A couple-of days later and Michelle & Carla were going dress-shopping together. Early that morning, Michelle had arrived over-at Carla & Peter's, except the blissfully and happily married-couple were having kid-problems this morning.

Peter let Michelle in and she giggled as she could hear Carla talking to Cassia next-door in her bedroom.

"Cassia! I'm giving-you 5 Minutes and if you're not out of bed then there is going-to be trouble young lady." Carla shouted before coming-out of the bedroom in a huff.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1." Peter counted-down and as if on que, Cassia started screaming the place-down.

"Oh Dear. Have I come-at a bad-time?!" Michelle asked with a little-chuckle and Carla just smiled-at her best-friend.

"Oh not at all 'Chelle. We're just having a couple-of problems with Cassia at the minute that's all." Carla explained. "She doesn't wanna go to Nursery, doesn't wanna play, doesn't wanna smile….." She sighed, worried about her daughter, she was usually such a jolly and happy little-girl…..

"Shall I go and see to her?!" Peter asked Carla.

"If you would Baby?!" Carla replied.

"Awww bless her she does not sound too happy in there….." Michelle trailed-off.

"Well, she'll soon calm down for Peter…..She always does…..Shall we get-off then Miss Bride-to-be?!" Carla questioned Michelle excitably.

"Yeah come-on then let's go! If we're lucky, Steve might still have a cab free!" Michelle replied and Carla shouted goodbye through-to Peter & Cassia before they left the Bookies-Flat…..


Over-at Leanne & Nick's, Leanne was just seeing Simon off to school, worried after Peter had informed-her about what Chesney had told-him yesterday evening.

"Are you gonna be alright-at school-today Si?!" Leanne asked-Simon, concerned for her son as she did-so.

"Yeah….." Simon trailed-off distantly.

"Okay. Well don't let them bullies pressure you into doing anything that ya don't want to okay?!" She advised Simon.

"I won't Mum." He replied with a roll-of the eyes.

"Alright. Off ya go then." She softly-instructed-him as she ruffled-his hair-up. "I Love You!" She finished-with.

"Bye Mum!" He said moodily as he walked-off, heading-over towards the bus-stop, where Jessica was waiting for him with a smiley-look-on her face. Things were going so well between the young but in-love couple recently...


Back-at the Bookies Flat, Peter was still having-trouble with Cassia, which was unusual, seeing-as Cassia was normally a proper-little Daddy's girl. She loved-her Father to pieces but today she was having none-of that.

"Cassia, come-on, we're already late for Nursery as it is!" Peter told her rather firmly.

"NO DADDY!" Cassia screamed-at him in floods of tears.

"What is up with you this-morning?!" He sighed in pure-frustration.

"Nothing!" She replied.

"Yes there is! Now tell-me!" Peter asked-her quite-angrily.

"I HATE Nursery!" Cassia finally revealed-to her Father.

"Right. Now we're getting-somewhere….." The frustrated-Father trailed-off as he sat-down on the sofa and then placed Cassia next-to him. "Now tell-me, why do ya hate Nursery?!"

"'Cos I do….." She sniffled.

"Well that's not an answer. Would you rather stay-at home with me today?!"

"I hate home too!"

"Well what do you wanna do then?! Wander the streets?!" Peter asked-Cassia.

"I Hate Everything!" The little-girl cried-to her Father.

"Cass, Mummy won't be very happy if ya don't go to Nursery will she?!" He asked, trying the softer approach.

Cassia just shook her head in response, her bottom-lip quivering from where she was still crying.

"Right. So come-on lets go then." Peter replied-to Cassia with a tired-sigh...

"NO DADDY!" Cassia practically-screamed.

"Cassia! You're going whether you like-it or not! Now come-on!" Peter finally shouted-at her, picking-her up and then carrying her to the car and taking-her to Nursery...


In town, Michelle & Carla had just arrived-at the dress-shop, and both-of them were getting overly-excited at the prospect of them buying Michelle's wedding-dress, and all of their bridesmaids' dresses-today.

"Awww Carla, look-at this one it's beautiful!" Michelle gasped-in awe at the amazing-looking-dress.

"Oooh Yeah that's really gorgeous Michelle. And it would really suit your figure-too!" Carla replied-to her rather excitably.

"That's It Car! This is the dress I want!" She jumped-in.

