Amy and Simon had never ever got on. They spent most of their time arguing with each other or trying to wind each other up but after Ken had told them about Deirdre's death, they had never looked more like cousins in their life.

Both of them welled up and were almost inconsolable. It wasn't long before the adults in the room had started crying again too. Simon actually reached over, put an arm around Amy and cuddled her tight. Peter and Tracy were both incredibly moved to finally see their kids showing some sort of affection for each other, it was just such a shame it was under such devastating circumstances.

After what had seemed like forever, even though it was only minutes, Carla had got up and wondered into the kitchen. She paced back and forth for a moment not knowing whether she should make some tea or not, she knew that it wouldn't really help at all but at least it would be keeping her busy.

Carla could still hear Amy and Simon's heart wrenching sobs come from the back room, she sniffed and it was then she saw the empty bottle of whisky that Peter had left in the sink.

Carla glanced back into the Barlow's living room and then back into the sink. She knew the last thing that any of them needed was to come into the kitchen and see that empty bottle of Jack Daniels, so she picked it up gingerly. She didn't know what to do with it at first, she thought about just putting it in the bin, or maybe out the back but she soon realised that it would eventually be found if she left it anywhere near Ken and Tracy, so Carla decided she was going to put it in her bag and then get rid of it later.

The Barlow's were oblivious to Carla, who had snuck past them and put the empty glass bottle into her black leather bag. The kettle had boiled so she went back into their kitchen deciding she wasn't going to say anything and just make everyone a cup of tea anyway. She was busy putting tea bags into mugs when Peter came in to join her. His eyes were red again from crying and as Carla began to pour the water from the kettle she said

"You lot don't ave to drink these I just... didn't know what to do, I feel a bit useless really."

"You are doing more than enough just by being here Carla." Peter said softly and he went into the fridge to get the milk, as he passed it to Carla their fingers touched accidentally and they both jumped.

"Sorry." Peter said

"What ya saying sorry for ya pillock?" Carla asked half smirking whilst pouring milk into the mugs of tea. Peter shrugged at her

"I ave no idea…" He said unable to stop a silly grin forming on his face. Carla shook her head at him and said

"Well don't just stand there, make your self useful n pass the sugar."

It was just general banter, they were only making conversation but Carla and Peter still had an alarming attraction to each other. The spark that they'd had between them was still bright as ever and as Peter handed Carla the sugar pot and their fingers accidentally touched again, he gave her a nervous smile.

"Y'know we ave a teapot right?" He said pointing up to the cupboards where the teapot was kept as Carla started putting sugar into a few of the mugs. She stopped what she was doing, looked up at the cupboard and then at Peter.

"Well it's a bit late for that isn't it." She said poking him with the spoon she had been using for the sugar, he poked her playfully back and she giggled as she then did the same. They soon started up a little poking war, both poking each other in different spots each time, the game stopped very suddenly when Peter had grabbed Carla by the waist as she had tried to dodge one of his pokes. Their heads were now only inches apart and as Carla stopped giggling she gazed into Peter's eyes. "Peter…" She began but Peter let go of her a little too quickly for her liking and went to pick up two mugs of tea.

"Shall we take these in?" He said awkwardly and Carla nodded at him with a sad smile.

It was beginning to become obvious to both Peter and Carla that eventually they wouldn't be able to stay away from each other like that, that eventually they would probably come close to kissing again but for now though they both worked together to take the tea into the living room.

The tea had helped slightly, it was almost a distraction from the crying, It had got Amy and Simon to stop for a little while at least. Carla had sat back down with them all but as the evening on it wasn't long before everyone started to well up again.

Carla collected up the empty cups and took them into the kitchen, Ken who said that he wanted to help Carla followed her, leaving Tracy with Peter, Amy and Simon. Tracy turned to make sure her Dad was out of earshot and asked

"Peter… Where were you earlier?" Peter thought for a moment, he knew just how much it would not only hurt but also worry his family if they knew where he really was earlier so he decided the best thing to do was to just leave out the alcohol part.

