A/N: This takes place after the episode on 10/28/13. (And by the way Corrie writers: It's About Time. Really.)

The phone rang. After a look at the number Chesney sighed. He was beginning to regret having given Liz his phone number after the first time he'd rescued Sophie. Now it was the third time this week, and he didn't get that many nights off. Unfortunately Chesney was too good a guy to not respond, especially when a mate was in trouble.

He grabbed his keys and went upstairs to tell Sinead where he was headed. She had already gone to bed since it was late, but he still felt that he should warn her about what was coming. Half asleep she had just nodded her head and then turned back asleep. A grin spread across his face. He really was the luckiest man on earth to have her.

Girding himself up for the situation that he was walking into he approached the doors of the Rovers. As he opened the doors he looked around the space to see if he could find her without Steve's help. Surprisingly, for it being so late in the evening the Rovers was still half full with punters and regulars.

Chesney looked around but he didn't see her. At first he felt a flash of frustration flow thru him. If he had come down here for nothing then he was going to kill Steve. How could he let her leave in that state? Steve was a good bloke, but he really was the laziest man alive. The man would find any reason not to have to deal with anything for as long as possible. Chesney approached the bar where Steve was having a discussion with some punters.

"Steve! Where'd she go?" he asked in a frantic voice. Chesney really did not want to scour the streets of Weatherfield. There was no way that Sophie would have gone home to Sally unless she had to, so who knows where she could be. Steve separated himself from the group that he'd been entertaining with a story and pulled Chesney to the end of the bar. He leaned in so that no one could eavesdrop.

"Michelle pulled her into the women's loo, so that she could splash some water on her face" Steve explained pointing towards the woman's restroom in the back.

"How much had she had?" Chesney asked dead serious.

"A fair amount. Whiskey straight" Steve answered.

"Why'd you let her?! She can't drink that stuff!" Chesney scowled.

"Hey! She's a grown up! She had money! She should take care of herself. Anyway, you can take her out the back Chesney" Steve protested. Chesney then saw for the first time the most dead serious expression on Steve McDonald's face. "And Chesney, I know that she's going thru a hard time and all, but you tell her that this can't happen again" he finished up.

Chesney shook his head in understanding. He felt terrible for his oldest friend because of what she was going thru. But she had no right to not take care of herself and be a grown up about it. She wasn't the first person in the world to be dumped. Reluctantly he headed over to the ladies restroom.

Michelle Connor was standing outside barring the door. She gave Chesney a sympathetic look. They hadn't dealt with each other much since "the thing with Ryan" but he knew that she had been on his side. She couldn't help it that her son was a world-class jackass.

"She in there?" he asked although he already knew the answer.

"Yep" she sighed. "I got her to settle down, boy that girl's got a mouth on her. Get her out of here Chesney" Michelle went on. She was sympathetic but clearly Sophie must have thrown enough of a strop that she was done.

"I will" he said his voice saddened. She moved out of the way as he headed thru the door. "And Michelle, I'll apologize for her in advance" he said over his shoulder.

"You're a good mate Chesney," she said as she walked away.


Chesney was shocked at how heavy Sophie Webster could be considering she weighed half of nothing. She leaned on his side as they made there way towards his flat. When he had gotten her up from the bathroom floor, it became pretty clear that she was pretty legless.

"Ches! I'm so sorry! I'm such a daft cow" she had whinged as he pulled her up.

"Come on. We'll get you home Webster" he sighed taking on her weight as she leaned on him.

"No! No! I can't go home Chesney" she shouted suddenly angry. It had been this way for nearly a month now. Chesney knew full well of the "Webster" temper. Kevin's anger was legendary. Hell, he had spent time in the gaol for nearly beating John Stape to death in the street. That man was not to be tangled with ever.

Of the two Webster daughters, Sophie was more apt to viciously attack with words at a high volume rather than fists. It was one of the rare things that she shared with her mother. Although there was no way that he would say that to Sophie's face. Sally and Sophie had seen ups and downs as mother and daughter.

At the moment they were clearly on the outs. Her volatility though had gone up significantly with the development of Sally's relationship with Tim Metcalf. And then escalated with her getting dumped by Jenna. Of course she blamed it all on everyone else.

"Soph" he said lowing his voice in a way that he hoped would be calming. "Of course not, you'll come to mine" he reassured her.

