Lying on her back her fingers linked with Peters as he slept she was able to understand things a bit more clearly without the effects of tiredness lingering over her. She thought about Ivy and the way her life had changed, both hers and Ivy's, her daughter was ill and it was something that she would never have imagined and it hurt her a lot and she couldnt even muster up the thoughts to think about how she felt specifically except the hurt which was the only identifiable feeling she could understand. Glancing to Peter she sighed slightly, what was she doing? Jumping into bed at every given opportunity to have sex to distract herself from her problems, the hurt, it felt ever so deceitful, so wrong.

"Peter wake up" Carla nudges him wrapping a piece of linen around her naked frame, Peter grumbles before pulling her into his body "Peter I mean it"

"Go to sleep baby" he whispers as she groans in annoyance giving him a shove

"No Peter wake up!" she states angrily as Peter sighs in response opening his eyes and sitting up "Sorry, I just"

"You need to rest" he murmurs cupping her cheek, she looks into his eyes she would never fail to admit having sex again was ever so tempting "Come on, I'll hold you"

"No!" she shrieks causing Peter to sigh "Why are we doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Having sex!" she exclaims causing Peter to frown "We shouldn't...it's wrong, we're not together we're just having comfort sex to distract ourselves when we should be focussing on Ivy"

"Excuse me...it takes two to tango!"

"I know that!" she cries rubbing her eyes "I just dont think we should anymore, Ivy needs us to be there for her not us darting off back home every two minutes to have sex"

"Its hardly every two minutes" he scoffs, she sighs in response "But fine, ok we'll do what you think is right"

"Thanks" she mumbles leaning back against the soft pillows before grabbing her iPad "I'm looking for flats to rent"

"Why?"

"Well I can't sponge off Maria forever can I?" she questions incredulously as Peter looks over her shoulder "It means going back to work though"

"I can help you out" he suggests as Carla sighs in response shaking her head "Come on let me help you out, think of it as me doing it for Ivy"

"I dont know Peter..." she trails off looking into his eyes "Maybe I dont know..."

"Come on" he whispers running his fingers through her hair "Just think about it"

"Ok, alright" she nods "I'll think about it"

"Good" he smiles as his phone goes off causing him to frown and pick it up, he answers the call "Oh it's the hospital"

"Ah" she hums letting him answer it, she tries to make out what was said before Peter ends the call "So?"

"They couldnt get through on your phone but Ivy's procedure went really well and they're going to teach us how to operate the feeding tube thing later on today then they reckon in a couple of days they'll discharge her"

"That soon?" her eyes widen as Peter nods slowly with a smile on his face "I dont think she's ready Peter, I really dont"

"Carla if there are any problems we'll just take her straight back, she's doing really well apparently and I think she wants some cuddles from her mummy"

"We're allowed to hold her?" Carla's eyes light up as Peter nods "I can't believe she's doing so well, it's crazy"

"They're going to give us some information packs as well about seizures and what to look out for in case she has another one, the same with the stroke just so we're prepared in case it happens again"

"Ok" she breathes out before letting out a stray tear "She's really going to coming home isn't she?"

"Yeah she is" he nods causing her to slide out of bed and wrap her dressing gown around her body "I guess we best get dressed and head to the hospital"

They went to the hospital and immediately found their way to Ivy who was sleeping peacefully under a heated lamp, Carla gasped when she saw her daughter and immediately used the anti-bacterial gel before placing her hand in Ivy's little hand which she immediately wrapped her fingers around causing more tears to fall from Carla's eyes. Ordering Peter to go and get the nurse so she could hold Ivy not wanting to hurt her daughter or take advantage of the situation in any way and it was soon brought to her attention that she would be able to hold her baby in her arms once more. Carla spent the morning cradling Ivy and holding her close whilst she revelled in her mother's touch, Peter also held her as he hadn't really had that much of an opportunity to get to know his daughter since he found out that she was his. Soon enough they were taught how to use the feeding tube and they were given instructions on how to do it which made Carla worried in case she failed but Peter was there to reassure her over her concerns and assured her that she would be the best mum and that she would understand eventually with his help which made her smile.

"Hey" he coos as Ivy opens her eyes to look at him, her face changing shape as she begins to cry "You're adorable, yes you are"

"Hmm she loves your cuddles" Carla smiles tickling Ivy's feet as she squirms before letting out a cry "Oh baby"

"Thats your fault for tickling her" Peter responds as Carla rolls her eyes kissing Ivy on the forehead as she smiles slightly "She's smiling"

"I think that's the first time" Carla smirks as Peter grins at her, the both of them looking into each other's eyes and then it happened, they brushed their lips together "Sorry"

"It's fine" he smiles slightly as Carla lets out a breath "I really want to look after her with you"

"I can tell" Carla hums glancing down to Ivy and then back at Peter "And I think I have the perfect solution..."

"And what's that then?" he grins cooing over Ivy who was looking up at him intently her beautiful grey eyes mesmerising him

"Well if you still want to offer to move in-"

"Yes!" he says as Carla chuckles slightly holding Ivy's hand "Sorry it's just I really want to be part of her life, I dont mean..."

