6 months later...

"Are you going to be okay today?" Nick asks me as I put on the earrings on the table in our flat while he comes round to me, pulling me close to his body as he wraps his arms around the middle of my plain black dress I'm wearing for the funeral.

"As okay as I can be, I guess." I reply solemnly, remembering the times I've spent with him, the memories that now only I will cherish. "What about you?" I ask, knowing that he's likely to be just as upset as I am.

"I'm getting through, we both will, together." I smile lightly to him as we stand, in silence, thinking of the life lost.

"If this is how we are reacting, I dread to think how Peter and Leanne are doing." I say, wiping away a tear that cascades down my cheek as I think of them.

"It'll be tough on them but they're both strong and they'll get through this, I'm sure." He tells me sweetly as I lean into him, allowing him to place a kiss on my forehead.

"I wonder if Peter will be going back to Portsmouth after this." I say, concerned for the man I once called the love of my life.

"I don't know. I think his family need him here right now to be honest but who knows?" He says gently as I nod.


"How you holding up?" I ask Peter, quietly in the corner of the Rovers as he heads to the exit.

"I don't know." He sighs, sadly. "I'm trying to be strong, for Simon if no one else. He was his grandad so it's bound to be upsetting for him and I know if he seems me upset about my dad then it'll just make things worst for him." He tells me as we walk out of the Rovers, leaving the reception and slowly going over to his Dad's old house.

"Ken was Simon's grandad but he was your Dad Peter and you need to make sure you're looking after yourself too. Sometimes, you just need to let it out." I tell him as we sit down at the table in the living room of the house.

"I know, I am it's just... hard, you know? But thank you. I mean it. You've been a rock these past few months since he was diagnosed. It means so much that with everything with Simon and his recovery that you helped us all even though you didn't need to." He says appreciatively.

"Of course I did, Peter. I know we aren't together anymore and I'm with Nick but Ken was still part of my family for a long time, as were you and as was Simon. I'm always here for you, for all of you."

"Thank you."

Before I even have the slightest chance to respond, we're both disrupted by the door swinging open and two people walking into the living room, two people I recognise, two people I've known in the past and two people I never want to talk to again.

"Tracy, Robert, what are you doing back here?" Peter asks, shocked as I try to stay calm despite the mere site of Robert causing my heart rate to increase as the fear rises within me.

"Why didn't you tell us? We could've gotten back in time to say goodbye. He was my dad too." Tracy says, tears rushing down her cheeks.

"It wasn't my choice, it was Dad's." He tells her.

"Well why didn't he want me to know? I should've known. I should've come back. It wasn't fair!" She starts to shout as Robert still stares at me and I shift uncomfortably in my seat, trying to ignore the memories brought back just by his presence.

"Because he didn't want you to Tracy. You left! That was your choice to leave... with him!" He says angrily, his emotion taking over him. "Do you know what else wasn't fair? You leaving us, your family, for him! We needed you Tracy. Your nephew woke up from a coma having lost some of his memory and he needed us to be a family and help him through. But, what did you do? You ran off and left because he asked you to. You left your dad, your brother, your nephew, even your own daughter!"

"I still deserved to know." She says, quietly.

"Maybe." Peter admits. "But, dad didn't want you to Trace. He said he was too disappointed in what you did. I doubt it would've made any difference anyway. I told you the details of the funeral and you still managed to turn up late to that!"

"We were at the other side of the world Peter! It wasn't exactly easy to get a plane from Australia to Manchester!" She shouts as she starts to pace, Robert and I still remaining silent as we watch the argument between Peter and Tracy unfold.

"Excuse, excuses. These are all just excuses. Tracy you can't deny that you just left and abandoned us when we needed you for him." He gestures towards Robert as he stands up straight from where he was leaning on the wall.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Robert asks Peter, slightly menacingly.

