As I throw the car keys to my Mini into the air, Daniel catches them with a boyish grin.

"I'll drive." He smirks, flashing his dimples.

I shake my head vigorously with a smile. "Nope. Firstly, I'm sure you haven't been cleared to drive yet, and secondly, that car is my baby." I giggle as I reach for the keys. He holds his hand up high, knowing there is no way I could ever reach up that far. I attempt to pull on his arm, but he remains firm.

I pout dramatically before trying a different tactic. Snaking my hand around his neck, I slowly pull his lips against mine. Daniel licks across my lower lip to encourage me to open my mouth. I do so willingly, and deepen the kiss. As our tongues dance around each other, he lowers his arms to grip my waist. Sliding my fingers down his toned biceps to his forearms, I continue to kiss him passionately. Daniel groans into my open mouth as I reach softly for the car keys.

"Ha ha!" I exclaim joyfully as I dangle the keys  while pulling away from him.

"That's not fair!" He scolds me with a devilish smirk.

"What did you say to me once... oh, yeah... I never play fair!" I chuckle as I do my impression of him. My cheeks then flush as I remember his words as he made love to me on the dining table in the lodge in Lapland.

Daniel throws his head back and bellows with laughter. My own smile falters slightly when I realise that I haven't heard the sound of his melodic laughter often enough recently. I'm going to change that, I decide as the smile returns to my face.

My Mom walks into the hallway with a content grin. I see how relieved she looks as she watches our playful exchange. "Hope the meeting goes well with Chris." She says honestly.

"Thank you, Julie. Are you sure you don't want to join us for dinner this evening with my Mom and Curtis?" Daniel asks her simply.

"No!" I jump in a little too eagerly. I don't want my parents meeting Madison when we tell her about the babies. If she's horrible then my Mom might slap her and make everything worse. "I booked them tickets for Les Miserables this evening, remember?" I explain, trying to sound less panicked. "Our treat."

"Oh, of course. Sorry... forgot. I would love for you to meet them, though."

Mom must see the expression on my face and knows there is more to the story. She purses her lips slightly, so I'm aware the topic is not over. She then turns her attention to Daniel. "That would be lovely, but maybe it's best that you share your wonderful news first."

Daniel nods in agreement. "Yeah, you're probably right."

I use the pause in conversation to leave. "Have fun you two. See you later." I kiss her cheek, and wave at Dad in the kitchen.

As Daniel says his goodbyes, I quickly jump into the driver's seat. Watching Daniel approach the car my heart flutters involuntarily. I know he's struggling about just how helpless Georgia was able to make him feel, but I refuse to let him push me away. Just like he supported me, I'll be there for him no matter how dark it gets.

Driving through central London, the anxiousness in the pit of my stomach continues to grow. I hope Chris has ideas of how we need to handle this media storm we have found ourselves trapped inside. For the last month we have been in the eye of the storm, hidden from the true ferocity. But soon we will have to deal with it properly, or it may never disappear.

"Do you remember Chris visiting you in hospital?" I ask with a frown, remembering how drowsy Daniel had been when he first woke up.

"Erm, not really... it's all pretty vague about who was there." He reaches across to rest his hand on my thigh. "Except for you... I know you never really left my side." He smiles sadly as a memory flashes before his eyes. "When I first woke up, I called for you. You weren't there. I honestly thought you were dead. But then the doc told me to calm down... explained that he sent you out while they removed the machines. Fuck, I was terrified I'd lost you."

I briefly turn to him and return his sad smile. "You literally chose to wake up within the only half an hour I'd left the room that day." I chuckle softly. "How's Chris's Mom now?"

"Much better." Daniel nods. "She's out of hospital."

"That's brilliant. I still can't believe she left her Mom after she had a heart attack to fly all the way here to see you!" I shake my head. "But then when it happened, I suppose her Mom was being well looked after surrounded by her kids when you got shot."

"She shouldn't have come." Daniel says flatly.

"Daniel, you're her biggest client. She's known you since you were eighteen! Chris has three sons, but always says you feel like hers too." I beam at him before I indicate and turn into the underground car park at the agency's London offices.

As usual Daniel is treated like royalty when he is greeted by Chris's assistant, Ryan. We are escorted immediately through stark white corridors, adorned with black and white photographs of their clients. I pause briefly at Daniel's first head shot. "How old were you?" I gesture at the photograph.

"Bloody hell!" He laughs. "Eighteen, I think."

"You look so cute!" I exclaim regarding the boy in the photograph. Daniel is fresh faced with floppy dark hair. Only the eyes give him away. The eyes never change, no matter how much time passes.

"I used to hate being called cute." He laughs again. "Don't think anyone would call me cute now." He takes my hand and gently pulls me away from the photograph.

I grip his forearm with my other hand affectionately. "I don't know about that... I think you're pretty cute." I say quietly for just him to hear. In response, Daniel presses a soft kiss to my forehead.

Chris is waiting for us to enter the room and immediately engulfs Daniel in a warm hug. I let go of Daniel's hand so he can embrace her small frame properly.

"It's so fucking good to see you." She exclaims with watery eyes in her thick New York accent.

"You saw me two days ago." He replies lightheartedly.

