Colliding Hearts #Wattys2017

Chapter 30- Paper Lanterns

White fluffy clouds drifted slowly in the sky above Emerson, she lay on her back on a blanket Jocelyn had given her so she wouldn't be lying on the grass. The sun shone brightly a glowing yellow orb that cast shadows near Emerson, the trees helping to make she shadows dance along the ground as golden leaves slowly fell and floated to the earth.

Emerson's hands rested underneath her head as her green eyes traced shapes in the clouds. She had woken up here, in a cabin in a grassy field that was hidden by a thick forest. She didn't ask where they were she had simply explored the two bedroom cabin before heading out to the back yard.

Jocelyn had stopped her, giving her the blanket and told her that she was safe and that is she needed anything all she had to do was ask. She refused to allow herself to think of what she had done, she had decided she wouldn't think at all. It was how she normally dealt with things, she would acknowledge the facts before hiding away and ignoring them, once she was tired of hiding she would appear again and she would let go of the problem.

It was by no means a healthy way to handle her problems but she truly hated dwelling on things or dealing with problems longer than she had the patients for. And so she decided she would lay in the field until the stars shone, she would go inside and sleep and repeat until she was tired of it.

Four days passed much like the first day they arrived in the cabin hidden away and Jocelyn found herself no longer worrying about Magnus and Alec but rather she was worrying about Emerson's mental state. Every morning Emerson would wake, eat breakfast with Jocelyn all the while not speaking, she would then get the blanket and the picnic basket before heading to the field and there she would stay until night had fallen.

It was a pattern she had quickly fallen in and Jocelyn wondered why she was letting Emerson do it. She should have spoken with Emerson, tried to talk her into spending time together but one look at the broken girl and Jocelyn was at a loss for words so she simply offered her a warm smile and a kiss on the top of her head before watching as she went to the center of the field.

Currently Emerson was lying on the blanket, Jocelyn could see her clearly from the back door, her shoulder resting against the doorframe as she cleaned her hands on a dish rag. Her phone buzzed from inside her pocket and she debated, as usual, if she should answer it. She realized that her reason for taking Emerson had been wrong, she shouldn't have took Emerson away for her own selfish wants.

She had realized her mistake the second night, when she saw Emerson making paper lanterns as she sniffled, trying to stop herself from crying. She realized that Emerson needed to be on her own, to deal with everything that has happened in her own way. It pained Jocelyn but it was also Jocelyn way of making up for her being selfish. Pulling the phone from her pocket she tapped the green phone button and held the phone to her ear.

"It's for Emerson, it was about me but it's not, I realize I was wrong." Jocelyn spoke in a sad tone as she heard Luke sigh on the other end.

"Everyone is pretty upset with you Jocelyn, Clary, Magnus and Alec especially. You've been gone with no contact for four days, it's time you brought our daughter home." Luke spoke in a stern tone. Jocelyn knew he was just as upset as the others and she hung her head in shame. She had been wrong, acting childish ever since Emerson appeared in her life once more.

"She's grieving Luke, she lost the woman who raised her and she was thrust into a world she never knew existed and then was told she was an ancient soul who for some forbidden reason is not known by the very people she might have created. She needs this," Jocelyn was cut off by shuffling sounds and she froze at the void sounding voice that filled her ear.

"Where is she." Alec's voice was void of all emotion so much that Jocelyn felt her skin crawl.

"She's watching the clouds, she's" Once again she was cut off.