Cliff Edge

Carla felt dreadful when she woke up at six, red wine dripping on the cream carpet. Not that she cared about the carpet, it was a waste of her wine, and her money- which was in short supply at the minute. The patches of red wine that looked like blood felt significant. Carla almost laughed at the thought of the red wine being the blood of those innocent lives she'd claimed. Blood spilled and everything. She rose slowly from the sofa and stared around her flat. Carla stretched her arms out above her head and closed her eyes.

"Kal!" Leanne and his family screamed. The lifeless corpse inside the body bag being dragged out of Victoria Court as the flames spread to the construction yard. Maddie helplessly running and getting blown up and eventually dying in hospital. The perilous screams and the heartache that followed. Cries, bouquets of flowers and teddy bears lined up outside the block of flats.

Carla opened her eyes with a scream. "Get out, get out!" she yelled, smacking herself in the head and yanking out her hair in frustration. She had only slept because she had drunk so much wine and had knocked herself out. She never slept though, not anymore. The bitter taste of alcohol was like a lullaby, rocking her to sleep and numbing any painful memories as she dozed off. It bit her on the backside though. When she would wake up later, hungover and still alive.

Her phone rang and it was Aidan.

Carla answered it quickly, "Hello?"

"Carla, don't forget about that meeting today at Harvey's."

Carla sighed. She didn't want to sit opposite some obnoxious buyer and hear them bleat on about their vast lives, wealth, family and happiness. She wasn't in the mood for it, for any of it.

"Right, okay. How will I get there?" Carla replied. She'd had her BMW convertible repossessed a few weeks ago and still hadn't managed to get it back or buy something else.

"Take the batmobile?" Aidan laughed.

"Hilarious," Carla growled down the phone. "Don't give up yer day job ey? Leave the crappy jokes to Steve."

Aidan frowned on the other end. "Oh alright, narky nuts. I'll get you a hire car and you can take it. The appointment isn't until one anyway."

"Joy," Carla mumbled.

"Hmm?" Aidan asked. "Well...anyway Carla, make sure your there at one. Okay?"

She wasn't sold on his behaviour. He was awkward. Awkwardly giddy. Like a child at a party but they knew none of the other kids.

"What are ya hidin' from me?"

Aidan paused for what felt like a life time. "Nothing," he lied. "Everything's fine."

"No it's not...is it...oh god." Carla gasped as the realisation hit her. It was pay day today. "Oh no. Aidan, did you manage to pay 'em all?"

He paused again, terrified to admit the truth. He had managed to scrap a few hundred pounds together but that was it. Thousands were missing and the staff had a large chunk of their pay missing.

He hadn't spoken yet but she already knew what his answer would be. It was reminiscent of when she was lying in the hospital bed in Weatherfield General, waiting for the nurse to deliver the dreadful news and not her healthy baby daughter.

"I'm sorry Carla," Aidan whispered. "I could only get a couple of hundreds and I was lucky to get that. I am so sorry... I did all I could."

It was like a million violent stab wounds. The knife plummeting through her chest and being ripped out quickly before she'd even had time to process it.

Carla pressed the phone to her chest. She didn't want to hear anymore. She hung up and switched her phone off, chucking it down on the kitchen table. It had already dawned on her the seriousness of all of this and the more than wine weared off, the more she panicked. She already knew the staff that had families to feed were working over time to afford presents, holidays and even a wedding in Sally's case.

Carla felt suffocated by what she had done...by all of it. She wasn't sure how much more she could take because she was on the edge already, battling to cope and the demons that had been fought out of her life before were coming back to her- stronger than she was.

She headed over to the computer and went to log on to the gambling site she had been addicted to for months, wrecking her life and adding fuel to the hurricane she had been caught up in. Carla snapped the laptop shut as the screen flashed up.

"What am I doing?" She cried. "I can't take this. I can't take anymore!" Carla screamed, panting through the tears that were streaming down her face.


Eva's eyes were aching. The saltiness of her tears were beginning to burn her eyes, making them even more puffy and swollen. She hadn't stopped crying since she had run home last night and Aidan had tried to go after her. He wasn't fast enough for her and she ran as quickly as her high heels would take her. It had been on her mind ever since his soft lips brushed against hers. She was devastated at what she had done to poor Jason but also slightly intrigued- what could have happened if she hadn't of ran away?

