Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter of Count On Me

And here we go, on another rollercoaster (just not as long).

I said on Twitter that the first three chapters of this story overlap with the last chapter of Count On Me. I think it will make more sense now when you read this. The first part is (obviously) set before chapter 70 of Count On Me.

Now... does anyone have a bad feeling after yesterdays chapter?

What's Going On?

Rachel found herself thinking that every year, the summer holidays seemed to be over quicker, the six weeks never seeming long enough anymore. But then again, her days of six long weeks of relaxing and gearing up for the next school year were long gone the moment that she found her other half in Eddie and they had two wonderful children.

Kiera and Jacob seemed happy enough, doing whatever they were doing with Grace, Jack and Harry while they soaked up the late August sun.

Things were definitely going to be different with Kiera starting secondary school (them already choosing Waterloo Road as the school that she would be attending, mainly so Rachel could keep an eye on her). Rachel noticed the way that she was smiling and hoped that there would be no problems once she started. Although, with Kim, Chris, Tom and Davina all still at the school, there was no way that she wouldn't be able to ask for help. Plus she had practically grown up at the school.

Noting that Eddie was having a conversation with Amy, Rachel started to wonder where her cousin and her wife were (they changed their partnership into a marriage as soon as they could. For Rachel, it was always the smile that Jane would give when she would introduce Sally as her wife. She was sure it was the same smile that she would give when she introduced Eddie as her husband). Thinking that it was also a good chance to get another drink, Rachel pulled herself out of her chair and made her way through the patio door into Jane and Sally's kitchen, to see them both there, whispering about something.

"Sal, you need to tell Rachel," Jane whispered.

"Tell me what?" Rachel said, alerting them to her presence.

They both looked at each other before Sally sighed.

"It's about Danny," Sally said.

"What about him?"

"He was being moved prisons because of a commotion. He was being moved from Buckley Hall to the one in Manchester. Just… in the movement, something happened and he is now uncounted for." Sally paused. "He escaped but we don't know all the details yet. But we… are acting on it quickly. Mainly because of my new role. There are going to be plainclothes police officers at Waterloo Road that are going to be led by me and we are going to try to do everything to keep you safe."

It must have been the look on her face as to why Jane and Sally looked unsure that telling her was the right thing to do. Rachel turned to see Kiera and Jacob still where they were. Things were definitely different this time around. It wasn't just herself that she had to keep safe. She had Eddie, Kiera and Jacob. She couldn't be as reckless as she used to be.

"What's going on?" Eddie asked as he joined them.

"Danny's escaped." Rachel said, as she finally found her voice.

"Do you want the equally bad news?" Jane said.

Rachel groaned, trying to think what was worse than their cousin escaping prison.

"Apparently, Melissa is back in the area as well." She continued.

"Do you think…" Rachel started.

"I don't know," Eddie said, catching onto what Rachel wanted to say, mainly because they had discussed it a couple of times. "If you think that Kiera can handle it. It will depend on what she hears at school."

"Just… everything I have been trying to keep from them. To keep them safe."

"I know. But, the fact that we have discussed it a couple of times means you know that you are going to have to tell them the bare minimum at some point." He sighed. "Maybe, let's see how it goes. Kiera knows that she can talk to us about anything."

"I just don't think that she would ever expect that her mother was once a prostitute."

"I think Eddie is right," Sally said. "We just… need to wait this out. With Kiera and Danny. Let's hope that this doesn't turn into a… undoable mess."

"And let's hope that the bitch keeps her distance as well," Jane said.

Rachel sighed, knowing that this wasn't a problem that she wanted just before the new year started. Eddie noticed and pulled her towards him, giving her the comfort that he knew that he always gave her. Because she couldn't give up all her good work now. Danny couldn't take something else away from her.

"Lost?"

Kiera smiled up at her uncle as he walked towards her.

"Why would I be lost, Uncle Tom? I've been here enough times to go around this place with my eyes closed."

He chuckled as they met in the middle of the corridor. "Just moseying about then?"

"I was going to walk but then Mum got all funny and said that I had to come with them. Dropped Jacob off with Auntie Jane so that we didn't drop him off at school super early."

"I'm sure your mum has her reasonings."

Kiera laughed before she tapped her middle finger of her left hand with her right index finger, before doing the same to her forehead and grabbing her hands in front of her, while mouthing 'I think stress'.

Tom smiled before he copied her by tapping his middle finger and forehead but tapped his two index fingers together while mouthing 'I think too'.

"Does everyone know? About me being hard of hearing?"

"Of course, Kim made sure that it was in the memo. She wanted to put you at the top of the new intake list but she had to do it in alphabetical order. You are like third on the list. But any problems, give them a cheeky comment and send them Kim's way."

Kiera laughed. "I guess that is Uncle Tom's advice."

"Of course, Mr Clarkson's advice would be just to send them Kim's way or, if they are being particularly difficult, your mum's."

"Auntie Kim before mum."

"Especially if they didn't go on the sign language course your mum paid for."

"She is such a worrier. You know they have said that my hearing has stabilized again."

