Danny's POV

I knew this talk was long overdue. Alice and I had both been trying to carry on as normal, pretend everything was okay and fine, but it wasn't, and that was the truth of the matter.

Alice leaned over and grabbed my hand, I immediately looked towards her, and her intriguing beauty kept my gaze firmly on her, her blue diamonds locked it there with such force that only Alice had the key to unlock.

"I just… I miss it all Alice. I miss my family, my job, Leopards Den…" I sighed.

"I'm sorry Danny for dragging you with me, it was so inconsiderate." She looked down sadly, I quickly cupped her face in my hand.

"Hey, ssh, it's fine Alice, I'll always support you, in fact that probably helped me, gave me something to look forward to, I didn't feel like a waste."

"But…"

"No but's Alice… I can't pretend I'm feeling great, I'm not. I miss my family, even Dupe! I miss everything about Africa, and Leopards Den, I miss my job, you know it's a passion. But hey, at least I have you and Charlie." I smiled. "So what about you?"

"Same really…" She replied, she looked up at me. "Danny there's something I've been meaning to ask."

"Go on." I encouraged.

"Well… You know whilst we are in England, I sort of you know, wondered how you felt about Evan, I mean do you want to visit him? We both have our annual leaves in four weeks." She massaged my hands with her fingers.

"Would be great, actually Alice, erm… I was wondering… since we are in the UK. Well I remember you saying the downfall to coming out here was the fact you couldn't see your mums, you know… erm… resting place, visit her, do you wanna drive up there and see her?"

"You wouldn't mind?" Alice asked.

"Of course not."

"Please…" She smiled.

"Sorted then." I replied, taking her face into my hands and kissing her passionately. She responded happily.

"Lets go home." She grinned, throwing the car into gear and driving in her usual mad way!

(Later - Danny and Alice were lucky enough to share their afternoon alone. Both are now in bed)

Strange. That was my first thought as Alice's grip tightened on me. Jesus Christ! What the hell was that? I jumped up as the house shook and every piece of electrical equipment lost it's power. A flash of bright light lit the black misty sky, followed by an almighty roar as the crashing clouds errupted into a storm. I woke up and wrapped my arms further around Alice.

"That scared me to death." I whispered.

"Me too." Alice replied, her voice was small and quiet. I mean I know Alice isn't a fan of storms but she's not usually this bad.

We led there lying together, Alice gripping me like a vice and I held onto her. Suddenly the lightning got stronger as a rainbow of colours lit the sky, the roaring, clashing rumble of thunder bellowed in the sky as a picture fell of the wall and various other items shook.

"This is the worst storm I've known." I mumbled, it really was, it was even worse than 'the storm'.

"Me too…" Alice whimpered. I kissed her head lightly. The sequence arrived once again and I swore I felt my shirt dampen. I looked down at Alice quickly, who, as she cowarded into me, had a steady trickle to tears flowing.

"Alice?" I asked alarmed.

"I don't like it Danny." She cried. "It reminds me too much of…" She didn't finish.

"Shh, I know, but I'm here, we'll be okay."

"But the flashbacks Danny!" She wailed.

"Come on." I soothed, wrapping both arms around her tightly, she gripped me like a child grips their favourtie teddy bear. I felt her whole body tense as she heard the thunder and her shake and whimper as the lightning struck. I just continued to keep my hold on her.

"I wish it would piss off!" Alice moaned, it had been going on now for around forty minutes. It was one of the longest storms ever, and it's devastation and violence was just growing and growing. It sounded more like a bombing than a storm, but looking outside, you could probably mistake it for that, the whole town was in darkness as one lonely pylon stood sparking.

"It'll go soon." I said, hoping it would, we both needed to sleep.

"Mum? Danny?" We both turned round to see Charlotte at the door.

"Charlie?" I asked, not moving from our position, I wondered if Charlotte understood just how much her mum needed me.

