charmed60

Hehe!! I did to actually, someone wrote a series of fanfics on Jachel and it really made me love them. Would have been weird now she's with Tony but let's believe it was Jack's picture, it did mysteriously appear after him & Sam moved in!

It seems to be a habit of all the H&A characters, I know that Jack had a framed picture of himself on his desk at work

^ Thank you for that. Personally the only time I can think of that they kept secrets is the recent storyline with Tony going into a world of his own but I think that's understandable seeing as his son had just died. Belle's not exactly being a bucket of truthfullness at the minute is she? Anywa that's for another thread. And the gallery did say it was a selection of great couples (all teens except Sally & Flynn) and that we had to vote for our favourite...they still might not make it but never mind, we still love em!

Haha I think the reason she did was so that they had something of hers for Tam to steal when she came into the show

Yep, he's 26 in real life and she's 29 so only 3 years difference, that's why I used to always forget he was only meant to be 19 and therefore never found their relationship to be weird. And lke you say rachel&kim, age is absolutely nothing to her so I don't think, if Tony & Rachel ever were to break up, that it would be through age difference problems.

With Rachel & Kim I guess the biggest deal was the fact that Kim was meant to be a teenager (even though he clearly didn't look like one) and Rachel an adult whereas with Rachel & Tony a big deal wasn't made out of it because 1. the man is older and I agree with Kirsty that it's not an issue particularly when the guy is older and 2. they're both adults in the same sort of maturity age. I never thought Rachel & Kim were a controversial relationship mainly because it was difficult to believe Kim was meant to be a teenager when Chris clearly was a few years past that Now if it had been Rachel & Aden for example.... Thanks for making that clearer Karen - I have always wondered how old Rachel & Tony were meant to be. I can't see any issues that could come up from their age difference now, they both seem to want the same things in life. With Rachel & Kim however, Rachel was ready to start a family whereas Kim wanted his 20s first....that was where the age difference caused a problem with them. Tony must have been a teenager when he had Jack, I was quite surprised when it was mentioned around Tony's high school reunion that he was meant to have been a bit of a loser at school. He managed to have a high school sweetheart and have 2 children with her so he can't have been that much of a loser

When I first heard about this 'cheating' storyline I was adamant that I was going to hate it and that I was going to be really annoyed with Rachel for accusing Tony of cheating when his son has just died. However the way the writers chose to portray the storyline was so well done, it honestly did look like he was cheating and I just ended up feeling incredibly sorry for Rachel as well as for Tony. I loved that the writers didn't have a one sided take on the situation and actually managed to evoke sympathy for both of the characters and that there was no right or wrong person, it was just a really sad unfortunate situation. However despite thinking that Rachel had every right to confront Tony over where he's been sneaking out to and who Belinda was, I still felt so embarassed for her when she realised that he'd been fixing up the boat to honour Jack's memory. Rachel admitting to Martha that if the only way for Tony to get through the grief of losing Jack was to have an affair then she would support him showed not only vunerability which we haven't seen from Rachel in a really long time, but also amazing strength. To be willing to forgive and allow your fiancee to sleep with another woman so that he can get through the pain of losing his son shows how much she really does love him and is concerned for him. When she first thought Tony was cheating on her so managed to stay composed and I think that all built up and reached a head when she found out he'd been out all night and still wasn't home to open the gym in the morning, hence her emotional attack on Belinda. It was after that though that she just crumbled and it all became too much for her which is when she ran into the bedroom crying. Then she was back to being strong again. I think she is afraid for people to see her vunerable because usually she's such a strong person and someone that other people rely on, not the other way round, so it was good that we got to see this other side of her, which reflected how she used to be when she first came to Summer Bay. I've also loved the friendship between Martha and Rachel lately. The way in which Martha made Tony realise what his lying and secrets were doing to Rachel was really poignant seeing as she's the wife of the son he's just lost. I'm sure she felt quite angry that Tony was pushing Rachel away after she'd just lost her husband. And it was lovely to see Rachel involving Martha with the baby, that Martha got to feel one of the baby's first kicks and she was also the one she showed the clothes to. They've hinted towards a friendship a fair bit throughout the last year or so but lately they've become really close and it's nice, Martha needs some friends and they're practically family now. I agree with you Kirsty that Amy's doing a really good job of playing a pregnant Rachel! It must be quite difficult to know how to be if you've never actually been pregnant but the little bump strokes are just adorable and I loved how happy and amazed she was when the baby kicked - it's something she thought she'd never get to experience and I remember a couple of years ago when she was telling Leah how she'd never get to feel a life grow inside of her and she really wanted to experience that. It's sad that she has had to sort of experience it on her own whilst Tony's grieving and judge whether she should/shouldn't tell Tony when things happen with the baby for fear of reminding him of the pain of losing his son but seeing how excited he was when he felt the baby kick was lovely

