Carla was pacing the room at the hospital, biting her nails.
Nick sighed as he sat with Steve, Kate, Aidan, Johnny and Liz. "Carla honey, just come and sit down.." he said.
Carla shook her head. "No Nick! I'm not going to sit down!" She raised her voice them immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. I just can't lose her. She's my best friend."
"Carla, come and help me with the coffees." Johnny suggested, getting up from his seat.
"How do you expect me to want to come and get coffees with you when my best friend is lying in there and nobody can tell us anything?!" Carla shouted again.
Johnny opened the door. "We'll be five minutes. You need to get out of this small room for a bit.."
"Carla, he's right.." Kate trailed off.
"You come and get me straight away if they come with an update" Carla said to Nick, before leaving with Johnny.
They both walked in silence to the coffee machine.
"Do you want one?" Johnny offered.
Carla shook her head as she leant against the wall. "Who in their right mind would do this to her?"
Johnny looked up at his daughter. "I don't know.. But I do know that our Michelle, she's a fighter and she'll pull through this." He said, as he handed Carla some of the coffees to carry back to everyone else.
Carla and Johnny arrived back at the family room to find a doctor standing in the room.
"Nick!" Carla said, angrily. "I said to come and get me!"
"They've only just got here, babe.."
"She's still unconscious but it appears to us that she was struck over the head with something. It was with quite a force so we don't think it was accidental." The doctor informed them.
Carla felt sick as she remembered that's exactly how Rob had killed Tina. What if someone had tried to kill Michelle the same way?
"Can I see her?!" Steve asked and the doctor nodded. "She's stable for the moment but we just need her to wake up. You can go in one at a time"
Steve went through to see Michelle as Carla stared into space. Nick sensed something was eating away at her so he went and took her hand, leading her outside of the room.
"What is it?" He asked, gently.
"I don't get it, Nick." Carla broke down. "Why would someone deliberately hurt Michelle?.. Exactly the same way Rob killed Tina..."
Nick wrapped his arms around her and ran his fingers through her hair. "I can't answer that darlin'. But let's just hope Michelle saw who it was so the police can catch them." Nick said, but little did he realise it was the same person who was appearing in court for what he did to Carla in a matter of weeks.
Carla was now allowed in to see Michelle.
She started to cry at the sight of her best friend, lying there helpless.
Carla sat beside her and took her hand.
"Hey you.. I need you to wake up for me." she whispered. "I need you Chelle and this baby needs its auntie."
A machine started to beep. Carla looked at it and then back at Michelle. She quickly rose to her feet and ran out of the room.
"Help! I don't know what's happening" she shouted as doctors came running in.
Carla tried to follow them back in as Steve also rushed towards the door but they were told nobody could come in.
"No.." Carla whispered, while falling to the floor and pulling her knees up to her chest, as Nick rushed towards her and rocked her.
Every minute that went by seemed like a hour. There was silence in the family waiting room.
Eventually, a doctor emerged from Michelle's room and everyone looked up at him.
"We've stabilised her and I'm glad to tell you it looks like she's past the worst." he told everyone as they all breathed a sigh of relief. "It's late. I recommend you all go home and get some rest." the doctor looked at Carla in particular, who's bump was now visible. "We have your phone number and we will contact you straight away if there's anything. But as I said, she looks to be through the worst" The doctor explained.
Nick and Carla arrived back at the flat. It was past 2am.
"You look shattered." Nick said. "Do you want a drink?"
Carla yawned. "A glass of water would be great."
Nick went over to the sink and poured a glass. "After this, we'll head to bed. You need to rest all you can with the baby and the court in a few weeks.." Nick said, as he carried the glass of water back to Carla. He set it down on the coffee table but looked up to realise Carla was already asleep on the sofa. Nick smiled to himself as he decided to pick her up and carry her through to the bedroom since he figured she'd be comfier there.
He placed her down gently on the bed and pulled the duvet over her. Carla began to stir slightly and Nick knelt down beside her. "Go back to sleep babe.. You need your rest" he whispered, before giving her a kiss.
Thank you to everyone who has left a review so far! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and feel free to leave a review!