Sorry everyone! Life got away from me, I had no idea how long it's been since I uploaded. Thanks for reading! xx

The feel of skin-on-skin underneath the covers was a sensation that Eddie had almost forgotten. His fingers drew circles on Rachel's hip, an absent pattern that wasn't enough to draw her from the exhausted sleep she'd fallen into. He wasn't surprised- she'd been through a roller coaster of emotions during the day, and she needed this, he thought, this deep, uninterrupted sleep. He suspected that she hadn't had it in a while. He needed it too, if he were honest. He was getting too old for late nights and early mornings, could feel the fatigue settling into his bones, eyes burning with tiredness. But he wanted to watch Rachel for a little longer. He had never seen her like this, so completely relaxed and unguarded, the lines smoothed from her face so that she looked peaceful for the first time in his memory. He knew that there weren't many who got to see her this way, and the privilege wasn't lost on him.

It troubled him, however, the thought that she might not have been here. It was the reason he couldn't bring himself to close his eyes quite yet. He knew all too well how the universe could change in an instant, how a fluke of circumstance could tear a life away. He carried the grief of that with him every day, and the thought of it happening to Rachel… his phone was in the pocket of his jeans, discarded on the floor and it was simple enough to ease his way out from where she rested against him, barely earning a murmur from her- he found the phone even without being able to see properly, wincing as the light seared his eyes through the darkness. It was too late to call, but a text would be enough. Explaining to Andy, briefly, what had happened and asking if the reasons behind it would be brought up in court if charges were pressed.

He would tell Rachel what he'd done in the morning, he decided, looking over his shoulder at her. He wouldn't make that mistake again. Wasn't that foolish. And would simply have to hope that she understood, that she wouldn't be too angry with him. But how could he not have done this? When he was haunted by what could have happened, the images of purple bruises dancing on his eyelids every time he closed his eyes.

He slid back next to Rachel, settling beneath the covers and forcing himself to relax. Only to jump when she shifted, pressed against him.

Eddie froze and glanced at her, but she was still asleep, settling down again as soon as she felt him against her and he tried to ignore the blooming within him at that, careful as he wrapped an arm around her waist. He thought she'd wake up, or at least stir but she didn't even appear to notice, deeply asleep even when he pressed his face into the space between her shoulders and struggled to just breathe.

To his amusement, Rachel's actions didn't appear to be a fluke. She seemed to reach for him throughout the night, reassured only if she was touching him in some way. Not that he minded, quite the opposite in fact. If she hadn't done it, he suspected he would have been in her place, needing to feel her alive and warm underneath his touch. It meant that when he registered cooler cotton between his fingers instead of skin, he reached for Rachel automatically, only for him to jar awake when he found empty space instead.

His panic lasted for just a minute, until he smelt coffee and caught sight of the time. And he groaned- he had not had enough sleep for him to happily face the day, but his conscience wouldn't allow him to go back to sleep.

He was still bleary-eyed and distinctly unhappy when he stumbled downstairs, surprised when he found Rachel stood with wet hair and a steaming cup of coffee, looking at him in amusement. "You could have stayed in bed a little longer."

He shook his head. "How are you so awake?"

Her answering grin was happy and wicked. "What's wrong, old man? Too much exertion on a school night?"

"Bloody cheek." Eddie dropped a kiss to her cheek, lingering for a long moment as he wrapped his arm sideways across her and tried to ignore the smattering of bruises across her throat. "Good morning."

Her smile melted away any lingering regrets at getting out of bed. "Good morning." She gave him a quick peck on the lips, smoothed a thumb over his jaw and repressed a laugh at the stubble there. "Help yourself to coffee."

She vanished into the living room, and he heard the click of the television as she turned it on. He didn't pay much attention, concentrated on his task and mentally calculating how long he had to get home and wash up before he had to be in school.

"Eddie? Have you seen the news the past couple of days?"

There was an odd note to Rachel's voice that had him pausing, raising his head with a frown. "No. Why?"

"I think I know what Stuart was so angry about."

She was stood in the entrance to the living room, hands wrapped around her mug and gaze fixed on the screen. It didn't take him long to see why. The burnt-out shell of a building being shown wasn't instantly recognisable- the bold headline declaring arson at Hordley Constructions was.

"Is that...?"

"Stuart's head offices," she confirmed without moving her gaze. "Everything was in there. Contracts, plans… it burnt down two nights ago. I hadn't heard..."

He didn't remember resting his hands on her shoulders, but now they were there he gave them a light squeeze. "Neither had I," he murmured. "This will end his business."

She nodded, still not looking away. "He was already in trouble, he can't afford to rebuild. He's lost everything."

"Good."

"Eddie!" She spun, eyes wide but he set his jaw and shrugged, stubbornly unapologetic.

"I mean it. I'm glad he's lost it all, it's no less than he deserves."

She looked torn, biting her lip as she turned back towards the screen. "Do you really think that?"

"Take a look at your neck in the mirror and tell me you don't."

