Bonfire Bonanza!
I'm writing this as though Danice are married and Rosie and Max return... it's not sequenced with the Halloween one I did.
5th November brought Bonfire Night, and usually that meant one thing... the annual Leopards Den bonfire. However, this year the event was to be held on the seventh and preparations were well underway.
The township had been bringing their rubbish to put on the bonfire, and combined with the Leopards Den and Mara rubbish, the pile was monstrous and the township school was making a guy Fawkes too.
Danny and Alice had been and spent an absolute fortune and bought enough fireworks to last about ten bonfire nights never mind one, plus god knows how many sparklers... of course they'd also had to buy some personalised ones. Alice knew that this could be potentially hard for him and so she'd tried her best to protect him by asking if they could sort out fireworks. Everyone had agreed for obvious reasons and Caroline had also been shielded by being asked to help Nomsa prepare.
Right now everyone was busying themselves; Dupe and Olivia were out with Rowan securing the area from animals by putting up temporary electric fencing. Danny and Alice were setting out the fireworks for later and a guy was fusing a number of them together for the final finale. Vanessa had come over and was helping Fatani with the bonfire and of course, Charlotte, Caroline and Nomsa were all inside.
Night time soon fell and all the preparations were in place.
"Right, so who's setting off the fireworks?" Dupe asked.
"I'll do it." Danny offered.
"No way will you do it!" Alice argued. "You could get hurt."
"Alice I'll be careful..." Danny sighed.
"Well I'm watching you and you are not setting them off all night!" Alice folded her arms and looked him in the eye to show him there was to be no arguing.
"Yes Mrs Trevanion!" Danny saluted which of course caused Alice to roll her eyes. "So who's replacing me?"
"I will..." Rowan smiled standing forward. Everyone nodded. Dupe was going to watch the fire and keep it going and everyone else was just to make sure the evening was running smoothly.
Suddenly Rosie and Max walked through the door smiling, everyone greeted them excitedly.
"Someone's gotta get the barbe going!" Max laughed.
"Guests!" Caroline announced. Suddenly Leopards Den was thrown into motion and the party was beginning.
Alice was stood watching Danny light fireworks; he of course was making sure he did it by the book. He lit one big one, one that had cost a fortune, before running to stand with Alice. He wrapped his arm tightly around her shoulders as they both watched the fireworks fly through the air. They could hear some cheering from the other side of the trees where the crowd was, as well as the crackling of the fire.
"Beautiful." Alice smiled as she watched the everlasting firework create its beautiful picture upon the blank canvas that was the sky.
"Just like you." Danny replied before kissing her tenderly.
"Danny, Alice! Oh..."
They both pulled away quickly and saw Rowan standing there, he'd decided to go relieve Danny after a quarter, he felt sorry for him with Alice nagging him... except she hadn't been nagging him...
"Yeh?" Danny asked sheepishly, his arm still around Alice.
"You two get off, I'll carry this on." Rowan smiled, he waved Danny and Alice off before getting to work.
Danny and Alice walked hand in hand towards the main party and Alice automatically smiled at what she saw. A true leopards den bash! Totally amazing, the whole township was here plus guests from both the game parks, family, everyone, and the fire were roaring.
Fire... Alice looked up at Danny who was stood staring at it. She sighed; it couldn't be easy for him. She wrapped both arms around him and held him as tightly as she could, trying to let him know she was there.
"You okay Danny?" Alice asked after a few moments of silence.
"Yeh." Danny replied quietly. "Come on."
Alice smiled and walked forward with him, they were handed a beer each as both went off to socialize.
They were stood talking to Umbani when Charlotte and Olivia came running up them, three packs of sparklers each in their hands.
"MUM!" Charlotte called as Olivia called for Danny. The couple quickly apologized as they turned round.
"You have a lighter?" Alice asked Danny as the girls pulled them to a quieter part of the party to light their sparklers.
"Yeh hold on." Danny fished around his pocket before finding it, he lit both their sparklers before giving Alice one, she got a light off Charlie and then Danny got his light off Alice.
They all swirled them round, making pretty pictures, love hearts, their names, Alice was highly amused by her circle.
"DANNY!" Alice giggled. "Look!"
"What?" Danny asked in confusion as he wrote Danny over and over and over and over and over again.
"It makes a circle!" Alice was giggling and began to run with it.
