As they walked towards the house they saw a car pull up. A young man climbed out. He was tall, white with blond messy hair and kind green eyes. He was in a suit. It was obvious the doctor had arrived to discuss Lexi's treatment.

"I'll get your father." Alice said.

"No mum, just me and you. Let Danny sleep. He needs it."

Alice looked at her and nodded. She was old enough to know what she wanted.

They asked Caroline to keep everyone out of the living room.

"Hello Mrs Trevanion and Miss…."

"Lexi." Lexi cut in.

"Hello Lexi, My name is Doctor Phillips. I suppose you father told you about your illness?"

Lexi and Alice nodded.

"Well Mrs…"

"Alice." Alice cut in.

The doctor smiled.

"Well Alice. The type of leukaemia your daughter has is called Acute lymphoblast leukaemia. ALL. It is the most common childhood leukaemia. But is has a 95 percent chance of recovery In children, if caught early enough. And depending on how aggressive it is too. The first thing we're going to do is Induction chemotherapy. We'll know within 2 weeks whether it's working or not. I'll just outline what will happen when Lexi goes into hospital tomorrow evening.

We'll send her to surgery to have a IV implanted into a vein under her collar bone. We'll take a bone marrow aspirate. That's to have a close look at the cells in your marrow we'll do something called a blast and look at the extent of the damaged calls. And then we'll also do a bone marrow biopsy this is to check the extent of the disease in the marrow. I know it sounds like the same thing but it isn't. After that we will start the induction chemotherapy, Lexi will be on a combination of oral drugs and drugs pushed through a IV. This induction chemotherapy is designed to destroy most of the detectable Leukaemia cells and restore your normal blood counts. We hope to have Lexi reach remission by the time this 4 weeks period is over. Unfortunately this treatment is very intense and she will have to stay in hospital, but there is a children's ward she can go on, with children her own age.

While we are confident that the induction therapy will help her reach remission, we need blood samples from all available family. Due to the fact that Lexi's symptoms have came on very quickly we want to have a possible bone marrow donor in place in case the need arises. Her father is the most compatible donor."

Alice nodded.

"What will the side of effects of the chemotherapy be like?" Lexi asked seriously. She was listening intently to everything the doctor said.

The doctor thought hard, trying to find a way not to lie. But trying not to be too blunt either.

"Look don't down play it ok. I already know I'm gonna be ill so don't sugar coat it huh!" Lexi said stubbornly.

"Well Lexi, you will alternate from a higher than normal temperature to chills. Sore throat. Coughing. Tenderness in your joints. You'll lose your energy and your appetite. You will feel nauseous and vomit although we have medication which can ease that for you. You will also lose your hair."

"And long term?"

"Usually there are no long term effects, except your fertility may be damaged."

"Damaged as in?" lexi asked.

"As in it may make it difficult for you to concieve a child."

Lexi clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh God!" she whispered.

"There is no guarantee that will happen. A lot of children's fertility returns as they grow older."

"But there is no guarantee!" Lexi asked.

The doctor shook his head. "Unfortunately due to the fact that we caught your illness late, and of course due to your age we couldn't use cryogenic freezing. We usually like to freeze fertilised eggs but of course you are only 15. Also it takes time to stimulate the eggs to be released and we can't run the risk of delaying your treatment. You are booked to arrive at the hospital at 3 o'clock tomorrow.

"Um will the treatment will it be administered through the IV in my chest?" Lexi asked.

"Yes it's called a intravenous catheter. As I told you it's surgically implanted into a vein I your chest. It's the most painless way. Stops you having countless needles."

Lexi nodded. "Ok." she said calmly. Still in shock.

"I will be around the hospital as I am your primary physician. Any questions or worries just come to me."

He handed his card to Alice. "Don't hesitate to call me with any queries. I'll see you tomorrow. And don't worry I'll take good care of you!"

"Ok thank you." Lexi said blankly.

Lexi sat in the living room as Alice showed the doctor out. Alice returned.

"Lex." she said softly.

"I need to be alone!" she declared then walked from the room. Slammed her bedroom door. Lex felt like she was gonna go insane. I mean it wasn't like she wanted a child now but how was she gonna feel in 10 years time? When she was married. Sorry love but you'll have to find someone else if you want kids coz I'll never be able to. She shouldn't have asked what the treatment was gonna do to her. She was just trying to act like an adult. Like she was ready to take whatever was thrown at her. She wanted to show the they didn't have to wrap her in cotton wool. But truth be told that had worried her. I mean it sounded awful, but once she'd started him she couldn't very well tell him to stop, so after every symptom she'd felt her dread grown by massive bounds! Surgery to put a catheter in her vein. Nausea and vomiting. She could barely handle feeling sick for a day and this was gonna happen for whole month? She should have kept her big mouth shut! God she needed a hug. She couldn't burden her mum with this, this was all her own fault. And Ethan was out, probably with Liv. She'd concede defeat and let Liv have Ethan if she wanted. She had nothing to offer him. She left her room and crept into her mums room saw Danny asleep on the bed. She walked over and lay down. Snuggled into his back. He turned and hugged her close. At the familiar contact she closed her eyes and pretended, for just a moment that she was a little girl again who loved hugging her daddy. Until nasty reality set in and she was reminded that he wasn't her father. She could pretend though couldn't she, just for a little while. So she closed her eyes and pretended.

