Rosie saw Danny and Alice sat close together in the kitchen hands touching, gazing at each other with a matching gentle expression… and something inside her just snapped. She had the worst morning imaginable, the worst being dragged out of bed to go shopping with the evil twins! Then some insane child ran up to her putting his dirty hands all over her new jeans and then when she had been heading to the truck a driver threw a can from his window showering her a sticky fluid…..and this was the final straw! "Oh what such a sweet picture, a little reunion…" she sneered walking towards the kitchen with her hands in her pockets.

Alice stood in. "Be quiet Rosie!" Alice warned, voice low and cold, she already knowing where this was going to go.

"Or what Alice?" she challenged halting half way down the hallway. "You'll give me away again?"

Danny looked at Alice in question, "Give her away?"

"Rosie not now!" Alice didn't want to have this conversation at all, never mind in front of Danny! There were some things someone didn't need to hear!

Rosie was looking at Danny's expression and released a mirthless laugh., "He didn't even know about me then?"

Danny looked at Rosie then at his ex wife, "Alice?"

Nomsa and Caroline walked in laden down with bags, they saw Danny and Alice alone together and smiled conspiratorially. "Oh were you two busy? Don't let us interrupt, we'll be out of your hair in a second won't we Nom?" Caroline said joyfully. "Rosie help us with the bags please, will you." Code for leave these two alone now!

"Go on then Alice!" Rosie seethed startling Nomsa and Caroline. "Tell him!"

Alice sighed, "Danny will you help Nomsa and Caroline with the bags, I need to speak to Rosie."

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We'll talk later." and with that she walked down the hallway, room Rosie by the arm and led her into the study and closed the door behind her.

"Shouldn't Danny be here for this?" Rosie said angrily. "After all he is my…."

Alice rested back on the desk and crossed her legs in front of her interrupting Rosie, "Danny isn't your dad." Alice told her calmly. "That I know for certain!"

"I see you're not denying it anymore! So what then? Did you sleep around?"

Alice bristled, insulted that Rosie had such a low opinion of her, then again who knew what their mother had told her! "It doesn't matter if I deny that I'm your mother, you don't believe me! You want me to lie to you? Tell you I am your mum, that I walked out on you and left you in that position? If I did that then I am NO mother Rosie! A mother does what is best her for kids regardless of how much it hurts!" that much Alice did know!

Rosie looked at her quietly, mulling everything through in her head. Then making a decision she began to shake her head, "You're lying."

"SEE?" Alice exclaimed, "You'll only believe what you want to hear whether it's the truth or lies. We could do a DNA test but when the results come back that I'm not your mum I'll have somehow tampered with the samples so you know what? Think I'm your mum, hate me for it, blame me for every bad thing that has ever happened in your life." Alice shrugged. "But it won't change the truth! One day you will have to wake up and realise that I'm not the one who lied to you, mum is!"

"Why would she lie then?" Rosie shouted. "Why?"

"Top twist the knife in! She hates me Rosie, REALLY hates me! As in my life going down the drain makes her jump for joy kind of hate!" Alice swallowed, "Something happened when you were a baby your dad left and she blames me for it. She wants to ruin my life as she saw him as her last chance." Alice rolled her eyes, "God knows he was no prize! She should have been happy to be rid of him!"

"What happened?" Rosie asked not quite believing her.

"You sure you want to know? What if you find out your mum and dad aren't the people you thought they were?" Alice asked. "I saw a different side to mum that day too" one particular sentence her mum said that day still chilled her….

Rosie nodded after hesitating.

"Ok." Alice murmured and took a deep calming breathe. She trailed back through her memories to the beginning of the end of her and Danny…..

Alice was driving through dimly lit streets towards a supermarket. Normally after a certain time she would never venture out, she'd usually be enjoying some quiet time with Danny but needs must, Danny offered to go but he was at work early tomorrow and needed to shower. So while he did what he had to out she came. Her phone vibrated in the hands free and she pressed a button scanning the screen. The phone then rang and she exhaled. She connected the call and her mother began howling down the phone practically incoherent. She had obviously been drinking and her words were jumbled together.

