A/N: Thank you for continuing to read this fic and a massive thank you to Mrs Carmichael, RachelMasonFan39, LittleH12, fayeftvanity, schefflera, FaeMelody and hannah5240 for the support.
Please enjoy.

Burning under your control

Chapter eight.

Controlling someone is having the ability to influence and dominate a vulnerable human being.

Protected.

A welcoming silence beckoned them as he drove the streets back to Rochdale. The sun had been slowly setting, and a serenity surrounded them. It had been a rather confusing day, and she was exhausted. She'd been forcefully concentrating on getting through this journey that everything else had escaped her. Eddie took a quick glance over to her and seen that she wasn't in fact sleeping, but just quiet. Rachel had always been a thinker, and on times it made it difficult for him to read her. She had been the only person to ever intrigue and captivate him in ways like never before. Worried that the air was turning cold and that she might be too polite to say so, he wanted to make sure she was comfortable.

'Are you warm enough? I can turn the heating to-', he asked breaking the ongoing silence. She did however interrupt him rather quickly.

'I'm okay, Eddie', she assured. After leaving a rather long pause, she felt guilty for her sharp tone and remembered just how much he was doing for her, and so, she gave him a small smile.

'Thank you.'

'For what?', he quizzed. Reaching her drive, he pulled in slowly and heard a long deep breath pass her lips before she answered him.

'I could really do with the support right now, and so, thank you', she spoke. Her words were sincere, and a warmness filled his heart before he returned her smile. His hand reached over to hers and he brought them together showing his affection, carefully. In a sudden second her expression overturned and she felt anxiety creep up on her.

'My car .. it's here?!', she panicked as her eyes looked on in horror. Eddie quickly jumped in before she started to stress in true nature.

'I drove it back. Tom gave me a lift back to the school-', he explained. The horror was yet again clear in her eyes, and she didn't give him the chance to finish.

'Tom? Does that mean he knows? Oh God, what did you say, Ed-', she flapped. Bringing her hand to her forehead whilst the colour drained from her face.

'Rachel, calm down. I said that you were housebound. The staff think you have a nasty bug and that you had asked me to collect your car-', he answered. He observed how her mind was running into overdrive and it wasn't long before she interrupted, again.

'But Eddie, you're not on the insur-', she blurted. On watching him raise his eyebrows, she understood she was missing the point. He'd done all of this for her. She threw her head back and laughed softly before addressing her apology to him.

'Sorry.'

An hour had quickly passed, and he'd found himself still at her house, in her company. It felt natural and comforting for them both, and they were sitting sipping on coffee. The desperation to try to help her had been brewing inside him. He needed to know more from her, but he knew better than to force. He studied her for a little while, watching as she delicately laced her fingers around her mug and how she sat deep in thought lost in her own world. An abundance of thoughts he wished he could jump into.

Setting her mug down gently on the table, he could see her going to that place. It terrified him that one day he may never be able pull her free from the darkening days that awaited her.

'Do you think he's alive?', she questioned. Her question was complicated, and he found himself unable to answer for a few moments. His head and his heart divided, both choosing different routes. His heart guiding him to honesty, to tell her the truth but to be the person to help her, to save her from an unknown world of guilt and consequences. His head, however leading him to lie to her, to protect her, to keep her from being tainted just that little longer. He wanted to keep her from immersing in the troubled waters, and so he went with his head.

'Er, I ... I'm not sure', he lied. He couldn't bear the thought of looking into her eyes, knowing that he'd kept the truth from her, and so he swiftly moved them across the room. He placed both hands on his mug and waited for her to continue.

She stood from her chair and attempted to consciously watch her movements. The pain had subsided a little as Eddie had demanded that she take her next dosage of prescription on time and not a minute late; it was rather ironic as that had been one of his worst habits, being late. Slowly she made her way to the sink, pouring the remains of her coffee away. She had a burning question for him and felt her heart quicken with every second. The uncertainty of what he would say terrified her but she couldn't face the prospect of loneliness. It wasn't just the company that she craved, but it was him. It was Eddie Lawson.

'Eddie, will you stay tonight, it's just ..', she asked nervously. She was determined to rebuild their relationship and whether or not that be romantically, it was of great importance to her. He kept her waiting, and it wasn't to torment her, but he was unsure what this would mean regarding the issue that they had already shared a night of passion previously. He didn't want to jeopardise what they had as it was already fragile, but he would never reject her.

'You don't even need to ask. In the spare room of course', he clarified. He needed her to know he would never take advantage of her vulnerability.

'Yes, of course', she agreed quietly.

Eddie was damn sure he'd respect the boundaries. She needed time to heal not only physically, but emotionally. That however would be easier said than done as she caught his gaze. It was right then he knew he was undoubtedly in love with her.