"Hi Ken" The woman who he hadn't seen in over a year was standing at the door of number 2 with a pushchair and his three year old grandchild. "Hallie came to wish her grandad a merry Christmas" She smiled looking down at her daughter who last saw him when she was just a baby "can we come in ?

"Yeah of course, my gosh hasn't little Hallie grown" The man looked down delighted to see his granddaughter who was standing holding onto the pushchair wrapped in an oversized black fur coat before suddenly remembering his son was upstairs " oh but I must say though Carla Peters here I don't want you to feel uncomfortable" Ken questioned.

"I was kind of hoping that he would be actually Ken, see I'm sure he's said but, he met Hallie earlier today but I think he found it all a bit overwhelming, I wanted to make sure he was ok"

"Well come in" Ken opened the door wide. So the woman could come though easily with the buggy. Carla almost immediately shuffled through into the hallway guiding Hallie by the hand at the same time

"Can I leave the little one out here in the buggie, she's only just gone down and I don't want to wake her up she'll end up screeching the house down" The woman questioned before adding "I would have left her with Aidan but I think he's sick of baby duty's today"

"Of course come in to the back room when your ready, it's great to see you Carla" Ken gave the woman some space as she parked the buggy in the corner.

She checked her youngest daughter was asleep before bending down and picking Hallie up into her arms so that she felt a bit more secure knowing the situation wouldn't make her child feel too comfortable. Before following Ken into the room

"Oh what corner did you find her on ?" Tracy sighed

"Carla and your niece have come to wish you a merry Christmas Tracy" Ken interrupted. "Please Carla sit down" he gestured as she placed Hallie on the floor in front of her while she sat down on the sofa.

"Do you want a drink Carla" The man continued. "We have wine open or bottles of spirits in the cupboard"

"urm can I just have a coffee please Ken" She replied while moving her daughter from the floor to the chair so that she was sitting next to her in a bid to stop her from clinging to her arm.

"And what about little Hallie" The man asked from the other side of the room causing the girl to remain silent while staring at him from the corner of her eye.

"Hallie, you can speak you know it's only Grandad" Carla added for reassurance causing the little girl to look up at her mum.

"Well she doesn't really know him does she, not since you ran off to Devon and started popping out children with random men" Tracy smirked knowing it would cause annoyance, resulting in Carla giving her a quick glare before turning her attention back to her daughter who was still looking up at her "Grandad wants to know if you want a drink, are you thirsty?"

The little girl shook her head as Carla smiled at Ken and put her arm around her. "She's fine thanks Ken all we've done is eat and drink today" she laughed as the man walked into the kitchen.

"Well she's not as loud and garish as you is she" Tracy remarked looking at the little girl.

"Or you, thank god" The other woman snapped back "where's Peter anyway Hallies got something to give to him Haven't you" The woman nudged the little girls arm.

They had both sat and made Peter and the family a card from Hallies new craft set she got for Christmas after lunch in the bistro. Carla used this opportunity to talk to her more about Peter in a bid to help her child feel more comfortable around the man as the rest of her relatives crowded around Amelia.

"He's upstairs having a shower, the waters gone at the pub, I'll let him know your here" Ken responded walking out the room just as Amy walked in.

"Oh hi Carla" She smiled glancing at Hallie. "Is that Hallie" She questioned as Carla smiled and nodded "wow, hasn't she got big"

"Yeah well you haven't seen her for a while Carla hasn't been very good at keeping in contact has she" Tracy chimed in as Amy bent down ignoring her mother's digs.

"Can I have a cuddle" She asked her cousin before the three year old dived into her arms with a big grin on her face, stunning Carla.

"god, she likes you ! She never does that with anyone" Carla smiled watching as Amy stood up with her in her arms, walked over to the table and sat down with her on her knee and started talking to the little girl.

"Bit fussier then her mum then, phew" Tracy added looking at the two cousins chatting to each other

"Yes Tracy, we know your still there" Carla looked across before being turning her attention to Ken walking through the door and through to the kitchen

"He's coming down now Carla he was just in the shower, I'll just finish making your drink"

"Mummy, can I play with scooter" Hallie spoke loudly at her from the table a new found confidence.

