"What are you doing here?" I frown at Joey, before a huge, unstoppable grin creeps onto my face. I just walked out of the counsellors' office, to see him waiting for me outside.

"I went round yours and your mum told me you were here, so I offered to pick you up." He explains, offering me his arm. Hesitantly, I slip my arm through his and we begin walking in the direction of home.

"Why would you do that?" I narrow my eyes at him.

"It's this new thing I'm trying." He shrugs.

"What, stalking?" I laugh.

"Oh, ha-ha very funny."

"What then?"

"Devoting myself to you." He says sincerely and I burst out laughing.

"Great, cheers, yeah that's nice (!)" Joey rolls his eyes.

"I'm sorry! Look, just don't try so hard. Please. You don't even sound like yourself. You don't need to change. I fell in love with you when you were a wanker." I remind him, chuckling.

"Oh, is that your way of complimenting me?"

"It's all you're getting so take it or leave it."

"I'll take it."

"I thought you would."

"So, listen. I kinda wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking about what you said last night. About how we went too fast last time."

"Yeah?"

"So what better way to make up for that and go really slow at the same time, than going on a date?"

"You what?"

"You and me on a date, tonight."

"We never went on dates. We just hung out at the Vic or at home."

"Which is exactly why we should go on a date. We're doing it different this time, yeah?"

"So how does a date with Joey Branning go? A bag of chips and a fumble on the doorstep?"

"You kill me, babe. It's gonna be proper. I'm gonna wear a suit."

"You're gonna wear a suit?!" I splutter.

"Straight up."

"Then I can't miss that, can I?"

Later on, Joey comes to pick me up, with a carrier bag in hand. Mum lets him in and he walks into the living room, his mouth dropping open when he sees me.

"Wow." He recovers, and grins.

"You wore a suit." I smile.

"I promised, didn't I?" He winks.

"Have a good time, not home too late." Mum jokes, before wandering into the kitchen.

"You look beautiful, Lauren. Really." He smiles, his eyes twinkling.

"You look alright, I suppose." I giggle.

"Charming as ever." He rolls his eyes at me.

"So where you taking me?" I ask.

"A restaurant." He replies, casually.

"An actual restaurant. With chairs and everything?" I joke.

"Yeah and a wine list! Not that that is relevant to us." He plays along.

"And posh stuff on the menu like hors d'oeuvres, not just pizza or chips." I tease

"Yeah, yeah, you know just like when Peter took you out." His face darkens.

"Oh, don't start! Div." I roll my eyes.

"Yeah I'm a div, not like Perfect sodding Peter ay?"

"What's got into you? What did I say? I was only teasing."

I'm sorry. Just ignore me. Can we just pretend like I didn't say any of that? So you said hors d'oeuvres and I say yeah and deer and all sorts, so you say-?" He turns to me, sheepishly.

"Wow, you've really pushed the boat out! Next you'll be telling me we're taking the tube instead of the bus."

"I've booked a cab."

"Oh, my. It must be my lucky day!"

"And I bought you a little something." He reaches into the carrier and pulls out a bag of apples, holding them out to me.

"You don't like flowers." He shrugs.

"Why, thank you." I grin and take them.

"So, your carriage awaits." He nods towards the door and leads me out of the room. He opens the front door and lets me go first then hurries behind me and quickly jogs to the cab before me and opens the door for me.

"Seems like you've been holding out on me all this time." I muse, raising an eyebrow at him once we're in the cab.

"I can only apologise." He smirks, sheepishly. We laugh and joke all the way to the restaurant and it's almost like old times. Except its better cos it's like new times but with the best bits of old times and without all the shit. Once in the restaurant, Joey pulls out my chair for me and only sits down once I'm seated.

"You're being very chivalrous." I observe, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"That's me, babe." He winks.

"Oh yeah, because when you made me walk home in the rain so I wouldn't ruin the upholstery in that car you had off Dad for a week, that was you being chivalrous."