"I was just around…" He started but Tracy looked unconvinced. "Seriously Tracy. I was just wondering around town aimlessly for a while. I just needed to clear me head." He said and it was true that's what he had been doing before he'd gone into the off licence and bought that dreaded bottle of whisky.

"We were so worried about you." Tracy whispered because Amy and Simon were still in the room. "Thank god Carla was here because otherwise I don't know what we would ave done."

"I'm sorry, I worried you." Peter apologised looking over into the kitchen at Carla and his Dad who were talking about something quietly. Peter guessed that they were talking about him. Which they were.

"So did Peter tell you where he was then?" Ken asked as Carla began to wash up the mugs that they had been using. Carla swallowed and tried to think of something to say.

"He said he were just wondering around… y'know what Peter's like, he can walk for hours when he needs to clear his head." Carla said unknowingly telling Ken almost the exact same thing that Peter had told his sister.

"And what was he like when he came in?" Ken asked, Carla put the mugs she had just washed up on the drying rack and shrugged, She didn't want to lie to Ken too much but she also didn't want to tell him just how close Peter had come to falling of the wagon again.

"He were… in a bit of a state to be honest Ken." She started "He feels really guilty for not being ere and he just doesn't know how to deal with any of this…"

"Well he seems to be doing well now, it seems as if you really managed to calm him down." Ken said giving Carla the best smile he possibly could, given the situation of course. "I know that you two are no more but I really think you are one of the only people, if not the only person who truly understands Peter." Ken added, "You're sort of like his very own guardian angel." Carla smiled modestly and shook her head "Don't you believe me?" Ken asked

"Well I've been called many things in the past but I don't think an angel has ever been one of em Ken… Carla said

"Well I guess there's a first time for everything Carla." Ken said with another small but sad smile and then he went to help Carla finish the washing up.

Back in the living room, Carla's bag, which was on the floor in the corner seemed to vibrate every so often, it made quite a loud noise and had attracted Tracy's attention.

"Someone's popular." She said looking at Peter who was still watching Carla from his seat. He was desperate to know what she and his Dad had been talking about.

"It's probably Nick." Peter sighed turning away from the kitchen at last "He's probably wondering where she is."

"It won't last y'know…" Tracy said with an eyebrow raised "I'm telling you, not with that cougar n her baby on the way and... Especially now you're back." Peter's own eyebrows rose at this comment as Carla and Ken both came back into the room. Tracy nodded over at Carla's bag and said "Sounds as if someone really wants your attention in there."

Carla sighed and went into her bag and got out of her phone. There were twelve missed calls from Nick, not one, not two but twelve.

What was he thinking calling her that many times? Carla was about to put her phone away when sure enough her phone began to ring. It was Nick again.

Carla glanced around the room and then went into the hallway and closed the door behind her, so that she wouldn't bother everyone.

"What." She answered a little angrily.

"Carla…I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I'm just worried about you that's all." Nick said down the phone, his voice sounding apologetic.

"There's no need to be worried about me Nick, I'm a big girl."

"Where are you?" Nick asked. Carla thought for a moment and decided it was probably best to avoid the truth, If she told Nick that she was at number one he would probably end up turning up there and The Barlow's really didn't need him turning up.

"I'm with Michelle…" Carla lied, biting a nail as she spoke, there was a pause and then Nick said

"Michelle?"

"Yeah... I just wanted some time alone with my best mate, is that a crime?" Carla asked although she was feeling incredibly guilty for lying to Nick, He really didn't deserve this kind of treatment. Carla then heard a familiar voice speak in the background and it sounded like Leanne's "Are you at work?"

"Yes…" Nick said "I should probably get going to be honest, now I know you're not with..."

"With who?" Carla asked although she had an idea exactly who Nick was talking about. "Peter?"

