Troubled Souls : A story about Karen and Rob - but what if they had met when they were younger? Aiden and Bex don't exist for the purpose of this story. All characters so far, unless I say otherwise belong to the BBC.

This is a reposting - was once up but chapters got lost when a site got deleted up to half way through chapter 3 - so i plan to restart this, hope you all enjoy. In need of a creative outlet at the moment and I miss these two. I also wrote - Letting Go Of The Past and Holding On to The Future with Sammiee Jay

Chapter 1

Karen remained crouched down as she helped her 6 year old son with his coat. It had

been tough the last couple of years having divorced from her husband after his year long

affair. She was still hurting inside but she didn't have time to mend or think about herself

she had to focus on her children, Harry and Jess. Neither of them were old enough to

really understand what had happened between their parents, even Jess who was now

nearly 8 wasn't quite old enough to really understand the reasons for the separation. "Jess

will you come and put your shoes on please?" Jess bounced through the lounge to the

hallway, her hair in plaits. "Are we going to the park mummy?" "That is what I promised

you both" Jess smiled before tackling the laces on her purple converse, her face

completely filled with ounces of concentration. "Bunny ears...through... Tie" Jess spoke

through the instructions her mum had told her but somehow she ended up in a bit of a

pickle, "come here let me help you" Jess was frustrated with herself "I don't need help I'm

a big girl!" "I know you are, you've done very well you just need to pop this one through

this one" Karen showed her before untying it and letting her do it herself. "You both

ready?" The 30 something year old women wrapped herself up as if protecting herself but

at the same time as trying to prevent people from seeing how troubled she was. Harry was

full of beans, " hold on Harry I need to lock the door". Jess began to hopscotch down the

road as Harry held hands with his mum swinging their arms back and forth, "mummy" he

muttered in a child like wine, " yes darling" " when are we going to see daddy?" " soon

poppit" "when?" Karen had been waiting for this conversation, the kids were meant to have

seen their dad last weekend but Charlie had cancelled at the last minute. Every time Karen

had called him since he'd made up some excuse as to why he couldn't see them. Karen

felt so guilty for the fact that Jess and Harry weren't able to see their dad despite it not

being her fault at all.

"Daddy's very busy at the minute Harry but I'm sure you'll get to see him soon and you'll go

do something fun" , Harry's head instantly bowed, Karen stopped and bent down to his

level. "Your daddy loves you both very much, you mean the world to him. Don't ever think

he doesn't" Karen gave her little boy a hug before encouraging him to catch up with Jess

who had made it to the park. Harry turned around towards his mum for permission to enter

the park "go on, but don't go anywhere I can't see you, that goes to you to Jess".

Karen sat down at a bench, Harry's sad little face completely plastered to every corner of

her mind. Karen impulsively reached for her phone and dialled for Charlie. "What the hell

are you playing at?!" Karen was sick to death of her children suffering. "I'm sorry Karen,

what?" " you can't keep putting off seeing the kids, Harry thinks you don't want to see him,

that you don't love him anymore" "that's not true at all" "I know that, but they're only little,

we may not be together anymore but we still need to be the supportive parents they need"

" I'll always be there for them, but at the minute works taking over. I just have a lot on and

it's a long way to travel from London" "Charlie they're your kids, you can't prioritise work

over them" " what so you would rather I was unemployed unable to support you financially"

" I didn't mean that , but you do need to make time for them. Before you know it they'll be

all grown up and resenting you" " what because you'll have turned them against me by

then" "you really do think about yourself an awful lot" " that is not true" " I am not having

this argument right now, I just want to focus on Jess and Harry because they're the only

thing that really matters" "save it Karen, I don't need to listen to you nag me...and you

wonder why I had the affair in the first place" "grow up Charlie and while your at it sort out

your bloody priorities" Karen slammed the phone down.

Harry bounced over " are you sad? " "I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me" "yes I do"

Harry said rather sweetly. Karen lifted him on to her lap as she enjoyed a cuddle whilst

watching Jess tackle the monkey bars. How was Charlie genuinely siting back and missing

all this, all these precious moments.