A/N: At this point, we're just going to pretend that Kian's alive for this story because I'm not setting it anytime before now and I need Carla and Peter to be married for this and want it associated around this Christmas
Anyway, people, Merry Christmas and I'm sorry for what you're about to read, I really am. It's completely bonkers and a cross over (my first one to be precise) I hope you enjoy it and don't think it's too crazy. I guess this is also my way of saying Merry Christmas to both fandoms, and last Holby Christmas to the Holby City fandom, I hope this is a pleasant memory for you all or a nightmare hence the title ;)
Christmas 2021
"Why have you packed so much?" Peter drones picking up Carla's case, he specifically told her to use her carry on and if he was honest with himself he knew she was going to do the opposite of what he said
"Because you never know what we will do, something terrible might happen like a storm and we could be stuck there for ages" she shrugs getting into the car, Peter just rolls his eyes knowing she liked to think of all eventualities
"I guess some things never change with you baby" he smirks getting into the driver's seat, he leans over and kisses her on the lips "I love you-"
"Probably because you're happy that we could get away from all the family stuff by making out we booked a honeymoon finally-"
"Well, it's hardly Barbados is it?" Peter scoffs and Carla raises her eyebrows at him "Scotland is great baby but-"
"We have the honeymoon suite booked" she smirks and he smirks back at her "Knew that would sway you, anything for a bit of loving"
"You know me so well, baby" he whispers and she nods "I say we get on the road?"
"Exactly that"
The journey was long and painful, Carla fell asleep whilst Peter drove to the hotel. They stopped off on the way to grab some food before they headed up north. When Peter glanced to the clock he realised they were running late, the traffic wasn't the best and he internally scolded Carla for taking so long getting ready that morning but deep down he knew she wanted it to be special. They finally arrived around six hours later and were standing at the front desk of the hotel ready to book in.
"Hi, we have a reservation under Barlow, it should be the honeymoon suite?" Carla leans on the desk as the receptionist looks through the bookings
"Are you sure you have the name right?" the receptionist asks and Carla frowns pulling out her phone to find the confirmation
"It should be Barlow" Carla states showing the receptionist the booking confirmation "Is it not Barlow?"
"Are you sure it's not meant to be Madani-"
"That's us"
"Who are you?" Carla demands pinching the bridge of her nose "Actually no I don't want to know-"
"Are you Kian Madani?" the receptionist asks and Kian nods leaning on the desk "And the room is for you and a Jac Naylor-"
"Just get on with it" Jac mutters and Kian glares at her hostility "I don't even know why we're here I didn't even want to come"
"Oh leave off" Kian mutters as the receptionist passes them the keys "Thanks-"
"Woah hang on, we booked this room over a week ago-"
"I'm sorry Mrs Barlow but we only take the name that's registered on our system" the receptionist tries to reason, Carla just sighs "If you want I can put you down for a double room-"
"We'll take it" Peter jumps in and Carla just scoffs at him before shaking her head "Come on baby, somethings better than nothing"
"Whatever" she mutters swiping the keys off the receptionist "So much for our honeymoon"
"Don't be like that love" he sighs and she just rolls her eyes heading towards the bar, Peter looks at the receptionist and smiles apologetically
"We'll get someone to take your bags up to your rooms" the receptionist confirms and Peter nods heading towards the bar, Jac looks towards Kian and shakes her head slightly and Kian bites his lip knowing he was most likely in the dog house...
Carla was propped up at the bar sulking at the fact she didn't get what she wanted, later she was joined by Peter who was taking in her obvious tipsy expression. He tried to stop her from downing copious amounts of booze saying that they could still have a good honeymoon she eventually relented and slowed down on her drinking spree. Of course, her mood heightened when the couple who she viewed as stealing their honeymoon suite entered the bar. Peter could tell she was seething and he tried to stop her from going off on one but he knew Carla she was not going to take no for an answer.
"I'm having a word-"
"Carla, no" Peter tries to grab her wrist but it was too late, she was off so he was left being her understudy
"I want a word" Carla starts but Peter just sighs in annoyance "I don't think you know how much this means to us"
"Really?" Jac rolls her eyes "And what does this mean to you exactly-"
"Jac that might be private" Kian mutters and she just pulls a face at him before scoffing and glaring at Carla
"We need this-"
"Really?"
