Note: Dawson's Creek and all its inhabitants belong to the mind of Kevin Williamson, and the corporations of the WB, and assorted others. I am just taking them out to play. Please don't sue me.
W/N: The idea for this was inspired by a thought I had re-watching the 'True Love", which was – 'she's got no luggage, no purse, and she's out at sea with a brand-new boyfriend. How is she going to possibly get tampons?"
This is NOT a story about tampons.
The story picks up 2 years after the finale. Dawson is still living in California, Andie a doctor in Boston (which was shown in the DVD version of the finale but cut from the broadcast, I think), Jack a teacher in Capeside, raising Amy (Jen's daughter) with Doug Witter (sheriff).
In the finale, Pacey had re-opened the Ice House restaurant in Capeside. He and Joey had reunited, and the last seen, Pacey had joined Joey in New York City – moved in or just visiting? Never spelled out.
Then, 6 months before this story opens, Joey is diagnosed with Endometriosis. The monthly pain gets worse. Needing time to deal with the disease, she leaves her job and New York City and goes to live with Pacey in his townhouse in Capeside.
Eventually, her doctors decide to schedule her for outpatient laser surgery to give her some real relief f. Believing that she is about to get her life back, she heads out to California for a vacation before the surgery – a break from the cabin fever of months without the stimulus of NYC and her fast-paced career. She visits Dawson and interviews for a job with an LA-based publishing company….
…………………………
The
Week Before
Joey Potter adjusted the strap of her shoulder bag and tried to shake off the fog of five hours spent on a plane flying across a continent.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw the bright blue tag on her suitcase as it came around the luggage carousel. When a large hand grabbed off before she could reach it, she started to shout.
Then she saw his face. And breathed out a small sigh with the little butterflies that twisted inside her chest.
"Hey," he said, slipping his free hand into the small of her back. Leaning in to kiss the edge of her forehead softly.
"Hey," she answered, pressing her cheek into the cotton of his t-shirt. "You're a surprise. I told you last night that I could take the train."
"I told YOU last night that I'd be here," Pacey reminded her, slipping his arm around her shoulders and leading Joey over to the stairs and across the pedestrian bridge into the garage.
"How was the flight?"
"Long." She looked down when he caught her eye.
"Yeah," he agreed, stopping to really look at her. He took in the hunch of her shoulders and the subdued expression on her face. "OK, let's get you home as soon as possible" he announced, leading her through the cars to his Cherokee.
Pacey tossed Joey's bag in back before climbing behind the wheel. Within minutes he'd negotiated their way through the twists and turns out to the interstate. Joey relaxed into her seat, watching the scenery out her window.
"Jo?"
"Yeah, Pace?"
"How are you, really? Because you seemed to have returned from California paler than you left."
"Just tired," she told him.
"Anything I should know about the trip?"
Joey didn't answer. The car slipped into the dark of a tunnel and she closed her eyes.
"But you're OK?"
She nodded. "I'm OK."
"I'll let you rest then." As they emerged from the tunnel and back into the sun, Pacey pushed the sunglasses off his head and over his eyes. By the time they pulled into the short driveway of the townhouse, it was noon. The traffic out of Boston had been horrendous, as usual. He felt grimy and stiff from the roundtrip drive but one look at Joey made it clear she was in even worse shape.
Pacey carried her bag up the stairs as Joey slowly followed, her hand trailing the banister. In their bedroom, he closed the curtains against the early summer sun that was pouring in like klieg lights on a stage.
"You made the bed," Joey smiled.
"I'm domesticated," he reminded her. "Plus, I figured you'd be wiped out and maybe want a nap."
"Yes, thank you. But a shower first," she decided, unpacking with quick, efficient motions. "I smell like the plane." When it was empty, she tucked the cosmetics bag under her arm before stowing the suitcase at the back of the closet.
He watched her walk away, off to the bathroom. Heard the water kick on, and the shower curtain slide open. And dropped on his back on the bed with a long sigh.
The conversations they weren't having resting heavy in his chest.
…………………………
3PM
THE DAY OF SURGERY
"About my trip…"
"Oh," Pacey groaned, from his seat he dropped his head on the edge of her hospital bed and sighed. Joey squeezed his fingers tight and he looked back up at her. "You're like 5 minutes away from surgery. After maintaining radio silence on the subject for the past week, isn't there ANY other time you could pick to talk about this?"
"Just in case…"
"There is NO 'just in case'. Simple keyhole laparoscopy. I checked with Andie. I Googled it. I Yahoo'd it. And by God, yes, I even 'Jeeves'd' it. This is mundane, run-of-the-mill stuff, Jo. Less risky than walking through Central Park. So there will be no mountain-making here."
"Pacey…" Joey stroked his short brown hair, trying not to let the anxiety show.
"Yes, Jo," he exhaled deeply and sat back up.
"About my trip."
"Yes, Jo," he repeated, surrendering.
"I, well, there was a misunderstanding."
