Alice sat in Fatani's completely dejected. Stupid Alice! Stupid Alex! Stupid Danny! She ground her teeth together grimacing. Took a drink from her glass slipping further into the darkness of her corner. She didn't know why she was upset she didn't even like Alex…..so if she wasn't upset about him then who? Danny? NO! Alex was why she was upset, no one else. All she wanted was to get her own back on Danny and it went and back fired in her face BIG STYLE! Now Danny was out there meeting other people, woman specifically. He'd kiss them the way he kissed her, they'd fall in love and live happily ever after and it was ALL Alex's fault! Damn him!

Her mood darkened further and she stared at the brightly decorated umbrella perched on the top of her glass. Maybe if she found him could she gouge his eyes with the sharp end of this! It would hurt no doubt. She exhaled sadly and took it out and threw it across the table, this was how low she was, she was threatening bodily harm with a mini umbrella, all because her (kind of) housemate didn't want her!

All she wanted to do was go home, have a bath and brood in private instead of sitting here getting more depressed and drunk as seconds ticked by. She couldn't though, what if Danny took someone home tonight? I mean it was conceivable that he would meet someone, she wouldn't be the only person who found him attractive, all he had to do was smile at her and she just about fell at his feet! She blushed at the thought of them leaving his house. It felt like it took forever for her to realise she was smiling at him like she had never met a man before. She rubbed her face depression almost crippling her, if she went home and saw him with another woman she might actually scream very loudly, and if she stayed out he would probably think she was sleeping at Alex's thus making her easy. She couldn't win! I mean the obvious choice was the hotel, it was the safer option, as in if she had enough to drink she might accidentally (on purpose) attack his lady friend…..and that she wouldn't do!

As she mused as to whether there was a hotel in the area the subject of her thoughts walked in. She choked on her drink, then found herself shrinking lower into the shadows. Her first thought was hide, then her eyes widened slightly as he was illuminated by a white disco light which flashed above him. Why didn't he dress like that more often? And why didn't she realise what he was wearing before? Possibly because he was wearing a jacket, but that wasn't the point, he wore a black shirt open at the collar and jeans long and pressed, these didn't look like his usual jeans these looked... wow the only thing she could think to explain was an explanation point, they just ! Ok maybe three exclamation points or thirty or an inordiante amount possibly. Ok Alice you've had a little too much to drink, she thought, because it was getting extremely hard to order her thoughts coherently, I mean describing people using exclamation points was just weird. Weird but accurate she conceded because he did look ! At the moemnt she couldn't look away if her life depended on it.

Danny must have sensed someone watching him because he looked in her direction. She crouched lower, so far she was almost under the table. He moved his head and noticed her, and the one drink on the table, a question in his eyes. He waved to Fatani and then headed straight for her. She began to curse under her breath. Fatani met Danny halfway and handed him a bottle, Danny motioned to her and then Fatani nodded. After handing over some money Danny headed for her again. Bent down and looked under the table. "Hello down there. You hiding?" smirked cockily.

For once she had no sarky reply and it irked her no end. "Yes!" she snapped sitting up and crossed her arms.

"Didn't work very well." he chuckled. "Good date?" he carried on liking making her squirm, she did it to him enough!

She shifted in her seat. "The best!" she lied. She didn't know why she lied, he knew the truth she could tell, it was why he was asking, coz he was evil! He couldn't take pity on her!

"So he's at the bathroom then?" he questioned.

"No he's been unavoidably detained." and huffed.

He knelt down again so they were at eye level. "If you were my date I'd never be unavoidably detained." eyes shining green and bright.

"Bet you say that to all the girls who've been dumped." she grumbled.

"Just the pretty ones." he nodded. "Can I join you?"

She was annoyed by his jovial mood, the thoughts of him with other woman still fresh in her mind. "Depends are you going to be all moody on me again?" because if she was and had to get revenge on him again it would only back fire again and God knows what would happen!

"I wasn't…."

"Don't deny it Danny, I can't keep up your moods! One minute we're friends then you're snappy then what? Actually what is next?" she declared. "Marriage?"

"If you're asking." he told her.

"Don't play with me Trevanion."

"Ooooo now that one has promise." he was giggling in his head.

"Ok you're dead!" and she stood up.

