Chapter 25

It didn't take very long at all to pack up Laurens things, she didn't own very much at all. Joey had been quite shocked by her flat, yes he'd seen the outside before but never inside. He was surprised by the state of it, it was falling apart and the very little furniture Lauren had around didn't look much better either. Lauren had handed him a bag and asked him to pack her photos and things from the lounge/kitchen/office. He smiled as he packed them away seeing several pictures of Lauren in her younger years. There was a couple of pictures of her with her siblings he assumed, but nothing else much.

"I'm done" Joey looked around and saw her in the doorway with a suitcase and two bags. She was looking at the floor, her feet shuffling nervously on the spot.

"Are you sure you have everything ?" Joey asked her.

"Mostly" she replied. "There is one thing that I'd like but it's a little difficult to carry" she whispered.

"Anything…" joey said softy "Whatever you want I can sort it"

"I have a dressing table in my bedroom, it means a lot to me." She told him, becoming a little emotional at the sentimentality of the item. "Sorry, it's ok if not…"

Joey stepped closer to her and took her bags from her hands "Hey what did I just say? I'll call uncle Jack, I'm sure he knows someone who has a van or something. We'll sort it."

"Thank you" Lauren responded, maybe there was a different side to Joey. "Can we erm…go now?" Lauren asked, breaking Joey from his daydream, he'd been staring a little too much at Lauren.

He nodded quickly and scratched the back of his neck "Yeah… yeah of course."

*JL*JL*JL*

Back on the street Joey's car seemed to have drawn a crowd, most of the male residents admiring the vehicle, Lauren couldn't see rhea desire really. "is this your car mate?"

"It is indeed" Joey smiled nudging Lauren towards the boot as he opened it.

"Wow… it's a beauty. Don't see much like this round here." Joey nodded remembering Laurens words to him earlier. "You on business?"

"No actually, I'm picking up this gorgeous girl" he shut the boot revealing Lauren to the crowd. Joey saw the surprise on all the faces around and tried to tune in on the whispers that had erupted.

"Well well Lauren Jessop you dark horse!" He stared a Lauren who had practically shrunk to half her size behind Joey. "Not going to introduce us?"

"babe?" Joey said softly turning to face her, she shook her head, feeling sick at the thought of Him. Joey took in the fear building in her eyes and gently squeezed her hand "Get in the car yeah…" Lauren didn't argue with him and climbed into the passenger seat. "The names, Joey Branning, and you are?"

"Tyler moon." He said firmly "What are you doing with Lauren?"

"Well Tyler Moon, I'll tell you why I'm here and what I'm doing with Lauren. But ask yourself this, is it going to make you feel any better you knowing that I'm picking up my girlfriend so we can move her stuff into our apartment… and will it make you feel any better knowing that once we go from here, you'll be left thinking what you could have had?" Tyler shook his head "didn't think so… Nice meeting you" Joey smiled and climbed into the car driving back to the apartment.

*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren was sat on the window seat staring out across the Thames at the sun begging to set. Her chin was resting on her knees as hector snuggled under her legs. Joey was watching her from the kitchen, noting how she'd changed since they'd been to Walford. He poured the hot water into the mugs and stirred the drink, adding extra milk into hers, it was a little habit of hers he'd picked up on. "Here…" Lauren looked at him and took the drink as he gently shifted hector and sat at the opposite end of the window seat. "It's a pretty amazing view isn't it?"

"Hmmm…" Lauren sipped on her drink and looked back out of the window, leanings her forehead against the glass.

Joey stared at her a few seconds, capitulated by her beauty. "Lauren? Who was that guy back on the square, Tyler Moon?"

There was silence as she took in Joey words, she never thought she'd have to tell anyone about it ever again, she was glad to have lasted this long without him finding out but now things were different. She was engaged to him… Marrying him. She knew he'd thought something for a while, his Mother had scared her witless when she said she knew things … Lauren knew deep down she couldn't know but it had still scared her nonetheless.

"You can talk to me Lauren you know that right?" she glanced at him and then fully turned her head to face him. "What is babe?"

"Tyler moon was my ex-boyfriend …and also the father of my baby"

"B..b..aby ? You have a baby?" Joey gasped, his eyes widening.

"No…I had a baby." she could feel the emotions building inside her "I was 15, still lived at home with Mum and Greg. I went to school with Tyler he was a three years older than me we met via Greg, he was training Tyler to Box. Greg told Tyler I was 'into' him, I wasn't particularly keen but Greg told me Tyler like me too and if I wasn't 'nice' to Tyler I wouldn't like the consequences. I had a few dates with him and he was ok I guess he was trying to sweeten me up so he could get what he wanted." She glanced up at Joey and saw he was scared of the next words out of her mouth.

"Did he…y'know?" the words fell dry in his mouth.

