Thank you for the reviews.
So this is kinda an AU that is like halfway through Chapter 40 (I Go From Okay, I'm Okay To I'm Not Okay) which was meant to be after Chapter 41 (P.S. I Hope You're Happy) but obviously all my plans changed. My little note to myself was; After a bad term with Max and S05E11, Kim knows she needs to make it up to Rachel. Just she doesn't know how.
I mean, this isn't perfect but it is a way that things could have been better...
The Intervention
Kim sighed as Rachel left the staffroom, glad that Ruby waited for a little while before she said anything.
"Why is she in today? Wasn't she almost… killed yesterday?"
Kim was grateful when Tom met her eye.
"That's Rachel." He said. "I remember Eddie telling all of us to watch out for her when she came back after the fire. He said that she had only been out of the coma for less than a month." He paused. "Can't you talk to her Kim?"
"I think I am the last person she is going to open up to. She is more likely going to speak to you."
"Speak to me? Yes but actually properly talk to? Probably not. She may have started to open up to me but I can't read her liked Eddie used to do."
"Sorry. I might just be being stupid, but who is Eddie?" Jo asked.
Kim looked at Steph.
"You mean to tell me you haven't said anything."
"Well I didn't like them at the beginning of the school year and I do have a little more respect for Rachel than you might think."
"Jo, he was her deputy and boyfriend," Chris said.
Kim turned to Chris. "You know more than you are letting on. When did she tell you?"
"At the end of last term."
"Cough up Budgen," Steph said.
Kim could only imagine what Steph was on about and by the blush that was rising on Chris' neck, she didn't think that she really wanted to know what Steph had bet.
"He hasn't admitted to anything yet," Grantly said from behind his paper.
"And that isn't the face of someone that didn't sleep with the boss."
"How the hell did you manage that?" Kim asked.
"Other than the fact that we were drunk?" Chris paused. "She told me that when I punched Max, it reminded her of when Eddie had done something similar."
"Stuart Hordley." Tom and Steph said at the same time.
"Did anyone else find that a little strange?" Ruby said as she pointed towards them.
"Go on Steph. Catch this lot up." Kim said, ignoring Ruby's last comment.
"You know Rachel was only meant to be an associate head. I think Eddie was kinda jealous that they shipped someone in. He gave her until the end of the next term. I mean she didn't have the greatest first day. Came in like a bull in a china shop. Changing the curriculum. Upsetting me, Tom and Grantly." Steph said.
"I did have a reason to be rude to her. Chlo was still missing at that point." Tom said.
Grantly huffed. "She had the audacity to tell me that she would have a third and final warning for me by the end of the week, even if she had to make it up. She will deny saying that of course."
"You were caught gambling on the school computers," Steph said to him before turning back to the rest of them. "I always thought their relationship would turn… a little less professional. There was the thing with his son and the way that he was when we were all waiting for her to come out of the school during the fire." She paused. "Can I just ask, did anyone actually like Melissa or did we all just get on with her because she was Rachel's sister?"
There were a few mumbles and Kim was slightly glad that she was never properly introduced. Even if Tom was grumbling about her, it meant that she must have been bad news.
"Did you meet her Kim?" Steph asked.
"No, I didn't have the obvious displeasure."
"I mean we could all see what was happening between Eddie and Rachel. Do you think she did?"
"If she did, then she is an awful sister."
"Oh," Tom said.
"What do you know Tom?" Kim asked.
"Again. Rachel said that she pushed him away again. The pub. After the gun. They both left and then only Eddie came back."
"Are you suggesting that he made a move then?" Steph said.
"Rachel did say that Eddie asked her out on the morning of the fire," Chris added.
"She was a completely different person after the fire," Tom said.
"But Eddie would have known that," Kim said. "I do think that Rachel would more likely find a reason to push someone away, rather than letting them in."
"So why is Eddie not here?" Jo asked.
Kim watched as Tom meet her eye before meeting Steph's. None of them really wanted to say the truth.
"It can't have been that bad. Surely?" Ruby said.
"How's the sister, turning up again after disappearing, five months pregnant, with Eddie's baby?" Tom said.
"You are joking."
"We really wish we weren't."
Silence fell between them and Kim found herself not wanting the bell to go. It wouldn't help with her thoughts and feelings.
"Do you think she would be up for talking now?" She found herself saying. "She was really shaken yesterday. Maybe it would have put a few things into perspective for her."
"Do you not think it might be a little late for an intervention? We should have done it when we knew Eddie was dating Melissa." Tom said. "Plus Rachel is right. We don't know Melissa like she does."
"But that is no reason for her to make herself miserable." She turned to Chris. "You were there when she said she would phone Eddie when I called Andrew."
"Yeah but…"
"What if I didn't take her subtle hint that she did want to call him, she was trying to find a reason to? She felt like me and Andrew were like her and Eddie."
"How we are going to do it then?" Tom asked.
