Lexi was sat in her bedroom with Ethan. They were facing each other on the bed.

"How the talk go with your dad?" he asked.

"You don't wanna know. He tried to have the baby talk with me. Usually I would have ran but I was so disgusted with shock that I was frozen in place. It was almost physically painful Eth!"

"I feel your pain Lex!" he smiled at her. She felt her breath hitch.

She tried to change the subject.

"I never thanked you properly for covering for me. Well Tristan."

He shrugged. "I didn't exactly have a choice did I?"

Ethan's problem was he couldn't say no to her. He wanted to tell Danny what had went on especially since he disliked the feeing he felt at Tristan holding her close kissing her. It wasn't jealousy though. No way! He'd only lied to Danny to prove he didn't care that she was kissing other people. He told himself he lost his temper at Tristan coz she was 15, not coz he was kissing her and she was liking it!

"Course you had a choice Ethan. You could have told my dad the truth!"

"He wouldn't have believed me, especially if you had told him different."

"Believe it or not I wouldn't have did that to you Ethan. It would have destroyed yours and dads relationship and mine and yours."

"Whatever Lexi we have no relationship!" he crossed his arms.

Lexi felt a pain in her heart. "Aw Eth don't be like this please. You're my best friend!"

"Don't bother with that rubbish Lexi. Your not my best friend. You use me! I'm a convenient distraction or alibi for you. And I fall for it every time!"

"No Ethan I do care and I have never used you!"

"Lexi I can't be on your emotional yo-yo anymore. I think you should just leave me alone. Just go and not talk to me anymore!"

"No I refuse!"

"Well I refuse to take part in this crap anymore. I can't get over you with you in my face all the time!"

"Well don't get over me!" she blurted out,

"Don't start this with me Lexi. I'm warning you DON'T! I'm not being your plaything anymore."

"Ethan you don't understand. Have you ever really liked someone but convinced yourself you didn't? Then you see someone else who is good looking and you think wow they're handsome but that's all it is. They're good looking but they aren't who you want. See I didn't know him. But I do know you and I think… I dunno its just your sweet and caring and gorgeous and you look out for me and god Ethan I think I'm in love with you!"

Ethan was shocked. You could knock him over with a feather.

"The deeper feelings started on the day mum and dad made up. Or that's when I sort of realised what they might be! It wasn't till Tristan kissed me that I totally realised how I felt. I felt nothing when he kissed me then in my mind I saw you and I sorta lost it. When I saw your face in my mind this feeling just flooded inside me."

"Lexi don't do this to me. Your killing me! Don't you realise that we can't do this?"

She sat closer to him. "You think I don't know that. You think I didn't try to deny these feelings. Ignore them. I can't help how I feel about you. Your all I think about." she touched his face. "When he kissed me I wished he was you. I imagined he was you."

Ethan grabbed her hands. "I care about you too. Too much to explain but we have to ignore whatever this is that's between us. If it ended badly it could tear the family apart!"

"I can't ignore this. I've tried. So hard. If I'm being honest I don't want it to end. I'm only truly happy when I'm with you!" she whispered and leaned in. Pressed her mouth to his. "I don't ever want this to end. I don't ever want us to end!" she murmured wrapping her arms around his neck.

Ethan knew he should pull away but he wasn't strong enough. Her skin was like the softest silk, she smelled like fresh air, flowers and Lacoste perfume. Her lips they tasted so good. Slightly mint from toothpaste and naturally sweet. One tiny touch and heat rocketed through him. God he loved her. All this time trying to fight something he was sure might happen. He thought he was winning, keeping the feelings at bay. He was so wrong he was already there! So deep he didn't think he'd ever get out. As much as he had tried to convince himself this was a best friend love it so wasn't. He knew he didn't wanna kiss his other friends to see if their lips were as soft as they looked. And they didn't drive him crazy but made him happy at the same time. This type of love was I love you so much I'd stop breathing if you asked me too kind of love. A I really wanna have relationship and see if we could go somewhere type of love. But that could never happen which is why he had to break her heart. He knew a relationship between them could never go anywhere and he didn't want her to lose her parents! He also wasn't putting himself in the position of loving her more or not being able to let her go! He was never putting her in a dangerous situation either, he wanted her nowhere near where she could get hurt and with his families track record. He'd seen her with Tristan. Seen Tristan with his hands on her and he wanted to tear him apart. He'd felt anger towards her too for hurting him like that. No he loved her too much to do that to her. what happened to his mum will never happen to her! He kissed her back. Tried to show her how much he loved her in the kiss. She moaned his name against her lips. She grabbed his hands and put them on her hips.