Haha nope I loved it to, it was so fiery!! I love watching arguments on screen and I think they both needed to release a bit of tension, it was brilliant they were screaming at each other. Weve never seen Tachel like that before. Not sure why Tony snatched the note off of her but I loved it to Preferred the cuddle though

I agree Charlene It was a pretty intense argument. I have to say despite knowing Tony's grieving I have felt a lot more sympathy for Rachel these past few episodes but today I felt just awful for both of them. Tony because being accused of cheating when you're not and you're actually working on a project to honour your dead son is just so hurtful (although I completely understand why Rachel thought he was cheating - I'm sure I would have reacted the same way as her) and I felt bad for Rachel because she must feel so awful and guilty now knowing the truth behind his night time outings even though it really did look like he was cheating. I've seen comments where people have said that she obviously hasn't forgiven him for the Bridget incident because she brought it up today but I disagree. She has forgiven him (and she did rather quickly) but she hasn't forgotten and if a situation looks like it's happening all over again, like it did today with Belinda, she would have brought it up, anyone would have. Even Martha did. It was lovely to see them back on the same path again with each other and seeing Rachel apologising to him. I have loved Martha's involvement with the whole thing and was pleased she told him how Rachel was willing to forgive him for an affair because that's how much she loves him. The hug was On a really shallow note, I loved Rachel's top today and hope more of her pregnancy clothes are like that. They need to show off the bump not hide it under baggy tops.

That would be our charlene!!! Will comment on the episode more later but I absolutely loved it - I even kind of enjoyed that arguement

I actually like this current storyline much more than I thought I would. It's heartbreaking to see the downward spiral Tony's been on and I'm looking forward to finding out who Belinda is. It's also good to see a vunerable side to Rachel and when I thought I'd hate her for accusing Tony of cheating I actually feel really sorry for her. Obviously that's not to say I don't understand Tony's P.O.V because I do but when he's clearly lying to her it's difficult to empathise with him. There have been lovely little touches though throughout the last 2 episodes such as the gradual improvement and coherency in Tony (he's started to become more full of life and the way his face lit up when Rachel told him the baby has kicked for the first time was lovely) it's been so well acted by Jon and he deserves a lot more credit as an actor than I ever gave him. Whatever he's sneaking out to it's obviously helping him. It's heartbreaking to watch Tony keep pushing Rachel away and rejecting her when she touches him. Being pregnant is enough to make her feel insecure anyway but to have him lying to her and sneaking out behind her back must be so nerve-racking for her and it's sad that she's pretty much had to go through the first 4 months of this pregnancy on her own. It's nice however that Martha's been there for her, returning the favour for all the support through her cancer. I liked the way Rachel took Tony some dinner to work even though she thought he was cheating on her, I guess it was her way of trying to hold on to him and that scene where he feels the baby kick and has this huge smile on his face was just

Just a totally random observation here but this is the first time in aaaaages that weve seen a vunerable side to Rachel. I think being pregnant, watching someone you love go through a difficult time and not want your help AND show signs that he might be having an affair has all gotten on top of her. Usually she's so strong and doesn't let people see this side to her but it's nice for us to finally see it and hopefully soon Tony will realise what his lies are doing! One example of this is that Rachel didn't want to confront Tony about where he'd been that night because she was too afraid that he might be having an affair and she'd up being alone as a single Mum. The Rachel we know is always a talker but I love that the writers are showing how grief can affect others inadvertantly.

Martha used to be my most disliked character but lately I've been liking her more and more. I do think she works better as a single character though, we learn a lot more about her when she's just Martha and not one half of J&M and her acting has really impressed me since Jack's death.

