Thank you for the reviews.

There are still a few things that I know and can't wait for you to find out...

Now there is a line in here which kinda relates to something that I have included in my next fic (Little Changes). Maybe just the small point that most of the main cast seems to be English teachers and for a school that small (bearing in mind, I think there is meant to be like 600 students or so and I had over 1,000 in my secondary school), surely it does not need that many English teachers... And I feel like it would be something Eddie would point out as well... you know his little sarcastic lines that sometimes go over your head on the first couple of viewings.

This is basically S04E14 without the sex ed stuff... Just thought I would give Philip a bit of a break...

Chapter Twenty Nine
A Party Like No Other

"So you know?" Eddie said as he walked into Rachel's office.

"Know what?"

He looked her up and down before he said anything.

"Actually, tell me what you look so worried about."

"You can't do that. Tell me what you know." She said as she tilted her laptop screen down, so he didn't see what she was actually worried about.

"Philip's birthday party?"

"What about it?"

Rachel could see the realisation that he realised that she didn't know and now he couldn't back out on telling her what he had found out. It just meant that she would have to tell him what was worried about, even though she was certain that she couldn't keep it from him for long. Both as her boyfriend and deputy.

"It might now be more than just a few of Philip's mates."

"How do you mean?"

"It might have got onto the student message board that there is a party at yours tonight."

She groaned.

"And before you saying." Eddie continued. "We are still going out."

"Eddie. We know the kids in this school and they have just got a free invitation to my house."

"Well, we know who is behind it as well."

"Bolton."

"I am sure that you could say something that might persuade him to make sure that…"

"My house is still standing. You bet I am."

"So?"

She sighed. It was her turn now.

"John Fosters."

"The private school?"

"Yeah. It is being closed down. The students and teachers are going to be split across four schools. Waterloo Road being one of them."

"What if we don't want their teachers because we have enough of our own? We definitely don't need any more English teachers."

"Especially with Davina just qualifying. They have been given job security by the LEA. And what the LEA wants…"

"The LEA gets." He finished for her. "And look what a brilliant idea that was last time?!"

"Max Tyler is going to be the executive head across the four schools as well. I'm hoping that means that he will just be overseeing the mergers and allowing us the luxury of doing our jobs."

"Nobody can tell you how to run this place. I would like to see him try though."

She smiled at him. "He will probably try. It is just a lot to sort out and with the end of the school year in just under a months time. I just feel like our relaxing summer holiday has just gone."

"So I should press pause on the idea I have after you said to book a holiday?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Maybe we should think about going away at Christmas or Easter. Leave this holiday free."

"Or I can plan it for this time next year. Something to look forward to."

"Whatever you think is best then."

She almost didn't note the way that he was smiling at her.

"What?"

"Confident worried Rachel is back."

"Have you missed her?"

"Manic worried Rachel is a little draining at times."

"Well, there is no need for manic worried Rachel. Because I have you by my side and we are a team and we do everything together." She said as she stood up and walked over to him.

"We are still going out tonight." He said as he quickly kissed her before the bell rang for the next lesson.

She groaned as he left. She knew she trusted Eddie. She knew that she trusted Kim and that the management team was strong, bar the few falling outs that Kim and Eddie had. There was no need for her to worry about the merger.

The thing she should be worried about was the advertised party at her house and there was no point in trying to take down the post on the message board. It would be around the school by now and that was going to be the way it was going to be, whether she liked it or not.

"What's in it for me if it all goes cool?" Bolton said.

"What's in it for you? You might just avoid spending the rest of your life in the Cooler. Don't think I don't know about your little advertising campaign for tonight. If anything gets trashed, then you are personally responsible and I mean that. I'm serious." Rachel said.

She felt like she got the message through to him and it put her at ease a little.

"Yes, Miss."

"Go on. I'm trusting you." She called after him and Paul as they made their way to her front door.

It was then that the first group of people arrive. Janeece, Micheala, Donte and Chlo were maybe who she was expecting to turn up. All names she knew and somewhat trusted, in a weird way. It was the next group that had faces that she recognised but wouldn't say that she knew them as students. Probably a good thing. Meant that they kept themselves out of trouble. She took Eddie's hint and got in the car.

"It is only for a couple of hours. They can't cause that much havoc in a couple of hours. And especially after the piece you have just given Bolton." He said.

"I know. We've got to go before anyone else arrives."

