Sorry for not updating this in a while... Thing called life got in the way :/ Hope this makes up for it J

Warning: Sensitive subject. DON'T read if triggering...

Bold black italics- Face time convocation with Kate and the gang.

Enjoy X

It was a week later and neither Joey nor Lauren had made the move to contact each other. As stubborn as they were, they were waiting for one to call the other. Currently, Lauren was sitting in the cafe with Peter Beale, who had made the rather surprising return to Walford after two years away.

'So, what you fancy doing?' he asked. Lauren shrugged her shoulders.

'Anything. I'm not fussed' she said. Peter nodded, sighing mentally. Lauren wasn't the person he remember when he left. This Lauren was literally a shell of a once outgoing, bubbly girl. He knew something bad must have happened to get her like this. He thought about questioning her about it, but decided against it, thinking she would tell him in her own time.

'Where's Lucy?' asked Lauren, noticing for the time that Lucy wasn't working that day.

'Booked the day off, to go out with some friends from college, I think' answered Peter. Lauren nodded and went back to looking out of the window...

Later that day, Lauren was in her room, staring at a blank page in her diary, when her phone blasted to life. She jumped but picked it up. She frowned when she saw an unknown number request face time, but she accepted it, laughing as Kate, Maddie, Dylan, Martin and James came into view.

'Jesus, guys! Whose phone are you on? I didn't recognize the number!' Lauren said

'James's phone. Save the number' said Kate, happily. Lauren chuckled and nodded.

'Will do. How are you all?'

'We're all good, thanks. Missing you though... Although there is a reason why we called..' said Maddie

'And what's that?' asked Lauren, smiling

'How would you fancy a holiday abroad with us five? Benidorm or Lanzarote?' suggested squealed.

'Seriously?'she said, smiling widely

'Yeah... Listen, we're gonna ask our parents today, so if you ask your parents by the end of this week and let us know... Then we'll go ahead and book it!' said Dylan, smiling. Lauren smiled back, images flashing through her brain. Her friends, hot weather, cocktails, hot boys and the beach... That sounded good.

'Deal!' she said. Kate squealed and clapped her hands.

'Fabulous. And look! I got a tattoo!' she gasped

'Really? Show me!' she said. Kate chuckled and lifted up the hem of her top and turned round, showing Lauren the tattoo on the bottom of her back.

'She is strong when she is weak, She is brave when she is scared, She is humble when she is victorious... Aww, Kate that's a beautiful quote' Lauren said, smiling.

'Thanks, hurt like a bitch though' Kate answered. Lauren burst out laughing, causing Maddie to start giggling.

'You shoulda seen her. She was screaming and all sorts' said Maddie. Lauren laughed and calmed down.

'I want one now' she said. Kate gasped

'Do it! Do it! Do it!' she chanted. Lauren giggled

'But you'd have to come with me... I'm not going on my own' Lauren warned, making Kate laugh.

'I'll come with ya... I know a brilliant place in Newcastle' she said. Lauren smiled

'Fabulous. Right, I've gotta go. Time to sweeten and butter up my parents, if I've got the slightest chance of even been allowed out of the house...' said Lauren. James and Dylan frowned.

'What? Why? What's happened?' James asked. Lauren's eyes widened a fraction

'Oh nothing. Doesn't matter. I'll text you all or Face time you when I have an answer' she said. Kate nodded.

'Okie dokes. Talk to you soon' she said

'Yes, you will'

'Miss you and love you' Martin and Maddie called. Lauren chuckled

'Miss you and love you all too. Byeeee' Lauren singsonged, before ended the call with a smile, saving James's number to her phone...

Lauren headed downstairs as Max and Tanya called her. She placed her phone on her bedside table and planted an innocent smile on her face. She sat herself down between Abi and Oscar and smiled at her mum, as she loaded the chicken dinner onto her plate.

'This looks great, mum' she complimented. Tanya looked at her for a minute, before smiling.

'Thank you, darling' smiled Tanya. Lauren smiled back and waited till everyone had their plates filled.

'Anyone want a drink?' offered Lauren. Tanya blinked. This was not Lauren. The only time Lauren did anything nice was when she either in trouble, or wanting something and Tanya heavily betted on the latter.

'What do you want?' Tanya asked, as Lauren filled up Oscar's cup with water. Lauren looked up at she placed the jug back on the table.

'What do you mean?' she asked. Tanya raised an eyebrow at her.

'You never do anything nice. The only time you do is when you want something or you're in trouble...' said Tanya. Lauren stared at her mum for a second, before sighing.

'Just out of mild curiosity... Would you let me go on holiday?' Lauren questioned. Tanya frowned.

'Why?'

'Just... would you?' Lauren asked, keeping emotion off her face. Tanya looked sceptical, but answered

'Yeah, I suppose why?'

'Because I was wondering, if I could go on holiday... With Kate, Maddie and Martin' she asked. Tanya and Max looked at their daughter. Lauren put on her innocent expression. It was a few minutes, before Tanya answered.

