Thank you for the reviews.

I think we understand the underlying theme here. Shall we continue that and add Michael to the mix?

Set during 2008 (and sort of series 4). And after the last chapter.

Day Seven
Snow Angels

While out on a walk, Eddie gets the urge to make snow angels, much to the amusement and despair of Rachel.

Word count: 1,758

Eddie swore that nothing could get more magically with Rachel around. Somehow, the weather had decided to grace them with snow before the new year and spring and Eddie was more than happy to walk through the park near where he lived, with Rachel's arm looped around his and Michael's hand in his other hand. He felt like Rachel had said about going out for a walk as a way of getting Michael to calm down a bit.

It was just so simple how Rachel had slotted into his life and nothing had really changed, other than there were a few of Rachel's things at his house and a few things of his at Rachel's. It made him wonder when Rachel would become comfortable enough for them to become more public with their relationship and whether, if he asked her, she would join him in having Christmas with his family. Maybe something to start to talk to her about later. Because he would love to know what her stance was on their relationship.

Eddie felt her arm leave his as Michael pulled on his hand. It wasn't really too long before he found himself on his back in the snow, with Michael laughing, not really knowing how he got there.

"Daddy," Michael said.

"What?"

"Aren't you getting wet?"

"Well, there is only one thing to do now."

"What is that?"

Eddie started to move his arms and legs to make the snow angel, with Michael joining him after he saw what to do. He only heard Rachel huff before she came into view. He tried smiling up at her as she was looking down at him, tipping his head back so he could look up at her properly.

"How old are you?" She asked.

"39."

"You are acting like you are nine."

"So?"

"So, you are going to be soaking."

"Are you just going to tell me off?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Eddie, you are an adult, making snow angels."

He knew that Rachel was going to hate the idea that he had just come up with but that didn't stop him from acting like he had seen what she was on about and standing up. Eddie hated to admit that there was a part of him that was a little turned on when Rachel went into complete headteacher mode and he did feel like one of the students as she stood there, still unimpressed by what he had done.

She tutted before she tried to brush some of the snow out of his hair, meaning that, when she noticed the smile on his face, it was too late for her as he picked her up to place her in the snow.

"Eddie!" She shrieked before sighing into the snow.

"Your turn, Rachel," Michael said.

Eddie could tell that Rachel was glaring at him all the way through it and he was grateful that they did have Michael at this time. Because Rachel only compiled because of him. There was one thing for sure, Eddie was in the dog house.

Rachel had left Eddie to peel Micheal out of his cold wet clothes and into the bath while she made use of the ensuite to get herself warm. She didn't need to be anywhere near Eddie to know that he would have groaned once he heard the shower turn on and her plan was to just get out of the shower as Eddie was hoping to get in. She knew what his ideal situation was going to be. To have a long hot shower with her.

Maybe she would have complied had he not put her into the snow. But then again, she wouldn't have needed a shower then. Only he and Michael would have. Her bloody stupid boys.

Rachel did stop herself for a moment and wonder when she started to call Eddie and Michael her boys in her head. She was certain that it wasn't something that she had said out loud but she knew that many things had changed for her with regards to her relationship with Eddie. Four months ago, she finally admitted that they could be more than friends and started on this road to where they were now. They had been Christmas shopping together and Rachel spent every weekend that Eddie had Michael with them both.

There were times during the week that they would go their separate ways and, to begin with, it was a rather clear line as to the fact that they were professional during the week and the weekends became a little more personal. But now, the lines were well and truly blurred and the nights they did spend apart, they were texting each other from the moment they got to their separate homes to the moment they would both call it a night.

Rachel didn't understand how her friend used to live in their boyfriend's pocket, always having to be in some sort of contact with them. But maybe that was because she hadn't been as in love as they had been before and she was now feeling that. Because there were times that it hurt to watch Eddie get into his car, knowing that they were going to go their separate ways.

It was something that she would have to work out before she discussed it with Eddie. She always knew that he would be more up for their relationship than she was, with her own professional worries coming to the surface. This hadn't been the first time that she had dated a colleague. In fact, she found dating outside of the professional or workplace extremely difficult as they didn't understand the challenges that she faced. But this was the first time that she had dated someone from her senior management team and her deputy. Eddie was her right-hand man. What would happen if their relationship ended in tears?

The click of the door to the ensuite notified her that she had been in her thoughts for a little too long and she was glad that the water had seemed to have cooled down a bit. It would serve Eddie right.

She turned off the shower and stepped out of the shower to Eddie struggling to get his jeans off quick enough. She grabbed a towel as he finally pulled his jeans and socks off, and wrapped it around her. He placed a hand on the door to stop her from leaving.

"Oh come on Rachel." He said.

"What?"

"You can spend five more minutes in the shower."

There was a part of Rachel that was struggling to refuse him as he stood there in his boxers with a slightly lopsided grin. She allowed him to think that he was winning by turning to place her back against the wall and allowing him to trap her slight. The only problem was Rachel knew the effect that she had on Eddie better than he knew the effect he had on her. Because she knew if she dropped the towel, she would have all the power. She didn't think that she needed to go that far yet.

"Really. So who is keeping an eye on Michael?" She asked.

"He is watching tv."

"He could still cause trouble."

"Wonder who he gets that off."

"I wonder indeed."

The kiss between them was slower than she imagined but it was still as magical as all the other times Eddie had kissed her. But it was how she managed to get her own way. Because Eddie was more focused on the kiss rather than keeping her from escaping. Meaning that before he realised, she had opened the door enough so that she could sneak out.

"Maybe next time." She said before she slipped out into the bedroom.

She heard Eddie's groan but she felt like he knew that she was slightly mad at him to not follow her and just to have the shower by himself. Maybe something for her to keep in mind for the next time she wanted to be a little playful.

"Rachel!" Michael said as he ran into the kitchen.

"Someone sounds excited." She said.

"Weekend with you and Daddy. It is always exciting."

"Especially as we have saved putting the decorations up for us to do all together."

Rachel watched as the four-year-old's excitement only grew and she was sure that her and Eddie were going to have a horrible time trying to get him to sleep that night. Maybe she would keep that they were going to also be decorating her house as well until the Sunday morning. Just to not overexcite the boy.

"Mate, why don't you show Rachel?" Eddie said as he joined them.

Michael almost crashed into Eddie to get his bookbag, almost dropping it to the floor as he did to search through it. Rachel flicked her eyes to Eddie, wondering what on earth it could be until Michael was by her side, offering a piece of paper to her. Rachel crouched down so that she was the same height as Michael.

"What is it?" Rachel said.

"It is us," Michael said before he pointed out parts of his drawing. "That is me. And that is Daddy. And that is you. We are making snow angels."

"Are we?"

"Yeah, like we did last time."

"It is a very lovely drawing. I think it needs to join the others, doesn't it?"

Michael nodded at her and Rachel took the picture off him, for it to join the others. Eddie said about getting Michael's bags to his room and it gave Rachel a moment to look at the drawings that Michael had done recently and brought home. There were only a few that Eddie had now that were only him and Michael. Mostly, the drawings were of the three of them, usually linked to something that they had done the last time they'd had Michael.

Rachel found herself looking down at the drawing and even though she hated it at the time, she knew that Michael had made a memory for life. A memory of being four and making snow angels with his dad and his dad's girlfriend.

If anything, it made Rachel think that she needed to know where she stood herself with her relationship with Eddie. Because she was more than certain that it wasn't only going to be their hearts that broke if it ended.