Awww Kirsty. I never think the chapters can get any better yet they always do. I loved hearing Martha's thoughts on Jack's death and an insight into why she's not breaking down in the same way Tony is on the show. I found it so funny to think of Jack calling Rachel Mum and him having to promise never to do it again They made a joke about it on the show so was lovely to include that! I absolutely love how you keep switching from the past (deliriously happy Tachel) to the present (the total opposite) yet in this chapter we finally got to see Tony accepting the situation and trying to deal with it. The way you described his thoughts were so beautiful and I love love loved the little Tachel moment from the night baby peanut was conceived. Being able to hear both Rachel and Tony's thoughts in this chapter was a really nice touch and was sweet how Tony hadn't even noticed the bump and now that he's beginning to work through his grief it's suddenly dawned on him and given him something to be happy about. I'm not sure if that's the end of this little story but if it is it's a beautiful ending, really bittersweet and touching but I don't ever want you to stop writing because I've absolutely loved it So to answer your question yes I would love you to continue it but if you feel the story's come to an end I hope to read a different fic of yours really soon. I can only hope this is how they deal with Tony's grief on the show.

Absolutely fabulous! Really really loved that Tony has opened up to Rachel, it was such a beautiful scene and made me feel so sad but hopeful at the same time that Tony's feeling more able to talk. It's a shame he's not feeling more like this in the show I love the little touches you put in like Rachel playing with her engagement ring (very symbolic!) and Tony tucking her hair behind her ears. I loved the affectionate little touches and strokes that they gave to comfort each other You describe Tony's feelings so so well, so realistically I feel so awful for him. Loved also that you included other characters, you really kept the character and it was lovely to see other character's perspectives and how they've coped with grief. It makes me sad when I see the difference in how Tony and Martha are coping. Martha and Hugo is quite cute!! And what you said about Leah - worrying about Dan disappearing is something that so many people who lose someone they love fear. Please update soon, I really look forward to this.

Seeing as Tony has just lost his eldest son, his best friend, I think the last thing Tony needs right now is to be alone and to feel alone. He might think that's what he needs right now but I don't think sitting there alone is going to help him through this. I don't necessarily think Rachel chasing after him is what he needs either but I can't see how anyone can think she's doing it to interfere? He's her fiancee and he's grieving, she wants to help him through it even though she doesn't know how.

She's not that hated at all Irishgirl I just think the Rachel dislikers tend to be more vocal I do like her hair now (I thought it looked lovely in the gym) but I agree that it's a shame they got rid of the curls like when she was with Kim, it gave her individuality!

Poor Tachel It's so sad to see them like this when you think of how happy they were before Jack's death. Poor Tony is just completely empty and doesn't know what to do with himself and I can understand that sometimes he wants to be on his own. However I can also understand that Rachel is too worried to leave him on his own incase he gets worse and she can't do anything but try and be positive and lift him out. It's like she's trying to remind him that they have a little baby to look forward to and for him to get excited about the way she keeps holding her evergrowing bump. However he can't even acknowledge the baby's existence at the minute because he's so broken and overwhelmed with grief, he can't think of anything else but his pain. Jon is absolutely amazing me every episode with his acting skills, he truly hasn't had the screentime hes deserved over the past few years and Rachel as a pairing was the best thing that happened to him, in terms of the focus it's given him by being paired with a 'main" character. That scene in the gym was beautiful, the lighting and everything was so depressive It's sad because you can tell Tony's trying his hardest to not push Rachel away with his "it means the world to me that you're here for me" comment but then he's struggling to cope and so lashes out at her. Poor guy I want to give him a cuddle. I think if Rachel was as selfish as some people make her out to be she would have retaliated to all of his 'nasty' comments but so far, she hasn't to any. She knows it's the grief talking.

