(It is now 9 months on. Alice is just over 8 months pregnant but ready to burst anytime soon.)
Alice sat staring at Danny's lifeless hand. She looked down at her huge baby bump, Danny could not miss this! He needed to be part of this. The rest of her pregnancy that didn't matter but the birth of their child, now that was important! This could be their last chance, she knew that, in fact they'd never even expected this to happen, and now Danny could miss it! He just couldn't. It would break his heart, that's if he had a heart to break.
Alice punched the table at the side angrily before throwing her head into her hands. She sat there for a few moments thinking about what was going to happen. If Danny didn't wake up, Vanessa was going to accompany her in the delivery room, however Vanessa had tried to persuade Alice she wouldn't be there – not that it worked!
Evan, Olivia and Charlotte all kept up with their visiting, but all were worried about her. They knew Alice was better when they were there but that was what scared them. She was... scary, lost, numb when they were there, what was she like any other time. She even slept in the spare room now, she wouldn't look at the animal hospital and whenever anyone mentioned Danny or his name, Alice would go slightly crazy. Everyone was worried, but helpless at the same time.
Alice glanced down at her stomach once more. She frowned, it was definitely beginning to drop. She sighed, could she just not show, could it not just conveniently stay there until Danny woke up? A tear trickled from her eyes. She grabbed Danny's hand and placed it on her stomach.
"Don't you want to wake up for this?" Alice asked softly, her voice was hoarse. "I mean, you always... always said that, this was what you wanted, we wanted. It meant so much to you, to both of us, I remember when we first discussed this, how you held me when I told you the truth. How you wiped away my tears and told me no matter what you'd always love me, and even though it would be amazing to have a baby, you would never leave me if it never happened." Alice wiped her eyes. "And now its happening and you're dead to the world. Wake up Danny! God Damn it, just wake up!"
Alice watched, like she was waiting for a reply. Pfft, well that isn't gonna happen is it?
X
"Never changed." Danny's mother sighed as she observed her sleeping son. She walked over to him and shook his shoulder gently.
"Hmm, Alice... tired, five more minutes." Danny mumbled rolling over, thinking he was at home, in their room, in their bed.
"I hope she doesn't give you five minutes, I do hope she kicks you out of bed and says now!" His mum laughed, Danny's eyes shot open, he sat up.
"Mum?" He exclaimed rubbing his eyes.
"Yes son, it's time." She smiled, "Come on."
"What time for me to go back to Alice?" Danny asked excitedly.
He continued to look at his mother, her eyes were soft, her expression all knowing. She sighed.
"Daniel, that is up to you, not me. I'm just here to show you the other future, you have your mind in the right frame. You realise now how much Alice means to you, and how much you mean to her. You realise how you need one another and how you need to appreciate her and other members of your family more. You realise you're life is valuable and that you can't take it for granted, you realise you need to live it to the full. You realise life is not something you should take for granted." His mum smiled. "And then there's something else, the start of the one reason which is indescribable. Both you and Alice will feel it if you can work it out but words will never explain it."
Danny nodded, before taking his mum's hand.
"This future isn't bright Daniel." His mother warned him, stopping him before they went any further.
"I know... just show me please mum." Danny whispered. "I just want to get back to Alice... I miss her mum." He began to sob quietly.
"I know son." His mum embraced him, "I know."
And with that she took his hand and began to take him to the future that could be if Danny did not help himself.
X
"Do you think mum will be ok?" Charlotte asked idly twiddling her pasta on her fork. She hated life at the minute. She missed her mum and Danny, it was like they were dead, both of them, even though they were living. Charlotte didn't understand anything.
"Yeh course she will." Caroline replied quickly.
"Oh come off it Gran!" Olivia exclaimed. "If Danny doesn't wake up we all know that Alice is not gonna be okay!"
"He will wake up." Evan spat sourly.
"And where's that guarantee?" Olivia shouted back.
"Where's the faith?" Evan yelled as everyone began to bicker. Dupe was calling Caroline, Olivia and Evan were having a shouting match as Charlotte and Nomsa watched.
"Do you really think arguing is gonna help?"
They all stopped immediately. A deadly silence hung in the air. Slowly they turned round. No one could mistake that voice, no one could mistake the pain behind it. No one could say they didn't know those deep blue eyes, no matter how emotionless they were. No one could quite mistake Alice, no matter how broken down she had become.
Everyone looked down sheepishly. They hadn't been expecting her to come, she'd started spending more time at the hospital again, she was due anytime though.
Alice stood for a few moments, doing nothing but staring. Until she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. She was broken from her trance and looked down. She saw Charlotte hugging her tightly, Alice's arms automatically wrapped around Charlotte, but she didn't miss the look in Dupe's eye.
