Hi everyone, thank you so much for the reviews.
This is quite a lengthy paragraph, so I'm hoping that'll make up for my delay in updating:)
Hope you guys enjoy it x
As soon as the phone was removed from Rachel's ear, Eddie witnessed her facade slowly drop, and he sensed her mind was creeping into overdrive. Hoping Rachel would allow him to comfort her, Eddie stepped closer, recognising the abundance of thoughts that were undoubtedly bombarding her brain.
"Come on Rach, lets go," he commented, squeezing her shoulder slightly in reassurance.
As much as Eddie longed for Rachel to accept his support, it came as no surprise to him when the walls surrounding her demeanour were instantly rebuilt.
"Eddie…" Rachel stepped away from his touch, turning around so that the pair were face to face, "I really do appreciate your support, I can't thank you enough for everything," the vulnerability in her tone didn't go amiss, and Eddie pepared himself mentally to persuade Rachel against her upcoming comments.
Rachel's gaze was averted as she grabbed her coat before heading to the door - the whole time though, Eddie was in anticipation of her final words.
"You should go and get Isabelle now, really I'll be fine," a smile was plastered across her lips, but of course a gesture to that effect would never fool Eddie. Instinctively, he closed the gap between them once more, and reached out to Rachel's wrist slightly.
With the desired effect, their eyes met once more, and Eddie knew he had done the right thing in not allowing her to walk away. Her hazel orbs were overflowing with concern and panic, something which he would never intentionally diacard.
"I'm not letting you handle this alone Rachel. We'll drive to the police station, sort things out with your mum, and then go to collect Isabelle after. Okay?"
Eddie looked on as she forced her lids shut, and he knew that she didn't intend to open them before responding. The signals that Rachel was portraying, told Eddie that she wanted nothing more than to let him in, although it was clear that something was holding her back. It was the same something which kickstarted the conclusive heartbreak in both their lives - Rachel wasn't willing to put herself before anyone, especially if that concerned family. It infuriated Eddie, that she could never be selfish; despite this though, it's one of the many reasons why he loves her. Of course, because of that, Eddie was willing to do everything in his power to help Rachel follow her heart and not her head for once.
"Look Eddie, please… I've already, limited your time with her…"
"Rachel," Eddie stated, interjecting her thought process, "are you forgetting everything we spoke about last night?"
Judging by the way Rachel's eyes flickered open and then shut once more, Eddie reckoned that he was getting somewhere. Just as he was about to resume his coercion, Philip's presence was once again made known.
"Look, erm… you guys go, to the police station I mean," the boy shuffled nervously before continuing, obviously praying his input would succeed. It was clear to Eddie that Philip cared for his aunt's well being just as much as he did, "I'll get a taxi to the hospital, sit with Isabelle, till you guys are done," he paused, switching his stare between the two adults, "see, problem solved."
In Eddie's mind, it was a more than reasonable solution. Although, affirming his attention back to Rachel, he worried if it would be enough. Taking this into account, Eddie voiced his own opinion once more, hoping that would emphasise the words spoken by Philip just seconds ago.
"Let me come with you Rach. Besides, it'll be good for Phil to spend some more time with his sister."
As Rachel glanced at Philip, Eddie gathered that she was looking for some form of reassurance in her nephew. Taking a look at the boy, Eddie was overjoyed that Philip seemed to offer just that. His mouth formed into a crooked smile, followed with a nod which managed to dispel Rachel's concern.
"Ok, fine, yes that's what we'll do. Thank you Philip," Rachel stuttered, in turn focusing her attention on fastening her coat up, "if we're any longer than say, an hour Eddie, you can go though, alright?"
Although it wasn't the full response Eddie was longing for, Rachel had started to let him back in once more; something which Eddie would never take for granted after the recent months they had spent apart. So grabbing his own jacket, Eddie muttered his thanks towards Phil and followed Rachel as she made her way out of the house.
….
Taking a seat in the car, Rachel began to consider basic matters such as whether or not she should put the radio on. After Eddie had persuaded her that she was in no fit state to drive, Rachel wanted to find something else to pinpoint her attention on. She would try anything, as long as she could avoid the negative string of thoughts that seemed to be imploding in her mind. Deciding against the music, Rachel turned her attention to Eddie and how incredibly grateful she was for his presence and support. Even though she didn't show it, Rachel needed him more than anything right now; it just took a lot to put her own feelings first for once. It was something she certainly wasn't accustomed to, in fact it was a foreign feeling that put Rachel miles away from known territory.
She was well aware of Eddie's fleeting glances directed at her throughout the journey, and it made Rachel smile internally. Seemingly, his gestures were enough to quieten the realms of possibilities posed by the police woman's phone call.
Rachel's relationship with her mother had become rather strained over the years; one of the most prominent reasons for this was the way Susan lacked involvement when Rachel's father had his outbursts. At the time, it was something Rachel deemed as unforgivable. How could a mother not yearn to protect her own daughter? Now though, witnessing both Graeme and Christopher's actions as a grown woman, Rachel could see exactly how vulnerable and conflicted Susan must have felt. With this thought in mind, and the way her mother hinted at jumping to her defence yesterday, Rachel couldn't help but consider the possibilities of Graeme's violence towards Susan. The thought sickened her, equally though, if true, perhaps her and Susan could reconcile, since Rachel would be aware of the extent that her father would go to.
