"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Rachel settled into bed next to Eddie, eyeing him curiously. She hadn't minded him turning up out of the blue, long past the time for polite visitors. He was welcome anytime, he knew that, but she knew him well enough to see the storm in his eyes and realise that this wasn't just a social call.

He frowned. "Am I that obvious?"

"Only to me." She drew her legs up, tilted her head at him. "So? What's wrong?"

He sighed, wrapped an arm around her to draw her closer. "It's nothing," he dismissed.

"Eddie." She shot him a disapproving look. "Tell me. Is it Michael?"

He grimaced as he shook his head in answer. His family's dislike of her had been almost a running joke when they were kids, a fact she was painfully aware of and he was reluctant to accept. But they weren't teenagers anymore, and now she would be hurt by their automatic reaction, he knew. But she was waiting expectantly, and short of lying to her, there was nothing he could do but be as gentle as possible.

Rachel was careful not to allow her expression to so much as flicker as he spoke, even as hurt welled within her. "Well," she began lightly, once he'd finished. "Better hope they don't find out exactly what happened after I left, or they'd really dislike me."

He frowned. "It's not funny, Rach."

"I didn't say it was."

"I'm so angry with them," he muttered. "How can they be so quick to judge you when they don't even know you?"

She rubbed his knee soothingly. "Eddie, it doesn't matter," she said gently.

"Yes, it does!" he exclaimed. "They never gave you a chance because of where you came from, and now they still judge you by those standards twenty years later?"

"It doesn't sound like Cath does," she pointed out.

"I don't remember her ever disagreeing with them," he muttered.

"Eddie, she wasn't even living at home by the time we got together."

He frowned at her. "Why are you defending them? You should be the one angry."

She blinked, realised he was right. "I don't want you to argue with your family because of me," she shrugged, picking at her sleeve. "You have two parents and two big sisters who adore you, Eddie. You're so lucky, I don't want to interfere in that."

He pressed a kiss to her temple, tightened his grip around her. "They are the ones at fault here," he said firmly. "And if they want to be part of my life, they need to accept you're included in that."

"Eddie- "

"It's not up for discussion," he interrupted. "I know how important family is to you, Rach, and I appreciate the position this puts you in. But it's one point I won't budge on. I love you, and they're going to have to deal with that."

Her heart fluttered at his words, at just how much he truly meant them. She wasn't able to hold back on kissing him anyway, not that she ever wanted to. And kissing lead to much more, and she was pinned underneath him before she knew it. Not that she minded, not one bit.

The next morning, she stood in the mirror with a large grin on her face. She'd had much trouble hiding a bite mark on her shoulder with concealer, not before she chastised Eddie for acting like a teenager and not being able to control himself. But she wasn't in the least bit cross, not really. And especially not when he moved to stand behind her, arms crossed around her middle and his head hooked over her shoulder. "Are you ready for today?" He asked, his voice silky smooth as he nuzzled against her skin.

She shrugged him off softly, no meaning in her movements as she covered his hands with her own and held his against her despite her actions. She locked eyes with him in the mirror, aware that his eyes were equally as happy as hers were. "Which part? The football, the spelling bee, or the start of 6 long weeks with you?"

"All of the above."

She nodded her answer, letting the grin break out onto her face. "I'm ready, this is the happiest I've felt in a long time." She felt the need to tell him, had promised herself to always be open and honest now no matter how difficult she found it.

"I could change that."

"Huh?" She couldn't help the fact that her heart sunk, even if she knew it was a strange way to start a breakup conversation if she'd ever heard one.

He smirked, had noticed the small insecurities creep into her voice and held her closer against him as he replied. "Alison is taking Michael away with her family for a week, it's part of the agreement."

"I know this, you've already told me they're going to Greece."

"So I think it's only fair I take you away at the same time."

Her heart stopped, eyes widening as she tried to turn to look at him. But he held his grip tight, keeping her in face as he continued to smirk. "What?"

"The two of us and a week in Paris. Will you come away with me Rachel?"

"Paris? Really?"

"Yes, really. We always said we'd go, and now is our chance." He let her turn then, was grateful that he did as her lips soon found his. She held his face in her hands, stopping their kiss only to giggle against his mouth; unable to stop her happiness from truly showing.

Her eyes were full of unshed tears, and the utter love she felt for him. This wonderful man, who'd remembered a conversation from all those years ago and had finally made true on his promise. He'd always wanted to take her, joked that the tickets would be wrapped up in her present under the Christmas tree one year. What Eddie hadn't told her was that they were, only it was the year that she'd left. He'd taken the tickets and ripped them up that Christmas evening, realising that she wasn't coming back. Only none of that mattered anymore, they were finally going to make it.

"I love you." Rachel kissed him once more, swiping at his mouth as she rubbed off lipstick that she hadn't even applied yet, it was simply a precaution.

"I love you too. One last day."