Peter Phillips Photography Part 1

by claira42

It's very hard to grasp the in's and out's of this story in a few words. I have always had this story in my head since I was a child and I bet that you are not the first person to think that what I have written could have been written by yourself. I simply ask you to read this and let me know what you think of it. Three parts written already and I have the ending. Trust me.

Peter Phillips Photography

Chapter 1

A local hot crook who found himself being chased by the police again and manages to lose them in a maze of rat runs at the docks in Los Angeles. This man was known in the area as Darren Hicks and had been in trouble for many years than he could care to remember.

At the worst possible moment, the car that he was using to evade the cops died and he dumped it in an open warehouse and grabbed the money that he had robbed and stuffed it into his top and tight jeans, adjusted himself by looking in the wing mirror just as the sound of sirens could be heard in the background.

"Hey, who are you? What are you doing…?"

Darren turned around and looked at the worker as his expression changed.

"Wait a minute, you're, you're that guy…" The worker said turning around and was about to shout out when Darren moved forward and hit the worker over the head with the crowbar that he had used in the raid.

He watched him fall to the ground then dropped the crowbar and ran out of the warehouse looking for a place to hide as he ran through all the other warehouses heading towards a giant cruise ship.

This cruise ship was busy filling up with passengers on an around the world cruise. Already on board this cruise ship was a hired photographer working for the promoters of the company taking photos of everyone boarding. His name is Phillip Walters and is a middle aged man trying to make a living as a professional photographer.

He moves to the gangway to look over to check how many more passengers there was to come when he recognised his daughter, Claira heading up to him.

"I just talked with the purser, this is the last of them." She said taking the camera from him and releasing the SD card from the bottom and inserting a new one and handed it back to him.

"Thanks, my finger is starting to ache." He said stepping back to his position. "Hey, how many passengers are on this once in a lifetime cruise?

Claira looked at her ticker then stepped behind her father to place the SD card in the pack.

"Almost four thousand. We are going to busy if everyone takes up your once in a lifetime offer of buy one, get one free."

"Considering we are going to be on this thing for six weeks, we have a lot of time to get in people's faces, so to speak." He said kissing her as another passenger came aboard.

Chapter 2

Darren stood in the shadows as he heard the police sirens getting even closer. He then moved through the warehouse as the white hull of the cruise ship came into view as he found himself at the dock.

He noticed that the passenger gangway was already been manoeuvred away from the ship but a small door closer to his level was still open. A forklift moved past him and bibbed to grab his attention as he hid between the small crate and the walkway onto the ship through the small door. He now heard a noise which he could not distinguish at the time and quickly headed up the small gangway and disappeared into the ship without anyone seeing him. He looked around as a kitchen hand went past him as he hid his head and carried on walking along the lower decks.

The cruise ship was soon underway and Philip walked to the cabin he was allocated with his daughter and started to unpack his wardrobe as Claira walked in from the smaller room.

"Not bad for a resident cruise photographer." She said knocking the wardrobe that he was putting his clothes into.

"Have you downloaded the photos onto that laptop, yet?"

"Yes, they're all ready."

"Good, take these." He said handing her some paperwork.

"What are they?"

"The first set of passengers that have already paid for their prints. Use the standard size printer and when I return I want them ready to be sent out."

"Well, where are you going?"

"I have to collect another set because they'll be coming in thick and fast before dinner."

"But, they'll be all unpacking like we are at the moment."

"Believe me, they will be filling that little box up in the foyer every minute. Keep on top of it and I will be back."

He said blowing her a kiss as he closed the door behind him.

Phillip moved through the decks collecting the forms that had already been completed and noticed an open door to the kitchen area as he stole a few grapes from a waiting plate that was due to be taken upstairs.

Darren managed to grab a kitchen uniform from the back of the kitchen and tried to mingle with the other kitchen staff as he headed around the lower decks.

He spun around one corner and walked straight into Phillip as they stopped and stared at each other, they were identical in face features and height.

"What? Hey, you...!" Philip said confused, but trying to check him out in the meantime.

Darren tried to move away and keep his head down, but Philip stayed with him. He now turned a corner and noticed a sharp knife on a table and quickly grabbed it. He turned back and tried to get past Philip, who now stopped him again.

"Who are you? How do you look like me?" Philip said pushing him back.

Darren now pushed him back in return and forcefully grabbed him and inserted the knife into his neck as the blood spurted into the hallway and over his white jacket. He watched Philip go limp and let him fall to the floor. He dragged his body down the hallway to where the laundry shoot was and pushed his dead body into it. He turned round and noticed Philip's room keys on the floor and quickly picked them up and put them in his pocket. He then took his jacket off and wiped up the blood just as another kitchen hand walked past. He quickly grabbed another jacket and started to head out of the kitchen area checking the corresponding numbers on the cabin doors to the keys and eventually found the room and went in.

The room was empty and the clothes Philip was unpacking were still on the bed waiting to go into the wardrobe. Darren quickly took the kitchen jacket off and rummaged through the clothes and sized himself up in the mirror and quickly changed into the clothes.

He was about to leave the room when the adjoining door opened and Claira walked out.

"Well, it's about time." She said folding her arms in front of him. "I was going to send out the search guards." She added noticing the quick change of clothes. "Oh, now I get it. You just returned to change your clothes. No doubt you had to because someone threw red wine all over you again like last time, ha?" She said patting him on the arm.

Darren looked at her standing in front of him. A buzzer sounded in the other room which made her look back.

"Have you got the paperwork you were after?"

"Paperwork?"

"The first set of orders that you said would be coming in thick and fast." She said stepping back.

"I, err..." He noticed the camera and quickly grabbed it. "I'll err, go find out."

"The foyer is up on the boat deck and just in case you get lost, here's a map of the ship." She said chuckling as she handed him a small document and then went back to her room and closed the door behind her.

Darren heard the door close and then snapped himself out of it and quickly went out and checked the rest of the ship. He soon stumbled upon the foyer area as a few passengers recognised him.

"You're the nice young man that took our photo as we boarded today. We recognised you still had your camera, so I was wondering if you happened to have our photos yet."

Darren just stared at them then looked down at the camera over his shoulder.

"The photos we have are for Oates, Miller, Bailey, Ward and Crawford." Claira said moving up behind him as the people mentioned took their photos away with them.

Darren watched her flipping through the photos then she looked up.

"Are you alright?" She said touching him.

He stepped back.

"Don't touch me."

"Dad."

He stopped fighting for words to say as they looked at one another.

"I'm not…" He now looked past her and realised the purser was looking at him. He now fled back down the boat deck.

"Dad." She repeated watching him disappear around a corner.

Chapter 3

Claira carried on collecting the free offer paperwork and dealing with bemused passengers as she walked around one of the many restaurants on the ship.

Darren managed to grab something to eat without being stopped and moved away from the crowd and found the room that corresponded with the number on the key he had stolen from Phillip.

As he tucked into his dinner he heard the other room's door open and close and quickly grabbed a knife and hid it under a napkin.

"Dad?" She said opening the door and noticing him. "What, what were you playing at back there? Have you seen the orders you forgot to get from the foyer? I've been stopped all the way from there to the restaurant and back." She said moving forward to grab some food from his plate as he grabbed her hand and moved his other hand which made the napkin fall to the floor.

She looked down and noticed the knife in his other hand and quickly stepped back.

They looked at each other as Darren picked the napkin up and slowly put the knife down and put the napkin over it.

He tried to carry on eating his dinner as Claira turned around and ran into her room and closed the door.

The door remained closed the rest of the evening until there was a knock on his door. Darren slowly moved towards it as the adjoining door opened and Claira walked out which made him look back. They looked at each other as another knock came on the door.

"Did you call anybody?" He said looking at her.

"No, I didn't. Have you got that knife again?" She said looking around for his tray.

"Stay there." He said directing her to the corner.

"I am not going anywhere."

He moved to the door and opened it.

"Hi Phil, I know it's late, but the box in the foyer is full and you have some very angry customers already demanding their photos or their money back." A purser said noticing Claira moving around in the background.

Darren looked back.

"Do you know anything about this?"

"Me? You were the one dealing with the paperwork."

"Look, I'm sorry if I have come in between of a family argument…"

"We're not family…" Darren said sternly

Claira now gasped and ran back into her room and closed the door.

"Maybe I should come back tomorrow when you've had time to deal with the backlog." The purser said moving away and down the corridor.

Darren watched him go then moved into the room closing the door behind him. He looked at the adjoining rooms closed door then grabbed his dinner tray and went back out.

He returned his tray to the restaurant and noticed some men running around as he now saw the Captain of the ship and moved up to them.

He tried to move closer to listen to what they were saying and heard the word body and quickly turned away and moved back to the room and locked the door.

He jumped onto the bed and grabbed a small bag from amongst the suitcases and stuffed a few of the clothes from the wardrobe in it and put it under the bed. Sleep finally overcome Darren that night and he fell asleep.

The next morning, he awoke to find the child sleeping next to him and noticed his arm holding onto her. Shocked and amazed that Claira was sleeping next to him he quickly jumped up, off the bed and noticed that she had hardly moved.

He slowly moved back to her realising she was still asleep as he slowly pulled his jacket from under her.

She now awoke and looked at him.

"Daddy." She said smiling and wiping the sleep from her eyes.

She now sat up and looked around as he looked at her.

"What's the matter with you now?" He said putting his jacket on and watched her.

"The sun is in my eyes. You must have left the blinds open last night." She said going to the window.

Darren now stopped her and looked out of the window.

"We've turned around."

"Ha?"

"We're heading back to LA." He said looking back.

"Oh no. That means they'll want their money back for sure now."

