Darkness Falls

A/N Very AU!

(At the beginning) Alice is 10 and is best friends with Danny's little brother Peter. Danny is 12 and he finds them very annoying. Don't want to give anything away so read on, and with all my stories hope you enjoy

(X)

Alice and Peter were playing in the backyard climbing in the trees.

"You wanna go call on Deanna?" Alice asked Peter.

The sun shined hot and lazy. Alice was wearing white shorts with a pink t-shirt. Peter was in his white England strip. Alice was hopping from branch to branch in the tree trying to find solace from the unforgiving sun. it had been the hottest day of the year so far.

Peter shrugged nonchalantly hanging from a branch. Alice watched him. He had laughing green eyes and was small like her. They had been best friends since meeting at the toddler group. Alice finally settled on a branch, she spotted his brother walking into the front yard.

"Freak alert!" she told him.

He swung his legs up and settled beside her. He smiled widely. The only likeness Danny and Peter shared were their fathers eyes. Peters face was rounder, his cheeks less defined his hair a messy blond.

"You wanna have some fun Alice?"

She grinned. "What?"

Peter slid down the tree.

"C'mon Pete I just found my place!"

He looked back and urged her along. "C'mon this is better!" then he ran off.

She exhaled, slid down too and ran after him. Found him at the sink filling water bombs.

Alice laughed and jumped up an down. They heard a door open.

"C'mon tap outside!" she whispered and pointed.

Peter grabbed the bomb he had just filled and dashed away giggling.

She ran in for a second and grabbed a carrier bag.

(X)

Danny walked into the kitchen and saw water all over the floor. He rolled his eyes and motioned to his two friends Andrew and Dion. "Watch over there Peter and his girlfriend have been in here messing with water," he exhaled. "Never mind we have been told there is a drought!" those two were trouble. While he was sensible trying to get good grades, trying hard in class Peter seemed to attract trouble. Alice calmed him and stopped him going overboard….or sometimes she joined in.

"Remember they put glue in your hair that night I stayed over." Andrew reminded.

Danny scowled. "Don't talk about that." rubbed his hair. "It just grew back."

"Since they aren't around why don't we go outside?" Dion suggested.

Danny smiled into his new girlfriends warm brown eyes. "Sure." and they headed to sit under the tree.

(X)

Alice and Peter were sat in the tree their balloons at the ready.

"When they get close enough we fire ok?" Peter said.

"Look there they are!" Alice whispered.

Alice grabbed an armful of balloons whole Peter held the bag in one arm. Peter was just about to throw when Alice stopped him. "Lets see where they go?" she whispered.

"We might miss them."

She shook her head.

The three people settled below them.

She winked at Peter who nodded. Alice dropped her balloons and Peter emptied his bag above them.

Dion screamed, Danny and Andrew yelped in shock. Peter and Alice laughed raucously overhead. Danny looked up at them. "PETER!" he yelled irate.

"Danny look at me I'm soaking!" Dion moaned.

"I'm sorry." he replied.

"I'm going home!" and with that she stomped off.

"I'll help you kill them later mate, I have to go home and change." then Andrew left too.

Danny was seething. "Right I have had enough this time!"

"We're staying up here!" Peter replied laughter in his tone.

"I'll come up then!" he braced his feet against the tree trunk.

"Uh oh I'm in for in now!" Peter murmured to Alice.

"No you're not!" Alice told him defiantly. "Danny's stupid!"

"You're making this worse Alice!"

As Danny was about to start climbing the tree shook, Alice felt herself wobble, she fell forward and landed on her hands and feet. Danny saw her and narrowed his eyes. Alice stood up hands on her hips face defiant. "Leave Peter alone!"

"Fine!" stepped away from the tree and grabbed her by the collar.

"You're just a bully Daniel Trevanion!" Alice declared pulling away.

"Come down Peter I have your girlfriend!"

"He's not my boyfriend!" she shouted.

"Peter I can do it to you or her, makes no difference!"

Peter still didn't move.

"Peter obviously doesn't like you very much!" Danny told Alice.

