That evening at the hotel, Maggie was shown to the table by the waiter and was instantly greeted by Marissa with a smile and a hug. Bianca was sitting there a little quieter, religated to a hospital wheelchair but they did share a quick embrace.

After the waiter presented them with the menus, there was a brief uncomfortable silence, which Maggie felt obliged to fill.

"I know I said this before Bianca, but it's so great to see you again." she said smiling.

"You too." replied Bianca making an effort to sit a little straighter.

"And how is Miranda... and your other little one… Gabriella?"

"They are currently enjoying the delights of Disneyland, Paris." said Marissa, with enthusiasm when Bianca didn't answer right away. "We had to call a timeout but they are still out there having fun with AJ. They are amazing little girls, just like their mom." Marissa reached across and squeezed Bianca's hand.

"They are doing incredibly well. Miranda is so grown up now and Gabby isn't far behind." said Bianca, although she seemed a little distant. She defiantly wasn't herself.

"Bianca…" began Maggie, but she was interrupted by the waiter arriving to take their orders.

…

"So," said Bianca, as they waited for their meal to arrive. "How are you keeping… are you… do you have someone special?"

"I seem to be the perpetual single." admitted Maggie. "It never seems to work out." She didn't dare add that the reasons it didn't work out was because her partners always fell short when compaired to Bianca.

"I'm sure there is someone out there somewhere for you." said Marissa, her smile was friendly, but the glint in her eyes seemed to add, but you can't have mine.

The more she saw of Bianca and Marissa the more Maggie knew that Bianca had found her perfect match. As they sat together Maggie couldn't help recognise the connection between them, a little like how she and Bianca were long ago. Marissa was refusing to let Bianca stay silent and sullen. She seemed to know just the way to draw her out and make Bianca smile even though, most of the time, it looked like that was the last thing she wanted. And when Bianca did smile, Marissa's cute grin would double in size.

No, Bianca's love was something she had lost a long time ago. All Maggie could hope to rebuild was a semblance of their friendship; their friendship had been so amazing.

...

Conversation moved to Pine Valley past and present… they talked about the boat house, the park, the Chandler Mansion, Wildwind and Krystal's. Bianca and Maggie told Marissa tales of their teenage pranks and misadventures while Marissa and Bianca shared stories of their kids. Marissa laughed out loud when Maggie regaled her with the tale of their leap from the boat house jetty in the icy lake.

"I knew you weren't always an angel." she said, leaning into Bianca's side and making her girlfriend grin.

Finally the food arrived and Marissa reached into her purse and began to line a series of pill bottles by Bianca's water glass.

"Oh," she sighed, after a little more rummaging, "I've forgotten the big blue ones."

"It will be alright for now." said Bianca, reaching to undo the first jar.

"No you have to have it before eating." said Marissa, "I'll just pop up and get them, it won't take a moment."

"Don't make a fuss Marissa, it's fine." said Bianca through gritted teeth. Maggie was shocked to hear the unexpected anger in Bianca's voice; she had seemed so laid back before.

Marissa chose to ignore Bianca's temper and got up from her chair.

"I won't be a moment." she said apologetically to Maggie. She kissed a sullen-faced Bianca on the cheek before heading to their room.

Maggie could only stare at Bianca.

"What was that?" Maggie asked, surprised by Bianca's sudden mood change.

Bianca sighed, balling her hands into fists and thumping them on the table.

"I don't know." said Bianca, looking as sad as she was angry. "She was fussing… I don't know why I feel like this. I don't want to feel like this. I just have this rage inside me and I don't know where it's coming from."

"Bianca," said Maggie reaching across the table to cover Bianca's clenched fists. "It's reasonable to be angry…"

"But it isn't reasonable." said Bianca defensively, pulling her hands from Maggie's. "I don't feel reasonable. I feel sad and angry and exhausted. I don't want to lose my temper, I don't want to curl up into a ball and cry my heart out, I don't want to feel so damned useless, and yet that's all I feel. I don't know what's wrong with me?"

