A/N: Okay so obviously I'm a bit of a perfectionist and my self doubt about the last chapter was unwarranted... or I haven't been told by anyone that it was dire, so worry over. Here is the last proper chapter before the epilogue. This chapter happen at the same time as the previous one, focusing on Joey and Max. Enjoy!

Chapter 21.

Joey left the building and stood just outside the doors of the court. Leaning against the wall, he tipped his head back and closed his eyes. "You okay?" Max asked him gently. Joey wasn't surprised Max was there and he nodded silently. "You want me to get Lauren for you?" he asked.

"No." Joey smiled slightly, "If I know her she'll probably be chewing Alice's ear off any time now." He looked at his uncle, his smile growing, "She needs to vent." He added with a shrug. A little part of him hoped she wasn't too hard on his sister, although he'd be pleased if it had the effect of getting Alice to talk to him again.

"You're probably right." Max leant against the wall beside him. "You know I'm proud of what you did in there. I know how much that took for you to do that." He told him.

"You do?" Joey looked at his uncle.

"Yeah. When you were in hospital I think I told you my relationship with my father wasn't great but I never really went into details, did I?" Joey shook his head, interested to hear what Max had to say, "When I was born there were already four other children; Derek, Carol and two other sisters that I don't think you've met. Then a few years later, Jack was born and dad thought the sun shone from his backside. When we were kids Jack and I fought... a lot. It led to there being a lot of tension in the house. The atmosphere wasn't helped by the fact dad was an alcoholic. That's why seeing Lauren drink so much hurts me, it reminds me of my father. It's the same for Tanya as her mother drank when she was young as well."

"We're more alike than I'd realised." Joey said.

"There were many times I disappointed my dad. When I was a boy he was very racist. That changed later in his life, he became very close friends with Patrick after moving to the square but when I was a boy, it was very different. Life was difficult and between your father, uncle Jack and Michael Moon, I didn't have many friends of my own I could rely on. I did make a good one once but dad didn't approve. You see, he was black... so again I was the person bringing shame on the family. He needed to punish me for being such an embarrassment."

"What did he do?" Joey asked, suddenly a little glad he'd never met his grandfather.

"He locked me in a coffin at an undertaker's overnight. It was the worst experience of my life and small spaces are still an issue for me. Then when Bradley was two I had a major falling out with your granddad and I walked out, disassociating myself from everyone. It's one of the reasons I never had any contact with Derek during your childhood. The only ones I kept in touch with were Carol and Jack."

"What did you fall out about?" Joey asked.

"Your uncle Jack thought it would be a fantastic idea to steal a medal my grandfather got for bravery in World War 2 from dad. He blamed it all on me and dad was only too eager to believe I had something to do with it." Max pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and took one out of the pack. He saw Joey flinch when he went to light it and he threw the whole lot in a nearby bin in dismay as he realised what had caused that reaction.

"Did you ever reconcile with him?" Joey asked.

"Kind of. We sorted some things out a bit after I moved to Walford. Things were always a bit strained between us but they were much better than they were when I was young. So while my father may have never raised his fists to me or done any of the other awful things Derek did to you I know what it's like to live with a man who hates you, I can understand some of what your life was like."

"Thanks uncle Max. It means a lot to me that you told me that." They fell silent for several minutes after Joey spoke.

"What you said in there, about Lauren and you being together forever.: Max paused and Joey looked at him, wondering what he was going to say, "When you've been with each other a bit longer... like, I don't know, maybe a couple of years from now, you come and ask me that question again." He smirked at his nephew when he began to blush, "I may just take you up on that suggestion." He said, Joey's eyes widening with his words, "Welcome to the family, Joey. I hope you know what you're letting yourself in for."

"I think I can live with it," Joey said, a small smile on his face.

"It'll be good to even up the male/female ratio in our house slightly." Max said.

"You do realise I'll agree to pretty much anything Lauren says, right?" Joey replied, it brought a smile to his uncle's face.

"Just the way it should be, son."

Joey stared at his uncle, wondering if Max understood the impact of what he'd just called him. "Kind of like the sound of that." He whispered, slightly embarrassed to admit it. He almost felt more vulnerable admitting that than he had on the witness stand, although it was a close run thing.

Max had known exactly what he was saying and for him it was long overdue as far as he was concerned. Max smiled at him, "Kind of liked saying it actually."

"Lauren said she was prepared to share..." Joey told him, looking down at the ground, "If you'd be up for it."

"You'd really want that?" Max hadn't expected Joey to be as receptive as he was being. He'd thought the horror stories of his daughter's childhood would've been enough to convince Joey to steer well clear. "Even after all that Lauren's told you about her childhood?" He checked.

