I'll always be there

Joey's p.o.v

I sighed as i checked my phone again but i still had nothing from Carol and its only 10 minutes before the hearing is due to start so clearly shes not going to bother turning up. I waited about another 5 minutes right by the door just in case she showed up late but still nothing so after leaving her another message i decided to go and wait outside the courtroom as i know Alice's solicitor would want to talk to me before i go in. I had made it about half way up the stairs when i heard the voice of the last person i expected to turn up here.

"Joey thank god I'm not late i thought i was going to get here and it would all be over " Lauren said and i turned instantly when i heard her voice my face instantly breaking out in a smile when i saw her stood there." Are you okay" she asked moving closer to me and putting her hand on my arm.

"Lauren" i breathed in disbelief. "I thought you would have forgotten and been busy doing something else" i said still in shock.

"Hey... I knew you were going to need me today so of course i was going to be here. I'll always be here when you need me to be so please don't ever think any different" she said pulling me into a hug.

"Thank you and I know Alice is going to be happy that someone other then me has turned up even though with the way its looking it just going to be the 2 of us here" i said sighing as i checked my phone again

"Oh... Well who else was supposed to be coming " she asked.

"Well Carol and David but it looks like they are not going to do that anymore and the worse thing is they haven't even so much as texted me to tell me why so..."

"Joey they are calling us in now " Alice's solicitor said from the top of the stairs.

"Okay" i said already feeling nervous about what this hearing could Lauren surprised me by taking my hand and then smiling back at me before she lead me up the stairs and into the room and we went and sat were the relatives are allowed to sit...

"Alice Branning" The judge said." To the charge of murder do you plead guilty or not guilty" he questioned ,and i couldn't sit still i was that nervous about her answer, i was practically on the edge of my seat which i know Lauren noticed cause she grasped my hand in her again having let go when we sat down.

"Guilty" Alice finally said and even though i pretty much knew it was coming it still shocked me and i stood up Lauren standing with me of course as the last thing i wanted to do was let go of her hand no matter what the circumstances are.

"No!" i shouted"Alice babe what are you doing "i said and i could feel my eyes filling with tears as she looked at me. She looks so depressed shes like a shell of the Alice she was just a few months ago before this whole Micheal thing started. She used to spend hours with me when i was down about Lauren being with someone else which was pretty much everyday and she would tell me ' If you really want her back Joe do whatever it takes to make her see how you feel and fight for her ' although i know that's never going to do any good now i have lost Lo for good and that hurts almost as much as this.

"I'm so sorry Joey.. I love you " Alice said looking as if she was going to cry herself.

"No Alice wait I'm going to get you out of here i promise " i shouted as she was taken down.

"Joey come on we should go" Lauren said from next to me a few minutes later and i turned to face her when she did.

"Yer your right i need a drink and a strong one too" i said.

"No Joe why don't you let me take you home ay . You really shouldn't be on your own right now" she said smiling sympathetically.

"Yer well i want to be on my own so do me a favor and leave me alone" i snapped as i headed towards the door.

"Joey wait" i heard her shout which made me stop for a then i decided to go cause i really don't want to be rude to her again and i know for a fact i will if i stay its just the sort of mood I'm in, so now I'm walking down the street not really knowing or caring where I'm going as long as there is a lot of booze when i get there so i can forget today for a while a least.

End of Joey p.o.v

Lauren's p.o.v

I sighed as Joey ran from the room just before my phone starting ringing and i took it out of my pocket in hopes it might be Joey but unfortunately it was Jake so i rejected the call straight away there is only one thing i care about right now and that's making sure Joey's drama Jake is having can wait or better still he can grow a pair and sort it out for himself. I put my phone in my pocket after i tried to phone Joey about 20 odd times and he has now turned his phone off so i decided the best thing to do now is try and find him. I mean he has been gone about 30 minutes now but hes probably in the pub i saw on the way here cause he did say he wanted a drink so that's the first place i checked but he wasn't there so i checked all the places round the court and double checked them but he was nowhere to be i decided albeit reluctantly to go back to the square so see if i can find him there but i doubt it.

"There you are i have been looking everywhere for you " i said as i walked past scarlets and saw him stood there drinking a bottle of beer although he already looks like he has had a few."Are you okay" i asked moving closer to him.

"No one cares Lo it was Alice's hearing today and no one cares" he said and i could tell he was really close to tears.

