Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the reviews, heres the next chapter! Someone had asked if I could make it so it wasn't so Chelsea centred, sorry to say but this fic is Chelsea centred, but I have tried to include some more chapters and a couple of paragraphs with Carla/Peter and Carla/Michelle. Hope this helps? Please read the bottom, looking for ideas :)

She was sat on the seat, rubbing her palms together, her gaze fixed to the floor. She could feel Jess looking at her from across the table but still didn't look up at her. Instead she picked up the cup of water in front of her and took a gulp before looking at the clock on the wall to her left – she'd only been there 7 minutes. The wicker chair she sat on felt more uncomfortable than normal, she just wanted to get up and leave but Carla was sitting in the doctors waiting room and she knew she'd just get marched back in.

Jess: "Are you going to speak to me at any point?" she asked softly.

Chelsea lifted her head and let out a sigh as she looked at the woman.

Chelsea: "I suppose I'm going to have to aren't I?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

Jess shook her head: "Nope you don't, but it might help if you do?"

Chelsea: "I feel stupid" she mumbled and looked back to the floor.

Jess: "Come on now you're not stupid, you just must have been feeling really low to take such desperate measures"

Chelsea nodded: "I couldn't take it, it took over everything – my thoughts, feelings, and that all affected everything else. I was being a total cow to my mum, I didn't want to eat. And then like I keep thinking of my arms and the scars and what can my life be now really? No one is going to love me, they'll take one look at my scars and thing I'm a loon, and that's the picture that's always going to be portrayed. Like when I go for a job, or try to make new friends, or go back to school. It just all seems pointless" she said sadly.

Jess: "Your scars will fade Chelsea, and even if they didn't, people aren't as judgemental as you may think"

Chelsea: "Yeah they'll fade, but not enough. And please don't lie to me to try and make me feel better, you know as well as I do the amount of stigma attached to mental health"

Jess dropped her gaze and had to stop for moment to think before she spoke again, cause she knew the teen in front of her had a point.

Jess: "Yeah ok, that's a fair point. But, you know there will always be people out there who aren't like that, are you willing to give up everything because theres a chance that someone will judge you? Listen kid, everyone's always going to judge you, but you rise above it and you let them know you're better than that. You're a smart girl, that's obvious from a mile off, you've got a great future ahead you just have to believe it"

Chelsea: "I thought you're meant to sit and listen, not give much feedback?" she teased.

Jess laughed: "You gonna tell me on me?"

Chelsea: "No, I kind of needed to hear it, so thank you"

Jess: "It's gonna be a long hard road but you'll get there. Each week we'll work through it, ok"

Cheslea: "Ok"

They sat for the rest of the session as Chelsea let everything she was thinking and feeling flow out, and by the time she finished she felt 10 times lighter.

She left the room and into the doctors waiting area and gave Carla a nudge who had her head in a magazine.

Carla: "An hour already? Is that a smile I see?" she asked grinning.

Chelsea: "It may be, quiet though you might scare it off" she laughed.

They went to the Rovers to get Michelle then the three of them headed into town. They managed to find a place for a lunch eventually, most places were full.

Chelsea: "Why is it so busy?" she asked as she took a seat at their table.

Carla: "No idea, I'm just glad we got somewhere my stomach was threatening to eat itself"

Carla turned to Michelle: "Do you want to share a bottle of red?"

Chelsea tutted and rolled her eyes from behind her menu. Both Carla and Michelle looked towards her, Carla putting her finger onto Chelseas menu and pulling it down so she could see her.

Chelsea: "Yes?"

Michelle: "The tutting?" she answered matter of factly.

Chelsea rolled her eyes again: "At the red wine, I swear my Mums gonna turn in to a glass of red wine"

Carla: " Oi you, whats that meant to mean?"

Chelsea: "It means that just cause wine is made from grapes, that it can't be classed as one of your five a day"

Michelle let out a burst of laughter and Carla couldn't help but smile at her retort.

Carla: "Fine, I'll have an orange juice. What are you having?"

Chelsea: "Do you actually have to ask that?" she asked not looking up from the menu.

Michelle: "You'll turn into a bloomin apple you will, all that juice you drink"

Carla: "Have you's decided what you's are having for food?"

