Alice was lain on her stomach her face buried in a pillow. The blanket was wrapped around her tightly. She opened an eye and saw Terry lain on his side. She had stolen his pillow and his share of the blanket. She unwrapped it and lain it over him. Her head was aching and her stomach felt weak and queasy. Last night hadn't ended the way they wanted it to. By the time Terry had finished his shower she was half dressed, passed out on the bed. She vaguely remembered him waking her to put some pyjamas on then after that she was dead to the world. She was relieved in a way they didn't have sex simply because she hadn't been able to get Danny off her mind. Thinking of Danny during? No thank you. The thought nearly made her ill - ok not that bad but….

She looked at her clock and saw that it read 5:10. It was her turn for rounds this morning and to start breakfast. Usually Danny would cover for her if she had a date with Terry but she wanted nothing from him. She was still hurt over his desertion and over the fact that he didn't even congratulate her over her engagement, Some best friend! She got up and ran her fingers through her short black hair. Yawned widely. "Shower then breakfast." she muttered.

She grabbed a clean towel from the linen cupboard and approached the bathroom door. Danny walked out and she walked into him. Her initial thought was he was still warm from his shower and that he smelled really good! He grabbed her upper arms to steady her. She glared at him and stepped back.

He looked at her. "You look like hell."

"Thanks."

"Hung-over much?"

He was laughing at her and it annoyed her no end. "Go to hell!" it was then she noticed he was wearing a towel around his waist and a small one was slung across his shoulders - and nothing else! "Shouldn't you get dressed?"

"You seen me like this before." he countered.

"I was your friend before."

"And not now?" he asked.

"No." she said simply. Walked passed him and closed the door.

Stubborn woman! He fumed.

As Alice showered Danny started breakfast then ran to get changed. he returned and a minute later she appeared. She was wearing her white three quarters with a white vest top, shades were rested on her head.

He was stirring the eggs.

"Go away Danny it's my turn to make breakfast."

"I always cover for you after a date with Terry." he reminded.

"No more. We're no longer friends." she reminded him and took the pan from him.

"How long you planning on keeping this up?" he asked scowling.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"This stupid childish infantile I'm not your friend?" he said the final words with a high pitched lilt.

She faced him. "Stupid? Childish? You started this!"

"I didn't expect you to take this bad. Excuse me for expecting you to act like an adult!"

"O your saying I should be happy you don't wanna be friends no more. I'm supposed to be happy and dance about that?"

"I didn't say that!" he said through clenched teeth.

"O no you just replaced me."

"I did NOT replace you!" he yelled. "I just….I want to give this relationship a chance!"

"So now I get in the way?" she challenged.

"Your deliberately making this hard!" he seethed.

"You don't care about me why should I care about you?"

"I do care Alice. Really I do, I love you."

"You binned me!"

"I didn't bin you!"

"For some skank!" she added in disgust.

"Don't start Alice!"

"You were seeing her for all of five minutes and you decide she'd better than me? Worth more?"

"I really like her Alice and don't talk about Sarah like that. This isn't some competition."

"How could you do this to us?" she fumed.

"You're the one being an arse about this!" he spat.

"Me an arse? Prick."

"Idiot."

"Jerk!"

"God do you realise how old we sound? Now we've resorted to name calling." he breathed.

They were silent for a moment.

"Your too important to me to lose Alice, but so is Sarah."

If Danny hadn't added the Sarah bit things would have been fine. But he did and now Alice was pissed.

"Well guess what you have already lost me!" she spun.

"Alice…." he called.

"I have rounds to do." she replied angrily.

"Have some breakfast first."

"Shove it up your ass!" she yelled and slammed the front door.

(X)

Alice had avoided everywhere most of the day for fear of running into Danny. She was walking round the back of the house at the moment. She had text Danny telling him that if he went near the surgery today she'd never speak to him again. He replied saying that she wasn't speaking to him anyway so it wasn't much of a threat. After that she decided to do call outs. There was a handful of completely easy ones and no tracking according to Terry so she had nothing to do. A mountain of paperwork awaited her in the office but she had no desire to argue with Danny anymore so she wasn't going near the surgery.

