Chapter Twenty-one.

Joey was back at the pub, lunchtime the next day, Lauren had just come back from a run and was sitting at the bar with a glass of milk and some toast. He had more flowers with him, this time he had daisies.

'For you' he said as he slid onto the stool beside her.

'Twice in as many days' Lauren replied 'thank you' she smiled as she took the flowers from him, she held them to her nose smelling the soft sweet fragrance of the daisies before laying them on the bar.

'At least they are a little bit more alive this time' he told her with a gentle smile 'You been for a run?' he asked her.

'Yeah got back ten minutes ago. I slept until 11:00am' she said.

'You look less tired'

'Thank you, for staying with me until I fell asleep, Peggy told me she caught you sneaking out'

Joey smiled 'So she is Phil Mitchell's mother?' he asked her. Lauren looked at him in surprise 'I talked to Phil, I told him that I'd been to see you and I was coming back today'

Lauren nodded 'Phil's been helping me. He's been to AA meetings with me and he's even agreed to be my sponsor'

'Wait this is the same Phil Mitchell we are talking about isn't it?' he asked her and she grinned at him nodding.

'One and the same' she said with a smile and then frowned 'wait …how come you are here? Shouldn't you be working?'

'Got the morning off' he said to her 'I'm not due in until 7:00pm'

'And no one knows that you're here?' she asked him 'you didn't tell Alice?'

'I didn't tell anyone else. Not even Alice' he said to her.

'So where does everyone think you are?'

'I told Alice I was meeting the boys from back home for a drink' he told her. She nodded her head and took another bite of toast. 'I meant what I said yesterday, about you moving in. I have some money saved' he told her.

'I don't want to live off of you Joey I want to pay my own way'

'You can pay me when you find a job'

'I've been trying, no one wanted to hire me before I left and no one wants to hire me now' she said, putting the rest of her toast on her plate and taking a sip of milk. She licked her lips and looked at him.

'Well then we'll call it a loan' he told her 'An interest free long term loan'

'I can't let you waste your savings on me' she told him with a frown.

'I see it as more of an investment' he replied his meaning clear.

She slid off the stool, picking up her glass and plate and walked to the door, Joey got up, picking up the flowers and opening the door for her before following her up the stairs to the kitchen. She washed up her things, dried them and put them away.

Lauren sighed and she turned around to look at Joey who was watching her expectantly for an answer. She took the flowers from him, adding them to the half dead ones in the vase on the windowsill.

'Lauren?'

'It's just….there are better things for you to spend your money on' she told him

'It's my money, I decide what I want to spend it on' he replied 'if you don't want to move in because I'm there then I can rent a room at the B&B' he told her

'Now you're being ridiculous' she frowned

'Why am I being ridiculous?'

'I am not kicking you out of your own house' she told him 'Look Joey, I don't know what I'm going to do and you coming here and putting pressure on me…..' she trailed off seeing the hurt expression on his face. 'I'm sorry….I didn't mean that' she shook her head 'I appreciate what you are trying to do. I just…..I don't think I'm worth all the effort, that's all' she told him and she walked out of the room, Joey frowned.

'What do you mean you don't think you are worth it?' he asked her walking into the lounge 'How can you say that?'

'I'm an alcoholic Joey' she said to him 'I'm always going to be an alcoholic, there is no cure'

'I know that' he said to her.

'Do you? Do you really Joey?' Lauren asked him with a frown 'You deserve better than being with someone who can't even go out for a drink with you' she told him 'someone who is always going to be the dull boring teetotal at the party'

'You could never be dull or boring even if you tried babe' he told her softly 'you are still the same girl you were before, you told me that, remember?'

'I was wrong' she said 'I don't know who I am anymore' she shook her head sadly. Joey wondered where the confident brave girl had gone that first came to see him in the club. Max certainly had a lot to answer for. They all did, himself included. He sighed.

'We really haven't helped you much have we?' he asked her as the guilt hit him again. 'I'm sorry, I let you down, again. I understand why you don't want to be around me' he told her 'look, I'll go, give you your space' he said 'just… if you want to talk, call me?' he asked her. He looked at her for a few seconds then left the room.

*JL*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren could hear him walking down the stairs. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest at the thought of him leaving. She didn't want him to go. She rushed down the stairs after him, her tears already falling.

'Joey! Joey wait!' she called out as she barrelled through the doors leading to the bar. 'Joey!' He turned round to look at her, seeing her running towards him and then launching herself at him, he caught her and he held her tightly, lifting her off her feet.

'Don't go' she whispered next to his ear 'Please…don't go'

'I'm not going anywhere babe' he whispered back 'I love you' he told her.

Lauren blinked and she pulled back to look at him 'What?' she asked him, not sure she'd him correctly.

'I know I haven't said that to you' he told her as he set her back on her feet. 'I mean not in words any way' he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear, she smiled at him through her tears, 'I love you' he repeated again with a small smile.

'I love you too Joey' she told him, watching as his grin lit up his face.

'Yeah?' he asked her, she nodded.

'Yeah' she echoed as he leant forward for a kiss.

'You think maybe we should take this somewhere private?' Joey said softly 'we seem to have attracted an audience'

Lauren glanced around the bar, seeing people staring at them both. She nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly as she grabbed Joey's hand, tugging him towards the door. Once they were alone she pulled on his hand to lead him up the stairs but he pulled her back. She turned to look at him with a confused look on her face.

'I know we still have a lot to talk about, but there's something I really have to do' he said sliding one hand around her waist, pulling her towards him, his lips brushed against hers tentatively. He kissed her softly and gently and when he felt her step closer to him and press herself up against him, he gently ended the kiss. He gazed at her and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. He smiled at her 'we should talk' he told her and she nodded before turning and leading him up the stairs.

AN: Joey came back to see her and he brought her live flowers! And her favourites to boot! It looks as though they're on the way to getting things back on track. He told her he loved her, which he hasn't done since the first time he said those three little words in the Children's park near Phil's garage. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think. R&R as always