Dupe realised in that moment that Alice was nothing anymore. She wasn't Alice. She was... he couldn't even think of a word to describe her. He also realised something else, she was ready to give birth any moment and Alice was seeing it as a nuisance and as a pain.
"So Alice you thought of any names?" Dupe asked quietly.
"No, I want to talk to Danny about that." Alice replied still holding onto Charlotte tightly.
"So you gonna call him Baby Trevanion forever then?" Dupe asked blatantly. There was a shocked gasp from around the table, everyone's eyes fell onto Dupe. Charlotte's grip on Alice slackened slightly with shock. Alice took a step forward out of Charlotte's grip. Anger was evident in her wounded eyes. Momentarily, everyone saw the old Alice as the glint returned to them.
"What the hell did you just say?" Alice growled her eyes were focussed on Dupe. They were absolutely deadly. Alice's glare didn't deter him though, he just looked at her with little in his eyes.
"You gonna call him Baby Trevanion forever, because erm... lovely as it is Alice, I don't think he'll appreciate it." Dupe replied. Evan suddenly caught onto his game but continued watching Alice. Dupe had to stop, this could send her into early labour!
"Are you insinuating that Danny won't wake up?" Alice snarled, she took another step forward. She was absolutely furious.
"Just being truthful." Dupe replied. Caroline was frozen in motion, she couldn't even bring herself to slap Dupe.
"Shut up Dupe." Olivia whispered angrily. "Alice."
At the same time as she said Alice, Dupe was also talking.
"Olivia don't..."
"SHUT UP!" Alice screamed, everyone was slightly taken aback. This was it, Alice had finally flipped, her temper was on its way. "You know nothing, NOTHING!"
"Don't kid yourself..." Dupe chuckled. "Kid, that's actually quite funny."
"You..." Alice's tone was low and deadly. "You know nothing DuPlessis. But I'll tell you this you old fraud, you are nothing but a heartless pig, in fact, the pigs are preferable, maybe you should join the warthogs in the bush, you'd certainly fit in, except for the hygiene, clean animals are pigs."
"Mum." Charlotte's little whimper caused Alice to look at her.
"It's okay love." Alice told her, she put her arm around Charlotte's shoulders. "You all seem to have this attitude. This attitude Danny's going to die, just give up. Is that how you value Danny?" Alice looked at them all. "Do you really think he's gonna give up." Alice shook her head. "God, do you even know much he loves you all? Do you not think he'd fight for that? Do you really doubt him?" Alice shouted. "Danny would never have given up on you, and I'll never give up on him in return, but you lot... you can do what you want, because I no longer care to be honest, those of you who have the..." Alice paused struggling for words. "If you have given up on Danny, you should be ashamed." Alice had finished the sentence mildly, deciding not to get too stressed.
Suddenly Evan stood up and walked up to Alice. He put his arm around her, Alice looked at him with her watery eyes.
"I'm with you Alice." He smiled. Alice nodded at him and put her arm around him, he squeezed Alice softly.
Olivia too stood up slowly, she looked at Evan who nodded and smiled.
"So am I... I can't give up on him." Olivia said, she stood beside Evan.
"And so am I." Nomsa exclaimed dropping the washing to walk over.
"I'm sorry Anders, but I can't give up on Danny." Caroline tapped his shoulder before joining Alice.
"See not everyone's given up." Alice replied coldly.
"Neither have I." Dupe stood up, Alice gave him a warning glare as Evan took a step in front of her. "God boy you can lose the stance, I'm not gonna hurt her."
"You already have." Evan growled still holding his protective stance. Alice touched his arm softly but Evan just shook his head and continued to stand in front of her.
"I didn't mean any of it. I just wanted... I wanted you to realise Alice that... Danny might not wake up ever, never mind in time for the birth of the child. I want you to be prepared." His voice was back to its usual softness.
"Why did you put me through that then?" Alice asked, clearly hurt. "Why not just talk to me."
"It wouldn't work, you are too stubborn." Dupe replied. "I'm sorry Alice, but it was the only way."
"I need more time to think this over. I only came back to pick my own hospital bag up." She said. "I'm beginning to show." She explained.
Dupe and Caroline walked off with Nomsa leaving Alice to the children.
"So their on their way?" Evan asked smiling.
"Yep." Alice grinned.
"I can't wait!" Olivia shrieked!
"Neither can I, so go on mum, boy or girl?" Charlotte asked excitedly.
"Well I imagine a little boy, with Danny written all over him." She smiled softly. "Besides you Charlie gave me ten times worse the kicking than he does!"
Everyone laughed as they all had a group hug... but the question still remained, would Danny wake up in time?
A/N – Right, what's wrong with me? I like fluff not angst, yet here I am writing angst!
Anyway!
Hope you enjoyed! Hehe please review! xx