Thank you so much for the feedback you left on the last couple of chapters. It's lovely of you all. I would also like to thank everyone who has favourited or followed this story, as well as the people who have sent me private messages about it. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. :-) I've made a few changes, 'Underworld' is now named 'Hudson's' and Finn's got a new worker, Courteny. Enjoy!

The following morning, Rachel woke in bed and let a small smile pass her lips as it dawned on her that Finn must have carried her to bed. The last memory that she had of the previous night was sitting on Finn's lap sobbing her heart out after telling him what had happened before she'd ran away from Brody. She guessed that she must've exhausted herself crying and all but passed out on him. However, the smile that had tugged at the corners of her mouth disappeared as she recalled the conversation that she'd had with Finn the night before. She needed to speak to him and she needed to know things weren't any different between them, though she couldn't help the niggling worry that she had that they would be. Rachel knew deep down that she loved Finn but she was finding it hard admitting it to herself given their situation. She knew that she loved Finn more than she ever had Brody, and she would have been lying if she'd said the strength of her feelings for him didn't scare her. Rachel felt sick at the thought of Finn treating her differently after what she had admitted to him but she knew there was nothing that she could do about it until she spoke to him.

She ran her hand over Abigail's back gently who had her head nestled into her neck, her arm flung over her chest and her leg over her waist. Rachel wanted to laugh at her daughter's starfish like shape but bit it back so that she didn't wake her. She climbed out of bed after peeling Abigail off her and once she had settled back into the bed Rachel walked through into the bathroom. She checked the time and when she found that she was up half an hour before she needed to be, she filled the bath with water and pressed the button on the side of it to set the jets off. Rachel then undressed and stepped into the bath, lying down in the warm water as she tried her best to relax.

Rachel let a small sigh pass her lips and it seemed that regardless of how hard she tried she couldn't rid herself of the thoughts of what Finn might or might not be thinking after their conversation the previous night. She was still feeling emotional about what had happened and guessed that was due to talking about what she'd been through, and by doing that bringing back a lot of unwanted memories. Rachel bent her knees a little and shifted in the bath so she was more comfortable and moments later she turned to find Abigail climbing into the bath, still in her pajamas. "Whoa, what are you doing baby?" Rachel laughed, reaching over to hold Abigail under her arms as she lifted her into the water. "You crazy child."

"No you crazy mama"

"No, you are" Rachel teased, a small smile playing on her lips as she mimicked her daughter.

"We have snuggles?" Abigail questioned, wrapping her arms around Rachel's neck to cuddle her as she stood at her side. "Love you mama"

"I love you too baby"

"We stay in here for a long time?"

"No baby, you have to go to nursery today."

"I no go, I stay here with you?"

"I have to go to work sweetheart . . ."

"I come to work with you . . . I help you?"

Rachel smiled "maybe when you're a little older"

Abigail nodded and stepped over to sit against one of the jets in the bath and giggled, causing Rachel to smile. However, when she began washing her hair Abigail moved over to her once more. "I wash your hair mama"

"If you want to"

Abigail moved to stand behind Rachel who tilted her head back a little. She moved her hands to Rachel's hair and began washing it gently as Rachel would have done her's and it made her smile. Spending time with Abigail helped her to forget about what had happened between herself and Finn the previous night though deep down she knew she would only be able to do that for so long.

After washing her hair Rachel got both herself and Abigail out of the bath and dried off before changing into a black shift dress for work. She tied her hair up into a ponytail before putting on some make-up and after doing so she picked up Abigail who had been bouncing all over the bed. Rachel dressed her into a pair of pale pink jeans with a white t-shirt and a pair of cute white shoes while she silently wondered where she got her energy from so early on a morning. She placed a pink bow in her hair and picked her up to hold on her hip. Once she slipped on a pair of stilettos and picked up her bag Rachel headed downstairs with her daughter. She swallowed hard before stepping into the kitchen, silently trying to think about what to say to Finn. However, when she stepped through the door and found Maria standing with Finn with her arms draped around his neck, her heart dropped. All of the things she had thought about saying to him fell away and after a lengthy pause, "Oh . . . Hi . . ." was all she could manage.

Maria turned to Finn with a raised eyebrow, "what is she doing here?"

Rachel swallowed, a small frown forming over her features, as she wondered why Finn hadn't told Maria that she was staying there. "I'll let you talk . . ." Rachel stated and turned to leave, but Finn stopped her when he spoke.

"No, you don't have to leave."

"It's fine . . ."

