A/N: Thanks again to wildatheartfan, cloloveswah and WildHeart for reviewing! It really means a lot. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. As always, it's nice to hear what you think so be sure to review.

"Dad!" Rosie shouted as they arrived back at Leopard' Den.

There was no answer. She turned and shrugged at Max.

"Guess you'll just have to talk to him about your bar idea later."

"Rosie, what about the radios?"

"Good point," she told him, smiling sheepishly as she pulled her radio off her belt and asked, "Dad, you there? Over."

"Yeah, Rosie, I'm out with the buffalo still," came his voice, crackling out of the speaker.

"I'll be right there," Rosie replied. She reattached the radio to her belt and returned to the jeep, Max trailing after her. If he wasn't working at the bar, he may as well dig in on the animal side of things at the game park.

Danny and Dup were stood beside their own jeep, watching the five just released buffalo roam through the yellow grass.

"Hi Dad!"

"Rosie," Danny nodded before a look of confusion crossed his face. "Max, what are you doing back? I thought you were working at the bar all day."

"Change of plans," Max answered, feeling a bit awkward. What would he do if Danny refused his business offer? How would he react to the fact that he'd just quit his job without giving their friend any notice?

Danny nodded and smiled. "Well, we'll be grateful for the extra help."

"Whilst you're here, give us a hand with the trailer, Max," DuPlessis called, pottering towards the rear of the jeep where it was connected to an open trailer.

Max smiled to Danny and went to help Dup heave the trailer door up and into place.

"Dad…"

"Yes, Rosie?" Danny asked, knowing exactly when he daughter wanted something out of him.

"Max has a business idea for you," she blurted.

Max shook his head at his wife's inability to keep secrets. She was just such a blabbermouth.

"Really?" Danny asked enthusiastically. His son-in-law had a great mind for business – he'd grown up with it – and Danny was sure that whatever Max's idea was, it would benefit Leopard's Den. "Well, Max, I'd be delighted to hear it."

"Sure, how about over a drink back at the house," Max suggested, as he tied the trailer shut.

"See you back there then," Danny agreed, jumping into the driving seat of their jeep. Courteous as ever, he let Rosie and Max lead off in their jeep and followed them back to the house.

Whilst Danny and Dup unhooked the trailer, Max went into the house and began digging out some drinks from the fridge.

As he turned and set them on the kitchen table, Danny entered and sat down, relaxing after a tiring day of enticing buffalo from the trailer and trying to move the rest of the herd into a bigger field.

"Best wait for Ed," he muttered as he cracked open a beer and took a swig.

Max nodded and opened his own bottle, his nerves rising as they awaited Danny's business partner. He was sure that Danny would agree to his idea, but Ed? He barely knew the man, although Rosie seemed to like him so that was something. Max just had to hope he'd be congenial. Nothing had really given him that impression so far though. Ed Lynch was almost a misanthrope in existence. Only his love for the animals of Leopard's Den and Mara tempered Max's view of him.

Finally, the man swaggered into the room, whistling merrily. Max shot Danny a confused glance – the man was never that happy.

"How's the elephant doing now?"

"She's marvellous," Ed answered with a smile for Danny. "Now what was it you needed me for?"

"Max says he's got a business proposal for us."

"Really? Well let's hear it," Ed replied, turning to look at Max in expectation.

"Well, erm, really I just thought that both Mara and Leopard's Den could benefit from an onsite bar experience..." Max mumbled.

"What about working at Fatani's?" Danny asked, his voice filled with confusion.

"I sort of quit today…"

Danny frowned. That wasn't like Max. He was always so determined and driven.

"Foolhardy thing to do, my lad," Ed told him.

Max shot the elder man a look but remained silent. If he was to convince him to agree to his proposal he had to keep a civil tongue.

"Max…" Danny tried.

"Look, I don't want your pity, but I need something to do whilst I'm here. I know bars – it's what I do best. I could boost your profits by ten per cent, I know I could. Just give me a chance, Danny."

Danny shifted position, feeling awkward. One of things he had always been so pedantic about was providing the guests with a true representation of Africa. Leopard's Den was designed to be simplistic, to offer guests a chance at peace, to be at one with the country and its wildlife. Sticking a bar in the middle of it wasn't going to fit. Mara would have been better suited, but Ed wasn't like to agree with it.

"I'm sure Mara's existing bar could do with a revamp and a barman," Ed offered, as if he'd heard Danny's thoughts.

"Seriously?" Max asked.

"Yes. We've got the spa already up and running so the bar needs to be open to. And if Leopard's Den guests want a bar, they've got two choices. What do you say, Max? Bar manager?"

"Of course. You won't regret this, Ed," he grinned, happy to finally be managing again.

Danny smiled and stood up, taking his beer with him to join Rosie on the veranda. He leaned his arms over the banister and looked out over the garden and surrounding landscape. A herd of elephants sombrely wandered between the trees, whilst their giraffe moved into the garden with its young foal. If only Alice were with him to see it.

"She'll be back soon," Rosie promised, knowing that he was missing his wife from the way his mouth only half-smiled.

Danny nodded and smiled brightly for his daughter. She hugged him, trying her best to cheer him up and succeeding.

"So, how'd it go with Max?"

"Ed's agreed to let him take over the bar over at Mara," Danny replied, staring over her shoulder at the animals again.

"You didn't approve?" she asked.

"No, it wasn't so much that. I don't think it would be possible to have a bar at Leopard's Den. Dup would drink so much that he'd deplete the profit," he joked.

Rosie laughed lightly and squeezed his midriff, aware that he was making it up, although it would have been a concern of Max's too. In her heart, she'd known that Danny wouldn't want a bar on site. Not only would it ruin the ethos of the park, it would detract business from the town and he was always trying to improve ecotourism.

Nomsa walked past the two of them, carrying plates in her hands and began setting up the outside table. Dup, carrying a salad bowl and Caroline brought out the wine. Ed and Max emerged from the house laughing, surprising Rosie.

"Alright, I'll be over tomorrow morning to get started," Max called as Ed walked to his beefy jeep and climbed in. He nodded and started the engine, driving off to leave the family to their dinner.

The evening was filled with raucous laughter as Dup made joke after joke. Rosie held Max's hand over the drinks afterwards. For the first time, she was as drunk as she had been when she returned to Leopard's Den after dropping out of university, the day she first met Max. She was too busy giggling and stumbling to walk, so her devoted husband had to carry her to bed instead.

A/N: Review away. :)