"She wont stop and I….."

"Mum mum slow down…." Alice requested.

"But he'll be shouting and it makes it worse. You need to come get her."

Huh? "Are you on about Rosie? What's wrong with her?"

She heard a door slam and the call disconnected. Alice tried to phone back but it was off. "Great mum!" she muttered. And began to drive away from the supermarket and towards her mums house. It was after 10 o'clock and if Derek and her mum had been drinking then she was getting them both out of there. Rosie first and foremost. Derek couldn't stand it when Rosie cried. He was an angry drunk and became aggressive, hopefully she wouldn't have to deal with him. If she could get her mum and Rosie out of there it would give them a peaceful night as he didn't know where she lived.

The car came to a stop on a residential street, all the lights were burning in her mums house and even from the car she could hear muted shouting. She exhaled, climbed from the car and walked to the front door. Her eyes widened when she heard a thump and the sound of glass breaking, "Oh for goodness sake, you have a baby in there!" she breathed taking out her key and letting herself in. Instead of heading for the living room she was going to leave those two to scream at each other, she'd leave her mum a note and even text her to say that she had taken Rosie home for the night. She had no desire to get embroiled in this crap between her mum and Derek!

She walked up the stairs on soundless feet! Alice could barely believe that she was only eighteen and already far more mature then her mum and her fiancé. She reached the top and headed the room that she knew was Rosie's, she and Danny had decorated it for her. Disbelief once again filled her when she saw the used nappies and bottles littering the floor. Rosie's cot in the corner of the cold room, she lay there quietly, tear tracks on her cheeks. Alice walked across and she looked up at her solemnly Rosie whimpered then hiccupped, awake and obviously unhappy. Alice picked her up to soothe her and found her nappy dripping wet. "Mum!" she hissed and bit back a curse.

She smiled at Rosie reassuringly. "Lets get you out of these wet things little girl." she then lay Rosie down and stripped her. The room was chilly so she wrapped her in a blanket as she went in search of clothes. "They just left you up here alone while they drink and shout huh?" Alice crooned. "We're gonna have to have a talk about this to Danny when we get home aren't we." and shook her head.

After searching everywhere she found a nappy which was a size too small, it would have to do. She fastened the nappy loosely as to not cut into her legs and dressed her in clean pyjamas then wrapping her back in the blanket. She'd have to stop off at a store and get the right nappies and milk for Rosie, her mother had went too far this time! Gathering a few clothes for her and draped the bag across her shoulder and left the room.

She was halfway down the stairs when the living room door unexpectedly opened and Derek stumbled out of the room.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she murmured when his eyes found her. She had never liked Derek, he was a short punchy man whose stomach strained to be released from clothes which hadn't fit him in years. There was always a cruel light in his brown eyes and his hair, usually impeccably styled was in disarray….it was obvious he had been drinking all day and something had made him angry, definitely not a good combination! She should have brought Danny but that would have meant…..

"Well if isn't my stepdaughter paying me a visit." he told her standing up straighter, a malicious smile on his face. He moved to the stairs and blocked her exit. "Come and give daddy a cuddle."

Alice readjusted Rosie in her arms and dealt with Derek the way she always did, by standing her ground, he always tried to intimidate her, "I have a dad thanks and he isn't you!" thoughts of her father always made her sad, he had only passed away a year ago and she still missed him more then words could say.

Derek merely smirked when he say the sadness flicker in her eyes. "But I could be your new daddy if you want me to." his eyes flaming with want.

Revulsion filled Alice knowing full well what he was alluding to, she wasn't even going to answer that one! "Can you move I really need to get home."

"To your boyfriend Dennis?"

"He's my husband and his name is Danny." she snapped knowing he was goading her but unable to ignore it.

