Will Eddie pop the question? Keep reading to find out! :)

...

Six hours later...

It was 11:30pm. Rachel and Eddie were still sat on the cliff, enjoying one another's company. Both were surprised they had lasted the night. The temperature had dropped to -1 degrees, and it was absolutely freezing. Thankfully, they had well insulated coats, hats, scarves and gloves and blankets to keep them warm. Eddie had also gone up to the food van a couple of times to get them both a warm drink.

To say it was night time, Whitby was alive with colour and music. Warm lights shone out from the restaurants and tourist shops. Whitby Abbey was lit up with colours of pink and blue, demanding your attention instead of hiding in the shadows of the night. There were boats parked up in the harbour, tucked up and ready to rest after a busy day. The sea was a restless blur of navy blue, the colours of the Abbey enveloping the water in rays of colour. There was a sense of contentment in the air, echoed by the sounds of the rippling sea.

Despite it being cold, it was a beautiful and clear night. The inky black sky was cloudless and littered with twinkling stars. The moon was an iridescent orb, its silvery strands of moonlight reflecting on the sea. The fresh evening air was full of that holiday feeling.

Eddie and Rachel were lying on the picnic blanket, cuddled up with one another as they watched the stars above them. A blanket was covering them, keeping them warm.

Eddie had his arm wrapped around Rachel's shoulder, holding her close to him. Rachel had her head resting on his chest, the peaceful sound of his heartbeat pressing against her ear. Both were completely relaxed.

They'd spent most of the night chatting and giggling. They'd gazed at the stars, trying to work out their shapes and meanings. Rachel wished they could stay like this forever.

As they lay there, in a comfortable silence, Rachel reflected quietly on the year. It had been a mixture of the best and worst year of her life. It had been one of happiness, heartbreak and trauma. Stuart's attack had left scars on her body and mind that would never fully heal. The miscarriage would shoot a pang of pain through her heart whenever she thought about it.

Maxine's death would follow her wherever she went, and, in some ways, she would always blame herself for what happened. It was the biggest challenge and tragedy of her career so far, and she hoped to never experience anything like it ever again.

It was a year that (in some ways), she was desperate to forget. But it had also been a year filled with moments that she would remember for the rest of her life, in a good way.

She had fallen in love with a man who she truly thought the world of. He made her the happiest woman alive and he had changed her life. She'd never loved anyone like she loved Eddie Lawson. She was carrying his child; they were going to be parents. She was going to be a Mother, something she had wanted for as long as she could remember. Despite the sickness, it all seemed to be settling down and she was glad. She wouldn't want to do this with anyone but Eddie. He made her feel at peace, he made her feel safe, two feelings she had longed to feel for a long time.

Not only was she going to be a Mother, but she had gained a Nephew too.

When Philip had stepped through her front door a couple of months ago and both she and Eddie had mistaken him for Melissa's fiancé, it had been a shock. It was an even bigger shock when Melissa told them he was her son. Rachel couldn't deny it, she had been a little upset when she'd realised she had missed out on the first 15 years of Philip's life. But it was safe to say that she was making up for those lost years now. Philip finally had a stable home and education. He was thriving and she was so glad.

She was hoping to put the bad memories of this year behind her and for the New Year to bring only happiness. With a baby on the way and Eddie Lawson by her side, she was sure it would happen.

"Are you warm enough?" Eddie asked, pulling her from her thoughts

She nodded, snuggling further into him.

"Are you sure?" he checked

"You're like a radiator, Eddie. I'm fine" she giggled

"Usually you complain about that" he pointed out

"Not tonight" she mumbled

Eddie chuckled, his fingers gliding softly through her hair.

Rachel wasn't the only one who had been reflecting on the year. Eddie had too. So much had happened, less to him and more to Rachel. She had been through so much trauma and heartbreak, more than anyone should ever have to experience in their lifetime. And she was still here, in his arms. She had been through things that were so horrific, most people wouldn't have gotten through or survived it. But she had. Despite everything, she had fought hard and got herself back on her feet. She was the strongest woman he had ever known. She amazed him every single day. He loved her so much. She was his world.

During their comfortable silence and quiet reflection, Eddie had also been contemplating when would be the right moment to propose. He'd thought about doing it during the firework display, but was now worried it was the wrong time. The fireworks would be loud and he'd have to shout, which didn't seem romantic at all.

So that left doing it now, or after midnight.

If he did it now, he would feel rushed (he wanted the moment to be perfect). But if he did it after midnight, it would spoil his intention of ending the year on a happy note. Of course, starting the New Year on a happy note would be good too, but doing it after the firework display didn't feel right.

Rachel could feel Eddie thinking as she lay on his chest. He'd been quiet for a bit. She had noticed that his heartbeat had quickened too in the last few minutes, suggesting that he was internally panicking about something. She was concerned. He hadn't been himself all day. Something was evidently bothering him and she wanted to help.