She reached her arms out to the huge teddy bear that Jason had got her for Christmas last year and pulled it close. Her sobs were now muffled and her guilt was intensifying as the early hour of the morning dawned on her. Eva loved Jason, really, she did. He was the man she loved more than any of the others and yet, here she was, in tears on her own because she had simply kissed another man. That was all it was- just a kiss. Nothing more, nothing less. People kissed strangers at New Year and that didn't lead to anything more in a lot of cases. And that was really what Aidan was. He was no more than a stranger with the surname of her big sister's enemy.

Her phone alerted her of the time and that she needed to get ready to visit Jason in hospital. Did she honestly want to though? No. She wanted to lie in bed and hope the guilt would smother her when she wasn't aware of it.


In the room next door, Leanne's eyes flicked open and she felt two hands wrapped around her middle. She smiled to herself and patted the hands of the man without even turning around to see his sleepy face.

His eyes opened slowly and his hands moving Leanne around to face him.

"Morning," Nick smiled.

Leanne flashed a smile too as the Autumn light broke through the black curtains in her glitzy bedroom. "Did you sleep okay?"

He nodded and took her hand in his own, grazing his fingers over her hand. "Fantastic. Except for someone starfishing in the bed."

"I did not do that!" Leanne shouted, giggling. "It was probably you. You and your big feet."

Nick frowned as he laughed. "My big feet?"

"Oh aye! It's like sharin' a bed with Mickey flippin' Mouse! Or should I say Nicky Mouse?"

Nick stopped laughing at threw his hands up to his face. "Argh god I hate my name!"

"Why Nicky?" Leanne joked. "I guess we're gonna have to start thinking 'bout that soon aren't we?"

He pulled his hands away from his stubble and met her eyes. "How do you mean? Are you going to give me a new name?"

She slapped his arm playfully and found herself laughing again. "Course not you muppet!"

"The baby's name," he smiled and placed his hand over her very flat tummy. "It does help if we know the gender before we choose a name though. Maybe we should wait for a little bit."

Leanne sighed but she agreed. She just wanted the next few months to come quicker and stop dragging. She wanted to know it all and quickly!

Nick rubbed her tummy again. He knew what she meant and how she was feeling about their baby. It felt like ages until they had everything they wanted and there was so much to overcome before they got to that stage in seven months time.

"Cheer up though," he smiled, resting his head on his elbow as she looked up at him, raising her eyebrows.

"Are you being serious? I'm so flamin' impatient!"

"You Leanne? Never would have guessed it."

She playfully punched his arm. "Watch it Tilsley! Remember what you said- seven months to go an' all. Could easily spent those months in the dog'ouse!"

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry," he grinned, leaning down and planting a kiss on her lips.

It almost turned into something more...until the sound of a mobile phone interrupted them.

"Ignore it," Nick whispered in between kissing her.

Leanne pulled away. "What if it's Si? Or me Mum or Dad?"

"They can wait. I need you," he replied, looking deeply into her eyes. He knew it usually worked on her but it didn't then. Damn it.

"No, come on, let me up," Leanne said, pushing him off and moving to grab her phone off the dressing table.

It was Stella.

Leanne accepted the call quickly and placed the phone to her ear.

"Sweetheart, are you alright? Eva mentioned you were in hospital when I spoke to her before."

Leanne paused. Oops. She hadn't told her Mum, Dad or Janice she was pregnant or that Simon had caused her agony and sent her to A&E. Well...they were gonna find out soon enough.

"Well it was er...er...Simon. He's had a rotten time and he's really been struggling lately and he-"

"He sent you to hospital?!" Stella gasped.

Leanne couldn't quite get the words out, even though she had explained it over and over again to different people; people she never thought she would talk to again and trust with her darkest secrets. It still felt weird. Telling her own Mum what had gone on.

"Yeah...it happened a few times but we're sorting it. Peter's back and..."

"What has he done to my baby girl?" Stella cried down the phone. "And Peter's back? Gosh...how have you coped?"

