This is one of the first fics I wrote so updates may take a little longer as I edit it ready for posting. It's also one of my favourites.

This is set during the first year at university. Pacey and Joey never dated although his feelings, her confusion etc all happened. Dawson and Joey all happened as on the show. I hope you like. Title is from a great 10cc song. Not my favourite 10cc song but great none the less. Please read, reply and I'll update. Thanks, Tab

Chapter 1

As the Worthington campus came into view, Joey tightened her grip on the bag she'd kept on her lap the entire journey. The knapsack contained all her college information relating to enrolment and her dorm. Beside her Bodie turned and grinned, and with a supportive pat on the shoulder pulled into the campus and began the hunt for a parking space.

'Tell me again how the elevator can be out of order on the day they know everyone is arriving?' Joey asked for the twentieth time as she trudged another load of stuff up the stairs.

After eight trips up and down the stairs Joey was decidedly weary, even if Bodie was annoyingly unfazed. After a further agonising hour, all Joey's stuff was finally installed in the twin room that would be hers for the next year. With a grin and a hug Bodie was suddenly gone, having made an arrangement to meet an old school friend, and Joey was faced with the lonely task of finding a home for all the items it had felt so necessary to bring from home.

Joey flopped on her neatly made bed exhausted. Looking at her watch for the twentieth time she wondered where her roommate was and who on earth she would be. Having spent most of her youth either sharing a room with Bessie, or with living room furniture, Joey wasnt particularly worried about the part when they were asleep, more the moments when they were awake. Joey was no fool and knew full well that she could be tenacious to say the least. Standing up Joey straightened the corner of her bed spread for the umpteenth time and opened the door to peer down the corridor yet again at the mass of parents helping much loved offspring unpack. Joey felt a million eyes on her and smiled shyly, a vague hello on her lips before retreating back into her room with the safety of a closed door between her and potential friends.

'You still all alone?' Bodie asked peering round the door. Joey practically pounced on him desperate for conversation after a few stilted conversations near the toilets.

'Thank god you're back! Everyone is sharing fond parental farewells and I'm still roommateless. You can't leave me here alone!' Joey gripped his arm which he gently disengaged.

'I can and I will,' Bodie gave her a wicked grin as she dragged on his hand as he headed for the door. 'I just called through to say goodbye!'

'You've barely said hello!' Joey protested.

'Goodbye Joey!'

'Please,' she was pleading now and she knew it.

'I'll see you soon, ok? You'll be good. Just play nice with the rich kids and they'll love you. And make sure you call, ok?'

'Ok,' a pout formed on her lips in defeat as she reached up to hug him goodbye.

Staring forlornly down the hallway at Bodies departing figure Joey didn't notice the girl sidle up to her in the corridor.

'Is that your boyfriend?' her voice was sweet and girly.

'Him?' Joey stared at the girl,'more my brother-in-law. He's my sisters partner. They have a son together.' Joey rushed her words suddenly feeling nervous under the elegant girls scrutiny. Tall and blond, the girl oozed confidence and wealth.

'Oh,' she murmured. 'So do you have a boyfriend?' she clarified.

'Sort of,' Joey was a little taken aback by the girls upfront questioning.

'I'm Tina,' the girl stuck out her hand which Joey shook.

'Joey.'

'Let's go drink coffee while you explain about your sort of boyfriend and I tell you about my most definite boyfriend. My roommate is a complete bitch. We've been here three hours and I hate her already.'

'Right,' Joey allowed herself to be led down the corridor, weighing up how likely it might be that Tina was the bitch and her roommate wasn't. Berating herself she reminded herself of the promise she'd made herself and Dawson to not judge too quickly, the way she'd always been judged.

Two hours later Joey shut her door with relief, inwardly hoping that everyone at Worthington wouldn't be as nasty and self-orientated as Tina. For two hours they had talked, or Tina had talked. Joey had only mentioned Dawsons name before the subject was changed and they'd not ever discussed the sort of nature of their relationship. Flopping down on her bed Joey questioned why she had described her relationship as sort of. They hadn't been together for such a long time after the first two ill-fated attempts and then separation anxiety got the better of them and they had got closer despite the fact that all the gaps and flaws about them as a couple were still there. Both she and Dawson had felt scared and were clinging to the comfort of the past. Joey had wanted to feel that security and one thing had led to another. The problem was Joey couldn't shake the feeling that maybe it shouldn't have.

