So here is the penultimate chapter... And I thought I'd throw another little twist to the story... Enjoy!

Chapter 19.

It was now several hours since Joey had woken up. Several hours Lauren had spent alone with Joey. They'd done nothing more than kiss each other, the odd touch from Joey to various sensitive parts of her body. Joey had, in fact, made her come a couple of times already today and she'd wanted to do the same for him but something held her back. She wished she could do that for him. She really wanted to but she was scared. She wasn't ready.

It wasn't Joey she was scared of, although apparently she scared him. What really scared Lauren was for the first time she felt free. The shadow of the last two weeks that had been pressing down on her was gone and there was only one person who needed any thanks for that. She no longer needed to rely on anything else to get her through the day, although she could easily be persuaded to rely on Joey if she had to choose something.

Lauren knew she'd never felt this way about anybody before. She knew that but she was also realistic enough to know that many people around them would never accept their relationship. Part of that worried her. Her vulnerable side, the part of her she rarely showed anyone, cared about what people thought about her. She didn't want people to treat her or Joey badly because they were together. She didn't want him to change his mind and that was what scared her about anything that might be said to them. She knew she couldn't lose him now.

Lauren hated letting people down. She always had done; as much as she hated it when people let her down. Her family had always been important to her but now she realised that wasn't a sentiment shared by everyone else. It disappointed her. Her family's rejection of her two weeks ago confused her but again she wasn't completely surprised by it either. She knew she'd done some pretty awful things to them in the last few years. She could clearly see now that her drinking had been out of control but she'd been unable to see it at the time. If that was because she didn't want to admit it to herself she wasn't sure. She knew though that their way of helping her hadn't been what she needed. Shouting and screaming at her to change wasn't what she'd needed to hear. So she'd run from them and she'd learnt in the hardest way possible how out of control she'd been.

It was time for her to admit the truth. Time to get the help she needed. To get the support she wanted to get through this. To Lauren, all answers to her previous thoughts were Joey. There was no one else she needed or wanted. She knew that now. She hoped Joey knew she felt that way.

*JL*JL*

Lauren was just coming out of the bedroom after her shower when the doorbell rang. Joey was now in the bathroom himself so she had to answer it. She was hesitant to do so. The night before, at the pub, had taken a lot more out of her than she was willing to admit, even to Joey. She wasn't sure she was ready to face anyone yet. Cautiously Lauren walked up to the door, trying to work out who it was through the frosted glass. As she got closer she could tell it was her uncle Jack and Sharon. Of everyone it might have been, they seemed the safest option. Taking a deep breath she opened the door a fraction and peeked through the slight gap she revealed.

"Can we come in, Lauren?" Jack asked her gently, seeing her reluctance to ask them. She pulled open the door, stepping back behind it so they could walk in.

"Can I get either of you a drink?" Lauren asked them softly once the three of them were in the lounge.

"Coffee would be great, Lauren." Sharon said with a smile and Jack nodded in agreement.

Lauren left the room quickly, glad for the few minutes of solitude she would get in the kitchen. She was waiting for the kettle to boil when two hands grasped her hips. She shrieked but it quickly faded as Joey pressed his lips to her neck, turning her in his arms and kissing her deeply on the lips. Lauren got caught up in the still relatively new experience of feeling his lips on hers but they were broken apart by an obviously embarrassed cough from their uncle as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Lauren couldn't look at either of the men in the room and she spun round again to continue to sort out the coffees for the others and a tea for herself.

"Uncle Jack..." Joey said as he walked out of the room, not a hint of embarrassment in his voice, despite the fact he only had a towel around his waist and had just been caught kissing his cousin. Lauren wished she could be as brazen about it. Part of her was interested to see how her uncle would react though. Kind of like a barometer for the rest of the family.

"I just wanted to check you were okay. I heard you cry out," Jack said, backing out of the room and heading back to his girlfriend in the lounge.

Lauren stayed in the kitchen a few more minutes, needing to compose herself before facing her uncle again. She wondered what he would have to say about what he'd just witnessed. Joey walked into the kitchen before she left it, having just thrown on some clothes once he got back to their room. "I can take two of those," he told her in a soft voice, seeing how awkward she felt in her whole posture as she stood near him. Lauren passed Joey the coffees for Jack and Sharon while she then picked up his coffee and her tea. The two of them walked into the lounge.

*JL*JL*

Jack and Sharon were sitting side by side on the couch and took their drinks from Joey. Joey moved to sit on the armchair. Lauren stood awkwardly in the doorway, not sure what to do or where to put herself. Joey looked and smiled softly at her. With a quick glance at her uncle's face she moved to Joey's side and passed him his mug. Realising she needed some space she walked over to the window and stared out of it, deep in thought.

"What happened after we left last night the pub?" Joey asked.

