Laurens POV

I think the sleep deprivation and the crying had finally taken its toll on me because I could feel myself in a strange state of dreaminess and reality. I had no idea where I was; just that I was insanely comfortable, and my surroundings smelt strongly of Joey. Opening my eyes I saw Zoe curled up into my body under the blanket, she was sucking her thumb heavily, something she only did when she was really scared. Her face was blotchy and red, it broke my heart to see. I sighed tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, mirroring Joeys actions.

I realised then I was in Joeys old room at him Mums, it definitely had Joeys stamp on it and that was probably the reason I felt so safe here. The door knocked lightly and some delusional part of me thought it would be Joey walking through. I moved slightly on the bed and saw Pam come in. she smiled sympathetically at me and crouched at the side of the bed.

"How you feeling sweetheart?" she asked gently.

I shrugged my shoulders I didn't know how I felt, well there was a long, long list of things I was feeling I just didn't know of a word that could effectively describe them as a collective. "What happened?"

"Well you're Dad and Jack brought you over last night but you'd cried yourself to sleep when you arrived. You only woke briefly to get Zoe from her room and the two of you have slept since." She leaned up and brushed my hair from my face "Your Dad and Jack are downstairs they want to talk to you…" I could see she was nervous about something and I was too scared to ask.

"It's bad isn't it?" Her face dropped a little and she squeezed my hand, she too was balancing dangerously on the edge of tears. "Please…Pam" I eased myself up in the bed pulling Zoe with Me. No way was I letting her go anytime soon.

"you should come down stairs darling" I nodded, reluctantly I might add and began to ease Zoe into pam's arms. "I'm going to stay up hear with Zoe…"

I quickly reached for her and a slight wash of fear going over me. "No, please I want you with me…If you don't mind, you're the closest thing to a Mum I've got and as much as a girl needs her Daddy she needs a Mum too" I watched as she lay Zoe back to the bed and ensure she was still sleeping.

"Of course I will Lauren, Your as good as my daughter" she hugged me closely in a proper mothers hug. The twins kicked slightly underneath my stomach pulling the hug apart. "They got their Dad's strength" she smiled resting her hand on my side as I shuffled from the room.

I went into full panic mode when I got to the living room. Dad and Jack were there looking over pieces of paper on the table whilst another three Men who I could only assume to be police officers were on their phones and jotting things down. The room dropped to complete silence as I walked in. all eyes landed on me as I stood waiting in the door way for someone, anyone to talk.

"What's going on?" I asked softly. I noticed the unease of everyone, especially Dad he looked terrified, not of the situation but of me I thought.

"We think we know where Joey is babe…" My eyes widened as I dropped to the arm of the sofa "We've got a location about half hour from here and were pretty sure that Joeys there somewhere."

"Is he ok? Who has him?" I could feel the blood pumping faster through me a thousand questions wanting to be asked

"As far as we know he's ok"

"What do you mean 'as far as you know' ? You mean he could be hurt Oh my god" I stood and began pacing the room Dad and Jack trying to calm me Pam pacing with me attempting to get me to stop pacing at least. I was chewing on my nails and trying to block out the painful Kicks the twins were issuing. "Is Joey hurt?" I mumbled looking at all the faces around the room. No one answered me. Why weren't they answering "Answer Me!" my scream caused a few flinches from the police officers Dad and Jack just exchanging yet another look.

Uncle jack took a deep breath and looked at me knowing I was about to argue with them. "The last we saw him he was…Alive" I closed my eyes so tightly that they hurt. Two things I got from that sentence…firstly he was still alive, thank god. But secondly, Uncle Jack didn't say Joe was ok so I'm guessing from the way it was said it wasn't ok.

"What's wrong with him… how badly is he hurt? Please I know there are things you're not telling me…but I need to know?" I was sick of being the sensible one now, some would call it reckless I call it sick of waiting around for my fiancé to be found.

"He was pretty badly beaten… We have people there now in the surrounding areas, we don't know a specific location but we know where about. But you need to understand…this is dangerous stuff these or nasty people we're dealing with Lauren and they wouldn't think twice about hurting you" One of the officers answered a call and took Jack to the side and had a quite word with him.

"I'm sorry Lauren but we have to go…stay here with Pam and we'll keep you informed" The room quickly emptied Dad and Jack following quickly.

"I'm coming with you…" I proclaimed rushing to the door behind Dad. "Please… I never ask for anything, I need to be with you…I need to be there" I wiped the tears from my eyes as the back door to the house opened and the sound of heels echoed across the tiled flooring.

"Mum…" I felt the anger boil inside me as I heard that. It was Alice. She appeared in the hallway where Pam was trying to hold me closer to her to stop me leaving with Dad and Uncle Jack. I noticed the second she realised I was there. Her body froze and she took a couple of uneasy breaths. "What's she doing here?"

"Lauren… Lauren's here because your brothers Missing Alice Louise Branning, You're so called Father has taken him…you wouldn't know anything about that would you?" I'd not seen Pam like this before. In the short space of time that I'd known her I'd learnt she was a calm and collected person, she was comforting but firm. She spoke softly and didn't seem to faze easily, until now I guess. She was pulling me close into her side whilst giving Alice a questioning from hell.

"Mum…I ... Dad's been away the last few weeks, I've been in the house on my own. I don't know anything I promise you" She did seem genuinely surprised and if she did know she was doing an Oscar worthy job of hiding it. "Is Joey alright ?" That was the last straw for me she had no right to be concerned about him after what she's done.

