HANDS TOUCHING HANDS

CHAPTER 1: Friday Afternoon (Paris in Late June.)

Zoe opened her eyes to see Bianca watching her.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey, back," Bianca returned the whisper. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck," Zoe half-laughed. "How about you?"

"Relieved." Bianca gently took Zoe's hand in her own. She shuddered at the bandages on Zoe's wrists.

"Me too. I was never so scared in my life." Then Zoe remembered. "Maggie? Is Maggie…?" She was unable to finish.

"It's not good." Bianca's voice caught.

"Tell me." Zoe saw the fear in Bianca's eyes.

"She's out of surgery, but she won't wake up. They're not sure why."

"Oh no, that brave, sweet girl." Zoe was obviously distraught. "We've got to help her."

"Zoe, I thought you didn't care for Maggie?" Bianca said with surprise.

"Of course I care for Maggie. Besides, I would never wish anyone ill."

"Of course you wouldn't. I didn't mean that."

"Oh, Bianca, I don't like what Maggie did to you, but I should have realized…" She stopped not sure she should continue.

"What? You can say it," Bianca prompted.

"Sit down sweetie, and raise this awful contraption for me." Zoe patted the bed.

Bianca brought the head of the hospital bed up and perched on the edge. Zoe took Bianca's hand back into her own.

"You know, I love you with all my heart, don't you?" Zoe brought Bianca's hand to her lips and kissed it.

"Yes, and I love you." Bianca gave a soft, sweet smile.

"Well, I should have realized that you couldn't give your heart to someone that wasn't special."

"You're very special to me."

"Well, yes I am," Zoe chuckled. "But I am talking about Maggie." Zoe noted Bianca's discomfort. "I've gotten to know her better and I see why you loved her."

Bianca didn't know what to say. She loved Zoe, and the last 36 hours had taught her that she still loved Maggie very much.

Zoe could see Bianca's confusion and it made her sad. "Oh my sweat Bianca, Maggie and I were thrown together in a truly horrible and desperate situation."

Sympathy and concern replaced Bianca's confusion, as she thought about what the two must have gone through.

"But God, if you ever learn what a person is made of it's at those times. I feel like I know the Maggie you fell in love with. She's an incredible human being and I would be proud to call her a friend." Zoe's throat tightened and she squeezed Bianca's hand. "She never stopped looking for a way out. She never gave up."

"That's Maggie. She was always there for me as my protector and friend. I went through some terrible times, and she's the one that got me through them." Blinking away tears, Bianca stared down at her hand clasped in Zoe's. Zoe's long thin fingers wrapped full around her own.

Zoe reached up and touched Bianca lightly under the chin, raising it so she could look in Bianca's eyes. "Maggie still loves you."

Bianca's heart clenched but she ignored it. "Maggie and I are not together anymore. I have you now. We have each other."

"Yes and we always will." Zoe cleared her horse throat. "But I need to tell you what Maggie did. She wouldn't like that I am telling you, but I think it's important that you know. I think it will help her.

"What did she do?" Bianca said warily.

"She believes if you love someone their happiness is the most important thing."

"She wasn't thinking of my happiness when she cheated on me," Bianca scoffed.

"Oh sweet girl, she didn't mean to deliberately hurt you," Zoe sighed.

"Why are you defending her?" Bianca said annoyed. She didn't understand why Zoe was championing her ex-girlfriend.

"I'm alive because Maggie was willing to give up her life for your happiness."

Bianca froze as Zoe's words sunk in. "What do you mean?"

Zoe took a shaky breath before continuing, "We were given a choice. We were told one of us had to die and we had to choose which one."

Bianca shook her head in shock, not fully understanding.

"I don't think they expected us to be able to choose. They were counting on our selfishness, playing with us." Zoe shuddered.

"Oh God, that's awful." Tears started down Bianca's face. Zoe sat up and gathered Bianca tightly into her arms. For a minute they silently held onto each other.

"It was Maggie who realized they were playing with us," Zoe continued. "She told me if we were allowed to choose, she should be the one to die. She said that if I died it would hurt you. And she would never forgive herself for hurting you again." Her arms still around Bianca, Zoe pulled back to look her in the eyes. "She said if I lived you would have your 'happy-ever-after'."

"What? My 'happy-ever-after'?" Bianca was trying to understand.

"She knows I make you happy. She thinks she's hurt you to much." Zoe brushed her hand through Bianca hair.

Bianca broke from Zoe's arms and sat back. She was pale and shaken by what she was hearing. "What happened?" She swallowed hard and steeled herself for what was to come.

"I didn't really believe she would do it. When they asked who we chose, Maggie said it was her. I tried to stop her but she was fearless." Zoe lay back in bed and after a calming breath went on. "They put a gun to her head. She was so brave. She didn't even flinch, Bianca. I could see the anger and strength in her eyes. But they wanted her to be scared and when she wasn't they turned the gun on me." Zoe closed her eyes. "That's when Maggie proved she still loves you. She said 'Stupid' loud enough so it could be heard."