Chelsea: "Lasagne, with the chips and a side of garlic bread and onion rings please!" she answered and closed the menu popping it back into its stand.

Michelle: "Are you serious? You're not getting all of that" she asked wide-eyed.

Carla: "No she can have it, I don't know what that counselling session today has done to her but she's definitely got an appetite back!"

Michelle: "Carla she'll be sick if she eats all that" she looked to her dissaprovingly.

Carla: "She won't eat it all, but if she wants to pick at them all then so be it"

Michelle: "I still think you should cut out one of the extra sides"

Chelsea: "You's two are like an old married couple arguing over me. Aunt Michelle its my Mums decision, she knows best" she grinned cheekily.

Michelle: "Yeah well she wasn't there when..."

Chelsea: "We swore we'd never speak of that" she cut in looking at her seriously.

Carla: "Speak of what?" she asked confused, her gaze flitting between the two them.

Chelsea: "Nothing. Fine I'll cut it down to one side, just the garlic bread please"

Carla: "No chance, what's this you's are hiding from me?" she asked a smile at the corner of her lips.

Michelle: "When you were in LA..."

Chelsea: "AUNT MICHELLE"

Michelle: "We went to an all you can eat buffet"

Chelsea: "Oh dear god why isn't she stopping" she muttered looking down at the table with her head in her hands.

Michelle: "And she well and truly took advantage of the all you can eat part, despite our warnings"

Chelsea: "And I was totally fine, the end. Anyway, are we ordering now?" she asked tapping her fingers on the table.

Carla: "Go on Michelle" she encouraged.

Michelle: "We literally got in the front door and she was sick everywhere. All the way up the stairs, in the living room, and over the bathroom before she eventually managed to get her head down the toilet"

Chelsea: "The flat smelled of disinfectant for days, poor Steve" she said queitly from the opposite side of the table.

Michelle: "It was awful. I can laugh now but by god, she was like the bloody excorcist"

Chelsea: "I still say I had food poisoning"

Michelle: "You did not have food poisoning" she objected.

Carla: "Ok, definitly just the one side, and we can share it"

Chelsea: "Fine. Not that you have anything to worry about though cause I won't ever make that mistake again"

They sat and had lunch before heading off to the shops. Three furniture stores later and Chelsea had eventually settled on the bed she wanted, and chosen all the bedding for it.

When they got back Carla headed to the bistro to meet and Chelsea went off to meet Bethany.

Bethany: "So what do you want to do then?" she asked as they sat on the bench outside her Grans salon.

Chelsea shrugged: "Dunno, take a walk somewhere?"

Bethany: "Red Rec?"

Chelsea: "Yeah why not" she said standing up, the two of them walking off.

Bethany: "How weird is it that your Mum is going out with my Uncle" she said turning up her face.

Chelsea: "They're not going out" she said in a voice imitating Carla.

Chelsea: "I swear she thinks I'm an idiot, I see the way she looks at him"

Bethany: "Yeah I've seen the way he looks at her too"

Chelsea: "To be fair, I'm happy with Nick. You're Uncles a decent bloke, I wouldn't mind if they went out"

Bethany: "Is he anything like your dad?"

Chelsea laughed: "God no, nothing alike. And that's probably a good thing, my Dads awesome and I love him to pieces but I don't want another Peter. Our lives were very unpredictable when he was here"

Bethany: "Hey wait, isn't that your Mum going into the Rovers with your Dad?" she asked pointing over.

Chelsea turned and Bethany was right: "What the actual hell? I thought she was going to meet Nick!"

Bethany: "Do you want to go over?" she asked tugging on her arms slightly trying to take her in that direction but Chelsea pulled back.

Chelsesa: "No come on, I'll speak to her later" she answered and the two turned around and kept walking.

Bethany: "Would you not want them to get back together?"

Chelsea: "No way in hell. I miss him, but they just didn't work together. First the alcoholism then cheating with Tina, our house was a constant battlefield. We don't need that" she answered annoyed, the prospect of them getting back together really had annoyed her.

In the pub Carla was sat in a booth with a glass of wine in her hand and Peter sat opposite with a glass of orange juice. He was smiling across at her but she was glaring back at him.

Carla: "Don't think this means anything" she said straight to the point.

