Danny yawned and stretched his neck hurt. He opened his eyes and saw Alice asleep on her bed. He'd always hoped he'd wake up with her again but not with him curled up on a chair.
"Oh no!" he whispered. He hoped no-one noticed that his bed was empty.
He crept out of Alice's room and walked straight into Dupe.
Dupe looked at Danny, he noticed that he was shirtless. His face looked guilty as hell and his demeanour was defensive. He was instantly suspicious.
"Do I need to get my gun Danny?" Dupe asked.
"Look Dupe - it's not how it seems!" he started.
Dupe walked towards the bathroom, "I'm sure it's not!" he said.
"Dammit!" he said softly.
He poked his head in the twins room and saw Danni with her makeup bag ready to put lipstick on a still sleeping Andrew.
"Danielle!" he warned. "Go to the kitchen please leave Andrew alone."
She huffed but complied with her dad, there would be nothing the matter if she'd done that again, last time she'd put lipstick on his lips blush on his cheeks and nail varnish on his hair . God love him but he'd looked like a homicidal; clown, especially with the scowl he'd been wearing. Alice had cheekily snapped a few pictures when Andrew hadn't been looking. She said she needed them to back up when she told his girlfriends about this.
He dressed quickly knowing Danielle could get into mischief faster than any other child in the world. Of all the people in the house he could have walked into it had to be Dupe. Anyone else might have believed that Alice was ill but not Dupe! He shook his head as he left his bedroom.
He walked into the kitchen and realised that Andrew was finally out of bed. They were pouring their cereal. Danni elbowed Andrew so his cereal went flying then snickered. He elbowed her back.
She was starting early this morning.
"Morning daddy, where's mummy?" she asked.
"She's not well this morning Angel. She needs her rest." he said. "She'll be staying in bed for the rest of the day."
"Oh were you up playing doctor last night Danny - is that why you were in her room this morning?" Dupe asked. Danny glared at him but was saved from replying by the ringing telephone.
"I'll get that," he said. Then lowered his voice. "Watch what your saying around the kids eh!" he walked to the phone.
"Hello Leopards Den."
"Can I speak to Danny please?" a voice asked.
"Speaking." he replied.
"Hi - it's Vanessa." Danny deflated. He'd forgotten that he'd promised to take her out on a date. "I'm sorry Vanessa I'm going to have to cancel the date Alice is ill and the twins need me." he said thanking God for the excuse.
"O" she sounded disappointed. Danny felt guilty, he found himself inviting her to dinner here at Leopards Den instead.
She accepted quickly.
"Anyway I need you over at Mara - I'm having problems." she said.
"I'm sorry I'll try but I've got the kids today." The nursery had asked them to keep Danielle off for the rest of the week to allow the young boy time to recover from his ordeal. God she'd drew on his teddy bear not chopped it's head off!
"That's fine bring them, I'll ask one of my employees to watch them and we'll put cartoons on for them." she said.
"Ok. I'll be round soon."
Dupe had been listening intently.
"You'd better not be messing with my daughter!" Dupe warned over the rim of his coffee cup.
"Dupe nothing happened last night , she was ill with a really bad fever I was worried about her and fell asleep in her room!" Danny insisted.
"Well if that's the case why are your clothes on the floor of her room. Don't think I didn't see em when you walked out of the room."
Danny thought back to last night and chose not to answer that question. The men sat in silence for a minute.
"You inviting Vanessa to dinner is going to break her heart you know. It's obvious she loves you, and that you love her for that matter. Your both just too stubborn to admit it! Last night when you were talking she'd stared at you like you hung the moon and stars." he said.
"I don't know where you get your ideas Dupe." he said even though half of him believed him.
"Don't hurt her Danny, I'd hate to lose you as a friend!" Dupe said seriously.
Danny lost his temper why did everyone always assume that he was going to hurt Alice? "How can I hurt someone who doesn't care? She said that before I went to Fatani's with Andrew so lay off Dupe!" he snapped.
"He calmed his voice. "C'mon kids we're heading over to Mara, we need to get dressed and go.
Danny got up and walked into the kids bedroom.
Alice woke up - she opened one eye. Ok so she was alive - she felt like death warmed up! She hated being ill! She didn't get ill often but when she did she suffered. She tried to think back to last night. The last thing she remembered was seeing green eyes looking at her underneath her blanket. After that she just remembered snatches of things. Danny cooling her with a washcloth. Him taking her temperature. She then remembered winding her arms around his neck and, oh god she didn't. she groaned and held her face in her hands. Her face grew hot. She heard a slight knock then the door opened a crack. Danny's head appeared. He saw her expression and was instantly concerned. He walked into the room,
"You ok?" he asked worriedly.
