Chapter 17

Disclaimer I don't own Coronation Street. This is for entertainment purposes.

A few days later Carla had been moved from recovery to ICU we're she'd precautionary spend the night after such a major operation.

And then onto a ward and today was the day she was going home.

Frank hadn't gone home, getting his mum to bring some things he would need. Everyone had told him Carla was in the best place and to go home and try and get some rest but he didn't want to leave her.

"I told you I'll be fine and if anything were to happen, they'd call you. You'd be here in no time. You didn't have to stay the whole week here." Carla told him for what felt like the 10th time.

"I know, but I wasn't leaving you and anyway, everything is in hand," Frank replied as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Carla was still in some considerable amount of pain and discomfort even a little over a week later.

It could take Carla a few months to fully recover from her injuries and even then the injury might flare-up now and again, especially in the cold and wet weather.

Frank could see that Carla was anxious to get out of the hospital and back into the comfort of her own home.

Little did Carla know that a lot was waiting for her when she got there.

"Carla, sweetheart he'll be here." Frank reminded her.

"I know, I know, it's the waiting. I just want to go home." Cara replied, fiddling with her hands.

I know, darling. Not long now. And you'll be waited on hand and foot until you are well enough again." He reassured her.

"You don't have to do that," Carla told him.

"I know, missus I'm independent. I can look after myself, I know you can. But take advantage of it while you can." He replied, smirking at her.

"God, I know things are going to change so much. Is it okay to be scared out of your mind?" Carla asked.

"Can I tell you something?" Frank replied.

"Go on," Carla told him.

"I am too and I don't admit that easily to anyone. It's okay to be scared. We've never done this before, but I for one can't wait and you'll be brilliant." Frank confided in her.

Carls dipped her head slightly in uncertainty.

"Will I? That's my biggest fear, you know. Ending up like her." Carla revealed.

"Yes, everyone makes mistakes, God knows I've made enough for the two of us. But you're not her, Carla. You're not your mother." Frank told her.

"What happened wasn't your fault! Stop it! Stop blaming yourself." Carla told him.

"Ditto." Frank relayed the sentiment.

"Sorry am I disturbing you?" A doctor asked as he knocked on Carla's hospital room door.

"No, doctor. Come in." Carla told her.

"I'd like to give you a once over before you discharged. Are you comfortable with that, Carla? Or I can get a nurse in with me if you prefer." The doctor asked, kindly.

"No, no go ahead. I just want to get home." Carla replied.

"I understand, I'll be as quick as possible." He promised her.

The doctor checked the incision and the stitches.

"I'm sorry, I'm nearly done." He apologised.

And true to his word, he was done less than 30 seconds later.

"I'm happy with you at this stage in your recovery and I'm happy to let you go home. There are a few things. We'll continue with the pain medication and antibiotics and review them at your check-up next week. I want you to get plenty of rest, no heavy lifting and I'm signing you off work for a month and well go from there. Good luck Mrs Connor." The doctor told her kindly and shaking Frank's hand and leaving the room.

"Freedom." Carla sighed in relief.

"Remember what he said, love." Frank reminded her gently.

"I know, that's what you are here for," Carla smirked at him.

"Watch it, you." He replied, playfully.

As Carla stood up, a sharp pain as if someone had stabbed her again shot through her side.

"Fisss." Carla hissed, holding her side.

"Carla!" Frank called out her name as he rushed to her side.

"I'm ok, I'm ok. I just forget for a sec how bloody tender and sore I am." Carla replied, breathlessly as she leaned on the bed with one hand and held her side with the other.

"Oh, love. Just try to breathe." Frank told her, as he rubbed her back and took her hair out of her face.

Carla turned slightly leaned into him, one hand on his shoulder and the other on his upper arm to support herself.

"You ok, love?" He asked, tenderly, stroking her cheek.

"I will be, Can we go slowly?" She asked, quietly.

"You take as long as you need. I'm not going anywhere. I'm right, here honey." He replied, softly kissing her forehead.

Frank took Carla's bags and put his arm gently around her waist and slowly the couple their way out of the hospital.

The couple had been driving for about 20 minutes and were nearly home.

"You normally would have overtaken him," Carla told him.

"Normally I would, but I've precious cargo on board that and my mother would kill me." Frank laughed.

"If you're like this now, what are you going to be like when the twins get here." Carla chuckled lightly.

"Don't get me started, woman!" Frank playfully glared at her.

"Big softy," Carla smirked.

Before long, the couple arrived on the street, Frank glanced over at Carla to see her scrunching her face up in pain.

"Are you alright? Do you need me to stop?" He asked, worryingly.

"Bloody cobbles, plus I'm due some pain meds soon." Carl's told him.

"Are you sure?" He asked as he slowed the car down.

"I'm sure, baby. Just give me a sec." Carla replies as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the headrest.

When she opened them again, she noticed the car had come to a complete stop.

"Why have you stopped, Frank? That flat is up the road." Carla asked in confusion.

"I've got a surprise for you." He smiled at her.

Frank got out and quickly went round to the other side and helped Carla out of the car.

"Why are we outside Anna's house?" Carla asked him.

"It's not Anna's anymore. It's ours. Welcome home darling." He whispered in her ear.

"What? No, you didn't?" Carla asked in disbelief.

"I did, Anna needed to sell and I offered the asking price and she happily accepted," Frank informed her.

"Oh, baby. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you, love, love, love you. You're the best!" Carla excitedly exclaimed as she spin round and showered his face with kisses.

"I take it you approve, my lady." Frank laughed, kissing her back.

"Oh yes! I fo, I so do!" Carla beamed gleefully.

"Let's go inside," Frank told her.

