First off. I know I had abandoned this story long ago. I wasn't in a good place and continuing this story wasn't doing me any good. But I'm back and hopefully people are still interested in this? Anyway. I hope you enjoy. I plan on trying to tie in things that have happened in storylines along with my own interpretation
--
Johnnys mouth is too dry. He had chugged half a bottle of water while sitting in his car, to psyche himself up to finally leave his vehicle and go inside. Once he finally worked up the nerve to go in, he had greeted the receptionist who had booked him in and ushered him towards another room
"Rob, your visitor's here. Makes a change, someone actually other than you're lovely lady come to see you"
Rob smiled and left his room on the moving ahead of the guard. He said nothing, knowing exactly who the visitor was. He hadn't known if Johnny would come after all this time but was pleased that he had.
A pacing figure turned as Rob entered the visiting room and they regarded each other from either side of the table. The visitor nodded to the guard, sending him away and the man exited with a curious backward glance at the older man and Rob
Johnny sat nervously, catching his breath
"So" Johnny finally spoke "It's been a long time since I saw you last"
"Yeah, it has. Haven't seen you since just after the funeral"
There it was; the kind of reminiscence Johnny wanted to avoid but was inevitable.
"You've changed, not the skinny little lad I remember. A touch grey now, not unlike myself," Johnny grinned, shifting, trying to settle in a utility chair that wasn't made for comfort and made him no less aware of where he was and why. Having received a visiting order several weeks before which took a while to mull it over before eventually booking a date
"You just disappeared. No goodbye. You broke Carla's heart"
Johnny began inspecting his own hands closely. He'd promised himself not to feel like this, that the past wouldn't drag him backward.He couldn't help momentarily acknowledging the other's disappointment, he had been prepared for the memories; just not how fast and hard they would come
"Don't pretend that you asked me to come here because you care about Carla" Johnny snorted
"No more than you cared about her when you walked out her life"
"I did care. Leaving her was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do"
"But you still did. Left without another thought for your dirty little secret. Left and played happy families with your kids you could be proud of"
"I was.. I am proud of Carla" Johnny exclaims loudly.
"You don't even know her. The things she's done. Perfect little Carla, yet she got her own brother banged up" Rob slammed his hand on the table with more force than necessary
"I think you managed that all on your own" Johnny informs Rob
"She could have saved me. Like you could have saved her, she clearly takes after daddy dearest" Rob sneered
"I.."
You know what? I don't care," Rob quickly cuts Johnny off. Giving him a smirk before glancing around, thankfully everyone else seems invested in their own conversations to be able to notice them
"Get to the point then. What is it you want?"
"Oh I think we both know what I want"
"You're blackmailing me then?" Johnny seethed
"If that's what you want to call it. The option is yours" Rob says and flashes a grin. It's always just a grin. Wicked grins and mischievous smirks are his speciality
"I'm not interested in anything you have to offer me unless it's guaranteeing me what I want and deserve" Rob counters menacingly eyeing the older man
"And what if I say no? What is my option then?"
"Do you really want to find out? How would your family react to finding out how Louise died after running out on you after she found out about precious Carla. You have blood on your hands Johnny. Maybe you'll care more about what or who I can take away"
"Leave my family out of this. Do you even know what that would do to Aiden and Kate?" Johnny warned Rob dangerously becoming angered by the mere suggestion "Let alone to Carla, don't you think she's been through enough? What this would do to her"
"Careful there Uncle Johnny, you're starting to sound like you actually care for her"
"I was never your uncle" Johnny spat. Another shot of anger and irritation shot through him. There was a laugh, sarcastic and teasing, Johnny was so close to forcing himself to stand and walk out the door, pretend that this wasn't happening
"I knew you would be resistant, so let me make this perfectly clear for you. If you do not do as I say, I will destroy your life and Carlas"
"Why hurt Carla in all of this? It's me you want, leave her out of it"
"Because she always lands on her feet. She always gets lucky, she still managed to get out of that council estate, got money, a flash car, a life far away from what we grew up knowing"
"You made your life what it is. What was it the first time you were in here? Armed robbery?"
