Dupe was manning the barbeque. Caroline fussing. Telling him he was burning the meat.

"I'm charring it woman." he retorted.

"It looks like charcoal. Not charred!" she said. "I'm making a sandwich!"

"You do that woman!" he groused.

Alice smiled. She was sat on the stairs. A bottle of coke in her hand. She didn't touch alcohol. She always worried she'd drink too much and she had far too much to do without wondering whether she could do it hung-over! The kids were sat on the grass playing guess who. Getting along for a change. She thought of the last 5 years without Danny. They had passed surprisingly quickly. The single days had melded into one long passage of time. She learned to cope without him. It had been a long hard and winding road. With plenty of road signs telling her to give up. She still missed him. Not as much and as intense as before. But it was there. A candle in her soul which refused to go out. A few of the men at the township had asked her out on dates. She'd nearly passed out. I mean why? She told them that at the moment she didn't feel the need to date but would get in touch if and when she did. Didn't want companionship. She was happy with her life as it is. Why complicate it with a relationship?

And of course she had her sons ADHD to deal with too. That had sort of been a shock but at the same time not really. He could never sit still or concentrate on an activity. She seemed to flit from one to the other almost before he even sat down. And his sleep patterns were all out of whack. Like going to sleep at midnight and getting up at 4. Didn't mean he had ADHD though, she thought back then. It should have been obvious to her though. One incident stuck out in her mind. Daniel had been 4 and playing with a toy car. Running round in a circle. Amie who was 3 had went over and snatched it off him. He immediately lost his temper grabbed Amie's hand with one hand, and the door handle with the other and swung them towards each other quickly. They clattered. Amie hadn't half bounced off the door and landed on the floor with a thud. Daniel then picked up his car and ran around with it again. Completely unphased by what he'd done. Alice had sat there in shock for a minute. Yelled at Daniel and went to make sure Amie was ok. That incident had precipitated a visit to the doctors and all the observation sessions that had ultimately followed. After diagnosis they had tried to give her so many medications and stimulants. She'd said no way. They weren't a cure the child just ended up hooked on them. She'd did her research. She wanted normal remedies or nothing. Like rules and boundaries and behaviour therapy and support workers. She wasn't turning her son into a zombie to make her life easier. What sort of mother did that? So he kicked off at the littlest things. She'd find a way to deal with it instead of turning him into a mindless idiot!"

And Lexi. She had went off to University 3 years ago. To finish the last part of her paramedics training. She was so proud of her. She had passed with flying colours. Top of her class. Alice couldn't be prouder. Chuffed to bits. She wished Danny had been there to see his daughter graduate. It had been a great day. A little sad but mostly fantastic. Everyone had came. Her mum, Shauna, Missy, James and the twins. Arriving home there had been an altercation though. Charlotte had called Daniel an idiot. Amie had said no one calls her brother an idiot but her and told her to take it back. Charlotte refused and a fight ensued. As she and Shauna had walked outside they found 6 year old Amie sat on 8 year old Charlottes back rubbing her face forcefully into the mud. Shauna had been fine about it. Charlie liked to push people about. Amie was still told off and grounded until she was 30. He kids were gonna do her in.

She was about to ponder about Ethan when she saw Daniels face change from easy going to angry. Put her bottle down and ran across the yard. He flung the guess who across the grass. Amie yelled back at him. He raised his fist. Alice caught it before it connected. He pulled it back again.

"Daniel no!" Alice said firmly.

He glared at her.

"No." she repeated.

He kicked Amie's guess who board and walked away. Alice again rubbed her face tiredly. She resented Danny at moments like this. It was irrational she knew but she couldn't help it. She was raising their kids alone. It just wasn't fair!

"Mum it wasn't my…."

"Amie not a word please." Alice asked softly.

Amie nodded. A car pulled up. A tall blond woman climbed out. She had laughing green eyes and was the image of her dad. She had finally stopped growing at 6 foot 5 inches. Danny was 6 foot 2 so she had a good few inches on him too. Lexi was smiling widely.

"This place ain't changed. It's as dusty as ever!" she chuckled.

