Danny, Alice, Lily and Lauren were walking around some shops in London. Lauren had been measured and was about the right height and weight for her age, the only sticking point was she wouldn't take her jumper off so she could be measured properly for fitted clothes. She point blank refused. It was a scorcher of a day and she didn't even roll the sleeves of her jumper up. No one understood why she wouldn't but they eventually relented.

Now she and Danny were walking down an aisle, Danny pointing out clothes intermittedly. Lauren spoke to him easily, feeling none of the earlier discomfort. Alice watched them concerned, Alice wasn't worried about Lauren, it was Lily. She seemed to be completely disinterested in the shopping, and that wasn't her!

"Lils you ok?" Alice asked slowing down to walk beside her. Lily glanced at some t-shirts by her side and made a face.

"Yeah." Lily sighed.

"I know that sigh Lil, what's up?"

Lily looked at her mum needing to tell her what happened with Lauren…..but what if Lauren was right, what if they didn't believe her? And she refused to take that chance. "I'm…." she glanced past her mum as a man entered her line of vision. He seemed to be trying to edge closer to them covertly, and failing badly.

"Reporter at twelve o'clock." Lily whispered and cocked her head forward a little.

Alice looked behind her and saw a man going in his pocket. "Danny!" she warned.

Danny knew immediately what she meant and moved so Laurens face was shielded, Alice did the same for Lily. After the reporter snapped a few photos of Danny and Alice's back Alice took the girls around a corner while Danny made a beeline for the reporter. It had the desired effect and he made a ruin for it. Danny instead of letting him go ran after him.

Lily used to this sort of this was completely unphased, Lauren kept on looking behind her to see what was going on. "What happened? Where's Danny gannin?"

Alice shook her head. "Don't worry, someone just tried to take some pictures of you two. We weren't sure how long we were followed so Danny is going to get his camera."

"We get this a lot." Lily told her snidely. "But you don't know that do you?"

Lauren shot her a dark look.

"Lily!" Alice scolded. "But Lily is right." she turned to Lauren. "You need to keep your eyes open because this can happen a lot depending on where we are, pictures of the two of you are wanted too as we keep you out of the public eye and out of the limelight."

Lauren nodded then looked the other way.

"We'll get the both of you out of here, we got you some clothes anything else we can get at home." I have faxed some photos of you to my solicitor and he's sorting you a passport we should be out of here in a few days."

Lauren was feeling a little overwhelmed. She knew that she had things arriving at the hotel and more stuff at their home in Africa. Alice and Danny were just buying her all this stuff and not even looking at how much it cost, even encouraging her to pick stuff out for herself. She'd never had this before. Her mum hadn't had much spare money to spend on her, although if she did Lauren didn't know about it. All of her clothes had been hand me downs and she had no idea where they came from!

Danny was approaching a camera in his hand.

"You catch him?" Alice asked.

"Sure did." he told her. "I wiped the photos off his big camera and took this disposable away. I'm getting sued again." he told her. "He's saying I hit him and apparently he's traumatised. I should have bloody hit him!" he told her. "No bloody privacy!"

"Carl will deal with it." Alice replied feeling defeated. Sick of this way of life.

Danny pulled her close for a hug. "We'll be home soon, out own little patch of privacy yeah?"

Lily was looking through some clothes, Lauren was watching Danny and Alice and the tenderness in which Danny treated her. Lauren rubbed her head. When had parents and partners been about tenderness? She had been taught that it was about doing anything to help your loved one get what they needed. In her mums case as soon as her mum got revenge then she would love her and hug her. Parents didn't just love you for nothing did they? Her hands started to fist in her hair as the thought kept whizzing around her head tormenting her.

"Lauren?" Danny asked.

"Ignore her she's crazy!" Lily advised. "I'd leave her here!"

Laurens head whipped around and she glared. "Just give iz a reason!" she hissed.

Danny took Lily's arm. "You won't talk about Lauren like that! She is your sister and if you two can't get along you will treat each other civilly and with respect! Do you understand me Lily?"

Lily looked at her dad with wide eyes and nodded mutely. Danny started leading them all out of the shop, their car had arrived. Alice walked alongside Lily.

"It'll be alright you know." she whispered

Lily scoffed. "Will it? Things are already changing and not for the better!" she breathed.

Danny looked back at them, waited until they were all in the car and then climbed in.

No one spoke.

They were all back at the hotel sitting on opposite sides of the room. Almost like the family was divided. Lily and Alice on one side. Lauren and Danny on the other. The girl were glaring at each other. Danny was sorting the mail while Alice was on the phone. Alice put her hand over the receiver.

"Carl said we should be able to get home tomorrow Danny."

He picked up the laptop. "I'll book us tickets."

"Wonder if my horses are ok." Lily mused. "Mum can I ring Cory?"

Alice nodded. "When I'm done."

"Are you interested in horses Lauren?" Danny asked.

Lauren shrugged. "Am not really bothered."

"GOOD!" Lily crowed.

Lauren glared at her. "But I'm sure I can learn Lily!"

"You can stay away from my horses!" Lily hissed.

