"Lucas I'm on the way to the meeting now, yes I'll be fine. I'll call you after okay? Alright, yeah... Bye!" Carla hung up as she was about to exit the cafe. She had planned on staying in a hotel whilst she was in Weatherfield but during her catch up with Roy the day before, he insisted that she stayed with him instead of wasting her money.

The chat with Roy had gone a lot better than she expected as he assured her it was none of his business what she got up to and who she was friends with as long as she was happy, so when they were done and he had to get back to work, she got her suitcase out of the car, freshened up and ended up going back to the Bistro for a Connor family reunion which turned out to be a rather late night.

"Woah, steady on!" She heard a familiar voice say when she stepped onto the pavement, she also felt their soft hands gripping her arms to stop her from tumbling over.

"God, sorry Peter I didn't see ya there, too busy looking at this flaming thing!" She apologised as she waved her phone in the air.

"Yeah I kinda gathered." He chuckled, removing his hands from her and stepping back slightly, "You in a rush or something?" He admired her subtly, her shiny hair was curled and she had skyscraper heels on her feet.

"Yep, work meeting remember? Although I feel shattered after an impromptu family reunion last night so I really can't be bothered. Doesn't help I've had Lucas in my ear all morning, he needs to realise I could do these things in my sleep." She ranted, pushing her hair behind her ear after it blew across her face in the strong wind.

"Who's Lucas?" He asked curiously.

"Oh just the guy I work with." She didn't notice the jealousy radiating from Peter as she was in a hurry, "Anyway I've really gotta go otherwise I am gonna be late."

"Well I would say good luck but I know you don't need it."

"Ha thanks, see ya!" She gave him a little wave with her free hand and strutted off towards her car that was parked round the corner.

"Bye!" He moodily strolled into the cafe for a brew and bacon barm before his shift at Street Cars, trying to think of anything but Carla and whoever this Lucas guy was.


It was a quiet afternoon for Peter and his cab, journeys consisting of airport runs, local pick ups and drop offs. It was now 3pm and he had just received a call from Steve asking him to go over to The Chariot Square Hotel to pick someone up, now that he thought about it he realised Steve hadn't given him the name of the person he was getting, just as he was about to call him back and find out, a tipsy Carla stumbled into the passenger side of his taxi.

"I knew Steve would send you!" She giggled as she sat down gracefully and shut the car door, the scent of her expensive perfume immediately filling his nostrils.

Noticing her demeanour he looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Have you been drinking?"

"Yep, celebration drinks after bagging a massive order. Why do you think I'm not driving? Been there, done that, got my license taken away to prove it." She leant back to retrieve the seatbelt, pulled it across her body and clicked it into place before turning towards Peter with an angelic look on her face.

"You're a nightmare Connor." He shook his head and grinned widely, dimples on show.

"And don't you forget it." She winked, "Chop chop then, are we gonna sit here all day?"

"Hang on, let me say congratulations first." He paused dramatically, "Congratulations!"

"Thanks." She beamed, "I was kinda worried I'd lost my mojo, I was putting up a front this morning." She admitted, looking down into her lap and fiddling with her fingers.

He placed two of his fingers under her chin and gently lifted her head so she was looking directly at him, "You are all mojo baby."

"Well I don't feel like it but thanks anyway, baby." She slapped his cheek playfully.

Feeling warm all of a sudden, Carla took her coat off and placed it down by her feet, next to her bag whilst Peter put on his seatbelt and started the engine, both ready for the journey back to Coronation Street.

"Do I have something on my face or summat?" She asked after clocking Peter glance at her for the third time in a couple of minutes.

"What? No." He blushed, looking towards the road, "You just look good, no, better than good, gorgeous." He admitted, admiring her long sleeved, fitted black dress, killer designer heels and tanned, toned bare legs. Her makeup was immaculate and the curls she put in her hair had dropped since he bumped into her earlier on in the day, giving them a beach wave effect, he wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through the soft, brunette strands like he used to.

"Oh, thanks." It was her turn to blush, "You don't look too bad yourself." She hummed, shrugging her shoulders casually after giving him a once over, she'd always liked the simple black t-shirt and blue jeans combination on Peter.

"Don't do that, face forward please." He jokingly instructed when he saw the way she was biting down on her bottom lip whilst gazing at him.

"Yes master Peter." She saluted and did exactly what he asked.