"Ethan." she breathed. He was pushing her down onto the bed. Her hands fisted in his t-shirt. He heard a voice in his head telling him to stop this. All rational thought left his head as Lexi wiggled under him trying to get comfortable. She fit him so well, and she felt so good. They were alone in the house, no-one would know if they…." his hand was creeping up her t-shirt.

"No dammit!" he shouted and dived off his bed. Breathing heavily.

"Lex - Ethan!" they heard through the door.

They both seemed to snap out of it. Lexi pulled her t-shirt straight. Patted her hair. They both popped their heads out of the bedroom door. Both their hearts were pounding hard.

"We need to talk." Alice said.

Lexi and Ethan and looked at each other in dread.

Oh my god had they heard their exchange?

They walked from the room and went to sit in the living room.

Ethan's mind was in turmoil. He didn't care what they wanted to talk about. He had to get out of their. Get some physical and emotional distance between him and Lexi. He had to find a way to cool this attraction thy felt. She was like a fever in his blood. Her lips the catalyst to the reaction. One gentle touch and he was suddenly raging out of control!

"Look kids me and your dad."

"Danny." Ethan corrected. He had to correct that. He couldn't think of Lexi that way then hear Danny called dad. Way too weird!

"Yeah well, me and you dad." She looked at Lexi. "Me and Danny." she looked at Ethan. "We've decided to stay here."

"What another week or something?" Lexi asked.

"No Lexi, we are buying into the business. Staying here for good. Work the animal hospital."

Lexi's jaw dropped. "Your kidding right? What about school? What about Shay and my friends? What about my life?" she yelled.

"Lexi this is a good opportunity for us here." Danny said softly.

"No it's a good opportunity to ruin my life. Why else would you move me into the middle of nowhere? Your being so freaking selfish!"

"Lexi!" Ethan said. "Remember your mum!"

Lexi looked at her mums face then her bump. Bit her lip. "Can I be excused?" she asked angrily.

Alice nodded.

"I'll go after her." Danny said. "You ok?" he asked Alice.

She nodded. "Go."

Alice sat there as soon as Danny was gone tears glistened in her blue eyes.

Ethan stood up. Alice knew he was going to walk away and felt worse she didn't want to hurt her kids. She loved them and only wanted what was best for them. She was surprised when he crossed the room sat beside her on the sofa and hugged her close.

"Don't worry about Lexi Alice. You know what she's like. she's like a lit cannon, she just goes off! She'll see sense! You need to keep your self calm for Trevanion Mark 2." he patted her stomach affectionately. He felt a flutter. He gasped and pulled his hand away.

"What the hell was that?"

"That was baby saying hello." Alice said.

Ethan looked at her stomach.

Alice smiled as she felt it again.

"Here." she said and grabbed his hand, pressed it to the spot where he kicked. Ethan's face split into grin and he laughed a little.

"Little fighter isn't he? Reminds me of you and Lex!"

Alice wiped her eyes. Tears forgotten as Ethan bonded with the baby. "You're a lovely boy Ethan!"

He shrugged like he didn't believe her. His eyes still on her stomach.

"You are you know. Don't let anyone tell you different. You'll make a great husband and father one day."

"I'll never marry and I'll never have kids. I know you know why!" he whispered.

"You won't hurt your family Eth."

"I'll never give myself the opportunity. I already know I have a temper which I can barely control. There are worse things in this life than pain and death. And that's hurting and killing the ones you love! No I can't do that. You may think I'm nice now but fate is already against me. I'm genetically predisposed to be violent. I refuse to be a monster. And don't tell me that I won't be violent coz my dad was coz where do you think he got it from? Turns out dear old granddad liked raising his hands too. It stops with me!" and that was why he was going to break Lexi's heart!

