AJ and Miranda spoiled the surprise of Francois and Will's arrival by bumping into them on Main Street on their way back to the hotel. They then went and told Gabby when they got back to their room so Francois appearance before the Wild West Show wasn't really a surprise to anyone.

The older kids had been mortified to discover the fact they were expected to do school work in the mornings. Francois and Reggie were going to help them work through worksheets Bianca had organised from the school. Gabby and Ayesha got to spend the morning in the play centre in the hotel. And those adults not otherwise occupied got a chance to relax by the pool. Marissa was also pleased that with the kids busy all morning it gave Bianca the opportunity to rest without feeling like she being treated with kid gloves.

They hadn't really spoken about Bianca's outburst. Marissa didn't want to bring it up and add to the tension that was now apparent between them. She didn't know what she could do to make things better and Bianca was busy pretending, once again, that nothing was wrong.

…

The leisurely mornings were also great because it meant everyone had lots of energy in the afternoon to enjoy the theme park. By day three they had a good system going. Camilla no longer brought Ayesha in a stroller; it made things really complicated at the rides with Bianca's wheelchair as well. Instead Bianca was giving rides to anyone with tired legs, usually Ayesha and Gabby. Everything else they needed was kept in the large rucksack slung on the back of Bianca's wheelchair.

They hadn't had too many problems; the most awkward moment so far was when they went on the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' ride. Bianca had struggled slightly with the step down into the little boats. Gabby didn't like the flue drops and when they got to the second one she started screaming her head off. Marissa and Bianca spent the rest of the ride trying to calm her back down and when they got to the end of the ride Bianca's wheelchair wasn't waiting for them. It took a good five minutes of frantic radio calls from the ride steward to locate it at the exit of the Haunted House ride.

…

Now the whole group was standing looking at the roller coaster drop on Big Thunder Mountain.

"I really want to go on it!" said Miranda.

"Me too!" agreed AJ.

"It is fun." said Will.

"Go on, you all know you want too." said Bianca with a grin, "I can wait here was Gabby and Ayesha."

Marissa looked to Bianca.

"I can wait with you." she offered but AJ grabbed her hand.

"No mom, come on, it will be awesome."

"You heard him." said Bianca, giving her girlfriend an encouraging smile. "We'll be fine I promise."

"Well maybe…" began Camilla.

"Oh no!" said Reggie wrapping his arms around his girlfriend's waist. "You are coming too, you already chickened out of Star Tours and the Parachute Drop!"

There was an excited scream and they all turned to see the train drop down the steep incline once again.

"Will you take our picture?" AJ asked his eyes wide with excitement.

"Of course." said Bianca.

"You're sure you'll be alright waiting?" Marissa asked again. Ever since their brief row she hated the thought of Bianca feeling left out.

"We will be fine!" exclaimed Bianca in exaggerated slowness. "Now go have some fun! Go, go!" she said shooing them off.

…

It would seem there was quite a queue for the ride. It felt like they had been waiting a long time for everyone to appear. Bianca became aware of Ayesha jiggling up and down a little on her lap.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Bianca asked.

Ayesha pulled a bit of a face.

"I need pee-pee."

"Can you wait a little longer?" Bianca asked. But from the jigging of the little girl she realised waiting wasn't really an option.

"I want potty too." said Gabby. Bianca looked to her youngest daughter realising she was also fidgeting, Bianca just couldn't feel it through her left leg the same.

"Too much soda pop, I think." said Bianca.

The nearest toilet was quite a way away. How was she going to get them there? She could hardly wheel herself the distance with two children on her lap… but then why did she need to be in the wheelchair?

"You need to get off me for a second." said Bianca, easing the two girls from her lap and double checking the brakes were locked.

People passing were watching as Bianca struggled out of the wheelchair onto her feet but no one stopped to offer assistance. Once she was standing, she limped round to the back of the wheelchair, keeping one hand on the nearby railing as she grasped the handles.

"Right you two, back aboard." said Bianca, bending forward over the back of the wheelchair to help Gabby and Ayesha to sit up straight. Then she lent further forward the release the brakes. The wheelchair lurched suddenly with Bianca's weight leaning on it but she somehow managed to keep on her feet.

"Right, hold tight you two." said Bianca as she began to push them step by step towards the lavatories.

…

Her progress was slow but she could see the Dames sign above the door to a nearby building, it wasn't far now.

"How are you two holding up?" Bianca asked. She couldn't help but notice their jiggling was a lot more pronounced.

"Hurry mommy." begged Gabby.

Bianca tried to increase her pace, but she wasn't really capable of much more speed. She just hoped there wasn't a queue when they got there.

Bianca abandoned the wheelchair just outside the door and shepherded the kids inside, leaning her weight one handed against the wall as she followed a quickly as she could. There was short queue but the three women waiting allowed Bianca to go first. Bianca disappeared into the first available stall with the two desperate little girls.

…

When they came off of the roller coaster, laughing and joking, it was very disconcerting to find that Bianca wasn't waiting for them. A million scenarios spun through Marissa's head each one worse than the next. What could have happened, where were they?

Will and Camilla headed off in different directions searching the area trying to spot them, calling their names, while Francois headed back to Thunder Mountain to talk to the ride steward to find out if there had been any first aid emergencies.