Things hadn't got physically serious, but with Dawson everything had to move so fast and Joey had allowed it to. If only she could get to the crux of her feelings for him the situation might have clarity, but with Dawson there were just so many words that clarity was damn near impossible. Sighing to herself Joey rolled onto her stomach jumping at the tap on the door. Dragging herself from the bed she moved to answer it, her heart sinking to see Tina standing there.

'You left your id in my room,' Tina smiled and handed the card over. Joey told herself sternly to never, ever do that again. 'I was thinking we should head out tonight.'

'Really?' Joey looked at her watch feeling boring. It was only nine but she felt like getting under her covers, falling asleep and waking up back in High School.

'Yeah, you know, start as we mean to go on.'

'I've got a class first thing tomorrow,' Joey protested.

'You're not one of those scholarship kids?' Tina scowled in disapproval.

'I'm afraid so,' Joey tilted her head, her smile sarcastic.

'Not that there's anything wrong with being on a scholarship it's just they make life so dull,' Tina rushed to cover up. 'Anyway, if you change your mind my roommate Monica and I are heading to a party in some guys dorm on the second floor.'

'You and Monica getting on better?' Joey asked.

'I suppose she's ok,' Tina conceded. Joey was about to go back into her room but Tina was stood staring dumbly. Joey felt a heavy weight land on her shoulders and arms go about her neck.

'And how's my favourite girl?' the gruff voice asked in her ear. Tina was suddenly going nowhere.

'Uggggh, you!' Joey groaned.

'Now is that anyway to treat a person? I ask you!'

'You like it,'Joey muttered figuring he must with his dogged pursuit of a friendship with her. Pacey grinned charmingly at Tina as Joey headed into her room with a wave at Tina.

'She's absolutely right. I love it when she treats me mean.' As the door closed behind her (damn those fire doors) Joey pressed her ear to the door only to hear Tina asking Pacey if he was Joey's sort-of boyfriend and then telling him all about the party, when he answered in the negative. In disgust she flopped back down on her bed, something that was becoming a familiar ritual of despair in a very short time.

It was a full five minutes, five minutes filled with Joey wishing she'd not left in the first place, before the door swung open and Pacey stalked into the room.

'That has to be the meanest girl I've ever met!' he stated as the door slammed behind him. 'Barring you of course,' he grinned gallantly before flopping onto the bed beside her, landing half on top of her due to lack of space.

'Pacey,' Joey protested, 'do you always have to be so close?'

'Small bed, big me,' was all he said totally unperturbed.

'If she's such a mean girl how come you took her number?' Joey arched an eyebrow at him, relenting to the proximity.

'You know me Potter. Totally attracted to mean girls. They make me weak,' Pacey gave her a wink and looked around the room giving Joey time to put two and two together, knowing she never did. 'Nice pad you've got here. I see they've even given you a spare bed for when Dawson comes to visit.'

'So droll,' Joey scowled not liking the slight on her sexual experience or lack there of.

'Seriously Jo, where's the roommate?'

'Seriously Pacey, I don't know,' her scowl deepened.

'You called Dawson yet?'

'No,' Joey found her irritation growing. Why did everyone think she'd call Dawson straight away?

'So you've just been hanging out here tidying?' Pacey gave her one of those deeply intense stares, the kind that made her uncertain how well she knew him and made her suddenly not irritated at all.

'Yeah I've spent the last six hours in mind numbing boredom, well four if you don't count the excruciating hour and forty-five minutes I spent with Tina, or the measly ten minute goodbye I shared with Bodie, or the five minutes I've spent painfully conversing with you.'

'Though this interaction hasn't been totally enjoyable I wouldn't call it painful.'

'What would you call it?' a pout painted her lips again.

'Normal?' Pacey suggested with a quick grin. 'However, lets get to the point - with four hours of boredom you still havent picked up the phone to your boyfriend?'

'Why does everyone keep calling him my boyfriend and why do they assume we have to speak every day?' Joey bit out before she could stop herself. For some reason it didn't feel right to talk to Pacey about her and Dawson and not because of loyalty to Dawson.

'Maybe because you were pretty inseparable for the last few days,' Pacey was suddenly serious and the slump in his mood made Joey feel tired all of a sudden.

'He needed a friend,' Joey said sombrely.

'No Joey. He needed you and selfless as always you gave him you,' Pacey wasn't looking at her, more staring at his hands.

