As promised! Thanks so much for the reviews, keep them coming! I love hearing what you guys are enjoying and what you'd like to happen next. Xo

"I tell myself you don't mean a thing, and what we got, got no hold on me. But when you're not there I just crumble, I tell myself I don't care that much, but I feel like I die 'til I feel your touch. Only love, only love can hurt like this"

Peter waited. He waited when he thought she was just running slightly late. He waited when she wouldn't answer his calls and texts. He waited when they had minutes to spare. He waited when their flight had been and gone. He even waited still when he knew she wasn't coming. He'd been so excited the last couple of days, he knew Carla's proposal of a fresh start in LA meant she wanted him again, completely. It meant they could move away and start to rebuild themselves among the broken ruins of what they had once been. Peter knew that the last year had shown him he would do anything in the realms of possibility to be with her and if that meant moving to LA he'd never even hesitate.

He banged repeatedly on the door of Carla's flat, loudly and carelessly, not thinking of those he might disturb. She opened the door a while later and stood in her dressing gown, the guilt in her eyes apparent even in Peters state. "Proud of your handy work eh Car? This what you had planned all along is it? You were never coming were ya? I've seen 'Chelle and she 'ad no idea what I was talking about. You were playing me, letting me think I was in with a chance. You're a heartless cow, Carla." Peter swayed slightly as he tried to pronounce every word, rambling, still in the door way

"Peter you're drunk.." Carla whispered, shocked, knowing she had caused this but not meaning for it to go so far.

"I waited for you! I waited at that airport all day, hoping you'd turn up or at least answer me calls. Did I hurt you that badly you had to humiliate me like that?"
"Yes!" Carla shouted back, "Yes Peter you did hurt me that badly." Carla took a deep breath, "Look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt ya, I just.. I 'ad to be sure you were serious, I needed to know I was back in charge again Peter. I never meant for this." She swallowed back, feeling awful with herself. She had never intended to move back, she didn't even know why she'd said it. Maybe she'd wanted to hurt him, maybe she'd been testing him. maybe both. They were getting so close again that it terrified her. She had never known pain like losing someone to death. Paul and Liam's deaths had scarred her in more ways than one. But they were gone and although their deaths destroyed her, they'd already caused her the most excruciating pain and it was no longer possible for them to hurt her any more. But Peter, he was alive and kicking and able to hurt her over and over. Sometimes, she wasn't sure which was worse.

Peter sank down to sit on the arm of her sofa, dropping the bottle in his hand and crying quietly but desperately, feeling like the world had been taken from under his feet. He felt lost as he looked at her, as he felt her pull him close to her chest and let him cry onto her shoulder. "What are we doing, Carla? Where are we going from here?" He spoke so quietly, clinging onto her like a lost child who had just found their mother. She didn't answer. In all honestly, she didn't have the answers he needed. So they remained in an almost painful silence. Peter let his eyes closed as they stayed in the same comforting position, drunk and tired and terribly scared as he allowed the sound of Carla's steady heartbeat to lull him into a sense of security.

Carla handed Peter his second coffee of the night a while later, sitting down on the armchair opposite him and awkwardly fiddling with the leggings she'd recently changed into, feeling exposed in just her dressing gown and underwear. That meant Peter could see her skin, and that meant he could see the affect he had on her. That was too much control for Carla to let go of yet.

"How you feeling?" She asked, genuinely caring, heartbroken that she had driven him back to the drink after so little time had passed that they had been talking again. "Like an idiot." Peter grumbled, drinking back some of his coffee quickly, "No more than I deserve though." He watched as Carla gave a regretful smile before speaking again, "I didn't mean what I said earlier, I'm sorry, Carla.." Carla shook her head softly, "Forget it, Peter. Water under the bridge, eh?"

Peter nodded, rubbing his face as he put his empty mug on the coffee table. "Suppose I should head off, I've caused enough trouble for today." He stood up slowly as Carla did the same. "Already? I mean.." She tried not to sound as desperate as she felt, "You don't have to rush off..."

Peter's eyes watched hers, catching her gaze and not moving,

"What are you saying, Car'?" His voice was desperately quiet, desperately needing, desperately hoping.

"I'm saying.. Stay. Stay tonight, Peter." She nodded, as though she had just decided this was what was meant to happen, as though she suddenly realised this was exactly what she wanted. What she needed.

Before Peter had the chance to respond, a key turned in the door of Carla's flat and Michelle appeared a moment later, "Just me darlin'!" She called cheerfully, carrying a take-away bag and running her hand through her hair as she looked up, biting her lip, "Shit sorry, 'ave I interrupted something?" She wasn't sure how she felt about Peter's sudden return to Carla's life. Michelle knew he loved her, the way he'd been at the hospital confirmed that. She also highly suspected, in fact she knew for certain that Carla would always love him. But she also knew that Carla was the perfect example of love not always being enough.

Carla shook her head quickly, "No, no, Peter were just going, weren't ya?" She didn't look at Peter, feeling guilty and gutted that the most positive moment they had shared since being reunited was ruined but she wasn't ready to let anyone else into what was happening yet, whatever that was. She wasn't ready to let even her best friend into the delicate situation so instead she panicked and did what she did best. What her and Peter both did best. Pretended.

She watched Peter sigh sadly and nod, mumbling his goodbyes and quickly heading out, leaving them both unsure of what lay ahead.