"I've got to get out of here." He said picking up the bag from under the bed.

"Another failed cruise ship job to deal with." She said moving to a cabinet in the room. "You know dad; this is beginning to become a habit." She said grabbing a padlocked case.

He looked at her opening it.

"What's that?" He said stepping forward.

"The money we've already collected for the photos. We'll have to refund all of it." She said picking up the notes.

"I'll take that." He said grabbing them.

"We'll never get off the ship if you don't hand it back."

Darren moved to the table and looked at the calling card and read the names. He turned around and looked at the child.

"Claira?"

"What?"

He smiled and moved up to her.

"I'll get us off the ship, with your help." He said holding her.

"The last 24 hours you've not needed my help." She said looking away.

"Well, now I do." He said and checked the wardrobe for some suitable clothes.

There was now a knock at the door.

"That's probably the purser asking for the refunds…" She said moving to the door.

Darren now stopped her and pulled her around him. There was another knock on the door. She was about to speak when he put his hand to her face.

"Stay there, and do not speak." He said moving close to her.

"Dad." She said mumbling through his hand.

He moved to the door and opened it.

"I'm so sorry, Mr Walters, but could you please come up to the Captain's cabin at once, sir?"

Claira moved up to Darren and took his hand which made him look at her.

"Alone, or with...?"

"Alone, sir."

He nodded and closed the door.

"What's all that about?"

"I told you not to speak." He said checking the money and putting it in his jacket pocket.

Claira watched him.

"Oh, I get it, just in case you get collard before you reach the Captain's cabin."

He looked at her then moved to the mirror and looked at himself then Claira looming in the background as he turned around.

"I better get going."

"Are you sure you don't need any back up? You're not any good alone, you know."

"I think I've done all right so far, haven't I?" He said smiling and then opened the door and went out.

Claira watched him head down the corridor and disappear out of sight.

Chapter 4

Darren knocked on the door of the Captain's cabin and the door immediately opened.

"Hi Phil, err you better come in." The Captain said allowing him in.

Darren walked in and recognised the ships doctor and a long table behind him.

"Err, what's going on?"

"It seems we have quite a quandary on our hands." The Captain said moving past him.

"What kind of quandary?" Darren said trying to look calm.

"Well, I guessed you've noticed we're heading back to LA."

"Yeah, yes, Claira noticed it first."

"I was contacted ship to shore by LA Police. It would appear that we have a stowaway on board. Now we know that that's nothing, but the purser found a body late last night stuffed down the laundry shoot. I think that you should see this body."

"Me? Err, could I ask why?"

"Because this cruise ship has two Philip Walters on board at the moment." The Captain said then looked at the doctor.

Darren stepped forward as the doctor pulled down sheet as Darren saw the man he had recently killed.

There was now a gasp behind them as the adults spun around and saw Claira by the doorway.

"Claira." Darren said turning around and attempting to block her view.

She now run away down the corridor.

Darren quickly ran out of the room and followed her. He caught up with her and stopped her heading down the stairs.

"Let go of me..." She said struggling.

"Claira, take it easy, it's just me." He said grabbing her.

The Captain moved up behind him.

"Dad?" She said finally focusing in on him.

He hesitated looking at her.

"Yeah."

"Phil. we still need to sort this out..." The captain said moving up to him.

Darren picked her up and looked at him.

"Alright, but can I take care of her first? She's just seen a dead body. She's shaking and I've got to calm her down."

The Captain nodded as Darren now walked back to his cabin and closed the door.

Claira fell asleep very quickly and he put her onto his bed and put the covers over her as he sat down watching her sleep. Amazed by this action he quickly shook himself out of it and later headed back up to the Captain's cabin.

"How's Claira?"

"Well, she's asleep at the moment. No doubt she'll ask me questions over dinner tonight."

"Phil, because of your doppelganger on board I am forced to confine you to your cabin until we reach LA in the morning."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, but you saw how closely he resembles you. Until your finger prints can be taken I must insist that you stay in your cabin."

"And what about Claira?"

"Naturally, Claira can carry on sorting out the photographs and collecting the money from the passengers. We have about twelve hours before we dock in LA." He said looking at Darren.

Darren returned to the cabin and found his bed empty. He looked around as the adjoining door opened and Claira came running out and put her head into his side and hugged him.

"Daddy, what? What's going on?"

"I've been confined to my cabin for the rest of the trip."

"Well, why?"

He looked at her and stepped away.

"Someone complained about the service of..." He stopped and looked at the calling card "The service of Peter Phillips Photography."

"You mean because we didn't collect all the forms from the foyer and we haven't delivered on the completed photos?"

"Oh, that's nothing…" He said moving to the bed."

"Nothing? Dad, we've took those passengers money and I have a few hundred orders to get through. How can we do that when we're confined to our cabin?"

"I'm confined to my cabin, not you." He said taking out the money from his jacket and laid it on the table to count it."

"Dad, I can't complete all those orders alone."

"Why don't you try?" He said going back to counting the money.

She looked at him then sighed and went into her room.

"I hope I am going to get my pocket money at the end of all this." She said closing the door.

Darren looked up then quickly separated the notes and packed them into the overnight bag.

That night Claira handed out what she could of the photos to the passengers concerned and returned to her cabin and made her bed ready to sleep in it.

She moved into the other room and found it empty. She looked around and found the overnight bag gone.

At that minute the door was kicked in as the purser came in.

"Where's your father?"

"I was just about to ask you the same question."

The purser now went back out as Claira followed him.

"What's going on? Why is my dad being treated like this?"

"Please go back to your cabin."

"No, my dad is missing and you're treating him like he is a criminal." Claira said following the purser down the corridor.

"From the report we got from LA Police we could have a criminal on board posing as your father."

Claira returned back to the cabin and then moved to the window as the docks were well in view. She looked back at the closed door then ran to it and opened it back up and ran out into the corridor checking everywhere she could.

Darren made his way into the lower decks of the ship and held up as the ship docked. The police were soon on the ship in many numbers.

Claira managed to keep ahead of the police and headed down into the engine of the ship where Darren was now hiding out.

A police man came through another door and noticed Darren and called for backup. Claira moved along the corridor that was dimly lit.

She stopped as she noticed the policeman.

Darren now noticed her.

"Claira!" He said quietly as she noticed him.

"Dad!" She said running forward.

Darren now grabbed her as the policeman tried to get to her. He quickly hit the policeman and knocked him to the floor.

"Stay down."

"Dad, what's going on? There are police everywhere?"

"Yeah, I know. They're after me." He said grabbing the policeman's gun and kicked him. "Wake up!" He said to the policeman.

The policeman got up onto his knees.

"Why don't you give it up? There are men all over this ship. You won't get away with it." The policeman said.

"I don't mind waiting. I'll be going to the chair anyway."

"Let the child go."

"No way, she's my insurance." He said pushing the gun in to her side.

"Dad?"

"He's not your dad, Claira, his name is Darren Hicks and he's a low life scum."

"You do not talk to her." He said pointing the gun at the policeman.

"You didn't tell her who you were because you look so much like her father."

Darren now struck him which made Claira scream. He put his hand over her face as she started to cry.

"Shut up!" He said pointing the gun at her.

For some reason she pushed her head into his side as he moved up to the door of the engine room to see a line of police waiting for one wrong move.

He sat back down and checked the bullets in the gun. He looked around the dingy lit room and then noticed Claira looking at him.

"Hicks. This is not going to end well. If you just give yourself up, we'll say nothing more about it. Just let the child go. There's no sense in holding her." A policeman said from the other corridor.

Darren looked back to the end of the corridor as Claira sat down facing him.

"Dad, I'm scared and you're scaring me."

Darren looked at her then the gun in his hand.

"I'm sorry but, I'm not your dad. My name is Darren Hicks and, and I killed your father." He said releasing the gun from his grasp and threw it down the corridor towards the waiting policeman.

She looked at him then moved forward and hugged him.

"Daddy."

He lightly kissed her as the police now moved forward and pulled her away from him as they handcuffed him and pushed him into the wall of the corridor.

"No, dad, he's my dad!" She shouted as she was led passed him and looked back.

Chapter 5

Darren was led down a corridor in a prison and was shown into a room where a man and a woman was waiting for him.

"Mr Hick's, please sit down." The man said shaking his hand. "My name is John Temple and I run a correctional centre in Beverly Hills."

"A correctional centre?" He said laughing. "I'm not a juvenile."

"This is a different kind of correctional centre. This is a community of prisoners, old and young that are being moulded by this programme I run and I believe that you might be a perfect candidate for it."

"Mr Hick's, my name is Helen More and I am the director of the Children's home of California."

Darren looked at her as Claira flashed through his mind.

"Your expression shows me that you know why we are here." John said looking at him then Helen as they all sat down.

John handed Darren a folder which he hardly looked at.

"Is this some kind of a joke?" He said pushing the folder onto the floor.

They looked at him. Helen now took out some photos and put them in front of him. He glanced down and recognised them to be pictures of Claira in the children's home looking very sad and uncomfortable.

"Well, let me put this another way." John said pushing the photos forward. "As you can see, Claira hasn't adjusted well to her life in the children's home."

"You see; she keeps asking when her father will be coming to collect her." Helen said looking at him.

Darren looked at one of the pictures and lightly moved it to scan the other one and picked it up for a closer look.

"Would you like to see her again?" John said watching him.

He looked up.

"Very funny." He said pushing the photos away.

"Mr Hick's, I am being quite serious. My programme could have you living together as father and daughter under one roof within a few weeks, if you agree to work with us."

"I am not the kid's father and I have no intention to be her father, thank you very much." He said looking away.

