Carla must have stayed in the same position for hours, unmoving, the familiar feeling of 'dirt' clinging to her body. After Frank, she wasn't sure she'd be able to be as strong this time. This was different. HE was meant to be different. Days ago she never would have suspected that Nick would be the one to reopen that chest, that she'd spent over six years trying to bury.

This time however, there was no Maria, no Michelle, no Peter. She was truly alone this time, so she crawled towards the shower, despite the agonising throb between her legs. In the shower she scrubbed at her body until her skin was raw and bruised, trying to ease any evidence of the attack. Bruises clung to her pale skin in painfully obvious hand marks.

She lost track of how long she stayed in the shower, scalding hot water falling onto the red raw skin. She couldn't cry, she couldn't breathe, she didn't want to do anything.

The bruises forming quickly on the tight skin of her face were prominent in the steamy bathroom mirror. Teaching them lightly with her fingers, almost treasuring the feeling that maybe she did deserve to feel this pain again. After the fire, she was sure that she deserved anything now.

That night she sat up against the pillows of her bed, staring and jumping at the shadows that danced against the walls of the dimly lit room. A crash sounded below the window and it sent Carla into a wild panic, scrambling into the furthest corner and doing her head to her knees, rocking back and forth like she did when she was young.

Roy.

She could be in this house. His house. She needed to get back to the safety of the familiarity. Wrapping her arms tightly around her and fumbling with the keys in shaky hands. Once outside, she stuck to the shadows, now painfully aware she was in the street in less than what was appropriate. She noted that this was a step better than last time, when she couldn't fathom leaving the house for anything.

A loud car speed past leaving or firmly up against the brick wall, eyes closed and breathing erratic. Silently paying the pub she listened to the faint babble of friendly conversation, which left her trapped in a bubble , she felt like she was drowning as the whole world continued, as if it hasn't just happened again. As if she hadn't been RAPED.

Roy was seemingly unaware, cleaning tables in the cafe when she entered. If he had been confused about her current attire, he didn't say anything, but enbraced the brunette when she tightly hugged him, telling him that she'd missed him dreadfully. Another thing he didn't seem to notice was the dark marks that covered her face.

After a restless night she rose to face the world again, as much as she wanted to go to sleep and not wake. Thickly applying foundation to the almost black bruises that marred her cheeks and eyes, and choosing a to that subsequently covered the mass of bruises that we also featuring on her arms, legs, upper chest, and stomach. The night was much worse that that of Frank, at least he'd got it over with, with limited verbal abuse.

Not Nick, no. He'd kept stopping to name a jab about Tony, or Frank, or her past. The majority of her bruises we the result of filing back at timely comments aboyr Michelle that filled Carla's eyes with tears that refused to spill.

Michelle was due to be returning later today, and Carla found comfort in that knowledge. She'd be safe when Michelle was back, when the one person who she could rely on was stood, holding her hand.

Carla had done a pretty good job at covering up the marks, as no one commented in the factory. Nick had stayed away, which relaxed Carla's trembling frame when she was alone in the office slightly.

She hoped he'd stay away for good, ashamed in the knowledge of what he'd done.

Hope, Carla had come to learn, was futile. He would return. He would act normally. She would be expected to act so too, as no one else knew of the attack, and leaving without excuse was bound to draw in the attention she despised. Nick was always the gentleman, so Carla knew an unexpected break up would be landed on her, because I'm the eyes of the residents, she was the car crash on their relationship.

Carla phone ring out abruptly, causing Carla to fall backwards off the chair she was swinging on anxiously. She silently cursed for beinf stupid enough to leave the damn thing on full volume. Hee wjole body was in pain once again, as she heaved herself into a sitting position, fingers slowly curling round the cool case of the phone, turning it over in her hands. Releif flooded her senses as the name she read on the shaking screen was not the one she feared.

Chelle - Bistro in ten? Missed you xx

Carlas heart rate rose again. As much as she craved the safety of being in Michelle's arms, she doubted her own strength in being able to hide her true emotions from her. Michelle had always been and continues to be the only person to truly know Carla better that she knows herself.