Thank you for the reviews.
Now here is where I have had some real fun. Creating 4 little AU series 5 situations where Eddie comes back into Rachel's life. You can thank me later. Plus you are in for a real treat with some rather long chapters.
I know what I said. Sometimes names stick. And trust me. Eddie and Melissa's child was almost a girl called Sophie. I just didn't fit for this story... for some reason. So for a little change in that aspect.
But mainly big changes all around.
Series 5 Episode 7
"Don't play the victim, Rachel. It doesn't suit you."
She couldn't shut the door quick enough after Max moved and she twisted the key in the lock to give her another line of defence against him. She really didn't know how much longer she could do this for and the way that he had her up against the wall sent her back to a time when someone else had backed her in a corner. At least with Stuart she had a little bit more fight in her. With Max, she felt like she was fighting a losing battle.
With the prospect that he might come back and that she didn't really want to be alone with her thoughts, she grabbed her phone and called the only person she could rely on. She hoped that he would pick up but he didn't.
"This is Philip Ryan. Please leave me a message. Or text me. That might be a better option."
She didn't leave her a message but she searched her phone, looking for a name that would bring her some comfort. It was the only reason she could come up with as to why she automatically pressed his name.
There was always a hope that he might not pick up but after the third ring, he did.
"Rachel?"
The concern in his voice was what struck her first. Secondly, it was his voice. This was the last number she should have called.
"Eddie… I… I'm sorry. I… I shouldn't have called."
"Rachel? What's happened?"
"Nothing's happened."
"I don't think you would have called me if nothing has happened."
"Eddie…"
"Rach, I know we haven't seen each other in months. But… I do still care about you. What's happened?"
"I need you."
"Give me five minutes and I'll be straight over."
"Eddie." She said before she paused. "When you get here… make sure I can see you from the window by the front door."
"Will do. I'll be there soon."
"Okay." She whispered as he hung up.
Eddie Lawson was the last person she should have called but yet, she had. And now he was coming over.
The idea that Eddie was coming round went from being the one of the worst ideas that Rachel had ever had to being the worst idea Rachel had ever had. It took her a few moments to actually go to the door and when he was standing in the window, like she asked him to, she could feel her nerve leave her.
This was a bad idea and a disaster waiting to happen.
Yet she opened the door and let him in, closing and locking it behind him.
"Sorry." She said.
"No need to apologise. You sounded really shaken up on the phone."
"I tried to call Philip."
"He is out with Ros."
"Ros. She is a lovely girl."
"I think she is waiting for Philip to make his move."
"I think she would have to stand there with a sign above her head saying 'kiss me'. And even then he wouldn't get the hint."
"Not like Melissa in that respect."
"Definitely not. Never met his father so… I don't know whether he gets it off him."
"Maybe it is his auntie that he gets it off of."
"Maybe." She sighed. "But at least they are getting on."
"Rach, tell me what is going on?"
She felt her lips tremble as she started to come up with the words to tell him. She wrapped her dressing gown around her, regretting not going to get changed.
"Should you… you know?"
"In the dog house. Which, if she finds out about this, I doubt I will be seeing Charlie for a while."
"Charlie?"
"Your new nephew. Should have guessed that Philip wouldn't have said anything. Charles James Lawson. Melissa was very particular that he was definitely a Lawson."
"You should be used to being in the dog house."
"I know. Just… I know what you gave up for me to have this chance and… I want to be a father to Charlie. She just doesn't give me the chance. I don't think she ever understood." He sighed. "Now are you going to tell me the reason why you called me or are we just going to stand in the hallway and exchange pleasantries?"
It was then, as Rachel relaxed, that she realised that her bad idea might not have been as bad as she first thought. If anything, she would get someone else's opinion on matters.
"You know, for the first time in a long time, I am actually dreading going to school." Rachel said as Eddie pulled up a distance away from the school.
"I don't blame you."
"I don't need you steamrolling in. I'm sure Christopher will ask me about it."