'No... Not just yet, Lauren. I need to be able to trust that you're capable of looking after yourself' said Tanya. Lauren scowled at her, before turning her puppy eyed look at Max, turning it up to an eleven.

'Pleaseee , Daddy. I've been good, haven't I? And you trust me with Kate and them... Don't you?' Lauren said, pouting. Max stared at her, before glancing at Tanya.

'When do they need to know by?'

'End of this week' said Lauren, not wanting to let her emotions out, but she was slightly screaming inside. Max nodded and swallowed a bit of chicken.

'Prove to us that we will be able to trust you... and I'll think about it' said Max. Lauren let out a small shriek of happiness and clapped her hands.

'I promise.. You won't regret this!' she squealed happily...

Five days later, Lauren was sat on the sofa as her Dad counted some money. He looked at Lauren and sighed.

'£500. Pay for half or however much of the trip, buy yourself some things and then use the rest as spending money...' said Max. Lauren screamed with happiness.

'THANKYOU! THANKYOU! THANKYOU, DADDY!' Lauren grabbed the money and kissed it, rushing up the stairs to FaceTime Kate. Max chuckled as he watched her go, before turning his attention to Tanya, who looked disapprovingly at him.

'What?' he questioned. Tanya sighed.

'Max... I don't want her to go.. What if something happens to her and we can't get there in time?' she asked him. Max sighed and took her hand.

'That's why have to trust her. If we don't trust her now, then it's just going to get harder down the line.. The sooner we can trust her, the sooner we can move on... As a family' said Max, locking eyes with Tanya. She nodded and sighed.

'I hope you're right, Max. I hope you're right...' said Tanya, leaving the room to get a drink...

Two days later, Lauren entered her house, having gone shopping with Abi. They had spent ages looking at maxi dresses, shoes, bikinis and everything what you could need for a holiday. With the holiday now paid for, Lauren having gone up to Newcastle with Max the previous day to pay it, all was left to do now was wait.

'MUM? DAD! WE'RE BACK!' Abi yelled, walking into the living room, finding Max sat on the sofa watching a football game on TV. He smiled at his daughters.

'So then.. Spent up?' he asked, smiling. Lauren chuckled.

'No, Dad... Still got loads left, plus all my wages what I saved are in bank, so...' Lauren trailed off, smiling. Max smiled. He was glad Lauren was happy, it made him feel better about allowing her to go on holiday to Benidorm for two weeks.

'Where's mum?' asked Abi, looking round

'She had to go out... Don't know when she'll be back' said Max. The two girls nodded and held up their bags.

'We're going to put these away, then go get a Chinese.. A way of saying thank you' said Lauren, smiling. Max shook his head.

'I'll go. You don't need to thank me, darling' he said, turning to Abi.

'Coming with me' he asked. Abi nodded and handed her bags to Lauren, who rolled her eyes.

'See you soon. I want my usual' she said. Max and Abi nodded and left, leaving Lauren to go upstairs and unpack the stuff her and Abi had bought...

An hour later, Abi and Max arrived home. What should have been a fifteen minute journey, took half an hour each way, due to a crash what had happened earlier.

'LO! We're back! Sorry, we took so long' shouted Abi, heading to the kitchen to plate it all up, while Max set the table up.

'Mum's been gone a long time, hasn't she?' Abi shouted from the kitchen.

'Yeah, I'll ring after we've had our tea and ask her where she is... Lauren, come on!' shouted Max. Abi came back in, balancing three plates. Max took one off her and set it down. He walked into the kitchen, to get some drinks.

'LAUREN! Come on. It's going cold!' Max shouted. He waited few seconds, before rolling his eyes and walking back into the room.

'She's probably got her ear phones in. I'll go' said Abi, sighing. Max chuckled as she left the room and headed upstairs to her room. He grabbed the pepper and crushed it onto his plate, before a blood curdling scream reached his ears. The blood froze in his veins, before snapping back to reality.

'ABI?' Max shouted, as he rushed up the stairs. He skidded into the room and went deathly pale. Lauren was slumped on the floor, two massive blood puddles from her wrists, where she had badly attacked them.

'Lauren! Wake up! Abi, ring an ambulance!' shouted Max. Abi, who had tears streaming down her face, did as she was told, as Max fell to his knees besides his daughter.

'Lauren! Lauren! Can you hear me?' he repeated. He saw her phone next to her and picked it up, accidently pressing a button. His eyes and face contorted into anger as he read the message, but angrier at whom had sent it.

To: Lauren

7:03pm

Well, as you clearly have made no attempt to contact me these past two weeks... I'm just going to assume that you've moved onto that Dylan dude, who you seem smitten with.
Don't even think of contacting me if things get too hard, Lauren. I'm not going to be there to pick up the pieces anymore.
We're done.
For good

Sender: Joey

R&R :D Xx