Rosie placed the phone back in the cradle before resting her forehead flat against the wall with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She stood stationary for a few minutes before slowly pushing herself off the wall. She shook her head before walking with purpose down to the children's ward. She'd hopefully get down there, check on Robert's progress and then get some sleep – though with the chairs in this hospital and her worry and thoughts she suspected she wouldn't be getting much.

(x)

"Sleep."

Dup shook his head as Rosie curled up even further into the chair. Liv sighed before resting a hand on Rosie's shoulder, shaking it gently.

"Rosie." Liv persisted.

"What?" Rosie mumbled as she opened her eyes, stretching upwards before coming to her senses and standing up, her eyes scanning over Robert who was playing with Charlie over the hospital cot. He looked much better she thought to herself.

"He can go home later today." Dup informed her, "He'll have to keep having an inhaler twice a day but he'll be fine."

"Alice? Dad?" Rosie pestered at a whisper, her eyes scanning to her left to check Charlotte was occupied.

"Come on." Dup murmured, "Liv will stay here."

As they walked out, Rosie stopped Dup outside the room. She gripped his lower arm tightly, forcing him to look at her.

"I know there's something you need to tell me." Rosie said, "I can see it in your eyes."

"Your Dad is awake and will be going home anytime." Dup explained,

"And Alice?"

Dup sighed and looked downwards avoiding Rosie's eyes, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Dup!" Rosie insisted as yet more silence followed, "Dup." Her voice was beginning to break, "Please... tell me she's not..."

"No!" Dup cut in, "No, she's alive but not awake – that's the thing Rosie. We don't know if she will."

"Wake up?" Rosie gasped, a tear leaking as he nodded, "She has too."

"You need to be ready for if she doesn't. We haven't told Danny yet... or Charlotte." Dup explained sadly as they began to walk once more towards the room where Danny and Alice were. "Danny is needed at Leopards Den..."

"Don't!" Rosie snapped angrily, "It's 'Danny is need at Leopards Den' that got him here in the first place!"

Dup flinched, "I meant, Charlotte needed him..." he whispered quietly.

"And what about Alice?" Rosie angrily spat, "She needs him too. Charlotte needed him before; didn't stop you into making him stay. Don't bring Robert into this either. In fact, just leave us alone. I'll tell Dad and he can make his own mind up."

"Rosie." Dup began as she stalked off, her shoulders hunched and her fists clenched. "Rosie!" He called once more in vain. He sighed before taking his hat off and sitting down on one of the nearby chairs. Maybe Rosie was right, maybe this was all his fault.

(x)

"Dad." Rosie cried as she rushed through into the room. Her father was sat up in bed and smiled, waving happily as he noticed his daughter. His leg was in a cast and he was covered in bandages but just seeing him awake made Rosie happy as she rushed forward and tenderly wrapped her arms around him.

"Rosie." He whispered, his voice tight as she kissed his cheek. He took her hand gently as she pulled away; she squeezed it like she was a little girl again as her eyes slowly cast over Alice who was still in her peaceful slumber. She swallowed; Alice looked weak. Danny's eyes too had fallen onto his wife and as Rosie tore her eyes back to her father, she could see the genuine heartbreak and pain in his eyes. "I can't lose her Rosie." Danny whispered, "I can't."

Rosie swallowed, wishing she could say the old cliché that everything would be ok. She couldn't though. Her father needed to know the truth and so, squeezing her Dad's hand, Rosie bravely took the first steps.

"Dad, do you know anything about Alice's condition?" Rosie asked him quietly,

"No, Dup wouldn't say." Danny spat, "I'm her husband and he wouldn't tell me. Told me about Robert though..."

"I'll tell you what I know; Dad..." Rosie sighed and took a deep breath, "Dad, we've been told she's got through last night which is great, it was critical but... she's not out the woods, there's a small chance that..."

"She might never wake up?" Danny finished. Rosie simply nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek. Danny swallowed, looking at the floor before to Alice. Steady tears slowly began to fall as he found his crutches and began to make his way towards Alice. Rosie steadied him as he stumbled before allowing him his space. She stepped back and was about to leave when Danny shook his head at her. She smiled and sat in the chair close to his bed watching him carefully.

Her Dad had never been overly flamboyant with his affection, nor had Alice for that matter. Both seemed to take pleasure in the smaller things and it was only when close to milestones for them that Rosie had ever seen anything more than subtle hand holding and the odd kiss. Their wedding had been a different story of course but she'd been consumed in her own love story back then. She sighed before casting her eyes back to her father. Her heart melted as he gently cupped her face in his hand, the other hand moving to brush her fringe so tenderly away from her eyes.

"Oh Alice." Danny whispered quietly gently moving his hand round to the back of her neck, "My beautiful, beautiful Alice." He exhaled as he gently pressed his fingers on the spot where his hand lay. More tears seeped through as her regular squirm and giggle didn't happen. Rosie continued to watch, a tear leaking from her own eye as she watched her father lower his head onto the pillow next to her head. Rosie could no longer hear the words he was whispering in her ear but it was plain to any fool how much he loved her. Rosie sighed as he stood up once more; her heart tearing even more as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips before standing up. "Rosie..."

Rosie stood up and moved over to help her father. He smiled gratefully at her as she took his arm gently leading him back to his bed, staying by his side as he gingerly sat down.

"Rosie, will you stay with Alice when I go to see Robbie? Please?" Danny pleaded, "She hates being alone..."

"Sure but you shouldn't go down alone; look I'll go get Liv or Dup or someone to take you down there." Rosie said softly, "We've been told he can go home later."

"I'll be home too." Danny admitted quietly, "I hate leaving her but... she'd want me to look after the kids. In fact if she woke up to find I'd left them she'd probably inflict greater injury on me than any fire."

Rosie laughed slightly as did Danny. Both were fake laughs built on nerves. Rosie decided now would be the time to leave and get someone to take her Dad down.

"I won't be long Dad!" She called as she opened the door, blindly taking a step out before turning and closing the door. She heard a quick shuffle of feet moving towards her but ignored it; she was after all near the doors and waiting area. She sighed before spinning ready to walk on until she noticed her path was blocked by a very familiar face.

"Max..." She whispered brokenly.

A/N – OOOOOOOH! So Max is there...