A/N: I only have two chapters left after this one to post before the fic is complete. I do, however have another fic that I have started so ...

Many thanks to Mrs Carmichael, hannah5240, fayeftvanity, RachelMasonFan39 & LittleH12!

Please enjoy.

The collateral damage of love

I do. I don't.

. . .

'Rachel Mason, do you take Adam Benjamin Fleet to be your lawful wedded husband?'.

'Yes ... I do, I do'.

. . .

She'd done it again. She'd thought about her wedding day.
Divorce papers scattered her desk, and she felt an overwhelming feeling swallow her. She was hardly one to mix her professional life with her personal, and so it was much not like her to bring these papers into school. She did in fact have no choice as she had been so caught up with Eddie that her home life had become busy. Ironically, she had more free time in school. Over the last few weeks she had been helping Eddie with Holly, and it felt right. She felt as if she were finally fulfilling her rightful duties as an aunt; she was taking care of her when her mother couldn't.

After reading through the countless documents, her hand hovered over the dotted line where her signature was required. This was only the beginning, it was only her acknowledging his request. She pondered over the last few months. She never thought she'd be in this position. She had always been willing to stay unhappy in her marriage to avoid being lonely, again.

Hearing a knock at the door, she quickly bundled the papers together and shoved them out of sight. Much to her dismay, Steph Haydock had been standing there, watching as she bundled her disappointment and guilt into the depth of her drawer.

'Come at a bad time, have I?', Steph questioned a slight smirk emerging.

'What is it Steph?', Rachel replied with an underlying to her tone.

'Bolton'. Rachel rolled her eyes in frustration.

'What's he done now?', she asked waiting on Steph's answer. She really didn't need this right now.

'He's punched Dom'.

Great. Round two of his old tricks returning.

'Oh for goodness' sake! Why?', Rachel quizzed on rising from her seat. She slowly made her way to the door, eagerly anticipating the confrontation with Bolton.

'I don't know and he won't tell me'. Steph had made a mental note to further question Rachel on the latest rumour that had been circulating, but decided that now probably wasn't the best time.

. . .

'Bolton, sit down', she ordered on entering the cooler. Standing with her arms crossed and giving him an angry glare, he knew he was in trouble.

'Why am I hearing your name again?!', she asked demanding he answered. She watched as he kept his head down, refusing to face her.

'Sorry miss', he mumbled.

'Dom. Why did you punch him?'. On walking nearer towards him, she continued to glare hoping he would tell her the truth. She gave him a minute. He refused to answer. She had cracked Bolton a very long time ago, and so this infuriated her.

'Well?!', she shouted. Her mighty shout made him jump ever so slightly. He hadn't felt her wrath this bad since she lectured him for the fight with John Fosters.

'He said things init', he said finally lifting his head. His words made her panic.

'Said what?', she quizzed watching the anger return within him. Still, for her own safety, he kept quiet.

'Said what Bolton?!', she demanded once again.

'Said you were a slapper miss!', he blurted whilst rising out of his seat pacing the room. He often did this when he felt the urge to hit out. He hadn't noticed the headteacher back away to find the security of the wall behind her. Leaning to stop herself from falling to the ground.

'What? ...', she whispered but audible enough for Bolton to hear.

'He was sayin' that you had an affair with Lawson init', he muttered watching as she took the time to compose herself.

Confusion. She felt confusion. Affair? How would the kids know? It was common knowledge that she and Adam were no longer together but not Eddie. She pulled herself from her thoughts and cleared her throat.

'Mr Lawson? What?', she asked. Looking at him directly, she eagerly awaited his reply.

'Someone seen you the other day'.

. . .

The drive home felt long and she couldn't work out whether or not it was a good thing. She didn't really want to have the conversation with Eddie tonight. She just wanted it to be normal. Pulling into the drive, she sat for a second taking a deep breath.

Why was life never simple?

Well it was now or never.

Upon reaching the door, she pushed it open to find Eddie waiting for her.

'I have something to ask Rach, now I know-', he said. Regardless of whether or not it was important, she wanted this conversation over and done with. She was tired.

'I have something to tell you', she interrupted him watching his expression change ever so slightly.

'What?', he questioned stepping closer to her. She could feel his hand touch her arm, and in an instant she felt safe again.

'The kids, they know'.

'They know what exactly?'. Eddie couldn't understand what she had been talking about.

'About me and you, and the .. affair', she watched as he stood in disbelief. The world felt as though it had stopped for a second and he felt her tense.

'Rachel are you sure? How would they know that? Are you sure you're not paranoid?'. His rambling made the situation worse, and it was only after he'd said about her being paranoid that he knew his mistake.

'Sorry', he mumbled watching her eyes shift from his.

He'd had visions of how he wanted this day to go, and it was not like this. He gave her a few moments, before deciding that this was it, and in a rash second, he did it.

'Now probably isn't the best time for this, but I er .. I have a question'.