Hello guys! I'm back, a few days later than I was hoping to be but never mind, had a few problems getting this chapter together but it's here now, and extra long too so enjoy!

Big thanks as ever to all my reviewers, especially to MissChloee and Celticgirl84 for catching up.

x

Chapter Eight: Moving Day

Moving day dawned bright for Rachel and Eddie and upon opening his eyes, he hoped it was a sign of things to come. As he rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes however, he noticed Rachel's side of the bed was unoccupied. Eddie sat up far quicker than usual, his heart rate returning to normal as he saw Rachel curled up in her chair beside the window. When she'd moved in herself, Rachel positioned her favourite chair by the bedroom window, giving her a glorious vantage point with which to star-gaze. Upon getting together, Rachel confided in Eddie that during some of her more restless nights of sleep, she'd sit and gaze up at the stars. Revelling in the peace, hoping it would calm her down enough to doze off. Had she had a bad night and decided not to wake him? Eddie needed to know.

With that thought in mind, he climbed out of bed and approached the chair, settling upon its arm. Eddie leant across to press a soft kiss into Rachel's hair, alerting her to his presence. "I didn't hear you get up," he muttered.

Rachel smiled, "you were dead to the world."

Eddie laughed, it was true, he could sleep through anything, "seriously, are you OK Rach?"

"Yeah, just couldn't sleep, that's all, too much going on in here," she said, pointing towards her head.

"Right, stand up,"

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions, just do it," he ordered. Rachel sighed before ceding to Eddie's demand; she rose and Eddie took her place in the comfy chair, "now, sit."

Rachel sat in his lap, turning her head into his chest, "this is nice," she muttered as he enveloped her in an embrace.

"That's kinda the point Rach," Eddie teased, pausing before his next question, "what's on your mind?"

Rachel stiffened, "what makes you think there's something on my mind?"

"Because I know you,"

That was true, he did, better than anyone else; better than even Phillip and Melissa. She chanced a glance up at Eddie and he stared back at her, his gaze alive with all the gentility associated with him. "Do you think we're doing the right thing here?" Rachel blurted out. When Eddie shot a questioning look her way, she elaborated, "moving you in here so soon."

He smothered a chuckle, "you suggested it."

"That was before last night's conversation. I can't blame Phillip for feeling unsettled by this whole situation. Remember, it was only a few months ago that you hooked up with Mel."

"Hey, Melissa's history, Phil knows that and besides, I think he's happier here with us than he ever was with me and Melissa."

"You reckon so?"

Eddie nodded, "if you're still having doubts, then let me talk to him. If that'll stop you worrying that we're somehow scarring him, then it's worth it."

Rachel chuckled, wiping away the pensive stare of a few minutes beforehand and relieving Eddie of his concerns, "you always know what to say to make me feel better."

"I can read you like a book Rach."

"That's what scared me about this at the start."

Eddie's forehead wrinkled in confusion, "eh?"

Rachel smiled, a brief silence followed as she worked out how best to phrase her next statement. "Before we even got together, you knew me better than anyone I've ever been with. I told you stuff I'd never shared with previous boyfriends. I never shared what I did with them because I thought they'd see me in a different light afterwards. Whenever I've found myself in a relationship, I've always held something back, until now. Eddie, you know me, warts and all, and you've not walked away. For that, you'll always have my gratitude."

Displaying his true emotions wasn't in Eddie's nature, but Rachel's words overwhelmed him. "I was in love with you long before I found out about your past."

"How long?"

"Ever since you helped me reconnect with Michael. While we were having dinner, all I could think about was you; there you were, with your enormous capacity for compassion and selflessness and I just thought, 'if she can do that for someone she only works with, imagine what she'd do for the one she goes home to at night.'"

Eddie's confession rendered Rachel speechless. So much so, she turned her attention back to the blue sky and clouds outside as she gathered her thoughts. "I'd do anything for you and Phillip, and Michael too now."

"Would you jump off a cliff for us?"

"Aside from that," she said. "OK, I'll rephrase. I'd do anything, within reason, for you, Phillip and Michael."

"That's better."

Eddie turned her head before leaning down to kiss her; Rachel briefly reciprocated before pulling back, "so, you'll talk to Phillip, yes?"

