The Kid in The Jersey and The Tutu

Chapter One

If a mothers life was considered hectic then Josephine Potter would have to concur, watching her sister raise her son was not even nearly preparing her for what she was now facing.

She, was her Mission Impossible and her name was Lilly who knew something so small that considered nail polish all over her hands an art form would pose such a loveable problem. She had her mothers long loose beautiful brown curls and her fathers piercingly blue eyes that would give away both her and his every emotion. At almost four and a half years old her daughter had trouble written all over her and her fathers same heartbreaking yet naughty smile to reinforce her mothers underlying heartbreak.

Every time Joey looked at her daughter she saw him. The love of her life that got away. When Joey first became pregnant they were in their senior year of high school and just about to graduate. They were so in love and spending all their time together at the beach house Pacey was renting but when Joey found out the visits became few and far between and arguments became more and more regular. Pacey wanting to know why Joey was pulling away and Joey wanting to hide away and not have to deal with anything. They graduated two weeks into Joey's pregnancy and still no one knew. Joey didn't want to ruin Pacey's life she didn't want him to be tied to her by obligation he had his whole life to live and she wanted him to live it. So that night Joey broke it off with the only man she ever loved. First she cried then he cried then he screamed then she screamed then there was silence for a long time and she knew he was giving in he had to she wouldn't let him not. She gave him some lame excuse about wanting him to be happy and that he won't be if he has to be tied up in a relationship, neither of them believing her. Joey still to this day spends sleepless nights scared that he though that she was leaving him because she didn't love him that he wasn't enough, because that was always Pacey's fear that he wasn't enough. But what he didn't realize was that Joey never needed perfect because he was perfect to her. When you love someone even their flaws are perfect to you. He never understood that. At least he never understood that in reference to him, he loved Joey just like that he loved her so much that she was perfect to him so he couldn't believe someone so perfect could love him the same way back. The next day after the break-up Pacey left town he went sailing away just like she knew he would and to this day she hasn't seen or heard a word from him. Though she swears sometimes when she's alone in her bed at night she can feel him his strong arms wrapped around her as she sinks into the almost tangible embrace.

Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!

Lilly was running into her mothers bedroom and jumping up on her bed. Joey rolled over to see her beautiful daughter so happy and vibrant. She was full of life and causing her mother to smile reluctantly not wanting to give her daughter any positive reinforcement for doing this in the morning

Joey- What is it sweetie?

Lilly- You'll never guess who I saw

Joey- Hunny unless this story involves an insane amount of coffee I'm really not going to be able to follow you

Lilly- But Mommy the man in the pictures is on tv

Joey- What man?

Lilly- You know in the pictures you keep in the pretty box that I always ask to see the one that has the blue eyes just like me

Joey lept out of bed and into their living room almost trampling Taco the dog on her mad dash to the television

Sheriff Pacey Witter today saved a young girl from a burning building sources say that Witter was unprotected running into the building to save the girl who he emerged holding and managed to get to paramedics before any serious injury was inflicted on her. Witter had this to say about the incident "Really I just did what any guy in my position would have done I really think the press is paying way too much attention where it shouldn't be, we should all just be grateful that Sarah is ok and going home to her parents safe and sound."

There he was the same beautiful man Joey had loved and lost so long ago. She was trying to stop the tear that escaped her and just then her daughter emerged behind her

Lilly- See Mommy that's him right? Mommy…? Are you crying?

Joey- No no sweetie I just I had something in my eye

Luckily due to her age that line hadn't reached cliché status yet

Lilly- Mommy if you're sad you can have my teddy for today I won't need it I'm a big girl now

Joey smiled at her daughter knowing just how precious that teddy was to her. Lilly never knew it but it was the teddy Pacey had won for Joey at the fair that came to Capeside every summer. She missed Capeside New York still didn't feel like home they had been there for three years with Joey taking literature classes at NYU while Haley Jen and Jack would help baby-sit Haley was her closest friend in the city they lived next door to each other and joked that Friends had nothing on them. But even when Joey was gone she would always draw her daughter pictures from her favorite stories and hang them in her room just like her mother used to do for her.

Joey- Thanks Lilly but I swear I'm fine now why don't you run up to your room and get ready for when Haley comes to get you okay

Lilly- Okay Mommy but he's a hero like Superman

Joey- Yeah just like Superman

Lilly skipped happily off to her room

Then the phone rang

Joey- Hello?

Jack- Did you see?

Joey- Yeah not only did I see but Lilly was the one to tell me he was on tv

Jack- How did Lilly recognize him?

Joey- Oh uh Just by some pictures and stuff I have

Jack- So?

Joey- So what?

Jack- Are you going to go see him?

