Alice sat on the toilet seat her head in her hands, her marriage was over. She couldn't believe it! She had thought she and Danny were made to last, that he was her one. That no matter what obstacle stood in their way they could overcome it as long as they were together. Her heart was breaking, she loved her husband she didn't honestly think there was a time she wouldn't love him but at the minute she couldn't even look at him! She heard him walking around and felt her heart break even more. She pulled her phone out needing someone to talk to. She scrolled down her contacts list until she found her brothers number. It rang.

"Hello sis, its late for you to be ringing."

"Rowan I need help. My marriage is over."

"What?"

"Me and Danny have split up, he's leaving as I speak."

"No way!" he spluttered, he was the one man Rowan hadn't warned covertly! "I can't believe it." he gasped. "When I had dinner at yours, what? A month ago you two were as loved up as ever!"

"You know I can always act happy when I need to Rowan." she murmured then sniffed. Tears were falling fast and she breathed trying to control them.

"Are you crying Alice?"

"No." she lied and inhaled.

"He made you cry?" Rowan seethed. "Just wait….."

"No Rowan…." she exhaled.

So she still loved Danny then, figured Rowan thought with disgust. "What happened?"

"A combination of things, mostly he hates living in London. He only moved here for the kids." she was silent for a second gathering herself. "I can't live with him when he's like this. I hate it."

"Oh Alice." he murmured.

They were silent.

"He gone yet?"

"No, I can hear him walking around." she cleared her throat.

"When he's gone make yourself some hot chocolate and go to bed."

"How am I supposed to sleep without him? I did it before when he was at Leopards Den but he was still mine then, I'm losing him Rowan and its tearing me apart."

"You want me to come over?"

"No, its ok." she cleared her throat.

Rowan was secretly grateful he had a lady friend coming over after work!

"Look Rowan I'll let you go, I just needed someone to talk to."

"Try and sleep you'll feel better." he urged.

"Won't change a thing!" her voice broken. "I'll still have lost him!"

"I'll be over first thing tomorrow I promise."

"Thanks Rowan, I don't tell you this enough but I do love you."

"Love you too sis." he murmured.

Then Alice disconnected, and Rowan wanted to find Danny and punch him in the face repeatedly.

(X)

Charlotte rode her bike in the dark. She had to get away from them! All this arguing was doing her head in! all she could hear was Danny and her mum trying to win and she wanted to scream! Didn't they know what it did to her hearing them talk like that to each other? She had grew up with them being so close, she had always thought that she wanted a relationship like theirs, where at times they were the only two people in the world…..and now they hated each other.

She knew they were gonna break up and she was gonna lose her dad….she didn't want to lose Danny she needed him. She didn't want to have to decide who to live with either, so she was going. She pedalled faster her heart pounding. Ok it wasn't her best idea to come out in the dark, but what else could she do? Go mad while listening to them count off the things they didn't like about each other? She had hid away in her room trying to get away from it and so what did they do? They came upstairs to argue there!

Tears filled her eyes. She just had to get away! She was going to the one person who always relaxed her, the one who played games and let her win. The one who listened to her problems…

(X)

Alice sat on the toilet set wondering either Danny was gone yet, she heard pounding feet across the landing headed in her direction. Great round 2!

The door burst open.

She opened her mouth….

"Charlotte is gone!" Danny told her.

The words died in her throat. "What?"

"She's gone Alice!" Alice watched the panic inside Danny steadily rising. "She's not in the house."

All the colour drained from Alice's face, she ran from the bathroom shouting her daughters name.

Danny's head was in his hands. There was ringing in his ears. Without warning he sprinted from the bathroom down the stairs and out of the front door. It took him a few tries but he finally found his car keys and put the key in the ignition. The car roared to life. He winded the window down and backed from the drive, shouting Charlottes name.

