David was walking along the hospital corridor after coming from a meeting with Frankie and Griffin. He and Dr Castillio had explained to Frankie about the situation with Bianca, but Frankie was still not very pleased with the way they had been treating their patient. David had to walk off his frustration. All of Frankie's points about giving Bianca time to recover from her illness after the kidnapping were valid. David had been there, he had seen the ordeal she had gone through. But what Frankie, and now it seems Griffin, were failing to grasp was that the deadline was closing in on him to release a successful Orpheus Serum. Two reporters had already called the house asking him for details of his involvement with the Lazarus drug… It wouldn't take much more digging for them to reveal the truth… and he had to have a working treatment to present to the world as soon as possible.

David's wanderings led him to the door to Bianca's room. It wasn't by accident; there were still a few tests to be carried out overnight…

He could hear a burst of childish laughter coming from beyond the door; Bianca's visitors were still with her.

"…No, we can't just have donuts at the reception." said Marissa, laughing too.

"Could you have a donut wedding cake?" AJ asked.

"I guess there is someone out there who could make one." said Bianca.

David pushed open the door to find Marissa, AJ, Gabby and Miranda all sat around Bianca in her hospital bed. The laughter dried up as soon as he appeared.

"Is it time to go?" Marissa asked sadly.

"I can give you a few more minutes." offered David.

Marissa turned to Bianca; she was smiling but still looking very pale.

"No." said Marissa turning to return Bianca a sad smile. "I need to get the kids fed and watered… but we'll be back in the morning."

She leant in and kissed Bianca on the lips briefly.

"You better be." Bianca sighed in return.

"But we haven't sorted out the wedding yet!" Gabby moaned as she wriggled her way off the edge of the bed.

"Well mommy said that wasn't going to happen today anyway." Miranda said hotly to her little sister.

"I tell you what." said Bianca, smiling up at Marissa as she stroke her oldest daughter's cheek. "Why don't you and Mamma 'Rissa plan what wedding we should have and I'll go along with whatever you want."

Marissa frowned.

"You can't mean that." she said. "This is something we should do together!"

"I just want to concentrate on getting well right now." said Bianca quietly. "And sooner it's planned the sooner we can get married… That's all I really want; to call you my wife."

"But I don't know what wedding you want, big and fancy… small and intimate?"

"I want whatever you want." said Bianca.

"Can I get the fluffy dress?" interjected Gabby.

"No." said Bianca and Marissa together.

"We'll find you something prettier." Marissa added.

"You had better take the magazines then," said Bianca handing them back to Miranda to put into her bag.

Marissa gave Bianca a reluctant smile.

"I'll put something together." she said finally. "But we going to make the finally decision together, okay?"

"Okay." said Bianca.

Bianca was swamped with goodbye hugs and kisses and then they waved goodbye to David as reluctantly left together. AJ's voice could be heard asking as they headed down the corridor,

"Can you have donut Wedding cake?"

…

"So wedding plans?" David asked, now he and Bianca were finally alone.

"Yeah." said Bianca, her smile growing again, but then she remembered who she was talking to. "Should I have come to you first and asked your permission for Marissa's hand?"

"She's a grown woman." said David, patting Bianca warmly on the arm. "And I thoroughly approve of her decision."

There was a moment of silence between them.

"So what are you doing here?" Bianca asked at last, already knowing the answer.

"We need to test your nervous system overnight."

Bianca's face fell.

"And what if I chose not to continue with the Orpheus treatment..?"

"You have to!" said David quickly. "It's working!"

"But I just want my life back."

"This with give you your life back!" David insisted. "If we continue you could be walking unaided… you could walk yourself down the aisle!"

Bianca blinked in surprise.

"You could make that happen?"

"Yes!" said David firmly. "Yes I can!"

The fanaticism of his certainty was lighting his eyes. He couldn't let Bianca just give up.

…