"Yeah, what is that supposed to mean? What's he ever one to you?" Tracy asks Peter as I shiver at her naivety, if only she knew what he's really like. The anger is still clear as I can't bring myself to tear my eyes away from Robert, petrified at what he could do if I didn't watch his every move and ensure we are a safe distance apart.

"I'll tell you what he did. He took my sister away from her family. He brain washed her into thinking that completely abandoning her daughter and her life was a good idea. That's what he did!" He shouts back as I can't help but flinch at the anger evident in his voice.

"Don't you dare Peter, don't you even dare. I did not abandon Amy! She understands." Tracy says as Peter scoffs.

"Of course she does." He says sarcastically as I finally manage to get the courage to leave.

"Look, I'm really sorry but I've got to go get Holly from Michelle. I don't think Nick's got her and it's hard enough for Michelle to care for a 2 month baby let alone a year old one too." I start to ramble as Peter smiles and nods at me.

"Yeah don't worry about it. Thank you for everything, I mean it." He says as he pulls me in for a hug and I shift uncomfortably, although I'm not able to see him, I can still feel Robert's eyes on me, like he's mentally undressing me and I can't bare it.

"It's okay." I quickly say before escaping the house as quickly as possible, ignoring the look Tracy's been giving me.

Once I leave the house, I stand still for a moment, attempting to steady my breath which had become erratic at the sight of Robert.


"Go on through."

I quickly head into the back of the rovers, anxious to see Holly after not seeing her for hours but instead I'm met with Nick carrying her out of the back room.

"Hey," I say, surprised.

"There you are. I was looking for you but I couldn't find you so I just decided to come and get her." Nick kisses me on the side of the head as he wraps his arm around me. "Where've you been?" He asks as we stroll out of the Rovers.

"Oh I was just making sure Peter was okay. He was a bit upset." I explain as we cross the road.

Before he has a chance to respond, we're distracted by Robert and Tracy walking onto the street out from the Barlow house.

I meet Robert's glare as Tracy scowls towards us.

"Did you know that they were back?" Nick asks me.

"Yeah they came in when Peter and I were talking." I confirm as he nods. "Come on," I quickly distract him as I gently pull his arm along, convincing him to walk along with me back to our flat.

"Mm I think this one is tired." Nick rocks Holly as she lets out a giggle in his arms. "I think she's excited for her birthday too." He says in a babyish voice.

"You do realise she's going to be one? I doubt she understands." I correct him.

"No, I think she understands more than you think." He tells me, sweetly.

Despite the shock of seeing Robert and Tracy again, I can't help but smile at the sight in front of me.

I can't believe how lucky I am. That he could forgive what he thought I did and even agreed to marry me.

Even though I've never been this happy, I know it will be short lived.

When Tracy and Robert announced they were leaving, I was able to surprises the memories and pretend I'm okay. I didn't need to tell Nick the truth. I didn't need to tell anyone. But now, it's different.

Now, they're back and I'm in the same situation I was in no more than six months ago, knowing I need to tell the truth, but not being able to bring myself to.

I know that now he's back and I'll see him, I won't be able to suppress the memories of that night.

I can't keep it to myself. Last time I tried, I had to leave, I had to go, I had to escape.

It didn't matter. I had nothing.

Now, I have too much to lose to just leave like before.

As we continue walking along the pavement towards the flat, Nick turns to me. "Are you okay?" He asks worriedly.

"Yeah I'm fine." I say quickly.

"Everything's going to be okay, you know? I do trust you. I know it was a mistake and you'd never do it again. I understand."

I feel a lump in my throat as he says the words.

"Yeah I know you do." I smile though I know it won't be for long. It won't be for long that we can be like this, smiling and happy. Once he knows, he'll see me differently. I know he will.

He'll see me broken, used, damaged.

But maybe, that's all I am.

I hope you liked and understood that. The story will continue on from here being a little under 6 months in the future of the previous. I hope you like the idea and everything. Please leave a review if you have the time to let me know what you think? Thank you for reading. I really apologise for the bad ending but I couldn't get it to go write. I hope you liked it anyway.