"Christopher?"
"The new deputy."
"The?"
"Sorry?"
"You used to say that I was your deputy."
"Yeah, well when I don't feel like the head of the school anymore it is a little harder to think of Christopher as just the deputy of the school."
"Or I am just the only deputy you have ever wanted or needed."
She glanced over at him before she smiled. "Not going to work Lawson."
"Come on. I can't be in the dog house with both of you."
"You need to be the one to tell her."
"She is your sister."
"Who I haven't seen since she turned up five months pregnant."
"Why did I think that line would work on you?"
"Is that why Melissa told me about you two?"
"She thought that you had me wrapped around your little finger. Just because I told her to do it sensitively."
"You need to do this Eddie. And then we will pick the pieces up again. But right now, I have got a management meeting from hell."
"Well you battle Max, I'll take on Melissa." He paused. "Rachel, might it be worth telling Tom. You know he has always been trustworthy."
"Maybe. I'll see you later."
"You will."
"And you better get out of here before anyone sees you. You know what the rumour mill is like here."
"Yes, Miss."
She flashed him a smile before she got out of his car and ready herself for the day ahead.
Telling Chris was a good thing. He was practically asking her anyway. And Tom joining the conversation wasn't a bad shout either.
"I knew that Max had a temper but… Are you okay?" Chris said.
"What's going on?" Tom asked.
"Max went around her house and pushed her."
"Look, I don't particularly want to be alone in a room with him and it has shaken me. But…" Rachel said before Chris interrupted her.
"Well, you won't be. Not till I've put him straight about a few things, anyway."
"Chris. I don't want you to get involved. I don't need another deputy that just steamrolls into things. It was bad enough this morning."
"What was bad enough this morning?"
Rachel glanced over at Tom. "I… might have called… Eddie. After it happened. Because I didn't want to be on my own. He… stayed all weekend and dropped me off this morning."
"Who's Eddie?"
"That's brilliant Rachel. I mean. It is good, isn't it?" Tom said.
"Sort of. He is telling Melissa today that… we want to see whether we can make it work. The most important person in all this is Charlie and that is who, at least, me and Eddie have in mind. Plus, I am sure that Eddie would want him to know about me anyway."
"It won't be easy."
"Was getting over him? Tom… Something has been missing this term and it has just taken one phone call for me to realise what is missing. I've really missed him." She paused. "And I still love him."
Her phone buzzed and she got it out of her pocket. She opened the message from Eddie and could only smile and turn her phone to them.
"Baby Charlie."
She had already seen the father in Tom many times but it surprised her to see that even Chris showed a little of his paternal side.
"Eddie has spoken to Melissa and he is going to pick me up later for us all to discuss what happened."
"Is that a good thing? I don't really know Melissa like you do." Tom asked.
"Maybe. We will see. Might just be all an act."
"Is someone going to explain to me what happened and who Eddie and Melissa are?" Chris said.
Rachel turned to him. "Okay. This is a story of stupidity, loneliness and selfishness. I'm the stupid one, Eddie was the lonely one and Melissa… Melissa has always been the selfish one."
It was clear that the way that conversation started up naturally between her and Eddie, wasn't going to happen with the addition of Melissa. Eddie had made them all coffee and Rachel was trying to work out what was the right thing to say. Was it up to her to start things off?
They all listened to the front door opening and closing and it wasn't one of them to break the silence, but Philip.
"So the rumours are true then." He said as him and Ros stood at the entrance to the kitchen. "Danielle and Aleesha saw you get out of Eddie's car this morning."
"Of course it had to be those two." Rachel said.
"They did think that it might mean that he might come back. I said probably not."
"Well, if you answered your phone," Melissa said.
"Is this really how we are going to start this?"
"How are we meant to start it, Rachel?"
"I don't expect you to be jumping with joy or anything."
"Good."