"Yes" Carla spits and Peter bites his lip at Carla marking her territory "My husband here has been through so much this year"
"Has he?" Jac looks at her blankly "Well we've been through so much this year as well"
"Not as much as us" Carla cuts in causing Jac to laugh slightly and stand up from her chair to look at Carla directly in the eye
"And how are you supposed to know that" Jac challenges her, Kian gently grabs her wrist and she tuts at him
"This isn't over" Carla spits and Jac just rolls her eyes watching her walk off, Peter smiles at them both before sighing
"I'm sorry about her..." Peter trails off and Kian nods "She's very protective-"
"Protective, she's more like a rottweiler" Jac mutters under his breath, Kian nudges her in the chest "Sorry..."
"It's fine" Kian brushes him off and Peter nods heading off to join Carla at the bar, Jac looks at Kian with one eyebrow raised and a questioning look and he naturally sighs
"You don't know what some people have been through Jac-"
"And?"
"I'm just saying...don't judge a book by its cover-"
"She's a stuck up cow" Jac mutters and Kian rolls his eyes at her comment, she notices his look "What?"
"Go and apologise" he prompts her and Jac's jaw drops at his comment as if to question his audacity "Ok maybe don't then...just think about it"
"Let's just order" she suggests to change the topic, he sighs and sits on his chair followed by Jac who sits on hers, he shakes his head at her and she just tuts at him before picking up her menu, there was no changing some things...
As the night went on the more alcohol was consumed, everyone apart from Peter of course. Jac was constantly glancing over at the bar where Carla and Peter were at, Kian's words playing heavily on her mind. It was like he could sense it as well and the internal urge to give him what he wanted was swaying her as they wanted their relationship to go as smoothly as possible. Jac found her feet taking her to the bar as Peter went out for a vape, she propped herself up at the bar taking Peter's seat, Carla immediately frowned and pulled a face at her appearance and the nerve she had to take her husbands seat. The night was filled with unpleasant glares and under the breath remarks about the other and eventually, both women had to give in to their stubbornness as they were sitting face to face.
"I'm sorry," both women say synchronously causing a smile to flicker onto both of their faces
"I am actually sorry though" Jac starts before taking another glass of complimentary champagne, Carla nods slowly "I didn't realise it was your honeymoon, if I'm honest I didn't even want to be here tonight, I should be celebrating Christmas at home with my daughter-"
"And yet you're here celebrating with your fella-"
"You can hardly comment" Jac mutters and Carla shrugs
"Any opportunity to get away from friends and family, too much sentimentality for me"
"Snap" Jac mutters raising her glass, Carla clinks it with hers before sighing "Let me guess this Christmas is different though"
"I suppose" Carla tilts her head to the side "We're both just happy to be alive, to be honest, last Christmas could have been Peter's last and that's horrible to think about knowing I could have caused that-"
"Let me guess you cheated on him" Jac raises her eyebrows Carla nods "It's like I'm psychic"
"With his nephew"
"Talk about keeping it in the family" Jac mutters and Carla narrows her eyes
"Come on we all do bad things, it's what makes us human" Carla mumbles picking up her glass, she takes a generous gulp to make sure that alcohol was in her system "And I doubt you can sit there and say that your past was all sunshine and roses"
"Fair point, it's not" Jac nods and Carla shakes her head "Far from that actually..."
"Not as bad as me shagging my husband's nephew and uncle for that matter...and two of my cousins, distant, to be precise"
"Wow, that's almost inexcusable"
"Almost?"
"Ok pretty inexcusable" Jac nods and Carla just chuckles at how brazen she was being "But let me guess you two keep coming back to each other as if you're a pair of magnets"
"It's complicated and it's not our first time at married life as well"
"I'm intrigued" Jac passes her glass to the bartender causing Carla to chuckle "Seriously I'm invested, it's like a crappy soap opera"
"The first time we were married it was years ago, he cheated on me-"
"Talk about getting your own back, let me guess it was with a family member-"
"Not exactly; with his son's baby sitter"
"Wow...well what you did compared to that, that is borderline unforgivable"
"Thanks for that" Carla mutters and Jac bites her lip trying her hardest not to show an amused face "What about you and whoever his name is-"
"Kian?" she puts to her and Carla nods "We're complicated..."
