Thank you for the reviews.

I do realise that I called this an AU story. I promise you that it does move on from the plot of the series, with some key episodes still making an appearance... Just this chapter and the next does not do that other than that way that I have worded things... I did apologise in the last chapter...

Part one of Series 3 Episode 20...

Chapter Nine
It's Out

There was absolutely nothing that could ruin Rachel's day. Her morning sickness had started to die down and everything that was happening at the school was going great and she couldn't wait to see her deputy. She had been thinking about what she was going to say to him for the past couple of weeks since she opened up to him and with it being the end of term and the school year, she hoped that he might remember and ask her out.

Not that she minded if he didn't. She was sure that she would be seeing him lots over the summer and then maybe, when the new school year started, it would make more sense if they were a little closer. She could only assume that he would take over as acting head while she was on maternity leave after Christmas.

The smile only grew as he finally joined her in her office.

"Good morning."

"Morning. Can I have a word?"

"You can go mad and have several if you like, come on." She said as she nodded her head into the main part of her office.

Eddie shut the door behind them as she walked around to her desk.

"What is it?"

"I don't want to worry or panic you, okay?"

It was the first time she felt her smile falter. "I knew this day was too good to be true. You're going to spoil it, aren't you?"

"What?"

"I know it's as rare as hen's teeth, but you are looking at a happy headmistress."

She could tell that it had lightened up his mood slightly.

"Why so happy?"

"Well, the morning sickness is dying down, meaning I am less likely to get a migraine now because I can actually eat. It's the end of term and we are going to thrash Forest Mount at the spelling bee and the football. And, you know what, I think this school is finally working out. Everyone seems to be on side about all the changes I have made. And most importantly, this is the first morning that I have come in and not been greeted by doom disaster and destruction." She paused for a moment. "So what is it?"

She felt like he hesitated for a moment.

"You know what, it can wait."

"No, no, no. Tell me, what is it?"

His whole attitude changed and she bit the inside of her lip as she waited for his next sentence.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Umm, I don't know. Why?"

"Well, as you said, it is the end of term. I thought, maybe, I could take you out and celebrate?"

"Just to celebrate?"

"I think we would have to see where the night took us. I would say go for a drink but I think a meal might be slightly more appropriate."

"In all honesty, either is fine by me."

"You can choose then. Pick you up at seven."

The smile that was on her face earlier was back. "Seven is perfect."

When Karla said the last letter of the last word and Matt hit the bell, Rachel couldn't help but join her students and fellow teachers as they roared in happiness and triumph. She couldn't help herself as she leant over to Geoff.

"Thanks for going easy on us."

She jumped out of her seat and was on the stage within a couple of minutes.

"Well, okay. Thank you." She shouted to get her lot to calm down. "Wow, congratulations to Waterloo Road spellers. And commiserations to the Forest Mount team, you gave us a good fight, didn't they?"

It wasn't the first time that Rachel had noticed that her deputy was a little distracted but it wasn't like she could ask why now. He was looking the other way, at the doors, and she felt like it had something to do with what he wanted to say to her that morning.

"I just want to give a really big thank you to our English department because they have been coaching these spellers for the last few weeks and you've done a fantastic job, thank you." She waited for a moment while there was an applause. "Let's hope that Mr Clarkson and Miss Koreshi have done just as good a job with the football team."

She couldn't remember ever feeling this happy or proud to be standing out in front of a group of students. She knew that it was a mix of that pride and the fact that she was feeling more open about her emotions that she started her next piece. Not before Eddie had shot out of his seat.

"Now, as you know, this has been my first year at Waterloo Road." She started off slightly hesitantly as she watched her deputy. "And it's been a wonderful year, you know, just getting to know you all."

"But they don't know you, do they?" Stuart shouted from the back of the hall.

Her attention was immediately turned to him.

"I think it's time to go Hordley," Eddie said.

She knew what Eddie was trying to do but she already felt stuck to the stage. She could see the whole of the hall turning towards the commotion at the back of the hall. This was it. This was the moment she had been dreading since Stuart started blackmailing her.

"Still trying to get into her knickers, are you? Well, I will save you from it..." Stuart said.

"If you want to pick on someone, pick on me. Rachel had nothing to do with it."

