1.1 - Turnaround

It's raining on Coronation Street, a strong wind circulating the houses, puddles forming on the shadowed cobbles, dark clouds passing over the crescent moon in the starry night's sky. It's nine o'clock, and many of the residents are in the Rovers.

'What can I get you?' Violet asks Jason, acting impassive, despite the feelings she has struggled to fight since finding out about his betrayal months ago.

'You, Vi...' Jason says pleadingly.

'Jason -'

'No, please Vi, I know I've been a fool, I know I've been stupid,' Jason says, his eyes sparkling as he leans over the bar, nearer to her, his voice now a whisper, 'but I just want to make it up to you.'

Overcome with Jason trying to woo her again, Violet rushes away from the bar, passing Betty, who calls, 'Violet?'

Violet sits on the darkened stairs, close to tears. She can't cope with Jason's advances, but wishes they could be what they once were. Jason stares at the vacant space ahead of him despondently.

'What did you want, love?' asks Betty.

'Nothing,' he says, choked. He turns and leaves, entering into the cold of the night.

Meanwhile, over at the Baldwin's, a weakening Mike is sleeping. At his bedside, Jamie sits as he has done for hours. Mike's condition has rapidly deteriorated.

At the door, Danny stands, a tear in his eye as he watches the scene.

'Dan?'

Danny spins. 'Frank,' he whispers, wiping his eyes and closing the bedroom door as silently as possible.

'What's happening?'

'He's fading, Frank,' Danny says weakly, 'he's finding it hard to say anything now, I just -'

Danny pauses, covering his head with his hands. 'I just don't know how I can let him know how much we all love him, you know?'

Crumbling, Danny stops speaking, and Frankie steps forward, opening out her arms to comfort him. Overcome herself, tears form in her eyes as she tries to comfort her ex-husband.

Jamie's vigil continues apace. His eyes like stars, watching, waiting… listening to the rain outside.

In the Street, Jason is sitting on the bench in the rain, staring out at the Street, the flickers of light in the windows, the buzz from the Rovers. Soaked from head to toe, he's uncaring. Everything he's tried to get Violet back has failed. He just wants to show her how much he cares, but she won't let him in.

At the opposite side of the street a car pulls up, and out of it steps two familiar figures. It's Sean - and Todd...

Unable to believe his eyes, Jason scrambles to his feet and dashes to hide before he is seen. His back pressed against the Rovers wall, he turns his head to look around the corner and watches as Todd and Jason enter the Grimshaw house.

Across the street, Frankie and Danny step out into the cold from the Baldwin house. 'Danny, you really need to take some time out from Mike... it's doing you no good.'

Danny is almost too tired and upset to speak. 'Yeah, yeah I know...'

'We'll have a drink then head back, okay? Jamie'll call.' Danny nods as Frankie pushes the door open.

Meanwhile, a heavily pregnant Claire is alone in the Peacock living room. Ashley and Josh are visiting Doreen - much to her upset. Ashley knows Claire could give birth at any time, yet he seemingly doesn't care. Ever since Matt Ramsden turned up again, all those months ago, he's been different. Not looking her in the eye, always going out without her... Matt had been turning up more often recently. Even when Ashley called the police nothing happened. Ashley had even tried to move out, but she had stopped him.

Just the thought brings a tear to her eye.

Over at the Barlow house, Ken and Deirdre are sitting around the table in their darkened living room.

'I think we should go and see Mike again,' says Ken.

'Maybe tomorrow,' says Deirdre. 'I feel very unwell myself, headache...'

'Well don't worry,' says Ken briskly. 'I'll pop round and check up on him, and we can both go tomorrow. Why don't you run a bath?'

'What about Tracy?' says Deirdre.

Ken looks up from his laptop. 'What about her?'

'Well we've got Amy again haven't we? We have to make sure she picks her up tonight, I've had enough of her taking advantage of us like this...'

'Ring her,' says Ken, standing up and picking up the home phone. 'I think we both agree this has gone on long enough.'

The lights switch on in the Grimshaw house, and Sean leads Todd in. 'Home sweet home,' he chimes.

Todd looks around at the home he left years previously, and enters into the living room, dropping his bag. 'Where is everyone?'

'Eileen's at the Rovers I think, she was going t'Bingo - I wanted to go but you called and I couldn't not, you know what I mean?' Sean chirps, a little quickly.