"I was driving the car"
"You're splitting hairs"
"Doesn't change anything anyway" Rob leaned menacingly over the table "Either you pay or she does"
"You have nothing on me lad" Johnny stared fearlessly into Robs eerie black eyes
"Are you sure?" "What, some old photo of Carla when she was a kid? Proves nothing"
"Tracy has an envelope ready to be delivered, and it contains more than just an old photo. I've been planning this for a long time Uncle Johnny. Don't think I haven't thought of everything" That horrible look in Robs eyes was back
"What do you want?" Johnnys voice was quiet and trembling
"I want underworld"
Johnny let out a breath. He'd been expecting a different answer, and that made him both angry and worried
"And how do I get that? You're asking for something impossible. You forget you're also stuck in hear for the next 20 years"
"You'll think of something"
"You're insane"
"Maybe. Is it really worth taking the risk to find out how insane? The choice is yours"
Johnny clenched his fist, his fingernails beginning to dig into his palm. As if he had any choice
"You don't want underworld at all. You know I can't get it for you, you just want to hurt Carla" Realisation hitting Johnny like a ton of bricks
"Really? Took you this long to figure that out didn't it. She'll soon find out anyway. You might want to hurry, you won't want to miss the reunion with your daughter"
Rob chuckled as Johnny stood and threw the chair from beneath him. leaving Rob to be alone. He listened to the sound of Johnnys rapid footsteps fading away chuckling to himself once more
--
He should have known it was something serious when Carla came back in the kitchen holding a hand delivered envelope
Not like Nick had any idea what it was about, but how he wished he had opened that instead of letting Carla do it. He had a slight feeling in the back of his mind, like his poor brain was trying to warn him about the upcoming storm, but Carla was so determined that he didn't pick up on it
God, how much he wished he had
As Carla tore open the envelope and poured out the contents, photos of a young girl scattered all over the table. Nick watched the colour drain from Carla's face as she slowly picked up one of the photos, she gently ran her fingers over the photo, now the horror entered her face.
"My god" A hand raising to cover her mouth
"Carla? What is all of this?" Nick finally ventured
"It's...its me, photos of when I was a kid, so many of me growing up, but this one" she passed the photo she had been holding over to Nick "Is me and Johnny"
Nick gratefully took the photo, inspecting the faded picture in his hands. The girl was no older than five, small and skinny but with hair darker than the night. He knew instantly it was Carla. She was snuggled into a young looking man cradled in his arms smiling affectionately at the camera
"I don't get it? Who would send this. Why would they send it?"
"Turn it over"
'Daddy and Daughter day'
"What...are you telling me Johnny is your father? This has to be some sick joke"
Carla told herself that it didn't matter. Not everyone had fathers, and even the ones that were around were often nothing special. Carla had a father, but he had been distant and removed, both her dad and mother preferring the comfort of drink and drugs than the comfort of a child
It still felt like someone had stabbed her in the heart. Johnny had given Carla everything that money could buy, dolls and toys and dresses and cakes and trips that she was too young to even appreciate, but he could not buy a daughter a father that truly loved her
"I don't know, I...don't know" Carla sighed. None of this made any sense. Surely if Johnny was truly her father there would have been no way he would have left her growing up as she did. No, she had loved this man growing up, the only good thing in her life as a child. There would be no way that he would be that cruel
"Is there anything else in the there?" Nick questioned before pulling the discarded envelope towards him, shaking it as piece of paper gently glided out and fell on the floor. Time seemed to slow down as both he and Carla stared at the document laying on the ground
"Let me" Nick reached towards the floor
"No" Carla stopped him "I need to do this"
Carla stared at the piece of paper in her hand. She vaguely could hear Nick asking what it was but Carla paid no attention, instead glaring at the words
'Alleged father: Johnny Connor'
'Probability of paternity: 99.998%'
Carla was beyond reasoning at this point. Overwhelmed by emotions of loss, sorrow, hurt and longing. There was only one resolution
"I need to find Johnny. I need to find my father" she spat bitterly