That's why he'd never do it, he'd realise that eventually Alice thought.

Lexi appeared beside her father. She looked a lot calmer. She frowned when she saw Ethan sat beside her mum his hand on her stomach.

"Mum?" she asked.

Alice smiled. "It's Dee Jay, he's kicking."

Ethan and Lexi looked at her. "Are you sure it's a boy and why did you call it Dee Jay?"

"Well I have a feeling he's a boy and Dee Jay is Danny Junior."

The baby kicked again.

"Oh wow. Lex you gotta feel this, he's having a little party in there!" Ethan said.

Lexi rushed over and Ethan pressed his hand to where the baby had moved. As he kicked Lexi yelped and moved her hand away.

"Was that him?" Lexi asked her mum

Alice nodded.

Lexi put her hand back and he did it again. "He's so adorable!" Lexi said in awe.

Danny pulled out his phone and snapped a few pictures of his wife and kids as they sat smiling. The kids waiting for the baby to kick again.

"I think he's asleep now kids."

Lexi looked at her mum. "I'm sorry mum."

Alice shook her head. "It's my hormones making me sensitive Lex. Your dad so much as smiles at me and am bawling my eyes out recently!"

"No but really I am sorry. I'm sort of a hair trigger! But I shouldn't take it out on you." Alice felt tears gather and swiped at them.

"I'd better go huh. If you wanna go outside for a minute Eth, I'll meet you in a minute"

"Sure!" he said eagerly and walked away. Emotional distance time!

Lexi grabbed her phone and went into her room. She rang Shauna. She'd be cool about what she wanted to ask her. And she was pretty sure she wouldn't' tell mum! And she wouldn't know she was talking about Ethan as her mum hadn't told her what had went on.

"Hello."

"Auntie Shaun's."

"Lex, what's up. Your mum's ok isn't she."

"Oh yeah I sorta needed to talk to you."

"Oh, is everything ok with you?"

"Yeah I just need some advice." she was nervous.

"Shoot."

"You gotta promise not to tell mum!"

"Lex, your not pregnant are you?"

"God what is it with people today asking me stupid questions? Dad implied it too. If you must know I haven't got a boyfriend and I Haven't slept with anyone EVER! God do I wear sign saying slut or something?"

"No Lex, it's just it sounded pretty serious!"

"No well I needed advice on love."

"Oh, has a boy caught your eye?"

"You could say that. I juts wanna know how do you know if it's love?"

Shauna laughed. "I had this exact conversation with your mother at your age. God this is so funny. Full on De Ja Vu. We all say your like your like your dad. But your more like your mother than you think!"

"Well what did you say?"

"Didn't have a clue to her. With me and James, I knew I liked him at first. Then later it sorta hit me one day. I looked at him and he looked different but the same you know. It was sorta like getting hit in the head with a concrete block."

"It sounded like it hurt!" Lexi said worried.

"I wasn't talking in a literal sense Lex."

"Your doing the same as your mum did. Your stressing. Just relax and you'll know!"

"Well your no help. Useless!"

Shauna laughed again louder. "God you are your mum!"

"Bye Shauna."

"Ring me to tell me how it goes yeah!"

Lexi laughed and disconnected. Time to face Ethan.

(X)

Lexi walked through the back door. Saw Ethan waiting for her. She grabbed his hand and walked through the bush with him. All her previous worries about love forgotten. There was never anything wrong when they were together. They walked far enough away that they wouldn't be seen but close enough that they could find their way home.

"Alone again!" she whispered. "Now we can finish what we started."

She kissed him hungrily. He responded without thinking. Wrapped his arms around her, held her tight.

"I love you!" she whispered against his lips. She said it coz it felt right.

An image filled his head. Lexi saying she loved him. Her face covered in bruises. She was crying saying she loved him and she was sorry. His fist was raised ready to hit her again.

"NO!" he said pulled from her arms. He started to shake.

"Ethan are you ok?"

"No Lex, can you step away from me please." that violent image chilled him to his bones.

She did. He looked at her. His brown eyes dark.

"Lex this thing between us has to stop right now!"

"Ethan why do you keep doing this to me? I think we're getting close. I tell you I love you and you just push me away. I don't know what I'm doing wrong!"

