Peter groaned as the sun peeked through the curtains of the flat and he looked confused as he rubbed his neck having fallen asleep in a somewhat awkward position. A duvet had been gently placed over him and he couldn't remember dozing off. "Finally awake. I was going to wake you up and help you to the bed but I couldn't bring myself to wake you up after you finally got to sleep." Carla said as she sat down with a mug of coffee in her hand. "What are you doing still here?" Peter said as Carla glared at him. "Well you dozed off and I wasn't about to leave you when you were in the state you'd been yesterday." Carla said as Peter groaned. "Well as you can see I'm fine so you can go back to your day job love." Peter said gruffly as Carla rolled her eyes as she sipped her coffee. "What and leave you alone. I'm sorry Peter I can't do that, not when yesterday you were about to drink yourself into oblivion." She stated as Peter looked down guiltily. "Hey, you had reasons but that wasn't the solution was it." Carla said as she leaned over and gently rubbed his shoulder looking at him intently. "Look thanks for this Carla but you don't have to babysit me." Peter said as he felt like a burden.

"Is that a subtle hint you want me gone?" Carla asked as Peter furrowed his brow. "No, but well don't you have a business to run?" Peter said as Carla shook her head.

"Hayley's okay running the show for a bit. You Peter are far more important to me than some orders." Carla said genuinely as Peter looked a little unsure what to say.

"Where's Dad and Leanne?" Simon asked as Deirdre placed a bowl of coco pops in front of the little boy. Ken had been adamant that Simon should go to school but Deirdre had deemed it better that he have today off lest Peter want to see his son. "Oh they're sorting some things out love." Deirdre said as Tracey snorted. "That's one way of putting it." She said as Ken glowered at his stepdaughter. "There was a few issues Simon love so they need to talk. But don't you worry yourself." Deirdre said eager to ensure that Simon didn't know what had happened yet. Not until they knew a bit more of what was going on. There was no need to upset the little boy if everything worked out once Leanne and Peter had the chance to talk.

Gail frowned watching as Nick sat tapping at his phone. "Why her Nick. You and she made a mess of things the first time around. There's nice girls out there if you look for them, one's that will be much better for you than she could ever be." She said as Nick rolled his eyes at her. "Mam you can't exactly take the moral high-ground about our partners after your track record. Least Leanne's not tried to kill anyone yet." David said as Nick looked down slightly thinking of the baby he had practically forced her into aborting when they were younger. "David! Well all I'm saying is there are nice girls out there for our Nick. I mean look at Maria, she's a nice lass." Gail said as Nick sighed.

"I don't want Maria."

"No you want Leanne who is trouble with a capital T and already in a serious relationship." Gail said sternly as Nick rubbed his temple and grabbed his phone. "Where are you going?" Gail screeched as Nick went to get his jacket. "Away from your unwanted opinions." He snapped as Gail shook her head as she went to grab the toast that had just popped up from the toaster.

"So where is the Wicked Witch of the West?" Sean asked as Hayley shook her head at her friend. "Sean don't be mean and I think she said she was helping out a mate." Hayley said as she looked through the work diary to check what needed to be done. "Mates, didn't think she had such things." Sally said scathingly as Hayley shook her head. "Sal that's not very fair, especially after how good Mrs Connor was to you when you were poorly." Hayley said defensively. "Maybe she's chatting to Leanne I mean they were close." Julie suggested as Sally shrugged.

"Well regardless of where she is I doubt that she'd want us all gossiping so can we all get on with the Laundis order please." Hayley said as she switched on the radio.

"So…you going to speak to her?" Carla asked as she placed a plate of toast in front of Peter. He shrugged, he knew he should really but at the minute he didn't want to speak to Leanne. She'd hurt him, and he was so angry that whilst she was playing away he'd been so determined to step up to the mark. He'd come off the alcohol and when faced with temptation, the devastatingly beautiful woman sat by him now, he'd stayed faithful. He had trusted Leanne and she'd simply trodden over his heart. "Carla?"

"Hmm?" She looked up as she poured him a mug of tea.

"Did…did she stay with me because I got hurt in the crash?" He asked in a sad voice as Carla nibbled her lower lip slightly. "I don't know. I do know she was heartbroken when she thought you might slip away from us. But I don't know what was going on in her head." Carla said truthfully as she brought over the mug of tea. "If it's any help I think she knew she made a mistake with Nick, not that I'm making excuses for her but I think she knew that with you she had the most wonderful man she could ever wish for."

"I've let her down in the past though. Carla I've been horrible." Peter said as Carla shook her head.

"You have demons Peter but most people do, I do, Leanne does." Carla said truthfully. Peter looked down. "If I'd have been a better person, stronger then she wouldn't have been around Nick. The bistro would have been mine and hers. She wouldn't have been working with the prick if I hadn't had a meltdown on the night when we showed prospective clientele the Joinery. I drove her into his arms." Peter said mournfully.

"You're been stupid now." Carla said as Peter looked up at her and smiled weakly.

"You're right I am."

Leanne glanced down tearfully at her engagement ring and a tear rolled down her cheek as she sat numbly at the table in Janice's flat. "You know you can't just sit there all day love."

"Well what else can I do? I can't go to the flat and to be completely honest I don't much fancy venturing out right now, what with been public enemy number one." Leanne said.

"Well I'm going to have to go out at some point. I mean I'm should be at work but thankfully it was Hayley in the office when I rang and she said not to worry about turning up, apparently Cruella's not turned in this morning." Janice said as Leanne's eyes widened.

"What?"

"She's not in the factory. Hayley said she reckoned Carla was comforting a mate but well I can't think of anyone that desperate for comfort that she'd be the person they chose to get comfort from." Janice said scathingly. Leanne shook her head as she pulled on a cardigan. "Whoa where are you going?" Janice asked alarmed by her stepdaughter's erratic behaviour. "To stop that bitch from getting her claws into Peter." Leanne said still not sure what she wanted but knowing that she hated the thought of Carla sat in her and Peter's flat planting doubts and poison into Peter's head.