Postponing treatment wouldn't exactly go to plan though, things had been very different these past few months. There were arguments deceit and more importantly some friendships were ruined. Peter had his liver, Carla was so thankful that he was on the mend and to this day she would never forgive herself for putting him through what she put him through. She had made a promise to herself and Peter as well as her unborn child and that was she was never going to get back with Peter again, it was just too toxic for her own wellbeing and Peter had accepted this even if they did have feelings for each other still.

Toyah and Imran had found out about Michelle and Lucas as well as Sammy. There was a promise that was made between Lucas, Carla, Michelle and Peter that there was no way people could know about Sammy's parentage but for Carla that didn't matter as she was hell-bent on going to LA and that was that there was no stopping her. She was still in hospital and had been for ages because as the baby got bigger there were even more complications that arose but today she was convinced she was going out today, she needed to go out even if it was the death of her.

"Look I don't think this is a good idea"

"Michelle" Carla glares "I'm being there"

"Carla you're in no fit state!"

"So?" she questions "I need to be there"

"This is a recipe for disaster you should be taking it easy"

"And you should accept this whole thing" she points at her friend before picking up her eyeliner pencil and highlighting her eyes "Peter needs me there"

"What are you wearing then?"

"Those black leggings and that skater dress to go over them, something comfortable"

"How many weeks are you today?"

"Thirty-seven" she shrugs before stretching her back

"And you don't need any pain killers? Not to mention you're full-term, she could come any day now!"

"Nope learnt to cope I have, she won't come today Michelle, she would have showed her face by now if she wanted to be premature" she flashes Michelle a smile as Lucas comes in "Oh great look who it is"

"Oi leave off" Michelle points, Carla just shakes her head and returns to rummaging through her makeup bag

"Thank you though...for picking up that dress for me"

"I still don't think you should be going-"

"I think you should shut up" Carla points, Lucas just laughs slightly at the atmosphere between the two women "Peter needs me there, he needs someone who understands him, someone who gets it and I do…"

"I still think-"

"Button it" Carla points before letting out a tired sigh, Peter enters the room "Soon the nurses will kick you all out I'm only meant to have two visitors at a time"

"We'll go" Lucas confirms looking at Michelle "Take care Peter"

"Thanks," Peter says quietly, Carla looks up at him with a sympathetic smile "You look well"

"Yeah I'm dosed up on painkillers for the day so I should be raring to go, a nurse is coming with me as well so I won't be alone. Sorry here's me rambling on, how are you?"

"Confused"

"I know" she softens slightly taking his hand "This is your time Peter, this is your chance"

"I know I just can't believe none of us saw-"

"Don't think about that just focus on saying goodbye" Carla whispers as the tears smart her eyes "It's waterproof"

"Oh" he chuckles slightly as Carla swings her legs over the side, Peter stands up and looks down at her placing two hands on her still very small bump and breathing out "She wants to say hi"

"Well she's welcome to give me as much comfort as she wants today" Peter responds, Carla smiles slightly "We all just need to pull together now, no more animosity and what's done is done"

"I agree, I will forever be sorry"

"I know that" he brushes the back of his fingers over her cheek "I know…"

"Either way we need to pull together, agreed," she says quietly before jumping, both of them laugh slightly "She's always active when you touch her"

"Yeah must mean I'm her daddy" he smirks, she laughs slightly and grins up at him "It'll be ok"

"Yeah, I hope"

Soon the nurses came in and helped Carla get ready, Peter was so happy they allowed her out for this. Peter went to be with his family and then Carla was left alone with her dedicated nurse for the day who would help her with anything if she needed it. They made their way to their destination and she met up with Peter, Michelle and Lucas as they were coming, surprisingly Lucas had become a really good friend to Peter which was very odd considering it was just another one of Carla's plans to weasel information out of her ex but either way she was happy that Peter had someone else who was there for him. Everyone knew today would be hard but the support was there.

"I can't do this" Peter shakes his head feeling utterly repulsed by the idea, Carla sighs in response using the wheelchair and following him as he walks off

"Peter" she sighs dramatically, Peter stops knowing it wasn't fair on her "Look at me ok?"