Rachel forced a small smile and threw a cream colored mac on before putting her bag over her shoulder to leave. Finn walked down the hall to her with little Finn and she gave Finn's hair a gentle ruffle. "Hey pal"

"Rachel would you take him to nursery for me, I need to talk to Maria . . ."

Rachel nodded and smiled at Finn once more before taking his hand, "come on darlin'"

"Dom will take you . . ." Finn told Rachel but all he got in response was a nod before Rachel got into the car with both kids. She passed Abigail a biscuit bar that she had grabbed when she'd been in the kitchen and though she knew that she probably should have given her a proper breakfast she knew she couldn't deal with Maria first thing on a morning, especially when she'd had no warning that she was due back. Finn and Abigail began chatting in their own little language while Rachel sat in the back of the car, her mind whirling with thoughts about what would happen from then on and if she would find herself homeless once more.

Finn stood on the doorstep of the huge house that he lived in and all he wanted to do was go and stop the car, pull Rachel to one side and check she was all right. However, knowing he couldn't do that was something he was finding so much more difficult that he had expected and found himself wishing Maria had stayed away longer. It was a thought which shocked him and at the same time didn't. He wanted to be with Rachel and though he knew it wouldn't be easy he knew that he wanted and needed to do whatever it took to make sure that she ended up with him.

On getting to nursery, Rachel had said bye to little Finn and Abigail and they were halfway down the path to go into nursery when Abigail came running back to Rachel. "I forgot kisses mama"

Rachel smiled and nodded, "good job you remembered"

Abigail tugged on Rachel's arm so that she leant down to her before she kissed her. "Bye bye mama"

"Have a good day baby." Rachel called, as her daughter ran off into the building.

It got to lunchtime and Rachel had decided to spend her's in the office at 'Hudson's'. She didn't feel much like socializing and she guessed if Maria had her way she would find herself with nowhere to stay sooner rather than later. She'd gotten herself a sandwich and a coffee before settling at the computer, opening up an Internet page to search for flats for rent in the nearby area. Rachel sighed as she scrolled through page after page of flats that were either too expensive or in areas she wouldn't feel remotely comfortable bringing Abigail up in. She was concentrating so much on what she was doing she hadn't known that Finn had entered the office and was sitting by the office desk on the opposite side to where she was. When Finn spoke, Rachel jumped and put her hand to her chest.

"What are you doing?"

"You idiot, you scared me"

Finn laughed quietly "sorry."

"It's not funny." Rachel had a sip of coffee before gesturing to the computer, "I'm trying to find somewhere to move to." She mumbled.

"I told you that you didn't have to do anything like that"

"I know, but I don't think Maria will be pleased if she finds out that I am staying much longer."

"I told you I would deal with her too . . ."

"Did you get to talk to her this morning?"

Finn sighed and shook his head, "no, I had a call about a meeting that I couldn't get out of."

"Oh . . ."

"Are Maria's feeling's really why you're moving out?"

Rachel gulped, "what other reason would there be?"

Before Finn could answer, Courteny walked through into the office with a cheery smile. "Oh, hello Mr Hudson I didn't know you were in today."

Finn smiled "Hello Courteny, just a quick visit"

"Do you need Rachel, I was just going to ask if she wanted to come for a drink?" she smiled.

"I need her." Finn stated and Rachel's heart fluttered at his words. I need you too, she thought.

"Oh, maybe another day then" she smiled "bye Rachel, Mr Hudson."

"Bye Courteny" Rachel called as Finn nodded in acknowledgement to the older lady.

"So . . ."

"So . . . What do you need me for?" Rachel raised her eyebrow a little while a small smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

Finn leaned forward onto the desk a little, "oh wouldn't you like to know."

"That would by why I'm asking . . ."

"Behave yourself" Finn smirked before gesturing to the computer with a nod of his head. "So, have you found anywhere?"

Rachel shook her head, "nope"

"Good"

Rachel frowned, "well there was once place but it's way out of my price range."

"Show me?"

"You aren't going to go any buy it for me are you?"

Finn smirked and shook his head. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you?"

"What fun would that be?" Rachel teased before turning the computer around after getting the window up with the expensive flat that she liked showing. It was only a couple of streets away from where Finn lived and it was newly decorated. There were two bedrooms, a luxury bathroom and kitchen that seemed like they hadn't been in long and included all of the latest gadgets. "I'd love to live somewhere like that but it's too much."

"Well that just means you'll have to stay with me for a little bit longer . . ."

Rachel laughed a little and nodded, "yeah I guess it does."

"I've got to go so I'll speak to you at home later?"

"I wanted to talk to you . . . About last night . . ."

Finn nodded, "I know, later."

