Part 3: The Happy Ending

Their names don't matter to them and the only thing that really did matter was the love they had for each other. Carla was fed up with her life being dictated by her family's name, the neglect they had for her and the blame they would have for her crimes and enough was enough. It was time to get married and live her life in the way she wanted, with Peter.

Her skin was tanned from the numerous days lying in the sun as she allowed her body to be warmed by their surroundings. She stood in front of the mirror and let out a sigh, she shook her head and imagined the future. The future could be cut short at any moment. Obviously, she didn't want that. She wanted to live with Peter forever and ever-loving with him and just being them. In a weird way, she knew it was something she would always crave whether they were together or apart and this was where the regrets started to sink in. This is when she realised her crimes and the implications they would have on both of them.

Peter sensed this, however much he tried to support her. He just wished she could realise she wasn't a bad person and that she was perfect through and through. He was sitting on the edge of the bed watching her dress in her white bikini paired well with the tanned skin she was sporting. She smirked at him through the mirror and he grinned as she put on this white flowing dress, he helped her out by doing it up at the back, kissing her on the back of her neck as she allowed her hair to tumble down her left shoulder, it falls past her chest as it was much longer now.

Even though this ceremony wouldnt be legit, Peter really didn't want to risk it with everything that they ran away from back in Manchester. She knew the risks but she also knew that they didn't need a piece of paper to show that they were as solid as they were right there and then. In turn, she watched Peter get ready for the day and she let out an emotional sigh at how far they came and then she realised the hurt which would follow if they were found.

Essentially they were on the run, they both understood this. They were on the run from the wolves back home if they were to put it in some sort of fairytale sadistic manner but that was ok because they had each other. Somehow the power of two was more powerful than the need of family on top of them, sharing their opinions when opinions didn't need to be shared.

Luckily for them Peter knew people out here, she chuckled at the thought and how Peter always seemed to know people all over the place. They were both ready to take this step though, this step into marriage, this step into a fake marriage which was so real to them both. So they did it, they got married.

"I'd have never been able to do this without you. You do realise that right?" she questions cupping his cheek and looking into his eyes "And that's what makes you perfect"

"You need to realise that you're pretty damn perfect as well" he murmurs, she looks up at him as the tears prick her eyes "Don't cry"

"Sorry" she whimpers "I just don't know what to do to make myself feel better knowing what could happen"

"We spoke about this" he reminds her gently, she nodded sadly "You know that whatever happens, I'll have your back those vows we said, I meant every word. I will love you until the day I die until we have to part ways even"

"And I love you. It doesn't stop me from feeling guilty though"

"And that's ok" he reassures her lifting her into his arms, she rolls her eyes playfully before letting out a laugh as he takes them into the sea "Everything will be ok, I know it will"

"What if it isn't?" she questions, her heart racing ever so slightly at the thought of things not being ok "What if we get found?"

"Then we get found, it's not the end of the world. Not if we love each other"

"Thank you" she whispers wrapping her arms around his neck and massaging his scalp with her fingers "For everything, for being perfect and for understanding"

"Carla, I love you ok?"

"I know you do. I love you too"

The truth in her words startled her to the core. She didn't realise exactly when she fell in love with Peter, whether she had lost feelings for him when she was away and then they grew once more when she returned. That didn't matter though, did it? She wanted it to matter though and it was strange. Surely his love was enough to satisfy her without her needing to worry about the future, without her needing to understand why she was being like this and why she was having doubts when their love was so strong.

Strength was something which has slowly seeped out of her since they had left England. She craved for it to return but in a way she was scared of her strength as that would mean that she would possibly find the strength once more to push Peter away which was something she really didn't want because she loved him. Carla knew she had a right to show her love to the man who was her rock, who had been there with her on the bad days and the good. All she had to realise was that this love she had for Peter was enough.

She always said that Peter was her world. Her world right now didn't seem clear, right there and then in the moments she's experiencing at the given moment made perfect sense but the future was ultimately cloudy and scary for her to even think about. She just hoped that she would be able to find solace in her feelings and eventually understand them to the extent that she could feel free and calm within her body.

"Are you ok?" he questions, there was something about making sure she was ok with everything as he didn't want to cause her any more mental pain due to what she had suffered

"Me?" she smirks pulling the piece of linen over her body as there was a slight breeze in the air "As good as I can be"

"What were you thinking about? You seemed rather deep in thought just then"

"About us" she admits "Whether we're continuing to kid ourselves"

"Even if we are, aren't you happy?" he questions gently, she looks up at him and nods "Surely that happiness would fulfil the chances we get to assume we kid ourselves"

"You sound like Roy" she comments with a smirk "Sometimes I just question whether we're doing the right thing. Maybe I should have just owned up to it, that I knew it was faulty-"

"You would've gone down for it" he reminds her "Then we wouldn't have had this opportunity to get married, to love each other, to just be us without anyone interfering or questioning or sharing their opinion"

"Except it's not just that is it?" she questions with a sad smile "You're going to go down with me Peter and there's nothing we can do about that"

"It's worth it though, for me" he confirms, she nods slowly still unsure if he meant it "It's worth me being here with you because I love you and I wouldn't have been able to see you for years maybe and I couldn't have dealt with that. I know what I was getting into Carla, I know what will happen if we are found. I have thought about this and it's worth it"

"And everyone will totally see it like that" she breathes out, her whisper laced with sarcasm causing Peter to roll his eyes in annoyance at her

"It doesn't matter what they see it as. All that matters is me loving you, that's what matters"

"I know it does. I'm sorry"

"What have I said about apologising" he pokes her on the nose, she grins up at him "This isn't your fault, all of this is just our love for each other. You should look at it as a happy ending"

"Not a happy ending," she says "It's the happy ending because of the finality of the situation"

"Whichever way you put it, it's worth it for both of us"

"Yeah, I guess you're right in your own Peter Barlow like way"