Leanne smiled a little to herself as she heard Nick flick the kettle on in the kitchen.

"Well I have Nick."

Stella went silent on the other end. She almost expected her daughter to admit her Knight in shining armor had come to rescue her from another battle. What Stella wasn't expecting was the news her daughter was expecting.

"Oh. That's great," Stella replied. "Are you two seeing each-other then?"

She smiled again as Nick mouthed how many sugars she wanted in her tea. It was two sugars. Two of them. Nearly three.

"Yeah...ya could say that." Leanne said, moving back to her bed and sitting back on the pillows. "A few weeks ago Mum... Simon attacked me in the Bistro. He were dead nasty ya know; chucked glass and hit me. I was terrified and Nick found me and looked after me. I was at my flat that night and he was lookin' after me and we spent it together. Well, I'm pregnant Mum."

Leanne's news was met with a huge squeal, high pitch and loud like Eva's. "Oh love, I think I'm gonna cry- that's fantastic news! Oh I'm so happy for ya both! When is the little 'un due?"

"Aw I know Mum, it came as quite a shock for us both but we're dead 'appy. Well he or she is due in June next year- still got awhile to wait granny!"

"Oh June- how exciting!" Stella squealed. "But love?"

"Hmm?"

"I'll be the younger and better looking granny, right?"

Leanne burst out laughing at her Mum. She really missed her mother and the fact she was in New York disappointed Leanne. But, she had her man and her sister and for the time being, she was more than happy with what she had.

"Course ya will. But don't let Gail hear you say that!"

"Well then I'm open to being called Nana Stella!" Stella laughed to her daughter as they spoke. "Now then. How do you and Nick fancy a break?" Stella asked. She had planned to ask her daughter this anyway but now there was even more reason for a family reunion.

Leanne pulled her dressing gown around her as the cold of the flat hit her hard. "Ooh... sounds lovely but we 'ave the Bistro and the doctor has said I can't fly yet."

"What about after Christmas?" Stella suggested. "And we could meet at yer Gran's in France instead. If ya didn't want to fly you could drive instead."

Leanne weighed it up in her head and it didn't seem like such a bad idea. "Okay. I'll talk to Nick about it."

"Talk to me about what?" Nick asked as he came into the room, placing Leanne's mug of tea down on her bedside table.

"Is that Nick?" Stella asked. "Put him on love." She said as Leanne handed the phone over.

"Me Mum wants to talk to ya." Leanne frowned as Nick took the phone.

"Now listen Stella- now isn't the time to declare you've always had a thing for me," Nick joked. He was met with laughter from Leanne and Stella.

"Hello pet," Stella said. "I wanted to congratulate you about my little grandchild. Thank you for making me daughter happy again."

"Thank you Stella, it means a lot to me. I hated seeing her crying and being broken by it all and I swear I won't let her down again."

"Good lad. I trust you will make her very happy. "

"I promise you she'll be skipping out of the maternity unit in seven months time."

Stella chuckled at the other end. "You obviously haven't been there when a kiddie's been born. All I'm sayin' is brace yerself. Maybe have somethin' alcoholic before he or she is born. Believe me love, you'll need it!"

"By the sounds of it I will!"

"Oh...Nick?" Stella said.

"Hmm?"

"I want you to make sure Simon doesn't hurt her again. I want to meet me grandkid and not have another taken from me or Leanne. I don't think I could bear it and I know you two couldn't either."

"I swear Stella. I could bear to lose either of them again. I've lost my family and my wife once. I'm not losing her again. Never."

Leanne suddenly felt as though she'd listened into something she shouldn't have. Something intimate and that she had just seen inside of Nick's mind when she shouldn't have.

He glanced over at his ex- wife and gave her a warm smile and his hand, squeezing hers.

"I trust ya. Now go and get yer girl back." Stella urged him, the first encouragement he'd actually had to finally ask Leanne to give their relationship another go.

"I will. I promise."

"Fantastic! Speak soon then love. Congrats again!" Stella replied.

"Yeah, bye Stella. See you soon."

Nick passed the phone back to Leanne who looked at him, confused as to the discussion he had with her Mum even though she was sat right next to him.