"Whatever…." and he did something unexpected, he stepped aside. As she reached the bottom stair he grasped her arm. "Leave the kid." he hissed in her ear, his putrid breath washing over her making her feel contaminated.

"I'm taking Rosie with me." she told him, glaring at him.

"I'm her father and I said she stays, unless…." he began and smirked at her again.

She tried to yank her arm free but he held it solidly, she pulled as hard as she could and fell back on the stairs. "Whatever it is you want no!"

"Or what?" he laughed. "You'll call your husband? He'll do what exactly?"

Alice felt nothing but loathing and contempt for the man before her. She knew Danny would kill him if he knew what Derek was suggesting. "Let me move past Derek, now!"

"C'mon Alice I haven't even told you what I want yet, who knows you may enjoy yourself." leering at her.

"You have nothing I want so let me go!" taking a backwards step up the stairs as he moved closer.

He took a step too and Alice felt her heard begin to pound with fear. He was always making suggestions at her but this was the first time he actually looked like he'd act on it! "I'm going to phone Danny in a minute!" she warned.

"No your not." he told her reasonably.

Alice's mother appeared at the living room door, "Mum tell him to leave me alone!" she asked, fear clear in her tone.

Her mother replied by taking a drunk from her bottle and shrugging. "Its you he wants…."

A chill permeated her bones as her mothers words sunk in. "I'm only here coz you phoned me in state and asked me to come get Rosie."

As she said the childs name Derek ordered Linda to, "Take the kid."

Alice held Rosie tight and refused to be pushed around anymore. "I'm warning you now, get out of my way!"

Derek laughed again and sneered, "How you gonna make me little girl?"

Alice grabbed a handful of his collar and her face contorted into a scowl, "Like this!" and thrust him away from her with as much force as she could muster.

Derek had only taken three steps up the stairs but it was enough and he fell back to the floor with a clatter.

"Derek!" her mum cried and ran to his aid.

Alice was about to leave when now it was her mum now blocking her exit. Derek wasn't unconscious like she had hoped he would be, he was awake and even angrier than before….slowly pulling himself to his feet. Alice knew how much trouble she was in now and she also knew he wouldn't care about doing anything to her even when she was holding his daughter. Alice did the only thing she could she ran upstairs and laid Rosie down in her cot. "Don't cry ok." Alice whispered. "I'll be back soon." and she tucked her in. pressing some buttons she set her phone to play some nursery rhymes and then left the room. She door had clicked when Derek appeared from around the corner.

"Walk away Derek." Alice hissed. "I came for Rosie to take her home so just walk away and we'll forget all about this."

Derek didn't say a word, just stalked towards her slowly….

Rosie looked at Alice full of incredulity, "So you are saying mum hates you coz my dad was going to attack you and you came and took me?" she shook her head not believing any of it.

"Its what came after she hates me for…." Alice told Rosie simply.

Derek straightened up and shook his fist as it throbbed. Alice lay on her mothers floor a whole mass of pain. She had blacked out momentarily when he pounded her body off the wall, she woke up to see his fists flying into her stomach and torso. She looked to her mother who was stood at the top of the stairs and felt a hate so pure it was almost breathtaking. Derek merely rubbed his fists and snarled, "And now I am going to do what I intended when she came!"

Linda looked at Alice, saw her rolled almost in a foetal position completely unable to stop Derek or even protect herself in any way and was reminded of the baby Alice had been, kicking her legs in her cot. For the first time in her life she knew that she had to try and help.

"Come downstairs first Derek, let me help you with that hand, grab a drink. She'll still be here when you get back." Alice thought she heard her mum say. She glanced up at him and saw him staring at her his face full of contempt, then he shrugged and stomped downstairs. Her mum approached her and knelt down. Alice wrapped her arms around her ribs wondering whether her mum was gonna give it a try next. If she hadn't already been lain on the floor her next words would have floored her, "I'd say you have five minutes until he comes back up here, I'd use it…." her face expressionless.

