Chapter 10

Joey was sitting on the bed next to Lauren, staring at her as she peacefully slept. She hadn't wanted to go to sleep but she had been yawning and yawning until Joey had given her no choice and to her she was going to sleep end of. It had taken around 15 minutes before Lauren had drifted to sleep and even then it was only because Joey had sat with her and she had used him as her own personal pillow. His arm apparently more comfortable than any pillow. She looked so calm and at ease as she slept, like she had no worries; but Joey know she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, the weight of a very silent and lonely world. He knew there were things she wasn't telling him but he hoped over time he'd find out, because he intended on sticking around for as long as she's have him.

*JL*JL*JL*

The door opened a little later and Max walked back in, surprised to see both Lauren and Joey. He shook Joey gently and smiled as the young man woke. He stretched and frowned a little and then remembered where he was.

"Everything alright Joey?"

He glanced at Lauren and nodded "Yeah…its fine, I must have fallen asleep too. Lauren was tired"

"So I can see…I'm surprised, she doesn't usually sleep without Louis" Max smiled and took a small stuffed Lion from one of the bags he's brought with him, he handed it to Joey "Louis" he told him.

"Louis's a Lion?" he asked looking over the quite tatty looking teddy.

"Yes, he's Laurens best friend. I brought him for her after the car crash, to protect her and she's clung to him ever since. It was called Leo but she said it wasn't original enough" he laughed remembering that even at 8 years old she was a bright little kid. "so she decided on Louis, Louis the lion"

"It's cute…" Joey said taking the Lion and tucking it under Laurens arm as he moved. "I need to be getting home, can you tell her I said bye please."

"Of course I will…Are you ok to drive home?" Max asked "I'm more than happy to pay for a Taxi."

"Honestly it's fine, but thank you. Would it be ok if I came back in the morning? I'd quite like to see her before she goes for her operation" Joey asked softly.

"I think she'd really like that Joey." Max told him, knowing that his presence in the morning would probably reassure his daughter.

"Thank you. Well good night then" he looked quickly at Max not sure if he should do what he was about to, but he did it anyway. He leaned over Lauren pressed his lips to her cheek "Night Lauren…" he smiled weakly at Max and moved to the door, Max gave him a curt nod and waved bye to him.

*JL*JL*JL*

Nurses were in and out of Laurens room every few hours in the night, they changed the padding across her ear and managed to ascertain that her ear was no longer bleeding, Lauren woke a couple of times but soon drifted back off to sleep when she saw her Dad was there and her fury friend was in her arms.

Max on the other hand didn't sleep for the entire night. He stayed awake, dozing for a couple of minutes here and there, watching Lauren like a Hawke. Abi had called him and had said Tanya had sat in the living room crying for a good hour and had then fallen to sleep, leaving Abi to sort her younger brother. In a couple of days' time, he was hoping things could be better, things could be different and maybe they could all start moving forward.

Early chapter today... Joey is well and truly smitten ! Tanya is going off the rails by the sound of it and Max, well poor Max is just trying to hold it together. Back tomorrow and it's a bit of a different chapter... xxx