Happy Monday - I'm glad you enjoyed the Christmas engagement!

SPOILERS - this week - Bianca has an unexpected prognosis, Scott and Cara have a talk and David turns his focus back to Orpheus

...

After the excitement of the proposal the kids all charged off into the next room to try out Miranda's new game and the adults took seat where they could, and the discussion turned to what had happened to Erica, Bianca and David and their amazing rescue.

Bianca wasn't taking much part in the conversation. She preferred instead to cuddle beside her new fiancé. Her head rested on Marissa's shoulder and she took her hand in hers, admiring how perfect the engagement ring looked on her lover's finger.

Marissa was trying not to pay the conversation too much attention either as she found the thought about how close she came to losing Bianca quite harrowing. She preferred to think of the here and now, and with Bianca beside her it was easy to do. But hearing about one close call after another she was realising how lucky she was to have Bianca here at all.

"What I don't understand is how you found us so quickly." David said looking to Reggie and Jackson.

"Oh, Griffin managed to get files together of all the locations relating to Silvas in Veracruz. Once we knew he had you… and once we knew you were being held at a hospital, there was only one place to look." explained Jackson.

"Yeah," said Jesse. "If Bianca hadn't gotten to that phone… We wouldn't have found you."

"That was a miracle." said Erica. "When we left her she was unconscious with a high fever… hallucinating even. How she got herself down that corridor I don't know."

"How did you do it?" Kendal asked turning to her sister.

They all looked to Bianca on the couch; there was silence.

"I don't think she's going to answer." said Marissa quietly. She had felt Bianca's head growing heavy on her shoulder and knew she had fallen asleep. "I has been a long day for her."

"I'm surprised she's held up as long as she has." said Griffin, giving Marissa a sad smile.

"Maybe we should go." said Adam, seeing his chance to escape Tad's enforced jollity (he had been threatening Pictionary later). "Thank you for a memorable Christmas."

He got up from his chair as he spoke.

"Yeah… We'll give you some space." said Tad getting up as well. "But it's been a great Christmas, we must all do this again sometime!"

"It has." said Marissa softly, not wanting to disturb her girlfriend.

"Let's go get the kids." said Tad, signalling to Dixie to follow him into the den.

"Yeah, we'd better round them up." said Kendal getting up from her seat too.

David lingered by his daughter side as the most of the room got up to go.

Marissa looked up at him.

"She'll have to go back hospital soon, won't she?" said Marissa sadly, kissing her fiancé's brow.

"She will," said David, "The sooner the better. She's got a lot to recover from and we need to find out if that operation on her leg has affected her movement…"

"So tomorrow…" said Marissa, her face falling at the thought.

"If she'll come." said David.

"She'll come." said Marissa. "It's for her own good. She knows that even if she doesn't like it."

…

Marissa eased Bianca from her shoulder and laid her out on the couch. She then covered her with a blanket. All the kids came in quietly to stare at her asleep until they were shepherded out into the hall. The guests left quietly, bundling up in their coats and wishing Marissa a 'Merry Christmas' as went.

Erica had stayed sat on the couch in the parlour, waving to the other guests as they left.

"Come on Erica, let's give them some peace." said Jackson, bringing Erica's coat through from the hall.

"I can't just leave my daughter. It's Christmas." she said stubbornly.

"Mom, I'm your daughter too." said Kendal, offering her mother a hand to pull herself up from the couch. "Why don't you come back to mine and we let Bianca sleep. You can let the boys show you what Santa brought them. Marissa can take care of it from here…"

Erica surrendered and let herself be led away.

Reese excused herself too. Maggie and David had arranged to meet up for drink at the hotel to have a catch up and Reese was invited along too.

Reggie was the last to go. He gave Marissa a hug.

"Call me for anything… If you need me to watch the kids… anything! And Camilla and I will be here in the morning to help put the rest of the furniture back. So don't worry and don't do too much."

Marissa nodded.

"Thanks."

Camilla hugged her too and the dragged Ayesha away from her best friend while Reggie picked up her buggy.

"Is mommy okay?" Miranda asked, when they were finally alone.

"She's just tired." said Marissa, playfully pulling the little girl into a hug. "It's been a crazy day!"

"And you're getting married?" AJ asked.

"We are."

"Can I see the ring?" Gabby asked, grabbing Marissa's hand. She'd asked five times already and always grinned happily when she saw it on her mamma's finger.

"So when are you getting married?" Miranda asked.

"Not right away." said Marissa. "We'll need to talk about it. We'll probably wait until Bianca's recovered."

