5 Years Later

"Daniel move your football boots please. Amie nearly tripped over them." Alice asked and walked into the study.

Daniel was sat on the computer and ignored his mum.

"Daniel." she warned. "Get them moved."

"No!" he said belligerently. Her 7 year old son glared at her.

"Do it or I turn the computer off!"

"No." he repeated. Alice pulled the plug from the socket. "I warned you."

His blue eyes flashed fire and he stood up. 7 and not far from his mums height. She stood her ground. He walked towards her. Pushed her and went to plug the computer back in. she grabbed his arm and he swung his free arm aiming at her head. She ducked then grabbed the arm he swung wrestled him into his room. Slammed the door just as he threw something. More things were soon getting pelted off the walls. She rubbed her eyes tiredly. He'd been diagnosed with ADHD a year ago and it felt like he got harder to deal with every day. She had strict rules and boundaries and was consistent but he always pushed her! And he lashed out often. He knew what he was doing. He's not stupid. Very intelligent actually. 2 classes ahead in school and they were discussing moving him ahead again. That's when they could get him to sit still and concentrate in his lessons. He had a very unique way of thinking and found solutions to problems easily. Too bad he couldn't give her hand with her one very big problem. His attitude and aggression which were escalating. She noticed his room had quieted. She opened the door a crack and heard something hit it. She wasn't stupid either. Her son was clever but very obvious! She opened the door quickly. He stood in his room. Arms crossed looking angry. It was trashed again.

"You calmed down yet?"

His blue eyes bore into her..

"Dee Jay when I ask you to do something then you do it!"

"Well then you aren't asking your telling!" he spat.

God this kids intelligence frustrated her sometimes! "Fine then when I tell you you do it!"

"If I don't want to?" he asked insolently.

"Then I punish you!" She replied.

"How about I chuck you out of a window?" he smiled cockily.

She grinned the same grin back at him. He'd never do it - yet.

"Try it wee lad and see what happens. So are you gonna move your boots or do I take away your games console?"

He stood a second. Stomped from the room and returned with the boots. Dropped them with a clatter on the floor in front of her.

"That's my boy." she ruffled his hair. "I'm going down the surgery. You wanna come?"

He smiled his baby grin at her and nodded. She didn't see that smile much anymore. Not since he'd become a angry child. The surgery always calmed him. He shared her and Danny's empathy for animals and was gentle and pateient with them. Was brilliant with them.

"So how did school go?" she asked walking down the surgery beside him.

He kicked a rock. "Stupid!"

She suppressed a grin at his tone. Could he sound any more like his father?

"What's up?"

The teacher yelled at me. Right in my face." he kicked another rock harder.

"Why?" Alice asked.

"Coz I got up and walked around. Tapped my fingers on the desk. See they put me in the bigger class to try me and she yelled so I yelled back. She got annoyed and grabbed my arm so I lashed out."

"Where was Jared your support worker?"

"He was ill today."

They walked into the surgery and he was looking in cages murmuring to animals. He looked intense. Like Danny used to. He was her walking talking Danny. Apart from the hyperactivity. It was good to see that he lived on in his son.

She went to the medication cupboard.

"Mum he's ill." Daniel said confidently.

She walked over. He looked fine. Walked back over to her mdicine. "He looks fine baby."

"No he's ill. He usually very restless like me. Pacing and pouncing when I dangle his string. He's still."

"I'll give him a proper check in 5." Alice murmured concentrating.

"NO Check him NOW!" he snapped.

"Daniel don't speak to me in that tone!" Alice warned.

The cub stood up. Took a step. Wobbled and then collapsed on it's side.

Alice ran over and lifted it from it's cage.

"Over there Daniel!" she pointed to away from the operating table.

She checked the animal over. Physically fine externally. Checked it's stomach. Rock hard. She shaved and got the ultrasound. Obstructed bowel. Right she had to operate. Puled on scrubs and gloves and got to work.

(X)

The cub lay in the recovery area. Daniel had watched. Paced. Sat and patted his hands. He could never sit or stand still. Always moving or twitching.

"Is he ok mum?"

She was washing her hands.

"Sure is wee man." she ruffled his hair. "You did good!"

He beamed at the praise. She reminded herself to do that more often. His other behaviour overshadowed the good stuff he did. It was just hard for her to be raising him by herself. "Your great like that you know. Your observant. Like your dad."

He shrugged at the comparison. It broke her heart. It wasn't that Daniel didn't care. They talked about his dad when he wanted to but the older he got the less interested he was. He just didn't know the man who fathered him. He knew stuff. Like what he looked like, and his birthday and music and films. But he didn't KNOW him.

