Charlotte was checking and re-checking her bag. She knew it was fully packed but for a few clothes she could wear tomorrow and of course her toiletries. Her Mum had nagged her to finish all her packing instantly and so she had decided she better had. They were setting off in the early hours and her Mum wanted everything sorted and in order. Charlotte, satisfied she had completed her packing moved to over to the window. She was leaving one grand place for another grand place... yet both were so very different. One was home.

"Charlotte? Sweetie you done?"

Charlotte turned to see her Mum stood at her door. She smiled nodding. Her Mum looked beautiful at the minute. She always looked beautiful... she was a beautiful woman naturally, but she was glowing and the smile on her face obviously at the prospect of going home had just added that final, magical touch.

"Come on then... let's go eat..." Alice suggested, waiting for Charlotte to make her way over to her before both leisurely made their way down the stairs. Charlotte glanced across to her Mum...

"Mum... do you think it'll be different?" Charlotte asked her, looking at her hands.

"What do you mean?" Alice enquired, confused by her daughter's open question.

"Well... the house... the atmosphere." Charlotte expanded, "Like... will it be as happy?"

"Happier." Alice added, "The house may be altered slightly, no doubt it will be, but the atmosphere should be happier. We have no problems anymore."

"But there's always a new one around the corner." Charlotte sighed, "Think about our time there... it's one thing after another."

"That's true... but it makes us stronger Charlotte. It makes us who we are." Alice smiled squeezing her hand, "Just concentrate on being excited."

"I am excited!" Charlotte giggled, "I'm not gonna ask you if you are..." Charlotte muttered a tone of mocking disgust to her voice.

"What on Earth could you mean?" Alice asked playing dumb and continuing the joking...

"Oh Danny... Danny!" Charlotte mocked complete with the Scottish accent, "Cue parents running into each other's arms and having some frankly disgusting sloppy public displays of affection..."

"Aww... and one day you'll fall in love and feel the same way." Alice grinned, gently taking her cheek and shaking it as though she was an annoying Aunt. "And Mummy will laugh and remember you're disgust and embarrass you by getting the baby pictures out... my beautiful Pineapple."

"You wouldn't dare..." Charlotte exclaimed in horror.

"Mummy will always dare... she who dares wins! Ask Danny!" Alice beamed, "Ahh... come on! Smile... or I might take a picture of you scowling to show him too..."

"You are so annoying..."

"Brilliant isn't it?" Alice beamed knowing full well how she was frustrating her daughter.

"Why do I like you?"

"Because everyone does!" Alice replied quickly,

"Everyone?" Charlotte asked raising an eyebrow.

"Everyone who has sense." Alice corrected with a wink as they reached the dining room, "Right come on let's sit down... remember, thank you's..."

Charlotte grumbled... her Mum seemed to think she had no manners! As if! Her Mum was manners obsessed!

(x)

Rosie rolled her shoulders as she and her Dad walked up from the animal hospital. They'd had a busy day at it but everything seemed ok now. They were finally done and could relax. She gathered her Dad would be running off soon to ring Alice. It was after all their nightly ritual. She sighed... she missed Max so much... it was then she realised maybe her Dad could help her.

"Dad..." Rosie asked him stopping in her tracks. He stopped turning to face her, "How do you cope with it? You know the pain of missing Alice?"

"In all honesty?" Danny asked, "I don't cope. It's got better... but if I didn't speak to her every day I think I'd die. That contact keeps me going... the pictures of her keep me going..." He stopped and lifted his ring, his love-lorn eyes falling to his golden ring, "This ring keeps me going... she placed it there."

Rosie looked at her own ring... Max put that there but it was just a piece of metal... wasn't it?

"It's what she gave to me... to show me how much she loves me. It's like a symbol of her promise to me." He took the ring off, "Look..." He murmured offering her sight of the inside something he'd never shown anyone, "Read it."

Rosie squinted slightly, but soon made it out, "A prescindere dove vai ricorda sempre ti amo?" Rosie looked up at him, "Great if you can actually speak Italian Dad..."

"Wherever you go always remember I love you is it's literal translation." Danny smiled, "She has Sempre credere una cosa che ti amo on the inside of hers... that's means, always believe one thing I love you."

"That's nice... adds meaning." Rosie smiled, "It's nice you have the date on the ring too and you're initials."

Danny nodded, "Little things help Rosie. It doesn't take the pain away but it helps... Find something that makes you feel close to Max. For me, it's a ring and a photograph and one very special animal..." He looked over to the giraffe copy, "It could be something completely different for you... either way though, I'm here for you."

"Thanks Dad." Rosie smiled giving him a gentle squeeze before continuing to walk into the house. Her Dad always knew exactly what to say.

A/N – So tomorrow Alice/Charlie get back to Africa!