Ok, so things are starting to move along nicely now. After this chapter, so much is going to happen. Will Jamie find her and kill this baby, too? Will she get her divorce before the police get him, if they get him? When will Randy propose? Will he find out that she's already married? Will these men actually meet face to face? Guess you'll have to review to find out!

"Are you ready?"

Dani looked over at Randy as the car came to a stop in front of Shawn and Toni's house. They were already waiting by the entrance.

"The question is, are you ready?" Dani chuckled.

"I can handle Shawn. It's Toni I'm worried about!" he smiled.

Randy had begged her not to drive herself so she'd had to get a driver. She would have done anything to stop him worrying about her so much; maybe when he did, he would stop ringing her every second and get on with his life. She had instructed the driver to pick Randy up first at the hotel because he'd insisted he be there when Shawn and Toni saw her little bump. It had been really awkward, making that short journey with him sitting right next to her on the backseat.

"Are you going to tell them we aren't together anymore?"

"Not today. Shawn's got a couple of guns in the house!" she laughed. "Sorry, I know it's not funny that you're in mortal danger. I'll tell him when he gets used to me being pregnant."

"So we have to lie?"

"We just won't say anything."

"Well, here goes nothing," Randy sighed as he got out of the car. He went round to her side to open her door and help her out. Shawn and Toni were already making their way to the car but both of them stop in their tracks and let out simultaneous gasps when Dani emerged from the car.

"What the hell...?" Shawn swore as he quickly came to Dani's side.

"Hi Shawn," she smiled weakly.

She'd dreaded his reaction more than anyone else's in the family, even her guardians who'd been the only parents she'd ever known.

"What the hell is this? You got yourself knocked up? How did this happen?"

"Well, technically, when Randy put his penis..."

"Don't fuck about, I'm not laughing," Shawn cut in. "How could you do this, after everything you've been through? It's too soon."

His attention turned to the man who stood by her side and his eyes narrowed in anger. The first punch he threw came out of nowhere, knocking Randy down flat on his back on the gravel.

"Shawn!" Toni and Dani screamed together.

"I warned you, you filthy son of a bitch!" Shawn shouted angrily as he lay another punch in Randy's jaw.

"Shawn, stop it this instant," Toni shouted, moving Dani away from the commotion so she would not get caught up in it.

Dani noticed that Randy wasn't fighting back, he was just taking the punches and the insults, not even covering his face. Quickly, she knocked on the driver's window for him to help Toni, who was trying to pull her husband off Randy.

"You know, you bastard. You know what she's been through and you went ahead and did this."

Finally, Toni and the driver managed to get him away from Randy and Dani immediately went and knelt at his side. His lip was cut, his nose was bleeding and he would have two black eyes come morning, but he gave her a cheeky grin.

"Told you I could handle Shawn!" he said, wincing as he sat up.

"It's not funny, Randy. Why didn't you stop him?"

"I've knocked up his precious little sister. I think there's a lot more of this ass whipping coming before he gets used to the idea."

"And your plan is to just take it?" she asked incredulously.

"Like a man!"

"Oh, God! You're an idiot, do you know that? If you let him punch you like that again you better believe you'll be getting an ass-whippin' from me!"

"Were you worried about me, Dani?"

"Of course I was worried, you're the father of my baby," she shouted, knowing full well that was not what he'd wanted to hear. "Now help me up."

He did as he was told and she walked over angrily to where Toni was trying to calm her husband down.

"Listen here, you," she started angrily, pointing at her brother. "I was going to be nice, break it down for you gently, but because of your uncalled for, barbaric behaviour, I'm telling you this; Randy and I are having this baby, if you don't like it you know what you can do! I'm a grown woman, don't presume to know whether I'm ready or not, or what I need. Truth be told, you need to be thanking this man, he's given me the most precious gift and I feel honored to carry his child. He's a good man, and if you or anyone else dares lay a finger on him again, I will not be blamed for what I'll do."

They all looked on, surprised by her outburst, as she turned around to face Randy.

"I can't believe you were such a pussy! Come inside, I'm dying to use the toilet then I'll clean you up."

They watched her walk into the house, still cussing to herself and Randy chuckled as he picked up her bags and followed at a safe distance.

"Hormones," he explained to the other two as he walked past them.