"Hang-On a second 'Chelle! We've only been here 5 Minutes! Let's have a look-at some-of the others first ey shall we?!" She suggested-to her with a quiet-chuckle.

"Oh Fine Then….." Michelle sighed as Carla received a text from Peter.

Peter: Finally got Cassia too Nursery. Have a feeling she'll just scream at them all day though. XXX

Carla: Awww Baby. Was she difficult for you this morning?! XXX

Peter: Stupidly difficult. I'm exhausted-now. Anyway, I'm gonna go for a lie-down. Cya later Baby. Have fun dress-shopping with Michelle. I love you. XXX

Carla: Awww okay then Baby. And I will. Cya soon. I love you too. XXX

Carla just sighed as she then put her phone back-into her handbag.

"What's Up Babe?!" Michelle asked Carla with pure-concern for her very-best-friend as she did-so.

"Oh It's Cassia…..She wouldn't even settle for Peter this-morning…..He has only just got-her to Nursery…..But she's always been so good with Peter…..Something's up with her 'Chelle I just know there is….." Carla trailed-off both worriedly and sadly.

"Awww Babe, I'm sure that it's just a phase that she is going-through. She'll be as smiley and as cheeky as ever again before you can even say Peter Barlow!" Michelle tried-to re-assure Carla with a cheeky-smile on her face as she did-so.

"Hmmm, well I certainly do hope-so 'Chelle…..'Cos the Barlow's can't take much more heartache…..And besides…..I've already got one temperamental and unpredictable kid…..His names' Peter Barlow…..And he just so happens to be my flamin' gorgeous Husband!" Carla giggled.

"That's more like-it!" Michelle told-Carla happily as she watched her very-best-friend ever break-into a sweet-smile...


Over-at the school, Simon was just chatting-to Jessica during their English class together, when Luke, one of the Gang, leaned-over the table to speak-to Simon.

"Thomas wants to speak-to ya after-school. I suggest-ya go Mate. Or there could be trouble….." Luke said before he then turned-back-into his seat as he sat-at his desk.

"What was that all about?!" Jessica asked-Simon with concern.

"Ah nothing…..Just some stuff…..Don't you go worrying about-it though Honest…..I'll be fine I promise….." Simon trailed-off uncertainly.

"Okay then whatever Si….." Jessica replied rather unconvincingly.


Later-on that day, it was time for Peter to go and collect Cassia from Nursery, Carla had gone with him today as they were worried-about their little-girl. When they arrived, she was in the safe-arms of one of the Nursery-Workers, and was sobbing-into her shoulder. "I'm afraid she hasn't been a very happy little-girly today. Have ya Cass?!….." The Nursery Worker informed-both Carla & Peter. "She's been complaining that her head hurts all day though…..We don't think she's bumped-it or anything, so we're guessing it's just a headache….." She trailed-off as she handed Cassia over-to Carla.

"Hey Baby Girl. Does your head-hurt?!" Carla asked-her worriedly.

Cassia just nodded-in response with a sad-frown.

"Oooh well maybe we should get you home and into bed then hey Princess?!" Peter suggested to their little-daughter with a smile, and Cassia just nodded-once again.

"Awww. Well I hope she feels better soon." The Nursery Worker said as Carla & Peter then made their way home with Cassia…..


Back-at the school, 3:15 had just arrived, and the bell had just that minute rung, so Simon was making his way around to the school-gates to meet Thomas, who wanted-to have 'a word with him' so to speak…..

"Alright Thomas?!" Simon greeted-the older-lad nervously with.

"Not Really Mate No! Because you haven't completed your dare yet!" Thomas told-him menacingly.

"I don't have to do anything that I don't want to Pal!" The nervous-kid defended-himself.

"Oh well in my books ya do Mate! Because ya know what's coming-in if ya don't!" Thomas then warned-him, clenching his fists to remind Simon of what could and would happen if he didn't go through with this dare.

Simon sighed-in pure-defeat. "What dya want me to do then?!" He asked the lad with a nervous and frightened-voice.

"Right, so I thought we'd go back-to basics…..Ya know your first dare was to snog Jessica?! Well let's go back to that dare shall we?! Except this-time, it has to be infront of us, for at-least 10 Seconds!" Thomas told-him cruelly.

"I've already told-ya this Thomas! Jessica ain't no dare!" Simon shouted-at him angrily.

