After reading popscb one shot (which is brill a MUST READ) , it prompted me to post mine based on the break up spoilers for Joey and Lauren, its been going round and round in my head so when I wrote it out it felt better so now i'm going to post it! Enjoy

Breaking Point

Lauren it's over, I can't watch you do this again and again

We're done

His words circling around and around in her head as she sat in complete darkness. Her head resting heavily on her cold pillow. She hadn't surfaced from her room for days, an occasional bite of food and touch of water when he mouth became dry from the amount of alcohol she had consumed.

He didn't want her, each time she thought about him her heart physically ached, clutching her chest she felt the tears she had been crying surfacing once more. Hitting her heart harshly she tried to push away the pains she was feeling.

He had promised her happiness, in the face of all her family problems and personal challenges he promised to make her happy, yet here she was broken hearted, the one she loved across the road leading his life while she suffered in agony, pure and utter agony.

Little did Lauren know, Joey was in just as much pain. He refused to go out unless it was to work and when he did work he barely talked; he didn't look at any other girl, because the other girls weren't his girl. Joey wasn't one for crying, the last time he did was for his late father, but these tears were different, these were tears of disappointment and heart break. He never wanted to end it with Lauren, if he was honest he was in it for the long haul, after all they had been through to get to where they were, accepted by most their family and friends, the last thing he wanted to do was break up with her, but her drinking became the problem, her constant need for numbness to shy away from her problems and Joey struggled immensely with this, there was only so much he could do before she had to help herself.

Offering her an ultimatum either him or the drink had pushed Lauren to face up the world, deciding Joey was worth it, he was her lifeline, her saving grace whilst the rest of her life was in turmoil. Letting go of the alcohol was a huge step for Lauren, one she thought she could never do, but with Joey by her side he made it easier offering the comfort she used to get from a bottle. But one night changed everything, she had been drinking soft drinks, her promise to Joey so strong in her head, but somehow she had ended up drunk, her body eating up the feeling as alcohol rushed through her veins doing what it did best to Lauren, making her a fool.

No one knew the extent of Lucy Beales jealously, sure her best friend had made off with her Ex boyfriend or fling whatever they were, but time had passed since then for the dust to settle. No one could comprehend the hatred for Lauren that Lucy now harboured, nor the determination to get Joey back, her possessive side being the forefront to her next action. That night she sat quietly, pretending to be friendly with Lauren whilst filling her soft drink with Vodka, the poison that brought out the worst side to Lauren.

To say Joey was fuming was the biggest understatement of the century. He felt fooled that Lauren had broken her promise to him, gone back on her word, but what hurt the most was that she said he meant more to her than anything, now he saw this would never be true. Deciding there and then on the spot he couldn't be with her whilst she drank herself to oblivion, being without her would be less painful than being with her whilst she drank herself into an early grave.

Now weeks on both hadn't comprehended the struggle they would face being apart and how dependant on one and other they had become. How when Joey rolled over in his bed, his hand reached out naturally to feel for her slim body when she had become a permanent residence in his bed was now just a cold empty space.

Lauren fought the urge on many occasions to ring him and text him resulting in her phone being smashed against her bedroom wall. What hurt the most was that Joey wouldn't believe her when she said she hadn't drank that night, she had only ordered soft drinks the whole night, he wouldn't even listen when she had given some alternatives such had she might have been spiked or drank the wrong drink, but no he refused to hear it and that was the end.

Fed up with life in general, Lauren took heavy to the bottle, now a daily motion to buy a bottle of Vodka and work her way through it until it was empty. Peeking through the living room window she spotted her dad and wife Kristy walking hand in hand, it churned her stomach that they were having a child together, it had now sunk it that her family was torn apart, he had expected her parents to get back together but could have never guessed Kristy would fall pregnant it was like nailing the coffin down. Letting the curtain fall back down, she pulled on her winter coat, heading out for some required peace time, needing to get away from her mother who had fussed over her since Joey had broken her heart for the second time, then proceeded to shout at Lauren each time she returned home drunk. Heading out the door, she stumbled down the steps, holding on the railings to steady herself, deciding to go see her older brother was exactly what she needed. Although Bradley wasn't there anymore, she knew she could pour her heart out at his grave, cry a little or hysterically and would feel slight relief from it.