"God help me." He mumbled to himself quietly, not sure how he was meant to cope being in this kind of proximity with a tipsy Carla.

Carla gazed out the window with a smile tugging at her lips, the realisation of how much she had missed the city she still called home hitting her. "I see your taste in music hasn't got much better then, what even is this?" She referred to the old song that was currently playing quietly in the cab.

He laughed at her bluntness, "My phone's connected, Si helped me set it up the other day." He nodded towards his phone that was currently placed in a compartment between them, "Here, see if you can find something you like your majesty." He picked it up and passed it to her.

Carla kept pressing skip but couldn't find anything she liked so decided she was going to need to go onto his phone and into his music library to choose something, "Do you wanna do your passcode?" She offered politely.

"You can do it... 091211." He wasn't sure if she would realise that his passcode was still the same as it had always been and why the date was so special to him.

"091211." She read out loud as she typed like a child would, "Oh." She looked up at him with a glint in her eye as it hit her just what date that was.

"Yeah." He coughed, "I've er, never changed it."

"Cute." She hummed, "Oooh finally! Now we're talking." She cheered as she found a song she liked.

As Lana Del Ray filled the speakers Peter chuckled, "Why am I not surprised?" He playfully rolled his eyes and shook his head.


As he pulled into Coronation Street, Peter asked Carla whereabouts she wanted dropping off, he suggested Roy's so she could maybe have an afternoon nap to sleep off the booze but she wasn't having any of it and insisted that she was going to carry on drinking the day and night away in the pub or the Bistro. Luckily for him, Carla was his last customer before his shift was over so he ended up going back to Street Cars to park the cab, taking her with him.

"How much do I owe you Barlow?" She reached into her bag and got her purse out once Peter had parked the car.

"Don't worry about it, I'll sort it."

"Don't be ridiculous." She glanced up at the meter, saw the amount and handed him a crisp £20 note, "Here ya go, keep the change as you were such a delightful chauffeur."

"Hark at Lady Penelope here." He grinned, "Thanks. Ay, fancy going for a coffee or a bite to eat? My shift is over now."

"Hmm, I probably should eat as I haven't yet today-"

"Carla." He interrupted disappointedly.

"What?'

"You've been drinking on an empty stomach?"

"Not like it's the first time and it definitely won't be the last either."

"Well it should be, you need to look after yourself." He softly squeezed her thigh before patting it, "Right, food time. What do you fancy?" He asked as he climbed out of the car, locking it once he saw that she was out too.

"Honestly? I could murder a bag of chips from the fish and chip shop, oooh maybe a battered sausage too." She licked her lips at the thought.

"Here was me about to treat you to a meal at Speed Daal or the Bistro and that's what you want?" He chuckled, "If only people knew the real Carla Connor eh?"

"Shhh, don't tell anyone." She pressed a finger to her lips to emphasise her point, "But yeah it's what I want. You gonna get it for me or what?" She asked sassily with her hands on her hips.

He chuckled whilst nodding his head, "You know I am. Come on, let's go." She had him wrapped around her little finger and they both knew it.

Carla and Peter slowly strolled through the street and towards For Your Fries Only, the sun was shining and it still felt quite warm considering it was heading into early evening. Carla decided to wait outside whilst Peter went in to get their food, insisting she needed some fresh air to help sober her up which then caused him to wind her up about her clearly not wanting to be seen inside the fish and chip shop.

Whilst waiting outside, enjoying the evening sun on her skin, Carla's phone began to ring from inside her black leather bag, Lucas' name on the screen causing her to wince slightly as she remembered she hadn't called him after the meeting like she promised she would.

"Hey."

"Hello! Someone didn't call me like they said they were gonna did they? Let me guess they were sweet talking ya with wine?"

"Sorry but yeah, you're spot on actually."

"Thought so, well I'm glad it was successful. Not that I had any doubts, it's exactly why I insisted it was you that went."

"Stop flattering me."

"Nah it's fun."

"Ha, whatever you say."

"When are you coming home?" She didn't answer, instead being distracted by Johnny and Jenny walking down the street hand in hand, a smile tugging at her lips, "Carla?"

"Oh sorry. Erm not sure, Sunday probably."

"Great, see you Monday then yeah?"

"Yep. Look Lucas I've gotta go my food is ready, bye!" She made up an excuse, hung up and sighed as she locked her phone. She spun round to face the chip shop again, immediately startled at the sight of Peter stood not too far away. "God you made me jump, how long have you been there?" She placed a hand across her chest, feeling her heart pounding.

