"Carla will you move in with me?"

Carla was so relived that it wasn't a proposal that she actually smiled at Nick, she didn't say anything at first because she was so stunned but she didn't have to speak because suddenly Peter said,

"Are you actually being serious?" He hadn't meant it to come out so loud but it did and as everyone in the bistro turned to look at them all, it was too late to do anything about it now.

Nick and Carla both turned to look at him, they were both a little surprised to see that Peter was listening to their conversation and as he stood up, Carla sensed he wasn't quite finished on the matter either.

"Peter…" She began but he shook his head at her and looked straight at Nick.

"Are you actually expecting her to move in with you?" he asked staring at Nick in disbelief, Nick was motionless for a second. He was so scared that Peter was going to spill the beans about his kiss with Leanne and he really didn't want to do anything that might encourage it.

"Peter this really isn't any of your business…" Carla began, he wasn't paying her the slightest bit of attention and was still staring at Nick and waiting for an answer. Eventually Nick decided that he needed to speak up for himself and said,

"Carla's right... This really is none of your business." Peter was just about to speak again when his Dad interrupted him.

"Peter what on earth are you doing?" Ken said looking apologetically at Carla. "I'm so sorry Carla." He said.

"Don't be silly Ken." Carla said, getting up off her stool and taking Nick by the hand, "Come with me." She said pulling him with her. Peter watched them leave the bistro as Ken shook his head at him.

"Honestly Peter what are you thinking… you have to realise that you and Carla are not together anymore, I know she has been a real rock to this family over the past week..." Peter went to interrupt his Dad and began saying,

"Yes Dad but..."

"No!" Ken said crossly. "Peter, you need to remember that you are the reason that you and Carla not together now, You simply cannot get involved in her relationship with Nick, it's over between you two."

"You don't have to talk to me like that Dad, I'm not stupid." Peter said slightly taken aback by his Dad's tone. Bethany had also made her way over to them by this point,

"Peter…" she began but he took Bethany by the arm and led her away from his family's table because he really didn't want her stirring up any more trouble. "Oi… what are ya doing?" She said looking down at the hold Peter had on her.

"Look, I'm really not in the mood for more of your stirring Bethany." Peter said,

"Chill out Peter, I was only coming over to tell you that Leanne wanted to speak to you." She said with an eyebrow raised.

"What for?"

"I dunno do I?" Bethany shrugged, "She just asked me to get you that's all." Peter rolled his eyes and walked over to the bar where Leanne was stood.

"What is it?" Peter asked,

"What did you just think you were doing?" Leanne hissed, "Making a scene like that."

"Honestly... I don't know what I was doing." Peter said sighing, "I just couldn't help myself… Come on Leanne, the idea of those two moving in together is ridiculous and you know it… I still can't believe he even had the nerve to ask her." He said whilst Bethany walked over to the bar to join him, Peter shook his head at her when she leaned on the bar next to him.

"Hey… don't look at me, at least I tried to warn you." said Bethany.

"How longs he been planning this?" Peter asked her, She shrugged for a second and then said,

"Apparently he's been planning it for a while now, since before you came back… well that's what he told me Gran anyway."

"Why are you so involved in all this?" Leanne asked her, Peter was also watching Bethany with his head on one side. She sighed heavily and said,

"Well don't get me wrong, I really like Carla it's just, if she and me Uncle Nick move in together then me and me Mum are on the streets again and I cannot move back in with me Gran and David… no way."

"So purely selfish reasons then." Leanne said shaking her head, "Then again I don't blame ya for not wanting to live with your Gran."

"Well let's just hope Carla says No." Peter said, he really didn't know what he would do if he found Carla saying yes to Nick, the idea of her making house with another man was making him feel physically sick.

"You should ave told Carla when you had the chance." Bethany said shaking her head at him, and then she looked at Leanne. "I know about the kiss." She said with a grin.

"Did you tell her?" Leanne exclaimed, staring at Peter in shock.

"Don't be stupid Lea, she saw you both, it's not exactly as if you did it in the most private place is it?" Peter said causing Bethany to smirk at him. "She's not going to say anything though."