"Claira believes you are because of your remarkable resemblance to him. She can't stop talking about you."

"She's talking about her father, the guy I killed, not me."

John picked up the folder and put it back onto the table in front of him again.

"Under my programme you can be her father, Mr Walters." He said looking at him. "All you have to do is live within the housing estate that is the correctional centre. I have twelve other families all going through the same system, with their children."

"I don't have any children and I don't want any children." He said pushing the folder away.

"Mr Hick's, to put it bluntly, it doesn't matter what you want, you're paying for your sentence already."

"Good, then that's fine by me."

"Claira just wants her father back, whether you're Darren Hicks or Phillip Walters." Helen said looking at him.

Darren stared at them.

"What's the catch?"

John and Helen looked at each other.

"The catch is Phillip Walters. You killed him, Claira doesn't know this and believes you're him., despite what you had told her."

Darren jumped up.

"No!"

"Mr Hick's, you killed him. This is the whole reason why the correctional centre is there for. For families that can't adjust, or in your case, just happen to look and sound like the person they killed." Helen said looking at him.

Darren was now grabbed from behind.

"Let go of me!" He said struggling.

"Claira and yourself are perfect for this programme. A house has been set aside for you and you will also be supplied with a hard copy of your life till now. If you destroy it, you will be supplied with another one and so on and so forth."

Darren stared at him as he was dragged away.

A folder was left with Darren while he was in his cell. There were a few photos of Claira and an outline of the professional photographer that Phillip Walters was. He hardly glanced at it while in his cell.

One morning he was told to collect his things and was put into the back of the van and was taken into the hills. He entered the correctional centre and noticed the houses around him.

The van soon stopped and he recognised John Temple as the door opened and he got out.

"Mr Walters, welcome home." He said shaking his hand.

Darren looked around.

"This place is government funded?"

"The whole lot and all in the name of research and study." He said taking out the folder. "Claira will be here soon, so I would get some study time in just in case she asks you some awkward questions."

Darren looked at him and stepped away.

John led him up the path to the house and handed him a set of keys.

"The whole area is wired with CCTV and sound so, if you try to escape you will pay the penalty which in your case this means that you will end up in the chair because that is your only other option at this present time."

"Phillip Walters or death." He said looking at him.

John now placed a tag on his leg.

"If you leave any area, this tag will alert us and if you cut it..."

"That would alert you also."

"Yes."

A vehicle now appeared from the main entrance.

Darren looked at it as it pulled up.

"Do you want to meet your daughter alone?"

Darren stared at him.

Helen now appeared and moved around to the passenger side.

"Mr Walters." She said shaking his hand.

The door now opened and Claira jumped out and ran to him.

"I knew you wasn't dead. They kept telling me that you were, but here you are." She said moving up to hug him.

"Mr Walters, this is your folder. There is a den where your photography equipment is kept. All I'd like to say now is welcome to your new home." He said handing him the folder.

Claira and Darren watched them get into the car and drive away.

"Is this where we are living now?" She said looking at the house.

"It's where you are living now. I'm in hell." He said throwing the folder and the keys away and headed down the path.

"Dad."

"I am not your dad."

She ran after him.

"What happened after you left me on the ship?"

He looked at her as he carried on walking.

"Nothing. I got caught, excuse me."

She now stopped him.

"But dad, you, you just left me there."

"You didn't see the other guy dead on the ship?"

"What guy? I was with you, dad, you know that."

He looked at her and laughed.

"Funny, very funny." He said walking on. "What camera is watching us now?" He said looking back.

"I don't understand."

He stopped and checked the houses around him for a camera.

"Do you want me to tell her?" He looked down. "No, you don't want me to tell her. That's the reason we are here. Clever, very clever." He said walking on.

"Dad?"

"Go home, Claira." He said shouting as he walked on.

"Well, where are you going?"

"Back to my cell."

Claira slowly stepped back as he disappeared around a corner.

Chapter 6

Later that evening Darren found himself walking back to the house to see Claira sleeping on the steps to the house.

A neighbour appeared and moved up to him.

"Do you think it's right leaving a kid on the doorstep in a place like this?"

"Oh, because we are all criminals around here, is that what you mean?"

The man looked at Claira still sleeping then pushed Darren back.

"You are the only one that can spoil it for your child."

"She's not my child."

The man grabbed him.

"That won't wash around here, believe me, I've tried."

Darren now grabbed him and pushed him to the floor.

"Dad!"

He looked over to her as she now ran over to him.

The man now got up and adjusted himself.

"Just a little misunderstanding." He said patting Claira on the head and walked back to his side of the lawn.

Darren watched him go until he went into his house.

Claira walked back to the front door and picked up the keys and the folder that he had dropped earlier and walked back to him.

She broke his concentration and handed him the keys.

"I'm hungry." She said looking at him. "I didn't have any breakfast this morning because they said that I would be coming here."

He looked at the keys in his hand then the front door and walked towards it.

"What's this about?" She said looking at the folder and opened the front of it.

Darren now took it from her and put it under his arm.

"It's nothing." He said then moved up the steps and put the keys into the door and turned them.

The door opened and he allowed Claira in first.

"Bags I get the master bedroom." She said pushing him and running up the stairs.

"I don't care." He said dropping the folder on the table. "I'm not going to be here for long."

Darren walked into the living room and then noticed the kitchen and moved into it and opened a large fridge as a beer bottle came into view. He took it out and opened it and quickly took a swig from it as he heard Claira banging the doors upstairs.

He now turned around and noticed the den and slowly walked into it. It was full of cameras and lounge sets as he grabbed one of the cameras and looked through the viewfinder.

"Hey great, they brought your camera equipment over. I've been trying to find all of this since we left the ship."

Darren watched her playing with a lens and quickly noticed a door out into the garden and used it and went outside.

An hour or so later Darren looked through the cupboards to see what was for dinner. Claira walked into the kitchen and jumped onto the seat as he read some labels on the tins.

"What's this folder all about?" She said flipping through the pages.

He turned around and quickly grabbed the folder from her.

"It's private and not for you to go through." He said looking at her as he tried to find a place to put the folder somewhere.

"Sorry." She said jumping down and moved into the living room.

He took a deep breath and watched her moving around in the background.

"I've got to go to the supermarket in the morning because they haven't exactly kitted this kitchen out with much. It will have to be soup tonight." He said turning around. "That's if I am allowed to go to a supermarket in the morning." He said and turned back to look at Claira jumping onto the sofa and grabbing the remote control for the TV.

Claira slowly sipped the soup off her spoon.

"What happened after you left the ship with those cops?"

"Nothing much. They treated me like crap, but I expected that." He stopped and looked at her. "They've been chasing me for a while so you kind of get used to it." He watched her put her spoon down and look away. "What about you?" He said grabbing his napkin and wiping his face. "What happened to you after..?" He added watching her expression.

"They put me in that place with other children. I was all alone and I didn't know anybody dad. Plus, they hated me…"

"You mean you hated them." He said getting up. "Are you finished with your soup?"

She looked at him and nodded.

"Dad, why are we here? I thought we were going home or now that we are together again, I thought that we'd get another job on a cruise ship or something."

He stopped and looked at her.

"Don't you get it, yet? You can't go home. This is your home now. I'm not your dad, and I am just starting to get a little bit fed up with explaining that." He said looking at her. "Alright, yes, I may look and sound like your father, but I'm not, so get used to it." He said moving back to the kitchen.

She quickly jumped up and disappeared into the den and closed the door.

Darren cleared the table and made sure everything was tidy and turned the light out in the kitchen. This made the light in the den shine into the living room. He slowly moved to see Claira playing with the photography equipment.

She soon fell asleep and Darren slowly walked into the den and started to turn the lights for the equipment off as she now jumped up and knocked over a tripod.

"Dad?"

He quickly moved forward and grabbed her.

"Easy, easy, take it easy, it's okay, it's just me. I'm right here." He said holding her.

She now sank into him and relaxed.

"Daddy, I'm scared, I don't want to be left alone anymore..."

He did not answer her as she pushed her head into him.

He picked her up and carried her upstairs and checked the rooms and soon found a bedroom covered with toys and children's things and went in.

He put Claira onto the bed and helped her to get undressed as she lightly slept in his arms and then put her to bed.

Chapter 7

Claira awoke the next morning and ran downstairs to find Darren in the back garden checking out the gate and fencing around the edge of the property.

"Dad?" She said moving out to him.

He spun round and looked at her as he laughed and led Claira back inside the house.

"You do realise that we are in a maximum security correctional centre, with cameras probably watching our every move. God knows what they are capable of, but I am not about to allow you to walk around the garden, or the house for that matter, naked." He said pushing her to the foot of the stairs.

"But, how did I? Dad, I was in the den last night with your camera equipment..."

"Until you fell asleep. Now go and have a shower and put something on before you come back down." He said directing her up the stairs.

She ran up the stairs, stopped and turned back. She smiled and ran back down and hugged him.

"I knew you were my dad. I kept telling them that, but they wouldn't listen to me." She said kissing him. "Now we can tell them together." She said hugging him again as Darren just stood there. "I love you." She added then ran upstairs.

He now turned around and moved into the living room.

That afternoon Darren was in the supermarket looking at the food.

"I know what it's like, wondering if the child eats the same food you do. Do you buy it, hoping she likes it, or do you play safe and buy everything?" John said next to him.

Darren looked at him and moved away.

"Mr Walters..."

"Look, you've got us both here, I'll play your little game, but by my rules."

"Then you'll lose Mr Walters and Claira will go back to that children's home and you will rot in hell for eternity."

"You'll have to catch us first." He said moving away.

"I noticed that you haven't read the folder I gave you."