"Let me guess. There was no job interview, was there?" Pacey asked, giving voice to this vague, black fear that had been in his mind since she'd told him about the trip in the first place.
"There was," she assured him. "Just not for a job I would have wanted." Joey looked at the wall, trying to collect her thoughts. A thousand times she had imagined herself explaining, but still she couldn't find the right words to put together. "I guess I just wanted a break."
"A break from me?" Pacey told himself that they were in a hospital. That someone was about to cut into Joey. That he was going to stay calm.
Stay Calm. Stay Calm...
"I wasn't running away from YOU, Pace. I just wanted a break from this decision that hangs over our heads all the time. I thought if I got away from…"
"From what, Jo?" Pacey met her eyes.
"This sounds crazy," she gave a small sad smile. "I guess from what I want FOR you, for … both of us, really…"
"I don't understand." Pacey repeated 'Stay Calm' mantra in his head.
It wasn't working.
Dammit.
"Pacey, look around at the life you've made. You take care of the people who work for you; you've invested in this town. God, your restaurant sponsors a little league team! You haven't built all this to end up following me around. Don't you picture something more?"
"Joey, first of all, it's OUR restaurant. I lease that space from you and Bessie and that means we're in it together. Second of all, my choices up until now have been made pretty much in the moment. If it's all added up to something, well, no one is more surprised than me. I don't have a magic vision of the future. In absolute point of fact, being with you IS my ideal. No agenda, no hidden desires. Whatever would make you happy would make me happy, and that's what I want."
"That can't be all," she told him quietly. "Since this whole thing started, that's all you've said. But it's not true. You're not in high school anymore, Pace. There's a world beyond the all those closed doors you used to imagine. A life you've built. A life WE'RE building. Having kids, if, when… We should be able to talk about what this all means. It may be my body, but it's happening to US."
" 'Us' didn't go to California," he reminded her, feeling the bitterness on his tongue.
"You're right," she conceded, sincerely. "The trip was a mistake. It messed things up, Pacey. I'm sorry."
"OK, let's start there. What DID it mess up, Jo? Because you've been more depressed since you got back than when you left." The dread was back, and he tried to get her to meet his eyes. She wouldn't.
Bad sign.
"I think… I know… that I maybe gave Dawson the impression that I was considering moving out to the West Coast. Of…"
"Leaving me? God, Joey," Pacey could hear the blood roaring in his ears. Feel the cold falling into his lips and fingertips. She looked at him with such sadness that he suddenly had a picture what happened, like a movie playing in front of him.
What his imagination conjured up made his brain melt inside his skull.
Joey reached for his hand. Words forming on her lips...
...Just as a cheery nurse entered the room with a wheelchair.
Joey obediently followed the nurse's instructions and transferred into the wheelchair, holding the back of her gown shut with one hand while trying to negotiate around her IV tube. For a long moment, Pacey just watched, unable to make his brain switch gears to the big bad whatever of California to her being wheeled away for surgery.
"I'll see you later," she said softly, as she was maneuvered out the door.
Pacey finally found his feet and raced to catch up.
"I'll be waiting," he promised, kissing her cheek softly.
She looked back at him from the elevator, giving a small wave as the doors closed.
He stood, staring at the silver doors, for he didn't know how long.
Finally, behind him in the hallway, Pacey heard a voice.
"Coffee or… hmmm… chicken broth," Jack asked, reading from the vending machine offerings.
"Hey, man," Pacey breathed gratefully. "What are you doing here?"
Jack snorted. "What do you think? Cruising for cute doctors. In case your brother doesn't work out."
Pacey gave a short laugh and accepted the cup of black water from him with a nod.
Jack and Pacey found adjoining vinyl seats in the waiting area. "How's she doing?" Jack asked.
"Good. Ready." Pacey rubbed his neck and glanced over at the nurses' station. "Better than me."
"So this is just a routine thing, right?"
"Laparoscopic exploratory to confirm the diagnosis. Plus removal of tissue for biopsy, especially this one cyst. Not that I get a straight answer from them, but your sister told me it's usually 45 minutes, maybe an hour, in and out. Unless they find lesions they want to take care of right away."
"OK…" Jack looked around Capeside Hospital's waiting room and sighed. "I hate this place."
"Yeah," Pacey agreed. "You didn't have to come…"
"You weren't going to be sitting here alone, dude. Besides, my classes were done for the day. Doug is going to pick up Amy from aftercare so it's all covered. Unless you would prefer him here instead of me…"
Pacey shook his head violently, and they shared a quick, knowing smile.
"So how was her trip to California?"
Pacey groaned. "Jackers, I know you're trying to be a good friend and make chit-chat to keep my mind off what's happening with Joey, but if there is one thing I want to talk about less than this surgery, it's her recent trip to La-La land."
"Awkward silence, then?"
"Absolutely. Punctuated periodically with comments about the time."
Jack smiled, and, as if choreographed, the two old friends sank deep into their seats. Sipping bad coffee and lost in separate thoughts.
