Thank you for the reviews.

I did realise last week the day that I was going to post that chapter... and then when I might be able to upload this one...

Now the title of this chapter is pretty much me for the last chapter... I did say that I didn't like writing the last chapter.

Where do we go from here? How about we start with the new school year? How about we introduce victim number 4? Would that make things better? Someone else for you to hate instead of me? (Basically, we are on series 5 episode 1, with Eddie there)

Chapter Thirty One
I'm Sorry

Obviously, she had seen Eddie over the summer holidays. They had the head of department interviews to conduct and they had to sort out the situation with regards to Rob's behaviour over the boxing match.

She had dealt with Adam's resignation by herself and was quite glad when he 'willing' left after she told him that she would file a sexual harassment case against him and would know of quite a few people that would back her up. Tom helped quite by coming into her office at just the right point in Adam's rant.

They had to see each other and she felt like they had done a great job in showing that there was nothing wrong between them when everything was wrong.

The problem was that by the time Rachel was ready to talk to Eddie, he had stopped trying to call her and was ignoring her calls. She had no idea whether he had listened to the voicemails that she had left him but she couldn't find the time to talk to him in person about it.

The only time they were alone, he made a comment about whether his job as deputy head was safe. She told him of course but before she could say anything else, they were interrupted by Max Tyler.

Basically, Rachel was ready to tell Eddie that she was sorry and to put what Adam had said behind her and to let him in again, she just hadn't had the opportunity in the six weeks of the summer holidays to tell that to him and the new school year had started.

She stood out front with Kim and Chris as she looked over the old and new students, not really paying too much attention to her colleagues.

"I see what you mean when you say two different school cultures coming together," Chris said.

"Once they all have the same uniform on, there will be no difference," Kim argued.

"We will see."

"Rachel?"

She shook her head as she joined the conversation. "This merger will work. Just you wait and see."

"I thought Eddie would be here with us as the welcoming committee."

"So did I."

"Has something happened?"

Rachel looked at Kim, knowing that someone must have noticed the tension between them. She wished that she could have talked it out with him by now. So that they didn't start this new school year with bad blood.

"Ah, Mr Lawson, glad you could join us." Rachel said as Eddie joined them.

"Not my fault someone has decided to move all the classrooms about." He said.

"That was not my decision."

"Really? I thought you made all the decisions around here."

It was a low blow and Rachel took it. She knew what he meant by it and she had to take it. Because it was true.

"Maybe we should start getting them into the hall," Kim said.

"Good idea. Chris, you want to organise your lot." Eddie said.

"Eddie, meeting later. When have you got a free today?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know. I haven't had my timetable yet."

She sighed as he and Chris left to start rounding up the students.

"Okay, what has happened?" Kim asked.

"Adam and Melissa played us. Adam told me that Eddie had cheated with Melissa and then told Eddie than I had cheated with him. I… I knew I believed Eddie when he said nothing happened but… the doubt was there and I pushed him away. Now that I am trying to pull him back in, he doesn't seem to want to know."

"Reason why he is being an awkward sod."

"I know. Not helpful. Especially when all I want to do is talk to him to explain."

"I am sure he will listen in the end."

Rachel sighed again. She didn't think that he would.

After the morning Rachel had, she didn't really know whether she liked what Kim had planned. She had been dragged from her office and pushed into the head of Pastoral Care office without an explanation other than to stay where she was. She could only assume that it had something to do with what her and Kim had talked about that morning.

The way that Eddie was dragged into the room as well made her think that he was as reluctant as she was to have this conversation right now. Her excuse was that she seemed to have Max Tyler breathing down her neck but she knew Kim's heart was in the right place.

"You two need to talk. We have the Waterloo Road lot versus the John Fosters lot in both the classroom and staffroom. The last thing that this school needs is the head and deputy in conflict. Now, I don't care how you sort it out, just sort it." Kim said before she drew the blind down on her door and left them to it.

She smiled as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I believe you, Eddie. I believe that nothing happened between you and Melissa. I… It shouldn't have but it did scare me about how close we had become and… Maybe I was looking for a reason to push you away, even though I knew it was the last thing that I wanted to do. I started second-guessing everything again."

"Then this makes me look worse. I wanted to believe you and it wasn't until I bumped into Sarah the other week that I actually started to believe you. I should have seen it coming really. I just thought that, with Melissa gone, that night wouldn't be brought up. We should have known something like that was going to happen. She tries her luck with me the same night Adam tries his luck with you. I... did want to tell you, Rachel. I tried to."

"I know." She said as she took a step closer to him.