"I never said Peter, I just meant I didn't want you to be with the Barlow's again." Nick said, unknowingly making Carla more and more irate as the conversation went on.

"Well why not?" Carla asked

"Carla… I know their having a hard time but it's really not fair on you, it's not fair for the Barlow's to keep expecting you to help them with things that are not really your concern." Nick said delicately.

"A hard time?" Carla said shaking her head, it was bad enough that earlier he had mentioned how she had barley seen Deirdre but now he was saying that none of this was her concern. She knew that Nick didn't know the circumstances but she still couldn't believe that he could be so tactless. "Nick you really don't know the half of it."

"Well how can I when you won't speak to me for longer than a minute?" Nick asked and then Leanne was heard saying something about hurrying up because they had customers.

"Just get on with your job Nick okay." Carla said and then she hung up the phone on Nick.

Carla had been planning on texting Michelle and asking her to say that they were both together if Nick asked but now she didn't care about what Nick thought, she knew it was selfish but she wanted some sort of jealously out of him, She wanted a reaction.

Carla opened the door and went back into the living room, She had really tried to keep calm but it was clear by the expression on her face that she was angry.

"Is everything okay?" Ken asked watching her. Carla nodded at him gratefully, she couldn't imagine how Ken was the one who was worried about her in this situation.

"Yeah… that were Nick he's just wondering where I am that's all." She said sitting down next to Peter, who still wanted to say so much on the situation with Nick but he knew it wasn't his place.

It had got to around Nine pm when Carla had felt like it was probably time for her to leave to Barlow's to it. She had got up and picked up her bag carefully remembering that she had the bottle of whisky in it.

Ken got up anxiously and said

"Carla… I know that you've already done so much for us today but could I ask another favour of you?"

"Sure Ken, what is it?" Carla nodded immediately as Peter watched, wondering what his Dad was going to say.

"Could you maybe...tell people for us?" he said quietly "I think people should know but I just can't face it, not tonight." Ken was beginning to tear up again as Carla nodded.

"Of course Ken." She said softly and he gave her a appreciative nod before saying.

"Thank you Carla, thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts."

"Yeah thanks Carla." Tracy said sadly, this was probably as sincere as Tracy could get, so Carla nodded at her empathetically.

"You're welcome." She said.

Simon gave Carla a little smile and waved as she made her way out of the living room. She waved back and then Peter got up out of his chair so that he could see Carla out.

"I'll pop over tomorrow afternoon maybe." Carla said "If that's okay." Peter nodded and opened the door for Carla.

"Only if your sure, I mean I wouldn't want you to be missing work again. " Peter said rubbing his sore eyes, he looked completely and utterly shattered.

"Oh I think the factory can last an hour or so without me." Carla said walking out of Number one and then stopping on the doorstep.

"Well in that case, feel free to come round." Peter smiled. Carla was about to walk off but then she turned back and put her arms around Peter's neck so that she could hold him close.

"Thank you for being so amazing today." Peter said sliding his arms around her waist, Carla breathed in deeply, taking in Peter's familiar scent.

"Bye Peter" She said quietly into his chest. "I really hope you all manage to get some sleep tonight." Peter held Carla closely and gave her a tight squeeze. He really didn't know how he or any of his family would have got through the day without her.

"Bye Carla." Peter said he really didn't want to let go of Carla and as she stood with her arms still wrapped lovingly around his neck he truly felt as if she felt the same. They stood their in their embrace until they heard Simon's voice come down the hallway

"Dad" he called, obviously wondering what was taking Peter so long, Carla sighed peacefully, knowing that it was time to be on her way.

"Yeah I'm coming Si…" Peter called as Carla let go of him and said

"I'll see ya tomorrow then."