That night, Dani sat in front of the dressing table mirror as Toni brushed her hair. She'd decided to go to sleep early as she was tired from the drive and also because she was avoiding Randy. Toni had persuaded him to spend the night, so that meant he would be sharing her room, as they were meant to be together. She did not want to be up when he slipped his hard body next to hers. She had missed him so much she knew she would give in to her desires the second he lay down.

"You're really happy, aren't you?" Toni asked her.

"Yes, I am," she replied truthfully. "The day we found out, everything else just didn't seem important anymore. Thinking about this tiny little thing that's going to depend on me just put a lot of things in perspective for me."

Like how she had to get Jamie out of her life for good.

"I'm glad you're moving on, sweetheart. I was afraid you'd slip back into that depression and disappear again."

"Don't worry, Toni. I'm never going to run from anything again."

Toni kissed the top of her head and smiled at her in the mirror.

"I wish you'd told me sooner about the baby, though. I'd have been there to help you."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just had to work some things out."

She had told them earlier about what the doctors were saying about her pregnancy and Shawn had got a bit more angry with Randy for making her go through this when she obviously wasn't ready.

"No worries, I've got another seven weeks to shop for cute little baby things," Toni smiled.

"You should see what John has been buying. It's almost like he's broody."

"The way he's going with Liz, I bet you he's going to be announcing she's pregnant before the year is out."

"They suit each other, don't they?" Dani said. "She needs someone like John in her life. I know I'd have gone crazy if it weren't for him."

"Shawn says he's a completely changed man," Toni said, agreeing with her. "Not once has he cheated, he's totally whipped."

They gossiped a bit more before Dani announced she was getting into bed. It had been a long day and it would be an even longer night if she didn't sleep now.

"I'd better go and check that those two aren't fighting again," Toni said as she walked to the door.

"Lock the gun's away as well! I can just see Shawn going, 'Say hello to my little friend.' and blasting poor Randy!"

Toni laughed as she blew Dani a kiss goodnight and then closed the door behind her.


"I think you're a pathetic prick and need to be shot," Shawn said calmly from his chair, a drink in his hand.

"You're probably right," Randy said from across the room where he had his feet up, a beer in his hand and an ice pack over his bruised face. "But Dani is happy and that's all that matters."

"I don't know what she sees in you," Shawn continued. "You're arrogant, selfish and not even remotely good looking."

"What are you talking about? I'm gorgeous!"

Shawn swore under his breath and took a sip of his drink.

"See what I mean? Such an ego!"

"The words normally used to describe me are 'wow' and 'awesome'," Randy chuckled.

"There you go again. I hope the baby isn't born with your big head."

"It's not his head that's going to be big!"

"He?"

"Yeah. I think we're having a boy. It'll be nice to have a little boy follow me around, trying to be like me."

"If you have a girl and she's like her mother, she'll follow you around anyway. Dani was like that, didn't want to be with anyone else."

"That's why you've got such a strong bond, isn't it? You near enough raised her."

"I did, yeah. She used to play mum and dad up that much I think they liked the peace and quiet when she was with me."

"I think your real problem with me and Dani is you think I'm taking your little girl from you."

"Don't talk stupidness!" Shawn said as he took another sip.

"I think it's true. Your parents are her guardians but you took on most of the responsibilities, spent more time with her. You were, what, 21? 22? She's hero worshipped you since she came to live with you guys and now you feel like she's slipping away from you," Randy said softly.

"Don't be silly. She was with Jamie before you, remember?"

"Yeah, but you know that this time is different, don't you? You know that this time she's really in love, that's why you don't like me."

"I don't like you because you're a dick," Shawn scowled. "This relationship won't last and she'll be lumbered with your big headed kid."

Randy sighed and took another swallow of his beer, wincing as the bottle touched his cut lip. At the moment, there was no relationship, at least not the kind of relationship he wanted. But he would wait. He had no doubt in his mind that once Jamie was behind bars, she would come to him.

Moving the ice pack to his other eye, he peered in Shawn's direction. The man had been drinking since he and Dani had arrived that afternoon and the more he drank the more he cussed Randy.

"She's really happy about the baby, you know."

"So she says," Shawn said.

"It's true. We found out about it the morning after she passed out, after I'd found her lying on the floor in that bedroom. I didn't know what I was going to do, how I could help her through that. What do you say to someone who's gone through that? When the doctor told us the first thing I did was panic. I thought, like you do now, that she was not ready, that it would just bring a whole lot of shit out that she was in no state to deal with. I was afraid I would not be able to help her, that she'd just slip away from me. But she's a strong woman, Shawn. Being pregnant has forced her to deal with a lot of her problems. She just wants to be a good mother."