"I care Joe that's why i was there i hope you know that no matter what happens i will always care and I'll always be there when you need me" i said.

"I know you care and want to be there for me... But as my cousin and that will never be enough for me Lo.. For either of us and i think we both know it too"He said as he put his beer bottle down on the wall.

"Joey I..." i trailed off.

"I know i know your with someone else now. But can i ask you something does he make you as happy as i made you ,Does he tell you he loves you everyday , does he do the hair thing like i do" he whispered as he moved until he was stood in front of me then he tucked some hair behind my ear.

"No Joe no one can make me as happy as you did but at the same time you have really hurt me" i said as tears began to fall.

"I know and I'm so sorry baby and i wish you could find it in your heart to give me another chance but i know that's never going to happen so" he said but i cut him off by leaning forward at captured his lips with mine.

"I never said that did i... Sure i thought i wanted to move on and i even thought i had a little until i saw how scared you looked in that court room today and then they way i feel about came flooding straight back in full force" i said.

"Really but what about your new boyfriend i thought you really liked him " he questioned.

"I thought i did and maybe i do a little but I love you and that wins every time "i exclaimed.

"I love you too Lo... So does this mean what i think it means are we going to give this another go" Joey questioned as he smiled wildly.

"Yer if that's still what you want but it can't be here if we are going to be together then i want a fresh start away from Walford. But close enough for you to still see Alice of this time we take the tube i want us to stay clear of any cars after the last time. So what do you think Joey will you come away with me " i asked.

"In a second baby " he said my heart beat picking up at his word and i kissed him softly." So when do we leave" he asked eagerly as we pulled away and he grabbed my hand.

"Tomorrow i want to get away as soon as possible but i also want to have time to explain it to my family " i said as we walked in the direction of number 5.

"Bye Lo I'll see you tomorrow bright and early " Joey said as we stopped at the bottom of the steps to number 5.

"Bye Joe i love you " i said smiling wildly.

"I love you more" he said. , Me running up the stairs and watching him walk across the square before i walked inside trying to prepare myself for telling my dad and Abi what I'm doing.

The next morning...

"I still don't get why you have to leave for you and Joey to be together why can't you just stay here" Abi asked as i was attempting to bring down my rather heavy suitcase.

"Cause i love him Abs and too much has happened for us to be happy here anymore but i promise once we are settled i will call you all the time and we will see each other loads. This is my chance at happiness with the man i love and there's no way i can say no to that" i said.

"I can understand that i guess I'm just really going to miss you Lo and i love you ,we nearly lost you this year and i don't want it to come to that again" she said.

"It won't i promise i have Joey back now and hes going to keep me strong " i said smiling.

"I know he will... Say hello to mum and Oscar for me and tell them I'll be over to see them in the new year and merry Christmas Lo" she said.

"Merry Christmas Abs and i promise I'll tell her and look after dad for me cause as much as he pretends he doesn't need any taking care of we both know he really does" i said pulling her into a hug just as the door bell rang and my dad came from the kitchen already looking quite upset and he answered the door it being Joey just like i knew it would be and he had the hugest smile on his face.

"Bye dad" i said after putting my coat on and tears started to fall, him pulling me into a hug when they did ."God I'm really going t miss you lot" i said.

"Bye babe we are really going to miss you too but its time you were happy again and i know Joey is the only one who can make you happy.. And as for you " Dad said turning and pointing at Joey."You look after my little girl and make her happier then anyone else ever can but be warned if you hurt her again I'll hurt you" he said as he gave Joey a quick hug too Abi doing the same after.

"Don't worry uncle Max now i have Lo back I'm never going to do anything that could make me risk losing her again " Joey said before taking my suitcase in one hand and my hand in the other and we quickly shouted goodbye again before we walked down the steps and we were about to start walking off when we heard my dad call my name and we both turned to face him.

"We love you guys" he said.

"We love you too " i said before we starting walking towards the market.

"Any second thoughts about dong this" Joey questioned as we walked down the street.

"Not even for a second " i said standing on tip toes so i could kiss him softly.

"Good now lets go and have our fresh start baby" he said as we reached the tube station and walked inside to get our tickets. And i knew that from that second on my life was just the way i wanted it to be...

The end .

So what do you guys think ? I thought i would write this cause i know my bestie Eastend gal is quite down about Joey and Lauren's goodbye so i thought i would give them a happy ending..

thank you for reading and i hope you enjoy it

please review if you have a second

thank you xx