Set at Peter's flat a day after Peter and Leanne were meant to retake their vows. All happened as in the episode apart from Tracey found out from Ken and Deirdre about Nick and Leanne so in this Peter did not know of Carla's prior knowledge of Nick and Leanne. But otherwise everything is as it was.
Peter cursed loudly and launched the glass tumbler across the room, it smashing against the wall and dropping to the ground in small pieces. Carla trembled slightly as she stood stiffly against the wall watching her friend wallow in his despair. She didn't blame him, after all he'd been told by his step-sister that his wife was screwing the man who he'd been trapped in an office with following the tram-crash. The man who'd so kindly offered to assist in the bookies whilst he was recuperating. "Why are you here! Come to…to make me see I shoul…should have been with you." Peter snapped angrily taking his anger out on the only person around. Carla shook her head slightly biting her lip. "I…I never wanted you to be hurt." She said in a pained whisper as she looked at the broken man in the wheelchair.
"I can't blame her can I. Wh…who'd to be with me. I'm pathetic I can't even stand up without someone helping me. Who wants to marry a cripple!" He said angrily at himself as he poured another glass of whisky with a trembling hand. "Care to join me!" He slurred as Carla stepped across the room and plucked up the tumbler from the sideboard and shook her head. "Yo….you can't start drinking."
"Why not. Makes you forget don't it. That's why you were so attracted to it Car." Peter said as Carla's eyes flashed with a slight annoyance.
"Yeah and I had reason for it. What else did I have hey. But you…you have your son. They'll take him from you, you know." Carla bit back as she tipped the contents of the tumbler down the sink.
"Probably better for him. What use am I hey, I'd have been better off dying. Leanne could've played the grieving widow for a few months and then got with Nick. Simon would have been upset for a bit but I'm sure Nick would have swooped in to buy his affections and well dad would probably be relieved not to have me around. I mean it's meant to be the other way round, me looking after him now. Not him tending to me." Peter said in a bitter voice. "An what about me?" Carla asked her eyes shining with tears as she moved the tumbler away from both her and Peter.
"What about you? I bet you were stirring the shit, encouraging them both. Thinking you could clear the mess hey." Peter snarled as Carla bristled at his harsh words, even though there was some truth behind his words. "That's not fair."
"Isn't it. Come on you and Lee were best mates , you mean she didn't tell you. Come off it." Peter spat as Carla bristled at his clear frustration. "An..and what if she did. You wanted me to be the one to tell you, you wouldn't have believed me if I had." Carla said as she sat down opposite Peter. "You'd think I were just been some spiteful cow trying to split you up." She said as Peter looked down at the floor. She was right in a way, he'd not have wanted to listen to any accusations that Leanne was anything other than faithful. "Why should I be surprised? I had enough baggage without been a useless lump. A son, a bigamist marriage behind me. Hey I guess this is Karma right." He said in a mocking voice as Carla sighed.
"So this it then, you're going to let Nick win. You obviously didn't love Leanne as much as you say you did if you're so willing to give her up." Carla said as she treaded on dangerous ground knowing right now Nick Tilsley was almost a curse word; not that she blamed Peter for that. Hell she'd wanted to rip pieces from the weasel-faced prick when she'd learnt he was the one responsible for making Peter fall off the wagon. True she was no innocent in the whole thing, hell she'd wanted to push Nick and Leanne together but she'd never have pushed Peter to alcohol. Not after he'd been so patient with her own descent into alcohol dependency. "Take that back." Peter spat as Carla shook her head defiantly.
"Why it's true. You're going to let him win and you'll end up with nothing. Do it for your son if nothing else. He's already lost his mum." Carla said using the same words Peter had used back in November when he'd stopped her from driving under the influence. He glowered at her as she pouted. "You know you can be a fucking bitch when you want to Car."
"Well no offence but I ain't tip-toeing round you treating you with kiddy gloves." Carla said pointedly as she leaned against the kitchen counter, her eyes flickering to the couch where a Dr Who figurine lay, a stark reminder of what Peter was poised to lose if he allowed alcohol to take over.
"So you here to be my personal cheerleader then? Cause no offence but you could at least sport the little skirt and pom poms if you are." Peter slurred as Carla glowered at him. She reached a hand to the half-empty bottle and sighed. It seemed only a short time since he was doing this for her, pouring alcohol down the sink. "You know I ca…can kind of see wh…why she'd abandon me. I've screwed up again but how could she do it to Sy?" Peter said as Carla sighed gently, moving the bottle from Peter's reach. He glared at her actions but said nothing.
"Is that why you're so bothered about been with her? For Simon?" Carla asked seriously as Peter shrugged. "Well it seems a pretty shit reason for been with someone if you ask me." Carla said having seen firsthand the devastation that had come from a marriage of convenience.
"I love Leanne." Peter said in a self-pitying voice as Carla sat down on the arm of the sofa and bit her lower lip hating that once again she seemed to be sacrificing her own happiness for the man she loved. "What if Nick makes her happy though?" Carla asked as she looked into Peter's honey brown eyes. She could quite willingly melt into those eyes she thought idly as Peter looked at her oddly. "He doesn't. He ca…can't." Peter said in a pained voice unwilling to believe that perhaps Leanne wasn't driven into Nick's arms by pure lust. "Well he manages to control his drinking, doesn't yell at her for daft things." Carla said playing devil's advocate. She knew there was every likelihood that Peter would end up pissed off with her but she wasn't going to leave if she felt he was going to reach for the bottle once more. "Why'd you care Carla. Surely you want me to forget about her?" Peter said as Carla shook her head lowering her glance.
"I don't want to be second best. I'm not going to lie to you, I still have feelings for you an…and I don't know that I'll ever be able to control that bu…but I only want to be with you if you want to be with me. Not because you're too bladdered to fight for the woman you love." Carla said with a sad look in her eyes.
"Some poor sap's always going to be second best for you though in't he." Peter said as Carla drummed her nails against the worktop surface. "What?"
"It drove that psycho crazy that he was second best, what chance have the rest of us got hey? Competing against a dead man." Peter said as he glowered at Carla who bristled slightly as she closed her eyes momentarily. "That's not fair." She said in a low whisper.
"Isn't it. Trevor, that poor bloke who adored you, was the one who comforted you after that freak tried to kill you. Poor bastard knew he was never going to be the love of your life. You're gorgeous but if you don't let yourself move on you won't ever be happy." Peter said as Carla looked down slightly. Though her self-pitying was brief as she looked up at Peter with a fiery resolve. "Oh hark at you. Speaking about happiness when you're chucking Merlot down your throat to try and forget the fact your wife was having it off with her ex." Carla said slightly irritated.