Bianca was a little over whelmed when more and more people came into the parlour to wish her a Merry Christmas. At first she thought Marissa might have planned this as part of her welcome home, but when Marissa appeared with Kendal she look equally bemused by it all. There were a few surprise faces amongst the crowd, particularly Maggie, who looked shocked and delighted to see her. The parlour was suddenly very noisy, filled with friendly chatter, but Bianca's joy was muted by the sight of Griffin and Frankie approaching together, both carrying their medical bags.

"It's Christmas." she sighed as Griffin came to sit beside her.

"All the more reason to let us change your dressings and check you over."

"I'm fine." said Bianca.

"From what David told me you were serious ill…"

"Shh." whispered Bianca, "Not here!" She looked across to where Marissa was still chatting with Kendal and Reese. She could tell her girlfriend was watching with half an eye.

"You've haven't told Marissa how sick you were."

"I'm better." Bianca said quietly. "Better than I was."

"Then you have nothing to worry about if we give you a check-up."

It was a sign to how ill Bianca must still be feeling that she gave no further protest.

Reluctantly Bianca got to her feet.

"We'll go to the study, it should be quiet." she said.

Gabby looked up from where she was playing with Ayesha and now Jenny too.

"Mommy, where are you going?" she asked, her face suddenly worried. She hurried over to hold her mommy's hand.

"The Doctors just need to change my bandage. I won't be gone long I promise." she said kissing the top of her daughter's head. "Go play… I'll be right back. Go on. It's fine."

Gabby reluctantly let go and returned to her game.

Griffin put his hand of her back as they left the room.

"You'll be back before you know it."

…

Frankie removed Bianca's cumbersome medical boot that was currently replacing her damaged brace. Griffin meanwhile was taking her temperature.

"So?" Bianca asked as Griffin looked at the thermometer reading.

"Your temperature is still a little high."

"I thought so." she said. "But I'm going to be okay?"

"It's only a little above normal. You've certainly improved from how David described your fever. David said you were hallucinating but he couldn't be certain if that was from the infection or a side effect of the Orpheus serum. From what he described of your leg wound you are very lucky not to have blood poisoning."

"Well David operated and saved my useless leg… so I'm fine."

"Your leg isn't useless." scolded Frankie as he began to undo the bandage on her calf.

"Senseless then." said Bianca. "Is that a better term."

"Right word, wrong attitude." said Frankie.

He pulled the dressing from the wound.

"You'll have an interesting scar." said Frankie looking at the square flap cut into the back of Bianca calf. "It's healing well though. There is still some swelling so it will be a few more days before we can remove the stitches… The antibiotics seem to be doing their job."

"So I get Christmas?" asked Bianca.

"You get to take it easy for Christmas." Frankie clarified. "But we will need you back into hospital sooner rather than later. You've been a long time without you meds and we don't know what other drug they have pumped into your system…"

"But I can have today?"

"You can."

Meanwhile Griffin was taking Bianca's blood pressure.

"David said you were complaining of a sensation outside your body. Pain?" asked Griffin as he made a note of the reading.

"It was when I walked out of the cell. A sharp pain. It's out here somewhere…" Bianca stretched her hand out far to the left and gestured into open air. "I felt something here. I thought it might be because of Orpheus… or is it just another part of my hallucination"

"Hmm." said Griffin as Frankie set about redressing her leg wound. "That sounds like another reason to get you into hospital."

"I guess so." said Bianca. "I promise after Christmas you can poke, prod and prick me all you want… just let me have Christmas."

"You can go back." said Griffin. "Just…"

"I know… take it easy." finished Bianca. "I'm not sure I'm up to doing much else."

"But we have little present for you before you disappear." Griffin added.

"What?"

Frankie had another bag with him besides his medical bag.

"When I heard of miraculous return I got this out of storage for you. The spare..." He pulled out a brace just like the one that had been destroyed. "I thought it would help make getting around easier."

"Thank you."

"Just let me fit it." Frankie said. "You've lost quite a bit of weight so I'll need to make adjustments."

"Well it's Christmas." said Bianca. "Considering the amount of food the Martin's brought with them I'm pretty sure I'll be back to my optimum weight before you know it!"

"If your diet becomes an issue…" Griffin began.

"I'm not going back to that." said Bianca, realising he was worried about her history of anorexia. "It was because there was nothing to eat, not because I was choosing not to eat it."

"Well I'll be acting as your Physio now." said Frankie. "I want to make sure we get you back up to strength as quickly as possible…" He fastened the last strap of her brace. "There you're done."

"So I'm free to go?"

"You are."

"Thank you." said Bianca, adjusting her skirt and getting up from her chair. She took a few experimental steps in her brace and gave them both a smile before she swung herself out of the door.

As she left Griffin and Frankie share a concerned look.

"We'll need to get her admitted sooner rather than later." said Frankie.

"I know. But not today." said Griffin. "We can at least give her today."

…