Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed (and those who were concerned, you're all very sweet!). I hope this one lives up to expectations! x

"You look like you're ready for bed already."

Rachel didn't bother to lift her head from her hand at the sound of Kim's voice, merely letting out a hum of agreement. "I wish."

The other woman studied her with a frown, coming into the office and closing the door behind her. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Rachel." Exasperation leaked into Kim's tone. A blind man could have seen something was bothering the headteacher, but she was so stubborn.

Rachel sighed, and finally looked up at her. "You always seem to end up on the receiving end of my problems."

"That's what friends are for. Now what's going on?"

For a moment, Rachel hesitated, debating over whether to tell her. But Kim was patiently sat, looking so expectant and she could do with an outside opinion… plus wasn't she always being told she needed to open up more? "It's Eddie," she admitted quietly, and there wasn't a trace of surprise on Kim's face.

"What did he do?"

"He's a jealous arse."

It was said so calmly, so deadpan that it took Kim a second to process it, before she snorted in laughter. "Eddie's jealous? Of what?"

"Who," Rachel corrected, leaning her head back. "And Chris, originally."

"He was jealous of Chris?"

Rachel gave a faint smile, and a brief rundown of everything that had happened with the two men. "It was amusing at first, and kind of sweet," she admitted. "Then went to being annoying. And now… it's almost a joke between us. At least it was, until Adam turned up."

Kim looked mystified. "Adam?"

Rachel looked sheepish. "I went to school with him. He knew me as Amanda, so before he took the job I had to explain… everything."

The other woman stiffened, amusement falling from her face. "Did he say something?"

"The opposite." Even as she said it, relief and warmth swirled within her. "He… didn't even flinch. Just commented how a lot made sense now. Only Eddie freaked out because he didn't take it that well when he found out. And then when Adam and I were trapped together the other day, he sort of… insinuated some things and I told Eddie, more as an amusing story than anything but he took it completely the wrong way."

"He thinks Adam's into you?" Kim wasn't sure whether to be amused or exasperated.

Rachel flushed red. "He is," she admitted, cringing and Kim's eyes grew three sizes bigger. "That's what he insinuated. And then when Eddie was picking me up last night, Adam happened to make a joke just as he pulled up. I was laughing, and when we got home, Eddie and I got into it. He told me that I'm blind when it comes to Adam and I can't see what's he trying on with me, I called him a jealous prat and said he needs to grow up… it didn't go down particularly well."

Kim was struggling not to laugh. "Is Adam trying it on with you?"

"No!" Rachel waved her hand. "I made it clear I wasn't interested. He was just being friendly. Eddie's just… ever since we've been back together, it's like he's terrified he's going to lose me."

Kim shrugged. "That's understandable, I guess. You two have been through a lot, and he did sort of lose you, in some ways?"

"But not to another man," Rachel exclaimed, throwing her hand up. "I've not even dated anyone else since I met Eddie, not properly! If he was worried about my safety or me doing something stupid, I could understand it. But this? It makes no sense."

"Maybe that's just how Eddie is?"

"He wasn't like it with Melissa." Rachel rubbed her temples. "Contrary to what it must seem like, I don't actually like fighting with him. Even if it does seem like that's all we do, sometimes."

"The two of you are more in love than any couple I've ever met." Kim's voice was quiet, and she had a gentle expression as Rachel flicked her eyes up to look at her.

Rachel stilled, cheeks going pink. "He's it for me, Kim," she said softly. "I realise how that sounds, but-,"

"It sounds lovely," she interrupted, and Rachel smiled.

"Now how do I convince him of it?"

"Oh, I have no idea. Men are an entirely different species."

Rachel made the mistake of looking at her, and they both burst into giggles. At that moment, Chris chose to enter the office and came to an abrupt stop, glancing between them in confusion. "What's so funny?"

They only laughed harder.

Chris looked utterly baffled, hastily dropping off the paperwork he'd brought and retreating, leaving Rachel to begin packing up for the night. "So what are you going to do?" Kim questioned, leaning on her desk.

"Talk to him?" Rachel half shrugged as she stowed her laptop away. "Again. Not much else I can do."

"If you come in with a spring in your step, I'll know it went well."

"Kim!" Rachel grimaced. "Unnecessary."

The woman laughed. "See you tomorrow!"

"See you." She shook her head slightly, picked up her bag and flicked off the lights as she considered what she was going to do. She could always ignore it, she supposed, pretend the argument never happened and hoped he would go with it. It wasn't really their style though.

She was halfway to her car when her phone rang, and she found herself frowning when she saw the name on the screen. "Melissa?"

"Hi. I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"I'm just on my way to the car. Is something the matter?"

"No." Melissa was silent, and Rachel almost wondered if they'd been cut off.

"Mel?"

"Sorry. I just…"

Rachel struggled not to snap at her. "Melissa, what's wrong?"

"How many times did dad hit you?"

Rachel almost fell over, the question was blurted out so unexpectedly. She'd made it as far as the front steps, and now sat down with a bump as she tried to catch her brain and her mouth up. "Why on Earth would you ask me that?"

