Thank you for the reviews.

Haven't really got a lot to say here. Other than this is set a month after the last chapter...

Chapter Twenty Nine

There had been talking.

There had been sorting things out.

There had been a lot of them and only them.

There had also been a lot of therapy sessions whereby they had the space and time to work through their different traumas.

They weren't completely fixed.

They probably never would be.

But Rachel knew that her and Eddie were back to being more themselves. And with that, they could create a routine that worked for them. And they could take things as slowly or as quickly as they pleased. It seemed like they had chosen the latter as Eddie had, practically, moved into Rachel's. And Rachel was very quick to try and establish Eddie's routine when it came to Michael. Which seemed to help him with everything regarding the false pregnancy.

It did feel crazy to think about where they were a month ago.

Because the craziest time of their lives had only ended a month ago.

And it definitely felt like they had been making up for lost time.

In many different ways.

It was why that morning (the morning of the last day of term and the academic year), Rachel found herself lying flat on her back on top of the covers, with Eddie in the exact same position next to her, trying to get her breath back as the afterglow settled in. She was sure that she had never been in such a satisfying relationship. Nor had she wanted to take things as fast as she was currently doing with Eddie. She wasn't one to run headfirst into things. But it felt like that was exactly what she was going with him.

She turned her head to place a kiss on his cheek before she briefly left the bed, sure that she gave Eddie a rather nice view as she picked up his discarded shirt from the night before to cover her naked body. If she didn't cover up, then she wasn't sure whether they would ever make it to work.

Eddie had put on a pair of boxers by the time she returned and she did flop back onto the bed when she saw what time it was, knowing that they had a little bit of time before they would have to get out.

He raised his arm and Rachel snuggled into his side, resting her head on his shoulder while her arms went around his waist with her legs slightly tangling up with one of his. It was that time of the morning when they could just be them and relish in the position that they now found themselves in.

"Do we have to go to work today?" Eddie said.

"I don't really think it's fair if we skive whilst everyone else has to be there."

"The problem of leading by example."

Rachel hummed in agreement before she looked up at him. "Did you have something in mind if we did skive?"

"I wouldn't get out of this bed."

"Wouldn't you?"

"And I'd keep you here with me."

"Who says I wouldn't try to escape?"

"I would wear you out eventually, Mason."

"How?"

He gave her a look before he dropped his mouth near her ear, whispering all the things that he would do to wear her out. Rachel found her eyes closing as she pictured it happening, her hips starting to move on their own accord at the filth that was being dribbled into her ear, with her internally cursing that they didn't even have enough time to do one of his ideas.

The low chuckle only made her open her eyes and Rachel found herself unable to care that Eddie knew exactly what he was doing when he said what he had done. He knew the effect that he had on her and, in the past, that type of vulnerability scared her so much that she had become the cold workaholic that got dumped or cheated on… or both.

"Only the boss says we have to go to work." He said in such a low voice that Rachel did contemplate whether they could call in sick.

She knew that she had missed out on a number of experiences. She hadn't had that 'I want to be with you always' type of relationship. The 'let's forget about work/school and just spend the day doing whatever we want' relationship. The 'let's skip class and make out behind the bike sheds' relationship. It made her glad that they did work in a school. There was no way that she was going to make Eddie skip classes that he was teaching for that experience but there were other things that they could do. And just the thought of it sent a shiver down her spine.

She half rolled on top of him when he made a move to get up.

"Not so fast." She said.

"The boss won't be happy if I am late."

"I am sure you are the only person that could get away with it."

"How can you be so sure of that?"

"Maybe I'll put in a good word for you."

"Will you?"

Rachel hummed before she kissed him. "I'll tell her about how happy you make me and that it is my fault that you are late. I'll tell her that there was no way I could just let you get out of bed after whispering dirty things in my ear. I'll tell her how jealous I am of her and that she gets to have you for a good eight hours of the day."

"Maybe I'll have to talk to her about bringing you to work with me then."

"Maybe you will today." She whispered.