Alice looked at her mum, had she actually did something to help her or was she concussed? Alice had no time to ask her as Linda stood up and walked away slowly. And even though Alice was in so much pain knew she had to heed her mums words, the other option was unthinkable. Alice forced herself to stand upright, collected her infant sister and took the stairs at a run.

She was out of the door and beside her car in moments. It wasn't until Rosie was strapped into the car seat and Alice had climbed in the car and moving that she felt safe. Before driving onto the motorway she stopped the car and studied herself in the rear view mirror wincing when she saw the blood trickling down her nose. Apart from that and her dishevelled hair though she looked pretty much normal. Good! That meant if she was careful she could hide this from Danny. He would hit the roof if he knew that Derek had hit her. More and more recently she had seen flashes of his father in him, he hated that he was working as a postman instead of going to college and studying to do something he loved. He had never lost it at her it was just a festering just below the surface. Something like this was just the reason he needed to loose it and she refused to give it to him! She pulled out some wiped from Rosie's bag and cleaned up the blood from her nose then finger combed her hair until it was back to normal.

After visiting the supermarket and getting all the things she needed she made her way home, she found Danny waiting at the door when she pulled the car up. She clenched her jaw to hide the wince as she climbed out of the car. He walked towards her and she schooled her features so he didn't think anything was wrong. He smiled at her until he saw her open the door to the back seat and he saw her pick Rosie from the car seat. He went to the passenger side and got the bags of groceries. As they walked to the house Danny reached across to tickle Rosie under the chin which earned him a toothless grin. Even as a baby Rosie thought Danny was the next best thing to sliced bread, if anyone could coax a smile from her it was him. It was one way they were alike, Alice supposed.

"Everything go ok at your mums?" he asked closing the front door behind them.

"Yeah." Alice answered casually. "I didn't hang around, went in and got Rosie out before they even knew I was there." and she lay Rosie down on the floor.

Danny was in the kitchen putting the groceries away. "You shouldn't have went there alone."

"I know but you had…."

"No Alice! I don't want you around that man alone ok! I don't trust him! I know what men like that are capable of." and took the nappies from the bag.

"I need them…" she said unsnapping Rosie's babygro.

He carried them towards her, "My dad was one of those men and I didn't like you being around him either."

Alice didn't answer she was too busy staring at the bruising on Rosie little chest and arms, she hadn't noticed this in the room it had been too dark. She looked at her hand and saw the clear outline of one her stomach. Danny walked in and saw her shock then looked at the baby and dropped the packet of nappies to the floor. "Are those…."

"Danny calm down." she said quickly trying damage limitation.

"Calm down?" he said in disbelief. "Look at her! Those are finger marks around her arm! Look at her chest!"

"I know what it looks like…." she began.

"He's hitting his baby daughter!" he shouted pacing now. "That's unacceptable!"

Rosie heard the shout and jumped and began to cry. Alice picked her up and stood up rocking her from side to side crooning to her until her wails subsided. "You gonna calm down or scare her some more." Alice asked voice low and cold.

Danny paced uncontrollably side to side but was still silently fuming.

"After this we can't let her go home can we?" Alice told him. "So you can calm down, she's safe with us…."

Rosie snorted loudly, "So the reason why mum hates you is coz you tried to kidnap me for my own good coz my dad was hitting me? Real original!"

Alice glared at her, "You wanna hear the end of this story or not coz we're getting to the bit I don't really like to revisit very often!"

Rosie shrugged, listening even more intently then before.

Alice sighed her eyes darks with pain, "So anyway I told Danny you weren't going home and…."

"You think by having her now just negates everything he did to her before? He gets away with it?" Danny snapped. "Look at her, she's defenceless, what sort of man does that?"

"So what Danny?" Alice asked quickly putting on a fresh nappy on Rosie and redressing her. "What you going to do?" standing back up. "Go over there and get yourself arrested for him? What about me? Us? Our family? All he does when I go over there is say things to try and make me angry so I'll tell you and you'll go over there to pick a fight! You go and he wins! And where does that leave us?"

