When she smiled he smiled. It was just the way it worked. When she cried he cried. It was part of the deal. When she laughed he laughed and remembered how lucky he was to be with her. Their love was unlike anything he had ever felt before. There had been others. But she was different. There was a connection that he couldn't quite describe.

And then she was taken from him. Just like that. And there was no explanation. How could his life continue on now. It had been the perfect day. Family friends, gathered round to share in the joy of his daughter and the one person who shared his feelings for her. That love that was so strong that you would do absolutely anything to make sure that they were always happy.

Not many people were lucky enough to feel that love. There had only been a few. Family mostly. Parents. Wives. Children. The people who came into your life that changed it forever. The people who came into you life that you never wanted to leave.

But sometimes they had to. Sometimes they had to go. And it wasn't their fault. He knew how difficult it was. And he hoped he would never have to go through it again. But he just had.

With his face black from the ashes with whit stripes from his tears that somewhat resembled the zebra which he looked after he walked back to the house. He remembered the last time he walked alone.

He had a daughter to walk to but the walk there was still lonely. This time he had a son and two daughters, a mother-in-law and a man who was once a stranger but was now a best friend. He had the greatest of support, but it didn't make the walk any easier.

In fact it made it worse, knowing that he was going to have to break peoples hearts. Tear them from where the should be, with part of it never being replaced. The breaking of his own heart he could almost deal with, but it was the hearts of his children that he was worried about. They were so young. It wasn't fair that they would have to go through something like this. It was some kind of cruel twisted trick. A trick where he would be left to deal with the devastation.

Though the walk back to his house was only short, it was the longest walk of his life. He remembered the last time he walked this path.

The walls of the hospital were a dull white, matching the colour of his skin. She had slipped away, one minute her grip on his hand had been tight and then the tension released and he realised that that was the last moment they would share together in this life.

But there was one other in his life that he had to think of. His little girl. She had to know. And he had to tell her. He walked to the waiting rom where she had been brought after school. The same as she was every day. To see her mum and tell her about her day, only today was different. The short walk was made long by the memories. The memories of her. The memories of her with him, of her with her daughter, of their little family together. He felt so alone.

Though this walk was once again made long by the memories, he didn't feel as alone as he did last time. She was walking with him. He knew it. And he embraced it. He remembered the happy times he had with his children, almost bringing a smile to his face.

When he at last got to the front door he stopped and said "Look after her." before entering into the house.

He knew they would both be with him as he did this, but it didn't make it any easier.

This Idea came to me when I was thinking of what to write. I looked at some of the things I had previously written and came across Rings. The inspiration came from there. In case it wasn't all that clear this is about the Danny on the day Sarah died. I wanted it to be a bit disjointed to represent his frame of mind. Hope you liked it.