Danny stayed on the camping bed in the sitting room that night. It was supposed to be the sofa but at the last minute they'd found the double camping bed. He was grateful coz he need to stretch his arms out abit. He's slept fine actually. The painkillers he'd taken had made him drowsy anyway so when his head had hit the pillow he was away. He got up and yawned widely and rubbed his hair. Ach bed hair! He may as well have stuck his finger in a wall socket! He turned the coffee maker on. He didn't drink coffee but he'd bet the adults in the house did. He also collected the paper. It lay at the bottom of the stairs where the paper by had delivered it. He unfolded it and a picture of him and Alice looked at him from the front page. He had his arm around her reassuring her that he was ok. Her lips were pressed to his cheek. The headline read. "A Hero's Kiss." the subheading said. "Young man saves woman from vicious attack."

"Oh God!" he muttered. All he did was return a freaking bag!

He walked into the living room and sat down. He opened the paper and looked inside. God there was more pictures inside. In one Alice was in tears. One of them clutching hands and looking deeply into each others eyes. The caption read. "So in love." he was sat in the cubicle without his shirt so the bandage on his chest was clear to see. How the hell had he got these pictures? Danny fumed. He read the whole story quickly. "God they'd painted him like a white knight or something. Flo had went into quite abit of detail. About how kind he was and modest. How Alice had been so calm and considerate also. She spoke at great length of how she was so grateful for the kindness they showed to a old woman. She spoke of her fear of the young, man turning the knife on her if Danny and Alice had turned up. How they were lovely well mannered kids and a credit to their parents and they should be proud, at the end it said. "Both Daniel and Alice declined to comment but he can be quoted saying that he didn't do it for recognition - he did it because simply a old woman needed help."

Danny shook his head. God now he sounded ike a prat! He heard footsteps coming downstairs. He hid the paper behind a cushion. It was Alice. She walked downstairs sadly. She appeared at the door looking dejected.

"Aw c'mere darling ." he said and walked over to her the newspaper forgotten. He pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tight.

"2 years Danny." she said sadly. "I can't believe it's been 2 years!" she repeated.

He walked her over to the sofa and sat her down. He looked at her. "It doesn't feel like 2 years because she hasn't been away that long. She'll never be away from you because she's everywhere Alice. In the rustling wind and the rays in the sun. Even in a child's laugh as you pass. But mostly she's in her." he tapped her heart. "And here." and tapped her head. "Your memories of happy times. Of love and laughter mean that she will never leave you. Ever! You're her legacy Alice!" he said softly.

"What happens if I forget?" she asked smally. "I'm already doing it. I have to think really hard to remember her voice and her laugh! It used to be instant."

God this was a hard one. He winged it though.

"You'll never forget. I never met your mum but I bet your musical voice sounds just like hers. I bet your twinkling bell laugh is identical to your mothers. You'll never forget that stuff coz that was her gift to you!"

They heard a small sniff and looked behind them. They saw Mrs Carr standing there wiping away a tear.

"That was beautiful!" she squeaked. "He's right though Alice. Sometimes when you talk especially when you laugh your exactly like your mum. It's eerie. it's like I'm transported to 20 years ago and we're giggling over some boy or doing something daft."

"Do you mind if I jump in the shower?" he asked.

"Go ahead. " Mrs Carr said. Danny was very intuitive. He knew Mrs Carr needed to talk to Alice alone. He picked up on the signals.

"You've got a lovely lad there Alice. If you were older I'd tell you to marry him. Because trust me there can be 100 times worse than him." she said.

"Like my dad." Alice said softly.

"He wasn't always like that you know. He adored your mother. Worshipped her. He knew she loved someone else though but she dated your father and then they got married. She never told me why. Then about 18 months later you came along. She threw herself into being your mother. She was so happy when you were born. Your father, well, I always got the feeling that he didn't want kids but he did seem to love you so…"

"Is he my dad!" Alice blurted suddenly.

"What?" Mrs Carr asked.

"Last year on mum's anniversary he was drunk. Well that was normal but sort of off his face drunk. I think he'd took some drugs too! He said he hated both me and mum because I wasn't his. I was Brian Crosling's child. Is it true" she asked and looked at Mrs Carr through lowered lashes.

"Alice - I have NO doubt that he IS your dad. Your mum would have told you. She wouldn't have broken her marriage vows either." she said.

Mrs Carr was angry. She got up and walked upstairs. She spoke to Shauna then came back down and grabbed her mobile phone. She walked outside.