Reggie and Marissa got a nervous AJ and Miranda sitting on a nearby bench while they waited. Marissa was craning her neck trying to look in every direction at once, so certain something terrible had happened.

…

Bianca was very pleased with herself as she wheeled Gabby and Ayesha back to the spot they had been waiting before. She thought she had managed the situation very well, although it was taking a lot more effort to push the girls up the hill rather than down it. She was concentrating on her footing as she pressed on when she noticed Marissa, Reggie and the others were already waiting.

"Hi guys!" called Bianca giving them a happy wave. They turned in her direction and then Bianca noticed the expressions on their faces. Marissa looked almost white.

…

"Oh my god!" Marissa exclaimed hurrying forward to engulf Bianca in a hug. "Where have you been? Oh god I was so worried!"

Bianca gave her a confused smile.

"The girls needed the bathroom." said Bianca.

"We thought something had happened." said Marissa shaking her head, relief washing over her as she stroked Bianca's cheek, "Please don't do that again! Just disappearing…"

Camilla came hurrying from across the way scooping Ayesha up into her arms with a relieved cry.

"It was an emergency." said Bianca. "I... I didn't mean to worry you."

"Well you did." said Marissa, with an awkward smile. She slid her arm around Bianca's waist, noticing how unsteadily her girlfriend was standing on her feet. "Um…You should sit down."

"I'm fine." said Bianca, pulling away slightly. She clearly didn't like the fuss, or the way people were staring in their direction now. Marissa backed off a little to give her space but she kept a hand on her girlfriend's waist to help support her.

"Off you get Gabby." said Reggie, fishing the youngest Montgomery from the wheelchair seat and setting the brakes.

Bianca limped her way awkwardly round to sit back down in the wheelchair.

"Bianca, let me help," said Marissa, reaching out to take her arm, worried that her girlfriend had overdone it once again.

"I can manage." Bianca said stubbornly, pulling her arm out of her grasp, which surprise Marissa.

Bianca sat down a little more violently than she expected and the wheelchair rocked alarmingly.

Marissa grabbed at it to stop it tipping.

"Careful." she cried.

She them reached out to help Bianca straighten up in the chair.

"I'm not an invalid." said Bianca in frustration, pushing Marissa away.

"Yes you are." said Marissa. She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth.

Bianca turned to stare at her and the unspoken tension that had been haunting them since their brief argument came back full force.

"You think that?" gasped Bianca.

Marissa shook her head vehemently.

"No, I just meant you need to look after yourself."

"Well that's not what you said!"

"Well, what do you want me to say." cried Marissa in exasperation. "That you should just do whatever the hell you want and I'll be more than happy to sit by your hospital bedside for the rest of my life. Do you have any idea how much you terrified me just now. I thought something had happened, someone had taken you or you were hurt… And you act like everything is all fine and dandy."

"It was fine." Bianca cried.

"Well I didn't know that!" Marissa shouted lamely back.

"I can look after myself."

"Only you don't!" retorted Marissa.

"Because you won't let me!" Bianca snapped back.

"Because you won't do it!"

"Please don't fight!" gasped AJ, pushing himself between them. Both women looked down, he had tears in his eyes. Miranda's face was ashen too.

Bianca and Marissa shared a brief moment of shame as their eyes locked.

Marissa tried to find a reassuring smile as she knelt in front of her son.

"It wasn't a fight not really. I'd just had a scare that's all and Bianca… Bianca..."

"…I need a break," said Bianca, her tone flat and under her smile was still a hint of anger. "Maybe I should go back to the hotel and rest up for a bit."

"Let me take you." said Marissa getting up to take the wheelchair. She was hoping for a chance to talk to Bianca about the horrible unspoken something that had reared up between them once more.

"Reggie can do it." said Bianca her tone just as flat as before, "You stay here with the kids."

Her meaning was obvious... she wanted Marissa to stay away.

Marissa just stared at her, Bianca pushing her away like that hurt more than any bullet ever could.

…

"You do know that was out of order." said Reggie bluntly as he wheeled Bianca along Main Street back towards the Hotel.

"She was making such a fuss and I was fine."

"Of course she was fussing; you frightened the living daylights out of us. There one minute gone the next. Camilla was out of her mind with worry about Ayesha."

"They needed the toilet, what did you want me to do, let them wet themselves?"

"That is not my point and you know it. You bit Marissa's head off when she was only trying to help."

"I don't need help!" said Bianca stubbornly. "I'm perfectly fine on my own!"

"Really… okay then." said Reggie. He stopped and set the brake on the wheelchair and stepped back. "You go ahead and get yourself back to the hotel then!"

He just left her in the middle of the busy thoroughfare.

"Reggie!" cried Bianca as he walked away. "REGGIE!"

He turned and stared at her.

"So you do need help." he said, his point made.

"Stop this, okay." said Bianca, her anger turned to shame and embarrassment. "Please I just want to get back to the hotel."

…

Reggie took her the rest of the way in silence, when they got to the door of her room Bianca stopped him.

"I've got it from here."

"You're sure?" asked Reggie.

"Yeah... Look you made your point." said Bianca wearily. "I just… I need to be alone. You should get back to the kids."

Reggie left reluctantly.

Bianca wheeled herself slowly into the hotel room and closed the door. She rolled forward only a few feet before she stopped and burst into tears. She hated this… and she hated herself… she hated the way she had treated Marissa… What was wrong with her, why did she feel like this?

…