His fingertips brushing over her spine wasn't really giving her the incentive that she needed to get up. But she knew that she had to stay there even if it was the easiest thing in the world. Because she was sure that Eddie wanted to say something.

"You know I love you. Don't you? All of you. From the stern headteacher to the woman who I would love to stay in bed with all day." He said apprehensively.

"Yes. I do."

"I worry you forget."

"How could I, Eddie? When I know that your words are backed up by your actions. When I know that I am never going to feel like this ever again. That I have never felt like this before. I've questioned other people's love before. But I will never question yours."

"I want to do whatever I can to make you happy."

"And I want to make you happy as well." She paused for a moment. "Eddie, we can forget that idea. I adore Michael and if that is all we have, then that is all we need."

"But you want a child."

"But if you aren't ready and are never going to be ready, then that's fine. It has never been a deal breaker for me. It's just been something that I've… decided that I would like the older that I've got and when the chance for it to happen has only… decreased."

"But I want to give you everything you want."

"But I would hate to lose you in that process. I should never have brought it up. I… it was stupid of me. I'm sorry. Please, forget I said anything."

"I can't now, Rachel. I can't stop thinking about it."

She cursed herself and the question that slipped from her mouth without any thought attached to it. The afterglow and all her feelings for Eddie and the way that he made her feel had built over a couple of weeks and the question was whether he wanted more children. It was far too soon. Melissa's deception had opened up a Pandora's box for Eddie. She had seen how it had all affected him and he had let her in slightly to allow her to understand the depth that he dove to because of the false pregnancy.

"I did want more children." He whispered.

"That is in the past tense, Eddie. And that's okay. And it's okay if that never changes."

"But what if it does? And when it does, it is too late?"

"Then that is okay. It wasn't meant to be. That's just what happens. We meet later in life. I always knew I was leaving it late and I never thought I would find a person that I would want to take the chance and leap with. It's okay. Trust me."

"But I don't want things to just be okay, Rachel."

"I know but there are just some things that are completely out of our control. So sometimes they have to be okay. Like I would have loved to have met you earlier. But we didn't. And you've been through all you've been through and I've been through all that I've been through. And there is nothing that either of us could do to change that."

"And it is the reason why I want you to be happy."

"Trust me, I've never ever been this happy before."

She knew that she would just have to let Eddie stew with that thought and she knew that their time in bed was over with. They couldn't put it off for much longer.

"Come on." She said as she rolled off him and made a move to get dressed. "Let's get the last day of term over and done with. And then we have Philip meeting up with Mark tomorrow and then… I think this household will be less anxious and we can start thinking of more pleasant things."

With a nod and a huff, she watched Eddie as he left the bed, pulling a random shirt out of his side of the wardrobe to put on before he picked up the jeans that he had worn the day before off the floor, shoving them on and doing them up before working on the buttons of his shirt. He placed a kiss in her hair as he passed her, saying about getting the kettle on.

It was her favourite part of the morning. And just reminded her that Eddie was such a simple man on the outside but she was glad that she knew him more intimately. And she was sure that part of that simplicity was the reason why she had, maybe, fallen so hard for him.

She just hoped that there was nothing that was going to break them apart. Especially with all the plans that they had made.

Rachel only went with Philip because he had asked if she would be there with him.

She supposed that it was a nerve wracking thing.

Seeing his father again for the first time in seven years.

Philip was most definitely a different person from who he was then. He had even changed right in front of Rachel in the last month or so. She could only see the thoughtful young man that he was going to be. She could tell that he was still rather nervous and apprehensive at times but Rachel knew, herself, that it was going to take him a while to get over what had happened with Melissa. After all, she was only starting to get over everything that happened with her own father.

She knew what she wanted for him. If they could repair what Melissa had broken, then Philip deserved to have some sort of relationship with Mark. She knew that might lead to Philip wanting to move in with his father or Mark wanting that… or both of them. Rachel knew that it would kill her slightly if Philip did choose to live with Mark but she also knew that was probably where Philip should be living if social services had got involved after Melissa's arrest.

