Danny's New Years Resolutions
(Forgive me for playing about with time a little (in at least 2 of the 'years') but can you please imagine that Alice came to Leopards Den for the outbreak right before new year (2008) unlike the beginning of the year which the series tends to imply. And they didn't wait to start a family….) Anyway people, enjoy :D
New Years Eve 2008 11:55
Danny sat outside searching the above stars thinking about the changes which had been brought about this year, a party was raging inside, music loud, Dupe laughing raucously finally having a excuse to drink himself silly. Danny had been having fun until he saw a picture of Sarah hanging from the wall, it had hit him suddenly that it had been almost 2 years until he had last saw her beautiful face, as he was pondering that Alice's face seemed to just explode unexpectedly into his mind leaving him feeling all unsettled.
Now he was sat here trying to summon up memories from the last new year's eve party he and Sarah had attended together….but the only thing he could remember was his memories of meeting Alice and spening time with her. Alice with her quick smile, generous laugh and gregarious spirit. Alice who made him forget just for a little while that he was a widower, when he was around her he was just Danny, he was her co-worker, someone she liked to spar with sometimes. She made him remember that he wasn't dead like his wife, that he had feelings and wants that were his own and right now he wanted…..
His thoughts were broken when the object of his musings walked out wearing a beautiful lilac dress which hung just above her knees, the night was warm and she had her hair hanging down. Her blue eyes found him and she smiled good naturedly.
"Want some company?" she asked softly. "Dupe is offering all who'll listen an arm wrestling match and Charlie just beat him so his pride is wounded." she laughed. "I got out of there while the going was good!"
He smiled and patted the seat next to him in agreement.
Alice sat and offered him the second drink she held.
"The clock will sound at midnight soon." she told him.
"Maybe the spell will be over." he murmured. The spell she seemed to cast as he looked at her body shrouded in darkness, light making her endless blue eyes glitter and shine. When he saw her looking like that it was all he could do to tear his eyes away.
"What spell?"
He lowered his eyes and smiled then looked at her, "Nothing." and he took the bottle from her.
They sat in companionable silence.
"You've been very quiet recently," she murmured. "I was…." unable to voice that she had been worried about him.
"Just out here thinking about things, stuff that has happened in the last year."
"Oh, has it been a good year then?"
He shrugged, "There have been a few highlights, some inconsequential stuff, same old same old….."
"The usual then?"
Danny had no idea why but this conversation with her felt stilted and felt the need to inject some lightness into the situation. "Met some new people this year as you know. Charlie is definitely a highlight, you? Not so much…."
She heard the jest in his voice and looked at him. "Really?"
"Yeah." he retorted. "Just what I need, someone else questioning my brilliance!"
"Pfft!" she declared taking a long drink. "Was great to meet you too!" she drawled.
He laughed softly. "But no seriously having you here has been great, I'm hoping you decide to stay a little longer."
She looked into his eyes whixh were clear and bright and felt a lurch like she was falling, "I think that can be arranged, for a little while anyway." and she shook his hand gently.
Clock bells chimed and there were cheers inside.
"Quick, new year resolution time!" she told him.
Danny looked at her and was making one before his brain kicked in.
"This time next year Alice will be mine!"
The moment passed cheering could still be heard from inside.
"Happy new year Danny." she said toasting him.
"Same to you Alice." and they clinked their bottles together. "One thing is for sure." he added his eyes gleaming at her, "Its going to be one hell of a year!"
New Years Eve 2009 - 11:55
Danny walked around his surgery checking on the lioness he had operated on earlier. Under his green scrubs he had his blue shirt and jeans on, his Christmas present from Caroline. He heard loud whooping coming from the house and checked his watch quickly, if he missed the clock chiming Alice would kill him. She was only slightly irritated that he had to stay in the surgery over Christmas due to an influx of sickly animals….if he missed new year as well he may as well consider him dumped!