"Not now darling" Carla smiled knowing her daughter was dying to play on her new toy Johnny had given to her earlier for Christmas. "You can ask Amy if she wants to help you do your new jigsaw Santa got you" she added grateful someone else might entertain her child.

"Is it new" Amy looked down at the child appreciating the excitement In her face.

"You dont have to Amy, but it's in the bottom of the buggy in the hall if you want to help me out " Carla spoke up with full awareness the teenager might not want to complete a three piece puzzle but keen to get her child settled when for when Peter walked through.

"Come on Hallie shall we go and find it" the 13 year old responded putting her cousin on her hip before walking towards the door.

"Be quite don't wake your sister up though Hallie" Carla warned as the pair walked into the hall.

"One coffee Carla" Ken walked towards to woman placing the cup on the table next to her as the woman thanked him.

"I must say it's unlike you to be off the sauce" Tracy quipped as Amy walked back into the room flustered with Amelia in her arms who was crying out loud.

"Carla I'm sorry, we knocked the pushchair as we were looking for the puzzle and she woke up" She apologetically spoke passing the baby to her mum unsure with how annoyed Carla would be.

"Ohhhh noooo" Carla spoke calmly taking it in her stride as she rocked the baby in her arms and stroked her head "don't worry Amy she's just has dramatic tendencies" She joked before looking at the baby and cooing "you just wanted to join in the fun didn't you" which caused Amelia to grin widely.

"Did you find the puzzle" she looked up at Amy.

"Yeah, yeah we found it didn't we Hallie" Amy smiled, over to the little girl who was holding the box in her arms walking back over to the table excitedly.

"What's going on here then" Peter spoke as he walked through the door from upstairs the smell of his aftershave hitting Carlas nose before sending a familiar pang through her whole body as the man looked over to see his daughter at the table and his ex wife sitting holding her baby in her arms.

"we've come to wish you all a merry Christmas" Carla spoke up looking directly at the man before Tracy could get a word In. "Properly this time" she smiled at her ex knowing he was without a doubt still thinking about earlier on In the day where Hallie refused to speak to him.

"Ohh that's nice love, I didnt realise you were Coming, it's a surprise though very welcomed" he smiled sitting down on the sofa next to Carla still finding it weird that she was sat there with a baby in her arms.

"Sorry, manic day you know how it is this time of year" she responded as she placed Amelia on the floor realising that she was becoming restless sat on her knee. She had recently started crawling and was into everything so never wanted to be sat still these days "where's the dog is she alright on the floor I don't want her going up and annoying it" Carla asked Ken as she watched her child crawling over to the table before being assured that it was upstairs. "Hallie, sweetheart , can you come here a sec" Carla interrupted her daughter who was opening the box of the puzzle watching as she walked over and stopped in front of her. "Do you remember what we made daddy earlier with your new Christmas present" the little girl nodded at her mum blankly "well, we need to give it to him" Carla spoke bending over into her bag, picking out the card while scouting the room for Amelia making sure she wasn't up to mischief. "Here you go" she gave the little girl the card "hand it over and say merry Christmas daddy" she pointed to Peter as the little girl looked at him and shyly passed him the card silently causing Peter to well up.

"Thank you my gorgeous girl" he smiled choking back as he spoke.

"Say no problem daddy" Carla encouraged her child playing with her hair as the little girls cheek fell into her own shoulder in shyness. "What's the matter has the cat got your tongue" Carla joked reaching out and tickling her chin in an attempt relax her causing the three year old to giggle before climbing onto her mother's knee for reassurance. "Why don't you give Peter a hug if you don't want to speak" Carla suggested keen to encourage their relationship as Peter held out his arms and looked at his daughter overwhelmed with their interaction however small. The little girl just looked at him from the safety of her mother's lap weighing up the situation before Carla moved her towards Peter causing her to grumble.

"Dont force her" Peter spoke, not wanting to make his daughter feel uncomfortable happy for now with their interaction and made up with the Christmas card he received "well thank you miss Hallie for this card it means a lot, in fact it's my favourite card I've ever received and your very clever making this" he smiled tapping her nose quickly amusing the little girl.

"Well I should hope so I've got glitter all inside my bag now thanks to you" Carla sarcastly added causing Peter to smirk finding it a funny prospect that even Carlas deigner bags were being effected by motherhood.