"The family went back to number 5, we discussed everything you told us." Jack glanced at his niece, "Lauren, your parents are very sorry for how they've treated you recently. We're all sorry we weren't there for you when you needed us. Your parents are the most sorry though."

"That's nice for them," Lauren said bitterly.

"They love you..." Jack continued saying to Lauren. "They wish you'd go home to them."

Lauren turned to face Jack, "It's too little, too late." She whispered. "Right here is where I belong now."

"Lauren..." Jack said.

"No!" She said more firmly to him. "I'm sorry but they've had two weeks to try and find me and to the best of my knowledge they haven't made any effort at all. They could've tried me on my mobile but they didn't. They only needed to speak to the police about my disappearance and they would've been able to inform them of my whereabouts, I'm sure. Seeing as how they knew I was staying here with Joey. No, instead they just assumed I was getting drunk somewhere and would turn up eventually. Like a bad penny."

"You spoke to the police?" Jack asked.

"Of course I did. I wanted the men who did this to me to be caught and punished."

"How's the investigation going?" Jack said.

It was Joey that answered, "They arrested all five of them a few days ago. They've been charged and bail was refused. They're all pleading guilty to the charges and the police expect them each to get a long custodial sentence."

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Lauren." Jack said. "You could've come to me that night. You know I would've been there for you."

"I know." She murmured. She put down her cup, suddenly feeling quite sick at the thought of drinking it. Her thoughts had been drawn back to the events of that night since her uncle's arrival and she could feel it all becoming a bit too much for her. Her stomach rebelled and she turned and ran from the room quickly. The next thing she was aware of she was throwing up into the toilet, not that she had much in her stomach to actually expel but it was making a concerted effort to reappear nonetheless. Someone was holding her hair back and as they brushed their hand down her back, she knew it was Joey. It gave her some comfort, like he intended it to do.

"It's okay, babe." He said to her gently. Lauren began to cry and he pulled her into his arms, running his fingers through her hair as they both sat on the floor of the bathroom. Joey reached over and flushed the toilet once Lauren began to calm down. "Are you ready to go back into the lounge?"

She shook her head, "I can't go in there on my own."

"I'll be there with you the whole time." He promised her gently, his fingers caressing the curve of her cheek.

"I just don't know if I can go through it all again." She whispered to him, "Anyway we can't go in there together. What will uncle Jack think?"

"Given what he saw in the kitchen, I'm pretty sure he already knows, babe. Anyway Sharon is there... she'll help him understand." He kissed her temple softly. "Can you do this, baby? Let me look after you, please."

"You already do..." she answered him with a soft smile.

"Come on..." he said, getting to his feet and lifting her up. He starts to walk them to the door.

"Wait..." she said, rushing back to the sink and cleaning her teeth quickly. She walked back to him, "Horrible taste in my mouth..." she explained. Joey smiled at her and walked back to the lounge, her hand in his. Both Sharon and Jack watched them as they walked into the room. Lauren didn't miss the way Jack looked at their entwined hands.

*JL*JL*

Joey dragged her over to the armchair and pulled Lauren onto his lap, staring at their uncle, almost daring him to make a comment. Jack accepted the dare before a minute was even up, "So something is going on between the pair of you?" he asked.

"What if there is?" Joey said, slightly defensive.

"Do you think now is the best timing?" Jack asked quietly.

"Uncle Jack, I need Joey. He saved me." Lauren whispered.

"So you're with him because you feel grateful to him?" Jack asked.

"No! It's not like that." Lauren protested. Joey's arm tightened around her and he kissed her temple gently. He knew it wasn't like that. His kiss was to reassure Lauren he was with her.

"Tell me what it's like then..." He said, getting angry with the pair of them. Actually he was more than just angry.

"Jack..." Sharon said, her arm resting on his leg to calm him down.

Joey squeezed her arm as Lauren buried herself into his arms. Jack's words had hurt her and Joey could tell the way he'd just spoken to them both had scared Lauren. He scowled in his uncle's direction, beginning to regret trusting him the night before. "I've liked Lauren since the first day I met her." He started. "I was attracted to her straight away but I don't think I realised what how I felt really meant. And of course I didn't know who she was the first time I saw her," Joey looked at Lauren's face, "Everything changed that night two weeks ago. It felt like I couldn't breathe when I saw her lying on the ground. She was such a mess. I thought she was dead. I can't tell you how relieved I was when the ambulance turned up and they were looking after her. I didn't know what to do and I was scared she was going to die before they got there. I went to the hospital with her because the thought of her waking up alone was too horrible to imagine. I already knew by then that her parents weren't coming to the hospital and I couldn't work out what had happened." Joey paused and Lauren leaned up and kissed his jaw. It had surprised her to see him showing such vulnerability. It wasn't something he usually did and it showed her even more than he probably realised. Joey saw Jack wince and he had to fight the smirk from escaping. "I sat with her for hours; the only time I left was when the doctor came to examine her and do the tests. I was there all the time after that though; I was there when the doctor gave her the test results; when he told her she'd been raped. It was me that comforted her and was there for her. I brought her home with me because she didn't want to go home. And I wanted to take care of her. I won't let her be hurt by anyone again. And that includes family." He said pointedly. He cleared his throat, pushing away the emotions that were brimming near the surface, needing to keep a clear head, for Lauren's sake, "Initially it wasn't anything other than me just being there for her but after a few days neither of us could deny it anymore."

