Author's note - My (Becky's) turn again! Thank you for all the love and reviews so far, we will reply to them all. Promise.

First serious conversation. (Some of our fics will be before they got together, some during them the first time, some during the first split, some during the second time and then some after.)

As always let us know your thoughts :) x

"So are you going to join me for a drink?" He turned and raised an eyebrow at her. "Toast to teamwork or whatever..." Her sentence trailed off, his gaze flickering to where she was biting her lip. "We did make a good team" he smirked at her, her grinning at his reply.

He'd actually enjoyed his afternoon with her, helping her come up with ideas for her dad, his uncle's business.

He span on the spot, making her a new drink and grabbing himself a water bottle from under the bar, turning back towards her. "Thanks Joe" she took the glass from him, rolling her eyes when she realised he'd not put any alcohol in her glass. He leant on the counter in front of her, gaze flicking over to his uncle and dad as he spoke.

"So this is you now part of the family business ay?" She snorted in response. "Uh no. Branning Brothers." She stated the name, in a bored voice. "Or Branning & Son." He raised an eyebrow in question, but she missed it.

"Wouldn't want to be part of it anyway." He wasn't sure that was a hundred percent true, but didn't pull her on it, instead questioning her on her other comment.

"Branning & Son?" She just nodded, taking a sip of her drink as she did. "Your Dad & Bradley?" Her older brother, not something he'd heard her speak of. "Nah. Oscar." She laughed at his face. "Joking. It's hardly for you & Derek is it?." She smirked as he rolled her eyes. Her tone changing, only slightly but he caught it. "Or Jack and James." She shook her head briefly, before looking at him again, face blank. "Yeah for Bradley. They worked together."

"So..." He left it open, he wanted her to share. He didn't know why, why there was this interest in finding out more about her, why he wanted to know what went on in her head, usually he didn't care.

"What's this 20 questions?" She said with a laugh. He shrugged, nodding at the other barman saying he was heading on a break.

There was a pause between them, before she spoke again. "Fine, but it goes both ways." Huh, he'd lost her, what?

She rolled her eyes at him. "The questions. You asking stupid questions?" He nodded, not stupid, but questions yeah.

"I get to ask them back."

He grinned at her, sounded fair. He quickly made up a drink's order for the girls on Lauren's left, thanking them for the tip, ignoring her laughter. "Keep 'em PG though babe, I'm at work." She attempted to do a insulted look, but her smirk was already coming through. She had a similar sense of humour to him, he'd found.

"Fine, fine, ruin my fun." He smirked. "You're going to want to be playing spin the bottle next."

She half-heartedly slapped his arm, before holding up her hands as a truce. "No questions about sex, got it." She sounded sarcastic, but he could see a slight blush which made him grin. Not as confident as she made out.

"You wanna go then?" She offered, leaning across the counter, so he'd hear her clearly over the music just been turned up. He nodded, pausing for a minute trying to work out what to start with. He'd put lots of things concerning her that had caught his attention at the back of his head.

He decided to start easy, keep it light.

"How long you lived here then?" She groaned, before complaining it was a terrible question. "Since I was 12. Me, Abs, Mum and Dad" No Bradley mentioned. He wondered what that story was, Jack not being mentioned either. Or Carol. He guessed he'd just thought they'd always been in Walford. He realised for a second then he didn't actually know how old she was, she must be legal though right?

"18 now." She said with a grin, probably having seen the debate on his face.

"And you're 25" she grinned. "I pay more attention than you clearly." He let out a laugh, half shrugging. "Alice wanted the full family history or whatever." He made a note of that, his sister may be able to fill in any gaps that the brunette in front of him wouldn't. He didn't want to rock the boat with her, having enjoyed their quick friendship that they'd struck up. She gave it as good as she got, and she amused him.

"Go again." She said, draining the rest of her drink, him starting to make her another, realising it was technically her go but speaking anyway.

"Ever been in proper trouble?"

She laughed, and nodded. Surprising him for a second, but somehow not being surprised at the same time. "What for?" His attention on her even as he made cocktails for a leggy blonde leaning across the bar to give her order, even though the music had quietened down.

"Hey, hey. You had your go." He shrugged, he had no patience.

"But..." she drawled, knowing she had his attention, knowing the blonde was giving her evil looks and it all amusing her.

"No details, but one." She held up her finger, glancing around her to see where their family was. "Got kicked out of America a couple of years." He snorted at that, but didn't question it.

"Second." Holding up another finger, gaze scanning the club again. "Ran over my Dad" That one did surprise him, his face clearly said it all.

"Ain't the only one with Daddy issues clearly Joe."

He smirked at that, but her answer had stunned him. Max seemed alright? Obviously there was something in it though. For Lauren to do that. She had to attempt to hold back her laughter though, as her Dad came over for more drinks, Joey snapping out of it and quickly making them for him. Once Max left, he went to speak. She just shook her head at him, letting out a small sigh, finger trailing around the edge of her glass. "Don't."

"I had my reasons. It is what it is."

He just nodded, he couldn't pretend to understand when she was barely giving him any details but he couldn't judge. Not with the way he was with his Dad.

"Just remind me never to get in a car with you" he said with a smirk, her laughing in response.