It had been two weeks since Chas jilted Carl- two weeks since she'd broken her own heart- two weeks she'd spent locked away in the Dingles drinking herself into oblivion- two weeks since Edna had informed Lisa that she'd sent Eve away warning her to stay away. Little Belle had found her throwing her guts up yesterday morning and begged her to pull herself together or at least stop drinking. Sighing Chas knew she was right and now she stood watching her empty her final bottle of vodka down the drain she was right he wasn't worth it "now kid ya happy?" she said smiling over at Belle.

Belle smiled and nodded furiously "now you can walk me to the bus stop for school."

"Wait no way that wasn't part of the deal," Chas said backing away towards the stairs she still couldn't face people and she defiantly wasn't ready to face him "you said stop drinking and I did see," she said nodding to all the bottles and cans she'd emptied.

"Oh come on Chas it's just to the bus stop- no one will be up, no one will see you," Belle pleaded holding onto her arm "please you need to get out you need to show him he hasn't broken you completely you need to start living again moping is only making it worse."

Chas smiled again "when did you get so wise eh? Didn't get it from any of us," she chuckled.

Belle giggled "I learn from all of you," she smirked "now get dressed or you can explain to mum and dad why I'm late for school."

"Okay, okay, keep your hair on lady," Chas giggled as she ran upstairs. As she was getting dressed she smiled a real smile- this was the first day she'd smiled in weeks and it was all thanks to a kid- a very special kid, grabbing her coat she put it on and ran back down the stairs "ready!" She called looking around for Belle "oi kid where are ya?" she yelled.

"Here!" Belle called back from outside the front door "come on Chas I can see kids at the stop already!"

"Alright settle down," she replied and took a few steps to the door she stopped and took one back she couldn't do this it was too soon.

"CHAS!" Belle yelled in and stuck her head in- she stopped at the look on Chas's face, she smiled sadly as the tears welled in Chas's eyes "you'll be okay Chas I promise-you can do this," she said holding out her hand.

Chas took a shaky breath and took a step closer and another until her hand slipped into Belle's "let's go then eh?" she said and took another step before hurrying out the door before she could change her mind.

As they walked Belle squeezed her hand and smiled up at her. Chas smiled back and wrapped her arm around her shoulder "this isn't so bad," she said quietly as she looked around at the few early risers not even taking notice of her.

"See I told ya you could do it," Belle replied and snuggled into her.

As the neared the bus stop Chas froze as someone called her. "Chas! Hey Chas!" she turned to see Scarlett King running towards her and groaned. She stopped in front of her "hey, how are you doing? I've been trying to call you since…well you know," she said awkwardly "I didn't want to just turn up I haven't seen you out at all-no one has."

"I haven't been out, this is my first time and I've had my phone off Carl and others kept calling I couldn't face any of them," she muttered.

Scarlett nodded in understanding "well if it's any consolation he's been moping and drinking he's locked himself away- won't talk to anyone, even Jimmy can't get through to him it's like he's switched off."

"Do we look like we care how he's doing?" Belle snapped "he hurt our Chas real bad- he's lucky Cain or dad didn't get to him!"

"Oi you settle down," Chas said "look there's your bus go on," she said nudging her towards it.

"Will you be okay?" Belle asked.

"I'll be fine go on get," she chuckled.

"Okay then bye! And Scarlett I wasn't taking it out on you- I have no problem with you!" she said as she ran off.

Scarlett watched her go and shook her head "smart little kid-overprotective too."

"Yeah," Chas sighed "anyway I only came out to walk her to the bus so I'll see ya round Scarlett," she said and began to walk.

"Hey wait!" Scarlett ran and caught up with her "can I call over later maybe we could watch a film or something- I know Carl did what he did and I promise I won't mention him I'm just worried about you and I'm guessing you're going mad sitting in that house all day… and I was kinda hoping we could still be friends," she said almost shyly.

Chas smiled "yeah that'd be great and of course we can be friends it's Carl I'm mad at not you or Jimmy…or even Nicola… I'll see ya later and you bring the popcorn!" She yelled back as she walked home.

She smiled all the way back to her house until she saw who was sitting on the wall that was, she froze- she wanted to run she needed to be anywhere but here she wasn't ready to face him- she needed to be sick she wanted the ground to open and swallow her up. Taking a shaking breath and blowing it out she blinked a few times to keep the tears at bay before shaking her feelings off and walking closer to him.

He stood up when he saw her "hey," he said quietly.

"Hi," she said just as quietly "what are you doing here Carl?" she asked as she stepped around him and rummaged for her key.

"I wanted to see how you were doing," he said turning to face her.

