Terrified about the Future
A/N - Thought I'd write a two-shot on the near-by future with J/L expecting a baby and previous problems will come to light, hopefully second chapter will be posted tomorrow. Enjoy!
Joey arrives back at No.5, clearly very exhausted, after another long shift at RnR, and as he steps into his and Lauren's bedroom, he can feel the tension in the room and it gets more evident to him as he wraps his arms around his girlfriend, forcing him to switch on the bedside light to discover what is going on with Lauren.
"Talk to me, tell me what is wrong? Babe, come on, we promised each other we would tell each other if we had a problem, remember? ", knowing that Joey is right, Lauren thinks about how she is going to explain her current problem to her boyfriend, considering how much in the past she has struggled with communicating her problems and tries her best to tell him what has been troubling her in the last few weeks.
"Ok, well the thing is, ever since we found out that I was pregnant, I have been waiting for something to go wrong. I mean, look, we are Brannings, it's what happens to us and with all of my previous problems, I just keep worrying that I am going go lose this baby without even realising it", feeling like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders, Lauren finds herself breaking down in her boyfriend's arms and Joey is forced to put his own fears to the side to encourage his clearly scared girlfriend.
"Babe, listen to me, we don't know what is gonng go happen, how abofut this, you book an appointment tomorrow, but until then, we can't worry, ok?", Lauren agrees and as Joey takes the bedside light off, he wraps his arm around his girlfriend and they both struggle to fall asleep, with the health of their baby on both of their minds...
Struggling to sleep, Joey finds himself clutching his cup of coffee as he thinks about Lauren's admission and doesn't even notice when Max comes into the kitchen and it is only when Joey flinches at his uncle's touch that he realises that there is someone else in the kitchen with him as well and Max can't help but worry when he sees the tears coming down his nephew's face and he is stunned when Joey reveals the truth to him.
Max Branning knows he is a lot of things, over the years, he has caused a lot of updet sith his actions but since his daughters' near death experience and the lies his most recent wife has told him has caused the older Branning to re-evaluate his life and he has tried to re-build his relationship with his daughter. Hearing his nephew feeling so scared about Lauren's health causes Max to put his own fears of his daughter's health to the side to help him.
"Joe, all you need to do is support Lauren right now, she is scared and I can see you are to but she needs your strength right now, you know that if you need some support of your own, you have me, Alice, Abi, you just need to talk to us, ok?", Noticing his daughter in the hallway, Max backs off to let his daughter and nephew to talk and he just hopes that they will get through this togeghrf and become a happy family.
Finding herself eavesdropping, Lauren finds herself stunned on how scared Joey really is and as she locks eyes with her dad, she knows that she and Joey need to talk. Sitting on opposite sides of the kitchen table, both Lauren and Joey ars unable to know what to say to each other but seeing the state that her boyfriend is in, Lauren knows she needs to make the first move.
" Joe, I thought we were going to deal with this together, if you are scared, we need to talk this through, ok? After everything that has happened between us, we promised each other that we would talk about anything that is bothering us. I am terrified that something is going to go wrong with this pregnancy and I need your support to get through this"
" I know, I am sorry babes, it's just ever since the night you were admitted into Hospital, I have been terrified about your health. When you told me you were pregnant, I was so happy but I was secretly scared that something bad is going to happen. Hearing how scared you are is forcing me to face reality in what could happen"
"Joe, you were right, we don't anything until the doctor confirms any problems. If anything we should just celebrate this pregnancy. I have ruined this haven't I?", Lauren finds herself unable to look at Joey in the face and Joey gets up and kneels next to his girlfriend and forces Lauren to look at him in the eyes and he realises how fragile Lauren is feeling about this and decides he needs to be the strength she needs.
"Babe, you haven't. Look, you are right, we both need to be scared but this pregnancy is a blessing in disguise, so until we see the doctor we celebrate and whatever happens, we deal with this together and like your dad said, we have family to rely on, to help us through this, ok?". Lauren nods and as Joey gives his hand to help her up, he guides his girlfriend from the kitchen back up to theirr room as they try to get some sleep...