Danny was scowling again, "What he say to you this time?"

"Nothing, I was in and out. He didn't even know I was there." she lied and headed for the stairs. Danny went to her. "I'll put Rosie to bed."

"It's fine, I'll sort it." she told him. "Just cool off. There is stuff we're gonna have to figure out if we are going to have Rosie full time."

"I spent extra time making sure you wee settled giving Danny plenty of time to calm down, it usually worked. When he was angry he liked to be left alone to work it through in his head. You were asleep and I had showered. The bruises were starting to show and they weren't pretty, I hadn't really thought about how I'd hide the at bedtime…."

Alice had showered, dried and out on an old t-shirt of Danny's with pink satin trousers to hide the bruises on her body. She was about to climb into bed when Danny walked in carrying a mug of hot chocolate covered in fresh cream and marshmallows. He smiled at her wryly.

"Calm?" she simply asked walking towards him.

He nodded. "Calm." and handed her the mug dipping his finger in the cream.

"Hey!" she laughed, earlier ire forgotten.

She sipped her drink while he ran his hand down her cheek slowly. "I'm sorry for earlier, you know how I can be. I just don't want a baby going through what I…."

She put her hand on his cheek and he rested his forehead on hers closing his eyes. "I get it." she whispered. He had already having told her a lot of what happened at the hands of his dad. "Sometimes though superman should leave the heroics to the police. You can't save the world but we can make sure that hers is better from now on ok?"

He opened his eyes and rubbed her nose with his, "That is totally why I love you."

She feigned modesty.

He grinned and took the mug from her placing it on the nearest cabinet. "And I love that you think I'm superman." he murmured.

"Yeah, with less muscles." she joked…. until he kissed her passionately.

Alice responded in kind and felt a heat begin to burn.

"It's not like you to wear my clothes." his hand sliding around her waist. "I really like the top that goes with those trousers….." pressing feather light kisses to her jaw line. His hand ran slowly up her side brushing bruised ribs. She couldn't help but flinch, his nearness momentarily making her forget her pain. Danny didn't miss it, he froze keeping his eyes glued to her face. Neither said a word so he moved his hand again to the area which pained her… she couldn't withhold the grimace of pain as he gently probed the area.

"Alice?" he finally said, voice icy.

"Danny leave it ok?" she asked pulling free of him. This wasn't going to end well!

He moved his hands to the hem of her shirt ready to lift it and see for himself. She placed her hands over his halting him. "Danny

"You gonna show me or what?" he asked.

Alice wasn't ready to budge on this one, not with what he'd do!

Danny saw the refusal in her eyes so brought out the big guns. "No secrets." he told her heatedly. "I'm your husband Alice, we promised on the day we married there would be no secrets between us. You've already lied to me, you told me he didn't see you when obviously something happened."

She heard the words and couldn't believe that he would willingly use that against her. "Fine I will." she agreed, not wanting to break that promise but added a stipulation of her own. "But if you love me you'll leave it alone!" and she loosened her grip on his hand wondering what he was going to do.

Danny didn't even hesitate. He went to his knees in front of her and raised her t-shirt gently, saw the various purple, red and green bruises which covered her stomach and ribs. He turned her slowly and saw the imprint of knuckles on her lower spine.

Alice turned her head to look at him and had never seen such an expression on his face before, he said nothing, stood up and kissed her softly then turned to the bedroom door. Alice knew where he was going and went after him, "Danny no please!" she pleaded taking his hand.

"No one hurts you like that Alice." taking his hand away and going down the stairs. He took his coat from the rack and picked up the car keys. "He did it to a defenceless baby and then you?" he shook his head.

Alice saw how rigid he was holding himself and knew he was holding back all his anger, leaving it all for Derek.

"Danny the police…."