Shawn just grunted and took another sip of his drink.

"Look, Shawn, whether you like it or not I've been there for her. She said this afternoon that she feels honored to carry my child, but it's the other way round. I know I'm a fuck up, I'm all the things you say I am, but for some reason she fell in love with me. I couldn't ask for a better woman to be the mother of my children and I will try my best to be the man she deserves."

"No more sleeping around then? I don't believe that."

"Shawn, I couldn't be with anyone else after being with her. She's spoilt all other women for me."

Shawn sighed and put his drink down.

"I'm not allowed to hit you anymore and Toni has told me if I'm not nice to you she'll sort me out. She scares the hell out of me, so I guess I have to do as she says, at least when she's in the room," Shawn started. "You're right, Dani is more like my baby than my sister so I'll say this for the last time. I'll be watching you. I know Dani is in love with you so I have to respect that. But if you make her cry just one time..."

Shawn let the sentence hang as he looked at the younger man.

"So what are your intentions, now?"

"I'm going to make her my wife," Randy answered easily.

"Are you serious?"

"I've been saying all alone that there can be no other woman for me, were you not listening?"

"I didn't think you were willing to give up your freedom. That changes things quite a lot."

"I gave up my freedom the night I met her. If she'll have me, I plan on making that permanent."

"If she'll have you?"

"She says she's not ready. When she is, I'll put a ring on her finger so fast she won't know what hit her."

Randy took a little jewelry box out of his pocket. He'd been carrying it around for months now, even through the period when he'd tried to forget her.

"Dear Lord, you are serious! You should have told me this from the beginning, you bastard! I've been thinking, all along, that you were only after one thing from her. Where's Toni, I've got to tell her this."

"Tell me what?" Toni asked as she walked into the den.

"He's going to marry our Dani," Shawn said, making room for his wife on the sofa.

"Well, obviously," Toni said. "I knew that from the very first time you guys met."

"Bullshit! You've been arranging his lynching for the best part of three months!"

"Only so I'd make him see sense," Toni defended herself, turning her attention to Randy. "So when's the big day?"

"You two are getting way ahead of yourselves," Randy laughed. "I haven't even asked her yet."

And when he did, he was going to make sure she had no excuse to refuse.

"The girl is in love with you. A baby on the way and a husband, she'll be over the moon!"

"It's not that simple and you know it."

"You just have to time it right. She'll say yes in an instant."

"I'm going to wait till they lock James up. I think that's what's holding her back," Randy said. "Has Ron said anything more on his progress?"

"He says just a few more days, then the man is fucked. I hope someone will let me near him before they lock him up."

"And me," Randy agreed.

"There won't be anything left of him for you to have a go at after I'm done with him," Toni vehemently muttered.


"Do you know what time it is?"

Dani yawned as she sat herself up in the bed and secured her cell phone against her ear.

"Sorry, Danielle. We just felt you'd want to know straight away," the man on the other end of the line said.

"What? What's happened?"

"We've located Mr. Fuller."

Dani almost dropped her phone when she heard this. Her heart started beating loudly and her palms started to sweat. This was it. The beginning of the end.

"I'm taking this information to your lawyers first thing in the morning," the man said.

"Um, give me a few days to get back to my house. I'll give you a call when I'm ready."

She would have to cut her visit short. Jamie would most certainly get really angry when he got served and the first place he would look for her was here at Shawn's house. As Shawn would be on the road, she would not be safe here and Toni would be in danger as well. Somehow, she had to get Toni away from here as well, maybe ask her to stay with her for some weeks and use the baby as an excuse.

"We'll keep watching him, then, so he doesn't move," the man said.

"Thank you vary much. I'll be in touch."

As she hung up she couldn't help the feeling of trepidation that came over her. Jamie was going to get served but she knew he would not sign those papers without a fight. Things were going to turn really nasty now but this was something she had to do before her precious baby came. She couldn't give her baby Jamie's name.

How would he react? Would he go as far as to actually hurt the people she loved? Shawn, Randy and John had said over and over what a big coward he was, that he'd never actually stand up to a man, but if he got really desperate, how far would he take it? She knew that from now on, she would have to watch her back, but for how long?