"Shows what you know!" Came from the tree above Danny and Alice. Peter jumped out and landed on Danny's back. They both fell. They were just about to start fighting when their mother appeared.

"Daniel Peter what are you doing?" Jill declared and picked Danny off Peter.

"Look at what peter did to me mum!" he fumed. "Andrew and Dion came over and they left coz of him throwing water bombs on them!"

Peter tried to look contrite but he looked amused and smug. "Peter?" she fumed.

Peter exhaled. "Sorry Danny." he muttered not meaning it at all.

"I hate you!" Danny told him then stomped off.

Jill looked at Peter who was smiling at Alice.

"Since the day was nice your dad suggested taking you to the beach."

"Can dad come?" Peter asked.

"No son he's at work."

Peter deflated.

"Anyway don't know if I'll take you now." Jill murmured.

"I said sorry mum!" Peter whined. "Please."

"Ok, but leave Danny alone ok!"

"Can Alice…."

"I already rang her mother, she's fine with it."

Alice and Peter grinned at each other.

(X)

The 3 kids sat in the car, Jill in the front. Danny was actively ignoring his brother.

"You gonna build them castles with me Danny the ones with a moat? Then play football?" Peter asked.

Danny didn't reply, just looked out of the window.

"C'mon Danny talk to me!" Peter tugged his arm, Danny yanked it away and glared at him.

They soon arrived, climbed from the car and walked down to the sand. Danny still didn't speak to Peter.

"Mum!" Peter whined.

"No Peter, you upset Danny let him talk to you in his own time."

Peter stomped off sulking. Alice followed.

"What we gonna do?" Alice asked.

Peter stomped on someone's sand castle as he passed it. "When we come to the beach Danny always builds castles with me! Its why its my favourite place!"

"How about we go build a better one without Danny." she suggested.

Peter exhaled then spotted the caves in the distance. He took her hand. "C'mon."

"Where?"

"To the caves."

"Peter we're not supposed to go in them without your dad."

"Look the water is out, just a quick look."

"But…."

"Fine I'll go alone!" Peter walked off indignantly.

Alice was torn….then followed.

(X)

Danny was lain on a towel bored out of his skull. He was still angry at Peter for what he did but maybe he it was time to forgive and forget. He was only a kid after all. He sat up and looked around. "Mum where's Peter?"

"He and Alice walked off over there."

Danny nodded and walked in that direction. He scanned the people as he passed. Still he couldn't see them. As he got closer to the caves he saw pink floating in the water….someone lost their flip flop. Minutes later he saw a second one float out…..he felt a sick feeling descend. He ran to the flip flop that was coming to shore, picked it up and saw it was Alice's…..and the tide was in. He looked back at his mum then the caves, the water was coming in fast. It would be quicker just to go and get them rather than get help. He waded towards the caves. He was gonna kill Peter!

(X)

Alice and Peter were in the caves. There was a hole overhead which filled them with light.

"Peter we need to get out of here!"

"Soon!" he promised the grinned. "Look at this!" he whispered. The walls glistened and shined.

"I'm going!" she declared as the cave rumbled.

He grabbed her wrist. "Just look at this then we'll go!" ran his hand along the wall once again. Felt the sharp stab of the glistening stones. "Do you think they are diamonds?"

"No."

Peter began to pull at a large one.

The wall trembled.

"Peter you shouldn't….."

Alice's words were drowned out as loose rocks and mud began to crumble on top of them. Alice's sandals which were left at the foot of the cave floated away as the water began to rise.

Danny was waist deep in water as he walked halfway up the cave stairs. As he ran up he was ankle deep he ran inside and saw them beneath the rubble. Oh God this was serious! Alice and Peter were buried beneath the mud only their heads partially visible. The water level was rising, if he left them they were unlikely to get back in! He did the only thing he could do, he started to dig at the earth and sediment frantically.

(X)

Alice's eyes began to flutter. "Where am I?" popped her head up and winced. Blood trickled down her forehead.