"I'm your husband Alice!" he told her and headed for the front door. "He isn't doing that to you!" Alice dashed passed him to the front door and stood in front of it hands braced on the frame. "Are you going to move me? Because I'm not letting you out of here!"

He turned to go out of the back door, Alice dashed passed him again. She was ready to do this all night if she had to!

"He isn't getting away with this Alice." he promised.

Alice was hoping she could get him to calm down enough to see sense. "Danny you're better than this! Think of everything we have, I can't bear it if we lose this, if I lose you…."

Danny merely said, "Sooner or later I'll get him…."

A high pitched cry pierced the air. It was at that moment Alice knew she had lost. They looked towards the stairs, then each other.

She crossed her arms hoping he'd go but knowing he wouldn't.

"You really think I'm in any position to be holding a child, the mood I'm in!" he asked.

"You'd never hurt a child!" she retorted knowing he was trying to manipulate her.

"I won't hold a innocent child feeling like this Alice." he told her simply. "I'm in no fit state."

"Danny please don't…" she begged. "Please…" blue eyes beseeching him.

"You're needed Alice." and he crossed his arms refusing to promise her anything.

She looked at the ceiling then bowed her head. "What happened to me doesn't matter ok! YOU matter to me. Our family matters! Just think before you do anything!" and she walked away from him and upstairs.

Before she reached the room the baby lay crying in the front door slammed….

"Wow." Rosie murmured. "So Danny beat my dad up for hitting you and me?"

Alice nodded. "He came home about an hour later a real mess. Your dad didn't take it lying down and even pulled a knife on Danny. His hands were terrible all bruised and his knuckles were split. I got him cleaned up and an hour later the police came and Danny was arrested on suspicion for assault and battery or GBH whatever it was I forget. My head was all over but this time, I was worried about him. All I wanted was for him to come home so we could forget about it all. Mum wasn't happy, Derek walked out and left her, too much hassle apparently. She came and demanded you back when I said no she called Child Protective Services on me. Said Danny hit me regularly and she was concerned. I was covered in bruises Danny was arrested on charges related to violence I tried but they believed her and they came and took…."

Rosie crossed her arms. "You can stop right there Alice, I know how this story ends, you wanted me so much but couldn't have me right?" Rosie scoffed. "How old and cliché can you get?"

"Rosie I'm not finished yet."

"Yes Alice you are! And you know what? I believe none of it! You went to get me from a bad situation? You cared? That's NOT you Alice! You abandoned me! If you cared why not fight for me?"

"I had other battles to fight."

Rosie snorted.

Alice walked towards her, "I lost everything coz I came for you that night! Now you're stood there acting like an ungrateful child!"

"YOUR child! Why go through that for anyone else?"

"No…"

"I know you're my mum Alice, stop lying!" Rosie shouted.

"Rosie I know you don't want to hear this but I'm your sister not your mum!"

"Mum told me you had a child! Was she lying?" Rosie challenged.

Alice looked away unable to lie, grimacing as she did so. Her brow was still furrowed when she looked back to Rosie.

"So you ARE my mum, why else would you…."

Rosie's gloating filled her head, all the emotion from the story seemed to build and crest in her chest. "Rosie I'm not!" Alice repeated heart pounding.

"Yes you are!" Rose yelled.

Alice put her head in her hands, "Rosie…."

"Tell me the truth!" Rosie demanded.

"I know you're not my child!" Alice said panic filling her.

"Prove it"

"I can't."

"Then you're lying!" Rosie shouted.

Alice heart was pounding and her head was spinning she needed Rosie to listen.

"I knew you didn't care! How could you? You walked away from Danny! Me! Do you even love anyone?"

Rosie continued spitting words at Alice. Those words combined with the feelings drove Alice right over the edge. "I HAD A LITTLE BOY!" she shouted breathing heavily.

Rosie quieted. "What?"

"That's how I know you aren't mine." Alice whispered feeling weary.

"A boy?" she whispered.