"I'm fine, thanks to you! I'm just uncomfortable." she admitted.
"You need anything, pillows, a fan?" he asked concern shined from his green eyes.
"Not that type of uncomfortable Danny I'm uncomfortable about the way I" she pondered over a appropriate word. "pounced on you last night." she decided on pounced coz that's what she had done.
She saw Danny grin. "Alice." he started. The twins ran in the room and stopped his statement mid flow.
"Mummy Mummy!" they shouted.
"Daddy said you were ill." Andrew said worried.
"Just a little baby, don't worry I'll be right as rain ok." she said
"Do you want us to kiss you better?" Danielle asked.
"Ok - but on the cheek can't have my babies getting ill!" she said. Both twins ran over and they kissed her on each cheek. Danny walked over smiling.
"Much better!" Alice said.
"Maybe if daddy kisses you - you feel all better." Danni suggested.
Alice went red.
"You might be right Danielle." Danny answered. He swooped down and caught Alice's lips with his own. Her eyes fluttered closed and her lips moulded to his. He pulled back. "We're square now on the kisses score, if you want to kiss me more I won't stop you!" he whispered and grinned at her.
"C'mon kids - lets leave mummy so she can get some sleep." Danny said.
As they walked put of the room she heard Andrew say. "Aw dad you should have kissed mommies cheek. You can't kiss her on the mouth! That's icky!" Andrew had said this to his father in complete horror.
"You'll change your mind one day son!" he said and winked at Alice as he closed the door.
Alice couldn't sleep - she was confused. How did Danny feel about her? She'd thought she'd been sure of his feelings. Like a platonic love, a mother of your kids type of love. Not a romantic playful type of love he'd displayed to her there. She nestled down into her bed and placed her head on her soft pillow and closed her eyes. She'd talk to Danny later.
All had went well at Mara. The problem at Mara hadn't actually been a problem at all as it had miraculously cleared itself up by the time he'd got there! Vanessa had taken the kids through to the new children area that had been built. Now that they'd seen it he couldn't move until they'd thoroughly explored and tested the area. Danny was annoyed this was a waste of time, and he also had a sick woman at home who may need his help and he was stuck here with her! He watched his babies. Well at least they are having a good time, he thought.
Vanessa was sitting next to him sipping a cold drink. "I'm looking forward to later!" she murmured.
He was glad someone was coz he sure wasn't!
"It's nothing special." he said bored.
"Time with you is special." she said and leaned in, her perfume choked him. He coughed loudly. She had leant in to kiss him! Thank God he'd coughed was all he could think. Maybe he could use this date tonight to his advantage. Try and set her up with Anthony! Yeah that could work, she was nice enough but she just wasn't Alice but she be good with Anthony.
"Sorry I've got to go, C'mon kids we need to be finished in the bush before tea!"
"If you come around at about 6:30 dinner should be ready, I know Anthony's looking forward to see you." he said.
"I'm looking forward to seeing YOU!" she said seriously.
Aw yuck! He thought. He really wanted to call the dinner off but he'd been brought up the right way by his step father and that meant when you extended a invitation you honoured it! Also how could he show Andrew to respect woman if he didn't respect them. This would have only been one incident but to be honest one is too many.
The kids climbed into the car.
"Bye Vanessa your kids corner is great!" Danni said.
"Maybe your Daddy could bring you back again." she extended the invitation to Andrew and Danielle.
"Could we daddy?" she asked.
"Maybe! See you later Vanessa." he couldn't believe what she'd just done using his kids like that!
Danny took the kids to a little used waterhole on the land. Dupe was around making sure there were no lions about, not they were anywhere near the lions territory. You could never be too careful though. Dupe had set up a tracking activity for them. Alice was gonna kill him for allowing Danni to come but she was ill in bed, what could he do? Punish both kids?
"Oh wow Danni, Andy look! I see tracks. Can you?" he asked. Dupe had put plenty down.
"Oh Yeah!" they both gasped.
"Go-on then follow them!" he said.
The kids had great fun racing around following tracks, then making their own to see if their daddy could find them. They stayed out quite a while. Longer than he'd wanted. The kids were dusty but happy. He loved this time with them. Danni had peppered him with questions. Asking what animals had made the tracks, he got them right, well most of the time. Dupe had hid teddies in the bush of the animals that made the tracks. Andrew was right nearly every time. He'd inherited the tracking gene from his granddad, he was better than him at naming the animals who made the tracks. Danny couldn't have been prouder of his little man!
Danny had asked the kids to go and wait in the truck, but for once it was Andrew who didn't listen, he sat making mud pies by the waterhole.
Danny just left them to it, it would be longer trying to get them in the car, "Don't move from there ok!" he said. They nodded, but Danni got bored quickly.
