Hey guys, I know I have had some of my stories removed. This is because they violated the guidelines, I am in the process of moving them all to another platform as its something to do with the content of them and the ratings they have (some are very explicit). I just thought I would do it to be on the safe side as I don't want my account terminated.

Sorry for the lack of updates. I'm also going to do two endings this one with the same conclusion, the more explicit version will be on the other platform and a tamer version will be on this one. Sorry for the confusion but I will get all my stories sorted again.

Trigger warnings: Talks of prostitution, death, sexual themes

The gentle click every time the minute's hand moved on the clock, she glanced beside her somewhat hoping that Peter was there to hold her but she was greeted with the emptiness. She stood up and walked into the nursery and glanced to Azalea who was sleeping peacefully, she gingerly reaches into the cot and picks her up, holding her close, she wakes and lets out a gentle cry but the touch of her mother settles her immediately the only problem is that it alerted Michelle who pondered into the room soon after.

"Sorry I just couldn't sleep" Carla admits glancing down to Azalea who was sleeping in her arms, Carla takes in her features causing Michelle to bend down in front of her "And before you say I need my sleep-"

"Which you do"

"Please just let me take in the preciousness of my daughter before its too late" she smiles, Michelle sighs slightly and nods leaving the room allowing Carla to bond with her daughter "Come on then princess"

"Mummy?" Aziza enters the room yawning slightly, Michelle rolling her eyes behind her

"Hey gorgeous" Carla smiles at Aziza who sits on the arm of the chair, Carla kisses her on the forehead "Are you ok?"

"Yeah I just couldn't sleep"

"None of us seem to be able to sleep eh?" Carla chuckles softly, she thought that was down to the fact Peter wasn't here "How about you climb into my bed then we can watch some TV?"

"Ok" she sighs slightly, Carla pouts her lips "Mummy?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not going to leave us again are you?"

"No" Carla was definite, Aziza smiles at her "Never"

"Good because I missed you" Aziza smiles, Carla nods watching her walk into the bedroom, she places Azalea in the cot kissing her on the top of her head before she did "Come on Mummy"

"Shh" she hushes her daughter knowing she would wake the baby, she takes Aziza's hand and they walk into the bedroom and both climb into the double bed, Carla flicks the TV on realising there is no place she would rather be

The next morning came soon enough and both Carla and Aziza managed to get some form of decent sleep, she had Michelle drop her off at school as she didn't feel ready to do that yet which upset Aziza but she promised that one day she would be able to do it. Michelle was glad that Carla made the right choices in regards to the way she was feeling which made her hopeful that her recovery was going in the right direction. Carla got up eventually and got Azalea ready, she decided she would push herself and go and see Roy for a bit and maybe have a coffee watching to feel like she was doing something with her day.

"Hey Roy"

"I heard you were home" he smiles gratefully watching as she hurled Azalea onto her hip "I also hear about Peter"

"Not like you to listen to idle gossip; I'll have a coffee when you're ready"

"Of course, please take a seat" he smiles "Will you be needing a highchair?"

"I'll just hold her" Carla smiles pushing the pram over to the far corner and sitting down at the table with Azalea on her lap "Could I maybe have an iced finger as well?"

"Of course" he smiles and nods slightly placing a plate down on the table for her "Is there anything else you would like?"

"Um" she falters slightly before shaking her head, "No"

"Oh hello" Simon greets Carla who bit her lip slightly at the whole union, Azalea reaches her arms up to him to be carried "Can I?"

"If you want...?" Carla trails off slightly unsure of this situation; maybe Peter didn't tell Simon about Azalea "I'm surprised you want 'owt to do with us"

"Why wouldn't I?" Simon chuckles slightly bouncing Azalea up and down on his lap causing her to giggle, Peter enters the cafe "Dad, over here? You don't mind do you, Carla?"

"Um," she glances to Peter with a questioning expression on her face "You haven't told him have you?"

"Told me what?"

"Look...I'm going to have to go Si-"

"No please don't; tell me what?" he glances to his father who sighs "Dad?"

"It's complicated" he states, Carla rubs her forehead in confusion at the entire situation and if by magic Ray walks into the cafe offering a smirk at her "Oh great"

"Peter" Carla mutters, she reaches over to scoop Azalea into her arms as Ray wanders over, he glances down to the baby in her arms causing Azalea to look up at him and clap her hands, Carla's eyes were pleading at him not to reveal the truth in front of Simon

"Hey beautiful" Ray tickles Azalea under the chin, Carla's eyes close "You definitely have my nose don't you poppet?"

"Get off her and leave her alone" Carla whispers unable to look at Peter or Simon let alone Ray, she places Azalea in the pram and lifts the changing bag onto her shoulder, she rushes out of the cafe

"You had to didn't you?" Peter snarls grabbing Ray by the collar of his shirt and shoving him up against the wall "She's recovering, she doesn't need you to make her life a misery"

"Dad let him go" Simon pipes up causing Peter to release Ray from his grip, he just smirks and leaves the cafe

"Sorry Roy" Peter apologises, Roy smiles slightly before returning to his work "Look Si..."