Danny turned to her and put his hand on her cheek. "It's ok." he murmured. "I'm helping you." unconsciously using the same tone his dad used while talking to patients. "Can you sit up?"

She did and yelped when she saw the rubble on her legs and the opening of the cave completely gone.

It was then she noticed the fear in Danny's eyes.

"Look Alice I freed your chest, thankfully only mud fell on you. Peter is in a bad way. I need you to dig your feet out can you?"

Alice nodded and started moving her arms in a frenzied pace moving mounds of earth. When she was free she crawled over to Peter.

"Is he breathing?" Alice asked as she touched Peter's face.

Danny rubbed his face, covering it with mud. "I dunno, I need to get him out!" Alice began helping Danny to move the rocks and mud off Peter. When he was free she went to him. "C'mon Petie wake up please." he tears falling on his face.

A large waved suddenly flooded the cave and Danny knelt down to keep Peters head above it. Danny swore when he realised they were trapped and no one knew where they were.

Alice looked at Danny as he looked around. Danny lifted Peter and lain him on a bed of rocks, it kept the water off him.

"Ok we can't get out that way." he murmured to himself. "What am I gonna do?" he panicked. He saw the light flicker above him.

He turned "Alice I'm gonna put you on my shoulders, when I do lift yourself out of here ok! After that I'll hoist Peter up you'll have to pull him up."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine, when you get out put Peter somewhere safe and then go get my mum!"

"I won't leave you!" she told him eyes full of tears, "You won't be able to get out! You'll drown!"

"You have to Alice, he needs help! I will be fine!" then without giving her time to argue he knelt down. She put her legs on his shoulders and he stood up. She reached up and grabbed the edge of the cave.

"You pull and I'll push!" he groaned. He pushed first her thighs up then he feet as far as he could. She scrambled up.

He exhaled an rubbed his arms. "You ok up there?" he yelled.

Her head appeared. "Yeah."

He picked Peter up and sat him on his shoulders the way Alice had. He flopped forward so Danny propped him up with his arms. Water was rushing around his knees. He knew there was a good chance he was stuck in here.

"I love you Pete." he whispered. "Take care of mum and dad yeah?"

Alice reached in. "I need a little bit more Danny!" she shouted.

More water was flooding in faster and he was struggling to keep his balance. He stood on his tiptoes pushing up hard.

Alice grasped Peters arm, "I got him!"

"Push Alice!" Danny yelled and pushed his brother up.

Peter disappeared.

"Take him to mum Alice!" Danny called.

"But….."

"NOW Alice!" he heard scrabbling and then quiet. The only sound the water as it gurgled and filled the cave. He looked around for a means of escape and immediately found none. He rubbed his head.

"Danny!" he heard.

He went back to the gap and looked up saw Alice.

"What are you doing here?"

"I gave Peter to some people and asked for a rope. They can't get up here coz the gap is too small." she dropped the rope down. "Climb up this."

"Is it tied to something?"

She looked around and saw there was nothing.

At that moment a large wave filled the cave and smashed Danny against the wall. The force of the jolt of the rope caused Alice who was holding it to lose her balance and fall into the water in the cave below. She righted herself and saw Danny starting to sink. She pulled him to her and held him aloft.

"Danny wake up!" she pleaded. "Please wake up!"

He opened his eyes tiredly. "Alice what are you doing here?"

"You hit off the rocks and I was pulled in."

He swore again.

"Your mums gonna be mad at you swearing!"

Danny ignored her. "We need to swim out it's the only way."

"But we can't!"

"Alice it's the only way! How well do you swim?"

"Ok."

He rubbed his face fear filling him.

"I'm sorry Danny!" her tears falling and mingling with the sea water.

He wrapped the rope around his own waist tightly, then hers. "Stick with me, we'll be ok." he looked in her eyes and nodded.

She swallowed and nodded too. They swam to the edge of the cave, the water up to her neck and his chest.

"Take a deep breath with me, keep hold of my hand, swim down as fast as you can ok."

She nodded.

"We are tied together so I won't leave you."