"Oh really… and what makes you so sure about that?" Bethany said to Peter.

"Because if you were going to say anything to Carla you would have already." Said Peter, Bethany just rolled her eyes at Peter and kept quiet as Leanne said,

"Wait a minute… are you telling me that Carla still doesn't know? Nick said he'd tell her."

"Yeah right." Bethany said but she got a look from Leanne and Peter, which told her to shut up.

"Look I have no idea if she knows or not all I know is that she cannot move in with that man." Peter said miserably.

It wasn't long before Nick returned to the restaurant, alone and looking very upset. Peter had guessed that Carla had declined his offer to move in but he still wondered just how Carla had said no to him.

Nick saw Bethany, Leanne and Peter all stood at the bar and walked over to them, as they were all staring at him anyway.

"Everything okay?" Bethany asked with her eyebrows raised at him.

"No… it's not." Nick said looking at Peter.

"Carla say no then?" Peter said and he couldn't help but smile smugly as he spoke.

"Not that it's any of your business but yes she did." Nick said sighing and feeling mighty sorry for himself. "I feel like such an idiot."

"Ohhh poor you... Life must be really difficult for ya Nick." Peter said

"I'm sorry?" Nick said, "You know nothing about my life."

"Nick all I know is you've got a baby on the way and one heck of a girlfriend, Yet here you are acting as if your whole world has come to an end." Peter said as Ken and Tracy made their way over to Peter with Simon and Amy in tow.

"We're going Peter." Tracy said, Peter nodded at them and said,

"I'll meet you out there." Peter said then he looked back at Nick who was still sulking. "I'm glad she said No."

"Well funnily enough Peter I don't remember asking your opinion..." Nick said irritatedly "Just leave will ya."

"Oh don't worry I'm going…" Peter said and then he nodded towards Bethany, "She knows about you two by the way." He added pointing at Nick and Leanne and with that he left the bistro.

His family were waiting for him outside and it was only when they were almost all home that he saw Carla leaning on the wall outside the medical centre. He thought about just leaving her to it, for about a millisecond and then walked over to her, leaving Tracy and Ken to roll their eyes and go into their house.

"So… you said no then." Peter said joining Carla at the wall. She gave a light sigh and then turned to Peter with half a smile.

"I sure did…" Peter tried not to look too thrilled but Carla would have seen his grin from a mile away. "You know you don't need to look so pleased." She said, "Seriously Peter you look like the flamin Cheshire Cat."

"I'm sorry." Peter said,

"No you're not." Carla said rolling her eyes. "I don't think I've ever been in such an awkward situation, in me life."

"What did you say to him?" Peter said, he watched Carla who looked down at her hands. "You can tell me to mind me own business if you want."

"I told him it was way too fast… I am no where near ready for anything like that." Said Carla.

"And... what would you have said if he'd of asked you before I'd got back?" Peter asked, Carla looked at him suspiciously and asked,

"Why are you always so obsessed with what I would ave done before?"

"I'm not."

"Yes you are, you kept asking me yesterday about what I would ave done before you got back here… and ere you are again. I know it may seem crazy but for once, this isn't about you Peter." Carla said, although when she thought about it, everything she did seemed to do was about Peter lately.

"You know if you don't want to tell me then don't." Peter said getting a cigarette out and lighting it. There was a silence as Peter began smoking his cigarette, Carla watched him smoke for a while and then said,

"I would ave said No." Peter looked at her,

"Really?"

"Yes really… As happy as me and Nick were… I still wouldn't have been ready to move in with him." Carla explained as Peter inhaled. "Not that it's any of your business." She grinned.

"What did Nick say...? I mean I saw him and he looked crushed." Peter said.

"He said that he understood… But I don't know if he actually does." Carla began, "I don't think he really understands what it's like to be me if I'm honest… I warned him I were a mess before we first got together… I think he thought I were exaggerating."

"You're not a mess Carla." Peter began but she shook her head at him wildly and said,

"Oh pull the other one Peter, I'm a train wreck everyone knows that."