"Definitely." Peter said and Carla gave him a heartfelt wave as she walked away from number one. Peter closed the door, went back into the living room and saw that his Dad was in the kitchen again. It was then that Peter remembered the bottle of whisky in the sink. He dashed into the kitchen in a panic but was amazed to find that the sink was empty, he glanced around the kitchen to make sure it wasn't left anywhere else by accident, but the bottle was definitely gone.

Peter thought for a moment and tried to think if maybe his Dad or Tracy might had taken it, he imagined the worry they must have been feeling when they had found it but then Peter remembered that neither his Dad or Tracy had been in the kitchen on their own since they had got back from getting Amy from school. Peter then realised that the only person who had been in the kitchen on his or her own was Carla.

Carla walked into the rover's and gulped when she saw how busy it was, She scanned the bar for Michelle and found her stood in the corner talking to Steve. Carla made her way over to them straight away.

"Michelle can we go out back please?" She asked. Michelle saw the wretched look on Carla's face and was more than desperate to get her on her own to find out what had been going on with her over the past day so she nodded and took Carla into her living room.

Carla was already almost in tears by the time they had got there, she wanted to get this over and done with but Michelle had started talking first.

"I just had Nick in ere earlier, saying that you said you were with me."

"That doesn't surprise me one little bit." Carla sighed

"Don't worry I told him that you were out ere and that you didn't want to see anyone." Michelle said with an eyebrow raised. Carla nodded and said

"Thanks Chelle."

"So come on then… why were ya lying to Nick about where you were?" Michelle asked although she had an idea of where Carla might have been.

"I were next door…" Carla said a tear running down her cheek, she didn't give Michelle time to react and said "It's... Deirdre... She died this morning." Carla said, her voice breaking.

"What?" Michelle gasped completely stunned by this news. "How?"

"She were ill, in hospital and she just..." Carla shrugged not knowing what else to say, her and Michelle sat in silence for a moment.

"I just can't believe it." Michelle said tearfully

"I know." Carla sniffed "Ken asked me to tell everyone so that he didn't ave to but I can't Chelle, I can't go out there and do it... Can you do it for me?" Carla pleaded as Liz entered the room, Liz was one of Deirdre's best friends and Carla couldn't help but started crying as soon as she saw her.

"Is everything alright?" Liz asked looking at Carla and Michelle with concern. Michelle nodded at Carla and then turned to Liz.

"Liz… would you come out to the bar with me, I've got to... say something." Michelle said and she took Liz with her as she went to tell everyone the dreadful news.

Michelle had been gone for a few minutes before she had came back into the back room to sit with Carla. She had hushed everyone in the pub and tearfully broke the news to everyone about Deirdre.

They had all been stunned into silence, and it wasn't long before the entire room was filled with sobs and tears. Liz, Audrey and couple of Deirdre's other friends were extremely distraught by the news and had a thousand questions but Michelle just shook her head at them and said she didn't know too much just that Ken wanted everyone to know and that it was probably best not to bother them tonight.

It was an hour or so later when Carla had said that she wanted to go home and Michelle had agreed to go with her, they were both sat on Carla's sofa with glasses of wine, it had been silent for a while and Michelle was the first one to speak.

"Poor Ken." She said quietly and Carla shook her head "I mean why didn't he tell anyone that Deirdre was ill?"

"I guess he thought that she would be okay in the end, we all did." Carla said clutching her wine glass "I'm just so glad that I got to see her at the hospital yesterday." Michelle took Carla's hand supportively as a tear ran down her cheek.

"So that's where you went last night then." Michelle said

"Yeah…" Carla nodded "She were so ill and yet so happy to see us, She were even cracking jokes about me and Peter at one point." Carla said smiling bitter sweetly.

"And… how are you and Peter?" Michelle asked cautiously.

"It's weird..." Carla started "At first it were absolute torture, we could barley handle being in the same space together but now..." Michelle watched as Carla's face softened "it's almost as if he never left."

"And I take it Nick's not been too enthusiastic about you and Peter spending so much time together, seeing as you told him that you were with me earlier." Michelle said Carla nodded and wiped away a tear.

