Author's note - Hey! It's Becky (and Laura, but this is my chapter! haha). We have 16 J&L fics coming for you, ranging in length. Each being a sort of "could-have-happened-but-we-didn't-see-it' type thing; like none of our updates will change the storylines/what happened on the show, you should (hopefully if we wrote them well enough) be able to imagine our ideas fitting in around things you saw on the show.

Up first - "The First Time One Shocked The Other".

He just rolled his eyes as he grabbed her glass, empty again, on his way over to spend some time with the group on his break. He'd not been in Walford long, not had this job long, but he'd noticed his cousin had a love of knocking back the drink and having as much fun as she could. And whilst he was up for fun, and didn't want to spoil hers, he's not sure downing the double vodkas is the way to go.

He made a mental note to make sure she got home safely; maybe get her to wait for him to finish. He hadn't known her long, this cousin of his, but he would worry nonetheless. Just like he would for his sister, and he knows Lauren's been looking out for her, so it's only right he does it back.

"Don't pull that face and ruin my fun Joseph" she waved her fingers at him, arm thrown around his sister who was wanting to get up and dance. "Luce tell your boyfriend to leave me be" Lucy just smirked, kissing his cheek as she brushed past, heading out to dance.

He held his hands up in defence in Lauren's direction. "Didn't say anything babe."

She rolled her eyes this time. "Know what you are thinking. Don't care. You ain't my Dad". She was such a drama queen at times he swears. She was cool, and the more he got to know her, the more he was glad he'd stuck around. He'd began to consider staying in contact with her when he manages to persuade Alice go back home and they'd leave.

He shrugged, none of his business what she did and he said as much. "And besides what's it to do with me, you wanting to drink yourself to death?"

All of a sudden, she changed and he realised his words had an effect. He had no idea why they had, but the sight of her pale and stunned, confirmed they did. The look at her eyes he'll never forget, before she stiffened, eyes darkening, muttering a "screw you Joey", storming past Alice and Whitney, out of the club.

"What have you done Joey?" his sister cried out, his gaze still on the door she'd stalked out of. Looking back at the group he met Whitney's sympathic gaze. "You hit a sore spot Joey, she'll be okay." Turning to Tyler, she mumbled something about going after her friend, him nodding in agreement.

"Wait, what did I say?"

"Billie." Seeing his face still confused, having expected hearing that name to answer his questions, she carried on. "Her cousin? Your cousin too I guess." Joey was still baffled, and looking to Alice she didn't seem much clearer. "Carol's son?" she commented.

Whitney nodded, Tyler throwing an arm around her, almost in comfort, before she started to speak again. "He was my.." she paused. "we'd been together, could have again I guess. He and Lauren got on well. Both wanting to have fun." She paused again, finding her words.

"He died."

Blunt and to-the-point was her method of telling them but it still didn't make much more sense to Joey, which she realised. "Alcohol poisoning." She added, and blinked away unshed tears.

"There was a party, he'd just come home and he and Lauren, well everyone, they were drinking a lot and yeah" She stood up quickly. "He just didn't wake up the next day, okay?"

He was stunned, just wow. He never knew or he'd never had said it. She saw him try and find the words, try and explain he'd not meant to hurt Lauren, that was the last thing he intended. She just nodded at him, "you didn't know, not your fault."

She shrugged on her jacket and took her bag off Alice with an appreciative smile.

"Lauren's not going to be like Billie, she wouldn't do that to her Dad, not after Bradley."

Bradley, the older brother. He died too, if Joey'd put all the things he's heard together properly. "Tell her..." the apology died off, him not knowing what to say. "I will." She shot him a smile before leaning in to kiss Tyler.

She took a couple of steps away from the group, promising to pass love on to Lauren which made Joey feel crap so he got up to head back to work early, before she stopped him.

"Joey?" He turned to look at her.

"Don't feel bad." He went to speak but she stopped him. "You've not been around long, and everyone's got their pasts." He just nodded.

"Especially your family" she teased, making him lightly smile back. He was beginning to see that.

"Lauren's got stories to tell that's for sure" she said with laughter in her tone.

It was later on, closing down the club, he realised he didn't know the pretty brunette very well at all. They exchanged banter and she was on his side regarding his dad and sister, but he didn't actually know her, know her. And he decided, locking up, for some reason that he wanted to.