WHO: Erica & Victor WHEN: Christmas Day WHERE: The hospital WHAT: Meeting the boyfriend
Erica's attention had been undividedly on her daughters: first on Kat and Cordelia who needed her support and strength and assurances while the hostage situation went on, and then upon Miranda who was a complete wreck once she was out. Erica had booked a hotel room right next to the hospital so that she was nearby while Miranda was checked over and Kat stayed with her hero boyfriend, and after leaving the hospital Miranda had barely removed herself from Erica's arms.
Erica was okay with that. The idea that she'd been so close to losing her was almost more than Erica could bear. On top of that, Manuel wasn't there. For Christmas he'd decided to return to his home in Senegal and visit the family he hadn't seen for many years and over long phonecalls the two of them had finally decided that he should stay. There was nothing he could do here, but if the worst happened - gods forbid - he would come home.
But Miranda was alive and unscathed - at least physically. Mentally she was a mess, which Erica thought was completely understandable, but it didn't make her want to fix it any less.
Hermes had sent her a note. She didn't know how he'd found her, but with Hermes it was always best just to not ask. The note was simple: I am going to take care of this. -H Erica didn't have to think about what that meant. She'd been around before when Hermes had 'taken care' of people who'd threatened his family. She'd been that family.
Erica wanted to take the moral high-ground and be horrified, but she wasn't. She was glad. Let Hermes kill these men who'd almost taken her daughter from her. Let him make it painful and horrible and let them beg for mercy that wouldn't come. Clutching to Miranda, Erica felt bloodthirsty in her desire to revenge her tears.
On Christmas Day she came to the hospital. She'd left the girls all together back at the hotel room, saying she needed to pop out for a bit. That was true enough. She just had specified. She asked for Victor Brannigan's room and made her way there, messy haired tied back and casually dressed in jeans and white t-shirt. She didn't feel like making any good first impressions, and she figured if the man was in a hospital bed he was going to be looking worse than her anyway.
She knocked on the door of his room and asked, "Victor Brannigan?"