"Okay..." Peter chuckled, "You are a mess… But a very well put together mess all the same." Peter said with a smile.

"Well you know what they say… It takes one to know one." Carla said with a nudge. Peter finished his cigarette in silence and after he flicked away the butt he said,

"So... what are you doing with the rest of your Friday night then?" Carla nodded towards Michelle who came out of the pub and was making her way towards them. Carla had called her immediately after telling Nick that she needed some space and Michelle had suggested that they go out although she was slightly surprised to have heard from Carla seeing as she thought she would have been at the baby shower.

"Hi Chelle." Carla said giving her thankful look.

"Alright Michelle." Peter said to her, she raised an eyebrow at him and then at Carla.

"Fine thanks Peter." She said quietly, she still wasn't his biggest fan but she knew that Carla had seemed to have moved on and that Peter was obviously having a rough week. "I know you must ave heard this a million times but I'm sorry about…"

"Deirdre… I know... thanks." Peter said sadly, "We're sorting out all the funeral plans tomorrow." He said is so quietly he wasn't sure if Carla or Michelle had heard him or not, they had done they just didn't know what to say.

"Peter… If you lot need anything… I'm only over the road." Carla said, she couldn't imagine having to plan any ones funeral let alone one for some one she loved dearly, the way Ken loved Deirdre.

"I'd say thank you but I know how you feel about me saying thank you." Peter said giving Carla a soft smile and referring to the conversation they'd had yesterday.

"You learn fast." Carla smiled and she stopped leaning against the wall. "See ya…"

"Bye." Peter said after her as she and Michelle began walking away from him.

"He is so watching you walk away." Michelle said. Carla just tried not to smile and carried on walking.

"Shhh Chelle." She said, as they got further away from him.

Carla said she wanted to get as far away from the street as possible, so in the end her and Michelle got a cab into town and were sat in a wine bar within the hour.

"So go on then… Why am I ere… I though you were at Nick's baby shower tonight." Michelle asked Carla once they were armed with a glass of wine each and had the bottle next to them ready for more.

"Yeah well I were only the daft idiot decided he'd ask me to move in with him." Carla said,

"What?" Michelle exclaimed, "Seriously?"

"Seriously." Carla nodded.

"Well… What did you say?" Michelle asked,

"What d'ya think I said Chelle? Obviously I said no." said Carla. "I mean it's way too fast."

"Is it?" Michelle said watching Carla. They'd been best friends for way too long for Carla not to know that look Michelle was giving her.

"Don't even go there…" Carla said to her, "Me saying no to Nick has absolutely nothing to do with Peter."

"Are you sure?" Michelle asked "I mean you've spent every single day with him since he's been back."

"No I aven't…" Carla scoffed but Michelle wasn't leaving it at that.

"You wanna bet? The first night he were ere what did you do? you went out back with him and then to the hospital…"

"Well I had to go n see Deirdre didn't I?" Carla said defensively,

"Right and the second day you spent most of it with him at his Dad's…" Michelle continued, "Then where were you yesterday? At the café with him in the morning and then at his Dad's in the evening."

"Yeah well I was helping him out with Simon…" Carla began again but she could totally see where Michelle was coming from.

"And what's tomorrow's excuse gonna be?" Michelle said with an eyebrow raised.

"Don't be like that Chelle, it's hard enough with Nick on me case all the time." Carla said miserably.

"How was the baby shower then?" Michelle asked changing the subject slightly and knowing that it must have been difficult for her best friend to be in such a situation.

"Awful." Carla said bluntly, "I mean I had a few laughs with David and then when Nick and Erica finally arrived I barley got a look in… in fact the only time Nick really started paying me attention was when he saw me with Peter."

"And what was Peter doing there?" Michelle asked almost laughing because of course Peter was involved in this.