Rachel gave a small smile and nodded, accepting a kiss on the cheek from Finn before he left. Things seemed to be as they had been between the two of them and it was something that she was pleased about, though she still felt the need to talk to him about things. However, she knew that she would have to wait until the time was right and not knowing when that would be wasn't something that sat well with her.

For the rest of the afternoon, Rachel continued with her work and when it got to twenty minutes before she needed to set off to pick up Abigail from nursery, the yellow post-it note stuck to her computer reminded her that she needed to call and order in some more material for the following day. She finished the e-mail that she had been typing out before calling the number that was on the piece of paper that had been left by Hayley, ordering what was needed. Once she had done so she told her that she was leaving, before picking up her bag and her jacket to leave the factory for the day.

When Finn had left that morning he had left Maria seething that he had allowed Rachel to move into their house and to add to her anger he had left for a meeting rather than talking to her. She hadn't spoken to Finn throughout the day and she had no idea that he'd been to the office and had spoken to Rachel. Maria had already decided that she wanted Rachel out as soon as possible and if Finn wasn't going to make her leave then she was. When it got to two o clock she walked out of the house leaving April cleaning, getting into the car with Dom as he drove her to the nursery to pick up Finn. She had only been there waiting for ten minutes when Finn walked out and she smiled, picking him up to greet him while walking back to the car. Rachel was stood by the wall as she waited for Abigail and neither women acknowledged one another. Maria went back to the car and after putting Finn in she got back into it herself. "We're ready Dom . . ."

"Mr. Hudson usually waits for Rachel, Miss . . ."

"Well I'm not Mr. Connor am I? So drive."

Dom sighed, he knew better than to argue with Maria if he wanted to keep his job. He pulled away from the side of the road by the nursery despite wanting to wait for Rachel, hoping that she would be able to get back without too much hassle.

As the car pulled away, Rachel tutted to herself, she knew what Maria had done and that she was being deliberately awkward, through she hadn't expected anything else given their first encounter. She wondered how she would be reacting if she knew the whole truth about what had happened and though she didn't want to make Finn's life anymore difficult, she couldn't help wishing she did know so that she could give things with Finn a proper go. After telling him that they should forget about their night she'd found that it was all she could think about when she was on her own and she wished she hadn't said it. However, before she could think about it anymore, Abigail came running towards her. "I make you a present"

Rachel lifted Abigail as she ran to her and she frowned, "oh, have you? Where is it?"

"My bag"

"Are you going to show me?"

Abigail nodded and handed Rachel a piece of paper with a picture of the two of them with their arms wrapped around each other smiling placed in the centre, Abigail having decorated around the sides of it with glitter and sequins to make a kind of photo frame. "Dis"

"Oh baby, I love this"

She pointed to the photo, "Abigail and mama"

Rachel smiled, "I know. I think this needs to be stuck up on the wall in our room."

"Yeah . . ." Abigail grinned and Rachel kissed her on the cheek before beginning the walk home.

Before getting back to the house Maria made Dom stop off at Underworld, and after getting out of the car she walked through into the office. One thing that did bug her was that Rachel wasn't even working for a full day and she intended to take it up with Finn, it being to her, just another reason why Rachel shouldn't have the job. She was pleased to get inside and find the place empty and on getting into the office she ran her finger over some papers and silently tried to find something that would make Rachel's life difficult. She's just a council estate slapper, she thought and thoroughly intended to make sure she ended up back there.

Maria smirked when she found the post it note stuck onto the computer and after leaning over to the phone, she dialed the number that was written on it. When the phone was answered at the other end, she spoke. "Hello, I'm just ringing to ask whether an order was made for Underworld today? . . . It was? . . ." she smirked. "I'm calling to cancel it, we've got a newbie in and she was told not to carry out the order . . . I'm sorry for wasting your time." Maria hung up the phone and then turned on her heel to walk out of the office and eventually the factory. After locking the door she walked back to the car and settled into the back of it while Dom continued the journey home.

Back at the house Rachel had just arrived and on getting inside Abigail dropped her bag onto the floor and ran through into the kitchen where Finn was standing, "hello trouble" he smiled and picked her up.

"Hello"

Rachel put Abigail's bag on one of the coat hooks before wandering through into the kitchen herself.

"Where's Finn?"

"Maria picked him up"

"Yeah . . ."

"She picked him up with Dom, I walked home with Abigail"

Finn frowned "why?"

"I just did"

"I go play?" Abigail questioned and Finn let her down as Rachel answered.

"Come put this up with me first?" Rachel held her hand out to Abigail and smiled when she took it. The pair of them headed down the hall and upstairs into their room, leaving Finn leant against the side in the kitchen.