Peter: "No I know that, but it's nice to spend time with you"

Carla: "I thought we were here to speak about Chelsea?" she pointed out.

Peter: "Yeah we are" he remembered, and swiftly moved back on topic.

Peter: "How is she?" he asked gently.

Carla: "She's up and down. She had the counsellor today though and that seemed to go well"

Peter: "That's good, hopefully it will make a big difference. Is she still on the meds?"

Carla: "Yeah she is, I give them to her each night now though. I've got everything locked away just in case, I'm constantly worried that I'm going to find her one morning and shes going to be..." she choked, she couldn't get out the last word, she didn't want to even utter it.

Peter put his hand across the tabled and gripped hers tightly.

Peter: "Hey she's not going to be ok, you're doing amazing with her"

Carla nodded and blinked back the tears before pulling her hand back but nevertheless giving him a thankful smile.

Peter: "You can see you're knackered though"

Carla laughed: "Yeah well I don't sleep well these days"

Peter: "Maybe I could help out more? She could stay every second weekend or something, give you a bit of a break?"

Carla: "Oh I don't know" she answered, unsure of the idea.

Peter: "I'll look after her Carla. I won't let anything happen" he promised.

Carla: "Ok, well I'll speak to her and see what she says then"

Peter: "Thank you"

Chelsea and Bethany were walking through the red rec and had stopped to sit down at one of the benches. In the distance Chelsea seen a group of faces that made her stomach drop and she bounced to her feet.

Bethany: "Whats wrong with you?" she asked looking puzzled.

Chelsea: "Can we please just go?" she pleaded.

Bethany: "Why what's going on?" she looked around and the group got close enough for Bethany to recognise them.

Jessica: "Bethany, I thought you'd have had better taste than to hang around with her" she spat looking Chelsea up and down.

Chelsea: "Listen I'll go, I'll see you later" she murmured to Bethany before trying to walk off.

Bethany: "Chelsea wait up, I'm coming with you"

Perri: "Really? You'd rather hang about with her than us? Do you know what she is?" she spoke looking in disgust at the two girls.

Bethany: "Yeah she's a normal person like you and I except she likes girls. Grow the hell up, at least she's not a total bitch like you lot"

Molly: "Who do you think you're talking to?" she asked stepping forward.

Bethany: "And you! You were meant to be her friend"

Molly: "Things change. People change" she glanced to Chelsea but brought her gaze back to Bethany.

Bethany: "She didn't change Molly, you did. Come on Chels" she linked her arm around her friends and walked away from the three of them.

When they were out of sight of the girls Chelsea turned around to Bethany.

Chelsea: "I can't believe you did that for me" she spoke in disbelief.

Bethany: "You're my best friend, you think I'm going to let those silly cows tell me who to be friends with? I'm not miss popular at school anyway so I don't care"

Chelsea flung he arms around her tightly: "You're the best"

Bethany: "You can buy the chips tonight then as a thank you" she laughed as Chelsea unwound her arms.

Chelsea: "I might even stretch to a kebab tonight after that!"

Back in the pub, Peter had left and Carla was sat on her own when Michelle came over with two glasses, one for her and one for Carla.

Michelle: "I thought you were meeting Nick tonight?"

Carla: "Yeah so did I" she sighed.

Michelle: "What happened?"

Carla: "I could give you a million guesses and you still wouldn't get it. Remember Erica? Well she's back, and she's pregnant"

Michelle: "Oh babe, thats put the stoppers on anything yous had going then yeah?"

Carla nodded: "Yeah, maybe for the best anyway"

Michelle: "So what was Peter wanting?" she enquired, her nose getting the better of her.

Carla: "To talk about Chelsea. If she's up for it then we're going to have her spend every second weekend with him, it'll be good for them to spend more time together and to be perfectly honest Michelle I need the break. You know that she is my absolute world but I'm so drained from constantly worrying about her all the time. Does that make me sound like a bad Mum?"

Michelle: "No way, it's understandable that's how you're feeling. You should have said you were struggling, you know we can take her any time you need a break, besides we love having her, you know that"

Carla: "Thanks Chelle, I might start taking advantage of that"

Michelle: "You look beat. You should go home, have a hot bath and curl up on the sofa. Chelsea will probably be out a while yet anyway"

Carla: "Do you know what that's not a bad idea. I'll see you later" she leant over and pecked her friend on the cheek before leaving the pub.