Alice sat on a chair and covered her face with her hands. Her little man, her mini Danny with soft green eyes alight with fun, a little button nose and endearing grin….

"Where is he then?" Rosie asked.

Child Protective services flashed in Alice's mind. The morning they took Rosie….Alice stood up and shook her head and raised her hand to halt Rosie, "I can't…." her voice sounding choked and with that she walked from the room. Upon leaving the room she immediately walked into Danny, she didn't see him. She saw his eyes, her sons eyes and barged passed him unable to stand the sight of his face.

Danny saw the distress on her face, "Alice?"

Immediately after Alice Rosie followed. "Leave us alone yeah." she told him and walked out of the front door.

Alice ended up on the veranda and inhaled the clean air deeply needing to cleanse herself of the memories. Of those people taking her little boy, of being unable to get him back, of him seeing her a year later and not recognising her, grasping another persons leg, being afraid of her…. Everything was still so raw and painful even though it was years later.

Alice sat on a chair and bowed her head, once again hiding it in her hands. She sniffed and tried to halt the tears which were threatening to fall. Rosie appeared before her and she swallowed thickly before raising her head. The two sisters just looked at each other.

"I'm sorry." Rosie said. "Mum said…."

"Rosie if you were my child I would never have left you to mum! And if for what ever reason I had to you can bet I'd have been there every minute of every day bringing you up in a way she never could! I would never have left you with her alone, I should never have left you there…" she trailed off.

Rosie nodded, pulled a chair towards her and sat opposite. "So your son?"

Alice shook her head and dropped it into her hands again, "We lost him." came out muffled.

"Do you mean he died?" Rosie asked horrified.

Alice shook her head., "When child protective services came they took him away. Mum told them Danny abused me on a daily basis and was afraid for the baby and that he kidnapped you. You were at my house, I was covered in bruises, Derek had disappeared. Danny's hands were all bruised. What else were they going to think? They took our little boy away. We fought for him but….she raised her head and looked into the distance…"…we…smoke?"

Alice frowned as she saw a thick black plume spiralling high in the sky. Alice finally realised what she was seeing. "SMOKE!" and before she knew it she was on her feet running into the house grabbing a radio. Nomsa and Caroline were in the kitchen. She wasted no time. "Nomsa get in touch with Mara, tell them I see smoke in the distance, it looks like the areas where the fences are." everything else forgotten.

Nomsa paled and went to the phone.

Alice turned a dial on the radio. "Dupe…" she looked at Caroline as the radio crackled. "I need you to take Rosie and get her out of here. Nomsa too. Head over to Mara, Vanessa and I have planned for this." it had been far too dry recently, there was too much kindling…."Dupe!" she repeated into the radio.

Caroline nodded. Danny entered the kitchen just as Dupes voice came over the radio. She raised her hand to stop Danny speaking. "Dupe we have a code black! Thick black smoke, looks like a big fire, east of us, looks pretty close to the area where the fences are."

"I'm over at Mara at the moment but I'll head there so see if its on our side or theirs…."

"Be careful Dupe, its been very dry around here recently. I'll call the fire brigade. I'm sending everyone to Mara, tell Vanessa to sort out her guests. Our people will help her co-ordinate. Oh and if the fire is close to the fences and if you can take them down!"

"Will do, see you there."

Alice clipped the radio to the belt of her jeans and kicked off her shoes. And without speaking to anyone went to her room retrieving her boots, she sat on her bed and laced them up. Left the house and found Rosie in the veranda.

"Alice?" she asked. Voice unsure she looked concerned.

Alice smiled at her reassuringly. "There's a fire somewhere, looks like our land, I need you to go to Mara with…."

Rosie shook her head, "I want to help."

Alice denied her, "And I want you safe! Bush fires are unpredictable, scary….."

Rosie frowned and chewed her lip, "Will you be ok?"

"Completely! Now I really need to go. Be good and we'll talk later. We'll finished what we started ok?"

Rosie nodded and took Alice off guard by hugging her. "Be careful sis." she murmured.

