Ruby ~Joshler~

0.4

"D-dada?" Ruby sniffled. Her big eyes opened slowly, not recognizing where she was. She was scared. Her big eyes quickly glossed over as her lips parted and a heartbreaking cry past through sleeping ears, waking him us instantly. 

"Hey, hey." He comforted her, pulling her and the blanket into his lap. Ruby was distraught in his arms as she continued to weep uncontrollably.

"I-I w-want my dada." She kept repeating. 

Tyler rocked the small girl back and forth as he shushed her. He had no idea what to do due to his lack of experience with kids. "Ruby, are you hungry?" He asked her in a soothing voice that Ruby found very calming, but it didn't change the fact that she was lost and scared. 

"DADA!" She would do anything she should think of to be with her dad. It was cold and scary here and Ruby didn't like it. 

"It's okay little one." Tyler soothed. "I'll make sure you get home to your dad as soon as possible okay?" 

The little girl in his arms hiccuped and rubbed her irritated eyes. She nodded her head. "T-tanks Tyer."

Tyler smiled down at Ruby and squeezed her in a big hug. If he ever had the chance, he was definitely going to have kids of his own. "Alright. You hungry?" Ruby nodded her head. "Me too. Let's go get something to eat." 

xoxo

"I-I don't know mom! Yeah I-Okay just-mom!" Josh paced his bedroom, gripping his phone tightly to his ear. "I know! They are doing everything they can. There's nothing I can do." 

"I can't believe you would just fall asleep! What kind of father just falls asleep while his daughter is on a playground!?" 

"I know, I'm a horrible father." Josh banged his head up against the door frame in frustration. "I'm not perfect."

"You lost her Joshua!" 

Josh sighed and slid down to the floor. "It's so hard. It's just so fucking hard mom." Josh's voice cracked and his breath hitched as he thought back into the past couple of months. "I can't do this on my own. Ruby is my life right now and I can't loose her." 

The line was silent for a while as Josh finally let his emotions take over. Agony is all he could feel when he was away from Ruby. While he knew she was out there somewhere by herself. Probably scared and hungry. 

"Josh, I'm sorry." Laura spoke up. "You're a great father and I know it's hard. Me and your dad had a hard time raising you and your siblings with little money we had, but trust me, It's gets better. You'll get to watch her grow up and learn so many new things. It's an amazing experience." Laura smiled through the phone. "I know they'll find her okay?" 

"Thanks mom. I'll call you when I hear something." 

"Alright Joshua, Good luck. Give her lots of kissed from grandma okay?" 

"Okay mom." Josh sighed and hung up. "What am I going to do?"  

xoxo

"Tyer, look!" Ruby gasped, her pretty eyes growing wide in wonder. Her curiosity got the best of her as she tugged her hand away from Tyler's much bigger one and ran over to a small dog. 

"No-Ruby!" Tyler weaved through a bunch of people, trying to keep his eyes on the small girl as she easily make her way through the legs of each person. "Ruby!"

Once Tyler got through, he was relived when he found Ruby bending over to pet a small Yorkie, owned by a strange woman. "Tyer look! Puppy!" 

"I am so sorry." Tyler was quick to apologize, scooping Ruby up in his arms. 

"Oh, no worries. Charlie loves little kids like her." The brunette looked at Ruby, but she looked away, burying her little face in Tyler's chest. "She's adorable. Is she yours?" 

"Oh, uh no. I'm watching her for a friend for a while." 

The woman nodded. "What's her name?" 

"Her name is Ruby." Tyler replied, moving a further away from the stranger. 

"Oh! What a cute name!" 

Tyler nervously laughed. "Yeah. We better get going now, Ruby needs a nap." 

Ruby gasped, unburying her face. "I don' need nap Tyer!" 

"Okay. Let's go." He turned away and walked off quickly.  "Guess what little one." 

"What?!" Ruby giggled loudly. 

"Your going home soon!" Tyler grinned as her watched Ruby light up with excitement. 

"Yay!" Ruby clapped her soft, little hands happily. "Wait. Will you come too?" 

Tyler's grin dropped. "Oh. I don't know Ruby."

"You come too? Right?" 

"I-I don't know." Ruby frowned and looked down at her feet. "But, we'll still be friends. Is that okay?" 

"Yes!" 

"Alright little one. Let's get you home."