Only chapter today as i'm going to see Olly Murs so busy bee! Only short but its vital to the story! BACK TOMORROW WITH TWO!

The Aftermath

The gun was held steady against her forehead; Joey felt a wave of sickness rush through his body as the innocent women cried erratically. She begged and pleaded, her hands shaking, tears streaming down her face.

"I got it, you finish it" Joey finally managed to speak up, finding his voice again, he needed to get her out of here alive.

"Good, were nearly done" he lowered the gun from her face, running back over to the bags that were being carried out.

"Please don't hurt me" she cried, Joey bending down to her level, checking no one was watching him as the rest rushed around collecting the bags, preparing to leave.

"I'm not going to hurt you, but when we leave I need you to phone the police, give the name Derek Branning over" Joey whispered, watching as the women looked at him in confusion, why was he grassing Derek up, this could only lead to trouble.

"Why are you telling me this?" she whispered, clutching her legs close to her body.

"Because I've been forced to do this, to protect my girlfriend, it wasn't my choice, but the name I gave you arranged this, he needs to be stopped" he replied.

"Why can't you do it?" the women asked, clearly scared of telling the police in case it came back to haunt her.

"My girlfriend will be kidnapped, my sister is already being held hostage, I can't risk it" he whispered, seeing the rest of the men had finished collecting the bags.

"I have to go, I'm sorry" he smiled apologetically, "I hope you get your sister back" the women whispered, reaching out and squeezing his hand, the apology accepted in her eyes. He wasn't a bad lad, he was just in trouble, trying to protect the ones he loved. Rushing from the warehouse, they piled into the car, the one that Joey came in was there to return him to the hotel.

"Derek will be pleased" the driver chuckled noting the bags in the others hands. Joey remained silent, the trauma of what just happened playing over and over in his mind. The faces on the innocent workers as they entered, the fear streaming in their eyes as guns were pointed at them. Shaking his head, he rested his arm on the window, looking forward to seeing Lauren who was most likely going out of her mind.

The door handle dipped, Lauren glanced over as she watched Joey walk through the door. Jumping from the bed she ran into his open arms. Her head burying into his chest as his strong arms tightened around her body, holding her so close to him.

"Thank god" she whispered, the sense of relief washing through her, she had worried Joey wouldn't return, Derek made a habit of going back on his word or changing the deal to suit him best.

"Worst day of my life Lo" Joey murmured his lips in her hair, trying to hold together his emotions for her. He needed to be strong for Lauren, he was determined to be. "What did you have to do?" looking up at him, his eyes were teary, he looked traumatised. "Raid a warehouse, drugs no doubt, but they made me have a gun, I held a gun" he whispered, looking down at his hands, feeling as if they were dirty.

"Oh my god" Lauren gasped, her hand hitting her mouth with shock. When Derek said he had a job she expected debt collection from someone or some driving but never anything to that extent, he had made Joey commit burglary and have a gun.

Joey snapped from his trance, the words he spoke to the women ringing in his mind. Derek would know instantly it was Joey who grassed his name up to the police it would be obvious. Moving past Lauren he grabbed their suitcase, rushing over to the drawers he began flinging out the clothing shoving them into the case. "Joey what are you doing?" Lauren watched as he rushed around the room, packing their things into bags.

"I grassed Derek up to one of the workers, told her to tell the police, he will come after us, I didn't think about it at the time, but Lauren we need to run" Joey replied, still packing frantically. "Lauren he will kill us if he is linked to the raid" Joey snapped the severity of his words hitting hard. Lauren joining in almost immediately as she knew what would happen when Derek got his hands on Joey.

"I can't believe this is happening, were forced to run" she sighed, grabbing her clothing and packing it away.

But where would they go? Would they have to hide forever? What about her parents and family?

All these questions rushing through her head as she and Joey packed the final bits, zipping up the case and bags, grabbing their coats and heading for Joey's car around the back.

"I need to ring Uncle Jack" Lauren said jumping into the passenger's seat of his car. Joey throwing the rest of their cases into the boot.

"Fine do it on the road, tell him were leaving and say it's time to tell your dad" Joey felt slightly out of breath, jumping into the driver's seat of his Range Rover. "I'm sorry it's come to this babe, I didn't think" he sighed, taking a second to talk to Lauren. The past 20 minutes had been rushed, they hadn't talked about where they go from here.

"Derek needs to be stopped, if this is the only way then so be it" she smiled, easing his guilt he was feeling about having to run away from everything they knew.

"I promise we will have a normal life once this is done" leaning over he kissed her cheek, the warmth of her blush hit his lips.

"Normal sounds good" she smiled, Joey switching on the engine, heading to…anywhere….