A/N Long time so little update, Alice and Danny are in the bush looking for Dupe and Evan who they think were lost in there, they found out the radios weren;t working so they are likely already home. They had a disagreement about Danny helping Alice with Derek being back and hurting her (he beat her up) but Alice refused and they headed back to the truck in silence to find that it wouldn't start, they make it, have a chat and almost kiss. Dupe is also worried about Alice falling for Danny and is wondering what is happening out in the bush. Oh Rosie and Max are now a couple :) Enjoy!

After trying and failing for well over an hour to sleep Alice gave in and convinced Danny that she would keep watch, one of them might as well get some sleep tonight! After a lot of back and forth he lay down and his breathing was soon slow and deep….she however began mentally planning defences for Derek and her mother. The kids could never be alone. She was going to accept, at least partially, Danny's help, only for the reason that the kids safety was her number one priority and the more eyes on them, the better! Some days he would have to be around the house, but that didn't mean they would have any reason to be alone! And that was for the best!

Their almost kiss came back to her at the thought, butterflies took flight in her stomach and she did her best to quell them. It had scared her that they had almost kissed, what terrified her was how much she had wanted the kiss to happen! It would be a mistake of epic proportions for them to get involved again! She shuffled back and leant against a tree shifting and grimacing as her bruised ribs protested the movement. Parts of her she didn't even know existed had began to ache!

Her mind returned to when he touched her, his hands soft and gentle on her face, it had felt nice….. 'Stop it Alice!' she admonished herself. 'You and Danny are over! Have been for a long time!' Maybe she needed to spend some time with Terry. That was it! She closed her eyes and imagined him. Warm brown eyes, tall, well built. He didn't affect her in the way Danny used to but that was a good thing! She didn't want butterflies and uncertainty! She wanted stability and to build a home for herself and her kids. Anything else was a bonus! Terry was someone she could depend on! She hadn't rang him in a while. Maybe that is what she needed to get her mind off Danny. Nostalgia! That's what this was. A long lost memory, nothing more.

She was silent a while, eyes still closed, taking in the sounds of the night when the air changed suddenly, there was a rustling behind her and her eyes popped open. She listened intently frowning as she heard a rustling again. There was no wind tonight. The fire crackled and she looked around as she silently got to feet, trying not to make any sudden movements. She had to get to Danny and warn him that someone was around, she knew this predator was the human kind, not animal. Don't ask her how she knew she just did! The rustling came again, closer this time, she was on her feet and about to go to Danny when two shadows appeared in front of her…..or was it one large one? It was hard to tell as they looked merged…. As they moved forward moonlight illuminated Derek's face, her stomach plummeted when she saw he had an arm around Thomas neck, a knife to it pressed menacingly as he dragged him along. Her heart was pounding in fear and her mouth went dry.

Derek simply smiled at her, "Alice, imagine seeing you here."

"Thomas are you OK?" she asked failing to hide the quiver in its depths.

"Don't say a word!" Derek told Thomas slowly running the blade down his cheek.

Alice looked in her sons eyes and could tell he was far more afraid then he was trying to let show. But even with the fear he still opened his mouth to reply. Alice quieted him with look.

"What do you want Derek?" trying frantically to find a way to get out of this without her son getting hurt, the sight of the blade so close to him was making it hard for her to think! If only Danny would wake up! He had never been so deep of a sleeper in the past! If he did it would be two against one. On the heels of that thought came another….her sons safety was at stake here, would she really do anything that would dive Derek a reason to use that knife? Maybe Danny being asleep was a good thing….

"What have I always wanted when it comes to you?" Derek leered.

Revulsion filled her, even Thomas reacted, which surprised her. He was obviously disgusted and began to try to fight. "Let my son go and we will talk Derek." she told him.

He laughed, "Yeah right, I let the kid go and what happens? He's my little tool, my bargaining chip." his eyes gleaming.

"You can't expect me to agree to anything while you hold a knife to my sons throat!" she spat. "Let him go and we'll see."

"I can't do that." he was trying to sound apologetic but it came across as sly. "I'm actually here to give you a choice." looking at her pointedly.

Horror filled her, "You can't expect me to chose between my son and my little sister!" the acid in her tone leaking through.