"That's right, because I'm not intending to be Mr Walters. Claira is accepting me for who I am, not Philip Walters, because I never had a chance to get to know him, just the child." He said looking back.

"So you do not want to pick up the station wagon that's been in storage since you went away?" He said looking at him.

"I beg your pardon."

"The car key on your set of house keys. The cars been valeted and serviced oh, and tagged, just in case you are thinking of driving away."

"You really know how to make people welcome" Darren said looking at him.

"No, I really know how to make Mr Walters happy." He said stepping up to him. "Say hi to your child for me." He said moving away. "And read that folder, Mr Walters." He added.

Claira was on the front porch when Darren drove the car onto the driveway.

"You think that they would give you a new car to go with the new house."

"Along with the new daughter also." He said getting out.

"Heh?" She said moving up to him.

"Never mind." He said moving to the back seat and grabbing the food."

"At least they valeted it." She said looking at the floor. "Yeah, there's the acid solution you dropped on the carpet before the trip." She now looked at the food in the bags. "Potato chips?"

"What's wrong with potato chips?" He said looking at her. "Will you get in that house before I take all this back for a refund, including you."

"I'm going, I'm going." She said moving up the steps.

"Mr Walters?"

Darren stopped and looked down.

"Dad?" She said moving back down the steps.

"No, you go inside, now." He said pointing.

She turned tail and ran into the house.

Darren moved out to see a man walking up to him.

"Hi, I'm your neighbour, Michael Rawlings." He said putting his hand out.

Darren looked at him.

"Let me guess, a lawyer?"

"No, psychiatrist."

"Figures. A criminal madman on one side and a shrink on the other." He said shaking his hand. "So, what are you going to tell me? That I haven't got a hope in hell of winning. That you're watching my every move so I cannot escape."

"Your daughter is watching your every move at the moment." Michael said smiling and waving at her.

Claira stepped back outside.

"Dad?"

"Just go back inside." He said pointing again.

They watched her turn around and moved back to the house.

"I'm going to keep this short Mr Walters. This correctional centre works and all it takes is for you to accept that you are Phillip Walters a professional photographer with a new home in a new neighbourhood with his lovely, understanding daughter. How simple can that be?"

Darren looked away and laughed.

"I'm going to keep this even shorter. Get out of my face and leave me alone." He said pushing him off his land.

"Read the folder." Michael said adjusting himself.

"I don't need to read anything. I know what you people are like and I know too much already of who everyone else would like me to be. The problem is, it's not going to happen. Claira seems to be accepting me just the way I am."

Darren now felt someone touching his hand which made him look down.

"Dad." She said silently.

They looked at each other as he let out a rush of air and moved back towards the house and walked in through the door.

He put the groceries in the kitchen and started to move things in the cupboard.

Claira moved to the front window and noticed a van pulling up.

"Hey dad?"

He looked down.

"Claira, don't. I am this close to blowing it all." He said carrying on sorting out the kitchen.

"Dad, there, there's a van outside." She said moving into the kitchen.

"If it's a removal van then my prayers have been answered." He said looking skyward.

There was now a knock on the door.

He looked at Claira then moved to the door with Claira close behind and opened it.

"Hi, err I'm here to put in a second phone line into the property for your business."

"Excuse me, business? I haven't worked a day in my life, I'm a thief and this is a correctional centre." Darren said looking at him.

The man handed him his clipboard.

"Peter Phillips Photography." He said looking at the engineer.

"Yes." Claira said jumping up and down.

"I don't even know a Peter Phillips. That's just part of a name on a damn card I read once. My name is Darren Hicks. You, my friend is at the wrong address." He said handing the clipboard back.

Claira now pushed him into the door.

"I don't believe you!" She said running off past the engineer.

"Claira!" He shouted and stepped out past the engineer and watched her disappear out of the road.

"Listen mate, I don't want to get in the middle of a family argument…"

"She's not family."

"I'm just paid to do a job, that's all and if this is the registered property of Peter Phillips Photography then I am here to install a second line in the den."

Darren looked at him then allowed him to do the work.

When the engineer was finished Darren jumped into the station waggon and drove around the streets within the correctional centre as he noticed all the ex con's and hoods watching him.

He started to feel a little agitated and returned to the top of their street and noticed Claira sitting on the sidewalk. He quickly pulled over and slowly got out of his car as she noticed him and jumped up to run away again.

"Claira, Claira." He said watching her stop but not face him. "I'm not going to tell you off for running away, I know I would have done the same thing if I was you." He said attempting to move around her. "We're both in a situation that we don't know how to play, how we are both going to react to each other." He added sitting down on the sidewalk next to her. "What I said back there was wrong. I thought that it was John playing a game with me again."

She finally looked at him.

"Who's John?"

"The owner of this estate. He wants me to…" He stopped and watched her expression. "Well, that doesn't matter right now." He added touching her hand. "Hey, you're cold." He added taking off his jacket and wrapping it around her. He watched her move into the jacket for his warmth then looked at the setting sun. "It's getting late and I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Now, I've got some good food to try out on that new kitchen range back at the house, if you're interested in joining me, that is. If not, then you can sit in the gutter and I'll feed you from here for all I care." He added pushing his back into hers, sneakily watching her.

She looked at the row of houses down her street and some neighbours in their garden. He watched her doing this and moved closer.

"Do you really want to sit out here?" He said whispering "I think one of these guys is a murderer." He said moving to her ear. He noticed her checking all the neighbours one by one. "Well, what do you say to the idea?"

"I don't know." She stopped and looked at them and moved closer to him. "Dad, what, what about him?" She said moving her head into his chest and looking at a man across the road.

"Definitely, suspicious. I wouldn't like to be out here alone with him, especially if I was only nine years old." He said picking her up and putting her on his lap. "I tell you what. I'll take you back to the house and we can talk about this over dinner. What do you say?" They looked at each other as another man walked past them. "Home?" He added.

She nodded in agreement.

He now carried her to his car and put her in the passenger seat and wrapped the seat belt around her.

"We'll be home before you know it." He said getting in and driving away.

Chapter 8

Darren couldn't sleep that night and walked around the house and the garden looking and wondering where the cameras were. He then moved into the den and looked at some of the camera equipment around him, but did not touch them for fear of setting anything off.

The phone now rang in the den which made him jump then realised it was only ringing in the den and quickly picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Wrong answer, Mr Walters. This is your business line. You are supposed to answer Peter Phillips Photography."

Darren recognised the voice and moved to the door and closed it.

"Look, I don't know this Peter Phillips, I don't know anything about photography. I'm a hood, for Christ's sake. I make my way in life by selling things like this."

"And now you've been thrown in here with a child that calls you dad and you handled this latest episode with her very well." He said as Darren moved further into the den.

"She was scared, she's also only nine years old."

"Protective too."

Darren sighed and sat down and looked at the cameras.

"I'm not a professional photographer. She is going to see that soon enough."

"Now who's scared? Being a father is the hard part."

"You reckon? I, I'm sitting here now working out how much I could get for this stuff on the street if she makes me."

"What is that going to do to your child's hopes and expectations of her father?"

Darren did not answer him.

"Mr Walters, you are wasting time."

"Time? I thought being here was my time." He said noticing the business cards. "Tell me something, who is Peter Phillips?" He said looking at the card explaining what Phillip was capable of.

"Read the folder, Phil. If you really want to look after your child, read how to be Philip Walters." The line went dead.

Darren looked at the receiver then replaced it back onto the phone and moved into the living room and noticed the folder. He grabbed a glass of water from the tap and moved over to the table and picked up the folder.

He looked up the stairs to the bedroom area then moved into the living room and sat down.

He opened the folder and started to read a few lines.

Some hours later he moved into his bedroom and looked at his reflection in the mirror and looked at the photo of Phil with Claira taken a few months earlier. He then sat down on the end of the bed and took out a wallet and looked at the credit and charge cards. He left them on the side and laid back on the bed staring at the ceiling and slowly fell asleep.

Darren took a refreshing shower that morning and grabbed the wallet that was in the pouch that was with the folder and put it in his jacket pocket and closed his bedroom door. He moved downstairs to find Claira in the kitchen reading some information on a packet of breakfast cereal.

He moved up behind her as she looked round.

"What did you buy yesterday?" She said handing him the box.

He stared at the packet then looked at the contents in her bowl.

"Alright, alright. I hold my hands up." He said moving her out of the kitchen. "You go and sit down and I will try and save our breakfast this morning." He said watching her head to the living room.

There was now a knock at the door and Claira was close enough to answer it and opened the door.

Darren was setting the timer on the microwave when he looked up to see the front door open. He now grabbed a knife from the drawer and placed it in his trousers.

He soon recognised the caller as Helen More and walked up to her.

"Hey." Darren said now moving up to Claira and pulling her around him.

"I suppose you are wondering why I am here."

"Don't tell me you are asking to join us for breakfast?"

Helen laughed.

"Sorry, no I'm not. I just wanted to leave these forms with you about the school within the correctional centre."

"School?" Claira said stepping forward to take the forms from her. "There's a school around here?"

"Yes, two blocks over." She said looking at her sorting through the paperwork.

"Claira, do you want to go sit down in the living room while I talk to Helen."

"Okay daddy. Thanks for the forms Helen." She said moving away.

"You're very welcome Claira, but your father has to complete the forms for you to attend the school." She said looking at her moving away.

Darren pushed Helen out of the door and closed it.

"Mr Walters…"

"Don't!" He said checking the door. "I'm still contemplating blowing the whole thing."

"Really?" She said noticing the knife in his pocket then looked at the wallet in his top pocket. She took the wallet out of his pocket. "How close, Mr Walters?"