He smiled as he thought back to sitting on the porch last year, his prediction that this year was going to be the best ever had been right! After a few slight hiccups in terms of Terry, Vanessa and not forgetting the storm, he and Alice had managed to somehow find each other! Since that day when he told her from the first time he set eyes on her he had honestly never been happier.
When he was satisfied that the lioness was going to survive he tore off his apron tossed it in a bin and jogged over to the sink scrubbing his hands under red hot water. He had tore off some paper towel and once again checked his watch, it was a two minutes to twelve.
"Uh oh!" he yelped and was about to break into a run when Alice walked in with a bucket of champagne.
"Sor…."
"Since you couldn't be with me I thought I'd bring new year to you." she interrupted him with a smile. Her lemon sundress fitting her like a glove, accentuating her figure. She placed the bucket down and poured two glasses hurrying one over to him and handing it to him before the bell chimed.
"You best not make this a tradition, at least one year I want you to be bringing me a drink you know!" she laughed.
"Next year I promise that you will never have to leave your seat! I will wait on you hand and foot."
Alice smiled wickedly. "Danny as my man servant, whatever will I do?" she laughed.
"Whatever you want." he murmured softly heat in his tone. "That's the point."
They walked to the door to stand there and again looked up at the sky waiting to hear the fireworks in Jo'burg.
As they stood in companionable silence he was struck by a sudden impulse, "Wanna know my resolution from last year?"
She looked at him, "Get drunk less? Coz if it was you tried admirably!"
"No, I'm not Dupe." he chuckled shaking his head. "Actually it was to make you mine."
Alice looked at him genuinely surprised. "Really?"
He nodded, "It was more an impulsive resolution if you know what I mean. Kind of like a wish too, I don't even think I was aware of it. I mean perish the thought, me and you, the place always seems so neat and…."
Alice halted the rest of his statement with a look.
"And well, I succeeded!" he grinned impishly. "What to wish for next year? A Mercedes? Winning the lottery? 5 minutes peace in the madhouse?" he pondered.
Alice rolled her eyes and stood by his side, he put his arm around her shoulders and she enjoyed the contentment she felt in his hold. "I have it!" he told her as fireworks exploded bringing in the new year. He once again looked down at Alice and made the silent resolution,
'This time next year we'll be engaged or even married!'
Alice saw his eyes flare a second and wondered what was on his mind, "Well?" she asked.
He took her in the circle of his arms and shook his head, "Sorry can't tell you, new year wishes are kind of like birthday wishes, if I tell you it'll never come true!" and words couldn't describe how much he wanted this one!
New Years Eve 2010 - 11:55
Danny twirled Alice again as the song they were dancing to came to an end. She almost collapsed onto him, her blue eyes dancing with laughter. He was happy he caught her a Fatani stood at his bar watching them!
"There was no reason to spin me so many times!" she told him chuckling.
"Your so graceful about it." he told her, imitating her falling into his arms his arms flailing.
"Hey!" she swatted him. "I agreed to marry you why? Obviously not for your charm!"
"It really was!" he told her leading her to Fatani's bar to get her another drink.
"More alcohol?" she yelped, "Your sir are trying to get drunk, I have no idea why!" wrapped her arms around him kissing him gently.
"I promised you last year that I would see to your every whim, if your hand looks lonely, I'll put a drink in it."
"How about instead of a drink you put your hand in there, I'm sure that is all the companionship it needs."
"A finance's work." he breathed, pretending to be put out but extended his hand.
She started to pull away, "If you don't….."
He grasped her hand quickly twining her fingers with his tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder as they came to a stop at the bar. He ordered a drink with two straws.
Fatani acquiesced wishing them a happy new year as he did so. Danny then led her though the crowd towards the door.
"Where are we going?" she looked back. "Fatani thinks your stealing his glass look!" she chuckled.
"Fatani can bill me, he knows where we live." and he opened the door for her, "We have a tradition to keep up! Just us, a drink and the stars."
"I like the sound of that." she murmured.
Moonlight spilled over them illuminating the white ankle length dress she was wearing this year. He led her to a truck and lifted her so she was sat on the hood. He joined her and they twined hands again waiting for the inevitable noises that indicated that New Year was here.