"Will she go back to the hospital?" Miranda asked, pulling an unhappy face.

"For a little while."

"Will we be bridesmaids?" Gabby asked, still admiring Marissa's ring.

"Of course you will." said Marissa. She then nudged AJ. "I might need a best man as well." she added.

"I can be best man?" AJ asked.

"Well you're the best man I know." said Marissa.

AJ's chest puffed up with pride.

"Now," said Marissa, leading the kids towards the dining room. "Let's see if we can find something quiet to do for a few hours while mommy sleeps okay?"

…

Bianca opened her eyes to a darkened parlour. The only sound was the faint clicking of the fairy lights as they flickered on and off. Everyone had gone.

Then from the distance she heard Gabby cry, "Go fish!" followed by a chorus of shushing.

Bianca groped around on the floor until she found her crutches and then headed out to investigate.

She found Marissa and the kids in the dining room playing a card game at the table.

"All the present's Santa brought you and your playing cards!" Bianca exclaimed as she entered.

"Mommy!" Miranda and Gabby cried together.

"We were trying to find something quiet to do." explained Marissa. "Did we wake you?"

"No...no." said Bianca, trying to shake the fuzziness from her head; a little annoyed that she had been sleeping at all. "How long was I out?"

Marissa checked her watch.

"Not even an hour." she said and gave Bianca a smile. "Do you want anything? I was about to get the kids some lunch."

"How have you got room lunch after such a big dinner?" Bianca exclaimed playfully.

"I'm a growing boy!" said AJ, patting his tummy.

"You'll be growing outwards." Marissa teased. "So what do people want?"

"Is there any of that lemon meringue pie?" AJ asked.

"I want lemon meringue too!" cried Miranda.

"You want dessert for supper?" Marissa asked. "… Well I guess as it's only Christmas once a year… Let's go see what leftovers we have!"

AJ and Miranda raced off to the kitchen.

Gabby grabbed her mamma by the hand as she followed the older kids through to the kitchen.

"Can I have the ice-cream with the raisins in? It was yummy!" Gabby asked.

"You can have a little bit." said Marissa, well aware her mom put brandy in her plum pudding ice cream.

Miranda and AJ were jostling by the fridge when they got to the kitchen.

They had found the pot with the lemon pie in.

AJ let out a moan,

"There's only enough for one." he cried.

Marissa peered over his shoulder.

"Well you are going to have to share." she said. "What do you say to half pie and half chocolate pudding?."

Both kids eyes got very wide.

"Yes please!" cried Miranda.

AJ nodded enthusiastically too.

"But can I have mine in separate bowls though?" Miranda added.

"I think I can manage that." said Marissa reaching into the cabinet for some dishes.

"I don't care." said AJ, waiting eagerly for her to serve up.

"They are going to get belly ache after all that sugar, you know." Bianca said as she watched the kids hare back out to the dining room with their bowls of dessert.

"It's Christmas." said Marissa in reply. "What can I get you?"

Bianca smiled.

"Well first I want some sugar." she said pouting her lips. Marissa dutifully kissed her. "And then I fancy a turkey sandwich with all the trimmings."

"Stuffing and cranberry sauce?" Marissa asked.

"Yes please." said Bianca.

"You know that sound good, I might join you. You go sit down and I'll bring then through."

"I can manage!" insisted Bianca, stubbornly turning to the refrigerator and reaching for the box of turkey leftovers. As soon as she let go of her right crutch she lost her balance and Marissa had to catch her.

Bianca sank into her fiancé's embrace and struggled to find her footing. Her own force of will not enough to chase the weakness from her body.

Marissa hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek.

"You go and sit and I'll bring the sandwiches." she said again, only much more firmly.

"I don't want to be ill." Bianca sighed.

"I know." said Marissa. "Nobody wants to be ill."

"I don't want to go to the…" Bianca began with a sob, but she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

"The sooner you go the sooner you'll be back. And you'll be stronger than ever!"

Bianca turned and met Marissa's eyes.

"I don't want to leave you."

"I will visit every day, morning and night! You will be sick of the sight of me!"

"Never." insisted Bianca.

"Come on Bianca." said Marissa helping her finally steady herself and stand under her own power. "We don't have a choice. I don't want to see you go any more than you want leave. The kids are going to find it hard; to have you then lose you again… But you have to get better! You have to go! Honey, you can barely stand!" There were tears in Marissa eyes as she spoke. It was clear this was breaking her heart

Bianca nodded.

"But we have tonight?"

Marissa kissed her tenderly.

"My love, we have all of tonight and the rest of our lives!"

…