6 months later...
"Oh, hey." Peter smiles, watching Carla walk through the door of their new flat in Victoria Court.
"Heya," she replies, taking her coat off and sinking into the sofa where Peter sit. "I'm knackered."
"Hard counselling session was it?"
Carla has been attending counselling sessions once a week since her ordeal, at first it was more just going there because she had to. But she soon realised the impact these sessions had on her, it made her see through the negatives; although she was not disregarding them and instead, looked head on at them and let herself get upset but then could move on. Now, she saw what she still had. What that man hadn't taken from her. The fact was, she was still alive and had another chance of making her life into something amazing. And she still had Peter, the man who'd got her through all of this. It was still so tough, but she was a fighter and she knew she'll get out the other side, if she hadn't already.
"Mm-Hmm." She groans, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.
"Come here," He says, wrapping an arm around her as they snuggle together on the sofa. "I'm so proud of you. Do you know that?"
"I know," she softly says. "I am too."
"Good. You've had one hell of a year, but you've still got through it and you're still here."
"Just about." She chuckles.
"You're the strongest person I know."
"Well I haven't got through everything by myself, have I? I've had you. And Scott." She smiles up at him.
"You'll always have me." He pecks her on the lips, but it soon gets more meaningful.
"I love you."
"And I love you," He smiles. "Why was your counselling session so tiring today then?"
"Well, Scott wanted me to open up about a lot of things. To do with the...rape and him having ownership over my body and my life." She explains, tensing up.
"Frank has taken my worth, my privacy, my safety, my intimacy, my confidence, my own voice...but I will not let him take me away. Not let him take you away either. No matter what that man has done to me, he will not destroy my happiness. You are the best thing in my life, Peter Barlow. And I appreciate every moment we have together, so I shouldn't let Frank get in the way of that. He is dead, and so should the memories be."
"You're amazing, love. I have no words for how proud I am."
"Onwards and upwards now, Barlow." She kisses him. "Obviously I'm not healed yet and I don't think I ever will be, but I'm in such a better headspace now. I'm ready to move on and concentrate on us."
"Well how's this for moving on," he smirks. "I have gone out and brought us tickets to fly to LA."
"LA? Really?" Her eyes widen with excitement.
"For one month."
"Oh I love you, baby." She smiles.
