Thanks so much for all your reviews guys, I shall try not to get sidetracked again.

I owe a massive thanks to my girls for helping me out with a bit of this chapter, they know what I mean ;)

So, Rachel's lost the Reddie baby. Now we're getting to the drama, fasten your seatbelts.

Also, as a reference point (because I can't remember for the life of me if I've mentioned it in the chapter itself!), we're a week on from Rachel's miscarriage.

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Chapter Seventeen: Deception By Default

"I'll make those," Eddie said, nodding towards the kettle as it came to the boil.

Rachel jumped, startled by the unexpected intrusion. However, she styled it out, raising no objections to the offer as Eddie made the drinks. He approached the breakfast bar, placing two down before dropping into the seat next to Rachel. The previous evening, they'd made tentative plans to get out of the house for a bit and perhaps stop off in town for lunch. Eddie hoped Rachel still felt up to it because he wanted to inject a sense of normality back into their lives. The miscarriage had turned their world upside down and worst of all, the one person Eddie blamed had not been in touch since: Melissa. No visit, no call, not even a text. Melissa's radio silence enhanced Eddie's sense of anger, he blamed her for all of this; if she'd not turned up within hours of their return from Santorini, none of this would be happening. "Sure you still fancy grabbing lunch in town?" Eddie asked before sipping his coffee.

Rachel nodded, following suit, "I've not been out since leaving hospital, I need a change of scenery, otherwise I'll go stir-crazy."

Eddie laughed, "and I'll put up with it."

Rachel deposited her cup before turning to face him, cupping his cheek, "I wouldn't do that. After everything you've done for me since… the accident, you don't deserve that."

Eddie smiled, turning to allow his lips to brush against the inside of her wrist. The movement sent a shiver down Rachel's spine and a sense of relief followed. A hopeful silence settled in. Hope that they could salvage their relationship after enduring such a traumatic event, if they could get through this, anything was possible. He pulled back, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I hate seeing you so upset, knowing there's nothing I can do to alleviate that. I understand how hard losing the baby was for you… we could always try again.

At his words, tears gathered in Rachel eyes and Eddie chastised himself for saying the wrong thing as she cried. "Come here," he said, enveloping her in a hug after rising from his perch.

Rachel buried her head into the crook of Eddie's neck as she let it all out. Emotionally, she remained at rock bottom. Understandable under the circumstances, emotions would be raw for a while until she accepted what had happened. Eddie's words hit her hard because she wanted that so much, but feared she'd met him too late to make it happen. With every day that passed, Rachel wondered whether it would become a pipedream, she hoped not but time wasn't on her side. She wished she'd met Eddie sooner, why couldn't they have met ten years ago when they'd have had all the time in the world to try. "I'm sorry," she murmured once the tears subsided.

Eddie pulled back and cupped Rachel's face, "sweetheart, you've nothing to be sorry for. Course you're still hurting after what happened. Listen, forget what I said about trying for another. If you want, we can try again further down the line, if not, that's fine too. I love you Rach, baby or no baby."

Rachel smiled, not realising how much she'd needed to hear those words to trust him, "I love you too."

He smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead as Phillip wandered in, "morning guys," he greeted them, stopping after seeing Rachel's tear-stained face, "you OK, Rach?"

Rachel nodded, wiping away the tears, "getting there," she replied, smiling at Phillip's concern.

Phillip smiled before popping some bread in the toaster, "Rach."

"Yeah, Phillip."

"How come Mum's not checked in since…"

Phillip didn't need to finish the sentence. Neither Rachel nor Eddie needed the reminder. The couple exchanged furtive glances as they wondered how best to explain it. Phillip and Melissa's relationship was already on shaky ground. Rachel reckoned no good would ever come from him knowing the truth. In the aftermath, Phillip had become almost as overprotective as Eddie. She didn't mind, both had her best interests at heart. Her boys, her number one priority.

Once the initial shock had worn off, Rachel recounted every detail of their row to Eddie; from her hostility to the horrific slurs and everything in between. Melissa's behaviour disgusted Eddie, so much so that Rachel had to talk him out of confronting her. "Phillip, I can't second guess what's going on in your Mother's head, ask her."

With the mother-son relationship at an all-time low, Rachel reckoned asking Melissa would be the last thing he'd do. Luckily, no other questions followed. Phillip's toast sprung out, and he pulled the butter from the fridge. Eventually, he took the seat Eddie had vacated. Phillip sensed something was amiss and wanted to discover what.

