Blue Without You

Leanne sat and pushed her breakfast around the plate in hers and Eva's flat. Another seven days had gone by and Leanne was struggling again. It was lonely and frightening without living with Simon anymore and she hadn't been for nearly a month. It had been a surprising month filled with surprises that she certainly wouldn't have expected to have happened. Getting attacked in the Bistro by Simon was one of them and so was Nick. She definitely didn't think she would have wanted to be with him again or that she had been with him for a night.

"What's up Leanne?" Eva asked as she stepped out of the bathroom wearing a red figure hugging dress to go to hospital in.

"Oh, nothing," Leanne lied, wiping tears away.

"Are you sure hun? You don't look very happy."

"Really Eva? What gave it away!?" Leanne sarcastically replied, rolling her eyes as Eva sat next to her, nicking a piece of Leanne's toast off her plate.

"I know things are difficult at the minute but they will get better, you watch." Eva said in between bites of her toast.

Leanne pulled a face as she watched her sister eat as she felt queasy. Eurgh, it made her feel sick just thinking about eating anything. She noticed it that morning that she felt odd but it didn't help knowing that she was having dinner with Simon later on and she would be alone with him in the flat.

"Yeah thanks Eva, that's fixed everything."

"Oh come on Leanne, you need to try and be positive, you're dead miserable at the minute!"

"Oh I'm sorry, is the abuse from my step-son and the train wreck of my relationship with Nick getting you down?!" Leanne barked, getting irate as she began to feel even worse.

"You aren't the only one suffering at the minute!"

"And don't we all know it!" Leanne shouted, storming off into her bedroom and slamming the door shut behind her.

She sighed as she crashed onto the bed, reaching for her phone and reading the texts. There was a message from Stella.

Stella:

Hello sweetheart, hope you and Eva are okay. Make sure you two stick together, especially with poor Jason. Give everyone my love xxx

Leanne felt dreadful, not just from feeling queasy but also reading what her mother had said to her. 'Stick together'. Leanne had just been horrible to her sister, who needed her support at a really tough time in her life. Something that Eva had been very quick to offer Leanne just a few short weeks ago.

The room started to spin even more and Leanne closed her eyes to shut out the feeling of being on the waltzers. If only her life was like the amusement ride she adored so much as a little girl. When Les and Janice would take her to the fair just down the road from their estate. She would laugh until she could laugh no more and the family would spend hours enjoying themselves. Family. Something that Stella had never been a part of really. Yes she had been there when Nick was in his coma and when she needed support when everything kicked off with Peter but what about when she really needed Stella? The years of instability leading her to marry Nick at such a young age and getting pregnant with his child. Well, everyone knows what happened there and how the marriage ended. That had always been on Leanne's mind ever since Stella came into her life. If she had always been a constant where would Leanne be? Certainly not in Weatherfield, owning half of her ex-husband and childhood sweetheart's Bistro and looking after her other ex-husband's abusive son. It sounded like the beginning of a bad joke the more Leanne thought about it.

God her life was a mess. A start would be to aplogise to Eva, that was for certain. Leanne got up off of the bed and made her way into the living room to find Eva had gone but she had left a note for Leanne.

I've gone to the hospital to see Jason again. Sorry for annoying you Lea, I hope you're okay and that your rubbish sister(that's me), hasn't upset you too much. I only want to help sis. See you later.

Love Eva. Xxxxxx

Leanne knew exactly where she needed to go and see Eva and apologise. A girlie chat was definitely needed and it was time Eva had Leanne's support.

"Hiya," Leanne whispered, entering the intensive care room that Jason had occupied. Eva had been reading a magazine about 'celebrity' gossip. Poor guy, he ought to stay in the coma, Leanne chuckled to herself.

"What are you doin' here?" A confused and rather tired looking Eva asked.

