Alice heard her little boy singing over the baby monitor the next morning, he cooed and chatted to himself in a language only he could understand. Her head was aching, her eyes were burning from lack of sleep and too many tears last night. Last night came back to her, she had been sobbing harder than she ever had over anyone, Danny trying to talk to her and she ignored him, trying to pull away. Dupe had tried to tell her after Danny left that he hadn't cheated, that he was angry and he loved her. In a way if he hadn't cheated it was worse! If he had cheated, even if it was revenge and told her then there was nothing she could say or do, after all she cheated first. She wasn't for that tit for tat stuff but c'mon. BUT if he hadn't cheated and told her he had to hurt her then that was below the belt. She hurt him yeah but hitting out like that specifically to spite her coz he couldn't cheat was out of line. That she couldn't stand. She heard Robbie starting to get annoyed that his lovely singing wasn't getting the response he wanted and he started to grunt, just like his dad did when annoyed she noted. She rose from her bed and walked straight into his room. She saw his face scrunched up, gearing for a wail. She walked over and scooped him up. "Hello my sweet boy, did you sleep well?" kissed his cheek.

He laughed when he saw her. Then looked beyond her. "Da!" he told her.

"Does Robbie want daddy?"

"Da!" he repeated. "Daaaaaaaaa!" he sang.

"Good boy, lovely singing." and she bounced him. "How about mummy will sort you out a bottle, change you then we'll see daddy huh?"

He grinned at her wide and open and she melted. She saw his two bottom teeth had finally broke the gum, he looked so adorable. She kissed his small head and held him close, Danny's threat about taking them away hanging over her. She shook her head and headed for the kitchen, began mixing him a bottle then cooled it.

"Mummy loves her Robbie forever and ever and ever!" and blew raspberries on his cheek. He grabbed her nose and pulled it.

She wrinkled it ad laughed. "That's attached Robs." she put his little hand on his nose. "There's yours, you'll find you have daddies nose, not mammys!" he frowned then was shocked when he felt it move. He began to explore with his fingers.

"I've started something now." found his bottle was now cooled and moved to the kitchen table. As soon as he saw his bottle was ready his preoccupation with his nose forgotten he began to eat. As she held the bottle his little hands wrapped around it, little by little she relaxed her hold til he was holding aloft on his own.

She smoothed a hand over his head once again, marvelling that he was hers. She loved this little boy so much, for all the uncertainty she had felt while pregnant as soon as she felt him move inside her, gave birth to him she had felt nothing but single minded motherly devotion. Nothing mattered anymore, not the timing of falling pregnant, or the fact that she and Danny hadn't been married very long. All that mattered was the life that she and Danny had created. Every time she looked at his eyes, the image of his fathers she felt that feeling once again. Nothing mattered but him and his big sister.

Speaking of Charlie, this was going to hit her hard. She loved Danny, he was the only dad she could remember so having to live apart from him when they returned to London was going to kill her. She and Danny were so similar, they could have been related. She wished, or had in the past that Danny was her biological father. She'd never change her little girl but Michael, he didn't care about being a dad. He didn't like to lose, losing his kid to Danny - he'd hate that! Danny worried about losing his daughter, Michael worried about losing face! The child in question walked into the kitchen just as Robbie finished his bottle.

"Good boy, someone is gonna grow up to be big and strong!" and she smiled at her son. "Hello baby girl." she put Robbie in his high chair and walked to the toaster, put some inside.

Charlotte went to her and hugged her tight from behind.

Alice turned and wrapped her arms around her child. "Are you ok sweetie?"

"Are you mum?" she replied.

"Of course I am."

Charlotte looked up at her. "I saw you crying last night."

Oh! "Everything just got on top of me, I had no sleep on the flight over. You know what I'm like when I'm tired."

"But mum that was….I've never seen you cry like that before. Not even when you and Danny split!"

Alice pressed a kiss to her daughters dark hair. "That's all it was!" she assured, "Tiredness."

"Was it Danny?" Charlotte asked frowning. "Did he make you cry like that?"

