He didn't come home and she was worried, she just wasn't ready to take the next step in their relationship, she wanted to put her baby first. She had called Michelle wondering if she had heard anything as she was genuinely exhausted but she said that she hadn't which left Carla to wonder where on earth Peter was. She stayed up, she knew she shouldn't have and she ended up falling asleep on the sofa in a rather uncomfortable position for a pregnant woman to be in. She woke the next morning to the sound of the kitchen tap dripping, she winced slightly at the aches she felt all over her body, another regret of her life. She got up to make some food as she was starving, she was soon interrupted by the sound of the buzzer, she answered it and it was Michelle.

"Do you want a coffee?" Carla yawns, Michelle shakes her head

"Can you sit down a minute?" Michelle asks, Carla frowns stopping what she was doing, she sits down on the sofa, Michelle takes her hand

"What's happened? You're acting weird" she states, Michelle sighs slightly biting her lip "'Chelle?"

"It's Peter" she sighs, Carla frowns again, Michelle holds her friend's hand "He's in hospital, I only just heard"

"W-What?" Carla stammers, Michelle bites her lip feeling immensely guilty for dropping this on her now "How? What happened? I need to know..."

"There was an accident" Michelle whispers, Carla shakes her head in disbelief over the whole thing "I'm so sorry babe"

"We argued, he proposed to me and I said no and then he went off I dont know" she stutters, Michelle smiles slightly "I need to see him"

"Why dont I make you something to eat first?"

"No"

"Carla you need to eat for the baby so please just let me make you something" Michelle smiles, Carla sighs before agreeing, Michelle watches her friend walk into the bedroom to get changed, she just wished Carla could have an easy life for once...

Michelle drove Carla to the hospital and they went up to the intensive care unit. Carla was holding onto Michelle's hand for dear life as they entered the room. It was horrible and she felt physically sick at the sight of Peter, his face was covered in cuts and bruises, he looked so different especially with the tubes from the ventilator which were keeping him alive, she just wanted to take his pain away and she wished that she accepted his proposal as she felt inwardly guilty for him going off on one just because she was too petty to accept but she had to put her baby first, that was the priority.

"Hey, baby" Carla sniffles taking his hand into hers delicately, she was afraid that she would hurt him but she knew deep down that he was completely sedated "It's me, Carla, I just wanted to apologise eh? What a mess...You should've just stayed baby, you should have because then you wouldn't be in here would you? We would be together and we could be spending time with our little girl who loves you more than the world, so does Simon and so do I, you have to fight this baby, please I cant bring this baby up without you, you need to do this baby, please"

"It's ok" Michelle brings her in for a hug, Carla sobs into her shoulder "Everythings going to be ok, I'll look after you both dont worry"

"I can't do this alone 'Chelle" she whimpers, Michelle kisses her on the forehead before letting her sob into her shoulder

"You're not alone, babe, you're not you have me and you have loads of people who will want to support you"

"I want him back" she states glancing towards Peter's lifeless body "You stupid fool! Why did you have to propose you idiot!" she shouts, Michelle holds her back, she crumples into a fit of tears

"Ok, you're ok, I'm here, I'm not going anywhere" Michelle hums to her, Carla just cries more, the doctor enters the room and fiddles with the ventilator

"Will he be ok?" Carla perks up, the doctor smiles at her "Please I need him to be ok"

"It's too early to say. I'm sorry"

"I hate this" Carla says "Why do you never tell anyone anything? You're doctors and nurses you're meant to help people and let them know things and all you're doing is standing there telling me essentially nothing, I'm fed up with this" she shouts tearfully, she storms out of the room, Michelle sighs and apologises to the doctor on behalf of Carla and she rushes out to find her friend...

Carla was determined to get away, she called a cab and told them to take her to Underworld where she would reside for as long as she could. She didn't really think it through knowing Michelle would no doubt find her there but immersing herself in work seemed to be the right distraction. She entered the factory to a series of judgy stares, she walked into the office and sat down at the desk and she just stared at her computer screen trying to comprehend everything which had happened, she was kept company by the gentle tumbles of her daughter inside of her, she loved her baby so much but right now she felt like she was doing her injustice by being here when she was meant to be resting. She was soon joined by a curious Frank who sat down opposite her, he didn't know whether to say anything so he just decided to continue with his work knowing Carla didn't need an argument now.

