Hello again everyone, a big thanks to everyone who left comments for the last chapter of this. It's taken me longer to upload than I thought; this chapter never seemed to go right. I forgot to say in this little note thing on the last chapter, a huge thanks to WithoutAWord for leaving the big comment. :-) Anyway, here goes. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, please leave a comment if you have time. :-)

Part Twelve.

Four days later Carla woke to find Peter sitting on the side of the bed, cradling Bailey in his arms as he fed him his bottle. Carla hadn't spoken to Frank or had anything to do with him since he had let himself into her flat and gotten the DNA sample from Bailey. She had deliberately not gone into work just in case he was there and although she knew she couldn't carry on doing what she was forever, the thought if dealing with it was getting harder and harder for her to stomach as each day passed. When Carla stirred Peter turned around and smiled when he found that she was awake. "He's hungry this morning."
"Yeah, he seems it."
"Have you got any plans for today?"
Carla shook her head "no why?"
"I thought maybe we could take him to his first trip to the park this morning. I think I might go to the Bookies this afternoon to give your Darren a hand, I've just left him to his own devices lately."
"Isn't that what you're paying him for?"
"yeah but I just want to make sure that things are running smoothly."
"So a morning in the park it is then?"
Peter smiled and nodded "why don't you go and get a shower while I sort him out and then you can have a cuddle while I get ready?"
Carla nodded and leaned over to kiss Peter gently on the lips, she then moved her legs around to the side of the bed before standing up, walking through into the bathroom to get ready for the morning she planned to spend with Peter and her son.

-

An hour later and Carla had changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and a cream chiffon shirt with a black vest underneath. They were tucked into her jeans and she teamed the outfit with black knee-high boots. She tied her hair up into a ponytail and had just finished putting her make-up on when Peter walked through into the bedroom with Bailey who he had dressed in a white all in one with a blue bear on the front. As she took Bailey from Peter, Carla spoke up. "Do you want to ask Simon if he wants to come? I thought you said he had a teacher training day today..."
"You wouldn't mind?"
Carla shook her head "course not..." she knew that things between herself and Simon were still much less than perfect but she knew that they were better than they were and that regardless of what he thought of her she had to make an effort with him as he was Peter's son. One thing that she was glad of though was that he seemed to be smitten with Bailey.
"Well once we are ready why don't we go to the house and ask him if he wants to come with us?"
"Yeah, alright."
"I shouldn't be too long..."
Carla kissed Peter before he went to get a shower and once he had changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt he put his leather jacket on and Carla put her black jacket on before heading outside. Once they had locked the flat and got outside of the apartment block, Carla put Bailey into the pushchair and linked arms with Peter as they walked in the direction of the street.

While they were walking Carla and Peter talked about anything from business to Bailey and what they were planning that day. When they were walking past the factory Peter called out to Leanne who had just stepped out of the pub and Carla silently sighed. Things between them were still very tense though they tried to keep it civil for Simon's sake. Carla crossed the road with Peter as he walked towards Leanne who had turned around but made no attempt to move or speak. "Is Simon there?"
Leanne frowned "why?"
"We want to take him out for the morning."
Leanne hesitated for a second before nodding. "I'll go and ask him."
"Thank you." Peter sighed and moved his arm to wrap around Carla's shoulders as he waited for them to return. "It's quite cold when that sun isn't out."
"I know yeah, if it gets too cold we might have to cancel."
"I know, don't worry, he's well wrapped up."
Carla gave a small smile and nodded "yeah I know..."
"You're so good with him, you know..."
"So are you."
"What do you think to having more?"
Carla laughed a little "let me get used to having this one first hey."
"But it's not completely out of the question."
"I don't think so, no..."
Peter smiled and gave Carla a gentle squeeze, though moved his arm from around her shoulder when Simon ran at him. "Dad..." he smiled "where are we going?"
"We thought we would go to the park today, would you like that?"
He nodded "yeah, can I get my football?"
"Of course you can."
Simon leaned over to the push-chair that Bailey was in and smiled "he's awake. Can I hold him?"
"I think you've forgotten to say hello to someone first..."
"Hi Carla..." Simon mumbled, slightly quieter this time.
"Hello... You know, you could have a cuddle with him before we go to the park if you wanted?"
Simon nodded with a smile "yeah can I, please?"

"Yeah, but sit down first."
"Come on" Simon instructed, taking Carla's arm to pull her gently towards the doors of the pub. On getting into the pub Carla sat down after taking Bailey into her arms and Simon sat beside her. Peter smiled at the pair of them but his attention was taken when Leanne called him over. "Peter..."
Peter frowned for a moment and turned to Carla "do you mind sitting with these two while I go speak to her?"
Carla shook her head "no, go on..."
Peter turned around and walked through to the back of the pub with Leanne while Carla carefully placed Bailey in Simon's arms. "There you go, have you got him?"
Simon nodded "yeah..."
Carla leaned over to give Bailey his dummy and smiled when Simon spoke "do you think he will like football?"
"I think he will if your dad has anything to do with it."
"I think I'm going to teach him."
Carla smiled "I think he would like that."