They had sat in silence a little while until Danny broke it, "So I guess you want to know what my resolution was last year?"
"I thought they were like birthday wishes, if you tell them then they don't come true." she remarked.
"It's already came true." he murmured and raised her left hand gesturing to the ring on her finger.
She smiled at him, tears blurring her vision, "That is incredibly sweet!"
"Don't forget I'm two for two, I figure this next one had double chances since stuff like this generally come in threes! What next for us?" he pondered out loud.
"For God sake don't EVER wish for us to have triplets or something or we are seriously doomed!" she laughed.
He chuckled alongside her and put his arm around her shoulders pulling her closer to him wondering what he should wish for this year. He didn't know what could possibly make this year anymore perfect, he had Alice by his side and in his heart, an amazing family and home and job he loved….what more could a man possibly want. And even as he thought that and fireworks illuminated the night sky he knew just what might make his and Alice's little ramshackle family complete….
'This time next year we'll have added to our family.'
He smiled as he raised the drink and took a sip, same as Alice did. Their eyes close.
"You make your wish?"
He nodded.
"Should I be worried?" she enquired.
"Never!" he told her seriously. "Because no matter what happens, I will be forever by your side." and he sealed that vow with a kiss.
New Years Eve 2011 - 11:55
Danny and Alice were knelt in the bathroom in their hotel room as Alice once again vomited. Neither one really felt like celebrating anything about this year. Yes they were married and had conceived their child but they were also in the process of losing their home. The family was fragmented at the moment. Dupe and Caroline were staying with Nomsa and her family. Liv and Evan were home with their dad and Charlie was with Rosie in Jo'burg.
Morning sickness has struck Alice with avengence, she was unable to keep anything down and their home was currently boarded up. They were homeless and Danny was cursing life.
"You wished for this didn't you?" she moaned taking a drink of cold water.
"What?" he asked softly lot in thought.
"You wish for a baby last year didn't you?" sitting back against the bath.
He smiled at her and nodded. "I thought everything was just going to be great but now….now I don't know what to do. The years since I met you have just got better and better and now it doesn't even feel like new year, our family are no where around us and we can't even go home because they have forced us out of it!" he clenched his jaw barely restraining the urge to hit something. "Happy new bloody year!" he seethed rubbing his eyes.
Alice rubbed her stomach as she settled back. "We'll be alright, we always are. Wherever we end up we'll be together."
"Maybe you were right." he murmured. "Maybe we should make a fresh start back in the UK."
Alice scowled. "What about Dupe? Do we just leave him here? He'd never agree and he's family Danny! And to quote a film Charlie likes family means no one gets left behind or forgotten!"
"You're quoting Lilo and Stitch at me?" he asked a smile tugging at his lips.
Her stomach rolled and she barely withheld the urge to throw up again, "It fits so I used it!"
He went to her and rubbed her hair softly. "You know I love you more than anything don't you?"
She nodded, "I never doubted it, or you and wherever we end up we'll be fine because we are together!" she repeated. "Us, Dupe and Caroline, Nomsa and the kids! If its at Leopards Den then great, we'll always love that place. It brought us together and its where we created our child but if its somewhere else then we'll make memories of that place too, because in 6 months we'll have the baby and soon it'll be crawling and walking and talking and filling us with laughter. That is what's to come in the next year and that is what I am thankful for."
He smiled and swiped away a stray tear, "And here I thought it was you who were hormonal." his voice thick with emotion.
"I always liked that you showed when something moved you." and she ran her hand down his cheek. "There is nothing manly about holding back tears."
He rested his forehead on hers, "I have no idea what I'd do without you."
"Its just as well I turned up when I did then." she answered flippantly.
"It is!" he told her staring intensely in her eyes. "I'll tell you what I told Liv right before I proposed the first time. I said you breathed life into Leopards Den when we had just about given up. But it wasn't just Leopards Den you breathed life into, it was me too! Without you I'm a shell."