"I couldn't give it back to him soaked through, could I?"

"You gave more of a shit about that car than me."

"It was a week. I put up with you for a lot longer than that."

"Oh, like that is it?"

"Er, sort of, yeah."

"You didn't put up with me that long before you dumped me."

"Low blow, babe."

"You started it."

"Will we always argue like this?"

"We're not arguing."

"We're not?"

"Nope."

"What is it then?"

"Banter."

"Or foreplay?" He winks, cheekily.

"Haha, don't make me snort this water all down my lovely dress." I tell him, just before the waiter comes over and takes our order.

"It's a really lovely dress. Looks great on you."

"Are you checking me out?"

"I might be."

"And?"

"And I like what I see."

"I'm glad I have your approval."

"Always."

"You don't have to drink water you know."

"I want to."

"I can handle it."

"I would have to be completely selfish and an utter wanker to ever drink in front of you."

"No, you'd be normal. You can't stop drinking because of me."

"That's exactly why I can stop drinking. Because of you."

"Why don't we go crazy? Get an orange juice. Or, dare I say it, a Diet Coke?"

"Fuckit, make it a regular." Joey grins, signalling to the waiter and adding the drinks to our order. The waiter brings them over a few minutes later.

"To you." Joey clinks his glass against mine, taking a sip.

"Cheers." I smile, our eyes locking.

"So, do you like it? All this, I mean?"

"Well, yeah, I guess."

"You guess?"

"It's great. It's a gorgeous restaurant and you've really pulled out all the stops."

"But?"

"But, this is me. You don't have to do all this to impress me. You know, I'm a takeout-and-film kind of girl."

"We did that last time and we didn't work out so well."

"So everything about us was wrong the last time?"

"Not everything."

"No?"

"Not you."

"Thank you for tonight. It really does mean a lot to me and I don't mean to sound ungrateful because I do appreciate it."

"You don't sound ungrateful. I know I don't have to do this to impress you, but I want to. You deserve the best and I didn't treat you the way you deserved. I'm just trying to make up for it."

"Well, full marks for tonight." I wink, leaning over to straighten his tie.

The waiter comes over once more, serving our food and tells us to have a good meal. We tuck in, talking and laughing in between mouthfuls.

"Try this." Joey pierces some chicken on his fork and holds it out, popping it into my mouth. "Mmm, that's really nice." I smile, after I've eaten it.

"You've got a great smile. If only you smiled more often."

"You've said that to me before." I chuckle, my eyes twinkling.

"You remember."

"Of course."

"Oh fuck, what the hell." Joey groans, reaching into his pocket and before I even know what's happening, he's got a ring in his hand.

"Will you marry me?" He asks, nervously. Thankfully he hasn't got down on his knee so none of the other diners are witnessing my mortification.

"Joey!" I hiss, through gritted teeth.

"Go on, babe. Let's just do it."

"No!" I tell him, firmly shaking my head.

"No?" He falters, looking anxious.

"No. I've just got out of rehab!"

"Even more reason. I need to prove to you that I'm not gonna fuck off again. What better way? I'll be legally bound to you."

"Joey, listen. I am not going to marry you."

"What, never? Or just not right now?"

"Well never say never but not for the foreseeable."

"Shit, I thought you'd say yes."

"Really?"

"No, I knew you'd say no. That's why I didn't give it to you yesterday."

"Don't let it put you off. For the future."

"You're just leading me on."

"Haha. I had a really good time tonight. Thank you." I smile.

Joey leans over to squeeze my hand: "Me too, babe. Despite being heartbroken. Maybe tomorrow night we could get takeout and a film?"

A/N- Thank you for the reviews and guest review I couldn't reply to, I apppreciate your kind words. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and were not too disappointed about Lauren's answer! I'm debating whether or not to continue because I'm not sure if many people are reading, besides a couple that I know of. Please, let me know if you're still liking it and want me to continue as I'm not sure that there's any point if no-one is reading it. Thanks for your comments and support :)