A/N: it's been a while so hi! So after tonight's episode (WHAT is going on at the moment?) I really wanted to finish something off as we can't have any intimacy on the show at the moment, so this is just a little Carla and Peter continuation. I'm so glad to finally get the time and motivation to write for my favourite show again, hopefully a lot more fics to come!
"Right then, where are we going?" Peter asks as he pulls into the car park by Spinningfields. In an ideal world, he wouldn't have to borrow one of Steve's cabs, and he also wouldn't have to pay £24 for three hours of parking, but Carla had complained that wearing a mask would ruin her makeup and he couldn't take anymore arguments today. Tonight was about making it up to Carla, fighting for their relationship and showing her how much he wanted to make this work. It had been nine years since they got themselves into this, and despite all the rollercoasters, there was no way he was letting her go now. "Your choice."
"Hm, really?" Her eyes sparkle as she stands in the square, eyeing up the expensive restaurants that surrounded them. "You're paying?"
"I didn't realise you were so traditional." He dares to slip his hand into hers as she starts to walk and she glances across at him, dipping her head slightly at the contact.
"I thought we were starting over." She prompts him, biting down on her lip gently in a way which makes his stomach flip. The same way it had done since 2011. "So take me on a proper date."
"A proper date?" He repeats, stopping short in his tracks and gazing up at one of the tallest buildings in the square. "How about here?"
Carla raises an eyebrow as if daring him to pursue the idea. "Twenty Stories?" She recites from memory. This is where meetings with only the most important clients took place; the older, rich businessmen who always topped her wine glass up before she had finished the last and demanded they paid the bill. "That's the posh stuff, that."
"Well I said I'd treat you." He reminds her, allowing a small smile to flicker on her cheeks. "And you can't put a price on seeing you happy."
"You're getting pretty good at grovelling over the years, Peter Barlow." She narrows her eyes, pulling him towards the door. "If you insist."
"I'll be over shortly with your drinks." The waiter bows slightly as he collects the menus, leaving the couple sat overlooking the dazzling view of the Manchester cityscape.
"I'm surprised you didn't order the 'whole lobster'." Peter dares to tease, plucking a cocktail stick from the bowl of olives and chewing on it gently. "Sixty eight pounds."
"Well as much as I do enjoy relishing your apologies... I'm not here to take the mick." Carla folds her arms on the table, leaning forwards slightly. "And as much as I hate to admit it, the last few weeks have been just as much my doing as they have yours. It wouldn't be fair to let you take the wrap." She pauses, weighing up his expression, exhaling a small sigh. "You want the truth?"
"Always." He hangs off the word, keeping his eyes focused on where hers dart down to the table, drawing her perfectly manicured nails across the solid oak.
"...Since all the stuff about Jordan came out... I guess I've been holding myself back." She dares to tell him. "Maybe out of embarrassment, maybe because I was so ashamed... I don't know. I feel like I've lost an element of my control... All over again." She takes a breath, still avoiding eye contact, tracing her fingers around in rapid circles as her anxiety intensifies. "That's why it hurt so much when you said what you did. To hear you actually vocalise it. Because that's been my biggest fear since... I know I had nothing to worry about with you and Abi, deep down. But feeling this used... Violated, vulnerable all over again. It makes you doubt yourself, and I guess a part of me felt like it was your prerogative to turn to somebody else, especially somebody who could give you what I can't."
"But that's never what it was." Peter reaches forward to stop her hand in its tracks. "It was never anything with Abi. I'm not going to 'turn'. And especially not because of... That." He sighs, unable to believe he was repeating this for what seemed like the hundredth time today. "All you had to do was talk to me."
"I know." Her voice becomes slightly firm, daring herself to look up and finally noticing the softness of his gaze. "...I know. And all you had to do was talk to me."
"Yeah alright, you got me." Peter nods, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I should have told you about Howard, about Abi, about everything. I was just... Too afraid to lose you."
"Peter when have I ever thrown the towel in because of your drinking?" She prompts him, moving to play with his fingers and realising that even that much contact meant the world to her right now.
"And when have I ever given up because you don't want to have sex?" He says it gently, casting her memory back and she pauses, closing her eyes briefly. "I don't want to say it-"
"Then don't."
"After Frank we worked on this, together." He dares to release his name and Carla swallows, surprisingly calm about the mention. "Nothing's changed. You mean more to me than all that. You know I never meant what I said the other day... I would never..." Peter gazes at her sunken expression, lifting a finger to lightly graze her cheekbone. "Hey? I would never. I love you."
"...I love you." She breathes, meeting his gaze, her eyes glazed over slightly with tears she refused to let fall. "And for what it's worth, I am sorry. For not noticing you needed help, for forcing you to turn to somebody else. I can be a selfish cow, can't I?"
"Well..." Peter hesitates, receiving an amused, half-smirk from his girlfriend. He pulls back, lifting a fork from his place setting and very lightly casting it in a line between them. "This is me, drawing a line under all of this. And if you're on board, I'd like to move forwards."
"...Yes captain." She jokes, giggling softly and turning her head to gaze out at the view for a moment. Peter takes her in, the barriers that had been worn down over the years, the face that had been beaten and bruised countless times and yet still remained perfect. He could not mess this up, not again. He hated to admit to such whimsical thoughts, but she was his soulmate. He had been given a second chance with her once, he was not about to mess that up again.
"Carla?" He pulls her from her trance, head turning slowly to face him. "It is going to be alright. I will always have your back."
"I know." She smiles. "That's what makes us so special."
"Does Steve know you took that cab?" Carla asks after they exit the vehicle, the street now shrouded in darkness in the pending autumnal months.
"I did mention it but I guess he's got bigger issues on at the moment than worrying about me driving his car to town and back." Peter reminds her, as she links her arm with his, walking down the street towards the Rovers.
"Oh yeah, course." She sighs, staring down as each cobblestone passes her line of sight. "How is Oliver?"
"...Not well." He returns and she goes silent for a moment. "There's talk of them turning off the life support."
"Oh God..." Carla breathes, her pace slowing slightly. "It's the worst thing in the world... Losing a child. I can't even imagine what it must be like when they get to that age... All the memories. Nick keeps very quiet about everything at the factory, but I know it must be affecting him too."
"Puts other problems into perspective, doesn't it?" He dares to hint and she just nods, pausing outside the pub and turning to face him.
Fiddling with the collar of his coat for a moment, her eyes dart up to his. "I am sorry."
"I'm sorry too." He whispers, moving in to kiss her on the cheek before murmuring softly in her ear; "But we've drawn a line, remember?"
"Mm." Is all she releases, the warmth of his breath tickling her ear. "...But there's one more thing we usually do before the line is completely drawn." She places kisses along his jawline, hesitantly pulling back to read his gaze. Peter catches on to what she means; the lust and love clouding her expression.
"Yeah?" He raises an eyebrow cockily. "...Are you sure?"
"Mm." She moves in again, pulling on his collar gently as they reach the back exit in a bid not to be seen by Jenny. Carla pushes him back gently against the cold wood, breaking away for just a moment before uttering a very distant but familiar phrase that he had heard before, a long time ago; "I feel safe with you."
Let me know what you think! I do have an idea for a Carla/Peter, Michelle/Steve, Tracy/Rob, Leanne/Nick fic based in 2013 that I've started writing so let me know if it would be something people would be interested in! Stay safe :)
