Chapter 25

The weeks after the funeral passed ridiculously quick and before they knew it, the recruits had reached the halfway point in their training. There were officially three days left until they could go home for Christmas and everyone around the base was high in the Christmas spirit. Arriving back after the funeral had been quite a strange experience, Lauren was expecting a snide comment or two from Vicky, she suspected Nancy and Ella may have something to do with it, but neither would ever confess.

Joey had luckily escaped too many questions, his Major had given him time off on medical grounds, which wasn't a complete lie...Joey was still technically in recovery so there hadn't really been much suspicion there. However Corporal foster hadn't been so forgiving, lucky Joey was higher ranked than her so he was able to give her a little talk, explaining his "Medical leave". She took the reason, but Joey had noticed she was constantly watching him.

Lauren and Joey had continued to sneak little meetings here and there, it made it easier in some sense that Lauren had missed some of her training as it gave them the excuse to have a few private 'training' sessions. The extra curricula activities probably weren't army regulation, no…they definitely weren't. But when you looked like Lauren, and your boyfriend was pretty much turned on all the time, there was no time for Army authorised training. The days after the funeral had been hard, Max and Tanya practically having to push Lauren (and Joey) out of the door to go back to base. Olivia and Oscar crying the evening before really hadn't helped the situation much but Lauren promised she'd be back for Christmas. Joey had agreed with her promise and told Lauren he'd like to see the twins again, he understood what an important part of her life they were, and she there's.

"What's got you in such a day dream?"

"Huh?" Ever the eloquent one, Lauren looked up at Nancy holding her unfolded top in mid-air.

"You're on a total, different planet . Is everything ok?"

Lauren nodded "Everything is fine, why wouldn't it be? We're going home" a smile was forced onto her face as she folded the top and started on the rest of her things.

Nancy grinned and Jumped onto the bed next to her "Ooohhh I know what the problem is, you're not going to see lover boy." She teased.

"Don't Nance. I'll really miss him" Lauren sighed

Nancy fell dramatically onto the mattress clutching her chest and faking pain "Oh My heart bleeds for you… whatever will you do for an entire week without him?" Lauren shot her a frown "Anyways thought your parents were getting hitched again? Ask him to the wedding"

Lauren hadn't thought about that, she'd really like it if he was there, but then her heart dropped as a thought clouded her temporarily happiness. "He won't be able to. It'll be Christmas day, he'll be spending it with his Mum and Sister…" she mused over other options, effectively zoning out on Nancy again.

"I'll leave you to your… thoughts then… we got training in an hour see you there?"

"Hmm" Lauren replied, going back to her own little world.

*JL*JL*JL*

Training that afternoon wasn't as intense as it had been previously , which they were all thankful for. They had run the parameters of the base, on icy floor, which proved challenging to say the least and now they were doing circuits in the Gym. Corporal Foster had been putting them through their paces for the last hour, she was a complete slave driver.

"Circuits End." She yelled and the girls all came to a slow stop. " Section Training, Begin"

The section Training covered everything from cardio to strength and this was where Joey took the lead. It was only for the last half an hour, but the girls always seemed to like it more when he was in charge; some of them even tried to flirt a little… not that Joey noticed though, he had eyes for one girl and one girl only. Talking of whom, seemed to be in a different place altogether.

Joey stood watching her for a few minutes, she wasn't in it, her energy and will that was normally there wasn't present. He moved over to Nancy, seeing she was watching Lauren too. Joey moved to stand behind her and took the weights as Nancy lifted them, helping her bench press. "What's wrong with Lauren?" he asked quietly

"She's worried…" she lifted the weight and held it for a couple of seconds before gently lowering it again.

"Why?" Nancy paused again, unsure if she should be telling him. "I'm not asking as your sergeant Nancy…I'm asking as a concerned boyfriend." He added in a whisper .

"She's fretting over Christmas and is already missing you before you've even gone… she really loves you and she doesn't want to spend Christmas without you and it's her mum and dads wedding and she wants you there but doesn't want you to miss Christmas with your family" she took a breath after she'd just gushed everything out. She looked at him with a small smile and did a final press with the weights.

He blinked a few times taking in what she's just said. Laurens eyes briefly caught his as she stretched and he smiled at her, more love than ever in his eyes. "Thanks Nancy… for all of this."

"No problem Sarge."

Joey waited until their training session had finished before he made his approach. Lauren was talking to Nancy who turned her around and made her look at Joey. "Later's" she said laughing and left the gym.

