Here's the next update. I may even be able to get two out tonight as I am currently working on this one as we speak (and also I'm excited for you to read the next chapter because things start unravelling quite a bit) I also wanted to thank you all for the reviews I have received, I love reading every single one of them so thank you all! Hope you enjoy this one!
Peter woke to Evie's cries the next day, he sighed again when she was obviously crying for a bottle. He was staring up at the ceiling wondering how it would be when he met up with Kate today but he knew that they would probably build bridges but he kept doubting himself wondering if this was what Carla would want when they did find her or if they would find her.
"Alright poppet, I'll get you your bottle" Peter grins scooping Evie out of her Moses basket and holding her close to give her some comfort as they both trudge up to the kitchen to get Evie's bottle for her
"Shh it's ok sweetheart" Peter coos placing the bottle in some cool water as he bounces Evie gently to distract her from her feelings of hunger
"Hey mate," John enters as Peter smiles "How are you then little Miss Evie?"
"She's hungry, aren't ya?" Peter informs him as John takes Evie off Peter so he could test her bottle a bit easier
"I can feed her if you want so you can get a bit more sleep?" John offers as Peter nods handing the bottle to John to feed Evie
"I'm alright you can feed her though if you want" Peter smiles as John grins rubbing the teat of the bottle against Evie's lips as she accepts gripping onto the bottle but unable to hold it herself
"You're really good with her" Peter laughs as John chuckles taking a seat in the armchair, Peter sitting on the sofa adjacent to it
"She's just happy because she's being fed, hardly me is it?"
"I guess you have a point, I cant wait to get her home thinking about it now"
"We're always here if you need us, you know that but I think you need to go back mate, it's only fair on Evie to have her family around"
"I know. To be honest with you she hasn't met the most of her family because when we went back we were so busy with the police and allowing Carla time to recover from the birth no one really got a look in"
"Well here's your chance to introduce your daughter to her family" John beams as Peter laughs tickling Evie's tummy gently as she squirms
"Yeah I guess"
"What time's Carla's sister coming?" John questions as Peter takes Evie off him to wind her
"She left yesterday so in a couple of hours probably as she stopped off in a hotel overnight" Peter smiles rubbing Evie's back and patting it gently after John handed her back to him
"Oh dear" Peter smiles as Evie starts to whimper before letting out a cry "I'm sorry sweetheart but it needs to be done"
"Right let's get a changing bag ready for you" Peter kisses Evie's forehead as they both head downstairs to get a changing bag ready for the car trip
A couple of hours later and Peter was sat on the sofa waiting for Kate to arrive, Evie placed contently on his chest as she sleeps peacefully enjoying the grip on dreamland she had. The sound of Peter's phone woke Evie and notified him that Kate had arrived so he would need to collect her and bring her here causing Evie to whimper in the process.
"Is that Kate?" Cath questions as Peter nods "I'll take her, she'll settle down straight after hopefully"
"Thanks, Cath" Peter smiles allowing her to take a slumbering Evie and place her on her chest "I'll be back soon"
"Kate" Peter nods bringing her in for a hug as she returns it albeit feeling a little guilty
"I'm so sorry Peter if I had known…" Kate trails off as Peter nods slowly
"That doesn't matter now, all that matters is that we head home and find Carla. My cars packed with all our stuff so we're ready to go when you are"
"I'm dying for a brew" Kate grins as Peter laughs slightly helping her onto the boat "Woah this is amazing"
"It is isn't it? Three levels of pleasure" Peter grins as Kate chuckles at the cringey comment
"No wonder you went to Spain on this thing, it must've been amazing with the weather" Kate beams as Peter nods in agreement, all the memories surrounding the boat and Carla's pregnancy with Evie were a welcome thing in his mind right now and it diverted him from feeling lonely without Carla there
"Hi Cath, this is Kate" Peter smiles as Cath nods shifting slightly as Evie begins to whimper again
"Nice to meet you Kate" Cath smiles adjusting Evie to pick her up and take her to Peter knowing she would probably settle more if she with her dad "I'll leave you to it, you have a lot of things to catch up on"
"Ta" Peter replies with a smile "Right take your brew and we'll take a seat"
"Oh Peter, look at her" Kate gushes looking at Evie as her face breaks into a smile
"Evie? Yeah, she's her Mum's double aren't you?" Peter questions as Evie breaks into a little laugh "Do you want to hold her?"
"A-Are you sure?" Kate questions "I don't want to if Carla didn't want me to"
"She did, she said she didn't want to deny you of a relationship with your niece," Peter says gesturing for Kate to hold Evie which she accepts Evie smiling widely at the attention
"Oh wow" Kate whispers having taken Evie from Peter and holding her in the crook of her arm "She's beautiful"
"Hmm she's growing so much" Peter taps her head gently causing a cry to emit from Evie's lips "Also a drama queen like her mother"
"I can see that!" Kate exclaims "So what's the plan then? Are we heading back today?"
"Yeah if you don't mind? I just want to get her settled back home" Peter says as Kate nods "As well as being close to Carla if they manage to find her"
"That's understandable, why don't I finish this off then we can take Evie for a walk so she sleeps for the journey?"
