You've Been Gone(For Far Too Long)

Summary: After another disappointing weekend of her father not showing up, Josslyn takes a walk and runs into Emma Drake. What happens when the two girls bond over abandonment issues?

Author's Note: Emma and Josslyn are almost fourteen in this fic. TWOSHOT

Part One

Josslyn John Jacks smiled at her reflection eagerly as she applied her sheer pink lip gloss and pulled her hair back into a waterfall braid. Her father would be showing up any minute to pick her up so they could spend a week together. It didn't happen enough and she hadn't seen him in months. And all girls needed their fathers.

Standing to her feet, the blonde hurried to her closet to pull out her green and white sundress, throwing it on. She was ready to head downstairs when her phone rang from where it lay on her dresser. The smile wilted from her lips as she saw her father's number on the the screen and she felt her heart sink as she pushed the green button. Bringing the phone up to her ear, she hesitantly asked, "Hello?"

Her father's accented voice, filled to the brim with apology filtered through the phone. "Hey, Josslyn. I'm really sorry, sweetie. I know this is last minute, but I was called into the office. I won't be able to come and see you today. I'm heading to Japan on work related business. But we can reschedule again soon, and I promise, I won't skip out."

"It's okay dad." She said numbly, too used to his cancelling on her to even be shocked anymore." She hung up the phone with his empty promises ringing through her head. Angrily, she threw the phone at the wall, watching as it hit it with a loud thump, shattering the screen.

"Josslyn?" Her mother shouted worriedly, hurrying up the stairs and into her daughter's room, gaze landing on the phone that lay on the ground, completely destroyed. "What happened, honey?" She asked, running her hand over her daughter's smooth cheek and staring down at her, heart aching as she saw the tears in her little girl's eyes.

Her daughter swiped angrily at the tears streaming down her cheeks and glared at her phone. "Daddy said he couldn't make it. He's going to Japan for business." She hiccupped.

Carly took a deep breath to calm herself, though all she wanted to do was get on a plane to her ex husband and kick his ass for disappointing their only daughter yet again. She ran her hand through her daughter's hair and pulled the young girl close, letting her daughter take comfort in her. "I tell you what, I have to run into work for about a half an hour. But when I come back, we'll go to the movies and go to that pizza place we both like, okay?" She smiled at Josslyn's nod and leaned in to kiss her forehead, walking out of the room.

Josslyn sighed and sat on her bed, staring at her wall for a few moments before she decided it was nice enough out to take a walk on this Summer day. She grabbed her purse and hurried down the stairs and out the door. She'd been walking for awhile when she arrived at the docks. Checking around, she slid off her shoes and threw down her purse before jumping into the lake, still wearing her sundress. She smiled at the feel of the cool water against her skin and began to swim, angry that laps that really helped calm her. She stopped and laid in the water on her back, shutting her eyes as she allowed herself to float, tips of her fingers grazing the water.

"What are you doing?" A soft, curious voice asked, making her eyes snap open, she turned her head, still managing to float in the water as her eyes locked on Emma Drake standing there.

Josslyn, gracefully came up, arching an eyebrow. "Swimming." She scoffed sarcastically, rolling her blue eyes, what does it look like I'm doing?"

"But...you're not even wearing a swimsuit and you don't have a towel? And I thought you were supposed to be gone for a week, visiting your father? At least, that's what Spencer told me." Emma answered, ignoring Josslyn's sarcasm as she bit her lip worriedly.

The blonde smiled bitterly, hands bracing on the dock as she pulled herself up. "Well, I would be, but apparently work is more important to him than his daughter." She spit out with fire, standing there, letting the water drip off of her as the dress clung to her body. "Don't worry, I'm used to it." She added when she saw the sympathetic expression on Emma's face.

Emma shook her head empathetically, "But you shouldn't have to be. It sucks when your parents prove that something is more important than you." She replied sadly, thinking of her own mother who'd been gone for years. Though Robin sent birthday and Christmas cards, Emma hadn't seen her mother since she was around eight or nine.

Josslyn tilted her head to the side, studying her before she nodded. "I suppose you do." She murmured quietly. "It's sad how used to it I am, though. You know? I mean...I was so eager to spend time with my dad. I haven't seen him in months. And last time I saw him, it was only for a few hours. When he called to cancel our plans, I wasn't even shocked. I had a sinking feeling before I even answered the phone." She took a seat on the dog and brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.

Emma took a seat beside her, their shoulders brushing. "I used to dream about my mom coming back." She confessed. "Even when he first got with Sam and she and Danny moved in and everything. I still wanted my mother. I didn't understand why she left us or why I could never see her. And I am so angry at her, because she hasn't been a mother. If she truly was one, I'd be able to see her. I'd be able to contact her and she'd send me more than just the stupid Christmas or birthday card."

The blonde wrapped an arm around the brunette as her breath turned ragged. "Sometimes, I really hate my dad." She whispered, feeling comfortable to talk about this with someone who understood. "I mean, I love him. Of course I do. But...it hurts. It hurts that I am never first for him."

"Is your father cancelling why you were out here in the lake?" Emma wondered, glancing at the pretty blonde's profile.

Josslyn smiled and nodded. "Swimming helps calm me. I feel like I'm a part of it."

Emma bit her lip. Usually, she kept her anger in. She was a nice girl and she didn't want to upset her father, stepmother, or stepbrother. "It's been really nice talking to you." She said softly, smiling at the girl who she had never quite gotten along with before today.

The blonde grinned back and bumped her shoulder, feeling even more calm after this talk.

To Bet continued: When Emma's mother shows back up into her life when she's sixteen, Emma rushes to her best friend's house for comfort.