It had been several days since the altercation with Dominic, all charges had been dropped and Peter was pretty confident that was the end of the matter. He and Carla had spent hours discussing what to do next, he had initially been keen to go back to the house, promising that he would keep control of his fists this time, but Carla had been adamant it should be left well alone, and eventually he had agreed, albeit reluctantly. His opinion of Dominic had not changed one iota, but he knew that she was right, no good would come from pursuing it, and Carla had already suffered enough. He had spent the last few days feeling guilty about his reaction. He had let her down, made it all about him. He couldn't deny that he felt anger, but it wasn't with her; he had lay awake at night wishing he could have done more all those months ago, noticed how much she was struggling and helped her before she'd lost control and put herself in that situation. His biggest concern however was in the here and now. Carla was distant; he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something had changed. At first he had worried it was his fault, that somewhere in his subconscious he resented her for what had happened, but the more he thought it over the more certain he was that there was something else troubling her, he just hoped she still trusted him enough to confide in him.

They had a rare evening to themselves in Roy's flat and having polished off a Chinese take-away were settled on the sofa, Carla's head resting on Peter's chest as he lazily played with her hair. There was some home makeover program on the television but neither of them were watching, both lost in their own thoughts.

"Do you ever wonder what your life would be like right now if we'd never met?"

The question caught Peter by surprise. He took a few moments to consider it before responding.

"Honestly? No love. Why, are you hinting at something?"

"I just was thinking how different our lives might have been. Do you think you would have stayed with Leanne?"

"Hang on, is this a test? If so can we save time by telling me the right answer, skip the argument?" He looked down to find her staring back at him.

"I'm serious Peter. Your life would have been much simpler. Think of all that has happened since we first crossed paths."

Peter realised where this was going, "Love my life was a car crash way before you stepped into the equation."

"But do you ever think about it, seriously? I mean you were happy before I got involved."

"Really? Have you forgotten what happened with Leanne and Nick? It was hardly rainbows and butterflies now was it? That was the warning sign that we were never going to work out."

"You could say the same about you and Tina…"

He sighed, instantly regretting his comment. "That was different, I made a massive mistake and I'll never forgive myself for it. Come on, what is this really about love?"

Carla looked down at her hands, unwilling to meet his gaze. "I don't know. I just keep thinking about everything that's happened; it feels like every time we seem to be settling down, happy, one of us does something to destroy it." She paused and glanced up at him and he went to pull her closer, to comfort her, but she moved away, shaking her head.

"I mean it Peter, I'm not getting at you, the last twelve months I've caused you nothing but grief, and now with all this with Dominic, I just wonder if we should cut our losses; I'd rather finish things now than keep on hurting you, or wait for you to get fed up of it all and be driven to the drink or to leave me."

"Do you really think I'd leave you? After everything we've been through together?"

"I've been unfaithful. I know how hard that is to come to terms with. You couldn't forgive Leanne, not really, so what's the difference?"

"You are not Leanne, anyway the whole situation, how can you compare it?" Peter tried to close the distance now between them, and this time Carla let him take her hand, she was watching him intently, still unconvinced.

"Carla you know what we have is everything, we are drawn together you and me, and OK, there are times when we've hurt each other, but to have never known each other, can you honestly say you would have preferred that? Because I know wouldn't, and I'd go through it all again if it meant I had you."

She finally smiled, seemingly placated for the moment as she settled back onto his chest, still lost in her thoughts. He wished he knew what she was thinking, but decided not to press her that night, she would talk again when she was good and ready.

Carla mulled over the conversation for some time, not wanting to move from their embrace; she felt safe in Peter's arms, she always had. She believed that he meant everything he had said to her, but at the same time she couldn't quite accept that it was all that easy. She thought back to his affair all that time ago; had she really forgiven him for what he did, what it had cost her? A few years ago she would have thought it impossible, but laying there with him, feeling the warmth of his body against hers she could say with certainty that she had. He could be an idiot, that was a fact, but he also loved her more than anyone she had ever known, would do anything to keep her safe, and she felt the same way about him. But she had betrayed him and still didn't know how he could move past that so quickly. She had become reliant on him these past 12 months and worried he would stay with her out of duty; that they would lose the spark that made everything so passionate and special, and that he wouldn't be able to think of her the same way as before. And now everything was about to change again, she didn't think she could bear it if he ended up resenting her, or even worse, if he was pushed over the edge again and turned to alcohol. She had vivid memories of how the drink had very nearly killed him in the past, and was terrified her latest news would take him back to those dark places. But for the first time since Dominic had walked into the cafe and turned her world upside-down she also felt a pang of hope, of excitement that despite everything that had happened her and Peter were still stronger now than they had ever been; that regardless of the dreadful timing and all of their struggle this could actually be amazing.

Unable to put it off any longer she moved so she was facing him, studying his expression as her words came tumbling out.

"Peter, I think I'm pregnant."