"No. No. No. No. No" Lauren shook her head back and forth. "Don't want to hear anything you've got to say."
Both Fats and the Doctor tried "Baby girl." "Ms Branning." To get the brunette to see sense, but she was adamant.
Legs tucked up to her chest, well she tucked them up as well as she could with her bump in the way. Arms wrapped around her legs, protecting herself, and her unborn baby, almost. Anyone could tell how uncomfortable and scared she was, just from her body language.
"Not until Joey's here." She was firm, even though her voice shook. "Not without Joey. Not an ymore."
The doctor sighed, but nodded. She'd only met the young mother-to-be a few moments ago, but was aware that she was unlikely to change her mind, and pushing her would make her dig her heels in more. They could wait for the baby daddy to show up, it was probably for the best him being here anyway. The previous scan had been abnormal, the standard tests they do to check on development showing a potential problem.
Lauren needed blood work done, a urine sample, a range of standard tests and a 3D ultrasound but refused to do anything until Joey was at her side. Fats reached a hand out for her, and she threaded her fingers with his, him squeezing them together in response.
"Squiggle will be alright baby girl, I'm sure of that." She wished she could say the same.
"God Lauren." He rushed straight into the room, having found his way to her, not having the patience to wait for the nurse to take him, despite her shouts. His heart had been racing from the second he got the call, until it crashed to a halt, seeing her sat, waiting for him.
Tears tracks down her cheeks, she looked heartbreakingly sad but still beyond beautiful to him.
He didn't even have to think and second guess his actions, just held his arms out for her, just in time for her to fall into his embrace, her sobs starting pretty much straight away now she was in his arms.
He caught gaze with Fats, raising an eyebrow. The garbled phone call didn't give Joey much information, just that the doctor wasn't happy with the scan and he needed to get to the hospital, Lauren wanted him.
"I'll go get the Doc in." Joey nodded, smoothing Lauren's hair, hearing her sniffle against his chest. "Get her to see what's going on with your Baby boy ay?" Joey just stood, trying to offer whatever comfort he could to Lauren as he could, remembering Jack once saying "if Lauren ever cries, don't talk to her. Words don't mean shit to her. Just hold her." So that's what he was trying to do.
It wasn't until Fats left the room, Joey realised what he had said.
"Baby boy babe?" he whispered, feeling her shudder as his breath hit her neck. She lifted her head, and the look on her face almost killed him. A small smile, that she couldn't help just the thought of her baby made her smile these days, but her eyes full of unshed tears and so many emotions; two stood out the most to Joey.
Love. And Fear.
"Yeah" she mumbled back, hands coming to rest on her bump sandwiched between them. "We're having a boy . A baby boy." Matching smiles broke out of both of their faces, before Lauren let out the sob she'd been holding in.
"But there's something wrong Joey." He tried to ssh her tears, but had no words. He had no idea what was going on.
"Hey babe. Listen to me yeah?" She looked up to him, and he paused. For the first time in a long time, she was putting her trust in him, in his words. To make this better. "He'll be okay." She shook her head, muttering he didn't know that and it's all her fault. Which he scoffed at, him refusing to believe that.
"Babe. Look at me." She tentatively did. "He'll be okay and he's a fighter already. How can he not be?" His hands came to rest alongside hers.
"He's half you, and half me" She interlocked their pinky fingers at his words, ducking her head most likely to hide her tears.
"No matter what happens, he's a fighter. He's ours" He rested his lips against her forehead, as close to a kiss as would be appropriate at this point, and swallowed.
He'd be no good for her, if he got upset. "Our baby boy" She whispered back, looking up through her lashes at him. He nodded.
"Our boy. And he'll be okay." A thumping kick underneath their hands showed them that their boy agreed.