"Lexi!" Alice said smiling and walked towards her with Amie. Hugged her tightly. Then saw Liv climb out the car too. "Liv!" she said and walked around to hug Liv too. Lexi picked Amie up.

"Where's Daniel?" she asked her.

"Inside." Alice answered.

"Daniels a meanie. Boys are stupid. I'm never getting married ever in my whole entire life!" Amie declared.

Lexi smiled. "Boys are silly." Lexi whispered.

Daniel walked out onto the veranda.

"Hey little bro!" she said. Put Amie down and walked over to hug him. "Freaking hell how much have you grew since I last saw you? You defo get it from dad! You're the double of him too by the way."

"yeah mum tell me all the time." he said neutrally.

Lexi and Alice looked at each other. Lexi felt so sorry for her brother and sister. They would never know their dad. She had him for 14 years. Not counting the first four years of her life. Her brother and sister had him 2 and 1 respectively.

"You finished school Lex?" Amie asked.

"Yep all finished!"

"Mum told me about your job. It's cool!" Daniel said smiling.

"What's your job Lexi?" Amie asked.

Lexi bent down and looked at her sister. "Well I'm a paramedic. that's a person who take sick people to hospital where the doctors try to make them all better."

"How long you here for Lex?" her mum asked.

"Well I was wondering whether I can stay here. I did have a flat sorted with Liv but that fell through. Liv is moving in with Thabo and I don't wanna live by myself just yet." she mouthed engaged. Then put her finger to her mouth. Alice smiled and nodded.

"It'll be nice to have you under my roof again. I missed you."

"I won't actually be here much. I start work tomorrow at dinner time. I meet my partner and get thrown straight in. I'm nervous actually." Lexi admitted.

"You'll be fine honey. You worked hard for this. How you been feeling recently?"

"I'm FINE mum!" Lexi breathed. Every time her mum saw her she ALWAYS asked about her illness. It got annoying actually.

"Lex. Your too important to me. I'm not losing any more of you. Not after your dad and Ethan…"

"I know mum I promise I'm careful. If I even had an inkling it was coming back I would be straight to the doctors."

"I know Lex but I still worry. when you have kids you'll know."Lexi nodded. She was filled with sadness over her child. It would have been turning 4 soon.

"Is Evan here?" she asked innocently changing the subject.

"Yeah he is. He lives at the township but comes back here often to track with Dupe. He and Dupe are thinking of finding a new apprentice and starting a tracking business."

Lexi nodded. Alice recognised the gleam in her eye.

"What room am I in?" she asked.

"Your old one."

Lexi smiled, picked up her bag and walked into the house. Saw Caroline embracing Liv and hugging. Then Caroline grabbed her hand. She was chuffed her friend was happy. Then she looked at the door of Ethan's room. Thought of everything they had said and did in there. All the dreams they'd weaved. Over their 2 years. Till he decided to up and leave. For no reason. Just GONE! Well he could go to hell! She was over him now. All she felt was disgust that he didn't have the guts to tell her he cheated on her. Oh no, he just ran away like a scared little boy. She opened the door to her room with more force than necessary. Everything was pretty much the same. Except for a pile of junk in one corner she looked at her bed. Covered now in protective plastic. She and Ethan had….no she wasn't doing this to herself. It was just this place making her feel all sentimental and nostalgic. Ethan was gone. 5 years gone and as far as she was concerned he could stay away. She'd moved on. In her heart and her head. The hold he once had was gone.

She sat on her bed and started unpacking her stuff. Sorting it into piles. Evan meanwhile. He was lovely. He'd come to see Liv a while ago when they'd been at uni. Liv had been out and he had sat and waited. They had hit it off. They had loads in common. Talked for hours without even realising it. She hadn't laughed so much in ages. Liv had walked in and Lei had blushed crimson at the look on Liv's face. That was when she had first thought that he's really good boyfriend material. She had physically noticed how attractive he was 2 years prior to that. It had involved a argument. She thought back to 2 years ago.

A/N first alice movin on. now lex has gt a little crush on evan. oooo this could all go really well...or horribly wrong. watch this space.

A/N2 the daniel/amie car and hitting off the door story is actually true. my lil bro did it 2 me :( he was the mst hyper child eva. except 4 my bby of course thanx 4 readin x