"I haven't worked that out yet. But I will."
The last thing that Rachel wanted to do on Friday night was to go to the pub with the rest of the staff. She hadn't really wanted to do much since the whole Bianka Vale incident but she somehow managed to pull herself out of bed every morning and get herself to school. She couldn't be at home thinking. Because her thoughts would turn to him again and she would find herself doing something stupid, like calling him and telling him what happened and asking him over to talk about how they could make it work.
The problem she had was that she felt like Kim and everyone else was planning something. What she didn't know, but they were planning something and she didn't like it one bit.
So it did surprise her when Kim and Chris sat her down at one of the tables, telling her that they would get her drink before leaving her alone. She almost got up and left then. Maybe she should have done. Because as Kim walked back, with a glass of red wine in her hand, she dragged a rather reluctant Eddie Lawson.
"Kim?" Rachel said.
"Sit down," Kim said to Eddie before she looked between them. "This is an intervention. A long-overdue intervention but I think one that is definitely needed." She turned to Rachel. "I know I haven't been the greatest friend with everything that happened with Max but this is me trying to make up for it. And there is no point in trying to escape. We have all the doors marked, so you two just need to talk this through." She turned to Eddie. "More because I can't have another term of her pining after you. And before she doesn't tell you. She almost got herself killed again."
It took them both a while for the shock of what was happening to wear off and Rachel took a mouthful of wine before she started.
"Hi."
"Hi," Eddie said. "What did she mean that you almost got yourself killed?"
"I… I followed a pupil whose Dad had abducted her and was going to blow up a caravan with her inside just to get back at her mum. It is still a little raw Eddie. I… I would rather not talk about it."
"I am glad that nothing has changed."
"Long overdue intervention?"
"Tom got me here. He got the chance to explain that this probably should have happened the moment they found out about me and Melissa."
"Probably. How is she?"
"Annoying as ever." He took his wallet out of his pocket and dug out a photo. "There she is. Sophie, your niece."
She took the photo off him and looked at it. She had a niece. Another life she was missing out on.
"Sophie?"
"Not my choice."
"I never really liked the popular names. Had too many kids with different personalities. Not that a name affects that."
"I get what you mean. I tried to argue that with Melissa but she had already chosen the name so."
"What would you have wanted to call her?"
"Keria."
Rachel somehow found herself smiling. "Lovely name."
"You can't steal it."
"I wish that I could have the opportunity to." She sighed. "It is the main reason why I couldn't do it. I couldn't be with you, wanting a child of my own, when my sister was already pregnant with your child. I am 40 in July. It isn't going to happen now. I am never going to get that chance and my… stupid younger sister not only has Philip but she has Sophie now."
"Rachel…"
"Melissa has the children. The husbands. She has had a career. I've just wasted my life trying to put right my wrong decision when I was 17. No one has stuck around long enough. I… I have never loved anyone enough to see myself settling down with for the long term. Until you."
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"Because the decision was never between me and Melissa. It was between you having a chance to be a father or not. I couldn't allow you to miss that chance."
"No. I know you couldn't. And I do understand why you did what you did. But when even Philip can't live with Melissa, I don't see how we can carry on. She would kill me if she knew I was here now, talking to you. She would threaten me with everything. Because she saw it as a choice between you and her. She doesn't understand what you gave up for Sophie. She just thinks that she has won."
"Then tell me what we are meant to do Eddie? Because we could come up with a plan of action and then she might ask you to choose again or worse, she could run off again. Sophie isn't missing out on her father because of me."
"And I spend a lifetime wishing I was with you? Probably telling Sophie all about her Auntie Rachel behind Melissa's back?" He sighed. "I can't do that Rachel. These last few months have been draining, to say the least. I haven't told Melissa about Stephen but I jump at every noise and the nights when I can't sleep at all, I spend, watching Sophie's chest rise and fall."
"Eddie."
"You deserved to know about Stephen. Melissa will never."
She had tried to push down her feelings so much that she almost forgot how much she loved him.
"I wish this never happened."
"Same. I wish I was never an idiot on your first day back."
"Maybe I should have been more honest with you rather than just pushing you away. Waterloo Road hasn't been the same without you."
"What was Kim saying about Max?"
"Max Tyler. He basically told me that I couldn't do my job, tried to undermine me at every turn and tried to take the school from me. Obviously he didn't succeed. Philip actually played a role in that. I can't believe that he hasn't told you."
"I haven't asked and I think he equally knows that it is probably best not to talk about Waterloo Road around Melissa."
"Probably like I didn't ask about Sophie and he never said anything." She sighed. "I… I can't do this again."
"Can't do what?"
"I can't let you go." She whispered. "It's the only reason why I haven't contacted you. That whenever someone tells me to call you and talk to you, I know I can't do it. I let you go once. I don't think I have the strength to do it again."