Joey had watched Lauren intensely as she exited the house. Her pale face was clear as day, he could even see the dark circles under her eyes. She looked as if she had lost weight, her coat looking much larger on her than it ever did. His eyes softened as he watched her stumble a little, before pulling herself together, wiping under her eyes, she had clearly been crying. He sighed as she turned the corner out of view, his heart beating loudly from his chest; he had broken her well and truly. She looked much worse this time than when he first broke her heart.

The cold wind hit her face harshly as she collapsed down at Bradley's grave. Her fingers lightly brushing over his name on the headstone. How was it fair everyone she loved got ripped away from her? No one experiencing bad luck like Lauren Branning. Feeling her bottom lip wobble a little she let the painful cry rip throughout her chest, sobbing loudly as she laid down next to his grave, her body wrapped tightly in her coat as the tears fell fast and furiously. She wasn't sure whether she was crying for the brother she had lost, his warm heart always creating some sort of security while he was alive, or whether the tears were for Joey, the love of her life who just seemed to rip her heart out. Using her cold hand she wiped her eyes dry, sitting herself up next to the headstone just relishing in the peace she felt sitting there.

Looking up after hearing footsteps approaching she spotted Joey, the one person she least expected to see. He looked terrible, his eyes swollen and puffy, his cheeks stubble as if he hadn't shaved in days, his hair was messy. Feeling the tears surface once more she looked away from him, refusing herself to cry in front of him, she was stronger than that.

"Lauren" he whispered, standing closer to her, as she remained crouched next to her brother's grave.

"What can you possibly want?" she hissed back, surprised at her for even managing to talk to him.

"I saw you leave earlier, I just wanted to see if you were okay?" his voice soft as he watched her continually brushing her fingers over Bradleys name.

Lauren released a short breathless laugh. Although it wasn't a joyful laugh more sarcastic as if did he really just ask her that question. Was she okay? Really was she okay? Was that all he could ask her.

Standing up from her position, she pulled down her coat, hugging it tightly to her body. Looking at him for a second, she turned away, any longer she would of cried more, just looking at him set her heart racing.

"Am I okay?" she hissed, her face turning a little red. How could he ask such a question of course she wasn't okay, far from it in fact, okay wasn't even on the scale anymore.

Joey shrugged engaging her reaction although nothing would prepare him for what was to come next.

"You know what Joey, I'm not okay do you want to know why do you, where shall I start" she turned furiously to face him, the tears at her eyes beginning to stream down her face. Months and years of pent up anger and hurt and pain she had occurred finally reaching boiling point.

"How about, my dad is having a child with Kristy, so there is no chance of my parents actually getting back together, and how about the fact my family is torn to pieces, my mother is still missing her appointments at the hospital so if she had cancer again she wouldn't know and how about my older brother is dead and I walk past where he died every single day of my life living with the pain that he died right there, oh and what about you, well you once again broke my heart, first time fool you second time fool me, because I knew it was coming didn't I because my life is full of heart break and failures and your just another one to that long list of things that is wrong with my life Joey so how about you don't ask me that question again because my answer won't get any better". By now Lauren had begun screaming, the tears falling fiercely down her pale face, Joey hadn't expected the reaction he got. His heart breaking each time she said another thing and another thing but mostly when she mentioned him, how he broke her heart before and had done it all over again.

He watched as she turned away from him, stumbling a little as she tried to escape from him, her head spinning a little as the weight of releasing her pent up feelings had been lifted, clutching her forehead she felt the world spin fast, her stomach clenching inwardly with pain as the world went dark.

"LAUREN" was the final thing she heard, she couldn't even feel Joey pull her into his arms, she had gone numb, her eyes rolling back into her head, breaking point had finally reached.

"Joey where is she?" Tanya shouted followed by Max who were rushing towards a very pale Joey who was stood outside the room where Lauren was being treated. He couldn't talk his mouth had gone dry, instead he pointed straight ahead through the window. Tanya gasping in horror as she watched a team of nurses and a doctor attending to her frail daughter. Her body seemed lifeless, she had clearly passed out no doubt due to the alcohol she had consumed.

