The couple fell into a tense silence with the only sounds in the room being Rachel's soft breathing as she continued to sleep. Carla eventually followed suit and slipped into a light slumber herself and Frank took that as the go ahead to leave the room to see if he could find out any more information on Stella's condition.

It was safe to say that Frank's presence wasn't particularly welcome in the eyes of Karl and the rest of Stella's family so he quickly left the waiting area once he found out that the landlady of The Rovers had been taken into surgery to remove her spleen. He was able to relax a bit at the news as the woman's prognosis seemed to be improving now that the doctors had figured out what the main cause of her condition was. Hopefully, the police would find the whole thing a tragic accident and everyone would be in the clear.

As he made his way back to Carla's hospital room, Frank received a phone call from his parents. The conversation he had with them did nothing to help him relax as his mother and father pressed their son for information on what actually happened. Even over the phone, Frank knew that neither of them fully believed his version of events. He assured them he would continue to update them when he knew more and hung up the phone just as he reached his destination.

Frank did his best to be as silent as possible when he re-entered the room. However, his attempt was in vain when he saw that Carla was once again awake and staring into space. From his position by the door, he could see the cogs figuratively turning inside her head. As much as she tried to hide her emotions during tough situations, Frank had spent enough time with his wife to be to know what she was thinking and feeling. In this instance, she wasn't thinking or feeling anything positive.

He got her attention when he cleared her throat. "I thought you were sleeping?" He asked her softly as he slowly approached the bed.

Carla watched him come closer and shrugged a little. "Rachel had a little nightmare and started waking up so I woke up and was able to get her back to sleep." She whispered back.

Frank smiled softly and stroked his fiance's cheek. "You're a great mother. You know that? You always know what to do and say with her." He praised her.

The dark haired woman scoffed and sat up a little straighter as she looked away from him briefly. "I don't feel like much of a 'great' mother right now." She spat out quietly before looking back at Frank again. "I had to convince her that it was ok that you lied to the police. She's eight years old for crying out loud!"

Frank hushed her before her voice could raise another octave and rested his hands on her shoulders in case she moved suddenly in her agitated state. "Woah. Take it easy." He soothed quietly and once she settled down, he looked her dead in the eye. "Now explain - quietly - what you just said." He coaxed her and released his grip on her.

Carla huffed and swiped her free hand over her face. "She knows you lied to the police, Frank. She might just be a kid but even she knows that isn't right." A look of worry flashed across Frank's eyes but just as he knew Carla, she knew him almost just as much. "Don't worry. I took a leaf out of your book and I was able to 'convince' her that you only lied for our sake." She spat out in disgust and used air quotes when she spoke the word 'convince'.

Her fiance sighed in relief at her words. "Good. I know how difficult that conversation must have been for you but like you said, I'm only doing this for all our sakes." He reminded her.

A scoff left Carla's lips and she chose to drop the troubling topic in order to find out more information. "Where did you go anyway? Is there any news on Stella?"

Frank went on to tell her that the woman at the back of both of their minds was in surgery. Carla expressed her concerns for Stella and Frank assured her that the medical team were optimistic about the outcome of the procedure.

Carla wasn't entirely put at ease over the news but her lover was able to quell her doubts over the blonde's recovery. With all the talk of him getting 'a slap on the wrist' if they stuck to the story and the promise of all of them walking away from the incident, Carla was significantly much calmer.

"Look, there's no point dwelling on it. What's done is done. We've got to look forward." He finished off and placed a hand on top of Carla's where it rested on their sleeping daughter's back.

Carla resisted the urge to flinch away from his touch and let out a sarcastic laugh. "To what?" She asked him, a frown firmly fixed upon her face.

Frank looked down at the child between them before looking into Carla's emerald eyes. "To our wedding, our family, our life together." He listed to her with an encouraging smile.

The woman gave him an incredulous look. "If you had any sense, you would run a mile." She told him point blank. Was this man insane? Did he not think she was more trouble that she was worth? She was to blame for the bother they found themselves in and he was willing to go to prison for her drunken mistakes. Why? What did he get out of all of this?

She was pulled out of her inner battle within herself when Frank shook his head stubbornly and responded to her suggestion. "You can't get rid of me that easily. I'm not letting you or our daughter go without a fight. I love you both way too much." Frank told her tenderly. He had put so much effort into his relationship with Carla for it all to go wrong at this stage. He needed something to show for all the hardships she had put him through - that something being Carla becoming his wife.