Darren took the wallet from her and put it back in his pocket.

"Is there anything else I need to know, Miss More?"

"Yes, while Claira will be busy at school her father will be making money as a full time professional photographer. John will be around soon to talk with you about your options."

"Options that if I do not agree to, what will happen? I lose this place, end up on death row, Claira finds out that I really am Darren Hicks…"

"Hello Claira..."

Darren swung around which made her laugh.

"I think you will agree to play your part Mr Walters. See you later." She said laughing as she walked down the driveway.

He watched her go then moved back inside the house. He went back to the kitchen and put the knife back in the drawer and looked at Claira still reading the paperwork Helen had left them.

"Claira, breakfast." He said pulling a plate out of the microwave.

She now trotted up to him and put the paperwork on the worktop.

"Hey dad, did you know that this place had a school?"

"I didn't, but I do now." He said picking the paperwork up and looking at it. "Did you want to take a look at the school?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she looked into her bowl.

"Well, do you want to be home tutored then?" He said looking at her.

"No, but." She stopped and looked into the den. "Can't I stay home until you get a job coming in? There's no rush is there?"

He looked at the den then Claira.

"I need to sort a few things out first, before..."

"Like what?"

He now shrugged his shoulders as he watched her look away.

"Claira, we are being watched around the clock. I haven't had a chance to do anything..."

"You had a comfortable job on a cruise ship." She said jumping off her seat and headed for the den.

He now jumped up and stopped her.

"I will work something out, I promise." He said touching her.

She nodded and walked away.

Darren knew that she was not content with his words.

Later that morning he drove to the main gate and parked up as a guard appeared.

"I want to see John, right now."

He was shown into a room with cameras and two way mirrors.

The door eventually opened and John walked in with his file.

Darren watches him sit down as he goes through the folder.

"I heard that Helen is forging forward with the child's education."

Darren sat uneasy in his chair as John sat no more than three feet away. He looked at the cameras and moved forward across the table.

"I am not a professional photographer. I have never taken a photo in my life because I have had my picture taken too many times by the government, do you understand what I mean."

He watched John move a few pages and starting to write something into the file. "Are you listening to me?" He said shouting.

John looked up and watched his expression.

"Mr Walters, this correctional centre is run to a set and very strict timetable." He said looking at him. "You may think that Claira believes that you are Phillip Walters. Be thankful that you have not been asked to attend a photo shoot or someone has requested a professional photographer for their wedding or christening in this estate."

"This whole place is run by you. No-one would require a professional photographer here, but…"

"The photo equipment in the den." He said looking at him. "That is all the equipment salvaged from the cruise ship and the former home of Phillip Walters." He said watching Darren still not convinced of his words. "She's nine years old, she will listen to her father. If you really want to be her father." He said watching him.

"I can't exactly say no, can I? I am his double." He said looking away.

"Is that the reason why you killed him?"

He sighed and looked at him.

"I don't know. I was desperate and this guy that I see in the mirror every morning I shave was standing there right in front of me. Exactly the same as me. I panicked, I thought someone had made me, but I didn't expect my double to appear right in front of me."

"Can you be Philip Walters?"

"Today, here, I would say no, but, Claira…"

John took out a piece of paper.

"This is the address of a fellow photographer that I have persuaded to come onto the estate." He said handing the paper to him.

"Well, what do I do with this information?"

"For the time being, study hard the folder you are now just starting to read. There is some information on how to handle those contraptions in the den and we'll set something up for you."

"At least we agree on something." He said folding the piece of paper up and putting it in his pocket. "That they are contraptions." He added standing up.

"I'm glad to see you properly dressed with your wallet neatly in place." He said putting his hand out.

Darren stepped away.

"I'm doing this for the child, not for you or this correctional centre." He said then went out.

Darren drove back to the house and walked in through the door. He took his jacket off and looked around.

Claira?"

He now noticed the paperwork that Helen had brought round and read a few lines. He moved into the kitchen and noticed her in the den playing with the photography equipment.

Some moments later she walked out carrying a camera and noticed him.

"Hey."

"Hi." Darren said moving the paperwork to one side.

"I didn't hear you get back."

"That's because you were too interested in my photo equipment." He said watching her jump onto the seat. "I would be happy if the photo equipment could stay in the den." He said grabbing the camera and moved back to the den.

"Why?" She said jumping back down and followed him into the den.

"Because it is very expensive equipment. I don't want it lost or damaged." He said putting the camera down into the case.

"Do you think anyone in this neighbourhood would like their photos produced by us?" She said moving up behind him.

He turned around and looked at her.

"Not this neighbourhood, no."

"Why not?"

"Well, no doubt they are all like me. Criminals that have had their picture taken too many times by the local police." He said laughing and moved back out to the kitchen.

The phone now started to ring in the den as they looked at it.

"That's the public line." She said running into the den.

"Claira, Claira." He shouted running after her and stopped her reaching the phone.

"But dad that could be our first job, or another offer of a free cruise around the world." She said looking at him. "You got to answer it."

Darren looked at the ringing phone then grabbed the receiver and picked it up and tried to speak through a dry mouth.

"Peter Phillips photography." He said trembling as he held the receiver.

Claira smiled and sank into his body and looked up at him.

"Err, thank you, yes." He said then replaced the receiver.

"Not our first customer."

"No. That was the telephone company returning the call telling me that everything is now set up to receive calls."

She moved away back towards the kitchen.

"Great, just great."

Darren watched her then followed her back.

"I did tell you, that I will work something out, soon." He said squeezing her hand.

Claira leaned over and grabbed the wallet from his jacket pocket and checked the notes.

"This correctional centre, does it pay you to be here?"

He grabbed the wallet back from her.

"If they did, that main gate at the end of the road would be left open." He said checking the wallet.

"That photo of me needs updating."

"No it doesn't." He said putting the wallet back in his pocket.

"How do you know? You didn't even look at it because it's true we only have a few bucks left to our name."

"Our name?" He said looking at her. "Is that Phillip Walters and family or Peter Phillips Photography?"

Claira pushed him and jumped off her stool.

"I hate you!"

"The feeling is mutual."

"Grandpa started this company from scratch. Why do you think you carried on his name when he died?" She said running upstairs.

Darren looked at the business card.

"Peter Phillip Walters…!" He said looking towards the den. "Phillip Peter Walters." He added then looked towards the stairs. "Claira." He said now running upstairs.

He moved to her door and knocked on it.

"Claira, Claira, it's…" He took a deep breath. "Claira, its dad, please open the door. I didn't mean what I said back there, you're, you're my…" He stopped as he felt a lump in his throat.

The door slowly opened and he saw Claira standing there crying and quickly picked her up.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He added carrying her to the bed and put her down and cleared the tears from her face.

"I've been so messed up lately, coming here." He looked at her. "Yes, your dad has no money." He said making her laugh. "But, we're working through this aren't we, together?"

She looked at him and nodded.

"I am not going to give up even though I may look like I have already." He said kissing her. "We are here for a reason; you know that as much as I do."

She looked down.

"I don't hate you." She said looking back up.

"Well that's good to hear." He said laughing. "You know something." He said moving closer. "I don't hate you either."

They laughed and hugged.

"I'm going to make this work, but I also need you to help too."

"Absolutely." She said jumping up. "What do you want me to do?"

He looked at her.

"Just be the good girl you were on the ship." He said looking at her.

"Okay." She said watching him. "Without the knife under the napkin?"

He looked at her and then kissed her.

"I wasn't myself back then and you know that. Which is why I am asking you to help me out now."

"I know, I know." She forged forward and hugged him. "I love you, daddy and I knew you were my dad all along."

Darren looked at himself in the mirror as Claira hugged him and smiled.

Chapter 9

"What does it feel like?"

Darren spun round as he recognised the voice. He now looked away and let out a rush of air as he looked at him again.

"What does what feel like?"

John stepped forward.

"Being a daddy?" He said being sarcastic.

Darren was about to say something back but he stopped himself and walked away.

"Walters?"

"Phillip Walters." He said spinning around. "If you want me to accept this name as my own, you will show me the courtesy of using my full name."

"Courtesy, Mr Walters, you?" He said stepping up to him. "You killed the child's father. You are here because of that reason and you want me to give you some courtesy."

"Alright, well why don't you just follow me home right now and we can tell her together. I can then go back on death row and the kid can head back to that children's home that you said she did not get on with."

"But strangely enough she gets on with you because you look and sound like her father." He said watching him.

"Do you want to go, because it makes no difference to me?"

John stopped him.

"If there was any other way..."

"You would have gladly taken it other than having me shack up with the kid of the guy I killed just because we look the same and sound the same." Darren said watching him. "Maybe this is why we're still here on your programme."

John grabbed him and pushed him up against a wall.

"One slip up Hick's, one small slip and you will be in that chair without a by or leave to your so called offspring."

Darren watched him go then adjusted himself and walked on.

Darren drove back to the house and saw a car parked on the driveway and pulled over. He got out and checked the car then moved up the steps and opened the door as he heard laughing coming from the den.

He slowly closed the door and moved closer to the den making sure he was not seen.

Claira now came running out and saw him.

"Hey, have I got a surprise for you." She said grabbing his hand.

He quickly pulled his hand away and looked at her.

"I don't like surprises." He said looking up into the den. "Claira, this is our home. I would appreciate a call first so that I am a little more prepared."

"Don't look so worried. You won't need the knife this time around." She said trying to pull him on.

"That's not funny, Claira." He said stopping her again.

"Oh hi…"

Darren noticed a young lady walking out holding a camera.

"Great pose, you know, should I or shouldn't I?" She said taking a picture of him.