"Are you staying long?" He looked at Carla "I'll get Toyah and Simon round if you can stay for a bit" he suggested

"Urm yeah we can stay for another drink can't we?" She smiled looking down at Hallie in her arms pulling her into her chest for a hug before looking down at Amelia who was tugging peters shoe laces undoing them.

"Ohhh hello you" Peter smiled bending down as the baby moved his laces in the direction of her mouth "I can tell who your mummy is" he chuckled at the baby who was up to mischief "now look what you've just done to my laces" he laughed before lifting her into his arms.

"Don't" Carla chuckled "she's just starting to get to l that age where she's into everything, we have got to have eyes at the back of our head haven't we Hallie" Carla smiled nudging her daughter.

"SHE SCAPES" Hallie replied widening her eyes expressively looking at Peter naturally ready to speak.

"She does escape doesn't she" Carla smiled clarifying her daughters words "you help me out with her a lot dont you" she grinned.

"You sound like a good big sister" Peter smiled overjoyed that she was finally speaking to him "your very lucky" the man turned his head to the baby in his arms shaking her shoulders playfully. Causing Carlas smile to fade slightly as she thought of how things could have been between them all one big happy family.

"Go on then mrs" Carla sighed as she let go of her daughter in a bid to try and stop her mind running away with her "go and do your puzzle with Amy before Simon and Toyah get here" realising that Amy was still waiting at the table for her cousin although her attention had been turned to a conversation with Ken and her mum. "Do you want me to take her Peter or are you ok" Carla questioned unsure as to whether Peter really wanted to be holding the baby or not cautious he really wanted to get to know his daughter.

"No no love, take this as an opportunity to have a break , hey it can't be easy having two little ones by yourself ! Anyway it's all good practice for when my baby comes next year isn't it !"

Carlas heart was racing Peter Barlow always did know the right thing to say. She did need a rest, she didn't like to admit it but it had been hard being two little people's world all the time. It was a role she was used to but it was tiring all the same and she did wish that she had someone to share the load. "Yeah the baby hey, another little brother or sister for Hallie then ey" the women responded a lot cooler then she felt.

"Yeah I suppose it will be !" The man responded as he bounced Amelia up and down "I am sorry you know love, for everything I put you through, I know this sounds, well, fickle but you've done an amazing job of Hallie and I know it can't have been easy"

"It wasn't" Carla replied taking Amelia from Peter and sitting her on her lap so she was facing out to the room as she was getting a little agitated "I'd be lying if I said there haven't been some low moments along the way, but how can you stay down when you look into her eyes" Carla gushed staring at her daughter across the room playing with her cousin.

"I am sorry though you do know that don't you love, I should have been there especially as I know how hard you must have found that pregnancy and those first few months all by yourself" causing a Carlas eyes to water at the memory's.

She had found The first few weeks of Hallies life mentally exhausting, draining and dark. Having someone so helpless rely on her so much and being so unconfident in her role had stressed her out to the max. All of her fears had come true when she had Hallie, she didn't have an overwhelming love of her child. She had given birth the day rob got sent down for 15 years for tinas murder. Her mind was full of guilt and loss being the one who shopped him in. Having a baby at that time was to much of an overwhelming pressure and she shut down. If it wasn't for the help of Michelle helping with Hallie and constantly reassuring and making sure she got the support she needed Carla didn't know where she would have been.

"It was hard" the women spoke her voice breaking slightly at the prospect "I don't know Peter, can we not drag all that up please" she asked really not wanting her mind to go back to such a horrific time the man nodded Respecting of his ex wife noticing that the pain was still very evident .

"Anyway tell me how's Simon" Carla smiled keen to know how her stepson was doing.

"Yeah he's great !... sick of baby talk I think with well you know the little one coming and Leanne's little boy Oliver"

"Ohhhh yesssss I've heard all about that one" Carla exclaims unimpressed.

"Ohhh of course you do through Michelle bless her heart"

"I know, Amelia is the same age as Ruari give a few months and it's been difficult" the woman truthfully spoke as Simon walked into the room followed buy Toyah, Leanne and Oliver.

"Oh who the hell invited all of you" Tracy who was still at the table spoke.

