Alice's POV

It was getting increasingly difficult, and now relations at Leopards Den are breaking down - and that's only with today's events so far.

Dupe was, in his usual way, upset and wanted to sort things out. His methods of sorting things out though, is as most people know completely and utterly direct.

He went over to Vern's… not a bright idea on a good day, but an even stupider day on these circumstances - the most annoying thing? He'd lied to Danny and I. We had an idea he'd do something stupid… so when he came out of Leopards Den this morning and jumped in that Jeep, we couldn't help but ask him where he was going, his reply? Suppliers! As if… Argh! What's wrong with me, I should of known! I should of known it wasn't the suppliers, it's to helpful! I should have known that Dupe was capable of lying!

This is all making me question my trust in Dupe… he meant well but it wasn't enough. He'd lied to us on so many occasions, but then I'd trusted him with some of my biggest secrets, Ah! This is so confusing!

Anyway, on with his meeting with Vern. He went over, demanding, shouting, ripping the paper up (like he hadn't photocopied it!). Vern got mad, real mad… put it this way, Dupe came back with a fat lip. At first we were worried, until Danny clicked what he'd done. I'd never seen Danny so angry ever… he was so mad. It had taken ages for him to calm down… even I had left him alone - he was petrifying. He'd apologized to me afterwards, taking me into his big arms and holding me tight, as my short arms helplessly clung to him… but he'd not said a word to Dupe.

Caroline's fuming with Dupe, I've never really seen Caroline mad, as in that sort of mad. She didn't even have that elegance about her, she just… I don't know lost it? Even Danny's eyes had widened. I hate to say it but I don't know if Caroline trusts him anymore. She even cried! Cried in front of everyone. I sighed, this was going downhill … and fast.

Vern's real angry now though, Dupe's not helped he's made it worse… like he does. Now he's more determined to take Leopards Den away from us. He's already doing stuff, the fences are getting knackered all of a sudden. He's not just gonna stop there, we're running out of time, resources, money, ideas.

Right now, we're all sat at the table. It had originally just been me and Danny but now it seemed everyone was in here but Dupe. Caroline was tapping the table harshly and impatiently. Olivia was frowning to herself, and Charlotte was unusually quiet. Nomsa was silent too. We were all sat in complete silence. Danny had my hand rested in his, he was stroking the bones tenderly with his thumb… I watched him quite happily, although my overall mood was sad, this small gesture from Danny made my heart feel so much better.

It was silent… dead silent, the bush stopped it's constant humming and the usual sounds of Leopards Den stopped. It was like a movie, where they add a pause to the music to add to the tension, or a pause in sound for a dramatic effect. It was like Dupe was the famous star as he walked in but star was not the word to define it.

"Do you think we'll be okay?" Liv asked quietly.

"Of course we bloody will!" Dupe answered… I felt Danny's soothing massaging stop and his hand clasp mine, he tightly squeezed it. I put my other hand on his knee, he smiled at me slightly as we both continued to look down, my eyes were fixed on Danny's legs and his eyes were fixed on mine. Niether of us wanted to look straight down, but neither of us wanted to break the gaze from each other.

"No it won't!" Caroline suddenly outburst, it made us all jump up and look, everyone went deadly silent, even Dupe stopped. Danny and I looked up. She continued. "You're an absolute shambles Anders! It won't be fine! You've lost the family home! Yes HOME! It might not have always felt like home, but this is my home, it's your home, it's Nomsa's, Danny's, Alice's, Charlotte's, Liv's everyones bloody home! And look, what YOU have done! Is this how you like it? Do you like a sad, quiet atmosphere? Is that why you do it?"

Caroline looked almost on the brink of tears, but Dupe was not for stopping.

"Do what?" Dupe asked, anger evident in his voice.

"Lie! God Anders, it's like we can't even trust you anymore!" Worst fears confirmed. "You lie… you've hurt this family too many times Anders." Her voice broke as she stood up and walked off, I felt for Caroline, Liv glared at Dupe, I gave her a comforting smile and Danny nodded as she went off after Caroline.

"Ach, women!" Dupe growled. "It'll be fine."

Right, I'd had enough.

"No Dupe it won't be bloody fine!" I shouted standing up harshly, I'd just ripped my hand out of Danny's, I hoped my apologetic look worked, it seemed to as Danny put his hand on my back slightly.

"What would you know?" Dupe yelled, I saw Charlotte whimper - that made me even more angry.

"I'm sick of you Dupe! You ruin everything! How can we trust you? We forgive you, and then you break our trust again. Get it out of your head it's gonna be fine! You can't even solve your own damn problems! Danny and I always end up solving your f…" I stopped remembering Charlotte. "You problems!"

"What do you want a medal?" Dupe asked, Danny stood up at this point. Nomsa had taken Charlotte away.

"We deserve one! This place is a home to everyone, but not no more, no you take everything and never give much back - we ask you to do something and you don't! You're breaking the family apart - a real man would have gone after his wife." I paused a second, leaving the impact of my sentence to sink in, I needed a minute to compose myself, but Dupe was coming towards me, I stood up taller and braised myself but Danny stood in front of me.

"Back off Dupe." He snarled, growling almost, but calm. It was a deadly message. Danny was furious.

Danny's warning must have terrified Dupe as he shot away.

"You've made us lose money, we're gonna lose the hospital. Danny's worked so hard, you know he has and you're making sure it goes!" I was close to tears now. "You're pathetic Dupe utterly pathetic."

"You're the pathetic one! All you care about is your precious wedding it's all we have heard about!" Dupes blow cut me up, I saw Danny's anger rise too… he'd gone to far! I couldn't take it… Danny and I had discussed this and we'd used a box of tissues between us.

"There isn't going to be a wedding and it's all your fault!" I cried before running off as my tears began to fall.

