2-Gluttony

It had been what seemed like a never ending week for the Brannings, but they were now finally into a routine where they could at least look like they were living a normal life. Oscar and Abi had been enrolled in school and college, and like always, had wasted no time in making new friends.

Lauren on the other hand had made little effort to leave her room never mind the house, any suggestion on the sort was like she'd been asked to jump off a bridge or something and resulted in a rather heated argument with her parents. Each day though, she ventured to the swings. She'd discovered it was a perfect escape for her, somewhere she knew she'd be alone with her ever wondering mind, it was becoming a little obsessive; if she didn't go her nightmares were twice as bad.

It was November at the time, three months since they day things got twice as bad. November was a strange month if you asked Lauren, it was neither here nor there. The weather was pretty dull as well as that strange feeling of excitement for Christmas yet the bored feeling of waiting for it, but she couldn't get excited for Christmas, she just couldn't.

Sitting on the swings She let the breeze catch her hair, watching as people got on with their lives. It wasn't exactly a busy place, the same people walked by each day and went about their jobs looked after their children. She sighed at that, her parents still had to look after her, way more than they probably should have done for an 18 year old.

"we're beginning to make a habit of this"

Lauren looked to the left of her and smiled, relieved that he was there again. Most times she'd retreated to the swings Joey had been there or he'd turn up a little later. He brought with him a strange sense of comfort, that she wanted more and more each time she saw him.

"Hi" she said softly, leaning her head against the chain of the swing, she knew that part of her went back to the swings everyday just in hope that he'd be there. It wasn't that they spoke when they were there, it was purely the fact Joey was happy with sitting in silence, as long as Lauren was there too, not much needed to be said between them, he didn't push her to talk, knowing that she wouldn't want him to- he himself hated people pushing him to talk when he didn't want to.

"You look more distracted than normal has something happened ?" She contemplated telling him but decided against it.

"It's nothing" she murmured

"don't look like nothing" he stated and sat down next to her.

"Honestly Joey…" with another slight frown, he gave in.

"So… I think I figured out you name"

"Well aren't you clever" Joey smiled hearing the laughter in her voice. "Come on then what name have you come up with ?"

"Well, it starts with and L" Joey said with a sweet grin

"How do you know that ?" her voice was several octaves higher, giving away how surprised she was. Joey simply nodded his head glancing down to the small necklace laying on top of her scarf. She had to give it to him, he was very perceptive. "Oh" her fingers instantly flying to the letter and twiddling it between them.

"So it starts with L then ?"

She sighed and nodded, feeling slightly relieved that she could use her name as an explanation for the letter. "Yes it begins with L"

"Lauren ?"

"What?" she turned quickly to face him and saw he was grinning proudly. She frowned and figured he'd been playing her. "That was mean"

"Well I know your name don't I ?"

"Guess you do" she whispered slightly quieter. It wasn't that she didn't want him to know her name, in her mind though, the less people who knew about her the better. "How'd you work it out anyway?"

"Honestly ?" he asked suddenly feeling a little guilty by what he was going to say. "I heard you Dad calling you last night when you ran out the house… I wasn't stalking you or anything, it's just…"

"You live next door don't you?" she sighed and groaned.

"Yep". They sat in silence, joey's eyes looking down at the beautiful, fragile girl to his left. She wasn't his usual type and god he'd only know her for a week, but something felt different. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms, hug her and tell her everything would be ok. She looked like she needed a good night's sleep too. "Are we really bad neighbours?"

"What?" he asked confused, his face scrunching a little.

"You said you could hear my dad shouting, are we always that loud?"

"No babe… It just concerned me that's all. He was having a right go at you and you weren't responding, I just thought something was happening that's all." She was taken back slightly by the way he'd called her babe, it had so easily rolled off his lips. Someone else used to call her that once, but it was so different to hear joey say it.

Lauren shook her head "He's shouted worse than that in the past believe me, I remember the time I told him I was…" she suddenly shut up her lips sealing tight together.

"told him what ?" Joey prodded, she couldn't just stop there.

Could she trust him ? no one else knew, only her Mum, Dad and Abi. "Nothing… look I got to go" she sprung to her feet and started walking off, but she wasn't quick enough. Joey softly took hold of her arm, but let it go, when she flinched and yelped.

"I'm sorry" he apologised "Lauren, you ok ?"

"It's fine…just…I" she stuttered and then burst into tears, staring at the floor. Joey stood still, he didn't know what to do.

"Can I hug you?" she nodded straightaway and moved into his arms.

*JL*JL*JL*

Joey walked at super slow speed back to the square, making sure not to make any more sudden movements. He took a breath and opened the gate, walking to the door and knocking it a couple of times.

"Hello?" Max answered the door raising a questioning eyebrow at the unknown male on his doorstep. "can we help you?"

"Sorry My name's Joey Scott, I live next door, I think you might want to give your daughter a little bit of TLC" Joey moved aside and revealed a shaking, crying Lauren.

"Tanya!" Max shouted through into the house, his wife running to his calls as soon as she recognised the desperation. "come on Lauren"

Joey looked rather reluctant to leave her and Lauren looked the same, but walked into the house anyway. She was pulled straight into her Mum's arms where Joey watched her crumble.

"Thanks for bringing her back…did she say anything to you?"

"no, she was about to I think and then she just got all emotional and burst into tears…" Joey could hear a dim conversation in the background, and then some slight raised voices. "look will she be ok ?"

"She'll be fine" the look on Max's face wasn't at all convincing and the escalating crying in the background definitely wasn't reassuring him that she would be ok.

"Ok well…erm, we're only next door of you ever need anything" Max nodded and began to shut the door, just to clarify that the conversation was over.

"Wait" her voice called a little weakly and she was moving towards him again. Joey was a little taken back when she hugged him again "Thank you"

"Anytime, you know where to find me" she pulled away from him nodding. The call from her Mum distracted her from watching him walk back next door.

*JL*JL*JL*

Tanya flopped back on the sofa sighing, having spent the previous hour talking with Lauren, she understood why she'd had the reaction she did.

"What happened, and who the hell was he?" Max put the empty whisky glass on the side and ran his hands over her head.

"Well, I think Lauren's just fallen hard and fast for her new neighbour" Max's face paled and His wife knew exactly what he was thinking. "There wont be a repeat of last time Max, she's still terrified to let anyone near her, I'm surprised she was even speaking to him. He seems like a decent lad though"

"What? He turns up on the doorstep with our daughter in floods of tears and you think he's a decent lad? What world are you living in Tan?"

"He didn't upset her Max! Lauren told me, she upset herself. Joey asked her about the L around her neck" Max swallowed deeply wondering what answer his daughter had given.

"What did she say ? she didn't tell him did she ?" Tanya shook her head.

"No, she lied, told him it was just her initial, and then she nearly told him the truth. She said she couldn't stand lying to him." Tanya wiped her eyes "I wish things could be right for her Max"

"I'm sure they will, the police are doing all they can"