I tugged myself from Pam's grip and took a couple of steps closer to Alice "He's missing because of you, you know?"

"Lauren I …"

"He's missing because you got in contact with that stupid Bitch, who by the way happens to know your Father, and then , when you didn't get your way with Joey you went and cried to Daddy. Thanks to you, I have no clue where my fiancé is do you know how fucking painful that is Alice, do you?" I was crying again now; angry tears more than anything.

"No" Alice sighed; I could tell she was forcing back her tears now too.

" He's Missing Alice and for all I know he could be dead…My kids might never get to know their dad and the one already have will literally breakdown Alice. Your Nieces and Nephew… so I'll give you one last chance to tell me where the Fuck Joey is ?" I raised my eyebrows at her as she still didn't speak.

"Alice!" Pam shouted.

"Dad's got an old warehouse on the Blue House Estate number 36… I didn't know he had Joey I promise you" I quickly looked towards Dad who held his hand out to me. Pam turned to look at Alice and shook her head as I walked towards the door.

"She can't come Jack… it's against protocol" An officer responded.

"Look mate… I don't really care what is or isn't against your stupid Protocol, 6 months Pregnant extremely hormonal and in need of my fiancé… in more ways than one. So I suggest you let me come with you … unless you want me to go there myself and ruin your whole operation…It's up to you. Either way I'm going." I stared down at him as he held his hands up in surrender. Dad and Jack were slightly smirking and the other officers looked pretty terrified.

"She stays in the car Jack…out of sight" I walked passed him and smiled sarcastically.

"Now…Lauren you have to swear you stay in this car, you lock the doors and you do not get out for any reason Understand?" I nodded suddenly feeling very scared. The buildings around looked quite odd. Just brick cases with several bolted doors around them, spray painted numbers on the doors. There was no one around here, it was like it had never been occupied, there were no cars other than one's we'd come in and no noise. That was the most unsettling thing. The lack of noise allowed you to think way to deeply into your own thoughts.

Moments Later I was alone, Dad and Jack had been instructed by the officers of what to do, I'd guessed somewhere in the last few weeks this wasn't a legitimate police issue, the officers seemed a little dicey with their reasoning. I didn't really care though, they were getting Joey back.

The minuets seemed to drag for hours with little going on. It wasn't until there was big slam of the door I realised I had company. Luckily for me it was Uncle Jack, he opened the car and held his hand out to me. "Come on…It's not safe out here for you to be out here on your own any longer" He eased me up supporting most of my weight as I clambered from the car.

"Have you found him?" he regretfully shook his head and I sighed feeling a little defeated.

"We will babe don't worry…there's another door the lads were just checking it when I came to get you."

We walked into this damp horrible building the only light coming from the torches everyone had and the small cracks of natural light coming from the doors and a dirtied sky light. Uncle jack had me pulled tightly into his side, his arms securely around me. He walked us over to what I assumed to be the door he was talking about. My heart stopped. I heard Joeys voice.

"Joey" I breathed as my Dad came into view a badly beaten Joey slumped against the wall next to him. A few tears had dropped down onto my cheek as my eyes stayed fixated on Joe, the feeling of sick in my mouth now more than evident. Pushing past Uncle Jack I turned to the side and vomited, the nauseating feeling settling slightly. I could feel Jacks hand soothe my back and pass me a tissue.

"He's alright… it's not as bad as it looks Lauren…" Dad had moved towards me and was holding me against him, probably to stop me from falling over.

"Joey…Need to see him Dad" I moved out the way and jogged the little way round to Joey. "Joe…" I fell to the floor next to him trying so hard not to hug him and hurt him. I could see he was in some form of pain, she was wincing with every breathe he was taking, his face was like a pallet of paint. Blue's and Purples over the one side that were now only faint thank god and a couple of cuts to his lip and eyebrow.

"Baby…" he whispered lifting his arm encouraging me closer, I slowly edged towards him crying with relief he was finally found. As I was in reaching distance his arm pulled me into him. My head dropped straight to his chest as his hand gently held me in place. Joey swallowed Loudly "I thought they'd hurt you"

"Well there's still time for that yet…" Dad and Jack were being held back by two big very unhappy looking Men. Joeys hold tightened on me as Derek literally ripped me from his hold. I yelped as he dragged me to my feet and slammed me into the wall.

"Ahhh" I couldn't catch my breath, I was gasping in as much oxygen as possible as he pushed me firmly into the wall, I was petrified for the Twins.

"Let her go… " Joey screamed aiming to stand.

"Now now Joseph patience son…" He sniggered and stared deep into my eyes.

"ow…ow…ow…ow, Joe…there's something wrong" Joeys eyes widened and before I knew it I was on the floor in his arms. The police from earlier were pinning Derek against the wall Dad and Jack came running in.

"Lauren, sweetheart" Dad scooped me from Joeys arms and was quickly carrying me to the car, Joey leaning heavily on uncle jack was next to me in an instant. I looked briefly to my left to see Joey drifting in and out of consciousness. The movement had caused him a lot of pain and it was written across his face. "Lauren are you alight?" I shook my head, I felt sick, really sick, My head was pounding and I had dull aches travelling in surges across my stomach.

"Lauren…Baby, talk to me" I heard his weak voice but couldn't bring my body to follow it back to earth.

So sorry it's late im having a battle with word at the moment ... I really want to get another chapter up tonight so if I can it will be late if not it will be tomorrow morning :) xxx