Broken Niece

Jack watched as his niece was ushered back into the walls of number 5. Her faint sobs still being heard from across the square. He had only seen Lauren a few times like this, so broken and hurt, yet he hadn't a clue why. As far as he knew, when he left she was fine, she had Joey, college and was finally happy. Yet the girl that just broke down in his arms outside The Vic certainly wasn't that same girl a month ago.

Jack had always had a soft spot for his niece Lauren. She was his favourite, though if anyone said he would deny it, couldn't admit to having favourites. Seeing her so upset caused him pain. Maybe Max was up to his old tricks again? Screwing up his children's lives out of personal selfishness. Or maybe Joey had mucked her around? He was known for being a player.

Heading over to number 23 he knocked lightly on the door waiting for Joey to answer. As he appeared in the door, his eyes a little blotchy, his hands tucked into his jean pockets, he looked uncomfortable.

"Didn't know you were back Uncle Jack?" Joey looked surprised at his Uncle.

"Got back today Joe" he replied, finally someone wasn't dismissing him since he had got back.

"What can I do for you?" Joey asked; it was unusual for Jack to want anything from Joey, especially after the whole stripper incident.

"Well I just had my niece in floods of tears, breaking down in my arms" he sighed, scratching his head still trying to get to some logical explanation.

"I guess that's my fault" Joey replied, looking a little guilty.

"If you've cheated on her, I'll batter you" Joey snapped, his protectiveness for Lauren shining through.

"No I haven't, me and Lauren, were not together anymore, we haven't been for nearly a month" Joy's throat catching as he said those words again. He still couldn't quite believe he had stayed away from her for so long. There had been so many occasions he wanted to take it all back, be with the girl he loved, but this was for her own good.

"Why not?" Jack asked really confused now.

"She was drinking excessively, I asked her to stop she said she would, then she went and got drunk, so I finished things" Joey mumbled.

"You prat" Jack hissed, folding his arms across his chest, his eyes shooting daggers at his nephew.

"What?" Joey replied a little taken aback by this slight insult.

"You heard me, you're a prat, you won't ever find anyone better than Lauren, she's the best thing to happen to you and you chucked it away, didn't even bother helping her" he snapped, laying in out for him.

"I couldn't force her to stop drinking Uncle Jack, and I couldn't watch her kill herself" Joey proclaimed, he had to make someone see it from his point of view.

"By the way she was crying looks like she's heading that way" Jack snapped, stepping back from the doorway, he needed to see his niece, help her in any way he could.

"I did it because I love her" Joey replied justifying his actions in the best way he could.

"If you loved her enough, you would have stayed and helped her" Jack replied, turning away from his nephew, his next point of call number 5.

"Jack its all okay, under control" Tanya stated opening the door for Jack to come in.

"If it was Tan, she wouldn't of been crying in the street" he sighed, moving into the lounge where his niece was sat curled up on the sofa, her cheeks stained with mascara, her eyes swollen and blotchy from the tears she had been crying.

"Should have called me babe" he sighed, throwing his arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards him, her head resting on his chest.

"And confessed how shit my life actually is?" she whispered, a few stray tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Your life isn't shit babe, just having a rough patch, now tell me about this deal you got going with alcohol?" he asked, shifting so he could look at her properly. She shrugged a little.

"I like a drink or two takes away the pain" she whispered, glancing out the window over to Joey's house. "He left me again".

"I know he did babe, I spoke to him, he loves you" Jack replied, his hand squeezing hers. He took the time to study her, she was pale, slimmer than usual, her eyes dark and tired. To be honest she looked rough.

"If he loved me, he wouldn't have hurt me again, just like everyone does" she hissed, using the back of her hand to wipe the tears away.

"Hey I haven't hurt you, never would Lauren, my favourite niece" nudging her with his elbow gently, trying to crack some other expression, preferably a smile.

"No but dad has, Joey has, mum has, I'm fed up of it all" her bottom lip quivering a little as a second round of tears feared to break through.

"Make sure everyone knows they can't treat you that way anymore, change what others think of you, I know the real Lauren, she's tough and beautiful and sarcastic, clever". He replied, urging a smile to creep onto her lips.

"Thanks Uncle Jack, good to have you back" she smiled wrapping her arms around his neck, holding her favourite Uncle close. Sometimes she wished he was her dad, they shared an understanding, a bond that she sometimes lacked with her father. Well right now she barely had a relationship with her dad.

"You know if you sort yourself out, Joey would be back within a heartbeat, guaranteed" he smirked, pulling away from her hug, not missing her eyes light up a little.

"And if he doesn't, I get to punch you?" she replied smirking, she could always rely her on Uncle to cheer her up.

"Deal" he smiled shaking her hand.

As Jack walked across the square he saw Joey jogging over towards him, he should have known as soon as he left number 5 Joey would be pestering him.

"Is she okay?" he asked nervously, hoping the answer wouldn't be no.

"She will be" Jack replied. He never truly knew how much his nephew cared for Lauren; it was only really showing now. The creased lines on his forehead clearly due from worrying about her.

"She's going to get better and when she does, I expect you to be back round there fixing things with her" he almost ordered, seeing Joey smile a little.

"Doubt she'd still want me" he muttered honestly.

"Trust me Joe, Lauren loves you" and with that he left his nephew with plenty to think about. Maybe a future with Lauren was on the cards…