"Lauren can share your horses until she decides she wants one of her own." Danny told Lily.

Lauren's jaw dropped. "You'd buy me a horse? It's unreal how daft you people are with money like!"

"Do you have interests?" Danny asked typing away on the laptop, ignoring her statement.

Lauren loved the guitar. One of her mums ex's had been in a band and he had taught her how to play when her mum was out. All she wanted since she could remember was her own guitar. Her mums ex had said she was good and picked it up really well. She couldn't read music but taught herself to play by ear. But she didn't want them getting her a guitar, she wouldn't be there that long….she still hadn't had a chance to get in touch with Emma, so she lied to Danny, "Not really, nothing stands out."

"Football? Sports?" he asked.

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "I don't like mud, or sweat!" she replied dryly.

Danny smoked, "You didn't like it as a little girl either. Lily used to tease you all the time."

Lily gave Lauren a smirk. "Dad can we do something?"

"What all of us?"

"No, just me and you." Lily pleaded.

"What do you want to do?"

"Basketball."

"You complain when I win Lily, then you complain when I don't try to win! You forget your mum is the actress not me!"

"I've been practising, c'mon dad. Please." she whined.

Danny, physically unable to say no to his little girl relented. "Ok." he looked to his other daughter. "Lauren?"

"No dad, I'm sure she doesn't want to!" Lily told him quickly shaking her head.

Lauren bristled, she hated having anyone answer for her. "I'd love to!" she said brightly.

Lily ground her teeth together.

"Al just go and change." and Lauren went into the bedroom.

Alice finally put the phone down and exhaled.

"Alice love?" he asked sitting down beside her and taking her hands in his.

She lowered her voice as Lily took the phone.

"I spoke to my solicitor and the police have no idea who this Emma is, they don't have enough to go on. There was no one with that name on the beach that day but from the eye witness accounts no one saw anything anyway! All the security cameras in the hallway were blacked out so they don't even have a picture of her."

Danny pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We have both of the girls here with us safe, thats all that matters."

She rubbed her eyes feeling a headache forming. "Are they safe though?" rubbed her face. "And are we being wise even considering bringing another kid into this kind of life? We couldn't protect Lauren, what if our guard is down for one second and we lose another child? I don't think I could go through that again Danny. I'm terrified to take my eyes off either of them for a second!"

Danny rested his forehead on hers and looked in her eyes. "We won't. I know we won't." ran his hand down her cheek. "I'm taking the girls down to the courts for a while, why don't you go to the spa? Take your phone and tell Mandy where you are making sure to rub it in!"

"She'll want an update on the girls too." Alice added tiredly. "Well an update on Lauren at least."

"Go relax while I go tire out our girls. Lils, go get Lauren will you?"

"Dad I'm on the phone!" she told him pointedly. Plus she'd rather not have to look at her unless she had to!

"I'll get her." Alice offered, knocked on the door and it drifted open. She saw Lauren pulling on a jumper, before her arms were fully covered Alice spotted the criss-crossing of scars that littered her forearms. Alice's eyes widened, "What…." she glanced at Danny, shook her head walked into the room and closed the door.

"What dee ya think ya deein walkin in on iz like that!" Lauren yelled. "Ya well out of order like!"

"Your arm." Alice asked.

Lauren pushed the sleeves of her jumper down, walked towards Alice and tried to shove her out of the way.

Alice refused to be budged, instead she grasped Laurens arm. Lauren glared mutinously but Alice pushed the sleeve up. Immediately saw scars, some old some new, some were white lines, others were small and in the shape of a circle, some thick and ugly. Some were obviously burns. Alice's free hand moved to cover her mouth. Lauren yanked her arm away and swallowed thickly. Again she hid the evidence of what she endured at the hands of Emma.

"Who….what…" Alice gasped.

"I was a bad kid Alice." Lauren hissed.

Alice searched her face. "But…."

"No buts! Ah deserved it. Ah had to learn respect!"

Alice shook her head. "No."

"AYE!" Lauren told her. "And that is all am saying! And don't bother telling Danny, he doesn't need to know ok!"

"I share everything with Danny, especially about you girls. He deserves to know."

Lauren lowered her voice cold and menacing. "Am telling ya not to tell him!"

Alice raised her eyebrows unphased by Laurens display. "You don't tell me anything, you are a child."

"Not your child yet!" Lauren hissed. "An am entitled to me privacy! If ah don't want him to know that's up to me innit!"

Lauren and Alice stared at each other. Alice could feel a vibe flowing off Lauren and relented. "I'll wait until we get confirmation that you're ours. And if he asks me outright I won't lie to him." Alice then spun and left the room. She could feel Laurens hateful gaze on her as she departed.

Lauren exhaled in relief as soon as she was alone. She didn't know why but it felt incredibly important that Danny didn't find out about her scars. Maybe it was because she didn't want him thinking she was a bad kid, or maybe it was something else. She didn't know, all she did know was that he couldn't find out and she'd do anything to make sure he didn't! She composed herself and left the bedroom. Danny smiled at her, he was always doing that, smiling at her,

"You ready?" he asked.

