Danny was stood with Thabo, the two men were watching Alice and Vanessa with protective eyes. Danny was talking to Thabo about what had happened.
"Have you seen him Alice?" Vanessa asked. Alice shook her head. "Are you going to?"
"I... I can't." Alice replied nervously. She didn't want to discuss this with Vanessa. She suddenly cast her eyes away from Vanessa and down to the floor. Her arms crossed across her chest. Defensive mode kicked in.
"Oh no." Danny murmured.
"What?" Thabo asked frowning at Danny.
"Alice." Danny replied.
"What about her?" Thabo frowned as he tried to find a problem with her.
"She's gone defensive. I hope Vanessa isn't pushing it... I'd just got her not to internalise!" Danny sighed, "Maybe I should..."
"Wait man." Thabo replied placing his hand on Danny's shoulder. "Let's give them a minute."
"I can't Vanessa!" Alice replied.
"Mrs Collins?" The doctor asked.
Alice patted Vanessa's arm.
"I'm sorry." Alice replied, before rushing over to Danny and Thabo.
"Alice." Danny said rushing towards her and grabbing her hands. "Are you ok?"
Alice tilted her head at him and gave him a 'get real' look.
"Come on, we should get home." Alice sighed, "Vanessa can drive herself home."
She then continued to walk on striding ahead. Danny hung back slightly as Thabo walked beside him. He shook his head, whatever Vanessa had said had sent Alice right back to her old ways! He knew he should have gone over. Then again, if he'd done that he could have made it worse. He sighed, he'd have to get Alice on her own.
Danny jumped in the front of the Jeep and started it. Alice was sat staring straight ahead as Thabo sat awkwardly.
"Alice." Danny reached over and patted her hand. "Remember what I said."
Alice ignored him and continued staring at the landscape as it passed by. She didn't even notice when Danny turned off. Thabo frowned, what was going on? He looked towards Danny as he pulled the Jeep up.
"Danny no." Alice told him.
"Alice, yes." Danny replied sternly. He handed Thabo the keys, grabbing a gun and the radio. "I'll radio you Thabo."
Thabo nodded and drove off leaving Danny and Alice alone.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore." Alice replied.
"Alice you can't internalise it!" Danny argued. "I know you..."
Alice sighed and walked over to the place they'd first kissed, she looked over the beautiful view. Admiring it. Then her eyes trailed further south and she noted the carnage, the carnage that had taken her brother's life. She felt her body tense as she tried to hold in the tears. She felt herself shudder as she tried to hold them back and her breathing grew heavy. She felt a pair of strong, muscular arms wrap around her from behind. She turned in Danny's arms and let her emotions unravel. She'd had them so tightly held together for so long she felt like she had to let go, it felt good to let go. Danny just held her, stroking her back gently as his thumb lovingly caressed her shoulder. Every now and then he'd murmur something in her ear. Usually it was just a sweet nothing, something truly small, but all his little ways made him perfect, it made her happier.
"Danny." Alice sighed through her tears.
"I'm here." He mumbled back kissing her on the top of her head.
"Which bit first?" Alice asked him.
"It's up to you." Danny replied.
"Can we sit down?" Alice asked. Danny nodded and both gently lowered themselves to the floor. Alice leant into Danny as he continued to hold her tightly. She played with the sparse strands of grass that were on the ground. She tugged at them as she spoke.
"During the storm I remembered, 'the Storm'. I kinda had a flashback and I refused to move, I'd gone weird, mad. Kinda like a trance. Anyway, Zoe realised the danger we were in. She couldn't get through to me Danny. She had to..." Alice paused. "I..." She sighed. "She slapped me."
"WHAT?" Danny exclaimed.
"She had to. Anyway, it worked. But it was horrible Danny ,if she hadn't have slapped me I dunno what would have happened to me. It was the worst feeling ever Danny, remembering what happened. I just saw it all again, those same fears. I got this image of a life without you. It was even worse than the original image. I imagined some terrible things Danny... it ripped me apart. Anyway, Zoe being Zoe sorted it."
Danny thought for a moment. Should he tell her what he did, the way he crumpled? Would she see him as weak? He sighed.
"Tell me." Alice murmured.
"I... when I got home, you weren't there. I was worried, then they' said you'd said you'd loved me. I felt sick Alice. I felt like I was gonna lose you. The storm flashed back, it was like all these wounds were ripped apart and then to add salt to the wounds it was in a storm. I nearly went after you when Lyndon came. Anyway, I got Lyndon back to sleep, and I remembered when I told Dupe about the storm." Danny paused himself to compose himself. "Then I crumpled. I just slid to the floor and cried..."
"Danny." Alice whispered hugging him tightly. Danny returned the hug. They both held one another as tears steadily trickled down their cheeks. Danny closed his eyes. Alice too had hers closed. Her phone began to ring. She threw it in annoyance away from her. "No." Alice said firmly.
Danny nodded, "So... come on. How are you? And I know it sounds a stupid question."
"I don't know. I mean, I can't believe my brother is gone Danny. The last of my family is gone... I know I have you and everyone else but I mean like... you know."
"I get it." Danny reassured her.
"I have so many things I want to say to him. I want to tell him that I do forgive him for all the bad he's done in my life. That I do love him despite the fact he hurt me. I just want him to be ok. I want Zoe to be ok too. I have too much too say to them both."
"At least you still have Zoe Alice."
"But she's not out the water yet is she? Danny... I can't lose them both." Alice admitted softly.
"You won't... Zoe is a fighter!" Danny said strongly.
"You're right... Thanks for this Danny. I'm glad you made me do this." Alice told him looking into his watery green eyes.
"Home my dear?" Danny asked standing up and helping her up.
She nodded.
"There's still a tradition to uphold." She smiled, the first genuine smile in almost 48 hours.
"Which one?" Danny asked playing dumb.
Alice raised her eyebrows before crashing her lips against his. He held her tightly as she absorbed his strength. She smiled, she knew now. No matter what happened, she'd be ok, as long as she had her husband by her side... and he wasn't going anywhere, she wasn't letting him!