Uh oh! "No sweetie, just stuff."

"But I saw him trying to talk to you and you wouldn't let him. He did something didn't he?"

Oh God she didn't want her daughter turning against the only dad she'd ever known! Look Charlie…."

"I can't believe he'd do that to you." she gasped. "I thought he loved us!"

"He does sweetie!"

"He made you cry mum! Just wait til I see him! No one makes you cry, not even him!"

"Couple argue Charlotte, this is between me and him. Don't mention it." Alice told her sternly.

Charlotte started at her mothers face then relented. "Just tell him not to talk to me then!" her voice cold.

Alice returned to making her daughters breakfast, this was bound to go down well. Charlie wasn't speaking to Danny. Wonder how long it took for him to blame her for that! When Charlie was eating breakfast Robbie started banging on his highchair. "DA!" his little voice raised.

"Charlie Robbie wants your dad so…."

"HIS dad." she corrected.

"YOUR dad!" Alice told her sternly. "So I'm taking him down."

Charlie muttered under her breath but didn't argue anymore which Alice was grateful for.

"Make sure you…."

"Yeah I know, he's not to speak to you at all." Alice breathed walking down the hallway. She took her mind off the fact that her daughter hated her dad pondering where Danny was. The reason he wasn't up yet was because he was hung-over. She knocked on the door. "Danny!"

No reply. She knocked again. "Danny!"

"DA!" Robbie called an tried to imitate his mum by knocking on the door.

"Danny Robbie wants you." when all was still silent once again she opened the door, found the bed neatly made. She frowned. First of all in all the years she had known him Danny had never made the bed, ever! Secondly she hadn't heard any movement when she got up so he must have been up long before she woke….that was if he slept in there at all….what if he had actually went to Angie? She cut the thought off. He had probably stayed at Mara or something. She closed the door and saw Rosie stood in the doorway of her bedroom. She looked at Charlie in the kitchen and walked closer to Alice. "He's gone Alice, asked me to help with Robbie."

"What do you mean gone?"

"He said that he was going to see Evan in Edinburgh. He wasn't really specific. Just that he had to get away from everything until it settled down, whatever that means!"

Alice covered her eyes. "I should have left this is his home."

"I think dad did need to go Alice, he wasn't happy here and he and Dupe almost fighting was the final straw. He'll be back in a few days."

Alice nodded.

"What's up with you two?" Rosie asked, no one was telling her anything!

"I'd better go down to the surgery, since your dad is gone I'm in charge I guess. Take Robbie will you." Alice made her escape as soon as Robbie was in his big sisters arms.

(X)

Rosie walked around the baby department in Jo'burgs city centre department store. She was looking for a present for her godchild's third birthday. She also planned on spoiling her little brother, big sisters prerogative! She had already bought him the cutest little shirt and jeans and was looking for some shoes to complete the outfit. Her dad would go mad if he found out how much the jeans cost, but come on, he was gonna look so gorgeous in them! Robbie was in her arms holding a doll trying to work it out. He looked so much like their dad staring at it, concentrating hard.

"So Robbie likes dollies?" she sang. "Dad won't get you one mind," she chuckled. She walked on and saw a princess dress up set. She could get that and little odds and ends, hair clips and stuff. God she hated shopping for others. It was ok when she was shopping for herself but when it came to Christmas she always ended up demented. When she'd been married she'd gave Max a list and he went out. She and he hadn't seen each other in eighteen months. She found herself frowning.

The bad thing about divorce was that it was so final. They had meant so much to each other at one time. Her best friend and now a year and a half had elapsed and they hadn't said a word. Neither even trying to get in contact. He didn't even know about Robbie, he having moved out of their flat a week before her dad rang. That final fight when she again told him that she wasn't ready to have another child. The final fight which ended her marriage. After he moved when they spoke they said the bare minimum knowing that any unnecessary conversation would only descend into arguments like so often in the past. They would start pointing fingers, blaming each other for the eventual demise of what was once a strong marriage. After that the accusations would start, she had met someone new that was why she didn't want to be near him anymore. He was flirting with his new bar maid that was why he stayed out later and later each night. She hadn't met anyone new, she loved her husband, it was just she was working long days at Uni and then going to a part time job to keep their heads above water she'd come home and fall into bed, excuse her for being tired. Then he'd stroll in at midnight, one o'clock stinking of booze, smoke and cheap stale perfume. Talk about a turn off! Then he'd talk about trying for a child. They were barely managing as it was, and he wanted to bring a child into that!