Joey shrugged. "You've made mistakes. We all have. You're trying to repair things now. Lauren loves you. I don't think you know how much the last few weeks have meant to her... to both of us really. I couldn't have got through this without her. And I don't think she would've been as calm about it all without your support." Joey stepped away from Max, beginning to pace backwards and forwards, "I never thought I would find someone like Lauren. I thought I'd always be alone. I don't trust people easily but Lauren she's something else. She... God, how I do I say this... I love her so damn much. I would've walked away though. If you'd not supported us I mean... I'd never make her choose between you and me. One of us should have a father in our lives."

"I thought she was going to share?" Max said, laughing quietly when he saw the shock appear on his face. "Come here." He said, pulling his nephew towards him and hugging him tightly. "Thank you for saving my daughter, son." He said as the boy broke down in his arms, the emotional toll of what Max had just offered him becoming too much for him. "Thank you for letting me save you." He added, hoping this would go some way to repairing the damage that had been done to him in his early years. Joey eventually pulled away from him, shame at his reaction shining from his face, "At least I can't screw your life up any further," Max said with a smile.

Joey smiled at him, "I just hope you're a good role model, dad," he said, whispering the word as he tried it for the first time, "I mean one day I'm going to be using the knowledge I gain with my own child, I need someone better than Derek to refer to." He laughed loudly when his uncle's eyes widened. "Your face..." he said. "Don't worry, that won't be happening for a while." He told him gently. "Now I think I'd better get inside, I'm pretty sure Lauren needs me right about now."

"That or your sister needs rescuing." Max said.

"That too." Joey said and they both walked back into the court house. Joey was right, Lauren did need him and when they walked back over to the family it was difficult to miss the tension enveloping them all.

"Let's go home," Max said softly, as concerned by his daughter when he saw her as Joey had been. It was a quiet ride back to the square for the two cars as the family tried to absorb the events of the day. They were lucky that the square was fairly deserted when they pulled up outside the houses.

Max ushered his wife and kids into the house, seeing Jack taking care of Sharon, Carol and Alice. Max was no clearer in understanding what had happened while he was outside with Joey but he could sense his daughter had lost control and he was concerned this would push her back in the direction of the booze.

Joey carried Lauren carefully into the house and it reminded Max of a time, pretty much ten weeks ago, when he'd done the same thing. He entered the house and found Cora and Abi waiting for news. He could see the concern grow on their faces when they watched Joey carry Lauren into the house and through to the lounge. They went to follow them but Max stopped them, "Give them a minute," he said softly, closing the door to the room. "It's been a long day for both of them."

"How did it go?" Cora asked Tanya. Max didn't miss the glass of scotch in her hand.

"They were asked some pretty difficult questions." Tanya said. "Joey told the court about what Derek did to him." Tears fell from her eyes as she said that and Max pulled her into his arms, kissing her hair.

"How was Lauren?" Abi asked.

"Derek's barrister tried to discredit her. He used her drinking against her." Max told them.

Cora laughed, "I guess it was an obvious strategy, it's a weak point." She said brutally honest.

"Cora, not now." Max growled. "That woman was cruel with Lauren, reducing her to tears. It was horrific to watch her fall apart and know it was my fault."

"Your fault?" Tanya asked as she pulled away from her husband.

"If I'd been a better father, she never would've turned to alcohol." He said, guilt rolling through his body.

"It's as much my fault as it is yours. She practically said so on the stand. If I hadn't laid all that pressure on her with the secret about my cancer, she wouldn't be drinking as much as she was." Tanya said, trying to make Max feel better but just succeeding in making herself feel worse.

"I can't believe she would blame you both for that." Abi said.

Cora wasn't quite so complimentary about her granddaughter, "This is Lauren we're talking about. Perish the thought she'd take responsibility for something."

Max glared at his mother-in-law, "Actually she didn't blame us. She shouldered the blame herself but it was painful to watch her admit those things." He closed his eyes, "Watching Joey give evidence was even worse." He admitted. He looked at Cora and Abi and knew he was going to have to tell them what had been said. He coerced them into the kitchen and shut the door, sitting them down and telling them an abridged version of Joey's past.

*JL*JL*

Joey lowered Lauren to the couch, hearing some of the exchange going on in the hallway. He was far too tired and emotionally drained to try and join in with the conversation though. He stared at Lauren as she lay sleeping in front of him. Really he should take her upstairs and put her to bed but he was so tired he didn't think he could manage it at the moment so the lounge was far as they were going for the time being. He brushed his fingers through Lauren's hair, pushing the strands tenderly behind her ear. He smiled slightly as she turned her face towards his hand, her eyes fluttering open briefly to glance at him.

