A few days creeped by, Alice spent most of her time trying to broach the subject of Danny moving in to Caroline and Dupe. Caroline wouldn't be a problem, she seemed to like Danny a lot, it was Dupe she was worried about. To it it plainly, Dupe hated the man more than before, since she and Danny spent the night in the bush together, it made no difference that nothing untoward had went on! Add to that that she admitted she didn't know how she felt then asking him for Danny to move in might just push him right over the edge! She didn't need him questioning her on her motives for Danny living here, she was doing enough of that to herself!

Rosie was back at school now, admittedly she had been distracted recently trying to fight this court case, looking into rules and laws and child protection so she could throw this all at mother in court! She had looked at Rosie's school book, just out of curiosity to see what she was doing and it had RC+MG with a massive heart around it! From someone who had declared that there were no good looking boys in the area, Rosie had sharp changed her tune! Alice was now certain that the time had come to have a talk with Rosie, Thomas too come to think of it! She'd need to see Danny if he wanted to be there for the talk with Thomas. She had to admit she needed a bit of advice on how to approach the subject with the kids. Plus who was this MG? Rosie wasn't going to end up in the same situation as Alice had been in was she? It was those thoughts that prompted her to get in her truck and drive to Mara to pick Rosie up. She had been spending more and more time there lately, she was assuming the reason was Derek and their mum, she was totally safe there.

Alice pulled in front of the resort and saw Danny, Max and Thomas walking towards the animal surgery. Thomas almost as tall as his father, was talking to Max about something, both teenagers trailing a slight way behind. Max was smiling, then pushed Thomas good naturedly, Thomas responded in kind. It warmed her heart to see her son settling and making friends. Thomas spotted her from across the way and raised a hand in greeting. Danny looked across and he smiled at the sight of her causing butterflies to take flight in her stomach. The three of them headed in her direction.

"You here to pick me up?" Thomas asked checking the time on his phone. "It's early."

"No, I'm just here to see Rosie. The house is empty so I thought now was best to have a private chat."

Thomas twisted his face obviously misconstruing what the topic was.

Alice saw a frown cross Danny's face and she gave him a telling look, he turned to the boys, "Hey why don't you two go play Xbox or something I'll be through in a minute."

Max and Thomas turned to depart. When the latter looked back only to see Danny take Alice by the arm and barely resisted the urge to clench his fists. He narrowed his eyes vowing to somehow find out what was going on between the two of them and put a stop to it!

Danny and Alice walked to a quiet spot, as soon as they were out of earshot of any prying ears Danny started speaking.

"This Rosie thing, is it the court case?" he asked, saw someone passing so took her by the arm and led her into the privacy of the surgery.

Alice shook her head, "All is quiet on that front. My solicitor is working to try and jeep it out of court, trying to find proof of neglect in the UK. Its why it has been delayed. I just want it all over now."

"Oh, if its not that then what is it?"

"Something far worse than this custody stuff."

He frowned. "You want a sounding board?" she sounded stressed out.

Alice sighed and walked into the office in the surgery leaning back against the desk, "It's Rosie, I think she has a boyfriend." her voice low and serious.

Danny shrugged, "Ok, so what's the problem?" he personally didn't see an issue, Rosie was a good kid. Plus she had Alice keeping an eye.

Alice crossed her arms, "She is the same age as I was when I met you."

"Oh." he murmured, "And you think she's going to get in trouble?"

"Do you remember what I was like at her age?" her voice slightly raised.

"Yes." he replied with a smile, "But Rosie will be fine, she has you, she trusts you."

"And I had my dad. It didn't stop us! Where there is a will there is a way!"

"I know, but this is totally different, would you really have went to your dad about private stuff? Like if you needed condoms and stuff."

Alice sighed, knowing how hard it had been for her dad when she started her period. It had been a strange transition so probably not. She looked up at him again, "I've decided to give her the talk." and shook her head, almost in denial.

Danny merely laughed, "The talk? Oh that one is going to go down well."

"I was thinking of including Thomas too, kill two birds with one stone."

"It'll go down just as well with him too."

"Tell me about it!" she breathed, "But as their parents I guess we have to try."