She bit her lip, "You're not supposed to make a pregnant woman cry you know." and she sniffed.
"I know, I'm sorry." and he kissed her very gently. He settled back beside her remaining in the bathroom where it was cool and where the facilities were near in case Alice needed them.
"You were right you know." he murmured.
"About?" she asked she moistened a face cloth and dabbed her chest, face and neck.
"I wished for us to expand out family, not triplets obviously."
"Any specific gender?" she hinted. She had admitted to him that although she would love either she was hoping for a little boy.
"Not at the time no." he searched her face. "I think we'll have a little girl and she'll look like you." and if that is the case." he rubbed her nose with his. "You get the night feeds!"
"Yeah right, I carry this child for the first 9 months, have all the throwing up and back aches and all the rest. The way I see it is you owe me!"
He chuckled and checked his watch to find it was time. There were no fireworks this year, well he didn't hear them. He didn't want to have to remember this year, he had no resolution only a heartfelt wish,
'This time next year we'll have our home back and our baby boy will be here.'
"I don't have to ask what your wish is for next year, and I know if its within your power it'll be done."
He heard her murmur, "And if not, we have each other, like every other year." he added softly thinking that this year he was going to be let down!
New Years Eve 2012 - 11:55
Danny stood in a child's bedroom rocking his son side to side while rubbing his back trying to sooth his child off into slumber. The house was quiet, no New year party this year. Dupe had argued for one passionately stating they had so much to celebrate, but of course Danny argued that having Bobby and a party here was completely impractical. So Dupe and co had set off to Fatani's to celebrate getting Leopards Den back in style. They had actually got it back long ago but they were just now feeling comfortable enough in their surroundings. They had fought so hard for this place but it wasn't the same anymore. The old place still shined but it felt tainted somehow. Like the walls held the imprint of the lost time, the tears, the fears, everything. Don't get him wrong he was ecstatic that his child was to grow up among these walls, it just seemed that it was going to take time before everything was back to how it was….the bedroom door opened slowly and his wife walked in looking as ethereal as always.
"How's Robert?" she whispered as she rounded him to kiss her sons head.
"Just about settling, he likes to have the moonlight shining upon him till he drifts off."
Alice smiled, "Its like he knows you wished him into being in that moonlight." and reached up to kiss his chin. She wrinkled her nose. "You need a shave, scratchy beard!"
"I'll make sure I have one before bed." he murmured laying his son in his cot gently. He then pulled up the quilt tucking him in tenderly.
Alice watched him silently always in awe at how gentle he was with his children, how his face was one of pure undiluted love. When he looked at her though she saw an expression he wore often now.
"You ok love?" she murmured.
He attached the baby monitor to his belt, took her hand and they left their sleeping child to enter the hallway. He looked left and right then shook his head. "Does this place feel the same to you Alice?"
She frowned, "How do you mean?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, I just I look around and I feel….this isn't the place we left. Something is missing."
Alice knew what was missing, Danny had yet to find it, but he would eventually. "You don't feel secure here yet do you?"
"I know we're not gonna lose it aain, yet….."
"Yet part of you is still in that bathroom with me while I'm throwing up, courtesy of little man. You had gave up that day Danny….."
"You hadn't." he murmured softly. "You know somehow we'd get back here."
She took his hands in hers, "Because I see something you don't. I see your fire, your passion and I know that you wanted for our son what Charlie, Liv, Evan and Rosie had, the chance to blossom here. Give it time love, you'll get there, this time next year…."
"Hey that's my wish line!" he chided.
"And last year you wished to get this place back for our little boy." she finished.
He looked deeply into her eyes. "We have definitely been together too long if you are able to read my mind so easily."
"Not really, I just love you and I know that you want what's best for us and what is best for us is this place! Its shabby and flawed and shambolic….kind of like you, but it will forever and always be my home. My only home!"
And she did it again, he marvelled, somehow she managed to make him feel all better. She managed to begin to make these four walls feel like home again. "I love you Mrs Trevanion." no other words were needed.
"And I love you too Danny." she replied.