"What happened?" Tanya hesitated asking the questioned fearing what the answer would be.

"She was at Bradleys grave, she had a meltdown I've never seen her like it then she collapsed" he croaked, the soreness in his throat catching as he held back to tears. Desperately trying not to remember Laurens meltdown before his eyes knowing he had been a main factor of it.

"What do you mean meltdown?" Max asked, looking through the window to his daughter. "She was crying hysterically, shouting about you and Kristy and the baby, then about your cancer Tan and stuff about Bradley and then me" he sighed rubbing his head which had begun pounding furiously with a headache. "She reached breaking point everything she had been feeling came out, it our fault she's here" he stated, hating himself every single minute.

"This day was coming" Tanya whispered, wiping her tears away. She knew he daughter had struggled with everything she had been faced with in life; it was only a matter of time before it came out the alcohol providing a huge factor within it. It wasn't just a teenage drinking thing, it had become a dependency, a way to release her feelings a way to feel nothing when times got hard.

The doctor emerged from the room, as Tanya and Max stood up to talk to him. Joey now standing looking through the window at the girl he loved. Connected to drips and monitors, she was awake which was something, although she was just staring aimlessly at the ceiling.

"Lauren collapsed due to the amount of alcohol in her system; she has also told us she has been drinking nonstop for days, its worrying the amount of alcohol she has told us she has drunk so we are running tests on her liver to see the extent of the damage" he doctor smiled politely before on leaving Max and Tanya with the news.

Walking in quietly, Tanya clutched one of her daughters hand, Max standing at the end of the bed watching his daughter closely. She refused to look at them, instead continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Were so sorry honey" Tanya whispered, her daughters silence scaring her.

"That's the problem, your always sorry but nothing changes" Lauren replied taking them off guard. "Nothing ever changes with this family, I can't take it any longer" she whispered peeling her eyes away from the ceiling to look at her dad.

"Things will change Lauren, I promise you" he smiled weakly, his daughter not taking any notice of his promises, he was always breaking promises.

"Can I have some time alone please" she whispered, snatching her hand away from Tanya's, seeing them smile at her before leaving, closing the door behind them.

The doctor soon returned, wanting to speak to Lauren privately.

"Lauren the alcohol in your system could of killed you, you had a lucky escape, now from what your parents have told me you have been drinking excessively for weeks maybe even months, at the hospital we provide free counselling for patients so you have someone to talk to, now I'm offering that to you, it's not weak to ask for help or seek help" he sighed "Have a think about it and if you do I can send someone up to you, but for now we are keeping you in until we get the results back" he smiled, leaving Lauren with food for thought.

Tanya had rung Whitney to let her know what had happened, soon enough Whitney and Lucy had turned up at the hospital, the worry for their best friend kicking in. Lucy had paled considerably seeing Lauren asleep in the hospital bed, wires connected to her, the colour of her skin it was fair to say Lucy was racked with guilt. She had pushed Lauren to far, spiking her drink was on other level, it had led her to the downward spiral she had got onto.

"Joey" Lucy's voice was barely audible, she felt guilty, she had to tell him the truth, he was the only one who could save Lauren.

"What is it Lucy?" his voice snappy, he was clearly devastated over Lauren it was plain to see.

"It was me" she whispered, watching his face frown at little. "What was you?" he asked a little curious now.

"I put vodka into Laurens drink that night" she whispered, feeling Joey tense up beside her.

"What?" his voice now stern, the anger washing through him. The girl lying in the hospital bed, the one whose heart he broke had been telling the truth. She had gone behind his back and bought alcohol, instead her jealous friend had spiked her drink prompting Joey to finish things.

"I'm sorry I was jealous" Lucy pleaded, watching Joey get up his hands resting on his hips as he paced the corridor taking in everything she just said.

"Get out" he stated, looking at her made him feel sick "Get out and don't come back" he hissed, watching Lucy nod her expression ashamed and leaving.

Looking back into the room, his heart tore apart, she was in there because of him, because he didn't take her word when she pleaded that she hadn't drank, he ripped her heart to shreds only to find out he was the one in the wrong and now somehow he had to make it up to her.

Part 2 & 3 to come...