Hometown

Chapter 22

Peter's shirt clung to her due to all the sweat she was writhing around in during her sleep, another nightmare. Peter knew this would happen from prior experience so he let her get on with it until she was ready to receive comfort from him and eventually she just clung to him. Carla hadn't wanted to go out of the house, she was in close contact with the police and even when Peter went to give his statement she made sure Michelle was there as she didn't want to be left alone at all with the thoughts of Lucas circulating her mind. Peter was getting worried, she wasn't really eating that much and she felt disgusted by a lot of things and a week later she was still very much attached to him. It was worse than Frank there was no doubt about it but he could hardly blame her, after all, she had been through so much when living with Lucas it was totally understandable. He was determined to get her out today though but he knew he had to be gentle with her as she was very delicate right now.

"I was thinking why don't we go for a walk?" he questions, she just looks down at her hands and bites her lip "Hey, what's up?"

"They can't find him can they?" she questions, Peter sighs slightly shaking his head "I don't want to go out I don't feel safe not until they find him"

"I know" he whispers cupping her cheek "I'll be there, your personal bodyguard if he comes anywhere near you?"

"No" she shakes her head with a sigh, she lies back down on the bed "I don't want to go out"

"Ok let's think about it, where would you want to go if you could go anywhere in the world right now?"

"I wouldn't leave this room because it's safe here, out there he could turn up at any point" she states matter of fact, he nods slowly "I don't want to see him again"

"I know" he hugs her, she just sniffles slightly "Ok I'll do a deal with you, compromise?"

"Hmm" she narrows her eyes before nodding

"I say we go and get some fish and chips from the chippy, we walk there as its only over the road and then we walk back again then I won't push you for the rest of the week how about that?"

"Fine" she mutters as Peter nods in response watching her get changed, this was the first time she had been willing to get changed for a few days "I might have a shower actually"

"Yeah?" he questions, she nods slowly as he passes her the washbag "Here"

"Could you sit in the bathroom with me?" she questions, he nods knowing she didn't want to let him out of her sight even if it was for fifteen minutes to have a shower, he leads her into the bathroom and she runs the water "Thank you"

"Hey you don't need to say thank you, I'm here every step of the way," he says, she smiles slightly before undressing in front of him, she sighs glancing into the mirror

"I feel so different"

"A good different or a bad one?"

"Good I think, it's just weird looking at my body and seeing...nothing" she shrugs stepping into the shower and running the water, he smiles to himself "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course?"

"I want to go back to the flat, would you come with me?"

"Carla are you sure that's a good idea, I mean I hate to doubt you but-"

"You don't think I'm strong enough because I'm not going out of the house?"

"Yeah, sorry"

"No I understand," she says poking her head around the shower curtain pointing to her lips, he kisses her causing a brief smile "I just think if I try this then...I can try other things and feel a bit more comfortable"