Danny noticed she had referred to him as Rosie's dad, she may have missed it but he didn't! "So how do you suggest we handle this?" he was more than happy to be part of this we with her.

Alice shrugged and rubbed her face, "Treat them like adults I guess. And with that I better go grab Rosie, I need to find out who this MG is and if he really is her boyfriend or just, hopefully, a crush."

They exited the surgery side by side, "I'm not ready for this boyfriend girlfriend stuff. I was hoping for a settling in period first." she admitted.

"Well meet the boy, he might be a good kid like I was." he grinned.

Alice laughed low, "You had a girlfriend 2 years younger than you, you wee definitely NOT a good kid." her laughter ended as a thought occurred to her, "What if he's older than her? Oh God!"

"Hey!" he retorted, "At first I didn't know you were younger and by the time I did I already loved you, there was nothing I could do but be a gentleman! And there's not a lot we can do if he is older than her. Just a very close eye on them. You're worrying about nothing here Alice. You'll get through this!"

Alice eyes flared at his admission, "You loved me that early on?" she asked, noticing that the sun was slowly starting to set.

"I loved you from the moment I set eyes on you." he looked at her, "Trying not to be touched by Brandon's sweat. It was adorable." he laughed.

Alice laughed too, "That was gross! Did he actually expect me to touch him? Yuck!"

Danny heard the husky laughter and it started a burn within him, he looked down at her and saw her laughing face and all he wanted to do in that moment was kiss her. Would her lips still be as soft as they used to be? Would she still fit as well into his arms? Would she kiss him back?

"...what do you think? That's the way I'm thinking of approaching it."

Danny was yanked back to reality with a thud, "Huh?"

They were walking by the pool and she stopped and turned to face him, "You weren't listening to me were you?"

He shrugged sheepishly, "My mind wandered." in areas they definitely shouldn't be! He added silently at the end.

"And what was so important that you were ignoring me?" she asked playfully.

He again looked down at her face and felt like he was falling into her blue eyes, deciding to go for truth. Yes this might end their budding friendship, but if she felt the same it could the start of something wonderful! "Well." he began taking a deep breath and taking her hand, "Truth be told, I was thinking about kissing you."

Alice pulled her hand free, her jaw dropped. Her eyes were wide and she seemed speechless for a moment, his stomach had filled with acid and he felt sick, until he realised that she was looking passed him towards the house. He turned and through a window where he could see Rosie and Max kissing rather heatedly in the living room. Danny was rooted to the spot a moment, unable to quite believe what he was seeing. He covered his face with his hand, it was about to go down.

Alice found her voice, "Oh god." she murmured. "MG?" this one louder, "I'll kill her!" and stomped in the direction of the house.

Danny came to life and ran behind her hoping to catch her before she reached her destination. "Alice." he called. "ALICE!" caught her arm just as she was about to hallway which housed the living room where the teenagers were. He halted her and spun her to face him, "If you go in there shouting the odds it'll kick off. Calm down." breathing hard.

"She's only 13, she shouldn't be kissing boys!"

He raised his eyebrows and looked at her pointedly, "You're saying this to me of all people?"

"This isn't about me and you ok!" she snapped.

"I know it isn't but if you go in there like this and start shouting then she will bring us up and about having a child which will rile you more! She won't come to you if you don't act less angry about this!" he sighed, "Look, you are aware of it now. Talk to her, trust her."

Alice was shaking her head, "No, I've warned her about this! How it'll become so much more than she can handle. I can't believe she didn't listen to me!" he voice raised again at the end.

He rubbed his forehead knowing she wasn't going to be swayed, an idea came to him, "Fine then, let me be the bad guy." and with that he entered the living room.

The two teenagers in there sprang apart with matching guilty expressions, "What are you two doing?" he shouted.

"Look Danny..." Max began hands up in a calming gesture.

"I don't want any excuses!" he yelled, "You two are too young..."

"Danny..." Rosie began softly, "It's ok."

"I said no excuses!" he waited a moment. "I don't want you two seeing each other any more!"

Alice had been listening about to step in when she heard Rosie's irate voice and felt her anger fade.

"Excuse me" Rosie piped up immediately angry. "You're not my dad, you don't tell me what to do!"

