Alice was lain on her stomach her head hanging off the bed. Oh God how much had she drank last night? She lifted her head and felt a pounding resound in her skull. She clutched it and rolled over…..there was a warm body beside her. She knew immediately it wasn't Danny. They had split up, he was on his way to Africa and most of all it felt wrong….very wrong! She turned her head praying it wasn't…..oh my god it was Michael! She hadn't! Please say she hadn't. She covered her face on the verge of tears. Michael opened his eyes lowered her hands and smiled at her.

"Morning gorgeous."

Alice couldn't find the words within her to talk. She was cheater, she had cheated on her husband, she felt physically sick.

Michael rolled over and gathered her close. Pressed his lips to hers.

She put her hands on his chest and pushed him away.

"What?" he asked.

"Michael this was….."

"Brilliant!" he interrupted. "I know you're a morning person too." he murmured.

"NO!" she told him forcefully. "It was a mistake!"

"What?" he echoed.

"I'm married Michael."

He smiled seductively. "So?"

"I love my husband, last night I was drunk and missing him."

"Alice I was us to start again, me, you and Charlotte."

She sat up. "Are you insane?"

"I mean it."

"What about Danny? Robbie?"

"I can take on Robbie as mine. See how he likes me stealing his kid!" his tone venomous.

She narrowed her eyes. "I'd NEVER let you do that, he's good dad!"

"You let him steal my kid!" he protested.

"NO Michael you let him, you weren't there for her and she needed a dad!"

"Alice we were good together back then. We have a child."

Alice climbed from the bed unwilling to speak to him anymore. "I need a shower, just leave." she then escaped to the bathroom. As she stood under a hot spray she remembered things, him kissing her, he never took his lips from hers. She blanked her mind not wanting to venture further into her memories. She heard the front door slam and exhaled. Her head lowered and came to rest on the bathroom tiles. A mountain of guilt pressing down on her. It shouldn't matter, she and Danny weren't together, they had agreed to divorce she still felt married to him though, bound in some extricable way and now she…..

She climbed from the shower and dressed. Walked downstairs to the kitchen and saw the incriminating bottle of vodka on the table. She poured the rest down the drain vowing never to touch the stuff again she found some tablets and downed them with some orange juice. As she was sorting out toast and contemplating how quiet and empty the house was the phone rang.

"Hello." she said after picking up.

"Mum!" It was Charlie.

"Just wanted to call you to say that the three of us got here safely."

"Ok sweetie."

"I'm really sorry too mum, Danny really went mad at me for what I said. He told me that when I get home, coz we are coming home that the three of us were gonna sort some stuff out. He also told me that I was staying with you but not coz he wasn't my dad but coz he is and he knows how much me leaving would hurt you and he'd never do that to you."

Charlotte was making her feel worse! "Were you all ok on the flight?"

"Robbie threw up on Danny but apart from that we're all great. The family are cooing over Robbie. Everyone fought over who got to hold him first! I think Dupe is Robbie's favourite like me!"

Alice could hear how happy she was to be home in her voice. Could nearly feel the smile though the phone. She heard Danny's voice echo.

"Sorry mum I gotta go Danny is telling me I got to go to bed."

"Sleep tight sweetie." Alice had forgot the time difference.

"You wanna speak to Danny mum?"

Before Alice could answer she heard his smooth voice over the phone.

"Hi Alice."

She felt sick. "Hello."

"I want to apologise for how I acted yesterday, for what I've said and done since we moved to London... for everything really. I take it back about the divorce too. Being back here put it all in perspective, me and you will find a way to make us work in London, how could we not?"

Oh My God what was he saying that for? "Sorry Danny I have to go!" she squeaked tears in her eyes.

"Ok bye." he said sadly.

(X)

Danny sat on the veranda with a bottle of beer in one hand and his phone in the other, Dupe came out carrying whiskey. "You need something stronger."

"Can't Robbie…."

"Caroline and Rosie will see to him, plus he's asleep."

Danny shook his head. "No Dupe."

"Fine." Dupe said and poured himself a drink. "So?" he coaxed.

"Alice and I had an argument Dupe, not a bad one in terms of content but was bad in other ways. I got so sick of it all and told her I wanted a divorce."

Dupe literally dropped his glass. "You what Trevanion! Are you out of your mind?"

"I had been drinking and I was upset and so sick of feeling like that. I know it's no excuse but….." he exhaled and picked at the label on his bottle. "I called her earlier, she seemed distant, didn't want to talk to me. God I am so stupid! Two seconds after walking onto Leopards Den without her and I knew I didn't want to be here! I left but forgot the reason why! I didn't leave for her I left for me because I need to be close to her. How could I forget that?" Danny was tortured.

"Ach Danny don't be going all mushy…." Inside Dupe thought it was so sweet….he'd never admit it though!

"Don't worry Dupe. I've lost her, I'm in the process of losing Charlie too."

Dupe frowned. "Alice is stopping you seeing her?" Dupe picked up his glass and poured another drink.

"No."

"How then?"

"Her dad is in town, her real dad."

Dupe made a face.

"He's all ready to play daddy, Charlie is ignoring him but once I am out of the picture." he exhaled and rubbed his face.

"You're blocking him aren't you?"

"Too right!" Danny declared. "She's my kid not his!"

Dupe toasted him.

"It put more strain on me and Alice though. I subtly hinted that she was cheating with him."

"Trevanion you are the stupidest clever person I have ever met!"

Danny exhaled again.

"Have you and Alice tried to find some time alone?" Dupe suggested.

"We tired Dupe, everything was going so well…Vanessa owned the restaurant, we saw her and I spoke to her and neglected Alice. That was the night I asked for the divorce. Then Ed rang me and here I am."

"When you mess up your marriage you don't do it by half do you?"

Danny stared inside his bottle at the liquid. "I love her Dupe and I've lost her, I pushed her too much and she's gone."

"There is always a way Danny, we just need to get her here!"

Danny shook his head. "I've hurt her enough, it's best I just give her what she wants. Nothing I do will erase what I have said. It was the cheating comment…. I don't even know why I said it. She'd never do that to me."

"Danny you can't give up, not if you love her."

"I can Dupe, and I am." Danny then stood up and walked into the house.

Not if Dupe had anything to do with it! He started to plan.

A/N awwww feel so sorry for danny especially when he realised that it took him coming back alone to see how much he loved her :/

I have half a chapter written after this so next update it Opp Att, i have made a deal with myself, if i work hard on mu uni work during the day i can update at night - i was going insane lol