'And what does that mean?' Joey felt the anger and irritation bubble up again.

'Nothing,' Pacey muttered. 'I should go.' Rolling off the bed and onto his feet Pacey smoothed out his rumpled baggy clothes. Joey felt the departure of his warm body keenly, now that she was faced with the prospect of being alone again.

'Stay,'she said quickly and then blushed, remembering an awkward conversation from a couple of summers before when Pacey had told her he was going to sail to the Florida Keyes. She'd asked why he was going. They'd been so close then and she'd enjoyed time with him so much. She'd felt so confused about him, not that he'd ever known. He'd told her he needed to get some breathing room but if she asked him to stay he would. Not sure what he'd meant, nor capable of dealing with the implication she'd told him it wasn't her decision and she couldn't ask that of him and he'd left, leaving her bereft and even less certain.

When he returned he'd put more of distance into their friendship. They were close and she knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for her, but they began to spar more frequently, and they played on the notion that they hated one another again. Whatever had been between them may have still been there or it may not have been, but Pacey didn't allow her close enough to find out, and something about his cool and calm exterior made Joey nervous and uncharacteristically shy around him and the banter made her comfortable. At her words Pacey had turned back to her and for several moments they stared at one another making Joey wonder whether his mind had also turned back to the conversation two summers before. Then he grinned, that cocky self-assured grin of his.

'Is Joey Potter feeling a little lonely?' he asked. 'Do you need me to stay and hold your hand?'

'God,' Joey dropped her head in frustration. 'I don't know what's worse. Being alone and homesick or having you here annoying me but making me feel safe.'

'I make you feel safe?' his voice had dropped, the tone immediately sexy and intimate. Joey didn't look up because the way Pacey made her feel was just so unpredictable.

'Yes you do and don't gloat,' she said instead, her voice small.

'How can I gloat over something as nice as that, hey?' Pacey murmured sitting on the edge of the bed and putting a hand in the tangle of her hair, his fingers gently caressing the strands. With wide eyes Joey looked at him and there was nothing but sincerity in the familiar face looking back at her. 'You really feeling homesick?' his hand continued to tenderly touch each strand of hair.

'Will you think I'm pathetic if I say yes?'

'Of course not Jo. You could never be pathetic. You're amazing. You set your heart on Worthington and here you are. That's amazing and if anyone is allowed a few moments to get used to all the remarkable things happening to her it's you! Jo, you'll be good, you know that!' Pacey stared at her and Joey stared back.

'How is it you can annoy me to distraction and then say exactly what I need to hear?'

'Either innate ability with difficult women or knowing you so well!' Pacey teased and when she gave him a mock glare he grinned irregardless. 'It could always be a mixture of the two!'

'And there's the bit of you that annoys me to distraction!' Joey groaned resting her head on her arms enjoying the soothing sensation of Paceys fingers running through her hair and the weight of his arm on her back.

'So you're not going to the party downstairs?' he asked at length moving his hand from her hair to rest absently on her back.

'I have class tomorrow,' Joey explained.

'And you only got here today. Give your self a break Jo. Crack the whip another night. Tonight you deserve to chill.' The sound of the phone ringing broke the silence. Joey answered and Pacey gazed around the room absently as she spoke. There wasn't a lot of Joey in the space yet. Sure there were books, wherever there was Joey there would be books, a large map of the world, a poster by Gauguin of two Tahiti women on a river bank that he had given her. But her bedspread was plain light blue and worn, of course. The lamp beside her bed was an old one of Bessie's. Joey hung up the phone and frowned,

'What's up?'

'Apparently I won't be getting a roommate. Not soon anyway.'

'Oh. Well that's even more reason to come tonight - you know meet some people.'

'But everyone has someone to go with. I have no roommate apparently!'

'You have me,' Pacey suggested and suddenly Joey was more in the mood for a party.

The dorm rooms a couple of floors down were jammed with people. Joey was pretty certain it must be illegal to have so many people in such a small space but she was trying to go with the flow. There were people in every inch of available space but she and Pacey managed to squeeze in regardless. People smiled at her and introduced themselves and somewhere along the short walk down the corridor she and Pacey had been given beers. Taking a long slurp of the alcoholic beverage for more confidence, Joey smiled charmingly at everyone.