Bianca went rigid, her brown eyes in her pale face reflecting the horror she felt.

Zoe continued on with her eyes shut, "When the guy with the gun threatened her again, she told him who I was and suggested I was worth more alive then dead." Zoe could not disguise her gratitude. "That was when I realized she had told me the truth. She was trying to save me so you might have a chance at happiness. As soon as they recognized I was famous, they shot her instead."

Bianca brought her hands to her mouth to stifle the sob that escaped.

Zoe opened her eyes, tears glistening in them. "I think she was trying to atone for the pain she had caused you."

"Oh, Zoe, what has she done?" Bianca was shaking.

"Come here, my sweetness and light." Zoe wrapped Bianca in her arms again and they cried together. After a moment Zoe said, "she saved my life, Bianca. Now you have to save hers."

"How? I'd do anything, but what?"

"Maggie is very strong-willed, but she needs your forgiveness to live."

"I don't understand." Bianca raised her head from Zoe chest.

"Honey, she's given her life for you. She thinks she's lost you forever. She has no reason to live. Your forgiveness would give her a reason."

All of a sudden Bianca was livid. "She has no right to give up. I would never want her to do that. She should know me better." She was up and pacing the room in her fury. "How dare she! If you love someone you live for them, you don't die for them! You don't tell someone you love them, cheat on them, and then die for them without some explanation."

If the situation wasn't so precarious, Zoe would have laughed. "Bianca, Bianca! Don't tell me, tell her. Tell her to live!"

Bianca stopped in mid-stride and looked at Zoe.

"Go, Go, Go," Zoe prompted.

Bianca turned on her heels and charged out of the room.

"Well now, that reaction was unexpected. She getting more like her mother everyday." Zoe mused to herself.

Zoe laid back to ponder the fact Bianca was mad at Maggie. She expected Bianca to be worried and upset but not angry. It was evident Bianca still cared very deeply for Maggie. No one could be that angry in this situation unless they did. Zoe tried to tell herself that Bianca's feelings for Maggie were from the past; after all they went way back. But those feelings felt extremely immediate to Zoe. This wasn't some worry for a past friend or lover. She had wondered if Bianca was still in love with Maggie, and now she knew.

Bianca charged into the hospital room, and was stopped by the sight of Maggie looking so small and vulnerable against the white hospital sheets. There seemed to be tubes and wires running everywhere. She stood for a moment looking at Maggie, her anger dissipating. The last time she had seen Maggie in a hospital bed they were just getting to know each other. Maggie's crazy Aunt Vanessa had kidnapped her and left her to freeze to death. Though it felt like they spent a lot of time at hospitals, it almost always was Bianca in the bed with Maggie tending her.

Bianca approached the bed slowly, as she thought back over the times they had together. It was a long road they had taken to get where they were now. They had stood together against many things, and they had also fought over many things. But each time they had grown closer, finally declaring their love of each other. But it had gone wrong. Maggie had been unable to remain faithful to Bianca. Bianca was still unsure why. They had never really discussed it. Bianca was hurt deeply by Maggie's infidelity. Maggie had asked her for forgiveness but Bianca had been unable to give it.

It was a terrible time in Bianca's life. She had run back home and away from their problem. When she got to Pine Valley, she became involved in a horrible situation with her sister's company that threatened the safety of those she loved. Bianca put her personal life on hold while dealing with the crisis, and when Maggie came to her she rebuffed her. Maybe it was a way to avoid the pain Maggie had caused her; maybe it was a way to return the hurt. But she sent Maggie away. And in the middle of all this came a very compelling, fascinating person, Zoe.

Bianca first met Zoe in the form of international rock star Zarf. Zarf was immediately taken with Bianca and pursued her. But Zarf was a persona created to disguise a very vulnerable and confused young man, who desperately wanted and needed to become a woman. Zoe was, underneath the façade of Zarf, a warm human being full of misgivings, and at the same time capable of great strength. In the process of getting to know this person, Bianca realized she could help her and was drawn to her. With Bianca's help, Zoe started the transition into a woman. Mentally and emotionally Zarf had always thought of herself as a woman. Now, as Zoe, she was taking the necessary steps to become one. Bianca promised to be at her side through the process. And because of who Bianca was, she could never give herself halfway to anyone. Her open heart didn't allow it. She had pushed her troubled relationship with Maggie into the back of her mind as her relationship with Zoe developed.

When Zoe needed to return to London to work on her new album, Bianca returned to Paris as a way to be closer to her. Both she and Zoe promised they would spend as much time together as possible given their schedules.

Who knew it would bring them to this?