Michelle stared at the mess that lay before her on the floor of their flat.

"Oh god..." She breathed, her breath catching in her throat. She stumbled backwards, reaching for the kitchen worktop to steady herself. Her knuckles whitened as she clung tightly to the surface, waiting and hoping desperately that the man she had once loved so dearly would move. Just a tiny movement would be enough: a twitch of a finger; a blink of an eye. But still nothing. Michelle brought her free hand up to cover her mouth as she stifled a sob.

Suddenly snapping out of her trance, she reached over to her bag, fumbling inside for her phone. She flipped open the case, tapped in the passcode with trembling hands, and immediately dialled the number of the only person she could think of.

After three rings, she picked up.

"Carla?" Michelle whispered.

"What? Chelle, I can't hear you, let me... I'm going outside, one sec..."

The sound of Cher's 'Believe' blaring through the tinny speaker told Michelle that the party in the Rovers was still very much in full swing. She felt a wave of relief wash over her, knowing that her boys would still be there until the early hours of the morning, buying them some extra time.

"Right, start again, I can hear you now." Carla stated.

"Carla, please come here."

Carla recognised the panic in her friends voice immediately.

"Where's here? The Bistro?"

"The flat."

"I'm on my way, babe."

Michelle put the phone down and turned back towards the floor by the dinner table. Still no movement. She took a step forward, hoping her movements would encourage something from her partner. Still nothing.

The buzzing of the front door caused her to jump. She took a deep breath and picked up the phone.

"It's me."

Unable to form the words to reply, Michelle pressed the button to allow her friend into the building, waiting until she heard that familiar knock on the door before releasing the latch, opening up the horrors of what was inside to the outside world.

Carla's face was ashen with worry underneath the cat whiskers that she had reluctantly drawn on. It was typical Carla, not wanting to get fully dressed up. She wore her usual black jeans and black top, but now sported a pair of cat ears over her flowing dark curls. In all the drama, Michelle had forgotten that it was Halloween, and that she too was dressed up. As an angel, ironically. Although, at some point in the evening she had lost her halo. It was like some sort of sick metaphor, she thought. It should have been the other way round. She should have allowed Kate to be the angel and taken on the role of the devil herself. After all, that's what she felt like, after what she'd done.

"What's happened?" Carla asked, coaxing the door slowly open. Seeing Michelle's tear stained face had started her heart beating faster.

"It was an accident..." Michelle whispered, still not allowing the door to fully open.

"What was? Chelle, you have to let me in." She too was starting to panic.

Michelle shook her head as she stepped into the flat, allowing her friend to fully enter. She immediately slammed the door behind her, causing Carla to jump. She didn't want anyone else in on their secret. Not yet, anyway.

"Oh, Chelle..." Carla breathed, taking in the room. Michelle started crying again.

"I've killed him!" She cried, clinging desperately to her friends arm.

"Have you called an ambulance?" Carla asked, calmly.

"What? No, look at him! He's dead!"

"But do you know that? For sure? Have you actually checked?"

Michelle shook her head. If she didn't check, there could still be a chance. He could still be alive, and she wouldn't have to face up to this.

"Oh god, Chelle..." Carla breathed. She gently shook off Michelle's tight grip, and took a step towards the body on the floor.

Michelle watched as Carla tried to find a pulse. She seemed so calm. Michelle felt a sudden pang of guilt. After everything she'd been through in the last year, this was the last thing Carla needed. It had taken so much to get her back on track, back to something of the woman she used to be. Now that she was so nearly there, Michelle had landed this at her doorstep.

"I shouldn't have made you come here..." Michelle stated.

"I'm glad you did." She replied, her fingers trembling on the spot where a pulse should be. She was desperate to find one. She knew that Michelle would never survive prison. And even if it didn't get that far, her own guilt would eat away at her slowly, and she'd never be able to handle it.

Please just let me find something, she willed. But deep down she knew that there was nothing there. Robert was gone. And now she had to break the news to Michelle.

Michelle was chewing nervously on her fingernails, waiting for Carla to breathe a sigh of relief and tell her that everything was going to be okay. The longer she had to wait, the quicker that hope was fizzling away, until all she was left with was the heavy feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.

"He's dead, isn't he?" She whispered. Carla looked up.

"I'm not a doctor, I might..."

"You don't have to be a doctor to find a pulse. I've killed him, haven't I?"

There was no response.

"Haven't I?"

Carla nodded sadly. Michelle buried her head in her hands and sobbed. She felt herself being pulled into a tight hug, and allowed her head to rest against Carla's shoulder. She had always felt safe in Carla's arms, and this time was no different.

"Why don't we ring Ali? He'll be able to help." Michelle pulled away, shaking her head.

"He can't find out. He'd hate me."

Taking Michelle's face in her hands, Carla forced her to look at her.

"You need to tell me exactly what happened, and then we're going to think of a plan." She stated, trying to keep her voice steady.

"There's wine in the cupboard..." Michelle said, gesturing vaguely to the kitchen. Carla had drunk enough wine in this flat to know where it would be.

Michelle made her way to the couch, shuffling past Roberts feet, feeling sick to the stomach. She grabbed the blanket that was resting over the arm and arranged it over him.

"Good shout, he was unnerving me..." Carla nodded, bringing the bottle of red and the two biggest glasses she could find over to the living area. They sank into the sofa as Carla poured out the blood red liquid.

"We had a row..."

"I gathered..."

Michelle took a deep breath. "He'd been seeing someone else. Not just recently, for months. Since before we got back together." She twisted the engagement ring that sat on her finger, the diamond glinting as it caught the light.

