Ethan was in the gym sparring with a kid. He was good. Showed a lot of promise and was a lot more focused then he had been at 17. Of course he'd been young and in love. The kid went to hit him. Ethan dodged and exploited his ribs which he left wide open. He didn't hit to hurt him just to show him. The kid lost his temper.

"You taking the piss outta me? Are you gonna box properly or what?"

The kid didn't know who he was. He and Thabo's name were on the wall beside tournament wins and dates.

"You sure kid?"

The 17 year old was cocky and sure of himself. "C'mon!"

"Wait there." took his gloves off. Opened his old locker. Removed the gloves Lexi had gave him years ago. Pulled on a old pair of tracksuit bottoms which were in there. Better than restricting jeans anyway. Pulled his trainers on.

All those yeas ago Thabo had put his gloves away and handed the key to his locker to Sid. As soon as Ethan had walked in Sid handed him the key. After the usual pleasantries Sid had pointed out Keon to him. Who was cocky and sure of himself. Ethan saw a lot of weaknesses. But a lot of potential there too. Sid wanted him taken down a peg or two. Ethan climbed in the ring. He asked a kid to record them.

"So who am I fighting?" Keon asked.

"Danny." Ethan replied quickly.

"Let's go then Danny!"

(X)

Ethan skirted the edge of the ring. Let the kid come to him. He was too eager to get straight in. He needed to learn patience. Speed and power could only take you so far. You had to use your head too. Keon swung. Ethan ducked. Swung again. Ethan dodged and weaved. This carried on.

"C'mon swing for me!" Keon yelled frustrated.

The angrier Keon on the sloppier his punches became. The less he protected his head and body. Keon was sweating profusely. Hadn't landed one punch. Ethan hadn't thrown one either.

"C'mon hit me!" he yelled.

"If you say so." Ethan murmured.

Ethan ducked and swung as he straightened. Hit Keon once hard in the head. If he hadn't been tired he would have stayed up. But he was shattered and caught off guard he wobbled Ethan gave him hard rib shot. Keon fell to his knees winded. Ethan took off his gloves and tossed them across the ring. Turned his back. Went to his corner. Didn't see Keon quickly get up and hit him in the back of the head. Ethan spun and glared at him. Keon swung again. Ethan dodged and danced to where his gloves lay. So Keon wanted to play it this way then? Ethan thought angrily. He had held back before. He managed to pull his gloves on although Keon was gloating coz he got in a few head shots.

"Right kid you asked for this. No one hits me from behind!"

Ethan quickly reverted to his old stance. The kid looked and paled. He know knew he wasn't fighting a novice. Ethan gave Keon some hard ribs shots which left him breathless. He was still swinging for Ethan. He had to have points for persistence and guts. Or sheer stupidity. Keon even landed a few shots. Ethan was gonna finish this now. He distracted Keon with his left and uppercut him with a hard right. His signature move, he hadn't lost his touch. The kid just flew backwards and lay on the mat panting.

"You gonna stay down kid?" he asked angrily.

Keon nodded.

"First rule of boxing you never hit from behind. It's bad sportsman ship for one! I wanna talk to you when your up to it!"

Keon nodded again.

Ethan showered and changed. Was talking to Sid.

"You showed him Eth. He needed that. I'm not getting good boxers like I used to. There's no one to challenge him."

"I agree Sid. He's good. But he's got as many skills as weaknesses. He needs work. Does Thabo come by?"

"Occasionally but he's engaged with a job. Same as you."

Ethan nodded.

"Right Danny what d'ya wanna talk about?" Keon asked walking in.

Sid looked confused. "Danny? Whose he talking bout Eth?"

"Eth?" Keon asked.

"My name is Ethan. Not Danny."

"Ethan Bell." Sid said nodding.

The kids eyes widened. "No way. Your practically famous in here. And I boxed with you!"

"Not very well kid." Ethan supplied.

"What about Thabo?"

