Thanks again to my reviewers, I think some of you don't like Jack :) I hope you like this chapter

It was late evening when Ronnie began to make her way back to her flat, once she was inside she took a look around. It was in darkness, she walked to her bedroom where she was greeted by Danielle sitting in one of Ronnie's t-shirts reading a magazine " Hey Mum" she smiled sweetly putting the magazine down " so how did it go with Jack?". At this point Ronnie was hanging up clothes in her wardrobe, she didn't answer and began to get changed into pyjamas.

" Well aren't you going to answer me then Mum?" Danielle questioned.

" it went… um fine" Ronnie replied.

" Oh my God it so did not go fine, look at you, you're shaking" with that Danielle put her arms around Ronnie, she sensed it was what she needed.

After persistently asking what was wrong, Ronnie let a little laugh out and said " You're just like your aunt Roxy, so nosy"

" well they do say, certain traits are in the genes" Danielle said quite pleased with the statement Ronnie had just made " are you going to tell me what happened with Jack or do I have to go over there and beat it out of him".

Ronnie knew that she had to tell Danielle what happened with Jack " OK if you must know, Jack proposed to me"

" What did you say?" Danielle grinned, her smile becoming bigger by the second. Then reality struck, if Ronnie was so down and secretive, it couldn't have gone well. Struggling to find words, Ronnie found herself sitting down on the bed and looking deeply into Danielle's big blue eyes " I said no" " What why?". Knowing rightly that she couldn't tell Danielle the full truth, she began to think back to little under thirty minutes previously.

"Will you marry me Ronnie?" Jack smiled, this has attracted a little attention from several other customers in Fargo's at the time, " Jack get up" Ronnie said sharply feeling embarrassed and going a little red. She hated attention and despised the fact that people were probably already gossiping about her. " Ronnie, what's wrong?" Jack asked. " Jack I can't marry you, you're Amy's dad" she replied trying her hardest to speak quietly so no-one could hear them. " Ronnie I thought we were past all that, that you had forgiven me" Jack snapped banging the engagement box on the table. " I have but things are different now, they're different with us. I have to get my priorities straight" she continued " I have Danielle back in my life now, I need to concentrate on her. She's pregnant, you know. I'm going to be a grandmother. Jack…." She found tears welling up in her eyes and her lip began to quiver " I thought my baby, my daughter was dead all these years, she's came back to me. She needs her Mum at the minute. She needs to be number one in my life".

She heard whispers " well she obviously turned him down, poor guy" a woman said to her friend sitting at an opposite table. " Ronnie, I love you, I want to be with you. I understand the situation with Danielle" Jack whispered, by this time Ronnie was putting on her coat " Ronnie there is such a thing as loving two people, we can make this work". She looked at him and placed her hand on his cheek " bye Jack" she smiled, as she turned away, she heard his voice " So that's it, you're leaving it like this, what happens when Danielle gets older and leaves… are you trying to tell me Ronnie. There is never any hope for us, no chance, if you tell me that I'll leave now and you'll never hear from me again" he had caught up with her and was holding her hand back affectionately " One day Jack, one day" with that she placed a tender kiss on his cheek and walked off into the night leaving Jack Branning a broken and devastated man.

"Hello earth to Ronnie" Danielle's hand waved past her eyes" what happened?" she asked .

" Danielle, I don't love him anymore. Things are different between us now. This is the best, we're business partners and friends, but nothing more" Ronnie said getting up " I'm going to have a coffee, you get some sleep, you need your energy. I'll be in shortly", she gave Danielle a cuddle.

" night Mum, for what it's worth, it's probably the right thing, I mean once a cheater, always a cheater" Danielle replied laying down and turning the bedside lamp off.

In the kitchen Ronnie boiled the kettle and sat down alone with just her thoughts swirling around in her head for company. What a day, a marriage proposal and a threat from Archie. Oh my God, Dad she thought. That was another problem that needed solved and there was no way she could do it alone. Ronnie took out her phone and made a call, the caller answered and listened intently as she spoke " it's Ronnie, Dad's back and I need your help. He's going to hurt Dan, if I don't do what he says". As the caller gave her instructions, she hesitated as it became clear what she had to do, would she be prepared to do what he said?, the caller spoke again and this convinced Ronnie. As the call ended, a wave of relief washed over Ronnie, this little problem was going to go away very soon.

Walking into her bedroom, she took a look at Danielle sleeping, she looked so peaceful and innocent. It was the first time Ronnie had ever really watched her sleep, Danielle was so oblivious to the torment that Ronnie was going through. She lay down in bed and remembered the caller's words " Are you prepared to do whatever it takes to protect your daughter, to keep her from harm you'll have to play dirty" as she drifted off to sleep, she decided she was ready to play dirty and as a mother her decision was to fight back. Whatever it takes!

Hope you liked that, I mean Ronnie didn't say that there was never no hope for Ronnie & Jack, so maybe in the future :). R&R people and I'll do the same for you xx