"Good. Because I can't go home! Either Tim is there or my mum and it's horrible. I used to be able to escape to Jenna's but now…" she trailed off. "That's why I had to go to the Rovers! And then they tried to make me leave! Goddamn Michelle. I bet she still hates me…" Sophie stopped suddenly. She leaned to the side, away from the side that Chesney was on and lurched forward. Chesney heard her retch and knew exactly what was happening. He held her steady.

When she was done, she slowly stood back up. "Oh Ches! I think I got it on my shoes" she whinged.

He winced. "Well, at least it was on yours and not mine" he said trying to lighten things up.

"I'm so sorry Ches" she whinged again as they started moving again.

"I know. Let's get some tea in you" Chesney said sympathetically.


Her head was banging. And she was still in last night's clothes.

Good job, Sophie Webster. No wonder you got dumped. Again. She thought to herself as she slowly rose up and looked around. Vaguely she remembered The Rovers, but then it was a bit of blur. Taking into account her surroundings she slowly pieced together that she must be at Chesneys.

Poor Chesney. She owed him a million apologies because she really must have been in a state.

There was a cup of a tea sitting on the coffee table near her. She grabbed the cup and took a sip. Grimacing a bit at how cold it was, she forced herself upright. Making her way toward the kitchen she noted what a mess she was. Rough was a word for it. Minger was another.

Sophie heard some noises coming from the kitchen area. Someone was knocking around in there. Slowly thru her hung over brain, it started to occur to her that it was probably Sinead. She didn't know her well, but Chesney seemed to like her so she must be all right.

"Hey" the blonde said as she pushed a glass of water and some aspirin Sophie's way. Sophie traded her cold cup of tea for the offerings. She moaned after popping the aspirin with water.

"Thank you. I'm really sorry about last night. I was off my head" Sophie said handing back over the water, which she had downed quickly.

"Oh it's nothing Sophie" Sinead scoffed. "Chesney's at the kebab shop already, but you can stay as long as you like," she said with a pitiful smile.

Sophie was getting used to the pity as word had gotten around the street about her breakup. It didn't help that Jenna was clearly already over it, laughing it up while Sophie couldn't quit crying. Sophie kept yo-yoing between angry or numb. Her mum didn't help either, clearly more concerned about getting one over on Anna Windass. It did Sophie's head in.

"I'll get out of your way I promise. I just don't know if I can deal with my mum yet" Sophie sighed. She checked her phone, seeing that her mum had called and left several messages. Well at least she cared enough to do that.

"No really it's okay. I know what it's like" Sinead turned back toward the sink to wash up some dishes.

"Yeah well it was easier to get over before because Sian was just gone" Sophie sighed. It had still taken Sophie ten months to get over but at least she didn't have to see her every time she went to Roy's Rolls. She used to genuinely worry about what it would be like if Jenna moved back to Nottingham, or anywhere else, but now she wished that she would just disappear.

"Yeah I remember when Chesney dumped me at first. He seemed to be everywhere" Sinead smiled. "But Sophie you won't be single for long, I'm sure. I know that Weatherfield isn't crawling with lesbians, but you're well fit. If I wasn't sure that you're a lezzer than I'd be jealous of you and Chesney" she chuckled.

"No offense but Ew, he's like my brother" Sophie made a face of disgust.

"I know! I know," she laughed nodding her head. "But Chesney came crawling back and we are happy and he could have been with Katey Armstrong" Sinead finished.

"Oh don't be daft, you're better for him anyway" Sophie laughed. It was the first real laugh she had felt in days.

"Oh whatever, but Sophie everything happens for a reason. Just wait and see, you won't be single for long" Sinead said giving her hand a squeeze across the counter. Sophie felt better than she had in days. Sinead was a bit of a dork, and her clothes definitely needed an upgrade, but she was all heart. Chesney was a lucky man.

Then her mobile rang. It was her mum. Sophie sighed.

"I better take this," she said as she showed Sinead the caller ID. Over Sally's picture Sophie had labeled it Loser Magnet. Sinead nodded as she turned back toward the sink. As Sally started to prattle on in a voice that was driving ice picks into Sophie's hung over brain she turned toward Sinead and mouthed a Thank You.

Sophie just nodded as she let her mum scold her for her behavior. She knew that to some extent she deserved being told off. Kicking off, getting wasted and making her mum worry wasn't the kind of person Sophie wanted to be. That was her sister Rosie's type of behavior. She swore that she would be better.

However all she was waiting for was confirmation that Tim had left so that she could go home. What Sophie really needed was her dad. She needed him home. He would blow Tim and his dirty shirts out of their house. But what she really needed was to feel his arms around her, telling her that everything would be okay.

Someday, he'd be back to set everything right. She knew it.