"Rosie?" he laughed. "You think a care a less about her? This was never about her! I'm talking about him..." motioning his head towards the sleeping Danny. "And your boy."

Alice frowned, "Excuse me?"

Derek cocked his head, "Your lover, or your boy."

"Me and Danny aren't….you gain nothing by hurting either one of them!"

"Go over to him on the floor." Derek told her.

Alice glanced over at Danny and finally noticed that he hadn't moved a muscle. She frowned and looked at Derek once again,

"Go to him." he urged.

Alice slowly side stepped towards Danny, reluctant to take her eyes off Derek. She glanced towards her ex husband a moment, worried she may have stood on him. She rounded his head and even in the darkness couldn't miss that he was lain a pool of black liquid…..black? Pain shafted through her when she realised it was blood….he was lain in a pool of what was probably his own blood! She was about to kneel and check for vitals when Derek halted her with an empathic, "Stop!" then smiled at Thomas then her, "Now Alice, you have a choice to make." and he laughed. "Your lover or your boy." then quick as a flash he sliced the blade across Thomas neck and he slumped to the floor….

Alice's eyes opened with a start and she was breathing hard. She looked around and saw everything as it should be. Danny lay facing her, eyes closed, face relaxed, no blood, fine, safe….she swallowed the sob that rose and got up. That dream had been much too real, much too vivid! In her head she told herself she was going to get a gun for protection but her heart told her she had to get away, get some privacy, she was barely holding on to her composure and when it finally crumbled she didn't want to run the risk that Danny might see it. She scrambled to her feet and made the trek towards the truck swiping at her eyes as she walked. She reached her destination and the truck dipped as she climbed onto it and began rooting in the back for a gun. Tears blurred her vision and she closed her eyes trying vainly to stem the flow. That dream really had been too real, she had felt the wind on her face, the metallic scent of blood lingered in the air. Seeing her son like that, Danny too….the images engulfed her and she couldn't hold back anymore. Everything that happened just filled her, the bones in her legs lost consistency and she was sat in the back of the truck, her hands covering her face as she gave in to the emotions swirling within her.

She had only been crying moments when there was a lurch in the truck as someone climbed on Alice moved ready to defend herself if she needed to, Danny was coming towards her and before she could stop him he wrapped his arms around her without saying a word. Too tired to fight she gave in and allowed herself the comfort he offered.

Danny sat with Alice in the bed of the truck rubbing her back as he felt the emotion leave her body in the form of tears. He'd been sleeping, not very soundly, more snoozing, he'd heard her retreating and opened his eyes to see her walking away in the direction of the truck. Even in the dark he could tell by the way her shoulders were shaking that she was crying. A war had waged within himself, one part of him demanded that he allow her to have her privacy but the other part of him that still cared for her, more that he wanted to admit, told him to go to her. He had seen her cry countless times in the past and had comforted her then, ok yes, their dynamic was different now but he needed her to know that if she needed him, in anyway, then he was here for her! He'd never been able to see her cry, everything within him told him to go to her, fix it, make her smile, anything but the tears. Eventually the part that cared about her won and he went to the truck, fully expecting her to be back in control when he got there and she looked fine, in the next moment she half fell and he saw her emotional collapse. He didn't care if she hated him and he her, there was no way he could see her like that and not help her! He had no idea what she had seen or thought but for it to be affecting her this much it had to be bad. So here he was, holding her tight until the tears began to subside. It had took her a while but her arms had found her way around his waist and her face was buried in his shoulder. He carried on rubbing her back gently, pressed his face against the top of her head and kissed it impulsively.

"Please don't ask." she murmured voice scratchy when she could finally bring herself to speak.

He nodded, "Ok." a murmur.

Alice pulled away, took a deep breath and wiped her tears.

Silence fell between them, as it began to get awkward Danny said the first thing that came to mind, "The stars are so big here."

Alice was quiet a beat longer than necessary, then nodded in agreement, "They are." voice still quivering feeling unbelievably low.

Danny looked up and studied them, scanning his mind to any constellations he might know, his experience in that area was sorely lacking though, "Do you see any pictures?" he asked.

Alice looked at him incredulously.