Danny had just picked up the last teddy from Dupe's bush trail when Danielle jumped up.
"Let me help you daddy!" she yelled.
Unfortunately when she went to hop over a tree root she caught her foot, she tripped and fell straight in the waterhole.
Danny bit back a smile, Andrew lay on the dusty ground laughing.
Danni coughed. "It is NOT funny!" she demanded.
Danny went in the water and picked her up, "Daddy tell him to stop laughing!" she asked.
"Aw Danni - he's only playing, c'mon you'd laugh if it was him!" he said.
"Right well I want to push him in so I can laugh!" she said moodily. She then shivered, "I'm cold daddy - are we going home?" she asked.
"Yeah baby," he took his shirt off and wrapped it around her, it was no use it was soaked in no time. Note to self pack extra clothes for kids in vet box! He thought and smiled.
Andrew was giggling as he climbed in the truck "Stop laughing or I'm gonna hide ya Ben 10!" Danni said in warning. Andrew stopped laughing immediately. Danni smiled victoriously.
They got home, it was 5:30. Alice was sitting on the veranda. "What happened to my baby?" she asked.
"We'll talk later c'mon Danni lets get you in the shower, nice and hot!" he said. He would usually have bathed her but God knows what had been in that waterhole, no shower is a safer bet!
"Hey Andy" Alice said on the veranda. "Did you have a good time with daddy?"
"Yeah it was really good, then Danni fell in the waterhole." he giggled his sweet baby giggle. "I wish we had more time with daddy." he said.
"Aw I know baby, we'll try and sort something ok?" she said. "I'm gonna get my play dough ok mummy."
"Ok baby. Talk to you soon." she said.
Danny walked outside with a clean and dry Danielle dressed in warm pyjamas. He sat on the porch with Alice and hugged Danielle close.
"You warm enough yet squirt?" he asked.
"No I feel like the freezer!" she said.
"OH so you're a snow Danielle." he asked.
Danni frowned. What's a snow Danielle?" she asked curiously.
He forgotten the twins had never seen snow aw that's a shame. He thought.
"It's a boy or girl that's made from a really cold thing called snow. It's really really cold!" he said.
"Oh yeah then, I'm a snow Danni!" she said and snuggled into her father.
"Have you seen Anthony today?" Danny asked Alice.
"He was on the veranda before!" Alice said. Danny didn't noticed the cold tone in her voice. Alice didn't like him, he was weird, creepy. They'd been sat on the veranda and he'd stared at her, like he was mentally undressing her or something. She been so uncomfortable. He then hadn't said a word and went into the house. She'd been relieved to say the least. At least he'd left her alone. She shuddered.
"You feeling better?" Danny asked Alice when he saw her shudder.
"Yeah, still a little bleh but I'm pretty much better!" she said. "Danni baby you were right, Daddies kiss did make me better." she said to her daughter who smiled at her.
Danny leaned in close to her ear, "Maybe I'll kiss you later to make sure you don't relapse!" he whispered. All previous thoughts of Anthony left her head
"Oh I'd hate to relapse, maybe I'll need more than one." she grinned wickedly at him, he smiled back. A rush of heat ran through Danny at her words and at the look on her face. Danny felt himself falling - losing himself in the depths of her eyes.
The look in Danny's eyes stole her breath and made shivers of anticipation run up her spine.
Danielle piped up breaking both of their train of thought. "I'm much warmer now daddy!" she said.
Danny wasn't surprised, the air between him and Alice had become hot and heavy. The air crackled with electricity. His blood was heated and was coursing through his veins.
Danny set Danielle on the floor "C'mon baby we'll get Andrew and wash our hands for tea." Alice said.
She smiled at Danny as she passed. Everything was going great! She thought.
Danny was sat on the veranda, willing his body to calm down, god he hadn't be this bad as a teenager. One look from Alice and he couldn't look away! He couldn't wait until they could be alone! He was going to explode if this sexual tension wasn't dealt with soon! A car pulled up and Vanessa stepped out.
Oh No! he groaned he had to warn Alice he hadn't told her.
Vanessa ran up the steps and grabbed Danny, before he knew it she'd pressed her lips to his. Danny spluttered and tried to push her away but she had a vice grip on him.
Alice chose that moment to walk out of the house.
"Hey Danny din…." Alice noticed them. "Oh your busy." she said and stalked away.
Vanessa looked and smiled predatorily at Danny. She'd seen Alice was coming and had grabbed him for that reason. Vanessa knew that Danny had lingering feelings for Alice. She had to make sure that Alice KNEW that Danny was HERS now!
Danny seen Alice's face, she looked stunned then hurt! Danny exhaled slowly and glared at Vanessa. He reined in his temper.
"Dinners through here!" he said sharply.
