Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the beloved Dawson's Creek.

AN: Hi guys! This is my first Dawson's Creek story so be kind, but by all means I can take criticism so fire away. I love Joey & Pacey together. This story picks up at the end of "The Valentine's Day Massacre" where Pacey is teaching Joey to drive. Everything leading up to this is the same as viewed by everyone with a taste in television.

~ Joey ~

I stood on the porch, waiting for Pacey to say something, anything. The silence that consumed the Potter B&B porch was beginning to get to me. I waited a moment longer for his words before speaking, "So, are we all finished here?"

"No, actually there is something else," he stated firmly from the porch. What is just me, or was Pacey Witter nervous? "It's just something I've been meaning to tell you," he spoke with slight trepidation now.

"Uh look, Joey-" he stumbled over his words slightly before regaining his confidence, "you're lingering on your clutch. I know you think you're just easing into the gear, but it's not a good idea. It's going to do a lot of damage to your transmission. So, I was thinking if you wanted to, I could show you?"

"Now?" I asked, confused about how he could be so nervous to teach me how to drive. He clearly came here with other intentions, but I let it be. Typically, my stubborn nature would get the best of me, certainly with Pacey, but not this time.

"Yeah, if you'd like," He said with a grin. He seemed relieved that I didn't question him. We made our way over to the blue truck that I had begun to hate. He talked me through it the first few times with more success than not. Nearly an hour later, he left me standing on the porch without any further discussion outside of my driving technique.

I entered the B&B with a small smile still lingering on my lips. Driving wasn't so bad when you had the right teacher. Bessie poked her head around the corner from the kitchen, "So what was that?"

I shrugged looking at the food set out on the table for breakfast, "Nothing, Pacey just wanted to teach me to drive."

Bessie shook her head before calling everyone to the table, but before everyone entered, she looked my way, "I don't know what it is with the two of you, but I never know what to expect."

~ Pacey ~

Doug's words played over and over again in my head as I ventured farther from Joey that morning. I couldn't help but wonder if I gave her butterflies too. Why did it even matter? As I told Doug, the whole town would become some hellish shadow of itself if I admitted it.

I wandered in the direction of home, but ran into Doug before arriving, "So Dougie scouting out any cute boys lately?"

Doug rolled his eyes at my running joke, it just never got old, "You know what Pace, maybe you're not worthy of that young beauty. Your jokes really aren't that funny, and some may call you a liar."

Subconsciously I became defensive, "Hey! You have no idea whether I am worthy of Potter or not."

Doug grinned at my accidental revelation, while I cursed myself for it. "So, it is Miss Josephine that has stolen your heart. Although, I don't know how I hadn't figured it out, I mean how many other girls have you ever fought so much with?"

I smile came to my lips as I quoted Potter herself, "You've got to read between the banter."

Doug shook his head once more, "That girl may very well be the death of Pacey Witter. Where were you this morning?"

I chuckled lightly thinking of what I almost did, "I went to see her. I almost said something. I must have still been drunk."

Doug patted my shoulder with an amused smile, "You may not have said it today brother, but you will."

I said goodbye to Doug before continuing home. I stopped for coffee along the way, but despite the caffeine I still thought I was dreaming when I saw Joey Potter on my porch. "Potter, didn't I already have to suffer your presence this morning?"

She gave a small smile, "Pace cut the crap. Why were you at my place this morning?"

I groaned, internally of course, "What do you mean Jo?"

"I mean, you clearly showed up at my doorstep this morning for some other reason than driving lessons," she said as I stood in front of her on the porch. She sighed when I gave my answer.

"I wanted to sort out what happened last night. I know I was drunk, but I acted like an idiot."

I almost lost myself in how adorable she looked when perplexed, "No Pacey, I meant after that. I asked if that was all. You had a very distinct answer, but the explanation was less than great. I tried to let it go, but I can't. I still think you know what's best for you, but I just can't shake the feeling that you have something else to say. In all honesty-"

I cut her off before she rambled her way into oblivion, "Potter, quit yapping. I did, but as you said I know what's best for me."