He grinned at her boyishly, "Humour me. I'll start." and he looked up at the sky for the longest time, finally he said, "I can see…. A piece of toast with a bite taken out of it." and grinned a her brilliantly once again.

Alice looked up, if only to prove it wasn't there and cocked her head to one side, "Where?"

He pointed up and gestured wildly, "There's the crusts….see" and moved his arms to the left "And at the top, massive bite!"

Alice cocked her head further and was frowning at the sky, now that he had mentioned it she could kind of see it, "Ok yeah. Maybe." lowered her head as her nightmare returned to her.

Danny saw this and was determined to take her mind off it, "Ok, your turn." he encouraged.

"I can't..." she began.

"Go on, try..."

She looked up and sighed, "I see a coconut." saying the first image that vaguely resembled anything and pointed just to the right of his toast.

Danny studied it and nodded slowly, "Looks like a flirty coconut to me."

Alice raised an eyebrow at him, "Flirty?" her dream beginning to slowly disappear.

"Well yeah, look at him, he's all like, look at me all coconutty! He's coming on to my toast!" he looked at her in horror, "The bite mark!"

Alice stifled a smile, "I had no idea that coconuts had teeth."

"I didn't think they were flirty either." he agreed. "Must be a mutant."

Alice nodded, "Ok, your turn."

Without saying a word Danny continued his perusal if the stars, "I see…..." and frowned. "A one legged boy riding a scooter." then cocked bis head, "Then again it might be a unicycle. What do you think?"

Alice stared at him, "Are you out of your mind? How does someone with one leg ride a scooter? Never mind a unicycle." a laugh escaping from her.

"Look up there!" he told her pointing towards the moon.

Alice pretended to be absorbed, "Maybe the coconut ate the leg." she teased when she couldn't see it.

"Great, now we have a cannibal coconut!" he told her with mock seriousness, playing along.

"I'm fairly sure we are safe since cannibals only eat their own species." then she frowned at herself. "Now I'm agreeing with you!" she laughed.

"Meh!" he replied. "You're turn again, and be careful of mutant coconuts!"

The next hour passed in the same manner, each one making up their own constellation, each one more outrageous than the previous, trying to outdo each other. They were discussing who won as the sun came up.

"I still think my cannibal coconut beat your bear being chased by a bumblebee." she told him.

"Who are you kidding?" he asked, having somehow moved to be sat side by side, legs dangling off the truck bed. "That was hilarious!" he laughed. "Plus you forgot about the jar full of honey in its paws, and it wasn't a bumblebee, it was bees, plural! In the shape of an arrow!"
"You totally made that up!" she laughed and playfully hit his arm.

He looked at her and the sound of her laughter warmed him, "Ok maybe the arrow bit but the jar of honey and bees were totally true."

She shook her head "I win by forfeit then."

"No." he told her outraged.

"Yep." and then Alice finally noticed that light was starring to creep around them, her bad night came to mind and all she could remember was Danny making her laugh. "Thanks for this." her voice low and full of feeling.

He shook his head, "Its fine, I'm here for you. I hope you know that."

"I'm not used to relying on people anymore." she admitted softly.

Danny frowned and lowered his head, "We really messed each other up huh?" he murmured knowing how much they had relied on each other in the past, and how that had scarred them when they broke up.

"You seemed to be doing ok with Liv and Evans mum."

He shook his head, "Not really." he told her, "I was pushing for marriage, I always got the feeling she didn't really want it but eventually she gave in. Before she died in the car crash she was planning on calling it off." he smiled humourlessly. "I was so desperate to make it work, to prove to myself that I wouldn't mess it up like I did with you."

Alice put her hand on his arm, "You shouldn't feel like you messed us up. You didn't. We lost our son, a lot of marriages don't recover from something like that. It was never just you, neither one of us was willing to work on it, it was almost like backing down was admitting that somehow we were wrong. We were just too young to see the damage it was doing."

They sat there in silence, just looking at each other, so much unspoken flowing between them.

"I need us to be able to get along for Thomas." she told him, clearing her throat when her voice sounded husky "I want to take the help you're offering, or at least I know I should but..." she sighed, "I'm scared."

"You don't have to be scared of me. And before, about losing Thomas, you'll never..."

Alice shook her head forcefully rejecting the notion, "I won't have him thinking I don't want him, not even for a second!"