"Alice!" Danny called.
"I made a line!" Alice grinned.
"Who's the kid here?" Danny asked.
"Me." Alice replied sticking her tongue out. She was still circling it over and over and over and over again when it went out. "Awww..." She pouted which caused Danny to laugh.
"Aww baby!" Danny cooed, "Do you want a hug to make it all better?"
"No I want another one!" Alice announced. Danny handed her one which made her giggle.
"Right keep it still and I'll light it for you." Danny smiled. "Child"
"Thanks husband." Alice grinned, both caught one another's eyes and smiled. Danny began to light everyone else's as well before getting his light for his own off Alice.
They continued playing with them for some time. Danny and Alice were probably being more childish than the actual kids and got over excited every time they made a shape.
"Right, we best save some for later." Alice told everyone as she finally found her adult head and put it back on.
"Mrs Sensible" Danny teased as he moved the cold bucket of water they'd used to put the used sparklers in. Alice laughed at him before walking over to Dupe.
"Hey Dupe." Alice smiled as she wandered over, she looked at the fire, it was amazing and so warm too!
"Hey Alice, where's Danny?" Dupe asked as she threw some more wood on.
"He's over there, we were messing with sparklers so he's sorting that out." Alice told him. "This fire's pretty good huh?"
"Yeh, how's Danny coping?" Dupe had lowered his voice.
"I dunno, he seems okay, but I've seen him you know stare at the fire a couple of times." Alice shrugged. "It's partially why I've moved over here." Dupe gave her a quizzical look. "To see if he's ok, if he's not he won't come over."
"Good thinking." Dupe smiled. "City girl eh?"
"Oh aye!" Alice laughed. "What time are you putting the Guy Fawkes on?"
"About half an hour." Dupe told her, Alice nodded. "You gonna take Danny away?"
Alice nodded slightly. "Doubt he'd want to see it, he sort of, you know... when it was first mentioned..."
"Yeh." Dupe nodded in agreement. "I was gonna try get Caroline away too but she saw through it as usual."
Alice nodded, she quickly nudged Dupe as Danny walked over.
"Hey." Alice smiled at him as he came and stood behind her.
"Hi." Danny replied. "Good fire."
"Should be, been bloody putting all this stuff on it for ages." Dupe grumbled well naturedly.
Danny laughed before wrapping his arms around Alice, she returned the favour as both looked at the fire, as its beautiful orange flames crackled away.
"How's Liv?" Alice asked Danny looking up at him.
"She's fine. She says she doesn't mind, everything's ok." Danny replied before kissing Alice's hair gently.
"And how about you?" Alice asked.
"Fine." Danny replied.
"Danny, don't say fine." Alice replied. "Because that's your favourite word to use when you're not actually ok."
"Okay, well I'm good... better?" Danny replied a little snappily.
"Would be if it was true. I can tell when there's something up with you Danny." Alice argued.
Danny sighed, the truth was he didn't want to see the Guy Fawkes go on. He didn't know if he could manage that, but she'd find that stupid! So he decided to just remain quiet.
Alice knew what was wrong with him now. It wasn't so much the fire but he didn't want to see the Guy Fawkes. She could tell by how he was being silent yet somehow in thought, he'd think it was stupid.
Half an hour passed and everyone was looking forward to the Guy Fawkes going on. Alice felt Danny tense and gently pulled him towards the house. Danny looked down at her stopping in his tracks. Alice rolled her eyes comically before taking his hand and dragging him into the kitchen of the house, away from the glare of the fire and away from everyone else as well.
"What are you doing Alice?" Danny asked in confusion. "Don't you want to watch the Guy Fawkes?"
"I'm not too fussed, but I know you don't." Alice replied as they sat down on the old rickety chairs.
"How..." Danny began but was interrupted.
"Call it... female intuition and knowing my husband far too well!" Alice smiled softly. "I knew it would be hard for you." She admitted afterwards.
"Thanks Alice." Danny smiled taking her hands.
"There's no thanks necessary, plus now I have you alone..." Alice winked, Danny raised his eyebrows smirking as the pair stood up. "I can make you a lovely piece of erm... toast."
She turned around leaving him stood there laughing, she was just reaching for the bread when he came round behind her and spun her round.
"I knew my plan would work." She murmured cockily as the pair began to kiss passionately. Her arms were wrapped around his neck.
