The Intervention

AN:- Hey guys! I have been MIA for a while & I'm sorry. I've been busy with work & college & also it was my birthday yesterday (Sunday) so I've been busy with that.

This idea popped into my head and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote so until I've done this, my other stories are on temporary hold. Enjoy this anyways!

Some of this is based off spoilers I have read

Remind me who I really am. Everyone has a dark side, do you love me? Can you love mine?

-Darkside by Kelly Clarkson.

Life had began to become a recurring cycle for Lauren Branning. Her life had been a never ending circus of drama, secrets and lies. She wouldn't admit it but her parents's actions affected her a lot more then she would admit.

Because of her father's number of an affairs, she had promised herself she wouldn't fall in love so she wouldn't have the same fate as her mother but she craved it. She wanted to feel love but she built her walls so high, she wouldn't allow it and in doing this, she hoped she would make herself unloveable because she didn't want her heart broken and she only knows one type of a relationship- her parents'.

Lauren's solution to deal with this was to drink and numb the pain. She didn't want to feel love, hate, anger, upset or any other pain. It made her feel comfortable and safe. She didn't talk to anyone about it. Only she understood. When her mother was battling cancer and she has become the mother, alcohol was the solution. It helped her block out feelings and hide from the truth. She was carefree then and could easily pretend she didn't haven't any drama in her life . She was in denial but then something happened to Lauren that change everything. She fell in love.

She used to think no one understood why she drank but now she had come to the conclusion no one understand her period. She didn't ask to fall in love with her cousin. She didn't wake up one morning and thought 'Oh, I'm gonna shag my cousin today and see how it turns out'. No. That would be sick. It crept up on her. She thought she had always been a little bit in love with Joey.

He came into her life like a crashing comet and left a mark on her like one did on earth. She couldn't pin point a time when she realised she was in love with him. She guess it was easier to not be aware of it and dismiss it because he was her cousin. She tried to ignore it for that reason but it just got too much, they admitted their feelings and it never bothered them again.

Lauren father's dramas were never too far away. Early April his new wife dropped a bombshell. She was pregnant. But then it got worse, her mother was pregnant. By the local hard man, Phil Mitchell's baby. So she had two siblings on the way but not the way it should be.

This messed with her head and she couldn't get her head around it. She wanted to talk to Joey, she knew she should because he had become the same as drinking but better. She had no longer the urge to drink with him by her side but to not to drink, now, would mean to talk to him and that scared her. She never had talked to anyone in her life. Not really. She talked to him more than anyone but some things she couldn't so alcohol was the only answer for her.

One morning, Lauren was preparing for college with a cup of coffee in her hand when the back door opened and Joey walked in.

"Morning, you. Ready for that mock exam?" He said, kissing her cheek. She scrolled at him then her attention was brightened by the sight of bacon sandwiches in his hand.

"I will be if one of them is mine" She replied, raising an eyebrow "They better be one for me"

"Lucky for you, there is one" He told her, handing her one of the bags. She took it quickly, throwing a wide grin over her shoulder.

"It's a good job I love you isn't it? Treating me as I'm your personal slave!" He proclaimed, smiling a little. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't give me ideas. You'll look quite sexy if I did that, with the right uniform" Lauren said, smiling now.

"So I'm not sexy in the first place then?" Joey questioned, shooting up an eyebrow.

"We both know the answer to that, Joseph" She half sang, moving towards him and kissed him softly.

"Lauren. Oscar wants you" Abi's voice called from behind them. Lauren groaned and pulled away, walking upstairs.

Abi quickly watched her go then hurried to Lauren's coffee cup. She held her hand up to stop Joey's questioning and brought to the cup to her mouth, taking a sip and sighed.

"Abi?" Joey questioned again, trying to work out her facial expression.

"Go on, tell me that's normal, like you have been for weeks. Tell me that's alright. Taste" She said, handing him the cup. He took it from her, taking a sip.

