1-Greed

Lauren Branning hadn't had an easy time in life, she'd had a rough ride and had been dealt the worst hand possible, when good families were dealt out, it seemed hers had been missed; left damaged by the events of the summer months, all she wanted to do was to fade into the background, to start somewhere new and move on with her life. However, moving house seemed more of a challenge than first thought. With the neighbour from hell (or Laurens hell), blending into the background is the last thing she found herself doing. It seemed from the beginning moving somewhere new would be difficult, but nowhere near as hard, emotional and tiring as it actually turned out to be. Loving thy neighbour wasn't as easy as it appeared especially with a neighbour like Joey Scott and a secret like hers.

As she sat there, looking out the window, she watched as the dreary, moving panorama, passed by. She ached all over, her eyes sore from the intensity of the crying, mind aching from all the avenues she'd explored metaphorically. she couldn't deny she had to agree with her parents when they decided to move. It was the best thing for her, especially after what had happened. Truth be told, all she could think about was how much she wanted for this new place to provide her with the life she so greedily wanted. It wasn't much to ask for was it ? a simple life. No complications, nothing she had to worry about. But that wouldn't happen, couldn't happen.

Her life was a mess and she was trying her best not to let the events of the summer affect her, but 3 months after it had happened and she was still reeling, her secret was killing her, her Mum and Dad hated her and she knew it. They had to uproot their entire lives for her and her safety.

Watching endless blocks flats, rows of house, and a great deal of concrete Jungle go by, her new start just didn't feel right. She gripped the sharpened pencil firmly in her hand, continuing to stare out the window, waiting for inspiration, anything she could think of that would help she'd write down.

She jerked her head up. She must have fallen asleep. Oh great. The car was stopping. Again. Several times they'd had to stop for her little brother to use the service stations. Seems a 6 year old had a stupidly small bladder. She looked out the window next to her. Looking up and down the length of the street. Albert Square.

"Come on darling we're here" she absently undid her seat belt letting it slip off her as she moved weakly from the car, not letting her Mum's gaze affect her.

She pulled her coat tighter around her feeling the cold air, Who chose to move house in November ? Her brother and sister were taking boxes from the boot, most things having already been delivered earlier in the week by her Dad.

Looking around, it didn't seem all too different from where they'd just left. There was slight twitch of the blinds from the house next door, Laurens gaze instantly noting the noisiness of the elderly woman. To the other side of their house were more neighbours, a male a little older than herself a younger girl and their parents, lived there from what she gathered.

Lauren suddenly jumped, her whole body tensing for a second as her Mum slammed the car door shut. "Right come in you go… go and start unpacking please." Doing as she was told, Lauren distractedly walked to the house, wiping her eyes in the process. In the two weeks in which things had come to a head, she hadn't uttered a word.

"She will be alright wont she Max?" Laurens Mum stood next to her husband as they watched their fragile daughter drift away.

"We got to hope she will be Tan. She cant act like this forever. She made the choices to do what she did."

"she didn't ask for things to turn out like this though did she Max ?" Max simply shrugged his shoulders and ushered his wife into the house. "You might be able to push things under the carpet but Lauren won't be able to."

*JL*JL*JL*

"Morning sweetheart" Tanya smiled as Lauren silently walked into the kitchen reached for a bottle of water and then turned to leave again. "Erm, breakfast at the table please." Lauren froze in the doorway and looked at her Mum, pleading with her, to let her be alone. "Lauren please…"

She sighed heavily, squeezing her eyes shut to try and absorb some tears. Eventually she moved to sit at the table, taking the lid of the water and drinking it down. It was almost an attempt to show people she was preoccupied and couldn't hold a conversation.

Thankfully, Max chose that moment to walk through to the kitchen, the tension temporarily broken. "I'd avoid that woman next door if I was you, right nosey bugger. I was only emptying the bins and she was out the front door. Dot her name is, seems to know everything about everyone". Lauren dropped the water bottle on the table staring between her Mum and Dad. "It's alright she knows nothing about us…don't worry" he squeezed her shoulder gently, feeling her body slightly relax.

The remainder of breakfast went by in silence only the slight noise of Abi flicking through a magazine. Oscar had been staring intently at Lauren since she'd sat down, his little eyes scrutinizing every move his elder sister made. Lauren and Oscar had always had a strong bond, he loved anything to do with Lauren and completely idolized her.

"Mummy?"

Tanya looked at her son smiling as he leant closer trying to whisper. "Yes Oscar?"

"What's the matter with Lolly?" The two older Brannings exchanged a guilty look. What could they say ? Oscar was too young to understand why Lauren was so cut up, even Abi had been kept in the dark about some things, in an aim to protect her. Receiving no response from his parents he turned to Lauren herself. "Lolly?"

Max and Tanya froze awaiting the response from Lauren. There was no inkling to how the situation was going to play out. "Come here" she whispered, shocking every other person in the family. She pulled her chair out slightly and tapped her knees. Oscar smiled and climbed carefully onto her lap, Laurens arms wrapped around him as he curled into her chest. Her eyes closed, savoring the feel of comfort again. She breathed in squeezing him a little to her.

"Why you crying Lolly?" Oscar asked so innocently it was painful

"I'm just a bit sad buddy that's all"

"I don't like you sad Lolly" He paused for a second and then pulled away from Lauren "Did Leo make you sad ?" the fear rushed through her at the mention of Leo's name. She wasn't even sure how Oscar had managed to make a link between that name and her unhappiness.

"Ye something like that bud"

"Come on Oscar… time to go see if we can get you into a school"

"But Mummy…I want to stay with Lolly" Oscar sulked gripping a little tighter to his sister.

