Ethan walked straight over to Lex. "Aw Lex what's wrong?"

He heard the roar of Evan's motorcycle but ignored it. All his attention was focused on Lexi. She was in a state.

She ran over and burrowed herself into his chest. He placed his arms tenderly around her. "Don't let go of me Ethan please!" she sobbed.

"I won't let you go honey. Tell me what's wrong?"

"They've lied to me!"

"O God, he did touch you didn't her. I'll kill him!" Ethan said murderously.

"No - it's Danny, he's….. Eth, he's not my dad!"

Ethan was shocked. "What?"

"My mum was raped and I'm the result of it!" she sobbed harder. "How could they lie to me, my whole life?"

Ethan hugged her tight till her tears subsided.

"You feel better?" he asked softly.

She nodded.

"You need anything? A drink?"

She nodded.

"I'll be a sec." he winked.

We walked out of her room and into the kitchen. Danny sat with his face in his hands. He looked crushed.

"It'll be fine." Ethan whispered. "I'll talk to her. For some reason she listens to me."

Danny didn't move. Didn't respond at first. It was almost like he didn't hear him. Then said. "Thanks son, you're a good kid Ethan. You deserve better than you've had!"

Ethan nodded then carried Lexi's juice through to her room. He closed her door and handed it to her. She sipped slowly.

"Need anything else?"

She shook her head.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Betrayed. Lied to I feel like… this sounds crazy but I feel like I don't know myself anymore. I grew up hearing you look like your dad, act like him, walk like him. How I was a completely mini Danny and now I find out he's not my dad! And now I'm like how can all them people say that? Even mum and dad…Danny always said it too and they knew! Why would people chose to withhold such important information? And to make matters worse I have this complete stranger as a dad. And to top it all off he's a freaking rapist. God that makes me like 50 percent a bad person!"

"Aw no Lex your not a bad person. Not at all!"

"My - sperm donor was a bad person so that makes me half of him!"

"My dad was a bad person. Killed my mum. Do you think I'm capable of doing something like that. Of hurting the people I love. Hurting you?"

"No Ethan of course not!"

"Same goes for you too Lex!"

"I can't forgive them for this!" she said.

"Have you ever thought that maybe they did it for the right reasons? Look how your reacting. Lexi they love you and you were happier thinking he was your dad weren't you?"

"That doesn't change the fact that I grew up believing a lie! Don't get me wrong if I could have chosen my dad I would've picked Danny. Coz I never doubted that he loved me. That he would do anything for me. Well I never used to. But they took it our of my hands Ethan. And you know the worst thing of all. If I hadn't got attacked then I would still be believing that he's my father!"

"Lex I'd be ecstatic if I found out my dad wasn't my dad! You shouldn't be acting this way about Danny. He' a good guy. He's always loved you. There was never a question of you being his coz he loved you like his own daughter."

A doubt suddenly appeared in Lexi's mind. What if Danny didn't want her anymore? I mean her mum and him had Daniel now! She knew she was a pain in the neck, prided herself on it at times. What if they shipped her off to…wherever to live with her real dad so they could play happy families get the rapists kid out if the way! No freaking way, they weren't sending her away. She'd leave first!

"Ethan I wanna meet my dad and if he's a good guy. If he admits he made a mistake and is sorry and he's changed then I'm gonna go live with him wherever he lives!"

"Oh my God what? Have you lost your mind?" Ethan yelped. It was obvious she hadn't thought this through. Any minute now she was going to realise what she said.

Lexi jumped off her bed and went to talk to Danny. They weren't getting the chance to send her away she vowed.

She stalked into the kitchen. "I need to talk to you and mum!" she said to Danny's down turned head.

"Look Lex." Danny started as he looked up.

She out up a hand stopping his sentence. "I need to talk to you AND mum!" she repeated stubbornly.

"She's sleeping."

Lexi sat down. "I'll wait."

Ethan stood at the left of both people. A clock ticked monotonously. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

Ethan leaned over whispered to her, "C'mon Lex reconsider. Don't do this to them!"

"Be quiet Ethan!" she hissed. "I've made up my mind!"

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Go on the Lex tell him!" he said spitefully.

"No I'll wait for mum!"

Ethan looked at Danny. "She wants to meet and live with her biological father!"

Danny jumped from his seat. "No way I refuse to do that to Alice! Do you realise what seeing him again will do to her? After what he did. Do you think he's a nice cuddly person Lexi? He could hurt you. I refuse to let this happen! SO I'm telling you flat out NO!"