"We talk from time to time." Ethan said. "Anyway." he pushed a video in the VCR pressed play. "Sit down kid." they watched the tape. Every so often Ethan would pause the tape and point out an error. "Look Keon your good right but your cocky and hot headed. You never hit in anger coz then your not focused on your own defence your focused on hitting the other person. You need to learn patience instead of going straight in there, let your opportunities open themselves up to you. They will come."

Keon listened intently hanging on every word.

"I'll be back down again next week. Spar with you. Watch the tape. Memorise it. Learn your weaknesses and work on em. Maybe Thabo will be here too."

Keon nodded and walked outside.

Ethan turned to Sid. "What the hell have you been saying to these kids about us?"

"Well you mostly. You're a boxing God around here. You went professional in under a year. Do you know how rare that is? You and Thabo won everything there was. I was hoping one of you would decide to go all the way you know. Be the next Ricky Hatten." he shrugged.

"You need to get someone in for that kid. The only reason I was so good so quick was Thabo."

"There is no one else Eth."

Ethan frowned. "Right I have a couple of ideas. But I need to talk them through with Thabo first. Might even drum up extra business for you. But I gotta get home now."

"Yeah. I heard your fiancé is pregnant. You gonna bring the kid down here when he's older?"

Ethan's mind had been taken off the baby but now again it was the forefront of his mind.

"I'll talk to Thabo and then phone you ok Sid."

Sid nodded. "See you Eth."

He left the gym and walked out to the truck. Drove home. Saw Danny on the veranda. Looking worried.

(X)

"Alice told you huh?" Ethan asked.

"Lexi is having her blood taken now." Danny said.

"I suppose she told you the rest too?"

He shook his head. "She was only on the phone a minute to tell me about Lexi." he ran his hand through his hair.

"I told her if she refused treatment I'd get her sectioned and then she would be forced to have the treatment. In response she told me the baby wasn't mine." his voice was crushed.

"She didn't?" Danny gasped. "You know she's lying. She loves you."

"Does she love me? Why do that to someone you love?"

Danny thought. "I'm not even gonna try and explain a woman to you. They think differently to men. What I think went through her mind was that she wanted to hurt you. And she was testing you, to se if you actually cared about the baby. She hurt you the only way she knew how. She needed to know."

"I love them both Danny I don't wanna lose either of them but Danny hearing her saying that to me. God next time she can just rip my heart out. Will be less painful!"

"It was supposed to son." he put his hand on Ethan's shoulder.

"How did you deal with it? When you found out Lexi might be yours then wasn't?"

"That's a different situation son. I loved Lexi before I knew she was mine. Then I found out I might be her dad. We both believed she was mine. When I found out she wasn't I nearly left. Then we found out she is my daughter so….I still have a few blanks so I think that's pretty much the story." he shrugged.

"This situation doesn't apply to you and Lex at all. She looks at you the way Alice looks at me. She'd never do that to you. She is completely devoted to you."

"Maybe." Ethan said quietly.

A car drove up and Lexi climbed out. Her eyes locked with Ethan's. His eyes drank in the sight of her. God she was stunning in white.

"Thanks for talking to me Danny but I gotta phone someone." he walked inside had to get away from the vision that is Lexi.

Lexi exhaled in resignation. Walked up the stairs dejected. Danny stood up and although she was slightly taller than her dad and pulled her close for a hug. She rested her head on his shoulder and he rubbed her hair.

"You'll be fine Lexi. Your just pregnant. You get all sorts of little bugs and stuff."

"Yeah dad. Thanks. I'm going inside ok."

He nodded. Sat back in his chair as Lexi walked inside. Alice sat beside Danny. Lifted his arm and put it around her. "Don't pull away Danny please." she asked softly.

He pulled Alice closer and she pulled up her legs and rested them under her knees. Closed her eyes and inhaled his scent.

"How was she?" he asked.

"WE spoke to her doctor. He's optimistic but he said you can never be too careful."

Danny nodded.

"I'm worried Danny She can't go through that again! I can't watch her go through that again. I know it's not about me but it killed me. As a parent it's like the worst thing ever watching your child be ill. Your baby waste away!" her voice wobbled.

