{I don't own these characters or Emmerdale}
DONT READ IF YOUR AVOIDING SPOILERS.
Harriet stretched sitting up in bed, walking to her wardrobe, the cold metal handles brushing against her skin reminding her that October was here, followed closely by Autumn. She pulled out her burgundy cardigan. She was excited as this was her favourite season. The orange and reds of the trees and crisp air was something she clung to the thought of throughout the scorching, clammy summer weather, she laughed at the thought, scorching in the dales.
Coming downstairs she saw Cain sat at her kitchen table, ''Morning'' she smiled walking to the kettle and filling it with water. She placed his cup in front of him, she knew better than to start a conversation with a grumpy Cain in the morning before he'd had his coffee. There had been a lot of pressure in their relationship lately, Moira had given birth to Cain's son, who of which neither had known was even pregnant with. She hated to admit it but she was struggling, Part of her was sad, She knew that this would put Moira at a higher part of his life and she didn't know if their relationship could stand it. The other part of her was happy for Cain, the chance to be a real dad, to show everyone the side of himself he saved just for Harriet.
She poured his coffee in the mug, he smiled a thank you at her, as she took her place across the table from him. They sat in silence as they ate their breakfast. After they was both finished Cain placed their bowls in the sink, when he was turned away from her he looked out into her garden window.
''I'll be finished work around six, if you want I could come over and watch a film'' he said, his voice was laced with strain.
Harriet stood using her mug as a shield to hide her emotions, ''That would be great, but actually I had other ideas'' she said taking a sip of the hot mixture, she leaned against the kitchen wall. Cain stayed silent turning to face her he smiled lightly. She took a step towards him, almost reaching for him ''When are we gonna talk about it Cain?'' She sighed.
Cain walked towards her pressing a kiss into her forehead, ''Not now, but everything will be ok'' And like that he was gone, all she heard was the shutting of her front door. Part of Harriet felt this was long from ok.
-x-x-x-x
Harriet's eyes grazed over her planner as she sat in the vestry, Busy months ahead. she grimaced to herself. Her mind kept wandering back to Cain and Isaac... When she'd first met him, it was crazy to believe that she had met Cain's son and he hadn't. His cheeky smile had reminded her of Cain's. She was bought back from her thoughts by the church door opening and shutting. She stood pulling back the vestry to see the man himself. He was gorgeous, Harriet thought, his big gorgeous eyes that always looked at her suggestively, His black hair that no matter what he did to it, always looked its best when he just rolled out of bed and left it the way it was, and his stubble, she thought to herself, don't get me started on the stubble.
He smiled, ''Hi''
Harriet leaned against the church wall, ''Hey, what are you doing here I thought I was seeing you tonight?'' worried thoughts flashed through her brain.
Cain looked at her, ''I just wanted to see you, I was a bit short this morning and I don't want everything to effect the way we are'' he told her he was closer to her now.
She looked down sadly, ''It does though doesn't it, it does change us...'' she stroked his arm sadly ''I'm always going to be the thing that stopped you from being a dad to Isaac, I'm going to be the one who stopped you from being with the person you really love'' her hand dropped away from him.
Denial shot through his eyes ''What are you talking about? I told you I don't want anything to do with the baby, or Moira... '' he placed his hands on her face forcing her to look at him ''I want to be with you''
She pulled away, looking anywhere but his eyes, she had to be stern even though he had the power to make her legs feel like jelly.
Cain looked at her, ''Harriet? what's all this about?'' he reached for her.
She sighed, ''Even as you say you wont have anything to do with him I can see in your eyes you questioning yourself, I don't want you not to be a dad to him Cain, And with that comes being around Moira, you've already changed Cain, You can't see it in yourself but you have, you can make a real go of it this time'' she told him.
Cain shook his head, his eyes were welded with tears as he ran a shaky hand through his hair. ''why are you doing this?''
She stands forward and he can see the sadness in her eyes, she strokes his cheek ''because I'll never be her Cain, and I wont stand in the way''
Like that she was gone, all that was left was the smell of her perfume in a cloud and he was left alone, he punched his fist out into the stone, causing blood to cascade from it. He winced in the pain clutching his fist.
-x-x-x-x
The next morning Cain was in the café, he ordered a coffee from bob, spotting Pearl at a chair he sat down opposite her, ''Have you seen Harriet?'' he asked her politely, a lot really had changed.
The older lady smiled sadly, ''She's gone to stay with relatives, she said that you two had gone your separate ways'' Pearl frowned at Cain.
Cain nodded, ''Which is why I need to know where she's gone'' he said sternly.
Pearl shacked her head ''I knew you'd break her heart, I'll tell you where she's gone as far away as possible from you'' Pearl snapped grabbing her handbag and leaving the café.
Cain's head fell into his hands. ''Are you alright son?'' Zak's voice bought him back from the darkness. when Cain didn't answer he took the hint, ''Look why don't you pop over at lunch time and I'll have Lisa cook us up some lunch'' he smiled and Cain nodded smiling sadly.