Danny's POV

Dupe sickens me at this moment, how could he have just delivered that blow to Alice! How could he use our wedding against us, against Alice. My fury raged, I was so close to breaking every bone in his body! I knew he'd hurt Alice.

"There isn't going to be a wedding and it's all your fault!" Alice pratically screamed it, I knew how upset she was, god, I was upset too, she was my soul mate, I'd never loved anyone quite the way I loved Alice. Too see her so upset broke me. She ran off, I knew she wouldn't let her tears fall in front of Dupe.

Everyone suddenly appeared from behind the door.

"You heard right, no wedding, we can't afford it anymore!" I exclaimed angrily. I turned to Dupe. "And you! You're sick! How could you use that against us! To think I called you my best friend. If you ever, upset Alice in this way again, I'll break every bone in your body - no matter how long it takes! No one upsets Alice, and no good for nothing old drunken fool…" I stopped remembering Charlotte. I turned and walked away after Alice. I knew where she'd gone, animal hospital. I walked down slowly, I knew to give Alice a few minutes to compose herself… but right now, she wasn't the only one.

Olivia's POV

We'd all heard it. No wedding? God, I know how much those two love each other - that must be so hard. I felt my anger reaching the top, ready to erupt. Gran had been upset before but now… well I've never seen her like this, but you know what… I think it's more heartbreak. Heartbreak that she does not trust the man she loves.

Dupe has gone to far this time. We'd all heard Alice's raised voice and so we'd gone to investigate, keeping Charlotte back was hard for us, but she'd obeyed. When we heard Danny's back off, we were confused. Alice was so passionate about this place and Danny, and for this family. She spoke on behalf of us all. That's something I've always admired about her, she'll happily speak her mind for everyone, Evan had told me that before I'd met her, that she didn't mind airing other peoples opinions. On some people, it's horrible, but Alice, she has such tact and dignity, you can't help but have admiration for her.

When we heard about there being no wedding, well we all gasped and actually walked in. I saw Alice rushing off, wiping her eyes. How could Dupe do that to her? To Danny?

Danny looked at us, he confirmed it, before threatening Dupe. Now that was scary. Danny hasn't been that violent since…I grimaced, he's never been so violent since Alice has been around, I admit, with mum he was different. It sort of hurts sometimes, but we can't change the past, Danny's taught me that, and I have more in common with Alice than I thought.

We watched Danny walk off after Alice… Dupe looked at us all with his usual don't blame me face. I scowled, he walked towards Gran but she walked away shaking her head.

"What rattled their cages?" Dupe tried to joke with Charlotte and I, but we both got upset, in fact even Charlotte lost it.

"What rattled their cages… is it not obvious YOU! You know, me and mum used to talk about our dreams, and you know what mum's was! To get married, to someone special - that special person is Danny! And you've ruined it!" Charlotte bellowed.

"Don't look at me Dupe." I interrupted. "You're tight. You know how much they were looking forward to it, everyone was! How could you hurt them like that? Just… no!" I sighed before walking off with Charlotte, Nomsa walked out to the guest huts, even Jana left him… Dupe was left alone…

Alice's POV

I leant on the operating desk, my head in my hands, tears falling freely now from my eyes. I was heartbroken. This table even held its memories, me massaging Danny's back. I wanted Danny… I needed him. As if by demand or some from of magic, Danny walked through the door, he walked over to me and without one word took me into his arms. I melted into them and cried into him. I could feel his face buried in my hair as his own tears seeped through. I guess he was upset at Dupe's reference too.

It was a long time before either of us spoke. I could hear the clock ticking by, my tears had slowed down now to a trickle, but they still fell. Danny spoke first.

"I'm sorry Alice." He whispered.

"Why? It's not your fault." I replied, tightening my grip on him.

"Are you okay? Stupid question." He answered himself.

"No, it's not stupid. I just… It hurts Danny." I mumbled. I looked up at him, my own watery eyes met his teary eyes, "It's all I've ever dreamt of. And, you mean so much to me. I just… why did he have to do it Danny?"

"I know," He murmured. "You mean the world to me too. I don't know why he did it." He kissed my head gently, "But he'll never hurt you like that again Alice, I promise."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because I threatened to break every bone in his body if he ever upset you like this again" He replied matter of factly.

"Bloody hell Danny!" I giggled nervously. "Thanks though, are you okay?"

"Upset, but I'll live. Alice, he's never going to come in between us you know."

"I know… it's just… I don't know!" I hugged Danny once more.

"I know… it's hard. Listen Alice, no matter what happens, we'll be fine. You will be Mrs Trevanion - even if it skins me to the bone, one day you will be Alice Trevanion. I promise you." He said it so passionately my heart skipped.

"And you will be rewarded." I teased, despite the fact I was upset Danny raised me up when I needed him the most.

"Good… Thank you Alice." He whispered.

"What for?"

"For helping me through this. Dupe's hurt us both, but he won't win." He vowed.

"Your welcome, but it should be me thanking you, and you're right he wont win!" Danny smiled at me.

"I love you Alice." He said gently, affection coated his voice.

"I love you too." I replied as Danny kissed me, lightly at first but gradually we deepened it until soon we were completely lost in the moment. The kiss held so much comfort, it held so much love. Even in this situation, I could gain happiness from Danny. He helped me so much.

"C'mon." He whispered taking my hand.

"Where?" I asked.

"For ten minutes away from the house." He smiled, "Copy?"

"Definitely." I replied as Danny grabbed his keys… God, he was perfection - well to me anyway!

A/N - I realise that the press release pack in different but ahh well! It actually holds some of my ideas for this fic, I might sort of add some bits of the press release as it would make the story work better than I had planned.

Pleeease Revieww :')

xx