After Kane shaved his stubble, he put on his best shirt, took it off to scowl at it, then put it back on again.  It wasn't as if he could impress his potential in-laws with a lousy shirt he bought before one of his few social occasions.   He had no idea what they might say to him, he wasn't even sure if he was supposed to go.

"Kane?"  Kirsty knocked on the bathroom door.  "Can you stop hogging the bathroom?  We're going to be late."

"Yeah, yeah, " he said nonchalantly as he smoothed his hair.  It needed cutting.

"Have you got the scan photos?  And the wine?"

"Wine?  Do you want your parents to think we live like alcoholics?"

"I thought it might be nice to bring something, " Kirsty rested her head against the door.  "To keep the peace." 

"Somehow, I don't think getting your entire family drunk will help."  Kane opened the door, with Kirsty falling into his chest.  He planted soft kisses on her forehead.

"Stop, " said Kirsty puling away.  "We've got no time for that; we have to leave now."

"Great, I wonder what's for dinner?"

***

He saw them pull up.  He'd been waiting for their car for hours.  Kirsty got out of the car, planted a kiss on his cheek, and they walked up the drive.  When he was sure they'd gone, Josh crawled out of the bushes.  He had to do this quickly if his plan was going to work out.  He ran up to the bonnet of the car, opened it, and started to fiddle with it.  He'd get what he deserved for breaking him and Dani up. 

***

Dani heard the door knock.  It must be Kirsty.  She hadn't seen her for a while, and although she was angry with her, she missed her. 

"Jade, do you want to open it?" she asked.  Jade obliged without a word.   Her face grew even more astounded when she saw Kane.  She was silent.  Dani got up, and opened her mouth to greet her sister, when she realised who she saw.  In her house.  Where it happened. 

"What… " croaked Dani, "Is he doing here?"

"Don't be silly, you invited us, " said Kirsty.

"Us?  I invited you, didn't Max make it clear?" 

"Obviously not, " thought Kane, wanting the ground to swallow him up. 

Dani paced around the room, trying to block him from her mind.  She couldn't call for her father.  She couldn't speak.

"We could just go, " whispered Kane.

"No, this needs to be sorted out now, " said Kirsty.  "Dani, maybe I misunderstood, but we're here now.  Can we at least talk?"

"Not… with him… in the house."  Dani ran outside.

"Now look what you've done, " screeched Jade.  "You're so selfish."

"What's going on?" Rhys entered the room, hearing commotion.  He saw Kane.  Under his roof.   He spoke slowly, yet with increasing venom.  "What do you think you are doing here?"

Kane didn't know whether to answer or not.  Thankfully, Kirsty did for him.

"We were under the impression we were invited for dinner."

"Doesn't he speak for himself?" retorted Jade.  "Now is he ashamed."

"Oh shut up Jade for a minute. We only came because we thought we were invited, can we please just talk?"

Rhys threw his head in his hands.  "I think it'd be best if you went Kane."

"He's not going anywhere.  I'll try and find Dani."

"I doubt she wants to see you, " said a huffy Jade.

"Well I'm going."  Kirsty ran outside, and saw a figure sitting down by a bush, curled into a ball.  "Dani…"

Her head spun round.  "You again."

"Look, I'm sorry.  I thought he was invited, I just…"

"You just what?  You just thought he could come here, like when you just fell in love with him.  Like he just raped me."

"I know…"

"I don't know how you can even look at him, let alone touch him.  It makes me feel physically sick."  The strain in Dani's face was visible.  "Sometimes I think you forget."

"I haven't and I never will.  There's a part of me which will always hate him for what he did to you, always."

"So how can you love him?"

"Because he's changed."

"So you say."

Kirsty sighed and sat down next to Dani.  "I can't really explain it myself.  He's like a different person."

"No he isn't!  He's still the same person!"

"I know that, he's different and yet the same, I know it's strange but I just love him.  We've bonded and gone through so much, my hate for him is eclipsed by love."

A long pause followed.  "Well I can't accept that."  Dani got up, and walked towards the road, then disappeared.  Kirsty sat and stared into the darkness for a while, then a loud noise woke her up from her trance.  She darted towards the house.  Kane had blood running down his face.

"Kane!"  She ran to his side.

"I'm sorry Kirsty, but I just lost my temper, " said Kane.

"Now get out of my house, " shouted Rhys.  "Both of you."

Kirsty left her old house in tears, leaning on Kane for support.  Kane was fuming.  He angrily got into his car; his movement's harsh and erratic.  He just lashed out at Rhys, and was sent down to earth with a bump.  He was so sick of everyone talking about him like he wasn't there; he couldn't block it out any longer.  Kirsty sobbed silently, and Kane started the car, zooming down the roads.  He let himself go, he was free.  He saw the meter going up, higher and higher, giving him a release.  Kirsty looked ahead.

"Kane, you're going too fast, we're going to hit…"  The breaks were useless; it was too late.  They smashed into another car, just behind the bend, and were knocked unconscious.