She propped herself up on her elbow to face him, drawing gentle circles on his chest with her finger to get his attention. His eyes wandered over to her, lips curling upwards into a loving smile.

"Are you ok?" she asked

He nodded.

"Just thinking" he mumbled

That made Rachel a little concerned.

"About?" she questioned

"Us"

She paused, trying to block out the negative thoughts that were threatening to invade her mind. She had to give him a chance to explain before jumping to conclusions and shutting down.

"Ok..."

Eddie knew it was now or never. Rachel was starting to panic. He'd put a seed of doubt in her mind and needed to get it out before it planted itself and stayed there permanently.

He sat up, Rachel mirroring his actions. He took her hand into his.

"Before you start panicking, Rach, it's nothing bad" he reassured

Rachel nodded hesitantly, her nerves easing just a little. Her gaze returned to his, giving him her full attention.

Eddie took a deep breath to steady himself.

"Rach, I- I love you. I don't think that's a secret. You've turned my life upside down, in the best way. I can't imagine my life without you, and I don't want to. You're strong, beautiful, kind, insanely stubborn and I love you for it. You're my best friend and my soul mate. I'd be lost without you. I don't know much about the future, but I do know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our little one"

Rachel felt her breath hitch in her throat as she watched him reach into his pocket. Her eyes welled up with tears when he pulled out a ring box. She already knew her answer to his upcoming question.

Eddie took a deep breath, flipping open the lid of the ring box.

It was now or never.

"Will you marry me, Rachel?"

She had to remind herself that she was pregnant and that they were in public, otherwise she would have thrown herself at him.

Instead, she leaned in, catching his lips with her own and kissing him passionately. Eddie felt the dread and nerves he'd been experiencing before melt away.

"Yes" she said simply when they pulled apart

"Yes?"

"Yes, Eddie Lawson. I will marry you"

Eddie smiled.

Rachel wrapped her arms around him tightly, a few happy tears rolling down her cheeks. This was probably one of the happiest days of her life. She'd only had a few of these moments in her life so far, and all of them had been caused by Eddie, or he had been involved in some way. She'd be stupid to not want to marry him.

She wiped the tears from her cheeks as they pulled apart. A contented giggle escaped her lips as she watched him slide the ring onto her finger. It was pitch black on the cliff top, but she could just make out the colour of the ring. It was a deep blue sapphire, her favourite colour. She smiled, realising that Eddie knew her style so well. She couldn't wait to get back to the flat to look at it properly in the light.

"It's beautiful, Eddie. I love it" she told him

Eddie smiled, pulling her into him so she was propped up against his chest. He placed a gentle kiss in her hair.

"Now I know why you've been so quiet and nervous all day!" she teased

"I was worried you'd say no" he admitted

Rachel frowned at him.

"Why?"

"Well... we hadn't talked about marriage and... just because I want to spend the rest of my life with you doesn't mean you feel the same about me" he explained

Rachel leaned up, cupping his cheek with her hand.

"I'd spend the rest of my life with you with or without a ring on my finger" she told him

"Thank goodness for that" he whispered, leaning over to kiss her again

She smiled as he deepened the kiss. Her heart fluttered as they pulled apart, resting their forehead against one another's.

"I love you" she blurted

"I love you too"

The sound of the church bell echoed over Whitby, indicating it was midnight. Eddie and Rachel looked to one another as everyone on the cliff cheered, shouts of "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" floating through the air.

"Happy New Year" Eddie whispered, placing a soft kiss on her cheek

"Happy New Year"

All of a sudden, fireworks whooshed into the air, lighting up the night sky and making Whitby Abbey a ghostly silhouette.

They watched as the fireworks shot up into the air, racing one another before exploding in a shower of colour, others shattering into tiny sparks or blooming like flowers in spring. Bursts of green, yellow, red, gold and orange splattered the sky, merging into one another.

Rachel glanced around at the other people. They were watching in awe as the black sky was painted with colour. There were couples cuddled up to one another, just like she and Eddie were. She remembered a time when she had craved to come to an event like this, to snuggle up with a man she loved more than life itself. She finally had that, and now she could call him her fiancé.

Eddie watched the colours of the fireworks dancing in Rachel's eyes. He pulled her closer to him, relishing in this perfect moment. They had ended what had been a traumatic year in a beautiful and positive way. What was ahead of them was a year of endless possibilities. A year where they would become parents for the first time. Eddie hoped that the year ahead was filled with peace and happiness. Rachel deserved that more than anything.

Feeling his gaze burning into her, she turned her attention to him. She smiled at him lovingly as she leaned up to kiss him. As she did, she made a silent wish. She wished for the year ahead to bring her and Eddie nothing but happiness.