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This is a 30 chapter story... so now the happiness kind of starts from here...

Chapter 27: Unexpected Wishes

Rachel barely slept that night, so neither did Eddie. What worried him was that she'd barely spoken about it, other than the mention of Christopher. But then he supposed that was down to the shock of everything. Eddie just longed to know everything that had happened, so that he could help her.

His eyes were shut, even though he knew there was no chance of sleep. Not as long as Rachel was feigning it.

Unexpectedly, Eddie felt an arm slide around his waist, and a head rest on his shoulder.

"Are you awake?" Rachel whispered into the room that was only just getting light.

"Yeah."

Any other time Eddie might have joked, made a silly comment as he spoke; something along the lines of 'what do you think,' accompanied with a grin. But he always tried to read situations in the right way, and didn't think that banter was what either of them currently needed.

"I'm sorry Eddie."

The admission shocked him, and Eddie turned on his side, looking into Rachel's eyes.

"What on earth for?"

"Going awol like I did. Maybe you're right, maybe I… maybe I can't save everyone."

"But you saved Bianka," he lifted an arm, brushing a lock of hair from Rachel's face.

Her eyes clamped shut, and Eddie didn't miss the tears that began to leak from them.

"I thought I was… we were… going to die."

A lone tear escaped his eye at Rachel's words, his blood cooling and transforming to ice. Eddie scooped her up into his arms, using all of his willpower to not squeeze onto her and never let go.

"But you didn't," he managed to get out in a choked tone, running a hand up and down Rachel's spine, "you're here with me. And I love you."

Her arms linked at the back of his neck as she buried her head deep in his chest.

"Thank you."

Eddie paused for a moment, "do you… want to talk about what happened?"

Rachel pulled back from him slightly, gazing up into Eddie's eyes as if she was searching for something. She obviously found what she was looking for as she took his hand and explained every last detail. Everything that had taken place in the caravan.

Eddie was sure that tears were streaming down his face by the end of it, even if he had tried to hide his emotion to stay strong for Rachel.

"I'm so sorry Rachel. That you had to go through that."

Her expression melted, hand coming up to wipe the tears away from his cheeks, "oh darling, don't be sorry."

"But I should have been there. By your side."

Rachel shook her head slowly and smiled faintly, "we can't think like that. You're the one who taught me not to think in what ifs and maybes."

Eddie wasn't sure how this had gone from him comforting Rachel to her comforting him; but as he too smiled faintly, he couldn't help but realise how much better she'd made him feel in a matter of seconds.

Rachel was truly remarkable.

Eddie intended to tell her exactly that, but she shot up out of his arms before he had a chance to speak, dashing towards their en suite.

His concern was automatic, and Eddie frowned, wincing as he followed Rachel to hear sounds of her being sick.

"Hey, sweetheart," he whispered as he held her hair back.

Rachel collapsed back into him, and she ended up sitting in his lap, Eddie running hands through her hair.

"Are you alright?"

"I… think so."

"Is that the first time you've been sick since yesterday?"

Eddie felt Rachel nod against him slowly.

His first concern was gas inhalation - what if this was something to do with yesterday's events in the caravan? Eddie knew that sickness was a symptom. Or was he thinking too much into this…

His mind was racing, until Rachel lifted herself off of his lap, coming to stand, prompting him to do the same.

To Eddie's surprise, she took his hands in hers, looking into his eyes.

"It's not what happened yesterday Eddie."

"Do you not think we should get you checked out? Just in case?"

"Eddie…"

The look in Rachel's eyes had him backtracking on persuading her to see a doctor. There was obviously more to this, and Eddie's curiosity along with worry heightened drastically.

"I'm late. My period… is four days late. And I…"

"You think you might be pregnant?"

Rachel bit her lip, "yes."

"Rachel," Eddie couldn't help the light chuckle, the bolt of happiness that shot through him at the possibility of a child, despite the events of the previous day that were hanging over them.

"I know it's not something that we've spoken about all that much."

"But is it something that you want?"

Rachel paused, tilting her head as her teeth returned to chew her lip, "I think so, yes. I know it's the worst timing in the world. And I… yesterday, knowing it as a possibility, it broke my heart."