Alice searched the house, a blur passed her and she saw Danny run from the house, and climb into the car. So he was leaving her to deal with this one her own? He was right though, there was no way Charlotte was here! She had run away, she was a missing child. First thing she had to do was phone the police!

(X)

Rowan was lighting candles around the living room when his door bell rang he smiled, his lady friend was right on time. He approached the door and saw a smaller silhouette then he expected. He pulled it opened and saw Charlotte stood there arms wrapped around herself.

"Charlie oh my god what are you doing here at this time? Did you come alone?"

She looked up at him, her green eyes awash with tears. "Please don't make me go back there, I don't want to hear them arguing anymore."

He couldn't resist the look in her eyes. "C'mon sweetie." he took her inside. Saw her on the sofa and grabbed his quilt. Gave her a drink of milk.

"I'm gonna ring your mum."

"Don't please she'll take me home."

"Be quiet and I'll tell her your asleep."

She nodded.

(X)

Danny arrived back at the house 45 minutes later, he walked in shoulders slumped. Alice was sat waiting for him.

"You find her?"

He shook his head.

"I was gonna ring the police but I thought you'd bring her home." she squeaked. "I guess I'd better….." her voice cracked and broke. "Where's my little girl Danny?"

Danny came to her and wrapped his arms around her. "She'll be ok."

She yanked from his grasp.

"Like you even care!" her blue eyes black with anger. "You left!" She shouted "I was alone! I needed YOU! Why don't you just walk out again when I need you!"

"You know I love Charlotte as much as you do and I know your lashing out coz you are worried." he said calmly. "So I am going in the kitchen to make some tea and to collect myself. I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that to me but say anything else Alice and I might walk out of that door." he warned icily.

Alice was tempted to tell him to do that. She held her tongue.

Danny walked into the kitchen and closed his eyes as pain engulfed him. There was a low buzzing surrounding him. It took him an age to realise that it was his phone ringing. He saw it was Rowan. He walked out of the back door and connected the call. "Look Rowan I can't talk….."

"Charlie is at my house."

Danny felt his heart stop in his chest. "What?"

"She is with me, I called Alice's phone and the house but no one picked up. I debated on calling you I thought you might had left."

Danny was barely breathing. He ran in the house not listening to Rowan. He found Alice dialling a number.

"She's at Rowans, he's on the phone." he handed the phone.

The phone at her ear Alice immediately asked. "She's safe?" Alice was silent a second then burst into tears.

Danny felt his throat growing tight and swallowed thickly. He watched as tears fell down Alice's face as she spoke to her brother. In the past he wouldn't have hesitated to go to her but now he had no idea what to do. He shoved his hands in his pockets. He decided the best thing to do would be to walk away so he left her to fuss with something in the living room. A minute later Alice followed him and handed him his phone. Her eyes were red rimmed. "Here." her voice scratchy from the force of her tears.

He rook the phone and pushed it in his pocket. "Thanks, I can stay here with Robbie if you want to go pick her up."

"She's staying at Uncle Rowans tonight. I said I'd go there tomorrow to pick her up. Rowan needs his weekly Robbie fix too."

Danny nodded. "I'll just….." he pointed to the door.

"Stay!" Alice said impulsively. "What I said about you getting out of my life. I didn't mean it."

"I'm sorry." he whispered.

"Me too. For everything." he went to her and hugged her tightly. She closed her eyes and clung to him, never wanting to let him go. They stood holding each other for so long. Alice pulled away eventually. He pushed some hair from her face. Neither said a word, she simply held his hand and took him into their room. They dressed for bed and lay together, like they hadn't since they moved here. Once again Danny pulled her close, her back against his chest. He arms was around her waist holding her against him. He pressed a kiss to her head, a feeling he'd missed flickering inside him. "I love you."

Alice closed her eyes and stifled a small cry. He hadn't said those words to her in so long. She twined her fingers with his."I love you too."

Sleep claimed them into no time.

A/N awww so they are close again...will it be the same in the morning when emotions aren't running as high? hmmmmm x