Lexi was suddenly on her feet too. "I deserve to know. To get the chance to decide for myself. I've been lied to my whole life. God I don't even know his name! And you can't TELL me anything!"

"Lex you weren't told for good reason. This guy isn't worth knowing."

Both people had their hands rested on the table leaning across. Glaring at each other. Each refused to budge on their stance. Twin sets of green eyes flashed fire. Identical scowls. Even their body language! God are they sure they aren't related coz they sure looked alike right now! Ethan thought.

"That's my decision. Maybe he's changed. He was 16. Plus don't bad mouth him when he's not here to defend himself Daniel!"

He winced at Lexi's low blow. Felt his anger rise as she defended Josh! He walked away before he lost his temper. She couldn't have hurt him much more than she did there.

"That was well out of order Lex!"

"I refuse to call him dad"

"But Daniel. C'mon you know how much he hates it. And it was without warning too you just came out with it. That was mean!" he shook his head as he walked away.

She sat there. She felt tired and sick again. She went to her room. Her joints ached an she felt like she had a cold coming on. She lay on her bed just thinking. Of stuff, let random thoughts whiz around her head. Happy memories of when Danny had been her dad kept popping up. Maybe Danny was right. Her mother definitely wouldn't wanna see him again but Lexi needed to. Her eyes closed at the end of that statement.

(X)

Danny was in the animal hospital feeding Jana. She was getting really big so fast. She was 7 weeks old and still loved her milk. His thoughts invariably drifted to Lexi. God she called him Daniel. To be honest he'd been trying to prepare himself for Danny. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell! The last time she'd called him anything resembling his given name it had been Danny and she'd been 4 but when then it had the ring of daddy to it. Now it was Daniel! That hurt so much. Why did she hate him so much? No Danny she doesn't hate you. She's just mixed up and you're the only available target. no matter what he's here for her though. Regardless of how she felt he IS her father! You don't just turn off 11 years of parenting because your child can't stand the sight of you.

He checked the animals all fine. Fed watered and medicated as needed. He thought about it more as he walked towards the house. If she was so adamant about meeting the person who made her. If she wanted to meet her biological father really they couldn't stop her. And if they tried to it was likely to end up blowing up in their faces. Like her going off by herself at 16 and being alone when she did. His heart stopped and his blood ran cold at the thought of her alone with Josh. But at the same time he couldn't put Alice through the stress of seeing him. They could devise a routine in which he and Alice never cross paths. When Alice and Lexi are never alone. Hmmmm could it work? Lexi would see what an animal he is and then he'd leave and they could all go back to their normal lives. He'd be here a day two tops! And if she still didn't see him as her dad after that then he could live with it. It made no difference to him in his head and in his heart. Whether she liked it or not he is her father in every sense of the word! He'd tell Lexi first his proposal then suggest it to Alice. He looked in the kitchen Lexi was gone. He knocked on her bedroom door. No reply. He popped his head in and saw her sprawled on her stomach asleep. She looked so much like the little girl who used to crawl onto his lap and rest her head on his chest. The little girl who used to look up at him with adoration in her big green eyes. He closed her door quickly went into his bedroom and lay down beside his wife. Gathered her gently in his arms. His arms around her waist. Her back to his chest.

"Danny?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Sorry I woke you honey."

"I was half awake anyway." Alice yawned.

"How's junior?" he asked.

She rubbed her stomach. "The usual, hungry and restless. How's Lexi?"

"Lexi is Lexi."

She frowned. "That bad huh?"

"She called me Daniel Alice." his expression was pained. "Daniel! It shouldn't have but it hurt so bad! I know it's just a name but…." he trailed off.

"I'm sorry honey!" Alice said sadly.

"Alice me darls. Stop saying sorry huh. None of this is your fault! Neither of us asked for this. Plus we knew the risks if she found out. Me getting her rage is preferable to you getting it too. I want you to stop worrying Alice. You need to keep your blood pressure down, little man needs you!"

"I'll try Danny. But she's my baby as well."

He was gonna have a little talk with Lexi when she woke up. If she had anything that needed to be said or any frustrations to vent then she was to come to him. Leave her mother out of it as much as possible. He could take it. But if Alice was too stressed out it could precipitate premature labour and he knew Lexi would never forgive herself if that happened.

"How's your back darling?" he murmured.

