Chapter 19

Lauren was awake awaiting her discharge, she and Joey had talked and I mean really talked. Joey had insisted he was going to be involved he was going to move out, Lauren arguing otherwise but deep down wanting nothing more. She wasn't one to believe people when they made promises, and why would she? Since moving to the square her life breathed secrets.

Lauren sat on the edge of the bed her feet dangling and swinging gently, she was nervous and had every right to be, who knew what she was going to face now.

"Good Morning Miss Branning, how are we feeling ?" the doctor asked. She walked over to the end of the bed, reading her notes the night staff had made. "well your fluid levels are up which is a good sign and the bloods we took first thing are lower in Paroxetine ."

"I feel better" Lauren smiled her hands resting over her bump. "can I go home?"

The doctor stared at her for a few seconds "ok, but that doesn't mean you're to go out partying ok ?"

Lauren chuckled "no partying got it… and the psych appointment?"

"still stands… however I'm recommending you go home today I don't want you getting stressed. So I will reschedule, but if you feel at all like you need to talk, don't be afraid to call this number. I'm serious miss Branning you are still quite ill you need rest and a free mind, you're not to overdo things "

Lauren nodded taking the card from her hand "I won't"

The doctor did one last check and nodded "ok, your free to go. I hope everything goes well for you"

*JL*JL*JL*

Lauren had just signed the discharge forms at the reception and she and Joey were making their way out of the hospital ward and down to the exit. Much against her will she'd been forced to go in a wheelchair, hospital policy apparently. But Lauren wasn't at all happy with the idea, until she stood up off the bed and lost her balance. So with a look that said "I told you so" Joey helped her into the wheelchair and took them down to the exit, they were about to go through the doors when they bumped into Tanya and Max who were just entering.

"Looks like we're just in time" he admitted

"For what?" Joey questioned, raising an eyebrow at Max

"To take our daughter home" he informed him

"Joey called us a Taxi" Lauren replied, tightening her grip on Joey's hand. She was pale and weak and really could do without the argument to add to her headache.

" well you can cancel it. We've got the car here. No point spending money if we're all going to the same place" he stated "and we'll quite happily give you a lift, Joey"

"I'm not coming home." Lauren admitted, pursing her lips together nervously "I'm going to stay with Aunt Raini."

"Lauren no. Do you not remember what happened the last time you spent the weekend with her ?" Tanya pointed out and she did, have a point that is. Lauren had spent a weekend at Raini's when she was 16 and had ended up doing a little experimenting, a few smokes of a certain type of cigarette and not to mention the Alcohol.

"Well I'm not going to do that again am I , especially now" she indicated down to her stomach. "I'm not a kid anymore Mum! I don't want to live with you and Dad... and I know about the so called Vitamins, what exactly were you trying to achieve? " Tanya visibly paled and swallowed "I'm moving out and that's that"

Max rolled his eyes, having heard the "I'm moving out" threat a few times in the past. "stop being stubborn Lauren, your coming home with us"

"What if Lauren doesn't want that? " Joey asked them " what if she doesn't want to go back with you? I think we; Me and Lauren, need to get ourselves sorted in our own time"

"You can't stop me Dad…"

"what you going to do then? You and Joey going to move in together get married and live happily ever after?"

Laurens eyes locked with Joey's for the briefest of seconds and then to her Dad "what's stopping us?" she whispered

"Lauren, don't be ridiculous" he scoffed "you're 16-years-old and you're coming home with me and your mother"

"I'm 17 actually…"

"either way your still too young… now move it" Max grabbed her arm pulling her from the wheelchair and holding her up right

"ow..Get your hands off me" she proclaimed yanking her arm out of his grip "unless you want me to tell the police what you've been doing to me just because I'm pregnant?"