Eddie took a step closer to Rachel, letting go of her hands to rest them lightly on her hips.

He planted a kiss to her temple, her forehead, the tip of her nose and, finally, the corner of her mouth.

"You're safe now."

"Eddie," Rachel pulled back slightly, linking her hands behind his neck as she looked up at him, "is it… is it something that you'd want?"

"Honestly, for me… with Stephen, it would be hard, once the baby is born. But then…absolutely. Having a mini you running around?" they shared a smile.

Rachel paused for a moment, running her hands up and down his arms, "I can understand that Eddie. About… Stephen."

"Thank you," he leant forwards, pressing a light kiss to her forehead, "I do know that you'd be a brilliant mum."

"Oh I don't know about that Eddie," Rachel averted her gaze from his, blushing.

"Rachel," he brushed a thumb over her cheek, "you would be."

Rachel smiled again, settling further into his arms, "why don't… why don't we go and buy a test?"

Eddie could do nothing but nod, his excitement extending with every second that passed.

But he was most happy about seeing the light back in Rachel's eyes, her expression joyous after having discussed her possible pregnancy with him. Eddie just hoped that this was the start of something wonderful for them, that things would only go up from here.

….

"This has to be the longest three minutes of my life," Rachel smiled slightly, glancing at Eddie as she rested against the sink, "how long has it been?"

He chuckled, "it's only been a minute."

Rachel was about to respond when the doorbell was heard ringing. She sighed before glancing at Eddie and making her way out into the hallway as he followed suit.

The police uniform was visible through the glass, and with that Rachel's curiosity only heightened. Despite everything, she had been so content just moments ago - the possibility of a child giving both her and Eddie the light at the end of the tunnel after the whole ordeal with Christopher.

Rachel just hoped, as she opened the door, that things weren't about to change for the worse.

"Rachel Mason?" the female officer asked, expression warm.

"Erm yes, that's me."

"Could we come in for a moment?" she paused, "I'm PC Blythe and this is PC Wayne," the woman continued, showing both of their ID badges.

"We've got some information regarding your brother, Christopher Fenshaw."

Rachel turned to Eddie, panic running through her body at the mention of her younger brother. She took some comfort from the warmth of Eddie's hand on the small of her back, just knowing that he would be there for her throughout all of this - whatever had happened. Whatever this information was.

"Come on through," Eddie spoke, leaving Rachel entirely grateful. She couldn't quite find the words.

"We have been informed by our forensics team, that Christopher Fenshaw's body wasn't found. Only Gary Vale's."

PC Blythe paused, obviously giving Rachel and Eddie a few moments to digest the information.

"There was a back entrance… to the caravan."

"Yes," PC Wayne nodded, "and Miss Mason, taking into account yours and Bianka Vale's statements, we sent out a search party for Mr Fenshaw."

"And?" Eddie spoke lightly from next to her, hand once again resting on her back.

"We have found him, and… the weapon he intended to use. It was enough to charge him. With attempted murder."

Attempted murder. Rachel's head swam, those two words a reminder of her brother's intentions, a reminder that she almost died. That Bianka almost died.

She felt dizzy, all of a sudden very pleased that she was sitting down, Eddie's arm wrapped firmly around her waist.

"Rachel."

Rachel blinked, refocusing her vision on Eddie and his hands that were either side of her face. She hadn't realised that he was now kneeling in front of her, nor that the two police officers were no longer present. How long had she been wrapped up in her own thoughts?

"It's over, Rachel. Christopher is going to be behind bars for a long time, there's no way he can get away with this now."

Rachel didn't feel like she could do anything but nod slowly. She knew that Eddie was right, it was over. The two people that had hurt her most were behind bars - Adam and Christopher. Maybe it would just take a lot of reminding herself and getting used to. Because she doubted that she'd forget what had happened any time soon, and neither would Eddie.

"It's over, isn't it?"

Rachel hated how vulnerable she sounded as she spoke, how broken she felt. But then she was reminded that she didn't have to pretend around Eddie.

"Yes," he paused, smiling faintly.

And finally, Rachel felt able to return it.

"Now shall we go and see if we are going to be parents?"