"I don't like it." She whimpered. I manoeuvred my self slightly, so that I still had one arm holding Alice tight, but so my other could wrap around Charlotte. Alice had pushed her self as close as humanly possible as one hand rested on my chest and the other was wrapped around me. Charlotte snuggled into my side too.

"It's horrible isn't it?" Alice sighed, as yet another clash occurred. Charlotte noticed her mum tense.

"Mum? I thought you didn't mind storms…" Charlie said it so innocently.

"Erm…" Alice was struggling, I squeezed her arm.

"Think of the last storm sweetheart." I whispered to Charlotte, she thought for a second before gasping.

"Sorry mum."

"No it's okay Charlie… I'm just silly."

"I'd be scared too." She replied. "What am I on ,I am scared." She giggled.

"Aww, my two girls all scared!" I teased.

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

It was simultaneous, Alice and Charlotte laughed. I glanced at the clock, 4.05am… and hour and five minutes? How long is this storm gonna go on for?

"Danny, is it me or has this storm being going an hour?" Alice asked as she watched the rain beat heavily against our window.

"An hour and five."

"Oh my god!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"It's going." I mumbled, as I heard the deafening roars begin to quieten, although they were still deafening.

"I hope so." Alice muttered, obviously getting at the flashbacks.

I squeezed her arm tightly, as she shuffled even further up to me, if that was even possible, we were as close as humanly possible as it was! I gave Charlotte a gentle squeeze too, but she was already drifting off to sleep. I sighed, it would be pointless to wake her now and send her back to her room until it was over.

The thunder had distanced itself, the lightning streaks had become less and less frequent. I smiled, surely it was going now, after one hour and fifteen minutes? I decided to keep Alice's mind of it, Charlotte was no longer a worry, she was fast asleep.

"You know the old tale of how to tell how far away a storm is?" I whispered, pressing a kiss into her hair.

"No…" Alice replied, staying completely still, her arms still flung over me.

"Well, after the lightning you count in seconds how long it is til the thunder comes."

"Yeh, then what?" She teased.

"Well you count, and if it's three seconds, it's three miles away, if it's ten seconds, it's ten miles away." I told her, moving my fingers around her upper arm.

"Cool, how'd you know that?"

"My mum told me when I was a little boy, used to be scared of the thunder."

"Aww baby!" Alice giggled.

"Hey Missy!" I laughed, "She told me that so I wasn't so scared of it, used to keep me occupied and my mind off it. I eventually got to a stage of liking em."

"I used to like storms, until, you know, the storm. I mean, I suppose good came out of it, but seeing you there… and then thinking you liked Vanessa… it killed me inside… but at least we're together now." She smiled, lightening the sentence up a bit.

"And I'm glad. Hey let's count." I said as a lightning strike lit the skies.

"1,2" The thunder roared.

"2 Miles away!" Alice exclaimed at a hushed voice to avoid waking Charlotte. "I thought it had gone.!"

"It's come back. That's an hour and twenty three minutes!" I whined, looking at the clock.

"Nevermind, thanks Danny… Your mum's method works!" She grinned, kissing my bare chest where her head lay.

"Your welcome." I smiled kissing her forehead. I exhaled deeply as I felt Alice's breath gently float across my skin. I could feel her relaxing, her breathing was slowing down and her eyes were closing. The lightning struck but all remained silent.

I began to close my eyes, happy with my surroundings, Alice and Charlie either side of me, and love infesting the room. I smiled, before relaxing. The thunder struck, it had taken ages.

"23 miles." Alice mumbled, "Love you Danny."

"Love you too." I whispered, as I finally drited off to sleep after what could have been the worst storm I'd ever witnessed in the UK.

A/N - Hope you liked!

The storm was inspired by a storm that hit my area. Was awful! Even 80 year olds were saying it was the worst storm theyd everheard. It shook the houses and it was like a bomb ! A bit scary when you wake up to your house shaking! It lasted an hour and half, and all our electric went cos it hit a pylon which led straight to powerstation! Was awful L

Anyway ! Hope you enjoyed! xx