-

In the living room of the pub, Peter had just closed the door on getting inside to talk to Leanne and sighed when he heard her first question. "Why is she trying to play mum to our son?"
"She isn't."
"She never will be."
"Leanne she isn't trying to be. She is trying to get on with him now what did you want to speak to me about?"
Leanne shook her head though she didn't push the subject any further "I just wondered if you wanted to have Simon tonight?"
Peter nodded "yeah of course I do. Why are you asking me though?"
Leanne shrugged "my mum needs a hand in the bar tonight and I said I would ask you if you wanted to have him so I could help her out."
"Have you got a bag for him?"
"No, I'll go and get one."
Peter nodded as Leanne left to go upstairs and then walked out into the bar area where Carla wa still sitting with Bailey and Simon. "How do you fancy staying with us tonight mate?"
"Am I allowed?"
Peter nodded "yeah, you're mum has just gone to get you some things now."
"Cool."
"Are you ready to go to the park once we have your things?"
Simon nodded and Carla leaned over to take Bailey once more before putting him back into the pushchair. "I think he likes your cuddles."
Simon smiled and turned to Peter who did too. "Did you get your football?"
"Oh no I need to get it. Wait for me."
Peter laughed a little "of course I will."

-

When they arrived at the park, Carla and Peter had walked down by the river with Bailey and Simon for a little while before stopping when they came to an empty bench on the grass. Carla sat down and checked that Bailey was still settled as she set the pushchair in front of her. She was surprised when Simon took a seat beside her, though glad of it at the same time. She let a small smile pass her lips and it was shared by Peter. "Who wants ice cream then?" Peter questioned, getting his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans.
"me meeee" Simon called.
"Carla?"
Carla nodded her response and Peter ruffled Simon's hair before he walked over to the ice cream van that was on the other side of the grass. There was a couple of seconds pause as Carla adjusted what was on the bottom of Bailey's pram, but Simon spoke to her as she sat up. "Do you think Bailey likes the park?"
Carla nodded "yeah, but I think he will like it a little bit more when he's older."
"how much older?"
"When he can run around and play with you."
"Play football with me?"
Carla nodded "yeah"

Simon smiled and so did Carla, she hadn't expected the little conversation she'd had with Simon and she was glad that bailey seemed to be bringing the two of them closer. Simon sat and swung his legs on the bench as he waited for Peter to come back with the ice cream he had been promised. He decided in that moment that Carla couldn't be that bad; he knew that it was unlikely she would be going away anytime soon, like he had hoped in the beginning which, was why he was trying to get along with her. He loved the idea of having a little brother and he knew if it wasn't for Carla, Bailey wouldn't have been around, and that had been one of the major reasons for his change of heart. Peter arrived back with the ice creams and leaned over to pass one to Simon that was covered in sprinkles and one to Carla that had a flake. "Oh dad I wanted a flake."
"Here..." Carla took hers from the ice cream and offered it to Simon.
"No Carla, keep that. I'll go and get him one."
"How about we half it?" Simon offered, and Carla laughed a little before nodding her agreement.
Peter smiled at the difference in the relationship between Carla and Simon and he only hoped that it was on the up, they had waited long enough for him to come around to the idea of them being a couple that was for sure and it had been much longer than either of me had thought it would be.

After they had all eaten their ice creams, Peter picked up Simon's football that he had placed under Bailey's pushchair, throwing it up into the air and catching it again as he spoke. "How do you fancy a game of footie then mate?"
"Yeah" Simon grinned "but where's our goal?"
Peter took his jacket off and put it down onto the grass before taking a bag that held a few bits and pieces for Bailey, putting it down on the grass too, making sure there was a gap between that and his jacket. "Are you playing?" Simon questioned, and Carla shook her head. "I'm no good at football love."
"You can be on my team."
Peter walked over and on catching Simon's statement he raised his eyebrow a little. "Hey, I don't think that's fair."
"Don't listen to him."
"Well what about Bailey?"
Peter shook his head a little "Carla he's right there, you're not even a meter away from him, come on."
"So I'm not getting out of it then?"
Simon and Peter both shook their heads and Carla laughed before getting up, checking the grass was dry before kicking her boots off. Deciding it might be safer to play in her socks, rather than heels that some people might find it hard to walk in on even ground, let alone run around in on grass.