"Vodka" He said quietly, putting the cup down.

"At 8 o'clock in the morning? You wasn't here last time I know but you have to admit something is wrong" She told him, sighing.

"Abi, I'm sure every-"

"Don't say fine because she isn't. Get your head out of the sand and see what's going on because it isn't pretty. She needs our help" She cut across him, sighing.

He was about to reply when he saw Lauren reappear behind Abi. He sighed, looking at her, wondering how big of a problem she has.

"Oscar is all ready now. I have to go though, Abs" Lauren told Abi, smiling as she grabbed her bag.

"I'll walk you, yeah?" Joey offered.

Lauren nodded "I just need to get a folder from upstairs. Won't be a minute" and she disappeared again.

"She is fine, Abi. Really she is" He told Abi before walking into the hallway, taking Lauren's coat and waited for her.

Hours later, the sight of her father and his wife playing happy families made her feel sick and instead of talking about of it made her feel, she just wanted the image gone and to numb herself of the disgust and pain. She found herself with a bottle of vodka in the allotments. She didn't taste alcohol anymore. She didn't have a favourite anymore. She just knew which was stronger to get her to forgot easier.

When she was 2 thirds of the bottle down, she stopped, gasping. Lauren realised this wasn't the way forward and all she needed was Joey but that required talking. Then she realised one of the reasons she loved him so much. He never did ask her to talk or whatever. He allowed her freedom and if she wanted to talk, she could but if she didn't, he was still there for her. She stared at the vodka bottle and threw it against one of the sheds, sighing and it smashed. She almost regretted it but didn't as she made her way to his house.

As she was walking, she saw her father walking to the minute mart with a huge grin. This stirred her stomach and she quickly ran to the side of the street, throwing up just as Fatboy and Poppy were walking past.

"Babygirl, are you okay?" He asked, putting an arm around. Lauren shook her head sadly.

"Do you want to us to get anyone?" Poppy asked, a little worried.

"Joey. Can you get Joey please?" Lauren asked, quietly.

"I'll stay. You go. He is working tonight" Fatboy said to Poppy who nodded and walked away.

"Oh, Lauren, what's wrong" He proclaimed, once Poppy had gone. She shrugged, sighing.

"I don't feel so good, Fats" She said, quietly, leaning on him, feeling drowsy.

"Hey, don't pass out on me, don't you dare" He told her, shaking her gently but Lauren had already gone. Her eyes closed and her head slightly swaying. Fatboy caught her in time as she dropped and picked her up.

"What's going on?" Joey demanded, walking towards them.

"She asked for you before she passed out. She threw up over there but other than that, nothing a good hangover cure wouldn't solve" Fatboy told him. Joey nodded, sighing before taking an unconscious Lauren from Fatboy, looking at her smudged mascara under her eyes from crying and how white her skin looked, realising the family were right in thinking she had a problem.

"Oh, Lauren, what am I going to do with you, babe?" He said, kissing her forehead, feeling how cold she felt against his lips. He sighed.

"Thanks guys" He then said, looking at Fatboy and Poppy "I'll let you know she is. But like you said, a hangover cure will do the trick"

Joey met Alice in the square gardens who helped him open doors and help Lauren upstairs.

"I should be okay now, thanks, Al" He told Alice once he had laid Lauren on his bed. Alice nodded and left. He looked at Lauren decided she needed a change of clothes. He found a t'shirt in his drawer before taking off her jacket carefully, followed by her clothes before with trying not to wake up, he put his t'shirt over her head. She began to stir, looking confused.

"It's okay, babe, it's me. Go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning" He told her, helping her into the bed covers.

"Okay. I love you, Joey" She said, quietly.

"And I love you too, Lauren but you need to sleep now" He replied,

kissing her briefly as she laid down. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

He gathered up her things, finding her phone and pocketed it. He realised he needed a different approach with Lauren and he planned doing it on his own, because he was the only one who really got her.