Alice smiled and squeezed her gently. "I will."

Rosie left her and climbed in the truck which was waiting for her. Alice exhaled in relief as it drove off. She was about to collect their other truck when Danny walked from the house.

"You need to go to Mara, call a taxi will you, there's a …."

"Fire." he finished for her. "I know and I want to help."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "No chance!" shook her head. "Oh by the way Leon…."

"Surgically attached to Vanessa it seems. He's already at Mara."

Alice nodded, "Look I don't have time to argue with you…."

"I can help!" he interrupted.

"And do what?" she declared. "I have experience in this, no doubt I'll get there and it'll be almost out!"

He smiled and her head felt faint for a second, "If that's true then there is no harm in letting me come."

Alice narrowed her eyes, "Fine!" she caved. "But I need you to stay near the supplies truck and hand out water, you are in no circumstance to go near the fire deal?"

"Deal." and he offered his hand.

She took it and shook briskly, ignoring the tingles that raced through her at such an innocent touch. She picked up a cooler of water and he took it from her effortlessly. She motioned for him to follow her and she led him to a large metal hut out back. Fiddling through her keys she found the right one and opened the door to reveal an extra large truck holding a massive water tank. She saw his face and grinned. "It helps until the firemen get here."

He nodded in appreciation and placed the box on the floor where his seat was and sat beside her. She placed the keys in the ignition and the truck literally roared to life. "I just love that sound." she told him and revved the engine again.

Danny just looked at her and smiled wider.

It didn't take long to reach the place where the fire was and Danny and Alice found that they were able to chat amicably, even with the situation enjoying each others company like they had in the past.

Until they reached the place where the fire was and Alice realised how much she had under estimated the situation. She could feel the heat from a while away. Mara and Leopards Den employees were busy digging ditches and moistening the fauna hoping to slow the fire down. It barely helped, the flames were an angry vibrant orange, Alice stomped on the brakes of her truck and came to a stop her mouth hanging open. She allowed herself a moment of disbelief as the scale of this then shook her herself and looked to Danny. "Go to Mara!" this time it was an order.

"And leave you here to this? No way!" shaking his head. All his old protective instincts roaring to life.

"This is MY problem!"

"And you're my…." he cut off the statement when he realised what he'd been about to say. "I won't leave you to this Alice."

"Alice could see how worried he was for her, "I'll be fine Danny. I promise, just go."

He sighed. The last time she had spoken to him like that was the time they lost their son, he hadn't listened then and had cost them everything. He looked at her, if he wasn't mistaken there was genuine care on her face, an expression she hadn't sent him in so long. It was that expression along with his thoughts that made him pause. "Ok, I'll go."

She nodded. "Thank you, I'll have one of Mara's employees take you there." then she jumped from the truck and began unravelling a hose. He climbed out too and could hardly believe how different she was, how tenacious, fearless…. "Be careful." he asked.

She looked up at him and flashed him a warm smile, "You don't have to worry about me."

"I know." he agreed, but he did.

She hefted the hose onto her shoulder and motioned a tall man over. "Louis take Danny to Mara, inform Vanessa that's its originated close to the fences so it's impossible to tell where it started as its crossed them but we'll hopefully have it contained pretty soon." she then told him her radio frequency to give to her friend then jogged to the back of her truck and attached more hoses to the water tank.

As Danny walked to the truck he lost sight of her, then soon found her again, right in the thick of it. As he climbed in the truck it roared to life and he remembered her smile at how the water tank truck started.

As he left she looked across to him and waved. He waved in return and his last view of her was with a hose in her hand heading for the flames….

A/N nice long chappie to make up for my disappearance recently and you learned alot! Rosie is actually Alices sister but most of all! Danice had a son! you were about to get more detail on that until the fire :/ fire on LD are never good people! Next chappie is to see if they can get tis fire under control...hmmm
PS to anyone who has stayed this long thank you for being patient with my sporadic updates x