"Hi" Lauren's voice was awkward, her stance reflecting the awkwardness as she fiddled with the zip on her fleece. "I erm…saw you talking to Nancy earlier" she said glumly

"Yeah…I wanted to know why My girlfriend seemed to have been replaced by someone else these last few days. Because she seems to be somewhere else and keeps avoiding me." He said with a smirk, brushing the stray bits of hair from her face. "She's got me a little worried"

"I'm sorry… It's just, I'm happy to go home and everything but, I'm really going to miss you…I'm not sure I want to leave you for a whole week."

"You don't have to…" he said softly. "Look go shower and have dinner and I'll meet you later ye? Come to my room…I'll leave the door open for you." Albeit reluctantly, Lauren nodded. "Ok, I'll see you in a bit…" he kissed her cheek quickly and the they went their separate ways before they were caught.

*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren was pacing the corridor outside of Joey's room, her nerves in tatters. She'd gone to go in several times, but when her hand touched the handle she changed her mind and went back to pacing. She could hear movement in his room , so she delayed again.

After another few paces, there was an echo of boots down the corridor and they got closer and closer… she had no choice but to go in the room now, either that or be caught and have to answer a series of questions, which she was sure she would give incriminating answers to. She caught a glimpse of her corporal and just prayed she hadn't been seen.

She quickly opened his door, thankful it was open like he'd said. It slammed shut behind her as she leaned flat against it, her breathing heavy. "Baby?"

"Foster… Corporal Foster nearly caught me" she said breathlessly. Joey moved over to her and took her hands in her, moving he to sit on the bed. "That was so close…"

"I would have protected you" he grinned and kissed her. The kiss depended as it always did between the two of them. Joey's tongue grazed her lip and he felt Lauren respond. They moved backwards in the bed getting much too carried away.

Lauren groaned and pulled away, outing her hands on his shoulders "This isn't what I came here for Mr…"

He rolled his eyes and Saw the slight pride in her face that she'd actually managed to stop what they were doing, because damn it had taken some willpower. "you know I said earlier that you didn't have to be without me for Christmas? Well I have an idea…"

Lauren frowned "Did Nancy tell you everything?"

"Ye she did baby… and I'm glad she did, because you obviously weren't going to." He told her softly

"I didn't want to spill everything out to you and put you in a situation where you felt like you had to choose between me and your family, I'd never do that" she admitted. She'd been in that situation, where it was an impossible decision, and she swore she'd never put anyone in that position.

"I know you wouldn't Lauren… but for the record I'd have chosen you."

Lauren smiled and gave him a quick kiss, not really knowing how to respond, no one had ever put her first before, she was always put last. "What's this idea of yours then?"

"Well, seen as you don't want to spend Christmas without me and I don't want spend it without you, I say we spend it together. I know your Mum and Dad are getting Married and I can be there for that too." He saw the Look on her face and simply replied "Nancy"

"Wont your Mum and sister be annoyed with you though?"

He shook his head "Nope, Mum and Alice are going to Mum's sisters in Devon so they won't mind. I really want to spend Christmas with you baby… I want to spend every single day with you Lauren."

"You do?" Joey couldn't help but Laugh at the surprise in her voice.

"Yes I do… so please, spend Christmas with me?" he asked again

"Yes." Lauren's arms wrapped around his neck and held on tight as Joey hugged her to. "You do realise what you've signed up for don't you? A Branning family Christmas is never simple." She chuckled.

"I'm sure I'll survive… and I have something else to ask you too." He took a breath "I've met your family, so I thought it was only right you met mine? Maybe we could visit them before we go to yours for Christmas?"

"I'd really like that."

"Good, I can tell my Mum's really excited to meet you… so's Alice. I think they'll be happy to put a face to the name. They say I've spoken about you quite a lot." He chuckled lightly and the two of them lay on the bed "Nearly two months we've been together now…"

"It feels longer…" Lauren teased and receive a nudge from Joey "Definitely feels longer" she giggled. "I'm serious though, it feels like we've been together for ages… like in a good way though."

"nice save" Joey smiled "Well I plan and being with you for ever and ever and ever… Do you think we could possibly continue that kiss from earlier?"

"I think I could manage that…"

Well suspicions are raised ! And Joey's going to spend Christmas with the Brannings ... I'll be back a little later as I don't know if I'm going to be able to post tomorrow and if I do it will be pretty early again xx