It's a little after 5:30am when Carla arrives at the airport; she quickly parks the car and glances back at Ottilie who's babbling away to her reflection in the mirror attached to the backseat.
'Will we go get daddy, Ottie?' Carla says.
'Dada...' Ottilie babbles causing Carla to smile.
'That's right, baby girl.' Carla says. Getting out the car, Carla grabs her bag from the passenger seat before quickly getting Ottilie out and cradling the little girl against her shoulder while wrapping a blanket around her tiny body.
'Oh my goodness, are you still tired? We're normally still in bed at this time, aren't we?' Carla adds as she locks the car and begins to make her way over to the arrivals terminal; Nick's flight should have landed by now so she'll just need to wait on him going through customs. Adjusting Ottilie on her hip she smiles as the little girl buries her head in her shoulder.
'Mummy's got you, little lady.' Carla says softly. She's been standing for fifteen minutes when the door swings open and she watches Nick make his way out dragging a suitcase behind him. She can't help but smile at the grin which appears on Nick's face.
'Hey, you…' She says softly as she makes her way towards him.
'Hi. I've missed you.' He replies instantly wrapping his arms around her and feeling her body relax against his.
'We've missed you too… I'm so glad you decided to come home for Christmas; it wouldn't have been the same without you.' She says smiling as he leans down and kisses the top of Ottilie's head.
'Do you want to take her?' She asks and he shakes his head.
'I don't want to wake her. How are you finding being back in Weatherfield?' He asks as they both begin to make their way out of the airport.
'It's alright; it doesn't feel like home but neither did Devon so I don't know what I'm going to do.' She replies shrugging her shoulders.
'I thought you loved Devon?' He says causing her to sigh.
'I do; I love being by the sea and taking Ottie for walks along the beach but I never truly felt settled, you know?' She replies and he nods his head.
'You should come out to Canada for a few weeks in the new year; see how you like it out there?' He suggests and she smiles slightly.
'Mmm… I might just do that. Have you made plans with your mum about Christmas?' She asks.
'I've said I might pop over at some point on Christmas day to let her see Ottie for a little bit as long as that is okay with you?' He says.
'Of course it is. You know I would never want to stop your family from seeing her although that doesn't mean I want to be around Gail at the moment.' She replies and he nods his head.
'I get that.' He says.
'Do you want to get her out?' Carla asks gesturing to the backseat causing Nick to grin.
'Sure.' He replies smiling. She watches as Nick opens the car door before carefully beginning to unstrap the little girl.
'Dada!' Ottilie mumbles smiling up at Nick who gasps and turns to face Carla.
'Did she?' He asks and she nods her head.
'She's been saying it for a few days now but I wanted to surprise you.' She replies and he grins.
'You are amazing, little love.' Nick says lifting Ottilie into his arms. He cradles her against his shoulder and kisses her head multiple times as Carla grabs his suitcase from the boot.
'Why don't we leave that in the car and go for breakfast at Roy's?' Nick suggests gesturing to the suitcase.
'Aren't you exhausted?' Carla asks and he shrugs his shoulders.
'I could do breakfast.' He replies causing her to smile.
'Okay then; breakfast it is.' She says.
'Nick? How lovely to see you! What can I get you?' Roy asks smiling.
'Nice to see you as well. Can I have two bacon rolls and two coffees, please?' Nick says and Roy nods his head.
'Of course you can. Take a seat and I'll bring it over.' Roy replies. Making his way back over to the table, Nick can't help but smile as he sees Carla sitting with Ottilie cradled against her chest.
'Seeing you two together never fails to amaze me.' He says sitting down across from her causing her to smile.
'I feel the same way about seeing you with her. Can you believe that even after everything that went wrong, everything I done wrong, we still got blessed with this beautiful little girl?' She says quietly glancing down at the little girl.
'It wasn't all your fault, Carla.' He replies and she shakes her head.
'We could've been happy in Devon.' She almost whispers and he reaches for her free hand across the table.
'We still could if you'd let go of the past.' He says.