"And I should have seen that you would start to doubt everything again. We should have known that Adam was never going to leave quietly. That he would have to do something to us to make everything worthwhile."

"Wherever Melissa is, she probably thinks that she has won. And that is the thought that has been killing me, Eddie. I can't have her win again."

"So."

"So," She said as she took another step closer. "Can we pick up where we left off?"

He took a step towards her. "I think we can. I can't lose you, Rach."

"I can't lose you either."

Rachel could only smile as he took the last step between them and kissed her like he had done so many times before.

It had been a long time since someone lectured Rachel and the joke that Eddie had made about Max telling her how to do her job was becoming not a joke.

"The blame lies with you."

"If you allowed me to do my job then…"

"Sorry, where were you when half the school decided that they would beat the living daylights out of each other? Right, you were snogging your deputy. Not very professional now, was it?"

"My relationship with Eddie has been going on for a while now. I do not allow my professional and personal life crossover."

"Do you? Because that is not what I have seen today. I have seen a wannabe leader distracted by her deputy. I've informed the LEA that based on what I have seen today, you are not capable of running this school alone. You obviously have a conflict of interest and therefore I'll be basing myself here full-time and have their support to whatever I see necessary to clean up this mess."

"Max, it has been the first day. I am a realist. Today could have been a lot worse."

"It could have been a lot better. The kids in this school need a certain… authority. You do not give that."

"Because you know so much about the kids in this school with all your ten minutes experience." She said, remembering how Eddie said it to her on her first day.

In all honesty, they both hadn't been wrong. She was right about the vocational courses being better for the students but he was right to say that she didn't know the kids. And she knew for a fact that Max would never know what the kids were like in this school.

"I'm sorry?"

"I've been here for just under two years and have lived a similar childhood to some of the kids in this school. Eddie has been here for two years and I don't know how long Kim was here before she left but she came running back when I asked her whether she wanted her old job back. You can't come in here and tell me that I don't know what these kids need. Me and my management team know what is best for them."

Max snorted. "That doesn't do anything to change my opinion on you."

She sighed. So it was personally against her. Not really what she wanted.

"I think you need to go home and think about your position in this school. And whatever is happening between you and your deputy. But so that I make myself clear. I am in charge now and from now on, I will be sharing this office with you. So if you don't mind…" He said as he walked over and opened the door.

There was only so much dignity that Rachel felt like she could muster as she gathered her things and was forced out of her own office. It didn't help that Max also shut the door in her face as she turned around to try and at least have the last word.

She tried not to dwell on it. She just needed to get home to Eddie before the self-doubt kicked in again and Kim's intervention earlier would have been for nothing.

"You're thinking," Eddie said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Today went as well as it could have done. Like it could have been a lot worse, right?" She said as she turned to him as she stopped her fingers tapping against the island.

"What has Max said?"

"Nothing… just my own… criticism."

She knew that Eddie didn't buy it but he wasn't about to ask her about it either.

"I think today went as to be expected. From what Paul managed to tell me, the John Fosters lot were trying to wind up our lot. Bearing in mind what happened between Micheala and Lindsey. The tensions were there. I'm just glad that they decided that they wanted to roll around in the mud rather than starting a food fight."

"Max didn't like what he saw today."

"So he has said something to you."

"He is now going to be permanently based at Waterloo Road and in my office."

"What?"

"I know."

"What else has he said?"

"Nothing other than he doesn't think I can do my job."

"From what I've seen today, it doesn't look like he gave you the chance to." He paused. "He has said something about us as well."

"Let's just keep it low key at the moment."

"What has he said?"

"Eddie the last thing I need for you to do now is to go steamrolling your way in there. I don't know how determined Max is but I need you by my side and I don't think that you can do that if he decides that we are in too deep and he fires you. This might just be something that I have to deal with, with your silent support." She sighed. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day."

"Even though I struggle now to have any professional thoughts about you." He said as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and leant his chin on her shoulder. "I will keep it low key. And we will have to move our little private meetings to my new classroom."

"Is it closer or further away from my office?"

"Further."

"At least the walk will do me some good."

"So when manic worried Rachel comes back…"

"I might have been able to calm myself down before I get to your door."

"I don't mind manic worried Rachel when something is actually up."

"I have a feeling that we are going to be in for a long term."

"And we will ride it out, like we always do."

"And we will do it together."

"Yeah, together."

Look at me destroying something in one chapter and fixing it in the next... Although I really don't think you guys should put so much of your trust in me... After everything I have put you through in this story, I don't think I deserve that level of trust.