A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm sorry for any spelling mistakes, I do proofread but I always miss things out.

Rachel sat in the back of the taxi. Ever since the crash she hadn't found the confidence to drive again. She took a deep breath. It was her first day back after 5 weeks off. The doctors had told her it was too early for her to come back, she ignored their advice though and decided Waterloo Road needed her back. She stepped out the car to hear her name being called out.

"Welcome back Rach. Nice holiday?" Asked Steph with a slight smile, "It's being like a zoo here without you" Rachel smiled back. Steph walked off inside the school whilst Rachel stood by the taxi looking up at the school. It felt good to be back. Out the corner of her eye Rachel saw Olivia walk on by with her phone to her ear.

"Olivia, no phones in school!" Rachel called out to her. Olivia turned around to face Rachel, she snapped her phone shut. She didn't reply, she just stormed off into the school, she just wasn't in the mood for arguing. Rachel frowned to herself and made her way into the school too. Many students and teachers welcoming her back.

"Are you signing it?" Asked Steph as she handed the card to Grantly. Grantly sighed and took the card off her. He read Steph's message aloud.

"Get well soon Max. We miss you. Love Steph. Kiss, kiss, kiss" Grantly said, he rolled his eyes, "Talk about being two-faced"

"Yeah, well I had to sign it and so do you. So put something nice. He'll probably sack us if we don't" Replied Steph. Tom took a seat next to Steph with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"What's that?" He asked nodding towards the card.

"A get well soon card for Max... do you want to sign it? Ruby said we all have to sign it" Replied Steph, "Students as well"

"Do we have to write something nice?" Groaned Grantly, "I have nothing nice to say to that man. I just hope they keep him in there til the end of the term"

"Looks like it could go that way... he still hasn't woken up" Said Steph.

"I think it's terrible what has happened to Max" Helen added.

"Yes well, if Miss Mason were looking where she was going, he wouldn't be in hospital" Ruby replied, "She could be done for murder if he doesn't wake up"

"Don't be ridiculous Ruby!" Chris exclaimed, "Anyway, it wasn't Rachel's fault" Ruby snatched the card away from Grantly who still had failed to write anything.

"Are you signing this Chris?" She asked, she handed Chris the card and a pen before Chris could reply. Chris quickly signed the card and gave it back to Ruby.

"I noticed you didn't sign the one for Rachel" Chris said to Ruby.

"Yes, well. I wasn't there when it was being signed" Replied Ruby, she paused shortly, "And I'm not keen on the woman anyway"

"How can you not like Rachel?" Asked Chris, "She's a lovely woman, intelligent, beautiful and a great headteacher" Rachel entered the staffroom just in time to overhear what Chris had said.

"Speak on the devil" Grantly said quietly as Rachel appeared in the staffroom.

Olivia walked into the science classroom, she took a seat alongside Paul and Danielle. Paul gave her a shy smile, Olivia smiled back.

"You ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm good... you?" Olivia asked. Paul nodded his head.

"Do you think he has a girlfriend?" Danielle asked leaning into Olivia.

"What?" Olivia asked, clearly confused. Danielle and Aleesha both rolled their eyes in unison.

"Mr Mead obviously" Replied Aleesha, "He's too cute not to have one"

"I don't know. Probably not" Olivia said, "I think he's interested in Miss Mason" Olivia added. Danielle and Aleesha looked at one another in shock, then they both shook their heads.

"Nah. Mason and him. No way" Aleesha said, "She's far too old for him. She's like old enough to be his grandmother" Both Aleesha and Danielle burst out laughing causing Chris to look over at them.

"Something funny girls?" He asked. Danielle and Aleesha finally stopped laughing and shook their heads.

"They probably looked in the mirror and finally saw their faces" Lindsay commented. Both Siobhan and Amy started to laugh.

"That's enough girls" Chris shouted as their laughter subsided.

"Come back when you've got an original joke" Olivia replied.

"I wasn't even speaking to you" Lindsay snapped.

"You're just a stuck up cow anyway! Thinking you're better than us, well news flash darling, you're not and you never will be" Olivia snapped back. Bolton and Paul started to clap and cheer, they soon stop when Chris looked at them.

"Olivia, go to the cooler" Chris ordered pointing towards the door.

"No, she started this!" Olivia replied pointing towards Lindsay, "You just won't send her to the cooler because she's one of yours" Olivia picked up her bag and walked over to Lindsay's desk.

"Olivia!" Shouted Chris.

"No, it's ok. I understand. You're all feeling sorry poor Lindsay who's mum killed her dad" Replied Olivia. Lindsay threw her pen down and stood up to face Olivia. Chris intervened, he took hold of Olivia's arm and guided her towards the door.

"Stay in the cooler til further notice. Understand?" Chris said. Olivia threw her bag over her shoulder and walked off down the corridor.

There was a quiet knock at Rachel's door.

"Come in" Rachel called out. She looked up from her work to see Chris entering. She gave him a wide smile, "Chris I've been meaning to thank you for all the flowers you brought me"

"It was nothing, just a... friendly gesture" Replied Chris smiling.

"And thank you for what you said in the staffroom earlier, about me" Rachel said. Chris frowned, "About me being a great headteacher... and everything" He began to blush and looked down at his feet.

"Didn't realize you heard" He said, "Anyway" He quickly added in an attempt to change the subject, "Olivia Carlton, had to send her to the cooler this morning. She said some rather nasty things to Lindsay James. She should still be there now"

"Right. I'll shall go and speak to her now" Replied Rachel, she stood up and moved towards the door.

"Don't suppose you're coming the pub tonight are you?" Chris asked quickly.

"Ah. No. I have work to do" Replied Rachel. She gave him a small smile, "Sorry" The truth was she was really going to visit Max, just like she had been doing for the past couple of weeks.