Hey guys, so you all know the flashback but so far Nick isn't able to tell Carla. Will he tell her in this chapter - you will have to read to find out.
The next day, Carla woke up next to Peter in their new home for the foreseeable. She smiled at the sleeping man next to her. She then remembered about Nick. Should she tell Peter what was happening?
Although there was nothing to tell him yet, Nick hadn't told her anything.
Whilst thinking to herself she didn't notice Peter wake up "Morning beautiful" he said placing a small kiss on her cheek.
"Morning" she gave a small smile.
"What are you thinking about?"
"How lucky I am to have you back in my life" she told him truthfully, as it wasn't a lie, it just wasn't what she was thinking about right at that moment.
Today Carla had two things to do, one was talk to Toyah and the other was Nick. She had to know what he was hiding. After a morning spent with Peter and Johnny eating breakfast and getting along fine, she found her way out of the pub with Peter walking towards street cars, arm in arm.
Peter had a shift until lunch time, which gave Carla plenty of time to talk to Nick.
Once they reached streetcars, Carla turned to him and said "Goodbye, have a nice day" she planted a kiss on his lips and headed off to the cafe. She was going to have a catch up with Roy and Nina.
"Morning Carla" Roy said on her entry.
"Morning, a coffee and a catch up please" she demanded as she sat at an available table.
"Sure, give me five minutes and I will be over" he told her, returning to his pottering in the kitchen.
Whilst waiting for Roy, Nick entered the cafe.
"Nick" she called ushering him over to her table.
"Hello Carla" Nick coyly walked over to her but stood by the table.
"I think we need to talk don't you?"
"We do but not here, meet me in the park later"
"Why Nick, I don't want to sneak around"
"Fine, I will come over to the pub later and we can talk in there"
"Ok" Carla said. Although she didn't want to sneak around, she thought the pub was a very cautious place as Peter was there as well as everyone else she knew.
Nick nodded and then left the cafe. Roy noticed this little exchange.
"Did he want something?" he asked.
"He just wanted a chat that's all, I think he has something to tell me"
"What could that possibly be?" Roy was confused over Nick's sudden interest in Carla.
"I know but I think it has something to do with my psychosis"
Roy pulled a confused face which caused Carla to giggle, he wasn't a man that got confused often.
"Have you told Peter"
"No, I don't want to worry him until I know what it is"
"I am not too sure that is a good idea Carla" Roy shook his head "Lies are what cause problems"
Carla smiled at him, she really loved Roy and his concern for her. The two of them had a nice catch up. Carla left the cafe with a smile on her face, Roy always put her in a good mood. She was feeling more like her old self again these days and upon seeing Toyah in the street she was about to act her old self again.
"OI YOU" Carla shouted across the road to Toyah, who stopped dead in her tracks. She knew exactly who it was.
"I need a word with you" Carla told her as she caught up to her.
"Carla, listen" Toyah tried to rationalise but Carla was not in the mood.
"Don't Carla listen me" Carla stopped opposite her.
"I don't want any trouble"
"No you just want my boyfriend"
"I, I don't know what to say"
"There is nothing to say, Peter doesn't want you, he loves me"
"Yes"
"He would never look twice at you again" Carla told her, looking her up and down.
Toyah rolled her eyes "Oh come on Carla you are not all that"
"What do you mean by that?"
"I don't have time for this" Toyah turned and began to walk off.
"OI" carla grabbed her arm and spun her back around "I haven't finished with you yet"
Peter had pulled up in his taxi, noticing the drama kicking off and ran over to them.
"Carla, he cheated on you once he will do it again"
"I'm warning you" Carla shouted angrily.
"Especially now you're insane" Toyah said but soon regretted it as Carla swang for her, slapping her across the face.
"OI YOU" Leanne said running down the road after seeing Carla lamp Toyah.
Peter grabbed an angry Carla, as Toyah gathered herself with Leanne by her side.
"Just get out of here" Peter told Toyah.
"You'll regret that Carla" Leanne said comforting Toyah, who still held her face where she was hit.
