Thank you for the reviews.

I seem to have opened a can of worms with Melissa... At least we are all on the same page when it comes to how we feel about Melissa and maybe that is why I may have made her the way I have...

Now, obviously Series 4 Episode 1 and I do gloss over a few things here, just if you want to refresh yourself. Save for the end... Maybe I will see you in the reviews when you all get to that part...

Chapter Thirteen
First Day Back

"Are you sure that you are ready?"

"Positive."

Eddie didn't look too convinced but Rachel knew that he wasn't about to argue with her. He had tried to over the past week but nothing could change her mind. She needed to get back to work. She had been away for too long.

"Right. I guess I will see you in the morning." He said as he pulled on his jacket.

"You will. I expect that my office is in a right state with you in charge. I bet my filling has gone right out the window. Especially now Bridget has left as well."

"I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how your office looks and your filing."

"Well, I think we have bigger things to deal with this year."

"Are you sure that you want to do the interviews on the day you come back?"

"Eddie, it has all been arranged now."

"And I am trying to make sure that you don't do too much too quickly."

She sighed. "I know. But if we get this all over and done with, then things can get back on track and then you can be in the classroom and I can go back to running the school. It will all work out Eddie."

"Not just because you feel like you have missed six weeks of school when you have realistically only missed three."

"Go on. Off you go. It is a school night."

"Are you sure that you are alright with Melissa?" He whispered.

"To be fair to her, she has tried to be helpful. Just obviously we have different ideas of what is helpful."

"So six hours away from her will be bliss?"

"Let's just say that dealing the worst family in Britain would be better than stuck in here all day with her."

"Be careful about what you wish for."

"Night Eddie."

"Night Rachel."

She resisted the urge to lean against the door after she closed it after him. She knew that they still had a lot that they needed to talk about and she knew that Eddie was dying to mention the kiss. As much as she wanted it to happen again, she couldn't at the moment and it was only fair that she told him that and sometime soon.

Rachel's morning hadn't really gone to plan. She had been overwhelmed by the assembly that Eddie had obviously organised for her and the support from the students and teachers was gratefully welcomed. If she allowed herself, her mind could be filled with the chants of 'one Miss Mason'. It was definitely a little boost that she needed in her confidence. They didn't all hate her. That was the main thing.

But then her wish last night had come true and now she had the Kellys to deal with. Although she was secretly happy. It seemed like the Kellys were going to be her next little project and she was sure that once they were all settled, it would only be Earl that would be a problem. Hopefully trying to keep Denzil away from his older brother might stop him from becoming a problem as well.

She allowed herself to smile at her deputy's not so pleased face.

"What's wrong now?" She said, realising how much she had missed this.

"You know how Melissa was talking about how she had applied for a job. She has only gone and applied for the Head of Extended Services job."

"You are kidding me."

"Rachel, I would be laughing if it was a joke."

"Haven't you been screening the CVs?"

He hesitated. "I… maybe have not... realised that she was Melissa Ryan. Until the other day and then it has only taken me until today to work out where I had seen that name before."

"We are going to have to interview her. It isn't like we can cancel on her. Or can we?"

"And she finds out at a later date that we cancelled her interview? I don't want to do anything that will mean you'll get more grief off her."

Her heart fluttered and she was reminded again why she did allow herself to fall in love with him. These moments when all he wanted to do was to support and protect her and, if she allowed herself to believe it, to love her. It was just awful that it was followed by the self-doubt and self-blame. She knew that she was even more damaged than she was before. Everyone left her in the end and it was stupid for her to think that Eddie would always be there for her. He would realise how damaged she was in the end and someone younger and prettier would come along and turn his head and she would just be an afterthought.

He would leave her. Everyone else did. Why would he be any different?

"I can't believe that she didn't tell me." Rachel sighed. "Do you think we should bring Tom in on the interviews? Just so there is someone who hasn't met her."

"Might make it seem fair."

"How does it work? Do I have to tell every candidate that we are related?"

"How about I work that out, as I have seemed to put you in this situation and you go and rally Tom?"

"At least I now know that she doesn't plan on leaving anytime soon."

"But do you really want to work with her?"

"Eddie, I think you know the answer to that."

She stood up and she hoped that Eddie didn't notice the way that she wobbled slightly. She tried to convince herself that it was only because she had been sitting down for too long. Maybe it would stop her doubts that she had come back too soon. She couldn't be doubting herself about that decision as well as everything else.

"Thoughts?" Rachel said as the penultimate candidate left her office.

"I liked him," Eddie said.

"He is one of the best ones that we have interviewed," Tom said.

"What are you looking for exactly?"

"We want to offer services to people that the education system has already failed once. If we think it is hard enough trying to inspire the kids, then it takes a special type of person to inspire adults." She said.

"And Melissa is next."

Rachel forced herself not to groan.

"How bad can she be?" Tom said.

