Just as Rachel was about to leave herself to find that moment of peace she was so desperate for only moments earlier, fully intending to leave Hordley on the floor, she heard an overwhelmingly loud crash and the immediate sound of children screaming. "What was that?" She questioned into the air, not wanting Stuart to answer and also not caring to check if he was even still on the floor where she'd left him. Immediately after asking the question, the fire alarms began to ring and she was quickly thrown back into headteacher mode. She noticed Stuart get up and leant down to help him, knowing her job would be much easier if he wasn't anywhere near her. "Look Stuart, just go. Leave the building." She ordered, watching him stagger towards a door and letting herself feel proud for just a moment that she'd done that to him. Students began to flood towards her and she climbed the stairs in order to make sure the top floor classrooms were cleared, hoping to catch sight of Eddie as she did so.

"It's alright." She pacified, the fear evident on their faces as they rushed past her. "Just head to the car park, come on, calmly, quickly." She was aware that with each step she climbed, her voice was getting more frantic. It probably wasn't the best idea to be climbing the stairs in the middle of a rush of students aching to get outside, but her job as head of the school came before her own need to get herself and the babies to safety. "Straight ahead, at the bottom of the corridor. Come on, get moving." She noticed a huddle gathering at the bottom of a set of stairs and went to call to get them moving, but noticed they were from Forest Mount which would mean a problem. "What's the matter?"

"He's having an asthma attack Miss."

Great, just what they all needed. She looked to Jeff. "What?" She needed the answer to her question to come from someone other than a student before she acted on her next movements. "Well, where's his inhaler?" She asked after receiving a nod from him.

"I don't know!"

Rachel quickly moved into action, throwing his coat to Jeff to get the pockets checked as she crouched in front of the young lad. She took his bag and tipped it, almost crying out when she spotted the inhaler fall onto the floor. Why this wasn't done before, she didn't know. "There we go, got it. Deep breaths." She helped him use it and pulled him up as soon as she felt his breathing return to normal. "Come on boys, help him downstairs." She knew they'd have no idea where to go so moved back down with them, pointing as she did so. "Quickly and calmly please, straight down there, exit doors and into the car park. Come on, my lot you should know the routine." She tried not to let the panic get to her, aware that no fire drill had been planned and there was a high possibility that this could be real.

"Rachel?" She heard him before she saw him, wading through the crowds of children to get to her. "Are you okay?" He asked as he stepped towards her, reaching for her as students continued to rush past them. She'd never been so happy to hear his voice, to see him safe and in front of her.

"Yes, I'm fine. What's going on?" She wanted to hear it was nothing, that it was a prank or a simple accident. But she could read his face, knew he was aware what was happening and that she wasn't going to like what he next told her.

"The canteen's on fire."

Just as she suspected then, not what she wanted to hear at all. "Is anyone hurt?" She tugged on his suit jacket, grateful that he wasn't at least.

"It's too difficult to tell." Eddie answered grimly, touching her cheek tentatively as the same thoughts rushed through this own mind. She was safe, he'd been able to find her and she was right in front of him. He quickly pressed a hand to her stomach as she turned to call at more students, getting them outside and away now she knew there was a real danger. He joined her in pointing to the way, knowing the quicker the place was clear then the quicker they could both get out also. They couldn't leave just yet, had to put their jobs before their own worries and check all the students were outside and safe. They shared a look before Eddie offered to take the upstairs, knowing he could bound up the stairs far quicker than she could. They parted with a kiss to her cheek, a soft smile shared with the promise to meet in the middle of the corridors when their checks were done.

It was easy enough for Eddie to race through the corridors, ducking his head into each classroom even as he was acutely aware that there was a fire raging somewhere else in the building. They had plans for this, did drills but no teacher ever dreamed they'd ever need it in real life for more than a false alarm. This… this was madness.

He jogged back down the stairs, relieved when he saw her coming out of the corridor. She looked just as relieved, worry pinching around her eyes as she called to him. "All clear?"

He couldn't stop himself from reaching for her, sliding a hand around her waist. "Yeah."

"I'm going to do one more sweep, just in case."

He frowned. "I'll come with you…"

"No, you go to the assembly point." At this point, she wanted as few people in the building as possible, and someone senior needed to be outside. He knew this, but he still looked reluctant. "I'll be right behind you."

She was so stubborn. "Okay," he agreed, and only because he didn't want to start an argument in a burning building. "Do try and remember you're breathing for three though?"

"Trust me, I'm acutely aware." She shot her bump a rueful grin, before darting off to the right. She poked her head into various rooms, hoping no one had ignored the bells. They shouldn't have, but you never knew with teenagers sometimes, especially not some of the ones they had in the school. But far sooner than she'd been expecting, the smoke grew thicker, more obstructive. Her eyes were stinging as she coughed convulsively, straining to see through the grey clouds.

She could feel the twins, both of them for once, judging by the placements of the movements she could feel. One on each side, unless someone had reached over the other. She was coughing again into her elbow, her throat beginning to feel raw as her other hand pressed protectively over one of the nudges she could feel.

Instead of continuing forward, she backtracked. If it had just been her, she would have continued but she couldn't have done anything more and as it was, she sent up a silent prayer that there was no one left in the building, knew she would never forgive herself for this if there was. But Eddie was right, she wasn't just responsible for herself at the moment and so she retraced her steps to the exit, relieved when she breathed in a lungful of fresher air.

She was still coughing as she walked around the school, the sounds of sirens and children filling the air. She didn't hear anyone overtly panicking, however, which gave her hope that no one was missing.

"Rachel!"

Eddie was racing towards her and scooping her into his arms before she even registered his voice properly. "I'm fine," she half-smiled. "Don't squash us."

"I expected you to be five minutes. You've been gone for ages, and they wouldn't let me back."

"I didn't make it all the way round." Guilt leaked into her voice. "The smoke was too thick, and I couldn't risk…"

She trailed off, not even noticing that she'd wrapped an arm around her stomach. "You did the right thing," Eddie said sternly, pressing a kiss to her head and not caring who saw. "You're not much good to anyone if you collapse from smoke inhalation."

"He's right." At the sound of the voice, Rachel glanced up, easily spotting the fire chief. "Your deputy said you were doing a sweep of the school?"

She nodded. "I didn't make it to the canteen though. As far as I know, no one's been to that area." She glanced at Eddie, who shook his head in confirmation.

"You shouldn't have been in there at all," the other man said, glancing pointedly at her bump. She looked sheepish, allowing Eddie to pull her into his side and press a kiss to her forehead.

"Is anyone hurt?" she questioned, and he swallowed thickly as he thought of Davina and half a dozen kids who'd been trapped inside for longer than they should have. This was going to be a fun conversation.