Here we are at the last chapter, thank you so much to everyone who has supported this story.

I haven't got any longer fics planned for the near future, and the next year or so is going to be a busy one for me. But look out for some one shots, shorter stories etc - I have a few ideas in my head.

Enjoy this :) x

Chapter 29: Together

To Rachel it could have been mere minutes later, seconds even. Yet hours had passed, dinner had been eaten with Philip, and now she lay in Eddie's arms, listening to his heartbeat. Her fiancé's heartbeat.

Somewhat of a blur had ensued following on from Rachel discovering the ring. She was sure Eddie had stood stock still for a long duration, features almost frozen as he'd waited for some sort of reaction - Rachel had presumed.

Only she hadn't been able to react, not in that exact moment anyway. Because there was that element of self doubt, no matter how much she knew Eddie loved her. That was one thing, but marriage? He wanted her to be his wife?

So Rachel had let out a steady breath, palms practically sweating as she'd tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "Eddie," she remembered whispering, earning a blink of the eyes from him.

"You… that was meant to be for our final night here."

So he did want her to be his wife, she had thought. Rachel hadn't been able to help it, her eyes had glazed over with a coat of tears, happy ones at the concept of spending the rest of her life with this wonderful man.

She had managed a crooked smile, a step forward in Eddie's direction as she'd taken one of his hands.

"I don't mind," she'd spoken with a tilt of the head.

Eddie's eyebrow had quirked in amusement, eyes glinting with something close to hope - Rachel still presumed.

"Really?" His tone had been a little breathless as he'd given her hand a loving squeeze.

"Why would I mind?" She'd challenged, undoubtedly having spurred Eddie on to take the ring box from her.

Rachel remembered how she could barely breathe for the seconds which followed that, her eyes had followed every movement Eddie had made - from him stepping back to get down on one knee, to the way he had opened the box.

"I think this goes without saying, but. Rachel, I want you. And every day I find myself falling in love with you more and more. So, will you marry me? Will you be my wife?"

It had only taken a split second for Rachel to react, her mouth which had been gaped open had snapped shut as she'd flung herself to the floor to join Eddie - uncaring of anyone else in the world but him in that exact moment.

"Yes. Of course I will," the sound of the words had been exhilarating to both adults as they'd embraced, feeling slightly dizzy with the atmosphere that had surrounded them.

In the present, a lazy smile spread across Rachel's face as she relished in the closeness of Eddie, his kisses trailing across her chest removing her from the reverie.

"Mrs Lawson," she felt Eddie smile against her as his own mind whirred with their future together, with Philip too.

His grin only widened as Rachel tucked a finger under his chin, aligning her eyes with his, "sounds good, don't you think?"

Eddie couldn't resist it - tilting his chin upwards to plant a much needed kiss on the lips of his wife to be. The thought still made him want to explode with excitement and love, and he was sure it always would.

"That, it does. And I can't wait to call you it."

Rachel beamed, trailing her hand around the back of Eddie's neck to bring him back down to her, "me neither."

They snuggled against one another, limbs entwined as Eddie's head rested on Rachel's chest - the innate feeling of being with one another something they'd never tire of.

"Phil seemed chuffed too," Eddie broke the blissful silence, delighted when Rachel hummed her agreement.

"He is. I think it's… something he's always wanted. A family, a proper one, you know?" Try as she might, Rachel couldn't push down the lump which had formed in her throat, and was sure her voice had wavered just a notch. Eddie didn't miss this of course, and his mind immediately reverted to one of their early conversations, when he had told Rachel of Michael, and of Stephen. He would never forget the look in her eyes as she'd mentioned that love from her parents was something she'd never felt.

"He's got that, Rach," he held her that little bit tighter, not willing to let her go, "and so do you, you'll always have me. And Phil."

Rachel couldn't deny that those words had been exactly what she'd needed, wanted, to hear in that moment - even as her mind span with something she'd been chewing on for quite some time.

She absorbed all the courage she could, and shifted so that her and Eddie's heads were resting on pillows, facing each other.

He sensed Rachel's need to speak, knew he would be patient and listen to whatever she had to say. That was something Eddie vowed he'd never fail to do.

She cupped his cheek, swallowing as she saw the raw emotion in his eyes, "do you… would you want another child Eddie?"

It wasn't what he'd been expecting to hear, Eddie had to admit. But equally, he couldn't deny that the subject had been playing on his mind almost constantly as he and Rachel had grown ever closer. And like never before, hearing the words from Rachel made the picture so clear. Their own child running around, a mixture of the both of them. How perfect would that be?

He'd stayed silent for too long, Eddie realised, from the look on Rachel's face. Her thumb which had previously stroked tenderly across his cheekbone remained motionless now, her eyes filled with a worry which had Eddie coming to his senses.

"Along with marrying you, there's nothing I would want more in the world," he had the pleasure of watching a grin break out on Rachel's face, "if that's something you'd want too. And of course… with everything that happened with Stephen. I can't say it would be easy but I… having a child with you? That fills me with more joy than I knew existed."

Eddie watched as the emotions played out across Rachel's face, with her own mind being deep in thought. She removed her hand from Eddie's cheek, instead reaching out for his hand and entwining their fingers, pressing a gentle kiss to his knuckles in support.

"We'll work through it together, like we always do."

Warmth blossomed within Eddie at Rachel's words. It was something he'd known all along of course, but would forever be grateful when hearing the words spoken allowed.

"Of course we will," Eddie responded, shifting closer to the warmth of Rachel's body as he wrapped his arms around her, "I love you," he whispered with their faces just inches apart. Even then, he couldn't stop his eyes drifting to the way she was biting her lip, seemingly unable to concentrate on much else.

"I love you too. Always."