Tony came back and immediately wrapped Carla up in a hug, her arms hooking around him but the pain in her heart was still there and it was making her sick. The way he comforted her was different to the way Liam did, he held her so did Liam but Tony was different, he just wasn't the same as Liam. Carla genuinely wondered how she could live her life walking about the street where she would have to watch Liam and Maria raise their baby whilst she got bigger herself. Somehow it was just easier to be with Tony, it was just so much easier than all the arguments that came with revealing how she felt about Liam and she knew herself that Liam wouldn't want her to reveal it because he hadn't done it himself, that confirmed to her that he just wanted the best of both worlds.

"Here"

"What's that?" Carla frowns, she had been up since six as she was woken by the smell of eggs and bacon "How am I meant to eat that?"

"By picking it up and putting it in your mouth," Tony says and Carla rolls her eyes picking up the bacon and egg sandwich "You need to start feeding yourself up, nothing better than that to start the morning"

"Fine" she takes a bite and Tony smiles at her "What have you got planned today?"

"I'm staying in, looking after you-"

"It was just a blip, Tony, I'm ok now you're back" Carla assures him and he sighs slightly "I was just going to crash out on the sofa until later when we're going to the pub to bring in the new year"

"Are you sure you're up for that?"

"Yes Tony, I'm not an invalid," she says and Tony smiles at her before getting up to massage her shoulders "Hmm that's lovely"

"Anything for the mother of my child" he kisses her on the side of the head before heading into the kitchen, Carla gulps as the tears threaten to prick her eyes at the fact he may not be her baby's father, she jumps out of her thoughts at the sound of Tony's phone

"You can go if you want, I will be ok, I'm literally going to be glued to that sofa," Carla says and Tony looks at her "You've fed me up so what's the worst that can happen?"

"Ok fine but you ring me if something's the matter" Tony smiles walking over to her, he kisses her on the lips softly before smiling "I'll be back as soon as I can"

"I'll see you when you get back" Carla smiles going to sit on the sofa, she pulls a blanket onto her lap and Tony kisses her on the top of the head before leaving the flat...


It got to midday and the boredom well and truly set in for Carla who was just looking for anything to do. The magazines that Tony got her yesterday had been read three times now and every time she fell in love with clothes and shoes she couldn't even contemplate buying due to her pregnancy. Eventually, Carla's phone was in her hands and she called Tom to see if there was anything that was needed to do for Lad Rags but there was nothing, apparently, Liam had already sorted everything out causing her to groan in annoyance at him possibility trying to help her even though he didn't know what she needed. Picking up her phone she rang Leanne, she just needed to vent and Leanne was more than happy to oblige, comically entering her flat a while later with a bottle of wine to get her through Carla's venting.

"What's happened?"

"Liam took me to hospital yesterday"

"What are you ok?!" Leanne frets and Carla sighs slightly "Is it the baby? Is it ok?"

"Yes the baby's fine, it's just me, my blood sugars were low and apparently the baby is just growing hence the pain I was in"

"You need to take care of yourself" Leanne states pouring a glass of wine for herself "Right and I'm guessing something happened between you and Liam"

"He took me back here after and we argued"

"And?"

"What do you mean? That's all that happened"

"Well the last time you argued badly you had sex" Leanne points out and Carla groans in annoyance pinching the bridge of her nose "Did you have sex-"

"No!" Carla cries and Leanne just raises her eyebrows "He did...try, I suppose"

"You two" Leanne shakes her head and Carla just sighs slightly "You're like a pair of bloody magnets aren't you?"

"I brought you here to listen not make offhand comments" Carla raises an eyebrow and Leanne just places her glass back down on the table "I've been thinking a lot since Liam..."

"Took such great care of you?"

"I suppose" she mutters not wanting to admit that "I feel like I need clarity, I want to find out my baby's father"

"Carla" Leanne sighs placing her hand over her friends "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I've had so much time to think about this" Carla whispers placing her other hand on the bottom of her stomach, Leanne smiles at her and nods "I just need to be honest with myself before deciding what I want to do"

"Well I'll be there for you" Leanne smiles and Carla nods at her "Are you going to tell Liam you're planning this?"

