Hello,

Life is a bit busy at the moment, so I'm sorry if I become a bit slower at updating! Thank you for reading and for your reviews! I should probably add that Adam will find out the truth, there just may be some drama first (what a surprise haha!)

Also, I just wanted to preface that there is a brief mention to depression in this chapter, just in case that may be a trigger for anyone.

I hope that you enjoy,

Becca xx

Magnetism

25th November 2011

It was only five minutes into the senior management meeting that morning and already Rachel was finding it difficult to not become distracted by the look that Eddie had been giving her ever since he had walked into her office. On every instance that she would catch his eye, she was greeted by the unmissable grin on his face. In response, Rachel gave him a questioning look before turning her attention back to Kim, "I'm going to organise a meeting with all the staff on Monday morning in preparation for the mocks next week. I'll send an email round but would you please make sure you tell Grantly and Steph, you know how they like to forget to check their inbox when it means getting out of bed an hour earlier."

Kim glanced to Eddie, in fact, she had been watching his unwavering smile out of the corner of her eye throughout the meeting. "Yes, I'll get on it now. Unless there's anything else? Eddie?"

"No nothing else." He replied. Kim raised her eyebrows, even the tone of Eddie's voice was unusually cheery.

"You're in a good mood this morning." Kim commented as she gathered up her paperwork and handbag.

"It's a Friday. Who doesn't love a Friday?"

Kim gave him a final suspicious look before making her way to the staffroom.

No sooner had Kim left the room before Rachel turned her attention to Eddie. "'It's a Friday.'" She mocked him with a laugh. "Come on then, what's a put a smile on your face?"

"You have; you look really beautiful." He admitted. From the moment that he had entered her office that morning, he was taken aback when he saw her. As she had turned to greet him, her loose waves bounced against her shoulders. She was wearing a v necked navy wrap dress which had a tie around the waist, resting just above her 18-week bump. And yet, it was not just her appearance that had blown Eddie away that morning; she glowed, not just from her pregnancy; it was her energy.

"Thank you." She added with a grin as she stood up from the table and began to order various bits of paper together from the meeting. Whilst doing this, she had to lean across Eddie in order to reach a file; instantly their close proximity had a profound effect on her and she wondered if he felt the same tension. She lingered in that position for a moment too long; long enough to catch the scent of his aftershave.

It had been almost two weeks since they had agreed to hold off on things and the tension between them was becoming unbearable. Fighting their shared desire was difficult enough when they were alone together but became frustratingly more so in the moments that they would find themselves within a close distance.

"Please tell me you're going to tell Gordon Ramsay soon?" Eddie pleaded.

"I've barely seen Adam in the last couple of weeks since he's been doing his healthy lifestyle initiative at the youth centre and when he's not there, he's at work. I booked him on some culinary course in London for the weekend. That LEA report needs to be sent off by Monday; I need the space to complete it without being nagged that I'm working too much."

"You do work too much."

"Don't you start. When he gets home on Monday, I'm going to tell him everything." She informed him as she leant back against her desk.

"Thank god. I don't know how much longer I can take this for; you're driving me mad Rachel." He admitted.

"Am I not worth the wait?" She dared to give him an alluring look now.

"You know you are. It doesn't make it any easier though...especially when you look at me like that." He commented as he played her at her own game now and tactically brushed passed her to grab his briefcase from her desk. A smug smile appeared on his face as Rachel audibly inhaled at their closeness. Eddie could not resist but lean in closer to her and whisper in ear. "You really suit your hair like that." The heat from his breath against her neck caused Rachel to tighten her grip against the edge of her desk. Fortunately, she was saved from the tension by the beep of the office phone.

"You've got a visitor Miss." She was informed by Janeece as she picked up the phone. "It's your husband. I did tell him he can't just walk in here without making an appointment but he's a bit of an..."

Eddie's eyes widened now. "It's fine Janeece, send him in." Before she had time to wonder why Adam had turned up to the school; he was already in her office.

"Rachel, you forgot the smoothie I made you..." He began before abruptly stopping as he spotted Eddie who was trying his best to look casual. "Sorry I didn't realise you had company."

