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Travelling in Time

Eddie couldn't deny that the walk he'd taken earlier was much more enjoyable now, with Rachel, than it had been on his own. He felt as though the environment and fresh air was certainly needed for them, especially after the heavy topic of conversation they'd had less than an hour previous. And he certainly wasn't averse to the way their fingers brushed every so often, walking side by side.

Rachel had noticed it too apparently, from the way she continued to look up at him and smile.

"I've always liked it here," Eddie decided to break the comfortable silence, "there's just something about the place."

"You feel at peace here."

He couldn't help but agree, even more so now that she was here too, "exactly."

Eddie watched as her eyes flicked out across Derwentwater, the November sun making her beautiful demeanour even more prominent. As well as that he sensed that something was on her mind, that perhaps she was going to speak.

"Melissa told me to contact her. If, you know, I found you or if you showed up."

Eddie thought that he already knew the answer, but asked the question anyway, "and did you?"

"No," Rachel practically whispered, "I don't think doing that will help either of us, do you?"

He shook his head slowly, still sensing that there was something more to this, "did she say anything else?"

Rachel had that look in her eyes, the one which said he'd just read her mind. It was a look he knew very well.

"It was one of the first things she said actually. That… that I still love you."

At this point, he was sure his heart could be heard thudding, that it was going to jump out of his rib cage at any moment. He didn't speak, instead holding eye contact with Rachel, waiting for her to do just that.

"And. And I do, Eddie. I do still love you. Nothing has changed for me, in these three and a bit months apart."

He swallowed the lump in his throat, realising that this was exactly what he'd needed to hear in that moment. The comfort he required. Eddie was about to respond, to reiterate what he'd said in his letter when Natasha moved in the papoose slightly. He couldn't help but smile at Rachel as she shushed her softly, rearranging her comfort blanket in a way that sent her back to sleep. His daughter was obviously incredibly comfortable with her already.

"This little one has impeccable timing," Eddie couldn't help but joke, glad when they could share a smile.

"Apparently so."

He wasn't sure when their positions had shifted slightly, but all of a sudden Rachel was leaning against him, head on his shoulder as they continued to walk with hands linked.

Eddie couldn't resist ducking his head to plant a kiss in her hair, realising just how familiar this felt.

"I still love you too. I meant what I said in that letter."

Unseen to him, Rachel smiled. But Eddie sensed her happiness, and rejoiced in the way she squeezed his hand lightly.

….

It was that evening when Rachel found herself alone with Natasha in Eddie's room, him having popped out to collect their takeaway. Still, she was trying to shake the feelings of how natural this all felt.

With thoughts of wanting to continue to support Eddie, and hopefully get him to a point where he would feel comfortable with both Natasha and Isabelle, Rachel knew that she would be here for as long as that takes.

Max Tyler and the entire debacle at school didn't matter to her now, because Eddie was more important. And wasn't that something? Rachel always thought that it would take something incredibly special to have priority over her job and work life.

Although she was almost certain that Kim and Max were now in a relationship, the former was definitely Rachel's preferred person to contact about the current situation - above Chris too.

Knowing that Eddie wouldn't be back for another ten minutes or so, she called her head of pastoral care, raising the phone to her ear.

She was somewhat surprised with the speed that Kim picked up, "hi. Rachel?"

"Hi Kim. Yes, it's me."

"Is everything… alright?"

The hesitation in the woman's voice seemed to symbolise how much they'd grown apart since the merger. It almost made Rachel put the phone down and contact Chris instead.

"Perfectly fine. I just… I'm not going to be at work. At least not until Wednesday anyway."

"I'm sure we can hold the fort. Positive that you're all good?"

"Just a few… personal problems I need to sort out."

"I know we haven't been as close recently, Rachel. But… my door is always open. As much for you as the kids."

"Thank you Kim. I'll bear that in mind."

"No problem, see you."

With that the line went dead, which left Rachel to pull apart and overthink the entire conversation. Should she have confided in Kim about seeing Eddie again? But what if Max was there with her right now? There was no way around this situation, not really.

Besides, currently she had things which she held closer to her heart to take care of. And she wasn't going to let Eddie down.

In the form of a coincidence, he arrived back that exact moment, shutting the door quietly by way of not waking Natasha and flashing her a comforting smile. He always just knew, didn't he?

"Everything alright?"

She smiled a smile which she hoped was genuine, "perfect."

….

He knew there was something wrong with Rachel. That something had shifted in the atmosphere. It seemed as though her mind was drifting: every so often he would catch her staring into space, evidently deep in thought.

Eddie had asked her again after his initial wondering, hoping that she would open up to him as she used to do so freely. But he had an awful inkling that Rachel wouldn't be thinking of herself at all right now - she would be considering his feelings, and deeming it unfair for him to have to carry her worries as well as his own.

Eddie knew that he would have to get to the bottom of it, he just didn't know how.

Something they hadn't discussed yet were their sleeping arrangements. He'd simply booked a double room - being used to sleeping in a large bed at home, he hadn't fancied a single. He turned his head, intending to ask Rachel about it, instead being met with a sight that warmed his heart.

Moments ago she had relaxed backwards, Eddie sitting forwards slightly as they watched the TV. Yet now it seemed exhaustion had taken over her. She looked so peaceful, Eddie thought his heart may explode.

He stretched across slightly, unable to resist brushing a few strands of hair back from her face, tucking them behind her ear. Eddie was glad that she didn't stir, and he took the moment to stand, rounding the bed to instead admire his daughter.

Her chest was rising and falling slowly, arms raised above her head. Eddie wouldn't have been able to stop himself from emanating joy if he'd wanted to - smile spreading across his lips.

Back in Rochdale, effectively alone, Eddie had felt utterly hopeless. As though he was failing with his duties as a father and would be for the foreseeable. And although now he was far from perfect, he felt stronger with Rachel by his side, in his company. He felt able and as though he could push himself that little bit further.

He knew that they had joked earlier about Natasha having impeccable timing - but really, she did; choosing that exact moment when Eddie was regaining his confidence to wake up.

"Hello," Eddie smiled as he bent down to pick her up, only hesitating for just a moment before positioning her in his arms the right way, "now I hope that you remember me. Shall we get this bottle sorted?"

If Eddie hadn't been enraptured by his daughter, he would have noticed the way that Rachel too had stirred with Natasha's cries, now smiling at the way he continued to chat to her as he sorted a bottle. Maybe everything would turn out just fine in the end.