"I don't know Leanne, I mean they'll need something to match DNA with won't they?" Carla sighs and Leanne nods "Either way he won't tell anyone, he doesn't want to ruin what he has with Liam and in a way, this can be used as leverage"

"You're going to be playing a very dangerous game, Carla, I hope you know what you're doing" Leanne responds and Carla nods looking down into her lap "I'll be here to support you though, don't worry"

"You're a great friend Leanne" Carla smiles bringing her in for a hug "I'm going to do some researching about paternity tests and delete my search history just in case"

"Wise move" Leanne nods watching Carla grab her laptop, she places it on her lap and Leanne smiles "Will paying for it be ok?"

"Yeah I'll use my own account for that, one that Tony doesn't have access to" Carla confirms and Leanne nods before smiling at Carla "I just hope I'm making the right decision"


There would only be one way to find out, Carla had rung around various places and managed to get an appointment to do a paternity test on her unborn child tomorrow. All she needed now was Liam to help so she headed off knowing Tony was still out in town to the factory where she knew Liam would be. Upon entering the office Maria was sat there with him and Carla narrowed her eyes slightly as Maria smiled at her so she sat down at Tony's desk. Soon enough Maria knew when she wasn't wanted and with that she made her excuses and left leaving Liam and Carla alone in the office so she got up and closed the blinds and shut the door causing Liam to sigh at the possibility of another argument.

"If you're here to argue with me, save it"

"I'm not actually" she states and Liam frowns slightly "I need your help"

"No can do"

"You haven't heard what I'm proposing yet" she raises an eyebrow and Liam sighs tired of her games "I have an appointment at a clinic tomorrow-"

"I'm not taking you if that's what you think" he narrows his eyes and Carla just huffs in annoyance at his attitude

"It's for a paternity test" she states and Liam laughs lightly shaking his head in disbelief, "I thought this is what you wanted Liam?"

"I find you so unbelievable you know that?" Liam glares at her and Carla pinches the bridge of her nose "I thought you were convinced that this baby was Tony's no matter what?"

"I've had a lot of time to think about it-"

"Really? And who's to say you won't think more tonight and change your mind?"

"Are you scared Liam?" she diverts a question back at him noticing that look he always did when there was something he was worried about "Are you scared that this baby might be yours, that Maria might find out you've been playing away?"

"Well she won't be the only one, will she? The look on Tony's face" he states and Carla shakes her head before laughing, she grabs a piece of paper from the printer and tears it in half writing down the address

"Ok let me make this clear to you Liam because you seem to lack understanding" Carla starts and Liam avoids her gaze "This is the address, nine tomorrow morning, be there or don't, its your choice"

"Carla, wait" he stops her from leaving and she sighs and turns around to look at him with a gentle shake of her head "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes" she whispers and Liam nods with a small smile "Results will most likely take a while but we need to do this"

"I'll be there, I promise you," Liam says nodding at her and Carla smiles and nods back offering a small smile, she goes to leave the office but Liam stops her, "Carla?"

"Yeah?"

"Take care," he says and she nods before leaving the office finally, he sighs and closes his eyes before breathing out at all these feelings in his head and body, internally he wished that baby was his but there was no way he was going to express that even to Carla...


The morning came and Tony was fussing around Carla like no tomorrow after it slipped out that she went out yesterday, if she was honest he was overbearing, she knew that he cared but she was sure she understood her body and when she needed to rest after all these last few days had taught her what's important in life. Carla was watching Tony potter around before he kissed her softly on the lips, told her he loved her and then was out of the door by nine. She sighed in relief that he wasn't challenging her on whether he should stay home in case something happened meaning she could escape easily to go and do this paternity test. The buzzer went off just as she was about to leave and she sighed in annoyance and picked it up, to her surprise it was Liam who said he wanted to give her a lift so she accepted and headed down to join him in his car. The journey in itself was tedious and they didn't really say much until they got in the waiting room.

"Are you ok?" Liam asks and Carla nods before biting her lip "Whatever happens-"

"Don't Liam" she shakes her head before sighing slightly "How's Maria?"

"Good, yeah, good" Liam nods even though he didn't want to talk about his wife with her and Carla immediately sensed this "So what will happen when we get in there?"

"Um, they'll take our blood and then do some weird analysis stuff" Carla explains briefly and Liam nods, he noticed she was being quieter than usual

"If you want to back out-"

"No" she states and Liam nods slowly "I don't want to back out, I want the truth"

"Ok well, sure..." he trails off as a nurse comes over to the "It'll be ok"

"I hope so, whatever the answer is..."