So again I am sorry for any inaccuracies, spelling mistakes etc. The first bit of Danny in this chapter sorry that will be more romance but I have to introduce my story a bit first...

Amber found herself walking up the final flight of stairs before the level of Lindsay's apartment. She had taken two trains to get there and had to ask three people for directions. Taking a deep breath she glanced at the note which was very creased from the number times she had unfolded and refolded it confirming she was at the right Apartment Amber knocked on the door wrapping her knuckles smartly thrice against the wooden panels.

There was a small commotion that could just be heard from outside going on within the walls, it appeared that Lucy was eager for her arrival, Amber hear the lock click and the door open enough to see Lindsay looking out. "Oh good I'm glad you came"
Amber smiled and as the door was opened to allow her entrance followed her host inside. Almost immediately after she had crossed the threshold Amber received a blow to her knees that came in the form of an over excited Lucy.

"Come see my pwety pictures"
Unstructured Lucy. While Lindsay slipped away to look at dinner, smiling Amber allowed herself to be dragged into the living room where the floor was carpeted with paper, texter pens, pencils and crayons in every colour imaginable. Lucy plonked herself on a vaguely clear gestured for Amber to sit down beside her. For the next half hour Amber remarked with the appropriate levels of gusto about pictures of her boat, flowers, a star a rocket ship, Lucy's mummy and her friends and even a birdy she'd named George. Finally Lucy picked up a picture of a house and three people two tall and one small all smiling happily while holding hands. "dis is mummy" she pointed to the larger stick figure wearing a dress, "dis is our house" she indicated the building behind them "dat's me" she pointed to the smallest person in the picture "and dats daddy, he ewsed to ive wid me but now he moved away and make mummy cry… dat made me sad" Lucy informed Amber.

Amber pulled Lucy into a hug, "I know it, made you sad but the sadness will pass, take it from someone who knows it'll get better"
"When?" Demanded Lucy
"I don't know exactly when but will take time and it will feel like forever, but it's not you know that and one day it won't hurt anymore"
"Come on Lucy wash your hands for dinner"
Lindsay called from the doorway causing them both jump having not heard her walk in.

Amber followed Lindsay into the kitchen and picked up a dish to carry to the table. "I'm sorry about that, but you seemed to hand it really well"
commented Lindsay "I just thought of what I would've liked someone to have said to me when… my parents spilt and my dad moved to America and mum stayed in Australia"
"is that why you moved to America?"
"After my mum died in a car accident a year ago"
Sadness at the thought washed over Amber repressing it, She placed the food on the table, Amber saw it was set in a curious arrangement the spot on the left hand side was vacant but the head of the table and two positions on the right were filled, she assumed that used to be where Lindsay's husband sat. Lindsay still loved him, that much was clear, but what had caused it, no Amber told herself, this isn't something I should get involved in no matter how much she hated to see that little angel of a daughter get her heart broken it was none of her business.

Amber sat down at to a very good meal of pasta and salad Lucy kept up most of the conversation chatting about things she'd seen in the park and what she planned on doing with 'daddy' suddenly out of the blue she asked Amber "Why do you talk funny?"
Laughing Amber explained "I speak with an accent, to myself I sound normal but it's because I come from Australia, but to me you sound funny"
Lucy grinned showing her a gap filled smile, "we both sound funny"
She concluded, before returning to her dinner

After dinner Amber was lead into Lucy's room and introducing her to all her stuffed toys. "That's Jeromy the giraffe and Kitty and Grace and Antoinette…."
However shortly afterword's she was interrupted by raised voices outside. She got up and Amber followed, to see a man in his thirty's standing across from Lindsay shouting at her "Are you stupid? She could have drowned, did you not think about that? What if she'd died? It would've been entirely your fault it still is entirely your fault…"
Amber knelt down and whispered in Lucy's ear "Sweety, go to your room okay?"
Lucy turned and hurried off; Amber took a deep breath and harnessed her temper. "Excuse me I know I am intruding and that this is a private insulting monologue, that most of Manhattan can hear, but you should really shut your mouth and wait until you know what the bloody hell you're talking about. The only thing Lindsay could be blamed for is turning her back for two seconds to buy ice-creams and Lucy took off to see my sailing boat, she got to excited and fell in so I think you owe someone and an apology and next time you decide to come charging in like a bull in a china shop, make sure you know the full story. Also a conversation with your daughter probably isn't a bad idea because she dies a little bit inside when she hears you two fighting, why do you think she draws pictures of happy families? It's what she wants more than anything in the world…"
Amber suddenly realised what she was saying "I'm sorry that was out of line, I'll go"
she made for the door when Lindsay stopped her saying "no please stay, its okay Danny was just picking up Lucy and leaving."
Amber tried to ignore all the memories of her father shouting at her that it brought flooding back.

Without a word Danny walked past Amber causing her to flinch backwards and into Lucy's room the anger radiating from him was almost tangible. Lindsay's face was pale and Amber could tell she was close to tears. Amber gave Lindsay a brave smile, after that they sat in silence for a while, until Danny returned with Lucy in tow and a pink Dora the Explorer back pack in his hand. Lucy said goodbye to both of Lindsay and Amber then made Amber promise to come back soon the little girl seemed ignorant to the tension in the room so thick it could've been cut with a knife.

As soon as the latch clicked behind the two of them Lindsay lost the last of her resolve, tears ran down her face and she sobbed uncontrollably muttering to herself not even registering Ambers presence "He's right I'm not a good parent, I'm not good enough, he never loved me, I was never good enough, who did I think I was? Why do I have to love him so much? Why does it have to hurt so much?"
"Because your human and you were doing what you thought was right" Amber chose her words carefully "have you talked to him yet?"
Lindsay looked confused "you saw what happens when we are in the same room, besides he has moved on, he doesn't want me he never did…"
her breathing was quickening again, "Breath in and out, calm down its okay"
Lindsay took a deep breath to calm herself and asked softly "why did you stand up to him like that?"
Lindsay found something troubling about this teenage girl, she looked like she was 16 or 17 maybe 18 at a stretch but she acted like a person twice her age and was as articulate as a scholar. Amber looked up at her with big vibrant green eyes, her deep red wavy curls of hair swished across her face. "I'm sorry about that, I lost it, it just took me back to mum and dad fighting then later dad getting angry at me for something that wasn't my fault and you won't understand how angry that made me, I couldn't believe he would speak like that in front of his daughter and blame you for something that wasn't your fault. Also you helped me, you have me food for a night and a safe place to spend a few hours it was the least I could do for you"
Lindsay looked at Amber, and then made an impulsive decision "Come live here, you need a place to stay, and I have a spare room…"
Amber stared at her, Lindsay had kindness, cordage and love for everyone but she couldn't impose on a stranger like this, they'd only met this morning. Lindsay seemed to know what she was thinking, "I know this is very sudden but you're a nice honest person, you get along with Lucy, you make her smile, and you need help so let me give it to you like someone did to me when I first moved to New York I was alone and a stranger showed me the gift of kindness now let me show it to you"
Amber didn't know what to say she opened her mouth to protest but all she seemed to be able to say was "Thank you"

Please Vote Comment any CONSTRUCTIVE criticism appreciated... there will be more from Danny (not just entire douche)