But she had to stop herself from getting too carried away.

This was only the first meeting.

Either all that could happen.

Or they could both decide that too much had happened, with Melissa twisting too many things, for them ever to have a relationship and decide to part ways again.

If anything, Rachel hoped for a happy medium.

And she knew that she had to let Philip know that things would be okay, whatever happened.

"Philip." She said as she caught his arm before they entered the café. "You know… you will always be welcome at mine. Or ours. Mine and Eddie's. Forever if you want. There will always be a place for you."

He looked rather bashful before he nodded.

She left things there, knowing that she couldn't embarrass him anymore. She knew that Melissa saw his kindness and shyness as a bad thing. That made him more like her. But Rachel, honestly, thought that it was one of his biggest strengths. The amount of empathy that the boy had astounded her sometimes. Especially more now that he felt like he could show certain emotions that had been taught to keep to himself.

Rachel knew who they were looking out for and she watched the slightly awkward exchange between the father and son as they were reunited. It did make her think of her own awkward reunion with Melissa all those years ago. It had been awkward for Rachel because she felt like she had a lot to explain and probably not enough time to explain it in. As she had found out, it was awkward for Melissa because she thought that she was dead.

It still hurt.

The level of madness that Melissa went to.

The fact that Melissa was prepared to finish the job that their father hadn't.

That Melissa was prepared to push her off the roof of the school.

That she would have gladly allowed Rachel to fall to her death (or permanent injury).

Rachel made sure that they were okay before she left them to it. It was probably right that they had the time to sort out whatever they were going to be in some sort of privacy. Even if she felt like both of them wanted her there to help settle things. It probably was best for them to work it out together, rather than them feeling like they had to agree to things that they weren't comfortable with just because she had suggested them.

And she wasn't going to be far.

Only up the street with Eddie.

To get a few bits before they told Philip exactly what was going on.

It wasn't anything that Rachel didn't think he wouldn't like. In fact, she felt like he would take the news rather well. It was just finding the right timing with these things. Especially with everything that had happened. Even if everything that had happened had made them jump to the decision.

And she knew that the smile that Eddie gave her was to ask her if she was okay. Both of them wouldn't admit that they were both as worried as Philip was about it but they both noticed it in each other. So she gave her own smile back, to tell him that she was and to ask the same of him. She liked to think that it was a quirk of their relationship. That they could communicate without words. But she was sure that there were many couples that acted in the same way that they did and felt like they could be special because they did.

Rachel knew that she wasn't all for PDA. She'd watched couples in the past and got second-hand embarrassment from the way that they were acting. But when Eddie offered his hand to her, she took it without hesitation. And she didn't feel that same embarrassment when he placed a kiss on her forehead before they went to do what they were going to do.

Maybe it said more about how she viewed a relationship and how that had changed than anything else.

But Rachel was glad for the change.

And she hoped that nothing was going to get in the way of them fulfilling the plans that they had crafted over the last week or so.

Eddie allowed Rachel to take the lead with this one.

It was something that he had said as a bit of a joke but Rachel had seemed to take him completely seriously, with him then taking the idea as seriously as she had done.

Not that he was complaining one bit about taking the idea seriously. The handful of people that they had told had. Or maybe they had reminded them that things, only a month ago, had been rather different. And that they were still recovering from it all.

Eddie just put it down as another out-of-character choice made because of the rather strange times that he had been through.

Maxine's death would always be a tragedy. Of the worst kind.

But Eddie wasn't so sure that anyone could have predicted the madness that followed. Maybe they would have predicted that him and Melissa wouldn't have lasted. Maybe they would have predicted that, at some point, he would have gotten with Rachel.

And that had been what had happened.

And it had made him determined to live his life the way he wanted to live it. With the people that he wanted to live it with.

Therefore, they had to tell Philip of their plan.

But when it came to them discussing it, Rachel didn't seem to completely agree with him. She wanted his input. And she completely disagreed with his statement that she should deal with it because Philip was her nephew. The real reason was never voiced but Eddie was sure that it was hanging in the air between them as they discussed it.