She was beginning to glare in my direction, "Pacey, if you have something to say to me then say it."

I tried to distract from the situation that could only get worse from here. "Potter, I'm trying to something for the greater good here, and you're making it harder."

"Oh, so now you're the good guy Pace? It doesn't work like that. You have something to say I know you do," Joey was angry now. We had moved beyond the banter that often brought a smile to my face.

I pointed a finger in her direction without much thought, "Joey you can't tell me what to do. Whether I have something to say or not doesn't matter. This is not your meek little friendship with Dawson, I won't be bossed around."

Well now I had done it, I had officially pissed off Joey Potter for the second time in 24 hours. She scowled at me before going to walk away. At the last second, I caught her arm, "Joey, you know I didn't mean it."

She didn't turn to face me, but she didn't walk away either. I pulled her back to face me prepared to tell her I had something to say, but instead I cupped her face gently before kissing her pouting lips softly. God, that pout did strange things to me.

"What the hell was that?" She said in a near whisper still standing with my thumb still on her cheek, and the other around her waist. I couldn't form a coherent thought let alone a full sentence, so I kissed her again. This time she saw it coming and looked down slightly to avoid it.

I could feel my heart pounding hard in my chest. She continued looking down at our feet on my porch, "Pacey, I need an explanation."

I sighed and kissed the top of her head and let both of my hands rest at her waist. The little gasp she let out didn't escape me, and actually made me crack a smile, "Well Potter, there is usually only one reason that two people kiss like that." I tried to create a tone that portrayed banter, but it failed.

"Pace, what are you trying to tell me here?" Joey said quietly without lifting her head.

I let out a small chuckle realizing this was going to change everything and I could hear my heart pounding, and my mind was racing a mile a minute.

~ Joey ~

I heard his small chuckle but couldn't quite figure out what it meant. Pacey stood with both arms wrapped around my waist keeping very little distance between our bodies. He finally cleared his throat, "Potter, I don't know what to tell you here other than the god's honest truth."

I still couldn't bring myself to look at him. I was scared of what I might do, but I knew I couldn't trust myself. The Potter stubbornness wouldn't let me look at him again, because if I did, I might just kiss him.

"What is the truth Pace?"

He removed he last bit of space between us and I allowed him to lift my head to see his face, "The truth is Potter that I might just like you, and I really don't know what I'm going to do."

I could feel both our hearts beating out of our chests, "Pacey, I-"

"Joey unless what you're about to say isn't going to break my pounding heart then I suggest you stop right there," Pacey said quietly with little space between us.

I looked him in the eyes, and as much as my head was screaming to run I didn't. I closed the gap between us bringing my arms up around his neck to pull me closer. I stood on my toes letting him kiss me softly. We broke apart but stayed forehead to forehead. I could see our heavy breath in the frigid winter air.

"Maybe we should go indoors before you freeze Potter. We wouldn't want you to get grumpy," Pacey said pulling me inside.

"I don't think I could be grumpy after that," I whispered to myself, but he heard me. He squeezed my hand as we weaved through his seemingly empty home on our way to his bedroom. "Listen Witter, you can't just have your wicked way with me now."

He laughed, "You'd like that wouldn't you Josephine?"

I sighed in relief as we returned to typical banter. It was strange to think that it was almost my biggest fear after what just happened. We certainly cannot go back, but I was not willing to let that part of us change. That is, if this was going somewhere.

"You know what Pacey, maybe I would, but I thought you weren't going to do this. Something about the greater good?" I suggested hoping in the back of my mind he was going to kiss me again, although I wouldn't admit it.

"Do what Jo? This?" He asked pulling me flush against him and kissing me softly as we stepped into his room. "Screw the greater good," he whispered before kissing me again.