HI!

I'm not Sure if people still read Sophie and Sian Fics, but this is an idea I've had for a while now and have finally managed to get it written down. Please review and let me know what you think and if you think its worth continuing or not.

Thanks xx

'HOMECOMING'

Chapter 1

The bus shook, it was old and rickety and as it rattled around another corner every passenger on it slid along the worn leather seats and slammed into the inside of the bus. Sian was gripping the pole in front of her, holding so tight that the white of her knuckles almost broke through her tanned skin. This can't be safe she thought to herself eyeing up the all too familiar innards of the 727 bus that she had took over a thousand times in the past. When it first approached her as she stood at the bus shelter she was genuinely surprised that it was still in service, and when it came to a screeching halt in front of her she was almost 98% sure it was the same driver from all those years ago.

Her stomach lurched in on itself, causing her to feel instantly sick. For the first time in the 30 minute bus journey it wasn't due to the questionable safety of the bus or the driving ability of the what must be 100 year old driver. It was due to the realisation that Sian was one stop away from her destination. If this was 7 years ago it would make her heart leap with excitement but now it made her heart fall with dread. Her hand shook slightly as she reached up and pressed the Stop button with her index finger and waited for the orange sign to light up, apparently after years of wear and tear only The S still worked. The brakes squealed again to an abrupt halt making all the passengers heave forward, including Sian who fell back onto her seat after making a failed attempt at getting to her feet.

"Coronation Street" the driver growled.

Sian stood up and pulled at the sleeves of her light denim fitted jacket to readjust it before she pulled at her purple hard cased luggage that was taking up the seat next to her. It landed with a thump next to her feet and in a swift move she extracted the handle to its full length and made her way down the bus walkway and off the bus clumsily pulling the bag behind her. After the bus rattled away she breathed in. It's funny how a place can have a smell, a smell that was of nothing in particular but of every memory she had. She breathed in again not realising how much she had missed it until that exact second.

After a couple more inhales she let her eyes travel the buildings and streets that surrounded her. Completely perplexed at how much it hadn't changed in 7 years. Behind the bus stop Audrey's salon still sat proudly beside Street cars their appearance still exactly as she remembered it. She flicked her eyes over to the other side of the road and her heart fell a little when her eyes fell on a worn out bench. A memory flashed through her head causing sadness in her heart, and suddenly all she could see was that infectious beaming smile, smiling back at her from across the road. She let herself look for a moment longer, that was all her heart could take before she forced her eyes away and down to the ground in front of her. Hold it together she breathed to herself.

"SIAN!"

She looked up at the mention of her name and smiled when she saw a familiar brunette bouncing towards her. Letting go of the handle of her case she moved forward and let the brunette lunge into her opened arms and engulf her in a hug that she didn't realise she needed. A hug that she didn't want to be relieved from anytime soon.

"It's so good to see you Katie." She breathed as they eventually parted.

"You too" she smiled "just wish it was under different circumstances"

The same sadness filled them as they both shared an awkward stare.

"Anyway let's get you a brew"

Katie leapt to Sian's side and took hold of the handle of the case and linked her other arm around Sian's and began walking in the direction of her house. As they were approaching the upcoming corner her eyes fell onto the overwhelming green of the Rover return, she smiled at the familiarity but her smile soon faded when she realised what it meant. Her eyes instinctively dug into the ground, in all rushed packing, and fearful bus journey she had completely forgotten that in order to get to Katie's house she would have to pass by The Webster's. It never even occurred to her until that moment. She knew that at some point during this unexpected visit she would have to go there, but she wanted to be mentally and emotionally prepared. Not like the quivering mess she had just turned into, her breathing became more laboured and her heart was thundering against her chest.

They came to the corner, the house loomed over her and she was thrown back to the last time she was this close, sat in her wedding dress in her mother's car crying her eyes out as Sophie rained down her fists on the window screaming for her. Her heart broke just as much as it did back then. She fought against the tears that had begun to form in her eyes but Katie was unaware and continued to gibber on beside her. They swept by Number 4 before Sian had realised or came out from her memory. The only thing bringing her from it was when Katie dropped her arm and Sian looked to her and realised they were outside Katie's house.

The front door closed behind her and she sighed from relief. She was safe now. The tears had subsided and her heart rate returned to its normal safe beating pattern. Katie dragged the case further into the living room and left at the side of the wall next to the opening for the kitchen, she walked in and clicked the kettle on before reaching for two mugs from the draining board.

"Where's Joseph?" Sian asked looking around the Livingroom, surprised that it still looked the same as it did when Katy's father Owen still lived in it.

"He's at school then going to Chesney's for tea" she shouted back from the kitchen

Sian idly wandered around the space and stopped in front of the side board to pick up a picture of a lad smiling with missing front teeth back at her, she couldn't believe how old he had gotten, she figured he must be at least 7 now.

"That was his recent school photo, I told him to smile with his mouth closed" Katy said returning from the kitchen with the two mugs.

Sian put the photo back down into its place and turned to face Katy who was holding one of the mugs out to her. Sian took it from her and said "cheers". They both moved to the front of the sofa and sat down.

