Your reviews are amazing, thank you all so much! I wrote something a little random and different, feel free to check it out if you like! It's Carla and Peter, of course - Never Not Thinking of You. Thanks again!
"Can I lay by your side? Next to you. And make sure you're alright, I'll take care of you. I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight."
Carla stood in front of him, the silence lingering between them. Rob hadn't spoken since Carla's revelation. They stood, awkwardly, nervously, neither moving, neither knowing what to say.
"How can you have been so stupid?"
His words stung her. She knew it was careless, she knew it was reckless. But Carla was struggling to feel regret about something that had filled a void within her so painful, so engrained that it haunted her every moment.
"You did this on purpose didn't ya.. It's not the same baby, Carla. It's not a replacement."
His face stung as her hand collided with his cheek. He'd never seen the look of anger so powerful as the one she was giving him now. "You bastard. You unimaginable bastard." Her words were harsh but she meant every grain of anger she portrayed. "That was my baby, my little girl. You think I could ever replace that? You think I don't know she's never coming back? She took the easy route out, Rob. I'd have done the same if I was 'er. Who'd want a mother like me, eh? That's what you're thinking, innit. I loved her! I loved her, Rob." Carla's brimming tears escaped her pained eyes and tumbled down her cheek. She was crying, she was sobbing, painful, desperate, aching tears. The sounds she made tore at her little brothers insides and before she could stop him, he pulled her against his chest, cradling her like she had done to him so very many times before.
"I couldn't protect her, Rob. I tried so hard but I messed it up. I mess everything up. Look at us, look at you!" Carla cried against his chest, surprisingly grateful for her brothers comfort. He stroked her hair softly, kissing her head and not speaking, not knowing how he could possibly fix anything.
A while later and they sat side by side, not touching but close enough. They leaned against the cold wall of the warehouse they were holed up in, a place Carla had recognised as where Rob had hidden her stolen factory silk, a bitter feeling deep within her the moment she realised.
"I want Peter. I want to get out of here and go home." Carla broke the silence eventually, not looking across at him. She sat with her arms cuddling her knees to her chest in a desperate attempt to comfort herself.
She heard Rob scoff beside her, his hatred for Peter so strong. "Does he know?"
Carla almost laughed but the lump in her throat stopped her, "Know what? That I'm pregnant, or I was. I've barely survived this, what's the chances of a barely-there baby surviving it an all." She shook her head after a minute, "No, he doesn't know."
Rob didn't say anything, Carla's next words getting there before him, "I'll never forgive you if I lose this baby too, Rob. I swear to god, I'll make your life living hell, you'll wish you were still inside." The look on her face told him she meant it too.
"Look Carla, I was never gonna hurt you. You've gotta believe that. I didn't know about... The baby. I saw you two all cosy and I wanted him to pay. When I got back in touch with Tracy and she told you were buying him the bookies and I set him up. Made her give you fake keys and wait to cash in the cheque. Stupid cow would've done anything I asked. All the evidence to your disappearance points to him. I just wanted to scare him, Carla." He sighed, "I thought if I could get you alone for a while I could make you see sense, make you realise what a mess you were making of everything again."
Carla shook her head in disbelief, not being able to take it in, "He'll be looking for me, y'know. I know he will. The police won't have solid evidence to hold him. He'll be looking for me."
"He doesn't love you , Carla. He just wants back in your bed. He got that alright, didn't he." Rob's laugh infuriated Carla more, "Who I let in my bed has nothing to do with you Rob. You lost the right to care when you dragged me out of my flat and locked me up. You're just like the rest of 'em. Saying you care, saying you love me and then hurting me. Tony loved me when he tried to burn me alive, Frank loved me when he raped me. I suppose you love me too, eh?"
"Shut up, Carla, just shut up!" Rob's shouts interrupted her, scared her, making her flinch as he jumped up, kicking the box of food he had brought.
Then, both of them froze. Rob stood deadly still and Carla cuddled her knees in against herself even tighter. The shutters of the warehouse banged louder and muffled voices could be heard from the other side. "Rob, I know you've got her in there, I'm with Tracy. Let me in or I swear I'll phone the police. ROB!"
Carla's heart stopped at Peter's voice, she tried to stand but Rob put his hand up, whispering, "Stay there, Carla. Don't move. I'm not going back to prison, I won't"
Before Rob had a chance to decide his next move, Peter had broken down the old, knackered shutters and thrown him in a fury against the wall. He was stronger now, he wasn't a tired old man now he had quit the booze and he was ready to fight as much as he had to. "Where is she, Rob? If you've hurt a hair on her head I swear to god, I won't be needing a blunt object to kill you with, I'll do it with my bare hands. Where is she?!"
Carla's voice calling his name stopped him dead. As he turned to look, time seemed to stop still.
PS I know his release is slightly unrealistic but I wanted Rob involved in this story and a chance to explore different relationships so I've stretched reality slightly haha.