He looked at her, took a deep breath and moved forward.

"I'm sorry. I'm a little confused."

"It's perfectly alright. I should have contacted you by phone first, but Claira was just telling me that you have only had the business line put in." She said putting her hand out. "Annie Gray."

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Annie Gray. I work with Ted Knowles."

"Ted Knowles, Annie Gray? Is this supposed to mean something to me?"

Claira now shoved a card in his hand and he looked at it.

"Maybe we should have waited until you contacted us." Allison said stepping away.

"Professional photographer." Darren said reading the card and remembered. "John." He stopped and looked away. "Just great, well done John. Trying to make me slip up already."

"Well he's certainly done a good job." Claira said running away.

Darren sighed and looked down.

"I think that we should postpone for a few more weeks yet." Annie said moving away.

"No, no." He said stopping her. "I've got to be this guy..." He said looking down.

She moved back to the den and started packing her camera's away.

"Ted is on a job out of town at the moment. When John called telling me that it would be best if I came over first, I thought that..."

"What are you to Ted?" He said looking at her. "Girlfriend, wife...?"

"Assistant, well sort of. I'm more of a model. I soften the people up for Ted."

Darren nodded and turned away.

"I see, so basically what Claira is, if she was older."

"According to your file Claira was more your right hand man, than a daughter."

"My file? That's new." He said sitting down on the couch. "I can only imagine that John has twisted the file to suit everyone that comes into contact with me, sorry Phillip."

She looked at him then looked towards the door.

"Of course, being a model, I was required to be accommodating to all" She said moving to the door and closing it.

Darren looked at her.

"Really? You do know that there are camera's in here watching our every move."

She started to take her clothes off and moved towards him.

Darren stepped away and opened the door.

"I'm sorry, but not while my kids in the house and..." He looked around.

She sighed and moved away.

"Cameras." She said and grabbed her coat. "I'll let Ted fix a date with you. One that we are all happy." She said then went out.

Darren watched her go then looked at the stairs but decided to leave Claira alone until she was ready to come down.

Claira's hunger got the better of her as Darren checked the roast in the oven. She cautiously walked into the kitchen and sat on the seat keeping her head down. Darren noticed her in the reflection of the oven door but did not turn round.

"Dad." She said quietly. She realised that he had not heard her and she jumped off the stool and moved around to catch his attention. "Dad." She said grabbing his shirt as he turned around and picked her up and tickled her. "Daddy, daddy stop."

Darren carried on tickling and playing with her.

"Do you really want daddy to stop?" He said looking at her.

Claira did not say anything as they looked at one another and Darren carried on playing with her.

After dinner Darren carried Claira into the den and put her on the floor and grabbed a camera and looked at it like it was alien to him. He realised that Claira was not noticing him and just looked at her through the lens.

"Hey, why don't we play a game?" He said looking at her. "I'm just going to keep playing about with the camera taking a few pictures while you sit there, okay?"

Claira just sat there as he moved around her and grabbed all the camera's to hand and did his best to take some photos of her.

Something magical started to happen as Claira started to take the cameras from him and change the SD cards and made sure the cameras were ready to shoot again and handed them back to him.

Claira now jumped up and moved over to the computer and started to load the cards into the computers. Darren noticed the pictures and jumped up.

"Hey, I don't want you going through this tonight. We're just having fun here, okay." He said pulling her away from the computer just in case she noticed anything wrong with the quality of pictures he was taking. He now stopped and looked at the pictures flicking through and jumped onto the seat and looked at them. He then looked back at the cameras on the floor.

"Hey, some of these are quite good." She said moving to sit on his lap.

They both flicked through the pictures and stopped at a very impressive one.

"Now that is one I am going to keep for myself, you can get rid of all the rest." He said looking for a print button on the screen.

"Wait, wait. The printer hasn't been set up yet." She said jumping down.

"Well, why not?"

"We've only just moved in, it's still in the box somewhere." She said going through the boxes and checked the paper.

Darren moved to the box and helped her set up the printer. It was soon processing the photos and he looked at one of them.

"I'm going to find out if there is a photo framer around here." She said grabbing the phone book.

Darren stopped her.

"Claira, do you know what time it is?"

"No."

He moved to the living room and grabbed the paperwork Helen had left and walked back into the den.

"When is that school visit?"

"I don't know." She said sheepishly.

Darren stepped forward and put the letter in front of her.

"Well, if you don't want to visit the closest school on the estate I won't have to complete this complicated paperwork, then." He said stepping away. "You can stay home tomorrow and go through these SD cards instead. I'm sure it's something you love because you have done this so many times before." He added moving back to the living room as Claira quickly followed him.

"On the other hand, I think that I better get some sleep because something tells me that we will be starting out very early tomorrow." She said putting the photos in his hand and heading for the stairs.

"Claira?" He said stopping her and pulling her around. He bent down and kissed her. "Thanks for your help this evening and I'm sorry if I have upset you in any way." He said holding her. "I'll see you in the morning."

Claira hugged him. "I love you, daddy."

Darren kissed her and took a deep breath.

"I love you too and you know why?" He said as they looked at one another. "Because I am your father and you are my little girl and you always have been regardless if we live here or anywhere. You are my life now Claira Walters, my life and I'm not going anywhere without you." He said hugging her again. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning." He added and kissed her.

Chapter 10

Darren pulled into the school car park early the next morning as he recognised Helen walking out to them. He looked at Claira sat next to him.

"I know that it's a new school and I know that this estate is a little quirky, but these nerves will fade and you've got to remember one thing."

"What's that?"

He leant over to her.

"I am only down the road. If you get scared, you run like hell back to me." He said making her smile. "Let's go, ha?"

Claira nodded and they got out.

"Philip, Claira, how wonderful it is to see you again." She said moving up to them and shaking their hands. "Please let me show you around this new school." She added and moved towards the school.

Claira kept hold of Darren's hand as they went and watched some of the children in the classrooms.

"We received Claira's report from the last school, of which was a little alarming seeing that you had pulled her out of the class at an important stage in her education." Helen said looking at Darren as Claira looked up at him.

"I'm a photographer…"

"Professional photographer…" Claira said correcting him.

He looked down at her and brought her in front of him.

"My job is very broad. If a tour operator wants me on an around the world tour in less than a day then I go where my camera takes me and Claira is my right hand man when it comes to my job."

Helen stepped forward.

"Mr Walters, Claira's education does not involve buttering up potential clients for a kiss me quick photographer, professional, or otherwise. I am quite sure there are other dime a dozen photographers out there that could have made that cruise, short notice or not."

"Not for fifteen thousand dollars a trip plus your own personal cabin. Dad, they still owe you for that cancelled trip, you know."

"I know they do sweetheart and I am still in negotiations with the cruise line for that cancelled trip."

Helen now looked at Claira.

"The trip was only cancelled because of a death on the ship, Miss Walters."

"Never the less, the cruise line chose my dad as the ship's appointed professional photographer. When we moved here I did not have the chance to pack anything, I was just put in that that place, no-one was very friendly with me…" She said tightening the grip on Darren's hand.

"Catherine, would you mind showing Claira a few more classes for me, please."

Claira looked back at Darren as she was led away.

"Mr Walters, if we could just take a second look at that paperwork in my office." Helen said showing Darren on.

They walked into an office and Helen closed the door.

Darren watched her move around the desk and started to laugh.

"I don't see what's so funny, Mr Hick's."

He stopped laughing and looked at her.

"That's low." He said turning away. "Obviously, I know the child more than you do, Miss More." He said stepping up to her.

"Then would you kindly explain what that last verbal exchange was in my school?"

"Just simply Claira being Claira for the first time since you locked her away in that place you put her in after I was put in prison."

"No, I do not accept that…"

"She's with her father. She's doing the job Philip Walters and his child made their own and it takes a low life hood to show you that." He said moving towards the door.

"Mr Walter's…"

He stopped and allowed Helen to move up to him.

"I've watched Claira from when she came to us to her moving here, with you…"

"I don't expect you to apologise Miss More…"

"No, no please let me finish." She took a deep breath as he stepped back looking at her. "When I collected her from the cruise terminal that day you were arrested, to the day you both arrived at this centre. Claira's never talked, never performed as much as she just did back there with her father."

"If that's a compliment then I will accept it and say thank you." He said then allowed Helen to open the door and they went out.

"I must say John and I have been watching the both of you in a family set up since you moved here and I commend you for getting this far."

"Don't commend me." He said stopping and looked around to see if Claira was in earshot. "You have to commend Philip Walters for making Claira the child she is today. Claira cannot survive without her father, I think you saw that and that's why we're at this centre today."

"Because you're the spitting image of Philip Walters and Claira couldn't understand why you were split up after you left the ship." Helen said looking at him.

"I told her when I was arrested that I wasn't her father and I think she believed me."

"Really, well what happened to change that?"

Darren shrugged his shoulders.

"Possibly that children's home you put her in, the confusion after I told her that I wasn't her father, I don't know."

"Then, it's not over." Helen said noticing Claira heading back to them.

"It's not over or it hasn't even begun, yet." Darren said as Claira burst through the door and pushed her head into his side. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"It's a big school." She said shyly.

"It's big because a lot of the children we have here are part of a very large family."

"Well, not me. I've only ever known dad." She said pushing herself into Darren.

He now kneeled down to come level with her.

"Hey, what did I tell you in the car? You are going to be nervous at first and I am only down the road." He said kissing her. "You are going to be fine."

"I think we'll start you on a day course tomorrow and see how it goes." Helen said looking at her. "Is everyone okay with that?"

Claira looked at Darren agreeing with her.

Sometime later they were back at home and Claira was going through some of the photos Darren had taken the day before.

