I think I can entwine five stories that are on-screen right now if I really think about it. There are a lot more twists to come.


"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" Ken questions taking in Peter's state, the bottle of whiskey firmly in his hands

"Oh shut up" Peter snaps back "I don't care what you think"

"You say you want to be there for Carla but here you are hell-bent on killing yourself"

"I'm not listening to this" Peter mutters storming out of the house, Ken sighs and shakes his head, his expression full of disapproval but at least now he knew how much his son was struggling, right?


She was staring blankly at the two roses now in the cup in front of her, sitting on the counter at the back of the room. Her eyes kept fluttering down to the harsh light, she let out a steady yawn not even noticing what Johnny was saying beside her as she was more engrossed in the roses. Carla tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes, black roses, she wanted to laugh and scoff but the reality of her situation hit her once more and she remembered that she couldn't speak.

"Love?" Johnny questions, she turns her head to him and smiles "Was i boring you?"

"Uh...I...Mmm" she tries to speak but sighs in response, Johnny offers her the phone so she could communicate

"Where's Peter?"

"I don't know" Johnny shrugs, Carla nods slowly "He's probably gone into town to get you some more comfy clothes as your wardrobe isn't exactly full of them is it?"

"Not funny"

She tries to pout her lips, Johnny chuckles

"Nick's coming to see you today," Johnny says, Carla just shrugs biting her lip and glances at the roses "Are you ok with that?"

Her fingers glide across her phone screen,

"Fine"

"As long as you're ok with it?"

"I am"

"Speaking of Nick" Johnny smiles glancing out of the window, Carla bites her lip watching him leave the room and returning with Nick "I'll leave you two to it"

"T-T...a…"

"Love you don't need to try and speak" Johnny whispers dropping a kiss on the top of her head "Just send me a text if you need me, yeah?"

She nods glancing at Nick as Johnny leaves the room

"Hey" Nick responds with a small smile sitting down beside her, she smiles at him "So how are you?"

She reaches to pick up her phone,

"Can't walk, can't speak"

"Do they know why?"

"Still unsure. They don't know whether I will ever regain use of my legs"

"I'm sorry" Nick responds sympathetically "So the paralysis could be permanent?"

"Yes"

"What about your speech?"

"They're going to try speech therapy"

"That's good" Nick encourages with a small smile glancing around the room, his eyes focus on the roses as he offers Carla a small smile "You always said you liked black roses didn't you?"

"L-L...ea…"

"Leanne?" he questions, Carla nods biting her lip picking up the phone

"How is she?"

"I can't get a look in so I couldn't answer your question" Nick smiles slightly, she takes his hand before returning to her phone,

"She loves you so much you know that right?"

"Maybe but she's not in the right frame of mind right now" Nick sighs, Carla shrugs "And you will get better, trust me it's a long process but you will"

"Everythings too complicated"

"Don't give up. The Carla I know would never give up"

"I'm no longer that Carla"

She turns her gaze to the black roses and sighs, he follows her gaze, she picks up her phone once more,

"I think we both know that now"

"You just feel lost, Peter will help you. As you said Leanne loves me, Peter also loves you"

"And I love him"

"Well that sounds pretty perfect to me"

She picks up her phone trying her best to smirk,

"If you used that logic then you would realise that you and Leanne were in love"

"Very funny" he retorts, she smiles at him before sighing at the roses once more "Have you spoken to Peter about…"

She shakes her head and glares at Nick

"It's in the past now"

"Still…" Nick trails off, Carla grabs his hand and forcefully squeezes it "Okay...okay"

"Don't say anything"

"I won't" he chucks his hand up in surrender, Carla bites her lip "You do realise he would understand right?"

"I know he would, I just don't want to cause him any unnecessary pain"

"You're too good for this world you know that"

"Fairy godmother is me"

She smirks at him, he chuckles at her cheeky attitude. She picks up the phone

"I don't deserve your loyalty, Nick"

"Loyalty?"

"You could have blown one of my deepest darkest secrets. You didn't. Thank you"

"You should tell Peter though"

"Maybe after all this"

She gestures to her surroundings, a nurse enters the room and Carla offers a small smile

"I was wondering if I could take your blood pressure and run some other tests?"

Carla picks up her phone

"I would prefer if Peter was here for that"

"I can come back later, it's just that we haven't done an observation today" the nurse smiles, Carla sighs and nods biting her lip and allowing her fingers to glide across her phone screen

"I'll text my father then?"

"I don't mind staying?" Nick suggests, Carla frowns and raises an eyebrow "I mean I've been in this position before…"

"You don't have to Nick"

She bites her lip, he smiles reassuringly at her

"If it's important?" Nick glances to the nurse who nods "I'll stay then, it'll save Johnny from having to come back here and you waiting"

"Are you sure Carla?" the nurse says glancing between them both, Carla nods biting her lip "Right let's take your blood pressure yeah?"

"O...O...O...k" she bites her lip offering her arm to the nurse who wraps the blood pressure cuff around her arm

"One twenty over eighty" the nurse smiles, Carla bites her lip

"N...N...e" she sighs shaking her head, she picks up the phone,

"Next?"