Chelsea and Bethany were sat on the wall outside the kebab shop both tucking into their food, Chelsea getting the chilli sauce everywhere.

Bethany: "Can't take you anywhere can we!" she giggled as she chucked a napkin at her.

Chelsea: "I don't even care, it's so good" she answered through a mouthful of food.

"Chelsea remember and chew that" Sally laughed seeing the two girls on the wall.

Chelsea: "I will Sally. What you's been getting?" she asked eyeing up the bag in Tims hand.

Sally: "Fish suppers, couldn't be bothered cooking tonight"

Chelsea: "Don't blame you, well enjoy"

Sally: "Thanks you too, and remember, chew" she chuckled as her and Tim turned and walked off.

Bethany: "What you doing tomorrow night? Want to hang out after school again?"

Chelsea: "I can't, I'm starting this group therapy thingy. First steps to positive mental health and wellbeing" she said rolling her eyes.

Bethany: "Sounds like a drag"

Chelsea: "Yeah but you never know, it might help"

Bethany: "At least you're trying anyway eh. Oh well, Friday then?"

Chelsea: "You still staying over? I think my Mum is gonna order us food in"

Bethany: "Yeah can't wait. Need me to bring anything?"

Chelsea shook her head: "Nope I've got everything covered. I'll text you before then though. Anyway I better go, it's nearly half 9 and my Mum will hit the roof if I'm late"

Bethany: "Yeah same! Catch you later, and thanks for the kebab"

Chelsea grinned as she waved her off and headed home. When she got in Carla was lying on the couch with her eyes shut, the music was on low and as per usual a glass of red wine was sat on the table next to her.

Chelsea: "Are you asleep?" she mused.

Carla opened her eyes: "No it's called relaxing. How was your night?"

Chelsea: "Yeah it was good, we went for a walk. We bumped into Jess, Molly and Perri though, but Bethany was amazing, you should have heard her"

Carla: "What did she say?"

Chelsea: "Just that she'd be friends with who she wanted and at least I wasn't a total cow like them" she grinned.

Carla chuckled: "Well that's good. She's not as bad as I thought she was"

Chelsea: "Yeah she's cool. Anyway, why were you in the Rovers with my Dad earlier?"

Carla: "What you been spying on me?"

Chelsea: "Please like I don't have better things to do, I seen you go in before we went to the Red Rec. You's aren't getting back together are you?"

Carla: "God no!" she exclaimed, almost offended.

Chelsea: "Well why were you with him then?" she asked with raised eyebrows, sitting down on the other two seater.

Carla: "If you must know we were talking about you. We thought, that if you wanted, that you could go and stay with him every second weekend?"

Chelsea: "Are you kidding that would be amazing! I'd love to spend more time with him! When can I go?"

Carla: "Really? Well I'll speak to him and we'll get it arranged for a couple of weeks, cause he's still here for another 3 days anyway" she answered, relief flooding through her body.

Chelsea: "Awesome! Anyway, I'll leave you to relax, I'm going to go and do some school work before bed"

Carla: "School work? What did that counsellor say to you today?" she asked, pleasantly surprised by her daughters attitude.

Chelsea shrugged: "Just stuff, but it made me think, and I want to make more of an effort and help with my recovery. I know it's not going to be that simple but I'm willing to do whatever it takes"

Carla: "I'm so proud of you baby, you know that right?"

Chelsea smiled and leant down wrapping her arms around her mother.

Chelsea: "I love you" she said softly.

Carla: "I love you too, to the moon and back"

Chelsea: "I'll see you in the morning, night" she grinned and headed off to her bedroom, allowing herself to get stuck into her schoolwork and heading to bed, sleep coming easily and it felt like the longest time since she had actually done it, but she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

THE END. Joking, not the end of this fanfic yet :P Please review, I'm gonna try for one more chapter before the fire! I've still not decided on what I'm planning for the fire yet, and how strictly I'm going to have it running with the events on the show, so if anyone has any ideas they have then throw them at me :)

Thanks,

CharmedSuperGirl

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