They did agree that Rachel probably should be the one to tell Philip but Eddie was going to be there when she did it.

He wasn't so sure that his relationship with Philip had been repaired as much as Rachel thought. There were still a couple of awkward moments between them and Eddie didn't want to make them more awkward again.

There were good and bad days.

They all had good and bad days.

But he got what Rachel meant when she said that things would seem less anxious once Philip had met up with his dad. And Eddie was just as taken aback as Rachel had been when he saw Mark. Philip was his double and that just seemed to calm things in Eddie's mind. Maybe, subconsciously, Eddie had been waiting for Philip to turn into his mother. Which wasn't fair on Philip. Especially when he was nothing like his mother.

It was in the evening, after they had got home and had dinner, that Rachel told him that she was going to say something.

Philip had spent quite a bit of time in his room after it all first happened but, slowly, he had started spending more time with them. So much so that it was usually his idea to watch a movie on Saturday night.

And it was just before that movie that Eddie found himself standing awkwardly next to where Rachel was sitting on the sofa.

"Philip, we've got something to tell you and I don't want to alarm you." Rachel sighed. "Look, I think the last… four months have taught us a lot. About what is important and who is important. And we get that a lot of this affected you as well. Which is why we did and didn't want to keep it from you but we don't think that it is fair to keep you in the dark about it any longer."

"About what?" Philip said.

"We're getting married, Philip. Next week. We are just going to the town hall and it's going to be you, me, Eddie, Michael, Holly and Jason. That's it. And Holly and Jason are just going to be there as the witnesses. We get that it might seem a little fast and we are quite glad that we have been able to arrange things as quickly as we have done. But this is what we want."

Philip looked between them and Eddie was terrified about what he was going to say next. Mainly because he was sure that Philip had thought that he had taken things fast with Melissa. Things with Rachel seemed even faster. At some neck-breaking speed.

But then Philip's face softened and Eddie wondered whether he knew what they felt for each other and that it was what they wanted.

"All a bit fast, isn't it?" Philip said, shattering Eddie's hopes.

"Maybe but… it's what we want. Philip, I don't think I am ever going to feel like this with another person. I haven't before. And I know it does put you in an awkward situation."

"Because of Mum?"

"Well, yeah," Eddie said.

"I don't really… care about Mum. And Rachel, I told you about the other guy, Mum's first husband, because you were sitting on the fence about what you were going to do." Philip sighed. "Maybe I don't understand it all but… I am happy. For the both of you. And I am glad I can be a part in it."

"Really?" Rachel said.

"Really."

It didn't really satisfy Eddie. It satisfied Rachel as she told him later that night. But there was something niggling at Eddie that maybe Philip wasn't as happy as he tried to make out that he was.

It wasn't something that he was going to outrightly accuse Philip of but Eddie knew that he had to broach the subject when they had a couple of hours alone when Rachel went out a couple of days later.

"I know what you are going to ask," Philip said before Eddie had said anything.

"Do you?"

"Yes. And no, it still doesn't make sense to me if this was how things were always going to be. Why you didn't just wait for Rachel. But Rachel did say something a week or so ago and I guess… well what she said is that Mum had said that she would have gone after you, regardless. Because she knew that you liked each other. She would have wanted to break the trust between the two of you. I think the only problem is… at some point, you would start to drift back together. The kiss. The affair. I don't think it is how you wanted it to happen but…"

"That's how it happened." Eddie finished for him. "I know I am almost fully to blame for all this happening. There are so many things that I would do differently if I had the chance to do them over again."

Philip shook his head. "Mum wouldn't have allowed things to be different. The affair would have happened. But it would have been the other way around. And it would have destroyed Rachel."

It did give Eddie something to think about and by the end of the day, he was more satisfied that Philip was fine with it all and that, like them, he was still adjusting to everything that had happened.

Those four months had a lot to answer for but Eddie was sure that everything would be okay in the end.