Rachel had told him no alcohol. Of course, there was alcohol.

Rachel had told him no smoking indoors. Bolton was trying to stop that to the best of his ability.

Rachel had told him that no one was to go upstairs. It was the main reason why he had placed something in front of her bedroom door, hoping that no one would end up going in there.

Philip knew this party was for him and even though he was grateful that so many people were there, he knew that it was more that it was a party at Mason's house than for his birthday. Although there were a few people to wish him a happy birthday. It was more than his own mother had done.

"Stop moping. This is a party for you after all." Bolton said.

"Is it though? Or was it just the invitation into Mason's house?" Philip said.

"Does it really matter. Just look at how many people are here."

It didn't help Philip. He still felt like the loneliness person in the room.

"Look, mate, I heard from Maxine, who heard from Haydock, apparently all Mason said to your mum was that she was in love with Lawson. I think it says something when Haydock says your mum overreacted. You better off with Mason."

"How did Mum overreact?"

"Slapped Mason one. Although, word is that your mum never saw it coming. Mason and Lawson that is."

"Rach never told me that."

"I know I haven't been the best of mates, but I want to make it up to you. So either get yourself another drink or go on the pull. I mean, it isn't like you've got no choice. There are quite a few fit girls here."

Bolton lightly hit his arm as he obviously left Philip to do one of the two things that he had mentioned, either that or to make sure that he didn't anger his auntie. Philip had decided that Bolton was right and he made his way towards the kitchen for a drink. He wasn't going to be on the pull. That wasn't really his scene and he knew that he would only make things awkward. The best thing for him to was to try and enjoy himself and make sure everyone else was enjoying themselves.

Rachel didn't know whether she liked the fact that she had seen Bolton running down her street as she drove up to the house. It made her worry about the state of her house might be in once they arrived back. She had expected the worst, knowing that Bolton might have brought alcohol-free beer to try and dupe her, but she was certain that there would be alcohol there.

When they arrived back, there were no stragglers or sick on her driveway. It was even better when they walked through the front door and saw that there was no mess to clean up. She was even more surprised to see Philip walking out of the kitchen with a smile on his face.

"Good night?" He asked.

"We are thinking the same thing. Did you lot have a party?" Eddie said.

"Me and Bolton made sure the place was… as you left it. Don't know what you said to him Rach, but he was determined as anything."

"Right." Rachel said, realising that she should probably put a little more faith in her students.

She knew that they respected her for a reason. Maybe it was because of her past or maybe it was because she was always willing to speak to them like adults. Either way, a party at her house didn't mean that they would come over and trash the place. Or maybe it was her words to Bolton that had made sure that he did keep everyone in line.

"I think I'm going to go to bed now," Philip said, pointing towards the stairs.

"You had a good birthday though?" She asked.

"Yeah, it was good." He said as he started to make his way up the stairs but stopped and came back into her field of vision. "Why did you never tell me that Mum slapped you after you told her about you and Eddie?"

"How…"

"Bolton told me, who had heard it from Maxine, who had heard it from Haydock."

"Of course."

"So?"

"Because I didn't think it would have done you any good. The feud between me and your mother is older than you are. I wasn't expecting the slap but I knew that it was just typical Melissa. She is still your mum Philip. I don't want you to loathe her as I do and as I loathed my mum."

"A great mum that forgets her son's birthday. Maybe I am better off without her."

Rachel didn't call him back and she sighed as she looked up at Eddie.

"You know he is still hurting." He said.

"I know. And I know that abandonment is hard."

"We just have to show him, still, that we aren't going anywhere."

"I don't think I have told you that I love you today." She said before she kissed him.

"Well, as there seems to be nothing to clear away, how about I show you how much I love you?" He pulled her closer to him. "Maybe try to make the other week a reality."

"Mr Lawson, you read my mind."

She would have probably just taken his hand and lead him on a route that he knew all too well by now. Instead, she found herself unable to bring herself to lose the contact that she had with him that they started to make their way to her bedroom in the most awkward way possible. She sometimes forgot how alive Eddie made her feel and she had felt like he had definitely made up his promise to give her all the love that she should have been given. Obviously that was in his opinion, but she did always seem to find her worth in Eddie's presence.

There was nothing that could happen that would change the way that she felt about him or the way she saw him. He was hers after all. And whatever they did, they did it together. They could work through anything that was thrown their way. Couldn't they?