He walked into the den with a package.

"This just arrived from a courier. I suspect it's your school uniform." He said starting to unpack it. "Do you want to try it on to see if it fits?"

"No."

He looked at her.

"That was a very stern no." He said moving forward. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm just going through these photos."

Darren sighed and stepped even closer to her.

"Claira, I have been on quite a hiatus since the cruise, so the photos I took last night are not really to my professional standard."

"They look alright to me. I mean, they are not what you get paid for, but they're okay for family snaps or a photo album."

"All the same, I would like to see you try this school uniform on for me, come on." He said pulling her away from the computer.

"I can't understand why you are now wanting me to go to school after the time it took you to get me out of school." She said moving towards him and taking off her top.

Darren watched her as he dressed her and checked that the uniform fit.

"Because we both have a second chance and I know that you deserve it."

"Dad, we had an income secured when we were on that cruise. You promised me that you would not need to work for months when we came home." She said stepping away from him.

"I can't help the cruise being cancelled…" He said watching her. "You know that I will do my best to get that money, but I can't exactly do anything right at this minute. Now step here and let's get these clothes to fit."

She stepped back up to him and watched him.

"Well who's Darren Hick's?"

He stopped and looked at her.

"How do I know?" He said biting his lip. "The guy on the cruise who died, wasn't he?" He said watching her expression.

"Well, if he was alive I would look towards him right now and ask him why are we suddenly here with no money and no job." She said looking at him.

"I err, I've got to just take a minute here, ha." He said jumping up and going outside into the garden.

Darren moved around the garden as Claira's words hit him so hard that he wiped a tear from his eye.

Claira hung around the door to the garden watching him. She slowly moved out to him as he heard her and turned back.

"Hey…" He said taking her hand.

"Dad, what's going on? Why are we here instead of on the cruise?

"Nothing is going on. Something happened and we are here instead of carrying on with the cruise. Once a few things are sorted out we are going to get straight back on with that cruise, I promise."

"So why did you tell me on the cruise that you weren't my dad?"

"I don't know why, I just did." He knelt down and came level with her. "Look at me."

"Dad…" She said looking away.

"Hey, come on" He said pulling her head around.

She now looked at him.

"Do I look like your dad?"

"Yes, of course you do."

"Was I with you on the cruise, however short it was?" He said playing with her.

"Yes."

"Well, I think that qualifies me as your father." He said kissing her.

He picked her up and carried her back into the house.

The next morning Claira was running around half dressed trying to digest breakfast. Darren watched her as he tried to get her dressed.

"Slow down, you still have a few minutes. There is a bus coming to pick you up, you know."

"It's the first time I've been to school in months and I know that they are going to catch me out wondering how much I know."

"Well if you are asked to sort through endless photographs on a computer then you will go to the head of the class." He said as the bus arrived outside.

"Daddy, daddy…"

"What, what?" He now noticed the bus. "Okay, well, have you got everything?"

"I think so." She said as Darren opened the door and they went out.

"Hello Claira." Helen said walking up to them.

"What's this, making sure I send her to school instead of packing her on another cruise ship, ha?" Darren said shaking her hand.

"On the contrary, Philip, this is all a courtesy measure." She said then turned to look at Claira. "Now, are you ready?"

She nodded and looked at Darren and pushed her head into his side.

"Hey, you are going to be fine. You're my girl and I can't ask for anything more than that." He said kissing her. "And, I love you."

"I love you too." She said smiling.

"Shall we?" Helen said leading her to the bus and up the steps.

Darren watched her take her seat and waved her goodbye as the bus pulled away up the street. He then turned back into the house and looked around at the living room and realised almost instantly how quiet it was.

He moved into the den and looked at all the camera equipment then noticed the photo he had taken of Claira and picked it up. The phone now rung in the den and he quickly picked it up.

"Peter Phillips Photography, can I help you?"

"Err, is this Philip Walters?" A voice said at the other end.

"Yes, yes." He said sitting down still looking at the photo. "Err, if you're looking for a photographer…"

"Well, I'm looking to turn someone into a professional photographer. My name is Ted Knowles… I was told you knew about me because Annie…"

Darren looked around the room.

"Yeah, err I'm sorry, but..."

"There's no need to apologise. John has supplied me with the details of your past life. I just need you to know that if you steal any of my equipment, I'll kill you."

Darren started to laugh.

"Believe me, a few weeks ago I would have taken all this equipment and handed it to the local pawnbrokers, but Claira, my kid, she's, well I don't know what she's done to me but, there's no way I am swapping any of this equipment for cash or a cheap score of coke."

"That's good to hear, we need the best photographers we can get in this business."

"Thanks. I err, I was told by John that you don't live around here, obviously, so I guess John is arranging for you to come onto the estate to teach me?"

"John has arranged a few empty offices for us at the main gate. I just need to know if you're ready yet."

Darren looked around then looked at the camera equipment in front of him.

"I guess John doesn't want me to get bored while Claira is at school." He said then took a deep breath. "Well, I guess I'm ready as I'll ever be."

"Great. I will be at the main gate tomorrow at nine, sharp. Make sure you have all your equipment to hand so that I can see what I am up against."

Darren laughed.

"Believe me, I'm no good without my right hand man, or child in my case, but I am going to do my best."

"Good, well I'll see you tomorrow."

The line went dead and he replaced the receiver. He now moved between the equipment and grabbed a camera bag and started to pack everything into them.

Chapter 11

Claira walked into the den with some toast early the next morning as Darren looked up.

"Hey, do you mind, this is all my lenses uncovered here." He said pushing her back out.

"Well, sorry, but I have never seen you so serious about a shoot before. You nearly lost two lenses coming up the gangplank because you left the bag open. Why can't you be like every other photographer we've met and close the bags up?"

"I'm too semi-conscious, now go." He said watching her head back upstairs to get dressed. "Hey, the toast stays in the kitchen."

She stopped and turned back as he walked up to meet her.

"Yes, sir." She said handing him the toast and saluting him.

"Get out of here." He said smiling and biting a bit of the toast as he went to the kitchen.

Within the hour Darren was walking down to the main gate with his heavy camera equipment on his back and both hands full of other parts of camera equipment. John noticed him and pressed the security door to let him in.

"If I hadn't have seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe it." He said taking one of the bags from his hand. "How are you doing, Phil?" He said shaking his hand.

"Well, I'm here." He said taking a deep breath.

"You are, yes. Come on in, Ted is in the main room." He said leading him through the building to a room where Ted was setting up.

"Oh great, you made it through. I thought they'd have to send a search party out for you." Ted said noticing his equipment.

"I only live a block over. I'm not fit, but anyone could have made it." Darren said shaking his hand.

"Well, let's have a look at Philip's equipment. I want to see what I am up against." He said grabbing a bag.

"I don't know much about it, I'm afraid, unless you want an appraisal on how much it's worth on the street." He said laughing.

"That's not funny Hicks. I thought we had left Darren at the gate." John said looking at him.

"I thought he did too." Darren said looking away. "Sorry, force of habit."

"Ted, if you wouldn't mind." John said raising his voice.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. What else do you want from me?" He said looking at him.

John stepped up to him.

"You're walking a fine line as it is, Hicks."

Darren put his hands up and stepped away.

"Are we here for me or Claira? Ha?"

"Don't bring the child into this Hicks, this is your problem, not Claira's."

"Can we get down to this?" Ted said breaking their concentration. "I'm being paid to do my job, not a go between."

John made sure Darren was watching him as he moved to the door.

"Go ahead Ted, let's see Mr Walters for what he really is."

Darren smirked and moved to keep his back to John as they went through the cameras.

"Pretty good." He said putting a lens on a camera. "This is what you had with you on the ship of did you manage to get some from your previous residents?"

"I believe it's everything I own. If I understand Claira correctly I travel with everything wherever I go. I don't leave anything at home."

"Some of these lenses are very old." He said looking at the condition of them.

Darren coughed and cleared his throat.

"Yeah my father he." He stopped and stepped away. He took out his wallet and grabbed a card from it and handed it to Ted. "Peter Phillips Photography, my father started this company, most of the lenses are from his collection and I, I just never upgraded them because, because, well, it's like..."

He now stepped away and moved to the other end of the room.

John now moved up to him.

"Your actions back there tell me that you have been finally reading that folder I gave you."

Darren looked at him as a tear fell from his eye.

"I'm alright. I can do this." He said turning away from him and going back to Ted. "My father who was Peter Philip Walters started this company and I've learnt everything I know from him and carried on his name and the company in his honour." He said as John hovered in the background.

"What about Claira, do you want her to carry on the company and his name?"

"As far as I am concerned she already is carrying on the company name. She could teach me a thing or two." He said trying to raise a laugh.

"That's a good positive attitude." He said handing him a camera. "Let's see if we can't capture his spirit."

Darren nodded and Ted got down to work showing him what a professional photographer is all about.

Claira jumped off the school bus that afternoon to find Darren working with his camera getting some pictures of the plants in the front garden.

"They could do with deadheading rather than having their picture taken."

He spun round and looked at her.

"Smile..!"

"Dad!" She said turning away.

"Oh don't be camera shy." He said leaning over to kiss her as the bus pulled away. "Well?"

She moved up the steps to the door.

"Well, what?"

He followed behind her and pulled her around.

"Claira Walters, I've never known you to keep anything in for five minutes." He said releasing the catch on the door as they walked in.

She dropped her bag down on the floor and went into the kitchen.

Darren moved into the den and put his camera down and turned back to see Claira grabbing a glass of milk.

"Are you going to keep me in suspense? That's not like you at all." He said moving into the kitchen.

