Thank you for the reviews.

Don't know why this happened but, maybe, it might have happened if Ralph didn't show up so soon...


Series 4 Episode 5

"Oh, come on Mel, you're not saying you feel threatened by me?"

"I'm being paranoid, aren't I?"

"Yes."

If anything, it both amazed Rachel and worried her that Melissa had that thought. Rachel knew that she was slowly losing Eddie but she only had herself to blame. If she had spoken to Eddie properly, she was sure that he would have waited for her. Instead, he had started a relationship with Melissa and Rachel had to tell herself that she was happy for them because they were happy. She had blown her shot.

"Especially now you've got Ben. Is he the one?"

No, he is not. Rachel thought. The misunderstanding had really gone on for too long and she almost told Melissa that they had split up.

"Who knows?" She ended up saying before leaving her sister to it.

It was going to be a long day with Ralph being about. The less she had to deal with Eddie and Melissa, the better. The less she saw of them together, the better as well. But then she had to remind herself that it was her fault.


"Melissa tells me you and Ben are getting serious. Are there wedding bells in the air?"

"Oh, for goodness sake." She said as they entered her office before saying a quick hello to Joyce. "There's no wedding in the air or anywhere else for that matter."

"So, she's making it up then?"

"Do you want the truth?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Melissa keeps… she keeps hounding me about my love life, so I let her believe Ben and I were together so she wouldn't try to fix me up. That was all it was about."

"Really?"

She liked how he sounded relieved. She was annoyed at her sister for talking about her to Eddie. It wasn't really for Melissa to stick her nose in. But it was a very Melissa thing to do.

"God knows how many times she has tried to set me up. She would have definitely sat me down during that speed dating if… if she thought that I didn't have someone."

"She just wants you to be happy Rach."

"I know. And I keep reminding myself that but… she just doesn't understand that if it is meant to be, then it will be. I'm not someone to rush into things… like she does."

It was the little knowing glance that Eddie gave her that reminded her of what she was missing after she pushed him away. Maybe he was finally understanding why she did what she did. Maybe he was finally realising her mistake.

"Can you continue to be honest with me? Does me and Melissa bother you?"

She started to shake her head, the accustomed answer she would give to that question. How could she answer that question honestly without breaking his heart again?

"I didn't… realise we would drift as much as we have. Eddie… First and foremost, you are my friend. Then you are my deputy. I need you just as much by my side as you are by Melissa's."

"You can't do it can you."

"Do what?"

"Be selfish."

"Sorry?"

"Just tell me that it is bothering you. Because it obviously is."

"Eddie…"

It was the worst place for it to happen but he closed the distance between them and cupped her face as he kissed her. Rachel willed herself not to kiss back but it was something she had dreamt about multiple times before the fire and their lips just seemed to mould into each other. Her hands went to his blazer and tried to pull him closer. It was better than her daydreams. Much better.

She refused to let go of his blazer as they parted. If she could convince herself that this was all a daydream, then the crushing realisation that Eddie had cheated on her sister with her wouldn't hit her.

The door to the antechamber opened and they jumped apart. The relief that it was only Ralph was only small but at least it wasn't Melissa. It would be just Rachel's luck that it would have been Melissa to walk through the door after she had kissed her boyfriend.

"Thought I'd bring it in myself so there is no confusion," Ralph said as he handed over the envelope.

With just one look at Eddie, she knew that they would be talking about what had just happened later.


Eddie knew that she was annoyed at him. Whether it was just because of what had been revealed about him being pro-drugs in his early twenties or the kiss earlier, he knew that he couldn't say anything right and he could kick himself when he asked her whether she had never done anything she regretted. He felt like a right idiot and he knew that Flick and Ralph being at her door wasn't going to improve her mood.

If anything, Eddie was slightly revealed by the revelation that Ralph had swapped the test results. It meant that Ralph wouldn't be on Rachel's back any more. Plus that Marley was the decent boy that she thought he was.

As soon as Ralph and Flick left, he knew he had to say something. Otherwise, Rachel would run from him before they had the chance to talk.

"About earlier?"

"Eddie."

"We have to talk about it, Rachel."

"I don't actually know what is worse."

"Sorry?"

"I am her sister. Admittingly, we don't have the best of relationships... We… I pretty much just tolerate her because I want to be in Philip's life and she is blind to everything that I am feeling. You… you are her boyfriend. I don't care that she hates me. I care if she hates you."

He watched her as she clasped her hands in front of her face and rested her head against her hands, closing her eyes in the process. The conflict in her was obvious.

"Why not tell me that it was bothering you?"

"Because you were happy. Because I had accepted my mistake."

"But shouldn't you be happy?"

"Maybe it is what I deserve."

"Rachel, you deserve all the happiness in the world."

"Really?"

"Of course."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. She looked like she might have stood up but instead, she leant back in her chair. Eddie didn't think he was quite ready for what she was going to say.

"So if I told you that night that there was something between us but I wasn't ready for it. That I knew how unready I was to come back. The fact… that I should have known it because I couldn't stop my hands from shaking or the way that I almost had a panic attack in the foyer or… how I wanted to enjoy the chants of one Miss Mason when I couldn't. Because I'd had so many bad dreams about returning that I couldn't let myself believe that the school actually wanted me."

"I don't think Melissa has been the only one that has been blind." He sighed. "I should know you better. I should have not pushed you the way I did that night. I should have expected the outcome that you gave. Rach…"

"What I should have stuck around? I keep replaying the words that you said over and over again. Still wonder whether you meant any of them."

He felt like a right idiot and winced slightly at her words. His thing with Melissa should have never got to the stage that it had done. His thing with Melissa should have been a drunken one night mistake, if it was anything at all. He should have known that Rachel needed time.

"Made your point. I've been an idiot." He said.

"I'm not saying that."

"No, but it is the truth."

"What happened earlier… should never have happened."

"So how is hiding your feelings going? Because… if you didn't have any for me, you wouldn't have kissed me back. You wouldn't be angry at me and yourself. She is going to work it out."

"And I said that she shouldn't feel threatened by me."

"Look, I've made things worse. Let me try and sort it."

"How are you going to sort this? Without putting both of us in the firing line."

"I'll sort it."

"Goodbye to any relationship I had with my sister." She said with a roll of her eyes.

"So is this you, finally admitting that you feel something for me?"

"I thought you had already made your mind up about that."

"Maybe I just need you to confirm it."

"Yes. I feel something or fancy you or whatever term you want to use."

"Then let me sort this. Okay? Because you aren't the only one to make a mistake."

He had this feeling that she was going to just leave it at that. So it surprised him when she stood up and placed herself in front of him. He hadn't expected her to repeat his earlier movements but he wasn't going to complain as Rachel kissed him. His arms wrapped around her waist and he couldn't help but feel like certain things happened for a reason. Because kissing Rachel Mason was nothing like kissing Melissa. Kissing Rachel Mason was so much more magical.