Alice's POV

We awoke fairly early, Danny had been very restless in his sleep, and I'd not been sleeping much either, we'd had a late night conversation. I sighed, this is such a nightmare, that's when a thought struck me, struck me like a chord!

"Danny… Dupe can only sign away his half of Leopards Den, you still have your half." I exclaimed. "Surely…?"

Danny shook his head slowly. "Dupe has a slightly bigger equinity than me, his share is just slightly bigger. I might have in theory half of this place, but that share is bigger, and we can't afford to pay him out, but he can afford to pay us out."

"Doesn't mean we have to take the money Danny." I replied, I looked down.

"We can dig our heels in and stand like mules, but he'll force us out Alice." Danny sighed sadly. "But I'm not giving this place up without a fight, I'll have to be forced out." He suddenly became passionate. I smiled and took his hand.

"Come on Danny, we best talk to Dupe… about this. We still have to tell the others."

Danny nodded as he stood up, we walked out and bumped into Charlotte who was happily running around Leopards Den, I sighed, this would be devastating for her.

We soon found Dupe, he was sitting outside, head in his hands, he must have remembered, when he saw us, his eyes just told us the whole story. He turned away and was about to get up when Danny and I sat down.

"Don't go anywhere Dupe." Danny said slowly, calmly, a deadly quietness to his voice.

Dupe turned back to face us, Danny was literally shaking with anger, I think he was trying to keep control of himself, so I started.

"Why Dupe?" I asked, it was plain question maybe, but maybe we could understand if we knew why.

"I don't know! I just, had to win him!" Dupe sighed, I shook my head, he didn't win him though did he… it seemed Danny couldn't keep his thoughts in his mind.

"But you didn't win did you! You lost Leopards Den Dupe! Come on! You have a slighter bigger share! Why do you put your ego before your common sense! You…" Danny stopped and took a deep breath.

"Right, well we can't keep this in the dark." I stated, I looked at Dupe. "We're gonna gather everyone and your gonna tell em. We have to discuss this as a family - we need a plan."

Dupe's mouth dropped open but I held up a hand and continued. "Dupe you aren't getting out of this… what you did was stupid, its your mess, you sort it, cos to be frank! Im sick of Danny and I having to sort your damn mess! Why can't you learn to say no? Why do you have to have such a big ego?" Danny grabbed my hand as Dupe slouched off.

"I'll go gather everyone… kitchen." He mumbled, as we walked away I turned to face Danny.

"He is impossible." I sighed, as Danny took my hands, we circled his thumb on the top of my hand.

"I know he is." Danny replied. "But you told him!"

"So did you, well done for not losing your temper!" I laughed, Danny laughed too.

"Well, it's pointless, you taught me that." Danny grinned at me, how could I teach him that, I have a terrible temper! "You've taught me how to be the happiest Ive ever been, you make me so happy and you just complete Alice, before I'd have killed him!"

I giggled nervously, I felt my cheeks going red, I tried to cover them up, damn natural reflexes!

"Well you're the best half of me Danny, I love you so much." I smiled, as we kissed, our hands still entwined, as we pulled away Danny stood up, I did too as we made our way to the kitchen.

As we walked in we saw everyone was sat at the table, everyone seemed to have the what is it look on their faces as we walked in, but Danny and I simply sat down, and looked expectantly at Dupe. Everyone frowned in confusion.

"Dupe has something to say." Danny exclaimed, clenching his hands together on the table in front of him, I placed my hand on his thigh, he grinned at me, and ran his hand down to my knee before holding it there.

"They are right." Dupe sighed, "I erm…" He paused, I watched Caroline who tapped her fingers on the table.

"Anders get on with it." She sighed, poor Caroline, she would be so… god, she'll be livid, but so hurt. I looked at Danny, who just sighed, Olivia must have picked up on this she gave us an expectant look, but my eyes just drifted to Charlotte, Olivia caught on and nodded. It was like the whole table was sending each other communicating looks.

"I was drunk." Dupe began, "I… I was playing poker."

"And?" Charlotte asked. "You play it all the time."

"Win or Lose?" Nomsa asked - was this family on top form today.

"Lose." He mumbled.

"And the gamble?" Caroline asked, "Please don't tell me you've gambled one of the Jeeps!"

"The gamble was… well… Leopards Den, my share." He looked down, the whole table sat in silence, everyone was stunned, Danny put his arm around my shoulder, as my hand snaked around his back.

"What that mean?" Olivia asked Dupe had by this point gone into silent mode, I cant explain how weird it was to see Dupe like that.

"This place is at risk." Danny piped up. "My share is smaller than Dupes, Vern the winner, wants either pay out or get out."

"But we are not going to give up" I added. "We'll have to try and get the money together, we have a week, we'll dig our heels in, but the thing is, he can pay us out, and if we stay he'll ruin anything we have and make our life hell unless we pay him out or by some miracle he doesn't go ahead, but that's unlikely."

Everyone was so saddened, it was when I looked at Charlotte that my heart plummeted and my mind went into worry, she was silent, silently angry, I could see her anger building up. She turned her head into our direction.

"Do you have enough money? Can the wedding still go ahead?" She asked, glaring at Dupe inbetween. Olivia was also sending air daggers through the air to Dupe, everyone turned to face us, I looked at Danny before swallowing.

"The wedding might have to be postponed." I choked, Danny cradled me gently, everyone looked at us symphetically, then it turned nasty.

"Anders, you're so insensitive and stupid, how can you do this! Why?" Caroline screamed, she was the first to walk away, she turned back and looked at me and Danny. "Im sorry, I really am."

Nomsa stood up and shook her head before walking away.

"You're pathetic Dupe." Olivia spat.

"You idiot, now the weddings gonna be postponed! Why do you have to ruin it? Why can't you ruin your life without affecting all of us!" Charlotte shouted, she continued on a rant, as I watched, this was the worst outburst I'd ever seen from Charlotte, she shook with anger, Olivia had also joined her now as Dupe was slaughtered. Danny and I just sat there, I don't even know why. The kids had their points.

"Look at Danny and Alice!" Olivia shouted, we both looked up at her. "They were so excited for the wedding, we all were! And you've ruined it!"

Dupe opened his mouth but both girls walked off together, I stood up, as did Danny.

"I'm sorry." Dupe muttered.

"Not now." Danny snarled as we walked off in the direction of Charlottes room.

We opened the door slowly and saw both girls still fuming, tears streaming down their eyes… they invited us in, as we closed the door, it was time for yet another hard talk but I had Danny by my side, and together we could do anything!