A/N:

I struggled with this chapter a little and hope that it's okay. This story is taking a little while to get into I know, but I just don't want to rush the feelings and want to explore as much as I can. There will be flashbacks in the next chapter from episode 20 (the way it would have been in this fic).

Again, so shocked by how many of you are still reading, so thank you.

The collateral damage of love

9:00 am. It was the day.

The coach arrived at the venue. He'd never felt so anxious. Sweat poured from his palms as he watched the kids scramble off the coach. There was an uproar of chatting and chanting, and Eddie couldn't hear himself think.

'Right, quiet down you lot, let's go win this competition, shall we? And any nonsense and you'll all be straight back at school, understand?', he spoke with authority. The kids from John Fosters, overall, were better behaved that Waterloo Road. However, that being said, there was the odd pupil, Finn Sharkey.

The pupils followed Eddie into the building and the chanting started again.

'Chris, Finn Sharkey, we need to keep a close eye on him today', Eddie grunted pushing his way through the entrance doors.

'Right, I won't let him out of sight'.

. . .

9:05 am. What a bloody day, already.

The coach for Waterloo Road was late. Of all days, she did not need this today. The kids were moaning, and it was spitting with rain.

Fantastic.

'Are you sure you're not coming on the coach, Rachel?', questioning the headteacher, Matt had his arms folded and shielding himself from the cold. She was the only one who could get these kids under control. He was nervous

'Honestly Matt, I'm snowed under this morning, but I'll meet you there as soon as I'm done'. She couldn't even look him in the eye, it was such a silly lie. Although, she did eventually have to show her face there. She wanted to wait until the competition was in full swing, she knew it would be easier to swing in and out that way. She could stay on the down low, avoiding those that she didn't want to see.

Throwing her arms in the air, and for more of a dramatic effect, Steph spoke sarcastically, 'Oh no, whatever will we do without you'.

Rachel was blazing. Normally she would have ignored the French teacher's sarcastic comments but not today. 'You know Steph-'.

The bus was here. Thank god for that. She needed no more remarks off the likes of Steph Haydock. She could return to the safety of her office and finally have five minutes peace.

. . .

The choir competition had been drilling on for the last couple of hours and both John Fosters and Waterloo Road had done their part. The kids were now, unfortunately, restless. Matt was on the verge of a breakdown. Where was Rachel?!

Whilst resting his head in his hands, he took comfort from Steph's hand resting on his shoulder.

From the corner of her eye, she had seen a familiar figure walking towards them.

'Matt, Steph, great to see you both', Eddie said briskly walking over to them. Steph had stretched her arms out and gave him a welcoming hug. He was happy to see them, but where was she? He still hadn't caught her.

'Hey Eddie, how's it going?', Matt grumbled. He had been genuinely happy to see Eddie, but he was trying to hide the stress that he was under.

'Yeah good thanks mate, I'm obviously at John Fosters now. Took the headship there', Eddie explained. He didn't want to be rude but his attention was elsewhere and Steph wasn't stupid. She could sense this.

'She isn't here, Eddie, and truth is, we don't think she's coming', Steph said as she crossed her arms and watched as sadness crept along his features. She did feel sorry for him.

'Snowed under'. Mocking the headteacher's words she knew Eddie had known that was a lie, just like the rest of them.

'She knew I'd be here', Eddie spoke honestly. He looked to find both Matt and Steph giving him a sympathetic smile.

Steph continued, 'Look she's in a bad way, Eddie-'. Before she could carry on, there was a voice in the distance and Eddie had recognised her. Waving her hands in a flap, she was shouting, 'Eddie, results are in'.

. . .

He'd felt anger. He couldn't even explain. She had done this on purpose. Why did she always have to run? Well, she couldn't run forever, and honestly, he was done giving her space. He would talk to her, he didn't know how or when, but he would.

. . .

Schools had waited in anticipation, and the crowds fell silent.

In 3rd Place … Rochdale High.
In 2nd Place ... John Fosters.
In 1st Place... Waterloo Road.

Matt almost fainted. They'd done it. He hugged Steph in pure happiness as the school cheered and the kids ran to grab the prize possession. The trophy.

Two pupils from other schools had walked over to congratulate them on the win, and this didn't sit well with one pupil in particular, Finn Sharkey.

'What you talking to them lot for? They're scum, the lot of them'. Finn smirked as he watched the Waterloo Road lot chat amongst his fellow pupils.

'Just cos you're sore losers', Sambuca bellowed as she waved the trophy at him.

'Scum', he shouted again causing some John Fosters pupils to snigger. Waterloo Road students fell quiet and Bolton brought himself to the front of the crowd.

'You wanna say that again', Bolton said sharply. His hands tensed and he would not let this lad get to him.