He nodded, "I promise."

Rachel kissed him once more, "thank you," she replied before casting about for a change in subject, "what's the time?"

Eddie glanced towards the bedside clock, "7:30."

"Breakfast? Shall we see if we can tempt Phillip out of bed with bagels?"

"That's a plan I can get on board with, let's do it!"

Rachel's decision to tempt Phillip out of bed with bagels worked. With the smell wafting upstairs, the young lad made it downstairs faster than either Rachel or Eddie believed possible. "Morning! I smelt bagels," Phillip said.

Eddie glanced at Rachel, then towards Phillip, "I'm not sure we've got enough for him and us, have we?"

Rachel laughed at how Phillip's face fell in response to Eddie's words, "he's winding you up," she said, administering a playful slap to Eddie's shoulder as she spoke. "There's plenty, I made sure of that yesterday. Pull up a stool and breakfast will soon be ready"

Their Sunday breakfasts were never as short and functional as they were during the week. That Sunday was no different, Rachel dished out the bagels, along with fillings of Nutella, peanut butter and cream cheese before joining her two favourite men at the breakfast bar. As with previous Sundays, the room was alive with chatter in between mouthfuls and Phillip loved the cordial atmosphere he found himself a part of. Living with Rachel was so different to living with Melissa, she asked him questions, quizzed him about his homework and what he'd been up to the previous day. Melissa did none of that, he retreated into a shell around her. As he sat at the breakfast bar with Rachel and Eddie, Phillip realised that he felt more at home here with Rachel than he ever had done with Melissa. Perhaps having Eddie around helped too, providing him with a stable environment in which he could be the stereotypical teenager. A few months ago, Phillip's thoughts of a stable home life had been nothing more than a pipedream. With Eddie moving in that day, the elusive pipedream was a step closer to becoming a reality. "I meant what I said last night," Phillip told the two adults as they finished breakfast, "I'd like to help with the move, if you'll let me."

Rachel and Eddie shared a look and a big grin split across Eddie's face as he turned back to Phillip. "Course you can help," Eddie replied, "does this mean we have your approval?"

"You've always had my approval, anyone that makes Rachel happy gets the thumbs up from me."

A few moments of silence elapsed before Phillip left them to it. The silence remained for several moments after the young lad's departure. "I guess they'll be no need for our man-to-man chat now," Eddie eventually muttered.

Rachel shrugged, "maybe not," she agreed. "Best see how today goes first."

Eddie nodded, "I will talk to him at some point though because I want to make sure he's OK with me kidnapping you for a week."

"It's not kidnap if I come willingly," Rachel pointed out.

"You get my drift though."

Rachel grinned, then rose from her stool; she approached Eddie and draped her arms over his shoulders from behind. "I can't wait for the summer holidays," she muttered before pressing a kiss to his jawline.

Eddie grinned before spinning around, kissing her before his hands landed upon her hips. "Me neither," he professed, "we'll have the time of our lives."

Rachel couldn't remember the last time she'd looked forward to the school summer holidays as much as she did this year. However, if she'd had an inkling of the dramas that lay ahead that summer for herself and Eddie, she might have taken back her words…

"Come on," Rachel muttered, prising Eddie's hands from her hips, "shall we follow Phillip's lead and get ourselves sorted for the day?"

Eddie pondered Rachel's suggestion for a moment, "yeah, I suppose we'd better. Sooner we get my place cleared, sooner we can be back here."

"You read my mind."

Eddie smiled back at his love, things were finally happening for the two of them, and he couldn't be any happier with the turn of events.

Upon arriving at Eddie's later that morning, he and Phillip quickly got to work in packing up, leaving Rachel feeling like a spare part. Because of his desire to protect Rachel and their unborn child, Eddie forbade her from doing any heavy-lifting. As a result, Rachel had to make do with keeping the two men hydrated and stuffing bin-bags filled with various items into her boot. Once the group were certain they'd get no more in, Rachel drove herself and Phillip back home, so he could unload and returned for the next lot.

With just one more trip, they'd moved everything of Eddie's in and after a break for lunch, he started unpacking. "I can't believe this is happening," Rachel blurted out later that afternoon as Eddie unpacked his clothes.

He glanced up at her, "not regretting it already, are you?"