"She'll be fine Alice. I'm sure of it."

"I warned you Danny Good always comes with bad. She's pregnant but could be ill again we get you back but almost lose her in an ambulance crash. I can't take it anymore!" her tears spilled. Her wrapped her in his arms. Held her tight as her emotions which were wound tight unravelled.

(X)

Ethan was sitting in his room. His mobile rang in his ear. He ignored a knock. He knew who it was and didn't wanna speak to her right now. What was she gonna throw at him next? Potential fathers? No way!

"Eth it's Lex, can I come in?"

He ignored her.

She strode in. "I always took silence as an automatic yes." she told him.

"Hello Thabo it's Ethan." he said.

"I wanna talk to you Ethan." Lexi told him pointedly.

Ethan ignored her. "I went to see Sid today Thabo."

"It's important Ethan." Lexi carried on.

"Yeah Sid does look good." Ethan agreed with Thabo. Continuing ignorance at Lexi.

Lexi grabbed his mobile from his hand. "Hello Thabo. Ethan will phone you back. Thank you." disconnected and threw his phone out of the window. "Now will you talk to me?" she asked annoyed.

Ethan stared at her. "No actually I'm not. You had no right to grab my phone like that. I was in the middle of a conversation!"

"We have important things to discuss Ethan."

"Like." he said coldly. She wants to play the hurt game? Lets see if she likes what he has to say!

"Our child!"

"Our child? She's ours now is she? A couple of hours ago she wasn't mine. Just yours. What's wrong. Did you talk to her real dad and he doesn't wanna know?"

"Ethan you know you are her father!"

"Do I? if I remember correctly we were careful Lex. Every time. And now your pregnant. Plus you told me. What am I supposed to believe huh? Yes you are no you aren't. It messes with your head Lexi!" he fumed.

"I wanted to hurt you Ethan. I thought you didn't care. I was right huh?" she fumed back at him.

"Lex don't give me that crap you know how much I love her. God we don't even know what we are having and yet I'm calling her, her. Coz I know we are having a girl and how do I know that? I feel it in my heart. I'm already bonded to her but you took my daughter away from me and she isn't even here yet." his eyes glistened. "You did too good a job Lexi. You wanted to hurt me mission accomplished. The worst thing is I'm truly not sure anymore. See in my head I'm like Lexi loves you she wouldn't cheat on you. But then I think well if you love me then why would you lie like that? So you mustn't love me so you might have cheated. Then I'm like no Lexi loves me. It goes round and round in my mind driving me mad!" he swallowed the lump in his throat.

Lexi finally saw what she did to him. He was in pieces. He actually believed….

"Look Ethan I love you. I'd never do that to you. " she told him softly. Trying to convince him. "She is your daughter Eth. Your little girl. Yours and mine."

"How long till you change your mind Lexi? I can't live like that. I love her too much. I want to her dad."

"You are." she stressed.

"According to the person who told me I wasn't. Lexi get out of here please. You don't need to be stressing it's not good for your baby."

"I know it doesn't mean much Ethan but I'm sorry. I am so sorry."

He nodded and she left. He went and stood next to his door. Sat with his back on the door so no one could walk in. Lowered his head and covered his face with his hands.

Lexi stood on the other side of his door. Heard him trying to cry silently she heard gulping breathes and sniffles. She hated herself. For what she had did to him. God this was like the worst thing she had ever done in her entire life. She had ruined them. Lost the best thing that had ever happened to her. She slipped off her ring and looked at it. Exhaled a breath when she realised that this didn't belong to her anymore. She went to the study and grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down a message. Slipped the ring in a envelope with the note and then slid it under his door.

Ethan saw the envelope and heard footsteps walking away. He frowned. Opened the envelope. His ring fell into his hand along with a note saying 2 words. I'm sorry.

A/N awww ethan actually believes the bby isn't his. lexi this is wot lies do! poor ethan. poor lex. and poor danice having to go through the belief and trauma of lex bein ill agen :(