rionaleonhart | You'll Have To Pay The Toll.

I seem to be posting about every episode in Waterloo Road's current run. I suppose that's what happens when there's a prominent Josh storyline. By the end of the series, you'll feel like you all watched it along with me, although obviously what you're watching is an edited version of Waterloo Road with particular emphasis on Josh and the episode's ratio of hugs required:hugs received. Today we are watching episode 7.26!

Josh has now received hugs in two consecutive Waterloo Road episodes! I strongly approve of this and hope it keeps up. He just needs a lot of hugs.

Although, while I love Lauren for hugging him, I do not love her for subsequently persuading him to make a terrible decision. It's like someone saying to me, 'Well, you seem able to see fine when you're wearing your glasses; why do you bother with the glasses at all?' That's really not how it works, Lauren. Now the trailer for the next episode looks really distressing and it's all your fault. (Well, I suppose it's Josh's fault to some extent for following your terrible advice.)

noooo Josh please be okay :(

Jez has never really interested me - I find him incredibly bland - but I actually cared about him a bit in this episode, which was a surprise. Possibly because he did a Chris Mead by putting himself in a ridiculously compromising position with a pupil out of naïve concern. (Bless Chris. I miss him and his habit of going so far out of his way to help pupils that everyone assumed he was shagging all of them. 'One of the pupils is working as a stripper to make ends meet? Better go to the bar where she's stripping to have a chat with her; I'm almost certain that's within the bounds of appropriate teacher-pupil behaviour.')

I still love Tariq, even though he needs a good whack on the head sometimes. His relationship with Emily is adorable. Although he really needs to drop the 'BETTER MOCK YOU WHEN PEOPLE ARE AROUND SO NOBODY KNOWS I ACTUALLY LIKE YOU' act. Forget the gang stuff, Tariq; just run away with Emily. You can become reporters together. I know you're a good guy at heart.

Finn's little meow when Madi was complaining about Mercedes absolutely cracked me up. Somebody put it on YouTube immediately.

Something from earlier episodes I failed to mention: I find it really interesting that Matt and a friend of his decided to have a child by means of sperm donation and raise it as friends. I've wondered for years why it's not socially acceptable to raise a child with someone you're not romantically involved with.

(If Waterloo Road is to be believed, it's not socially acceptable because of the risk that the mother will fall in love with the doctor who delivered the baby, but that's Waterloo Road for you.)

(THIS PROGRAMME IS RIDICULOUS, WHY DO I LOVE IT SO MUCH)

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The rocking stopped. Josh's foot cawled back underneath the desk, and he remained silent. Tom closed the door, and walked over to his desk, crouching on the ground in front of Josh. And Josh looked so scared, and so fearful of everything, his eyes were bloodshot and his face was red and puffy. His hair was a mess, but then again, it always was a mess and that's how Josh seemed to like it, and his uniform was scruffed up, and he looked more and more like the child that Tom missed growing up; the child whose first steps and first words Tom missed, and Tom could kick himself day after day for the days that he missed and the monsters late and night he couldn't chase away, but seeing Josh this scared - this obviously petrified and alone - made a lump crawl into the back of his throat that threatened to choke him. Josh looked at Tom, "Dad, make it go away. Please. I-I can't take it anymore."

And Tom dragged his son over to him and they hugged, Tom trying to comfort him as best as he could, "Don't worry Josh. I'm here now. Everything'll be alright. I promise." Tom tried his best to comfort Josh, but even Tom could hear his voice breaking as he tried to fight the tears that were forcing their way through.

The next day, father and son walked out of the staff room, hand in hand, and headed back out to war.

THIS IS REALLY DISTRESSING. But that in no way reduces how much I love you for writing it.

Grantly sat in his usual chair, drinking tea from his usual mug, muttering about how 'it was about bloody time the government decided to do something about these bloody layabouts, but did they have to start this while we were here? The Union'll be hearing about this! We don't get paid enough, I swear!'

This is one hundred per cent what his reaction would be. Oh, Grantly.

The idea of Chalky handing Tom the knife is a bit heartbreaking. And of course Tom doesn't even want to have to consider using it. And I really like the small ways Josh plays on Tom's mind: the film, the 'teacher sprint' (hee!).

"'S not fair - the rest of us don't have teachers as parents. Why can't you help all of us? Why do the rest of us have to fight like animals while you lot live it up?"

Scout is pretty awesome! I think you've characterised her really well; I could see and hear her perfectly throughout that entire scene.

And then he found Josh. Or, at least, Josh's leg, the rest of him remainded huddled underneath his desk, rocking backwards and forwards.

I thought for an alarming moment here that Josh's leg had actually been severed.

Oh, Josh. It didn't occur to me until Tom saw him under the desk that this situation, apart from being inherently horrible, is probably pretty much the least helpful situation possible for sufferers of schizophrenia.

And they hug, and Tom makes a promise that he obviously has no way of keeping because it's what Josh needs to hear, oh my heart. And that last line.

Thank you so much for writing this!

I would have replied last night, but mt stepdad switched off the internet before I could, but thank you! I'm so glad that you liked it (unfortunately, most of the things that I write seem to have an element of heartbreak in them - I write distressing things very well, it seems) ♥

And yes. Yes, I love the 'teacher sprint' - Tom so has a teacher sprint :D

~~next up - My Little Hunger Ponies! ... Ok, maybe not - I don't think I could realistically put those ponies in that situation; it would break my heart too much~~

You'll Have To Pay The Toll.

The Waterloo Games - Part Three

Re: The Waterloo Games - Part Three

Re: The Waterloo Games - Part Three