'S C U M', Finn echoed again. Bolton had seen red. Pushing Finn, he was ready for a fight. The crowd had circled them. Two schools and a war. Without thinking, Matt stepped into the war zone and tried to pull Bolton away, however, whilst doing so, he received an almighty thud. He'd fallen to the ground. There was blood, everywhere, already. Eddie and Chris pulled the boys apart but not before Bolton had been given a smack. He had been too busy concentrating on Mr Wilding before feeling an almighty force to the side of his face.

'Matt!', Steph cried as she ran to him. Holding her hand to her mouth and he brought his thumb to the corner of his mouth, feeling the liquid pour.

'I'm alright, I just need to stay here a minute'. He most definitely was not okay.

Paramedics had arrived as Matt couldn't quite stand to his feet. He was taken to A&E for them to look for any signs of concussion and to assess the state of his injuries. Steph would have to take the kids back on her own to the school. Rachel should have been here; she had been selfish. Neglect.

There was no way that Steph could have taken the pupils and Bolton back. His face had also looked worse for wear and Eddie felt obliged to help, it was his pupil who had started this. He and Chris should have been watching him better.

'Chris, Ruby, will you be okay getting the kids back?' he asked as he assessed the situation before him. 'I'm gonna have to help Miss Haydock'.

Ruby screwed her nose up and felt the need to object, 'But Eddie, they're not even our pup-'.

Eddie stopped her in her tracks and replied, 'Ruby, we should have been watching Finn. This is serious if you didn't already know. Its assault'. Ruby nodded sheepishly and helped Chris round up the children.

He'd finished explaining to Chris that the police should probably be contacted and that Finn was to remain in isolation until they came. Giving Finn a stern warning and threatening that the police would find him if he went AWOL, he continued to question himself.

How could this have happened?

There was only one thing Eddie could do … drive Bolton back to the school.

. . .

The journey felt like hours. It was weird. Driving himself into the grounds, he couldn't quite believe that he'd made it here. He and Bolton had sat in silence the whole journey back. He hadn't even thought about Bolton being in his car, I mean, was that even allowed? I guess Bolton wasn't his pupil anymore, but still, what should have been the procedure?

Here we go.

. . .

Nostalgia. The same smell, the same paint work, everything had stayed the same. It was just like he had remembered. He wasn't sure how he would do this. He needed to approach with caution. Steph had said that she was in a bad way, he just didn't know how bad. He was thinking this was not a good idea. He wanted to see her, but not like this. There was a positive, however, it meant that she couldn't run. Two years in the making and she'd finally have to talk.

He felt sick. Bolton quietly climbed the stairs with him, he was still raging inside that he didn't smack that Finn Sharkey back. That would be on his mind all week.

'Aw Miss Mason is gon' kill me init, Sir'. If he weren't in such a state himself, he probably would have laughed at the lad's comment.

'Somehow Bolton, I don't think that will be the biggest surprise of the day'.

Bolton looked at him in confusion, 'Eh?'.

'Straight to see the school nurse after seeing her, okay?'. Dismissing the comment previous, he shoved his hands in his pockets and gave a simple 'Yes sir'. Walking glumly toward the heads office, he knew she wouldn't be impressed.

. . .

She hoped that they had got on well. They had a good chance. She really had felt guilty.

Standing, hand on her chest and gazing out of the window, she observed the many motions outside. The grounds were empty, it was still lesson time. The sun peaked in and it fell upon her skin, it was almost burning, but it felt good. She took a deep breath and let the bad energy escape as she let go. She stood for only a few seconds before she could hear muffled voices edging towards her door. Spinning in a heap, she was shocked to find Bolton standing in front of her, bruised and bloodied. Gasping, she rushed to him and in a panicked voice asked what he'd done.

'Oh my God, Bolton what's happened to your face? How ha-'.

Fear. Anxiety. Sadness.

Love. Pain.

Relief.

Eddie Lawson stood before her and for the first time in two years, she felt human.

'Eddie', it was quiet. The atmosphere felt tight, they kept each other's gaze until she broke free. She gulped and tucked her hair behind her ear. She needed anything to distract her. Turning her head back to Bolton and trying to evaluate the state of his injuries, Eddie realised he needed to explain.

Softly, he spoke, 'Bolton, he er, well he got into a fight with one of my lot'. Disappointment spread pretty quickly across Rachel's face and she sighed.

'I, I don't understand, where's Matt?'. She was still in disbelief and needed to pull the situation together. Why was Eddie here? Couldn't Matt have sorted it?

'It's a bit of a long story. Steph is with the kids in the hall'.

'Bolton, can you give me and .. Mrs Fleet a minute, please? Head to the school nurse and she will have a good look at you'. It was hard to digest. Had he actually just called her Mrs Fleet?

With that, Bolton didn't need telling twice, he practically ran out of the room. He took the chance to escape the b*lloc*ing he knew he would eventually have.

Her eyes remained focusing on the small stain on the carpet. His footsteps sounded closer, and he spoke once more, 'So, this is where you've been hiding, hey'.