Carla still looked unsure much to his chagrin, so Frank decided to try and put her mind at ease with a small joke. "I don't know about you, but I would much prefer a slice of wedding cake over a bowl of porridge any day."

Not long after their conversation Frank's solicitor, George, arrived to discuss their options. Carla tried her best to remain calm but when the law professional started talking about custodial sentences and death, she couldn't help but become even more worried. Worst case scenarios flashed across her mind - each one ending up with Rachel, her precious daughter, ending up back in care all alone and scared.

Frank quickly wrapped up the conversation, sensing his fiance was about to break down. He told the solicitor that he would be in touch as he escorted George out of the room. As soon as the man was far enough away, Frank reminded Carla once more about how important it was for them to stick with his plan.

It wasn't long until Carla once more slipped into a fitful sleep. She was only awoken when Frank's voice could be heard outside of the room.

"Yeah thanks, Peter."

'Peter? What's he doing here?' Carla asked herself and looked through the blinds that blocked out most of the light coming from the hospital corridor. Peter and Carla locked eyes briefly through the semi exposed glass and even just from the quick glimpse of the man, Carla knew that he had not come to deliver good news. Carla was proven right when Frank came back into the room with a troubled expression clear on his face.

"What did Peter want?" She asked the man wearily.

Frank shifted from foot to foot as he considered his next words carefully. He didn't want to risk setting her off again but he knew that she deserved to hear the information he had just been told. "He was giving us an update on Stella." He paused momentarily but it was enough time for Carla to think the worst.

"And?" She prompted, not sure whether or not she wanted to hear his response. 'She's dead. Or as good as.' She inwardly thought to herself.

Her fiance sighed and put his hands in his trouser pockets. "She's had a slight set back. They say she's had an adverse reaction to the anesthetic. She's slipped into a coma and the doctors are worried she might not come out of it."

Carla gasped and repressed a sob. She shook her head rapidly and buried her face into the top of her daughter's head as if someone would suddenly come along and rip the girl out of her arms. "No. No." She wept to herself. She felt like the ground was about to open so she could be dragged straight down to hell and she couldn't help but feel like that was what she deserved. The only thing that seemed to keep her anchored to the real world was the small bundle pressed up against her.

'How did this wonderful weekend end so horribly?' She asked herself bitterly.

Before she could completely fall apart however, Frank intervened. "Ok. Deep breaths, Carla. This doesn't change anything." He told her remaining unusually calm.

Carla glared at him as tears streamed down her perfectly sculpted cheekbones. The grip she had on Rachel only tightened when Frank tried to loosen her hold on the child. "This changes everything! She might die. I could've killed her." She sobbed and refused to meet his gaze.

"No. No. I could have killed her." Frank reminded her yet again. He was beginning to grow exasperated by her need for honesty.

His fiance shook her head rapidly in denial. "You need to stop." She told him through gritted teeth. "You could go to prison. For fourteen years. Rachel...she'll be a grown woman by the time they let you out." She gasped at the realisation when it suddenly occurred to her that she was going to be left to raise a child on her own. Sure, she loved her daughter and her daughter loved her but Frank balanced out the good cop vibe she offered. He had the child's discipline almost mastered. She was still learning through trial and error. Not only that, but what little girl didn't need an overprotective father figure in her life?! Hell, Carla knew that's what she had missed desperately whilst she was growing up. She was well aware that her lack of a fatherly presence in her life was the reason why her relationships with men had been so disastrous. She wasn't about to let her daughter go through the same challenges she had experienced. Rachel would not go without like how she had.

"That's not going to happen." Frank resisted the urge to to scream at her as Carla became increasingly more hysterical. "You just need to stick to our story." He told her adamantly.

"This isn't about who was driving any more." She lamented, getting just as frustrated with him as he was with her. "One of us could go inside for a very long time."