Yer I agree with you Kirsty. I don't think anyone can use the whole "Rachel is a psychiatrist, she should be perfect and know what to do" because medical degrees go out of the window when you have to watch your fiancee slowly fade into himself in front of your eyes and know there is nothing you can do about it. I'm not saying Rachel's handling things perfectly; maybe forcing him to focus on positive things and keeping busy isn't the right thing because it's not working but it IS something that a lot of people grieving are encouraged to do. Plus it is her instinct as a fiancee and a doctor to help him. She's in a really difficult position at the moment and I feel sad for her. She's stuck playing bereavement counsellor to her fiancee and her best friend, trying to be strong and positive (to the extent that she's overcompensating...this chirpy happy Rachel has to be a cover up) for Leah and even for Martha's surgery. And to top that all off, Tony is pushing her away (I'm not blaming him, its totally understandable but would still hurt Rachel) and saying some hurtful things about her and the baby. I think she needs somebody to talk to because at the minute she's handling everything on her own, Martha's not even offering Tony any support. I also thought the "Welcome to 30 love" comment was hilarious but since when did Rachel say love? I think Tony's sayings are rubbing off on her! Also don't think I didn't notice you de-aging Rachel by a year writers! I know she was meant to be in the same class as Leah at school but she was 28 when she arrived in 2006....hmm. I absolutely loved the scenes between her and Leah yesterday and today, they have such a brilliant friendship and the things Rachel said to Leah were lovely. It's nice to see that despite her going through an awful time at the minute she's still there for her best friend.

Wow!! Again!! Loved to see things from Tony's point of view, my heart is breaking for him It's sad how he realises that he's hurting Rachel but is struggling to open up and I can totally see things from both Tony and Rachel's point of view. You describe everything so realistically, Tony's grief and his feeling numb and everything being hazy. Commenting on him noticing random things like someone wearing a red tie at the funeral. It's amazing what things pop into your mind and what you notice while you're going through a difficult time - I can vouch for that! It was so sad when he realised Rachel had been trying to track down Lucas for him And him describing what made him fall in love with Rachel - even the things that annoy him about her Such an amazing chapter yet again and I really can't wait for the next one, looking forward to Tony and Rachel talking and seeing how the other characters are going to fit in. Final thought - it was incredible hwo you've managed to create such a different tone in this chapter compared to the last one. When reading Rachel's point of view I felt really emotional and could literally feel her heart breaking yet with Tonys thoughts I felt really....empty and lost. Well done you Don't leave us waiting too long for the next one!

Wow. I cannot put into words how much I absolutely love what you've written so far. It is so so beautifully written and really gives us readers an insight into what Rachel's feeling - were not really getting that from the show at the minute - and it really justifies and makes me understand why she's doing the things she is. I loved how despite it being simply from Rachel's point of view, you subtly hinted towards what Tony's feeling at the end and there were flashbacks to the past, you put so much description in the emotions and the memories that it really teared me up when reading. I felt like I was in their little bubble with them when you were describing them curled up in bed together being deliriously happy and then remembered that Jack was dead I felt so awful for what Rachel's going through and how all she cared about was the pain Tony was feeling but she felt helpless. I ALSO loved how you really kept the 'character,' mentioning how work is usually a distraction for Rachel (weve seen that so many times) and how Leah has been a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes it can be easy to change a character for the sake of a story but I really did feel this was very "Rachel." And Rachel mentioning Jack and how he smiled just like his Dad was really sweet. I cannot wait for the next chapter!

I don't think it made her look old hehe but it definetely looks better curly, it's more natural and she's the only one with curly hair so why do they straighten it? I thought the bump was very cute and Rachel's in a really difficult position at the moment; trying to be sensitive of Tony' feelings but also trying to help pull him out of his grief by giving him positive things to focus on like helping the footie team out and the baby. It must be awful for her when he keeps going missing and turning his phone off. Last time he did that Bridget followed him home

Aww poor Rachel and Hugo, the poor baby they were so excited! I really really love the way you write the friendships here and that you update so quickly! I liked how Hugo called Rachel love, just like Tony does

That was such an amazing one-shot (although as a Tachel fan I didn't particularly like the ending ) But it was really beautifully written and really put into perspective how much loss Tony's had in his life. You're such a good writer!

I'm really really enjoying this! At first I thought Tony was dead and then I thought he'd' just ran off and left her and now I'm back to thinking he is dead. Good writing there guys I love Martha and Rachel's friendship and cringe everytime I see Martha/Roman saying lovey dovey stuff to each other I'm not sure how I feel about Rachel/Hugo...controversial. And they're having a baby!! Very controversial. But Hugo is hot and I reckon there could be Hugo/Rachel potential had Tony not existed hehe. It's sweet how Rachel still all teary about Tony. I love even more that this story is different because it has characters in that none of the other fics do. Update soon!!!!