"I'm the closest you have and I am telling you both that this isn't happening!" he knew this wasn't his place but he couldn't let Alice wreck her relationship with her younger sister.

"Who do you think you are?" Rosie shouted, anger flowing full force now.

Hearing Rosie's tone Alice knew Danny had saved her from alienating and destroying the trust that had been tentatively growing between her and her sister. She entered the doorway before Rosie totally lost it completely. "Rosie calm down." she said, so much calmer than before.

Danny looked at her and she nodded, he took a step back knowing Alice was going to handle this.

"Did you hear him bossing me about? Acting like my dad! Who does he think he is?" Rosie ranted.

"What were you doing?" Alice asked crossing her arms.

Rosie went red and glanced towards Max.

"Max will you leave us alone please." Danny asked. Max looked towards Rosie then nodded and left the room.

"I already know what you and Max were doing and we'll talk when we get home." Alice told her as Danny was requesting Max give them some space. "I want you to apologise to Danny."

"What? No!" glaring in his direction.

"Rosie you are only a child and have no right to speak to him in the way you did! You need to show him some respect."

Rosie crossed her arm and looked at the wall. "I refuse! He isn't my dad and he doesn't tell me what to do."

"I am your guardian and I am telling you!"

Rosie and Alice stared at each other, neither one giving an inch.

"I mean it Rosie, do it or you lose your phone privileges!"

Rosie now glared at Alice, "This is SO unfair!"

"As you grow up you will learn the right way to speak to people."

"HE HASN'T" she spat. "What right..."

"RIGHT! The phone has gone. Anything else? Now apologise or the laptop is next."

Alice could literally see the cogs in Rosie's mind moving, wondering whether it was worth losing all her electronics for. Rosie stared at the wall again then uttered a curt, "Sorry!"

"Rosie we are only worried about you." Danny told her in a soft tone.

"I said it, can we go yet?" Rosie said stonily, not even acknowledging that Danny had spoke to her.

"Go wait for me in the truck." Alice asked. "Straight to the truck as well. No Max. We'll talk when we get home." she looked at Danny. "Do you want to keep Thomas tonight or drop him off later?"

Rosie meanwhile swanned out of the room.

"Whatever is easier for you." he told her.

When Alice was sure Rosie was out of earshot she went to Danny and hugged him. "Thank you for that. Had Rosie and I butted heads blood may have been shed!"

He smiled warmly at her after she released him, "I had plenty of practice with a much younger much more volatile Alice."

Alice raised an eyebrow, "Less of the volatile thanks!" she laughed, took his hand and squeezed it. "But no thank you, I appreciate it."

"Don't mention it."

On impulse Alice reached up and kissed his cheek, she could feel the stubble upon his cheek. He smelled fresh and clean and like sunshine. "Anyway I better be going," her voice quivering butterflies taking flight in her stomach.

His heart was stuttering in his chest, "What about Thomas?"

"Bring him home later." she told him. "I need to talk to Rosie first, she's likely to get irritated. Its best if he isn't around for that. After that we can talk yeah?"

He nodded slowly. Looking forward to seeing her later.

Thomas was looking for Alice wondering whether she was taking him home when he heard Rosie shouting at...was it Danny? "….you're not my dad." filtered through the air.

He was about to enter the living room when Max walked out hands in his pockets frowning. He almost bumped into Thomas he was so distracted.

"What going on in there?" Thomas asked.

Max sighed and shook his head, "They saw me and Rosie in there kissing, now they are going mad at her."

"What?!"

Max frowned when he looked at Thomas' perplexed face, "You didn't know? I assume she'd have told you. You seem pretty close."

"She didn't mention it."

"Yeah well, one little kiss and they react like that!" he sighed. "I feel bad about it." and Max looked at the door.

Thomas was quiet his mind mulling the possibilities. It occurred to him how some guys viewed girls, what they used them for sometimes….. "You're not planning on using her are you?" his voice low and cold. Eyes narrow.

Max turned his head and looked Thomas dead in the eye, "Using her?" a tone to his voice.

