Title: Gone

Author: Payton Tyler

Email: darkserene at glitterbomb dot com

Pairing: Adam/Joan, Grace/Luke

Rating: PG-13 cause it's cooler than G

Season: 2

Spoilers: "Friday Night"

Disclaimer: No matter how hard I wish, I will never own JoA.

Summary: As Joan watched her brother and her friends retreat, she felt for the first time since Judith had died earlier that evening that eventually she would be okay.

Dedication: SG, for her great 7 episode appearence on the show. And Friedman. Cause ya know, the guy's got it pretty tough right now.

Author's Notes: Okay, well. First time writing Friedman, even though no one really says much, so apologies for the OOCness of him.

"We will greve not, rather find strength in what remains behind; In the primal sympathy, which having been must ever be; in soothing thoughts of spring, out of human suffering; in the faith that looks through death, in years that bring philosophic mind." - William Wordsworth

It was around eleven when Joan's arms finally got tired from the juggling. Stopping the light up balls that had kept her entranced for the past half hour, she walked back over to her front porch, where Adam, Luke, Grace and friedman were still sitting. She set the balls on the top step, then took a seat between Adam and Friedman, resting her head on Adam's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her waist and she sighed. Hair catching fire seemed like a comfy alternative to how Joan's first date had gone. She had lost Judith. The only person that had kept her alive for the three months she had spent at crazy camp. The girl that had helped her get ready for her first real date. The girl she could stay up for hours on the phone talking about clothes with.

Gone.

Dead.

And it was like Grace had said. On Monday there would be memorials at her locker, teddy bears, people crying who didn't even know Judith. The people that would pass her in the hall each day and never give her a second thought. They would never know who Judith had really been. She was just some girl who had died of stab wounds during a botched drug deal. And it pissed Joan off, knowing all the people that would pass the five, giving them their condolences, crying, acting like they knew, when really, they had no idea.

"I don't think I can face Monday," Joan said as the tears began to well up in her eyes again. Adam pulled her closer to him.

"Mom and dad will understand if you ask to stay home," Luke told his sister as he unconsciously took Grace's hand in his own.

Unsure of what to say or do, the five sat there in silence until Helen finally came out to check on them.

"It's getting late," she said, "Adam, Grace, Friedman, you're welcome to stay the night. We can figure something out for the sleeping arrangements."

"Thanks for the offer Mrs. Girardi, but I should get home," Friedman said, standing.

"Yeah.. My mom's not feeling too well. I should probably make sure she's okay," Grace added, earning a knowning look from Luke.

"I should probably go too. My dad's still having back problems. Are you going to be okay?" Adam asked Joan.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully.

"Call me if you need anything," he told her, giving her a kiss on the top of the head before getting up as well. Joan nodded and watched her three friends walk off into the night. She felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Luke going into the house behind their mother. As Joan watched her brother and her friends retreat, she felt for the first time since Judith had died earlier that evening that eventually she would be okay.

-Ende-