Christmas was just around the corner, Leopards Den was alive it seemed. Alice had finally bit the bullet and rang her dad. He basically told her in no uncertain terms to get lost. He got wind of what she was accused of doing at her old University and finally washed his hands of her. She was surprised it took him this long, he'd been looking for an excuse for years. It was finally official, she was alone in the world. Rowan would never side with her over their father. She felt depression begin to descend. She didn't know why she felt like this, she had been alone over Christmas before and it hadn't really bothered her. Then again she hadn't been around family either. Seeing the way Danny was with Rosie, how excited he was at her excitement, made her wish things were different. Hence the reason she rang her father, she hadn't had her dad in so long!

Danny had asked her if she needed time off over the holidays to visit family. What to have the door slammed in her face? No thank you, no doubt her father had been spreading what he thought he knew around everyone and that would only reinforce their preconceived notions about her. That she was trouble and to steer well clear. She hated this distance she really did but it was his choice, and therefore his loss.

Danny went all out for Christmas. The house was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree and their actual tree was real and well over 8 foot. Danny was in his element baking festive cookies, decorating the house. Rosie was buzzing around with her odd jobs. They tried to include her but she didn't want to get too entwined with this family. She was already far too attached as it was.

"Alice." came a small voice.

Alice turned and saw Rosie looking nervous. She was like her father when nervous. She fidgeted.

"Yeah Rosicles." her new nickname.

"Can you do something for me?"

"What?" Alice asked scribbling her name on a order form.

"Well I haven't got dad's present yet and I really need it and I want it to be a surprise so he can't come and I need to know will you take me but it's ok coz I can go with Caroline…." she said quickly.

"Whoa, slow down kiddo. Of course I'll go shopping with you. When do you want to go?"

Rosie grinned at her. "I gotta go now coz it's Christmas Eve."

"Is it?" Alice yelped. She still had shopping to do, see she was that depressed she had lost all track of time. "Come on, I need to grab a jacket."

They walked up to the house side by side, discussing possible presents for Danny.

"Daddy!" Rosie yelled as she walked into the house.

He popped his head out of the living room, covered in streamers.

"More decorations?" Alice groaned. "You'll be decorating me next."

He stuck his tongue out.

"I'm going shopping." Rosie said as Alice disappeared in her room.

"I'll be…."

"I don't need you, Alice is coming with me."

His smile fell. "Ok baby have fun."

"We will." Rosie beamed. "We're having a girls day out. No boys allowed."

Again? He thought. It was the same as her party, then again his little girl was starting to blossom. "What about a dad huh?" he didn't really want to be in the house by himself.

"Nope just me and Alice."

"Ok baby."

Alice appeared holding her jacket. "You better get one too Rosie."

"Don't go without me." then ran to her room.

"You ok with this?" Alice asked walking into the living room.

Danny sat cross legged on the floor untangled lights. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno." she admitted,

He shrugged. "I've never had to share her before. Especially not with a woman."

"You still don't have to. She's getting your Christmas present."

"Oh."

"So no she did not pick me over you." she laughed.

"That makes me feel better. Daddy's are easily replaced."

Alice held back a 'not the good ones'. he was most definitely a good one. "Don't worry I'll take good care of her."

"I know. That was never a worry." that was how much he trust they shared, he trusted her with his little girl. He would never have let Miranda out of sight with Rosie. What kind of a husband did that make him?

"Can't say we won't come back and girly and giggly." Alice told him when shadows appeared in his eyes.

He smiled. "I like girly."

"I bet you do." she replied then spotted Rosie come from her room.

(X)

It was dark when Alice returned carrying Rosie, she was flat out on her shoulder. Danny smiled when he saw them enter. Saw the gentle way Alice cradled his daughter. Felt something shift in his chest, felt it bloom. Alice smiled at him shyly.

"One minute she was talking to me the next zonk!"

"That's Rosie for you. When she is ready to sleep off she goes. No holding back." he moved some hair off his daughters face.

Rosie mumbled something, Alice rubbed her back gently, pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Danny melted.

She glanced at Rosie and softened her tone. "I could never sleep on Christmas Eve. Mum would come and tell me and Rowan off for giggling. We always snuck into each others room on Christmas morning."

"Rowan?" he asked taking his daughter from Alice's arms.

Alice felt the absence immediately. "He's my older brother. 25."

"You could have invited him here." Danny suggested walking into Rosie's room. "Or went to see him, I did ask didn't I?"

She nodded. "Yeah you did." stood at Rosie's bedroom door. "It's complicated." she watched as he lay Rosie down gently. Saw his hand gently brush hair from her face and a small smile play across his features.

