Shauna and Mrs Carr were out shopping. Danny and Alice sat in the kitchen talking. Danny was sat playing with the moon sand with Lexi. And having a great time if he was being honest!

"Where you work then?" Danny asked.

"I work part time at next. Love my discount!" she declared.

"I work at JD Sports. Love my discounts too!" he replied.

"We'll share yeah? You get me stuff from your discount and I'll get you stuff off mine!" she said hopefully.

"Honey I don't shop at next!" he said.

Endearments seemed to fall from his lips naturally. Alice didn't even notice it, it was normal to hear them coming in his smooth tone.

"Damn!" she said seriously.

"And Lexi has built the highest tower known to man!" he said dramatically to Lexi who giggled.

"It's my mermaids castle. Look there's the windows and the doors." he said pointing.

"Oh yeah, and there's the flag. Wow that's the best castle I've ever seen!"

Lexi beamed at the praise.

"I'll be over there sunshine ok." he said.

He walked over to where Alice was sitting. She was sat sipping orange juice watching her daughter as she was intricately building something only she could see.

"Your life's turned out pretty well huh?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded. "I guess so, I have my little girl who is happy and healthy. So I suppose it has." she took another sip.

"Can't forget about Ryan!" he added.

"Yeah and Ryan." she added softly.

"Why isn't he here with you?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes.

"Sorry I shouldn't of mentioned it!" he said quickly.

She shook her head. "He's in construction but he's training to be a policeman. Apparently he volunteered to work on Christmas day." her voice lowered. "Personally I think it's bullshit because they wouldn't have trainees working alone!" she whispered.

"What type of man doesn't want to have Christmas day with his daughter!" he said in disgust.

"He's not her father!" Alice told him quietly.

"He's not?" Danny asked incredulous. "She looks just like him."

Alice smiled. "Well that would be hard coz she's not his."

"What about her father then. Does he want anything to do with her?" Danny asked.

"I dunno." she replied.

She was gonna tell him here she could feel it!

He was confused. "Alice?" he asked.

"Well Danny the thing is….." Shauna burst into the kitchen and broke the moment.

"Shit!" she muttered and glared at Shauna.

"Oooo auntie Shauna what you get me?" Lexi asked.

"Hey squirt get outta that bag!" Shauna said. Her mother and her had found the cutest fairy dress up outfit. Alice would go mad if she found out that they'd bought Lexi more stuff but that was nana's and aunties prerogative!"

"Ok Shauns I know that look. What you got her?" Alice asked

"Nothing!" Shauna said innocently.

"Alice you hear that tone. She's definitely hiding something." Danny piped up.

"I'll kick your ass Daniel. No-one asked you!" Shauna laughed.

Lexi pulled a bag of sweets from her bag. "Are these for me?" she asked.

"Well I had got them for Daniel but no you can have them!" Shauna said.

"Poor Danny." Alice said as she saw him wipe away a pretend tear.

"Hey Mr Danny, I'll share them." she said and sat beside him.

Oh God this little girl was stealing his heart. Just as quick as her mother had all those years ago.

"Don't worry about it sunshine."

She picked up a sweet and popped it in his mouth as he was speaking. He nearly choked.

"Mummy said it's nice to share!" she said simply.

She popped another in his mouth. He growled and pretended to nearly bite her fingers.

Lexi giggled. It suddenly became a game. Lexi was in fits of laughter.

Alice just watched and felt herself fall in love with Danny. She literally watched her heart float away towards Danny! A little half smile on her mouth as she gazed at him. Thing was she didn't even want it back! He was going to be an amazing father. Lexi shrieked when he got really close. Danny started putting sweets in Lexis's mouth and copied her reactions.

Shauna nudged her. "Your staring practically drooling at him!" she whispered.

"Look at him with her Shauns. How can you NOT fall in love with that?" Alice asked.

"I knew it. I knew I should have put my money on today!" she said in disgust.

"What?" Alice asked.

"Me and mum had a bet on when you'd cave and admit you love him. I knew she'd win!" she said in disgust.

"You placed bets?" she said angrily.

"Oh yeah. It was blatant. All but to the two of you. Tell me when your gonna dump Ryan and get with Danny I wanna win my money back!" she said snidely.

"Fuck off!" Alice said.

"Oh and for you information I found it very easy not to fall in love with him!" Shauna said and laughed.

Danny came over. "You whispering about me?" he murmured in Alice's ear.

Alice exhaled a large breath. Shauna sniggered.

Alice looked at Danny. Voice shaky she said. "No, just trying to get Shauna to tell me what her mums got me for Christmas."

"O ok." he said and walked out of the room.

"You get me that thing for Danny?" Alice asked Shauna.

"Yeah I did." she said and pulled out a black box and handed it to Alice. They heard Danny walking back towards the room.

"Where am I gonna put it?" she hissed.

Shauna looked at the box then the fridge. She grabbed it and shoved it in the freezer.

Danny walked back in. Alice looked weird, so did Shauna. They looked far too innocent.

"Ok What's up?" he asked.

"The sky!" Shauna said and laughed hysterically. "O I crack myself up I really do."

"Nothing Danny we're fine." Alice said. Her hand never leaving the freezer door.

"Yeah right!" he scoffed.

"What you don't trust me?" she asked pretending offence.

"Alice honey you look as guilty as hell!" he said.

Shauna grinned when she heard Danny call Alice honey. God it was blatant he loved her too.

"Remember the face you wore when you told Mr Simmons not to start coz you weren't in the mood to dead with his crap. You fed him so much backwards talk and double speak he looked like he was gonna explode!" he said.

She smiled. "Yeah I spoke so much gibberish he looked like he was gonna have a aneurysm." she said laughing.