'And Jason?' Todd asks.

'Who knows where he is,' replies Sean. 'I'll make us a cuppa, and you can tell us all about what you've been up to. I'm so jealous you know, all the nightlife,' says Sean, looking up in a dream-state, 'you're a lucky boy, Todd -'

Meanwhile, Tracy and Charlie are out clubbing, drinking, dancing in a packed Manchester club.

'This is brilliant isn't it?' Charlie shouts in his usual style, laughing as he joins a bored looking Tracy

'Well you're barely spending any time with me, Charlie, so no, it's not...'

'Oh come on, we both know we're better here than the street... lighten up, find a bloke, it's a bit of a laugh!'

A woman Charlie had previously been with saunters up behind him and leads him away. Tracy eyes Charlie with fury. Then she could hear her phone ringing...

'Yes?'

'Tracy, if you don't come home now, we're calling Social Services...'

'Mum!' Tracy shouts indignantly.

'No Tracy, I'm telling you. Come home now and collect your daughter or we'll have her taken from you. Enough is enough!'

The line goes dead. 'Mum?'

With mounting fury Tracy replaces the phone in her pocket. Glancing over to Charlie who is busy with another woman, she grabs her bag and leaves the club.

Over at the Baldwin's house, Jamie breaks away from his watching of Mike to get himself a drink. He notices a note on the kitchen surface:

Gone to Rovers.

He pours himself some water, downs it, then heads to the toilet.

Barely a room away, Mike is stirring. He opens his eyes and looks around weakly. 'Alma?' he croaks.

Then he steps up, fully dressed in pinstripe pyjamas, dons some slippers and heads out of his bedroom door, through the hall, down the stairs, and, opening the front door, steps outside into the street, shutting the door behind him.

Like a lost child, he steps out into the dark and the rain and wanders in the direction of the factory, looking around. Unfamiliar places... a man and his dog pass... unfamiliar people. Too much noise...

A car pulls up in Coronation Street, and Matt Ramsden steps out. Slamming his door, he heads toward the Peacock house, ready to make yet another visit to the people he wanted to understand him. This time he wasn't going to take no for an answer... he was going to do anything to see his child...

Back at the club, Charlie notices Tracy's gone and frowns. Then his phone rings. 'Where the hell are you?'

'Women problems, eh, mate?'

'Oh, Jason,' says Charlie, stepping away from the woman. 'What do you want?'

'Are you in a club?'

'Yeah, fancy joining me?'

'Deffo,' says Jason, sheltered under the Kabin. He fails to notice Mike in the Street. 'I just want to get out of here...'

Elsewhere, Tracy arrives back to Coronation Street furiously. She passes the bus stop, as a taxi pulls up, and a woman opens the door and steps out. Tracy misses the woman's face as she passes, heading to her house.

The woman slams the taxi door and cradles a baby in her arms, watching Tracy disappear...

Meanwhile in the Rovers, Danny is staring at his pint despondently. 'I can't believe this has happened to him, Frank.'

Concerned, Frankie stares at her ex-husband, trying to find a way to comfort him. 'You're doing the best you can, Dan, remember that... It's not your fault Leanne made tracks.'

'It's not about Leanne, it's about my Dad!' Danny yells. 'All those years I missed out on knowing him, then I find out he's my Dad and before I can have a laugh with him he's gone, Frank, and he's slipping away! He doesn't remember me anymore, do you know how much that hurts?'

'I know, Danny, I understand...'

Danny is welling up. 'I just want him back...'

The Rovers' door bursts open and Jamie flies in. 'Has anyone in here seen Mike?' he yells, silencing the pub.

Panicked, Danny jumps to his feet and knocks his pint from the table. It smashes on the floor. 'Mike? Where is he? WHAT'S HAPPENED?'

'He was sleeping - I went to the toilet and he was gone, let himself out...' Jamie cried.

Frankie looked terrified as she stood. 'He could be anywhere, Jamie, how could you let this happen, you know what's happening to him...'

Upset, Jamie merely stared at her. 'If you hadn't have left...'

Audrey and Rita rushed forwards, looking anxious.

'He can't be far, we have to look for him!' Rita cried, and with that the group headed outside into the Street, unsure of where to turn next....

... While Mike wandered around in an unknown street, cars passing in a flash of headlights and a hiss of rain, unknown faces passing...

Growing more afraid by the minute...