DANNY – Emily

Danny's POV

Life was beginning to return to the one I once knew, back in Leopards Den. Dup was up to his old self drinking from dawn till duck on the veranda, Nomsa and Caroline bustling about trying to get things organised, Liv and Thabo would muck in, though usually only when the rest of us prompted them to. Rosie was back for the week as well, thank goodness, it was great to see her again and work with her (again like the old times). One of us would drop Charlotte off at school each day or she'd take the bus. I think that's what reminded me of Alice the most. The fact that Charlotte didn't have her mum around, just like Rosie didn't have hers when Miranda died same with Evan and Olivia when Sarah died. It was a too painful reminder of the past, only this time I knew there wasn't much preventing Alice being back here, us all being back together.

It kills me, this separation. Knowing how far apart we are. The fact that I can't roll over each morning and see her lying there next to me, watch her sleep peacefully and beautifully. I can't work with her every day, even the silly things like argue over how best to treat a patient. The small things, makes me miss her even more.

It's a running feeling in the back of my mind, I always miss her, I always will till we see each other again.

It was another early start this morning, now we're trying to reintroduce game to Leopards Den, we've done fairly well so far it's just a case of re-vaccinated some, checking them over and releasing them. Luckily we didn't have any new stock coming in today, I only had to worry about the few animals we had in the hospital to treat.

I was flicking through the record books; trying to recall the last time I'd had to work on a wildebeest (I tell you it's a tricky job with those!). I knew I had seen these symptoms before but I wasn't entirely sure what it was, hoping the records could save me! Alice's handwriting began to jump out at me from page to page, I bit my lip.

"Seriously Danny it's just handwriting" I tried to tell myself. It was no good though, I found myself running a finger over her loopy letters. Analysing every word she had written.

I shook my head back to reality and continued to flick back through the pages. I kept flicking noticing I had now hit '2009', surely it had to be here somewhere! Still no mention of a wildebeest with such symptoms appeared. I came to one page; it was full of writing, and all about one case. It was Alice's writing. About the Rabies outbreak. The first time we met.

And then I realised, glancing up at the date on the page. 23rd January 2009.

Today was 23rd January 2012.

Three years.

Three whole years.

Three whole years since the most incredible person came into my life.

How did I not realise this before?

And all of a sudden I couldn't hold back the tears. They began to stream down my face and onto the page before me. I closed my eyes to stop them continuing and all I could see was her. In my head, I visioned her, I saw her work alongside me, I saw her grinning across from me at the table as we ate dinner, I saw her clamber into bed next to me. I saw her stroke her bump, our baby.

I opened my eyes and looked out of the window, I watched Alice stroll up to the hospital, the light breeze catching her hair, her eyes flickering across the land. I frowned at the sight and then noticed, it wasn't Alice, it was Rosie. It was strange how much she too reminded me of Alice, her caring nature, her determination, her enthusiasm, her cheery smile.

I closed the book lightly and brushed the tears off my face.

"Danny" Alice's voice echoed in my mind "Danny"

"Please Alice" I whispered, not really sure what I was pleading for "Please."

I took a deep breath in as I heard Rosie's footsteps approach.

"Dad" She called out coming through the door

"Yeah?" I managed looking up at her. I knew as soon as I did that I shouldn't have done.

"Oh my god Dad, what's wrong?" She frowned

"Nothing" I lied

She raised her eyebrows at me.

"It's Alice isn't it?"

I didn't look at her; I just retreated to the chair in the corner of the room.

She followed me over and put an arm round me.

"It won't be long" she tried to reassure me "I know you miss her, we all know. It was never going to be easy, being apart, especially when she's pregnant."

There was nothing I could say, no words would come out of my mouth. Rosie knew how I felt.

Alice completed me, she was my everything, still is. She saved me, those three years ago. She came along when I needed someone else. She kept me going, she reminded me of who I really was, and then why I loved her so much.

I know, that if I don't see her soon. I'll end up the broken man I've been twice before.

ALICE – Me

Beep... beep...beep. Alice groaned, blindly throwing her arm out to hit her alarm clock. She had no will in this world to get up... not today. She was usually good in the mornings, quite spritely, after all she was used to getting up at stupid times. It was something she and... she inhaled shakily... she didn't want to think about him. Today was the one day she should be with him, kissing him, holding his hand, hugging him tight. Today should be a day of sickly romance complete with grimaces from Liv and sarcastic jokes from Dup. Instead they were thousands of miles apart, with him in South Africa getting their home back, and here she was, in England, in Georgina's posh mansion looking after her sick brother.

She sighed, soon Rowan would be needing her attention. She felt for him, she truly did. He was such an independent man, always did for himself if he could. He still tried now to do for himself but even Rowan had to admit that this time he needed help and that help came in the form of his sister. Alice knew how hard it was for him, she understood, she too was too independent for her own good and so his predicament was also her nightmare.

