A Saviour

Twenty One

"I can't believe Meg put this meeting in the diary even though I specifically said I wanted to work from home today." "You know what she's like. She just doesn't think." Jessie said as they grabbed their coffees and headed into Kate's office. "Anyway who's this new client?" "I don't know, the briefing is not exactly filled out to her full potential shall we say? Honestly the sooner Brandon sees her for more than just big boobs in a mini skirt the better." "Oh cracking. So no brief, therefore no research and no idea who we are meeting?" Jessie nodded. "How's Johnny?" "He's ok, he's completely convinced that we don't need to panic too much, but he barely lets Belle out of his sight and won't let us home. We've been at Sweetzer two weeks now, it's starting to feel like we actually live there." "Well it's nice he's protecting you, and his security are not bad to look at." "Ha. You shouldn't be looking!" "I shouldn't... but do ya reckon your Travis could take Meg off our hands?" The girls giggled before noticing the time. "We should get going to that meeting." "Yes.. it's bizarre they didn't wanna come to the office right?" "Just another diva demand I'm sure. Let's go in my car?" "Sure thing Kate."

The girls pulled up to a chic looking hotel. They parked up and grabbed their bags before heading in. They notified the reception team that they were here and were shown to a conference room. Kate asked Travis to wait nearby as he was still babysitting her on behalf of Johnny. The women entered the room and sat at the large table, Kate got her laptop out her bag and waited whilst Jessie was scrolling on her phone, the door opened and in walked a man with a woman by his side. Kate completely lost all trace of her thoughts when she saw her ex stood in front of her, with only the table between them.

"I'm Colleen Roy, I'm Mr Campbell's family attorney, I'll be handling his case for custody." Said the smartly dressed woman staring at Kate. Jessie stood up, speechless. "I'm sorry? What is happening?" She asked dumbfounded. "I've spent years searching for my daughter. Now I've eventually located her and her unhinged mother, I'll be suing for custody." Said a smug looking Ryan. The thought of losing her daughter made Kate snap out of her trance, she stood knocking her chair backwards. "Are you insane?" She asked leaning on the table in front of her. She needed all the strength she could find. "No. I want to be a father, our daughter deserves a father in her life don't you think?" Kate's eyes widened. "The Ryan I used to know only cared about one thing, himself!!" Kate raised her voice. Ryan bit his tongue before responding, "That was before I was blessed with a child, you took her from me, now I can have a chance to be a real Dad to her, now that I've finally found you." Jessie scoffed knowing the story of his ways. Kate's jaw went slack "If you think I'll ever let you near her you're crazy." "Actually he's entitled to a 50% custody share, of course pending a DNA test." The lawyer said calmly. "A DNA test?" Jessie asked. "Yes I have to be sure she's mine don't I? Who knows what your little friend here was up to behind my back. After all she left me one day with no trace of where she had gone, there is no way of knowing if the child is really mine." Kate's eyes widened, apart from work she was barely let out this man's sight, how he could think that she could ever have found time or even dared to cheat on him she would never know. He smiled and said sadistically "Now you'll just need to provide my lawyer with a few details so she can proceed." "I just need some contact information, and information about your daughter please." The overly cheerful lawyer said. Kate mustered all her strength, she was becoming a mama bear scared for her cub. "Do you really think I'll let you have access to MY daughter when you abused and raped me consistently for 5 years?" "That's a bold claim Miss Baxter. If you have evidence of that then I suggest you press charges." The lawyer said sticking her nose in again. "Then again if you don't, they are false allegations and we all know the damage they can do." The lawyer said knowingly that Kate was involved with a man who had been falsely accused. Jessie began to speak when Ryan interrupted "There's no need to make up stories Katie, I'm a man looking to make amends with his daughter after her mother so cruelly separated us." Kate stood up strong praying she could somehow get out of this for good, "If you even dare try to even think about taking Belle for me, you are in for the fight of your life." She said sternly before grabbing her stuff and rushing out the room. Jessie soon followed. Kate ran along the corridor, passed a concerned looking Travis and out the main doors of the hotel, by the time she reached outside she was gasping for breath and on the cusp of a full on panic attack. Travis caught up with her and guided her round to the side. "Kate what happened? Are you ok?" The woman had her hand on her chest and was desperately trying to take deep breaths but was visibly struggling. "Kate breathe!!" Travis said loudly, he had his hands on her shoulders. "Copy me. One. Two. Three. In, and out. In, and out. Come on do exactly like I am." Jessie eventually found them as Kate began to calm. She had tears rushing down her face as she crumbled against the hotel wall, "He's going to take her from me and harm her. I can't let that happen. I would rather die." Travis looked confused as Jessie quickly filled him in of the goings on. "I need to call the boss. He will wanna know what's happened unless you're giving me permission to go pummel the guy into next week?" "Travis. As much as I would love that, he's got a lawyer in there, he's playing a game. It's sick." "How the fuck did he know where to find us?" Jessie asked before stopping. "Megan." She said before putting her head in her hands. "Let's get you home, come on." Travis guided her to his SUV, I'll send somebody to get your car later." He said as he shut the rear door. He turned to Jessie "Wanna come? I'll drop you home later?" The woman nodded and climbed in the other side. "Head straight to daycare Travis I want to see Belle. NOW." He nodded and began to drive.

A few hours later, Kate sat with Belle bouncing on her knee. She still had tears running down her face, "Ok.. I want every hotel checked for a Ryan Campbell or Colleen Roy. They've got to be staying here somewhere. Find them." Johnny said to Sean, Travis, Malcolm and Mark who were gathered in the sitting room. "Issac get me Ben and Camille on the phone, there's got to be somebody in their firm who can represent Kate." "Johnny... I can't afford that.." Kate said quietly. "Darling let me handle that. You need the best in your corner." "But Johnny.." she said before he held his hand up "We'll discuss it another time" Kate swallowed wiping her tears. "Malcom from now on, you're on Belle watch. I want exactly what Lenny does if not tougher, get your paperwork together as you'll be spending a lot of time at daycare." Kate's eyes widened. "Righto Boss man." The meeting soon came to an end as Jessie entered from the kitchen. "I spoke to Brandon and he's going to speak with Meg but there's not a lot he can do so he says." Johnny rolled his eyes "Fucking coward." "Johnny!" Kate scolded. "What? She bullies you about me then arranges for your ex to ambush you? She deserves to be fired." "I agree with Johnny." Jessie smiled. "Do you need anything else hun?" Jessie said sitting beside Kate. "No, I'm ok.. I'm gonna just sit with Belle for a while." Johnny smiled. "I promise you I'll take care of all this." "Johnny you can't promise me that, he's entitled to see her." "Not if I have anything to do with it." Johnny muttered angrily as he sat down, Belle launched herself at him, he hugged her tight. "You've got everyone you need right here haven't you little princess."