AN: Thanks for all your reviews. I know that Danielle and Ronnie need to start forming some sort of bond, and I'm sure if Dani decides to attend this notorious'family lunch' some sparks should fly!
Danielle closed the door and leaned back into it. This all seemed to good to be true, but she had not time to elaborate on her thoughts as Stacey flew out of the front room and grabbed Danielle by the arm. Her words fell out of her mouth faster than Danielle's mind processed them. "According to mum this is the perfect time for a walk, come on get your shoes on."
"Stace what are…?" Danielle began, but Stacey quickly interrupted her.
"Come on Dan, get your butt into gear, I wanna go for a walk so you can tell me what's happened, let's go!"
"Stace you hate walks and I look a state…"
"Yeah yeah, you look fab, now come on get your shoes on will ya, move it!"
Danielle could see she was not going to win this, "Alright don't get your knickers in a twist!" She placed each of her feet carefully into her sandals and opened the front door. She was gently pushed outside by an overly eager Stacey.
Danielle smiled knowing this was Stacey's way of showing how much she cared.
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The young women strolled along a quite George street.
"Jack has certainly taken a shine to you," Stacey winked to Danielle who blushed and smiled at Stacey's implication.
"You heard everything didn't you? I don't believe you Stace," She giggled and playfully slapped her friend's wrist.
"What? You think I was gonna not-listen? You should know better Dan!" She linked arms with the blonde as they passed the chippy. Ian was craning his neck to see out of the window as Danielle passed. Some people just insisted on reviving the dying memory of the reception, but Danielle chose to ignore them.
"I can see it now Dan. Me, you and unlimited access to the bar, could life get any sweeter?" Stacey sighed and dramatically looked to the sky.
Danielle grinned, "You can kiss that dream away, I'm there to work remember, and believe my visions vary greatly to yours," She wanted to give Stacey a dirty look, but instead her smile fought its way across her face.
"Did you hear what Ronnie said after Jack left?" Danielle mindlessly pushed her fringe behind her ear as the wind blew directly at the duo.
Stacey braced herself for what was to come. "No, you guys went into the living room." She looked up to Danielle whose face revealed no informarion.
"Well…She wants me to join the Mitchell's for a family meal," Danielle was forced to stop and turn to Stacey as she felt a tugging on her arm. Stacey had come to halt and burst into laughter.
"Stace, this aint funny," Danielle tried to hold her giggles in, but the sight of her best friend before her opposed this. She had no idea why this amused Stacey, but was keen to find out.
"I'm sorry Dan, it's just…" She was overtaken by a second, smaller fit, "…Lemme guess, this was Peggy idea right?" She didn't wait for her thought to be confirmed, "You remember Sean, when he came back from that lunch at the Vic? The look on his face…" Stacey was threatened by another chuckle but just saved herself at the thought of Danielle.
Danielle's eyes widened and her familiar worried expression was blasted onto her face at the memory of Stacey's brother. "Oh no… you don't think it'll be like that do you?" She looked on at Stacey with an innocent oar.
Stacey recognized the urgency to reassure Danielle. "Nah, that's just Sean being Sean. Look… you've wanted this for so long Dan, now all you gotta do is grab it. You know me Dan, I aint saying Ronnie's a saint or nothing, but she is making the effort here." She started walking, but Danielle's feet seemed not to react as quick and Stacey ended up dragging Danielle with her, nearly causing her to fall. The girls just burst into another round of giggles.
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Stacey directed them back home, now satisfied she was up-to-date with the situation, and proud of her friend's latest achievement.
"Stace, what's she playing at?" Danielle decided it was best to speak of her greatest concern. The older girl hadn't seemed to have grasped the fact that this could all be a controversy
Stacey sighed and manoeuvred herself and her 'trailer' to a nearby bench.
"Look, I still remember one night; Ronnie had kicked me out of the club. I was talking to Sean about what a bitch Ronnie is, you know, just the usual topics of conversation…" Danielle smiled, which gave Stacey the reassurance to continue "…and he goes 'she has her reasons'. At the time I was to drunk to really care about what he meant, but it makes sense Dan. You just remember you can't loose. You came here to give things a chance, and if Ronnie aint gonna grab it with open arms, well… that's her loss. You just remember, as long as we have each other, we're invincible aint we?!" Stacey smiled over to Danielle, who in return embraced her in an unyielding hug. She knew her best friend made complete sense (which was actually quite rare). Danielle had wanted to find Ronnie, and hoped for her to fill that fissure in her heart. Danielle now knew this chasm was only present due to a lack of knowledge, not a lack of love. Whatever happened know, there would be no regrets. She had found this 'Miss V. Mitchell', and now the ball was in Ronnie's court; Danielle would just have to wait and see how the game played out.
Danielle nodded her head as she spoke, as confirming her thought in her head, "Yea Stace I don't need her. I want her…God, more than anything. But I have my own life to lead as well. I can't expect her to do things right without letting her in, and I can't keep her closed out 'coz then I'll never know. I guess if it doesn't work out, me and you can just grow old together, eh?" she tried to end on a high note, for her own sake more than anything.
Stacey beamed back to her friend. She knew that Danielle had made some serious decisions; she only hoped that Ronnie's intentions matched up to them.
"Yea yea, well as much fun as it's been listening to you gloat about your super new job, can we get home please? I can't believe you dragged me out like this, you know how much I hate walking.
Danielle punched Stacey on the shoulder as she rose from the bench, "Oi, cheeky cow!
"Yeah? Well you still owe me a night in remember…"
The ladies made there way back to the Slaters, for now happy that they at least had each other.
A/N: Dani seems to have collected her thoughts in this chapter. But is she really invincible if Ronnie attacks? Does it really matter if Ronnie accepts her or exploits her trust? She'll always have Stace right? Stace wouldn't abandon her would she....??
Hmm… I wonder what the Mitchells make of this addition to the dinner table.