Thinking Of You Always

Chapter 6- Caught In The Moment.

Lauren woke up a throbbing pain in her ankle. She rubbed her head as she began to come around when she realised she was in hospital. She tried to sit up but someone stopped her with a soft laugh. She knew that laugh. She smiled as she saw Joey. She didn't even question why he was there.

"You really need to take it easy, babe. I want you home in one piece" He told her, sitting on the side of the bed, kissing her forehead.

"I'm sorry. Declan is gonna kill me. I'm gonna need bed rest" She complained, sighing.

"No, he won't and I know. Shame I can't join you" He replied, taking her hand in his before using his other to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Why, are you leaving?" She asked, her voice broke.

"No, babe. You know I wouldn't do that but you need to wake up and carry on living your life until its time to come home. I love you" He replied, caressing her face with the back of his hand. She narrowed her eyes, confused...

Lauren woke to calls of her name. She opened her eyes and saw Sasha. She sighed, sinking back into her pillows, catching sight of the purple plaster on her ankle. She crossed her arms.

"Oh charming" Sasha muttered under her breath. Lauren sighed.

"Sorry. I just dreamt Joey was here and it felt real. Waking up was a horrible reality" She said. Sasha nodded when the doctor walked in.

"Your up, good. No hangover I see. You have badly hurt your ankle. You have twisted it severely and torn a ligament. Am I right in thinking you have done damage to this ankle before?" The doctor asked, as she took notes. Lauren looked down at her plaster covered ankle when she realised it was her left ankle. She scoffed.

"Yes. When I was 18 but it wasn't as bad as this" She replied, smiling.

"And how did you do that?" The doctor asked, still taking notes.

"I fell. On wet floor. I wasn't looking where I was going" Lauren replied, smirking to herself at the memory. The doctor finished taking notes, informed her she was being kept over night because of the painkillers then left.

"I've brought your laptop. Your lucky this hospital has a good Internet connection" Sasha then said, giving Lauren her laptop bag.

"What time is it?" She asked, taking her laptop.

"It's quarter to 10 in the morning. It's quarter to 9 at night there right?" Sasha questioned. Lauren thought about this for a moment and nodded before switching on her laptop, signing into Skype. The moment she did, Joey was requesting a call. Sasha excused herself.

"I've been waiting for you to call, babe. You had me worried" He told her, as she answered him. She smiled weakly.

"Wait, Lauren, are you in hospital?" He asked, sitting forward.

"I can explain. I'm fine. I just got a little too drunk and thought I could do anything which lead to me falling on my ankle. I did some damage. They are keeping me in because of the drugs they put me on" Lauren replied, sighing. He shook his head, sighing himself.

"Oh, baby, your back and I can't say I'm any happier then I am right now. Welcome back. Shame I am not there to keep up with you" He told her, smiling.

"It's the ankle that I hurt when I fell over in the kitchen. Thanks to your nakedness" She said, smiling despite herself. He chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

"Oh yes. That was quite the day wasn't it?" Joey questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Lauren was about to reply when she caught sight of Declan outside. She exhaled deeply. She was ready for a grilling.

"What's wrong, babe?" Joey asked, smiling softly.

"Declan's here. I should go" She replied, sighing.

"He can wait, can't he?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes but I'm trying to be good so he won't question anything until I had in my notice" She told him, sighing.

This was news to Joey "What? Why?" He asked.

"There's more important things in my life then an office life" She replied, smiling, referring to him. He smiled back to her.

"I don't get why you sign yourself to all these contracts and not to have any plans for the money you earn, babe" He proclaimed.

"It's because I need a financial and security blanket. In case I need to run again. I don't want to be skint like I was when I was 18" She sighed, not thinking before she spoke. She looked up and saw Joey's face which was torn and hurt.

"Your planning on leaving, Lauren?"

"No, I don't mean-"

"I heard you loud and clear, I need to go, Lauren" He said, before signing off. She sighed, close to tears before Declan walked into the room.

"Ah, Lauren, quite the predicament here, don't you think?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow...

Joey didn't know how to feel over Lauren's comments. He thought they were strong. Forever. But the fact she saved her money instead of doing something with it, in case she felt the need to run again, hurt him.

He walked to the kitchen, finding a bottle of scotch, thinking if it worked for Lauren, why can't it work for him as he undid the top and quickly down a bit, gasping and wiping his mouth before drinking some more. He did this for a while, moving onto a bottle of vodka when he heard the front door open and close. He saw Hayley with Mason.

"I'll put him upstairs" She said, before heading upstairs. Joey walked into the living room, sighing as he sat down. Hayley was downstairs soon enough and walked into the room, sitting next to him.

"Your drunk. Spill. What's up?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Lauren. She is leaving me" He replied, sighing, hating that his emotions were all over the place as tears fell.

"What? I'm sure that's not the case, Joey" She proclaimed, taking the vodka bottle from him.

"It is! She has all this money saved up in case she 'wants to run again'. I couldn't bare it if she did that, Hails. I love her, more then I've ever loved anyone. I want to be with her. Always. I can't live without her. It's hard just getting through the days with her on the other side of the world. I can't do it again, Hails. I won't survive" He told her, the alcohol making him more emotional. She sighed, wrapping an arm around him, pulling him close.

"Lauren is an independent girl. She needs to know she has something to fall back on. But she isn't leaving you. She loves you. So much. I can see that by just looking at her" Hayley told him, smiling. He nodded, sighing, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Damn, I'm not drinking again. It makes me so emotional. I hate it" He said, quietly. She chuckled.

"Remember that time you got drunk with Fatboy when I was pregnant with Mason? You came in and told Alice how she meant to you" She told him. He laughed and looked up at her, looking at her and swallowing loudly. Alcohol clouding his mind, he moved forward. Hayley looked at him, confused, wondering what he was doing. Her question was answered when his lips were nearly on hers. She quickly pushed him away, sighing.

"It was also the day you told me about Lauren" She added, sighing as he ran his hands through his hair, moving forward then placed his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry, Hayley. I don't know what came over me. I love my wife. That shouldn't of happened" He said, quickly, before heading upstairs, shocked by his actions.

His head hurt, it was throbbing. He felt sick but he knew despite being heavily drunk, he needed to tell Lauren. He didn't even bother looking at the time...

"Thank god, your letting me explain" She said once she answered the call. He noted she was still in hospital.

"You know I love you, Lauren, don't you?" Joey asked, sighing, feeling like he could cry.

"Are you drunk?" She replied, a little amused.

"Maybe but that's not the point. I've done something stupid. I don't know why I did it" He told her, as tears poured down his face.

"Joey. Your scaring me. Tell me now" She said, leaning forward.

"I, god, I'm so sorry" He whispered, sighing.

"Joseph, you best tell me before I get on a flight and kick your arse" Lauren told him, raising an eyebrow.

"Would you really do that? Please do. I miss you. You need to come home" He told her, wiping his tears and smiling. She noted he is slightly weird when drunk but she loved him all the same.

"Tell me what you have done" She said, sternly.

"I tried to kiss Hayley. Just now. I had to tell you straight away. I'm sorry" He replied, sighing.

"Yeah, you said that a few times" Lauren proclaimed, quietly.

"Lauren, please, let me-"

"Joey, go and sober up" She said, before ending the call, leaving her wondering if her marriage was over before it had begun.