Joey smiled as Lauren's face turned red 'I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that' he told her feeling a little ashamed at her embarrassment. She moved forward and buried her face against his chest. A few minutes later she pulled back to look at him

'Do we have everything ready for the baby?' she asked him clearly changing the subject

'Yes, pretty much; he nodded his head

'You look tired Joey' she told him as she stroked his cheek with her fingers

'I am' he nodded 'Mostly I spent my time watching you sleep, talking to you' he told her 'I wanted to be awake in case you woke up' he told her 'And then the one time I actually leave the hospital you decide to wake up' he told her

'Sorry' she said feeling a little guilty

'Don't be, I am just glad that you are finally awake' he told her 'Even more glad that you're off the ventilator'

'You don't need to worry about me anymore' she told him softly 'why don't you try and get some sleep and I'll watch over you'

Joey smiled at her 'If I wake up and this day has just been a dream I am going to be pretty pissed off at you' he said

'It won't be. I promise' she whispered and she rolled carefully onto her back, Joey inched closer to her and he lay his head on her chest, she ran her fingers through the soft hair on the nape of his neck and he felt his eyes growing heavy, finally he succumbed to sleep.

Joey was still asleep when Tanya and Max came back the next morning at 9:30am, Lauren looked up at them and pressed her finger over her lips, warning them not wake him.

'Poor boy's exhausted' Max said softly

'Yeah he is' Lauren said softly

'Are you comfortable darling?' he asked her

She nodded 'Yes I am' she said 'How's Oscar?' she looked at her mother

'Oscar is fine. He's eager to see you and a little worried too. He thinks that you are going to tell him off for running away'

'I think he's learnt that lesson' Lauren said 'Can you bring him in later? Abi too?'

'Of course' Tanya nodded, 'We were asked to bring these in for you' she said and she put the biggest bouquet of flowers on the windowsill 'Everyone had a whip round when they heard you were awake, there's a list of people wanting to see you but Doctor Roberts says family only, for now' she said to her

Lauren nodded 'I'm hoping he'll let me go home soon' Lauren told her

'It might be a while yet honey' Max said to her

'That's what Joey's says' she said looking down at him still sleeping against her chest, she smiled. 'He hasn't been sleeping, he told me that he's mostly been watching me sleep, talking to me' she told them and she looked up at them both 'I know the baby is Joey's' she told them 'I don't remember everything but bits and pieces are coming back' she looked at them both ''I know I love him, I feel it' she frowned 'it's hard to explain, I feel safe when he's here, I don't like it when he leaves'

Joey murmured something in his sleep and pulled Lauren closer to him, her ribs protested a little, and she gave a small cry of pain.

'Maybe we should wake him Lauren?' Max said coming towards them ready to wake his nephew

'No let him sleep' she said shaking her head 'he needs it'

Max reluctantly let him be and he sighed 'You look better' he told her softly

'I feel better' she said 'I had a CT scan last night and the doctor said that my brain is fine, no bleeding or swelling so that's good' she told them 'And he said that there's no reason my memories won't come back properly. I mean they are all in my head just jumbled'

Tanya smiled 'Well that's good news' she said to her

Joey murmured again 'Who are you talking to?' he asked her without opening his eyes.

'Mum and dad are here' she lowered her voice 'its okay you sleep' she rubbed his back softly.

'Mmhmm, love you' he sighed

Lauren smiled 'I love you too' she whispered back, Joey appeared to go back to sleep and she looked at her parents again. 'Are you two okay? I'm sorry I worried you' she told them

'We are just glad that you are going to be okay' Max said 'You and my grandson or daughter'

'Granddaughter' Lauren said 'The baby's a she'

Max's face lit up 'Yeah? My first granddaughter?'

'Yep. Joey wants lots of children' she told them 'At least another four' she frowned and her eyes suddenly went out of focus as remembered something.

'Lauren?' Tanya said softly 'Lauren?'

Lauren looked back at her parents 'What?' she asked them 'I'm sorry did you ask me something?'

'You spaced out for like 10 minutes' Tanya said to her 'you worried us'

'Sorry I was just… I remembered something that's all, I think'

'What did you remember?'

'Well I'm not sure if it is a memory or if my head is making it up' she admitted to them 'I'll talk to Joey about it when he wakes up' she told them both

'Did you sleep last night?' Tanya asked Lauren as she yawned

'Not really, I cat napped' she told her 'I've been asleep for a month'

'Can we bring you anything when we come back with Oscar and Abi?' Max asked her

'No thanks' she told them 'but maybe you could get Joey to have a decent meal. I don't think he ate anything yesterday and the hospital food can't be good for you' she told them both 'Maybe you could leave Abi and Oscar here and take him to a pub or something?' she asked them

'We'll try' Max said 'like we have done every day we've come to see you'

'Well I'm awake now so you might have more luck this time'

'All right we'll try' Max said 'but don't be surprised if he refuses' he told her 'Well we're going to go, we'll be back later with your brother and sister'

'Oh can you buy a toy for him and give it to me so I can give it to him?' she asked them 'I have money somewhere' she frowned

'Of course we will' Max smiled and he squeezed her foot gently.

'Bye darling' Tanya said as she leant down and kissed her cheek.

'Bye mum, I love you' she told her

'I love you too' she replied with a smile. Max winked at her as Joey started to stir.

They closed the door as Joey woke up, he rubbed his eyes with one hand

'Who were you talking to?' he asked her

'Mum and dad. You just missed them' she told him 'they're coming back later with Abi and Oscar, and then they are going to take you out to get something to eat'

'No I'm okay with the food here'

'You didn't eat any yesterday' she reminded him 'we need don't need you getting sick too' she said to him, he looked up at her

He climbed off the bed as Doctor Roberts came into the room. 'Morning' he said with a smile 'How are you feeling today?' he asked her

'I need to pee' she told him 'It build up and builds up and then I don't need to anymore'

'Okay we'll see about taking out the catheter today, maybe the drip too?' he looked at her 'Do you feel sore or stiff?'

'Only a little' Lauren said to him 'I'd like to get out of this bed though'

'We'll see about that too' he told her 'Okay let's check you over'

'I'm going to use the facilities' Joey told her and he opened her bedside cupboard and took out a bag 'I'll be back soon, be a good girl for the doctor' he told her and he stole a quick kiss.

AN: And another fluffy chapter for you all

Thanks for your reviews. I am glad that you are enjoying this story, the good and the bad.

More later

As always R&R.