"Then… we need to sit down with Melissa and we need to sort this mess out. Talk about it like civilised adults and work through it."
"Are you sure you know my sister?"
"True but… I can't watch you walk away again."
It was like Melissa knew what they were doing as she pushed her way through the pub and straight over to them. Rachel didn't even realise that she had Sophie with her until after she handed her over to Eddie. Philip and Tom weren't far behind Melissa but it had already spoiled the mood.
"This is rather cosy, isn't it?" Melissa said. "So how long has this been going on for? Hmm. I mean every time you have said that you are going out with friends, have you been meeting up with her instead?"
"No, this is the first time."
"Really?"
"Tom asked me whether I would be up for a drink. I honestly thought I was going out with a friend before Kim dragged me over here and sat me down and told us to talk."
"Very convenient."
Rachel found herself just shaking her head. She looked up to see Sophie staring at her, probably wondering who she was. It just reminded her again of what she had missed out on.
"Look, I'll get us a round of drinks and maybe we can talk about this," Eddie said.
"You are meant to be here for me and Sophie."
"And what about Rachel? Who is meant to be there for her?"
It was the first time Melissa looked at her and Rachel couldn't wait for what was going to come out of her mouth.
"Rachel can look after herself."
"Really?" Tom said.
"Tom, we don't need to do this here." Rachel said.
"No. Because part of all of this is because of what happened earlier in the week. Philip probably hasn't told you, because it seems like you don't care but Rachel was almost killed this week when some nutter decided to kidnap their daughter. He blew up the caravan that your sister and the student had just escaped from. We could all be here having drinks after her funeral instead of what is happening now. I don't know why Rachel wanted you at the school, but she did. Something we won't understand. I don't have the greatest relationship with my brother, bearing in mind he lives in Australia, but yours is another thing altogether."
"You never grew up with her."
"I was nine when Mum told me to look after you. Not you and Dad, just you. And that is all I have tried to do. Every decision I made as a child was to look after you." Rachel said.
"That's right. Blame everything on me."
"I'm not blaming you. I blame myself. I blame Mum for constantly running off. I blame Dad because he was a drunk. I have never blamed you for anything that happened. I have only wanted to look after my little sister because that was what I was supposed to do and I didn't."
Rachel was only acutely aware that she had just spoken more about her childhood in the last minute than she had done since she was Amanda. The not amazing time that was her childhood. How could Melissa not see the sacrifices that she made for her?
"You left me to pick up the pieces. You just left like Mum did. Grandma and Granddad took me in afterwards. Everyone disowned you."
"I don't blame them. It is why I couldn't be Amanda Fenshaw any more. Amanda made way too many mistakes. Rachel wouldn't make the same mistakes."
It was like Melissa had finally got whatever grievances that she had out of her system. Rachel could tell that Eddie had tried to turn his attention to Sophie to try and give them a bit of space.
"I'll go and get us some drinks." Rachel continued. "Maybe we can sort this out."
Eddie couldn't deny it. Rachel would make a brilliant mother if she was given the chance. The way that she held Sophie and bounced her while humming some tune to get her to calm down just made him fall that little bit more in love with her. They would always have to return back to the house that he shared with Melissa. Mainly just for Sophie's sake.
It took her a while to notice him staring but she gave him the widest smile when she did.
"How long have you been there?"
"Long enough to know that you would be an amazing mum."
"Flattery doesn't get you everywhere Lawson."
"I never thought it did."
They ended up smiling at each other before Melissa entered the room.
"So how are we going to do this? Are you two just going to pick up where you left off or start again? What does this mean for Sophie? Who is oddly content with you Rach."
"Is she not usually?" Rachel asked.
"Not with someone that she has only met once."
"Maybe she just knows that I am family."
"Maybe. So?"
"I think the best course of action would be to just… see how things go." Eddie said. "I'll still live here for the time being, so I can help you with Sophie…"
"Who is most important in all of this," Rachel added.
"And then just see how it goes. We will have to book nights off in advance. And we will just have to get used to having another person around the house on the odd occasion. At the very least, Sophie does deserve the chance to meet her auntie."
"Especially now that I've met her. I missed out with Philip. I don't really want to miss out with Sophie as well."
"What so, in the end, Sophie can go 'this is my mum, my dad and my dad's girlfriend/my auntie'?" Melissa said.
"Whether it happens now or sometime in the future or never, the situation is always going to be a weird one. We have all made mistakes. But that is the situation. I've… I've wanted to call you both so many times. I… I just don't want to be on my own anymore."
Eddie nodded. "I get what you mean."
"We could make this crazy situation work for all three of us. No, it isn't going to be easy. But I don't think that the alternative is any better. We could make this work. And Eddie, I know what I said to you. You don't need to remind me."
"I'm just glad that you want to give this a go."
Would everything be okay? Who knew. But there was a chance that it could work between them all and it was worth a shot. Because the alternative had been bad. This way couldn't be any worse.
