Apologies in advance...tissues ready

Chapter 6- With or without you

Laurens POV

I was vaguely aware of uncle jack talking in the background on his phone to someone; he was shouting something at one point and repeating something about Joey's phone and car. I couldn't focus, I tried I really did but I just couldn't get my brain to concentrate. My hands seemed to be moving of their own accord picking up the shards of glass without a second thought.

"Lauren…Lauren your bleeding" Uncle Jack took my hand in his pulling a tissue from his pocket and wrapping it around my hand. I hadn't even realised I was cut, and it was pretty deep by the looks of the blood spillage on the floor. "Come on hold it under there" I held my hand under the water staring off into the distance. Why couldn't I feel it? I wanted to feel something anything but I couldn't my body had gone into complete shutdown. "It doesn't look as if it's got anything in it" He switched the tap off and proceeded to dry my hand and wrap it in a bandaged he'd managed to find in one of the cupboards.

"Where is he Uncle Jack?" I slumped into one of the chairs at the breakfast bar once again staring at the blank wall in front of me.

"I wish I could tell you sweetheart…"

My body didn't know how to react, it sorta just...shut down. My face just stayed expressionless, mouth slightly open, body unmoving, any colour draining from my face as I stared wide-eyed at something no one else can see I don't think even I could see it to be honest. I just froze up to a point where I was hardly breathing. The small nudges in my stomach reminded me I wasn't alone and it was enough to ground my momentarily.

I let out a sudden sigh, my mouth opened to speak but it snapped shut again as the words ran dry in my mouth. I gulped heavily. Then, with a little more success I went to speak again. "I need to find him" it came out raspy, it was barely audible. "I need to find Joey…" I stood suddenly grabbing my house keys from the hook by the door, I needed to find him and I need to find him now.

Obviously my body repelled against that idea, I could feel myself pale and become light-headed and disoriented. Uncle Jacks words no longer registering In my buzzing mind. I turned and held to the door frame for support. Everything looked kind of like it was flashing like it does with a head rush. My eyes were open but I stopped being able to see properly. I felt really queasy and I started to panic I felt out of control, I was breathing fast and couldn't get myself back to real time. I don't remember falling or anything and I don't even remember my legs giving way. Within seconds I was on the floor in complete darkness, the only sound was my own blood rushing through my ears and my erratic heartbeat.

"Lauren…hey, hey…easy, stay where you" I prised my eyes open and quickly shut them again, the lighting of the room so painful to them. I looked around and saw I was in my lounge on the sofa the throw draped around me. I breathed in deeply and could smell Joey's after shave.

"Joe?"

"No darling it's me" A few painful tears trickled down my cheek as I met eyes with My Dad. His face said everything. It was pained and full of fear. I was just dreading what he would be telling me. I tried to get up but was made to stay put. "You're staying exactly where you are, you're not to move understand?"

"I'm not ill Dad"

"No Lauren your nearly 6 months pregnant with Twins and you fainted last night…you need to rest" I threw the covers off me and got up.

"No Dad I need to find my fiancé … Joey doesn't do this; he hasn't just miraculously vanished for no reason, something's wrong!" Dad caught my arm as I was about to walk away and he gently tugged me into his warm fatherly hug.

"Just be sensible about this Lauren… Let me and your uncle Jack find out what needs to be found and you stay here, keep you, Zoe and the Twins happy ok?" I didn't respond to him "Lauren please…"

"Where is Zoe?"

"Abi's took her out… they should be back soon, you slept for the whole day…you need to eat, feed those babies" I sighed and stood again making my way lazily to the kitchen. Abi had obviously gone into cleaning mode, like she always does when there's a crisis because this place looked spotless. Someone had cooked too, as there were a few Tupperware containers filled with pasta and soup stacked up by the fridge. I lifted a few of the tubs inspecting the contents, one hand resting on my bump. Finally deciding that the chicken soup looked good I set it in the microwave and started to put the other boxes away. "Your Nan sent them over, she's got Oscar for the day and had been cooking all night…experimenting according to Patrick" Dad let out a dry laugh and he smiled at me with those horrible sympathetic eyes.

The microwave beeped signalling the soup was done; I took it and sat at the breakfast bar, humming with contentment as I took a few mouthfuls. It gave me the most warmth I'd had in the last few days, artificial warmth none the less but it was a slight comfort. "Did Uncle Jack find anything out?" I watched Dad's face pale slightly "Dad! What do you know?"

He was lucky that Abi chose that moment to return with Zoe because I was seriously about to question him dry. "Mummy!" Zoe ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, straight into my arms. I pulled her up on to my lap just about managing her weight. She didn't say anything else. She just sat tight and hugged me. Her arms locked around my neck as her face buried into my shoulder. I soothingly ran my fingers through her hair brushing it back from her face. My heart felt warm and tingly I felt this overwhelming urge to protect her like a lioness and her cubs. I always did have that feeling but right now it was standing strongly at the forefront. "Auntie Ab's said Daddy on an adventure? Like Dora"

I let my tears fall as she smiled "Ye baby he's exploring like Dora does" her little hands reached up to my face and brushed at my tears.

"No cry Mummy… No be sad" The sob escaped my lip as I placed Zoe gently on the floor and kissed her. "Love you Mummy" she whispered

"I love you too baby girl" I smiled softly at her as she went back to Abi who had agreed to stay for a few days. She was off Uni for a few weeks and Jay was working. The door opened and I quickly ran, well waddled now as it seemed the only way I could get around. I let out a sight disappointed sigh as uncle Jack came in a sullen look on his face.

"What is it?"

"Just go and see to Zoe darling I need to talk to your Dad…" I shook my head furiously at them. No way. I had every right to know what was going on.

"No you tell me now , you tell me right now what you know because if not I'm out that door with or with you and I'm off to find my partner." Dad sighed and tried to coax me back to the lounge. "NO TELL ME NOW!" Dad nodded to Jack.

"Sit…" He nodded towards the sofa. "You promise you will not go looking for him Lauren…" I didn't respond "Lauren!"

"yes fine I promise…now tell me what the hells happening"

"The police have managed to track Joey's Land Rover, is has a GPS system so they tracked the location… It's not good Lauren…The cars been traced to Hackney" my heart was pounding again, Hackney had a bad reputation, a very bad reputation "We know of people in Hackney who have links to Joey sweetheart…"

"Paige" I whispered under my breath. I knew what Alice had done would come back and haunt us, she should have stayed away, left Paige alone, she was out of prison on the accounts of good behaviour and due to the fact she was now clean. Apparently she had a very forgiving jury who took her story of being threatened by her so called boyfriend and so she only sever 18 months out of a 24 months sentence.

Uncle Jack nodded "sorry darling ye… and we know Derek has associates in that area too…it's not looking good babe"

"You have to find him Uncle Jack please… you have to" Dad was trying to console me now, the tears felt like they would never stop, the pain felt like it would never stop. 24 hours ago I had everything I ever wanted and now It been stolen from me.

Sorry again people... that's me for tonight ! back tomorrow with two xxx