It was only moments after taking her shoes off that Carla was running around on the grass with Simon and had just managed to fight the ball off Peter, she had passed it to Simon who had ran past Peter and kicked it into their goal. Carla cheered and laughed, giving him a high five as Simon held his hand up to her. "You're not rubbish."
Carla raised her eyebrow a little "no?"
Simon shook his head and then ran past Carla when Peter had retrieved the ball, he let him tackle it from him and after doing so, Simon called Carla before passing the ball to her, which she ran with while giving Peter a sideways nudge when he attempted to take it from her. "Go away" she laughed before kicking it into the goal. Simon cheered again and ran over to where Peter now stood beside Carla "dad you're getting beat off a girl."
"Hey don't rub it in you." he smiled.
Before Carla could answer Bailey began to cry and Carla walked over to the pushchair to take him out and hold him. She cuddled him close and shushed him, running her hand over his back gently. It was only a few seconds before Bailey settled once more. "Hey, that was a big yawn, Mr" Carla smiled, running her finger over his cheek gently.
Carla sat down with Bailey who soon began to drift back off and she smiled, crossing one leg over the other as Peter and Simon continued to play football. It was only moments after Carla had sat down her phone went off which caused her to frown. After taking her phone from her bag she opened the message and her heart sank when she opened it and found it was from Frank.

"We have things to discuss, meet me in the office at half seven."

She deleted the message and wished that she could delete him just as easy, though she knew regardless of how hard she wished for that, it would be impossible. Carla swallowed hard and put her phone back into her bag, deciding against replying to the message. She sighed quietly and suddenly found a day that she had thought had started so well was now tainted. She ran her finger over Bailey's cheek once more and sighed quietly, hoping that she would get the news she wanted that night and not the piece of news that filled her with dread. Peter walked to the bench where Carla was sitting and smiled in her direction "is he alright?"
Carla nodded "he just woke up, that's all."
"Are you ready to go?"
Carla nodded "yeah..."

-

At twenty past seven that evening Carla put her coat on and it caused Peter to frown. "Where are you going?"
"Oh I just need to go to the shop, we've ran out of milk..." she stated, it was a lame excuse and she knew it. Peter nodded in response and offered a smile before turning back to the TV where he was playing Wii with Simon. Once Carla had checked that Bailey was still settled she left the flat and reluctantly made her way towards the factory. She paid for the taxi and then found herself standing outside; she silently talked herself up to walking to the door and began taking slow and steady steps.

It was the last place that she wanted to be but deep down she knew that she had little choice but to go there. She swallowed hard and pushed her hair back with her hand to try and stop the wind from whipping it up. When Carla placed her hand against the handle of the main doors of Underworld she found it was shaking and she shook her head at herself. She pushed the door open and let it close behind her, jumping in shock at the noise it made on closing. She took in a shaky breath and walked towards the office where she knew Frank would be. When Carla stepped inside Frank raised his eyebrow with a smirk and after lowering the glass of Whiskey from his lips onto the desk he was stood by, he spoke. "On time..."
"What do you want?"
"Would you like a drink?"
"No. I want to know what you asked me here for first." she stated coldly, folding her arms over her chest in a defensive manner.
"Alright, alright." Frank smirked and pulled out a white envelope from his pocket. "This got delivered this morning and I thought it was only right that you were told the results."
Carla noted that the envelope was open and she felt a strong feeling of nausea wash over her. He knew. He knew what the results were and he was either the best bluffer that she had ever come across in her life, or, that envelope held a piece of paper that would bring her whole world crashing down around her. "Give me it." Carla stated, holding her hand out for the envelope Frank held, willing it to stop shaking.
"Worried are we?" he smirked. "You have every right to be."
"Give me that envelope." she stated and let her hand fall to her side, almost in defeat.
"He's mine." Frank smirked and had a little more of his drink while Carla used every bit of strength left in her body to stop her emotions from getting the better of her. She swallowed back tears before shaking her head a little, her voice quiet but as even as she could manage, her words dripping hatred as she spoke. "There is no way that beautiful, perfect little boy could come from a monster like you." she spat.
"There's no need for you to talk to the father of your son like that. You should be doing all you can to keep me sweet Carla." He stated, before handing her the envelope.
Carla opened it slowly, almost not wanting to find out what was inside it but knowing that she needed to. On taking the piece of paper from it and opening it out the colour drained from her complexion as it dawned on her that Frank had been telling her the truth. She dropped the paper and as it fell to the floor, a single tear fell down her cheek. Frank smirked at her and knew in that moment that he had won. He knew he had and so did she. As he stepped closer to her, Carla flinched but found her legs rooted to the spot and unable to move.

"Make sure you're in work at 9 o clock sharp tomorrow, there's a good girl."