"Who?"

Michelle looked up to meet her friends eye.

"Vicky." Michelle stated, venom dripping in her voice.

"That little..."

"Oh, and she's pregnant." There was a stunned silence. Michelle let her head fall into her hands. "Why does this keep happening to me?"

Carla rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her, while taking a long sip of wine. God knows she needed it.

"How did he die, Chelle?"

"I stormed out of the Bistro when I found out and came straight here. He followed me. Oh god, Carla, everyone saw me, saw how angry I was. They're going to know it was me."

"Chelle..."

"He kept saying it was me he loved and that he didn't want her, I was the one. But I'd been there before, hadn't I, with Steve. I told him to get out but he wouldn't listen. He grabbed me and I panicked..."

She paused to glance at her friend. Carla's lips were locked tightly together, and Michelle could tell she was silently seething.

"I pushed him. Hard. He hit his head on the table and that was it..." She trailed off.

"Go and pack a bag." Carla whispered, her eyes locked firmly on the glass in her hand, not daring to meet Michelle's.

"What?"

"Just do it. Please."

"Okay..." Michelle downed the rest of her wine and crept into the bedroom, not allowing herself to look down at the body on the floor. Carla took a moment to regain her composure, wiping away a tear that had escaped her eye. Michelle couldn't go to prison, there was no way. She finished her wine, and stood up.

"Chelle?" She called, "I'll be back..." And with that she swiftly left the flat.

Michelle emerged into the living room to find her friend gone. She was alone again with the mess she'd made. Her breath caught in her throat as she glanced down at the body shaped blanket on the floor. She clamped a hand tightly over her mouth to try and contain the sobs that were now wracking her body once again. She collapsed against the doorframe of the bedroom and sunk down to the floor, unable to take her eyes off the silhouette of the dead man that was supposed to be her fiancé.

She was startled by a knock at the door. She slowly crept towards it, hoping and praying that whoever it was would go away.

"Chelle, it's me, open up."

She let out a sigh of relief and opened the door just enough for Carla to slip in.

"You all packed?" She asked, breathlessly. Michelle nodded, throwing confused glances between Carla and the bag she was now carrying.

"Okay my car is parked at the bottom, we just need to get there without being seen. I'll explain everything in the car, but we really need to go right now."

"But..."

"No Chelle, we need to go. Get your bag."

Michelle rushed into the bedroom, throwing a few final items of clothing into the bag, zipped it up, and hurried back towards Carla. She had removed the blanket that had previously covered Roberts face and was now tapping one foot nervously as she stood by the door. As she saw her friend appear, she picked up her own bag.

"Where's your phone?" She asked.

"Over there..." Michelle pointed to the kitchen worktop where the phone sat alongside her handbag.

"Good, leave it there."

"What?"

"They won't be able to track you."

"Carla..."

"Don't look at me like that, Chelle. You've killed someone. They're gonna try and find you and the easiest way to do that is tracking your phone. Now come on."

She opened the door of the flat just enough to poke her head out, checking that the coast was clear. Once she was satisfied, she pushed Michelle into the hallway. She clicked the latch to make sure the door didn't lock behind them. Taking one final look at the body on the floor, she took a deep breath and left the flat.

Making it to the car unseen was easy enough. The party at the Rovers was still in full swing and the Bistro lights were still glowing through the windows. Michelle glanced at the small, digital clock on the dashboard as they pulled away. It had gone 1am, and she could feel the exhaustion beginning to creep up on her.

As they pulled out of Victoria Street, she heard the distant squeal of sirens getting closer. She sat up, and looked at Carla.

"I rang an ambulance." She stated calmly, not taking her eyes off the road ahead.

"Oh, right..." Michelle said, relaxing back into her chair as much as she could.

Before they had even left Weatherfield, Michelle was asleep. Carla was relieved that she wouldn't have to answer any questions for a while. It gave her some time to think. If she was honest, she knew they would never get away with this. She'd only worked out a short term plan, and even that was sketchy. She knew they couldn't do it alone. She vowed to call Peter as soon as they arrived. He'd be able to get them out of the country until things settled down.

It was 3am when Michelle awoke to the sound of rain against the window, and Carla's freshly manicured fingernails drumming on the steering wheel. For a brief moment she felt calm, unsure of where she was or what was happening. Then it dawned on her, and that feeling of dread and guilt washed over her once more.

"Carla?" She questioned, groggily.

"Mmhmm"

"Where are we going?"

"Devon." She replied bluntly. She had never got round to putting her house up for sale, so they'd stay there for a few days. With no phone to track Michelle on, and no one having seen Carla go near her, they'd be safe there, at least for a day or two. She knew it wouldn't take a genius to work out that they were together, but it bought them some time to call Peter and arrange a trip across the channel.

"Right." She paused for a moment, "Carla..."

"Yes?" She replied, her own tiredness making her snappy.

"When you said that they would try to find me..."

"Oh Chelle, I meant the Police. Don't worry about me, okay, I'm fine."

"Oh right, yeah. Sorry. But, you would tell me, wouldn't you, if..."

"Yes, of course. Just get some rest okay, we'll be there soon."

Michelle relaxed back into her seat, and allowed herself to gaze out of the window. Through the darkness of the night and the raindrops that had settled against the glass, she could just about make out the rolling fields of the southwestern countryside. It made her feel strangely peaceful. With Carla next to her, she felt safe. She knew that whatever happened next, they would stand by each other.

Despite all the men that had let her down, Michelle always knew that she at least had her one constant. Carla.