Little Miss Tate {Emmerdale}

Twenty-One

AUTHORS NOTE; I'm putting my own spin on #WhoGetsGraham. I'm not killing him off. But I am going to have him almost murdered and he survives!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Graham was sitting in the park. He heard the giggles of Esmè. He turned to see her holding onto Chloe's hand as she toddled along.

Graham stood up and went to greet them. He saw how Esmè's face lit up. Graham smiled knowing that it would be one of the last times he ever saw her. She would grow up not knowing who he was if Kim Tate had anything to do with it.

Esmè toddled over and pointed at the swings. Graham followed behind her. Chloe sat down on the bench. "Does Kim know you're meeting me?" He asked.

Chloe nodded. "Yep. I told her that Esmè wanted to see you. Naturally she adores the ground Esmè walks on so she didn't mind," she told him.

"Good."

****

Esmè was trying to take off her coat. Chloe tried to stop her. Graham frowned when the sleeve of Esmè's jacket lifted up and there was a bruise. "What happened to her arm?" He asked.

Chloe sighed. "Millie got a little rough when they were playing dolls. She's okay though," she told him.

Graham wasn't convinced. He had the feeling someone was hurting his girl. He wasn't going to stand for that. He knew in that moment, Esmè was going with him and Rhona to France. Nothing would stop him.

****

Graham walked back into the house. Rhona was there. She could tell he looked annoyed. "What's wrong?"

"Esmè. She has a bruise on her arm. Chloe says Millie got rough while playing dolls. I don't believe that," Graham said.

Rhona frowned. "You think Chloe is hurting her?"

"Not Chloe no. But someone else and she's covering for them. Esmè is coming with us. To France. I'm going to get her tonight," Graham said.

Rhona was shocked. "You can't just take her Graham. Chloe will miss her. Even Kim will miss her," she said as she handed him a cup of coffee.

"I can and I will. Esmè is my daughter and I think she's in danger. She is nearly two years old. She has a bruise on her arm and I want to keep her safe."

****

Chloe was making Esmè some dinner when Kim walked in. "Is everything okay?" She asked as she poured some wine.

Chloe nodded. "Yep. Esmè loved it earlier. Graham really loves her."

Kim sighed and took Chloe's hand. "Don't let him back in Chloe. He ruined our Christmas."

"I know. But seeing him with Esmè, it was amazing. Till he saw Esmè's bruise," she mumbled.

****

Graham stood outside Home Farm. He knew Esmè would be in her nursery by now. He knew her routine. She had dinner and she played for a little bit before Chloe tucked her into bed.

Graham noticed the lights go off. He saw Kim locking the front door and knew within the next twenty minutes, he would be walking out of home farm with his daughter.

****

Graham went in through the back door. He heard someone walking upstairs. "Shush Cain. You'll get us caught and my mother will murder you."

Graham smirked. He waited for the bedroom door to shut before he left the kitchen. Graham made his way up to Esmè's bedroom. He walked inside and saw his beautiful daughter lying awake in her cot. The bruise on her arm dark and purple.

He turned off the baby monitor and started packing up some of Esmè's clothes. He saw the beautiful rocking horse ornament that he knew Esmè adored and packed it. He wanted Esmè to feel at home with him.

Graham picked up Esmè and kissed her head. "You're safe now darling," he said.

Graham left the room and walked out of home farm with Esmè.

****

Chloe couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. She had been lying in bed wide awake. She looked at the baby monitor and paled when she saw it had been turned off.

Throwing all her bedding off the bed, she ran to Esmè's bedroom and screamed when she saw her daughter wasn't there.

Kim ran in with Jamie and Scarlett behind her. "What's happened?" Kim asked as she tied her dressing gown.

Chloe turned to her family. "Someone has taken Esmè. They've taken my baby."

Kim frowned. She looked around and saw the ornament she had gotten Esmè for her birthday had gone. She had a feeling she knew who was behind it.

****
Rhona looked up as Graham walked in with a sleeping Esmè. She sighed. "I've got Leo's old travel cot. We can put her in there," she said as she took the sleeping little girl from him. She looked at him. "You realise you're going to be hunted down."

Graham nodded. He sighed. "Getting in and out with her was surprisingly easy."

****

Chloe knew that someone was behind taking Esmè and she wasn't going to rest until she found out who. But with how Chloe had been feeling lately, how long until she snapped?