"I thought I'd come and apologise to you. I know you only want to help and I'm not being very fair on you. We need to stick together 'cos you're the only family I've got here now," Leanne said, taking the other seat on the opposite side of Jason's bed. The young builder had all kinds of tubes and machines hooked up to his usually fit body. It took Leanne back to about two years earlier. The haunting images of Nick lying in the hospital bed, doctors telling her he wouldn't make it and the endless hours crying and praying he would survive. It made her shudder just thinking about the time and how hard it must have been for Eva.

Eva exhaled slowly. She looked like she was pulling back tears or was about to let all her inner emotion go. "I really need my sister right now Leanne. I know that you understand how hard it all is because of Nick and the crash. I promise you I'll give you all the support I can with Simon but it's hard on me too because I want to be here with Jase."

Leanne reached her hand across the bed and touched Eva's hands. "I'm here, that's what big sisters are for." Leanne smiled fondly at her little sister that she had actually come to develop a really strong relationship with.

"I have just felt like I haven't been able to let my emotions out because of everything that has happened with you. I didn't want to add to your stress and blocking out my feelings of everything and focusing on you really helped me forget my problems. That was until Jason ended up in here."

Leanne tilted her head in sympathy. "You shouldn't feel that way Eva. In future, tell me how you feel. You are so important to me and I want to make sure you are alright. Just be straight with me in future. Okay?"

Eva nodded and Leanne came around to Eva's side of Jason's bed. "Come here," Leanne said, pulling her sister into a hug. Eva hugged Leanne tightly and smiled at her sister when they pulled apart and sat back down again.

Back in the Bistro, Nick was pouring drinks and serving customers. He was chatting and interacting with customers, gaining extra tips and plenty of money in the till. The door opened and Erica came in, smiling at Nick in a friendly way.

She stood by the bar and ordered a drink from one of the waiters. Nick finished taking the orders of the table and made his way over to the woman who was once carrying his baby.

"Hi Erica, are you alright?"

Erica's eyes met Nick's as she looked up at him and smiled. "I'm great thanks, really, I am. I just wanted a spot of lunch. Is that okay with you? It's not awkward is it?"

"No, no, of course not. I would like to talk to you first though," Nick replied, leaning forward over the bar to talk to Erica more privately.

"Yeah sure, what's wrong?"

"I hope you understand that I wanted the best for our baby.

Erica nodded and flicked her eyes up at Nick. "I do understand you know. I get that you only wanted the best for me and the baby, you even stayed with me when there was no baby. You're a good guy Nick and any woman would be stupid not to realise it. Besides, you shouldn't be with an old bird like me."

Nick smiled and patted Erica's hand. "I'm glad you don't hate me but you shouldn't put yourself down, you're a great person and you'll make someone really happy."

She grinned fondly in return. "Thanks Nick, I'm sure the woman that has your heart is very lucky to have you."

Nick watched Erica go and sit at a table with her drink. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of the woman who has his heart. God he hoped she was alright and more than anything, he hoped she felt the same way about him.

Elsewhere, Simon had returned home from school. He made the usual walk off of the bus and to his Grandad's on the Street. Nick, who was changing the menu outside the Bistro spotted Simon.

"Simon!" Nick called, running down the cobbles to the twelve year old.

"Why don't you come into the Bistro for your dinner?" Nick suggested but Simon frowned.

"No! Why are you pretending you care about me and my Mum so much? Are you sleeping with her or something?!" Simon ranted as Nick looked very irate.

"No!" He barked. "I still care about your Mum a lot and I hate knowing that you are making her life hell."

"Good! She deserves it all! She ruined my life and it's only fair that I wreck hers."

Simon stormed off to the house quickly and slammed the door shut in Nick's face.

"Trouble in paradise?" Carla shouted down the Street having seen the entire exchange between Nick and Simon.

Nick turned around immediately, he recognised that voice a mile away. "No," he replied, making his way towards Leanne's flat as Carla began to catch up to him.

"Didn't look like nothing to me Nicholas."

"Well it was!" Nick shouted.

"Do you want to talk about it? The door is always open to my flat you know. Well not always, then I'd get burgled!" Carla smiled but in the flirtatious way that Nick had seen her do for months. He had to brush her off before she got too hurt.

