I don't own OG characters, I thank Tony Grounds for creating them.

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Again this is dark...as you will read, but I will try to not make it too distressful to read.

Your ref: This story began 3 months after the very end of Molly's choice...

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Liasion Officer DC Sara Fox nodded her head at Molly after explaining to her what was going on.

"We have approached the Crimewatch programme about doing a reconstruction about Esther's disppearance...they said they just need a few moments of your time to talk about Esther, and what she means to you and how her abduction has effected you and your family"

Molly was trying to take it all in, she shook her head but the thought about doing this recontruction awashed her with a terrifying feeling.

"The reconstruction producers need a few words with you, so they can get everything exact and true of what happened that night"

Molly looked up, "Would I...I mean...I dont fink I can be in it..."

Sara nodded,"you will be played by an actress...you dont need to be part of the reconstruction if you dont want to be", she reasured her.

Molly couldn't help lick the cold sore on her mouth...she was so run down.

"Shall we say tomorrow? I'll accompany you to the TV studio or they could do the interview part here in your flat..."

"No...the studio...I dont want everyone walking around in here, going in there", Sara followed Molly's gaze that went over to Esther's bedroom.

"I understand...". she collected her stuff up, "Right...I'll call you later with a time to pick you up"

Molly nodded and saw her out. Lee was coming across the landing walk way as she was closing the door, "Hey Molls...did she have any news?"

Molly shook her head, "No...the police want to do a reconstruction on Crimewatch...she was here giving me all the details"

Lee gave her a cuddle but she pushed away off him, "Lee I'm okay...I'm getting on with it"

"You should have called me when she arrived...what's the point of me stopped here with you giving you support when you dont let me know what's happening"

Molly tried to focus, "Look...I appreciate your support...I do...but I'm okay...as long as things are being done to find her then I'm okay...it's just when...if...they come to the door and say..."

"I just want to be there for you"

"What...and clam up and cry like you did the other day...I dont need that Lee, I need somebody strong round me..."

She could've kicked herself for saying that. Lee was just a lovely guy who had been that 'father figure' in Esther's life. Lee loved Esther to bits, course he was going to cry over her, you couldn't be that close to someone and not.

Lee stuck his hands into his jacket pockets, "I'm sorry...you must be think that I'm a complete wuss...it's only because I care"

Molly came up to him and kissed him on the cheek, "You are such a mate..."

Lee went to lean in for more, but Molly immediately backed off. Lee was mortified, it was his turn for wanting to go kick himself.

"I'm so sorry! What was I fucking finking Molls..."

Molly was all ones and twos, she bit her lip and went over to the door, "It's alright...but can you just go...please"

Lee nodded and with an apologetic nod, went out the door. She closed it and leaned her back on it shaking her head.

XXX

Julie had been out Christmas shopping all day. The car boot was full to the brim with goodies for Effie.

She reversed the car up the driveway and got out, Charles was opening up the front door, but why was he in his donkey jacket and clutching a holdall in his grasp?

"Hey...the shops were so busy! Anyone would have thought it was Christmas...", she said laughing at her own joke, "...you should see what I've got my little Effie, look, look at this and this..."

Charles was glancing into each bag as he took them from her, but didn't comment.

"I've maxed out your credit card again...gulp...but it's all in a good course!"

"What did you get Sam?"

Julie closed her the car boot and loosened her scarf, "Sam? But I thought you were getting that...I'm not very good with boys toys and that bitch Rebecca wasn't very helpful the last time we spoke"

Turning back to the open front door, Charles lobbed all the shopping bags into the hall and picked up his holdall and started to walk down the drive.

Julie looked after at him aghast, "Where the hell are you off to?"

He glanced back as he strode over the gravel, "London...before you ask, and I'm sure you would have done at some point...Molly called and they want to to a recontruction of her case...I call you tonight"

Julie threw her hands in the air in disbelief at not even being consulted, "what am I suppose to say to Sally and Major Declan when they arrive up from their Dorset retreat ...they are coming over for wine and nibbles this evening..."

Charles stopped at the foot of the drive and finally turned around, "Tell them that I've got a headache and cannot bear to listen to her screechy banchee voice...I'll call you"

In a right huff, Julie marched in and grabbed up all the shopping and shoved it into the kitchen, she then picked up her phone and pressed call and sat down at the breakfast bar, "Marie...it's me...guess what's happened now? That scanky bitch Molly clicks her fingers and he goes running...I'm telling you, she really is taking the pee...I know her daughter's missing, but talk about milking it..."

XXX

Molly was going out of her mind, poor Lee looked gutted after trying to kiss her...but now he had gone after spending several nights on the sofa, the flat seemed empty.

The TV was on, but constantly hearing festive adverts made her wanting to throw a brick at the screen...she was fully aware that it was Christmas...more now than ever.

She sighed and reached for the remote and switched it off. She went to the kitchen and put the kettle on and then she went into Esther's bedroom.

It was dark, it was well into the evening now. The street light was shining orange into the room. It was so quiet...deathly quiet.

There was then a rap at the door, she sighed out loud wondering who it was...maybe it was Lee...she hoped he still didn't feel too awkward.