(X)

Alice looked for Lexi. Couldn't find her anywhere. Her first thought was oh God she's done a runner. She went into hers and Danny's room to wake him so he could help her search. She walked in and saw them curled up together in the middle of the bed. Their eyes were closed. Heads together. He had his arm loosely around her waist. So Lexi had came to get comfort from her dad. It hadn't occurred to her to go to Josh. She went to Danny. Everything was gonna be ok! Danny stretched but didn't wake. He looked like he was going to turn over but decided against it Alice left them alone. Felt a twinge in her back. God she wasn't gonna last another 2 months the way her back was playing up! She walked down to the hospital to check on the animals. After that she was coming back up and gonna just melt in a nice hot bath. Then sort Lexi a bag for hospital. She winced as she remembered Lexi's face get paler with every symptom. Did he have to be so brutally honest. I mean Lexi acted all grown up but she is still essentially a child. A very scared child now! Then again if they had withheld information she would have been angry about that too. So it was hard to win with her, and it was probably se knew what to expect! Her protection instincts had sorta went into overdrive though. She walked through the door of the hospital and grabbed the clipboard. Dispensed medication. Fed Jana her bottle and some small meat chunks which she took greedily. Healthy girl. She heard someone walk into the hospital.

"I'll be out in a minute I'm just washing my hands after feeding Jana." she shouted.

"O don't hurry on my account." the voice answered.

She dropped the soap and spun around. She felt her stomach plummet. She was alone with Josh with Danny asleep in the house.

"I've been waiting to get you alone Alice." he had an intense malevolent look on his face. A evil smirk snaked across his face.

Alice moved so the operating table stood between them. If he chose to climb over it she was screwed. She wasn't gonna think about that right now! "I'm not a kid anymore Josh. If you try anything I've got ways to take you out so leave now!" Alice warned.

"Well maybe," he started making his way round the table towards her. She went in the opposite direction. "If you try anything I'll accidentally hit your stomach a few times. Leave you broken and bleeding on this hospital floor. Who knows if anyone will find you in time. Plus you've got to be nice to me. I got the one thing you need for Lexi, maybe if you don't treat me nice I'll have to leave. And take her with me!"

She stormed from behind the table towards him. "There's no way Lexi is going anywhere with you!" she spat

Too late she realised her mistake. She left herself vulnerable. He smiled. Before she could move he was right beside her. Touching her face. She whacked his hand away.

"I'm warning you Josh don't touch me!"

He pushed her quickly so she was against the wall. The breath left her lungs in a whoosh. "I wondered how it would be if you were awake." he whispered in her ear.

Bile rose. She was gonna be sick!

"The thought of you fighting me. Oooo I get shivers!"

"Bastard!" she fought trying to push him away but held his ground, pushed himself against her more.

She raised her fist but he grabbed her wrist and pinned it above her head. Grabbed her other hand and pinned it beside the other. Both of her wrists were pinned above her head in his one hand his free hand skimmed down her body.

Alice started breathing heavily. She couldn't let this happen. She was gonna pass out!

"Beg for me honey. Beg for me and I might not do it!"

"Go to hell!" she spat in his face. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest.

His free hand wiped his face. He looked pissed.

"I warned you what would happen if you pushed me." his hand skimmed down her body again and his hand fisted as it stopped at her stomach. his face contorted and he pulled his fist back.

"NO! look Josh I'm sorry just don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him!"

He smiled. He felt power flood through him. He was gonna have her on her knees. Satisfaction flooded through him at the thought of her on her knees. Begging.

"What? I didn't quite hear you!"

"Maybe you'll hear me, she said gets your hands off her you bastard!" Ethan stood at the door looking pissed. "Was that clear enough?"

"Get out of here kid. Alice wants to be with me alone!" Josh said. "Can't you see she's enjoying herself.

"Yeah right and I'm warning you step away from her!" Ethan said.

Josh dropped her wrists. Stepped away. Turned to him. "O really. C'mon then kid. You think you can take me. Come and do it!"

"My pleasure!" Ethan's spat and strode towards him.

"No Ethan!" Alice yelled.