Frank nodded in agreement. "That's true but I'll be looking at a lot less time compared to you. You were drunk and driving illegally. You would get life. You heard George. The most I would get would be fourteen years. With good behaviour, I'll be out in seven or even less. Sure, Rachel would be halfway through her teens by then but at least I'll be around just in time to scare off any young men." He tried to joke again but Carla was clearly not amused. He straightened up his facial expression when he spoke his next words. "Ok, ok. That wasn't a perfect example of my best one liners but do you get my point?" He admitted in resignation and drew in a deep breath. "Carla, you're still thinking as if Stella's already dead. You need to have hope. Something is telling me that she's going to pull through. Then we can get married and both of us can look forward to watching our little girl grow up."

Carla took a few deep breaths as she listened intently to his calming tone. Frank smiled when she began to breathe easier and her grip loosened on Rachel who miraculously remained asleep during her mother's mild panic attack. "I love you." Frank told her once Carla had focused solely on him. "And I will not see you or Rachel suffer. If that means I have to go to prison then so be it but that is still the worst case scenario. It's only been a few hours since the crash. Give Stella some credit - she must be pretty hardcore to run a place like The Rovers."

The woman in the hospital bed looked down at the child in her arms. She couldn't imagine her life without her little girl. The fact that Frank was willing to sacrifice his own freedom so she could carry on with her own life with the girl stirred up strong feelings. After much contemplating and a few more deep breaths, Carla finally mad eye contact with Frank.

"I love you too." She finally managed to return his sentiment.

XXX

The following day, Carla was released from hospital with strict instructions to get plenty of rest. This was something Frank wholeheartedly agreed with and insisted she followed the medical teams orders. Rachel was able to overhear a brief conversation between her parents regarding the subject as she helped her mother pack up the few belongings they had laying around the hospital room.

Frank had been helping Carla into her beige jacket when the woman decided to skirt around the subject of her recovery. "I want to see Stella." She insisted as she tried, and ultimately failed, to sound strong.

Her fiance let out a tired sigh and looked over at the child in the room. "Why don't you wait outside, blondie? We'll be heading home soon." He told the little girl.

Rachel - as always - looked to Carla for her opinion on the man's dismissive suggestion. Why did Frank always send her away at these crucial moments? She just knew she always missed out on something important when she was practically forced out of a room. The eight year old let out a sigh when her mother nodded. "Go on, darlin'. We won't be long." Carla pledged in response to the expression of uncertainty on her daughter's face.

The couple were soon left to discuss Carla's request and eventually, Frank was able to win the debate. He eventually wore her down with the promise of a hot bath and her own bed.

Soon enough, the family of three were back home at the flat. Frank came out of his and Carla's bedroom just a couple of hours after their return, fully dressed in a fresh suit. "She's out like a light. That lavender bath oil stuff works like magic. We should put that in her bath water more often." Frank stated as he approached Carla who was sat at the dining room table fresh from her clean up with a bathrobe wrapped around her.

The war she was experiencing in her head was clear on her face and in her body language. "Where are you going?" She enquired as she watched Frank button the cuffs of his silk shirt.

"I'm going to have to go into work for a bit." The man informed her seemingly reluctantly. Secretly, he just used the factory as an excuse to get some time away from the woman who continued to carry her guilt around with her wherever she went. He had hoped that once they were home, Carla's nerves would settle but there was no such luck. Not even her own sworn by lavender scented bath had done the trick.

Carla fiddled with her hands which were laid out on the table and marvelled at his nonchalance. "How can you stand it?" She asked as she refused to meet his eyes. "Everyone on the street are going to be staring and gossiping amongst themselves. They'll all be slagging us off, you know? Even the factory lot." She told him omnisciently.

Frank shrugged as if unaffected by her words. "I can handle it." He said cockily. "You know, you never told me why you ran off the other night." He added on suspiciously.

Carla looked up from her fidgety hands. She knew exactly why she had become so rattled during dinner - between the baby talk and the secret conversation with Peter outside the bistro, she had felt trapped. However, she didn't think that moment was the best time to admit it to the man looming over her with his expectant stare. She felt another unexpected wave of guilt come over her as she let out a self loathing scoff and promptly looked away from his icy eyes.

"All you wanted was for me and our daughter to meet your mum and dad...and what do I do? I hit the bottle. Hard." She said in a self deprecating tone.

Frank didn't respond and waited eerily calm for her to elaborate further. Her eyes closed in regret as flashes of that fateful night came back to her in the cold light of day. "I started an argument with your mum at the first opportunity, how classy am I?" She asked rhetorically as she seemingly ranted to herself.