"Don't" he whispers "How long have you known?"

"A while, that's why Carla ended up in there, ended up losing her mind because of the secret she had to keep-"

"But isn't there a chance-"

"There's not" he whispers shaking his head in disbelief at the whole situation "There really isn't son, I'm so sorry for not telling you especially since everything with Oliver, I just didn't want to cause you any pain"

"I know" he brings his father in for a hug and Peter was surprised by this, Simon usually had a tendency to lash out at people but this was different, almost comforting for him, for the both of them "Do you love her?"

"I don't know" he admits glancing to the door of the cafe "All I know is that she's probably not in the right mindset to be out there on her own so I should probably ring Michelle"

"Yeah" Simon nods as his phone goes off "Look I'm going to have to go, take care yeah?"

"I will and thank you Si"

Peter headed off to find Carla, he couldn't though so he decided to just leave it to Michelle. He was concerned about her, about him as well and his feelings towards her; maybe he was just trying to make sure that his daughter's mother didn't become ill again but unfortunately it was more than that. He went to work and drove around for a bit to pass the time, having heard no update from Michelle as to where Carla was or had got to which left him highly anxious, not just for him but for Aziza as well.

Carla went to her safe haven, a place where she could feel safe. It was a refuge like place, she was given a ticket and she just sat quietly with Aziza, she also saw some former patients there which had stayed in her psychiatric unit but she knew she couldn't go on like this. She got up and approached the desk telling the woman who was manning the reception that she was unhappy and that she wanted to speak to someone who understood her but with time being so tight and Dr Williams unavailable she just stormed out of the place unable to even comprehend the way she was feeling as well as the gentle words of the people in there telling her to come back and take some time out which right now she really didn't want.

She was walking along Viaduct Street and she saw the bistro, the whole thing piqued her interests so she pushed the door open and walked into the foyer before approaching the bar where Faye was on duty. She asked to speak to Ray, as well as trying to keep her composure, soon enough Ray stepped out of his office allowing Carla to walk in and holster Azalea up and out of her pram so she was balanced on her hip all under the watchful eye of someone who she hated.

"Carla" Ray smirks, Carla shakes her head disapproving of his expression "I see you look well"

"Well?" she scoffs "If it wasn't for you-"

"Hang on a minute you were the one who signed the contract-"

"Yeah when I wasn't even sane, I should have it appealed" she states angrily before glancing down to Azalea which made her put everything into perspective

"It's in the past now-"

"Except it's not is it?" she chuckles walking over to the frame on the wall and seeing the extensive planning permission plans "Scott still in on it?"

"Scott?"

"Mhm," she nods glancing back to Ray who nods "Debbie?"

"Very much so" Ray muses standing beside her "You're not having in though, I don't want you losing your mind again and spilling the beans"

"I don't want in on your scabby little plans thank you very much" she grins slightly, he chuckles gesturing for her to take a seat which she does "I have a deal for you"

"A deal?"

"Yes, a deal"

"Sounds intriguing" he admits, she narrows her eyes which makes him rather suspicious "What is this deal about then?"

"I need your help" she states, Ray raises an eyebrow in interest "Then maybe you could put your little plan into action then?"

"Now that does sound interesting"

"I want Peter to be Azalea's father" she states, Ray, chuckles slightly shaking his head "What's so funny?"

"No pun intended Carla but you're deluded to think that Peter wants to get back together with you after all the things you did, you really think he will trust you?"

"Even so. He's much better than you" she snipes, Ray rolls his eyes leaning forward on the desk and taking in her features "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"After everything I did for you in that hotel, I think I deserve a bit more gratitude don't you-"

"Oh shut up!" she shrieks "You deserve nothing Ray, nothing. You put people lives in danger when you...look ok I get it you want to make my life a misery for putting your plans in jeopardy but I couldn't help it I was ill!"

"I know that" he smirks, she groans in annoyance at the faces he kept pulling "I'm not judging you for that at all Carla, I just don't like my plans not being a hundred per cent watertight that's all and you know you were a liability and that fact you told Peter everything as well as that Michelle...you really think I'm going to hand what you want on a plate for you?"

"Please" she begs, Ray shakes his head a little plan forming together n his head "What will make you do this for me? For my daughter to have a dad all her life, someone who isn't a sleazebag and someone who doesn't flounce from place to place looking to milk money like its a pair of udders"

"Sleep with me-"

"What? No, no way, never, no" she shakes her head her eyes wide with shock, she places Azalea in the pram "Anything but that"

"I haven't finished yet" he pauses for dramatic effect, Carla rubs her forehead in exasperation "Sleep with me, after you get back together with Peter"

"You don't get what it's like to be a parent do you?" she whispers in disbelief, he chuckles standing up and admiring the plans he still had for the street "And then you're trying to break up my daughter's family by getting me to cheat on Peter, you're sick, utterly sick"

"If you don't do this Carla, I'm going after custody-"

"You can't!" Carla exclaims in utter shock "You can't, no you're not, you won't!"