The couple made their way inside.

As Carla opened the door, a cheer of surprise startled her.

"What's going on?" Carla asked, smiling in delight.

"We thought we'd welcome you home," Kate told her.

"Awe, thank you. You all didn't have to do this." Carla told them.

"We'll not stay long, as you're just out of the hospital. I'm glad you're alright, sis." Aiden told her, giving her a gentle hug.

"Thank you, Aid." Carla smiled softly at him.

"Oh, darling! I'm so glad you're alright. I was so worried." Ann exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her.

"I'm alright, love," Carla replied, returning the hug.

Everyone was there, Roy, Hailey, Ann, Sam, Kate, Jonny, Liz, Kate, Aiden, the factory girls, Sean, Leann, Peter, Dev and Anita.

An hour later, Frank glanced across the room and noticed Carla was getting tired. So thought he'd better do it now while he had the chance.

He tapped his glass to get everyone's attention.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say that the relief that Carla is going to be okay is a weight lifted off everyone's shoulders. I don't know what I would have done if she.." Frank stopped for a moment to collect himself before continuing.

"Anyway the house isn't the only reason I got you all here today," Frank told the room.

And with that, he got down one knee.

"The last week has made me realise that I don't ever want to live my life without you, Carla. Will you do me the great honour of agreeing to become my wife?" He asked, with berated breath.

The room fell into an erring silence.

"Of course I will now get up," Carla replied, accepting his proposal.

The whole room erupted for the newly engaged couple.

"Oh, I can't wait! Welcome to the family, sweetheart." Ann exclaimed happily, hugging Carla.

"Congratulations, love," Jonny told her sincerely.

"Thanks, Jonny," Carla replied.

The congratulations continued until everyone had offered it, a half an hour everyone could see that Carla needed the rest.

So they decided to head off and let Carla get some rest.

After helping Carla get changed and handing her her meds. The couple went up to bed.

Frank cuddled closer to her and kissed the top of her head, caressed her hair for a while, his eyes wouldn't drift to sleep, he couldn't. He had all these thoughts besides Carla's stabbing, as he said earlier that evening, 'I have always imagined Carla being the mother to my children. He was finally having that child with her.

Or should he day children.

His hand slipped slowly from her head to his fiance's belly, where underneath their babies was growing, slowly he got under the sheets to be closer and spoke out loud, but not too loud, careful not to wake Carls,

"Hey there," Frank said, stroking his fiance's naked abdomen.

"I can't sleep. It's been a while since it's only been us."

"I feel a bunch of things. I'm nervous, but happy as well. So happy we're going to meet you, we're going to see you grow, your mum and I. I'm scared of screwing up, even worse, I'm scared I won't be the best dad, or that I'll mess up somehow. But I'm so excited to finally have you in my arms, read you a bedtime story, be a dad. I'm so excited for many things, see you play around the house, have you pulling everyone's hair and biting when your teeth start to grow." Frank chuckles a little, just thinking of their upcoming trouble maker.

"I can't wait for it all. Your first words… I'll make sure you say Da-da first, although if you say Ma-Ma first it'll be okay, family vacations, Christmases… I think I've already mentioned Christmases to you, but you'll love them." He said, kissing Carla's stomach and stroking it as well.

"I love you so much already. I'll always love you even if you're as stubborn as your mum, I'll love you anyway. I can't wait to plan birthday parties, drive you to school, talk bad about mean kids with you behind their backs, plan pranks on your mum… Help you with your schoolwork. Seeing you cringe when your mum starts explaining 'birds and bees' to you," Frank laughs quietly at that,

"And when you grow up, we'll take you to look for universities. Your mum won't like that though, I'm aware she will miss you so much when you're gone, and I will too."

"Know that whatever you want to do in life, we'll be there for you. Your mum and I will always support you. Doesn't matter what it is. All we care about is loving you, okay? We'll figure out some names soon, so your mum will stop calling you 'apple', alright? Okay. Sleep tight."

Frank kissed her stomach again and slowly got back up to his original position, but when he was about to turn off the lights, he met Carla's eyes, both a sea, tears streaming down her cheeks, lips pursed.

"Carla…"

"I heard you," She explained faintly, her lips curling up a little.

Frank returned to his original spot next to her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before removing her tears from her cheeks with kisses, "Come here," He said after kissing them off all, although his work had been in vain because her eyes kept leaking salty tears.

She cuddled up to him, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer, having her head on the small gap of his shoulder and neck, resting there and whimpering in between cries, being careful of her injuries.

"Our kids are gonna love you so much."

Frank runs circles on her back, his head against hers, "Shh, you too. I love you so much," Frank tried to comfort her, moving slowly his head to kiss her forehead.

The moisture of her tears was soaking his t-shirt, so he slowly moved her away, sat up in bed and took his shirt off, when he looked down at her, he saw her puppy eyes staring at him, waiting for his warm body to be back next to hers,

"Hot water bottle?" Frank asked sweetly, looking down to her.

Carla nodded silently; her lips curling up into a small smile. He always knew how to make her feel better, didn't he?

Frank turned off the lights and waited for Carla to roll to her other side, carefully then he got behind her,

"Good night," He said, holding her closer to him, her back against his chest, their legs cuddling under the sheets, a little battle there, trying to keep each other warm.

He held her and muttered sweet things to her ear, I love you the most, and he kissed her neck and caressed her soft skin until she fell asleep.

Shortly, he fell asleep too, holding the woman he loved, the mother of his unborn children his favourite person. His soon to be wife.

The two of them feel asleep dreaming of their future.

A/N thank you so much for all the reviews, favourites, and follows. It means the absolute world to me!