Danny nodded slowly, "Ok, then I have an idea. Why don't I move into Leopards Den?" as the words flowed from his mouth he realised his mistake as soon as he heard himself saying them. Her look of horror and slack jawed expression only solidified that.

"Excuse me?"

"Ok, hear me out. Yes it's presumptuous and God knows Rosie will read far more into this then she needs to, but it'll be ok. The kids will be safe, someone will be around them at all times. I get more time with Thomas and he gets to stay at Leopards Den with you. When the court case ends I move back into Mara." He neglected to say that he got extra time with her too, being with her like this, he had enjoyed it more than he thought he would.

Alice sat considering, they had the room. Rosie and Liv could share, Evan could have the box room and if need be the attic could be converted….but still, live with Danny again? Her feelings were getting confusing when he wasn't living with her! Close quarters was a bad idea! Still she didn't have it in her to refuse him completely, "I don't know." she decided to tell him, "I'll have to speak to Dupe and Caroline." knowing full well this wasn't true, if she wanted this they wouldn't refuse her anything.

He nodded.

"And now that the suns up I'll give that engine a quick look and if we need to we'll hike out of here."

He smiled at her, that cute boyish smile she had fell for all those years ago and she felt her stomach plummet, "Are you sure you can fix it?" he asked.

"I seem to remember you saying you would fix it." she retorted grinning.

"I would, but you know me, I wouldn't want to show you up."

Alice rolled her eyes and hopped down from the back of the truck bed, "We better check the fire is out and make sure all the supplies are stored in the back of the truck. Then if it doesn't work we get the gun and walk."

He hopped down too and followed her, "Do you think we are far from the house?"

Alice looked around scanning for landmarks and shook her head, "Not too far, depending on how fast we walk we should get home around the end of breakfast time."

Dupe had paced on the veranda til the sun came up. He wanted to take a truck out at first light but there was no one to go with him, the kids were out of the question. Who knows what he would find out there! Caroline kept on insisting they would be home soon and he should be patient. It was coming on almost 8am and there was still no sign of her. He was currently in the study gathering a gun and ammunition trying to quell the fear inside of him that kept growing. He had been fine until Alice had shown up here and got under his skin, now he felt like all he did was worry about her. Slinging his gun over his shoulder he turned towards the door when he heard footsteps enter the house.

"Anyone home? a woman called.

He moved from the study quickly and saw Alice standing in the hallway looking tired but safe. He had an urge to go to her and hug her but stopped himself, "Where have you been?" he asked sharply and crossed his arms.

"Well." she began stepping toward him. "I asked a certain someone to maintain the trucks and radios which they didn't do so they both broke down, at the same time."

"Stop changing the subject." he told her deadpan.

Alice smiled at him and shook her head.

"I left a note saying the radios were playing up anyway…." Dupe glanced at Danny and narrowed his eyes, "Were you ok out there?"

Alice saw the look and crossed her arms, "I was actually." a tone to her voice then she grinned deciding to get her own back, "Danny and I had a lot of fun..."

Dupe reddened slightly and his hand instinctively went to his gun, "Fun?"

Alice laughed, "God Dupe it's flinging cabbages all over again! We couldn't sleep..." she breathed and withheld a laugh as his face went redder.

"This just gets better." he muttered.

"We made up constellations." Danny piped up smiling wryly.

"He was the perfect gentleman." Alice added. "We used your hot chocolate though. Worked a charm." and she winked.

"Brat!" he told her eyes narrowed then patted her arm gently. "I'm glad you're ok." then disappeared in the study once again.

Alice turned and looked at Danny, he smiled at her with a gentle expression. "Thank you for being there for last night."

He shook his head, "Don't mention it."

She frowned thoughtfully, "And about what you suggested, let me sleep on it and we'll talk, ok?"

Danny nodded and smiled at her warmly while looking down at her. He raised his hands until they rested on her upper arms and he rubbed them reassuringly, "Don't worry, it'll all work out in the end."

"I know." she replied.

They looked at each other for a moment, in a nice gentle silence.

Danny was the first to break it, "Anyway, I better be getting home, I'll call you later."

