Her eyes marvelled the lemonade in front of her wishing for something stronger. She picked up her phone and smiled slightly at the screen saver being Oscar, she still couldn't believe it took until two days before they were due to register the birth that they finally just went with Oscar. It wasn't like they weren't calling their son that, it was more just the sliver of doubt they both had.

Things had changed though, here she was sitting in a pub in Manchester waiting for her brother to meet her, God knows why he wanted to see her but she accepted anyway on the promise they didn't talk about the factory. He seemed hesitant after that but Carla wasn't going to be silly about it, she genuinely wanted to see her brother on Christmas Eve but also knew it wasn't just about seeing her, it was about the hell hole that was Underworld.

"So you finally showed up then?" Carla looks at him, her eyes narrowed as Aidan sat down in front of her "I suppose I should say Merry Christmas"

"Yeah" he frowns at her drink "I was surprised you agreed to come"

"Anything for an impromptu family get-together" she quips before drinking her lemonade "Let me guess you want me to stump up the cash for Underworld?"

"Please" he looks at her "A family business, people need that place to feed their families, support them...please Carla you know I wouldn't ask unless I was desperate-"

"Ok" she nods and he frowns "I'll give you the money"

"What?" he looks at her confused wondering how it was that easy "You're giving in, just like that-"

"I mean I can take my cheque book away?" she says and he immediately takes her hand with the pen in it "Look Aidan...that factory has been in our family for years so it needs to stay in it not just for me but for...everyone who will benefit"

"I have one more request-"

"You're almost taking liberties" Carla rolls her eyes with a smirk, Aidan sighs and looks at her

"Come home?" he tries, she sighs and drops her gaze "Please? Peter's moved on, Nick's not there, everything will be forgotten-"

"I can't"

"Just for Christmas at least," he says quietly, she shakes her head before biting her lip "Please Carla, it would be great to see you"

"I'll think about it" she says quietly before picking up her phone and looking at the picture of Oscar sadly "I have to go, I need to get back home"

"You don't have to leave yet surely?" he looks at her, they were interrupted by the sound of her phone going off

"I have to go"

When she got in she smiled slightly at the sight of Peter and Oscar sitting there together watching some Christmas movie. He smiled at her as she sat herself down next to him. She took her son and held him close to her wondering how she was going to break his existence to her family, and how she was going to break her going back home tomorrow to Peter.

A part of her thought that maybe ripping off the plaster would be a good thing for her to do, just get all of the grief out of the way, just let her family reel in a bid to repair the cracks of her bombshell at a later date but she couldnt bring herself to do it. Carla just wanted to figure it all out in her head but she couldn't find a way out of it apart from staying hidden and apart from keeping her son hidden. The last thing she wanted was for Michelle to find out, the last thing she needed was to open that can of worms for her friend considering what she had been through.

Peter noticed she had been thoughtful, too thoughtful for his liking. Something was eating her up but it wasn't his place to pry. He got up and headed into the kitchen leaving his phone on the side as he made a coffee, it went off causing Carla to frown and pick it up, her eyes widen and he looked at her before gulping at the tears falling from her eyes.

"You lied to me-"

"Carla"

"No" she warns, her eyes dark, her face resembling pain and anger "You said...you said you couldn't be in a relationship with me because it was too much with being a dad to a baby and being my partner-"

"Carla it's not what you think! Please just listen to me-"

"No, get out" she seethes, he sighs and looks at her "I mean it Peter, I'm not playing second fiddle to another woman-"

"Can you just listen to me?" he asks her outright, she was scorned and hurt all of a sudden, past memories flooding her mind "It's not what you think"

"Just tell me"

"I'm...she's my business partner-"

"What?"

"There's nothing going on between me and...nothing, it's merely business, for Oscar's future" he says quietly, she looks at him not entirely sure she could trust him "Something that he can inherit, something that he can have and when you go back up to Weatherfield he'll have something, you'll have something and so will Simon, they'll have something that will give them everything"

"It's a pub Peter"

"A goldmine" he says quietly before rolling his eyes "And Toyah...she understands-"

"Leanne's sister" Carla shakes her head in disbelief "Next thing I'll be finding out is you'll be having it off with another woman not that I should even care...we're not even together and...whatever"

"I'd never do that whilst Oscar is prominent in my life, I'm not messing him around as I did with Simon" he looks at her, she drops her gaze "You and Oscar, you're part of my life now and tomorrow we'll have a good Christmas-"

"I need to speak to you about tomorrow," she says quietly, he looks at her and frowns "Things aren't going to go to plan"

"Oh?"

"How do you fancy a trip to Weatherfield?" she looks at him, he looks at her confused before "I lied"

"Lied?"

"About my business meeting, I met with Aidan" she bites her lip, he looks at her and shakes his head softly "I gave him the money to start Underworld back up"

"Carla! That money was for Oscar-"

"I know but I'll get it back, we'll get it back sooner with owning the Rovers and Underworld, its just a matter of time before...anyway, I just thought I'd keep you in the loop-"

"And what about Oscar?"

"I was hoping you'd have him whilst I sit through Johnny slicing the turkey and Kate trying to get me to pull a Christmas cracker?"

"You're ridiculous you are" he rolls his eyes and places his hands on her shoulders, she smiles up at him "Fine, I'll get booking an extortionately priced hotel"

"I've already done it," she says quietly, he rolls his eyes and shakes his head, "I think of everything I do"

"Hm...I suppose you do" he says quietly before sighing, they look into each other's eyes and he brushes his lips against hers causing her to pull away and bite her lip

"We shouldn't..."

"Sorry" he turns his head to where Oscar was intently watching the telly "But I'll have him for you, its the least I can do considering I've been going up to Weatherfield every weekend"

"What about your family?"

"It's sorted" he says quietly, she nods slowly and bites her lip "It'll be ok"

"Let's hope it is"