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"Haven't had a dream in a long time. see, the life I've had can make a good man, bad. So for once in my life, let me get what I want. Lord knows, it would be the first time."

Carla dropped Peter's hand as the door of the flat opened and Leanne answered, a confused look on her face. She wasn't sure why she did it, what caused the nerves she felt bubbling in the pit of her stomach at the public show of affection but the pained look on Peters face at her lack of a united front made her wish she were a better person.

"Can we come in Leanne? We wanted to talk to Si'?" Still confused, Leanne nodded at Peter's words although she now had a pretty good idea why they were here. She wasn't sure how to feel about their rekindled romance. Sure, she had moved on and held no feelings for Peter anymore but knowing how deep rooted his love for Carla was still hurt her even now.

"Dad?" Simon looked up over the sofa with a grin and threw Carla a smile too. His smile reminded her of the conversation they had shared a few weeks ago outside the factory and reminded her of his encouragement to reunite with Peter. Slightly, her heart felt warmer.

Carla let her hand rest on her stomach as she sat down beside Peter without meaning to and Leanne frowned softly to herself. Surely not?

"Hey son! How are ya?" Peter chatted casually with Simon for a few minutes, and Carla stayed quiet in the background, watching them both. She took in the way Peter was with Simon and she felt a tingle run through her body. She felt almost proud to be carrying his baby in that moment. She was the one who would allow him to make up for all those years he lost with his son and finally experience fatherhood properly. She just hoped her and their baby would be enough this time. She needed to be enough this time.

Simon eventually rolled his eyes at the casual conversation his dad was making, "So you two are back together then?" His blunt and to the point comment shocked all three of the adults in the room but all of them noted the lack of bitterness or anger. Simon had grown a lot in the last couple of years, he wasn't the spoiled young child he once had been and although he was still a kid at heart, he liked to play the part of the grown up

Peter fumbled with his words, looking at Carla and then back at Simon, "I.. er.. Well yeah, mate. We are.." Peter's nerves made his body almost ache. God, he could use a drink right now. A drink would calm him down, settle the worries and anxieties he felt over his life currently. Although one glance at Carla seemed to quell his fears. His wife and baby were surely worth more than five seconds of his guilty pleasure. Right?

"About time. Everyone knew you'd get back together." Carla answered this time with an intrigued chuckle, "How?"

"Because you love each other. And mum loves Kal now and Carla's not really a monster I guess so I don't really mind." He shrugged, as though what he were saying was simply obvious.

There was a time, not that long ago, that Carla longed to hear those words from Simon. She craved his acceptance and the normality of an easy life. But now it almost scared her. It scared her because the possibility of everything she had ever dreamed of was so within reach, so tangible, that she could almost reach it. Everything seemed to be falling into place and despite her dispute with Michelle, everything was going incredibly well. Thing is, that didn't usually last long in Carla's case. What was going to fall apart this time?

Peter couldn't help but grin across at his wife after the conversation with his son. He was completely thrilled at his reaction and to him, his second chance was well and truly under way. He might be scared. He might be bloody terrified, but he was going to cave. He wasn't going to mess this up. Everything was in the palm of his hands, fragile and delicate and so totally dependent on him. He couldn't mess it up this time, and he was going to do his damned best to prove he deserved it also.

Carla swallowed back a lump in her throat, closing her eyes for a second before opening them again. She braced herself, wanting to take her moment of feeling brave and do something useful with it for once. The baby inside her may only be tiny and new and oh so breakable, but Carla wanted to share it with someone. She wanted someone else to tell her how excited they were. She wanted Simon to ask if it would be a boy or a girl and whether he could help choose a name. She wanted normal. But before she had a chance to speak, Leanne interrupted her, asking to speak to her alone. Carla nodded and smiled gratefully as Peter squeezed her hand before heading over to the kitchen to where Leanne stood.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?!" Leanne's voice was hushed and quiet but angry enough to make Carla frown.

"Eh? We were just talking, Leanne? What's your problem?" Carla kept her voice equally as quiet, not wanting to concern the chatting father and son.

"Give over Carla, I can tell a mile off that you're pregnant. You haven't taken your hand off your belly since you walked in!"

Carla seemed taken aback but quickly fought her corner, "So what if I am?"

"You can't go waltzing about telling Simon things like that and getting him excited, anything could happen. Look at the last time you were pregnant, Carla." Leanne shrugged as she spoke, showing little emotion other than bitterness.

Carla shook her head, "That is not fair, Leanne. You know as well as anyone what it feels like to lose a baby."

"Yeah but when I lost mine you were at my flat kissing my husband!"

"Oh for crying out loud, let it go." She tried not to show how Leanne's words affected her and shook her head softly "Look I'm sorry, you're happy with Kal aren't you? I just want to be happy with Peter. I want my kid to have an upbringing like you're giving Simon. Please Leanne, I don't want to fight anymore. I don't have any fight in me." Those words told Leanne more about Carla than she realised. She was scared, afraid and broken. Maybe she should stop throwing knives at someone who was already so cut up.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Just-" Leanne shrugged, "Don't tell him till its all safe alright? I can't have him hurt again." And with that, Leanne just walked away. Leaving Carla standing in an empty kitchen with an empty feeling lingering over her.

She just couldn't work out why.