"I'm fine," she muttered and pulled the door open.

"Well I'm not fine and I know you're not either," he said following her inside.

"Too bad!" She hissed and flung her keys at him, all the built up anger she had saved was about to be unleashed. "You cheated on me Carl! Again! With my mate! With my bridesmaid!" She screamed smacking him on the chest "some cheap tart you couldn't resist- while I sat at home like a mug thinking we were gonna make it this time…thinking you loved me, that you'd finally changed- settled down with me! And that you wanted to marry me! Had a good laugh at me did ya's?" she sobbed and smacked his chest a few times as hard as she could.

Carl let a few tears fall as her smacks became weaker and her sobs became louder- he grabbed her arms and pulled her into him, she tried to fight him off but he held her tight " I'm sorry baby I'm sorry-babe I do love you- I love you with all my heart you mean everything to me honest. She meant nothing to me- absolutely nothing, it was just a stupid stupid mistake I'm an idiot and ruined the most important thing in my life, we were over ages ago before you even proposed I want you Chas it's always been you-it will always be you, I want to marry you I love you no one else," he said shakily.

Chas stood in his arms and for a second let herself get lost in it she missed him like crazy she'd love to forgive him and be with him again but she knew in her heart it wouldn't work and he'd hurt her again like he always did. "Nah," she said and pulled back "if you loved me you wouldn't have hurt me so much look at the state of me Carl!" She screamed "I am a wreck I haven't stopped drinking I can't sleep I can't eat" she yelled "and I'm tired of the whole damn thing I wanna be happy again," she sighed "I want you to not have slept with her I want to be at home with you married!" she sobbed.

"We can still have all that babe," he said frantically and stepped closer to her "please please give me one more chance I'll do whatever you want, we can move away- I'll sell the business I'll move in here, please Chas, I miss you so much!" He cried and tried to take her hand. "I'm nothing without you babe," he mumbled when she stepped away from him.

"No, no," Chas said shaking her head "I know you Carl, we'll get back together and two weeks later you'll be off with the next tart that bats her eyelids at you- I can't do it I can't let you hurt me again!"

"I won't I promise I'll change I'll do anything just don't give up on us!" he pleaded.

"Please go," she said shakily "Zak will be home for breakfast soon," she said hoping he'd just go she was about to give in.

"I don't care what he does Chas please I just want ya back!" He cried and sniffed.

Chas looked up and saw tears running down his face she smiled sadly at least she wasn't the only one feeling this way "you did this to us Carl-not me, I gave you chance after chance- the revenge and the money I thought it would make me feel the slightest bit better but It didn't- I don't care about that I don't want it you can have it back," she sniffed she was going against her heart but she had to it couldn't afford to be broken again.

"I don't want it back I deserved everything I got- please babe, think about it?" he asked walking closer to her.

Chas bit her lip oh how she wanted to say yes but she knew she had to say goodbye and make a clean start. She stepped closer to him and placed her hands on his chest she looked up and him "I love you Carl and I'll always love you- there'll never be anyone I love as much as I love you," she leaned up on her toes and kissed him deeply. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer deepening it. She got lost in it and melted into him- he backed her up against the wall. Chas pulled back "but we have to say goodbye," she whimpered and rested her forehead against his "we need to accept that we'll never work we're toxic Carl we'll never go anywhere...we have to let go," she cried.

"Babe please" Carl whimpered and cupped her face "I'm lost without you I can't do anything without you- I need you we can work on it...please!" he begged looking into her eyes.

"I'm sorry!" she cried and wiped his tears "I can't do it!" She said and shoved him off her "I can't take the chance- not again Carl… go before Zak gets here," she said and turned away from him.

Carl walked up behind her "I know you love me Chas and you know I love you….think about it," he said and dropped a kiss on her head "you're it for me Chas and you know it," he said before walking away defeated.

As soon as the door closed Chas broke down and dropped to the floor crying her eyes out she wanted to jump up and follow him- throw herself at him- tell him she wanted it all back- she wanted him back.

Later that evening all the Dingles sat around the table having dinner "you okay love?" Lisa asked "you've barely eaten anything," she said worriedly she was the one to find Chas on the floor crying her eyes out earlier it took her nearly an hour to get her to calm down.

"I'm fine Lisa stomach's just a bit dodgy," she mumbled as she pushed her food around the plate.

"Maybe it's the lack of alcohol haven't seen you with anything all day," her dad chuckled.

"No Chas is off it and you should be helping her Uncle Shadrach she's had enough since it all happened she needs a break," Belle scolded glaring at her uncle.

"Are you still moping over that scumbag?" Cain asked angrily.

