Rachel looked around her, the pub full of happy people, drinking, laughing, and chatting. She didn't want to be there. She didn't know why she said yes to Eddie for going for a drink, she guessed it was just to reassure her staff about the troubles of the day. The first day back hadn't been what she was expecting, although she didn't particularly know what she was expecting. First enrolling the Kelly family. A family with an obvious troubling background, but as Rachel would say time and time again everyone deserves a chance.

Then the interviews that day, a shambles as Rachel had put it. She was glad in a way that she had got her sister to the interviews, but then she knew something would most likely go wrong, it always did when Melissa was concerned. But she just needed someone there, family there to help her if she should fall. Then of course finding out a gun was in the school. If Rachel was honest it scared the life out of her but as always she went into that mode of 'I can save everybody' and ran into the school to go find who had the gun.

Yes, it had not been the day she had been expecting. In her doctors eyes she shouldn't even be back at work. To quote in his words she wasn't 'Physically ready to go back to work or mentally ready'. But being her stubborn self she brushed past anything the doctor said and had rushed back to work for the first day of term.

The events of the previous term had sent her confidence down and she was more nervous now than anything. She wasn't the same sassy, confident, feisty woman she once was, she was now nervous, scared and felt more alone now than she did before. But she pushed any feelings like that to the back of her mind putting on a front like she usually did a mask to cover it all.

She looked down at the deep red liquid in her glass and knew it was time for her to go home. She had promised Eddie a drink and that's what she had had, a drink. She picked the glass up, downing the rest of the red wine and then placed the glass down. Pulling the strap of her bag up she turned round seeing now was her best chance to sneak out of the pub, hopefully none seeing her. She walked over as fast as she could brushing past Eddie, heading for the door. She closed her eyes as she heard Eddie's voice behind her. How did I know I'd get caught?

"Eh…Where you off to?" Eddie asked as they stood in the entrance porch way of the pub. The close proximity making Rachel a little nervous.

"I've had enough Eddie. I just…I just wanna go." Rachel said in a quiet tone.

"look…" Eddie sighed "If you've really had it I'll drive you home."

"Oh I don't think anyone should be driving here tonight do you?" Rachel said adding a little laugh to her tone.

"Then we'll get a taxi." Eddie shrugged. Rachel looked up at Eddie nervously as he looked into her eyes. He slowly moved his hand up to her cheek, under her soft short auburn hair. "I just wanna talk."

Rachel closed her eyes ignoring what her heart was telling her and following her head she pushed Eddie's arm away from her. "Eddie." Rachel sighed. Her heart seemed to be beating that little bit faster but she ignored it.

"About us?" Eddie said confused at why Rachel was pushing him away.

"There is no us…I'm sorry…there's nothing to talk about." Rachel said opening the door of the pub and rushing out.

"Rachel…"

"Please Eddie."

She turned round to face him seeing the confusion in his eyes. "I just don't understand it…before the fire…"

"Well that seems a very long time ago." Rachel replied shaking her head.

"I know but there was something." Eddie said. Rachel looked up at Eddie. She swallowed back the tears that were threatening to escape. She couldn't let them out. Rachel Mason never let anyone see her emotions if she could help it. "I thought we were getting close."

Rachel shook her head, blinking away the tears. "Things have changed."

"What? Because I know about your past?" Eddie said thinking he had hit the nail right on the head. "It doesn't make any difference to me and you should know that.

Rachel bit her lip trying her hardest to hold in all her emotions but it was becoming increasingly hard. She took a little breath her heart being over ruled by her head once more. She couldn't let Eddie in. She couldn't do it no matter how much she loved him. He would be better off without her. She was damaged goods, useless and not worth ten of him. Well that's what she thought.

"Your special Rachel…Nothing can change that." Eddie said softly. He had wanted to tell her that since that last day of term. When he had finally got up the courage to ask her out for a drink, both acted awkward. When he had known she was stuck in the school, the fire blazing through it he felt his heart break just that little bit. When he had seen them bringing her body out of the building, looking so lifeless he felt more of his heart breaking. Through all the visits to the hospital while she was unconscious and to seeing her now he knew he had to tell her just what he thought of her and how much he loved her.

Rachel who was now losing the composure she was trying too hard to keep up tried once again to swallow back the tears. "Nothing…Are you sure about that?"

"Course." Eddie said

"Well let's see shall we?" Rachel said finally letting a tear escape as she began to unbutton her blouse a little to reveal something she disgusted, something that was there to haunt her and remind her of the fire. She pulled her blouse over a bit revealing her scar to Eddie waiting for her response and as she feared he looked away from her, in which she thought was disgust.

"Rachel…I…I…" Eddie stuttered.

"Just leave it Eddie!" Rachel snapped as she walked away from him, turning her walk into a little run as she wanted to get away quickly. She let all the tears come out as she turned the corner. She leaned against the wall, wiping her eyes but it was no use, the tears just kept falling and falling.

Eddie on the other hand stood right where he was, frozen to the spot. He realised he handled it bad. He didn't look away from her in disgust; he just didn't know what to say to her. He knew he had hurt her by looking away but what was he to say to her. He sighed as he leaned against the wall. He had picked the wrong time, how did he not see during the day just how fragile Rachel was. One thing he knew was he couldn't just leave it there. He had to go after her.