"I'm sorry Lex, I don't mean to mess with your head and I probably seem like I'm teasing you but I can't resist you!"

"Well don't resist me then. I don't want you to, I feel the same. I want to be as close o you as possible eventually!"

"That will never happen Lex."

"Why not Ethan. We like each other."

"I care about you Lex but you're my best friend, not my girlfriend!" he lied.

"Your lying. You don't kiss anyone other than a girlfriend like that!"

"Lex sex and love are synonymous to you. Not me. Of course I kiss you like that, your gorgeous and I'm a man. But coz I respond to you doesn't mean I love you." his voice softened when he said the last 3 words. Oh God Lex I do love you! He said silently

"So you don't care about me?" she asked hurt.

He took a step forward. Grabbed her hand and held it. Looked into her eyes. She felt herself melting. "Of course I care about you. I care about you a lot. More than you know. But just not the same way you do."

"I'm sorry I embarrassed you then!" Lexi said calmly.

Ethan felt himself falling into her green eyes. Take it back his brain screamed. Tell her you love her, tell her you'd do anything for her, stop hurting her like this!

She didn't kick or scream or lose control she looked at him. Then walked away. While Ethan's heart fell to pieces.

(X)

On god this hurt. A cascading avalanche of pain filled her. She yearned to cry or hit something but she didn't. she'd embarrassed herself enough without doing that. That would be the final straw. She needed to act cool. Like she didn't care. Doesn't matter that she felt like she had no heart left. She had no idea such strong feelings could be one sided. The things he evoked were so strange and immense. She didn't care about anything but being with him. She knew he enjoyed their time and he reacted to her. Why couldn't he have felt the same. They make each other happy. She could have made home even happier. She knew she would give up anything to be with her and she had a feeling that he felt the same. That's love isn't it?

(X)

It was 11 o'clock. Ethan was sat on the porch steps. His head in his hands he couldn't stop thinking of Lexi.

"Hey Eth." Danny said walking outside.

"shouldn't you be in bed with Alice?"

"She complained I was too hot." he said laughing. "I've been sent for a cold shower."

Ethan raised his eyebrows. "I feel a Lexi like eew coming on!"

"I didn't mean it like that!" he smiled but noticed the distant look in Ethan's eye. "What the matter son. You look like a man with problems."

Danny sat beside him.

"Do you love someone when you want to be with them so badly but you know you'll hurt them so you leave them alone because it'll keep them safe?"

Danny nodded. "It's that and so much more too. You got girl problems mate?"

"Not anymore. There was this girl at school. She's so special, smart and gorgeous and she drove me totally insane, but I still hung onto her every word." God Ethan had to shut up, he remembered who he was talking to! "Anyway since we're moving out here my problems are over! I'm just gonna miss her."

"Whatever happens with any girl I know you'll never hurt anyone you love. You'll learn that too eventually! Stop worrying about this love stuff. Your 15 have a life first then fall in love."

Ethan smiled. "Thanks Danny."

Danny patted his back and went back inside.

(X)

Oh Jesus! Danny thought walking away. He and Alice had problems. Ethan and Lexi were in love with each other. God he hoped it was just puppy love that will fade quickly. He wasn't counting on it. Not by the look on Ethan's face or the way Lexi acted during dinner she'd looked lost and hurt and alone. Danny so didn't buy all that crap from Ethan about it being a girl in school and if it had been any other girl then Lexi he would have told Ethan to go for it. Not that he thought Lexi was too good for Ethan it wasn't that at all. Any girl would be lucky to have Ethan. It was just teenage stuff barely went the whole way and he didn't want them to feel awkward around each other! Believe it or not Danny felt for Ethan. He knew what he was going through. The 5 years he and Alice had been apart had been like an open wound with sulphur poured into it and he didn't have to see her every day. It was gonna be so hard for both of them. God why did they have to fall for each other? Kids feel in love at the drop of a hat right? They'd get over it quickly. He was still worried. He feel in love at their age and never climbed back out!

A/N wow this was long sorry bout the length hope u enjoyed. poor lexi and ethan they do love each other bt it is hard :(i have no doubt they wil work it out eventually :) review please and thanx 4 readin