Joey- Yeah right! That's exactly what I'm going to do I'm going to march myself

down to his office and say hey Pacey remember me the girl who dumped you and ripped your heart out well I'm back and oh by the way you have a four year old daughter that you never knew about because I never told you so how's your life? No thanks Jack my life is soap opera enough already okay

Jack- Jo this isn't fair and you know it

Joey- What do you mean?

Jack- When you told us all that you were pregnant you said to us that you would try to find him and that when you did you would tell him and now here he is right in front of you I mean none of us even knew he was in the city and you're just going to let this opportunity slip by. He's Lilly's father Jo he has a right to know what a beautiful daughter he has

Joey- Jack what if he doesn't want to know? I mean he's been living his life perfectly fine without knowing till now and what now all of a sudden I have to completely change his life forever because I made a mistake five years ago by not telling him? That's not fair to him Jack

Jack- No Jo this isn't fair to him and you know it and Lilly needs a father and

Pacey would make an amazing father you know that

Joey- Jack I just… I'll think about it okay?

Jack- That's my girl

The tears began to spring in her eyes again that's what he used to call her she was 'his girl' and not in the possessive way Dawson used to hold onto her in the sweet way that meant they were giving themselves to each other and that was exactly the way they wanted it. She stifled her tears for the second time that morning.

Joey- K I got to get Lilly ready so we'll talk later

Jack- Sure Jo bye

Joey- Bye

Jack- By the way there's a party tonight and you're coming

Click

He always did that says something extremely fast at the end of a conversation so you hand up without realizing and end up having to agree

Lilly now entered the room with her long hair slung over her hockey jersey and her fairy tutu on underneath which to her matched perfectly

Lilly- I'm ready

Joey- You're ready huh? So let me guess you're the Hockey Fairy again today?

It was like the fates were teasing her making her daughter as much like Pacey as possible and she liked it she smiled warmly and genuinely at her daughter still trying to mask the pain of missing him that over four years hadn't dulled in the slightest

Lilly- Yep

Joey- And what little miss makes you think I'm going to let you wear that today?

Lilly- Well because.. um because I look like Superman

Joey- Lilly I don't remember Superman ever wearing a hockey jersey and a tutu

Lilly- No Mommy not that Superman the one in the pictures he has a jersey just like mine

It was official Lilly spent way too much time looking through Joey's stuff and she didn't have the energy this morning to argue with Lilly she was like her father in many respects and stubborn was defiantly one of them. Plus after having had the wind knocked out of her this morning she wasn't in a pistols at dawn kind of mood

Joey- Fine hunny you can wear it on one condition

Lilly- Huh?

Joey- Oh sorry sweetie you can wear it if you promise to put all your toys away tonight before bed

Lilly- Promise. So I can wear it?

Joey- Yes and as long as you're good for Haley

Lilly- I always am Mommy

She rolled her eyes at her mother like it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard and just like her mother her huge doe eyes packed a very serious punch when she wanted them to

Soon Haley was breezing in the place picking up Lilly and swinging her in her arms

Haley- Hey munchkin

Lilly- No I'm not a munchkin they're scary

Haley- Oh sorry Miss Witter then what would you have me call you?

Lilly- Umm Supergirl!

Haley laughed

Haley- Supergirl it is

Lilly- Yay! See Mommy I'm just like Superman

Joey sighed as she watched Lilly

Joey- You sure are

Haley- Hey Supergirl if you want I have a cape at home from Halloween if you want

you can try it out that way you'll be even more like him

Lilly- No silly I want to be like Mommy's Superman

Haley looked up at her friend and Joey looked away guiltily

Haley- Who's Mommy's Superman Lilly

She rolled her eyes again seriously considering that she was the smartest one there

Lilly- The one in Mommy's box she has lots of pictures of him and he has a jersey just like mine!

Haley- Wow Lilly hey do you think maybe you could give your Mommy and me a second to talk

Lilly- Are you gonna talk about Superman coz if you are I wanna listen

Haley- No I promise we won't talk about Superman

Lilly- Okay

Lilly ran into her room to play with her teddy

Haley- So you going to tell me who the mystery man is or am I going to have to pry it out of you with booze and chocolate

Joey- Hey don't judge me by your standards you know that only works on you besides you promised Lilly that we can't talk about him

Haley- No I promised Lilly I wouldn't talk about Superman I didn't say which Superman now did I

Joey- Well it doesn't matter because I'm not talking

Haley- Why?

Joey- Because I already got the third degree from Jack and I really don't want to hear it again

Haley- Okay so this has something to do with a guy that you keep pictures of so is therefore someone who is very special to you and who you've known for a long time because lets face it your social life in the city is pretty much baron. Lilly thinks he's a Superhero still confused about that part and you've obviously done something wrong by him otherwise Jack wouldn't have yelled at you so a guy from your past who you did wrong by… No!