"You need to stay out of my way or i'll have you" Carla shouted to her as she and Leanne walked off in the other direction, leaving an angry Carla with a shocked Peter.
Peter spun her around so she was facing him "What just happened?"
"Peter, you saw what happened, you heard what she said to me" Carla said letting a tear escape her eye.
Peter wiped it away with his thumb. "Come on let's get in"
As she entered the pub Johnny could see how upset Carla was, although she tried to hide it.
"What's happened?" he asked, following them through to the back, full of worry.
"Me and Toyah had some words"
"Yeah and then Carla lamped her one" Peter said with a smirk.
"It's not funny Peter, she said some horrible things" Carla reminded him.
Peter filled Johnny in on the event that just happened "Sounds like she deserved it" Johnny remarked.
Carla shot him a concerned look.
"What, she can't go around saying things like that, when she comes in here I am going to bar her" Johnny told her, almost proud of his daughter for sticking up for herself.
"I don't think she will be coming in here for a while" Peter told them truthfully.
"No but Leanne might" Carla said to him "she was not happy with me"
After making sure she was ok, Johnny made his way back out to the bar.
Peter sat next to Carla on the sofa, taking her hand into his "Are you okay?"
"Not really"
"Carla, don't listen to anything she had to say, she is just jealous"
Carla nodded. She knew he was right but a part of her couldn't get over the fact that Toyah bought her mental state into an argument. She is supposed to be the one helping people like Carla, not tearing them down.
The couple snuggled up on the sofa and put a film on to distract Carla. They hadn't done that in a while and for the afternoon Carla forgot all about Toyah and the things that were said.
"Love, I told Steve I would do another shift this evening, but I can call him and cancel"
"No, don't do that, we need all the money we can get"
"True, will you be ok here on your own?"
"Yes, I will be fine" Carla told him, remembering that she told Nick to come round, so it was perfect that Peter had work to do.
Peter kissed her as he got up off the sofa. Carla made the kiss a passionate one, pulling Peter back down on top of her.
"Hold that thought" Peter said, regretfully pulling away "I will continue this when I come back"
"You better make it up to me then" Carla said with a smirk and bit her lip.
"You know I will" Peter winked at her and left the room.
Carla had a half an hour to herself before she was disturbed with a knock at the door.
"Carla" Nick called, pushing the door open "Johnny said I can come straight through"
"Please take a seat" Carla pointed to the table "do you want a drink?"
Nick shook his head and took a seat "Is Peter around?"
"No he is at work"
"Oh ok good"
"What is it Nick?"
"I need to tell you something from when you were having an episode"
"How do you know anything about it?"
"Because I was there, Carla, I helped you out"
Carla gave him a very confused look. She didn't understand why he wouldn't tell her anything.
"What do you mean you helped me out"
Nick then explained how they met up and how he bought her breakfast and found her somewhere to live. From the previous flashback.
Carla was confused at first but she just had so many more questions.
"I understand you need a minute"
Carla just looked at him.
"I am going to leave you with this, it is a lot of information to deal with" Nick told her, rising from his chair.
"Wait" Carla started "I have a few questions"
"Why didn't you tell anyone where I was?"
"Because you asked me not too and I didn't want to betray your trust, listen I really have to go now"
Before Carla could say anything, he was gone. Carla couldn't understand, it was like he wasn't telling her the whole story. There were parts that now didn't make much more sense.
She began to cry, sitting on the sofa of the back room in the Rovers. She was alone with her thoughts. She tried so hard to remember those weeks she was missing and Nick had part of the puzzle all along.
One thing she knew for sure was that Peter was not going to be happy.
Carla was nervous for Peter's arrival. She didn't want him to be angry with her.
Carla was in their bedroom when Peter arrived home.
"Hey love, you ready to pick up where we left off" Peter said pulling her into a passionate embrace.
Peter placed little kisses along her jawline and on her neck.
"Peter stop" Carla pushed him away and for the first time this evening Peter got a good look at her face.
"Have you been crying?" he asked, concerned for his girlfriend.