"You mean did he force me?" Joey nodded "Tyler was pretty nifty with his firsts and so was Greg… that was enough persuasion to do as I was told. If I didn't say no, it didn't feel as bad, I didn't feel as used afterwards. Tyler used me, he slept with me and left me. I should have realised that something wasn't right about the relationship between us but, it felt nice to be wanted by someone." She felt Joey hand on her ankle and he have a gentle squeeze. She knotted her hands together and looked down. "I said No the once, and he hit me…and then Greg found out and he hit me too. Tyler was unhappy. I ended up at the hospital with a cut across my eyebrow, his ring caught me…I took myself there." She closed her eyes remembering the conversation so clearly that her hospital visit had led to.

"Are you ok there love?" Lauren walked dizzily into the A&E department of Walford general. She's sat for an hour on the bus to get herself there, several people looking at with concern on her way. She had blood trickling down her face, coming from the cut above her eye. She blinked at the nurse stood in front of her , her mouth opening and closing as no words formed on her tongue. The tears fell from her eyes and the nurse smiled weakly "Come on sweetheart, you come with me and we'll get that eye of yours looked at ok?"

Lauren nodded weakly and followed forlornly behind the woman. The nurse briefly spoke to someone at the reception desk, she felt sorry for Lauren and had broken procedure to treat her that quickly. She lead Lauren to a row of cubicles and drew back rhea curtain around the one. "Can you sit on the bed for me poppet?" Lauren did as she was asked very quickly and the Nurse looked at her with concern. She picked up a cotton wool ball and tipped a little solution onto it, wiping away the dried blood. "What's your name sweetheart?" Lauren looked at her in fear "It's ok, it's all confidential…" she lied a little needing to get through to her patient.

"It's Lauren…"

The nurse smiled at her "Lauren, that's my daughter's name" she smiled, continuing clean the wound. "Can you tell me how you did this Lauren?" she went silent. "Did you fall?" silence. "Did you already have the cut?" silence. "Was it your boyfriend?". Laurens eyes shot up and she gave a definite but hesitant nod. "Is this the first time?" Laurens silence said everything. "Did you lose consciousness at all Lauren?"

"I can remember…I have a head ache and I feel sick and dizzy"

The nurse got a syringe of saline and cleaned out the wound "It sound like you have concussion Lauren, I'm going to take some blood and check your blood sugar, to make sure there's nothing else going on if that's ok with you?" Lauren nodded "Ok Sweetheart…I'll be two minutes."

Just as she said, the nurse returned two minutes later and took some blood, sending off to be rushed through. She sutured the cut above Laurens brow and gave her some pain relief. Lauren was desperate to leave and get home before her Mum or Greg realised she was late, she was supposed to be home by 5 and it was already half 4. The nurse briefly left and returned with A small piece of paper with Lauren's results on them.

Lauren didn't like the look on her face, it was full of concern and that scared Lauren, she got even more scared when the nurse drew the curtain around the bay and sat on the end of the bed. "Your blood sugar was fine Lauren, but you are anaemic." She looked at her patient and sighed softly "Lauren, did you know you were pregnant sweetheart?"

She opened her eyes and looked at Joey "The nurse took blood when I was there and she asked me if I knew I was pregnant. I didn't. I had no idea. I went home and got yelled at for being late, Greg had been boxing with Tyler so he was there too. He was just worried wild told someone he'd hit me. No one found out until a month later…I kept it quiet and Tyler was too busy boxing, he found out when he wanted me to sleep with him and I told him I couldn't. The thought of him doing that to me… hurting me when I was pregnant scared me so I blurted it out... Tyler hit me and I officially broke everything off and as pay back he told my Mum I was pregnant, by this time Greg was already in a little bit of debt because of his 'Boxing' business. Mum kicked me out. I lived with my Nan for two months and I woke up one day…I was bleeding and in pain and I'd lost the baby. My Nan told my Mum and Greg who were supportive as such and Tyler well he told me he was glad."

Joey looked at her properly now and saw the tears cascading down her face, he wanted nothing more than to reach across and pull her into his arms, but he didn't know how she'd react. "Lauren I'm so so sorry…"

"Why? It wasn't your fault. It was no body's fault. It was just 'one of those things'. He controlled me. Paid me for Sex, I'm the definition of used and abused"

Joey closed his eyes tightly realising the stupid dumb mistakes he'd made. He'd paid her after sleeping with her, he'd thrown the fact they hasn't used contraceptives in her face so spitefully when really he was just trying to get back at her. He gave up on holding back and stood up. Lauren looked at him as he stood next to her and opened his arms, she only had to blink and she was breaking. She collapsed into his arms and sobbed against his chest. She felt the safest she'd felt in a long time.

Thank you for all the reviews tonight! You really wanted this chapter ha ha ? So now we know all about poor Lauren's past and Joey's feeling pretty bad for what he's done now ! Back tomorrow xxx