He ignored her and walked towards Josh who was smirking, his fists clenched. Ethan went in fists flying. Josh was smaller but had more muscle which put him at a advantage. Ethan gave as good as he got until Josh grabbed the metal tray off the stand and whacked him in the face with it. Ethan fell backwards on the floor quickly. Josh stood over him and went to stamp on his head, Ethan lay there dazed. Alice went over and grabbed Josh to stop him. He pushed her. Her back hit off the wall and she fell awkwardly to her side. She felt a piercing pain in her abdomen she lay on the floor clutching her stomach groaning. Ethan seen her stood up, head butted Josh which distracted him and went over to see to Alice.

"God Alice are you ok?" Ethan asked.

She didn't respond.

Josh seen him distracted walked over and put Ethan in a head lock. He struggled but Josh had him in a strangle hold. "I'll teach you kid!" he whacked his head off the operating table. "O and if you tell Danny what happened in here and who did this" he whacked his head again. "I'll refuse to donate to sweet little Lexi ok!" he then picked Ethan's head up and bounced it off the table. He went limp. Josh released him and he crumpled to the floor.

Josh left the hospital. All was quiet. Ethan lay on his stomach out cold. Alice lay half on her side. Still clutching her stomach bleeding slightly.

(X)

Ethan came to. He was lain on something cold. Cold and hard. Something sticky matted his head. His head pounded like a bass drum. He opened one eye gingerly and realise he was on the floor in the animal hospital. He lifted his head to the left. Then the right. Saw Alice lying unmoving on the floor.

He jumped up and wobbled. He rushed over to Alice and knelt down "Alice, oh God!" he said when he noticed blood was streaked down her trousers.

He got up and ran to the house. "Danny!" he yelled. He ran up the stairs on the veranda. "Danny!" he yelled again. He burst into the bedroom saw him and Lexi asleep on the bed. "Danny!" he shook him.

"Huh?" Danny said sleepily. He was instantly awake when he saw Ethan's blood smeared face.

"Son are you ok?"

"Danny oh God he was attacking Alice. I tried to stop him. He pushed her to the floor." Tears fell. "She's not moving!" More tears. "She's bleeding!" he was nearly hysterical.

"Christ!" he was up out of the bed and out of the room in a millisecond. Lexi was still asleep in the bed. Ethan grabbed him some clothes then was right behind him.

(X)

Danny sprinted down to the hospital. Wearing only the shorts he'd worn in bed. He entered and saw Alice lying in the foetal position. Her body wrapped around her stomach protecting it from harm. She was moaning softly.

"Alice?" Danny asked.

Ethan burst in. "I've told Mrs Elliott she's rang a ambulance."

"Danny." Alice said weakly. She tried to move but felt pain streak through her abdomen. She breathed as it passed.

"Don't move honey!"

"Danny we can't let anything happen to Daniel. He has to be ok!"

"He will be honey. Don't worry." he said trying to calm her down. "You just keep still. He's a lil fighter like his mum. Before you know it he'll be using your kidneys as footballs!"

Her eyes filled. Her mother appeared and came over to hold her hand. The paramedics followed her in. Danny walked over to speak to Ethan. Ethan handed Danny the clothes. Danny pulled them on. The jeans above his shorts.

"Who did this?" Danny asked coldly.

Ethan remembered Josh's warning. "Tristan." he lied. "I saw him attacking Alice and told him to leave her alone. We fought and he hit Alice. When I went to help her he knocked me unconscious."

"Sir we are ready to go!" the paramedic said.

"Will you and Lex be ok?" He could tell Mrs Elliott wouldn't leave Alice's side.

Josh nodded. I got in a couple of good hits. He won't be back!" Ethan assured him.

"Tell Dupe Tristan is about." danny said.

Ethan nodded. "I will. I'll make sure Lex stays in the house too."

Alice was wheeled out into the ambulance. And saw it drive away.

He walked up to the house slowly. He hated lying to Danny but what else could he do? He couldn't tell Lexi the truth either. As soon as they found out if he was a match and then had the procedure done the bastard was getting it. This time when Alice wasn't there. And when there's no metal boards to knock him out with! He saw Josh forcing himself on her. Heard her beg not to hurt the baby. Saw Josh's face light up at her words. The bastard got off on it! He punched the support pole on the veranda in anger as he passed. He walked silently into the house. Saw Lexi was awake and was talking to Liv in the kitchen. He ducked in the bathroom before either saw him. Used a flannel to wipe all the blood from his face. He had to learn to control this temper. He couldn't pick fights for the hell of it anymore. Today proved everything he feared about himself was true. Even when he was trying to protect people they got hurt. He'd never get this right!

A/N will alice and dee jay be ok? and what will happen with josh next? he got away with it or will alice tell danny the truth hmmm. many things to think about. keep reading please and hope your enjoying :) x