"No"

"Peter Barlow" she states glaring at him, he sinks down against the wall "Whatever is going through your head snap out of it ok? Simon needs you-"

"It's a little late for that isnt it?" Peter snaps back, Carla just sighs and closes her eyes

"What did I say about this self-pity?"

"That it wouldnt get me anywhere"

"Simon needs you darling and I really think you need to do this, be there for Leanne because she's lost so much, be there for her and be there to say goodbye"

"I'm still in denial"

"I know," she says softly "Sometimes I think that I am too"

"He's gone Carla, how could he do that? End his life like that"

"I don't know" Carla's lip trembles "But he gave you something so very important for you to look after didn't he?"

"Yeah he did" he responds showing Carla his scar from where he had his transplant, Carla gingerly runs her fingers over the mark "I just feel lost"

"And thats ok because you will find yourself once more" she responds "I know I have since my accident. All it will take is time, dedication and healing and you will get there"

"You're amazing"

"I have my uses" she smirks slightly as Peter pushes her back to the entrance of the crematorium, Leanne flashes her a smile and she smiles back knowing that Carla being there would automatically help Peter get through this…

Tears were shed and that was that, it was emotional, everyone was crying. It was full of poignance and softness as well as it being emotional. All Peter wanted to do was cry but somehow he found the strength to be strong for Leanne and Carla could tell that all he wanted to do was break down. Carla and Peter were by the grave where Simon's coffin had been lowered into the ground moments prior, just her being there was helping Peter and she knew that so she stayed and waited for him to break down which he eventually did.

"It's ok" she assures him, he shakes his head rapidly as his knees sink into the damp muddy floor "Peter you need to be strong, Simon would want you to be strong"

"How can I be strong knowing that he's never coming back" he cries, Carla holds his hand feeling pretty useless as she couldn't just get up and comfort him "How can I do it, Carla?"

"You will find a way Peter," she says quietly before closing her eyes "You will find a way"

"What if I don't?"

"You will...oh no" she shakes her head, Peter frowns in response "No, no, no…"

"What?" he questions bending down in front of her "What Carla?"

"My waters" she whispers pressing a hand to her bump, he sighs in response and goes to find the nurse who returns "Please"

"Ok Carla I'm going to ring for an ambulance as we don't know how your body is going to react to labour"

"Please" she begs as Peter hushes her gently, Carla breathes in and out "This can't be happening on today of all days"

"No wonder she was active this morning" Peter chuckles slightly enjoying having this to focus on as it was a distraction, he places a hand on her bump "Keep breathing it through"

"Ow!" she cries at the pain in her back, "My back!"

"Alright," he says standing behind the wheelchair and rubbing her back for her as she cries "Is that helping"

"Pain killers, please" she begs hoarsely as an ambulance speeds into the crematorium car park, the paramedics immediately move Carla onto the ambulance "Come?"

"I should…" he trails off, Carla pleads with him using her eyes "Ok"

"Thank you," she says quietly, Peter gets in and holds her hand allowing the ambulance to speed off to the hospital…

As soon as the ambulance got to the hospital Carla was wheeled into theatre and Peter came with her as she begged for him to be there and in a way, he felt as if he owed it to her as she had been supporting him well ever since everything that happened to Simon had come to light. Whilst she was on the operating table, Peter was holding her hand and giving her the comfort she needed whilst she was being cut open to retrieve her baby. Peter was whispering reassuring words to her and she was accepting them, thankful for the distraction until they heard a hoarse cry echo around the operating theatre.

"Oh my god" she gasps as the tears trail down her face, Peter sniffles and cries as well "Is she ok?"

"Here," the midwife says adjusting Carla's hospital gown so she could place the baby on Carla's bare chest "Skin to skin"

"Hey baby" she chuckles tearfully kissing her daughter on the head as she cries "You don't need to cry baby, no"

"Hey" Peter whispers holding the baby's hand, the tiny fingers grasping around his finger "Oh you look so much like your mummy don't you?"

"You had to come out of the womb today didnt ya? All dramatic just like me" Carla tuts, Peter laughs slightly and tilts his head to the side, the midwife takes the baby "No!"

