Just in a fingernails reach

DISCLAIMER- I don't own Waterloo Road, it all belongs to Shed Productions and there is no copy writing intended.

A/U This is completely AU, this is a collabration with ReginaMills96. She's a brilliant writer, check her out! Please read and rewiew! Enjoy! :)xxx

Chapter one.

Rachel Mason lay in bed on a quite sunday morning, something she rarely did. She had been staring at the ceiling for hours, unable to sleep thinking over the last couple of months, over her life in general.

After Eddie, the man that had stolen her heart, she never dared to think that she would be that happy again.

Could she open herself up like that again? - She didn't know.

Could she trust this person? - With her life.

Was she scared? - Absolutely.

Was she going to take the chance? She had nothing to lose expect her pride.

Was she willing to let this guy love her? - Yes.

So she took the chance and was certainly reaping the rewards.

There was just one slight hitch that could burst their bubble in the name of Ruby Fry.

Rachel couldn't for the life of her fathom what the woman's problem was.

"I have not been fair enough to her? Have I treated her badly? Not been there enough for her?"Rachel thought to herself, as she let out yet another sigh of frustration.

Ever since Adam had come back into her life again after a twenty year absence, it was as if fate had been calling her name, a bit reluctant at first but then when she heard what he had to say she grabbed it with both hands.

At first she was very hesitant, as she didn't want to be left heartbroken all over again. Also she didn't know if she could trust him, not really. Not his fault but through her own insecurities and that wasn't fair both of them.

Flashback

On a sunny friday afternoon in April Rachel was sat behind her desk buried under a mountain of paperwork and she thought to herself.

"You know what? Screw it, I deserve to be happy too." She thought to herself.

And with that thought she went to the kitchens to find Adam.

"Adam, do you have a spare few minutes?" She asked him.

"Here goes nothing." Rachel thought as Adam turned to look at her.

"For you, always." He smiled back at her.

"About what you said last week about having feelings for me, well I... You see... I." Rachel stumbled over her words nervously.

"Don't screw this up, Rach. Come on pull yourself together." She scolded herself.

"You alright, Rach? You seem lost. Look I know I put you in an awkward position last week and I wanted to apologise that." Adam told her, pulling her from her trail of thought.

"Yes, yeah I'm fine. Yeah about last week you don't have to apologise for it. That's actually what I wanted to..." Rachel was interrupted as Ruby came into the canteen.

"God! Why are they always together? everywhere I turn!" Ruby thought annoyingly to herself.

"Adam, if we cou... Sorry am I interrupting anything?" She asked, with a slight smirk paying on her features, knowing full well that she had.

"What to hell does SHE want?" Rachel thought annoyingly.

"Ah Ruby, could you come back later I was just.." Adam tried to asked politely but Ruby cut him off.

"But this is important." Ruby told him, some what irritated that Rachel was there.

"If she doesn't wipe that smirk off her face, I'll do it for her!" Rachel thought angrily.

"But I was in the middle of something." Adam told Ruby, trying to keep his annoyance below the surface, his voice again bringing Rachel out of her trail of thought.

"Look Ruby, if you don't mind." Rachel told her, bluntly.

"But your always on at us about organisation and blah blah blah." Ruby replied, rather rudely and sarcastically.

"I beg your pardon?" Rachel snapped, no way was that stuck up cow going to speak to her like this.

Adam winced at Rachel's tone of voice, knowing Ruby had well and truly pissed her off.

"Are you going to tell me that I'm wrong?" Ruby asked sarcastically and snugly.

"Ruby, piss off!" Rachel yelled, losing her temper with her nemesis.

"You can't speak to me like that." Ruby replied, having had her nose put out of joint.

"I can, I will and oh wait I just have. What you are you going to do about it?" Rachel asked, knowing Ruby didn't have a leg to stand on.

Ruby just throw her a look of disgust and hatred before storming out of the canteen.

"You certainly told her, man I don't know how you stand her." Adam laughed, after she left.

"Because unfortunately I have too, so wait you don't have feelings for her? Its just she said. Never mind I mean its none of my business, Its just with all the time you two spend together. Look forget I said anything it was a silly idea." Rachel told him, desperately trying to hide her hurt and disappointment as she turned to leave.

"If it is true, where does that leave me?" Rachel thought.

"You think I'm in love with Ruby?" Adam laughed.

"She really doesn't have a clue, does she?" Adam thought to himself.

"Well I just thought, never mind." Rachel replied as she tried to hide a tear that was rolling her cheek.

"I meant what I said last week. Its not Ruby I'm in love with." Adam told her.

"Oh my god, he actually meant it, okay breath Rach. Come on girl pull yourself together" Rachel told herself.

Rachel couldn't hide the fact that she had been stunned in silence.

"You can say something, you know." Adam told her with a nervous laugh.

"He loves me, he actually loves me, but. I've taken this chance before. Come on Rach he's not Eddie." She reminded herself.

"What?" Rachel asked, shocked, having to hear it again.

"I said its not Ruby I'm in love with." Adam repeated himself.

"I'm sorry I can't do this, I thought I could. I'm sorry Adam." Rachel replied panically and began to leave.

"I can't, I can't do this. He'll only hurt me. I can't go through that again." Rachel told herself.

"Rach, I'd never hurt you, I swear on my life, please don't go." Adam whispered, walking over to her and running his knuckles down her right cheek.

"I know Adam. I know your not him I just I don't know I guess I came here expecting to get my heart broken all over again, you've thrown me a loop." Rachel explained.

"He hasn't half." Rachel thought.

"I'd do anything for you Rachel, I'd lay my life down in a heartbeat for you if it meant that you had a happy and safe life." Adam whispered.

"Oh my god, did I just hear right, this man standing in front of me, this kind, caring handsome warm-hearted gentle giant standing in front of me would lay his life down for me. I want to tell him. Really I do. But how?" Rachel thought to herself.

"You alright, I know I've put a lot on your shoulders. I should give you some space I'm sorry." Adam told her.

"God she really doesn't know how beautiful she actually is." Adam thought to himself.

"I don't want space, Adam." Rachel told him.

"You don't?" Adam asked.

"No I don't because I love you too if you'll have me, that is?" Rachel replied with a nervous laugh.

"You don't realize how long I've waited for you to say that and how many dreams you that made come true." He told her.

"I think I do, promise me you won't let me down and hurt me." Rachel told him.

"I swear to you I would never hurt you Rach and if I ever think that I would then I walk out of your life no matter how devastating it'll be." He told her sincerely.

"I'd be much happier if you were in it." Rachel whispered back, giving him a soft kiss, unbeknown them they were being watched.

End of flash back.

A/N there you have it, please review and let us know what you think. Suggestions and ideas are welcome :)

WWOMM :)xx