"So you took advantage of her when she couldn't defend herself?" Jack accused.

"NO!" both Joey and Lauren cried out.

"I would never do that to a girl and most definitely not to someone like Lauren. She means more to me than anything else."

"But you're cousins..." Jack said and it was like one giant leap back to square number one.

"You don't think we realise that?" Joey said harshly. "This hasn't been easy for either of us, uncle Jack. It wasn't just us getting together we had to deal with; it was everything else as well."

"Jack... there's nothing wrong with them being together." Sharon said.

"What would you know?" Jack said, turning his anger towards her.

Sharon stared at him then got to her feet. She walked over to Joey and Lauren, "I'm really sorry for everything you've been through, Lauren and I hope the two of you will be very happy together. I think you make a lovely couple." She slowly brushed her hand down Lauren's arm and squeezed it gently. It was the first time someone other than Joey had touched her without her reacting. "I'll see you at work, Joey." She turned and looked at Jack, who was watching her. "I'll see you later." She said, her voice turning hard as she spoke to the man she lived with; the man who didn't seem to understand or know her at all.

There was silence once she'd left the house. Joey broke the silence, "Well done, uncle Jack."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Have you forgotten about Dennis?" Joey said, reminding his uncle of Sharon's husband. Not that he should need reminding.

"How do you know about him?"

"Sharon told me."

"She knew about the two of you didn't she?" Jack accused.

"I spoke to her about it." Joey admitted.

"So she's known about all of this, the whole time?"

"Not all the time. She spoke to me... I was upset about what had happened to Lauren and she'd seen the police at my flat. She asked me what was going on and I had to tell her." Joey said quietly, worried he was getting Sharon in trouble.

"She never told me. She didn't tell Tanya. How could she keep something like that a secret?"

"Firstly it wasn't her secret to tell. Secondly, I made her promise not to tell anyone." Joey explained. "This is my fault, not hers. And I was just doing what Lauren wanted. Lauren had the right to choose when people found out about what happened."

"Sharon should've told Max and Tanya where Lauren was..."

"Really?" Joey said. "You're going to throw that argument at us? That's the best you can come up with?"

"Joey..." Lauren whispered from his arms. Her hand turned his face towards her and his expression softened as soon as he saw her. She kissed him on the lips and smiled against his mouth, "It doesn't matter, does it...?" She kissed him again, "You said it didn't matter what anyone thought as long as it's what we want. Don't forget that now..." She reminded him, staring deeply into his eyes. Her emotions were clearly visible to him and it reminded him of what, or rather who, was important.

"I love you, babe." He whispered to her.

"I love you too..." she breathed.

"You love each other?" Jack spluttered, making them both aware of his presence again.

Lauren turned to her uncle, "Yes, we do." She'd realised in the last few minutes that she didn't care what anybody thought anymore. It didn't matter what anyone else thought about this. All that mattered was the man holding her in his arms.

"How can you love him? After what you've been through... what two weeks ago? You say you're in love with him already?"

"I think it's time you went, uncle Jack." Lauren said, quickly realising he was never going to understand. It saddened her but she knew she could cope with it. The only person she needed was Joey.

"I came to see how you were." He said to her sadly.

"Well you've done that now, so you can go. We don't need you judging us in our own home," Lauren told him and watched as he walked out of the flat. It had been an un-mitigating disaster but had managed to qualify one thing for Lauren. There was no future for either of them in Walford. She could accept that now. She knew there was no way their family would ever be willing to accept them being together and the possibility of her getting any support from them after what she'd been through was shrinking rapidly. She stared at Joey's face and she could see he was confused by the peaceful look she knew was on it. "I think you're right, Joe."

"About what?" he asked softly.

"I think we need to leave. I don't want to be here anymore. Let's move away from the square."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. As long as I'm with you, I know I'll be fine. You're all that's important to me, Joe. I don't need or want anybody else."

"Where do you want to go?"

"I don't mind. Wherever you want, babe." She told him with a smile. She'd told him her only criteria.

"We'll need to sort out a few things here but I think you're right, we'll go. It might just take a couple of weeks." He kissed her forehead gently before tenderly moving his mouth down her face until it met her lips. Their kiss turned passionate quickly but neither of them was prepared to push it any further. Now was about being there for each other... like they would be forever.

TBC

A/N: Oh dear... they really have no one. Did you see that coming? Just one chapter to go... I wonder what will happen in that one. :-) See you tomorrow.