During her childhood and admittedly difficult upbringing, Rachel hadn't contemplated that Graeme was likely to be violent towards Susan as well as herself. Whether that was due to his gentility towards Melissa at the time, or her sheer naivety as a teenage girl, Rachel wasn't sure. Looking back now though, the pieces of the puzzle seemed to gather together and stick to one another like glue: her mother had been frightened of her own husband, and as a result, she felt unable to protect her daughters.
As Eddie's voice cut through her ever growing thought process, Rachel found herself extremely glad that she had not been driving. The ten minutes in the car had flown by, and it seemed that Rachel had been in her own world of possibilities for the majority of it.
"We're at the police station Rach," he spoke softly, and Rachel presumed this was in an attempt not to startle her. No doubt she was currently portraying her inner musings perfectly through her facial expressions.
She responded with a weak smile, not even daring herself to speak, for fear of what she might say. Wanting to relieve the intense atmosphere from their surroundings, Rachel aimed to lighten the mood in a roundabout way, "feels a bit like dé ja vu don't you think?"
Instantly, Eddie's features slackened, and his gaze shifted from one of concern and worry, to a far more relaxed tone, "how do you mean?" He chuckled slightly, apparently wanting to prolong this easy-going aura.
"Well, what I mean is, it feels like we went through all this yesterday, what with visiting my parents. You comforting me, whilst I teeter on the edge of no return,"
Rachel's own words shocked her; had she really just admitted her current feelings so openly? Of course, she was aware it was in a fairly light hearted way, but to her, it was all the same; Rachel was just glad that Eddie was breaking those walls back down. It was something which he had expertise in.
Another cacophony of laughter escaped Eddie's mouth before his demeanour turned into a tone which radiated with love and care.
"I don't mind at all you know, being here to comfort you and support you. Like I've said, I want to Rachel, I'm not gonna let you get away easily this time," his voice remained steady, and serious, right up until the last sentence, where Rachel was aware of the humorous side to Eddie creeping in. She was glad of that. Not for the first time in the last 18 hours, Rachel recognised that his ability to read her like a book had not been lost. It was obvious that he sensed her need for a meaningful yet light hearted conversation, and it's another thing that she loves him for.
Expressing her views in the best way possible, she stretched a hand out to his knee and initiated contact, before commenting, "thank you Eddie. I really do appreciate it."
Seeing that as their cue, the pair exchanged reassuring smiles before making their way into the station. Both adults prolonged the close proximity, not wanting to miss a moment of contact, and at the same time wanting to portray their need for each other. In fact, they were so close that their fingers held the ability to brush with every step that they took.
….
Aside from the circumstances, the contact which Rachel initiated in the car sent sparks of hope running through Eddie's body. It seemed to be a recurring feeling since their heart to heart the previous evening. Although, that simple gesture from Rachel seemed to clarify the knowledge that Eddie had already gathered. Which was why now, after witnessing Rachel tense up on entering the station, he felt able to wrap his arm around her middle for a moment, muttering reassurances into her ear. Upon noting the way her body melted into his for a split second, and how she now seemed to hold a slither of relaxation, Eddie was more than glad he had pushed his uncertainty to the side, and went ahead with his instincts.
As they approached the desk, words were exchanged between Rachel and the officer; for Eddie though, those utterances were unclear. He was too busy examining Rachel's every move and facial expression - Eddie was searching for any hallmarks of concern or anxiety, he wanted to be able to lift those as effectively as possible.
With being wrapped up in his thoughts, it wasn't long before Eddie and Rachel we entering a box-shaped room. And there she was; Susan Fenshaw. A woman who Eddie saw as vibrant and confident after yesterday's visit, now appeared lifeless. To put it simply, she was unrecognisable. Bruises scattered the skin which was visible, and Eddie didn't dare to wonder what kind of injuries lay below the material. Out of the corner of his eye, Eddie witnessed Rachel succumb to a shudder. His instinct was to reach out to her, to envelope Rachel in his arms and never let her go. That wasn't a possibility though, what with an officer and Rachel's mum present in the room, Eddie gathered that Rachel wouldn't want to pose a fuss. Instead, hidden by their winter coats, he interlocked his fingers with Rachel's, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"Amand… I'm sorry," Susan spoke softly, recognising her slight mistake before correcting herself, "Rachel. I didn't think you'd come."
Glancing at Rachel, Eddie guessed she was both mentally and physically preparing herself for this upcoming conversation. It was evident in the way she blinked extensively, presumably fighting off tears. Allowing her to step forward, Eddie offered her hand one final squeeze, which was received by Rachel with a similar gesture.
"Who did this to you mum, hm?" Rachel queried, taking a seat next to where her mother was currently perched.
"I'm not telling the police, we need to talk in private," Susan's gaze was darting rapidly around the room, switching between Eddie and the female officer. Eddie himself gathered that his own presence unnerved her, and that made him feel extremely conflicted. Of course, he wanted to be there for Rachel, to help her through any imminent hurdles. Despite this though, Eddie wanted Susan to open up to her daughter, he longed for the two relations to reach out to one another. Witnessing the scene in front of him now, it was a phenomenon that would do both adults the world of good.
Wrapped up in his incompatible emotions; initially, Eddie didn't notice the words that were beginning to spill out of Rachel's mouth. When he did though, it was a statement that both melted his heart, and ignited his faith to an enormous extent.
"Look mum, we'll get out of here soon, okay? Eddie though, I would like him to stay. You can trust him, I certainly do. With my life in fact."