"I did Tracy" Peter quickly responded "in case you've forgotten Simon and Toyah need to see Hallie before she goes back down south"

"And LEANNE ? What about her is she just here for the free alcohol"

"No I said to toyah to invite her round if you must know im not gunna have her sitting in a cold pub with no how water am I ?" Peter reasoned "come and sit down" Peter stood leaving. Space next to Carla who was still sitting with Amelia on her lap who was now playing with a toy butterfly.

"Hallie" she spoke causing the little girl to look up. "Can you come and move the puzzle down here so that the adults can have a seat please" the women directed her child noting that there were now a lot of people in the room as the little girl picked up what she was playing with and came and sat next to her mums feet leaving room for the two women's to sit down.

"Thank you darling we won't stay for much longer don't worry" she smiled as Simon came and sat next to her on the chair after being nudged by his dad.

"Ohhhh my goodness havent you grown ! Carla smiled pulling the teenager in for a cuddle happy to see him as the boy kept his cool. In doing this it caused Amelia to drop the toy she was playing with and she let out a cry directing Carlas attention back to her "oh shush you" Carla spoke to her baby placing her on the floor next to Hallie and giving her the toy she was crying for before turning her attention back to Simon "so how have you been" the women smiled happy to see her stepson

"yeah I'm alright , very cramped living in the pub"

"Oh no and now your dads dragged you round here bet you love that" she grinned sarcastically looking round the room at the amount of people in one space just as Hallie on the floor pushed her sister away causing her to scream, frustrated as she was trying to take her puzzle pieces. "Ugh" the women sighed "Hallie why don't you put that away for now so Mia doesn't loose all the pieces" the woman reasoned forseeing an argument between the two girls. "Anyway you need to come and say hello to your brother, he's come to see you" the women added before helping her daughter pack up her puzzle pieces in the box ensuring the argument between the two girls stopped.

"Hi Hallie"Simon waved at the little girl who was sat on the floor by the puzzle box next to her sister who had just started crawling off "was that a present from Santa !? " he continued as the little girl carried on staring at her brother "did you get any other toys for Christmas" the teenager spoke trying his best to open communication with his sister.

"Scooter" Hallie smiled "do you want a go"

"Sorry Simon"Carla interrupted "she's been dying to use it, Johnny gave it to her earlier" she added tiredly "you can't play that in here Hallie there's no room"

"No don't say that" Simon interrupted seeing the his sisters face deflate and keen to make a good impression "we can go down the street on it if you have it with you"

"YES" the little girl spoke the loudest she had done since being back in Manchester making Simon laugh.

"It's in the bottom of the pram in a box, I think it just folds up, you don't have to though Simon," Carla reasoned not wanting the boy to feel pressured into it"

"Of course I do, my sister wants my sister gets" he smiled holding out his hand to Hallie "I can't do this stuff with Oliver yet he's to young- you going to show me where this scooter is"

"Go with Simon then if you want to play but be careful" Carla reasoned with her child who hadn't taken Simons hand "you need to show him where it is in the pram" she finished as the little girl stood up and ran out the room. Carla looked up at Peter who was still standing up by the sofa.

"They tiring you out ?" the man added

"Don't I'm always tired these days, if it's not one it's the other, honestly it makes running the factory seem like a doddle" she half smiled at him rubbing her face before scowering the room for Amelia who had crawled off moments before "do you know where the baby is ?" She spoke aloud while looking for her child on the floor.

"Toyahs got her" Peter responded, looking over to the woman at the table who was holding the baby in her arms chatting to Leanne "Clearly she's getting some practice in, do you want her ?" He questioned.

"No!" She shot back amusing her ex before she realised how it might have sounded "I just wanted to make sure she wasnt doing something she shouldn't" Carla saved herself.

"I'm only messing love" Peter laughed as he sat down next to his ex "early night for you then"

The woman sighed.

"I dont think I know what a late night is these days what's the time any way isn't it only 6" she replied zombie like closing her eyes while adding "is Simon alright out there with Hallie can you tell her she needs to put her coat on before she goes outside?"

"It's fine love he knows what to do he's learnt it all from Oliver, why don't you just take this as 5 minutes to relax you look like you could do with it"

"Haha it's all this socialising I'm not used to it" she laughed "listen Peter" she turned to the man next to her looking at him dead in the eye " I hope you know that Hallie will come round, she's just a shy kid, it won't take her long to get used to you"

"I hope so love god knows I've got some making up to do if she'll only let me"

"I know so" she added making the man smile.