"And your face ain't no punch-bag but I'm too afraid to use-it as one if I have too Mate!" Thomas shouted-back.

"Ugh. Fine! Tomorrow morning at the bus-stop okay?!" He asked.

"No. Now!" The older-kid replied as he saw Jessica approaching-them both.

"Hey Si!" She said happily.

"Hey You!" He replied as he leaned-in for a kiss, opening his mouth slightly as he prepared-himself to do this dare. The pair locked-lips, but Jessica pulled-away after just a couple-of seconds.

"Urm…..Si what are ya doing?!" Jessica asked-him calmly.

"Well, ya know what I'm doing….." Simon trailed-off a little-red-faced, but Thomas just glared-at him, making Simon lean-in, opening his mouth for yet another kiss.

This time, Jessica kissed-him for a little-longer. The 'snog' had lasted long-enough for Thomas' liking.

"Yes nice-one Mate!" Thomas suddenly congratulated-him, being nice now that Simon had earned his seal-of approval.

"I'm not your Mate!" Simon replied harshly.

"Ya what Mate?!" Thomas asked-him, his smile suddenly turning-into a look-of anger.

"I said I'm not your Mate and I only did that Dare to keep you happy!" Simon shouted-at him.

"Ya mean that was some kind-of dare?!" Jessica asked, a little-insulted my Simon's childish behaviour. Simon then made eye-contact with Jessica.

"Jessica…..I'm Sorry….." Simon trailed-off sadly.

"Whatever Simon…..I thought we had something but…..Obviously not ey?!" Jessica told-him rather firmly before walking-off in the opposite-direction to where Simon was looking-at her...


Back-over-at the Barlow's flat, Cassia was crying once-again as she lay-in her bed, making-both Carla & Peter even-more overly concerned about-her. "We should go in there….." Peter said, rather restlessly as they sat-on the sofa together.

"No Baby. Wait. The calpol might kick-in in a minute and then she'll fall asleep." Carla informed-Peter truthfully.

"I Know Baby…..But she sounds really upset….." Peter trailed-off sadly.

"I know she really does doesn't she?! What could be up with her Peter?!" Carla then asked-her Husband worriedly.

"I dunno, but I hope she's better for Lap-Land over Christmas….." He replied.

"Hmmm Me Too Baby….." She told-him as they faded-into silence once-again; with just the sound of Cassia's cries left-to hear.

After a couple-of seconds, Peter jumped-up to his feet. "Right, that's it. I can't cope with this." He said before going-into Cassia's bedroom, closely followed-by Carla, who wasn't quick enough to do anything to stop Peter…..

"Hey Princess. What's the matter with you ey?! Come-here Sweetheart." Peter asked Cassia softly as he climbed-into her bed with her and then held her closely against his chest as she cried.

"You're the perfect Father to her dya know that Peter Barlow?!" Carla smiled-at him sweetly.

"I just couldn't bare to hear her crying all by herself for any-longer….." Peter trailed-off a little-tearfully.

"Awww you're such a softie. I'll leave you two to it." Carla told-him softly, re-assuringly winking-at Peter once before she then went to cook-up some tea for their little-family for a little later-on than usual...


An hour or so later, the crying had eventually faded, so Carla popped-into Cassia's bedroom when tea was ready. "Baby, tea is re….." Carla paused and her face slowly grew-into a soft-smile as she witnessed the sight before-her.

Her Husband and their little-three-year-old-Daughter sleeping soundly together.

She walked-over to them both quietly as she softly began to play with Peter's short-brown hair as she slowly brought-him to awake. His eyes tiredly flickered-open and he smiled-softly as they focussed-on Carla. She smiled-back-at him. "Hey You. Tea Is Ready." She whispered-to him.

"Alright. I'll be through in a minute." He whispered-back as they then both looked-down at their finally peacefully sleeping-Daughter...


Please-Review!


Coming-Up…..

The Barlow's Christmas Break-in Lapland!

Simon takes his first relationship break-up badly…..

Carla & Peter are given even more-of a reason to worry about Cassia when things go from bad-to-worse…..

Michelle confides-in Carla about her kiss with Kieron…..Will she convince her to do the right-thing and admit this dark-secret to Steve?!

Steve & Michelle's Wedding-Day finally arrives!