It had been three days since Danny and Alice had attended her pre-op with Alice's gynaecologist, Dr Craig. They'd heard exactly what they had expected to hear and after the usual risks being outlined and Alice being forced to sign some papers, she'd been given a date for two weeks time and told to go home and prepare herself for it – physically and mentally.

Everyone at Leopards Den knew about her condition and all of the family had called at one point over the past few days. Even Dup and Ed, the two least likely to call and Fiona who had never even met Alice, had called with their sympathies and well wishes. It had hit Dup particularly hard. He felt guilty for all the times he had tried to stop Danny from leaving Africa. Of course, if he'd known the true reason he wouldn't have ever tried to, but the harsh reality of Alice's condition and her obvious love that shown through her protecting her family in such a way had hit him hard. Rosie had probably been the most emphatic towards her step mother and offered her very much a female shoulder to cry on. Although she couldn't directly relate she felt her own experience of a miscarriage must have counted for something – the emptiness was a feeling Rosie knew and she knew just how horrid it was.

Danny had been supportive throughout and Alice's gratitude towards him had been immense up until a few hours after her pre-op. Despite the fact he didn't doubt how grateful she was (not that she needed to be) and that she wanted him there, Danny had picked up on the fact his wife seemed too quiet and slightly aloof. She'd been distant in every possible way; it was almost as though she was on auto pilot, a robot doing what she was programmed to do. She looked after Robert, Charlotte, had Danny's tea on the table when he walked through the door, kissed him at set points and went to bed at the same time before waking up the next morning at the exact same time. She didn't seem human anymore.

He'd reluctantly made his way to work earlier in the morning. He knew that they couldn't live forever on their savings and that what they had would dwindle quickly – Alice had insisted he went telling him she had plenty to do and would be ok – then she'd started cleaning and Danny had felt almost dismissed by her. The day had been busy and he'd completed four operations on various animals around the zoo, but a part of him had been with her; worrying, panicking and so now, as he drove home he was determined to get to the bottom of what was upsetting her.

Walking through the door he noticed the place seemed quiet – not a sound could be heard downstairs and upstairs seemed quiet too. He frowned as he threw his shoes off, noticing Charlotte's weren't there. It was in that moment he remembered that it was a Friday night and Charlotte often stayed at friends' houses at the weekend – it was meant to have been her turn this weekend but she'd insisted that it didn't matter, that her Mum needed the rest and her friends would not mind one bit.

Danny sighed as he removed his coat, walking through to the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge, opening it and taking a long, slow swig. A part of him would do anything for a Castle lager but he knew that it wasn't fair on Alice to start drinking – she'd inevitably taste it on his lips or smell it on his breath and although she wouldn't say a thing or oppose him a drink Danny knew that it just wouldn't be fair to remind her of what she couldn't presently have. He shook his head and pushed himself off the side he'd been leaning on; Alice not being around was strange and he felt a little worried that she hadn't even come down to greet him yet or called to him.

He began to walk up the stairs slowly, bottle of water in his hand. He peeped inside Robert's nursery to see him in his cot asleep, the baby monitor beside his cot. He walked in and smiled, leaning on the cot for a few moments observing his son who was growing so quickly. He was eight months old and Danny couldn't believe how quickly time had flown by. He ran his fingers softly and tenderly down his son's cheek before leaving the room, shutting the door quietly behind him before moving towards his and Alice's room where the door was only slightly ajar.

"Alice?" Danny murmured as he opened the door into the darkened room.

She was sat on their bed, her knees underneath her, and one palm covering her eyes as she buried her head into her arm. It was obvious that she crying as her shoulder shook violently with every staggered breath. Danny swallowed and placed his bottle of water on one of the chest of drawers that was close to their door before walking towards the bed.

"Alice..." Danny spoke once more, his voice soft and caring as he sat down upon the bed next to her, gently pulling her into his embrace. He sighed as she let him; putting all her weight on to him. It was almost as though he was her pillar, keeping her from flopping on to the bed and being pulled down by gravity to the depths of the ground. "Alice, sweetheart, come on..."

"Danny..." Alice croaked, "I... I'm..." She paused before taking a deep shaky breath, "I'm scared." She finished on a breath, her voice nothing more than a hoarse whisper.

"I know." Danny whispered, "But I'm here for you – do you want to talk about it?"

"It's not even the operation anymore Danny." Alice cried, moving one arm so it held him tightly. He kissed the top of her head softly, "It's Charlotte, Robert, Rosie, Liv, Evan..." She paused once more, "It's the family... It's You. I'm scared of leaving you all..."

"That's not going to happen." Danny protested stubbornly,

"It might." Alice replied, "And you should all prepare for that."

"No!" Danny demanded standing up, "No! Stop thinking like that Alice! It's a one in a million chance!"

"Stop shouting." Alice cried, "It's not changing anything."

"If it's what's needed to make you shut up about dying then I'll shout all day."

"You want to talk and then bang! You don't wanna discuss it!" Alice shouted coarsely as she too stood up.

"For pities sake Alice!" Danny spat, "I don't want to hear you talk about you dying or not making it through – why? Because I bloody love you!"

"Oh so we can discuss it as long as we don't discuss the possibilities?" Alice snapped, "Why's it always got to be your way?"

"Sorry for not wanting to discuss the possibilities which happen to one person out of every million who have the procedure..."

"There's still that one!"

"Stop being so pessimistic!" Danny growled running both hands through his hair, "I can't come home to this!"

"Don't bother then." Alice retorted, "No one's asking you to stay with me."

"We're married." Danny shouted in disbelief.

"Don't make me your obligation." Alice muttered, "There's a spare room."

"Because that'd be great for Charlie to see." Danny sarcastically exclaimed causing Alice to turn in full fledged anger.

"Your habit of bringing the kids into this is really starting to piss me off!" Alice yelled.

"Oh yes cos everytime I have an argument with you I say it effects Charlotte." Danny rolled his eyes as he finished, "Are you on some sort of new medication?"

"Married couples don't always sleep in the same bed." Alice warned, "In fact, separate beds sound good."

"You can't throw me out the room."

"Can't I?" Alice challenged,

"Fine." Danny spat, "Have it your own way – sorry for trying to support you, sorry for struggling with my emotions, sorry for loving you so much that if I would die to take this illness away from you. In fact! People could torture me for the rest of my days if it meant you didn't have to go through this."

As he finished, he swiped at his eyes before retreating out of the room. Alice stared after him, her mouth open slightly as though she was about to reply. She swallowed before sitting down on the bed – he'd get over it.