"At least Peter is safe huh?"

He exhaled. And grabbed her hand and closed his eyes. "Ok deep breath." he heard her inhale. He did too then they submerged together.

Alice held Danny's hand tight. She was terrified, water was everywhere around her and up her nose. The cave was getting blacker as they swam down they hit the bottom and began to swim straight light was ahead. She felt Danny squeeze her hand in reassurance. Her chest was heaving and she couldn't breathe…..it was getting harder and harder for her she couldn't hold it much longer. Danny looked and saw she was in trouble, without thinking pulled her close put her mouth to his and pushed some of his air into her mouth, then he swam harder.

They finally came out and frantically swam to the top. They burst from under the sea and inhaled deeply. Danny felt the pull of the waves immediately and began to swim hard he felt Alice beside him holding her own. The waves kept on threatening to pull them back but on they fought, swam until they were exhausted. Danny felt sand beneath his feet and walked, after a minute he collapsed to his knees. Alice fell too and they crawled onto dry sand. People surrounded them. He as lain down and felt fatigue washing over him. Someone was talking-to him but he didn't hear anything just saw a mouth moving he turned his head and saw Alice, eyes closed head lolling to the side. He too felt his head go slack and all was dark and quiet.

(X)

Danny heard beeping, loud and shrill. His head hurt, he opened his eyes and was looking at a white ceiling. He turned and saw Alice in the bed beside him.

"Alice?" his voice was raspy. She was lain on the bed eyes closed.

She opened her eyes immediately. "Are you ok?"

He nodded.

She hopped out of bed. He saw her ankle was bandaged. She came to him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much."

He patted her back. "It's ok."

She hopped back to her bed.

"What happened?" he nodded to her leg.

"Sprained ankle, cuts and bruises. As soon as mum comes I can go home."

He nodded. "Has anyone mentioned Peter?"

She shook her head solemnly.

At that moment Alice's mum walked in, her face tight. "Alice!" she cried. Her face drawn and paled even more.

Danny frowned.

"We'll get you changed sweetheart then get you home, I'm so glad your ok." and hugged her tight. She turned to Danny. "Thank you Daniel, your mum told me a little bit of what you done and I owe you more than I'll ever be able to repay."

He shook his head.

Charlotte took Alice to change.

Alice smiled at him. "See you later I promise me and Peter won't bug you anymore." He waved as she left.

His parents walked in. His mum was by his side hugging him tightly crying silently. His fathers face was stoic. He was still in work clothes.

"Mum where is Peter? Did he need an operation?"

His mother sobbed harder clinging to him. Danny felt dread fill his chest.

Robert took his wife in his arms.

"Dad?" Danny whispered.

"Son Peter he…." his fathers voice cracked. "….Peter died."

Danny felt a sharp pain engulf his chest. "But I got him out…." tears filled his eyes. "He was safe!" tears fell down his face.

"He died instantly when the wall fell son." his dad told him gently.

He closed his eyes and more tears squeezed past his lids. His little brother was gone. The little brother who flicked peas at him then grinned. The little brother who played with him at Christmas. The little brother who's favourite game was annoying him, suddenly wouldn't be able to…..the little brother he said he hated, the last words he ever said to him was were I hate you! And the worst part was he meant them. Tears fell harder.

(X)

"Mum can I go see Peter before we go?"

Charlotte coughed. "We need to get home."

"It'll only take a few seconds to say hello."

Charlotte pulled her to the car.

"Please mum!" Alice begged.

"You can't see him Alice!" tears began to fall down her mums face.

"Mum? Why you crying?" she whispered.

"Peter's parents told me he didn't make it Alice."

Alice paled. "What?"

"He passed away Alice."

"NO!" she demanded and tried to run back to the hospital. Her mum grabbed her and held her tight. Alice sobbed.

She sobbed as her mum drove home, she sobbed when she got home. She sobbed until bath time and continued well into the night until she fell into an exhausted sleep…..and that was when the nightmares began….

A/N ok here we are...how will peters deat affect danny and alice? x