Just a little one-shot from the end of tonight's episode :) Enjoy :) X


Lauren stared in shock as Tanya slammed the door shut and headed back upstairs, not sparing Lauren one glance. Lauren glanced at Abi, who looked upset, but turned on her heel and rushed upstairs to comfort Tanya, leaving Lauren on her own. She turned and went back into the living room, sitting on the sofa, her head in her hands. She could feel her eyes burning with unshed tears and willed them not to fall. Would they ever be happy? Her family, would they? All life ever seemed to do for Lauren was just go round and round in circles, and she was sick of it. She started to breathe heavily and stormed over to the booze cabinet, grabbing the bottle of vodka and raising it to her lips. She sighed as she slammed it down on the counter, unable to take a drink of it. She threw the bottle of vodka across with a strangled yell, and before long she had trashed the living room in a fit of anger and upset. She needed Joey, she wanted him to make her better. She winced as she saw a piece of glass embedded in her hand. She pulled it out, not wincing and grabbed her jacket, opening the door and wrenching it shut, ignoring the calls of Abi and Tanya. She hurried along the Square to number 23 and knocked. She waited a few seconds, before knocking again, feeling the tears burning her eyes again. She turned and wiped them away, just as Joey opened the door, his voice thick with sleep and his hair all messed up.

'Lauren? Babe, you do know what time it is, right?' asked Joey. Lauren sniffed and turned around, making Joey jolt awake. He rushed forward and cupped her face in his hands

'Whats happened?' he asked, wiping Lauren's tears away with the pad of his thumbs. Lauren crumbled into his arms, her body racking with sobs. Her legs gave out from under her and Joey just had time to scoop her bridal style into the house, shutting it with his foot, before carrying her up to his room. He placed her on the bed, before lying down next to her.

'Babe, whats happened? Tell me' he said, as Lauren started to put her walls up around her heart and emotions.

'Just... with my mum and dad, and Kirsty been around, I guess everything just got on top of me.. And I just needed some comfort' lied Lauren, smiling up at Joey. Joey frowned, wondering why she was lying to him.

'Lauren, I know you. Your lying. What really happened?' asked Joey gently

'What I just said' said Lauren, giggling. Joey looked at her and opened his mouth to say something else, when Lauren climbed on top of him and kissed him, hard and passionate. He was caught off guard and started to respond to her. He threaded his hands through her hair and gripped her waist, pulling her flush against him, groaning. His fingers ran over her body, feeling every curve that was Lauren. He felt her fingers beginning to pulling down his track suit bottoms when he remembered Lauren's problem. He groaned and pulled away, sitting up, Lauren frowning.

'Lauren, no. Your not yourself. Whats going on?' he asked, Lauren looked at him from under lashes and smiled, pushing him back down and kissing him again. Joey mentally sighed. At other times, if Lauren wasn't upset, he would've no doubt let her do what she wanted to do to him, but at this moment, it wasn't the Lauren he loved and cared for. He flipped them over and roughly pinned Lauren against the bed. Lauren gasped and her eyes twinkled with mischief, which made Joey realise that doing that wasn't such a great idea. Lauren reached up to pull him on top of her, but he grabbed her arm and stopped her.

'Lauren, I mean it. Tell me what's happened, because this isn't you!' he said firmly, locking eyes with Lauren. He used her arm to pull her into a sitting position, and she looked down at her lap. Joey took her chin between his fore finger and thumb, bringing their eyes to lock again. He saw tears threaten to fall like earlier, gathering her up in his arms, as Lauren broke down again heavily.

'It's mum! She's chucked Dad out! After everything they've been through, she's adamant that is it! Dad ran after Kirsty after mum slammed the door in his face, telling him never to come back, even though Kirsty was leaving in the back of a cab!... thats it, Joey. My family broken into pieces again!... I hate my mum sometimes. If she hadn't pushed Dad away from her when she first got the cancer, he wouldn't have gone to Manchester with Derek and met her!' cried Lauren, gripping on Joey like he was her lifeline, which he was. Joey rubbed her back, soothing her.

'It's okay... Just give it time, and it'll all be okay' he whispered, kissing the side of her head. Lauren choked on a final sob, before her body went limp in Joeys arms. He pulled back the covers and laid Lauren down, grabbing one of his t-shirts and undressing her so she was in her underwear before slipping the t-shirt over her head. He placed her trainers at the side of his bed and pulled the covers over her, before getting in himself at his side. Joey looked at Lauren, admiring her and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, before kissing her forehead and falling asleep, not before feeling Lauren move to place her head on his chest and her arm across his waist. He wrapped his own arms round her, embracing her like a cocoon. He knew Tanya would be worried that Lauren had gone out and gotten herself into a state, but now, at that moment, he just wanted to make Lauren was okay for himself. He made a mental note to ask her how she had come to have a cut on her hand in the morning, but for now, he let himself fall asleep, with the women he had fallen in love with, wrapped in his arms...

R&R :D X