"Seems like a good idea to me, I guess I better get her changed into some warmer clothes" Peter smiles as Kate nods following Peter downstairs to where his room was
"Let's have a look at her clothes then" Kate grins as Peter rolls his eyes grabbing one of her outfits and placing it on the bed
"I don't know if I'll dress her in clothes, to be honest with you, I might just put her in a sleepsuit if she's going to be in the car seat" Peter smiles lopsidedly as Kate nods tickling Evie's tummy as she lies on the bed causing a laugh from her
"Ok let me change her then we can go for this walk" Peter smiles as they all get ready to go for their walk
A few hours later, Peter, Evie and Kate were on the road back to Manchester after saying their goodbyes to Cath and John. Peter was sad to leave them in a way but he knew he had to do what was right for his daughter and introduce her to the family she didn't know she had as well as being nearer to where Carla was being held hostage. They arrived late evening, both Cars pulling up in front of the Rover's.
"Right I'll get the cases whilst you get her settled" Kate smiles pulling the handle of the cases up and walking towards the front door of the Rover's with Peter
"Peter! Thank god you're here" Steve cries as Peter raises an eyebrow glancing down to Evie who was sleeping in her car seat
"Um? Ok?"
"There's come officers in the back who want to speak to you, something about Carla" Steve nods, gesturing towards the backroom as Peter sighs heading through with Evie's car seat
"Mr Barlow" The officers greet him offering a hand out for him to shake, Peter accepting gratefully
"I don't suppose you have any new information?"
"We do actually, we've located your wife, we currently have officers at the scene right now and are currently trying to talk Rob, as well as his accomplices, into giving her and Michelle Connor up"
"What?!" Peter questions "Where?"
"Mr Donovan's old childhood home" the officer informs Peter
"Right, she will be ok? Won't she?" Peter questions taking Evie out of the car seat and handing her to Kate
"I'm sorry Mr Barlow, we really don't know any more than what we were given, we will keep you informed with what happens" the officer smiles "It's also highly possible that Mrs Barlow and Miss Connor will be highly distressed when released from being with Rob Donovan"
"Just what she needs" Peter mutters as the officer smiles slightly
"I'm sorry I couldn't give you more positive news, we'll see ourselves out"
"I just hope she manages to get through this, Kate" Peter sighs as Evie stretches in Kate's arms, her eyes heavy with sleep
"I guess I should put her down for bed, thank you for today, I really appreciate"
"Let me know if you need me to look after Evie at all or just need some help" Kate smiles patting him sympathetically on the shoulder as Ken, Tracy, Daniel and Adam knock on the door, Kate seeing this as an opportunity to excuse herself from the situation not wanting to be involved in what seemed to be a family moment
"We heard you were back" Tracy rolls her eyes
"I don't want to hear the third degree from you all, thank you" Peter mutters heading into the kitchen to make a bottle for Evie
"So were Tracy and I ever going to meet our niece? Dad, his granddaughter?" Daniel questions as Peter groans in response placing the bottle in cold water for a bit
"You were but things were difficult, you need to understand that"
"I bet this was all down to that Carla" Tracy mutters as Peter glares at her
"As a matter of fact it was, she was in pain from giving birth and she had the police on her back due to the stuff which happened at Underworld, then this stuff with Rob" Peter rambles on stopping abruptly after realising his error
"What stuff with Rob?" Tracy presses "Don't you dare backtrack now"
"Ok fine" Peter laments "Rob is out of prison and is holding both Michelle and Carla hostage in their old council estate home"
"And no one thought to tell me?" Tracy questions incredulously
"This isn't about you Tracy! Carla's in there without her kidney meds, as well as Michelle, probably gagged up to a post or something and all you care about is people wanting to inform you about Rob"
"Alright, that's enough" Ken concludes as Peter rolls his eyes grabbing Evie's bottle to feed her before he puts her to bed "Have you heard anything from the police?"
"I can't believe I'm hearing this" Tracy mutters storming out of the room causing Evie to cry as the door slams
"Shh it's alright" Peter hushes her "Yeah, they've found her and are currently trying to reason with Rob to let them both free"
"I'm sure she'll be fine-"
"I wouldn't bet on it, they said that both of them might be distressed from being locked up for a long period of time, they probably won't be able to tell until they interview her" Peter sighs as Evie finishes her bottle allowing him to grab one of the burping cloths to wind her
"Daniel, Adam do you mind if you just leave me to speak to Peter alone?"
"Of course not" Adam starts "Take care yeah?"
"Yeah, thanks for popping by"
"Take care mate" Daniel nods as both he and Adam leave the room
"Do you want a brew dad?" Peter offers as Ken shakes his head taking a seat on the sofa, Peter doing the same as he holds Evie to his chest
"So how are you?" Ken questions as Peter sighs
"I miss Carla so much and before you start I haven't been drinking-"
"I wasn't suggesting you were especially when you have this little one to look after" Ken smiles as Peter glances down to Evie who was rested on his chest
"Do you want to hold her?" Peter offers as Ken smiles nodding eagerly, Peter passing Evie to him making sure her head was supported
"She looks like Carla doesn't she?"
"She does" Peter muses "I just hope she'll be ok when they get her and Michelle out of wherever Rob has done to them whilst holding them hostage"
"I'm sure Carla will be fine Peter"
"I hope so, not for me but for Evie"