"Long enough to know you're being flattered by this Lucas fella." He replied unimpressed, holding the white carrier bag of food with a tight grip.

"Eh?" She raised her eyebrow curiously and folded her arms across her body.

"Look, your love life has nothing to do with me."

"I don't know what you think you heard Peter but as I said this morning, I work with the guy. But you're right even if there was something going on, it would have nothing to do with you."

"I'm sorry, just ignore me." He glumly looked down towards his feet, he knew he was being unreasonable but couldn't help the jealous feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I can't ignore you." She sighed and scrunched her nose up cutely, "You have my food in there." She pointed towards the bag, a little smile on her face.

Peter let out a laugh, grateful that she wasn't properly mad at him, "That's true. Would you like it out here or were you planning on going somewhere?" He was secretly hoping they wouldn't have to part ways just yet.

"Not sure I wanna be seen in public with you eating chips." She smirked, still pretending to be annoyed with him but after seeing the adorable look on his face she decided she didn't want to part ways yet either, "Number 1 or Roy's?"


They decided on Roy's as Peter reminded Carla that the Barlow's were constantly coming and going at his dads house, not that he minded if any of them saw him and Carla together he was thinking more about her. They snuck in the back entrance of Roy's so that they wouldn't have to walk through the cafe, neither of them wanting to fuel any gossip and rumours round the street.

"So, how's the sausage and chips?" He asked after he swallowed a mouthful of food.

"Delicious thank you. I've missed it, it's just not the same down South." She sighed before popping a chip in her mouth.

Noticing the deflated sigh and the way she mentioned her current home he voiced his thoughts, "You miss it here don't you?" He caught her gaze and instantly knew he was right.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Know exactly what I'm thinking."

"You know why."

"Humour me." She flashed him a smile that made his heart ache.

"Because we're soulmates, that's why."

"Hmmm." She mused, "Does that mean I know what you're thinking too?" She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, something she did when she was curious.

"Probably... Why don't you give it a go." He chuckled, distracted by the way she was biting her lip.

She leant forward slightly, getting closer to his face, "I think, you're thinking.." She pouted her already plump lips, "That you want to.." She leant even further forward, their faces now so close that they could feel each others breath, "Kiss me." She finished and waited to see if he would do it.

He closed the gap between them immediately but just as their lips touched for the first time in years, the flat door swung open, causing them both to dramatically spring apart, neither of them had heard Roy's footprints coming up the stairs as they had been so caught up in each other.

"Apologies, I… I didn't mean to intrude. I just need to change my cardigan as one of the appliances malfunctioned, the blender to be precise, its contents sprayed all over me." Roy rambled, he hadn't seen the near kiss but still felt awkward walking in on them both as he didn't know they were there.

"Don't be silly Roy, this is your flat! I hope you don't mind us being here, I hadn't eaten all day ya see so Peter treated me to a chippy tea."

"Carla, what have I told you about not eating?" He disciplined.

"Oh not you an all, I've already had all this from him." She gestured to Peter who was sat grinning away like a teachers pet.

"Well I'm glad you have us to keep an eye on you whilst you're here." He smiled awkwardly before walking towards his bedroom to change his cardigan. Once he was done he said his goodbyes and went back downstairs, leaving Carla and Peter alone again.

The atmosphere in the room had changed since the near kiss. The two of them silently wondering what may have happened if Roy hadn't have walked in when he did, the thought exciting them both, although they were in silent agreement that it was probably a good thing they got interrupted since Carla had been drinking.

"So… Was I right?" She referred back to the earlier conversation of knowing what he was thinking about.

"Do you even need to ask?" He gently placed his hand under her chin, his thumb on her bottom lip and gave it a light tug, "and although I would love to kiss those lips right now I think we both know it was a good thing that Roy stopped us."

"Was it though?" She whined, even though she knew he was right. He caressed her cheek in a way he always used to with his thumb, whilst his hand sat round the back of her head and in her hair, goosebumps instantly appeared on her arms, she couldn't help but be grateful she chose a long sleeve dress that morning.

"You know it was, you've been drinking."

"I know." She sighed, "Hey, when did we get so sensible?"

He laughed loudly, "Maybe we're finally evolving." He took his hand out of her hair, placed it back on the table in front of him and sat back in his chair. "Anyway back to what I said before, you're not happy in Devon are you?"