She turned to Eddie and she was glad by the look on his face. At least she wasn't the only one that wasn't glad that her sister was around. She thought back to his comment in the hospital about someone else being in a better position to look after her. She just had to keep reminding herself that he was here for her, not matter how long that was going to be.

"You are about to find out." Rachel said as she stood up. "Melissa."

She could tell that her sister could tell that she wasn't happy that she didn't tell her about this. It was the way that Melissa slowly lost confidence in her strides. She was obviously going for the shock factor and Rachel was glad that it didn't seem to give off the reaction that Melissa was hoping for.

"Obviously you know Eddie, and this is Tom Clarkson, head of pastoral care. Tom, this is my sister, Melissa Ryan." Rachel continued.

"Thought I might make my own mark before we told everyone that we were sisters," Melissa said.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that." Rachel said as she sat back down.

Eddie's fingers brushed against her own and she took a small bit of comfort from him being there. It was never going to be an easy interview and Rachel couldn't wait for it to be over and she was glad when things started to wrap themselves up. She turned to Tom after Melissa had left.

"Wow. When you said she was your sister…"

"Oh, we are definitely two different personalities." She said.

"Was she flirting with Eddie all the way through that?"

"Don't remind me. I am going to have to say something to her." Eddie said as he stood up.

"Say something to who?"

All three of them turned at the same time as Melissa walked back into the office. Rachel knew that she would hear about how much she had heard later.

"This had been shoved under the office door." She said harshly.

Rachel took the note off Melissa and read it, trying not to think about how things were going to be awkward at home. She knew that she was hyperventilating long before Eddie placed his hands on her shoulders. It was the only thing that turned her attention away from the note and brought her back into the room. There he was again, eyes full of worry while trying to be a calming influence. Exactly the same as he looked when she woke up.

"There's a gun in the school."

"I'm sorry for earlier," Eddie said.

"What part?" Rachel said, keeping her eyes front while he had turned to her.

"For shouting at you after you got out of the school with Denzil. I just… I was worried about you. I thought I had lost you in the fire and then you go and do something like that." He sighed. "But I now understand. I understand why you did it."

"Being surrounded by police is scary enough. I was terrified even at 19. I don't know what was going through his mind."

"One drink. Show the staff a little unity. And then I will get you home."

Rachel turned to him. "I can get Melissa to pick me up."

"No, I want to."

She knew that then would probably be the best time for her to say what she wanted to say to him all day. There was no point mentioning it to him now because there was a lot that she had to say. They got out of the car and made their way into the pub. Rachel knew that she didn't want to be there but she knew that Eddie did have a point. The drink was definitely needed, although she wasn't entirely sure whether she should be drinking, bearing in mind she was still meant to be taking pain relief.

"I'll get these. Along with a Merlot and a pint." She said once she reached the bar with the rest of the staff as they ordered drinks. "I think you all deserve it. You handled things brilliantly today."

"I'm glad you think so. We might not be so lucky next time." Matt said.

"Rachel, we've been talking and we'd like some security measures putting in place," Tom said.

"Which will be on the agenda first thing in the morning. The kids are going to have a lot of questions. Technically school is cancelled tomorrow but the school will be open for anyone who wants to come and talk." Rachel explained.

"But that is all for tomorrow," Eddie said.

"Yeah. I... Suppose it is."

"Just one and then we can go." He whispered to her as she paid for the drinks.

Rachel tried to relax but felt like it was an impossible task.

"Maybe you were right. Maybe I wasn't ready to go back." Rachel said as they stood outside her front door.

"I think that if today was just a typical day at Waterloo Road, you wouldn't be thinking that way."

"What's a typical day at Waterloo Road?"

"Okay, you've got me there but that was a bad day. That was a worst-case scenario day. Up until the note, you were enjoying being back. I could tell."

"Eddie."

"I will say something to Melissa about the flirting."

"It's not just that."

"Don't... give up on me Rach."

She stood a little taller. "I know you want to talk about us and the kiss and everything that happened last term. Just… I can't for the moment. I've gone backwards and I'm… muddling through my thoughts and feelings again and…"

"I'll stop you there. It's fine Rach. We will take one step at a time. We'll get you settled back at work and then we can work out all of this other stuff. I said that I would be there to support you but I also told you that I would wait until you were ready. All I have been trying to do over the last few weeks is to show you that I am there for you, maybe whether you like it or not."

"I do really value your friendship. And everything you have done for me."

She could tell that it wasn't really the conversation that he wanted but he knew that it was the conversation he was going to get. It hurt her as much as it hurt him that she just couldn't let herself take the leap at the moment.

"I'll pick you up at about 7. Then you can drive your car back when we have sorted everything out." He said.

"Thank you, Eddie."

"It's no problem, Rachel. See you in the morning."

"See you in the morning."

She knew that if this was a movie or tv show, she would have called him back and kissed him like she had done on the day of the fire. But she didn't and gave him a small wave as he made his way out of her driveway.

One step at a time Mason. Just like Eddie said.