Maggie sighed, she could diagnose Bianca's moods easily.

"It sounds like you are suffering from depression." she said softly.

"No!" said Bianca firmly, "I'm not being labelled mentally ill along with everything else!"

"But if it is depression it can be treated."

"I'm not taking any more damned pills." snapped Bianca, sweeping away her pill bottles with her right hand and knocking them all over.

"It would help with the mood swings."

"I don't…" Bianca began to sob, but she pulled herself together. "…I don't have mood swings." She said her voice leveller.

Maggie simply stared back at her, she didn't speak. She knew she didn't have to, one look and Bianca would know she was telling the truth.

She saw the realisation in Bianca's eyes before her old friend slumped forward dejectedly, holding her head in her hands.

"Bianca it's nothing to be ashamed of. You've been through a lot. It's not surprising you have emotion issues, it's probably a form of post-traumatic stress."

Bianca looked up at Maggie, her head still in her hands.

"I know I have been through a lot. But so has everyone... and it was a year ago. People died. Marissa still has half her life missing. I shouldn't be a special case. I know I am lucky to be alive and yes my leg is frustrating sometimes and I get embarrassed about having to rely on people but that shouldn't make me so angry and it shouldn't make me want to cry. I keep trying to find reasons for why I keep getting angry at Marissa and I… I can't find any."

"You really love her don't you?" said Maggie.

"She's the most amazing woman I've ever met." said Bianca, finding a smile at last. Maggie tried to hide her disappointment, but Bianca's smile grew very knowing. "Maggie..."

"No… hey… It's great to see you so happy… and you clearly are."

"Except when I'm not." said Bianca, her expression growing serious again.

"Post-traumatic stress can affect people in many different ways." said Maggie.

"… Who has post-traumatic stress?" said a voice from behind her. Maggie turned to see Marissa returned with the pills.

"We were just trying to work out the cause of Bianca's depression."

A look passed between Marissa and Bianca, an unspoken moment of shared concern but most of all love. Maggie could only watch in wonder.

"Depression?" Marissa asked.

In the end she sighed.

"Look dinner's getting cold. Let's eat first and then we can talk about this properly somewhere a bit more private."

"Sure." said Maggie, picking up her cutlery and looking down at her Swordfish steak.

"Your medication." said Marissa handing over the pill bottle. Bianca shook out a pill and put the jar down amongst the others she had knocked onto their sides.

Maggie stopped mid-mouthful as she looked at the bottle.

"That's a high dose of Rimerol." she said recognising the tablets.

"It's an anti-inflammatory I think." said Bianca, swallowing down the large blue pill with a gulp of water.

Maggie picked up the pill bottle and weighed it in her hand.

"How long have you been suffering from these mood swings?" she asked.

"The last few days." said Marissa. "Disneyland was getting too frustrating for her."

Maggie looked to Bianca for confirmation.

"It's been longer than that." said Bianca. "I've been feeling like this since leaving hospital… it's just been getting worse."

"And how long have you been taking this Rimerol."

"Since leaving hospital." said Bianca slowly.

Maggie weighed up the bottle again.

"Rimerol contains steroids and is used to aid muscle development. It can be a mood altering drug, causing side effects of hysteria or depression."

"It's the drugs?" gasped Bianca.

"It could be." said Maggie, "Especially when you are taking such high doses."

Marissa and Bianca shared a look of wonder.

"You really think it's the drugs?" asked Marissa.

"Who's your doctor? David?" Maggie asked.

Bianca and Marissa nodded.

"I'll talk to him about replacing these meds." said Maggie. "When you come for your dressing change tomorrow, I'll see if I can find you an alternative that doesn't have these side effects."

Maggie's breath caught in her throat as she basked in Bianca's grateful smile, something she thought she would never see again.

She hoped she was right.

…