Melissa sniffled. "I started seeing a counsellor, like I said."

"You did?" There was no hiding the complete surprise in Rachel's voice. She had to admit, she'd assumed it would be another one of those things that Melissa said and never followed through with. For her to have actually done it… Rachel wasn't sure what to think.

"I mentioned that I'd realised I was like dad, and that was part of the reason I'd started," Mel continued. "So she started asking me about dad, and our relationship which of course led to you and… I'd never really thought about it before. You were the only one he hit."

Rachel's tone was bone dry. "I'm aware."

"How many times?"

For a long moment, there was silence as Rachel considered how to reply. She'd spent most of her life protecting her sister- maybe it was time she stopped. "I lost count."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why was it you? Why not me, or one of the boys?"

Rachel laughed bitterly. "Didn't you ever work it out? I look like mum. And I hated him, as much as he hated me."

"You never tried to love him."

"I never wanted to" she said fiercely. "I was old enough to remember, Mel. Remember him beating mum, remember him attempting to lash out at us. She used to protect us, allow him to hurt her instead. I remember him walking out on us, Mum cried for days. So no, I never tried to love him. He didn't deserve love."

Melissa was silent, but Rachel thought she could hear her breath hitching and she sighed. "When we were sent to live with him, you were his little princess. Such a daddy's girl," she said lowly. "All you'd ever wanted was a father. But I remembered, and I hated him for it and I wasn't shy about letting him know. That's why he took it out on me. Because I knew what he was and you didn't."

Melissa took a shuddering breath. "Did you hate me for it?"

"Of course not. You were a child."

Melissa let out a bitter laugh. "Rachel, so were you."

"I hadn't been a child in a long time," Rachel murmured, closing her eyes for a moment and all of a sudden couldn't bear to be a part of this conversation any longer. "Mel, I need to go. I'd like to get home sometime tonight. But… this therapy thing? It's good, Mel, really good."

"Love you, Rach."

Tears burned behind her eyes. "Yeah. You too."

She closed her phone, held it in her hand as she breathed deeply. The breeze was blowing, trees rustling and although she was aware of the sounds of cars in the distance it was peaceful here, in the little bubble her usually chaotic school sat in.

When she was fairly certain her legs could hold her, she pushed to her feet, barely remembering the walk to the car and subsequently climbing in and driving off. It wasn't until she was sat at a traffic light, that the sounds of laughter and shrieking had her blinking and focusing on the world around her. A little girl, swinging between her parents as they walked down the street, pure glee etched across her face.

Rachel found herself smiling. It was nice, she thought, to be reminded that not all families were broken as hers had been. Michael was with Alison for the next week, but for the first time she found herself half-wishing he wasn't as she watched the girl beam, the family moving further down the road until they were hidden by parked cars and other people. The light had turned green but she almost forgot to go, giving herself a shake when only the car in front of her pulling away broke her from her reverie. Focus, Rachel, you're driving. But the rest of the journey passed in a haze, and something twisted inside her when she found Eddie's car already sat on the driveway.

Eddie was easy enough to find, sat at the table with a pile of books to mark in front of him. She couldn't help the glimmer of a smile as she watched him, leant against the doorframe. He knew she was there, his pen hovering unmoving over the page and amusement had her smiling more widely, head resting against wood.

"You're staring at me."

She was. She pushed herself upright, came to wrap her arms around him from behind. "I love you."

He blinked, and sounded thoroughly confused. "I thought we were arguing?"

"We are."

"Oh."

She was glad he couldn't see her smile, simply tightened her arms around him. His hand came up to press over hers. "You know, this isn't how we usually argue."

"Problem?"

He turned his head, met her gaze and faltered when he saw what was there. All warmth and softness and none of the anger or irritation he'd been expecting when he heard her walk into the house. He swallowed thickly. "None at all..."

She sighed. "You're an idiot," she informed him, "but you're my idiot."

He huffed in amusement. Her thumb ran across his cheek as she shifted to lean on the table, facing him and he caught hold of her hand, brought it to his lips. "Does this mean you're not angry with me anymore?"

Rachel slid her fingers through his, shook her head slightly. "I'm... exasperated. And a little confused, but no, I'm not angry."

That threw him. "Confused?"

She shrugged one shoulder, tilted her head. "Well, you weren't this jealous over Melissa. Not sure why you are over me."

He shifted out from under the table, pulled her down onto his lap. "Melissa didn't have other men chasing after her."

She couldn't help but laugh at that and roll her eyes. "No one is chasing after me," she told him, sliding her arms around his neck. "In fact, I'm pretty sure Chris and Kim are developing a thing for each other."

"Really?" He looked amused. "Good for them."

"And about Adam?" Her tone was soft, but she felt him tense against her. "I don't think you're right about him. But I will do my best not to be alone behind closed doors with him."

Well, didn't that make him feel like a prat. Eddie looked down, avoiding her eyes. "You don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do." Fingers on his chin brought his gaze up to meet hers. "If it puts your mind at ease, then I do."

Guilt swirled within him. "You know it's not you I don't trust, right?"