"Well, we do work together." Eddie bluntly pointed out before awkwardly picking up his brief case. "Speaking of work, I better get going to my class."

"That's why you're here? To bring me a smoothie?" Rachel questioned as Eddie left the room. Pressing a hand to her face, she wondered if the heat from her flushed cheeks was visible after her encounter with Eddie.

"Not just that, you left this morning before I had chance to say goodbye. It's becoming a bit of a habit." He huffed.

"Sorry I've just got a lot..."

"A lot of work on, I know Rachel." He rolled his eyes in irritation. "You know I thought us having a child might change your priorities but clearly not."

"I'm not doing this now Adam." She struggled to look him in the eye as she prepared her next words. "When you get back on Monday, we need to talk."

He frowned at the serious tone of her voice. "Talk? About what?"

"Not now." Her eyes almost pleaded with him. "I really need to get back to work...I hope you have a nice time in London."

"Right." He abruptly responded; his strained expression had not budged one bit. He paused for a moment before he opened the office door and gave her a last look but she had already sat at her desk now and was sifting through some paperwork. "Bye then."

Following a slam of her office door, Adam made his way out of the school and began to ponder upon Rachel's behaviour. In fact, he had been so caught up with his thoughts that he did not see Kim until he had walked into her.

"Adam, what are you doing here?" Kim asked as he apologised for the collision.

"I thought it would be nice to say goodbye to my wife before I left for the weekend, but I obviously got that wrong." His jaw tensed as he said this. "Kim, can I have a word?"

"Yeah, why don't you come to my office?" Kim offered as they began to walk there. She herself, had been worried about Rachel for some time now, however, after not getting any answers from her friend, she wondered if Adam could shed a light on what was going on. "Coffee?" She asked him once they reached her office.

"I'm okay thanks." He sat down on the couch and stressfully sighed. "I don't know what to do...something's going on with Rachel. For months now she's been like a stranger; it's like she can't bear to be in the same room as me. When I found out that she was pregnant, I thought that must be it, you know the hormones, but I think there's something else."

"Right. Well, have you spoken to her about it?" Kim asked as she sat herself on the couch across from him.

"When I try to, she says that she's tired or it's work, but I know there's something she's not telling me. These past few weeks, I've been trying to give her space, see if it'd help things but that's not worked either." He released a deep sigh. "Some women when they're pregnant, they get depressed, don't they?"

Kim sat up now in her seat. "Do you think she's got some sort of pre-natal depression?"

"She's not connecting with the baby; I'm worried that she wont cope when our daughter's born. Anytime I try to talk about our child, she changes the subject. I surprised her the other night, I'd spent all day decorating the spare room into a nursery and you should have seen her reaction; she looked horrified!"

"Are you sure it's not just the hormones? God, when I think back to when I was pregnant..."

"Kim, she went to the scan without even telling me. I only found out I was having a daughter because she accidentally referred to the baby as 'she' in conversation. I'm not imagining things; she's not well." Adam stressed.

Kim clasped her hands together as she thought for a moment. "I'll have a word with her and try and find out what's going on."

"What can I do for you Kim?" Rachel smiled at Kim as she entered her office later that afternoon. When Kim did not smile back and instead looked at her with concern, Rachel stood up from her desk. "Kim, are you okay? Has something happened?"

Taking a seat on the couch, Kim smiled gently at her now and gestured to the couch next to her. "I just wanted to have a chat." She then pressed her lips together in a way that Rachel recognised, however it was usually an expression that Kim reserved for the students in her Pastoral Care office. "Adam's worried about you Rachel."

Rachel's face stiffened slightly as she apprehensively took a seat next to Kim. "Right...What is it that he's worried about exactly?"

"It's not just him that's worried, I am too. In all honesty, I have been for some time." Kim admitted. "Rachel, are you okay?"

"Why do I feel like this is some sort of intervention?" Rachel gave a small awkward laugh.

"How are you feeling about the pregnancy, about the baby? I want you to know that you can tell me anything and there'll be no judgement." Kim kept a reassuring tone. "You know it's quite common for mothers to experience some sort of depression during or after their pregnancy."

