Chapter Text
It’s been five years since Kate Connor had walked the cobbles of Coronation street and it looked to her as though nothing had changed; when in reality everything had changed. Once a place she called home with her Dad and her brother, then her fiancé - and of course her sister Carla Connor, the only one there was left.
Pushing the doors open to the Rovers Return pub Kate took a deep breath and plastered on a smile, seeing Ryan behind the bar at least gave her a friendly face to focus on.
“Wow am I seeing things or have I travelled back in time”, he said with a wide unserious grin on his face.
“Nope I’m really here, Kate Connor, now are you going to pour me a drink or do I get a hug first?”.
Ryan came around from behind the bar wrapping Kate into a big hug, “how are ya then? What brings you back here?”.
“I think I’ll need a double G&T for that kind of question” she sighs.
“Coming right up”.
As Ryan places the G&T on the bar in front of Kate, she takes a seat on a high bar stool, placing her large suitcase and bag next to her. The pub was quite empty with it being late afternoon on a mid week day.
“I just couldn’t face being alone travelling Ry when I found my fiancé in bed with another woman!” Kate explains whilst downing half her drink in one go.
A shocked Ryan reaches out for one of Kate’s hands, “Well it’s good to see ya regardless, she obviously didn’t deserve you, does Carla know you’re back?”
Kate gives him a side look, “no not yet she doesn’t, I don’t know how she will react if I’m honest, we didn’t part on the greatest of terms”.
“Listen, you’re here, and your sister well she loves you, I think we all need family around us regardless”.
In truth Kate didn’t really know how she felt to be back on the street, so many memories and the ones that really lingered and felt like a punch to the gut each time, were when she thought of the faces that weren’t around here anymore.
Just then the door swung open, “hi Ryan, whisky on the rocks please” asked DS Lisa Swain as she slung her bag on the bar searching for her purse.
“Coming right up, your day that bad?” Ryan offered a sympathetic look.
“You know how it can be in my line of work” Lisa shrugged.
Kate was stood next to Lisa at the bar, she had turned and watched as she entered and found herself watching as she approached the bar and all that unfolded in front of her. As she caught up with her own thoughts Kate seemed to find her voice again. “Hi” offering her hand out to Lisa to shake, Lisa just looked down at the empty hand choosing not to take it before offering her a clipped nearly there smile and turning her attention back to Ryan getting her drink.
“Ok…. Like that is it?”
Lisa shot Kate a glare,”excuse me?”
“Well I was only being polite”
Whilst tapping her card to pay for her drink, “Sorry occupational hazard and all that.”
“Part of the job is it?” Kate wondered, whilst looking Lisa up and down taking in her whole attire.
“Hmm… something like that”, Lisa offered as half a reply.
”what’s it you do?” Kate questioned.
”detective sergeant” came a clipped reply.
“Here you go Lisa… whisky on the rocks”, Ryan slid the drink across the bar. Lisa downed it in one go.
“You look like I feel” offered Kate.
“I’m sorry but I just came in here for a quiet drink, so if you don’t mind”
“I don’t actually” smirked Kate.
“Your not going to leave this are you”
“Nope” she replied. as she popped the “p”.
“Well I’ll warn you now, I’m not good company”
“That’s ok, it’s not good company I’m looking for”.
There was a charged atmosphere in the air, there was no denying Kate found Lisa attractive and she was intrigued by her, felt a certain energy radiating from this woman stood next to her at the bar. Lisa on the other hand couldn’t be further from interested, the only brunette to consume her thoughts was none other than Carla Connor. Lisa knew she fancied Carla, had done ever since their “moment” in Carla’s flat, probably even before that if she was totally honest with herself. Since then though Lisa had her walls right back up as high as she could build them. She knew deep down that it wasn’t fair on Carla and that it was her problem that she had a crush on her straight friend. It didn’t mean Lisa didn’t find it difficult though being around Carla and not being able to be with her properly, to know what it would be like to hold her and kiss her. No, no it was much easier this way for everyone involved, this way no one got hurt - so she thought.
Lisa did feel a bit bad then that she had totally shut this brunette stranger down when she was just being polite, she turned to look at her properly then and she couldn’t shake the familiar look she had about her.
Kate caught the look from Lisa, “Like what we see do we?” She winked.
Lisa offered a nervous laugh and held the eye contact, just in that moment the doors came flying open. “What the hell… Kate what are you doing here? I had no idea you was back” questioned Carla as she took in the sight in front of her. Her estranged sister who she hadn’t seen in five years and the woman she couldn’t stop thinking about. Lisa seemed relaxed in her sisters company and she could spot that flirtatious look in Kate’s eye a mile off. No no no this was not happening, Carla suddenly felt sick, on one hand she wanted to scoop her younger sister up in both arms and tell her how much she missed her and on the other hand she wanted to run and not look back whilst fighting away the tears threatening to stream down her cheeks. “Carlaaaa… oh my god, come here!” Shouted Kate as she jumped down from her bar stool, she attentively approached her older sister offering her arms in an open embrace. Carla of course accepted her sister’s embrace with some tears escaping silently down her cheek. Lisa watched the whole scene unfold in front of her she wasn’t sure what she was seeing, who was Kate to Carla - what the hell was going on?
”Look at you, not changed a bit!” Kate exclaims, taking Carla in.
”hello? Am I missing something here” Lisa questioned.
”sorry er, Lisa this is my little sister - Kate”
”ohh, we’ve already met haven’t we Lisa” Kate offered Lisa a small smile.
Carla immediately stiffened, clocking the flirtatious tone from Kate.
”if you had told me Weatherfield had detectives who looked like this I would of been back sooner”
Carla’s whole posture change, her face dropped. Lisa noticed it and Ryan noticed it.
”Kate, where are you staying?” asked Carla, she was aware her tone was quite clipped.
”Ive booked in at the Chariot square hotel for a couple of nights”.
“right well if its paid for then stay until your booking runs out then come stay with me, I’ve really got to go. I’ve got the same number Kate, but erm if you deleted it get it off Ryan”.
And with that Carla turned around and stormed out of the pub as fast as she could, she knew she didn’t have any right to be angry, it was all totally innocent and she had no claim over Lisa.
“god I’m being ridiculous” she muttered to herself.
Back in the pub Lisa, Ryan and Kate stood there in silence shock written all over their faces. Kate broke the silence first.
”what the hell was all that about? Yeh cheers Carla I’ve not seen you in 5 years I’m great thank you how are you?”
“look I’m due my break in 5 why don’t you bring your bags and come through to the back for a bit?” Ryan suggested.
Kate nodded and took her things through to the back, as she walked past Lisa she offered her a weak smile.
Lisa was stood there totally dumbfounded thinking to herself what the hell had just gone on? If she thought her day was already bad she didn’t expect it to get any worse. Without thinking too far ahead she marched out of the pub and across the street towards Carla’s flat. She pressed the buzzer hard three times in a row straight after one another before Carla answered.
”alright alright! Where’s the emergency?”
”Carla it’s me, let me up”.
There was total silence, a few seconds later Carla buzzed Lisa up. Once at the top of the stairs she saw the door to the flat was open and she stood there not having a clue what she was going to say. Taking a deep breath Lisa entered the flat.