Eddie sat in the pub, listening to his colleagues chatter away mindlessly. He had zoned out of the conversation a long time ago. After all, he'd only really agreed to come to this end of year staff party for one reason. Rachel.

And she wasn't here.

As much as he tried, he couldn't ignore his disappointment. Earlier, when he had asked to take her out for a drink, she had seemed delighted that he'd asked her. Now he wasn't so sure. Had she lied and pretended to avoid hurting his feelings?

An hour ago, he had been in the office with her, watching her tidy things away. They had joked about her bailing on him. Maybe he hadn't realised that Rachel had, had this planned all along.

He didn't understand it. She'd said she wouldn't be long. And yet here he was, an hour later, and Rachel was nowhere to be seen. Why?

Of course there probably was a rational explanation. Maybe she'd found some paperwork she hadn't completed that needed doing immediately. Maybe she'd lost something when packing away and couldn't find it. Maybe she'd gone home to get changed.

But none of the scenarios running through his head, seemed to make sense. Rachel would have called or texted him, if she was running late or something had come up. He knew she would. She wouldn't bail on him like this. It wasn't in Rachel's nature to do such a thing.

"So, Eddie, been stood up by Miss Mason have we?" Steph teased, nudging his arm playfully

"No, Steph, I haven't. She's just running a bit late" Eddie sighed, rolling his eyes

"Rachel, late? You're having a laugh aren't you? I guarantee Rachel has never been late for anything in her life!" Steph laughed

Even though Steph was joking, she had a point. Rachel was always on time for everything. When she said she was going to be somewhere, she would be. She had proved that to Eddie time and again over the last few months. It just furthered his concern.

"Look, Eddie, you're wasting your time here. Call her and go and see her! We all know that's the only reason you showed up tonight! Stop moping and go!" Steph persuaded

"Fine, I will. But call me if she turns up, ok?" Eddie sighed

"I never thought you would be the type to fall in love with an ex prostitute!" Steph teased, giggling

"Steph, that's enough!" Eddie snapped

"I'm only joking Eddie!" Steph laughed

"Yes, well it's not funny! I don't want to hear anymore jokes about Rachel's past. If I do, I'll have to re-consider your future at Waterloo Road" he threatened

Steph stayed silent

"Call me if she turns up, yeah?" Eddie requested

"Of course" Steph nodded

Eddie exited the pub, checking for any sign of Rachel. But there was none, the streets were quiet, the car park across the road almost empty.

He reached into his pocket, dialling Rachel's number. It rang and rang before going through to voicemail. He sighed in frustration, typing out a text to her.

"Hey Rach, where are you? Is everything ok?"

As he sent the text, he had a strong feeling that something was wrong. Something just didn't sit right with him about any of this. He knew Rachel well enough to know she wouldn't do something like this.

Once he'd made another three phone calls to Rachel's mobile, all going unanswered, he decided he needed to go and check on her.

He got into his car, thankful he hadn't had a drink at the pub.

The school car park was empty when he drove past. No cars to be seen. He concluded Rachel had most likely gone home.

He continued driving, making his way to Rachel's house. He'd only been there a couple of times, both to have coffee and discuss plans for the school. He knew his way there briefly.

He spotted her car parked awkwardly in her driveway. That was the next thing that struck him as odd. Rachel was immaculate when it came to her parking. If she'd even parked a little funny, she would immediately get back in the car and straighten it up, no matter where she was. Eddie had seen her do it firsthand many time. It was one of the many quirks he loved about her.

He parked his Land Rover beside her car, climbing out of it.

The house seemed quiet. The lights in the hallway were on, but the rest of the house was shrouded in darkness.

He knocked on the door, waiting for a sound of footsteps to come from the other side of the door. But they didn't.

There was an unsettling silence. He frowned, knocking again.

"Rach? Are you in there? It's Eddie" he shouted, knocking on the door again

No answer

He knocked again

"Look, I'm not mad at you if you changed your mind about going for a drink with me. I just want to know you're ok" he pleaded

Nothing

He sighed heavily, trying her again on her mobile. It went to voicemail again.

He paced up and down, wondering what to do. His eyes fell on the door again.

And then he saw it. A blood stain on the door, a large one. That was enough to make him panic. Rachel was hurt, he knew it. He had to get to her.

In a final attempt, he banged on the door loudly, shouting Rachel's name. Once again, there was no response.

He couldn't stand it any longer. He ran into the door, using all of his strength. It swung open, Eddie pushing passed it and running into the hallway.

"RACHEL?!" he shouted

He darted in and out of the empty living room and kitchen before dashing up the stairs.

When he reached the top of the landing, he paused, his eyes following the trail of blood that had stained the carpet. His heart began to pound rapidly against his chest.

The trail led him to the bathroom. His eyes fell on Rachel immediately. The sight that lay before him made him feel faint.

Rachel lay on the bathroom floor, unconscious and bleeding. Her lifeless body was covered in cuts, her face pale and swollen.

Eddie sank down beside her. His first instinct was to scoop her up into his arms, but he didn't wanted to inflict anymore pain onto her. He sunk to his knees.

"Rachel? Rachel, love, can you hear me?" He whispered gently, placing a hand on her shoulder

There was no response. Rachel lay beside him on the floor, unconscious and lifeless, her face drained of its colour. He sighed, his eyes brimming with tears as he continued to look at her and her countless injuries.

And then the thought dawned on him. Someone had done this to her. Someone had attacked her. Eddie didn't have to think twice about who the culprit was. It was obvious, but even so, the anger began to bubble inside him.

Stuart Hordley had done this. He knew it. Who else had it in for Rachel like he did? No one that Eddie knew. He'd been harassing and threatening her for weeks, and just this morning he'd exposed her past to the entire school. Eddie couldn't believe he'd been so naive to think Stuart's work was done.

The guilt rose within him as quick as the anger did.

He should have insisted on staying with her in the office until she'd finished packing away. He should have waited for her, been there when she needed him the most.

Rachel had been attacked in her own home. And where had he been? At the pub, celebrating the end of term with the rest of the staff, thinking Rachel had bailed on him.

Now wasn't the time to sink into his guilt. Rachel needed help, and she needed it quick.

He grabbed his phone, dialling 999 and requesting an ambulance.

Once he'd been reassured the ambulance were on their way and the police had been informed, he put the phone down, focussing on Rachel, who was still unconscious.

"Rachel? Rach, can you hear me? Rachel, come on, don't leave me now, wake up, please!" he pleaded

He heard a whimper escape her lips

"That's it Rach, open your eyes, wake up love, you can do it" he encouraged

Rachel's eyes fluttered open slowly, her eyes focussing on Eddie. She was confused at first, wondering why she was lying on her bathroom floor with Eddie beside her.

Then she remembered, it all came flooding back to her. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked up at her colleague. She didn't want him here, seeing her like this.

"Eddie" she whimpered

"It's ok Rach, I'm here" he reassured

The pain came back all at once, hitting her full force. She cried out, screaming and sobbing. Eddie fought hard to keep back the tears pricking the back of his eyes.

"It's alright Rachel, the ambulance is on its way" Eddie soothed

Rachel didn't acknowledge his words. The pain had a tight grip on her. It was the only thing she could focus on. She screamed again, pleading for it to stop. Her vision began to blur, the pain in her whole body taking over her. She slipped into unconsciousness again.