Rachel frowned in confusion. "What?"

"Adam seems to think you've been having trouble with connecting with the baby, he said..."

Rachel swiftly interjected. "Kim no, you've got this wrong. I'm not depressed." She insisted, however when Kim gave her another worried look which told her she was not convinced; she knew that she had to be honest. "I'm not having trouble connecting with my baby. I just don't want Adam to get attached."

"I don't understand."

"I wouldn't be fair when..." Her eyes averted from Kim's now. "When he might not be the father."

Stunned to utter silence now, Kim was speechless. "What? You're saying that..."

"Yes, I slept with someone else."

"And are you still..." Kim's pupils enlarged now. "I mean was it a one-night thing or are you having some sort of affair?"

"It was just one night but then...I mean we've not had sex since but...I still love him." Rachel uncomfortably stumbled out.

"Still? I'm guessing you're not talking about Adam now, but who..." Kim began to ask but as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she had a realisation, so clear that it was as if Rachel could see the thought enter her mind. "God...Not Eddie?"

Rachel slowly brought her gaze back to Kim now and nodded. In a way, it felt rather cathartic to tell Kim the truth after all the secrecy. However, after she could barely get the words out to Kim, she dreaded how difficult it was going to be to break the news to Adam. "I know, it's a mess." She pressed her eyes tiredly.

This was the part where Kim would usually reassure Rachel, however her mind was preoccupied trying to figure out the timeline of it all. "But you and Eddie have only been working together since September. How does that work out; you're about four and a half months pregnant, aren't you?"

Kim's confusion then prompted Rachel to catch her up on the course of events before herself and Eddie's return to Waterloo Road. From their surprise reunion on her birthday, to their spontaneous night together only a week afterwards.

"I should never have married Adam." Rachel announced rather randomly. "Our first year of marriage, it was such hard work. I think that when we were away, it helped to cover the cracks a bit, but I started having regrets as soon as we got back home. Then, the next thing I know, Eddie suddenly appears back in my life. I'm not trying to excuse cheating on Adam; that was wrong of me. I should have told him the truth after I slept with Eddie, I just can't believe I've let it get this far. God, you must think I'm awful."

"I don't. I..." Kim started.

"Well, I do. That night with Eddie, I cheated on Adam without any sort of hesitation. The morning after, I woke up with my ex in my bed and I didn't feel a shred of guilt. How does that not make me heartless?"

"Eddie's not just any ex though is he Rachel?"

"No, it's always been different with Eddie." She admitted, a warm feeling emerging in her stomach as she spoke about him. "Once everything is sorted, Eddie and I are going to make a go of things. Eddie still wants us to have a future together, regardless of whether it's his child or not."

"Of course he does, he's very obviously in love with you."

"I just wish we'd gone about things the right way. I shouldn't have lied to Adam for this long." Rachel sighed.

"You can't change things now; you need to look forward Rachel. Tell Adam the truth and then you can focus on your future; you've got a daughter on the way. Move on from all the guilt and the what ifs and just go for it with Eddie, because I don't know how much longer I can cope with the sexual tension in that office!"

The two women laughed for a moment before Rachel smiled gratefully. "Kim, thank you, you don't know what a relief it's been to tell someone."

When Rachel arrived home that evening, she breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her. After leaving the roaring atmosphere of Waterloo Road for the weekend, the silence of her home was very much welcomed. In comparison, the house felt harmonious from the moment that she had walked in, it was not only the peace and quiet but the lack of Adam. It was rather liberating to kick off her shoes and ready herself for the peaceful two days that were ahead of her. Once she had ditched her jacket and bag in the hall, she headed straight upstairs to run a bath.

When she had freed herself from her clothes and ensured that the water was not too hot; she gently lowered herself into the bubbles and breathed in the lavender scent. The school week had been a busy one and so her moment of respite was much needed. As she relaxed her aching muscles, she held her hands to her stomach; this week she had started to feel movement. Knowing that her child was growing and developing each day, brought her a sense of peace that helped with the current uncertainty in her life.

