A/N – Thanks for the reviews... though please do remember I'm writing FF for pleasure (not that its pleasurable with one hand bandaged up – though it has got me out of writing essays in sixth form hehe!) and not for an exam... I appreciate the comments but I write in a totally different style so my fics can be widely understood. Thanks and no offence to anyone either just saying :')

Alice's POV

Cramped in a car full of condensation as the rain pelts against the body work of the car we were all sat in. I sighed and looked down at Liv and Charlotte. They were both fast asleep, upon my shoulder, Liv to the left and Charlie to the right. My heart warmed slightly observing the pair – they were handling this so well, better than me anyway.

We'd been driving for ages when the driver finally took a left turn off what had seemed to be a never-ending ghost town lane, onto a picturesque driveway. I admit it, I felt myself gawk slightly as I took in the beauty of it all. Beautiful fir trees were stood in perfect parallelism behind a dark brown fence. The road itself was sandy coloured, a huge change from the normal tarmac roads you'd see.

"Alice dear?"

I snapped out of my gawking and obviously gormless expression and turned to face Caroline. She was sat in front and seemed completely comfortable with her surroundings... then again it would not surprise me if Caroline had had the same driveway when she lived here!

"You look like you've just seen a celebrity..." Caroline elaborated before I could open my mouth.

"It's just... the road... it's so... you know, pretty, perfect, beautiful." I replied looking around without leaning forward. The girls needed all the rest they could get, even if they were using my shoulders as pillows. I wondered if my head was so boney? Well, Danny's a man, their built to be used as pillows! I sighed and my mind drifted to my husband... I'd text him telling him I'd got off the plane and that I'd ring him when I got chance. I'd give anything to hear his voice, his beautiful, uplifting, northern tone.

"Wait til you see her house!" Caroline grinned as the car began to descend down a hill. I frowned and tried to focus into the distance, I could see a building but it didn't look like a house. "They are her stables and paddocks, you drive through the yard to the house."

"She has horses?" I asked as the driver turned right and into the yard.

"Yes... she has three. Not that she does that much with them, she uses Belle the most for general riding about on. The other two are just two little ponies." Caroline explained, I looked out the window and saw a bright bay mare with her head over the door. She was tall, maybe around 16hh but so perfectly refined, obviously an expensive horse and of very good breeding. She was spotless too, in fact everything was spotless. Nomsa would be pleased!

It was then that the car pulled up outside the huge house... god, Caroline had said big house... I think she meant a freaking mansion! It was humongous ! I'd been expecting you know, four, five bedrooms but this place... God, it must have about fifty! Ok, maybe an exaggeration but still, it would have fifteen easily and that would be giving her a couple of lounges, kitchens and numerous bathrooms.

"Well, here goes." Caroline smiled. I nodded, my mouth still hanging slightly. It was then I realised, I actually had to get out of the car at some point.

"Liv, Charlie, come on... wake up." I whispered, nudging them both slightly. Both groaned and snuggled further into my shoulder and I couldn't resist a small smile that crept to my lips or the roll of the eyes I performed. "Come on sleepyheads."

"Mum..." Charlotte grumbled before stretching and rubbing her eyes, she yawned and looked around. Suddenly, she was wide awake, "This is Georgina's!"

I nodded and began to focus my energy on waking Liv up... never an easy task! Eventually, after much groaning and protesting she'd awoken.

"Alice..." Liv said with a moan as she finally sat up properly, "You were comfy."

"Thanks." I laughed before climbing out the car. I looked up at the house and then back to Georgina. I forced a smile on my face and walked forward into Georgina's embrace... politely answering every question she threw at me.

Danny's POV

I was sat up at the animal copy, thinking of Alice. I'd had the idea to come here after having a drink with Dupe. Alice felt closer here, and I could think, on my own. Thabo and Dupe were drinking with Fatani at his bar but I wasn't interested in all that right now. Yes, we had Leopards Den back for the foreseeable future but it didn't mean as much to me as Alice did and half of me still wished I'd gone with her.

The hardest moment had been when they'd withdrawn the guns, aimed us at them. I was sure I was going to die and the truth of the matter was that had petrified me and ridden me with guilt. What if they had shot me? What if Thabo and Fatani had been later? I gulped... what if I had have died? I shook my head as thoughts of Alice leapt into my mind... my eyes welled as I contemplated it all and then as I thought of not every meeting our baby, leaving them fatherless, the sobs arrived and for once I just let them flow.

I was shaking with the intensity of the emotions that were spinning around and around in my head when I received a text. I grabbed my phone and unlocked it... I grinned, Alice.

'Hey Danny, just got off the plane, ok journey. I'll ring you soon as I can, on our way to Georgina's now. Missing you already, love you xxx'

I smiled as I read the text, at least she'd got there ok. I sat staring at the text for a few moments... well maybe about fifteen minutes before finally replying.

'Hi. Glad the journey was okay for you, I'll look forward to your call ;) I got loads to tell you... I'm missing you too, loads. Give my love to everyone there... I love you Alice xxx'

I hit send before looking out over the African veldt and smiling... I'd be with my wife soon enough... my work here for now was done...