"Thanks Carla but I'm fine, honest. You just worry about you."

"I just worry about you Nick, that's all. Come on, why don't you drop that silly thing of banning me from the Bistro and we can go have a drink?"

Nick shook his head, "No. Carla, you went and provoked Leanne when she was drunk and fought her. Then you went to the police and accused her of viciously attacking you!"

"She did!" Carla objected, she looked and felt like she could have slapped Leanne's face even though she wasn't around.

"No she didn't! You gave just as good as you got! Lea is under enough stress at the minute and you went and added to her problems! Why?!"

Carla tried to avoid Nick's intense stare. "Well... I was jealous alright? For some reason she had all your attention and you completely blanked me! I practically offered myself on a silver plater and you turned me down! Why? 'Cos Leanne flamin' Battersby or whatever she calls herself this week clicked her fingers and you came running!"

Nick shook his head, "How dare you talk about her like that when you've married a murderer, a bigamist/alcoholic and the other died with a prostitute in his boot!"

"The prostitute in the boot was your dear ex-wife! Don't call me when you and Leanne are hiding something from everyone! You are aren't you? Have you two done something?"

Nick walked to the door of Leanne's flat as Carla waited for an answer. "If there was, you'd be the last to know. Stay away Carla."

Carla looked furious and headed for the Rovers, where Eva was behind the bar.

"What can I get you?" Eva asked politely, trying to hold back the urge to pound Carla for causing more stress for her big sister.

"Large red wine, thanks," Carla ordered, running things through her mind about Nick and Leanne. None of it made any sense. He hadn't really mentioned her prior to a few weeks ago. So what had changed? Had Leanne managed to sleep with him? Had they kissed? What had gone on? Carla's mind was running into overdrive as Eva placed her drink down in front of her.

"That's £5.75 Carla," Eva said, holding out her hand for the note and coins. Carla grabbed her hand instead and leaned closer to talk quieter.

"Your sister?" Carla began as Eva nodded.

"The sister you had arrested? Yeah thanks for that. It was the last thing she needed."

Carla's eyes widened and she looked as though a lightbulb had gone off above her head. "Ah! That's it! Why was it the last thing she needed? What's going on Eva? Did you find anything out about her and Nick?!"

Eva looked sheepish and uncomfortable, her eyes choosing to focus on the names of the ale pumps before her instead of the raven-haired factory boss.

"Well? You do, don't you?" Carla said, cocking her eyebrow at Eva.

Eva lied, "No, nothing has happened between them. She told me."

"You're lying Eva."

"No I'm not." But she was and she felt as though everyone knew even though they didn't.

"You are. Stuff like this always comes out in the end Eva. You can't keep secrets like this hidden forever." Carla replied before she grabbed her drink and sat at a booth, alone.

She was right though. Secrets like that never stayed secret for long and that wasn't a lie.

Leanne sat on the bathroom floor, the cold sensation easing the urge to throw up. Something she had done twice already that day. She could hear Nick making her toast and jam but the thought of food made her stomach churn even more. Was it really normal for Simon to have caused her this much stress? So much so that she felt she would crack any day soon? Now illness too. Leanne unlocked the bathroom door and headed into the living room as Nick handed her the plate of lovingly made toast.

"Thanks," She said, looking at the plate of food in her hand. He moved a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"What is it Lea?" He asked, touching her shoulder.

She shook her head, "I honestly don't know. Why has Simon managed to get to me this much. What if I hadn't of told you and Eva? Imagine how much worse I'd be."

Nick touched her hand and hugged her. "Well you don't need to imagine or worry because you'll always have me."

I just wanted to say thanks for the reviews again! It's great to read that people are enjoying the story and it really helps me to continue! The next chapter should be up soon... and I mean very soon as I have already written it! It's a long one and should hopefully be a good one! I really hope you stick with my story and let me know what you think!

I'll update soon! Keep reviewing, following and favouriting! Until then... :)