She saw the veranda stairs in the distance and moved quicker towards them. She stumbled as vertigo washed over her. She leant against the wall steadying herself and shook her head. She had to get something to eat. She was stupid missing breakfast and dinner like that. Her eyes closed and the moment passed so she opened them and began to walk again. Her stomach rumbled angrily reminding her that she hadn't ate dinner last night either. She had no water and was dehydrated from having drank so much last night. All this was a very bad combination. Her head swam black spots appeared in front of her eyes and the world began to wobble around her.

"Oh no." she whispered then hit the floor.

(X)

Danny stomped around the surgery like a bear with a sore tooth. Infuriating woman! What was it that made her push all his buttons, she knew exactly how to make him lose his rag and did it coz she could. Infuriating woman! God he must have thought those words about 20 times in the last 5 minutes. Well they were true. She was the only person in the world who could make him so mad that he wanted to strangle her. He wasn't a violent man and would never raise his hands to a woman….o but she pushed! He felt like banging his head off a brick wall.

Since when had she been so coldly rigid? Yeah she had always been stubborn but stubborn in a good way. Like not giving up on a animal or standing by him in a crisis now it was doing his head in. You know what? Sod her. She was getting married. She had Terry, he had Sarah. If she wanted to spit her dummy out then he'd let her! He spent like he spent his whole life running around making her happy - well no more.

'You were happy too.' a voice reminded. 'Not like now. Your miserable without her.'

He'd admit that he did miss her a lot. But he refused to run after her anymore. He was sick of it.

'Just find her, say sorry. It always worked before and you did start it!"

He exhaled, he had started it he'd bite the bullet and apologise and after that it was all on her. Mind made up he walked from the surgery and towards the house. As he approached he saw some one lain on the floor. The black hair indicated it was Alice. Fear filled him.

"Alice?" he yelled and ran up. Turned her over checked for her pulse. Found it strong. "C'mon Alice wake up." he coaxed. Hated that he had no idea what was wrong with her. "Alice honey open your eyes for me." he whispered putting his hand on her cheek.

Her brow furrowed and he eyes began to flutter.

"That's it." he encouraged and exhaled a shaky breath. "God you scared me."

She pushed his hands away and tried to sit up. Wobbled. He grabbed her around the waist to steady her. "Sit still to get your bearings." he murmured.

She acquiesced the wobbly feeling remaining.

"How'd this happen?" he asked.

"None of your concern." she replied blandly.

He stared at her.

"I skipped breakfast." she finally told him.

"Alice it's after two."

And lunch." she added.

"And let me guess no water."

She crossed her arms. "Don't sound too happy about it."

"What happens if this had happened in the bush? Do you realise how stupid you were?"

"I'm sick of you calling me stupid." she yelled.

"What would you call it? Do you know what it would do to me if I lost you?"

"Yeah." Alice spat. "You'd be happy coz I wouldn't be in the way anymore." she told him seriously.

"Is that honestly what you think?" he asked softly.

She looked away so he wouldn't see the sadness in her eyes.

"O Alice." he whispered. Grabbed her arm gently and held her to her feet. Escorted her inside and sat her on her bed. He then went to the kitchen and made her a sandwich and some juice. Took it to her.

"Thanks." she replied sipping the juice. "Now you see I'm ok you can go." she suggested.

He shook his head and sat down. They sat in silence.

"What did you do with my best friend?" she finally asked.

"What?"

"What did you do to my best friend? I lost him."

"Alice I'm still here."

"No he's not, my best friend wouldn't try and replace me." took a bite of her sandwich.

"Alice don't you understand? I couldn't replace you. I wouldn't even try. We have known each other our whole lives every good memory I have your in it. How do you replace that?"

"Then?" she asked.

"It occurred to me that people mistake us for a couple all the time coz we act like one. All the endearments and the touching and the closeness. The only part we don't have is the sex."

"That isn't a problem for me."

"Or me but our partners might not like it."

She nodded, Terry had mentioned it.

"I really don't want to lose you Alice but we need….."

She nodded. "I understand."

"And your fine with it?" he asked.

"I have no choice if I want to still have you - and I do."

He exhaled and went to her, pulled her close for a tight hug. "I've missed you loads."

"Me too." she replied hugging back.

They pulled back and smiled happy that it was sorted.

"And by the way last night…." he began.

"Hair down?" she asked knowing that was what he was talking about.

He nodded.

A/N there's the danice sorted bt there is a new facet to their relationship - alice is getting married oooooo :D watch this space x