"I hope you left some hot chocolate for us!" declared a voice from behind the group as they sat chatting away.

They turned to see Bianca standing there with a grin, her arm over Marissa's shoulder as her girlfriend helped her shuffle to one of the empty benches.

"Of course." said Camilla getting up to grab them both a cup.

…

"So what have we missed." asked Marissa leaning forward eagerly.

"I think our last topic of conversation was where babies come from." said Reggie with a teasing grin.

"Mommy's tummy!" cried Ayesha suddenly, proud she knew the answer.

"We had also worked out that AJ and I are related too." said Maggie.

"Of course." said Bianca.

Marissa looked across to where Gabby was sitting in Reese's arms, she noticed the little girl was looking a little pale.

"Gabby," she asked, sliding closer, "Are you feeling funny?"

Gabby nodded her head.

Reese looked down at the little girl on her lap but Marissa was quicker.

"I think we need to go outside and watch the views." said Marissa, getting up from her seat, and hastily scooping the little girl up into her arms and hurrying out of the cabin.

Reese looked quite offended by the way Marissa had snatched her daughter away.

She got up to follow, but Bianca put out a hand to stop her.

"She gets sea sick." Bianca explained.

"She went full on Linda Blair, on our last boat trip." said Reggie. "It's probably best to give them a minute."

Reese faltered but she didn't sit back down.

"But if you are going after them." said Maggie holding something out to her, "Gabby's forgotten her mittens."

Reese took them from Maggie and moved to follow Marissa, trying to ignore the reproach in Bianca's eyes. She was worried about her little girl. She was also hurt at how quickly the baby she thought of as her own reached for Marissa, and how without invitation Marissa had just whisked her girl away… as if she had that right!

…

When Reese stepped into the front deck she could hear Marissa talking quietly to Gabby.

Bianca's girlfriend was sat on a couch by the bow, Gabby snuggled onto her lap as they were both looking out at the scenery.

"How is she?" asked Reese.

Marissa looked up at Reese, clearly not happy about her intrusion.

"She should be better for the fresh air." said Marissa, pulling Gabby tighter into her arms even as the little girl wriggled round to face Reese too. "And I'm not sure all that hot chocolate helped."

Gabby did look pale.

Marissa kissed the back of her head.

"Come on baby girl, you have to watch the view or close your eyes or you won't get better."

Gabby made a little moan and curled back against Marissa this time burying her head in her chest.

Marissa rocked her gently, her eyes still on Reese.

"Did you want something?" she asked.

Reese was surprised at how maternal Marissa was acting towards little Gabby. She understood that Marissa was in love with Bianca, even if her answers about how they met were strangely cryptic. She hadn't expected her to have taken the two girls so obviously into her heart.

Reese held out Gabby's mittens, her reasons for being here now feeling rather redundant. Looking at the two together she felt like an intruder.

"She forgot these. I thought she might be cold." she stammered.

"Thanks." said Marissa, reaching out with her one free hand around Gabby's curled up form, indicating for Reese to pass them to her.

Reese handed over the tiny woollen mittens, but didn't step away.

Marissa stared at her, a hardness in her eyes.

"Was there something else?" Marissa asked. Her tone was unwelcoming but she was distracted by a moan from Gabby before Reese could answer.

Marissa kissed the top of Gabby's head again, as she rocked her ever so gently.

Reese swallowed, Gabby was looking rough.

"Do you need anything else?" Reese asked eventually. She didn't like to see Gabby so in pain.

"She just needs quiet." said Marissa. There was a softness in her voice now, her resentment at Reese's presence overtaken by her concern for the little girl.

Reese nodded, but she didn't want to leave. Not if her youngest girl was feeling so unwell.

Instead she took the brave step of sitting beside Marissa on the couch, and reaching out to stroke her hand against Gabby's back.

"When she was very little she used to like it when I sang to her." said Reese. "Not that I was ever much of a singer; not when compared to her mommy."

"Songs can help." said Marissa as she continued to rock the ailing child in her arms.

"Her favourite…" began Reese, but then she laughed at the silly song she used to sing to her youngest daughter. Gabby moaned again and Reese quickly decided she should just sing it if she could remember all the words!

"Once a lonely caterpillar sat and cried
To a sympathetic beetle by his side
I've got nobody to hug
I'm such an ug-i-ly bug…"

Reese noticed Marissa was staring at her a little wide eyed. More unexpectedly Marissa joined her in the song for the chorus.

Sat side by side they serenaded the sea sick little girl cradled in Marissa's arms.

By the time the song was over Gabby's worrying groans had turned into a softer sigh.

"You aren't going to sleep are you?" Marissa whispered to the little girl on her lap.

There was no reply, which was the same as a yes.

Reese withdrew the hand she was gently rubbing up and down Gabby's back.

"You have certain got the touch with her." said Reese, giving Marissa a tense smile. She was still waiting for the red-head to give her a piece of her mind about kissing Bianca. Earlier she looked like she had been barely holding back her temper, until Bianca intervened, but now she looked calmer.

Marissa gave Reese a long look.

"I love these girls as much as I love my son; as much as I love Bianca. They are my family. And I am not going to let anyone or anything jeopardise that. I couldn't bear it!"

Reese nodded her head in understanding.

"I didn't mean to cause trouble I really didn't. But your family used to be mine… It's just hard; Bianca is no longer my wife and they really aren't my little girls any more…" Reese stroked Gabby's hair briefly. "I'm not her momma now. It feels like I don't know them at all, they have changed so much."

Marissa looked down at the girl in her arms.

"You still know something." she said. When she looked up at Reese her eyes were kinder now and there was a smile on her lips. "The Ugly Bug Ball is still one of her favourite songs."

…