Joey was jammed next to Pacey near the connecting doorway between the two dorms hosting the party. She'd had a few conversations with some girls but it was the guys who kept coming up to talk to her. Joey was quite happy to enjoy the attention but found herself becoming shy and almost thankful when Pacey introduced himself allowing the guys to assume that he might be her boyfriend. Of course Pacey never said anything like that, because he wasn't her boyfriend, but they were forced to stand so close due to lack of room and they were clearly at the party together when everyone else had come with a roommate of the same sex as them. Joey absently wondered where Tina was.

'I think I'm ruining your first day bonding here,' Pacey practically shouted in her ear.

'In what way?' she shouted back.

'The guys want to chat you up and they're not chatting you up because they think you have a boyfriend.'

'I do have a boyfriend,' Joey reminded him. 'Or sort of anyway.'

'Of course, the guy you don't want to call,' Pacey chided her knowing her consumption of alcohol had been at a level that would mean she'd tolerate is impertinence, or at least that's what his consumption of alcohol told him.

'Pacey, let me remind you that you don't go to this university. In fact you're not even a university student - I could very easily have you kicked off the campus,' she arched a drunken brow at him.

'As if you would,' Pacey looked at her flirtatiously.

'That look may work on other girls, but not on me. I'm not like other girls,' she shook her head with distaste.

'And don't I know it,' he muttered in response.

'And what is that supposed to mean?' her hands were on her hips and her eyes were flashing dangerously.

'I meant that your strangely immune to my charm,' Pacey tried to diffuse the sudden tension.

'So sweet,' Joey told him unexpectedly looking up at him with adoration.

'Why's that Potter?' Pacey was suspicious.

'So sweet that you care in that way - I didn't know to be perfectly honest Pace,'Joey shrugged graciously still batting her eyes at him.

'And who's to say I care in that way?' his heart was hammering but he was playing the self-assured cad.

'You!' she flashed him a triumphant smile. 'After all you said yourself that you've tried that charm of yours on me! And it never works so perhaps more than once?'

'I like a challenge,' he looked into her face with teasing eyes. 'Its got nothing to do with those eyes of yours and nothing to do with that vampish personality.'

'I'd rather be vampish than chronically moronic,' Joey was decidedly offended.

'Now dont go getting your panties all in a twist,' Pacey told her with a laugh.

'You shouldn't even be thinking about my underwear!' Joey was horrified.

'Calm yourself little miss,' Pacey urged her breathing into her ear and suddenly again there was a moment that she didnt quite understand. How Pacey could be leaning against her and she could not want him to move. But of course he did move and give her a big wink. Too frustrating, they both thought inwardly about the other.

'You're drunk Potter - I think you've blown any chance of making it to that first class,' Pacey strolled up to her where she was sat chatting to a number of girls who eyed him greedily.

'This is Pacey,' she told the girls under lowered brows, her voice conspiratorial. 'He's my roommate.'

Pacey stopped in his bold and brazen steps to double check he'd heard her right.

'You got lucky,' one girl muttered.

'I don't get it another,' admitted looking at the tall man with a smile to die for and eyes for the brunette, mouth slightly ajar as he stared at her.

'Well my name is Josephine, but you see I go by Joey - mistakes were made concerning gender and it's hardly as though Pacey is a name that's gender specific...'

'Way to charm Potter,' Pacey was resting against her from behind and the girls marvelled at the easiness of what was apparently a new friendship or acquaintance.

'Are you going to complain?' one girl asked Joey and Pacey gave her a heart broken look. 'Not that you're horrible - I just cant imagine sharing with a man.'

'Pacey's not a man,'Joey laughed as if the girl had made a joke, 'he's more moron than man!'

'And you're a prude,' Pacey told her tightening his grip around her slender shoulders. The girls in the group exchanged a look uncertain about these two.

'He only says that because this guy is a serious womanizer - he's had at least five or ten serious girlfriends from what I could gather,' Joey shook her head.

'Two actually Potter. And at least I'm not dating or semi-dating a man who can't sleep with me.'

'Dawson could sleep with me any time he wants,' Joey turned to Pacey with a furious glare.

'Sure,' he just rolled his eyes.

'What do you mean, "sure?"' Joey was apoplectic. 'How do you know we've not?' she demanded.

'Because you don't want to,'Pacey summarised with ease.

'And how would you know that?' the entire group was watching but she didn't care - Pacey always made her stop caring.

'Lets leave it,' Pacey was suddenly more aware than ever of the watching eyes.