He put his hands up as a gesture of surrender. "I promise I won't be moody with you tomorrow if you agree to sit and have a drink with me. Mind you if you don't agree I might say no."

She sat down and crossed her arms.

"Go on, I don't bite, unless my wif…"

"One joke about us being married and moody or not tomorrow I'll kick you on your ass!"

"Ok." he smiled. "You know you want to. I promise I'll be good, scouts honour!"

"Start and I leave ok?"

He slipped into the seat opposite her grinning. She should have known he'd win, he was due a win! That was his lot. One win!

"Ok my dear wife…."

"Danny!"

"Hey if you didn't want to marry me you shouldn't have asked!"

"I didn't."

"Yeah you did." he snorted.

"Well if you're my husband where is my engagement ring?" she asked.

"Well since you asked me shouldn't you give me one?" he questioned. "Bad wife!"

It was impossible to stay mad at him when he smiled so playfully and looked so cute doing it.

"You can punish me later dear." she said sweetly. She couldn't beat him, she may as well join him.

"That's why I married you!" he laughed.

Fatani stopped the banter when he brought a drink over for Alice, she looked away.

"Cedric." Danny prompted.

Fatani exhaled. "I'm sorry Al…."

Danny elbowed him.

Fatani glared at him. "I'm sorry Miss Collins!" he said pointedly to Danny. "He didn't say what he said about Lynsey I lied coz I thought it was what he wanted!" again glaring at Danny.

Alice nodded. "Ok Thanks, and it's Alice."

Danny grinned and leaned towards her. "Tell him you'll forgive him properly if he clears my bar tab."

Alice pretended to consider it. "Nice try."

"I should double it after that!" Fatani muttered walking away.

"Well since you didn't do that a goodnight kiss is off the table! Just so you know!" he told her playfully.

"I'm not sure my broken heart will ever mend!"

"You had your chance, you blew it." he crowed. Then he looked at Fatani phone in hand.

"Excuse me!" and he jogged across, took the phone from his hand and gestured something wildly. Then returned quickly. "So date?" he asked sitting down.

"Not a lot to tell, I caught him kissing someone else." her face red.

"Really?"

"I've never been so mortified!" she moaned shaking her head.

"Why would he want to kiss another woman when he had you?"

Alice's cheeks were suddenly flaming. "You assume it's a woman."

His jaw dropped. "No way!" he gasped. "He kissed a man?"

Alice covered her hand with her eyes. "You tell anyone and I swear I'll kill you!"

"The secret will die with me." he promised. "But still…." he laughed.

"Death by Alice!" she warned at his chuckles.

He laughed a little longer then took a drink. "So what made you want to be an actress then?"

She shrugged. "To be fair it wasn't an aspiration of mine. I went to an audition with a friend as moral support and I fit the criteria for the ad, I was encouraged to audition so I did and I got it. After that I was done but Auntie Jean convinced me to go to acting classes which she kindly paid for coz my dad wouldn't I did more auditions some I won others I didn't."

"Really how old were you when you did you're first advert?"

"I was fifteen but my friends mum vouched for me when I said I was sixteen as I didn't have parental consent."

"Naughty Alice!" he chuckled. "What was the ad for? Anti wrinkle cream?"

She raised her eyebrows at his amused look. "I don't think anyone would blame me if I killed you!" she said seriously. "If I repeated that sentence in court they'd let me off! Actually they'd freaking knight me for doing the world a service!"

"I was paying you a compliment, you aren't wrinkly!" he protested.

She closed her eyes and counted to five, could see him smiling in her head and started to smile herself. "It was for breakfast cereal and I was the older sister." shook her head. "A lifetime ago….and one remark about anti wrinkle cream and you won't live to need it!"

"I was actually going to say bet the sales of cereal boomed!" he grinned.

"Oh it did! Begging me to do another ad they are." she said cockily. "But yeah, I was 15. Dad wasn't best pleased though." remembering the way he raged at her. She'd been so excited when she got home, he told her she wasn't allowed to do it. She did it behind his back….then he saw her on TV and all hell broke loose. If her Aunt hadn't been there she genuinely believed he may have hit that night.

Danny was confused. "Why? I thought all parents wanted something like that for their kids."

She shook her head. "Not my dad. He wasn't the actor type, or the vet type. He expected me to get a job in Scotland and work there for the rest of my life. And I don't mean go to Uni and get a well paid job I mean any job and work there for life. Anyway what about you and vetting?"

