The darkened room was awake with cries, the harsh sobs of her 3 month old keeping her awake again. She'd tried everything and yet she didn't seem to settle, she was just awake, crying for what seemed like no reason at all.

"Eden, baby, Mummy's got to be up for college soon you need to sleep…" Lauren paced the room gently bouncing her daughter. Apparently Eden just wasn't tired…"Hungry then baby?" she sat in the chair in the corner, snuggling Eden close to her body. As soon as she was against her Eden settled and fed. "Hungry I guess" she turned and looked at the clock. 4:30. she was shattered and needed to be up in 2 hours to get Eden sorted and be at college for 9. Her small period of peace was once again disrupted. Her daughter was crying again, heart-breaking cries where she couldn't do anything.

"Eden…please baby…please" she stood again wandering the room, the cool breeze coming from the widow played a slight distraction as the emotions began to overload. The front door clicked open and Lauren could hear the footsteps ascend the stairs. Another door opened and closed then finally his was there.

Lauren stood clutching a very grizzly baby to her shoulder, the tears were evident in her own eyes. "Baby" he sighed watching her crumble in front of him. Joey walked towards her lifting Eden from her hold, she snuggled into him but her crying continued as he bounced her gently. "Hello beautiful" Joey used his other arm to pull Lauren into him; her hands covered her face as it fell to Joeys shoulder. "Hey…come on babe, your both really tired"

"I can't do it Joey I'm a terrible Mum…I can't even get my own daughter to stop crying" she pulled out of his embrace and sat on their bed, leaning her elbows on her knees. The bed dipped as Joey sat next to her, his hand brushing across her back trying, and failing to relive some of the tension from her body. They remained in silence until Joey got up and walked to the bassinet in the corner. He set the mobile over the top and Laid Eden down. They could hear the gentle breathing and murmurs as their daughter finally began to settle.

"Lauren…babe" He sat back on the bed just behind Lauren and pulled her gently onto his lap. "She was just being fussy… you did nothing wrong baby." He saw the disbelief in her eyes and knew action needed to be taken. "Lauren, she loves babe, you're her Mum and everyone knows it. She doesn't want anyone else when she's upset, not even me baby. Sometimes babies just cry, they don't come with a handbook."

She smiled lightly at him and dropped her head to his chest, feeling his lips kiss her head softly. "someone should write one, I'd read it" Joey smiled shifting from the bed to strip of his clothing.

"Ye and then you'd probably tear it to strips and do the exact opposite anyway…because only we know what's best for our daughter Lauren."

"your right" she sighed curling back into his body when he slid into the bed next to her.

"Aren't I always?" he asked with a smirk. Lauren rolled her eyes at him and began to trace patterns across his chest. "What's on your mind?"

"What do you think she'll be like when she's older?" Lauren pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked into Joeys eyes. He stared back noticing the slight fear in them. He knew the future was a slight touchy subject. Max had definitely made that clear for her. The two of them hadn't made many visits back to the square, instead their friends and family visited them, which at first Lauren hated. She felt like she was constantly invading Jane's house. Now it wasn't too much of a problem, they'd moved into a small two bed flat just outside of Walford. It wasn't the best of places but it was all they could afford.

"Who Eden?" Lauren nodded smiling, "Well I hope she'll be just like her Mummy, amazing, beautiful, and talented. She already looks the spitting image of your baby pictures no doubt she'll carry on that way. Why?"

She shook her head falling back into joeys arms "Just wondering"

"You should sleep baby, you have collage in a few hours" Lauren moaned and snuggled further into the covers. "Just three more days' baby and then you're done… I can't wait to see what masterpieces you've created baby…" he softly kissed her cheek feeling her cheeks apple as she smiled.

"It's only a bit of photography Joey… nothing special"

"Anything you do is special baby…now sleep" she nodded against him her eyes closing. The room finally fell to silence for a while. Eden had settled, just the gently rasps oh her breath emitting from the corner.

"Joey…" Lauren whispered

"Ye?" he responded

"What time is it?" he squinted and looked at the clock "five past 5…go to sleep" another couple of minutes passed.

"Joe…"

He sighed deeply "yes?"

"will we get Married?" she questioned, Joey was half asleep now and just groaned his response.

"One day baby"

"Joey?" she giggled hearing him moan

"What?"

"I love you…"

"Love you too"

Ok so I got carried away again…this wasn't the end, there's still another chapter… it just felt right to split it up :) xxx