"Dad!" Debbie shrieked.

"What she can do better he was a low life scumbag he's a waster," Cain said.

"Oh well I'm sorry if I can't just switch off my feelings like you Cain!" Chas yelled and jumped up "I loved him, after all we've been through we've always ended up back together! I was ready to marry him and settle down and instead I've a broken heart no permanent place to stay and I've lost the man I love!" She screamed and ran up the stairs.

"Well done you idiot," Zak said and slapped him across the back of the head.

"I'll go," Debbie said as soon as Cain went to stand up "dad you're no good at this kinda thing thought you'd figured that one out already."

"Nah hurt now think later... she's my sister i'm looking out for her and he'd be in the morgue if she had have let me at him," Cain grumbled.

Over at the kings Scarlett walked into the kitchen with her bag and coat "where you off to?" Jimmy asked as he looked up from his paperwork.

"I'm going to spend some time with Chas watch a film or something," she replied as she pulled her coat on not noticing Carl in the doorway listening. "She was a mess this morning I felt so bad for her," she sighed "I was kinda hoping Debbie and Charity would be there and they could join us maybe it'll take her mind off things… do you need help cleaning up after dinner before I go?"

"Nah you go on we'll be fine here," Jimmy replied.

"Okay I hope she'll talk to me I hope she knows I'm not taking his side," Scarlett said a minute later.

"She wouldn't have agreed to have you over if she thought like that," Jimmy replied.

Carl walked in "will you let me know what she says and how she's doing?"

Scarlett laughed and then stopped "oh my god you're serious…no Carl I won't ask her how she's doing or tell you what she says you deserve everything you get! You stay away from her!" she yelled.

"Oi cool it you," Jimmy said standing up "mate," he said turning to Carl "you need to let this go you screwed up and now she's the one suffering leave her be she doesn't wanna see you right now."

"I can't Jimmy I love her," he yelled.

"Well you should have thought of that BEFORE you slept with that slapper and broke her heart!" Scarlett yelled "Jim, Adam's dropping me over but will you be able to pick me up later?"

"Yeah fine," he sighed "just call me when you're ready and you don't even think about going over there," Jimmy warned as he walked Scarlett to the door "tell Chas...I was asking after her!" he called as Scarlett climbed into Adam's car.

Carl sighed and sunk into a chair that's exactly what he was going to do he just wanted her to change her mind.

Back at the Dingles Debbie and Chas sat on her bed- Debbie looking around- Chas looking at her hands "you want my advice?" Debbie asked after an awkward silence.

"If you tell me to burn his clothes and stuff then get wasted you can forget it," she sighed.

"No what I was going to say is do you still love him?" Chas bit her lip and nodded "okay and do you think you could ever get pass this?" Debbie asked watching her aunt closely she knew how much Chas loved Carl-they were soul mates-meant to be together… she also knew this wasn't the last of Chas and Carl.

"If we worked on it yeah but it'll be the same old drama we'll be all loved up for a couple of weeks and then I'll find a text or a something and we'll be right back here," Chas sighed "the trust is completely gone."

"But what if he means it this time- what if he does change?" Debbie asked "it could happen."

"He'd need to prove it to me and work damn hard to convince me," Chas muttered.

"So tell him and you can take it from there, I know you Chas and I know him you guys can't stay away from each other," Debbie said moving closer to her "so save yourself all the heartache and go see him have it out beat the crap out of him if you must but just go talk."

Before Chas could respond a wave of nausea washed over her and she leapt off the bed with her hand over her mouth and ran for the door.

"Hey…whoa!" Scarlett said and jumped back just as Chas fled past her "is she okay?" she asked Debbie who just shrugged and looked towards the bathroom. Scarlett walked to the bathroom and shoved the door open to see Chas with her head down the toilet throwing up "Chas," she groaned "have you been drinking again?" she asked pulling her hair back and rubbing her back.

Chas pulled her head back and wiped her mouth "haven't touched a drop since yesterday- ask Belle," she said as she stood up and grabbed her toothbrush "I say it's just whatever alcohol I have left catching up on me after all the binges," she said as she brushed her teeth.

"Or you could be pregnant," Debbie smirked from the doorway.

"Oh give over you," Chas chuckled and rinsed her mouth out "I am not pregnant no way in hell did that happen."

Debbie walked over to her and poked her lightly in the boob "that hurt?"

"Oww! Yes!" Chas hissed and grabbed it.

"And this?" she asked poking her other one.

"Debs!" She shrieked and grabbed them "what the hell are you doing?"

"Okay I know I was a kid when I had Sarah but my boobs grew- and so have yours, they were dead sore even if you brushed against them or if I lay on my side."

