Chapter 36.

Lauren opened her eyes and she was surprised by what she saw. Joey. He was sitting on the floor, leaning against Alice's bed. He was sitting and watching her as she'd been sleeping, "That's kind of creepy, you know…" she said softly, closing her eyes again.

He chuckled and Lauren couldn't help the small quirk of her mouth as she heard the welcome sound. "I like watching you sleep, babe…" he told her softly. "You're so beautiful…" he told her softly.

"Don't, Joe." She said, rolling onto her back and opening her eyes, staring at the ceiling.

"You're right… it'll just lead to disappointment for you… and me…" he said. "There was us both thinking that the fact we're cousins would be the difficulty in us being together…" he laughed sadly.

"It's not though, is it?" she whispered.

"No, it's not…" he said. "I am proud of you though, babe…"

"Why?" she asked, rolling on her side and staring at him, "For nearly downing a bottle of wine?"

"You don't even realise how big what you did was, do you?" he said softly, pushing away from the bed and moving towards her. She shook her head, not knowing what he was talking about. "You nearly drank the wine, babe…" he said, his hand pushed the hair back from her face and tucking it behind her ear, "but you didn't though… and you can't say that a few weeks ago you would've done the same thing, can you?"

"No, I guess not…"

"You need to stop doubting yourself so much, Lauren… realise how strong you are to have got through the things you've been through."

Lauren smiled, "You should be listening to and absorbing your own words, baby…" she whispered to him. "You've also been through a lot, Joe… you shouldn't doubt yourself either." She said. "I'm proud of you as well, you know…"

"Even after what I told you at the last counselling session?" he asked softly. He was leaning on his arms on the bed beside her now and Lauren placed her hand on top of his, squeezing it gently.

"Especially after that…" she whispered. He stared at her, his mouth dropping open in shock. "You know, if I'd gone through what you've been through I would be a mess, Joe." She told him, her thumb brushing the back of his hand tenderly. "Maybe I should rephrase that as even more of a mess than I already am… I wouldn't be worrying about drinking a bottle of wine in order to cope, I'd be bathing in the stuff… passed out in a drunken stupor somewhere." She told him. "So yes, I'm proud of you… and so very glad you came to me when you needed me."

"Do you think it would be against Eleanor's rules for us to have a hug?" he whispered.

"I really hope not, Joe…" she said, shifting on the bed and holding her arms out towards him. He pulled her to him, sitting her on his lap as they both hugged. Neither of them spoke for several minutes, both just absorbing how it felt to be together again.

"I've missed this," Joey whispered, his arms squeezing her a little tighter.

"Missed what?" she asked, knowing they had never done this before so not sure what there was to miss.

"Being close to you…" he breathed.

"I have too." She said.

He pulled away from her, releasing the grip he had on her body. He studied her face, his fingertips brushing her cheek as he pushed her hair back and tucked it behind her ear. "You look tired."

Lauren lowered her eyes, her face turning pink, "I can't sleep…" she said.

"Why not?"

She looked uncomfortable, "It doesn't matter…" she whispered.

"It does to me." He told her, lifting her chin and kissing her softly.

"I don't want to pressure you…" she said, her words hardly making a sound. He stared at her intently and she sighed, "I can't sleep when I'm not with you," she admitted.

"Babe…"

"I know…" she interrupted, "I did say I didn't want to pressure you…"

"You aren't…" he said, leaning forward and pressing his mouth on hers. The kiss was brief… much like one of their first had been.

"I'm not in a rush for us to have sex, Joe…" she told him softly as they pulled apart. "I'm more than ready to wait for as long as it takes… but I don't like being apart from you…" she whispered. "I like it when I hold you in my arms and you wrap your arms around me. It makes me feel safe and loved and that's all I want from you… nothing else, not until you're ready."

"Move back into my room, babe…"

"What about Eleanor?" she said.

"We tried it… and it didn't work… There's no point in us not being together if it makes us both unhappy… We'll talk to her… explain it…"

"You were unhappy with it too?" she asked softly.

"Of course I was, Lauren… I love you… You're the only girl I've ever loved and I don't like not being with you."

"Then I'll move back into your room…" she whispered. He smiled and kissed her again, both of them losing themselves briefly.

A/N: So they're going to ignore what Eleanor has told them because it's making them both miserable. Will doing that make it worse for them both? Will it put pressures on them both to try again? One chapter to go. SEND ME A REVIEW. Back tomorrow... FOR THE LAST CHAPTER OF HIDDEN TRUTHS...