a/n: just a little oneshot of what i think happened after the "it's not too late" scene from 29th january... enjoy :)


"I should have forgiven her… Now it's too late."

"It's not too late… It's not too late."

Peter's heart felt like it stopped. He put his head in his hands and broke down, not at all bothered about Daniel and Carla watching him. He felt so relieved he couldn't help the sob that came out of him. She hadn't left. She was here. She came back for him.

"Come here darlin'." Carla's soft voice soothed him. He looked up at her, she had her arms open but instead of getting up and falling into them like she thought he would, he pulled her down and onto his lap. She instantly wrapped her arms around his body, whispering that she was always going to be there for him as long as he wanted her to be. He clung to her tightly, never wanting to let go again, this was home.

When he eventually calmed down and felt like he could speak without sobbing, he looked over to where he last remembered Daniel being and saw that he wasn't there anymore. He turned back to face Carla and noticed she had been crying too. "I'm so glad you changed your mind." He said sniffing, his voice full of emotion.

"I couldn't leave you." She sniffed. "I love you too much. Always have, always will." She hadn't thought about Lucas at all since leaving him on the platform at the station which didn't really surprise her. She hadn't thought about him for years before today why would she start now? Peter was her soulmate, her other half. Nothing compared to the love the two of them shared.

"I love you more, Car. I want to get better. Not just for me but for you, Si and all of the family. I don't want to die, I'm just so scared." He explained, breaking Carla's heart into a million pieces.

"That's a good start though, baby. With the help from all of us around you and that mentality you won't be going anywhere." She kissed his forehead, proud that he seemed to want to fight for his life.

"It's just so difficult. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve to live."

"Why would you think that? Of course you deserve to live."

"Because, I brought this on myself didn't I? I know I'm an alcoholic but I continue to drink anyway." He replied, ashamed of himself and his recent actions.

Carla took his hand in hers, squeezed tightly and forced him to look at her by lifting his chin up gently. "That's not how it works sweetheart and you know it. It's an addiction, an illness. It's not your fault… But, you are the only one that can truly save yourself." She said softly.

"When did you get so wise?" He joked, lightening the mood slightly.

"Oh, you know. Been to plenty of those pesky AA meetings, had an issue with alcohol myself… You'd never know though ay?" She joked back.

"No way… I never would have known that!" He played along with her sarcasm, grateful she was joking around with him.

"Imagine if I never walked into that meeting back in 2010. Our lives could have been so different. It's a scary thought." She expressed her thoughts out loud.

"I'm so glad you did." He said, moving a piece of hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. "My life without you in it just wasn't the same. You're the love of my life Carla. I never want to lose you again." He snuggled into her neck, inhaling the floral smell of her expensive designer perfume that he adored.

"Well it's a good thing I'm not going anywhere so you don't have to isn't it?" She smiled, running her soft, delicate fingers through his hair to comfort him.

"It's more than good, love."

"We just need to promise to be straight with each other from now on. No hiding things, no sneaking around, no-."

"-Sleeping with other people." He interrupted.

"Yeah that one should be at the top of the list." She winced, ashamed that even needed to be said.

Noticing her discomfort, he softened. "Look, we've both done some pretty awful things, me more so to be honest but this is a fresh start, a clean slate. I promise."

"I promise too. No more rollercoasters." She gazed into his eyes, her favourite chocolate brown orbs. They had such an amazing connection that neither of them had experienced with anyone else. They just had to look into each others eyes to know what the other was thinking. It was like a silent, secret love language that was only understood by the two of them.

"Rollercoasters are overrated anyway. What's wrong with the standard, steady ferris wheel?" He said, amused.

"That sums us up as well actually, going round and round, again and again. Maybe not the steady part though but hopefully we'll get there."

"Well we're not getting off, ever. You're stuck with me." They both laughed at the analogy of their relationship.

"Hmm. Luckily for you Barlow, I'm okay with that."

"Thank god for that ay?" He placed his hand on her cheek, his thumb softly stroked her defined cheekbone. It was something he always did, he wasn't even sure why. It had become a habit, something he was so used to doing that he even did it when they weren't together. He pecked her on the forehead, the nose and finally on the lips. She couldn't help but smile at his actions.

"Right, I think we should get inside don't you? It's pretty chilly out here and someone had pneumonia not so long ago." Carla said, noticing her breath in the air, emphasising how cold it was on this winter January night.

"Yeah, wouldn't want to catch my death now would I?" He joked, a cheeky grin on his face that brought out his dimples.

Carla got up off of his lap and glanced at him with a small smile, she was glad he was in better spirits but still didn't like the thought of him dying, even if he was only joking. She held her hand out to him. "Come on then old man." She helped him get up, knowing he would probably struggle without support. She didn't let go of his hand once he was on his feet, thoroughly enjoying the contact they were having again after a rough couple of months and it seemed like he was too.

"Ay, less of the old cheeky." He pulled her back and into his arms when she was about to open the back door and go into number 1.

"What?" She questioned, perplexed at why he was stopping her from going inside.

"I want a proper kiss before we go in, is that okay with you?" He asked, chuckling.

"Ah okay I get you, are you sure you're up to it though?" She teased, seductively grazing her teeth over her bottom lip.

"Yes, I'm sure thank you very much, now come here." He lightly pushed her backwards, against the brick wall of the house and wrapped his arms around her waist. She reacted by placing her arms around his neck and carefully bringing his head down closer to hers, lips so close they could feel the heat of each others breath.

Their lips connected slowly and softly at first but it didn't take long for it to turn passionate, her tongue ran along his lips and into his mouth skilfully. Her plump lips were always a favourite of his and he couldn't help but bite down on the bottom one, especially as he knew she liked it. As their mouths moved in-sync with each other, her hands gripped the back of his neck and played with his hair. He moved his hands lower down her body and squeezed, making her laugh into the kiss like a teenager.

After a few minutes, Carla attempted to pull away. "Mmm. I really think. We. Should. Stop now." She said in between kisses. "Don't look at me like that." She said noticing the puppy dog eyes Peter was giving her. She gave him a final kiss and sucked on his bottom lip, nipping it lightly as she pulled away. "You're meant to be resting, not doing me against a wall outside in the freezing cold." She added, releasing her trademark dirty giggle.

"Ever the lady, Mrs Connor." He laughed, still holding her tightly. "I've missed you, baby." He admitted with a smile and a sigh.

"I've missed you too, so much."

"Thank you for not leaving."

"Don't even mention it." She said, mimicking herself from the night they first got together all those years ago.

He matched the smile on her face with his own. "Stay here tonight? Please?" He asked, not wanting her out of his sight any time soon now they were back together again.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else... Except maybe back on the boat, in the middle of the sea watching you do your thing whilst I sunbathe." She smirked.

"I'll have to agree with you there. Come on then you, let's get in the warm."

"Oooh, I can't wait to share a bed again, I've been cold without you and your furnace of a body."

"And I've missed having the ice queen to cool me down when I get too hot." He said before laughing loudly when she gave him a light smack on the arm.

"Oi you, be nice or this ice queen will take herself back to Roy's." She pretended to be annoyed, folding her arms and pouting her lips.

"You wouldn't dare, sweetheart."

"You're right, I wouldn't." She reached for his hand, laced their fingers together and walked towards the door.

She didn't know what kind of reception she was going to get from the rest of the Barlow's but as long as she had Peter by her side and determined to live, nothing else mattered.