Rosie's POV

I sat in complete and utter silence. Shock coursing through my veins. Dad had forgotten about Sarah? I mean, I knew he adored Alice, in fact, he sounds so in love with her it's unreal, but to forget about Sarah?

I heard Alice call my name. I had to say something, but a question played on my mind.

"I don't know what to say dad." I replied, as I tried to string my words together. I knew Alice wanted me to reassure him, but I just couldn't do that… not until I had an ounce of the truth with me.

There was a silence again, I could hear Alice saying something to him, but with their distance away from the phone and the quiet tones they were speaking in, it all sounded muffled and distorted.

"Dad?" I asked, awaiting his reply.

"Yes?" He replied back, his voice sounded hoarse and scratchy, half of me wanted to go back and not say it, but I had to know, it was something I really needed to know.

"Does this mean you've forgotten about… mum?" I felt warm tears trickling from my eyes, a waterfall was threatening to erupt, as I tried desperately hard to keep it together. To be honest, Sarah isn't really, it sounds cruel but to me, Sarah doesn't matter too much. Mum does though… but then again so does Alice. I guess I just never did get on with Sarah, and the times we did get on, always seemed forced and edgy.

"No." He replied quietly. "I haven't forgotten your mum or Sarah. I never will…" He paused, "But… you want the truth don't you Rosie?"

"Yes." I replied quietly, my voice breaking. I knew what he was going to say, he hadn't forgotten them, he never would, his way of saying he still loved them, but he'd moved on… I smiled as I imagined him in his mind saying to bigger and better things. Something he'd told me when we moved out here.

"I've moved on… I'll never forget your mum or Sarah, I can't… but I… I can't live in the past Rosie… I love Alice and, well that's the truth." He finished his sentence short.

I could see Alice blushing right now, I bit back a laugh. It sort of hurt sometimes, but Dad was better with Alice, and she loved him in the way he deserved to be loved. Dad had told me all about her saving his life. I'd never thanked Alice for that… oh well I'd thank her next time I see her, it's something I'd rather do face to face.

"Thanks for being honest dad." I smiled into the phone.

"Are you upset?" Alice asked, obviously picking up on something about my dad.

"No. Well yeh, in a way. But not because of that, because of the fact it's gonna kill you two to lose Leopards Den." I was being honest, it was the least I could be.

"Well we aren't going down without a fight." Alice laughed, obviously trying to ligthen the atmosphere.

"Ahh, still the toughest woman in South Africa then?" I joked, playing along.

"Oh aye, bionic woman here!" I heard my dad pipe up… I could hear the teasing tone in his voice.

"To infinity and beyond!" Alice laughed.

"Isn't that buzz lightyear?" I asked, I looked at Max who had raised eyebrows, he'd just walked through, I mouthed Dad and Alice to him and he nodded happily.

"Oh yeh, it is…" Alice mumbled. "Okay, well I'll make one up… to beyond infinity!" She shouted.

"That's cheating." Dad piped up once more.

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

I can't tell you how long they carried this on for, seriously and I thought they were meant to be mature. A part of me couldn't help but bask in their cuteness. It made me want to aww out loud! They were a perfect match. They understood each other, and where most couples would break down or fall out or do something stupid like that, those two could just get through it. They could argue with one another, and then burst out into laughter. It was pretty impressive to the outside world.

"Right, I gotta go" I said into the phone, after we'd launched into another conversation ,I noticed Max had cooked (god help me!) and realised it would probably taste better warm! "Love you guys and see you soon! We'll be up shortly, in fact, I'll ring you tomorrow about it, bye!"

After our goodbyes, I placed the phone down and sighed. They had to save leopards den!

Liv's POV

"Are you sure Fatani?" I asked.

"Yes! Guy had mistreated animals hidden away and his avoiding tax on em!" Fatani argued.

"Okay, okay, we'll go investigate, thanks." I replied dragging Dupe away.

"What you think?" I asked, as Dupe started the Jeep.

"Let's just find out eh? We need something good, and that is pretty good." He replied.

I sighed as he drove along, I really had to talk to Danny and Alice today, well at least Danny, but he's gonna get upset, and if it's a touchy subject, it's better if Alice is there, although I suppose it'll be sort of weird for Alice, us discussing mum… I feel sorry for her sometimes, having to go through all this at least twice a year on her death anniversary and her birthday, plus all the other times she's brought up. In some ways I feel bad, after all Rosie and Danny never brought Miranda up this often, but then again it was only the two of them, everyone knew my mum.

Alice's POV

"See?" I pestered, poking Danny playfully and gently. "It was fine."

"Yeh." Danny replied smiling. "Thanks Alice."

"You're welcome partner." I grinned winking, trying to lighten Danny's mood.

"Uh, but we still have Caroline and Liv to talk to!" Danny groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Well, they can wait, you need a break Danny, come on, let's do the hospital." I pestered, Danny would not be able to handle two more in a row, he had to take a break, he had really struggled with Rosie and that was through the phone, not face to face!

"But…"

"No but's, no and's no if's… you are having a break." I ordered, grabbing his hand and leading him away and down to the animal hospital.

"Bu…"

"No!" I answered, "Danny." I took both of his hands as we reached the doors of the animal hospital. "You can't do four of these conversations in a row. These are gonna be face to face Danny, your going to have to be composed, you struggled Danny… I know it's hard, but it's harder if you're not prepared and you're breaking down every five minutes." I spoke softly and squeezed his hands. "So?"

"You're right, as usual." He kissed me briefly before laughing nervously. "And now her head gets bigger."

"Just cos you are upset does not mean you can't get slapped mister!" I laughed, Danny then of course put on his best puppy eyes, the ones that melted my heart, like a laser. He could get away with anything, and get anything out of me with those eyes!

"And then he puts the puppy eyes on knowing the effect." I laughed, Danny chuckled as we separated and got to work on the animals. We both seemed to be on a go slow, but then again… who would be rushing to have this sort of conversation with Caroline?

Dahdah!

Happy Birthday Ellie!

Next update is soon :') The next chapter has a lot of Liv/Dupe's plan as well as Danice, aren't you all lucky xD