"No," Chas laughed "there is no way in hell I am pregnant nope not gonna happen," she said shaking her head trying to convince herself and them- however she was freaking inside.

"Chas," Scarlett said slowly "...when was the last time you had…them?" she asked wide eyed.

"Uh…" Chas looked to Debbie and rolled her eyes when she smirked back- looking to the ceiling she closed her eyes and tried to remember "I got it!" She yelled a minute later startling the others "Scarlett, member that morning you came out of your room and Carl was acting all weird trying to get to the shower- member he was walking to the side so you wouldn't see him?"

Scarlett laughed "yeah I kind figured what had happened by the horrified look on his face and the way he bolted into the bathroom and then when you had chocolate and tea at eight am…why?" she asked looking up at her.

"Well that's the last time I had them…when was that?" Chas asked panicked.

"Oh! Oh! I know! It was the day he and Jimmy went up to some hotel for a conference member you came over to me for girlie night… oh Chas," Debbie gasped "tha-"

"Oh that was in August Chas!" Scarlett cut in "I set up the paperwork for that conference! I remember it all!" she shrieked.

"Oh no,no,no,no," Chas groaned she counted on her fingers "that was three months ago damn it!" She yelled and slumped against the bath "it can't be," she whimpered.

"And you're sure you haven't got them since?" Debbie asked as she sat on the toilet and turned to face Chas "they could have been late."

"Yeah maybe they were late and you forgot about it?" Scarlett added and sat beside her.

"No, no, I was too worked up about the wedding and Eve to remember them… oh no!" she groaned and dropped her head into her hands "what the hell am I gonna do?"

"Okay, okay, Debbie," Scarlett said and stood up "lend me your car…I'm gonna fly off to the next town and get tests I can't go to Viv's I'll be the talk of the town and my brothers will kill me."

"Yeah, yeah, good idea," Debbie said and jumped up "I'll just get the keys," she said and ran to Chas's room. "Here," she said a few seconds later "get a few," she said handing her money.

"Yeah like a hundred," Chas yelled.

"Okay I've fifty on me to add I'll get what I can Chas please don't get upset these things happen it could be a number of reasons," Scarlett said trying to calm her "this could just be a big mistake."

"I don't see you going to get them!" she yelled and stood up.

"I'm going I'm going! Ten minutes tops!" Scarlett called as she ran down the stairs and out the door.

Chas closed her eyes and sighed as she heard Debbie's car screech out of their drive. "It'll be okay Chas," Debbie said and took her hand squeezing it for comfort "even if you are we'll all be here for ya you know that," she said softly.

"And what the hell do I say to Carl? That's all I'm worried about," Chas replied as she paced her room not even remembering walking to it.

"You say I'm pregnant when it's born you can see it as much as you like," Debbie suggested.

Chas snorted "yeah because he's father of the year and all he has a great relationship with his other two kids the prat probably doesn't even remember their names!" she hissed she couldn't believe this was happening she wouldn't believe this was happening not yet not until she had no choice.

"Chas look, no matter what he's done he's the kids dad and you can't change that and you can't keep him from it look what happened with me and Andy…do you want that with you and Carl?" Debbie asked stepping in front of her "there'll be no going back after that," she added.

"No," Chas sighed and slumped onto her bed "this lot won't be happy," she sighed.

"And what? I got pregnant when I was fourteen and now I'm having a kid with same bloke whose not even my bloke- we're Dingles we don't do right we do it Dingle style," she laughed.

Chas giggled too and smiled "I'm glad I've got you Deb's," she said squeezing her hand.

"Won't be going anywhere," Debbie smiled back "do you think Scarlett will tell Carl or Jimmy?"

"Nah Scarlett's alright she won't say a word," Chas replied and looked up to see Lisa in the doorway "hey Lisa," she smiled.

"You know these walls are like paper love," she whispered and stepped into the room shutting the door over.

"Oh god did dad and Zak hear?" Chas whispered wide eyed with fear her dad she wasn't so worried about but Cain and Zak would seriously kill Carl and whoever got in their way.

"No love they're too busy watching football or something you know them they never listen to a word anyone says in here," Lisa replied.

"What about dad?" Debbie asked knowing all too well what he was like.

"No he's gone love- Cain left after you two came up here he got a call…so?" Lisa asked looking back to Chas.

"So, what?" Chas asked.

"Are you pregnant?" She asked excitedly.

"Guess we'll soon find out," Debbie replied as she spotted her car pulled back into the drive.

A/N Let me know what you think shall I continue? I probably will even if you say no…I love to write JJ