"Hey how about we pull the barbecue out tonight? You can tell everyone about what you did today. Lexi is coming home too. She graduated. She can work on ambulances now you know." Alice said proudly.

"Lexi is cool." he murmured. "Even if she is a girl."

Alice checked her watch. "You gonna come to Mara with me to pick Amie up?"

"Do I have a choice?" He asked dryly. To him Amie wasn't cool. Annoying younger sister more like.

Alice sensed a confrontation coming on. "Not really son. I can't leave you alone."

He huffed. "I suppose so then!" he walked towards the car. She stared at his back. Wow he controlled himself there. That had never happened before. Usually she had to hog tie him and handcuff him to the steering wheel before he'd come. She hadn't actually done that but had considered it and came close once or twice.

(X)

They climbed in the truck. Daniel had a portable DVD player stashed under the seat and pulled it out. She made the quick drive to Mara. She greeted Vanessa. She was married to a man called Rowan and they had a daughter caked Lissa. Both games reserves had made peace since Alice had promised that Vanessa would never have to talk to Dupe.

"Hey Vanessa." Alice waved.

"Hello Alice."

"She been ok?"

"An angel as always. Although they were plotting on how to release the wildebeest I had quarantined." Vanessa told her.

"Oh God." She murmured.

"Exactly. I found Lissy stood on Amie's back. She was on her hands and knees. Stretched up for the dead bolt. Amie saw me and jumped up. Lissy fell onto the dusty ground. When I asked what they were doing they showed me various pieces of rope. Said they were gonna take the wildebeest for a walk like they did Grace's puppy."

"The wildebeest are twice the size of them!" Alice said laughing. Imagining her daughter trying to take a wildebeest for walk. She'd do it too.

"I don't think they'd thought that far ahead. Personally I think they were gonna sit on them and ride them like horses."

Alice laughed more. Although she shouldn't really.

"That child is my best friend Melissa personified. She's insane."

"They are in the kitchen having a snack."

"Wait in the truck Dan Dan." she shouted to her son.

He waved and returned to watching intently. They walked towards the kitchen discussing their kids.

"Next time we check the coast is clear!" Amie whispered. "And bring ladders to. Then we be able to climb on their backs with the ladders!" she giggled.

Lissy nodded vigorously.

"O Amie." A voice chortled.

"Momma!" She shrieked across the room. Alice scooped her tiny daughter into her arms. "Time for home."

Amie pouted.

"Lissy comes to our tomorrow remember."

Amie smiled. "Bye Lissy Bye Vanessa!"

Lissy waved at them smiling.

"I'll telephone you later." Amie said.

"Erm no you won't." not with that humongous phone bill she'd rang up. Discussing barbies!

"Thanks for having her Vanessa."

"No probs Alice. Keeps Lissy outta my hair." Vanessa looked at them. "It's eerie how alike you two are. I can't see any of her father in her. Then again I don't remember ever seeing him."

"No you didn't." Alice went silent.

Mark the vet walked in. "Vanessa I need you in the surgery to ok some supplies.""I'll be there straight away.""Hello Alice." He said smiling. "And Amie. Who drew smiling faces all over my clean surgery table with black marker."

"It was shiny and boring. I made it happy!" Lexi declared.

"I'm sorry about that." Alice said.

He smiled at her besotted. "It's fine."

"Ok then. I'll see you later." she said not noticing his lovelorn expression.

"See you later Vanessa. Goodbye…"

"Mark." he told her.

"Sorry I'm rubbish remembering names." She elaborated.

She put Amie on the floor and walked towards the car.

"When you gonna ask her out?" Vanessa asked.

"What?"

"Don't deny it. I can see it in your eyes when you look at her."

"She doesn't see me like that so never. She couldn't even remember my name."

She smiled and nodded at me for weeks before I realised she couldn't remember my name. Don't take it personally. You should go for it. Your both widows…"

He shrugged and walked towards his surgery.

Amie was talking a mile a minute a Alice. Giving her a second by second description of what she did today."

"Hey Ames, guess who's Back today?" Alice told her.

"Who?" she asked as she skipped towards the car.

"Lexi."

"YAY!" she squealed. "We haven't seen her in forever!" she bounced towards the car. Climbed in. Leaned over Daniel who rolled his eyes.

"What cha watchin?" She asked him. Put her face close to the screen.

He pushed her out of the way.

"Power Rangers."

Amie tutted.

Daniel made a face.

Alice smiled at her children and started the truck.

A/N ok 5 years in the future. alice has a prob wi daniel bt mostly handles it...for now. and life seems to be bk to normal...again for now.

and this mark hmmmmm friend or foe? lover or hater? we will see :) x