A/N: So what can i say? I love the current Joey & Lauren storyline on Eastenders. This will be my take on the storyline, with some changes, the whole Whitney and Joey kiss didn't happen in this, and neither did the bit where the locked him to the children's play thingy. Anyway this is my first Eastenders Fanfic, so i hope i did the characters justice. Let me know what you think :)
I Knew You Were Trouble.
Chapter one: Beginnings.
Lauren was fed up, everywhere she went, everywhere she would look; she was surrounded by couples. She always felt like the odd one out, her Mum and Dad had each other, Whitney was with Tyler, Lucy was with Joey; well on and off again with Joey, Abi was with Jay. Everyone was happy; except from her. Most of the time she felt like the third wheel, the gooseberry. She sat on her seat in the corner of the Queen Vic and scanned the room looking for a guy she could try and hit on, she tucked a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear whilst taping her boot clad foot against the leg of the table and pouted slightly, there was no single men about; apart from Ian. She wasn't that desperate, she shuddered. She sighed to herself, looks like she wasn't going to find a guy tonight.
"Hey Lauren, here's a Vodka and Coke. You drink that right?" she heard a male voice interrupt her thoughts.
She tilted her head up to see her cousin Joey Branning stood before her. "You know me Joey, I drink anything." She said smirking at him.
"Just what I thought" he replied smirking back at her as he placed her drink that he bought on the table and sat next to her.
Lauren looked at him from the corner of her eye as he took a swig of his beer, "Thanks for the drink, but what do you want?" she asked before she took a sip of her drink.
"Can't I buy my cousin a drink?" Joey asked raising his eyebrows in an innocent manner.
"Yeah, but normally I have to beg you to buy me a drink," she stated, whilst looking at him suspiciously.
"Well I came in and saw you sat here on you're larry, so I though why don't I be nice and buy Lauren a drink." Joey said nudging her slightly.
"Okay, you sure that's the reason?" Lauren asked him again, still not believing him. Since when was Joey nice?
"Ok, ok you've got me. Luce and me had an argument, so I thought I'd come in here, and I saw you, so I got you a drink. See that bit was true." Joey replied whilst taking of his jacket, as it was slightly warm in the Queen Vic. Lauren watched as he took of his black jacket, she swallowed nervously as she saw how pronounced his muscles were in the white shirt he was wearing. She took a big gulp of her drink. Snap out of it he's you're cousin she told herself.
She rolled her eyes "What've you been arguing about this time?"
Joey smirked slightly at Lauren's annoyance, and because he saw her checking him out. "You know Lucy, it was nothing really. Not even important, I swear it's like she's constantly on her period or something."
Lauren giggled slightly and swatted his arm "Joey, don't be mean."
"You know what she's like Lauren, she is you best friend after all." Joey laughed.
"Yeah well she has been through a lot. Remember that before you go and hurt her okay." Lauren warned him, being more serious now.
Joey touched her arm softly, "Who said I was going to hurt her?"
Lauren looked at his hand on her arm, and she slowly looked him in the eye "I know you're type Joey."
Joey leaned in a bit closer; the atmosphere was getting pretty tense. "What type is that then Lauren?" he asked whilst licking his lip slowly.
Lauren watched his tongue dart out of his mouth, "A player." she whispered. She broke away from his gaze and downed her drink, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
Joey watched a slightly flustered Lauren "Okay I'll try not to hurt Lucy, but I'm not promising anything."
"Okay, that's good enough." Lauren replied smiling at him, trying to discharge the charged atmosphere between them.
"So did you have any plans for tonight?" Joey asked to change the subject.
"Nope, not really. Came in here to try and find a guy, but the only single guy in here was Ian." She sighed slumping her shoulders in a defeated manner.
"So Ian's not you're usual type then?" Joey asked smirking playfully with a glint in his eye.
Lauren picked up Joeys beer and took a swig "Obviously not" She laughed.
"Hey! That's my drink, I already bought you a drink." Joey protested trying to get his drink back off of her.
"So? I'm thirsty." She smirked and took another swig of Joey's drink.
"I'm not getting that back am I?" Joey asked trying to fake annoyance.
"Nope, you're not." Lauren smirked at him playfully.
"Great." He replied rolling his eyes at her.
"How are you and you're Dad getting on?" Lauren asked looking at him curiously.
"Ughh! Don't even go there, I can't stand the prick." Joey sighed shaking his head.
"Well, I'm here if you ever need anyone to talk to." Lauren said smiling at him gently.
"Thanks." Joey replied awkwardly, he wasn't one to share his feelings. He stood up from his seat, "I'm gonna get another drink, I was gonna ask you if you wanted another, but you just nicked mine so I think not." He said smirking at her.
"Hey! You can still get me another. Pretty please Joey." She begged jokingly while batting her eyelashes at him.
He laughed whilst shaking his head at her "I must be a sucker or something, what do you want?" he asked.
"Surprise me." She said playfully.
Joey laughed and walked up to the bar to buy the next round of drinks.
Lauren smiled to herself as she watched Joey at the bar, "What's got you smiling love?" she heard someone say from beside her, making her jump.
She looked to her right and saw her Mum sat next to her, and her Dad stood next to her Mum. "Yeah Lauren, What are you all happy about?" Max asked her curiously.
"Can't I be happy?" Lauren asked them in a duh voice.