A joyful laugh followed his words as Rachel shook her head, "no way, I never thought it was possible to be this happy."

Eddie rose from a kneeling position and approached his other half, "you deserve all the happiness in the world," he responded before leaning in to kiss her.

Rachel responded briefly before pulling away, "I never imagined that I'd get so lucky either."

"Rach, didn't we have a similar discussion last night?"

She laughed, "perhaps, I just wanted to say that… we're lucky to have found each other."

"Against all the odds."

"Isn't that what makes our love story unique? Overcoming obstacles insurmountable to others to get to where we are today."

"Rachel Mason's turning soppy," Eddie teased.

"I am not!" she exclaimed, "I'm just saying that it's not been an easy ride for us. I understand that I'm perhaps not the easiest person to be with at times and when things get tough, most people would walk away. You haven't."

"I never would."

A soft smile greeted Eddie's words as Rachel reached upwards to kiss a single kiss to his lips, "I'll leave you to finish unpacking. I'll check in with Phillip, see if he has any preference for dinner."

"How about we go out instead? I fancy a carvery, and I know just the place."

Rachel's face lit up, "your treat?"

"My treat."

"I'll go see what Phillip says while you finish unpacking."

Eddie nodded and watched as Rachel left the room before returning to his unpacking. He still couldn't believe he'd gotten so lucky.

"That was delicious," Phillip proclaimed upon finishing his main course.

Eddie nodded in agreement, "I don't think I could eat another thing," he added.

Rachel rolled her eyes at the two men, "are you suggesting we leave without having dessert?"

"You can have dessert if you wish, I just won't join you in that."

"Good," Rachel concluded, "I'll be back," she added, gesturing towards the ladies' toilets as she rose.

Once Rachel was out of earshot, Eddie seized the opportunity. "Phil, can I ask you something, while Rachel's not around."

Phillip nodded, "course, what is it?"

"I'd like to take Rachel away somewhere during the summer holidays and I just want to make sure you were fine with it before I book something."

A wide grin crossed Phillip's face at Eddie's words, "she deserves the break. After everything she's been through since starting at Waterloo Road, I reckon she's earned it."

"My thoughts exactly," Eddie said, "you don't mind then?"

"Nah, I'll be fine on my own, I'm used to it. I'll probably split my time between home and Bolton's."

The way Phillip called Rachel's place home filled Eddie with a sense of happiness. With all the upheaval he'd had since starting at Waterloo Road, it was the least he deserved. "I'll start looking at holiday destinations tomorrow then."

"Any ideas?"

Eddie nodded and Rachel re-joined them before he could answer. "Right, dessert," she announced upon picking up the menu, "Phillip?"

Phillip nodded as he moved around the table to peer over Rachel's shoulder at the menu. To him, it was the perfect evening, and he had no desire to call it a night just yet.

Upon arriving back at Rachel's, Phillip disappeared upstairs while the two adults retreated to the living room after fixing some drinks; a glass of orange juice for Rachel and a can of beer for Eddie. "How do you feel about tomorrow?" he asked as they sat down.

A confused look crossed Rachel's face, "tomorrow?"

With Eddie's move being front and centre in her mind, she'd forgotten they were going public with the staff the next day. "Yeah, tomorrow, you and me, going public."

Rachel took a sip from her glass of orange juice before responding. "Oh yeah. Sorry, it slipped my mind, what with you moving in and everything. I'm fine with it, we can't keep it a secret forever and now's as good a time as any to come clean."

"As long as you're OK with it," he said, taking a swig from his can before pressing a kiss to Rachel's forehead.

"You'd know if I wasn't OK with it."

"I don't doubt that for a second," Eddie said as Rachel reached for the remote.

Their conversation lapsed as she turned on the television and snuggled into Eddie's embrace.

It didn't take long for Eddie to realise Rachel was getting sleepy, she kept dozing off against his arm so when he suggested they go to bed, she readily agreed. He surmised that the events of the day, coupled with the pregnancy, had tired her out more than she'd cared to admit. The two of them readied themselves for bed, spoken words sparse as they did so. Soon after slipping underneath the duvet, Rachel and Eddie fell asleep, tiredness beating them but both were happier knowing they never had to spend a night apart again.