"Yet complicated enough to book the honeymoon suite, something tells me there might be a proposal coming your way-"
"What no!" Jac frets and Carla raises her eyebrows "We've barely been together that long"
"Someone's trying to make it official" Carla teases and Jac looks worried all of a sudden "A commitment foe, I love it"
"Do you though, sounds like you have the epitome of the perfect married life" Jac retorts making sure she sounds as sarcastic as possible
"Hardly as it was my fifth wedding" Carla responds with a raised eyebrow, she picks her glass up and sighs "I shouldn't even be drinking this"
"Let me guess because your husband's some sort of alcoholic"
"Yep liver transplant endowed as well" Carla smirks and Jac rolls her life "He lost his way after I shagged his nephew understandably"
"I guess that is understandable" Jac nods and Carla shakes her head slightly at what her life was "If it makes you better Kian's an addict as well"
"I almost pity you"
"You sound bitter"
"Well, maybe I am...wouldn't change how much I love him though-"
"It wouldn't change how much I love Kian either" Jac hums thoughtfully, Carla rolls her eyes
"Let me guess you're now rethinking this whole thing, maybe a proposal wouldn't be so bad" Carla smirks and Jac smirks slightly at her "Let him put a ring on your finger otherwise you might regret it, life's too short"
"Maybe you have a point there"
"Gosh I feel so guilty having this, not even because of Peter but because of my brother's kidney as I'm giving a run for its money"
"You should be Siamese twins"
"That's so unoriginal" Carla glares and Jac tries to suppress her laughter "Is this a battle over who can have the worst life because if so I don't think I want to play..."
"Sounds like you don't want your streak of incest coming out" Jac responds and Carla just clenches her jaw "Just like I don't want my weaknesses to come out"
"I had the same outlook, well I still do but sometimes they're forced out by your mind eh?"
"Hmm exactly"
"Come on then out with it, what sort of psychological issue did you have?"
"How did you know-"
"I just do" Carla responds shiftily causing Jac to sigh "Considering everything that was said you and me are all that similar"
"I had a breakdown-"
"Ah snap, psychosis for me"
"And the cause?"
"Me thinking I killed my sister's fiancé by my business crumbling on her head only to find out my business was sabotaged so it was all warranted for nothing"
"Ouch"
"And you?"
"It's complicated I suppose...work came first partly-"
"Workaholic?"
"Yeah..."
"We are very alike" Carla confirms and Jac smiles slightly passing her glass to the waiter on the other side of the bar "High powered job let me guess?"
"Heart surgeon"
"Interesting" Carla confirms "I own a factory which I inherited off my first husband and his brother who I later had an affair with behind my second husband's back"
"How do you even get yourself into that position?" Jac pulls a face and Carla just shrugs unable to explain "Actually I don't think I want to know..."
"You probably don't"
"Any way where is your husband?" Jac frowns and Carla looks around the room, she smiles slightly seeing Peter sitting with Kian "Ugh great..."
"I could say the same thing" Carla mutters as Peter turns around to look at her with a sheepish expression on her face, he gets up and joins her at the bar with Kian "Sorry I was just chatting to your fiancé-"
"Fiancé?" Jac and Kian's eyes widen as they repeat the word
"We're not-" Jac starts but Carla just bites her lip looking at Kian with raised eyebrows
"Hmm sure" Carla shrugs biting her lip, Kian looked rather sheepish all of a sudden "I do have eyes and considering I've been married five times I think I know the traditional yet unoriginal proposal"
"You weren't planning to propose were you?" Jac questions Kian in her demanding tone laced with cuteness
"Um" Kian falters looking at Carla for help, she just chuckles slightly and Kian just looks at Jac and takes her hand before dropping onto one knee deciding that now was better than never
"Told ya" Carla nudges Jac who looked gobsmacked at the thought "I remember the days..."
"Me too" Peter mutters and Carla just whacks him on the chest allowing him to kiss her on the back of the head "Well don't leave a man hanging, trust me that's the worst for a relationship-"
"He'd know" Carla breathes out before fluttering her eyelashes at Peter in the midst of forgiveness for her comment "So what do you say?"
"Um," Jac falters looking at Kian who was smiling up at her "Yes? Yes...I'll marry you, of course, I'll marry you-"
"Hallelujah!" Carla groans as the bartender places a bucket of champagne on ice for them, she smiles at Jac and Kian kissing each other passionately in front of all these bystanders
"I love you Jac Naylor" Kian whispers as they nudge their noses, Jac smiles
"I love you too Kian Madani" Jac kisses him softly and allows him to place the ring on her finger, they immediate hug each other and Kian strokes his fiancé's hair affectionately
"Now get these down you" Carla drones watching Jac and Kian both take a glass "And make the most out of that honeymoon suite whilst you're at it"