"Right we're going to do that horrible blindfold test, sorry"

"Mmm" Carla hums closing her eyes, the nurse pulls back the covers so one of Carla's legs were showing

"Let me know if you feel anything," the nurse says quietly pressing down on Carla's feet and moving up her leg, she goes to the next leg and does the same starting with her feet but nothing, she moves to Carla's lower abdomen and presses down gently mindful of the baby, she continues to move up her body before Carla's upper half squirms "Ok, thank you, Carla"

"So what did you do exactly?"

Carla picks up the phone,

"No change"

"You're still recovering, we're going to try some other things so don't worry" the nurse smiles, Carla sighs slightly "Could I maybe take some blood?"

"Mm" Carla nods offering her arm to the nurse who takes her blood, she looks away hating the thought of the needle

"All done" the nurse smiles putting the tubes back in the tray "I'll leave you to it now"

"Thank you," Nick says glancing at Carla who smiles thankful for the help, she glances at the clock "Expecting someone?"

"P...e…"

"Peter?"

She nods

"How about I go back and try and find him for you?" Nick suggests standing up, Carla nods watching his gaze fall to the ultrasound picture, Carla looks up at him before picking up the phone

"Don't look too shocked"

"It's not that" Nick frowns picking it up, Carla looks up at him again "Makes it very complicated right?"

"M...m" she nods with a small smile, she reaches to take it off him before picking up the phone,

"That's why they want to move me to a rehabilitation unit so they can monitor me and the baby"

"That's a good idea" Nick nods, Carla smiles "Anyway I should go and find out what's happened to that boyfriend of yours so you can rest"

"Thank you, for coming, it helped"

"That's good" Nick smiles "Just focus on getting better, don't worry about the factory"

"B...B...y"

"Goodbye," he says before leaving the room, he glances one last time at the roses and chuckles slightly before leaving…


"Peter here?" Nick questions with a frown, Ken raises an eyebrow at Nick's unlikely visit "It's important"

"Peter's not here" Ken responds briefly "Actually I'm home alone-"

"Dad!"

"So he is here" Nick walks into the house and into the backroom where Peter was sweating "Wow...this is just great"

"Wind your neck in"

"Still drunk then?" Nick glances to Ken who sighs awkwardly "Carla wants to see you"

"How is she?"

"She had her observations when I was there. No change before you ask"

"I need to see her"

"Yeah I dont think thats a good idea when you're in this state" Nick comments, Peter scowls at him "I get it's hard Peter but Carla needs you, so does Simon"

"Don't you think I know that?!" he snaps back coughing slightly, Ken tuts slightly at his son's behaviour

"Look, I'm not going to stand here and watch you roll around in your own sweat" Nick states, Peter frowns "Just sober up then go and see her and be honest with her she doesn't need mollycoddling when she's in that position"

"And you're an expert on my girlfriend all of a sudden?"

"She was my wife too at one point, remember that" Nick points with a laugh "I'll leave you to it. I suggest making the right decision"

"Nick, wait!" Peter calls as Nick rolls his eyes folding his arms across his chest "Thank you for being there for her"

"I don't want your apology, Peter, just try and figure out what you want" Nick drones before leaving the house, Ken sits down at the table

"He has a point you know"

"Yeah alright dad" Peter glares "I'm going for a shower"


Nick was sitting in the factory, as horrible as it sounded he needed to find a replacement for Carla as she would be out of work for some time. Hopefully, she would want to come back to work but he was unsure considering everything that was going on in her life. When he first heard about Carla being in hospital he worked on that as soon as possible as Sarah really didn't have the experience behind her like Carla did so he needed someone to fill her shoes rather pronto. He had an eager candidate who offered to be interviewed today so he went for it and jumped at the chance.

"Who's this candidate then?" Sarah questions raising her eyebrows "Are they a she?"

"No" Nick shakes his head

"Oooh a he" Sarah smirks, Nick pulls a face "How old?"

"He's very eager, looking for work as soon as possible, new to the area" Nick shrugs, "Not your age though, surprised you want to replace Adam so quick, to be honest with you"

"It's not that, Adams been in a world of his own recently, I guess everything going on with Carla and Peter… it's understandable but it just feels...weird, our relationship now"

"Well that's what mixing with the likes of Gary Windass does to you" Nick retorts, Sarah glares at him as someone walks through the door "You must be Lucas Kempton?"

"Yes. I'm here for a meeting with Nick Tilsley over the managerial post-"

"Please take a seat" Sarah offers "Would you like a drink at all?"

"Just a coffee please, a splash of milk one sugar" Lucas smiles, Sarah nods leaving the office "So you're Nick?"

"Yes" Nick confirms "I must admit you were very keen on the job"

"Jobs are currently so thin on the ground right now so I moved up here from Devon as there would no doubt be more opportunities in a more populated area"

"Well let me explain my situation to you. My stepson recently passed away so we're looking to take time out as a family to grieve, the woman who was had been taking over for a few months had a tragic accident so I need someone to take over until I'm ready to come back"

"I can provide," Lucas says "You've seen my CV"

"I have and it's very full, you have lots of experience so I'd be happy to offer you the job if you want it?"

"Yes, it's a great place, location, it'll be really helpful" Lucas confirms, Nick offers his hand to shake as Sarah places the coffees down on the desk

"Well let's talk business then" Nick trails off...