"That was FaceTime, you ass." She scolds him like a mother before turning to me. "Lizzie, lovely to see you." She kisses both of my cheeks before gesturing for us to sit down on the other side of her glass desk. "Right... you two... we need to put our heads together and come up with a way to handle these blood sucking fuckers!"

I chuckle, still in awe of her straight talking ways.

"Can't we just stay out of the spotlight and wait for it to pass?" Daniel asks solemnly. "I've already pulled out of the next movie, so that buys us a month. It'll blow over."

Despite her petite frame, Chris slams her hands on the desk with authority making me jump. "Are you joking?" She shakes her head violently. "I'm inundated with emails, calls, texts, tweets! They are literally hanging out of my ass!"

"I'm so drained." Daniel says in a small voice.

"This shit is not going anywhere! You need a reality check, my boy! Let me spell it out for you... this isn't a normal Hollywood story!" Chris stands and takes a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. "I wish we could still smoke inside." She mutters to herself. "What has happened is like something out of a God damn movie! A stalker who was obsessed with you from childhood, public declarations of love, attempted murder... followed by a shoot out where you took a bullet for your girlfriend before the stalker was shot dead!" Chris returns to her seat heavily. "Honey, I'm sorry, but I love you, and I'm advising you that you cannot hide from this if you ever want to put it behind you."

Daniel just stares at her with a blank expression.

"What do you suggest we do?" I ask to break the silence.

"A few carefully chosen interviews." She responds with sympathetic eyes. "Then, you carry on with filming the Detective Walker sequel."

Daniel stands without warning and begins to pace the room. "I don't know if I want to do this anymore." He says more to himself that to me or Chris.

"Daniel... let's not make any hasty decisions! This is your career... you have worked damn hard for it... you love it." Chris pleads with him, but Daniel doesn't even look at her. Instead, his eyes bore into me.

"Lizzie's pregnant with twins." He says simply. "My priorities have changed."

"That's wonderful news! Congratulations!" Chris jumps up from her chair and hugs us both before returning to her seat. She then looks lost in thought.

"Daniel, you can still do both. We will travel with you. Please don't stop doing what you love." I turn in the chair and reach for Daniel. He squeezes my hand, but his eyes are emotionless.

"Lizzie, can we have a minute?" Chris asks politely, nodding towards the door.

I begin to exit the room. "Of course."

"Anything you have to say you can say in front of Lizzie." Daniel interjects.

"It's OK. I'm just going to pop to get some water." I leave the room before Daniel can say anything else.

Standing outside the office, I lean back against the wall. Daniel's first head shot is before me. I stare at the boy who looks back at me with so much innocence and his eyes are full of hope.

"... stop this pity party right now." I hear Chris shout at whatever Daniel has said to her. "You are going to be a Daddy! Have you really thought about how amazing that is? Since you met that girl, this is what you've dreamed about... you get to be a family!"

I can't hear Daniel's words in response, only that his voice sounds thick with emotion.

"I've known you since you walked into my offices in New York fifteen years ago! You are like my own flesh and blood. I've protected and guided you as much as I could over the years, and I hope I've earned the right to be honest with you?" There is silence, but I presume Daniel must have nodded because Chris continues talking. "So here it is... you need therapy! Don't shake your head at me! There is no stigma around talking to a professional anymore. Hell, most people in New York have their shrinks on speed dial! Daniel, look at me. What that bitch did to you and Lizzie is beyond most of our comprehension! I know that look in your eyes. I'm telling you now that you need to talk to someone or you will spiral downwards. You've told me about the nightmares, but they will continue to hold you prisoner until you deal with them. I'm sorry if you think I'm being harsh, but that girl needs you... those babies need you! Just forgive yourself, so you can be free to enjoy what is happening! Lizzie loves you, so let her take care of you... you don't always have to be strong!"

My heart pounds so loudly in my chest as I hear him break down. His sobs are so loud and full of pain, I feel tears run down my cheeks too.

I hear him mutter something that I can't quite make out.

"But you didn't lose her!" Chris says with authority. "She's right in front of you, but if you push her away you will regret it for the rest of your life! Now, I'll get you a number of a good therapist in London."

"I'll think about it." Daniel says calmly, evidently pulling himself back together before I re-enter the room.

"You make sure you do!" She responds evenly. "I'm going outside for a cigarette." Chris exits the office. She makes eye contact with me as she closes the door behind her. "Did you catch all of that?"

"Most of it." I respond shakily.

"Between us... we will get him the help he needs, but he needs to be ready first." She rubs my arm before placing a cigarette between her lips.

"I know. I'm not going anywhere."

"That stubborn son of a bitch worships the ground you walk on." She lifts her lighter to the cigarette.

"Sorry, But you can't smoke in here!" A male voice speaks firmly from the end of corridor.

"Bastard!" Chris mutters. "Give him a minute to compose himself, I'll be back up after this." She marches away in her impossibly high heels as I take some deep breaths to make sure I don't shatter into a million pieces.

- hey guys!

What do you think of this chapter?

I know it's a little heavy, but Daniel feels helpless at the moment!

What do you think of Chris?

Thank you for still reading and please tuck the kitties star. T x -