Ethan was out of the shower and dressed. He went in search of Danny. Found him sat on the front steps. He had his back to him.

"Um." Ethan cleared his throat. Danny shoved something in his pocket. Ethan saw the edge hanging out where Danny hadn't pushed it in enough. It was his torn blue t-shirt covered in raspberry sauce and rubbed on the dusty ground for effect.

"Danny." Ethan said softly.

"Ethan." he replied politely but didn't turn.

"Can I sit?" Ethan asked.

Danny shrugged.

They sat in silence.

"I…" he started then stopped. "Maybe….Look Danny I don't know what else to say except I'm sorry. What I think I'm trying to tell you that I was wrong to do what I did. With the clothes and the hiding and the pretending. I got the feeling you were gonna send me away and I sorta thought I'll get him first. Then he can get rid of me."

Danny sat in silence. Absorbing his statement. Then started speaking slowly and calmly. The calmness worried Ethan more than anger ever could! "Regardless of how you FEEL. You're my son. No father should ever think their son is dead for one second! Especially not the way I thought you…" Danny trailed off.

"I know." Ethan replied.

"No Ethan!" he shouted. "I REALLY don't think you do! I thought a lion had stalked you. Then pounced and tore you apart. I imagined your fear. Heard your screams in my head. Felt your blood on my hands!" he closed his hands at the memory.

Ethan blanched.

"It would have been on my head and conscience if anything had happened to you. Suppose you got lost and a lion did find you! How am I supposed to explain that to my 15 year old daughter huh. The girl you love." he said with a sneer. "Do you think she would have survived her treatment knowing what happened to you? Would she have even wanted to? And Alice. God did you even spare her a second thought?" he was yelling full blast now. "I mean she has enough to worry about. Did you even think about how this would make her feel? She'd changed my mind about you you know. I was ready to sit down talk rules and boundaries discuss this thing like 4 reasonable adults. Then man to man. But you're a child Ethan! A petulant little boy who spat the dummy when he didn't get his way. As far as the relationship goes, I still forbid it but I can't keep you from going to see her."

"I know I messed up Danny. I wanna make this better!" Ethan told him.

"Can you undo today?" he asked calmly. "Take away Alice's fears and tears. Take away my guilt? No I thought not. So I guess you can't make this better at all. Tell Lexi I'll phone her and I'll be sitting with her tonight."

Danny then walked inside. Ethan heard him stomping through the house.

Alice appeared. "I take it that didn't go too well?" she asked.

Ethan shook his head.

"When he's calmer it get better. He's just really really angry."

They climbed in the car. "He has a right to be Alice. I messed up. I really didn't think of the consequences. I only thought about what would happen during to him. My brain didn't seem to recognise that you and Lexi would be scared. And after too. It didn't even occur to me what would happen if I did die. How that would affect all of you."

"So you learned your lesson then?"

He nodded.

"So it wasn't a complete waste then?" she murmured and started the car.

(X)

Ethan was sat alone with Lexi.

"I messed up big style Lex." Ethan told her.

"Oh God what have you done?"

He looked at the floor. "I ran away last night. Planted clothes and made it look like a lion had mauled me."

"Mauled you?" she repeated.

"To death." he added quietly.

"Why the hell would you do that?

"Coz your dad was such an idiot to me. And I wanted to hurt him. I guess I succeeded a little too well!"

"Ethan what were you thinking? Did it not occur to you how they would feel?"

"Not 'til I actually seen him. And it didn't occur to me that Alice would worry either. I was just so fixated on getting even with your dad. Now I feel lower than dirt!"

"Coz you are!" Lexi said angrily.

"You don't have to help I feel guilty enough!"

"Well you should too!"

"I apologised but it didn't work. I couldn't find the words."

"How hard are two words I'm sorry!"

"I said those words. It's harder than you think to find the words to make things better when you messed up so badly."

"Well I think you should make this better and until you do I refuse to see you. And if this can't be made better than I don't want a relationship with you."

She handed him the box which held the bracelet he gave her. I love you Ethan but I love my dad too. I shouldn't have rushed into a physical relationship with you and I'm sorry."

"Your breaking up with me?" he asked shocked.

"It's for the best!" she said calmly.

"This is surreal!" he said softly.

"No Ethan this is real life! And in real life you can't have a tantrum and fake your own death to hurt people. I mean that's slightly disturbed!"

"Ok then." he walked from the room.

Tears spilled down her cheeks. That had hurt but it was for the best. Alice came in and looked around.

"Where's Ethan?"

Lexi shrugged.

"Aw sweetie what happened?"

"I broke up with him!" she said as more tears fell.

"O baby!"

She shook her head. "He told me what he did to dad and you. That was just mean and childish. I won't have my dad treated like that. I told Ethan if dad forced me to chose I'd pick Ethan but it works both ways. He can't just treat him like that. I love him. But you are dad are just as important!"

Alice hugged her.

"I'll be fine mum. I'll have a good cry then Lexi will bounce back even better then before."

I hope so Alice thought.

"I'm a little tired mum."

Lexi closed her eyes. Refusing to let tears fall. Her heart was obliterated in pieces in her chest.

A/N no more lex and ethan :( awww poor things how will they cope wihout each other? hope your enjoying x