"It's ok she'll bring her back" Peter assures her as the midwife goes to weigh the baby "She's just being weighed and measured"

"There we go" the midwife smiles placing the baby down on Carla's chest again "Five pounds seven ounces"

"We knew she would be small" Carla whispers kissing her daughter on the forehead as she takes in her appearance "This is crazy, I'm a mum"

"And you will be the best mum out there" he responds softly, Carla smiles at him and looks down at her baby, Peter smiles at the union between mother and child…

Carla was taken back up to the maternity unit and the nurses were bringing some of her things up from the rehabilitation unit for her so she had something to get changed in. She had ordered Michelle a while back to go out and buy some stuff for the baby as she couldn't do it herself, Michelle agreed and did that for her so she had some outfits to choose from so that the baby was warm and comfortable and not reliant on blankets. Peter was still there admiring the little baby swaddled up in a blush pink blanket in the plastic crib that was beside Carla as she rested. Soon enough the baby started to cry and he immediately picked her up trying to silence the cries of the small child.

"Hey," Carla says quietly opening her eyes, Peter smiles and turns to face her before passing the baby to her "No"

"No?" he questions with a frown kind of confused as to why Carla was denying the child he was holding

"No" she shakes her head with defiance "I can't"

"What? Why?"

"You need to look after her, that was the deal remember, I don't want to get attached, Peter"

"Carla sweetheart, she's your little girl, she needs you," Peter says quietly, Carla just begins to cry "She wants her mum"

"I can't be her mum though can I?" she questions wiping her eyes "Not if I might never walk again. I can't do things the normal way, can I? When she's older I can't chase her around the park, I can't help her take her first steps and the irony of that with the consideration I may never walk again. That's not fair on her Peter"

"You might walk again though, no one knows for definite yet"

"I know that" she sighs in annoyance "I just want to be normal"

"And right now being normal is holding your baby," he says gently sitting on the edge of the bed, gently he places the child in her arms "Look at her Carla, you're her mum, whether she's mine or anyone else's for that matter she's still a part of you"

"I just don't know what to do, I want to walk again Peter but…" she trails off looking down at her daughter who was staring up at her "What if I can't walk again?"

"There's no point in assumptions Carla not until you know the facts, be her mum sweetheart, love her with all of your heart"

"I do love her," she says quietly "I love her so much"

"Thats a start and that's all I ask for right now," Peter says quietly taking in the appearance of his child, a midwife enters the room and then shuts it "Hey"

"I understand you wanted a paternity test done?"

"Uh yeah" Carla nods slowly "She hasn't eaten so you should be ok if you need to swab her"

"We're going to take blood I think as babies can be quite fidgety when it comes to this sort of thing"

"Ok," Carla says as the midwife takes the baby's hand, Carla gulps "Is this going to hurt her?"

"It'll just be a short sharp scratch," the midwife says quietly, Carla nods slowly and of course the baby cries "I'm sorry sweetheart"

"It's ok" Carla coos as the midwife finishes taking the blood "Thank you"

"Am I taking a sample from Peter?"

"Uh yeah ok" Carla smiles adjusting the baby in her arms, the midwife grabs a needle and takes a sample from Peter "Now we just hope"

"Yeah," he says softly as the baby begins to cry again "She's probably hungry"

"Do you want to feed her?" the midwife offers, Carla sighs and shrugs "You can try it if you want?"

"I don't know if it's worth it if I'm jetting off to the states for my treatment after the recovery from my c-section"

"Doesn't the first feed have like something special about it?"

"It has tonnes of antibodies and nutrients in it," the midwife says "Even if you don't continue with feeding her it would really help her"

"Ok then I'll feed her," Carla says quietly, Peter operates the bed so she could sit up more "So how do I…?"

"Here" the midwife helps her out with the hospital gown, she then helps position the baby towards Carla's breast, "There we go, she's latched on pretty well"

"Really?" Carla frowns peering down at her daughter who was feeding "She seems...happy…?"

"She probably loves having that contact with you, you did grow her inside of you after all and she's probably used to your voice"

"Yeah," Carla says softly with a smile as she watches her baby feed "It's just crazy, this whole thing is crazy on how I went from thinking I was going to die to bringing a new life into the world"

"She's amazing," Peter says quietly looking at the baby "Now all we have to do is wait and see if I'm her daddy"

"Fingers crossed" she crosses her fingers

"Fingers crossed" he nods with a small smile showing her that his fingers were crossed as well...