Anyway that was all over now. The person she had planned to spend her life with was just gone. She didn't know him anymore. The years they'd spend together had been the best of her life, the happiest of he life. She had moved on now, she had to. They still shared a god child, which she had to buy a present for! She decided on the dress up set wondering what else to get. She leant down picked the box up then turned, as she did she bumped into someone.

"Sorry I'm…" a man was knelt down picking up boxes. He stood up and her jaw dropped. "Max?" she squeaked.

He straightened up. "Rosie." he looked at the child she held and she saw him doing the sums in his head.

"Don't worry Max he isn't yours. He isn't even mine. This is my little brother."

"Oh so Alice and your dad huh? Wow." he took the baby's hand and shook it gently.

She nodded watching his make faces at the child. Robbie grinned at him wide and toothless.

"He doesn't half look like your dad does he?" Max mused.

"He does." she agreed.

"I didn't know Alice and your dad were planning kids, I thought they were a little well you know, old." he made a face.

"He was a surprise." she smiled at the baby. "The best kind."

"Oh like…." he quieted.

She cleared her throat. "So you here to get Gloria a present?"

He nodded. "For her party later."

"I know, Robbie is invited, will you be there?"

"I'll find an hour to spend with my favourite girl."

Gloria had him wrapped around her little finger. It was how it would have been if they had a daughter. This was good she mused, they were talking, ok it was abit stilted and awkward but that was gradually disappearing.

"Max did you get it?" a woman's voice floated across the air to them.

"Yeah." the lady appeared and grasped his hand tightly. "Whose she?" she gestured to Rosie."

Rosie meanwhile recognised her immediately. "So the barmaid?" anger rising. Jealousy clenching around her heart.

"Rosie…"

"I knew it!" she turned and headed for the checkout with her purchase, trying to force the jealousy out of her body. How dare he? Had this began when they were still married ? Here she'd been trying to work through the pain of the end of her marriage and he'd been messing around with HER, HER of all people! I mean he couldn't have found a worse way of pissing her off could he? She paid for her item and went straight to her car. She had to say she was surprised he hadn't followed her to try to explain, not that she wanted him to of course! Then again he didn't have to. Their marriage, well their divorce had been finalised three weeks five days ago. She placed Robbie in the car.

"Sorry I'm not the best company now." touched his cheek then strapped him in. "That man there was your ex brother in law."

Robbie sort of frowned.

She laughed. "Thanks for the support little bro." then climbed in. A minute later she heard tapping on her window. Max stood there.

"Roll down the window." he asked.

She glared at him.

"C'mon Rosie!"

She made the mistake of looking into his deep blue eyes, without realising it she was rolling down the window.

"Look Rosie about Marissa…"

The anger returned. "Max you don't have to explain yourself to me. We're divorced now, you can sleep with who you want…" even slutty barmaids!

"Rosie it's only been three weeks, I wouldn't just…."

"Three weeks is that all?" she asked. "I thought it had been longer, how time flies."

She saw his eyes narrow slightly.

"Is this all Max? I have a busy schedule. People to see, animals to save. I don't hand out alcohol for a living."

That was a low blow, he stepped back from the car. She rolled the window up and started the car. Proceeded to drive away.

A/N sooooooooo, does this end here? with me? definately not! Lots more maxy-ness and rosie-ness to come. make up on the cards? well not when marissa is around...keep readin more on this MUCH MUCH more! AND Danny is still gone will absence make the heart grow fonder? Or forgetful? hmmmm x