"You're a beautiful woman Carla"

"You're a disgusting man, Ray" she snipes back, he chuckles slightly shaking his head "I hate you, your names not even on her birth certificate legally you have no rights"

"Even better, I can do you for perjury then" he glares as the tears fill Carla's eyes, she gulps slightly and all she really wanted to do was be sick because she felt so sick to her stomach "The choice is yours, the only problem is that you only have by this time tomorrow to decide"

"You're sick-"

"I'd be careful what you say" he warns, Carla refuses to look at him "Now if you don't mind, I'm rather busy" he snarls, she sighs slightly trying to keep her composure, she places Azalea back in her pram and swiftly leaves the bistro, the tears sliding down her face, she wasn't looking where she was going causing her to bump into Leanne

"Carla?" Leanne questions, Carla shakes her head timidly, Leanne glances into the pram seeing a rather grizzly Azalea who was probably quite cold "Hey, it's ok, do you need me to ring anyone?"

"No, I just need to go home" she states, Leanne places her hand on Carla's arm "Please Leanne, I need to get back, get away..."

"Why don't you come up for a coffee?" Leanne suggests, Carla sighs and bites her lip glancing to Azalea who looked rather cold "I could do with the company"

"I don't know" she shifts on the spot worried about the implications, she was ever so worried "Ok, fine, yeah ok, she's cold, I'm cold yeah ok, that's great, yeah"

"Alright then" Leanne smiles walking beside her as they enter Victoria Court, they get into the lift "Hopefully she will settle down now she's in the warm"

"Yeah" Carla refuses to give her eye contact until they enter the flat, she lifts Azalea up into her arms causing her to grab onto a piece of her hair "Ow, ok thank you for that baby girl"

"Do you want a coffee?"

"Please" Carla smiles gratefully taking a seat on the sofa "Sorry I never asked how you are? It must be hard I mean...with Oliver...gone?"

"Yeah" she smiles placing the mugs down on the coffee table she takes a seat next to Carla, she watches her interact with her baby wishing she still had hers

"And me being here with her, it must be hard, I can go-"

"No, no" Leanne shakes her head picking up her mug "Yeah it's hard, I miss him, he was my baby, my only chance of carrying a child since...I lost mine and Peters at that point I just accepted that I would never have a child biologically and I was fine with that but when I saw that positive pregnancy test I was in disbelief, I didn't think it could happen, I thought I was seeing things and I thought that it wouldn't work out last just like my other pregnancy, I know it was different I fell down the stairs but...I guess what I'm trying to say is yes, Oliver isn't here anymore, and yes I lashed out at everyone around me when he was still here I was trying to cling onto anything to keep him alive and looking back on it now I knew deep down that he was...going to...pass away"

"You don't have to continue-"

"No, it's fine" she flashes Carla a smile, Carla gulps slightly "I tried to do everything for my son, for him to have the life he deserved to live...for him to...live, even if it was on a ventilator his whole life. It was the letting go which was hard."

"I'm so sorry"

"It's fine," Leanne says calmly glancing to Azalea "I guess what I'm trying to say is never let the little moments go amiss otherwise you may never get them back. Protect your baby Carla, protect her and love her give her the life she deserves"

"I will" Carla glances down to Azalea who had fallen asleep against her chest "Do you have any other regrets?"

"How do you mean?"

"Like in the past?"

"When I was in Nick, I had an abortion, I wish I didn't now, we were young and...I guess that's a regret. Then there was the prostitution, yeah it was money and all that but the way it affected the people around me, you, you lost your husband"

"You can tell me off for being nosey but what was it like? Prostitution, that is"

"Um" Leanne falters at the odd question "I did it so I could survive I guess, I didn't do it for fun, no one did in that job it was all-"

"So if you had someone you didn't like-"

"There was always someone you didn't like-"

"You just sucked it up and got on with it?"

"Well the money was appealing I guess" she shrugs "Some of the clients were weird, needy very self-absorbed thinking they could treat women like dirt but yeah...I did because of what I got out of it I suppose. Look if you don't mind me asking, why are you so interested in this?"

"Oh it doesn't matter" Carla mutters, Leanne frowns "I should head off, thanks for the coffee and the chat, I really appreciate it, thank you"

"Carla wait" Leanne sighs slightly watching her put Azalea in the pram and grab her bag, she quickly leaves the flat causing Leanne to pick up her phone and ring Peter "Peter, it's me...I need to speak to you, it's about Carla..."