The Reunion- A Waterloo Road Fanfiction

Chapter Eight

Rachel didn't wait for Eddie or Kim to protest. She shot down the stairs and out onto the playground. She pushed through the crowd of staff and students, kneeling down beside Bolton. Her stomach turned at the sight of his face. There were cuts and scrapes all over his skin, one so deep she could see his cheek bone peering through. His nose was badly dented and the top left side of his head was oozing blood. She couldn't bear to think about his internal injuries.

Her shaking fingers immediately wrapped around his wrist, checking for a pulse. She almost cried out in relief when she felt it. It was faint, but it was there. There was still time to help him.

As the two Paramedics made their way over, Rachel moved to the side. Eddie and Kim had managed to get everyone back inside and away from the scene.

Whilst the male Paramedic, Carl, tended to Bolton, the other Paramedic, Angela, attended to Rachel as she explained what had happened. Despite being adamant that she didn't need medical attention, Angela wrapped a warm blanket around her trembling body whilst telling her that none of this was her fault. Rachel thought the blanket was pointless, she didn't need it. What she needed was the power to turn back time so she could stop Bolton from jumping off the roof. She thought Angela's words were pointless too. Angela was wrong, she had failed Bolton and it was all her fault.

Kim and Eddie stood on the sidelines beside Rachel, trying to comfort her as best as they could without physically touching her. She didn't want to be hugged or wrapped in their arms, she had made that clear when Kim had tried to put her arm around her shoulders and had been pushed off.

The three of them watched on as the Paramedics worked to stabilise Bolton and checked over his injuries. Both Kim and Eddie took turns in shooting a concerned glance at Rachel, who was violently shaking as she watched the scene in front of her.

After fifteen minutes, Angela got to her feet and ran back into the Ambulance, returning two minutes later with a stretcher. Rachel watched helplessly as they moved Bolton onto it, lifting him up and over towards the Ambulance. Rachel stepped forwards to follow when Kim stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"I'm taking you home, Eddie will go with him to the hospital" she told her

Rachel glared at her, pulling her arm out of her friend's grip.

"No, I'm going with him" she argued

"Rachel, you've had a shock. Let me take you back to mine" Kim pleaded

Rachel shook her head. Bolton was unconscious, but he needed her. She couldn't let him down. She refused to. He needed to wake up and find someone beside him that he trusted.

"I'm sorry, I'm going with him"

"Then I'm coming with you" Eddie cut in

Rachel nodded quietly. She was too tired to argue and, if she was honest, she didn't want to be waiting in the hospital alone.

"Fine. I'll follow you in my car" Kim sighed, walking away toward the car park

"Thanks for doing that" Rachel whispered once she'd gone

"No problem. Come on, let's go" he replied

Rachel nodded.

She was about to follow him when a pain ripped through her stomach. Her hand instinctively moved to rest on her bump as she tried to breathe deeply. She hadn't had a pain like this before in her pregnancy so far. She'd had Braxton hicks, which she'd been having for most of the evening, but they felt completely different to this.

Eddie turned around when he realised she wasn't following him. He walked over to her, concern and worry rushing through him as she winced in pain.

"Rach, are you ok?" he asked, placing a hand on her arm

The pain disappeared, allowing Rachel to let out a shaky exhale. She nodded at Eddie. Together, they walked over to the Ambulance, both of them clambering inside. They watched as Bolton was hooked up to a machine that was beeping away in a timely rhythm. An oxygen mask had been placed over his face. His blood had already stained the white sheets of the stretcher.