"I don't deserve you." She told him sadly. "You're too good for me. I'm surprised you're still here if I'm being honest." Carla added on and looked up at her partner just as he was closing up his briefcase.

Frank leaned over the table separating them and looked her straight in the eye. "You..." he began slowly, "are the most wonderful woman I have ever met. You are bright and beautiful and you're funny." He assured her. He would have continued with the charming compliments but his counterpart cut him off in her embarrassment.

"I'm borderline alcoholic." Carla told him in a disapproving tone. It was an admission she had been holding back for a while. Frank had been right. What kind of example was she setting for her child? How could she even begin to consider bringing another innocent life into her world when she was a train wreck herself. Wasn't the child she currently had in her care suffering enough?!

Her thoughts and outspoken admission were cut short when Rachel instantaneously came barreling out of Carla and Frank's bedroom with tears pouring down her face. The eight year old made a beeline for her mother who didn't hesitate to welcome the little blonde into her lap. Carla made quick work of wiping away her own tears as all of her focus suddenly turned to her daughter.

"I had a scary dream." Rachel whimpered in explanation of her unannounced appearance and buried herself into her mother's ever comforting embrace. "You crashed the car again but this time you died." A choked sob left the girl's throat at her admission and Carla wrapped her arms around her little girl in reassurance.

"Shhh..." Carla soothed as she rocked them back and forth in her seated position. She looked up at Frank who sighed in annoyance at their first moment truly alone - since the crash - being interrupted. "Looks like we'll be having a little guest in our bed for the foreseeable." Carla announced sheepishly.

Frank tried and failed to hide the eye roll he gave in a non verbal response. "We've been through this. She's a bit too old to be sleeping in mummy an daddy's bed." He stated pointedly and glanced between his fiance and their shared child.

Carla glared at him, the natural fight suddenly coming back to her, when she felt Rachel stiffen at his subtle scolding. "Don't be so harsh. I know we've both been through an ordeal but just imagine how she feels." She admonished. The woman leaned forward slightly and cradled Rachel's head to her bosom as she hoped to block out her next words from little ears. "She's probably traumatised from this whole mess." She hissed.

Frank visibly deflated and decided to leave the whole bed sharing for another day. They had been going back and forth on more pressing matters for the past twenty four hours, after all. "I know. You're right." He reluctantly stated. "I'm sorry, blondie." He called towards their daughter whose only response was to snuggle closer to Carla.

The female factory owner continued her rocking motions as she pressed a prolonged kiss to the top of Rachel's head.

"Hey," Frank called out gently to get Carla's attention and gave her his own kiss to her forehead. "Stella will pull through. It will all work out." He insisted and before his fiance could object to him leaving her and their daughter alone in their hour of emotional need, he had collected his belongings and left their family home.

XXX

Later that morning, Carla found herself snuggled up in the bed she shared with Frank. She was accompanied by Rachel who, despite the elder female's efforts, refused to settle for even five minutes. A kick to the ribs just as Harry was about to go through the fictitious platform nine and three quarters for the first time was the final straw for the stressed mother.

"Ouch! Can you please try and be a bit more gentle, Rach?!" Carla exclaimed but not unkindly as a sharp pain vibrated around her entire skeleton.

Rachel froze and tried once again to focus on the TV in front of her. "Sorry, Mummy." She squeaked and attempted to not move a tiny muscle - something that was totally out of character for her.

Carla sighed in regret when she came to the realisation that her daughter's jittery behaviour more than likely was caused by the fact that her daughter had been unable to let off her natural childish energy. After all, the little one had been cooped up inside for more than twenty four hours - the car ride home from the hospital didn't count - at that point and Carla had just so happened to grow attached to, and subsequently adopted, a child who possessed a tad more energy than was considered 'normal'.

"It's ok, darlin." Carla made sure to eradicate her little girl's guilt. A thought suddenly occurred to the woman at that moment as she paused their 'go to' movie. "Why don't you go and find some comfy outside clothes to wear. We can go to the red rec so you can get the sillies out of your system." She suggested. If she was being honest with herself, Carla could do with the fresh air. The wide open space of the local big park would give her the space she needed to contemplate her future as well as her child's.