"What were you two talking about?" Leanne asked as she placed the phone back to her ear.

"Oh...nothing! Can't tell or Nick would probably kill me!"

"Ah Mum come on!"

"Nope! But now you need to make sure you send me that scan!"

"Okay okay, I'll e-mail you the scan. Yes of course I will," Leanne said to her Mum as Stella fussed over the scan she hadn't seen yet.

"Alright then petal, let me know about New Year and I'll sort it with yer Gran. Oh, does she know yet?"

"No, but feel free to tell her the good news. It'll save me an' Nick a job."

"Are you sure sweetheart? Would you not like to tell her yerself?"

Leanne laughed, "Er, no it's alright. Last time she was in Weatherfield she tried to deliver Tyrone's little girl and I'd rather my midwife delivered the baby than anyone else."

"Yeah, fair enough. Yer Gran means well but she'd probably turn up at your door with a birth pool."

"I don't think I could do that. Bad enough for Kylie that Gail delivered Lily."

"Not sure who that is worse for. Gail or Kylie." Stella started laughing.

"Yeah, me an' all. Well Matron Gail can have the day off when I give birth."

Nick began laughing beside her. She'd probably regret saying that wouldn't she? He could just picture the day she has the baby being manic and somehow his Mum would end up delivering their baby somewhere.

"Well anyway, best be off." Leanne said. "Talk soon."

"Okay pet, bye." Stella hung up and Leanne turned back to a smiling Nick.

"What you grinning at?" She asked.

"Watch my Mum deliver our baby now."

"No chance pal. Only if Armageddon comes to Weatherfield."


Carla's rental car pulled up outside the factory as she stumbled in at nine. The darkness had already descended and the news the staff had no wages had now spread like wild fire. Pardon the pun.

Sally had gone into Dev's to check her account to pay the deposit on her wedding reception at the Bistro. Fiz had looked online to see if she and Tyrone could stretch to a Lapland holiday for Hope as it would be her last Christmas. Both found a massive amount missing and Sally and Fiz weren't the only staff that were absolutely furious.

The staff had downed tools and all sat, arms folded behind their stationery and unplugged machines.

"Guys, I'm sorry," Carla slurred. "Really I am."

"Save it Carla!" Beth sniped. "We've all got families to look after and we have nothing for 'em because of you!"

Izzy added in, "What am I gonna do about Jake's childcare fees?

"And my family," Beth started again. "Craigy wants to go to Uni and get a new pair of them neon trainers for Christmas. Can't get him them now, can I?"

"Family Carla," Fiz began. "I thought we were mates. My little girl might not see next Christmas and Ty and I wanted this one to be special for her. Well I can't take her to Lapland to see Santa and where the elves live now. Can I?"

"Unless the elves are on a gambling site," Sean answered back.

"Right enough!" Carla shouted back. "I am so sorry all of ya. Really I am. But don't ya think I am suffering enough as it is?!"

"Ah, poor Carla," Alya muttered under her breath as she stood behind her boss.

"I am sorry...and you lot shouldn't have to worry about me. Not anymore."

"Hallelujah!" Sean cheered. "Pay day will actually come."

Carla nodded as tears began forming again. She didn't need confirmation or anyone to tell her it was okay to end it all but now they had all given her even more reason to end it all.

"Okay, then I'm done." Carla said glumly as she walked with her head down out of the factory.

"Mrs Connor!" Sally yelled.

"Ah please, not now!" Carla shouted back. "Leave me alone Sally." Carla unlocked the car Aidan had hired her and opened the door and sat in the driver's seat. She tried slamming the door in Sally's face but she grabbed onto it.

"Is it not enough that my daughter has lost her girlfriend and that she spends her days all alone because of you? And now after all the years of hard work you don't pay me or any of us when we need it most. I can't pay Nick and Leanne for my wedding in December because of you. When will you face up to what you've done Carla? When?"

Carla hesitated. "Soon.." her voice broke at the thought of what she was planning on doing to herself. "Very soon you'll all 'ave what ya want and I'll be gone. Buried six feet under where I belong."

"Good." Sally spat as Carla slammed the door and sped off away from Underworld, stopping outside the Barlow's house. She parked up and darted into the Rovers to see Michelle one last time.

