Thanks for all your reviews on the last chapter :)

Enjoy :) X

Max was in shock. It had been an hour since he got back from the hospital to view Lauren's body.

Flashback

Max followed the police in silence, a sense of deja vu overcame him. He remembered seeing Bradley and it had broken him, now he was doing the same with Lauren. They stopped outside and Max was greeted by the coroner.

'Max Branning?' she asked, looking for confirmation. Max nodded, not able to get any words out.

'Firstly, I'm very sorry for your loss. Now, before you go in, I want you know that it's still your daughter in there. She looks like she's sleeping' she explained. Max nodded and followed her slowly into the room. His breathing stopped for a minute when he saw Lauren's body laid on the table, a sheet covering her body, leaving her shoulder, arms and face visible. Max remembered to breath then. He took a few shaky breaths and very slowly ad shakily reached out to touch his daughter. He took a shaky breath and let the tears fall. His beautiful daughter, who had her whole life ahead of her, was instead laying a table waiting to buried.

'My beautiful Lauren...' Max trailed off, knowing no words would bring her back. He wiped his tears away and looked at the coroner.

'Can I come back later? There's a few people who will want to say godbye...' he asked, almost pleading.

'Yes, of course... Do you have a time in mind?' asked the coroner.

'About an hour and half' Max said, after a few minutes of thinking about it. The coroner nodded and pulled the sheet over Lauren's body again...

End of flashback

Max swallowed the last of his drink and grabbed his car keys...

'Why have you pulled me out of college?' whined Abi, as she followed Max to the car. Max was silent. He waited for her to get in the car, before heading back to the Square to find Joey. He found him in doing a stock check at R&R.

'Joey? Can you come with me a minute please?' he asked. Joey looked at Sharon, who nodded as she sensed someting was wrong with Max.

'Go on, Joey. I'll finish off' she said, making Joey frown.

'Whats up? Are you having seconds thoughts about giving me permission?' asked Joey, as he followed Max up to the car. Max didn't answer and got back in car, Joey climbing into the back next to Abi. Max drove the minute drive back to the Brannings. Joey and Abi followed Max inside, seeing Tanya and Jack stood in the living room, surprising them.

'Why am I here?' asked Tanya. 'I trusted you, Max. I swear to god, if you've done something for Lauren to go off the rails...' she trailed off, as she knew Max had got the point. Max was silent, thinking of the best way to tell them...

'Max! What is wrong?' demanded Tanya, after fifteen minutes of silence. Max swallowed and gathered up his courage, taking a deep breath.

'I'm sorry' Max began, only for Tanya to cut him off.

'I knew it1 I knew it1 I knew she shouldn't have come abck here! I knew you would let her fall off the wagon!' Tanya shouted. Jack put his hand on her arm, when he noticed Max was reacting.

'Max? What's happened?' he asked, seeing Max was clearlystruggling to say something.

'Lauren's dead. She's dead' Max announced. Tanya and Joey's eyes widening in terror.

'W-What?' Joey stuttered. Surely, he hadn't heard that right?

'She's dead. Police found her this morning' Max said bluntly. The room was silent for a few minutes, processing the news,before Joey rushed to the kitchen, the sound of him throwing up reaching their ears a few seconds later.

'Max! please... Pease tell me you're joking... You're joking right?' Tanya gasped.

'I'm sorry' Max said, looking at Joey as he shakily walked back into the room, wiping his mouth. 'I don't know the details, but I've already seen her. She looks as though shes sleeping...' Max said. Joey couldn't believe his ears. His life had just done a 360 degree turn. The girl he knew he wanted to spend the rest o his life with, his soulmate, was gone. Cruelly ripped away from him.

'I want to see her. I need to see her'. It took Joey a few seconds to realise that it was him what had spoken. Max looked at him sadly and nodded.

'Do you want to go now?' he asked. Joey nodded and looked at Abi and Tanya, who were crying in each others arms.

'Come on, then' said Max, leading the way to the car...

After Tanya, Jack adn Abi had said doodbye, which had resulted in Abi fleeing the room with Tanya rushing after her, it was Joey's turn and it was clear he was terrified.

'I can't do this. I can't say goodbye to her' Joey whispered, rooted to his seat. Max sat besides him and put his arm round his nephews shoulders.

'Come on, it's okay' said Max, standing up nad guiding Joey to the door, where Lauren was. Max slowly opened the door and let Joey walk in, before shutting it behind him, turning to Jack and smiling sadly...

Joey felt sick to his stomach. He was close to fainting as well, which didn't help him. He shakily reached outto touch Lauren, but his hand froze and he quickly dropped it back to his side.

'Lauren... My Lauren' he gasped. It hit him then that she was gone and she wouldn't be back, he wouldn't hold her, kiss her or make love to her again. The tears suddenly spilled and he slowly lowered his head onto Lauren sheet covered stomach. The tears spilled and spilled and he didn't care that the woman in the room was seeing him at his most vulnerable. All he wanted was Lauren, but he couldn't. He sniffed and lifted his head, his tears dripping off his chin. He wiped his eyes and got himself under control. He found the courage to hold her hand and held it tightly, trying to ignore that her hand was cold and stiff.

'Squeeze my hand, Lauren... please!' Joey gasped, managing to look at Lauren's face. Max was right, she did look like she was sleeping.

'I was going to propose to you, you know' Joey began 'I got the ring and had everything planned out. We'd go your favourite spot, where you go and sketch... We'd watch the sunset and gaze up at the stars, before I'd ask you to marry me...' Joey broke off, as tears trickled down his face and onto their clasped hands. He sniffed again, before carrying on with his explanation. 'I had a dream... Last night, that we were getting married. You looked so beautiful, like an angel walking down the aisle...' he trailed off, as he knew the dream wasn't going to become a reality now. The thought made the tears start faster, the walls feeling like they were closing in on him. He dropped her hand, gently and kissed her forehead, before rushing from the room and into a seat in the waiting room. Max sat next to him and hugged his distraught nephew to his chest...