"Feel's abit stiff." he rearranged the pillows and moved her so she was comfortable. He looked on her dresser. All she had was raspberry lotion. Well it wasn't the best but would make it smoother. He put some on his hands and her back.

"Oooo that was cold!"

Danny rubbed her back softly. He experimented learning what she liked by her sighs. Eventually she was completely relaxed. The pillows stopped her weight being on her stomach completely. She was soon a boneless puddle.

"You missed your calling as a masseuse!"

"O yeah I could have worked in a parlour!" he wiggled his eyebrows.

"You mean brothel!"

"O yeah!" he said and wiggled his eyebrows again. "C'mon then darling." He pulled her up. "Nomsa will be serving tea."

They walked out of the room. He was right Nomsa was serving tea."

"I'll go get Lex." Alice said when she saw her empty seat.

"It's ok Alice I will. I need to talk to her anyway!" he touched her cheek softly as he stood up.

He knocked on her door and popped his head in. Still sound asleep. He closed the door and knocked louder. She wouldn't appreciate him in her room at this time he knew.

"Lexi!" he said loudly.

"C'min!" a voice said yawning.

He opened the door and popped his head in. "Teas on."

She nodded and ran her hands through her hair. Messy bed hair. Obviously not inherited from him. They'd deluded themselves for far too long! They should have told her as soon as she was old enough to understand. But then again hindsight was always 20/20.

"Can come in for a sec?"

She nodded.

He walked in and closed the door. She stood up and stretched.

"Look Lex, if you have a problem I need you to come and let of steam on me ok. No matter what it is. Your mum can do without the stress at the minute."

Lexi nodded.

"Another thing. I know you don't see me as your dad anymore but I'd appreciate if you called me Danny. I can't stand Daniel. I never have been able to!"

She nodded. "Look I'm sorry too about the Daniel bit I only said it to hurt you. I know you can't stand it."

He shrugged. "Yeah well tea is done."

They walked out of the room and walked towards the dining room together. Tried to show a united front to Alice. Not like they were normal but they weren't arguing which of course was a start! Lexi even tried to give her mum a small smile but it didn't work. Ethan glared at Lexi, she was angry about that so she glared back and fumed silently. The silence at the table was uncomfortable. Dupe and Caroline chatted. Liv and Evan too. But the Trevanion's kept the eyes glued to their plates. Danny picked at his food. Alice forced down what she could for the baby. She wasn't enjoying it just providing the baby with what he needed. Lexi didn't eat one bite just pushed it around her plate.

"Can I be excused?" Lexi asked less than 5 minutes later.

"Can you at least eat some of your meal?" Alice asked softly.

"I have." Lexi said.

"Lexi I watched you push it around your plate."

She glared. Picked up a forkful of vegetables and jammed them in her mouth and chewed. "Happy. So I told one lie nothing compared to yours is it?" she dropped her fork and went to walk away.

"You can't talk to your mother like that!" Dupe spoke up.

"I can do what I want so shut up old man!" Lexi spat.

Olivia jumped up. "Don't dare talk to Dupe like that!"

"You gonna stop me?" Lexi asked cockily.

"Lexi…" Danny started.

"Yeah actually!" Olivia said and pushed Lexi.

"Wrong thing to do!" Lexi yelled and punched her in the face. Liv's hands flew to her face and Lexi had a satisfied smile on her face.

"LEXI!" Alice yelled.

"Hey!" Evan said standing up.

Ethan jumped up then to protect Lexi. "Don't even think it Ev!" Ethan warned.

"Danny stood up. "RIGHT!" he yelled. "Everyone calm down." he finished softly.

"I'm gone anyway!" Lexi said and walked away.

Alice rubbed her face tiredly.

Danny got angry followed her.

"I'm sorry about her." Alice said to the people at the table.

He didn't hear their replies.

"Lex you were well out of order there! What the hell were you thinking?" Danny asked stopping her at her bedroom door.

"She started it, she put her hands on me first. It wasn't my fault if I finished it better!"

"Lexi we have taught you not to use violence!"

She glared at him.

"And what happened to keeping you mother out of it?" Danny asked.

"Just leave me alone Daniel!" Lexi said and slammed her bedroom door.

He shook his head. Felt like screaming in frustration but kept it inside. He went to make sure his wife was ok and try to apologise for his hot headed daughters actions.

A/N lexi is a right little brat isn't she! grrr will the family survive or is there more to cum? keep reading to find out :) x