"I have to tell you something" she took a seat on the bed, tapping the space next to her for him to sit on.
"Whatever it is, everything will be ok" he took her hand in his.
"Nick came to see me earlier" she told him.
"Right" Peter sharply said.
"He told me something about when I went missing"
"What does he know about that?" Peter said angrily.
Carla told him what Nick had told her, she told him how he was shifty and difficult.
"What I want to know Carla, is why he didn't tell me where you were and why he kept you to himself" Peter flew up onto his feet and paced the bedroom back and forth.
"I want to know that too" Carla looked at him with a sad face.
"He could have saved a lot of time and could have saved you, but he chose to keep you hidden away, WHY?"
"I don't know"
"Well I am going to find out" Peter stormed out of the bedroom and down the stairs in a hurry. Carla ran after him, calling his name but he didn't slow down. It was at that point Carla knew she had lost him to his anger.
He was going to get answers one way or another.
"Where is he" Peter shouted as he pushed past Leanne into her home.
"OI, what do you think you are doing?"
Peter nodded, looking around the flat for him.
"He is not here, he went out" Leanne told him angrily.
"When"
"About ten minutes ago to get something from the shop"
Carla ran through the open door "Peter Calm down"
"What's going on?" Leanne asked.
Peter didn't listen to anyone, he just stormed back out of the flat in search of Nick.
Carla followed, she was shocked, he had never not responded to her, this meant he really was angry.
Carla didn't have time to calm him down because as she turned the corner she saw Peter running for Nick, who was innocently walking down the street.
"YOU" he shouted, bringing Nick to a stand still.
Peter grabbed him by the scruff and pushed him against the wall, making him drop all of his shopping.
"Why didn't you tell me where she was Nick"
"Peter, let him go" Carla pleaded, whilst standing to the side of them. She grabbed his arm but he shoved her off of him.
"Answer me Nick"
"I… I She needed my help"
"Your help, she needed the help of the people who loved her, not you"
"I..I"
Peter pulled away in shock "you love her"
Nick shook his head "no" whilst gaining his breath back.
"You do, that's what this is about, you kept her in that hotel because you loved her and needed to keep her safe and to yourself"
"I did it to help her Peter"
"No you didn't, helping her would be getting her to a hospital" Peter said, grabbing him again.
"I was the only one she trusted at that time" Carla looked at the floor because she knew that comment would hurt Peter.
"No you were the only one she was allowed to see because you were hiding her"
Peter still had Nick against the wall, he was so angry. He pulled him away from the wall and threw him to the ground.
"She wanted to be safe and I kept her safe"
"Why didn't you tell anyone" Peter asked
"She didn't want me too, I had built that trust with her to keep her safe"
"I am going to ask you one more time Nick and this time I want the truth" Peter stood over a cowardly Nick on the floor. Nick stood up in front of him, his face was showing a sad look on his face. He looked at Carla and then back at Peter.
"Why didn't you tell anyone"
Nick shrugged again looking at Carla, he gave her a small smile. Peter recognised that look in his eye.
"You slept with her" Peter looked at Carla standing there with tears in her eyes. He grabbed Nick by the scruff before shouting in his face "You slept with her didn't you"
Nick nodded. Peter saw red.
Peter punched him in the mouth, sending him flying to the ground. He then jumped on top of him and started punching him some more in the face.
"PETER" Carla cried "get off of him"
Peter could only see red. The image of Nick sleeping with a vulnerable Carla whilst she knew no different made him feel sick.
"You disgust me" Peter shouted at him.
Tim and Steve saw the fight and instantly ran over, Steve grabbed Peter, trying to stop him from hitting Nick. Peter then used his feet to kick him before Steve could get him far enough away and into the pub.
"You used her" could be heard from Peter shouting.
Carla stood there looking at Nick laying on the floor. She could not believe what she had just heard. She let out some tears as Tim helped Nick sit up.
"I'm so sorry Carla" he said quietly, wincing in pain.
She looked at him, then looked at the floor. She then walked away, disgusted by what she had heard and seen.