So this is the first chapter of my brand new story, I was going to wait and put it up on Sunday but I'm away over the weekend so I thought if I put it up now It'll give people a chance to have a read while I'm away and then I can see what you all think we I get back :) I hope you like it and let me know what you think an whether I should continue or not :)

"But Dad, everyone is going" nine-year-old Lucy whined as she flopped onto the couch.

"Luce, I told you no, We've already made plans that night with Beth for her birthday remember?" Danny reminded her as he carried his cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice into the sitting room.

"I don't want to go out for Beth's birthday" Lucy sighed pulling her knees to her chest.

"You need to start making more of an effort with her Luce, She's apart of our lives now"

"No Dad, She's apart of your life, she's nothing to do with me"

"Lucy, you're my daughter and Beth is my girlfriend, you're both apart of my life, I'd like it if you could at try to get along with her"

"What? Like you and Mom did for me and Joshua?" Lucy asked, leaning forward to pick up her orange juice from the table.

"That's not fair Lucy, Me and your Mother tried to work it out but things happened and it just wasn't working so we had to do what was best for you and your brother"

Lucy nodded, she knew what Danny was saying was true. She remembered the arguments they used to have at night, thinking she was asleep. She never was though, she would lay there listening to every word. "I just... I don't want Beth to replace Mom"

"Lucy Messer, you listen to me" Danny said moving to sit next to her on the couch "No one will ever replace your Mom. I know that you don't really see her any more since she moved to Montana with Josh, but she is still your Mom and you know that you can phone and Skype her whenever you want, right?"

Lucy nodded as she took a sip of juice and placed her glass back on the table "I know that"

Danny pulled her into a cuddle " I'm sorry that we can't afford to keep sending you out there to see her Luce, but you know me and your Mom both love you right?"

"Yeah I know you do"

"Good" he replied kissing the top of her head. "I'll make a deal with you" he let her sit back up. "Come to dinner with me and Beth for an hour and then I'll see if Uncle Flack can drop you off at the sleep over?"

"Really?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, but you have to promise to be nice to Beth okay?"

"I promise" Lucy replied. "Can I phone Chloe and let her know I'll be coming?"

"Go on" he smiled "Don't be all day on that phone though"

"Thanks Dad" she got up and made her way into the kitchen to phone her friend.

Danny sighed and leant back on the couch. He really thought Lucy would be getting on with Beth by now, he had been dating her nearly a year. He had split up with Lindsay four years ago, Joshua had been 6 months and Lucy was 5. Lindsay had taken both of them to Montana to begin with which had crushed him. He hated being without his children, but he thought being with their Mom was what was best for them so he had let them go. A few months after they moved though Danny got a phone call from Lindsay, it was the second to last time he had ever spoken to her.

She had told him Lucy was unhappy in Montana, that she had tried everything to make their little girl feel at home, but Lucy was a city kid through and through and the only place she would be happy was back in New York with Danny and her Auntie and Uncles. Danny knew it killed Lindsay to send Lucy back to him but she needed to do what was best for their daughter.

Lucy arrived a few days later, on a plane with Lindsay's father and New York is where she had been since. For four years she hadn't seen her mother or her brother. Danny knew that it was tough for her, it was tough for him too not being able to see his little boy grow up, only seeing what he looked like through photos that Lindsay occasionally posted to Lucy.

Danny had heard from Lucy who still spoke to her mother on the phone that Lindsay had met someone else, Jack. They met about a year after Lucy moved back to the big apple. Danny prayed that Joshua didn't grow up calling this other man 'Daddy'. If that happened he knew he would never be able to forgive Lindsay.

"Daddy" Lucy said, pulling Danny out of his thoughts. She didn't often call him 'Daddy' any more now she was getting older but occasionally it would still slip out without her realising.

"Yeah Luce?" he asked.

"I just wanted to let you know that Chloe asked her Mum and she said it was fine for me to go round a bit later than everyone else"

"That's good" he replied "Have you got any homework?"

"I've just got some Math to do"

"Well off you go and do it then"

"Can I not do it later?"

"No Luce, you know the rules homework, dinner and then free time"

"Okay" she sighed making her way into her bedroom.

"If you need any help just give me a shout" he called to her as he picked up his coffee and drank the now lukewarm liquid in one. He then made his way to the kitchen and placed his cup in the sink. Going over to the fridge he was about to grab the salad out for their dinner when a photo on the fridge door stopped him.

It was taken on the day Joshua was born, Lindsay was sat on the hospital bed with blue swaddled bundle in her arms, Lucy was sat next to her, with her hair in two pig tails and a cheeky grin on her little face. Danny was the only one not looking at the camera, he was looking at Lindsay with the look of pure love and adoration on his face. Lucy sometimes questioned why the photo was still on the fridge and he would tell her it's because it was one of the only picture of her and Joshua that he had together, Which was true it was. The main reason he kept the picture up though was because it reminded him of the happier times he had with Lindsay.