"I know. But where would we be without your mother stressing over something? I'll see you later."

"See you, Uncle Tom."

"And enough of that."

"But the bell has rung for the day yet. Until then, you are still my uncle."

Tom shook his head at her. "Go on, carry on your walk around."

Kiera smiled at him again before she let him get on with everything that he had to do before the start of school. It made her wonder how many more of her Aunties and Uncles she could distract before the bell rang and they would become her teachers. A challenge she had now set herself, checking her watch to see how long she had to complete the task in.

Kiera knew that one of the ways that she wasn't going to cause trouble for herself was to always try and be one of the first into the classroom. It was why she was the first to Maths (her first-ever lesson at Waterloo Road) and strategically placed herself in the second row, on the left-hand side of the room, but not next to the window.

She quickly made sure her hearing aids were on the right setting before she made sure that her hair was covering them. It wasn't that she didn't want anyone to know, just that she had realised that people treated her a little differently once they knew that she was hard of hearing. As none of her friends from primary school had joined her at Waterloo Road, she knew that she had to make the right impression to make friends. She didn't want to be known as the freak before she could make any.

She knew that her dad didn't want to be teaching her, so it was strange to see him walk through the door just before the bell and start the register, luckily only saying first names unless there was more than one of them in the class.

If anything, Kiera had to stop herself from smiling as she watched her dad in teacher mode rather than Dad mode and she couldn't help but see the teacher that her mum kept on about. As weird as it was, it was nice to see and she was glad when he finally set them some work and the class settled down.

She did the first couple of questions, maths coming easier to her, before she allowed herself to look up at her dad. He caught her looking and quickly scanned the room before he pointed at her and gave her a thumbs up. He didn't mouth it but Kiera knew that he was asking whether she was okay. She flicked her pen into her fist so that she could hold up both her thumbs, telling him that she was fine. They shared a smile before she got back on with the work, glad for her mathematical mind.

Finding herself one of the last into her English class, Kiera was somewhat shocked to see the first two rows of the room already full. She cursed herself, although she couldn't really help the queue in the loo. It probably would have been better if she recognised the teacher, knowing that she could have a quiet word with them to get someone to move. But the teacher wasn't familiar, obviously one of the ones that had started in the last couple of years (when Kiera hadn't spent that much time at the school).

It, rather awkwardly, left her standing at the front of the class, unknowing what to do.

"Sit down." The teacher said.

"Sir, I need to be in the front two rows."

"Why?"

"Because I do sir. Mrs Mead said that she would let every teacher know."

"About?"

"I'm Kiera."

"And I'm Mr Lewis. Now sit down."

Kiera couldn't stop herself from sighing. She didn't really want to announce to the room that she was a Lawson (knowing that they would put two and two together and know that the head and deputy were her parents) and she didn't really want to tell this, obviously, braindead teacher and the whole class that she was hard of hearing or partially deaf (probably more the latter because people understood that more). She just hoped that it wouldn't be lesson three on her first day that she would have to say that she was hard of hearing.

She thought about what Tom had said that morning but that was when the man in question walked into the classroom to save her, glad now that she did come to Waterloo Road and not followed her friends to Kingsway Park. At least she knew that if she was in the situation that she was, she was surrounded by people that could help her.

"Is there a problem?" Tom asked.

"Sir, I need a seat at the front," Kiera said.

"I don't know why she can't just take one of the empty ones." Mr Lewis said.

Tom gave a small shake of his head. "Does anyone mind moving from the first two rows for Kiera please?"

"I will." One of the girls said, moving to the seat behind the one that she vacated.

"Thank you," Kiera said before turning back to Tom.

She knew that she wanted to allow this teacher to know that they had done wrong (even if she didn't want everyone knowing she was hard of hearing) and she knew that there was only one way to do that. She raised her hand and rested her fingertips on her chin before moving it away from her. She then tapped either side of her chin before placing her right index finger on the side of her left hand. She would have mouthed it to him, but sometimes it was best not to. Although she knew that he knew that it meant 'Thank you, Uncle Tom'.

Tom held up his hands and bent his fingers toward him a couple of times and mouthed 'You're welcome', maybe just to prove a point to Mr Lewis.

If anything, Kiera did think that Mr Lewis looked a little embarrassed when she looked up after she started to get her things out. She wished that it hadn't happened in English, knowing that she might have to ask her Uncle Tom or Auntie Davina for help if this Mr Lewis was going to be annoying because she had embarrassed him in front of the whole class. Although he had made her reveal something before she was ready to, to make him feel embarrassed. It was after the register that the girl who had given up her seat tapped her shoulder.

"So are you deaf?" The girl whispered.

"Not completely."

"That must be a little cool."

"Not really."

"I'm Louise."

"Kiera, if you hadn't guessed."

"Might be a little forward on me, but do you want to stick with me? We seem to be in the same classes and I can save you a seat if I get to the class before you."

"That'll be great, thanks."

It was the way that Mr Lewis cleared his throat, obviously trying to gain control after his embarrassment, that made Kiera turn back around to face the front. If anything, she was glad that she had made a friend.