Rachel's eyes lit up at the prospect of the trip to one of her favourite places and bounced up and down in an excited manner. "Really? We haven't been to the rec in forever." Her mother chuckled at her exaggeration. They were both well aware that they had gone to the popular park just a week before but of course, to the child, that seemed like centuries ago. The little girl's grin faltered slightly as a thought suddenly occurred to her. Her excitable movements also came to a halt as she spoke her next thoughts out loud.

"Aren't you too poorly to go out? Frank and the doctors said you should stay in bed." Rachel reminded her mother who smiled reassuringly and tucked some lose hairs behind the girl's ear.

"I'll be just fine, darlin. I'm made of marble me." Carla assured.

Rachel didn't need much more convincing after that and soon the girl had leapt off of the bed and headed out of the room in order to change out of the onesie she had been wearing. Carla released a soft wince she had been holding in and reached for some painkillers on the bedside table. Once the prescribed drugs had been swallowed, Carla tentatively climbed out of bed and readied herself for an impromptu trip out to the red rec.

After a slow hobble down the stairs and a cab ride, Carla found herself smiling on a park bench and waved at her little girl playing on the slide. Rachel responded with her own cheeky grin and waved back. On a normal day, Carla would have joined in on Rachel's fun. However, her injuries at that moment made that virtually impossible. Instead, she gave her daughter an encouraging nod and sighed in relief when Rachel carried on playing with a little boy in the similar age bracket to her own.

"Does that little girl playing with my Mikey belong to you? I never would have guessed it considering the light hair and pale skin."

Carla looked beside her at the sound of the posh voice and resisted the urge to respond with something along the lines of; 'never heard of adoption?!'. Fortunately, the bigger part of her who craved a peaceful and drama-free day won out as she told the woman a white lie. "That's a throwback from her father's side. My mother in law has the blonde hair and blue eyes. I wouldn't have her any other way though." She stated somewhat truthfully. There was no need to disclose private information regarding how she became the child's mother, after all.

The yuppie woman smiled and nodded in understanding, even though Carla could tell she wasn't entirely interested in her explanation. "Everyone always says my Mikey is a perfect mix of my husband and I." She told Carla with a proud nose in the air.

The factory owner smirked as she quipped back; "I actually quite like the fact that my daughter goes against the norm when it comes to her genes. I think it makes her stand out amongst the other children. Isn't that what schools encourage these days? Individuality, that is." She had clearly hit a nerve in the other woman but she didn't particularly care.

"Hey! That's mine!"

The two women looked over towards the sand pit only to see Rachel push the boy she had been playing with flat onto his bottom. Despite her body protesting, Carla was quick to join her bench companion in order to investigate exactly what had caused the sudden conflict between the two youngsters.

Rachel saw her mother approach and didn't waste any time in coming to her own defence. "Mummy, he took my bucket and spade without asking permission!" She claimed rater heatedly as she pointed towards the little boy who was now sobbing into his snooty mother's arms.

Carla glared at the boy in question just as the other mother scoffed. "Don't be so ridiculous. Those are community toys. They belong to the park." The stranger insisted.

The dark haired woman looked at the toy set in question and a smug smile crept onto her face. She bent down gently despite her wounds and picked up the purple play set. "Oh would you look at that. Rachel Foster-Connor. That's your name isn't it, sweetheart?" Carla asked her daughter who nodded in response. She then showed the other woman the underside of the bucket which clearly had her daughter's name written on it in black permanent marker. "You see, we recently went on a last minute adventure this past weekend. We stayed in this precious cottage on the welsh coast. Right on the seat front it was. There was a cute little stall where we just so happened to purchase our daughter a bucket and spade just like this one." She explained to the woman who began to stutter in embarrassment. "Oh, not so quick witted right now, are you? I think your little lad owes my darling angel an apology."

The woman huffed and stood up with little Mikey in her arms. "Well...didn't you know that the children aren't meant to bring their own possessions to the playground for this specific reason?" It was the first thing that had popped into her head and she obviously had no evidence to back up her claim.

Carla let out a loud sarcastic laugh. "Since when has that ever been a rule in any playground? Grow up, you insufferable woman." Rachel held back a giggle and stuck her tongue out at the boy who hid his face in the crook of his own mother's neck.

