Victoria misses Joy terribly. She was away in London, taking care of her mother. Her mother had fallen and fractured her hip, and since Joy was her only child, and any other siblings or her father wasn't around, she had to fly to London to take care of her mother.

'Take good care of Sadie, Tori. I'll call home as often as possible; Mum's supposed to have surgery within the next few days…hope for the best, okay?'

Victoria presses her in a long hug, 'I'll miss you babe, call often, alright?'

She presses a kiss against her lips, and then pauses to look at her, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Joy couldn't stand to see her cry; she brushed the tears off of her cheeks.

'Babe, it will only be a few weeks. I know darling, I know it's the first time we've been apart for longer than a week. But you'll be fine. Sade will be fine. And I'll call and Skype you as much as I can.'

Victoria smiles through her tears and Joy presses her gently into a hug.

'I love you, Tori.'

Victoria looks at her tearfully. 'I love you too my dear sweet Joy.'

Victoria waits by the phone, waiting to hear her voice. She cries, realizing this was the longest they had been apart since they confessed their love for each other. She looks at the screen on her Mac, waiting to see if Joy would come online. And sure enough, she came online.

Victoria clicks on her username, requesting a video chat. She wanted to see her so bad it hurt.

Joy accepted the video chat request, and her face popped up.

'Tori! I was waiting for you to come online. You have no idea how much I miss you and Sadie. How is she?'

Victoria smiles, 'She's doing well. She misses you and wants me to tell you that she misses baking with you. I'm not very good with the baking thing, as you know.'

Joy smiles upon hearing that. 'Tell her I miss her too. I miss both of you. It's been quite dreary here.'

Victoria sighs, 'I bet. I've missed you so much Joy. So much that it hurts.'

Joy blows a kiss and Victoria smiles, knowing she felt the same way.

'I've missed you too. I wish we could cuddle right now.'

Victoria sighed, 'I wish we could too. I miss your arms around me.' She reaches to take a sip of her coffee on the table.

'So how's your mother?'

Joy sighed, 'Well, mum's out of surgery, and they want her to stay a week in the hospital to make sure everything heals properly before sending her home with a nurse. She sends her love, and is telling me that I should go home now. The doctors say she'll be in good hands, so I told mum I'll catch a redeye back home in the next couple of days, so it won't be too long before I'm back home.'

Victoria smiles, 'Honey, that's great news. Both the news that you're coming home and that your mother pulled through.'

Joy grins. She knew Victoria couldn't live without her, she could see it in her eyes. Her eyes told Joy that Victoria couldn't sleep without her spooned up next to her. Joy admitted to herself that she missed Victoria too. She missed her more than anyone in the world. She missed her daughter, but that was a different kind of missing someone. Victoria was her baby, her soul mate her love. She missed her warm body snuggled up to her at night. She missed the giggling and laughter and throwing raw cookie dough at her when she was playful. Or the playful smack on the bottom when she knew she was being too cheeky. Or the nights they spent cuddling on the couch.

Victoria sensed Joy knew how she felt. This separation was hard on her, as they were always joined at the hip. Three weeks was much too long for her to be apart from her. In those three weeks, she realized how much Joy really meant to her. Joy was her love, her light, and made her the happiest she had ever been. At night, she found it hard to sleep because she wanted so much to hold Joy as she slept, Joy's pillow was a decent substitute, but she wanted the real Joy. Victoria figured at least she could press her nose against the pillow, to smell the faint smells of Joy's perfume. She smiles at that thought.

Joy makes a heart with her fingers and Victoria smiles.

'I feel the same exact way.' She does the same thing with her fingers, and Joy smiles.

'God, Tori…I miss you like mad right now. But soon enough, we'll be together again.'

Victoria nods. 'I know, babe. Pencil in some intimate time for me, won't you?'

Joy nods, 'Of course, love. We'll do something as a family, and then maybe, just maybe we'll schedule a weekend getaway, just the two of us.'

Victoria raises an eyebrow, 'Please not a ski trip, dear. I want to get away from the snow.'

Joy laughs and smiles. 'Of course. I want sun and beaches.'

Victoria bites her lip; 'Mm…I like the sound of that idea.'

Joy grins, knowing she got Victoria hooked on the idea of a weekend trip. She knows soon enough Victoria and her would be back together again. Joy planned for some quality family time with Sadie, and then the weekend was all her wife. She smiles knowing she'd return soon enough.

'Well, love, I must be off…time differences suck.'

Victoria nods, and blows a kiss at the webcam.

'Love you, babe.'

Joy smiles, blowing a kiss in return to Victoria's.

'Love you too. Have a good day, and tell Sade that Mommy said hi.'

Victoria smiles at that 'Will do. Good night and sweet dreams my beautiful princess.'

Joy winks at her, 'Bye.' She signs off, and Victoria closes out. She logs offline, and turns off her laptop. Sighing she knew she only had a few more days and then Joy would be home. Picking up her pillow, she squeezes the pillow, her tears soaking the pillow a response to her missing Joy more than anything. She couldn't wait to hold her in her arms, and to feel her against her again.

Victoria realizes that she finally understood what it was like to be in love.