"Thank you for coming round tonight it's meant a lot seeing Hallie and Simon really appreciates it too - what a crazy day"

"Well it's overdue, she shouldn't have been apart from her brother and grandad this long, it's just been very crazy back in Devon"

"Come on love don't be so hard on yourself I mean you've had a young baby and a toddler to deal with" Peter looked over at the baby across the room "what's with Nick then is he still living round by you or ?"

"No... he never did live in Devon in the end" Carla coyly said "messed that one up when I cheated on him with his chef" before adding "so marriage annulled, quick getaway to Devon only to find myself up the stick a month later... it's been pretty much on that foot ever since with him really it's all a bit up in the air"

"But he's there for Amelia"

"Well yeah... on his terms- I dunno Peter he's hiding something, he's said to me a few times he's been in Manchester with his family and Amelia, but earlier Gail almost ripped my head off letting me know exactly what she thought about not being able to meet her grandchild"

"So they haven't met ... has he been constant in her life "

"No they flamin haven't clearly- yeah... he takes her every couple of weeks up to Nottingham and looks after her and it's been like that ever since she was born really" Carla thought back

It was true, although he wasn't there in the slightest for Carla during her pregnancy. When she found out about the baby she had text him to let him know, hoping for a reconciliation or at least some support but she got nothing. She was left alone to deal with the pregnancy by herself. He hadn't come to the scans, the doctors appointments, he hadn't helped to decorate the nursery or shop for the baby equipment or helped to look after Hallie on the days that she was sick. She had had hyperemesis gravidarum when she was 9 weeks pregnant and had to be put in hospital. Michelle had been a lifesaver and come down to look after Hallie while she was in hospital on a drip. Nick had known about this and didn't help out at all.

Things were worse when she was preparing for the birth. Michelle was supposed to be her birthing partner but she had only just lost Ruari a month prior. Carla for obvious reasons hadn't wanted to ask her friend for her support as she knew it would be too traumatic for her. She had already text Nick and asked him if he was going to be at the birth and the only response she had received was 'if I can' so that was it when her waters broke she had left Hallie at her friend from mother and toddler groups house and made her own way to hospital when the time was ready. Looking back she didn't know how she had driven herself to the hospital let alone found time to text Nick letting him know what was happening on the odd chance he would come.

It had been a long birth 48 hours, Carla had done the majority of it alone. It was scary being left by herself. Last time she had had Michelle, this time she was all by herself she had no one to help her through the pain, not when she was dilating and not when she started to push. Not until Nick finally showed his face only just making his baby's arrival just as the little girls head appeared. He had hung around for a couple of hours cut the cord, held the baby and waited for her to be weighed before heading home for the night, no offer to look after Hallie or bring her in so that she could meet her sister and no offer to help Carla with the night feeds when she got home. In fact all he arranged was to come and pick her up for the weekend a few weeks later.

When Carla was finally discharged later that day she went straight to pick Hallie up. Hallie had been left finding the whole experience of being apart from her mother so long traumatic to say the least and since then she had always stayed at her mums side. Carla on the other hand was left exhausted looking after two young children by herself except for the weekends nick had her.

"anyway enough about me, whens your baby due"

"April ! surrogacy though it's a weird one you can almost forget your having a baby you know"

"Well you might want to remember" she grinned

"Well it's not like I can see toyah getting bigger, feel it kick at night while she's a raging hormonal mess, it's just very different, well I say different I've never really experienced that anyway have I? I mean where was I when you were pregnant ? No where to be seen" the man sighed beating himself up "I just wish I could have been there for you when you were pregnant with Hallie, it something I still feel bad about, I'll never forget the time I first saw you with your massive bump ready to pop when I came out of prison, you had the weight of the world on your shoulders but you still looked amazing"

"Give over I was a swollen sweaty fat hormonal mess" she joked wanting to skip over her feelings about being cheated on and pregnant "you must have needed your head screwing on, asking for me back looking like that, I tell you what Toyahs got it made not having to be pregnant,"

"No, actually I remember you looking beautiful" he stared deep into her eyes sending butterfly's through Carlas body making her feel uncomfortable.

"Well that booze must have rotted your eyes then."