After drying herself and slipping into a matching silk nightdress and robe, she headed downstairs with a rumbling stomach. A carb-filled meal later and she collapsed into the couch. It made a change to have her house to herself once more; even though she had lived alone for the entirety of her adult life until marrying Adam, she had almost forgotten what it was like to have the evening to herself without being nagged by Adam for tapping away at her laptop whilst he was watching yet another mediocre tv drama with a predictable plot. Revelling in the freedom of having control over the remote for a change, she put a quiz show on the tv as she attempted to relax; something which did not come naturally to her.

Almost immediately, her thoughts turned to Eddie; she had hoped to catch him before she left, however he had been busy teaching an after-school revision class. Even though she had been adamant about them holding off their relationship until they had sorted out their equally complex homelives, that did not stop her from longing for him. Suddenly two days without seeing Eddie seemed like weeks ahead of her.

A couple of hours had passed and Rachel had nearly nodded off in front of the television when a knock on her door caused her to quickly sit up. Yawning her way to the door, she could not help but smile when she saw who was standing there.

"Did you forget something?" Eddie asked. When she looked at him blankly in a sleepy haze, he held up some paper work in his hands. "That report you've been telling me about all week?"

She gasped as she realised that the paper work that he was holding was hers, the same documents that she needed for the LEA report due in on Monday. "I cannot believe I forgot! Come in." She encouraged him as she suddenly became aware of the freezing cold November air on her bare legs. "Thank you so much Eddie."

"It's no problem." He assured her as he followed her into the kitchen and placed the paper work onto the breakfast bar, casually hooking his coat onto one of the stools. They had only been in each other's presence for a couple of minutes and already Rachel became aware of her heart beat. "So, Adam's away for the weekend?"

Rachel knew what he was hinting at, ever since she had opened the door, he had a grin on his face that was only too familiar at the sight of her in her nightwear. She had also caught on to the way that his eyes continued to steal not-so-subtle glances at her legs. "Are the kids ready for their mocks?" She suddenly asked in attempt to cut the heat in the air. When he gave a confused look, she clarified. "Your revision class?"

"Oh, right. Well, I can't say the turnout was great. Only seven of them showed up! I brought biscuits and everything."

She gave a laugh. "God, the teaching profession is doomed if bribing the kids with a custard cream doesn't make them want to learn."

"They were bourbons actually." He could not help but be captivated by her, the way that her smile widened into a laugh was mesmerising to him. His eyes got caught on her lips for a moment too long. Naturally, his hand combed through her hair before he delicately traced her jawline. Eddie grinned now as he noticed Rachel's breath becoming heavier; it only took a lingering look or the lightest of touches from Eddie to electrify every nerve in her body. His eyes now returned to her mouth once more and gently, he tilted her chin to connect their lips; causing Rachel to gasp at the contact. "I want to Eddie, I really want to...But it's not right, not until I've ended things with Adam."

"I know, I'm sorry." He kissed her forehead before removing his hand from her cheek. He gave her a reassuring smile to mask his disappointment. "I'll get going."

Rachel knew that it was the right thing to wait, to sort the mess out with Adam and be honest for once. That way she could go forward with Eddie without all the guilt and the complications. Rationally, it all made sense.

However, her rationality soon began to waver when she saw Eddie grabbing his coat; their contact just a moment earlier had ignited that flame within her and she could not stop herself from putting her arm on his. "Put down your coat."

Eddie did not have time to question her, as instantly both of Rachel's hands cupped his face and brought their lips crashing back together once more. Eddie's coat now dropped to the floor as he wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening their kiss as he did so. Rachel's hands dropped from his face to his shirt and she began to undo it at such a speed that a button went flying across the kitchen.

"What about..." Eddie began as he drew from her lips to catch his breath.

"I don't think I can't wait." There was a lustful glint in her eye as she looked to him now. He grinned at her and resumed their kiss whilst his hands, which were still rested on her waist, pulled her in closer so that his body pressed against hers; it was evident now to Rachel that Eddie could not wait much longer either.

She desperately grazed her teeth against his bottom lip as their kisses became hungrier now and more vocal. Only when Rachel felt Eddie's hand on her bare thigh did she pull away from their heated kiss. "Upstairs, now."