"Joey..." she whispered before her breathing evened out again.

Joey smiled at her and leant forward to kiss her on the lips. He must've woken her because he felt her arms wrap around his neck and he smiled against the mouth, "Sorry," he told her when they separated, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay." She glanced around the room. "We're home?"

"Yeah, I carried you in, you fell asleep in the car."

"Sorry."

"You've nothing to be sorry for, babe." He said, repeating his earlier action with her hair.

"I should be supporting you through this. You keep looking after me and it should be the other way round."

"You know, I think it's a pretty even thing. You help me as much as I help you." He admitted to her.

Lauren looked up at him, staring intently into his eyes, "Lie with me..." she whispered. Joey needed little encouragement and moved onto the couch, lying behind her, her back to his chest. She turned slightly so she was on her back and moved her legs so they were bent over his. "I lost it with Alice earlier." She told him in a small voice.

"It's okay. I don't suppose you said anything you shouldn't have." He told her, kissing her temple.

"I told her about the dream." She admitted, glancing at him and seeing his face harden. "I didn't mean to but she started blaming me for everything that's happened. She couldn't see how much you'd sacrificed for her and I got angry." Lauren watched as he forced his whole body to relax and she snuggled against him, hoping she was comforting him by doing so.

"It's okay." He repeated although his tone led her to believe it wasn't.

"I'm sorry if I've let you down." She breathed against his neck, kissing his skin gently and feeling his arm tighten around her waist.

"Did she say anything?" He asked her in a murmur and Lauren didn't need to ask who he was referring to.

"Not to me." She told him, scared of how he would react, "But to be fair to her, she didn't really get a chance because I pretty much collapsed when I was done." She felt him nod against her head, "She knows everything now, Joe. Give her some time to take it all in."

"I guess." He said. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of Lauren as she lay in his arms. There was nothing more relaxing to him than the feeling of her when they were lying like this. Apart from when he had that dream. Then it was a different story and a different voice he needed to hear. He hoped that once this was all over he'd be able to get past those dreams again. He didn't want to have to live with them for the rest of his life.

"I'm going to make this Christmas special for you, Joe." She told him gently.

"It's not important." He reassured her.

"It is to me. It's about time you had a proper Christmas... a Branning Christmas." She said with a smile. "I'm going to make sure it will be one you won't forget, I swear." She told him gently.

"Okay." He breathed as he relaxed completely and fell asleep. Lauren stared at him, watching as some of the strain fell from his face. After about five minutes she could see he was the most relaxed he'd been for weeks, the pain of the day had obviously been able to offer him some peace at last. She shuffled closer to him, feeling his arms pull her even closer and closed her eyes, the sound of his steady breaths lulling her to sleep.

*JL*JL*

Max pushed open the lounge door. It was late now and the rest of the family had already gone to bed. He found his son and daughter lying together on the couch and watched them for a few seconds. He couldn't deny how right they looked as they held each other. He was glad they'd both found happiness from such dire events. It was a shame they had both had to go through such tragic childhoods but he could sense that maybe they needed to suffer like that in order to appreciate what they had with each other now. It had certainly given Max a lot to think about in the last ten weeks.

He smiled as he remembered Joey talking earlier about having a child and would love to see his daughter's face when Joey broke the news to her. Part of him suspected she wouldn't be as welcome to this news as his son had seemed to be. However there was also a part of him that knew she would quickly get past that initial shock and probably be keener to dive into it than Joey was. An image of a handful of little Joey's and Lauren's flashed through his mind and as he thought about it he realised he could handle a future like that for his two children.

He walked over to the couch and pulled a blanket over the two of them. He smiled as he wondered what Joey's reaction would be if he were to tell him how much the thought of a grandchild was suddenly appealing to him but decided there was plenty for the two of them to overcome before he'd air that thought. Anyway he was too young to be a grandfather just yet.

Max walked up the stairs, wondering what the next day would bring for the family. He knew it was Derek's turn to give evidence and he was dreading it, almost as much as Joey, Lauren and the rest of the family he was sure. He shook his head and walked into his room, smiling at his sleeping wife. There was plenty of time to worry about that tomorrow, he decided.

TBC

A/N2: Just so you know I wrote this well before the episode on Christmas Day but Derek's reference to Max in the coffin did make me smile. I so should be a writer on this show... although it would become very Branning centric - year round, if I had my way. Anyway, what did you think? Let me know in a review. What are you hoping to see in the epilogue?

I haven't decided whether to post the epilogue today or tomorrow so I may need some encouragement... :-)