"So how does it feel to be back?" Katy asked blowing into her tea.

It was soon night time and Sian was in Katy's spare room emptying the contents of her suitcase. She carefully pulled out a black dress that was attached to a coat hanger and held it up higher than her height to inspect it, by some miracle it wasn't the slightest bit rumpled or crushed. Walking over to the wardrobe in the far left corner she hung it over one of the wooden doors and stood back inspecting it further, she still wasn't sure if it was appropriate enough for its function. She had tried it on several times after she bought it and thought that it looked nice but now that she was standing in this room, which belonged to a house that stood on the street that shaped her entire life, anxiety was filling her body.

She moved over to the bed and sat on the edge, her mind had still not caught up with why she was here. A million questions swirled in loops around her head 'how could this happen?', 'would she be able to get be strong enough to get through the day', 'would she even be welcome?' Things didn't exactly end well the last time she graced the cobbles but that wasn't her fault. It was Sophie who cheated, it was Sophie who lied only to be found out on their wedding day, Sian was heartbroken when she found out, and she felt a pain that although dulled over the years was still very much there. The ghost of their love haunted her daily, but since she received that phone call the pain intensified, and she couldn't so much as think of Sophie without wanting to fall to the ground.

"Sian?" Katy's voice called from the other side of the door after a few knocks.

"Yeah?" Sian wiped away a stray tear that had fallen from her eye.

The door opened slowly and Katy entered, she looked at the girl and could see the residual redness the tear had left behind, but it was obvious that Sian was trying to hide it with the forced smile that was on her lips. She choose to ignore it and smiled back.

"Chesney is here, he said he'd like to say hello"

Sian got up from the bed and followed Katy out the door and down the stairs where a man shaped Chesney stood awkwardly beside the front door, he looked up and smiled as she moved towards him, and without saying anything they hugged each other tightly. After they pulled apart he took hold of her wrists and slightly swung her arms

"Look at you all grown up" he jeered

"Snap!"

She didn't know why but she still expected everyone to look exactly as they did when she left, she knew it was silly but even though She was now 25 with a full time job and flat in London and a whole new grown up life, it still seemed bazaar to her that everyone else's life had moved on. Almost as though they should have frozen in time. Chesney was her biggest shock so far, he seemed taller than she remembered, and his once bright ginger hair was now a darker colour of red, he had strong arms and a muscular body a hind sight different from his scrawny former self.

"So how have you been, you know… other than" he stopped and let his eyes flick from Sian who dropped her head to the floor to Katy who widened her eyes warning him.

"Right I better get back" he said awkwardly letting go of her wrists after several seconds and grabbed onto Joseph who was standing at his side looking at the blonde stranger in front of them, he gave the little version of himself a bear like hug. Before ruffling his bright ginger hair.

"Was great to see you Sian" he said giving her one more hug and nodding his goodbye to Katy before he disappeared out of the door.

"He's an idiot" Katy sighed when the door shut,

"Awk, hes fine"

Sian tried to smile, as her eyes met the mini Chesney staring back up at her

"Joe, go and put you gym kit in the washing machine" he huffed at the order and slumped past Sian dragging his drawstring bag at his feet.

Katy moved closer to the blonde and placed a hand on her shoulder

"Are you ok?" Sian looked to her and smiled the same fake smile from before

"Yeah I think I'm gonna go for a walk" Sian said and found her converse and slipped them onto her feet, Katy nodded and worriedly watched her exit the house.

She stood in front of the door for a few seconds before her eyes wandered to the left of her, The Webster's house was right next to her, she was staying next door to her old home, and it would almost be funny if it wasn't for the present circumstances. The lawn was perfectly maintained as it always was, but along the gate where several bouquets of flowers the she hadn't noticed earlier. Her heart stopped, it was like hearing the news all over again, it took her breath away. She began down the path but instead of turning left she took one last look and swung her body to the right, her feet pounding down on the pavement until she reached the house that belonged to the Platts. She didn't have a clear destination so she let her feet carry her further down the pavement towards the Kabin.

She thought about going in, she was suddenly in need of a cigarette but she couldn't face another encounter with another old friend and she was almost certain Rita would still be behind that counter. She ducked away towards the factory and practically ran across the front of the garage to avoid the possibility that Kevin might be there.

"Sian?" A voice from nowhere queried

Her eyes darted around her until they found Michelle crossing over the street from the direction of the Kabin towards her, she sighed but stopped and waited until Michelle approached her.

"I thought that was you" the taller darker haired woman smiled broadly

"How the hell have you been?"

"Yeah, ok" Sian managed to croak out trying to force a smile but she could feel the corners of her lips pulling downwards.

Michelle watched her, seeing the sadness in her eyes and the quivering of her lips, it was apparent she was fighting back tears

"Are you ok love?" she asked placing a comforting hand on her arm. That was it, the small gesture broke the one shred of strength Sian had left and she buckled, tears cascading down her cheeks. Michelle wrapped her arms around her and held her tight to her own body,

"it's ok love, it's going to be ok" she breathed placing a small and gentle kiss on the top of her head.

Sian knew it wasn't, how could it ever be ok again.