"I got kicked off the postman course at college." he joked.

She raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"I did actually want to be a postman." he chucked. "But no me being a vet is my dads fault. He's a doctor and he was all ready for me to follow in his footsteps. He took me to work and I hated it, dad loved the adoration though. It made him feel godlike. I didn't want that I was a shy kid. But I liked the science and I love animals and it just clicked. Plus animals can't gush over you if you save them, a thank you lick maybe." his smile was adorable. "Anyway there it is."

"The job suits you, you're amazing at it." Alice told him sincerely.

"So are you."

Alice shrugged, "I may be good at it but I'm becoming disillusioned. I keep thinking more and more that I'd rather be a vet. I hate not being able to be myself, having to be on my guard all the time. I can't even lie around in sweatpants, not being able to even have a drink with a man without speculation. Remember the hospital? Apparently we were married and I was pregnant! I had known you a week! Tonight is the first night in so long." found herself looking around.

"I warned Fatani." he told her. "He wanted his bar in the news. I told him if I found out he used you like that I'd put snakes and tarantula's in his bed."

Her eyes widened "You don't actually have tarantulas do you?" she squeaked.

He smiled wickedly. "I can get hold of them why?"

"No reason." she shook her head except she bloody hated spiders, of any kind!

"Fatani is terrified of snakes so he agreed."

"That's sweet."

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Um…"

He stared at her. "Are you one of those actresses who doesn't eat in public?"

She sat up straighter. "One of THOSE actresses?" she asked angrily. "What do you mean?"

He realised his mistake." Alice…."

"No don't try to wriggle out of this. Yes I am successful. But success doesn't mean being the same and it doesn't mean I'm all the things you think being an actress is all about! Take time to get to know me Danny, forget what you think you know. I'm not a stereotype and it's not my fault you hate actresses!"

"I don't hate actresses, just some of them don't eat!"

"I have responsibilities Danny. My fans base is very young. Kids who seen me on Jungle Jangles who are a little older now and kids who connect and relate to Sophie. Those are just the two big examples. Look at me, I'm lucky to be naturally thin. I can eat what I want and don't have to worry. Some people aren't that lucky and have to work at it, some people like a character I played believe what people tell them. When I go out I make a point to eat something to send a message out there that no I don't starve myself and hopefully some poor kid who is stick thin might actually have a meal tonight!" she had no idea where the anger was coming from but it was flowing. "Everything I do is under scrutiny. Once I wasn't well on set and thought some soup might make me better. Someone heard me throwing up and the next day was a headline that I was bulimic! I threw up once! I get this stuff everyday I don't need it from you!" he voice sad at the end.

"Once? And you were suddenly bulimic?"

She nodded. "I warned the newspaper to retract it, I have impressionable young fans. They printed an apology but the damage was done. People still watch me when I eat."

"There's no turning it off huh?" he asked.

She smiled sadly "Never." she raised her glass to her lips and realised her drink was gone. She wasn't even aware she was drinking it!

"So do you want something to eat?" Danny repeated.

"I'll admit I am hungry but buying food makes this feel date-ish." she let the subject lie since he got the message.

"So are you asking me if this is a date?" he teased.

"No, but you implied it because you're trying to buy me food."

"A date isn't a date without dancing and since I can't dance then I don't see how this is a date!"

"You don't dance?" she asked.

"No I can't dance." he countered. "There is a difference."

"C'mon." she took his hand. "I'll teach you."

"No." he told her. "I have zero co-ordination!"

"You'll be fine, just let me lead and I'll stop you from falling on your face. Try and you will be fine."

He looked at her. "If I do then I'm buying you dinner."

She shrugged. "Hope you have a bank loan coz I can eat a lot!"

He took her bag and placed it on the bar. "Watch that for us, she's teaching me to dance."

Fatani made a face. "Remember the last time you danced here with Lynsey?"

Danny nodded. It had been a disaster, they had been married a few weeks and she made him take her dancing. He stood on her feet one too many times and she screamed at him and stormed off. Danny exhaled. "Yeah." and shook his head. "I don't know what's got into me!"

"Maybe you do mate." Fatani said putting her bag under the bar. "You just won't admit it!"

