa in her bedroom. She watched as the kids all happily clambered into the bed. It reminded her of married life when Miranda was almost the same age as Gabby is now. Christmas mornings always began with the excited opening the stocking presents all in the same bed. Bianca always loved this time of year…

Reese's wistful remembrances were abruptly halted by Bianca, the object of her thoughts, sitting up and giving Miranda a hug just like she saw in her memory.

Reese was so shocked she dropped the tray.

"You're alive!" she gasped. "Bu.. But how?"

Bianca's expression was also shocked.

"Reese? What are you doing here?"

…