"Well if you two start reminiscing about your soppy, romantic basically make you wanna be sick you were so bad past then this is where I bid you goodbye." Shauna said. "I wish you luck Lex." she added.

"We're not Shauna. We're just talking about Mr Simmons. I libbed him so bad. I owned him!" she said laughing. "Lexi close your ears." she said realising what she'd said in front of her 4 year old.

Shauna picked her bags up. "Well I'm off anyways. Gotta wrap these lil beauties." she said and winked. She then left the room.

"Danny!" Shauna shouted.

Danny frowned. "What she want me for?" he asked Alice who in turn shrugged.

As soon as he left the room Alice took her box from the freezer and shoved it in a cupboard. Shauna was great! she thought.

(X)

Danny walked towards Shauna.

"I got you that stuff you wanted. There's your change."

"You get what I wanted for Lexi?" he asked,

She smiled. "Yeah. She's gonna love it!" Shauna said.

"Will you wrap them for me?" he asked flashing her his you know you want to grin.

"That grin doesn't work on me Dannyl!" she said. "You will take advantage of a girls hospitality!" she added.

"Pleeeease!" he pleaded.

"Ok but only because Alice loves you!" Shauna told him.

Danny shook his head. "Alice doesn't love me!" he said sadly.

"Don't be too sure." she said and winked at him. She walked toward her bedroom Danny stood frowning. She looked back at him. "Trust Auntie Shauns, she knows everything. i was right last time wasn't I?"

He was shaking his head as he walked into the living room. He saw Lexi having a tea party with Alice and Mrs Carr. She was setting everything up.

"Mr Danny come over here and sit next to me and mummy." she said and patted his spot. "That's where Ryan usually sits but you can sit there coz I like you!" Lexi declared.

"So your replacing Ryan." Mrs Carr suggested. She was determined to get Danny and Alice together!

Alice frowned at the woman who was pratically her mother.

"Yes, but Ryan is lovely too. Ignore nana Lexi she says silly things sometimes!"

Mrs Carr's eyes narrowed. "Me and you are going to have a chat!" Mrs Carr then dragged her away from the table.

The door was ajar. Danny was pretending to drink tea from a tiny pink cup

"What are you thinking? You've got that little girls father in there and your talking about Ryan. It's clear as day that the old feelings between you and Danny are still there. If not stronger coz remember your adults now! I haven't missed the way you look at each other or the eyes you make either."

"Excuse me but I don't make eyes at Danny and I love Ryan. We are going to be married incase you've forgotten!" Alice said.

"That's easily changed! I know what he's like. You forget Shauna lives here too. I can't believe your stupid enough to fall for the crap he feeds you has he said your horrible, unattractive and he's the only one who wants you?" she asked angrily.

Alice went pale. He had said that on their last argument. But he apologised he hadn't meant it!

"By the look on your face that's a yes. Alice Danny loves you and I know you love him too. Just think about it!" she said.

"There is nothing to think about. Me and Ryan are getting married. I need to get back to my daughter" Alice said and walked back into the living room.

Mrs Carr walked back in too. Why was Alice being so stubborn? God she was her mothers daughter. She was so much like her mother. The same had happened to her. She ended up engaged and married to someone she didn't love and history was repeating with Alice. Mrs Carr wasn't going to let that happen she loved Alice too much to let her end up in a loveless marriage with an abusive man. Even if she had to stop it on the wedding day then she would. She just hoped Alice had inherited some of her fathers attitude. She must of got it from him coz her mother hadn't necessarily been a strong woman. She was too easy to push around and when she found herself in difficult situations she just folded to keep everyone happy. Alice had a feisty attitude and spirit which Mrs Carr didn't want to see squashed or doused!

She sat and watched Danny and Alice as they played with their daughter. They needed their heads banging together that's for sure!

(X)

"Mmmm Lexi, that is the nicest coffee I have ever had. I do believe I could have some more!" Danny said.

Lexi poured him another cup. Alice looked at the clock. "C'mon baby time for your bath!"

"But mommy I'm playing with Mr Danny." she said.

"Lexi." she warned.

She crossed her arms and stood her ground. "NO!" she said.

Oh God the look on her daughters face. If he missed that then he was blind!

"Ok Alexis Marie get yourself up those stairs and into that bathroom right now!" Alice said sternly.

Mother and daughter glared at each other. Lexi stood up gave her mother a dark look then walked over and slammed the living room door. Alice looked at it.

Danny was sat at the little pink table. A chuckle escaped. He was soon laughing hard.

She turned to him. Arms crossed. "What is so funny?" she asked.

"Could you two look any more alike? You were so similar it was eerie. It felt like I was looking at a 2 foot Alice! You were flipping identical, same scowls the lot! God help you when she's older. The fallout will be like world war 3!"

"Don't I know it!" Alice replied. "Actually in temperament she is more like her father she's usually so laid back about stuff. She just really enjoyed her time with you and didn't want it to come to an end."

Neither did Alice either.

Danny's laughter died on his lips at the mention of Lexi's father. He shouldn't feel like that but he couldn't help it he did!

"I'd better be going home!" he said.

"Lexi will be in bed soon. Stay have a beer before you go." she asked. "C'mon it's Christmas eve." she said and smiled at him

"Ok." he said. Those blue eyes and smile got him every time.

Alice heard doors slamming upstairs.

"Excuse me." she said and walked up stairs. "You'd better be in the bathroom and not slamming doors Alexis or your in big trouble!" Alice shouted.

Danny smiled. He felt completely at home here. Its just a shame that this woman and her child weren't his!

A/N oooo alcohol, remember what happened when danny was drunk :) :) :) next chappie up soon. reveiw please my ace reviewers x