Jaylor One Shots

Come Back, Be Here

Joe watches the video over and over again, his heart breaking a little more every time. Andrea had sent him a video of Taylor performing tonight, she'd chosen Come Back, Be Here as the surprise acoustic song but the words had been changed. Deep in his heart, Joe knows the exact reason she'd chosen to change those words, she's been missing him a fair amount and even though she'd tried to hide it - he could tell how flat she'd been feeling, her eyes weren't sparkling as much as they usually would and some nights her eyes would fill with tears as soon as she saw him. The distance was hurting him too, he misses being able to hold her, laugh with her and just be in the same room together, even if neither of them were saying anything. But knowing she's hurting enough to change the lyrics publicly is truly crushing him, all he wants to do is gather her up in this arms, kiss the top of her head and softly whisper how much he loves her. But he can't do any of that right now because there are thousands of miles between them. Joe knows she's still on stage right now but he makes the decision to call her later and do his best to comfort her through the phone. 

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A few hours later, Joe knows Taylor's back in her hotel room. He takes a deep breath before picking up the phone and calling her. After a few rings, she answers

"Hi..." Her voice comes softly through the phone, immediately warming his heart. Although it wasn't the same and being physically together, Joe had found himself craving their phone calls and being able to hear her voice or see her face if they decided to FaceTime. 

"Hey love, how you doing?" He asks gently 

"I'm good...how are you?" He can hear something off in her voice, almost as if she's trying really hard to not cry. 

"I'm okay, I miss you." There's no response from Taylor's end and Joe assumes she's either crying or at the point where she can't talk or she will cry. 

"Your mum sent me a video of you performing your acoustic song tonight." Joe pauses for a moment, "I noticed you changed a few words" There's silence once again for a few moments

"Oh yeah, I just muddled up the words a bit." Her voice is almost at a whisper and it cuts Joe deeply to hear the tears in her voice and know he can't pull her body close to his, to look deeply into her shining blue eyes and assure her that everything's going to be okay. 

"Baby...what's really going on? I can hear in your voice that you're not okay, let me help you...please?"  Once again, there's a long silence, but just as Joe goes to speak again, he hears Taylor suck in a shaky breath.

"I've just been...struggling with being separated from you. I knew I was going to miss you but I didn't realise the extent it was going to hurt. I just feel so burnt out because I go out on stage and it's great and all but then I go back to a lonely hotel room just wishing I was with you and I just miss you so so so much!" Joe hears her burst into sobs and he feels his own heart crack into two, stray tears spilling out of his eyes. He hates that she's hurting so bad. 

"Taylor...love, I'm so sorry I'm not with you right now. I would give anything to be there with you, holding you tight. I miss you too and I love you so so much, this separation won't be forever, I promise. It's only two more weeks until I have you back in my arms..." His whole being aches to be with her right now. 

"I don't know if I'll survive two more weeks" She murmurs and the pieces of his heart just completely shatter. He takes a few moments to collect himself before replying

"Oh baby, yes you will. You're so so strong, if anyone can do this, you can. I just know we can do this." He slowly hears her sobs reduce to sniffles, he's hoping that maybe she just needed a good cry and a few reassuring words and she'll be okay now but he has a feeling that her pain is a bit more deep rooted than that. He knows Taylor needs him and he's already formulating a plan to surprise her sooner than expected.