-x-x-x-x
Cain shut the door behind him, walking to Zak and Lisa's, ''Lisa's popped out with Kyle so I'll have to cook us bacon sandwiches I'm afraid'' Zak shuffled through the kitchen cupboards.
Cain collapsed down on the sofa, he hadn't got much sleep the night before.
Zak took one look at him, coming to sit beside him ''What's up with you?'' he asked.
Cain ran a hand through his hair ''It's all a mess dad'' he shook his head.
Zak looked at him ''Talk to me son'' he was worried.
Cain leaned back his head hitting the back of the sofa, ''Harriet's left me, she's gone away...recons I'm better off with Moira, she said she wont stand between us being a family'' he sighed
''And what do you want?'' Zak asked.
Cain looked at him ''Six months ago I'd of been chuffed with this, with Moira, I'd see it as a way back in, but things have changed, I'm a different person now... I care about Harriet and think we could go the distance, she makes me a better person'' he told his dad.
Zak nodded ''I see...'' he frowned ''You told Harriet you didn't want anything to do with the baby then''
Cain nodded at his dad.
''Big mistake, lying to your Mrs, drives them crazy... she thinks that your saying, I can't be a dad because I'm with you. you can have the best of both, be a dad and win Harriet back, but how do you feel about Moira?'' he asks.
Cain frowns ''The same as before the baby, She doesn't want me, and I'm happy with Harriet'' he told him.
Zak sighs, ''But do you want her?''
Cain doesn't answer him.
x-x-x-x
He finds himself at the farm, ''Cain? what are you doing here?'' Moira asks him as she wheels up behind him with Isaac in a buggy, she offers him in and he accepts.
Cain smiles, sitting awkwardly on the sofa, ''Can I hold him?'' he asks awkwardly and Moira hands him Isaac. he smiles at the little baby, ''he looks like me'' he says, proudly.
Moira smiles, ''It was nice of you to drop by, was there anything you wanted other than to see Isaac?'' she asks.
Cain nods, ''Harriet broke up with me, and I just wanted to know the truth about how you feel about me, there's nothing holding you back now, I need to know'' he asks her.
Moira smiles sadly, sitting on the sofa next to him ''I'm sorry that you broke up, I'd be lying if I said I didn't love you Cain, it would be soo easy to fall right back into place as a family, but is that what you really want? because when I kissed you I thought it was because those feelings where still there, which they are but...I think that I was more admiring the man that you've become, the man she's made you become'' Moira says lightly.
Cain nods, smiling sadly ''It wouldn't be fair, to start something again, just because of Isaac, there's no reason we can't just be friends. I don't think I'm ready to date anyone seriously again for a little while'' he tells her, letting her down gently ''But I want to be a part of his life'' he gestures to the baby in his arms.
She smiles, ''Harriet makes you better, I think you'll be a better dad with her around'' she says, even though it hurts her to admit.
He nods, ''Except she's gone, and I don't know where'' he admits.
Moira grabs her phone, ''Debbie said that she's gone for a break, she will be back, she told her to contact her if anything goes wrong, with you''
-x-x-x-x
Three days had past and Moira had let Cain have Isaac for the day, he had left him with Zak and Lisa so that him, Moira, Debbie and Faith could go for a drink in the pub.
Debbie smiled at her dad ''You're really warming to this whole new parent thing'' she told him
Cain smiled ''Thanks Deb''
As they were laughing at a joke Faith made, the pub door opened and Cain's heart dropped.
''Just an orange juice please Diane'' Harriet smiled.
It had felt like years since he'd seen her, he felt like he did the first time he kissed her. she frowned when she saw him, realising he was with Moira, she suddenly looked like a deer in the headlights, ''Actually, scratch that Diane, sorry'' she turned walking out, Cain stood watching her leave, he quickly followed her.
Outside the pub he saw her walking in the direction of her house, ''Harriet wait please'' he begged, but she ignored him, ''You said this was what you wanted'' he shouted at her.
She turned looking at him, ''I just didn't realise how easy it would be for you to fall back into bed with her'' she shot back at him.
Cain shook his head, ''why should you get to dictate anything, you left me'' he's angry now, he walks up to her and points his finger.
She grabs his hand twisting it to look at his knuckles ''You've been fighting'' she shouts.
He runs his hand through his hair ''Only with your church wall'' he snaps, ''Like you care''
She frowns, ''You'd better go, your wife will be waiting for you in the pub'' she says angrily, walking away.
He grabs her arm, ''I'm not back with Moira, I'm being a dad like you wanted...''
She looks at him, ''What happened''
He frowns ''She said she wanted us to be a family, and I said that I cant be in another relationship when I'm still caught up on you'' he tells her
She pulls her arm away, ''It doesn't change anything'' she goes to walk away.
Cain grabs her arm ''the fact that I love you does'' he growls, his eyes filled with love.
She looks at him, ''don't say it if you don't...'' she sighs
He hasn't broke their gaze, ''I mean it, I love you Harriet''
She steps forward, jumping into his arms, and pushing her mouth to his, Cain's fingers tangle in her hair as he pulls her closer, he pulls back and presses a kiss to her forhead ''Don't ever leave me again'' he tells her.
{Thanks for reading, please review}