Thank you for the reviews.

So... the UK is in lockdown... fine... brilliant... still wish I knew what was happening regarding my job... but how about I give this to you two days early? Because I don't really have anything better to do and maybe it is needed in this crazy time.

I mentioned last chapter that I think I only came up with that chapter because of this one... In short, this is part 2 of me rewriting Tom's death... because, as I said on Twitter, Why the hell did they kill off Tom Clarkson?


Hello? Can I Help You?

"Hello? Can I help you?"

The familiar voice saying something that she realised was the first words that she ever said to him. It just meant that she had someone else to help her. Someone else that she trusted.

Rachel turned to Tom and could see the smile that was threatening to break out. She knew why he had said them now.

"Lost parent?"

"I suppose you could play that card." He smiled widely at her. "Rachel Mason has returned to Waterloo Road."

"I'm glad that you have never left."

"There is no other school like Waterloo Road."

"I can agree with you there."

Rachel couldn't stop herself from clearing the distance between them and gave him a hug. So many staff members had come and gone, he must be slightly relieved to see faces that he knew.

"Is it?" She asked as they pulled back.

"I thought that was the reason you were here. I didn't think that you would be here for any other reason."

"My Izzie."

"I've kept it from him though. That Tommy is in the school. I wanted him to work it out. He looks so much like you."

"Thanks, Tom."

"Shall we reunite you two?"

Rachel found herself only being able to nod at him. For the first time in 13 years, she was going to be face to face with Eddie again.


They had only just arrived in the antechamber when the secretary spoke.

"Eddie has asked not to be disturbed."

"Believe me, Georgina, he would want to be disturbed for this."

Rachel put her hand on Tom's arm to stop him from heading into the office. She gave him a smile before she took the few steps to the open office door and was glad that Eddie's head was still down. She steadied herself for a moment before she called out.

"What's wrong with this picture?"

Eddie stopped writing as soon as she started talking. It took him a few moments to look up at her with the biggest smile on his face.

"Rachel."

"Sorry, couldn't resist it." She said as he stood up.

"Just been taken back to 2008, that's all."

"That was the plan."

A smile broke out on his face and there was no other way that she could greet him again after all this time than a hug. She held onto him tightly, finally finding the comfort that she had been craving for quite some time.

"Wait, how…" Eddie started as they pulled back.

Rachel knew the question he wanted to ask and she knew that if she started talking that she might never stop. She turned to Tom and noticed her son standing in the doorway.

"That's how." She said as she nodded towards Tommy.

"So it's definitely him?" Tommy said.

Tom turned to him. "I told you that yesterday."

"I know. Just, I didn't have the chance to ask Mum to confirm."

"Confirm what?" Eddie said.

"That you were Mum's deputy."

Rachel turned back to Eddie. "I have… a lot to explain." She turned to Tom. "A lot has happened over the last 12 years."

She knew the look that Eddie was giving her without looking at him, and the look that Tom was giving her as well made her certain of her decision to tell them everything. These were two people that would stand by her no matter what. It was nice to have that feeling again.

"Coffee?" Eddie said.


Realistically, Eddie couldn't believe what Rachel was telling them. She had explained everything from the moment she left Waterloo Road to the moment she saw his signature on the bottom of the letter that had been sent out, with what she thought about Adam regarding Tommy and what she called that Christmas.

"Go on then Tom." Rachel said.

"I remember Rose talking about how controlling he was. Thinking about it more now, even Steph said something similar. Rachel… if we thought he was capable of this, I don't think any of us would have allowed you to go through with it."

"I don't even know what he is capable of. All I know is that… this place is back in our lives and he doesn't like it and… I can't… I can't put Tommy through that again and… I would never be able to live with myself if Adam did something to Tommy."

"I could have done something though," Eddie said. "I… I wish I asked Philip more questions."

"When?" She asked.

"When you got married. When Sophie and I went to see Philip that Christmas. There is twice that I could have stopped it."

"Eddie…"

"Rachel. I should have been there for you."

"And you had Sophie."

"Look how that worked out. I am 400 miles away from her because I can't stand Melissa. Waiting for the phone call for her to tell me that her mother has done what she does best and has disappeared. I love Sophie with everything, but me and Melissa should never have happened and… you shouldn't have been left to Adam."

"I don't want to be with him anymore. I… I just can't leave him."

"Then we will help," Tom said.

"I'm sure we must have some contact with some of the refuge centres in the area," Eddie said.

"I'll get onto Sarah."

"And any other advice." Eddie paused. "How protective can we get?"

Rachel laughed. "How do you mean?"

"Well at this moment in time, I don't know about Tom, but I really want to just… punch him."

Tom nodded his head in agreement. Eddie wanted to do more than just punch Adam. If he could he wanted to give him back some of the same pain that Adam had given Rachel.

"I… I just want the cycle to end. I don't want to do this anymore."

"We are here. Trust us."

He watched as Rachel turned to Tom before looking back at him.

"You two? Always."


"Sir?"

Tom turned to see Tommy standing at his door. School had been finished for a good five minutes, meaning that the halls were pretty much empty.

"Tommy, what can I do for you?"

"How much did Mum tell you?"

"Everything."

"So you know about that Christmas?"

"Yeah, we do."

"I… I'm scared he is going to do it again."

"And so is she. But we are going to sort this Tommy. Trust us."

"Might be worth mentioning that Mum is now a supply teacher. Dad won't like it if she comes back here but it might help Mum. Being somewhere that I know she loves, with you and Mr Lawson about as well."

"I don't think I will mention that to Eddie unless I have to. I don't think he will be too pleased that Rachel went from head of this place to a supply teacher."

"Mr Lawson. Eddie. He is a good guy, right?"

"Yes. Not setting your mum up already."

"I… I want her to be happy. She doesn't like it when her and Dad argue. I seem to be able to stop them but… it is where I get worried that he is going to do something like that Christmas."

"Tommy?"

"Sir… Mum… I mean… I suppose it was… her decision to have me."

"Where are you going with this?"

"She spoke about you a lot. Says you were the best teacher she has ever worked with."

"You mentioned that yesterday."

"Was… Was she like a mum to some of the pupils? Like she said you were a dad to some of them."

"I suppose she was. It was something me and Eddie agreed on earlier. We thought she would always make a great mother."

"Dad… Dad says stuff to me. I… just never want Mum to find out."

"What stuff?"

"Like he wishes that I was never born."

Tom was speechless. He hadn't felt that way for a while. This young boy was holding that from his mother and he was still a decent kid.

"Tommy." He said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "We know Adam isn't the greatest person in the world and, at this rate, I'll have to stop Eddie from killing him."

"Is he that protective over Mum?"

"Oh yeah. But so am I. And you. You are part of that protectiveness."

"Why?"

Tom was glad that Tommy had managed to tell him at this early stage. Everything that Adam had said to him had definitely affected Tommy. This was a young boy who needed support.

"Because you are your mother's son and you are the world to her, therefore you are the world to us. We are going to sort this Tommy. Sooner rather than later, it will be over. And me and Eddie are going to be there every step of the way."

The way Tommy gave him a half-smile made Tom think about Josh and how he should probably give him a call after not hearing from him for a while. And the girls as well. It wasn't nice what he had found out but Tom knew the importance of it coming out sooner rather than later. At least Rachel could feel more in control of what was happening. It would be sorted. Because they were there for them.