The weeks soon past and Laurens life returned to the same old dreary routine day in day out, things with her parents had been strained since her latest admission, she felt much better having told them what had really gone on but it had caused her parents to distance themselves more. After Christmas day which she was forced to spend with them, their contact was limited. They returned to their lives and Lauren returned to hers. Most people would have had a problem with this but for Lauren it came as some type of relief, she didn't have to worry about being judged by them, there was no way she would be making the same mistake again and finally there were no longer any secrets between them.

It was the middle of January now and the with the Christmas season over the Café was going through a quite phase, not that it bothered Lauren much, she was still getting paid for basically sitting around doing nothing all day. She'd had a couple of days like this in the last week where she had become quite drawn into her art work. Maria and Carlo had made her feel much better about the work by displaying some of them around the shop and some of the customers had even brought a few of the images. However she always found herself drawing the same thing or person to be exact, Joey. He was constantly on her mind, in her dreams she had even mistaken a few strangers for him a couple of weeks ago. She groaned screwing up the 10th piece of paper that day and throwing it to the bin. Maria walked out and looked at all the papers on the floor.

"You er planning on starting a fire or something Lauren?" she asked with a giggle Lauren smiled and shook her head.

"Sorry, I can't seem to think straight today, too much on my mind" Maria sat next to her brushing her hear from her eyes.

"I know that Look … your pining for someone my dear Il primo amore non si scorda mai, as we say in Italian" Maria smiled a sentimental look on her face.

"What does that mean?" she looked up to the woman who was quickly becoming a replacement mother.

"It means you never forget your first love. No matter how hard you try it will always be him." She saw Lauren weakly smile. "What's the matter Darling? You look unhappy"

"I still love him; it hit me when I was talking to Mum and Dad before Christmas. I think I'd always know but when he left, I just blocked him out, naïve of me I know. But it's always going to be him isn't it?" she wiped her eyes and looked up at Maria who was now gently running her fingers through Laurens hair.

"I'm afraid I think it will be Caro" Lauren smiled Maria had always called her that, at first she didn't know what it meant but soon discovered with the help of Maria's daughters it meant sweetheart, which had become quite comforting.

"Why is it so painful to Love him Maria? Why does my heart ache?" she leant her head to Marias shoulder allowing herself to be comforted.

"It's just love Lauren" she continued to mess With Lauren hair and before Long she had platted it in a neat fishtail. "Now dry your eyes and lets see that beautiful smile of yours ok?" A small curve took to Laurens Lips as she hugged Maria "Take the rest of the day off, go do some drawings away from here" Lauren nodded, usually she would have argued but she felt today she really needed time just for her.

"Thank you Maria"

"Ciao" Maria waved her off as she strolled back towards the tube station she pulled her coat tighter around her the chill of the wind bitter. The hustle of the station allowed her mind to move thoughts from Joey, everything Maria had said had made perfect sense and she knew there would never be anyone else other than Joey. On the tube she managed to get a few sketches down that weren't of Joey, something of a rarity these days.

Arriving home she saw the woman who lived across the hall "Excuse me?" Lauren turned to face her and smiled "Someone was looking for you earlier, they didn't say who they were but said to tell you they'd be back later"

"Oh Ok then thank you" she frowned trying to work out who it was maybe one of her parents, if it was that important they'd be back. After doing a quick clean of the flat, she cooked tea, well did cheese on toast and ate in silence on the balcony. Many other residents thought she was mad spending the majority of her time in the freezing cold on the balcony. She looked out over the city the last bits of the snow melting away. It was quite sad to see the snowmen melting after so much effort had been put into making them. The night was drawing in now the last of the light fading away being replaced by the streetlamps. She sighed going back indoors, as much as she loved it on the balcony she still felt unsafe out there in the dark, you couldn't blame her really it was a harsh place to live in.

As the hours passed by the rotation of noises started again, the crying and barking followed by the banging and then the sirens. This time a loud TV had been thrown into the mix too, she didn't need the sound on hers as theirs was loud enough. She was interrupted by a loud thud at her door. The lamp went on as she gazed at the clock, who on earth would be coming round at half 12 at night? She was certain it wasn't the police as they usually alerted you it was them. Wrapping the dressing gown round her she clambered from the chair as the door continued to knock.

"Yes ok ok I'm coming" she reached the door and opened it not looking up "Do you have any idea what time it is its practically the middle of the nigh…" she stopped realising who it was, her mouth dropped open her eyes brimming with tears.

"Hello Lauren"

OK im ready for you all to hate me for leaving it there... I said someone would be returning I didn't say they would be in the whole chapter ;) hope you liked how much do we Love Maria and Lauren together ?

Next chapter : Found out