Alice was stood watching Daniel sleeping in his cot. He was all nice and snugly, innocent to the goings on around him. She sighed, at least he didn't know how his Christening had turned out... that was sure to be one story to tell him. Alice gazed at him gently, a small smile on her lips despite the heartbreak and pain she felt inside her. Evan's blow had knocked her for six. She'd never had any problem with Evan. She sighed and looked down at her son. He had such a look of Danny...

Danny took a deep breath before opening the door to his and Alice's room quietly. He stood for a few moments observing Alice talking to Daniel, before slowly closing the door steadily and making his way towards her. The minute he reached her he wrapped his arms around her waist and looked over her shoulder at a sleeping Daniel. He couldn't help but smile.

Alice leant back into her husband slightly; right now she needed him more than ever. She knew she shouldn't have snapped at him earlier, he didn't deserve it... he generally never did.

"Alice..." Danny murmured.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you." She replied, "It wasn't fair."

"Don't apologize, it's me who should be... I shouldn't have let him say that to you..." Danny whispered his cheek catching hers as he spoke.

"It's true though isn't it?" Alice exclaimed, her voice high pitched and emotional. "I'm nothing to them." She whispered hoarsely. Danny shook his head and spun her round to face him before pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Alice, it's not true at all, and you're not nothing neither." Danny reassured her, "Alice... you may not be their mother biologically, but I know that they see you as their mother in every other respect."

"Yeh right..." Alice mumbled into his chest.

"It's true!" Danny insisted. "Honestly Alice, you mean a lot to all of them, especially Rosie. She adores you. Liv's not far behind either! And Evan... well, maybe there's other reasons for Evan? He's been fine about us til now..."

Alice nodded and bit her lip. She had her ideas but she wasn't about to spill them to Danny, he'd go crazy and it would kill him if they were true.

"We should get to sleep; Daniel won't be asleep for long." Alice told him, Danny nodded before taking her face into his hands. She looked up at him with sad eyes.

"It'll be ok Alice... I promise." Danny whispered.

"I know." Alice replied as he caught her lips with his. She smiled at him before the pair crawled into bed.

(x)

Dupe pushed Evan into the house. Evan had been quite quiet on the way home. Dupe stopped him in the kitchen.

"You want to think of your actions boy." Dupe warned him, "It's not right to come here and cause trouble in the way you have tonight."

"Well... they coulda tried harder..." Evan slurred banging his fist off the table. "And I show Thabo!"

"EVAN!" Dupe shouted as a door opened. Danny stood at the door in his shorts and t-shirt, too say he didn't seem overly joyous to see Evan was an understatement. In fact, livid would probably be the word.

"I brought him home man." Dupe said.

"Home?" Danny asked angrily through gritted teeth, "You give me one good reason why he should stay here after all the trouble he's caused tonight!"

Evan remained silent but glared at Danny. The glare only infuriated the usually calm Danny and immediately he walked forward a step.

"Come on, a good reason!" Danny demanded directing his outburst at Evan. Evan looked down away from his step-father's angry tone. He'd never seen Danny so outraged, well not with his family anyway.

"He's your step-son." Dupe added shocked by Danny's outburst.

"It's a good job too... tomorrow though Evan you have a lot of apologizing to do."

"Why should I?" Evan slurred once more.

"Why should you?" Danny bellowed before quietening down again, he glanced back in his room at Alice who was still fast asleep. "You've upset your sister, punched Thabo, annoyed Rosie, no doubt caused trouble at the bar and next time why don't you just rip Alice's heart out? I'm sure it would hurt less!"

Evan looked up towards Danny before gulping and nodding slightly. Danny gave no emotion and as Dupe walked forward he immediately walked back into his room closing the door tightly shut. Danny leant against his door and rubbed his face with his hands before walking over to Alice's side of the bed and to where Daniel was sleeping. He watched the both of them and smiled his bad temper long forgotten... but for how long?