Chapter Seven.

Max frowned as Lauren's phone went to voice mail, his anxiety and worry kicking up a gear. He had to go and find her and make sure she was okay. Leaving the car lot, he checked the obvious places first, the Vic, then the house before he finally went to the club. He found Joey in the office sitting at the desk staring at the computer.

'Joey have you seen Lauren?'

'Yeah she was here about an hour ago' Joey said.

'You didn't give her a drink did you?' Max asked him.

Joey frowned at him 'Of course I didn't! What do you take me for? She said she wanted to talk but I kept my distance'

'What do you mean you kept your distance?' Max frowned putting his hands on his hips. 'Why?'

'Well I can't get involved with her again can I hey? I can't risk things can I?' he asked Max.

Max frowned shaking his head with a disappointed sigh and he left to continue searching for his daughter.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren walked into the club again. After the AA Meeting a few people had talked to her and told her that being strong and facing your fears was the best way forward and if this boy didn't listen to her then she had to make him listen and as soon as she had said what she needed to say, she would start to feel better and be proud of herself. At the time it seemed like a good idea, but now she was actually walking down the stairs once more she wasn't entirely convinced they had been right.

Joey was picking up some empty glasses and he turned and saw her.

'You can't be here' he frowned at her shaking his head, putting the glasses down heavily on the bar.

'It's not going to take long' she replied.

'Lauren please, I've already had your dad round here. Me and you shouldn't be around each other' he said looking at her, pushing his hands into his pockets to stop himself from grabbing her and hugging her tightly.

'Oh? Like that stopped us before' she shot back, Joey took a step towards her.

'Look, I just need to say a few things and then I'll go' she said to him 'All I need is five minutes, you can spare me that at least?' she asked him

'Five minutes' he nodded his head, he pulled his hands out of his pockets and folded them across his chest.

'Listen, what happened wasn't your fault okay? I was the girl who drank too much before you even came along.'

'It's a bit different though isn't it hey, I mean how you were at the end' he looked at her and she could see the pain in his eyes.

'I was the one that pressed the self-destruct button, not you. You didn't wreck things; that was me okay?' she asked him 'It had nothing to do with you. You didn't do anything wrong' she shook her head, pausing to take a breath 'Look I just need to say I am sorry. For everything I did and said to you. I need you to know I didn't mean it. I'm sorry for everything that happened between us' she told him softly 'I was angry and hurt and drunk' she told him with a wry smile. She licked her lips 'I really am sorry, but you have to believe me, none of this, nothing that happened to me was your fault. I did it to myself okay?' she told him 'and I'm doing better. I'm going to be okay, Joey' she whispered. Joey took another step towards her. 'I know you and me…well I know that we're never going to be together, I heard you've moved on and I accept it' she said softly 'I just want you to be happy and I didn't want you to think that you're to blame for any of this because you're not' she shook her head. She blinked at Joey and he said nothing, not that he didn't have anything to say. He did, he had lots to say, but for the moment his words were lost as he looked at the brave strong Lauren that stood before him, the girl he loved with all his heart, with every fibre of his being.

For the last few months all he'd wanted to do was to hold her in his arms, to tell her she would be okay and that he would help her, tell her he still loved her. And then suddenly she disappeared one night and when he asked after her, all Max would tell him was that she was getting help and she'd be okay. She just needed to focus on herself and she needed no distractions from him, then Max had gotten angry with him, telling him that if he was so worried about her then maybe he should have helped her instead of breaking her heart for the third time and walking away from her.

Her voice startled him when she spoke again, 'well I guess my five minutes is up now so, thank you for listening' she told him, her voice breaking slightly at the end. She turned and fled. Joey wanted to go after her, but there was no other barman in tonight and he needed this job, he needed to prove to Sharon that he could manage the club on his own. He knew he couldn't let Sharon down, so he would just have to wait and go to see Lauren tomorrow.

AN: Lauren and Joey have finally had a talk and she apologised for everything that happened between them. But she thinks he's moved on so does this mean that Lauren is going to leave? And how is Max going to react when she gets home, he's been worried about her and looking for her. So what do you think happens next? Let me know.
R&R as always