"Well you are Lauren Branning." Max said laughing at his daughter, as if that explained everything.
"Thanks a lot Dad, so basically you're saying normally I'm a moody cow?" Lauren asked shaking her head at him in disbelief.
"Now Lauren, he didn't say that." Tanya said stroking her daughters arm softly.
"Whatever." Lauren huffed to herself, whilst shaking her arm so Tanya got the hint to get her hand off of her.
Joey walked back over to the table and said, "Here ya go Lauren." as he placed a pint of beer on the table, and sat back on his seat next to Lauren on her left.
"Beer, Hmmmm good choice." Lauren smiled at him and took a sip.
"Well that's what I thought, since you were so keen to nick mine earlier." he laughed whilst nudging her lightly.
"Hey Uncle Max, Tanya." He smiled nodding at the two extra people at the table.
"Hey Joey, right Tan I'll go and get our drinks." Max smiled before walking over to the bar, to be served by Alfie.
"Hi Joey." Tanya Smiled looking at her nephew and daughter.
"So it's just you two tonight? Where are Lucy and everyone else?" Tanya asked looking at them both. Lauren was drinking her drink and looked at Joey, as if to say he could answer.
"Well me and Luce had an argument, so I came in here and rescued Lauren from boredom." He said whilst grinning at Lauren.
"Ohhh… Mr bighead I was so not bored, and you did not rescue me." Lauren laughed protesting.
"Whatever you say sweetheart, but you know truthley you were bored, and I cheered you up." Joey joked. Tanya watched the cousins interacting and smiled, she was happy to see her daughter finally looking happy, she was glad that Lauren and Joey were getting on so well.
"So what happened between you and Lucy then?" Tanya asked Joey nosily.
"Mum, don't even go there." Lauren laughed rolling her eyes.
"Let's just say Lucy was being well, Lucy." Joey laughed taking a swig of his pint.
"Oh, okay I get it." Tanya laughed, knowing how difficult Lucy Beale could be at times.
"Here ya go babe, one white wine, and a beer for myself." Max said whilst sitting on the stool at the table.
"Thanks Max." Tanya said whilst drinking some of her wine.
"Looks like you two have been having a good time here, if you're empty glasses are anything to go by." Max said looking at the empty glasses.
"Well, Lauren's the one who's been having the good time. I bought her a drink, and myself and drink. She downed hers, and then nicked mine, so I've just got us another round in." Joey laughed whilst dobbing Lauren in to her parents.
"Lauren!" Tanya said is a warning manner.
"What Mum? Geez we're just having fun, I'm not getting wrecked just having a couple of drinks. Lay of a bit eh." Lauren said annoyed at her parents and at Joey. Lauren kicked Joey's leg from under the table, Joey looked at her with an "Owe" expression. Lauren glared at him in a 'thanks a lot' manner.
"Don't worry Tanya, I wouldn't let her get wrecked." Joey said reassuringly.
"Thanks a lot Joey, you're a great kid." Tanya thanked smiling at Joey warmly. Joey smiled back at her.
"I'm not a kid ya know" Lauren huffed from her seat.
"But you act like it sometimes, you know how you get when you have a drink Lauren." Max said sternly.
"Ugh I've had enough of this third degree." Lauren said pissed off, she stood up and downed her drink.
"Where you going Lauren?" Tanya asked her daughter as she watched her put her leather jacket on.
"Far away from you two." Lauren hissed whilst picking up her black chain handbag.
"Hey Lauren, there's no need to talk to your Mum like that." Max warned.
"Whatever, I'll see you at home in the morning." Lauren said before walking off out the door of the Queen Vic.
Lauren huffed into the cold night air, how annoying could her parents be for God Sakes? She wrapped her leather jacket closer to her, regretting wearing a dress with no tights. She sighed and pulled out her phone checking the time; it was only 10:30pm. Still early she thought.
"Hey Lauren wait up!" She heard Joey shout from behind her. She groaned to herself and turned round to see her cousin running up to her.
"I'm sorry for dobbing you in back there, I didn't realise how they were gonna be about it. Sorry." Joey apologized whilst trying to catch his breath.
"Whatever, they overreacted anyway." Lauren said shrugging her shoulders.
"Where you going now?" Joey asked her curiously.
"Going to get shit faced in R&R? Wanna join?" She asked whilst lifting her eyebrows in a playful manner.
"Yeah I'd love…." Joey was saying before he got cut off, by his mobile phone vibrating in his jean pocket.
"Hi Luce, What's up?" Joey answered his phone whilst rolling his eyes at Lauren. Lauren giggled slightly.
"You okay?" Joey asked with a slightly worried tone to his voice.
Lauren watched him wondering what Lucy was saying, "Okay I'll be there in two minutes." Joey said before hanging up.
"Lucy said she has a surprise for me, so looks like I'll take a rain check on getting shit faced with you." Joey said smirking because he new he was going to get lucky tonight.
"Run back to her then lover boy, I'll get shit faced enough for the pair of us." Lauren said trying to seem not effected that Joey was ditching her for her best friend.
"Bye Lauren, thanks for a good night, and for stealing my beer." he said whilst hugging her briefly bye, before she had chance to reply he sprinted of towards Lucy's house. Lauren stood and watched him go, she felt sad and jealous. Why did she feel jealous? Joey was her COUSIN. She shrugged it off and walked towards R&R, it was time she drunk away her worries.