"He came to the bistro with his family for dinner, he came and spoke to me whilst I was being left out of the Platt family photo." Carla said,

"They took a family photo?" Michelle said almost recoiling at the idea of it,

"Oh yeah, Nick had his arm around Erica n everything." Carla said nodding, "Not that would ave wanted to be in it anyway." She lied

"So was Peter there when Nick asked you to move in with him?" Michelle asked,

"Yep… I don't know Chelle... I'm starting to think Nick did it for Peter's benefit rather than mine if I'm honest." Said Carla.

"Yeah he probably did… I mean it's got to be hard for him, I almost feel sorry for the bloke." Michelle said.

"Seriously?" Carla scoffed, "Why?"

"Sorry Carla, I'm just calling it the way I see it… it's obvious you and Peter still have a connection and if you carry on this way I don't think you're gonna be able to fight it for much longer." Michelle said delicately.

"Well what d'ya suggest I do Chelle? Not see the man? He were a huge part of my life, it were easy when he weren't around I could pretend like I didn't care about him but now he's back… I can't just cut him out of my life.." Carla sighed, Michelle watched her as she downed the rest of her wine and began pouring her self another glass.

"I'm not expecting you to Carla… but maybe you should think about your future with Nick… I mean it's not fair on him." Michelle said,

"Yeah well it's not fair on me either…" Carla said, "I don't know what to do Michelle, part of me just wants to end it with Nick and be done with it and the other… the other thinks I should try and fight for my relationship, I mean Peter keeps saying if he hadn't of come back then me and Nick would be fine and as much as I hate to admit it, he's right… me and Nick probably would be absolutely fine right now." Carla sniffed and couldn't stop a tear from falling down her cheek. Michelle watched Carla sympathetically as she reached over and took her hand.

"Carla…"

"I honestly don't know what to do Chelle… I mean I really tried to just think about Nick today and it backfired on me big time… All I seem to be doing is thinking about Peter flamin Barlow." Carla said, wiping her cheek. "Nick is such a good guy… he doesn't deserve this."

"Carla Nick may be the good guy but is the guy?" Michelle said,

"I should be grateful to have Nick, I really should. I'm lucky to ave found someone after Peter… Nick should be the one." Carla sniffed again,

"But he's not… is he?" Michelle said moving closer to her best friend so she could put an arm around her. Carla shook her head slightly and then said,

"No."

"Then you ave to tell him."

"Tell him what? That I can't stop thinking about Peter… that cheating excuse of a man." Carla said disappointedly, "That stupid, beautiful man." She said shaking her head at her own foolishness. "Michelle…. if I tell Nick... Then what's gonna happen to me?" Carla cried.

"What do you mean babe?" Michelle asked.

"I don't want to be alone Chelle…"

"Carla you are not going to be alone… you've got me and Peter." Michelle said

"I can't take him back Michelle… I'm not strong enough…" said Carla shaking her head, "Besides I don't even think he's sticking around… I mean he only came back for a visit."

"I never expected you to take him back and I honestly don't think he expects you to either but no matter what happens with Peter… you have to tell Nick how you feel." Said Michelle.

Carla knew that Michelle was right. She knew that what ever happened with Peter, Nick deserved to know how she felt. They stayed at the wine bar until after midnight and got a cab back to Coronation Street, Michelle went home and so did Carla, but her mind was now on something else, something that she hadn't even noticed until she heard something that Michelle had said on the way home and it was something that once in her flat, caused Carla to open that second bottle of wine and decide that she was going to worry about it in the morning.

It had been a very long day for the Barlow's, they'd had a meeting with a priest, with funeral directors and emotions had clearly been running high. Ken and Tracy had stayed out to get some lunch but Peter had decided to come home. He wanted to see Simon and spend some time with him as since he'd been back he hadn't seen him too much but on his way towards his Dad's, he saw Carla walking up the street.

Her pace was fast and she seemed like she was in a rush to get somewhere.

"Carla!" He called after her but it only seemed to make her speed up. "Carla!"

"Not now Peter." Carla said, not even turning to look at him.

"Carla what's wrong?" Peter asked putting his hand on her shoulder,

"Peter! I said not now!" She cried, turning around and dropping something on the floor in the process.

They both looked down and onto the floor at what she had dropped.

It was a pregnancy test.