Together, Forever

Set after the fire, but there is not Melissa and Eddie. The way it really should have been.

I do not own nothing.

Chapter one

It had been a long summer and Rachel was still in hospital recovering after the fire that nearly took her life. Rachel had been in a coma for over six weeks. Eddie he had lost her.

Everyday had been difficult for Eddie because nobody knew whether she was going to pull through, she had, had surgery after surgery and she was still in her coma, surely she should have woke up by now. The question now was whether or not she was going to pull through. He really hoped she did. Eddie had been devastated when the fire officers brought out Rachel's body out of the school fire. Everyone thought she was dead.

But, Rachel being Rachel was hanging on by a thread, much to Eddie's delight. There was still hope for her to pull through. It wasn't happy that Rachel was in such a condition but he was glad she was still alive.

Eddie had gone into the hospital everyday to visit Rachel, he couldn't bare the fact that Rachel was on her own in there. Eddie had updated Rachel on everything from the school rebuilding to gossip that she was missing, not that she was much of a gossip queen herself. Eddie had also informed her that she was still the head teacher at waterloo road, but he doubted that she could actually hear him, so he knew that he would have to tell again when she wakes up. Not if she wakes up but when.

Eddie also told Rachel how much he loved her everyday but again it wasn't like she actually heard what he was saying. He wanted her to, because he meant every word he said but that wasn't the case. But he could still tell her again, even though he could be rejected he didn't care he had to let Rachel know exactly how he felt. After all she had been through, he couldn't lose her again.

Eddie was now the acting head teacher on Rachel's behalf, much to all the other teachers delight. They didn't want anyone else to replace her, she was the only that deserved to be in that office, so everyone was glad that she didn't have a replacement.

After six long weeks, Rachel finally woke up from her coma much to Eddie's delight, but the term had already started but he was covering for her and doing a very good job at it and all. However, Eddie being Eddie, always found time to visit Rachel who was still in hospital at the time, but she was awake, which was a good thing.

Another four weeks had passed with Rachel still being in hospital, but Rachel had, had enough now. She wanted to get out of this hell hole, she had been there for ten weeks, not being able to do anything for herself, always having to rely on others, she couldn't even go the toilet on her own without asking. It felt like she was the pupil and the nurses were the teachers. That wasn't right, not by Rachel's standards she was always one to do everything herself and not rely on others.

So with that, Rachel decided to discharge herself against medical advice but she felt well enough to go so that is what she was doing. However, there was a few strict conditions that she felt she had to stick to. Well this was the advice she was actually going to listen to, after all she wanted to just back to doing the job she loved so much. And now that her secret was out, and they still wanted her to return back to school it showed she was a good teacher after all.

The conditions that were imposed on her were that she wasn't allowed to do anything basically. She wasn't allowed to drive, lift, not even allowed to go out the house by herself. She was starting to think it was probably better staying in the hospital. After all she was probably just going to be as bored at home as she was in the hospital.

Everyone who knew Rachel, knew that she wasn't going to obey all the conditions that the hospital had said to her, she was too determined for that. Rachel never rested up and it wouldn't surprise anyone if Rachel went home and started the paper work for school.

Eddie picked Rachel up from the hospital and carried her bag. Everyone was glad she was home, especially Eddie. If Eddie or even Rachel for that matter never saw that hospital again it would be too soon.

Eddie helped Rachel into the house, she was still very sore. And if it was Eddie's choice she wouldn't be home yet, but he was glad she was home. He had hoped she would let her stay so that she could look after her, like he had always wanted to. Rachel was glad that Eddie was helping her, but she didn't want to rely on him.

As soon as Rachel got into the house with Eddie, she put her pyjamas and crashed onto the couch. She looked after the room and noticed that the house was full of flowers and cards and boxes of chocolates. She tried to reach the cards so that she could open them and read them but as soon as she reached over to grab them, she lost her balance and fell to the floor just as Eddie was walking in with her bags and heard a loud thump.

"Rache?" Eddie called. There was no reply.

So Eddie walked into the living and noticed that Rachel was curled up on the floor.

"Oh my god, Rache, are you okay?" Eddie said concerned running over to her.

"Honestly, I am fine, I just tried to reach them and lost my balance, but I am okay and will be okay," Rachel said.

"Okay Rache, you will be okay, but right now you aren't okay and that is why I am staying to look after you," Eddie said helping Rachel back up on to the couch.

"Eddie, thank you but I am sorry, I don't want you to stay. I have had enough people run around after me these last ten weeks, and now I really need to get back to where I left off. I need to do that myself. Thank you so much for all your help, but this is something I need to do," Rachel said not looking at Eddie in the eyes, knowing he would read her.

"Rachel, I totally understand, but just let me help you get to bed so I know you will be okay then," Eddie said.

"Yeah okay, thank you." Rachel smiled.

"One more thing, I want you to ring me or whatever if you need anything, will you promise me that?" Eddie said.

"Yeah, of course. I promise." Rachel smiled.

It killed Rachel to get up the stairs with Eddie, but she knew it was going to be even harder on her own. But this was what she needed to do.

Eddie had everything planned, he had left her medication and pain killers by the side of the bed, with a detailed list on when to take them. He was so organised.

With that he left Rachel be, but not before kissing her on her cheek and then locking up after him.

Rachel had so much time and therefore that meant a lot of thinking she had been doing. She really wanted Eddie more that anything. But she also knew that she was never going to get him. Not now, not after everything.

How could he ever love her now? She was now damaged goods, she was scarred, scarred for life and not to mention the colourful past that she had. How could anyone love her now.

That's it Rachel thought, she needed to get back to work. She didn't want to think about it anymore, thinking about what she could have had, but she wasn't going to get that so now she just wanted to get back to work. Save all the hassle of thinking about it all the time. She needed her distraction and waterloo was going to be her distraction.

So she set herself up, tomorrow she was going back to work. One week since she came out of hospital and she was returning to work. Again, against medical advice and she was actually wondering what Eddie would do especially when he said to her that she was suspended from school on the way home from the hospital. Rachel wasn't even allowed to drive, never mind allowed back in the school. But Rachel was Rachel and right now she didn't really care. All she could think about was getting back to work, FINALLY!

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