To Have And To Hold

11 - Rejoiceful Rainfall

Joey paid the check for their meal, in spite of Lauren's insistence he split it with her, and they got ready to leave. As they reached the doors, they looked at each other apprehensively: the sky was even darker than it had been half an hour ago, and the rain had gotten heavier. All of a sudden the ten minute walk back to the car seemed like an eternity.

"Here, put my jacket on," Joey said, holding it out to Lauren.

"No, you wear it," she said, pushing his hands away and taking a few more tentative steps towards the exit.

"If you won't put it on..." Joey grumbled at her stubbornness, catching up to her and holding the jacket up over her head to shelter her that way instead.

She gave him a reluctantly grateful smile and they started the walk. They had to stick close to each other, which slowed their pace dramatically, and made dodging the puddles much more difficult.

"You know what, fuck it," Lauren said, ducking out from under Joey's jacket.

"What?"

"Fuck it. It'll take us an hour to get to the car at this rate and we'll still both be soaked through anyway."

Joey looked at Lauren, rain streaming down her face and plastering her hair to her skin, knowing there was no one he'd rather be with than her, no matter what life threw at them. Then he threw his jacket over his arm, grabbed hold of Lauren's outstretched hand, and they began to run, splashing through puddles. 

"This is insane," he said breathlessly as they barrelled round a corner, almost knocking into a couple huddled under an umbrella. Lauren couldn't help but laugh as Joey gasped an apology, but they didn't slow down, their feet pounding against the concrete. He kept a tight hold of her hand, feeling exhilarated.

They got caught at a red light, the rain seeming to pelt them even more now that they were stood still. Joey pulled Lauren into him. He peeled her wet hair back from her forehead, his fingers catching in the tangles. Her eyes glowed in the streetlights, perfect even with mascara beginning to run down from them. He wrapped his arms around her back as he began the slow descent to kiss her, her features becoming a blur as the raindrops collected on his eyelashes.But the light turned green and Lauren dragged him across the street, ignoring his cry of indignation.

"Kissing in the rain is not as romantic as it's made out to be JoJo," she called over her shoulder as he lagged slightly behind her, still feeling dazed.

"Who have you kissed in the rain?" he cried in mock outrage, and Lauren laughed even harder. She had to pause, bending double at the waist to try and get her breath back, but was soon pulling him along again.

Joey's long legs worked to his advantage and he was able to keep pace, pulling slightly ahead of her as they neared the car to unlock it and get her door open for her first. They threw themselves into the vehicle, panting from the exertion of their sprint, and then dissolved into giggles again, unable to tell whether their cheeks were wet from tears of laughter or from the rain still dripping down them. Lauren's hair was beginning to curl, strands of it sticking to her neck and cheeks. Joey reached over to cup her face in his hand.

"You're incredible," he said. She responded with a kiss, clutching his sodden shirt in her fists to steady herself as she leaned across the console towards him.

The drive home took twice as long as it should have done with everyone losing the ability to drive in the rain, although Lauren made sure to remind him that this should be no trouble for him.

"I thought you were the best driver in LA," she shrugged.

"I am! But that doesn't change the fact that no one else in LA can drive when it's raining," he protested.

But neither of them cared abut the slow pace, because they had each other's company and that was what they both loved more than anything else.

"Remind me not to listen to you next time you tell me not to bring a jacket," Lauren said, her head leaning against the window as she watched the raindrops stream down it.

Joey grinned, increasing the speed of the windscreen wipers. "I did offer you my jacket."

"What a gentleman," she said, rolling her eyes as she smirked.

"And I didn't tell you not to bring a jacket, I just said I didn't think you'd need one."

"Well I didn't know you were gonna make us walk ten minutes to dinner!"

"Was it worth it though?" he asked.

She turned her head to smile at him. "You know it was."

When they got home Joey made them tea and they cuddled up under a blanket, Diane in Lauren's lap and Lauren in Joey's. Maybe it was the couple of glasses of wine she had at dinner, but it seemed like Lauren was being even more touchy than usual. She was continuously playing with his hair, and kept pressing kisses to every part of him she could reach. Not that Joey minded, of course.

She leaned in to kiss his cheek and he quickly turned his head, meeting her lips with his. She pulled back with a grin.

"Thank you for today," she said more seriously. It was perfect."

"Thank you," he replied. "I had the most fun I've had for a while."

"Even though it poured with rain?" she giggled.

"Especially because it poured with rain." 

"I love you," she said, pushing his hair back.

"I love you too," he said, his heart practically overflowing with adoration for his life partner, and he surged forwards to kiss her again, their lips melting together.

"I just want this forever," she murmured between kisses.

Joey drew back slightly, surprised. "This is forever," he said softly, his eyes locked with hers. She grinned, leaning forward to kiss him again. Everything was exactly as it was supposed to be.

A/N I hate this title but alliteration is hard okay? What else... we have a wedding in the next chapter!! Which is very appropriate right now.