"Of course. Just my judgement." She saw his face change. "That was a joke." Mostly, she added silently. Eddie still didn't look entirely happy and she blew out a breath, absently playing with his hair. "This is a partnership, right?" She threw the words they'd both said before back at him. "Which means that if it makes you more comfortable that I'm not in a closed room with someone, then that's what I'll do. No matter how ridiculous you're being."

The teasing worked- he quirked a smile, raising his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. "You're pretty perfect, you know that?"

She burst into laughter. "I'm really not."

"Agree to disagree," he murmured, and the tone of his voice had her breath catching in her throat. She couldn't have stopped herself from leaning in to kiss him, even if she'd tried.

"You know what we can agree on?" Her voice was breathless, she'd barely drawn back enough to have space to speak and it took him a second to find his tongue.

"What's that?"

"That going to bed angry with each other is really, really rubbish." She captured his lips again, and again, pressing as closely to him as their current position allowed.

"Completely agree," he mumbled against her mouth, once he'd managed to process what she'd said. It was harder than it should have been. "You know what else we can agree on?"

His lips trailed down her throat and she had to force herself to focus, blinking hard. "What's that?"

"That we should make up for it." Without any more warning, he scooped her up into his arms as he rose to his feet and she squealed with laughter and shock, making Eddie grin at the uncharacteristic sound. He didn't have time to enjoy it for long, however- her mouth found his again, and suddenly it was taking all his concentration just to make it to the bedroom without dropping her.

W.R.

It was a while later that they were sprawled over each other in content silence. Rachel's weight rested against Eddie as he drew absent circles on her hip, his other hand interlinked with hers. Her eyes were closed, languishing in this feeling for as long as she could even as her mind swirled with the conversation with Melissa, Kim's words, Eddie and Adam and Chris, the school.

She opened her eyes lazily as a breeze from the window blew across her, and her gaze fell on her dressing table, where a certain duck figurine had a new home following a close call with Michael and a ball the week before. She blinked slowly, wet her lips.

"Eddie?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember that conversation we had about... about children?"

He stilled. She was fairly certain he'd stopped breathing, hand motionless against her. "Yes?"

"I think... I'm not saying right now. Or even anytime soon, but..."

He was certain his heart was beating so loudly she could hear it. "But?"

She tilted his head up to look at him, almost couldn't breathe at the glimmer of pure hope and want in his eyes. She swallowed, mouth dry. "Someday?"

For a split second, he didn't react. And then, almost against his will, a smile began to spread across his face, joy exploding within him and without warning he rolled them over, ending up hovered above her as he kissed her fiercely. She laughed against him, fingers threading through his hair as he pulled back, beaming down at her. "I can live with someday."

She smiled at him, and was even surer of her decision in the face of his overwhelming happiness. He'd been hiding this, she realised. Hiding just how much he wanted this. Her thumb brushed against his cheek, smiling as he kissed her again and again, until they were both breathless and lightheaded.

Eventually, Eddie collapsed next to her, legs entwined and pressed so closely it was hard to tell where each began and ended. He absently played with her hair, running the strands through his fingers. "Why now?"

She shrugged, tracing a finger over his arm. "Various things, I think, that have been building up for a while. But on the way home tonight, there was this family- a little girl laughing with her parents. And... I realised I want that. I want to have that with you."

"I want that too."

They smiled at each other, but before either could say anything else, the moment was broken by Eddie's stomach rumbling loudly. Rachel laughed. "Dinner time?"

His cheeks were hot, and he shrugged sheepishly as they unwound from each other and climbed out of bed. Eddie pulled his clothes from earlier on, but when he looked up, the room was suddenly void of air. Rachel had grabbed one of his old t-shirts, oversized and worn out, and big enough to basically hide the thin shorts she sometimes wore to bed. But she seemed oblivious to the effect she'd had on him, pulling her hair back into a loose bun and throwing her clothes in the washing basket in the corner. "Did you fancy anything in particular?" she asked absently, and he couldn't help himself.

"You."

She looked around at him, startled, before she burst into laughter and rolled her eyes. "Thank you. I did mean for dinner, though."

"Do we have any of that chicken left?"

"I'll have to check."

It turns out, they did, and they got to work, dancing around each other as they cooked. At one point, Rachel flicked the radio on while Eddie got a bottle of wine out the fridge, pouring each of them a glass. When he turned, Rachel was moving in time with the music as she stirred the vegetables, not quite dancing but not far off. "Can you add red apples to the shopping list while you're there?" she said over her shoulder. "We're out, and I know Michael likes them."

She really was perfect, Eddie thought. Swaying in the kitchen wearing his clothes, having just worked a full day with teenagers but still remembering to buy a certain food just for his son. And she had no idea, he knew, no clue just how extraordinary she was. Gods, he wanted her to marry her.

The thought had sprung to life before he could stop it, could stop himself from getting his hopes up. But he'd barely had time to think of scolding himself, when with a sinking feeling he saw that Rachel had spun around to look at him, face etched with a stunned expression. "What did you just say?"