"You bet. Where we off?"

"Just downstairs, this play has a gym, sports hall and spa."

"Whoa!" Lauren whispered.

They had been playing three way basketball for an hour and Danny was clear winner. Lily had her shorts and t-shirt on, glistening with sweat, Danny was in his trousers and t-shirt, barely breathing hard. Lauren was overheating in her jumper but she couldn't take it off for obvious reasons. She had the ball in her possession, ran to the basket threw it with all her might and missed the basket. She stomped her foot, she had never been good at sports! Lily kept on saying snide comments to her under her breath when she passed and Lauren longed to wipe that smug smile off her face.

"So to give my girls a chance how about the two of you work together?" Danny suggested.

"Me work with her?" Lily asked disgusted. "I'd end up worse off!"

"Ave had just about enough of ya snide comments like!" Lauren fumed.

Lily turned to her. "What are you going to do about it exactly?"

Lauren started towards her.

"TIME OUT!" Danny called. "Lets settle this the old fashioned way," he grinned. "One on one basketball. Here's the rules, no kicking, or hitting of any kind. But you can shove each other a little bit."

Lauren grinned and looked at Lily. "Ya gannin down!"

"First to five wins." Danny finished.

"That'll be me!" Lily crowed.

Danny pulled a coin from his pocket. "Call it!"

"Tails." Lauren and Lily shouted in unison then looked at each other "Heads! Tails." they said, both of them getting angry as their responses were identical. "Tails, tails, tails, heads, tails….."

Danny stared at them open mouthed, it was like they were in each others heads or something. Even they were starting to get unnerved now, it was scary!

"Lil's, call it." he asked when they both quieted, staring at the other suspiciously.

"Tails."

"Ah was gonna say heads." Lauren said offhandedly.

"Bet ya!" Lily muttered.

Danny flipped the coin and looked. "Its heads."

"Yes!" Lauren said and took the ball. "I'm gonna decimate you!"

"We'll have to scrape what's left of you off the floor." Lily retorted.

"Girls!" Danny cautioned.

Lauren took the ball behind Lily and smirked.

"Ok, three, two, one…..go!" Danny told them.

Lauren bounced the ball and took a few steps back. She kept her mind blank as she realised Lily was trying to read what she was going to do, her eyes trained on Laurens. Lily followed.

"C'mon play!" Lily said getting frustrated.

"Make iz!"

Lily lunged, Lauren moved quickly, ran down to the basket and threw. It circled the rim then fell out. Lily grabbed the ball and sunk the ball cleanly. "That's one."

"Ya only one!" Lauren corrected.

"Oh I forgot to tell you, I'm on the team at school." Lily gloated laughing.

Lauren gritted her teeth, as Lily took her place. She headed towards her slowly.

"C'mon girls!" Danny encouraged.

Lily however rounded Lauren easily and sunk another basket. Again it was Laurens turn, Lily took it seemingly effortlessly and sank another basket. Lauren was starting to feel inferior and it was making her blood boil. It was getting personal now so as Lauren stood in front of Lily she pushed her sleeves up and started to shadow her. Lily tried to turn with the ball and she couldn't. They inched towards the basket, Lily went to take a shot and Lauren put her arms up to block her. Lily spotted the scars and looked at them with a frown.

"What are…."

Lauren almost immediately realised her mistake and did the only thing she could think of, she palmed the ball and smashed it down onto Lily's face. Lily had no time to even try to protect herself, the ball hit her, she cried out and fell to the floor clutching her face moaning in pain. Lauren pushed the arms of her jumper down.

Danny ran over and moved Lily's hands gently inspecting her nose. "It isn't broken at least." he said.

Lily ignored him. "You did that on purpose!" she hissed at Lauren and stood up to give her dad a better look. "Just because I saw…."

"You saw nothing alreet!" Lauren warned.

"I saw…."

"SHUT UP!" and Lauren moved so she and Lily were nose to nose. "Say it and I'll kill you." she whispered so only Lily could hear, eyes glittering with promise.

"Girls! Lily it was an accident." Danny said trying to placate them.

Lily and Lauren didn't move. Laurens eyes flared, a blatant dare.

"Yeah, an accident!" Lily hissed, unsure as to whether Lauren would try to kill her. She had already hurt her in the room earlier so who knew what the psycho was capable of! Instead of staying to be hurt more she turned on her heel and stomped off. Slammed the door to the sports hall as she left.

"You done Lauren?" Danny asked, hating that this ended badly. He wanted his girls to bond.

She nodded. "I had a good time."

He looked at her, "Me too." and side by side they went upstairs to their room.

A/N Lauren is a strange one i'll tell you, and she and Lily really dont get along (can't blame lily really!) Danny though, i think hestrying too hard which might be his downfall!
sorry for the lack of update/reviews on your stories. Uni work is killing me atm and it isn't gonna get better :( so i may not be here often but i will update/review eventually.
This is really rubbish, defo not my best work but its kinda of a transition chapter, they go home in the next and that is when things get really going! So please stick with it, even tho this chappie was really bad :( x