Joey- This is ridiculous I didn't even tell you anything!? See what happens when your friends know you too well. No boundaries

Haley- So it is him? Lilly's father?

Joey- Yes

Haley- Whoa so did she meet him or something?

Joey- No! she, she saw him on the news he rescued a girl from a burning building and that's why he's Superman okay?

Haley- Are you serious omig I saw that Sheriff Witter I can't believe I didn't pick that up

Joey- Yeah well now you know so can we move on please

Haley- He is fine

Joey- K see I was hoping for more of a change of topic here

Haley- But wait why was Jack angry at you

Joey- He wants me to go and see him you know and tell him about Lilly

Haley- Well he's right Jo he's her dad and I don't think Lilly would mind having Superman for a father

Joey- Haley I just… I don't think I can do it. Seeing him again it's just going to be so hard and you know that I never got over him

Haley- All the more reason you never know over time something might happen again

Joey- Yeah right a guy like Pacey doesn't stay single he's one of the good ones

Hales he's probably married

Haley- He isn't

Joey- Oh yeah and how do you know this?

Haley- Joey how many times do I have to tell you I have a radar for this kind of thing if they're cute the first thing I check for is the ring and that finger of his was sufficiently nude. And just for the record I wouldn't have minded the rest of him being so too. Come on Jo dish is the present as good as the wrapping?

Joey- You're libido is a dangerous thing I hear men have fled the country because of it

Haley- Good riddance I say if they aren't man enough to handle me then let them flee for all I care

Joey laughed at her friend Haley always cracked jokes like this to make her laugh especially when she was really upset

Haley- So are you going to see him?

Joey- Well I'm in the thick of denial right now but when that passes I know I will I mean I have to do what's right for Lilly right?

Haley- Yes you do and for you its been four years Jo wouldn't you like to figure this thing out?

Joey- Well I guess only time will tell huh

Haley- Guess so Nostradamus

Lilly stomped in seconds later

Lilly- Did you two forget about me!

Joey went over to her pouting daughter and picked her up kissing her on the cheek

Joey- Never Lilly I love you too much

Lilly – I love you too much too Mommy

Lilly hugged her mother tight and Joey smiled giving her kisses and making her laugh before putting her down

Joey- So I'll see you at six okay?

Lilly- Okay Mommy

Joey- Haley don't give her too much sugar either we both all know what happened last time

Haley- Yes Mom. So what time do you finish classes

Joey- At about 5:30 I just need a half hour to get some stuff done

Haley- That's fine okay Supergirl you ready?

Lilly- Yep

Haley- Okay lets leave Mommy to her books and classes

Lilly- Bye Mommy

Joey- Bye Sweetheart

They gave each other kisses and soon Haley and Lilly were gone. Leaving Joey time to get dressed and ready for class which didn't take her long being a mother Joey had honed her skills in the saving time department in a flash she was dressed hair done in the long princess curls as Lilly calls them and ready to go.

Her classes that day seemed to last forever stretching out so long that she felt the bell would never ring or that they would never be dismissed. When she finally got out she swung buy Jen's place to drop off her car keys that she had borrowed but unfortunately Grams had informed her that she had left for the party.

When Joey arrived home it was already five past six and Haley and Lilly were waiting for her at the door

Haley- Okay here she is got to go

Joey- Whoa what's the rush

Haley- John just sms'd me he's in town

Joey- Okay

She laughed

Joey- Thanks for taking her

Haley- Same back see ya guys bye Supergirl

Lilly- Bye Shopaholic

Joey laughed that sounded just about right. They entered their home and Joey realized that Jen probably thought that Joey would be at the party to drop her off the keys oh no she wouldn't have a ride home great now I have to drop them off but I've got Lilly and she's still wearing her hockey jersey and tutu. As much as Joey hated the thought of bringing her daughter to a college party she couldn't leave Jen stranded like that and Jack had messaged her earlier that day saying that the party would only be small.

Joey- Up for a party Lilly?

Lilly- Really?!

Joey- For five seconds just so I can give auntie Jen something

Lilly- Sure

They were in the car and off within seconds.

When they got there Joey had Lilly in her arms she wasn't going to let her go for a second

Joey- Jen! Jen!

Jen- Hey Jo! Lilly?

Joey- Hales took off

Jen- Oh ok, oh no

Joey – What? I know I'm a terrible mother but here's your keys and im leaving now

Jen- Thanks but that wasn't what I was oh noing about

Joey- Well what was it?

Lilly- Superman!