"But… we think it can work." She said as she looked up at Eddie. "And I want to make it work. I… need someone by my side. I got used to that house being noisy. It is… a little too quiet now."
"And I don't see why we have anything to do with it."
"Mum!"
"What Philip?"
"I'll come back and live with you then," Philip said to Rachel.
"Philip, that is not a solution." Rachel said.
"But Charlie introducing his mum, dad and his auntie/dad's girlfriend is one," Melissa said.
"Philip, what's going on?" Ros asked as they all fell silent.
"I'll tell you upstairs."
Silence fell between them once more and Rachel was sure that they probably weren't going to sort this out. That all the talking that she had done with Eddie over the weekend would have been for nothing. The nights just another memory to add to the others that she had of her short-lived relationship with Eddie.
"Have you seen Max bullying her?" Eddie said.
"Eddie."
"Mr Tyler has always liked to be in control," Ros said.
"Tyler does seem to always take over when there is a speech to give. Rach, all you have to do is let me tell Bolton and I am sure the student body will protect you."
"Don't do that Philip. You know Bolton already has a black mark next to his name after the whole Amy Porter thing. Max is trying to find a reason to throw him out."
"What about Campbell? What is she saying about this all?"
"Kim thinks that I am making it all up. She thinks that I just don't want to get on with him and it has been made even worse when they started going out."
"Campbell and Tyler? Isn't she meant to be your friend?"
"Just leave it, Philip. Bad enough I had Chris saying that he would have words with Max and I think Tom is hovering over me now as well."
"You told them?" Eddie said.
"What did Chris say? I've seen rottweilers with less bite than you three in there today. Kinda just came out."
"Also has Hopeless Hopewell left?" Philip said.
"Oh, I wish I knew that earlier."
"Knew what?"
"You call her Hopeless Hopewell. Yes, she has. Turns out she… can't teach to save her life."
"We could have told you that."
Charlie's cries stopped the conversation going any further and Rachel could only smile at how eager Eddie was to go and attend to his son. All the heartbreak was worth that moment. She could tell that Ros wanted to leave the conversation ages ago but it seemed like Philip wasn't done with them.
"Rach… Mum. I want you to swap personalities. Mum, I want you to be as selfless as possible and Rach, I want you to be as selfish as possible. It is the only way we are going to sort out this mess."
Her eyes flick to Melissa and she knew that they both knew that Philip was right.
"Rachel, give him here. You two should get off to bed. You both have work in the morning." Melissa said as she got off the sofa.
Rachel passed Charlie to her and she found herself sighing into the sofa next to Eddie. It wasn't like Charlie was screaming the place down, he just wasn't going to sleep.
"Don't remind me. Although, I think after today, me and Max are on a better understanding."
"Really?" Eddie said.
"Yeah. The reason Helen was Max's star pupil was because he slept with her. I… didn't really expect that she would have left me their sex tape but… at least, I have something against him."
"Honestly Rach, you should just tell him to sling his hook," Melissa said.
"I wish. It isn't like I haven't given him the chance as well. I just don't think he is right for Waterloo Road."
"Do you want me to go in and sort him out?"
"And as the third person to ask me that, no. I am dealing with it. Although anything could happen. Got to go to court next week with one of the students. Hopefully, we can get her mum off for murdering her dad."
"Sounds like a big ask to me," Eddie said.
"I still think she is hiding something. Like she hasn't told me the whole story yet."
"And I am going to be Mum and send you two off to bed. You both have school in the morning and it is late enough as it is. We can discuss this all tomorrow. Go on, go."
Rachel turned to Eddie before she laughed. This was all so surreal to her. It only took one phone call for not only Eddie to be back in her life but the chance to rebuild the relationship she had with Melissa while building one with Charlie. She had gone from feeling so lonely to thinking that everything that was happening at Waterloo Road wasn't actually as bad as it first seemed.
Maybe things would work out between the three of them and their weird little family might work out for all of them. At the very least to make it seem like no one was on their own.
