Danielle immediately regretted her words; she couldn't believe what she had just said to Ronnie. Her face dropped, she had gone too far. It wasn't like she even really believed it, not deep down. The subtle alteration in Ronnie's expression turned from shock to something Danielle couldn't quite decipher. It was neither the love she had seen when Ronnie entered the room, nor the desperation shown when Danielle has accused her of not wanting her baby. The expression Ronnie wore was quite blank, she looked a mixture of hurt, upset, disbelief and disappointment, but not rage, though Danielle feared that was the way things were heading. Ronnie loathed Archie, that was the first thing Danielle had noticed about her when arriving in Walford. Not to mention the fact that this was Ronnie Mitchell, hardly someone to let a comment like that go unpunished. She knew Ronnie had even hurt Roxy when pushed too far. Her anger had now subsided as pure fear flooded her senses.
Danielle began to tremble as the reality hit her. Ronnie might be her mum, but that didn't mean she had immunity from her aggression. After all, look how she had treated Roxy and Archie in the past; they were still her family despite everything they had done. Then another thought occurred to Danielle; even if Ronnie remained calm, she had still blown their chances now, she had still lost her mum, again. Danielle wished she had made a run for it earlier when she'd had the chance, but now it was too late. Ronnie's eyes were locked on her and she was stood between Danielle and the door...the only escape was unreachable.
Ronnie wasn't quite sure what to do or how to react. She still couldn't get her head around what she was experiencing. Did Danielle truly hate her that much? If she did, then what hope did they have, what more could Ronnie do or say to get her little girl back? All her instincts were screaming at her to put her defences up, not to let anyone in, not to let anyone hurt her. But her heart had begun to plead against it. This was still her baby, even if she tried, Ronnie knew she would never be able to shut Danielle out again, and she didn't want to. The hurt she may receive could never compare to the loss of her child, she couldn't bare the thought of being separated from her baby again, not even by one wall of her icy exterior.
Ronnie's thoughts were interrupted by heavy footsteps running down the hallway towards them. Both mother and daughter jumped at the rude awakening from their trance like state; they had been so trapped in their own thoughts and fears that reality had seemed miles away. The same thought enter their minds, Archie. Ronnie turned her head to look at the door, only to see Peggy dart past in the direction of her room, clearly distraught. Ronnie let out a sigh of relief.
As Ronnie turned back to face her daughter, Danielle flew past her, knocking Ronnie completely off her feet. She sat dazed for a second before managing to react by attempting to haul herself to her feet. Her head throbbed as she did so, a trickle of blood slid down to meet her eyebrow, the small cut had been caused by the impact made with the side table as she fell. But it didn't matter, she had to get to Danielle, the thought of losing her was unbearable. Now it was her turn to feel terrified.
Ronnie stumbled through the living room door; she didn't want to increase Danielle's need to get away, but fear took over as she called after her daughter. "Danielle! Wait, Danielle!"
Danielle had seized her opportunity, she was heading full pelt down the stairs, determined to get out of the pub before Ronnie caught up with her. She could hear her mother's desperate calls, but they were distant and her pace refused to falter.
Hi, hope you've enjoyed. Two more chapters well on the way :D Originally I wasn't going to have the bit between Ronnie and Danielle upstairs, just Danielle running out, but I thought that was a bit cruel to you poor people :P Please keep reviewing, its much appreciated!!! :D