Her fingers flew to her throat without her permission, a faint grimace rippling over her face at the reminder. Eddie pressed a kiss to the side of her head, before reaching over to turn the television off. "He got what he deserved."

Rachel didn't move as he walked away back to the kitchen, eyes fixed on the black screen and nausea swirling in her stomach.

W.R.

"Rachel, the builders aren't here again." Steph crossed her arms disapprovingly, looking out the window of the staffroom. Rachel fought to keep the discomfort from her face.

"I'm not surprised. They probably won't be in for a few days, in light of everything."

There were a few beats of silence. "Everything?" Matt questioned, and she feigned surprise, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't any of you watch the news?"

Ignoring, of course, that she'd only seen it herself that morning. A murmur went round the room, a general consensus that no one knew what she was talking about. "Hordley construction's offices were burnt down in an arson attack two nights ago," she explained calmly. Her heart pounded so fast she was surprised no one could hear it. There was dead silence, and a glance revealed shocked faces and furrowed brows.

"What does that mean for the new building?" Tom questioned eventually, and multiple eyes swivelled in her direction as they waited for her answer.

"I don't know yet," she admitted. "I'm expecting the LEA to call a meeting any time. My guess is they'll withdraw the contract and offer it to someone else."

Tom blew out a breath. "Jesus. You have to feel sorry for the guy."

Did she? There were sounds of agreement, a half dozen conversations immediately springing up and Rachel felt sick. She went unnoticed as she slipped from the room, drifting away from it without any fixed destination in mind. She didn't feel sorry for Stuart, she was realising. She felt guilt over her own actions, for the innocent people who worked for Stuart but the man himself? Nothing.

When she voiced as much to Eddie, having ended up in his classroom without even intending to, the man laughed. "Rachel, you're not supposed to feel sorry for him." Exasperation and amusement coloured his voice. "He assaulted you, blackmailed you, threatened you… you're supposed to hate the guy, not worry about him."

"I don't hate him," she defended lightly, perching on a desk. "I just… vehemently dislike him."

Eddie snorted a laugh, coming to lean opposite her. "Well, you're allowed to. Encouraged to, even."

She smiled, inexplicably feeling better. And because she wanted to, without allowing herself to think about it too much, she stepped forward and captured his mouth in a soft kiss.

Eddie was grinning at her when she drew back. "PDA at work, Miss Mason? I'm shocked."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "See if I do it again, then," she snarked, no malice in her tone. "And on that note, I'm off."

"Rach, wait." He sprung up, caught hold of her wrist as she made to leave. "I need to talk to you about something."

"What's wrong?"

Eddie swallowed thickly. "I need to tell you something, and I need you to know I didn't do this to go behind your back or against your wishes, but because I'm worried for you."

The platitudes didn't help much. She looked instantly pale, eyeing him cautiously. "What is it?"

"I messaged Andy last night about what Stuart did," he revealed steadily. "Didn't mention your name, but I told him what had happened and asked where you stood within the law."

Rachel stared at him, until he began to shift on his feet and squirm like a schoolboy. "Rach…"

"Let me get this straight." Her voice was flat, and his stomach dropped. "You completely disregarded my views on the matter. You broke the promise you made not to talk to anyone without mentioning it to me first. You've quite possibly pushed me into the centre of a police investigation and you expect it to be okay because you did all that because you care about me?"

This wasn't going well. "Rachel, I haven't pushed you into anything. I just asked for advice from a friend."

"Has it really not occurred that there is going to be an arson investigation?" She looked at him incredulously. "How long do you think it's going to take for your friend to mention that he happens to know Hordley was blackmailing someone? Over a building contract, in fact, and since he hasn't been awarded that many in the past few months it's not going to take a genius to connect it back to Waterloo Road. And therefore me."

"Unless you admit that it was you…"

"Don't you think a police check will be in-depth enough to discover a name change?" she snapped. "And everything that came before that? For Gods' sake, Eddie."

She turned away, running her hands through her hair and Eddie felt the size of an ant. He hadn't thought of any of that, he admitted, and shifted uncomfortably. "Andy is a mate, he wouldn't do that…"

"Darling, for a secondary teacher you are far too trusting for your own good."

Relief hit him, not at her words, but the endearment she used. Endearments were good, endearments meant that she wasn't going to walk away from them, from him. "I was trying to help," he said quietly and heard her sigh.

"I know." She turned to face him, looking unbelievably tired. "It makes it very hard to stay angry with you."

It was as if a balloon deflated, the tension instantly leaking out of the room. Eddie stepped towards her, paused unsurely. "I'm sorry."

Rachel sighed, moved closer to gently run her thumb over his jaw. "You have got to stop trying to be my knight in shining armour. I don't need one."

"I know that. But Rach, you're standing in front of me with a scarf hiding bruises around your throat. And you're not willing to do anything about it."

She froze. Had she told him about her impulsive phone call? She was almost certain she had, but couldn't remember actually doing it… she must have mentioned it, surely? He was looking at her, all softness and worry and she closed her eyes for a moment, felt her stomach knot. "I think I need to tell you something too."