'I don't want to leave it,' she pouted.

'We better get going,' he waved goodbye to the girls as did Joey.

'Now tell me,' she growled as they climbed the stairs.

'Because I know girls like you Joey - you're a proverbial ice queen - you don't want to give it up because it scares you to death.'

'Well...whatever,' Joey stood still.

'No witty come back?' he tilted his head to the side.

'You might be right,' she shrugged drunkenly and he laughed.

'Lets go home Potter,' Pacey said after a beat.

'Ok Pace,' she gave him a drunken nod and he wrapped his arm around her as they continued up the stairs.

'You told them I was your roommate, Jo - what got into you?' Pacey asked as he lay her down on the bed and then took the minimal space remaining.

'To much alcohol,' she groaned slightly as the room span.

'So I'm your roommate now?'

'I figured it would be cheaper for you than renting? In fact you can help me with rent,'Joey closed her eyes. 'I mean I've known you my whole life. I know all your faults, annoying character traits, your flaws. You're a safer bet than some strange girl besides which you smell good,' she turned to bury her face in his chest and sniffed indulgently.

'And if a real roommate turns up?' his voice didn't quite belong to him as she sniffed at him, her hands on his chest.

'You're out - no harm no foul.'

'There's nothing like the feeling of tenancy certainty,' Pacey teased softly as Joeys breathing evened out. He thought she had drifted off when she spoke,

'You know, i thought we were past all the mean banter...earlier we cut it close,' she whispered and he brushed the hair off her face.

'You taught me this Potter - you've got to read between the banter. Sometimes the banter is the best way to find out what's going on in that mysterious head of yours,' Pacey watched the gentle rise a fall of her chest contentedly.

'I like the idea that I'm mysterious,' her breath was warm on his chest.

'Believe me you're a mystery to me and I've known you my whole life!' Pacey continued to stroke the soft skin of her cheek and she murmured appreciatively.

'Dawson once said he knew everything about me - no surprises.'

'Then Dawson is a fool!'

Pacey had been kicked into his bed at some time around four am. Kicked being the operative word. Joey, in her drunken state, had kicked furiously for more room resulting in Pacey landing in a dazed and confused heap on the floor. Begrudgingly he'd dragged himself to the bed opposite pulling a spare blanket from Joeys closet and making a mental note to get himself a quilt.

Morning dawned and the late Autumn sunshine thankfully spilled into the rooms on the other side of the building. Pacey had set Joeys alarm for her and it shrilled far too loudly at seven. A groan chorused from her bed and she hit around trying to locate the intrusive technology. In an instant Pacey was out of bed and had his hands stilling her thrashing arms.

'No, no, no Potter. No going back to sleep. Today is the first day of the rest of your life,' he admonished. Joey arched a perfect eyebrow and looked at him cynically,

'Why's that? You planning on something big?' she gave him a very suggestive look in his opinion.

Momentarily flustered and flummoxed Pacey said nothing as she tore herself from the warm cocoon of her bed. In one fluid motion Pacey had taken her place.

'My bed,' Joey scowled through bleary eyes.

'You in college, my day off, nice and warm,' Pacey grinned and closed his eyes. 'I'm doing you a favour - without me you'd have missed your first class.'

Joey stared at the man who reminded her of the little boy she'd known so well. The kiss on his cheek was so light he thought he might have imagined it but when he opened his eyes her face was there before him.

'What's that for?' his voice was gruff.

'To say thank you for checking on me, taking me to the party - for bringing me home and for making sure I don't miss my first class.'

'What is your first class?' Pacey asked suddenly interested, leaning on his elbow.

'History 101,' Joey still hadn't moved.

'You think they'd notice if you snuck me in?' Pacey wanted to see what it was all about. His interest had got the better of him - history had always been a subject he enjoyed. granted, not always when it was taught by Capeside Highs finest. He knew he wasnt college material but that didn't mean he wasn't interested in college material. Sure he liked food and boats better but he could definitely appreciate a little history every now and then.

'You really want to come to my class?' Joey had wrinkled her nose adorably.

'Whats history 101 involve?'

'American history the early stuff. Pocahontas and all that jazz,' she shrugged slightly.

'Damn,' Pacey groaned.

'Damn?'

'Yeah that sounds cool and now I've got to leave my nice warm bed.'

'My nice warm bed,' Joey clarified.

'Of course,' he couldn't shake the grin plastered all over his face.