Mikey's mother gasped at the action and shook her head in disapproval. "Well I never!" She exclaimed. "She might not look like you but your demon child certainly has your common attitude."

Carla rolled her eyes at the ineffective insult and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Oh jog on, you miserable old goat!" She returned back.

This had the result Carla desired as the woman marched off in defeat, leaving Rachel and herself alone in the middle of the sand pit. Carla looked down at her daughter who smiled brightly back at her. "High five my little mini me!" Carla stated as she held out her palm towards her daughter. Rachel slapped her palm against her mother's and giggled in glee, glad to see a genuine smile on her mother's face.

"I'm hungry, Mummy. Can we go to the chippy?" Rachel requested innocently not knowing the implications her question had.

Carla swallowed back her hesitation for the sake of her daughter's happiness and nodded in agreement. Rachel cheered and before they left, the little girl filled her bucket full of sand. Carla was so lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice her daughter's shenanigans.

Not long after the whole 'drama' with the bucket and spade, Carla found herself in the chip shop on Coronation Street as she ordered their favourites - pie and chips with a side of mushy peas for herself and a battered sausage and chips with a pot of curry sauce for Rachel. So lost in her thoughts, Carla failed to notice when Rachel demanded a can of pop as she handed a twenty pound note over the counter to the greasy looking kid manning the shop.

They slowly but surely made the stroll towards Street Cars and that's when flashes of the accident hit Carla all at once. So lost in the recent events, Carla didn't respond when Rachel attempted to tug her into the cab office. The little girl huffed slightly and decided she was old enough to order them a cab home. They didn't want their lunch getting cold, after all.

Rachel rang the bell on the thin counter once she was inside the office and blushed when both Lloyd and Eileen looked at her with funny expressions. She cleared her throat and stood up straight in an effort to seem more confident than she felt.

"I want to go home please." She requested politely.

Eileen got up from behind her desk and came out to the little girl. "Rachel? What are you doing here? Where are your parents?" She asked in concern. The middle aged woman couldn't help but think that the small girl was the youngest customer in the entire history of Street Cars.

"Mummy's outside. She's acting funny." Rachel shrugged. "Frank is at work and we need to go home soon otherwise our dinner is going to get cold." She stated and lifted up the white carrier bag that contained their meal from the local chip shop.

Eileen shared a look with her colleague who remained in his seat just in case any sudden movements spooked the little girl. The elder blonde rolled her eyes and sighed softly as she wrapped an arm around the child. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's find your mummy." She said gently as she lead the girl back out onto the street.

They had just stepped outside of the cab office just as Carla was slowly approaching the police incident sign outside the bookies.

"Eccles!" Rachel squealed as she saw Ken and Deirdre Barlow approaching. She stooped down and stroked the elderly dog as the couple addressed her mother.

Eileen shuffled around as she felt slightly awkward at the scenario she found herself in. She hated to leave a child in the lurch but she also didn't want to risk the wrath of an obviously unhinged Carla Connor. "Erm, Deirdre. Do you mind looking out for this little one whilst I order a cab?" She asked her friend and neighbour who nodded. Eileen leaned towards Deirdre and muttered under her breath. "Do I need to call Frank? Is Rachel even safe with either of her parents right now? He's under investigation for dangerous driving and Carla well..." She trailed off and gestured towards the woman in question who was somewhat engaged in conversation with Ken.

Deirdre scoffed and rolled her eyes. She looked down briefly and was glad to see that her grandson's friend was distracted enough by the dog to not notice the conversations going on around her. "I think it's a bit too soon for people to start spreading rumours like that, Eileen. I mean, Frank hasn't even been taken in for questioning and as for Carla...it's only natural for her to be shaken up right? She was in the car herself if I'm not mistaken. Peter told us it was almost touch and go for her as well for a while."

The younger woman hummed and nodded in agreement. "I guess that makes sense. Listen, I'm going to order them a cab. The little girl is worried about their dinner getting cold. Oh to be a child again, aye?" She rolled her eyes good naturedly. Deirdre chuckled and nodded in agreement and waited until Eileen had retreated inside before turning to the conversation between Carla and her husband.

"Hmmm. I see your fella got lucky there." Deirdre commented as she cut into the discussion.

Carla shifted in guilt and looked down at her daughter who continued to play with the little mutt. She shot Ken a small smile when he spoke his wife's name in warning.