Danny tried to ignore his words but they stayed with him as he joined Alice onto an empty dance floor. He was extremely uncomfortable and checked to make sure nobody was watching. "I should warn you…." he began.

She placed a finger over his mouth. "You'll be perfect."

He looked down into her gorgeous blue eyes and at that moment he wanted to be perfect, he didn't want to let her down.

"Right." she said stepping closer and took one of his hands in hers and placed the other on her shoulder. She wrapped her arm around his waist. "Just move slowly."

"But the music…."

"Ignore the song and let me lead you."

The thought that he'd follow her anywhere unsettled him so much that he tensed up in her arms.

She leaned in closer. "Relax." she whispered.

He looked at her. "What I stand on your feet?"

"You won't." she countered.

"But…." and he stopped moving.

"Ok, different plan. Close your eyes."

"No if my eyes are closed I'll definitely stand on them!" he spluttered.

"No you won't. just close your eyes, feel the moment and let your instincts guide you. Do what your feet say not your head."

"But…."

"Danny but is your favourite word!" she said exasperated. "Just do this, trust me."

"I do trust you, its my feet I don't trust!"

"Fine, if you stand on my feet I can kick you in the shins yes?" she negotiated.

He exhaled knowing she was gonna have him dancing with his eyes closed come hell or high water. "Ok." and closed his eyes, he didn't move. "I don't feel any…." and opened his eyes.

She covered his eyes with her hand which had rested his hip. "Stop thinking and feel….blank your mind!"

"I can't." he admitted after a moment.

She reached up and kissed his lips once softly. Almost immediately she felt some of the tension leave him. "Now you aren't as tense." she whispered and began to coax him into moving a little.

Danny felt light. His body fluidic, the feel of her lips on his while his were eyes covered just floored him. He felt like she could guide him anywhere right now. While they moved and his eyes were closed he found his other sense tuning it, he felt her legs brushing his and knew when his feet were getting too close. Soon his confidence grew and the speed built and they were dancing.

It was then Alice removed her hand and smiled when his eyes remained closed. "See, you're dancing." she whispered. And they carried on without listening to any music, dancing to a beat their own making.

Danny's heart was pounding, as his eyes opened, he never wanted to let go but at the same time he wanted to run from what he was feeling. His fear started to get the better of him and he was about to pull away when she released his hand and wrapped both her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. He felt a rush of emotion so intense his breath caught for a second. He found his eyes closing again and rested his head on hers. His arms around her holding her tightly. A new slow song began and Danny noticed the first verse and how applicable it was to this exact moment,

"A whisper away from changing everything, but is it safe to say such dangerous things? You're hands are trembling, Girl I'm weak at the knees, times like these when silence means everything.'

The first line was especially relevant. As he stood here with her like this he wondered how could they ever go past it, would he ever be happy just to talk to her knowing she fit so perfectly in his arms. He found his hand raising to run down her soft hair slowly.

Alice felt his soft touch and tired to move closer. She'd never felt so right before, never felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be, dancing in the dark with a man who would have strangled her rather than dance with her a week ago. She felt weak this close to him. He was warm and strong and she loved how it felt when he held her not only tightly but tenderly too. He was always so careful with her. She loved so much about him, she loved…..Alice froze and pulled away abruptly. Thankfully the song had ended and Danny didn't find anything out of the ordinary. He was smiling down at her and she felt her heart lurch. Combine that to her epiphany on the dance floor and it was a wonder she could even breathe at all!

"I guess I'm not a complete disaster." he told her smiling.

"No." she breathed. "Not totally anyway."

"Thank you." he murmured as they headed for the bar. He was bent low his head close to her ear and heat was rushing through her at the feeling. "I was really bad at dancing!"

"I'm going to the ladies!" she squeaked. Before the heat inside her caused her to melt into a puddle at his feet.

"I'll be at the bar ok?"

She nodded and moved swiftly towards the facilities. When she was in there she gripped the sink and almost bent double she was breathing so hard. She was nearly hyperventilating! This was wrong! She couldn't have fallen for Danny. They were opposites, they barely suppressed the urge to kill each other sometimes! In some ways they were very alike, like their murderous impulses. She looked in the mirror above the sink and stared at her reflection, if she was in love she'd look different right? There would be something in her face that told people she loved someone wouldn't there? She splashed her face with cold water and stared again. Couldn't see anything, except a slightly bewildered expression. There! She wasn't in love! It was alcohol making her think things…..still it may be better just to go home rather than anywhere else, better safe than sorry. Just retreat to their own rooms and sleep it off.