Michelle wasn't in and Carla could tell right away. The pub was quiet and lacked any sense of life- which it usually had when her best mate was working in there.

Carla headed behind the bar and poured herself a glass of red wine. She sobbed into the drink and let each gulp of wine being new tears. She stumbled through to the smokers yard and out into the ginnel by Maddie's memorial that Craig had made.

Carla touched the beautiful work of graffiti. Would anybody insist on making such a piece of beauty in her memory? Probably not. They'd all be there with tap dancing shoes at her funeral- clip clopping over her coffin. Would anyone even care? Probably not.

"Carla?" A voice called, making their way over to her.

She sighed as she saw who it was.

"What do you want Peter?"

"Should you be drinking now?"

"Yep. It always helps. You should know that Barlow."

"It doesn't help Carla. It doesn't bring them back, does it?"

"Thanks for the reminder Peter. That's just what I needed to 'ear right now." Carla knocked back the rest of her wine and chucked the wine glass down in the ginnel and hearing it smash.

He grabbed her arm desperately. "Car, don't do something stupid. Let me help."

She shoved him off of her like he was poison and she didn't want to be poisoned any longer.

"Get off me! You'll never be able to 'elp!"

"I can try," Peter pleaded. "But at least give me a chance."

"No." Carla replied. "It's not you that'll fix it now."

Peter stared at her as she stood in the gateway of the Rovers garden. She had her back to him but quickly spun back around.

"Oh, you're wrong by the way." Carla began. "Ale always helps. Numbs it all." She turned away and ran through the Rovers in tears as Peter tried to keep up.

Tracy saw Carla and realised who it was that had dumped their car outside the front door of the Barlow's.

"So this is your rustbucket," Tracy attempted to joke.

"Leave me alone Tracy. And don't worry, you won't be seeing this car again."

"What, why?"

"In fact, you won't be seeing me on the street again."

"Why are you leaving?" Tracy asked guiltily. Carla was getting all the blame and then some.

"I know it's 'ard Tracy but try not to play dumb for once."

She was sure that was Carla's way of saying she was going to end it all. A fourth death on Tracy's conscience? The two accidental ones were consuming her enough and a third would probably send her over the edge.

"No!" Tracy objected.

"Go away," Carla shouted as she got back in her car.

"I'm coming with you," Tracy said as she climbed into the passenger seat.

"Urgh, fine." Carla said. "Then get yer belt on if yer coming. You're in for a bumpy ride."

Tracy strapped herself in and held Carla's handbag on her knee as they sped off down the street and passed the Bistro, just as Peter finally caught up with them.

"Carla!" He roared after the car but it was too late.

Leanne sat opposite Nick at the breakfast table, munching on a sausage sandwich that he insisted he make for her as her cravings had kicked in.

Eva felt ready to crawl out of her bedroom after nearly two hours of lying in bed and drowning in her own regret. She had missed the chance to go visit Jason early and Leanne hadn't let it go unnoticed.

"Er... what happened to going to see Jason?" Leanne asked as Eva poured herself a very strong mug of coffee. Nick stared at Eva too as she looked dreadful and very hungover.

"Like you'd care."

"Oi! Don't take your hangover out on Lea," Nick said defensively.

"Yeah," Leanne agreed. "Not my fault you raided the bar."

Eva threw her hands to her face. "I'm sorry chick. I'm just not feelin' meself."

"I can flamin' tell," Leanne smiled at her sister. "Now come on, why don't you tell me about it?"

"And on that note," Nick started. "I need to get back to the flat and get changed for work. See you love," he gave Leanne a quick kiss then headed out the door.

"Now tell your big sis all about last night," Leanne said as she smiled at Eva.


Thanks for the great reviews!

I have mentioned in this chapter about the gender of Leanne and Nick's baby; I am not sure to make it a boy or a girl so if anyone wants to suggest it be either just add it to your review. :D

Just a little hint for what's to come...

Leanne comes face to face with Simon. What will happen?

Carla's on the edge but will Tracy finally confess?

Eva begins to cope with her guilt.

Things intensify for the Platt's with Callum.