She opened the door to see Charles standing there clutching his holdal, "I know I said I'd stay away after I called you earlier...but my conscience would not let me let you endure all of this on your own"

She smiled and widened the door and he stepped in. She closed it and turned around, "have you checked in somewhere?"

Charles pulled a face, "I was going to see if they had a room vacant in the Travelodge up the road, but I came here first...I can very easily pop along and do it now..."

Molly shook her head, "No...it's okay...It's only for tonight isn't it...you can have the couch"

Then she thought about whether the couch was a good idea...what with his spinal injury...but he never said anything about it so she figured it was fine, instead she asked, "Coffee?"

Charles sat and down and looked across to her with a smile, "depends on what kind of coffee it is..."

"Instant"

Charles swallowed and smirked, then said, "why not, a cup of instant coffee will go down very well..."

She grabbed another cup and waited for the kettle to finish boiling, an awkward silence, she hated them so she piped up.

"So...hows...whatsherface"

Charles laughed and said, "Julie..."

"Yeah...is she okay"

Charles shrugged, "She's okay...my bank balance on the other hand has seen better days...she really will insist on spoiling that child of hers..."

Molly looped her hair behind her ear as she poured the water out into the mugs, "oh right..."

Charles slapped his forehead and looked at her apologetically, "How incredibly insenstive of me...I wasn't thinking Molly"

Molly shook it off, "It's okay...everyones gotta get on with their lifes and that...the world cant stop just for what im going through"

Charles stood and went over to her side, she handed him his mug, but he in turn put it back down and took her arms and she faced him, he looked down at her with his brown eyes, she looked away feeling choked up, "Dont...please...I cant deal with people feeling sorry for me..."

Charles nodded and leaned his back on the counter watching her faff about with putting the lid back on the coffee jar. He looked into the direction of Esther's bedroom and said, "is it all right if I go inside? I know when I was last in here, you were understandably very protective of whom goes in there but...I like too...but not without your consent"

Molly swallowed down, she was pretty choosey who she let in there...but Charles was Esther's father...

She nodded, "Just don't touch nothing...I want it left just as how she left it"

Charles went over and pushed the door forward and switched the light on. Molly came to stand behind him, he glanced back and said, "She's not got very much in the way of toys...that, or she's a very tidy little girl"

Molly folded her arms not really knowing how to take that comment but she did sound across defensive.

"Esther doesn't need too many toys...anyway, she's got toys at my dads place and she receives all the love she needs..."

Charles shook his head, "Molly, I'm not criticising you in any way...I only initially said that because I am so used to tripping over allsorts when I go in Effie's bedroom at home"

Molly shook her head.

Charles's gaze was then fixed to a photograph on the windowsill and he went over to it, glancing back he asked, "may I?"

She nodded and he picked it up and stared at the photo. It was of Molly and Esther, the little girl was dressed in what looked like a childs Army fancydress.

"I fink she wants to be an Army girl when she grows up...she wants to be like me..."

"Good for her"

He placed it back on the windowsill and felt his eyes filling up, he intook a deep breath and gathered some decorium and turned around and smiled, "You look...knackered"

"I dont sleep"

He came forward and stood near her, he shook his head and muttered, "This has changed me...allsorts of things are going through my mind...they all begin with why didn't I..."

Molly sat on the bed and shrugged, "too late now...what's done is done...nothfinks gonna change what's happened to her"

He hesitated at first, then sat beside her. Both of them stared to the Mickey mouse wallpaper.

He chuckled emptily, "She likes Mickey Mouse..."

Molly smiled, "She cant get enough of him!"

Charles bit his bottom lip, then gently put his arm around her and pulled her head to his shoulder, "I love you"

Molly was startled, she looked up to his face, "What?"

"I said I love you...it's possible to be in a loving relationship with someone and be INLOVE with somebody else..."

Molly thought it through, she looked at him questioningly, "Are you saying you'd cheat on Julie?"

Charles shrugged and had a knowing smile, "I've done it before...not to Julie may I add, but with Rebecca..."

"You never said!"

"On our Wedding night...we had a massive row, so I went and slept with the sympathic bridesmaid...Rebeccas sister"

Molly pulled a face, "You dirty dog and there was me mistaking you for a gent"

Charles laughed, "It only happened the once...and I was abit drunk...and of course Rebecca's sister didn't want it to come out either, so we forgot about it and moved on..."

"So you are saying you wanna sleep with me?"

He met her gaze, "I'm not wanting to ask you of anything you are not comfortable with...I'm just letting you know how I feel about you, I've kept it to myself for far too long"

She smiled and looked to her feet, "I dont fink it's a good idea do you...it just wouldn't feel right"

He wanted to make her feel comfortable, "then that's absolutely fine...come on, you better get to bed...we have to face the television cameras tomorrow..."

She stood up and looked at him with abit of surprise on her face, "You are coming along?"

"Of course...I am Esther's father...and I want to let whoevers got hold of her know, that she has two parents who miss her immensely"

She let her herself be pulled into his embrace and felt somekind of relief fall over her...

Until the morning.

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A/N Again thanks for the reviews.

Next time: The reconstruction brings back nightmares for Molly, so CJ and Lee end up bickering whose the right one to comfort her...