She washed her hands and returned to the bar, saw Danny leaning across it deep in conversation with Fatani. If she had her bag she would have seriously considered leaving he laughed and she felt her heart stutter, sod it who needs her bag! She was about to leave be damned when he looked over and smiled at her. Again her stomach plummeted and involuntary shivers ran through her body when he reached her and took her arm and led he towards the bar for her bag…..alcohol! She reminded herself firmly. You are drunk, not feeling anything except DRUNK!

He leaned down close to her ear. "Why don't we go out to eat now?" he asked. "I was thinking…." his sentence turning into a jumble of words as the feel of his warm breath on her neck scrambling her brains. His arm came around her waist and she gripped the bar for support. DRUNK! DRUNK! She reminded frantically.

"Alice?"

"Yeah." she said breathlessly almost falling over from lack of oxygen to the brain. She had no idea where they were going. "Lead the way."

They sat in a taxi on the way home. She couldn't remember where they had been, what she had eaten. The only thing on her mind was looking at Danny and voices screaming at her that she was drunk and to look somewhere else, and to run if she could and for all that is holy DO NOT KISS HIM TONIGHT or god help her she was lost, drunk or not! The car arrived at Leopards Den and she climbed out needing air. She would have loved to escape into the house but she knew he locked the door since the film crew came as there were guns in there. Why did he have guns? She murmured tortured. Now they were gonna be alone on the veranda and under no circumstances was she gonna kiss him! You hear that lips! You keep yourself to yourself, thats an order!

Danny had paid the driver and she was rubbing her face. Sure she had lost her marbles and Danny had picked them up and she chasing him trying to get them back!

Danny instead of walking to open the door he stopped in front of her. "Alice are you ok? You've been distracted since we danced."

The taxi was gone and she was thinking of her marbles and jumped when he spoke. "Marbles...um sorry me? Distracted? No. I'm fine. See? Happy, smiling Alice!"

He stared at her concerned. "No now I'm worried coz its went from distracted to weird!"

"I'm ok Danny, just tired." she walked up the stairs to front door.

He followed her and took her hand, and in that instance kiss or not she was lost.

"Are you sure? Did I overstep some boundaries or something?"

"No really," and for the first time since her dance floor revelation she felt normal. "I had a lovely night with you. It was the best I can remember having in a long time. Thank you for that."

Danny looked confused and bewildered for a second. "Me too." he then shook his head and pushed his key into the lock and turned it until a click resounded. Then they stood there looking at each other. Alice wondering whether he was going to kiss her and Danny wondering whether she would let him. When no one moved she thought he wasn't going to and…. "Anyway….."

He moved slowly, cupped her cheek with both hands, his thumb running down her right cheek slowly. Without saying a word he lowered his head and kissed her softly. A feeling streaked through her like lightning had stuck her body and she pulled him closer.

Danny felt he impatience to deepen the kiss and he replied in kind. The kiss was getting hotter and hotter, the more she offered the more he took until he felt like he owned all of her. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind he knew this was going too far and it was that part of him that requested,

"Tell me to stop Alice." he murmured unable to drag himself away from her under his own steam. If she said it he could but anything else and he was physically unable to.

"No." she breathed. "I don't want you to, I want to stay like this forever!"

He swallowed a groan and kissed her deeper than before, her words igniting a fire within him. His heart was pounding, head spinning. "I need you to tell me to stop now…." he whispered almost pleading.

"If you stop now I'll kill you!" she replied.

Unable to hold back anymore he kissed her with all he had then took her hand, led her into the house and into his bedroom.

A/N this was fun to write, the beginning espceiually since Alice always seems to win and this time he had the upper hand her hiding from him tho, and then the married bit lol like i said loads fun :)
then him warning fatani and she teaching him to dance, awww then relaising she might love him, all in all alice had a good/bad chappie depending how you view it. i kinda think that ok yeah she was a little drunk with all the feelings but part of her does love him...things happen later which could make it full on can't live without you love...of course it all depends on if they live...stalker man makes an appearance next chappie! Stay tuned x
PS i can so see danny with alices 'marbles ' in his hand andher chasing him lol i just giggle every time i think of that image :) x