"Calm down miss, please. We need you to move back now. We need some room to work", the paramedic spoke slowly and calmly to Ronnie. While waiting for ambulance she had sat over Danielle's body, shaking like a leaf. Roxy had knelt next to her and held her hand; she had spoken words of encouragement into her ear, but none to any avail. Ronnie was sure she was losing her child again and it was all Janine's fault.

Janine said that Danielle had jumped in front of her car, that she hadn't seen her. That she simply had no time to swerve out of the way. But Ronnie had heard her car – Janine had been going too fast. Janine had no where to run; Danielle had had nowhere to run. It was her fault. It was not Ronnie's fault; Danielle was not here because of her. Ronnie wanted so much to believe that.

"Would you like to come in the ambulance, miss?" The paramedic approached Ronnie with care; she had remained stuck fast to the spot for the past fifteen minutes, looking on intently at her daughter and the medical professionals at work, inconsolable by her younger sister.

She stared at him, astonished. Why did he even need to ask? She was Danielle's mother; of course she was coming in the ambulance.

"Yes, I…Yes", she replied; in reality, she was unable to string any sentence together, never mind assert the astonishment that she had felt at the paramedic's question. In silence, Ronnie watched her daughter being lifted into the vehicle, and then climbed in behind, helped by Roxy.

"She's going to be fine", Roxy told Ronnie, smiling as she let go of the Ronnie's hand that she had held, almost as if this were a life support machine for her sister and in some way, for Danielle.

"She's right you know", the paramedic added, closing the ambulance doors. "She's a fighter, your daughter".

She really was her daughter. The paramedic knew, Roxy knew, she knew. Soon Danielle would know that she loved her. She loved her so very much. Sitting down in the ambulance, Ronnie took Danielle's hand in hers and squeezed it tight. The human contact was everything to Ronnie, but she wanted so much more. She wanted Danielle to hug her tightly, to lie with her head in her lap, for Danielle to look into her eyes and tell her she loved her; she wanted simply to be her mother.

X x x

As Danielle's ambulance left the scene, Janine wandered back and forth, repeating to no-one and anyone who would listen that the 'accident' had not been her fault, that Danielle had jumped. Roxy watched the ambulance with her sister and niece leave; she wasn't sure what to think. Ronnie had said nothing except that it 'wasn't important' what had happened between her and her father; that Danielle was all that mattered now, that she truly was her daughter. She sighed loudly, still ignoring Janine's ramblings.

Turning back to walk towards the pub, not sure what she should do now, Roxy saw Stacey running towards her. She breathed a sharp breath inwards and cursed silently, not in the mood for a run in with the girl.

"Where's she gone, Roxy", Stacey shouted at her, "Where's Danielle. Where's Ronnie? I told her not to bother with her. I told her it'd be bad news".

Roxy walked straight past Stacey, trying with all her steely might not to acknowledge her slurred shouts.

"Tell me, Roxy. This ain't funny. Charlie told me what happened in the Vic", Stacey turned and began to follow close behind Roxy, who now sped up in an effort to put distance between herself and a clearly drunken Stacey Slater.

"Where are you going? Don't walk away from me! Danielle doesn't deserve this treatment you know"

Roxy stopped on the spot and turned towards Stacey, who swaggered and came to halt.

"Listening to me now, are you?" Stacey asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "That would make a change, a Mitchell listening to another human being".

"Look, Stace…", Roxy replied, refusing to listen to any more of Stacey's accusations, "if you must know, Ronnie and Danielle are both in an ambulance. Danielle was hit by a car, Ronnie stayed with her, held her hand. Maybe, instead of standing here shouting at me, you should shut up, sober up and get yourself down to the hospital to see your friend".

Stacey stared at Roxy in disbelief, "She's what? What did Ronnie do?"

"Ronnie did nothing. Except help. I'm sure Danielle would appreciate some from you as well".

Stacey didn't reply this time. Her best friend had been hit by a car; she had been right behind her, but she should've been there to help. If she hadn't had so much to drink maybe she would've been able to get there more quickly.

This family, this woman who Danielle loved so much had done something awful. Charlie had recounted her cruel words to Danielle, but now she was there with her in the ambulance. Surely that couldn't be what Danielle would want, not now? It seemed so wrong, like a bad joke.

"I'll help her alright", Stacey replied eventually, "I already have. A damn sight more than her 'real' family. If that's what you really are". She almost spat her words at Roxy, before turning on her heels and running back towards her house.