Chapter 3 'Long day'

Hey guys, thanks for the reviews, glad people still like these R&D fics. Got a lot more planned for this story so please do let me know if you want me to carry on. Thanks.

Danielle had woke with her head aching like never before, She had let Stacey tend to the wound last night, it wasn't as bad as she thought it was. Perhaps she really didn't need to get any treatment for it.

She groaned as she lifted herself out of bed, it was 8:05 but Daniele knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, she had a hard enough time last night, every time she shut her eyes the whole nights events would replay in her head. She quickly got up and went to the bathroom, Stacey was already up, her voice yelling at Jean downstairs had confirmed that. Danielle didn't want to go downstairs straight away, not until she had sorted herself out.

Danielle was taken aback when she saw herself in the bathroom mirror; she had a small cut on her head where she hit it after being thrown out the Vic. The thought made Danielle shudder, remembering how it felt to be thrown out by Ronnie made her feel sick. She noticed her skin seemed paler than before, not surprising considering she felt sick all night.

Danielle took a deep breath as she headed downstairs; she had sorted herself out by combing her hair, brushing her teeth and changing in to some fresh clothes.

"Ah here she is" Stacey smiled as Danielle entered the kitchen; Jean was sitting at the table and gave Danielle a smile to acknowledge her presence, one which Danielle returned. "Gonna help me on the stall today then?" Stacey wasn't really asking. She knew Danielle needed to get out the house rather than sulking indoors all day.

Danielle felt her heart sink; the thought of being out in the square with people talking was frightening to say the least. "Oh come on Dan...You can't avoid that cow for the rest of ya life" Stacey groaned, the idea of working out on the stall without Danielle made her feel bored already. Danielle knew by 'cow' Stacey had meant Ronnie, however it wasn't really her she was avoiding, she was more worried about the other residents of the square who saw her outburst in the Vic.

"Ok...I guess" Danielle said reluctantly, quickly pulling up a seat to the table, sitting opposite Jean. Danielle didn't even know why so had agreed to work, maybe she was just too tired to argue or think up an excuse.

"Well thank god" Stacey did a dramatic sigh of relief, "Working all day without you would send me loopy" Stacey laughed; she pulled up a seat at the end of the table and started pouring milk on her bowl of cereal. Danielle winced in pain as she felt her leg start to hurt; it was badly bruised from when she had hit the hard concrete.

"Honestly, I can't believe that cow" Stacey growled, her mouth full of cornflakes. Danielle rolled her eyes, "Stace please...not now" she knew it was helpless to stop Stacey ranting but it was worth a try.

"Don't defend her!" Stacey cried in disbelief at the idea of Danielle still protecting Ronnie Mitchell. "I'm not!" Danielle groaned placing her head in her hands. "I just don't want to talk about it... I want to just get on with my life...okay?" she questioned, hoping Stacey wouldn't talk about Ronnie again.

"That's the spirit" Jean spoke happily before Stacey got a chance to talk, "Carrying on with your life, just getting along happily" Jean smiled, she seemed to drift off in to her own world as she spoke the words. Danielle couldn't help but giggle, Jean really knew how to lighten the mood.

Stacey had finished her breakfast and got ready to set up the stall, Danielle wasn't hungry so agreed to help Stacey set up. Once they had left the house Danielle felt panic rush over her, the square was busy, considering how early it was. People were walking up and down the market getting on with their lives; Danielle knew however that people would be gossiping about the events of last night.

Stacey carried on towards the stall but noticed Danielle had frozen outside the house. She rolled her eyes and walked quickly back to Danielle. "Come on Dan...Get on with your life, remember?" Stacey playfully punched Danielle on the arm but it clearly didn't ease Danielle's mood.

"I don't think I can Stace..." Danielle looked around scanning all the people walking by. "Oh come on Dan..." Stacey pleaded, determined to get Danielle to carry on as normal.

Ronnie watched Stacey and Danielle from the window of the Vic; she had stayed there after Roxy insisted she needed her family around her, despite Ronnie declaring she was fine. Ronnie felt a rush of guilt run through her; she could tell that Danielle was nervous, just leaving the house Danielle looked scared to death. Ronnie placed her hand on the window, "Baby..." she felt more tears in her eyes, despite crying all last night, Seeing Danielle so close yet so far away made her heart ache.

"But Stace...they'll all be gossiping about last night...they...they'll think I'm mental or something..." Danielle panicked and out of habit went to clutch the locket that would usually hang from her neck, the usual source of comfort for a situation like this, she felt pain through her entire body as she realised it was gone, she instantly regretted throwing it back at Ronnie.

Ronnie noticed Danielle reaching for where her locket would usually hang, she too clutched her locket for comfort, she smiled slightly as she noticed her and Danielle's similarity in that respect. However the smile soon faded, she looked down in her hand as she held Danielle's locket. She saw Stacey gently guide Danielle away from the Slater house and towards the Stall. Ronnie wanted to run downstairs and give Danielle the locket back; she couldn't bare the idea of Danielle not having the comfort that she was no doubt used to. However by doing so Ronnie knew she would cause Danielle more pain, the last person Danielle wanted to see now was Ronnie.

Danielle took a few deep breaths as various people walking past Stacey setting up the stall would stare at her, Danielle felt as if all eyes were on her, the mad girl that was shouting that Ronnie Mitchell was her mum. Danielle lowered her head and pulled out her phone, anything to avoid eye contact with the passing people.

"Right, here we go" Stacey said cheerfully, having set up the stall, "Ready then?" Stacey tried to get Danielle to at least say something. Danielle lifted her head and nodded, "Ready as I'll ever be..." and with that lie, Danielle prepared for a long days work.