Caroline had had the same idea with Olivia and was walking through the halls towards the kitchen, both stopped as they heard a clash and then a giggle. Both looked at one another blankly before continuing.
Caroline gasped as Olivia tried to contain her laughter. Danny and Alice pulled away; both suddenly saw their audience and turned a slightly pinker colour.
"Erm..." Danny began.
"For God's sake, can you two not be anywhere alone together?" Olivia asked laughing. "Actually don't answer that I do not want to know!"
Danny and Alice laughed heartily, Alice was putting back the picture that had fell over and Danny quickly changed the conversation.
"Have they thrown the Guy Fawkes on yet?" Danny asked as he leant on the edge of the table, he smiled as Alice walked over and stood across from him, both began to play footsie.
"They were just about to." Caroline smiled as she sat down.
"You'll know by the cheer." Liv began, almost as though it was a cue, a loud cheer erupted from outside, spreading like a Mexican wave. "There it is." She looked down quickly at her feet as Danny slid into a seat, everyone was silent.
Alice slowly moved forward, sliding her hands onto Danny's shoulders, she squeezed them before massaging them in a soothing and gentle manner. He looked up at her and smiled, he looked towards Liv who was still stood looking down.
"You okay Liv?" Danny asked, Alice too turned to look at her, her hands momentarily still on Danny's shoulders.
She nodded slightly.
"Just thinking." She mumbled. "It's not even that day... it's... the last bonfire." Her voice broke and immediately Alice moved so Danny could stand up. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Liv clinging to him as though she was just a young girl. Alice stood a little further back as Caroline just sat watching.
Eventually everyone had calmed down and were ready to go back outside. It was time for the fireworks display that would bring the evening to an end. Music was currently blasting out, and so Liv decided to go off and dance. Dupe was met by Caroline and Danny and Alice decided to go find a nice spot to view the firework display.
"5,4,3,2,1..." The fireworks began to go off, colouring the sky with their intricate beauty and bright colours, giving it sound with the loud bangs and the screech of the rockets. They illuminated the sky with their beauty, the house looked beautiful as the fireworks exploded above it. Alice took a picture, it looked stunning.
Danny was stood closely behind Alice, his arms were around her waist protectively as she stood leaning back slightly into him. She turned the camera round and extended her eyes, both she and Danny smiled as they took the picture.
"Wow that one was awesome." Danny grinned as a succession of ten rockets flew up, creating loud bangs, before exploding and then crackling away.
"I love fireworks." Alice smiled,
"Me too" Danny replied as he continued to watch them.
The crowd was cheering wildly as the final fireworks spread across the sky. Suddenly there as a huge amount of clapping as it all ended. As the final firework flew into the air, Danny spun Alice round, bending his head to hers before kissing her passionately. She smiled on his lips before wrapping her arms around his neck and responded with all her heart.
As the crowd dispersed after the main fireworks, Danny and Alice pulled away.
"I love you." Alice whispered into his chest as they fell into a bone crushing hug.
"I love you too." Danny replied, they smiled and pulled away, before walking off to wave their guests off.
Later
The guests had all gone and Leopards Den was back as its usual self. The fire was still burning strongly and now all the Leopards Den residents were huddled around it.
Dupe and Caroline were stood with Nomsa, Charlie and Liv round one side, as Danny and Alice stood huddled together at the opposite side. Danny and Alice were staring at it, letting the fire warm them up.
"Wanna go round to the other side?" Danny asked Alice who was leaning against his chest.
"Sure." Alice smiled, she would happily join the family. Danny took her hand as he pulled something out his pocket.
"I bought us all one." He smiled as she pulled out the personalised sparklers. "Yours is special though."
As they reached everyone else, Danny handed out the sparklers, everyone was amused. He gave Alice hers last.
As he lit them all one by one, each person held a sparkler with their name. He lit Alice's last who, being the most childish person there was almost bouncing up and down with excitement.
He lit it before standing beside her with his own. He stood on the right of her, a tactical place.
Alice frowned... Alice and
Then she looked at Danny's and grinned widely.
Danny forever x
Danny and Alice caught one another's eyes and beamed at one another. As the fireworks out and the sparklers were disposed off, Alice wrapped her arms around Danny and kissed him tenderly and deeply.
"Love you." They both mumbled together as the fire crackled as though it approved.
A/N – I know its not good but i have a headache :'( x