"Ok." Danny agreed, sensing she didn't want to talk about it. "I learned well with Rosie." he said getting her some pink pyjamas. "Since she was 5 I have been getting up at the crack of dawn on Christmas eve. It shatters her so she isn't up all night."

"Smart man!" Alice said smiling.

He sat Rosie up and pulled her t-shirt off. She kept flopping back so Alice came in and sat behind her. Rested her sleeping body against her chest. Alice kept feeling his fingers gently brush against her as he dressed his child. She was relieved when Rosie was ready. Danny lay her down pulled the blanket up and kissed her head softly. He walked from the room.

"I do it so I can get my last minute stuff wrapped. I'm all done this year though. I'm not as busy In the surgery since you're here." he told her.

"Well I have loads to wrap so…." she headed towards her room.

"Want help?" he offered.

"Yeah but first I got to wrap your present from Rosie. She instructed me on specific paper and ribbon."

"It's ok I won't tell." he walked towards the truck. Saw her reaching for bags.

She put his hands on his chest when he went to peek. They both felt sizzles.

"Um…she will mind!" Alice said shakily. Quickly removing her hands and grabbing her bags.

"Rosie is asleep." he whispered. "She will never know."

Alice walked inside.

"Alice." he murmured.

She turned back. "I'll tell her." then approached her door.

He reached her and held her wrist. She looked back. "No you won't." was suddenly very close to her. "It'll be our secret." Danny was caught in the magnetic pull of her eyes. "If you knew me you'd know that I gave no patience."

She was breathing unevenly. "You….will really have to wait." she gulped.

"Why wait?" he murmured his voice sending rockets of heat down her spine. "Doing things straight away is really good." he smiled. "Then again the anticipation sometimes the wait so much better."

Alice's back hit the wall.

"What do you think? Should I wait? Or just do it?"

Right she was gonna melt. If he wasn't talking about sex here then she was a pineapple!

She was staring at him and he was staring at her. Her expression was that shock, and uncertainty. Her eyes were wide and unblinking. He fell into them. They were both waiting for something. Neither quite knowing what. Her breath was shuddering from her, audibly.

"Alice what's wrong?" he asked softly. "Do I make you nervous?"

"I….I…." she had no idea she couldn't think right now! She blinked and the spell was broken.

He took a step back. "I'm sorry I'm crowding you." he rubbed his face.

"Ok." she squeaked and escaped to her room.

Meanwhile Danny escaped to the living room and paced.

Was he out of his mind? This was getting well out of hand. I mean some innocent flirting was ok... he hoped! But this wasn't so innocent anymore. I mean there were laws about sexual harassment! Not just that but he wasn't allowed to be attracted to her! He wasn't allowed to like her like that and yet he did. Alot. The more time he spent the more she appealed to him. She was a breath of fresh air. Her smile, her sense of humour. Everything about her just pulled her to him. This was stronger than anything he had ever felt before, ever. She was mind consuming. He was glad she blinked when she did coz he'd been ready to kiss her he felt it deep inside and that would have been the end of everything. This was just wrong! Something that he had to ignore, that's right. If he ignored it then it would go away…..with that thought buzzing around his brain he knew that in a short time he would be knocking on her door helping her wrap her presents. He just couldn't stay away from her.

Alice sat in her room wrapping gifts. Ok she was in trouble. A big massive heap of trouble. She was falling for Danny. Not just some little small I'll get over it crush, like full on total can't be without you love. Why? Why couldn't he be like normal? Why did he have to be perfect for her? She knew how she felt a second before she blinked. She felt this intense need to wrap her arms around him and press her lips to his and then possibly carry it on elsewhere. Wasn't this just the biggest irony. She got accused of sleeping with her old lecturer and she actually had developed big feelings for this one and wanted to take things further. Although this had nothing to do with marks and everything to do with how she was starting to feel about him. O God she was in big trouble. He was everything she could ever want in a man. Kind, smart, funny, patient and he was a marshmallow when it came to his daughter. His sense of humour too, she should have known that she'd fall for him by the amount of times he made her laugh. Almost every boyfriend she had in the past she had liked because they made her laugh. She never could resist a good sense of humour. She exhaled sticking down some sellotape. What was she going to do? She couldn't stay! But didn't want to leave. And acting on these feelings? Out of the question!

She heard a soft knock knew it was Danny. His presents were all wrapped.

"Come in." she called.

Danny opened the door. "The offer for help still stands. It's Christmas in an hour and it has to be some sort of sin to actually wrap your gifts on the day!" his eyes twinkled and she couldn't resist them. She nodded and he walked in sitting opposite her on the bed.

A/N this is all gonna come to a head extremely soon, will they be able to stop tho? will it all go to far?

AND rosicles is actually what i call my rabbit - my son decided her name and it was rosie or cake we went for rosie :D