The same happiness and joy that had been there just twenty minutes ago washed over Rachel, and she could tell that Eddie was experiencing the same thing.

It was weird how Rachel felt as though she was in a daydream as her and Eddie walked through to the bathroom. She felt as though things were too good to be true when she picked the test up to see two lines. But at the same time, maybe that wasn't the case. Maybe this was the happy ending that they both deserved.

Eddie's arms wrapping around her waist from behind was just the best feeling in the world, and it just topped off how Rachel was feeling in that moment.

For the first time since the events of the previous day, she felt genuinely content and believed that now - nothing could go wrong for them.

Rachel allowed herself to giggle along with Eddie as he picked her up and spun her around. Nothing felt more perfect than being in his arms.

….

Eddie groaned as Rachel untangled herself from where she was sitting across his lap. She couldn't help but giggle, both at Eddie's facial expression and how he hadn't heard the phone ringing amidst their passionate kiss.

"Eddie you may not have noticed but I have, the phone is ringing."

He pouted, "can't you just leave it for a bit, Rach?"

She laughed at his antics, "no, it might be important."

In fact, Rachel was surprised that whoever was ringing their landline hadn't given up already.

"Hello?"

"Hi Rach."

"Philip?" Rachel spoke, turning around slightly as Eddie joined her at her side.

He chuckled, "that would be me."

"How are you doing? How's university?"

"Erm… good yeah. Good. Amy's… staying with her family for a few days. She's got no lectures. So I'm… missing her I guess," Philip chuckled somewhat nervously.

Rachel couldn't help but share a glance with Eddie, remembering Philip's mention of Amy during their trip to York a month or so ago.

"Oh," she spoke curiously, "and how is she?"

"Good… I think," he laughed, "you'll erm… have to meet her."

"I'd like that Phil," she looked up at Eddie, "Eddie would too."

"Rach, listen. I erm… I know what happened. On Monday. Mum… she erm… told me weirdly enough. She saw it on your local news."

Rachel knew that Philip could only mean one thing, and that was the whole ordeal with Christopher and what had happened in the caravan. She had been planning on telling Philip on his next visit up, didn't want to worry him whilst being at university. And on a far more joyous note, Rachel and Eddie had been wanting to share their news about the pregnancy too. But apparently Melissa had beaten them to it with the latter.

"Oh love, you don't need to worry. But I am… sorry that you found out like that."

"Don't need to worry? Rach… you were almost killed."

Rachel froze at the reminder, grateful to feel Eddie's hand on her shoulder.

"I know but I wasn't Philip. And everything's fine."

"Rach, even I can tell you're not completely fine."

"Maybe not completely, but I will be Philip. Trust me on that. And of course I've got Eddie… remember?"

Unseen to Rachel, Philip nodded. She took the slight silence as her nephew realising that maybe - with Eddie's support - she would be okay.

"I've erm… spoken to my tutors. I'm not… going to my lectures tomorrow."

She turned to Eddie, and he shrugged his shoulder slightly as she looked on incredulously, "Philip, what on earth have you done that for? Oh… don't say that it's because of me."

"Look outside."

"What?"

"Just do it."

Rachel slipped past Eddie, opening the door even as her mind began to put the pieces together.

Sure enough, there was Philip, sat in his car, waving at them.

"He didn't…" Rachel laughed as she glanced across at Eddie."

"Oh I think he did."

There was one thing Rachel couldn't deny - she was overly happy to see her nephew, walking up to her and smiling. Just days ago, in the caravan, she had questioned if she would ever see him again. So now, it felt surreal to just bring him into a hug. Much like it had done with Eddie, and Darcy, and Michael. All of the people who were most important to Rachel in her life.

"I can't believe you're actually here. Well I can't say I approve of you missing lectures Phil…"

"Rachel," Eddie huffed out a laugh, sharing a glance with Philip as he did so.

"But I am so happy to see you."

"Me too lad," Eddie added, patting Philip on the back.

It was as Rachel shared a glance with Eddie that she just knew they were on the same page. There wasn't a better time than now to tell Philip of her pregnancy, and share the news that they had been so overjoyed about with him. Having Philip here was just another thing to smile about for Rachel, and after everything that had happened, she couldn't feel more grateful to be in the position that they were now.