Alice nodded her assent and she stood at the door and watched him as he walked down the stairs and climb into the truck he had left the night before. Only when she could only see dust did she finally turn to head down the hallway. Almost immediately Dupe exited the study and stared at her, "Ok he's gone." he told her without premable, "What happened between you two?"

She opened her mouth with a denial but Dupe cut her off, "And don't insult my intelligence by lying to me because I see the way you look at him!"

"Dupe." she began seriously, "On Thomas' life nothing happened! No kissing, not even any touching, we argued again then we talked. Had a sleep…." she frowned.

Dupe saw it, "You had the nightmare again didn't you?"

"How do you know about that?" she asked standing up straighter.

"The walls here are paper thin, it doesn't happen often, but when it does I hear you muttering and you sometimes shout out."

Alice sighed and rubbed her face, "It wasn't the same one but yeah, a nightmare."

"And he heard you?"

"He must have." Alice said with a shrug, then she saw his face harden. "Don't look like that Dupe! He didn't take advantage, after hearing me we just looked up at the stars, he helped take my mind off it, he made me laugh."

Yes that's what her mouth was saying but he heard the unspoken things too, "I'm worried about you kid." he told her.

"Would it make you feel better if I told you I was worried too?" she whispered after waiting a beat too long to reply.

He laughed humourlessly and shook his head, "No. Are you in love with him?" straight to the root of the issue, no point beating around the bush.

Alice rubbed her eyes, "No….no, I'm not." she shrugged, "There's Terry too. it's just, Danny and I have history, we have a child together. But it would never work." her tone indecisive.

Dupe went to her, "Who are you trying to convince? You don't sound too sure."

"I'm sure!" she told him voice firm.

Dupe patted her cheek gently knowing full well she wasn't but willing to let her deal with it in her own way, "Just take care of yourself ok?" And he'd be keeping a close eye too.

Alice nodded quickly, eager to steer the conversation into less confusing territory, "Are the kids up yet? For school?"

"I tried, the boy didn't even stir. Rosie stayed over at Mara."

"On a school night?" Alice asked. "I bet the girls were still awake at midnight. I'd better get Thomas up." and she headed for his room.

As Alice departed Caroline appeared at the front door and Dupe approached her, "If Alice ends up hurt all of this is on you, she had enough on her plate without falling for someone she can't be with!" Dupe told her voice low.

"Who said she can't be with him?" Caroline retorted.

"She won't let herself, that's why!" and he stomped off.

Caroline looked in the direction of Alice who was stood at Thomas' bedroom door talking to her son. A frown creased her brow when she saw a wry smile on Alice face. She looked different somehow and that's what worried her.

Alice knocked on Thomas' bedroom door, no sound penetrated so she knocked harder. Thomas?" she called.

The door opened unexpectedly and he stood there in blue checked pyjama shorts and t-shirt, slightly taller than her, hair tousled. He rubbed his eyes and peered at her, "You're home."

She nodded.

"You ok? You were out all night."

"I'm fine, just a little tired. How do you know I was out all night?"

He shrugged, "I couldn't sleep, Dupe was pacing worried about you. It was hard to miss."

"Oh." she murmured, "Anyway yeah, all was fine, although I couldn't sleep either stuck out there with Danny, one of us had to keep watch but to be fair neither one of slept at all." she was quick to add when Alice saw her sons face harden and twist in derision that his dad let her keep watch.

"As long as you are ok. Oh and he wasn't a prat or anything."

Alice smiled at Thomas wide and real, it wasn't often he spoke like that so hearing it warmed her. "Nope, Danny wasn't a prat or anything else. Perfect gentleman actually."

Alice saw relief fly across Thomas' face but decided not to comment on it. "Now it's time for you to get up for school."

Thomas sighed but exited his room and headed in the direction of the shower.

A/N Hi all, hope you are all well! Sorry its been a while but i am trying, i have a fair bit written i just have no time to type it! Im hopeful for next week as im off work, fingers crossed. anyway, the first part was rewritten as i didn;t like it, in that part a kiss did happen but its too early! But Danice seem to be warming to each other FINALLY! but Danny could soon be living there and Dupe doesn't exactly like him. trouble is brewing!
Thank you to everyone still reading this and being patient with very sporadic updates, it will be finished eventually!