"But if it wasn't for Amanda, you wouldn't have bleated to the council."

"Get out now."

Rachel knew that there was only half the problem. He had already called her by her old name and she wished that Eddie would just get him out of the hall. Not that he wasn't trying to push Stuart towards the doors. Tom had jumped out of his seat as well to help but she knew that Stuart wasn't going to leave until he had said what he wanted to say, even if Eddie tried to stop him.

"For the record Lawson, she might have been good while she was a prostitute but she is no good now."

There, he had said it. Rachel didn't even hear if he said anything else or did anything else. Her hearing wouldn't focus on anything other than her shaky breaths and she could feel her eyes darting about, not focusing on anything in particular.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

Of course, the first thing that she was going to be able to focus on was his voice. The man that had given her so much support over the last few months. She couldn't look at him, if she did then she would have left that stage.

"No, I can't lie to the people who have trusted me. They deserve better than that."

She knew that she was still too close to the microphone that everyone heard and as her vision started to focus again, she could see a mixture of shocked and confused faces.

"What that man just said was true. I… I was a prostitute." She tried to swallow the lump building in her throat. "It was a long time ago and it was the worst time of my life. And… I feel very ashamed about it… And obviously, I have kept it a secret all this time." She tried not to focus on anyone in particular to try and stop herself from crying. "If I thought for one second that my past would anyway damage this school, then I would leave." She paused for a moment. "But that's now not for me to decide."

Rachel just couldn't take it any more. She had opened herself up not only in front of the students and teachers but in front of the few students and teachers from Forest Mount. That morning she had been on top of the world. She knew better than to think that it was going to last.

She felt Eddie's fingertips brush against her jacket as she stormed past him. She had to get out of there and somewhere where she felt safe to collect her thoughts and think through what she was going to do next.

She heard the applause but she didn't know what to make of it. Were they happy that she was gone?

Eddie had been thinking about what he was going to say to her since she left the stage. Getting everything and everyone sorted, he felt like the only thing he had to do was to face the music with Rachel. This was all his fault.

He walked into her office after telling Bridget to get herself a coffee. It was evident by the way that Rachel looked that she had been crying and he hated himself even more for saying something to Charlie. Why couldn't he just leave it alone?

"What are you doing?" He asked, even though it was clear what she was doing. He continued when she didn't say anything. "All right. Where are you going?"

"Straight to hell no doubt." She said, her voice breaking. "I'm sure that's what everybody's saying."

He knew then that she had taken the applause the wrong way.

"No. Not all of them. Did you hear that applause? That was the kids. I think they're a good reason for you to stay."

Eddie knew that they'd had this conversation many times since he had found out about her past. The problem is the conversation would always come to the same conclusion. Rachel resigning. He just couldn't see Waterloo Road without her anymore.

"No, they're the reason I'm going."

"Rachel. Please."

"I'm not waiting for a bunch of angry parents and the LEA to step in before I am made to leave. I at least want it to be on some of my own terms. It's just… it's not right that I should bring that on the school. Eddie, you're right. I should have done something the moment Stuart walked through that door. I should've handed in my resignation."

"Rachel, it's not your fault. Not this time. It's mine." He paused as he watched her face change. "I couldn't leave it. I met up with a mate of mine who works for the council. He asked me about our new building and Hordley. I… I should have said that I didn't know much when he asked me what I knew about Stuart. But I told him everything about Bolton. He said that he would look into, which he must have done. Hordley's lost all of his contracts."

"He lost them all?"

"Every single one. It's the reason he has gone bust. I… I just needed to make him feel what he had made you feel."

"I don't think he is the type of person to do that. Anyway, I'm sure I deserve what I got. It isn't like my life goes this right for this long."

"Then maybe it should. Rachel, you deserve to run this school. You deserve everyone's respect."

She looked up at him. "Do I deserve your respect? Your support?"

"You've definitely got that. I thought you knew it. We will work this out. Yeah, together."

The way that she looked away from him, he knew that she was going to say something that he wasn't going to like.

"I'm going to clear this mess up today, and then I'm gone."

He wanted to ask what about them and the baby and everything that he had promised her but they were interrupted by the opening of her office door and their next problem. The day was getting worse and worse and Eddie wondered what else could go wrong.