Everyone was sat around the table. He grabbed the cutlery for a spare person. He noticed Alice hadn't sat in her usual spot beside him which meant that it was open for Vanessa. It was his favourite meal too and her perfume was going to ruin it! He plated her up a meal and gave it to her.
They all sat in silence and ate. Alice stabbed at her food and scraped her plate.
Alice stabbed a piece of meat on her plate, put it in her mouth and chewed angrily. She sneaked a look at Danny, he looked uncomfortable and so he should be! How could he lead her on that? She stabbed another piece of food. Dupe looked at Danny in sympathy.
"Hell hath no fury." he murmured. Alice glared at her father stopping his sentence half way through.
"Tell me about it!" Danny replied.
"Mummy, why are you angry?" Danni asked.
"I'm not baby." she said calmly.
"Then why are you attacking your plate?" she asked.
"I'm sorry baby, mummy's still a little ill and didn't realise she was doing it so hard." she kissed her daughters head.
She finished her dinner quickly. She looked at Anthony, he had a funny look on his face. He was looking at Vanessa, who'd been chatting to everyone and looking at Danny all the time! God could she be any more blatant!
The twins were finished too, Alice ushered them into their room to play games. Dupe and Caroline also retired to their room. Anthony walked out onto the veranda and Nomsa had left too. Olivia was out on a date tonight so she wasn't home. Vanessa and Danny were in the kitchen alone.
"I've been waiting for this throughout dinner!" she said and pounced on him again.
Get off me Danny thought! He was just about to say that when he heard a sharp voice.
"Danny, the kids wanted to know if you'll bath them, I can tell them your busy!" she said.
"No I'll be right there!" He said eagerly. God bless his kids. Alice had walked out onto the veranda.
"My kids need me bye Vanessa!" he said.
She looked disappointed but quickly masked it. "I'll see you soon Danny." she said to the back of his head.
He ignored her and walked into the kids bedroom.
Alice walked out onto the veranda, Anthony was sat there already. She was sitting down as Vanessa came out and climbed into her car. She beeped at Alice as she drove away. Alice resisted the urge to give her the finger. Bitch! She thought. She heard giggling coming from the bathroom followed by Danny's rumbling laugh.
Damn that man! - she wished she didn't care but she did and it broke her heart.
Anthony saw that her face was the picture of misery. "You ok?" he asked.
Alice eyed him for a moment, he'd didn't look at her like he did before. If he had she'd go back in the house. He looked concerned. Maybe she'd been wrong about him before.
"No not really!" she replied.
"You wanna talk about it." he asked.
She hesitated then the words came tumbling out like a dam had burst inside of her.
"My heart is hurting!" she admitted. "I love that IDIOT brother of your so much and all he does is break my heart. Every time without fail! He took care of me when I was ill last night and he's been flirting with me all day. And then she arrives and he kisses her TWICE! How could he do that to me? Doesn't he understand how it makes me feel to see her wrapped around him like that? Knowing full well that it should be MY arms wrapped around him! I love him so much," she paused. "I just care so much and think that this could go somewhere you know." she said.
"Yeah me too!" Anthony said and pulled her into a hug.
DANNY P.O.V
Danny walked towards the veranda to speak to Alice, he heard her voice and listened,
"…I just care so much and think that this could go somewhere you know." she said.
He heard Anthony say "Me too." Danny peeked out the door he saw Anthony hugging Alice.
"She thinks that a relationship with Anthony will go some where?"
A wave of rage washed over Danny, how could she do that to him, I mean his own brother! He stomped away, his heart breaking into a million tiny shards.
ANTHONY P.O.V
Anthony heard Danny approach, and stop at the door. He hoped he'd heard Alice say that she wanted to go somewhere.
"Yeah me too." he replied and pulled Alice into a hug. He felt eyes on the back of his head for a second. Then heard him stomping away. Anthony smiled. Danny thought Alice had been talking about a relationship with Anthony.
When he was sure Danny was out of earshot he told her "Don't worry everything will be alright, it'll work itself out! You want to go and talk to him now clear the air!" he added.
Alice thought for a minute. "You know what your right. The longer I leave it the harder it'll be!" she said
"Thanks." she said and kissed his cheek.
Alice walked into the house, Anthony smiled deviously. They were sure to argue now! He'd heard Danny stomp away. Danny thought Alice had feelings for me he though happily which was completely true! Anthony knew she secretly harboured feelings for himself, she just thought she loved Danny. She was just pretending to love Danny, he could tell! Now that he'd stopped taking the stupid medication he was seeing more clearly! His hand twitched, Alice will admit her love she had too! His fist clenched angrily. Danny had been wrong trying to take her from him. He and Alice were soul mates, no-one was standing in his way!