"So is this how it's going to be?" she presses, Frank looks up from his computer and sighs "Everyone walking on eggshells around me for the foreseeable, you can speak to me you know?"

"Ok then, well how are you?" Frank smiles, Carla shakes her head "And that's why I didn't speak you'll just be defensive so..."

"It's not that" she states, Frank raises an eyebrow "I just dont understand why I can't have a break, the number of scares with this baby and now Peter being in hospital I feel like I'm cursed"

"I guess that's understandable, you have been through a lot" Frank smiles "Is there anything I can do?"

"Get me a nice mug of tea, that would be great" she smiles slightly, Frank nods getting up to exit the office "And bring the biscuits in"

"Your wish is my command" he chuckles leaving the office and walking over to the kettle he makes her the tea she requested and shoved some biscuits on the plate, he returns placing it down in front of her "Is that alright?"

"Perfect, thank you" she states picking up one of the biscuits and licking the chocolate coating off them, she picks her phone up and sighs at the time "I can't believe I was so stupid"

"Huh?" Frank frowns wondering what on earth she was on about

"Peter proposed to me" she states, Frank raises his eyebrows "Before you get excited at the thought of the wedding marquee I said no"

"Oh?" he was surprised, he was convinced Carla was smitten with Peter "I'm surprised"

"How? We were only together for like a month or two" she chuckles, Frank shrugs "Maybe I should've accepted it then none of this would have happened"

"Come on, you can't think like that" Frank sighs, Carla just shrugs "You have so much to look forward to Carla, Peter would want you to look after yourself and your daughter so why dont you go home and grab a couple of hours sleep or have a nice relaxing bath?"

"No thanks" she pulls a face "Even if the bath does sound tempting"

"So you're here just for means of distraction then?" Frank narrows his eyes, she nods "Carla I hate to break this to you but you need to go home"

"Why?" she scoffs, Frank sighs

"Just go home and relax, I'll give you a lift how about that?" he suggests, she sighs and nods knowing he was right, she was thinking about Peter and she knew that he would want her to look after herself and the baby "Good now let's drop you back off at home"

Frank dropped her back home and Carla sulkily stormed up to the flat and had a bath as he suggested, she was lounging out, submerged in the warmth of the water, the only company was the slight movements of her daughter inside of her. She gave this opportunity a chance to think about what she wanted for the future, she wanted her baby healthy and content in her arms, she wanted to hold her and protect her from the world around them. She also wanted Peter, she hated herself for saying no to his proposal and like before she couldn't help but feel guilty to think that if she accepted it he would be here showering her in hugs and kisses giving her the attention she craved but instead he was lying on a hospital bed attached to a ventilator and she couldn't help think it was her fault for putting him there. She was whispering comforting words to her baby, telling her to stay safe in there, telling her that she would protect her over everything and that she would be the best mother she could possibly be, she just hoped that at the end of this her baby would have a father alive and healthy in this world.

After her bath, she got up and made herself some food, a concoction of all her cravings to satisfy her daughter who was obviously enhancing her need for these foods which Carla personally didn't like anyway. She was curled up under a blanket on the sofa and she was staring forlornly at the TV trying to make sense of what was playing out on the screen in front of her but she couldn't she just had too much on her mind. The thing with work was that she could immerse herself in it and forget all of the things going on outside of the office, but with Peter clouding her mind she knew it was impossible to even work anyway, she even proved that to herself today when she was in the office. Her mind would just not let her focus on anything other than Peter. She glanced to the flowers which were sitting in the vase on the kitchen counter, she got up and peered into the bouquet, she pulled out the square box and flipped the lid open, the ring, she kissed it then slid it onto her finger and with that she broke down and then she realised no matter how much she cried she would always have the love of Peter even if after all of this he didn't love her anymore, she would have this one symbol of commitment to him, from him to her, on her finger and she would forever have a connection to him via her daughter and that was something which made her smile again...