As she changed Alice moved to look out of the window over Georgina's vast estate. It stretched out for as far as the eye could see and Alice could never have imagined ever living anywhere like this. It was the type of house you paid money to visit and look around; except she did live here coated in luxury. Alice sighed; this place wasn't a home, it wasn't a pleasant place. It was simply a grand house. She hated the perfection, the precision, the undoubted wealth. She detested the many workers that floated around, she couldn't go anywhere without a worker lingering around somewhere. A Stablehand here, a gardener there, Tom the Butler ordering about a maid. She sighed... she hated the fact they tried to wait on her hand and knee. She hated ever asking them for anything. Slowly she wrapped her arm over her stomach, a sad smile consuming her face. She was huge now, her short frame made her look even bigger than she was and no shirt could hide her ever expanding stomach. She ran a hand gently over her tummy, smiling as she felt a gentle flutter under her palm. She closed her eyes... Danny should be here. He should be sharing this moment, Alice thought to herself. She wished her husband was here too... watching her grow larger every day. With a shaky exhale Alice turned and began to walk out of her bedroom door. She heard a groan and almost immediately she turned to her brother's room.

"Rowan?" Alice called, knocking on the door softly before entering. She sighed as she saw him trying to sit up, his arms shaking as he slowly lifted himself. "Hey... come on, let me help."

As Alice gently supported him to an upright position, Rowan gritted his teeth. He knew how hard this was for his sister. Alice smiled at him before wandering over to his clothes, picking out some bits for him.

"I'm sorry y'know Alice." Rowan said softly as she came back over to him, her hand running across her bump as she placed the clothing on the bed beside him.

"You've nothing to apologise for. You're my brother." Alice continued as Rowan handed her his shirt which he'd taken off.

"You shouldn't be here looking after me... you know, I'd have been fine with a carer."

"I wouldn't have been fine with that." Alice told him as she handed him his trousers before turning around to sort his tablets out. As she slowly changed he watched his sister's back. He sighed, she was trying to hide it.

"I know what day it is you know."Rowan softly whispered.

"Monday well done Rowan." Alice replied sarcastically, "You're such a clever boy!"

"Alice..."

"I don't want to talk about Danny..."

"It's the day you met him, you're allowed to be upset you know."

Alice took a deep breath. She turned back to him, walking over and placing his tablets and a glass of water next to him. She slowly sat on the bed, gripping the edges, her eyes to the floor. After downing his tablets, Rowan slowly wrapped an arm around her. It was the comforting squeeze that did it almost immediately tears began to trickle from her eyes. A flood of emotion left her. Rowan held her softly.

"Rowan... I miss him so much." Alice cried into her brother's shoulder, "I miss him every single minute of every single day. We talk everyday but it's not the same is it? I miss him just being there. I miss him being the first person I see when I get up, and the last person I see before I go to bed. I miss his comforting hugs, I miss him making his daft jokes and working by him day in, day out. I just want him..."

"Sssh... I know you do. But it won't be long Alice... I'm on the mend and soon you'll be able to go home to Danny." Rowan said softly, kissing her hair gently. In all honesty he was half shocked. He knew his sister loved Danny but he never knew how much. He knew she could go a lot deeper than that too but Alice had always been one to try and hide her feelings. That was as open as he got.

"He changed my life Rowan." Alice mumbled, "Three years ago he changed my entire life."

"He's changed you for the better."

"I didn't believe anyone could ever love me before I met Danny... I thought I was just..."

"Hey ssh..." Rowan soothed as she began to cry again, "Look at where you are Alice... you have a loving husband, a loving family soon to be even bigger." He grinned gently touching where his niece or nephew grew. "Look at me... I have nothing."

"You have us." Alice whispered, "You should come back with me."

"Maybe I will. Here, tissue..." Rowan smiled softly.

"Thanks... I'll take you down to breakfast then I'm gonna go ring Danny... I need him."

"I know you do." Rowan said softly, "You're so in love."

"I know." Alice laughed softly as she took his arm gently walking him forward, "He's a big idiot but he's my big idiot."

"Aww..." Rowan teased returning to their usual sibling teasing as they reached the more occupied kitchen, "Lovey dovey wovey!"

"Here..." Alice snorted pulling his chair out, "Now, Georgina will feed you..."

"Yes Rowan! Now what would you like..."

As Georgina began to rattle off her menu, Rowan turned to Alice, he squeezed her hand softly with a small smile.

"Be strong sis... he loves you too."

Alice simply smiled as she walked off. She slowly picked up the phone, dialling a familiar number, the familiar catch of her breath apparent as she heard the only man she'd ever given herself fully too... Daniel Trevanion... her husband, her life partner, the love of her life... her soul mate.

A/N – HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN!

Hope you had a super day!

Chloe and Emily :') x