"He's done nothing but phone me to check up on me." Carla said as Michelle put an arm around her, She sighed and rested her head on Michelle's shoulder. "I dunno I just feel as if Peter coming back and then Deirdre dying… y'know the way this has all turned out... It might sound weird but I feel like I'm destined to help them all through this or something... Nick just doesn't get it though, all he's thinking about is me and Peter."

"Well they're going through a really hard time Carla and you're bound to want to be supportive. Nick of all people should understand that you and Peter ave history." Michelle said but Carla shook her head at her

"No it's more than that Chelle... There's still a spark between us for sure and I know it sounds dumb but when I talk to him it feels so… natural... I really feel as if we still have a connection…" Michelle kept quiet for a moment so Carla decided to tell her about what had happened in the lift. "We kissed last night." Carla said knowing that would get Michelle talking.

"What?" Michelle asked although she didn't look too surprised, her reaction was almost a disappointed one.

"In a lift... at the hospital." Carla added,

"Does Nick know?" Michelle asked

"He sure does."

"And what did he do?"

"Nothin really, He said he… understood." Michelle raised an eyebrow again

"Really" She said "and he didn't kick off or anything."

"No he did not and trust me Chelle, I've been over it and over it, I've constantly been thinking about why I'm so disappointed that Nick wasn't more mad about it."

"Well maybe it's because of the way he used to act before with Leanne." Michelle said. Carla then rolled her eyes.

"Yeah I know… she's the one n Nick's probably not gonna ever get over her, I've heard it all from Peter." Carla was more than aware that Nick and Leanne were almost this iconic couple and she really didn't need the likes of Peter and Michelle reminding her of that.

"Yeah well Peter would say that wouldn't he… He'll probably say anything to get you having second thoughts about Nick." Michelle said rolling her eyes because it sounded as if Peter was trying to make Carla feel bad.

"See that's the thing Chelle, He hasn't actually said anything, I mean other than that and the fact that he doesn't think me and Nick are a good idea because of the baby. And he felt really guilty about what happened in the lift." Carla said still resting her head on Michelle's shoulder comfortably. Michelle glanced around the room for a moment with a smirk and then asked.

"Carla… I know this is rather inappropriate to ask but... this kiss... how was it?" Even though Carla was feeling tired and seriously upset she still couldn't help but laugh a little at Michelle's "inappropriate" question.

"Seriously?"

"Yes seriously, come on Carla, I'm your best mate if you can't tell me you can't tell anybody." Michelle said smiling down at her friend. Carla bit her lip and sighed deeply

"Honestly... Chelle... It were breath taking" Carla admitted "and I know I'm with Nick and I know it's bad to admit it but it really were amazing."

"Oh dear." Michelle sighed

"Michelle believe me when I say I feel really awful about the effect this kiss had on me." Carla said.

"And how exactly has it had an effect on you then?" Michelle asked because she knew her best friend and she knew just how quickly and easily Peter Barlow could get under her skin.

"Oh y'know, the whole can't stop thinking about it type of effect. The kind of effect that has me questioning everything and also has me up half the night."

"Carla… I really hate to be the one to say this to you but you have to remember that you and Peter broke up for a reason." Michelle said because Carla was behaving as if she was thinking about Peter again. Thinking about Peter in a way that was rather concerning Michelle. Carla sat up straight and looked at her best friend right in the eye.

"Michelle I realise that and I'm not saying that anything is going to happen with Peter, I'm still with Nick obviously... I just... I dunno I guess I just hadn't realised that Peter still means the world to me that's all." Carla said yawning slightly and for the rest of the night she just couldn't seem to stop yawning. Michelle had stayed by her side and eventually Carla had fallen fast asleep on the sofa.

Michelle covered Carla over with a blanket and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, before leaving her alone to dream.

She just hoped, more liked prayed that Carla wasn't dreaming about Peter.