He gathered her close and kissed her deeply, pouring all he had in the kiss. Fireworks exploded outside and Danny made his resolution mentally.
''This time next year all will be back to normal."
And although Danny did not feel altogether secure, even after her heartfelt words, one thing which hadn't changed and would never change was the depth of feeling he had for the woman before him. He adored her, he breathed her, he lived for her. She had given him every good thing he possessed right now and her faith in him had never wavered even when it had been quivering before her eyes…he lost faith, but Alice? Never! And she had no idea how much he loved her for it!
New Years Eve 2013 -11:55
"It's been one hell of a year!" Danny told her Alice as they sat in the living room, soft music playing in room courtesy of the small hi-fi in the corner. Unlike the loud rowdy parties of the past this years get together was a more subdued intimate affair, everyone happy to just be together, and it seemed everyone was finally together Danny thought looking across at Rosie and Max snuggling up in the corner whispering like newly weds instead of being ex divorcees!
After Dupes' little brush with what he thought was death Rosie seemed to wake from a stupor, what was she doing marrying Dylan? He was nice enough but he wasn't Max and still even on her wedding day thoughts of him caused her heart to pound and her palms to sweat. Unfortunately the deed was done. She was married and she didn't want it to end in divorce number two. Max had came to visit Dupe and Rosie had seen him and it was like it was the first time she seen him again, Dylan had been a thing of the past and she knew that Max, and only Max was her future. They were taking it slow, or so they claimed but Danny knew they would be ok this time, it took losing something you loved to make you realise what was really important.
Dupe was on the sofa sipping a non alcoholic beverage beside Caroline and Nomsa. This truly wasn't what they expected when he had went off into the distance, half the family distraught as to what was happening to him. Danny hadn't slept that night ready to go after him. Dupe had a little nap on Elizabeth's rock….and woke up the next morning feeling foolish. Everyone knew he was still on borrowed time, but he continued to love everyone as he lived and Danny for one was grateful for every spare minute with the man he was proud to call his brother.
Liv and Thabo were sat together, she had cared for Fatani she truly had but something about Thabo had drawn her to him from the moment they first met. It seemed being apart and coming back together was going to be trend for them. They were going off travelling as friends after the new year but Alice suspected that the feelings which bubbled between them would overcome them soon enough.
Evan and Charlie were the only two singletons in the group. Evan had come home finally after spending too much time, his words, in the UK. He heard the call of Africa and he knew after what happened to Dupe that this was the place he belonged, to use the teaching that Dupe had bestowed upon him.
And what of he and Alice? Well Alice was with child again, this time a little girl, she was due any day now and was ready to have her body all to herself again.
"Admit it, you wished for this last year didn't you?" she told him in mock disgust. "And to think I trusted you! I want to screen every wish of yours in the future so see that this…." she motioned to her heavily pregnant frame. "Never happens again!"
"Alice I swear I didn't." he laughed.
"Huh? Oh well, I guess I forgive you." she smiled. "So what did you wish for? And more importantly did it come true?"
Danny sighed and cupped her face in his hands, "It always has and always will." and he kissed her nose. Then he surprised her by saying, "Thank you." he murmured.
"For what? And one beached whale reference and I'm leaving you!" she joked. Dupe and Evan had been tormenting her mercilessly about it.
"I thank you for underpinning every single resolution I have made. Every year my wish was for you and you have never disappointed me once…..well except for the caravan of death….but c'mon no one is perfect!"
"You know that was almost perfect until the caravan reference!"
He lowered his tone, "Like I said, no one is perfect."
And as they shared a love filled kiss the new year bell tolled but no wish tonight was to be sought, no resolution to be made. Danny had everything he could possibly want in life, and that's why he knew this year was going to be the best and every one after would only get better!
A/N Little short stories for each year Alice was with Danny, abit short and snappy but there we are. Hope i managed to give everyone at least a little of what they might have wanted. Oh and sorry but i fully believe that Dupe didn't die on that rock! I just can't fathom it!
ANYWAY HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL! :) xxx