Thomas heard it and it stroked his anger too, "Yeah! For one thing!" Thomas straightened himself to his full height and saw he was taller than Max, "I'm warning you right now, don't hurt her. Don't use her!"

"Are you threatening me?" Max asked incredulous.

"Take it anyway you want." Thomas told him, voice again low and cold. "I don't want her hurt. She has enough going on without you messing her around too!" and with that Thomas turned and walked away hoping that Max got the message.

Max was ready to follow and tell Thomas what he thought of his opinions but decided against it, now that Alice knew about him and Rosie it was doubtful they would get any time alone so he decided to hang around by the trucks, there was a chance he might get a minute to talk to her.

As Thomas left the house he saw Liv stood at the door, she was looking at him and he went slightly red. Liv walked towards him and he instinctively went to sort his hair, Alice's voice in his head told him girls didn't care about his hair and he put his hands in his pockets and tried to smile at her, "Hi, you um, looking for Rosie?" he asked Liv feeling like he was sweating after running for a mile!

"No, I was heading for the living room and heard you and Max talking."

"Oh." oh great she heard him threatening someone, he probably had no chance now. Yeah some girls like that but it wasn't really him and she didn't strike him as the type to like that, "Well…."

"No." she smiled shyly and kicked at a non existent stone on the floor, "I thought it was really sweet."

He smiled at her as his cheeks reddened at the same time, "Really?" and felt himself grow almost an inch. "Well I have to take care of her, she's my aunt after all."

Liv nodded, "Is it weird having an aunt who is the same age as you? I thought they were supposed to be older."

He shrugged, Rosie is cool…..don't told the her I said that." and looked around.

Liv laughed and Tomas felt himself feeling childish excitement bubble and tried to stem at back. "You want to go to the kitchen and grab a drink while Danny and Alice talk to Rosie."

Liv nodded eagerly and he grinned widely and they walked off chatting.

What he hadn't seen was Danny quietly watching them, Liv's eyes sparkling and Thomas wide smile. "Looks like Rosie and Max aren't our only problem." he murmured to himself.

Rosie walked through the resort, anger still steaming. Who did Danny think he bloody was? He told her she could go to him about boys and he acts like that! She looked around for something to kick but saw nothing and carried on walking. And Alice too! Taking her phone away! Danny started it by bossing her around! What made her pause in her internal rant was Alice's reaction! She almost didn't react at all. After that little speech in the hallway last year she fully expected Alice to kick off. Not that she had a leg to stand on in that area anyway! Alice and Danny had been together when they were younger. At least she and Max were the same age! And they weren't sleeping together either! She saw the truck almost right beside her and headed for it, climbed inside and crossed her arms sullenly. Stupid Danny! Talking to her like that! She thought he'd be a good brother in law, but NO! She heard footsteps approaching and pasted an indignant expression on her face. Her anger disappear when she saw Max's face appear from around the corner. She hopped from the truck and went to him.

"You ok?" he asked softly.

She nodded, "Alice is going to go all strict on me now though, we won't get much time alone."

He took her hand, "We'll find time."

She smiled brilliantly, looked around quickly then kissed him. When she pulled away she put her face on his shoulder, "What if they don't let us see each other?"

He rubbed her back, "We'll be ok." he promised. "If they keep us away though, there is still the original option."

She pulled back and looked at him, "What was that?"

"Running away together."

"Max..."

"Don't make your decision now ok. Just think about it." he told her. "There is a chance either one of us could be going away. I don't want to miss out on time with you because they believe we are going to be stupid."

Wow! Rosie thought, then smiled, "They do think we're stupid."

Max pulled her close and kissed her slowly. "I'd better be going." he murmured. "If they catch me here it will make everything worse."

"Ok." she nodded and he hurried off. Rosie walked back to the truck and had just settled when Alice seemed to appear from nowhere, she didn't say a word as she approached. Climbed in beside Rosie and started the truck.

"Alice..." Rosie began,

"We'll talk more when we get home." was all Alice would say.

A/N next chapter should be if not later today than in a day or two as its typed, it just needs edited a little.
Its funny how this story is ending up nothing like i originally thought. next chappie alices chat with rosie. this is pretty close to being finished, just a few more chapters waiting to be written