Thanks so much for the positive reviewes and feed back both here and on twitter. I am so glad people are buying into this idea. I want to explore Peter and Carla and the whole family set up before I go down the road of Frank which will dominate a part of this fic. So Peter was a pillock and now we shall find out hopeful lets see what it takes for her to forgive him.

Chap 2

The night before.

Friday. The usual routine was Peter picked Lia up from crèche and watched her until 4.30 when Carla would finish up in the factory and they would all meet at peters and head to the cinema or bowling. Some thing for the kids to look forward to. Simon looked forward to it all week and Lia was getting more excited as she got older and understood what was happening.

This Friday was no different.

"Peturrr" Lia jumped up into his arms as he arrived to collect her from crèche. "Hello madam... How are you today?" Peter smiled at her as he packed up her bag and art work she was currently working on.

"Where's ... Em where's is Simon?" Lia questioned as they walked out the gates.

"Well I forgot he had a birthday party today sweetheart so he's gone to stay at his friends for the night" peters heart nearly broke at the sight if Lias face. She looked like she was about cry.

"So we no go out?"

"Yea Hunni me you and mummy can go if you want?"

"Yea I want to please?"

"Ok let's go get mummy then"

Knock knock.

"Come in" Carla called from the office. Peter and Lia made there way in. Carla was running a little late just finishing off her last e mail as the clock hit 4.45.

"Mummmmmmmyyyyyyyy" Lia ran to her arms and jumped on her lap as Peter took a seat at Michelle's desk.

"Hello gorgeous" Carla said as she gave Lia a kiss.

"Well hello you" Peter winked as the two adults laughed at the harmless flirtation between themselves.

"Where's Simon?" Carla asked as she shut down the computer. Lia got down from her lap as she went to robs desk to play with some of the fabric he had left on the chair.

"Pretty colours mommy" Carla smiled.

Carla made her way over to Peter who pulled his chair back from the desk as Carla sat on the edge of Michelle's desk. Carla's legs between peters.

"He's gone to a mates for a sleepover I thought it was tomorrow night and I forgot. That's why I was a little late collecting madam today"

"Oh I see. Well I guess we could do our thing tomorrow afternoon if you like?" Carla felt a little upset at the prospect of not spending her night with Peter as she was used to. She had become dependent on him. She shared everything with him. He was there for her and vice versa.

"No mummy. No. I go play please"

"No don't be silly love we can do something the 3 of us. If you want that is..." Peter wanted to spend time with her. Since Leanne left he was all she had. He admired her. She was his best friend. In the first year or so that's all she was but since he had "gotten over Leanne" as he put it he started to develop feelings for her. Strong feelings. He thought about her when she wasn't around. He had caught himself staring at her bending over or imagining scenarios where they were both young free and single. What would of happened...

"Peter. Peter" she put her hand to his cheek as He jumped. He had been daydreaming. Thinking about her yet again yet she was so close to him. Her hand felt so soft against his skin. His stubble rough against her.

"Sorry babe" *shit* he thought to himself... Did I just say that!

"Oh I'm your babe now am I?" She giggled as she hit him playfully.

"Well yea you are..." his throat went dry - she stood waiting for him to continue, silent. Now or never he thought - Repeating the mantra in his head. "Your outta this world Carla. How can you not see it. Your your... Amazing. Your strong beautiful..." He stopped himself as he stood up his hands falling to her hips as he allowed his lips to brush hers before she pulled away.

"Peter... What the" he stopped her. "Shhhhh" he went to kiss her again before she pushed him away.

She was shocked. She always knew there was a little sexual tension between them. She would have been lying If she said she didn't fancy him. She minded Simon once while he went on a date and she was so relieved when he came home saying what a disaster it was.

"Peter my daughter is right there..." How could he have been so stupid.. Wrong place and wrong time after 3 years of friendship. Carla called Lia over who thankfully hadn't seen anything as she told her they had to go now and that Peter couldn't come out today.

She brought Lia out to an adventure play centre with slides and ball pools let her run around she soon forgot that Peter and Simon weren't there as Carla sat drinking a coffee and watching her. She noticed her phone rang twice. Both Peter and 1 voicemail.

A they made there way back to the apartment Lia feel asleep in the back of the car. She carried her up to bed and lay there thinking of what to do next eventually she drifted off around 2am...