Chapter 2

Lauren woke to the thumping of little hands on her back, her eyes remained closed as she batted them away, but they wouldn't stop. A tiny giggle escaped from beside her and then another louder one as Lauren groaned.

"Ok, alright, I'm awake" she laughed pulling Olivia back under the covers. She snuggled into her and went quiet, Lauren could see something was wrong, able to read her sister like a book. "What's the matter baby?"

"you not in last night. I gots scared. Mummy and Daddy were shouting"

"What again?" Lauren sighed, Olivia nodded. "Look Liv, I'm sure they didn't mean to shout"

Olivia nodded furiously "They did too! Mummy said Daddy had cheated again…I no know what that mean and Oscar was wiv Abs and you was out" she frowned, tears brimming in her little eyes.

"Hey, no tears ok." She wiped her fingers over Olivia's cheeks and smiled, kissing her forehead. "Why don't you go to your room, get you slipper socks and dressing gown on and I'll come make you some breakfast alright?"

" kay" she said, although Lauren could hear the unwillingness in her voice.

Lauren sunk back into the bed, her head completely pounding, she could really do without the drama this morning, but she knew that was a highly unlikely eventuality. There was always a drama in her house. She threw the covers back and slipped on some clean clothes, throwing last nights that she'd slept in to the floor.

*JL*JL*JL*

Olivia was already in the kitchen when she got there, so was her dad. "Morning" her words seemed to go unheard by her father, who just glared and watched as she took two painkillers and placed some bread in the toaster. "Jam or marmalade Liv?"

"Chocolate spread" she grinned smiling brightly at her sister. Lauren went to the other cupboard and routed about for the chocolate spread.

"You won't find any" Max stated. He poured himself another coffee drinking it down in a few sips. "There's none left. Your Mum needs to go shopping"

Lauren rolled her eyes at her Father, why couldn't he go shopping? "Sorry Liv, how about strawberry Jam instead?" her little sister nodded and took sip of the juice she'd got from the fridge. Lauren buttered the toast as it popped up and then spread on the jam too. She sat at the table as Olivia ate, deciding it would be better for the state she was in, if she didn't have anything to eat just yet.

"What time did you get in last night? Or should I say this morning?" Max's eyes looked over his daughter "You look a mess Lauren, when was the last time you actually stayed in for the night? Got a proper night's sleep?"

"I'm 18 I can do what I like. Anyway I would have a good night's sleep if it wasn't for the fact I always end up with someone else in my bed too" she nodded her head towards Olivia "What was it you were arguing about last night anyway?"

"it was nothing." He said sternly.

"Oh right so how come she aint here this morning ? Her coats not in the hallway"

"we argued over something stupid. She went to your Nan's" she rolled her eyes at her father's response and stood up from the table, grabbing the two pain killers as she went. "Where you going?"

"Out" was her only response as she charged through the hallway and out the front door, ensuring she slammed it shut to verify her point…. She was angry. That anger only escalated more as she walked down the market and saw Tyler and Whitney playing a rather aggressive game of tonsil tennis. It took all her strength not to vomit at the sight. She carried on walking, in a complete world of her own.

"Excuse me?" Lauren was oblivious to the voice and carried on walking. "Excuse me?" there was a gentle tap on her shoulder that caught her attention. She turned round, her jaw dropping a little as she was face with quite a god of a figure. "You dropped this…" he held the card and Lauren realised it was her Tube pass. "Lauren Branning…" he read quite seductively.

She snatched it back and swallowed "Hey! That's my property nosey!" he laughed "what's so funny?" he shook his head and only now she realised he was dressed in camouflage. "Good. Stop Laughing then" she went to turn away but felt her arm being pulled back gently. She glared at him as he stopped her.

"Take one of these. We need people like you."

"People like me?" she scoffed wondering what he was insinuating. Her eyes looked over the crisp piece of paper that had been thrust into her hands. She frowned as she read it over "are you serious?" she laughed almost amused by his gesture.

He folded his arms over his chest, the muscles beneath the selves of the green t-shirt, becoming all the more difficult to ignore. "Deadly"

She handed the paper back and shook her head "sorry, you've got me all wrong."

"Hmm… no I don't think I have." he let his eyes run over her, smirking as she blushed and fidgeted. "I say that you were out for the entirety of last night got completely hammered. Your cold on the exterior and don't show emotion." Her eyes widened and she was about to interrupt "But… beneath it all you're sad, hurting and desperate to find an escape. Your eyes say it all"

"You know nothing" Lauren whispered

"The Army, we're a family. We have each other's backs, and you're the type of person I'd want fighting my corner." He said softly placing the paper back in her hands "I've been watching you around here for the last week, you take no shit from anyone but are so loving when it comes to your… Daughter and Son?" he asked sensitively.

Lauren shook her head "Brother and sister"

"sorry…I've just seen you doing the school run and what not the last week I just assumed." He shrugged his shoulders. "Give it a go, there's a recruitment day today at the community centre , we'll give you all the information you need and you can ask questions too."

"What don't you get? I don't want to join the army." She told him.

"You don't even know what we're about. 4pm, this afternoon, at the community centre ." He said confidently.

"I'm not joining the army…I have a life here." Lauren retorted just as confidently as she walked off towards the tube station. "It's just not a very good one."

Thanks so much for the response towards the first chapter, it seems theres a lot of intrigue as to what's actually going to happen, so maybe this chapter has given you some clues ? Will Lauren go to the meeting ? Who knows... Leave me a review and i'll be back tomorrow xx