"Well She can come with us if she wants to ?" Tanya posed

"Pleaseeeee Lolly" her phone chose that moment to ring. She quickly ran from the room answering her phone on the way. The conversation she was having became muted as she climbed the stairs, her bedroom door slamming shut seconds later.

"Let's go Oscar!" Tanya called from the hallway as he stomped towards her. "and stop sulking"

*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren hung up the phone for the second time that day and sank into her bed, if only it would have swallowed her, that would have really solved all her problems, but it didn't. instead it just let her take some comfort. She lay back, her head hitting the pillows, trying to avoid looking at the things stung around her room; things that held way to much hurt. She'd not wanted them near her, but at the same time it was too painful to not have them near, to forget and move on.

Her eyes darted to a photo that lay torn up on top of one of the unpacked boxes. God she hated him. Hate wasn't really a strong enough word, it didn't convey her feelings truly, no word really did. Not that she felt much anymore anyway. She was living on edge, in fear that he'd find her, she was like a lifeless numb shell, simply breathing day in day out, in hope there would be some news to give her a little bit of hope.

There was a gentle knock on the door, a pause before her Dad walked in. Max's face said it all and Lauren instantly knew something had happened.

"The police are here babe…they want to talk to you" she shook her head. "Come on sweetheart, they won't talk to us." Again she shook her head and bit her lip, a small muffled cry leaving her. "Why darling ? talk to me? Why won't you talk to them ? what are you afraid of ?"

Surprising even herself a little, she sat up in the bed and moved into her father's arms. "I don't want it to be bad news daddy"

Max wrapped his arm around her, holding her tightly, he knew what he'd said before they left their old home had been a lie. He didn't blame her, god he was so proud of her for the way she'd dealt with everything, he knew for sure he wouldn't have been able to do what she had. "I know babe, I know. But you need to talk to them Lauren, they might know something."

*JL*JL*JL*

It was two very long emotional hours before they had discussed everything, that needed to be said. Lauren had had several mini-breakdowns over the course of the hours and was now standing expressionless in the hallway.

"We'll be in touch if we hear anything else Mr Branning" Max Nodded and saw the officers out. Lauren saton the bottom step of the stairs pulling her boots on.

"I'm going out" she proclaimed pulling her scarf on and heading for the door.

"Wait up and I'll come with you"

"Alone." She replied shooting her Mum down and flying out the house.

She had no idea where she was going, she didn't know a thing about the area. It was strangely comforting though, she wasn't exactly lost but neither did she know where she was heading, her feet just seemed to carry her in a direction.

It was a pretty bad idea for her to be out on her own, especially with what the police had just told her, but one more sympathetic look from her Mum and she would seriously flip. She hated how vulnerable she'd become, how reliant on others she had to be. The cool wind hit her cheeks as she turned the corner and saw what looked like a kids playground. She made a mental note to tell Oscar about it. It looked quite unloved, she thought as she opened the small gate and found her way to the swings. It looked pretty much how she was feeling- worn out, beat down slightly useless.

She looked the exact image of someone who was suffering, her face pale, body thin and fragile. Her life had simply gone- he'd stolen that from her along with her innocence a long time ago. The gravel crunched under her feet as she swung breezily on the swing, letting the tears fall. No one could see her, to tell her she had to stop; so she let them fall and fall.

"Guess you're not the only one that likes swings" an unfamiliar voice chuckled to the side of her.

"Favourite piece of playground equipment as a kid" she replied smiling warmly, daring a glance at who it was.

"Mine too" he replied returning her smile with a stunning one of his own "I'm Joey by the way, you are?"

"None of your business" she shot "if you're gonna sit, sit but do you mind if we just do it in silence? I'm not really in the mood to talk"

He nodded his head, signalling yes, and moved to sit on the swing to the right of her. Sitting next to the beautiful, unnamed girl, Joey couldn't help but look at her every now and then, seeing how naturally beautiful she was. No makeup on, hair flowing around her face.

"Why do you keep looking at me? Do I have something on my face?" she asked, slightly intrigued by this random male.

"No" he shook his head "are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow. Now she was being guarded and Joey could sense that.

"I'm just trying to be nice" he raised his hands in surrender

"Well don't please. I don't deserve niceness" she replied, sighing heavily "do you live around here?"

"Yeah, on the Square. How come?"

" I guess I'll be seeing you around then" she said softly "Just moved here…" the sound of her phone ringing caught her attention. she got up without a second thought, all conversation with Joey forgotten.

"Do I not even get to know your name?" he called as she walked off back towards the square itself.

She turned back to face him a small warm smile on her lips, shaking her head, she signalled no… "You look like you're clever, figure it out" she called before turning and walking off into the distance.

*JL*JL*JL*

"Where the hell have you been ?" Lauren ignored the question from her Mum and started the ascent up the stairs. "Lauren ? do not ignore me!" Tanya stood hands on hips at the bottom of the stairs "LAUREN!"

"Leave her Tanya, she'll talk in her own time".

*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren lay sleeping in bed that night, tossing and turning trying to fall into a sleep that wasn't filled with the same reoccurring nightmare.

"Leo… you should slow down"

"Stop being an idiot Leo…"

"Lilly…"

"Lauren Daring calm down…It's Mum" Tanya gently rocked her daughter in her arms. "It was just a nightmare Lauren, it's not happening Darling" she managed to wake her daughter and stopped another sleepless night. "Mummy's got you baby it's ok" Lauren sobbed into Tanya's arms. Was it ever going to stop ?

Big thank you to Laura for all your help with this too ! xx