Eddie understood feelings would remain raw for some time. He also wondered whether speaking to Melissa in a calmer setting would help. As much as she'd insisted she didn't want to see her, Eddie still wanted Rachel to be open to the possibility. Aside from Phillip, Melissa was the only family she had. Melissa had caused all this, Eddie would consider them even when she'd learnt every detail. Even, but as promised, he would never forgive her.

"Rach, can we talk about something?" Eddie questioned before dropping onto a nearby bench.

She nodded, sitting down beside him as he rested their enclosed hands upon her lap, "what is it?"

Eddie wasn't at all sure how to start the conversation, "sweetheart, I've been thinking…"

"You must stop doing that," Rachel interrupted.

He grinned, relieved her sense of humour remained intact. "Promise you won't get mad at me for making this suggestion."

Rachel turned, then smiled, "why would I get mad at you?"

"Perhaps you should reach out to Melissa."

Rachel's demeanour changed upon the mention of her sister. She froze, and Eddie sensed what was coming before she even opened her mouth. "No," she replied, emphasising it with an adamant shake of the head.

"Darling, please just hear me out."

Rachel relented; Eddie wouldn't suggest it without having thought it through first, she understood that much. "Look, I get that you're angry at her and hurting at the moment, I am too, we probably always will be but… can I be honest?"

"We've always been honest with each other, I'm not about to set a dangerous precedent by changing that now."

"OK… I wonder whether you're hurting just as much without her."

Tears leaked from the corners of Rachel's eyes as Eddie hit that sore spot, "what makes you say that?"

"Rach, I know you better than anyone else. Because of that, I understand that all you've ever wanted is to feel like part of a proper family. Melissa and Phil are all that's left, she may not be the best sister, but she's the only one you have. Wouldn't it make things easier and perhaps less painful for you, and for Phil too, if you could be civil and honest towards each other? All I ask is that you deliberate. Whatever you decide, you're my number one priority, that'll never change."

Rachel sniffed whilst wiping away the tears, "perhaps you're right, about the fact that I'm hurting just as much without her," she mused out loud. "I don't know whether I'm hurting because she's not here, or because of what she took from us."

Rachel's response broke his heart, but Eddie hoped that going back to those dark places would be the best way to help her make sense of recent events. "Could it be a bit of both?" Eddie offered.

Rachel shrugged, "perhaps more one than the other. It doesn't bother me so much that she's not here, I'm used to dealing with stuff without her around. What bothers me is the idea that she's perhaps taken away my… our… last chance of having a child of our own."

"I told you earlier Rach, I love you, with or without a baby."

She smiled, "I needed to hear that," she admitted. "Melissa won't understand what she took from us because she's had the child, and she's having another."

Eddie's grip upon Rachel's hand tightened, "that's why reaching out might be good. You hated missing out on so much of Phillip's life. Do you really want history to repeat with your new niece or nephew?" he paused. "Plus, if the baby is mine, it might make it easier for us to carry on as we are."

"Do you believe her?"

Eddie shrugged, "I don't find her as easy to read as her sister, so I couldn't say. You?"

Rachel shrugged too, "maybe she's on the level, maybe not. Eddie, I want to, I'm just not sure I can. She lied about the bigamy, it wouldn't be a huge stretch for her to lie about this too."

"Still don't understand why she was first choice. As an ally."

"Thought I was getting an improved version, how wrong was I?"

"You needn't explain, Rach,"

Rachel rested a free hand on top of Eddie's, "yes, I should," she insisted, "you of all people deserve to know why I wanted her here.

"Given what happened with everyone finding out about my past and the fire, I wanted her nearby because she's family. I hoped that having her around would provide with the familial support to get me back on my feet. Families don't necessarily do what's best, or offer the support you need, but you always look for the best in them, whatever the circumstances. That's where I'm at with Melissa; deep down, I'm not sure I brought it when she claimed to have changed and her behaviour over the past few months proves it. She'll never change, and I was stupid for believing in a version of my sister that'll never exist."

Eddie leaned over before pressing a kiss to the side of her head, "wanting to believe in the best version of Melissa doesn't make you stupid."

Rachel shrugged, "doesn't it? Anyway, the version, of Melissa we have seems worse because I never dreamt she'd harm me as she has done. So, I didn't… don't… need Melissa as an ally anymore, because I've got you and Phillip, the only two allies I need."

"We'll always be here, Rach."

"I'll always need you… never imagined I'd say that."

Eddie grinned before kissing her, "think about what I've said, yeah? If you can't reach out, I'll understand, but don't dismiss it out of hand, OK?"

Rachel nodded in agreement, "OK, for you."