"How many pictures have you taken today?"

Darren now stopped her.

"I asked first."

"It was alright." She said moving to the den.

"Just alright?" He said following her and closing the door.

"Aha, yeah." She said sitting down on the floor and grabbed a camera out of the bag and ejected the SD card.

"Can we step away from the right hand man job here and talk about your day and not mine." He said taking the camera away from her and sat down on the floor in front of her.

She grabbed the glass of milk and sipped at it.

"The lady who was with me in that place they put me in after we left the ship…"

"Helen More, yes?" He said taking the glass of milk from her and put it on the desk behind him.

"Yeah, she said that you had used me for your position in society."

"Really?" He said watching her.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that we need to delegate between my work and your school work." He said moving to pull her into him. "We can talk about this while I hold you, yeah?"

Claira nodded as Darren held her.

That evening they had dinner and Darren poured out a glass of wine and sipped at it. Afterwards Darren cleaned the kitchen and turned the light off in the kitchen. He saw Claira on the computer in the den and moved into the room.

"Where did you go today to get these test pictures?"

Darren moved behind her and looked at the photos.

"Test pictures? My index finger is aching with how many shots I took today."

"You need people, that's your job dad, a professional photographer to the cruise lines." She said jumping up to go to the printer. "You've never took pictures of flowers before." She stopped and looked at him.

"What?"

She stepped up to him and touched his hands and moved closer.

"Just checking…"

"Checking what?"

"That you weren't replaced with a stranger while I was at school."

"Funny, very funny." He said moving around her. "Does a stranger know that you're ticklish?" He said picking her up and playing with her.

Claira fell asleep on the sofa as Darren went through the photos he took that day. He then noticed a folder with a date that was before they had moved to the correctional centre. He checked that Claira was asleep as he clicked on the button to allow the sequence of photos to flip through as he stared at the photographs coming back at him.

Darren kept flipping through these sets of photos over and over again as he realised that he was nowhere close to what the real Philip Walters was producing before the cruise trip.

The next morning, he walked into the building by the main gate and led Ted to a photo viewer.

"I don't know if the centre has seen these photos that Philip took. They were on the computer they brought over with the rest of his things…"

"Curiosity got the better of you, ha?" He said laughing.

Darren jumped up and moved away.

"He was better than I could ever be." He said looking at him. "I may look and sound like Philip Walters, but I'm not him where it matters and I'm afraid that Claira is going to see that soon enough and…"

"What? You're scared that you'll lose her? That if she realises who you are that she'll leave you?"

"Yes, no…" He turned away. "I cannot produce those kind of photos. I've managed to palm her off with the fact that since she's been in the centre that I have been on hiatus, but last night she told me straight that I am not paid to take pictures of flowers. Philip Walters is paid as a resident cruise photographer, which means I take pictures of smiling people on their around the world cruise, day in day out. This is why she was berating me the minute I met her because Claira expects better."

"Better than what? Better than you can give her or do you mean less than what Phillip could give her as her real father?"

"Better than what she knows a professional photographer can give the around the world average human expecting their photographs on time and at a good price."

"That sounds like Claira speaking, not Philip Walters."

"Yeah well, maybe she's rubbed off on me since being Philip Walters."

"Then you've got to shake yourself out of that mould because you know where you'll end up if she makes you." Ted said moving away.

He looked at the photos again.

"My fate was sealed years ago, but what really does worry me if she does make me, is, that she will end up back in that home they sent her to after they arrested me and I know that she will not survive in that place."

The door opened and John walked in.

"Have I got a surprise for you."

"I would watch him today John, he's just found some Philip Walters originals."

"We do have 24/7 CCTV Ted, which is why I have managed to bring this treat some days forward."

Darren turned away from the computer and looked at him

"What treat is that?" He said sighing.

John led Ted and Darren down the hall as they walked into a large office environment.

"Err, John, I don't think that he is quite ready for the human factor yet." Ted said moving back. "You want him to be a professional photographer, that means more than just taking pictures of fellow humans in a controlled environment,"

Darren now stepped away and headed back down the corridor.

"Hick's?" John said calling out to him.

He spun round.

"I'm not going in there until I am ready. You heard what Ted said." He said staring at him.

Ted now walked past John and stepped up to him.

"Phil, there is something we can try." He said talking to him.

Darren put his cameras in the corner and moved to the window and turned to look at the people in the office working. John now stepped up to him.

"If you are casing the joint or you're thinking of bunking…" He said watching his reaction. "You won't make it out the door." He added and stepped away.

Ted now started to take some pictures as Darren just stood there.

Some ladies moved out of the main room to grab a cup of coffee as Darren picked up his camera and moved into the smaller dimly lit room with them, the smell of cigarettes filled the air that he moved around in. He noticed one lady pulling out a cigarette and moved up to her.

"You know I haven't had a cigarette since they brought me here." He said as the lady looked up and stared at him. "My other self didn't smoke and I don't know how he survived without lighting up once in his life." He added as he realised the lady had not moved since he started the conversation. "Don't let me stop you though…, I just noticed that you have a pack there and I wondered…" The lady now sighed and handed him a cigarette. "Thank you." He added as she handed him a lighter and he took a deep draw in of the cigarette and then handed her back the lighter. "Ah god, you don't know how liberating this has been." He said watching her. "I'm Philip Walters, resident professional photographer." He said holding out his hand.

The lady stood up and moved towards the door.

"Not in here you're not, Mr Hicks." She said taking a large draw on her cigarette and stepped up to him.

Darren looked away and nodded.

"It figures." He said smiling and grabbed his camera. "Would you mind me taking some pictures of you?"

She looked at the camera in his hand and stepped back slightly.

"Taking some pictures of me?"

"Yes, you see this is my job now and..." He stopped and stepped closer to her. "You're the only one in this joint that doesn't look wooden." He added trying to get a reaction from her.

She smirked and slightly blushed as she looked down then straight back up again.

"I am a psychiatrist Mr Hicks, I'm paid to find out what's behind that wooden exterior and strip it bare if I have to."

Darren pulled his camera in front of his eye.

"This camera is paid to do the same thing, technically." He said pressing the shutter button.

She now pushed smoke into his lens as he looked up.

"What's your name?" He said looking at her. "For my files, of course." He added smiling.

"Oh, of course. "She said then dropped her cigarette and kicked it into the floor and turned around to leave him to the smoke filled room.

Darren soon went back to his position by the window but continued to concentrate on the lady across the room as Ted walked up to him.

"Have you got your eye on anything yet?" He said checking his camera.

Darren shuffled his feet as Ted stopped and looked at him.

"Forgive me, but I don't see the fascination in working environments. If you put me on an around the world cruise, I might give you better results."

"I told John that it was too early to try you out on the public."

"I would hardly call this lot the public. Out of them she is the only interesting bit of bird here." Darren said pointing as everyone looked around at him.

Chapter 12

Claira walked into the den that evening to find the camera equipment neatly packed away. She released the catch on one bag and pulled out a camera and ejected the card from the bottom.

The main light now came on as she looked up.

"This is our home, you don't have to creep around with the lights off, you know."

"Well, you were busy upstairs." She said looking at the card in her hand. "All the cameras were packed away. The last time you did that you…" She stopped and looked around.

"What?" He said moving up to her.

"I don't see any tickets here. Are we finally going on that cruise that we had to abandon after that guy died?" She said stepping up to him.

He sighed and looked away.

"No we're not." He said opening her hand and taking the card from her. "I don't want you going through these cards tonight." He added putting the card back in the camera and closing up the bag.

"What?"

"You heard me. Now I am going to turn the light off and I want you to stay out of the den tonight."

"No!" She said going to the bag again. "Dad that is my job…" She said attempting to open the bag again as he snatched it from her.

"You're nine years old. Children do not have jobs. They go to school and study, like I should have done with you the first time around." He said looking at her.

"But I've got to do it." She said trying to get passed him.

Darren now grabbed her and pulled her around him.

"Not anymore you don't." He said pulling her out of the den and closing the door.

She struggled to get free from his grasp and finally did. They stood there looking at one another.

"I hate you! When you said to that purser on the cruise that I wasn't your family, he was right." She said then ran upstairs and looked at him. "I don't understand you anymore."

"Well that makes two of us and for your information, back on the cruise that purser was right, we weren't family." He shouted as he went to the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

Claira now went into her room and closed the door.

Darren drunk more beer through the night and only moved as he noticed the sun coming up. All the cans he had drunk now fell to the floor as he heard the door to Claira's bedroom open. He quickly moved to the kitchen and grabbed a bag and put the cans into it and moved to the sink and put his head under the tap to try and wake himself up.

Claira slowly came downstairs and noticed him trying to wake himself up. She moved into the kitchen and moved along the worktop to look through the cupboards.

"Claira." He said touching her hand which she quickly pulled away.

Darren now turned away and sighed.

She grabbed a bowl and found some cereal and put it into the bowl.

"Just stay there and I'll warm the milk up for you." He said moving to the fridge.

"I don't need the milk warm this morning." She said snapping at him.

"What are you talking about? You always have the milk warm. I'm just a little late getting started this morning."

"Yeah sure you are." She said opening up the fridge and looking into it. She now went to the waste bin and pulled it out to see the five or six empty beer cans in it.

"Claira, I need to apologise, I just didn't want you to go through those cards last night."

"Why?" She said looking at him. "Because since the cruise your little hiatus has turned you into a novice photographer?"

"No, of course not."

"You know; I haven't really thought of this before but you've changed since the cruise."

"I've what?" He said fighting a lump in his throat.

"Changed."

He moved away to grab a pan and poured some milk into it and put the pan onto the stove.

"In what way?"