"It's not that I'm not happy as such, I'm just lonely sometimes. I miss the people here, a lot more than I realised until seeing you and Si again and then actually being back here."

"Come home then."

"It's not that simple, I have a life down there, a job, a house, some friends. I mean yeah they're not the same as the family and friends I have here but also I left this place for a reason, I'm not sure I'm ready to come back." She explained, truthfully she didn't know whether she wanted to be in Devon or Manchester, she felt lost.

"Car, you need to do whatever makes you happy."

"I don't know what will make me happy, that's the problem." She put her head in her hands, it felt good to finally talk to someone about it rather than keeping it bottled up but she still didn't know what to do.

Peter leant forward and rubbed her back softly to comfort her, "Well you don't have to make any rash decisions, maybe just have a think about it?" He sympathised when she nodded, "If it's any constellation I know how you feel, I went to Portsmouth after I'd destroyed us didn't I? Came back here after a couple of years because it's home and always will be."

"Hmm, I guess." She smiled sadly, she knew she had some thinking to do. "Anyway, let's not talk about that. Fancy watching a film? Or are you gonna abandon me now I've eaten?" She stood up and chucked her rubbish in the bin.

"No, no, I'll be here until you or Roy kick me out."

"He's actually going bat watching after he closes the cafe tonight so he won't be chucking you out don't worry…"

"Oh really? What about you though?"

"Hmm, we'll see." She winked at him jokingly.

Carla told Peter to choose a film out of the collection Roy had next to the television, most of them were old classics that neither of them would usually bat an eyelid at but it didn't bother them right now as they were just happy to be spending time with each other. Carla made them both a brew and grabbed the biscuit tin, placing them on the coffee table in front of the red sofa before going to join Peter by the TV.

"Right, what have you chosen then?" She peered over his shoulder and saw that he currently had Grease in one hand and The Shining in the other, "Bit of a difference between those two films isn't there?" She questioned with a laugh, she knew he remembered how she wasn't a fan of horror films from his little trip to Devon so she wondered why he had it as a choice.

"They're the only two I've heard of so far I'm not going to lie." He chuckled, "Who even still has a dvd player and dvd's? Even I know about all the streaming stuff these days."

"Ooo, get you. Remember this is Roy, he's even worse with technology than you are which I didn't think was possible."

"Oi." He gave her a little nudge, "I can't be bothered to look through anymore, just pick one of these."

"Well… Do you want me to be singing or screaming?" She asked innocently, when he didn't reply straightaway she looked up, into his eyes and saw the cheeky glint in them, "Because I'll be scared, get your mind out of the gutter."

"Er, I didn't say anything thank you." He feigned innocence.

"You didn't need to, we know what each other is thinking remember."

"Whatever, just pick one." He challenged cockily, he was sure she wouldn't choose a horror film voluntarily.

She knew he expected her to go for Grease so she purposely took The Shining out of his hands with a smile to prove him wrong. She'd probably regret the decision shortly but it was worth it to see the shocked look on Peter's face. Amused, he sat down on the small sofa and left a space for Carla who immediately filled it after putting the dvd in and turning the television on. He mentally made a bet with himself about how long it would take until she used him as a human shield, going with 30 minutes maximum.

He was right. By the 25th minute Carla had an arm and a leg draped across Peter who was lying on his back, his arm was placed around her shoulders with a hand in her hair, bringing her as close to him as she could possibly be. They were cuddled up in a way they used to be every single night for years, it felt nostalgic yet new and exciting at the same time.

When Roy came upstairs after he closed the cafe, he caught the two of them fast asleep on the sofa with the credits rolling. He shuffled around the flat quietly as he got his belongings ready for bat watching. Just as he was about to leave, he heard movement so awkwardly glanced over at the brunette pair, who in their sleep had managed to get even closer, Carla's face was pressed into Peter's neck and he had both arms wrapped securely around her body, their legs interlocked with each others.

As the door clicked closed from Roy's departure, Peter's eyes flickered open. He smiled down at Carla's sleeping form snuggled into his chest and gave her a gentle squeeze, she let out a little hum in her sleep at his actions so he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. He shut his eyes again and sighed contently, in a weird way he was glad his son had run away last week because he wouldn't have Carla wrapped up in his arms right now if he hadn't.


a/n: sorry the updates have been a bit slow, life is getting busier again!

thank you for all the reviews :)