Silence enveloped the couple and their gazes veered away from one another, onto the scene before them. Dog-walkers and couples passed by on the other side of the lake as both Rachel and Eddie became lost in their own thoughts. Eddie had an idea; if Rachel didn't want to be the one to reach out, perhaps he could persuade Melissa to make the first move instead…

When he'd packed up and left over the Easter holidays, Eddie hoped he'd never darken this doorstep again. Yet, here he was. Eddie knew of Rachel's stubborn streak, and he understood her reluctance to make that initial contact. Melissa had caused this mess; by rights, she should reach out and start making things right.

Pausing on the front step, Eddie gave himself one last chance to turn and walk away. He saw himself doing it but upon remembering his reasons for being there, he rung the doorbell and waited. Several moments passed by without an answer, leading Eddie to hope she wasn't in. No such luck, the front door opened soon afterwards, causing that slither of hope to evaporate. "Didn't think it'd be long before you came crawling back," Melissa sneered.

"Don't get your hopes up Mel, that's not why I'm here."

"Does she know you're here?"

It grated on Eddie that Melissa did not address her sister by name but refused to rise to the obvious antagonisation. He shook his head, "I'm here on Rachel's behalf, but she doesn't know. Are you going to let me in? I'm sure you don't wish to have this conversation on the doorstep."

Melissa turned over Eddie's words, he was right. By letting him in, she wasn't compromising her safety, or that of the baby. Their conversation wasn't likely to get as heated as hers with Rachel did, they brought out the worst in each other. Eventually, Melissa nodded and backed away, allowing Eddie to entered.

He followed his heavily pregnant ex-fiancée into the living room of what would have been their home, if things had been different. Melissa lowered herself onto the sofa and Eddie made a conscious effort not to join her. Instead, he dropped into the armchair, glowering at her before speaking. "I'm surprised you've not been in touch to survey the damage."

Melissa appeared indignant at Eddie's accusation, "I've had stuff to deal with," she protested, "imagine how hurt I am that Rachel can't accept that this baby is yours."

Eddie resisted the impulse to roll his eyes. Even now, when he was here to talk about Rachel, she somehow turned the tide, so the focus was upon her. In that moment, he wondered what he'd ever seen in her. Then he remembered; he hadn't been looking to settle down when he met Melissa. All he wanted was someone to ease the burden of loneliness weighing him down. Melissa fit the bill until things snowballed out of control. "That's you all over Melissa, me first and bugger everyone else, even your own flesh and blood," Eddie responded in disbelief, "Rachel had a miscarriage, did no-one tell you?"

From the look upon Melissa's face, Eddie guessed not. "Never saw her as the maternal type, anyway."

Eddie's outrage at that statement wrote itself across his face, "that child would have been your niece or nephew Melissa, have a heart."

"According to Rachel, I don't have one."

"Eh?"

"Didn't she tell you she called me a heartless bitch?"

"She told me what happened, but if what you're saying is true, you slung worse at Rachel. I remember hearing worse before making the mistake of leaving you two alone."

"You don't believe me?"

"Are you surprised, Melissa? You lied to me every day we were together, why should I believe you now?"

"Because I needn't lie now, I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain."

"If that's the case, why didn't you tell me about the pregnancy before you left? To be so far gone, you surely must have been pregnant then. Tell me why, Melissa."

Eddie's question and subsequent statement brought Melissa up short, she hadn't expected that response. Silence fell as she marshalled her thoughts and prepared an answer. "I wanted to be sure we were marrying for the right reasons, not because of some unplanned pregnancy," Melissa explained. "Think about it, Eddie, the whore who can't give you a child, or the ex-fiancée that can, your choice."

Eddie scoffed, "that is not what Rachel is anymore and my choice remains the same. I choose Rachel, and I'll keep choosing her until my dying day."

"Your mistake."

"No Melissa, my biggest mistake was getting too close to you. I should have waited for Rachel, not settled for the consolation prize."

Consolation prize? Melissa seethed at Eddie's words. "Was that all I was to you?" she paused. "If that's how you feel, I'll have the baby and disappear again."

Once again, Eddie scoffed, "you wouldn't do that. If that baby is mine, you're more likely to stick around and use it to drive a wedge between me and Rach," he countered before rising. "This is pointless, I shouldn't be here, I'm going home, to Rachel."

Melissa rose too, intending to follow and argue some more. However, a sharp pain stopped her, and she ended up doubled over on the living room floor. A gush of water leaking from between her legs alerted Melissa to the cause of her pain. "Eddie! My waters have gone, the baby's coming!"

Maybe don't kill me yet...

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