Disclaimer: Don't own the our girl or it's characters.

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21/24

The stream water was freezing as he washed the blood from his hands. The rushing water sent along red streaks with it as the blood washed away leaving his hands lily white and cold.

He trembled...and that was not only because of the cold. Graham could hear the stream waters rush by as he closed his eyes and the first light started to brighten into early morning.

The birds sung in the tree tops above him as he stood to his feet and took in the fresh air. Plooms of clouded breath escaped his mouth as he exhaled.

Graham turned and lifted his pack off the bank and heaved it over his shoulder. He turned and closed his eyes seeing black and white images of a motionless body on the forest floor.

He faught back the tears as he started through the brush and back onto the trail. He struggled through and thorn and bracken as he tried to shift that view from his mind and only replaced it with scenes that played out as he walked.

Charles at his wedding. Charles with him on the front line at Iraq. Charles and himself having a good old laugh at some bar.

Charles pulling him into a tight hug and a pat on the back...

Graham gasped out and fell to his knees in the bracken. He looked up, the tears running down his cheeks and he screamed out in deep wretched painstaking emotion.

"Agggghhhhhhh!"

XXX

Molly was on the beach. She looked out to sea as the strong but warm breeze hit her face and pulled back her hair. The sun was hot and her flimsy white dress danced about her legs.

Charles turned from the seas edge and smiled at her, he was tanned and he was strong and he had that sweet sweet smile that was so robust.

"Coming for a waddle...O promise you it isn't cold", he whispered. It sounded like a whisper. Deep inside her ear.

Molly looked down to the sand and laughed.

"Why are you laughing...what is so funny in me asking you to join me for a paddle"

Molly stopped laughing and looked up, Charles fingers were on her chin lifting her face to look at him.

His eyes were dark and cold.

Molly opened her eyes.

Esther Dawes pushed the door and sneaked up to the bed. Molly and Lee were still in bed as the first rays of light faught through the curtain.

The little girl was dead quiet as she paused and then jumped onto the bed, Molly looked at her and instantly gathered up her up.

"Mummy you are squeezing me too much"

Molly relaxed her grip and then stroked her daughters bedhair back and smiled, "I love you baby...Mummys just feeling like she needs a big hug"

Lee was looking at them and yawning, "What are we all doing up so damned early for?"

Molly stood up and took her daughters hand, "You go back to sleep...have a lie in if you like...I'm going to make breakfast for Esther"

XXX

Graham trod across the gravel and stuck is key into the door of the 4by4 Land Rover. He opened the door and chucked his pack into the back and then climbed into the drivers seat and slammed the door shut.

He sat there in complete silence. It was all quiet and still with the exception of the solar powered air fresher coming to life on the dash.

He leaned back and placed his hands onto the steering wheel and closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath and then pulling himself together, he put the key into the ignition and fired up the engine.

XXX

Molly leaned on the kitchen counter. She could hear Lee in the shower and Esther was in the lounge with kids TV on. She picked up her phone and scrolled down to Charles' number with her finger and then tapped call putting the phone to her ear.

Voicemail.

She shrugged and left a quick message and turned to Lee who was stepping out of the shower room across the hall, "It's a sunny day out...I thought that you could drive us to the beach"

Lee threw his damp towel over his shoulder, "Oh yeah? I thought Boring Bognor or somewhere wasn't good enough for yah", he teased.

Molly laughed, "I know, I know...Bognor isn't exactly Spain, but it's gotta beach and that...I had a dream about a beach last night, I feel like going"

Lee was heading to the bedroom with a big smile, "best dig out my swim shorts then, haven't I"

XXX.

Graham drove off the slip road and pulled up into a layby. He killed the engine off and sat back in the seat and gathered his thoughts. Thinking about the reprecussions of what he done. If only he had kept his mouth shut he couldn't have had to done it.

He closed his eyes seeing images that played out in black and white. His own face looking down, and then onto the ground at the still form of Charles James, eyes closed, and blood trickling down his left forehead and cheek.

He opened his eyes and sniffed back the tears. He then swallowed down and pulled out his mobile. No messages. Jennifer was still angry at him. He then threw the mobile to the dashboard and rumaged through his pockets and pulled out a second mobile. There was a voice message. He played it, and listened.

"Hi Charlie...Just a quick call about you taking Esther to Lake Garda. I think you should...it'll be good for you twos to spend proper time together...get back to me"

He bit his lip and then pressed reply as text message. He typed.

Ok...

What could he type? He scratched his face and then continued.

will be on traing course for two weeks...will get back to you soon x

He looked at the message and then removed the x, and then replaced it and then took it away. He sighed and pressed send.

XXX

On the journey down in the car to Bognor, Molly and Esther were playing singing games when Molly's phone vibrated.

She sang along and pressed read and read the message from Charles.

She frowned.

"That's funny"

"What is", asked Lee as he looked into his rear view and then wing mirror to over take a car infront.

Molly looked at him, "Charles is staying on this course, it's Sam's birthday on Wednesday! I bet you Rebecca's gonna have the right hump because I know I would if it was Esther's birthday he was missing"

"Well...if he thinks more about a training course than his kids birthday, It says alot about him"

Molly shook her head, "but THAT'S what's funny...he doesn't, he always makes the effort for both of them...I'm wondering if it's HER who's giving HIM the hump...and he's thought sod it I'm not going, but why would he take it out on Sam?"

Lee glanced at her through his shades,"Now, now...come on Molls...you know how the 'detective' side always ends up blowing up in your face...just KEEP your nose out"

XXX

Graham sat on his bed on the phone, "there must be something I can do...what about in Africa? I don't mind what, I just need to do something, I'm getting bored and if you want my marriage to end after a few short weeks then please help me", he said with a jokey put on laugh.

He bit his lip and then tongue and the reacted to the reply, "So whens that for...I can be ready at the drop of a hat"

He smiled.

XXX

NEAR THE END OF THE TALE. 3 CHAPTERS TO GO.