Deirdre, not one to beat around the bush much like her later mother Blanche, continued with her own little investigation into the streets gossip. She hoped to go to the pub later that evening for fresh information for the rest of the regular punters who were all dying to know more. "Well, I mean he did walk away without a scratch on him." She commented and ignored the small glare the younger woman gave her in response.

"It wasn't his fault." Carla defended her fiance and the father of her child. She really hoped Deirdre would let the sniping go, especially with her daughter remaining somewhat blissfully unaware of the seriousness of the whole thing.

Unfortunately, Deirdre ignored both Carla's and Ken's subtle glances. "I mean, look at this mess." She gestured to the ongoing crime scene and the destroyed bookies. "Frank must have been doing a fair speed to cause this much damage." She insisted. "What lunatic drives like that in a built up area?"

Carla looked down at the ground as Deirdre's words weighed heavily on her mind. All she wanted to do was scream from the top her lungs; 'me! I'm the lunatic! An innocent woman might die and it's all my fault!'

A giggle from Rachel stopped her from admitting her part in the whole thing and she smiled and nodded in acknowledgement at her daughter when Rachel's eyes locked with her own. Carla met the couple's eyes as she composed herself for the sake of her child. "Yeah well...it's easy to judge when you don't know all the facts." Then realising she might have come across as rude, she softened her tone with her next words. "Listen, I just want to know if there's any news on Stella?"

Ken went on to explain that Stella's condition had yet to improve and that Leanne was suffering from her own guilt. Carla couldn't help but sympathise with her love rival as the old man's words sunk in. At the start of the conversation, Carla held onto a slight glimmer of hope that things were looking up for Leanne and her family. However, the exact opposite happened and she suddenly became even more deflated when she learned that she had caused even more sorrow than she first realised.

'Stella might die and Leanne will live the rest of her days blaming herself. I can't let that happen.' She had just come up with a solution that would relieve her guilt slightly just as a car pulled up.

"Cab for Carla Connor?" One of the lesser known driver's from Street Cars called out to the small group.

"Finally!" Rachel exclaimed in exasperation and got up from the ground. She made sure to wipe any debris or dirt away from her knees before climbing into the back of the car. "Come on, Mummy. It's home time!" She called out to her mother as her stomach grumbled in hunger. The little girl didn't want to hurt her mother's feelings by mentioning that neither her nor Frank had supplied her with anything resembling breakfast earlier that morning. She was only eight but she wasn't ignorant enough to not notice that both of the parental figures in her life had been occupied with other worries.

Carla held up a finger in the general direction of the car in the world wide signal for 'one second' as she looked between Ken and Deirdre. "I know this probably doesn't mean much right now," She began as she thought over her next words very carefully, "but Frank and I feel terrible over everything that's happened."

A honk came from the stationary but running car beside them at that moment. Carla, along with Ken and Deirdre, looked over at the cab only to see that the cab driver looked slightly disgruntled at the little girl who was leaning over his shoulder with her hand hovering over the button that controlled the cars horn. Rachel gave her mother a sheepish look at the glare she received and sat back into the passenger area of the car.

The trio looked away and Carla rolled her eyes at the light hearted smirk she was receiving from Peter's father and step mother. "I'm sorry I couldn't offer you a better explanation but I should really go before the little madame gets me barred from Street Cars." She said quickly.

Before Ken or Deirdre could utter another syllable, Carla climbed into the back of the awaiting car alongside her daughter whom she focused all of her attention on as the car began to drive them towards their home.

XXX

Once back at the flat, Carla and Rachel ate their lunches in near silence. The little girl had tried multiple times to engage her mother into conversation but nothing she said seemed to really sink in. All Carla was capable of doing was nodding here and there whilst making sure to add in a few non-committal comments when needed. After a while, Rachel gave up and decided to just remain silent as she focused on her food.

It's not that Carla didn't want to enjoy her time with her daughter. That was far from the truth. The woman just wished she didn't feel so guilty about doing so. Not whilst Stella continued to remain in her coma. All Carla could think about was the fact that Leanne faced losing her mother. The mother she was just starting to get to know. She couldn't help but feel that she would be the reason for Stella not being able to truly reunite with her daughter.