Danny came down. Hair damp from his shower. He had some shorts on and was bare chested. He went over to their bag and grabbed a clean t-shirt. "You ok?" he asked as he pulled the t-shirt over his head.

They heard Mrs Carr shouting in the back garden.

"I'm ok." she said and kissed his mouth softly. "I'll go up and get Shauna. Ok."

Alice went upstairs to se if Shauna was awake.

(X)

It was 12 o'clock. They waked up to Alice's mothers final resting place. Mrs Carr, Shauna Missy, she and Danny. Poor Missy was suffering through. Her hay fever was acting up due to the flowers. But she said she wanted to pay her respects to Alice's mother. Danny had said he would carry her flowers as well as his and Alice's. When he felt her distancing herself he squeezed her hand.

"I'm here, lean on me if you need to!" he whispered.

They reached the spot. Shaded beneath a big tree. The grass was a lush green. Nobody spoke for a long time just stood in silent remembrance. They laid there flowers down one by one. Each person stood with their own memories. While Danny stood at Alice's side offering support their hands clasped tightly.

Alice broke the silence. "Well 2 years now mum. Doesn't seem like 2 minutes you were scudding me for being daft with Shauna and Missy."

Everyone smiled.

"Danny gave me a little pep talk this morning." she looked up at him and smiled. "Our little talk up here last time helped. Like I said Shauna and Missy are useless. Still are to be honest!"

Everyone then laughed.

Everyone said a little something. A happy memory or a feeling they had. Mrs Carr's brought a tear to her eye. She spoke of them as kids full of happiness and laughter. How her eyes had sparkled and twinkled. How her daughter was a carbon copy of her and how proud she was of her.

"We'll give you 5 minutes." Mrs Carr said. "Shauna, Melissa, Daniel. C'mon." she said.

"Danny can stay if he wants." Alice said.

He nodded.

The 3 woman walked away. Danny and Alice stood at her mums grave. She sun shined down warm n their skin. "See mum didn't I say he was gorgeous!" Alice said.

"She's right - I am gorgeous!" he agreed.

Alice laughed. "His head tends to get abit inflated sometimes. You don't have to worry about me now mum. I have Danny and he'll never let anything happen to me. I know you'd approve of him. We love each other so much!"

"I love her more!" Danny piped up and grinned.

"No you don't!" Alice replied.

"Yes I do!" he said simply.

"No you don't!" Alice told him grinning.

"Excuse me Mrs Collins." he pulled her away from the grave and placed his hand son her cheeks and kissed her soundly. "Who loves who more?" he asked cockily.

Alice smiled. "I hate it when you kiss me like that!" she said breathlessly.

"Why?" he asked.

"Coz I'll agree to anything." she admitted.

"Ooooo have to remember that!" he said wickedly.

"God Danny my mother is just over there!" she said then covered her mouth.

"A you little blasphemer!" he said giggling.

They walked back over to the grave. "Sorry for the interruption." he said solemnly. "But I do love her more!" Alice burst out laughing.

"He always gets his way!" she said and he laughed.

"I'll try and come up again soon mum. I know I don't have to come up for me to know that I'm thinking about you but I need to come up sometimes. I love you." she said and grabbed Danny's hand.

They walked hand in hand out of the cemetery. Mrs Carr was talking to the florist. Missy looked like she was about to keel over from pollen inhalation. And Shauna was stood behind her mum mouthing gibberish and mimicking a mouth with her hand.

"Shauna I know what your doing!" Mrs Carr said.

"What?" Shauna asked innocently.

"You must think I'm stupid!" Mrs Carr said.

"Now this is normal." Alice told Danny.

"O - normal!" he said grinning.

"Everything sorted?" Mrs Carr asked.

"Yeah!"" Alice looked in the direction of her mothers grave and gave it one last look. See you later! She said mentally. "Let's go." Alice said.

"Thank God!" Missy said. "This pollen is killing me.

"You can't blaspheme next to a church Miss!" Shauna gasped. "That's it I want 10 hail Mary's on the spot!"

They all smiled. "Don't be daft Shaun's." she laughed.

"Ok make it 15 - do it!" she said seriously.

"Hey Shauna, Alice blasphemed too." Danny said.

"Tut tut Daniel you not supposed to grass on your beloved." Alice said.

"I got frightened to what she'd do if she found out that I didn't tell her!" he said in a scared voice.

"O I forgive you then." she said.

Shauna put on a stern high pitched voice. "Am I going to have to bang your heads together?" she asked shaking her head.

All the kids laughed. Mrs Carr shook her head. To be a kid again she thought.

A/N this is really steaming towards the end. the next couple of chapters are complete danice cuteness :) x