When it's needed most-

She stood there clinging to the wall, this was definitely her lowest of low, her own mother had kicked her out the house. She literally had nowhere. She'd contemplated going to her Dads but decided against it knowing she'd probably get the same reception from him as she did from everyone else. Her body was numb, partly due to the rush intake of alcohol secondly from shock. She looked around trying to plan her next move, the Vic would usually be the next stop but she had no money and to be honest she actually didn't want to go there, as much as she wanted the drink, she didn't want the disapproving looks that would inevitably come with it.

Deciding to make a move, she glazed the street- it was clear, she quickly made a dash to the one place she know she could get some peace. There were a few concerned looks from passers-by as she stumbled to the park. The effects of the alcohol were soon wearing off, the state of limbo between drunk and sober made her twice as frantic as she already was, the little she had drunk, had been quickly absorbed into her body, it had been craving it for the last 24hours sending her spiralling into withdrawal.

As the evening drew in, Lauren found herself sitting in the exact same spot at the war memorial, she'd guessed she'd been her a while as the sun was barely visible anymore. She rubbed her hands over her head attempting to rid the pounding headache that was permanent, her head felt fuzzy, she couldn't think straight- not that she wanted to, being able to think straight would just allow reality to be present. She tucked her knees up to her chest pulling her them closer with her shaking hands.

"Joey listen to me calm it alright" Joey had literally been frogmarched from the pub after hitting Michael, if it wasn't for the fact the idiot wanted to be hit Joey would have probably been on a murder charge right now. He struggled in his uncles grasp as Jack attempted to keep him composed.

"Get off me" He shrugged off Jacks hand and marched off down the market ignoring the shouts of his name from Jack. His feet carried him to the one place he knew, as if by some painful irony, Lauren was in the exact same place. His heart stopped when he saw her, this was not the Lauren he knew.

She was curled up tightly against the stone seating, her body shivering. Cautiously he sat next to her, his anger over Michael being quickly replaced by concern for this broken girl in front of him. Placing a hand on her shoulder he felt how cold she was. Lauren remain still, she hadn't reacted to him being there, he was unsure if she was even conscious.

"Lauren?" he nudged her slightly causing her to flinch as she finally looked up, his perfect brown eyes slightly glazed, meet with hers. It was at this point his concern grew, on a scale of one to ten his fear for her was at the ten and ticking over. Her eyes were blank, there was nothing behind them, and it was like looking into an empty shell. "Lauren talk to me" he noticed her breathing becoming laboured.

"Mum threw me out" his face scrunched up, did she really just say that? "Lo, babe your freezing" he shrugged his jacket off and draped it over her shivering frame. She was so frail and he didn't quite know how to help. "You need to go home Lauren… you can't stay out here all night can you?" it took a moment before a sob escaped her lips. "Im a screw up Joey, I've broken them all apart, she was right wasn't she ? Lucy at the police station, she said I was a pathetic drunk . she was right" he shook his head straight away. He hated hearing he talk like this.

"Why are you even here… I'm not your problem anymore" She furiously wiped the tears away her hands jittering. She looked at his one last time before standing up, and if there was any dignity left to lose she just lost it. She stood and fell almost instantly. Joey quickly caught her scooping her into his arms.

"No matter how hard you try Lauren, this aint going away, you need help, you don't even realise you do babe" her head dropped to his shoulder as he effortlessly carried her to Max's knowing Tanya would probably have another fit. He slowly watched as the vulnerable girl in his arms drifted into a state of consciousness.

Joey raised his hand from under Lauren and knocked a couple of times on the door before it opened. "Joey?" Max looked down into his arms seeing an extremely fragile Lauren. "Tan kicked her out" Max nodded opening the door to let his nephew in. "Put her on there" he nodded towards the sofa.

His release loosened as he lowered her to the cushions. He sat on the floor watching her intently moving her hair from her face. "Can I stay?"

"Why?" Max questioned as the younger Branning gazed at his daughter.

"Because I need to know she'll be ok" Understanding him Max nodded squeezing his shoulder. "She's Ill joey, and we all had our parts to play in that… she needs us all now our help- its when its needed most."