Zoe walked slowly into Leopards Den, it was six thirty in the evening, the earliest she had finished since she'd started at Mara. Everyone looked up from the veranda as she arrived.
"Hi!" Zoe smiled walking over to the table where the family had gathered.
"Hey Zoe, good day at work?" Alice asked leaning back into Danny's chest.
"Was okay! Oh! That reminds me actually! Mara is having a prom in six months!" Zoe enthused grinning.
"Really?" Olivia asked, "Which school?" She pestered as though she knew something the others didn't.
"I don't know." Zoe shrugged her shoulders. "But, everyone at Leopards Den is invited to go along."
"Wow!" Charlotte exclaimed.
"So get your suits out and your prom dresses!" Zoe laughed, sitting down beside Max.
"I think I'm a bit old for a prom dress." Caroline elegantly chuckled.
"Get out of it Caroline!" Zoe told her, shaking her head.
"Yeh you'd look beautiful." Dupe smiled, taking his wife's hands. Zoe and Alice caught one another's eyes and smirked, both finding the little gesture cute.
No one had noticed Matt's silence, Danny had been chuckling to himself at everyone's excitement, but Matt had just sat staring and playing with his food. His mind was plagued with negativity. Truth be told, Matt resented Zoe's job at Mara. It felt like he never saw her anymore... in fact seeing her so early was a shock to the system.
"Matt?" Zoe broke his thoughts.
"Oh, uh sorry yeh?" Matt asked, looking up at Zoe meeting her gentle humoured eyes. Those blue eyes melted him, the way they glistened, the way they changed colour when her mood changed. At the minute they were a bright and vibrant blue, holding a sparkle. He smiled softly.
"Wake up Dilly Day dream!" Zoe laughed, hitting him gently round the head. Everyone laughed at him, Matt looked down embarrassed. "Do you want to go to Fatani's then?"
"Yeh sure, who else is going?" Matt asked.
"Just you, no one else wanted to go." Zoe teased, smiling cheekily at him.
Matt tilted her head, causing Zoe to laugh.
"Joke! I'm going, Dupe's coming and Caroline's coming too, oh yeh, and Evan! Oh and Rowan and Vanessa said they were going." Zoe smiled finally telling him the truth. Matt nodded as everyone began to leave the table. He stood up and took Zoe's hand leaving Danny and Alice alone at the table where it seemed it hadn't escaped everyone's knowledge about Matt's mood.
"What's up with Matt?" Danny asked Alice, as the two looked out over the veranda.
"I was thinking that... although I pretended not to notice!" Alice admitted. "He seems really weird."
"Yeh, like when Zoe arrived he didn't even look up hardly, he didn't join in when she told us all about the Prom. It was just so unlike Matt." Danny sighed, twiddling with Alice's fingers.
Alice sat silently for a few minutes, she looked around before moving closer to Danny.
"Danny," Alice whispered after calculating the situation. "You don't think their having problems do you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it... since Zoe started the job at Mara, her hours have been longer and obviously it's more tiring. Matt hasn't seen as much of her and... he's been in that sort of mood." Alice explained. "But then, surely Zoe would be different too."
"But it makes sense, but if he doesn't tell Zoe he won't tell anyone." Danny sighed.
"Yeh..." Alice let her voice trail off.
"Anyway," Danny smiled. "What would you like to do for the rest of this rather fine evening?"
"Dunno." Alice admitted, rubbing her back.
"Sore back?" Danny asked softly kissing her cheek.
"Yeh... you know what would be heaven right now?" Alice sighed.
"Go on..." Danny smiled.
"A massage!" Alice laughed.
"Your wish is my command!" Danny grinned, taking her hand.
"Yeh but Danny, where are you gonna find a massager?" Alice pestered as he lead her caringly to their bedroom.
"Who said I was gonna find one?" He asked.
"Yeh but..." Alice suddenly realised. "Oh!"
"Alice clicked?" Danny smirked, giggling cheekily.
"Yeh... just about." She grinned. "You big softie."
"I know aren't I lovely?" Danny smiled, withdrawing some small bottles.
"Danny why do we even have them?" Alice asked, watching him carefully mess with them.
"Christmas Present off... someone." Danny laughed at the end of his sentence.
"Fair enough." Alice agreed, as she became lost as Danny's hands worked around her body. She felt relived already!
Matt and Zoe walked into Fatani's leisurely. Zoe had a slight frown to her usual soft face, a calculating one. Matt was acting strange. Something had to be wrong with him... but what? Zoe knew he wasn't a fan of her job, but she'd made the effort to come home early tonight, so it couldn't be that.
"Matt, is there anything you want to talk about?" Zoe asked as they approached the bar.
"What's that meant to mean?" Matt asked sourly. Zoe annoyed by his manner struggled to keep calm. Although she was down to earth, she had a short and thundery temper when provoked.
"It means, what the bloody hell is up with you." Zoe snapped as Buhkle walked over. She smiled at the pair. Buhkle noticed they didn't look as close as they usually were.
"What can I get you?"
"Anything, surprise us!" Zoe grinned, she then turned to Matt. "Matt, if there's a problem with something you need to tell me about it. How do you expect me to help you if you don't tell me?"
Matt grabbed his drink and walked off. Buhkle, feeling uncomfortable looked to Zoe. Zoe shook her head, and sighed.
"Sorry Buhkle." Zoe whispered.
"It's okay." Buhkle smiled. "You best get to him huh?"
"Yeh... although don't put me near any weapons!" Zoe laughed as she walked off.
"What was that about?" Zoe scolded Matt, sitting down across from him.
"Like you're bothered." Matt looked away from Zoe's penetrating gaze... Zoe felt in that moment lonely, a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt second best, she felt like a failure. Matt just continued to stare away from her... but it hadn't escaped Caroline's calm and knowledgeable eye.
"Are those two okay?" Caroline asked Evan and Dupe.
"They don't look it." Evan agreed, "Zoe looks really lost and upset, and he just looks... empty."
"Ach, will you two stop gossiping." Dupe frowned sipping his beer. "Evan go sit with them."
"Why me?" Evan exclaimed.
"Cos you get on with both of them amazing, and you're more their age!" Dupe grinned, Evan shook his head before walking over to Zoe and Matt. The tension could be cut with a knife.
"Ahh Mr Trevanion, magic hands much?" Alice smiled as Danny washed his hands.
"You feel better now then?" Danny spoke with a softness as he watched Alice carefully out of one eye.
"Yeh, god, I feel amazing!" Alice grinned as Danny came and joined her again.
"Good! But hey, think in one week we'll be holding a little baby Trevanion!" Danny said dreamily.
"Yeh..." Alice replied equally as dreamy, "You're the best Danny. I love you." Alice smiled hugging him tightly.
"I love you too." Danny replied wrapping his arms around her, he closed his eyes, this whole thing felt just perfect... this is where he belonged, in Alice's arms.
a/n – a bit pointless really... but it's all working up to the story line.
The Danice is mainly fluffy though, I think all my angst for Danice is being used on Here I am hehe! :') x