"Peter it's fine" she assures him glancing down to Ivy "Now give me a cuddle"

Eventually, they headed home and Carla decided to go and see Johnny for a bit considering everything that happened she hadn't really felt the energy to do anything but now Ivy was on the mend and she was getting better she was able to move on and actually do things. Entering the pub felt oddly peculiar, she was without her baby and it felt as if a part of her was missing but Johnny soon brought her in for a hug and they went into the backroom for a talk. After she stepped out of the pub and took a deep breath before walking into the florist, of course, Tracy was there and that was something which grated on her but she picked up two bouquets; a bouquet of pink daisies and pink azalea flowers as well as a bouquet of bluebells and forget me nots mixed with blue delphiniums. Carla then took the short walk to the community gardens and bent down on the floor unwrapping the plastic from around the flowers and mixing the bouquets together before placing them up against the wall and sighing.

"Oh sorry" Leanne states as she enters the garden, Carla flashes her a sympathetic smile "Are you ok I heard about your baby through Simon..."

"Hanging on in there, she's on the mend now though but we dont know how long thats going to last for but we're hopeful"

"We're?"

"Me and Peter, we had a DNA test done"

"How are you and Peter?"

"These last few days have been difficult but we've agreed that we're just going to focus on Ivy instead of ourselves" Carla lets out a breath before catching Leanne's smirk "What's funny?"

"You and Peter being friends...I think you've lost the plot"

"Oi!" Carla states as Leanne sniggers "We're going to try, I just came here to lay some flowers"

"For who?" Leanne questions as Carla sighs rubbing her forehead as she sits down on the swinging chair in the gardens, Leanne sits next to her

"My daughter which I lost the first time I was pregnant and my son which I lost last year" she whispers glancing to the flowers, she didnt feel Leanne take her hand "Sorry you dont need to hear this"

"I never knew"

"Not many people did apart from Adam, Sarah, Michelle, Peter..." she shrugs glancing down to her hand which was situated in Leanne's "Its in the past now, I need to focus on Ivy"

"It's still a valid thing Carla" Leanne smiles slightly as Carla just shrugs "Have you and Peter spoken about it?"

"No, I know we should but things are so delicate with Ivy I dont think it's a good idea plus I wouldn't want to throw temptation in his way"

"You wouldn't, you'd be surprised Carla he's changed a lot since you've been away, he's so different you've probably seen glimpses of it but seriously he's turned his life around"

"Really?"

"Really"

"I dont know I wouldn't want to through temptation in his way"

"You wouldn't trust me" Leanne assures her as Carla sighs biting her lip glancing to the bouquet of flowers "You'll be surprised"

"I'll think about it" she muses as Leanne smiles watching Carla get up "I'm sorry about Oliver as well, I now know what it's like to be scared that your child might die but...yeah thank you"

"No problem" Leanne smiles as Carla flashes her one last smile before walking away...

She padded along the streets of the place she called home, confusion always hit her as to why she always ended back here she thought back to family and in a strange way Leanne's words resonated with her. The more she thought about things she realised how different they could have been; her babies which she lost. Maybe she would still have them, maybe she would be holding them and nurturing them and mothering them but it was so warped and held a lot of uncertainty about the way she was feeling. If she had her first daughter, her son then she wouldn't have Ivy and when she thought about that she realised that she was lucky, yes she lost two pieces of her and Peter but she had something worth living for instead of thinking about what she could have had and that person was Ivy; her world. Carla knew Leanne was right, she knew she had to speak to Peter about the past so she could move on and stop this confusion of her feelings, she knew that was the right thing to do so she built up enough courage to knock on the Barlow's door only to be greeted by Adam which made her roll her eyes.

"Hi" she responds kind of awkwardly shuffling her weight from one foot to another "Is Peter in?"

"Yeah he is" Adam smiles stepping aside so she could enter, she sees Peter setting up the table for dinner he offers her a smile

"Hi...um as you're busy I'll just go..." she trails off as Peter shakes his head "I'll text you or something it's fine"

"There's plenty to go around if you want to stay?" he offers to hold up the bag of Chinese "It's just me and Adam though so it might be a bit awkward"

"Um," she falters glancing to Peter before sighing "It's fine, um..."

"Look stay?" he says as Carla bites her lip "Is it Ivy?"

"No...well partly but its nothing serious it can wait, maybe tomorrow eh?"

"If you're sure?" he questions, she nods biting her lip before dropping her gaze "I'll ring you later if it isn't important"

"Yeah ok" she nods running her tongue along her lips "We'll speak later" she mutters before leaving the house

"Gosh, you're useless arent you?" Adam chuckles, Peter shoots him a look "Go after her!"

"What? Why?"

"She wants to speak to you ya idiot" he rolls his eyes as Peter sighs "I'll put this Chinese in the oven, go!"

"Alright!" he says grabbing his jacket and phone before leaving the house in the search for Carla...