"You wouldn't" he replied

"Try me" she stated "let me and Joey go, and the police will be nowhere near"

"Max…" Tanya proclaimed as he went to take Lauren's arm again

"We can't let her do this, Tan" he sighed

"Yes we can" she replied, smiling at her daughter weakly "let her go... she'll be back"

*JL*JL*JL*

Joey and Lauren made their way out of the hospital and decided they needed more time to talk and decide what they were doing. Lauren really didn't know what was going on her head, she loved Joey, well she thought she did, but she was pregnant with his baby maybe it was just her hormones getting in the way. Deep down she knew her dad had got a point, they were young, too young to raise a baby. Joey's Dad hated her and now she'd give ham actual reason. She knew exactly what Joey was going to say, but she didn't know if she could let him do that.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Joey asked as they stopped again outside a small café, Lauren wobbled steps slow and laboured as they walked.

"I'm fine, I promise. I'll tell you if I'm not" she assured him, moving a little closer into him as they made their way inside.

After about ten minutes of mulling over the menus, Joey had ordered their food and they were sitting in an awkward silence.

"What's up Lo?" Joey questioned as Lauren sat staring at a woman holding a young baby.

"I feel like my head's going to explode" she replied, with a frown. Her hand laying on her forehead. "I can't believe what Mum did she knew how dangerous it was for me to keep taking the tablets...I just want it all to end"

"Do you feel like you want to hurt yourself?" she shook her head "Talk to me, you know i'll listen"

"I can't explain it, I keep thinking I'm dreaming, I don't feel like I'm really here." She wiped her tears and stopped talking as the food was placed on their table. They started eating but Lauren just pushed the food around her plate. She suddenly dropped her fork and look at Joey "My parents are right aren't they? I can't go to Raini's we can't have what we want"

"Babe, your old enough, Whatever you want, you can have" he informed her "I really think we can do this Lauren, you have no idea how much I love you…"

"But what about money?" she blurted out , raising an eyebrow at him, was she just making excuses now?

"You don't have to worry about it" he assured her, placing his hand over hers on the table. It was a known fact Derek had Money, and so did Joey although he wasn't one to flaunt it like his father. Joey saved, and saved hard. Anything he was given by his father went into his bank account.

"Look Lauren, I know this hasn't exactly planned out how we thought, but we didn't sneak around all those months for no reason did we?" she shook her head "exactly, I'm scared Lauren and I know whatever I'm feeling your probably feeling twice as hard. We can deal with this, I promise you"

"where we going to go ?"

"I can call my Grandma Ivy, Mum's Mum. She has a spare room ?"

"are you sure you want this ?"

"100% babe"

*JL*JL*JL*

Leaving the café 20 minutes later, having eaten more then she'd eaten in the last month in the space of an hour, Lauren seemed less stressed, seemingly reassured by his promises. Everything had happened so quickly over the last 24 hours, it was nice to act as though things were normal again.

"Where to now?" Joey asked, raising an eyebrow at her

"Home" Lauren replied softly

"Why? Are You okay?" he questioned "do you need to go back to the hospital?"

"No, but I'm getting tired and I think I need to talk to my Mum and Dad, I need to pack some stuff too" her eyes filled with tears. "and your Dad may be on the warpath if mine was anything to go by" she admitted

"I can handle my Dad" he assured her, kissing her softly as he wiped her tears.

"I don't want him to hurt you …like last time" she informed him

"Babe, don't think about that" he begged, tucking her hair behind her ear "I don't want you being stressed"

"I should still go home though" she replied "I need to sleep before we go, you should talk to your Mum, and think about what your telling your Dad "

"I know" he sighed "okay, let's get a cab and get back"

"I could call my Mum?" she suggested "she seemed okay with things when we were at the hospital. I'm tired and really don't wanna wait around for a cab"

"If you want to, I'm okay with it" he informed her.

joey and Lauren are planning to run and go to his Grandma's so they can be together ...nothing can go wrong can it ?

Please keep reviewing guys I only got 5 reviews yesterday :( see if we can reach 10 today for another chapter ? Xxx