A key turning in the lock alerted the mother and daughter to the fact that Frank was home. The two remained at the table whilst the man in question busied himself by the front door.

"Can someone explain to me why there is a bucket full of sand by the shoe rack?!"

Rachel's eyes widened at the loud enquiry as her head shot up from her plate. She looked at Carla who continued to stare into space. The eight year old hurried over to the front door, the can of 'Dr Pepper' she had slyly acquired from the chip shop in her hand. "That's mine. I'm going to play beaches in the bath later." She told Frank enthusiastically.

Frank raised an eyebrow at his daughter and crossed his arms over his chest. "Is that so? And , where, exactly did you get the sand from?"

"We went to the park! A mean boy tried to steal my bucket and spade. His mummy was really rude to us but Mummy gave her what for." Rachel jumped up and down and that's when Frank noticed the can she was holding.

"Hmmm and where did you get that pop from?" He asked as he tried to take the drink from her.

Rachel stepped back and clutched the can to her chest. "Mummy got it for me at the chip shop." She told him.

Frank sighed and started walking over to the dining room table where his fiance was picking at her lunch. He had gone back to the flat for lunch hoping to get some peace and quiet. The factory lot had wound him up when he heard them gossiping about the crash. Unfortunately, what he had come home to did anything but ease his nerves. If anything, what he found upon his arrival just riled him up even more.

Frank came to a stop by Carla's side just as Rachel sat back down to eat her food. The girl took another large gulp of her fizzy drink which prompted him to break the silence that had had settled over the room. "I think you've had enough of that, blondie. Hand it over." He tried once more to take the can from the child but Rachel quickly shook her head and took another big sip before scrunching up the can and slamming it on the table.

"Too late." Rachel giggled as she stuffed a couple of chips into her mouth and rocked back and forth in her chair.

The co-owner of Underworld let out an aggravated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. The last thing he needed was to snap at the girl which would no doubt lead to her having a temper tantrum. "Why don't you take your lunch to the living area? You can watch some cartoons just don't drop anything on the rug or the couch." Sensing Rachel would protest, Frank quickly added on; "Your mother and I need to have an adult conversation."

Rachel huffed and picked up her plate before storming off towards the couch. Once she was out of ear shot, Frank placed a hand on Carla's shoulder and squeezed just hard enough to get her attention. His soon to be wife looked up at him and he resisted another deep sigh when he spoke his next words.

"You left the flat?" He asked knowingly.

Carla furrowed her brows at the accusation in his tone of voice and shrugged his hand off her shoulder dismissively. "So what if we did? The last time I checked, this place is a home not a prison." She told him.

Frank composed himself so he wouldn't snap and sat down in the chair Rachel had recently vacated. "You were given strict instructions to rest by the doctor...not only that but you're in no fit state to be running around after a young child." He pointed out.

His fiance scoffed and glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, slightly offended at him implying that she was incapable of taking care of their daughter.

"Oh come on, Carla. You've let her run rings around you." He practically whisper yelled as he held up the discarded can. "We've agreed she's not to drink this stuff. Not to mention the fact that she's managed to sneak half of the playground's sandpit home with her. God knows what mess that lot is going to cause." He lectured.

Carla shook her head at him in disbelief. "She's eight years old. She's bound to get up to mischief." She told him.

Frank shook his head and crushed the can in his palm. "There's mischief and then there's taking advantage. Anyone can see you aren't yourself and she's used that to get what she wants." He retorted in annoyance.

The woman stood from her chair and picked up her plate before going to the kitchen area only to be followed by Frank. "I can't deal with you right now" She spat as she scraped her food into the bin and practically threw the dish into the sink. "I need some space." She added and barged past him.

Carla had just reached the front door and was just about to take her jacket from one of the pegs when she felt him grab her arm. "Where are you going?" Frank demanded to know.

"Out." His fiance ground out. "You're doing my head in. If you're so concerned about our daughter's welfare, maybe you can take over for a bit." She once again shrugged out of his hold. "Rachel, Mummy's just going out for a bit. Be good for Frank." Rachel called out an 'ok' in response and once Carla was satisfied that the girl was content to stay behind, she left the flat without another word.

Carla decided to get some stuff off of her chest and there was only one person she could think of confiding in at that moment in time.

Peter Barlow.